Marvel Comics has just released a new teaser for the next issue of their Star Wars: The High Republic series, and the horror elements have only just begun. In an interview with series writer Cavan Scott, some of the key inspirations for the series are revealed, including some classic horror and sci-fi films. Considering the new dangers that have been unearthed in the few issues that have been released already, it seems as though the Jedi of the High Republic era are going to have their hands full facing all kinds of terrors before the days of the Skywalker Saga.
Scott also revealed several classic Star Wars comics from the '90s that he looked at during the High Republic series' early development, and he mentions that Star Wars Republic, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic were all series that he took time to read through to gain insight. All of those series came from Dark Horse Comics, serving as fans' first look into what the Star Wars universe was like centuries before the birth of Anakin Skywalker and the fall of the Jedi Order. While they're all now identified as Legends stories and non-canon, there's still some amazing stories featured within their pages.
However, in his interview with Marvel, Scott also spoke to the handful of horror films he looked at for some terrifying influence for High Republic, as he and artist Ario Anindito are both big horror fans:
For this first arc, we took inspiration from Stephen King’s Children of the Corn among others, while also trying to invoke the claustrophobia of films like Alien and Outland. Hopefully, above all, we’re bringing something new to it.
This makes a lot of sense, seeing as how readers are following a squad of Jedi Knights investigating a hidden darkness in the crops of the remote planet Sedri in the Outer Rim. Additionally, Star Wars: The High Republic #3 saw the Jedi facing the terrifying Drengir, plant-based monsters of the Dark Side, capable of corrupting the minds of the Jedi themselves. Thanks to these comments from Scott, it seems likely that said horror will be continuing in this current arc, and fans can expect new terrors to emerge for the Jedi to contend with as well. Enjoy the the preview pages and synopsis for Star Wars: The High Republic #4 from Marvel Comics:
- STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC #4
- (W) Cavan Scott
- (A) Ario Anindito
- (CA) Phil Noto
- THE JEDI TURNED AGAINST EACH OTHER?!
- AVAR KRISS and her band of brave JEDI helpless in the clutches of a traitor in their midst.
- STARLIGHT BEACON under attack from an insidious foe. Danger from an age-old enemy.
- Who is really pulling the strings on the distant planet of SEDRI?
- Plus: The secret history of the terrifying DRENGIR revealed.
While Scott's comments about The High Republic seem to be focused on the current horror the Jedi are facing, the preview pages appear to be a flashback to the past, depicting Keeve Trennis' Jedi training from her master, Sskeer. In the present, Sskeeer has been corrupted by the Dregnir and has turned on his fellow Jedi. Furthermore, it was also revealed that the Jedi has somehow lost his connection to the Force, making Sskeer very aggressive and volatile due to his unbalanced nature. That doesn't seem to be the case in theses pages, but in the context of the artistic intent behind the series, it's clear this pleasant moment is only there to contrast and emphasize the terrors of the present.
Regardless, the horror the Jedi are facing will definitely continue in upcoming issues of The High Republic, as Jedi Marshal Avar Kriss and Jedi Knight Keeve Trennis were last seen facing Sskeer and the Drengir in underground caverns. Scott's reference to Alien is quite telling as well, as the Drengir definitely resemble Xenomorphs in their behavior. Here's hoping the Jedi have what what it takes to face the horrifying darkness that awaits them in the early days of the Star Wars universe.
Source: Marvel