Star Wars has plenty of unusual species, and the galaxy's legends have it that a long time ago, on the galactic Outer Rim, the exploits of one Jaxxon - a Lepi smuggler who just happened to look like an oversized green rabbit - were known far and wide. But then he disappeared, and his story was largely forgotten - that is until now.
In a recent post, StarWars.com revealed Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories - Jaxxon Annual, a one-shot comic book focusing on the continuing adventures of Jaxxon, from the creative team of Cavan Scott, Nick Brokenshire, David Kennedy, and Comicraft. Cavan Scott - responsible for reintroducing Jaxxon after a nearly 40-year absence - expressed his excitement at working on the project in a follow-up announcement posted to his Twitter account.
The comic will also feature a Mike Mignola cover that will be exclusively available at the Star Wars Celebration Europe Convention held from April 7-10, 2023, in London, England. After the convention, the comic, which will be available directly from Dark Horse later in the year, will include three other variant covers.
Jaxxon Returns To Help The New Republic
Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories - Jaxxon Annual will update the story of Jaxxon, or as he is formally known Jaxxon Tumperakki. Prior to his return to official Star Wars canon in 2018, the last time fans saw Jaxxon was way back in the original 1977 Star Wars comic run. However, now he's returning to a major canon planet, seemingly allied with C-3PO. Scott explains:
Jaxxon is heading to Endor with the god of the murder bears in tow, a certain protocol droid entrusted to Captain Jaxxon Tumperakki of the New Republic to help solve a crisis on the Sanctuary Moon. Expect intrigue, conflict, calamity, and Duloks
Jaxxon may seem like a comedy character, but he's a capable rogue who is willing to risk his life for the right cause. The vintage of his original series attracted artist Brokenshire to the new comic. The artist explains:
For me, Jaxxon symbolizes the wild, fun, madness of the old Star Wars comics and strips from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Brightly colored, kinetic, and a little bit bonkers! Perfect! He’s the best type of hero — capable but relying very heavily on charm and a star-hauler's load of luck.
Scott agrees, adding that his prior experience of the franchise has given Jaxxon a major part in his Star Wars fandom:
This was my first real dive into a galaxy far, far away and there was Jaxxon, on the cover alongside Han Solo. I must have read that issue (and the ones that followed it) hundreds of times. And for me, Jax was just as big a part of Star Wars as any of the main heroes and villains.
Jaxxon Brings Back Star Wars' Wildest Era
Jaxxon first appeared in Roy Thomas, Howard Chaykin, and Tom Palmer's Star Wars #8. He was one of a few "down on their luck" smugglers looking for a big payout, and signed on to a mission that Han Solo organized to help a bunch of farmers rid the mountains of bandits who'd been harassing them. Despite his cartoonish look, Jaxxon turned out to be one of the toughest, most skilled fighters in Solo's group. As Solo later described him in Star Wars #9, Jaxxon looked like a bunny, fought like a tiger, and "gnaws on hambones instead of carrots."
A do-gooding anti-hero in the classic Star Wars style, Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories - Jaxxon Annual will see the rogue tasked with a sensitive and important mission that brings him to Endor, the land of the Ewoks.
Source: StarWars.com, Cavan Scott