Welcome back to another new comic book day, EveryWookiee!! I’ve scoured today’s news releases and below are the first appearances, cameos and key events from this week’s IDW Star Wars comic releases, Star Wars High Republic Adventures #9 and Ghosts of Vader’s Castle #3.
You can find all this information and tons more on WookyWiki.com, our sister site and Star Wars Comics First Appearance and Key Issue Database!
High Republic Adventures #9
First up, Qort is returning to a planet he’s very familiar with–Takodana! As the Padawans descend on the planet in the present day, Qort reminisces about his past. It turns out Qort was briefly adopted by the Pirate Queen, Maz Kanata after being abandoned on her front doorstep. Maz quickly realized his force-sensitivity and sent him off as a Youngling to join the Jedi order. Maz made her first comics appearance along with the planet Takodana in The Force Awakens Adaptation #3.
She brings in an associate, Farks. This is Farks’ first comics appearance. Farks tells Maz about Qort’s people, the Aloxians. They hunt giant crabs on their home planet as a rite of passage when young. Taking the crab skull, they wear it well into adulthood. The crab skull grows with the Aloxian wearer until it finally breaks from their head in late adulthood. So, here we have Qort’s origin story!
Baby Qort explore’s Maz’s castle and discovers a crab skull of his own. Putting it on his head, he finally feels safe, calm, and somewhat at home.
Meanwhile, in the present day, we’re introduced to the Krill sisters, former (?) Nihil operatives who are taking refuge with Maz and the Jedi on Takodana.
Of course, Maz needs heavy duty assistance taking care of Qort back in the flashback. Her load-lifter droid, Hurid-37 takes the front line with Qort. Although Hurid-37 made a prior cameo in The Force Awakens Adaptation 3, this is Hurid-37’s first full comics appearance!
Ghosts of Vader’s Castle #3
So, no first appearances or key events in this issue, but really moody, creepy art by the one and only Robert Hack! If you haven’t checked out his Sabrina work, it’s superb! This issue finds Thom Hudd having dreams about archaeological expeditions with Luke Skywalker! Thom Hudd first appeared in comics in Tales from Vader’s Castle #1. In particular I love this Dutch angle underwater shot:
Then, I thought this vision of Thom Hudd’s friends as decrepit, decaying, ghoulish skeletons to be the perfect spine-tingling accent to my October evening:
In the end, Thom Hudd learns that the Spirit of the Dagobah Swamp is mightier than any monsters he could encounter:
