Welcome back to another new comic book day, EveryWookiee!! On June 25, 2022, Square Enix Publishing continued the Mandalorian serialization and Star Wars Visions adaptations with Big Gangan Vol. 7 was published in Japan. I got my hands on a couple copies and I’ve gone through analyzing first appearances and key events here.
If you remember, we took a look at the first Big Gangan Manga issue to begin publishing Mandalorian comics last month with Big Gangan 06! Flying a bit under the radar, late-breaking news made Star Wars comic collectors outside of Japan aware that this issue would begin the Manga adaptation of Season 1 of the Mandalorian, plus an adaptation of the Visions Anime episode, “The Elder.”
Check out the Mandalorian appearances in the prior issue here!
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!
Format
Now, first off, this is a monthly Manga publication from a subsidiary of Square Enix called “Big Gangan Monthly” and the name is not a cute ironic name. This book is fat and features upwards of 20 ongoing manga serializations. Here are some comparison pictures:
Depending on the collector, many only consider character appearances in monthly 20-some-odd page comic book format to be “firsts”. For them, collecting is very easy. They will obviously be looking to Marvel’s Mandalorian #1 and later issues for the first comic appearances of those fan favorite characters. For completists, the task becomes much more of a journey, an exciting quest!
Now, Big Gangan Vol. 6 and Vol. 7 were preceded by The Mandalorian Graphic Novel released May 18, 2022 in the UK which adapted the entire Season 1.
Then, of course, the Screen Comix book preceded both of these on March 24, 2021. The fact that the Screen Comix book was composed of still screen shots from the live-action show was a disqualifying factor for many collectors who did not consider it a comic.
So, the point is that many of these appearances have happened before in different formats and so will not be the first appearance in any format, but the first appearance in manga format.
Then, as the Marvel adaptation begins to come out monthly starting on July 13, 2022, the later serializations from Big Gangan may or may not precede the appearances in those upcoming Marvel Mandalorian issues.
Mandalorian Comic Release Timeline:
- Screen Comix The Mandalorian Season 1- March 24, 2021
- Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season One Graphic Novel (Panini UK)- May 18, 2022
- Big Gangan Vol. 6-May 25, 2022
- Big Gangan Vol. 7-June 25, 2022
- The Mandalorian #1 (Marvel)-July 7, 2022
Lop and Och?
Big Gangan Vol. 7 contains a manga adaptation of the Star Wars Visions Anime episode, “Lop and Och?”. This issue contains the adaptation of the entire “Lop and Och?” episode and includes the first appearance of Lop, TD-4, Och?, the planet Tao, Yasabur?, an unnamed Imperial officer, Suke, Kaku, and a few new ships, namely a SLA-93 landspeeder, an Imperial cargo transport, and a new Imperial Troop Transport that we haven’t seen outside the anime. This is the first appearance of these three characters in any comic format.
First appearance of Lop (female Lepi) and her droid, TD-4:
First appearance of the Planet Tao and an unnamed Imperial Officer:
First appearance of Och? (the guys beside her are Suke and Kaku (not sure which is which)):
First appearance of Yasabur?:
Awesome speeder action:
Beautifully illustrated lightsaber:
The Mandalorian “Episode 2”:
Cathartic depiction of one of these stupid monkeys being cooked:
Great close-up of Mandalorian younglings:
First Manga Greef Karga:
Great little collage showing why Imperial Credits are no good:
Awesome splash page of menacing Remnant Stormtroopers:
First Manga Client:
First Manga Dr. Pershing:
Cinematic introduction of the Armorer at her forge with beautifully illustrated mythosaur plaque:
First Manga appearance of the Armorer:
That’s it for now! Stay tuned! More later!
-DrunkWooky
