Welcome back to another new comic book day, EveryWookiee!!
Every week I take a look at the Star Wars comic releases and analyze for first appearances and key events that may be worth collecting or keeping an eye on for future development.
First appearances and keys from these weekly articles get added to or sister site and Star Wars comics first appearance and key issue database, Wookywiki.com, our sister site and Star Wars Comics First Appearance and Key Issue Database!
This week we got the issue everybody’s been waiting for! Mandalorian #1 from Marvel! Other than that, the saga of our band of scoundrels continued in Bounty Hunters #25!
First off-SPOILER WARNING! Spoilers ahead! I mean, if you don’t know the story of the first episode of the Mandalorian by now, that’s really on you. Still, you’ve been warned.
Mandalorian #1
There are TONS of variants for The Mandalorian #1, so if you haven’t already secured your own bounty copy, check out our comprehensive check list over here!
Let’s review Mando and Grogu’s comics publication history to date first. Because this is not technically the first appearance of many characters in any comic format, just the first in traditional U.S. 7″x11″ 20 odd page format.
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, Marvel’s Mandalorian #1 was preceded by Big Gangan Vol. 6 and Vol. 7. Those in turn 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 traditional U.S. single issue comic format.
Mandalorian Comic Release Timeline:
- Screen Comix The Mandalorian Season 1- March 24, 2021
- Darth Vader #20 (Sprouse Variant)(Cover only)-February 9, 2022
- 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 13, 2022
First off, let’s start with the cover. No, not Adi Granov’s fantastic cover A!
Phil Jimenez’s Pride Variant features the first cover appearance of Vi Moradi! Also known by the codenames Starling, Amaka Kottu, Evette Harlo, Magpie, or Mother Hen was a human female spy who served the Resistance. She first appeared in the novel, Phasma, followed by the Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire novel. She was also previously mentioned in a comic: Allegiance 1.
To start off, of course, THE Mandalorian, Din Djarin makes his first appearance. Of course, Din Djarin, Grogu, and the Razor Crest make their first traditional comic cover appearance on Darth Vader #20 (Sprouse Variant)(2/9/2022).
Then that poor, unfortunate soul, the Mythrol.
Next up, we have the first appearance of that unnamed Kubaz Ferryman, and Mando’s ship, the Razor Crest!
Unfortunately, we don’t get any more page time for Brian Posehn. For that, you’ll need to look to Big Gangan 6:
Next up, we get the first Ravinak ice beast!
First Greef Karga:
First “The Client”:
First Dr. Pershing:
Now, Beskar has an interesting comics publishing history. The first time any sort of Mandalorian specific metal was mentioned was in Tales of the Jedi 5:
These were “Mandalorian Manacles” and could be sliced by a lightsaber. “Mandalorian Iron”, later called Beskar, was formally introduced into the Star Wars galaxy in Tales of the Jedi Dark Lords of the Sith 2. When Exar Kun attempted to slash open the door of the tomb of Freedon Nadd, he found it was crafted out of the lightsaber-resistant metal:
The Republic Commando novel series and The Mandalorians: People and Culture in Star Wars Insider 86, officially named “Mandalorian Iron” the Mando’a word “Beskar.”
First Armorer:
First mother and father of Din Djarin (cameo):
We get Blurrgs, but this isn’t actually their first comic appearance.
The first appearance of Blurrgs is in the webcomic “The Ballad of Cham Syndulla”:
This webcomic along with all the others from “Season One” of the webcomic series were collected in Tales From the Clone Wars Trade Paperback:
Of course, the Webcomic collection is a very large collected edition, so this would be the first traditional single issue appearance.
First IG-11:
“The Child”/Baby Yoda/ Grogu cameo:
To cap things off, Mando visits three planets that make their first appearances in a traditional comic here: Pagodon (planet); Arvala-7(planet); Nevarro (planet).
Bounty Hunters 25
No firsts or key events. I know! Still a great issue, though! I love a good showdown. First Wolverine vs. Sabertooth. Etc. etc. Here we get a showdown between the Knights of Ren and T’onga’s Bounty Hunter crew.
