Episode #262 -- Imitation of Life Star Wars Splash Page

It's a cornucopia of comics for Star Wars fans this week, with the releases of the Life Day one-shot and The High Republic -- Trail of Shadows #2 (of 5) from Marvel, while IDW releases Star Wars Adventures #12 and Star Wars Adventures Annual 2021.

From the noir murder mystery in Trail of Shadows to the return of hoojibs to canon, there's an array of stories, including four in one in Life Day and a clever and cute Cloud City tale that evoked memories of the Goonies and the Kids on Bikes roleplaying game.

In news, we break down the move by Lucasfilm to give Dark Horse Comics the all-ages license and what it means for The High Republic storytelling, along with the publisher's plans for other stories up and down the Saga timeline.

Upcoming Star Wars comics include:

Nov. 23 | War of the Bounty Hunters TPB (Collects Alpha #1, War of the Bounty Hunters #1-5)

Nov. 24 | Star Wars: Life Day #1 (One-Shot), The Trail of Shadows #2 (of 5), Star Wars Adventures Annual 2021, Star Wars Adventures #12

Dec. 1 | Bounty Hunters #18, Darth Vader #18, The High Republic Adventures #11

Dec. 7 | The High Republic, Vol. 2, “The Heart of Drengir” TPB (Collects #6-10), War of the Bounty Hunters Companion TPB (Collects Jabba, IG-88, Boushh, 4-LOM & Zuckuss)

Dec. 8 | Star Wars #19, Crimson Reign #1 (of 5)

Dec. 14 | Attack of the Clones Graphic Novel Adaptation from IDW, Doctor Aphra (Vol. 2), Vol. 3, “War of the Bounty Hunters” TPB (Collects #11-15)

Dec. 15 | The High Republic #12, The High Republic Adventures Annual 2021

Dec. 21 | Darth Vader (Vol. 2) Omnibus (Collects #1-25, Annual #2), The Weapon of a Jedi TPB (Collects #1-2), Darth Vader (Vol. 3), Vol. 3 TPB “War of the Bounty Hunters” (Collects #12-17), Star Wars Adventures (Vol. 2), Vol. 1, “The Light & the Dark” TPB (Collects #1-5)

Dec. 22 | Star Wars Adventures #13, Trail of Shadows #3 (of 5), Darth Vader #19

Dec. 28 | Star Wars (Vol. 3), Vol. 3, “War of the Bounty Hunters,” TPB (Collects #12-18)

Dec. 29 | Bounty Hunters #19

Jan. 5 | Doctor Aphra #17, The High Republic Adventures — Galactic Bake-Off Spectacular

Jan. 11 | Bounty Hunters, Vol. 3, TPB (Collects #12-17)

Jan. 12 | Star Wars #20, Eye of the Storm #1 (of 2), The High Republic Adventures #12, Bounty Hunters #20

Jan. 19 | Doctor Aphra #18, Star Wars Adventures #14

Jan. 25 | Ghosts of Vader’s Castle TPB (Collects #1-5)

Jan. 26 | Trail of Shadows #4 (of 5), Halcyon Legacy #1 (of 5)

Feb. 2 | Crimson Reign #2 (of 5), The High Republic #14, The High Republic Adventures #13

Feb. 8 | Star Wars Legends: Rise of the Sith Omnibus (Collects Star Wars: Jedi -- The Dark Side #1-5, Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan -- Last Stand on Ord Mantell 1-3, Jedi Council -- Acts of War 1-4, Star Wars (1998) 0-6, Darth Maul 1-4, Episode I: The Phantom Menace 1/2, 1-4, Anakin Skywalker, Queen Amidala, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi and material from Star Wars Tales 1, 3, 5, 7, 9-10, 13-14, 20 and 24)

Feb. 9 | Darth Vader #20, Trail of Shadows #5

Feb. 16 | Eye of the Storm #2 (of 2)

Feb. 22 | The High Republic Adventures, Vol. 2, TPB collecting #6-8, the 2021 Free Comic Book Day story and the 2021 Annual

Feb. 23 | Halcyon Legacy #2 (of 5), The High Republic #15

March 1 | Star Wars Legends: The Empire Omnibus, Vol. 1 (Collects Republic #78-80, Purge, Purge — Seconds to Die, Purge — The Hidden Blade, Purge — The Tyrant’s Fist #1-2, Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1-5, Dark Times #1-17, Dark Times — Blue Harvest #0, Dark Times — Out of the Wilderness #1-5 and Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison #1-5)

March 2 | Star Wars #21

March 15 | Star Wars Legends: Legacy, Vol. 4 ( Collects Legacy (2013) #1-18 and material from Star Wars Tales #19 and Star Wars...