July comic solicitations are here, and you won’t believe it. It’s another quiet month for Star Wars. That being said, it should still be a good one. The Shadow of Maul finale puts the final pieces in place before the events of Maul: Shadow Lord take shape. Elsewhere, a new Saw Gerrera story and Han and Chewbacca find themselves in another mess, caused by Hondo Ohnaka? Lastly, The High Republic: Pathfinders rolls on as its mystery unfolds.
On a grander scale, come July, you’ll notice that the Shadow of Maul and Echoes of the Empire miniseries are both on the way out. Thus, it’s time to wonder once more about Marvel and the state of Star Wars comics. For many months now, we’ve been wondering when the next major Star Wars title will be announced in the absence of a mainline anchor point.
The more cynical crowd will say, “Star Wars is dead. Of course, Marvel doesn’t want to invest. They don’t sell.” Of course, on the surface, that is absolutely correct. Marvel isn’t seeing high enough sales numbers to make it worth investing in another 25-50 issue series. But as I’ve said before, the problem is much deeper. I’d argue that Marvel has that same mindset for 90% of its titles. Unless your name is Spider-Man, X-Men, the Avengers, Wolverine, or a select few others, you are getting a miniseries or at most, 10 issues. That is Marvel’s modus operandi, and this pattern of a lack of creator investment is starting to have a ripple effect. In a previous era, flooding the market with issue #1’s would’ve boosted sales tenfold. Instead, Marvel’s readership appears to be catching on and no longer giving them the benefit of the doubt.
The latest direct market share numbers from ICv2 tell the story. In Q1 2026, DC held a 34.7% share compared to Marvel’s 29.4%. It wasn’t until Q4 2025 that DC supplanted Marvel, but looking at Marvel’s 37.5% and DC’s 25.5% in Q1 of last year, a concerning trend emerges. Going back further to 2024, before Marvel’s new strategy became palpable, their market share was around 39% compared to DC’s 20%, which dipped as low as 17.8% in Q2. The tables have turned: fast.
Below is a very rough outline of how things have gone the past two or so years for the big two. Third place Image Comics has also been included for comparison.
Comic Store Direct Market Shares. Data courtesy: ComicHub via ICv2
TL;DR, there’s a problem at Marvel right now, and Star Wars comics are a victim in the firefight. Will longer series solve it? Maybe, maybe not. The numbers we just discussed don’t account for digital sales, which is a big part of Marvel’s and the larger Disney model as it continues to invest in webcomics. (I still think something big is coming with Webtoon as we await news on this new app that may end up replacing Marvel Unlimited as we know it.) Parking that aside for the time being, the company needs a different way of doing things if it means to buck the current trend in physical stores, and that’s above my pay grade to figure out.
As far as when we can expect the next major Star Wars comics announcement, it can come at any time. I am currently sticking a flag at a high-profile Lucasfilm Publishing panel at San Diego Comic-Con, pointing to a fall launch of what’s next. Whether that’s a continuation of the New Republic story started by Alex Segura, whatever Charles Soule is cooking up with Kylo Ren, or something else entirely, we’ll have to wait and see. Whatever it is, keep your expectations in check. The convention takes place in July — how’s that for synergy with this July preview?
Before we go any further, here are a couple of other recent things in the galaxy of Star Wars comics you may have missed:
It’s this writer’s favorite day on the comic calendar: Free Comic Book Day 2026 is right around the corner, and this is your final reminder to mark your calendar. This May 2, celebrate comics by heading to your local comic book shop, check out some free titles, and, this year, participate in what might be one of the weirdest years yet with the introduction of Comics Giveaway Day. We’ve mentioned before in this space the logistics of how this split event came to be, and we’ll be having a special time putting together our third annual “Tales from Free Comic Book Day” column. No free Star Wars titles? No problem. As the comics industry continues to morph, this year is too important to miss.Sike. There’s nothing else, but if you read the above diatribe on Marvel and feel energized, please take that energy and participate in Free Comic Book Day/Comics Giveaway Day, and don’t just pick up free comics. Buy something. It doesn’t have to be Star Wars. This is all about physical stores, and supporting your local comic book shop is the least you or I can do to keep this whole thing humming.
Now, looking ahead to July 2026, check with your local comic book shop about what pre-order options they have available (or you can be boring and choose digital). You can visit here for a refresher on what else is coming from Star Wars comics. As a reminder, the very nature of comic solicitations is spoiler-filled, so be aware before going forward.
Rogue One: Saw Gerrera One-Shot (available July 1)
MARC BERNARDIN (W) • GABRIEL GUZMAN (A) • Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
WITNESS THE ACT OF REVOLUTION THAT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE REBELLION!
• After proving himself in the CLONE WARS, SAW GERRERA was a soldier for the cause of freedom and was willing to do anything to secure it – including leading a mission deep into IMPERIAL territory.
• At stake: information that would provide a tactical advantage that could shift the balance of power in the REBELS’ favor!
• But is the price to be paid for that information too high?
Shadow of Maul #5 (available July 8)
BENJAMIN PERCY (W) MADIBEK MUSABEKOV (A) Cover by DERRICK CHEW
Headshot Variant Cover by AKA
DANGER LURKS EVER CLOSER ON JANIX!
• CAPTAIN LAWSON and TWO-BOOTS unravel the treachery inside their department!
• What will happen if they collide with MAUL as he launches his campaign of terror?
• Will JANIX fall to the darkness of corruption and crime?
Galaxy’s Edge: Echoes of the Empire #4 (available July 15)
ETHAN SACKS (W) JETHRO MORALES & ROI MERCADO (A) Cover by PHIL NOTO
HAN SOLO & CHEWIE IN THE CROSSHAIRS!
Returning to BATUU to help deliver the relic that PRINCESS LEIA escaped with years earlier, HAN SOLO and his faithful co-pilot CHEWIE find themselves betrayed by HONDO OHNAKA and stalked by the fearsome bounty hunter HARKOS! The new story behind the Disney Parks attraction land its shocking climax courtesy of writer Ethan Sacks and artists Jethro Morales and Roi Mercado.
The High Republic Adventures: Pathfinders #4 (available July 29)
(W) George Mann (A) Caio Filipe (CA) Jake Bartok
Mysterious happenings in the Outer Rim have led Jedi Master Temesh, Padawan Anula, and the rest of the Pathfinder team to a seemingly abandoned listening station. Yet to their horror the station’s twisting corridors are all but empty, bristling with hazardous traps and stalked by killer droids. Someone, or something, has been waiting for the Pathfinders . . .
Source: AIPT & DarkHorse.com
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he’s not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading or pretending he isn’t washed at video games.