J.J. Abrams originally planned to kill off Oscar Isaac’s fighter pilot character Poe Dameron early in the development of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but thankfully he changed his mind. USA Today reports that Dameron is getting his own Star Wars comic series from Marvel, written by Charles Soule and drawn by Phil Noto. The comic “focuses on the lead-up to the opening scene of The Force Awakens, which saw Poe seeking out mysterious traveler Lor San Tekka (Max von Sydow) on the planet Jakku for a key to finding the missing Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill).”
The potentially coolest part? A new villain is going to be introduced:
The series will dig into Poe’s status as the top X-wing fighter jockey for General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) and leader of a squadron with an important mission. But the evil First Order also has a goal of finding Luke, and a new villain from the organization is introduced as Poe’s chief nemesis.
“Sometimes it can feel like the Star Wars universe is so well trodden and so many stories have already been told,” Soule explains. “But the way the Episode VII galaxy is set up, there are opportunities for new archetypes almost, and the bad guy we’re working with is going to feel fresh and cool.”
[Soule] and Noto promise to flesh out more of Poe’s personality, explore locations new and old in the Star Wars galaxy, showcase legacy characters and other rookies — Poe’s lovable droid BB-8 is one of the comic’s co-stars, and Soule teases appearances from other new X-wing pilots — while also bringing depth and expanding the world of The Force Awakens.
Is this something you would read? The comic will debut sometime this April, so keep your eyes peeled.