Folks, it was a rough week out there in comics, and I apologize in advance because it’s going to bring the hater out in me. I wanted to warn you up front, but let’s dig into it, as I write about the things I liked and, unfortunately much more likely this time, didn’t like from the week of comics in another edition of Comics Disassembled.

Star Wars and Marvel, Meeting Up

When talking about notable intercompany (or inter-IP) crossovers with journalist Susana Polo on Off Panel earlier this year, I said the following.

“I’m going to say a very cursed thought, and I want to emphasize that I do not want this to happen. But it is kind of amazing that the one jewel in Disney’s crown that has not been hit with this is…there’s not really been any Star Wars crossovers — and keep it that way! Don’t do it. Han Solo and Wolverine should not meet.”

Unfortunately, the monkey paw tightened and we are getting exactly what I hoped to not get. This week, Marvel announced Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, a five-part miniseries from writer Kevin Smith and artist David Marquez that debuts in January 2027. Little was stated about what it actually is beyond those base details and an array of covers, including one that, of course, features both Wolverine and Han Solo on it. But the most gobsmacking element from the announcement over at Entertainment Weekly was that the Star Wars characters will “join Earth-616,” aka the Marvel universe.

I hope to god they mean for just this story.

Honestly, I am not surprised. I am sure this has been in the works for a while, but it’s ideally timed (if such a thing exists) because 2027 brings the 50th anniversary of Star Wars. More than that, it’s going to be ordered like crazy and probably have pretty massive readership. In that regard, it’s a very good thing, and it’s a miracle they resisted this for that long. It also seems to be a bit of a grand finale for former Marvel editor in chief C.B. Cebulski, at least based on the press release.

But I wish that if it was going to happen, it would maybe feel a bit less uninspired. Marquez is a good artist who is effective at likenesses, so I have no beef with him being on the book. But dropping Smith in as the writer feels like the casting equivalent of shrugging your shoulders. Anyone from Jonathan Hickman to re Kieron Gillen or Jason Aaron would have been obvious fits that could have brought more juice to this. Instead, it’s just kind of whatever. I know Smith has his fans, of course, and he famously loves Marvel and Star Wars. I truly hope it turns out well. But I cannot say I’ll be finding out, even as someone who loves Marvel and Star Wars. It just isn’t remotely interesting to me.

Also: My god, why does this need to be announced nearly five months away from release! Marvel keeps rolling these announcements out stunningly early, to the point retailers cannot even act on them yet because these titles aren’t even in the system yet. I just do not get it. It feels detrimental to the potential of these projects.