STAR WARS and MARVEL Finally Collide in HOPE ASSEMBLES Comic Series From Kevin Smith
For decades, fans have imagined the wonderfully ridiculous possibilities of Luke Skywalker meeting Spider-Man, Darth Vader crossing paths with Doctor Doom, or Han Solo somehow finding himself in the middle of an Avengers-sized problem.
In 2027, Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm are officially smashing those worlds together. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and other characters from the galaxy far, far away are heading to Earth-616 for Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, a five-issue Marvel crossover that will bring them face-to-face with Captain America, Wolverine, Spider-Man, and other Marvel heroes and villains.
Entertainment Weekly revealed the massive crossover, which is being written by Kevin Smith with artwork by David Marquez. If you're familiar with Smith's lifelong love of comics and Star Wars, it's easy to understand why Marvel handed him the keys to this particular geek-mobile.
Smith has actually been imagining some version of this crossover since he was a kid reading Marvel's original Star Wars comics.
“Back in the early ‘80s, I had a subscription to Marvel’s Star Wars comics. And as fun as it was to follow the continuing adventures of Luke, Leia, and Han, I always wished that Spider-Man or Doctor Doom could cross over into their cinematic saga,” Smith said in a statement.
“So when the opportunity arose to actually tell that story, nobody had to Force my hand! I’m ecstatic to be writing Hope Assembles for the 50th anniversary of Star Wars! Many thanks to Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm for trusting me to fly the Falcon and the Quinjet!”
The big question, of course, is how Luke, Leia, Han, and the rest of the Star Wars crew end up sharing a universe with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
For now, Marvel isn't giving away the mechanics of the crossover, and it isn't clear whether we're getting some elaborate explanation for how these universes collide. What we do know is that Hope Assembles will essentially reimagine the events of Star Wars: A New Hope within the Marvel Universe.
That's where things could get seriously weird. Instead of Luke's journey happening solely across Tatooine, the Death Star, and the familiar corners of the galaxy, the story will bring the heroes and villains of Star Wars into Earth-616.
That opens the door to matchups and team-ups that previously belonged entirely to fan conversations and "what if?" scenarios. Michael Siglain, creative director at Lucasfilm Publishing, explained what Smith and Marquez are cooking up:
“With Hope Assembles, Kevin Smith has written a true love letter to Star Wars, to Marvel, and to comics in general, and combined with David Marquez’s incredible art, we’ll see the heroes and villains of Star Wars team up and battle with the heroes and villains of Earth-616.
“Hope Assembles is exciting, unpredictable, and heartfelt. In short, it’s comics at its best, and we can’t wait for readers to experience both franchises as never before.”
The crossover will run for five issues, with Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles #1 arriving in January 2027. The final issue is scheduled for May, lining up with the theatrical re-release of A New Hope and the arrival of Star Wars: Starfighter.
The original Star Wars celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2027, and Marvel and Lucasfilm are clearly looking to make the occasion a major event. Dropping Luke Skywalker into the Marvel Universe certainly qualifies.
And look, as someone who loves both Star Wars and Marvel, I'm conflicted about this one. It seems like it could be incredibly fun. Kevin Smith absolutely has the geek credentials and comic-writing experience to understand why fans would want to see these characters together. David Marquez is a killer artist, and the basic concept offers an almost endless supply of awesome character interactions.
But it's also the kind of crossover that could go spectacularly wrong. Part of what makes Star Wars work is that its universe has its own mythology, rules, history, and identity.
Throwing Spider-Man, Wolverine, Captain America, and potentially Doctor Doom into the middle of that mythology could either produce a ridiculously entertaining comic book celebration or feel like two gigantic franchises being mashed together simply because someone finally realized they could.
Still, there's something appealing about seeing Marvel actually go for it. If you're going to celebrate 50 years of Star Wars with a comic book event, letting Luke Skywalker and Spider-Man occupy the same page is one hell of a way to do it.
We're not mad about Star Wars and Marvel crossing over. We're just cautiously preparing ourselves for the possibility that this thing could either be awesome or an absolute train wreck.
Then again, being simultaneously excited and worried about what's coming next is practically the default setting for Star Wars and Marvel fans.
Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles #1 hits comic shops in January 2027.
