Star Wars: Dark Empire

A single-issue prestige-format comic from Dark Horse, Star Wars: Dark Empire launched a bold new era for the franchise in 1993, set years after Return of the Jedi. This story, primarily written by Tom Veitch and illustrated by Cam Kennedy, introduced a resurrected Emperor Palpatine and a corrupted, superweapon-wielding Luke Skywalker, pushing the post-film galaxy into darker, more mythic territory. As the cornerstone of Dark Horse's original Star Wars line, it redefined the Expanded Universe's stakes and visual identity, influencing the direction of the franchise for years to come.