Marvel’s Phantom Menace Comic Gives Anakin a Wild New Look

I’ve seen Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace more times than I’m comfortable admitting, and I’m pretty sure Anakin doesn’t run around with a yellow lightsaber in it. And yet, in Marvel’s new comic, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special #1 coming out May 1, that’s exactly what’ll happen.

Written by Greg Pak, featuring art by Will Sliney and a cover by Phil Noto, the comic will retell the story of The Phantom Menace wholly from Anakin’s point of view. So, remember when he tells Qui-Gon and friends he had a dream that he was a Jedi? Well, now we get to see it…

It must have been pretty exciting for Pak and Sliney to create a whole new Anakin look for the dream, and, we’d imagine, have a few Q&A sessions with the Lucasfilm Story Group to okay the use of a yellow lightsaber. Then again, it’s a dream, right? So none of that really matters. It’s only canon in Anakin’s mind. (In fact, maybe the yellow was the Force foreshadowing another Skywalker who would ignite a yellow saber on Tatooine in, oh, about 60 years in the future.)

“I was eight when A New Hope came out, so for my formative years, Star Wars was synonymous with the original trilogy,” Pak told StarWars.com. “But I delved deep into the prequels when I came on board as the writer of Marvel’s Darth Vader comics, watching and rewatching all of them. And I found myself dazzled by the long game George Lucas was playing in laying out the tragedy of Darth Vader. It’s been an absolute thrill to contribute to that legacy by revisiting The Phantom Menace with new scenes from the point of view of young Anakin.”

Here’s the cover of the issue, by Phil Noto.

For more looks at alternate Anakin viewpoints, head over to StarWars.com. And then, of course, see them all when the comic comes out May 1.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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