description Star Wars: Dark Empire Overview
Star Wars: Dark Empire is a comic book miniseries published by Dark Horse Comics in 1991 and 1992, written by Tom Veitch and illustrated by Cam Kennedy. Set within the Star Wars expanded universe shortly after the events of Return of the Jedi, the plot features Emperor Palpatine returning in a clone body to wage war against the New Republic. The story includes Luke Skywalker temporarily falling to the dark side to learn Palpatine's secrets and introduces superweapons like the World Devastators. It appeals to fans exploring the legacy era of the Star Wars franchise.
help Star Wars: Dark Empire FAQ
When was Star Wars: Dark Empire published?
Dark Horse Comics published the original miniseries across 1991 and 1992, written by Tom Veitch and illustrated by Cam Kennedy. It is set after Return of the Jedi in the former Star Wars Expanded Universe.
How does Palpatine return in Dark Empire?
The story uses cloned bodies and the Emperor's ability to transfer his consciousness, bringing Palpatine back after his death in Return of the Jedi. That clone-based return is the central premise of the 1991 Dark Horse series.
How many issues are in the original Dark Empire?
The first Dark Empire miniseries runs for six issues. Dark Empire II and Empire's End continue the storyline as separate follow-up series.
Is Dark Empire part of current Star Wars canon?
It was part of the former Expanded Universe, which is now labeled Star Wars Legends rather than the current canon timeline. The original series was published by Dark Horse Comics in 1991 and 1992, so its Legends status matters for reading order.
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