Mad Cave Studios Enters the Star Wars Galaxy With Two Middle-Grade Graphic Novels

Lucasfilm Publishing and Mad Cave Studios are teaming up for a brand-new line of all-ages Star Wars graphic novels, debuting Fall 2026. The first two books, Smugglers and Scoundrels and Tales from the Outer Rim, put Han Solo, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, and Biggs Darklighter front and center.

The Star Wars comics family is about to get a little bigger. Lucasfilm Publishing is teaming up with Mad Cave Studios to launch a brand-new line of original graphic novels for middle-grade readers, kicking off this fall with two very different adventures: one starring the galaxy's most infamous smugglers, and one returning to Tatooine with a teenage Luke Skywalker.

A New Home for All-Ages Star Wars Comics

This collaboration marks Mad Cave Studios' very first foray into Star Wars storytelling and will live under their Papercutz imprint, which specializes in comics for young readers. The new line — which includes Smugglers and Scoundrels and Tales from the Outer Rim — will span every era of Star Wars, giving kids (and the adults reading along with them) fresh, age-appropriate entry points into the saga.

Smugglers and Scoundrels: The Race for Jabba's Bounty

The first book kicks off with a classic setup: notorious crime boss Jabba the Hutt has lost a precious family heirloom, and he is turning to the galaxy's shadiest freelancers to get it back. Han Solo and Chewbacca pilot the Millennium Falcon in pursuit, but they are not alone. Han's old rival, the fast-talking Lepi smuggler Jaxxon T. Tumperakki, is in the race, along with Boba Fett, Greedo, and more. Think rip-roaring chases, double-crosses, and questionable morals — the Star Wars scoundrel playbook.

"Jaxxon is Star Wars' great underdog... well, under-rabbit. And now he's back in his very first original graphic novel, chronicling his very first meeting with long-term rival, Han Solo!" — Cavan Scott

Artist Christian Colbert is making his Star Wars debut with the book, calling it "a chance to bring together everything I love about visual storytelling: scale, character, and atmosphere."

Tales from the Outer Rim: The Legend of Beggar's Canyon

Arriving just ahead of the 50th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope, the second book drops readers back on Tatooine for a rare pre-A New Hope adventure starring a teenage Luke Skywalker and his best friend Biggs Darklighter. With Biggs already eyeing the Imperial Academy, Luke decides to chase his own unforgettable summer adventure by braving the legendary Beggar's Canyon. Expect womp rats, T-16s, and even krayt dragons along the way.

"We've got a great Luke story on tap exploring a key moment in his young life — with aching teenaged loneliness under the twin suns of Tatooine, an eerie adventure in the depths of Beggar's Canyon, and a rare study of Luke's relationship with his seldom-seen childhood friends and enemies." — Greg Pak

For Brent Schoonover, the project is a bucket-list gig. "Getting the honor to draw a Star Wars story is a bucket list project for me," the artist shared. "The story Greg has written is wonderful for lifelong fans, while also being the perfect entry for those who have always wanted to get into a galaxy far, far away."

What This Means for Star Wars Fans

For years, Marvel has been the exclusive home of Star Wars comics, so a brand-new publisher joining the fold is a major shift. By tapping Mad Cave's Papercutz imprint specifically for middle-grade readers, Lucasfilm Publishing is clearly trying to hook the next generation on Star Wars comics — while letting veteran creators like Cavan Scott and Greg Pak do what they do best. If you have a young reader in your life (or just want a breezy, all-ages trip into the Outer Rim), these two books are worth circling on your fall calendar.