Page 54 - Star Wars Insider #175

COMICS: ROGUE ONE

ogue One Star Wars. My brother and I had the
introduced Death Star playset and fought over
R Star Wars fans the trash monster. Back then, kids
to a whole new
didn’t use currency—they traded in
cast of heroes Star Wars action fi gures!
and villains. The funny thing is, could go back in time and tell my
Most notably, we met several I never saw a Star Wars nine-year-old self, “Relax, kid. It’ll
rebels who operate with a far movie on the big screen PROFILE work out!”
DUANE
murkier morality than the until I was an adult.
SWIERCZYNSKI
likes of Luke, Leia or Han. Everything I knew about Fernando Blanco: I’ve worked
Duane is a crime
Cassian Andor is one such the story came from novelist who began with Jordan White before, and had
character: a hero who is willing to trading cards, comics, his comics career shown Marvel some Star Wars fan
with a Moon Knight
do whatever it takes to further the magazine articles, stuff I did a while ago. I think I’m
annual for Marvel,
cause of the Rebellion against the and toys. My parents before taking on good at drawing actors’ likenesses,
Empire. His companion, the former weren’t big moviegoers, such legendary and working with backgrounds and
characters as
Imperial security droid K-2SO, though I once begged Punisher, Deadpool, tons of references, and I have a neat
is likewise no paragon of heroic my mother to take us to and the X-Men. storytelling style, so I thought
virtue. When K-2SO’s not fi ring see The Empire Strikes He has also written I might be a good candidate for
Judge Dredd for
his blasters, he’s shooting off Back. There was a huge IDW, and The Black Star Wars when the time came—
sarcastic remarks. line, and right before we Hood for Archie and here it is!
Comics.
The pair’s unlikely chemistry made it to the counter, I was born in the 1970s, too,
proved an essential ingredient of the show sold out! We FERNANDO so I should be your typical old-
the film’s success, and has now ended up seeing The BLANCO school Star Wars fan, but I didn’t

inspired Marvel’s fi rst Rogue One Great Muppet Caper Fernando has drawn see it until I was a teenager. And
spin-off comic: Star Wars: Rogue instead, which was many titles for DC like any teenager in the 1980s,
Comics including,
One: Cassian & K-2SO Special like being promised I was a horror movie fan above
currently, Midnighter
#1. The 40-page one-shot, out in filet mignon and then & Apollo, and everything else. But I’ve always

August, recounts the initial meeting handed a PB&J. I was Phantom Stranger. loved Star Wars, especially for the
He has also worked
between the two—revealing just utterly crushed. on Army of Darkness art direction, concepts, costumes,
how the rebel spy turned the dour But sometimes life for IDW, and the and vehicles. It’s got some of the
droid to his side. compensates you for much-loved Marvel best art design in history.
Zombies series.
Writer Duane Swierczynski these heart-breaking
(Punisher, X, Judge Dredd) and moments. Roughly 35 Fernando, you’ve pencilled
artist Fernando Blanco (Fallen years later I got the call everyone from Batman to
Angel, Manhunter, The Phantom for this project. Before I knew it, Spider-Man. Does drawing for

Stranger) proved a far more friendly I was flying to Lucasfilm to read Star Wars call for a different

pairing when Insider talked to the script for Rogue One, watch artistic approach?
them about this exciting special. some early footage, and generally FB: Absolutely. I’ve seen Star Wars
geek out at the props and costumes comics that take the same approach
Star Wars Insider: How did your throughout the building. I wish I as superhero books, where the
destinies first cross with Cassian

and K-2SO?
Duane Swierczynski: I guess
[Marvel Comics editor] Jordan
White thought of me for this
project because I love heist stories.
My second novel, The Wheelman,
was about a mute getaway
driver. Also, I grew up in the late
1970s and early 1980s and was
completely obsessed with all things

01 Cassian must team up
with aliens Kertas and
Rismor on this mission.
02 A close encounter with
some stormtroopers
—and a future ally. 01

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