STAR WARS MODERN ERA EPIC COLLECTION: SKYWALKER STRIKES

Writer Jason Aaron’s early collaboration with artist Cameron Stewart on DC/Vertigo’s The Other Side was named one of the Washington Post’s Best Comics of 2007. His next project, Scalped, garnered industry-wide praise and led to a guest spot on Wolverine, beginning Aaron’s long association with Logan on various titles, as well as the rest of Marvel’s merry mutants on books including X-Men: Schism, Wolverine & the X-Men and Amazing X-Men. Aaron rocked the Marvel Universe with Original Sin and unfolded a status-quo-shattering Asgardian epic across multiple Thor titles. He was the ideal choice to steer the Rebel crew of Star Wars into new adventures on the series’ return to Marvel, and he ushered in a new era for the publisher with Marvel Legacy. In the wake of that one-shot, he took on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers and welcomed another iconic property back to the House of Ideas with Conan the Barbarian.

An award-winning critic and journalist, Kieron Gillen wrote for organizations such as PC Gamer, The Guardian, Rock, Paper, Shotgun and WIRED before turning his attention to comics. His previous credits include the critically lauded Phonogram with frequent creative partner Jamie McKelvie, as well as Thor, S.W.O.R.D. and Generation Hope. Gillen relaunched two long-standing Marvel series in Uncanny X-Men and Journey into Mystery before again teaming with McKelvie for an acclaimed take on Young Avengers. Gillen turned his attention to Iron Man for Marvel NOW! and proved the perfect scribe to put carefully chosen words into the mouth of a legendary Star Wars villain in Darth Vader. Gillen introduced Doctor Aphra into the galaxy far, far away in those pages, and continues her adventures in her own series.

Artist John Cassaday’s collaboration with writer Joss Whedon on Astonishing X-Men further enhanced the artist’s already impressive resume. Lauded as “an illustration god” by Warren Ellis and “an opalescent talent” by legendary author Alan Moore, Cassaday continues to be an impressive force in the industry. Cassaday’s work on Astonishing X-Men and WildStorm’s Planetary garnered him an unprecedented three consecutive Eisner Awards for Best Artist; Astonishing also won for Best Continuing Series. In addition to his work with Whedon, Cassaday has contributed to the Marvel Knights Captain America series and the Captain America: Fallen Son miniseries, as well as providing covers and design work for the revamped Lone Ranger series published by Dynamite Entertainment. Cassaday has participated in a cross-Atlantic project, illustrating I Am Legion for the French publisher Humanoids, available in America through Devil’s Due. Already a legend in the comic-book industry, Cassaday’s work was spotlighted in 2008 in the pages of Conde Nast’s prestigious Portfolio.com online magazine, showcasing his impressive artistic achievements to a worldwide audience. Aside from his comic projects, Cassaday has created works for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and Levi’s blue jeans, as well as design work on the Watchmen film. Cassaday’s work has been exhibited in Hong Kong and New York City, and at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.

Award-winning artist Stuart Immonen began his comics career in 1988, having worked for most of the industry’s major publishers — including Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and Image — in the decades since. In addition to 2011’s Fear Itself, he has illustrated such high-profile Marvel series as Ultimate Spider-Man, Thor, Incredible Hulk, Avengers and the cult-favorite Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. After joining forces with Mark Waid to inaugurate Marvel’s digital Infinite Comics line, Immonen penciled All-New X-Men in the Marvel NOW! era before taking on the ultimate blockbuster project: Star Wars.

Artist Mike Deodato Jr. was already a renowned illustrator in his native Brazil when he got his big break in American comics in 1994, illustrating DC’s Wonder Woman. For Marvel, he drew such series as Avengers, Elektra, Spider-Man and Incredible Hulk. After refining his inimitable style on the creator-owned Jade Warriors, he returned to Marvel for a second turn on Incredible Hulk, with writer Bruce Jones, and a stint on J. Michael Straczynski’s Amazing Spider-Man. Deodato has forged an association with the Avengers on various titles — including collaborations with Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker and Jonathan Hickman — and demonstrated his superstar status on the event book Original Sin. Deodato joined writer Jeff Lemire in exploring one of Marvel's greatest villains in Thanos.