Star Wars: Episode I Obi-Wan Kenobi #[nn]
This one-shot occupies a distinctive niche in the 1999 Star Wars publishing wave by retelling the events of The Phantom Menace entirely through Obi-Wan Kenobi's eyes — a structural choice that reframes the film's coming-of-age arc as Obi-Wan's story rather than Anakin's, placing his own rite of passage and quest for Jedi Knighthood at the center. It was the first comic to present Darth Maul, Yoda, Mace Windu, Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, and Anakin Skywalker together in an original sequential-art narrative tied to the prequel era. As part of Dark Horse's coordinated four-issue one-shot program launched alongside the film, it helped establish the template of character-centric perspective storytelling that would recur throughout the Expanded Universe's prequel-era comics. Its longevity as a reprint fixture — from European editions in 1999 through Marvel's Legends program in 2015–2017 — confirms its enduring place in the canonical reading order of Phantom Menace-era Star Wars comics.
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Dark Horse coordinated a suite of four character-themed one-shots to coincide with the theatrical release of The Phantom Menace in May 1999, covering Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala, and Qui-Gon Jinn. The Obi-Wan issue was written by Henry Gilroy — who would later go on to significant Star Wars animation work — with pencils by Martin Egeland and inks by Howard M. Shum, under editor Peet Janes and publisher Mike Richardson; the cover was painted by Tim Bradstreet. Notably, the Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon one-shots had their release slots swapped during production: the Obi-Wan issue shipped June 2, 1999, a date originally scheduled for the Qui-Gon Jinn one-shot. All four issues were published under the co-branded 'Dark Horse Comics / Lucas Books' imprint and credited special thanks to Lucas Licensing's Allan Kausch and Lucy Autrey Wilson.
Trivia · 8 facts
- One-shot published June 2, 1999 by Dark Horse Comics; written by Henry Gilroy, pencilled by Martin Egeland, inked by Howard M. Shum, colored by Harold MacKinnon, lettered by Vickie Williams, cover by Tim Bradstreet.
- One of four character-perspective one-shots released by Dark Horse to accompany The Phantom Menace film (alongside Anakin Skywalker, Queen Amidala, and Qui-Gon Jinn issues).
- Retells the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace from Obi-Wan Kenobi's point of view, centering on his journey from Padawan to Jedi Knight under Qui-Gon Jinn's tutelage.
- Features the prequel-era comic-book appearances of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul, Queen Amidala, Mace Windu, Yoda, and Jar Jar Binks in a single original story.
- Key Collector Comics identifies this issue as the first appearance of Darth Maul in an original comics story set within the events of Episode I from Obi-Wan's perspective.
- Published with multiple cover variants: a standard art cover (Tim Bradstreet), a photo cover (featuring film cast photography), a newsstand photo cover, and a Dynamic Forces Exclusive Glow-in-the-Dark edition — the Dynamic Forces variant was limited to 10,000 signed copies with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity.
- Reprinted in: Star Wars Special #4 (Dino Verlag, Germany, October 1999); Star Wars The Comic #8–10 (Titan, UK, October–November 1999, serialized in parts); Star Wars: Episode I Adventures (Dark Horse, March 2000); Star Wars Sonderband #5 (Dino Verlag, 1999); and Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: Rise of the Sith Vol. 2 (Marvel, November 2017).
- Digitally republished by Marvel Comics in 2015 under the Star Wars Legends banner, ensuring ongoing availability after Dark Horse's Star Wars license ended.