The inaugural issue, titled Dawn of the Jedi: Force Storm 1, initiated the five-part miniseries Dawn of the Jedi: Force Storm. This miniseries served as the initial story arc within the Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi comic book saga. Released by Dark Horse Comics on February 15, 2012, Force Storm 1 held the distinction of being the first Star Wars narrative situated within the Before the Republic era. This newly established publishing timeline encompassed all galactic historical events predating the establishment of the Galactic Republic. Force Storm 1 garnered generally favorable critical reception. Both this issue and the series' preview issue 0 achieved complete sell-through status in retail outlets throughout the United States by the conclusion of February 2012, with global comic shop sales reaching 18,797 copies on February 15. Due to the issue's triumph, Dark Horse responded by commissioning a second and subsequently a third print run of Force Storm 1, featuring exclusive variant covers crafted by Gonzalo Flores and Jan Duursema.
As an introductory installment, Force Storm 1 primarily delves into the historical narrative of the Je'daii Order residing on the planet Tython. This history is recounted by Je'daii Master Ketu to two young Je'daii initiates, Harun and Resi. Ketu's account spans from the year 36,453 BBY, marking the arrival of the eight Tho Yor pyramid vessels carrying Force-sensitive pilgrims to Tython, up to the Despot War which transpired in 25,805 BBY, a dozen years prior to the issue's setting in 25,793 BBY. The narrative of Force Storm 1 culminates with the introduction of Xesh, a Force Hound serving the Infinite Empire, thereby establishing the foundation for the remainder of the story arc.
In the designated year 36,453 BBY, the Talid monks belonging to the Order of Dai Bendu situated on the planet Ando Prime perceive the signal emanating from the Tho Yor, an immense pyramidal starship concealed within the Andobi Mountains for numerous centuries. The Dai Bendu monks embark upon the Tho Yor as seven additional Tho Yor scattered across the galaxy transmit their signals to the indigenous populations of the planets upon which they are situated. Subsequently, the Tho Yor traverse the galaxy, making stops at various planets to assemble Wookiees, Humans, Twi'leks, Selkath, Cathar, and a multitude of other Force-sensitive species. Ultimately, all eight Tho Yor converge upon the planet Tython located within the Deep Core. Upon arrival, the eight Tho Yor encircle the ninth and largest Tho Yor, which hovers above a towering rock pinnacle, and the starships disperse across Tython as the planet becomes enveloped in a powerful Force Storm.
The assembled pilgrims come to the realization that their presence on Tython is intended for the purpose of studying the Force. Consequently, they establish the Je'daii Order, a collective of warriors and scholars whose designation originates from a Dai Bendu term signifying "mystic center." Tython's inherent volatility in response to imbalances within the Force prompts the Je'daii to cultivate a philosophical framework centered on equilibrium between the light and dark sides of the Force. This framework is named in honor of Tython's twin moons: the radiant Ashla and the shadowy Bogan. Nevertheless, the Je'daii eventually recognize the inherent dangers posed by Tython to individuals lacking Force sensitivity. Consequently, all those who cannot touch the Force migrate outward across the Tython system, establishing settlements on the ten remaining planets within the star system. Over the course of millennia, animosity towards the Je'daii intensifies, culminating in the year 25,805 BBY when the Twi'lek Despot Queen Hadiya of the planet Shikaakwa initiates the Despot War with the objective of conquering the Tython system. Despite Hadiya's eventual defeat on Tython, the repercussions of the Despot War continue to linger even twelve years later in 25,793 BBY.
Across the vast expanse of the galaxy, the Infinite Empire governed by the Rakata race undertakes the conquers of the planet Tatooine. This discovery was made by the Force Hound Xesh while serving under his master, Predor Tul'kar. Tul'kar's superior, Predor Skal'nas, subsequently requests Xesh's expertise in locating a planet exhibiting strong Force presence within the Deep Core, a task that his own Force Hound, Trill, has been unable to accomplish.
Randy Stradley, occupying the position of Vice President of Publishing at Dark Horse Comics, commenced advocating for a comic narrative centered on the origins of the Jedi as early as 2003. During that year, artist Rodolfo Migliari was commissioned to create a painting depicting two characters, a male and female Human. At Celebration V in August 2010, John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, long-term collaborators and the creative duo responsible for Legacy, formally announced their involvement in a forthcoming comic project, distinct from their previous Star Wars endeavors. At that time, they were actively engaged in Star Wars: Legacy—War, a six-issue miniseries spanning from December 2010 to May 2011, which served as a continuation of their widely acclaimed Star Wars: Legacy series.
The official public unveiling of Dawn of the Jedi took place at the 2011 New York Comic Con on October 13. Ostrander conveyed that the series was envisioned to be expansive in scope, while maintaining intimacy in its storytelling. He and Duursema were diligently collaborating with Expanded Universe continuity while concurrently endeavoring to render Dawn of the Jedi accessible to casual Star Wars enthusiasts. It was disclosed at Comic Con that, akin to Legacy, Dawn of the Jedi would encompass a diverse ensemble of characters representing various species, with a primary emphasis on the Tython system rather than the broader galaxy. A preview issue 0, intended as a comprehensive guide for readers similar to Star Wars: Legacy (2006) 0, was announced with a scheduled release date of February 1 at Comic Con, while the first issue's release was slated for February 15.
John Ostrander and Jan Duursema jointly conceived the narrative for Force Storm 1, with Ostrander assuming responsibility for the script and Duursema providing the penciled artwork. Dan Parsons served as the inker for the book, Michael Heisler oversaw the lettering, and Wes Dzioba managed the coloring aspects. Duursema held the role of artist for the final iteration of the issue's cover, although a variant cover by Gonzalo Flores was also made available. Furthermore, a second rendition of the cover by Duursema featuring Xesh was introduced for the issue's third print run.
The creators of Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, aim for the series to be firmly grounded in established Star Wars continuity, while also ensuring accessibility for new readers. The series unfolds within a largely unexplored era, necessitating the establishment of an entirely new publishing timeline known as the Before the Republic era. It builds upon the limited information previously available, specifically the establishment of the Jedi Order on the planet Tython in the Deep Core, the conflicts referred to as the Force Wars commencing in the year 25,793 BBY, and the subsequent departure of the early Jedi from Tython following the Force Wars, leading to their migration to Ossus. Dawn of the Jedi further elaborates on the Rakata, a species that governed the galaxy prior to the Republic and was initially introduced in the 2003 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game.
While Dawn of the Jedi has encountered relatively few instances of conflicting continuity, certain elements within the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game, released shortly before Dawn of the Jedi, present contradictions to the series. Specifically, Force Storm 1 contradicts the Mother Machine, a Rakatan computer claiming responsibility for the creation of various Force-sensitive species in an attempt to restore Force-sensitivity to the Rakata during the Rakatan Civil War. Among the species it claims to have created are the Twi'leks and the Zabrak. However, Dawn of the Jedi depicts a comparatively advanced Twi'lek society on Ryloth, alongside numerous Zabrak, in 36,453 BBY, thousands of years prior to the collapse of the Infinite Empire.
During the development of the ships, characters, and environments featured in the series, Jan Duursema was essentially compelled to start from the ground up, given the scarcity of prior depictions of the Before the Republic era. Duursema intentionally distinguished the Je'daii from the Jedi in their visual presentation, substituting lightsabers with the swords commonly used during that period and replacing traditional robes with more personalized armor and attire. Unlike her work on Star Wars: Legacy, Duursema was unable to rely on existing designs for ships and technology. Instead, she adopted a "retrofitting" approach, crafting ships and technology that would eventually evolve into the technology prevalent in the modern Star Wars era. Duursema and Ostrander also collaboratively conceived the worlds of the Tython system from scratch, opting to concentrate solely on the Tython system rather than incorporating pre-existing locations from across the galaxy.
Dawn of the Jedi 0 and Force Storm 1 achieved notable sales success in retail outlets, with both issues achieving sell-out status nationwide by the end of February. This prompted Dark Horse Comics to commission a second print run of both issues, followed by a third print run featuring exclusive variant covers by Jan Duursema. However, certain critics have suggested that the series caters more towards dedicated Star Wars aficionados and may not be as accessible to the average film-goer.