Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
Coming from Marvel on Wednesday, October 18 we have Captain Phasma #4 and Poe Dameron #20. Meanwhile, IDW drops Star Wars Adventures #3 and the series’ first trade collection. And from Titan, there’s Star Wars Insider #176.
Continue reading “Out this week: Captain Phasma, Poe Dameron, and Star Wars Adventures”
Well, we didn’t get a date for Rogue One ticket sales, but this week’s Star Wars Show does reveal an Imax standee for the film. There’s also a look at Ashley Eckstein’s Lego Ahsoka dress and an interview with Ahsoka author E.K. Johnston.
E.K. Johnston’s novel Ahsoka has made it to #1 on the New York Times’ Bestsellers list for Young Adult hardcovers, per Lucasfilm’s Jennifer Heddle. The October 30th list isn’t online yet, but Ashley Eckstein has a shot of the print version.
This is far from the first Star Wars novel to make it to #1 on an NYT list (several novelizations and Heir to the Empire) but I believe it is the first YA to make the list at all. (Of course, keep in mind that the Star Wars YA novel is a very recent phenomenon, unlike the adult and middle-grade lines.)
Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston comes out today from Disney-Lucasfilm Press in hardcover, eBook and audio. It tells a great story that helps fill in some of the critical gaps between her departure from the Jedi Order in The Clone Wars and her appearance as the Rebel agent, Fulcrum, in Rebels.
In early September, author E.K. Johnston was a guest panelist at Salt Lake Comic Con, where she discussed her novel on two panels: “The Life and Times of Ahsoka Tano” (alongside Pablo Hidalgo, Amy Ratcliffe, and moderated by Bryan Young; panel available from Full of Sith) and “Star Wars Books: Writing the Force” (alongside Christie Golden, Cecil Castellucci, Matt Martin, and moderated by yours truly). Here is an abridged transcript of the panel, focusing on Johnston’s responses to the moderator prompts and panelist discussion as relating to writing the newest chapter in the story of Ahsoka Tano.
Here’s what Johnston had to say (trying to stay spoiler free) on the behind-the-scenes of writing Ahsoka: Continue reading “Behind the scenes with E.K. Johnston on writing Ahsoka”
Tuesday is a big day for Ahsoka Tano fans, as E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka hits the shelves. The book fills in at least some of the gaps between her last appearance in The Clone Wars and her first in Rebels. The audiobook version, also out Tuesday, is read by Ashley Eckstein. You can check out a sample on Soundcloud.
Comic fans have a big Wednesday ahead as well, with Darth Vader #25, the final issue of the ongoing series. In true Marvel fashion, it has several variant covers. And StarWars.com has a two-part interview with writer Kieron Gillen for the occasion.
If that doesn’t do it for you, there’s also Han Solo #4 and The Force Awakens #5.
Also coming up in October we have Pablo Hidalgo’s Star Wars Propaganda on the 25th. Our next novel is Catalyst by James Luceno, which will give us some background on Rogue One, out on November 15. Check out our book release schedule for the rest of 2016.
Ashley Eckstein guests on The Star Wars Show today, talking a bit about next week’s Ahsoka novel, which she’s narrating for the audiobook.
The Ahsoka book tour, with Eckstein and author E.K. Johnston, kicks off at New York Comic Con on October 8 and then hits bookstores in New York, Florida and California throughout the month.
Kieron Gillen’s Darth Vader ongoing may be ending with #25, but he’s on board for the replacement – which has been solicited as simply Star Wars: Classified. He’ll be joined by artist Kev Walker, who’s not quite new to Star Wars – he did a cover for Dark Horse’s Republic #55 back in 2003. The new comic, which will also be an ongoing title, will be launched with a number of variant covers in December.
Meanwhile, the flagship Star Wars comic will feature a Yoda story (via Obi-Wan’s journal) in issue #26. Writer Jason Aaron discusses it with StarWars.com’s Dan Brooks.
→ Ashley Eckstein is narrating the audiobook for E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka, which is out next month. (via)
→ The Force Awakens novelization in paperback will contain two short stories: Alan Dean Foster’s ‘Bait’ (from Star Wars Insider #162) and Delilah Dawson’s ‘The Perfect Weapon,’ which was released as an eBook.
→ Tosche Station’s Thrawncast has officially begun with the discussion of Heir to the Empire’s first four chapters.
The first review of E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka has appeared on Kirkus. It’s short, but there do appear to be some minor spoilers. Still, they say it “a great treat for young—and not-so-young—Star Wars fans that provides a thrilling back story for a compelling character.” The book is due out October 11.
→ Checking in with The Making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Co-author J.W. Rinzler was on a podcast recently, and long story short, it’s still a big question point.
→ Star Wars Reads is back for 2016. The generally kid-centric event is “a month-long campaign” set for October.
Dave Filoni, Ashley Eckstein and Pablo Hidalgo discussed the past and future of Ahsoka Tano at Celebration Europe today. Fans got a first look at her upcoming Funko POP figure and the cover for E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka novel, both coming in the fall. The novel’s cover art is by Wojtek Rus, Jennifer Heddle has revealed on Twitter.
They also revealed a few things (new love interest?) about her unproduced arcs from The Clone Wars and go behind her Rebels appearance. Check out the official liveblog of the panel for all the details!
Or just watch the video!
Dave Filoni, Ashley Eckstein and Pablo Hidalgo will join forces at Celebration Europe’s ‘Ahsoka’s Untold Tales’ panel on the con’s first day. The panel will include discussion of the upcoming novel and Rebels as well as the character’s life before The Clone Wars.
In related news, Eckstein’s Her Universe docu-series debuted the first three episodes today on Comic-Con HQ.