Club Jade

The Star Wars Books Facebook page held a chat with Pablo Hidalgo today, one of Lucasfilm’s resident continuity experts and author of The Essential Reader’s Companion.

So his most popular answer, naturally, addressed the relationship between the movies and the rest…

I think the EU will always continue to be part of the Star Wars experience, in that there are stories that are best suited for books, comics, games. etc.. The relationship between cinematic content and expanded universe content will continue to be what it is today and has been in the past. What happens on screen is one thing. What happens in the books is another. How they connect and interact is something I’m really eager to see.

More answers below the cut!

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Star Wars Books held a chat with Leland Chee, Lucasfilm’s ‘Keeper of the Holocron,’ about canon and continuty and all that stuff. It went… Well, it went about as you’d expect. Skip the newbies and avoid the facepalming with our recap, below the cut.

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There’s been a lot of talk about continuity and canon in fandom lately. Well, there always is, but this latest round was prompted by the tail end of The Clone Wars S3 and the Petition of the 2000.

I mentioned the petition – and the reaction to it – in my last opinion piece on civility in fandom, but I didn’t really address the actual issues that prompted it. Mostly because, quite honestly? The whole thing bores the hell out of me, but the lack of casual/moderate voices bugs me even more. Go figure.

I’ve been reading Star Wars books and comics for nearly 20 years now: They have never been been perfect, and expecting them to be at this point strikes me as just plain naïve. The Expanded Universe is kind of like Millennium Falcon: It more than does the job, and many of us are awfully fond of it, but it’s not without flaws. Big, honking, flaws. And sometimes? It just flat-out sucks. (more…)

First up, some very good news for the Fate of the Jedi fans in the crowd. Today, editor Sue Rostoni posts:

We’re moving around some pub dates, so stay tuned. Next week I’ll be posting a blog reflecting the revised calendar. The major change is that we’ve moved some of the Fate of the Jedi novels, beginning next year, to give the authors a bit more time to write …. longer novels. We conjured up a few beefy subplots to add to the mix that are really going to increase action, tension, and characters and wanted to be sure each author has enough time to really develop and write the stories without a lot of rush.

Many folks were upset by the slimness of Outcast and Omen, so bigger books are good news. Head under the cut for the canon stuff. (more…)

Can’t say I’m particularly broken up about the departure of Karen Traviss from Star Wars, as I wasn’t planning to read any of her forthcoming novels anyway. However, I’ve been following the threads on the fan boards and in-between the mourning/celebration some interesting points have been raised: How far is The Clone Wars going in railroading over existing canon, if it’s driven away an author who infamously loved to retcon? (more…)

It’s funny because it’s true. Dear George, it’s all true, except I think that whole theory about Boba Fett improving anything got thrown out circa Attack of the Clones.

Have you ever bemoaned a minor error in a novel as the end of Star Wars as we know it? Do clumsy retcons set you raging? Did the prequel’s Jossing of previously established EU elements make you seek therapy? Are you up all hours on TFN or Wookieepedia debating such things? If so, sometimes you scare even me, but it’s our latest poll nonetheless. Vote beneath the cut or on the sidebar. (more…)

io9 looks at the warning signs that fans are influencing canon too much. Several key points are made, and having seen most of them throughout the duration I can only throw in a hearty ‘Word.’ Remember, kids: No one else cares about Kyle Katarn. Cherish your subplots when you can.

First off, she explains that while the ‘Rogue Leader’ image “hasn’t been chosen to become the cover of the Luke book, the idea is one that appeals to us.”

She also addresses the concept of covers and canon, which has been a hot topic over at the TOS boards lately:

With SW, we’ve tried to get covers to stay true to what’s happening inside, but it’s rarely completely possible. I think we’ve done a very, very good job with our covers in conveying the sense and feeling of the books. Personally, I don’t think covers should be cannon at all…… an exception might be when an EU character who has never been seen before shows up on a cover, then we’d use that as future reference… but people need to be realistic about these things.

Check out the Books, Comics, and Television VIP thread at StarWars.com for more.

The biggest discovery this week is Sarn Jasra and his excellent Revisionist History essays. Only two of a planned six are up so far, focusing on The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones – but these explorations of his reaction and opinion regarding the films is a good read and top-notch stuff.

Citizenjess gets her rant on about Star Wars canon. Yes folks, sometimes you just have to suck it up and realize that Star Wars is not perfect.

The folks at the X-Entertainment blog play with Star Wars Transformers.

Sabrina Fried explores shifting storylines in Star Wars.

Lee Kottner blogerates in defense of fanfic.

Hesychasm on what fandom is; Shoiryu’s take, for cynics.

Imadra-blue gives into the Obidala side of the Force.

RJ-1 Kenobi is puzzled by fans who want to rewrite the prequels.

Averii has some thoughts on Jedi in the Expanded Universe.