EUbits: Scourge cover, Mitchell leaves Del Rey

First look. Suvudu revealed the cover for Jeff Grubb’s Scourge today. Yet another generic musclebound dude with a lightsaber, ho-hum. But given it’s a book featuring an all-new character and Hutts, I’m clearly not the target market here. Still, let’s hope it looks better on the actual book.

Staffing. Editor Betsy Mitchell, who’s been with the Star Wars novels since their rebirth in the early 90’s at Bantam, is leaving Del Rey. New hire Frank Parisi is taking over Star Wars and other tie-ins.

Hey! We know that guy! Dan Wallace in the St. Petersburg Times.

Casting games. Suvudu has the ‘winners’ of their attempts to cast Heir to the Empire. The less I say the better.

Excerpts. A new one for Riptide.

Reviews. James reviews Jedi: The Dark Side #5 and Knight Errant: Deluge #2 at Big Shiny Robot.

Namesake corner. Still no Mara Jade tee from Her Universe, but at least you can grab a fan-made one.

EUbits: Zahn to talk Heir, Fry suits up

More Heir. The Star Wars Books Facebook chat will be hosting a live chat with Timothy Zahn next Wednesday, September 28th. And on that note, Suvudu has a brief interview with editor Betsy Mitchell.

Events. Author Jason Fry dresses as a stormtrooper for a baseball game and tells the tale in his Mets blog.

Trailers. There’s one for Darth Vader: A 3-D Reconstruction Log. Of course.

Theories. Anarchist William Gillis’s vision of what happens to the Star Wars galaxy after Return of the Jedi.

Photo finish. Del Rey’s collection of Star Wars books.

New Heir to the Empire still getting around

Entertainment Weekly has an brief interview with Timothy Zahn to celebrate the re-release of Heir to the Empire. They do refer to Mara as “crimson-haired,” which makes my 17-year-old self wince, but I’ll forgive them. Just this once. If only because they’re not trying to cast the thing.

Suvudu has no such excuse. It’s no secret that faux-casting games drive me batty, so I’ll just point you at theirs: Captain Pellaeon, Talon Karrde, Joruus C’baoth, Wedge Antilles and, finally, Mara Jade. Remember, what goes on at Suvudu stays at Suvudu, kids: No casting games here, or you’ll make me redo this. Only worse.

As a palate-cleanser, Wired also has a tribute to Heir.

Out this week: Heir to the Empire 20th Anniversary Edition and more

On Sale Today!Today is the release day for the 20th anniversary of Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. As Erich points out on Facebook, this new edition contains:

  • Special annotations from author Tim Zahn and editor Betsy Mitchell
  • Crisis of Faith, Zahn’s new novella featuring Thrawn
  • Foreword by Lucas Licensing President Howard Roffman, an Afterword by Betsy Mitchell, and an introduction by Zahn

Also out today: Paperback version of Sean Williams’ The Force Unleashed II.

Comics: Out this week (check your store for possible Labor Day-induced shipping delays): Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness #2

Heir to the Empire annotation #14: Vader’s finest

For our final teaser annotation of September’s Heir to the Empire: 20th Anniversary Edition, Zahn talks about stormtroopers and namechecks the 501st.

After the 501st Imperial Legion fan group began, it was also established that Vader similarly liked to grab the Empire’s best stormtroopers and add them to his personal legion. I got to play with that idea a bit in later books..

We’re just two weeks and change away from the book’s September 6th release.

EUbits: New Heir to the Empire goes topless

In the, err, cardboard. Del Rey’s Erich Schoeneweiss treats us to a look at a just-printed copy of the Heir to the Empire: 20th Anniversary edition under the jacket. I still wish they’d gone with brand-new art, but making the original black and white does make it slightly less horrible. Slightly.

Listage. The Star Wars Report has ten Expanded Universe characters who could be in The Clone Wars. Some of you may hate the very concept, but hey: That’s what you get for reading prequel EU in George’s driveway. And hey: It means greater possibility for action figures! Just ask Quinlan Vos.

Giveaway. Paul S. Kemp is giving away two unbound galleys of his October paperback, Riptide.

Preview. Another look at The Blueprints from Laurel Woods at MTV. She also has an interview with Bonnie Burton.