Interactive Imperial Handbook and original trilogy costume book coming this year

Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide (Not final, but it gives you an idea.)
Imperial Handbook: A Commander’s Guide (Not final, but it gives you an idea.)

Becker & Mayer, producers of the awesome books-with-cool-electronic-cases such as The Jedi Path and Book of Sith, have a few new offerings for later in 2014, showcased in their catalog. The Imperial Handbook: A Commander’s Guide will have a deluxe edition, written by Dan Wallace, with illustrations by Chris Trevas & Chris Reiff.

Like the previous guidebooks, it will include a mechanized case with lights and sound, and the book will have annonations from various characters, including a introduction note by Luke Skywalker, and several items, including a die-cast Imperial military medal. Here’s the official blurb:

As the Imperial Empire expands, high-ranking officials from each branch of the Imperial Military have set down tactical guidelines and procedures for all newly ascending commanders. Set in-universe, this compendium of ordinance, mission reports, and Imperial philosophy was intercepted by members of the Rebel Alliance, some of whom also left commentary scribbled in the margins. Housed in a deluxe case that opens with lights and sounds, this never-before-seen Imperial Handbook is perfect for Star Wars fans—no matter which side of the Civil War they’re on.

Also coming up:

Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy (Mockup cover)Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy, by Brandon Alinger. Here’s the details on this 266-page hardcover gem:

Who can forget the first time they saw Darth Vader with his black cape and mask? The white hard-body suit of the stormtroopers? Or Leia’s outfit as Jabba’s slave? These costumes—like so many that adorned the characters of that galaxy far, far away—have become iconic. For the first time, the Lucasfilm Archives has unpacked the original costumes to be revealed in breathtaking detail.

Featuring all-new photography, Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy affords both new and longtime Star Wars fans the opportunity to examine the stormtrooper armor and discover how it changed from movie to movie; explore Boba Fett’s suit and inspect the rarely seen details of his blaster and jetpack; compare the helmets and jumpsuits of the rebel fighters; and study the details of the Hoth fighter uniforms.

This lavish large-format book not only showcases high-quality photography of each costume, it also pairs these stunning images with original sketches, behind-the-scenes photographs, production notes, and stories.

It seems like a perfect reference for the costumer on your gift list!

Also listed in the catalog:

  • A new slipcase edition of the trade versions of The Jedi Code and Book of Sith
  • An enhanced eBook version of The Jedi Path
  • Trade version of The Bounty Hunter Code
  • Build Darth Vader, a new papercraft book
  • Pablo Hidalgo’s latest Head-to-Head book, this time based on Star Wars Rebels

EUbits: New Rebellion-era miniseries coming from Dark Horse

Rebel HeistNews. Dark Horse revealed a new miniseries by Mind MGMT’s Matt Kindt, Rebel Heist, on Comic Book Resources last week. The four-issue series starts with a Han Solo issue in April and will feature art by Marco Castiello (Purge.)

Excerpt. There’s a bunch of Maul: Lockdown available at Random House’s catalog.

Interviews. John Ostrander and artist Jan Duursema are also on Comic Book Resources, talking Dawn of the Jedi, while Ostrander talks to Eleven-ThirtyEight.

Notes. John Jackson Miller has added production notes for Kenobi to his site.

The blogside. Abel G. Peña and Daniel Wallace continue their look at the Imperial Warlords at the official blog, while Mike Cooper at Eleven-ThirtyEight asks fandom to stop trying to quantify everything.

New Essential Characters canceled?

UPDATE: Lucasbooks has confirmed the cancellation to Knights’ Archive.

Edelweiss listing

Knights’ Archive spotted that the new Essential Characters is now listed as canceled by Edelweiss. We last heard that the book was posponed to 2016; it’s possible this is actually just another posponement, pending decisons regarding Episode VII and other new film content. (Perhaps the 2035 date is just intended to keep it out of other systems.) I doubt we’ve seen the last of Star Wars character guides!

Edelweiss is a site that publishes electronic versions of publisher book catalogs: We have no reason to believe these changes don’t come from Random House.

EUbits: Upcoming books, the blogside and more

SWEARHAT!Upcoming. Del Rey has revealed the back cover of Honor Among Thieves and posted another mini-excerpt for Maul: Lockdown.

The blogside. For the detail oriented, StarWars.com has Imperial warlords from Abel G. Peña and Daniel Wallace and Xim the Despot by Jason Fry with Paul Urquhart. From the fan side, Eleven-ThirtyEight has Alexander Gaultier looking at the lost books of the EU and Ben Crofts defends implausible victories, or, welcome to the wonderful world of Space Opera.

Interview. Roqoo Depot talks to artist Chris Trevas about the Death Star Owner’s Technical Manual.

On the Tumblr. Mirax Terrik art from Tony Foti for the RPG.

Out this week: The Bounty Hunter Code, Frames

The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba FettGet out your credit card, because two huge holiday books are coming this week. Today sees the release The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett. A follow-up to The Jedi Path and The Book of the Sith, it’s by Star Wars all-stars Daniel Wallace, Ryder Windham and Jason Fry.

There’s also a more affordable version of Frames. (The original, lest we forget, would run you a cool $3000.) And, for the paperback fans, the reprint of Drew Karpyshyn’s The Old Republic: Annihilation drops.

Meanwhile, Wednesday: Dark Times: A Spark Remains #4.

Coming up for the rest of the year, we have the Death Star Owner’s Technical Manual by Ryder Windham, Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas (November 5) and the Scoundrels paperback (November 26.)

A sneak peek at The Bounty Hunter Code

The Bounty Hunter Code - ContentsThe makers of The Jedi Path and Book of Sith have a new book coming out later this year: The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett, and Paul Nicholasi of Idle Hands got a sneak peek of it at BookExpo America this past weekend. Like the previous two books, it is set as an ‘in-universe’ document, comes in an ultracool electronic case, and has a handful of inserts. In-universe commentary is provided by such galactic denizens as Boba Fett, Bossk, Aurra Sing, Greedo, Jango Fett and Hondo Ohnaka!

The Bounty Hunter Code- Page SampleAs items collected by Boba Fett prior to his dip in the Sarlacc, The Bounty Hunter Code includes a copy of the Bounty Hunters Guild Handbook and a volume from Death Watch, and Cradossk’s memoirs, and is scheduled for release in October 15, 2013. Amazon lists the authors as Dan Wallace (author of The Jedi Path and Book of Sith), Ryder Windham, and Jason Fry. Hop on over to the link above to see some pages and art from the book, including instructions on how to hotwire a landspeeder.

From the description on Amazon: Continue reading “A sneak peek at The Bounty Hunter Code

Out this week: Vader’s Little Princess, new Legacy

Vader's Little PrincessOut Tuesday is Vader’s Little Princess, Jeffrey Brown’s followup to last year’s wildly popular Darth Vader and Son. Also out now from Chronicle is something I forgot to mention last week – the standalone hardcover edition of Daniel Wallace’s Book of Sith.

Both Brown and Wallace, along with Lucasfilm’s Johnathan Rinzler, will be chatting about Star Wars on May 1 at the Star Wars and Chronicle Books blogs. Submit your question(s) now!

Meanwhile, comic fans will have something waiting for them on Wednesday as well: Legacy #2.

Standalone edition of Book of Sith coming in spring

Interior pages: Book of Sith

Dan Wallace’s Book of Sith, which was released in a deluxe edition last February, is coming out as a standalone May 4th, The Daily Blam reports.

Meanwhile, Roqoo Depot found the book listed as a hardcover on Chronicle Books’ website that gives a release date of April.

Wallace talked to James about the book, as well as predecessor The Jedi Path, after Sith was first announced. Jedi was also released as a standalone.

EUbits: Miller’s Kenobi now has a release date

Kenobi preview artwork by Chris ScalfRelease dates. Time to pencil in John Jackson Miller’s Kenobi for September 24th. Our book release schedule has been updated. (via)

Scoundrels. EUC interviews Timothy Zahn about the book. And Zahn writes about creating a puzzle at the official site. (Don’t forget our own interview and coverage of his talk at San Diego’s Mysterious Galaxy.)

Digitally… Dan Wallace writes about the new eBook version of The Jedi Path, which came out last week.

Oh dear. Tor’s Emily Asher-Perrin has a guide on where to start in the Expanded Universe. They’re about 50% fairly sound choices… but I wouldn’t recommend Courtship as a starting place for anyone, let alone someone looking for ‘romance.’ Nor would I inflict the Jedi Academy Trilogy, The Crystal Star or Shadows of the Empire on innocent newbies. (Naturally, there’s plenty of debate in the comments.)