Catching up with Rogue One: Concept art, Mike Stackpole and looking back at the books

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We finally got name – and a hint at the content of – our first standalone Star Wars film this week: Rogue One. We still don’t know all that much about it, but there are a few hints out there, both official and speculative.

/Film has a description of the concept art that was shown to Disney shareholders for Rogue One that is supposedly reminiscent of video games, particularly Halo. No X-wings, but why would they go for a name that recalls Rogue Squadron, then? I don’t know, but I hope as we learn more things will become clear.

Mike Stackpole is, as you might expect, all for Rogues in a movie. At Barnes & Noble, Andrew Liptak looks at the Rogue Squadron books and comics – which, it should be noted, contained a fair amount of on-the-ground missions.

Her Universe hints at Rogue Squadron… tank?

Rogue Squadron tank?Ashley Eckstein posted this photo today of “a new design” that Her Universe is working on.

It seems there’s been quite an outcry for Rogue Squadron items lately… But bear in mind this is only a sketch, so it’s hard to say when, or even if, it ever becomes available.

The addition of ribbing also hints this could be an all-new style. (Maybe a dress?) Her Universe’s tanks currently cost $25, while their only dress (so far) is $28.50.

Heir to the Empire annotation #5: Rogue love

In our fifth peek at the annotations from the 20th anniversary edition of Heir to the Empire, Timothy Zahn talks about Wedge and the Rogues.

Rogue Squadron was half convenience and half a throwaway line — a unit I could move around wherever I needed it, with Wedge in command because anyone who can survive three Star Wars movies is welcome in my book any day. I would never in my wildest dreams have guessed how well and how far Mike Stackpole and, later, Aaron Allston would run with the whole idea.

The new edition’s release date was pushed back to June 28 earlier this week.

Stackpole’s X-Wing novels out of print

UPDATE 4/12: …And not so much.

Mike Stackpole learned today that Bantam has allowed his X-Wing novels to go out of print. This is a puzzling turn of events to be sure: Though the Star Wars backlist is lengthy, the X-Wing novels have generally been good bets for folks just starting in the EU and are special favorites of many fans.

This does raise questions about the status of Bantam’s other classic EU novels. Are the X-Wing novels alone? (I can think of a few that deserve the ‘honor’ a hell of a lot more.) Is this just a temporary burp? Will they be repackaged as eBooks or in new editions (trade compilations would be nice) to support Aaron Allston’s 2012 Wraith Squadron novel? Let’s hope so.

The Catchup: And the kitchen sink

Trivia masters rejoice: Jeopardy! added a Star Wars category today. It’s already aired here (curses!) so I have to ask: just how obsessed does one have to be to make the $1000 question laughable?

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