So when Dark Horse first announced that Brian Wood would be starting a new ongoing series, simply titled Star Wars, back at Comic Con last July, and mentioned that Leia would be piloting an X-wing fighter, the two big fusses that popped up were about fitting continuity (isn’t it always?) and Leia in a role we hadn’t seen her in very often: fighter pilot. (Never mind that she’s been piloting starfighters since Splinter of the Mind’s Eye.)
Now that the first issue of the series is out for us all to enjoy, what’s all the hubbub?
There’s only one thing out this week, but it’s a doozy. Head over to your favorite comic shop Wednesday to pick up Star Wars #1, the only a tad controversial (ha) new series set in the original trilogy era.
There are at least two two variant covers, one for the ubiquitous chain GameStop and another available at the chain Hastings, which seems to be nonexistent on either of the coasts. Your day has come, people of the Central and Mountain time zones!
The printed version will also contain a “a coupon for a free digital copy,” per Randy Stradley.
As for books, we have a handful of paperbacks coming up: The reprint of Troy Denning’s Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse coming on January 29 and Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnoff’s The Last Jedi on February 26.
Scoundrels. With only a few days until the book’s release in January 1, we’re seeing plenty of Scoundrels action. There’s 50 pages on Suvudu and a brief excerpt on io9 (which is also part of the larger chunk.) And Aaron Goins’ review is up over at Star Wars Report.
Interviews. For it being the holiday season, there sure are a lot of them popping up lately. Fangirl has Troy Denning, there’s Brian Wood at Newsarama, Randy Stradley at CBR and Steve Sansweet at GalacticHunter.
Rebels.Martha Wells is nearly done with the first draft of her Star Wars novel.
CBR has Dark Horse’s March solicitations, which gives us a few more details on the new Legacy, which it gives a storyline title of ‘Prisoner of the Floating World.’. Here’s the blurb:
Despite her famous heritage, Ania Solo is just a girl trying to make her way in a galaxy gone bad. But it all gets worse when she comes into possession of a lightsaber and an Imperial communications droid—and discovers she has been targeted for death!
The solicitation text also makes it clear that Ania is “Han and Leia’s great-great granddaughter,” as opposed to just ‘great-granddaughter’ in the original announcement. It also says this series take place “in the aftermath of War,” the last storyline of the old Legacy series.
And here’s the blurb for Brian Wood’s Star Wars #3:
Princess Leia formed a secret squadron of stealth X-wings to help expose a spy within the Rebel ranks. But taking command puts her at odds with Luke Skywalker at a time they need solidarity more than ever—especially when the spy has alerted the Empire to Han Solo’s latest venture!
There are a few other Star Wars comics at the link, including Dark Times: Fire Carrier #2, Dawn of the Jedi: Prisoner of Bogan #5 and a Wild Space Omnibus.
Dark Horse Comics announced their stories for their two Free Comic Book Day releases. The publisher will continue their tradition of having flip covers, but will have three different stories in each comic book.
In their all-ages book, the Star Wars story by Brian Wood and stars both Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Also in that book will be a story about Mai from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and a peek into the upcoming series, Captain Midnight, about the search for a superhero gone missing.
In the other comic, we get a trio of stories: R.I.P.D. (by Jeremy Barlow), Mass Effect and a preview of the police-state world of The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. The best part? They’re free! The worst part? Having to wait until Free Comic Book Day 2013, which is Saturday, May 4.
When I started the job, I had this idea that Star Wars fans would be really hardcore and nitpicky and, to be frank, ready to challenge my work. Then I went to Star Wars Celebration, this convention, and I had one of the most positive experiences of my professional life. Everyone was super nice, very receptive to what I’m doing, and I felt like I belonged in a way that comic book conventions don’t. I came home from that show determined to write 10x on this title.
Hardcore? Nitpicky? Just stay away from the message boards. And, um, certain typos.
Release dates. Troy Denning’s Crucible has appeared in the Random House catalog with a date of July 9 – last we heard, it was the 2nd. But remember, we’re far enough out that it may still change again.
Interviews. Fangirl talks to Drew Karpyshyn, while the latest installment of Jedi Journals has Del Rey’s Erich Schoeneweiss – recorded before the Episode VII announcement.
Comics, history. CBR’s Comic Book Legends Revealed looks at the rumor that George Lucas was not so pleased with Jaxxon the giant green rabbit, among other Marvel hearsay.
Interviews. There were a lot of them. In text, EUCantina has Haden Blackman, Jedi News has Bill Slavicsek (old-timers will remember his Guide to the Star Wars Universe) and Fangirl talks to Del Rey’s summer intern, Tom Hoeler. In audio, Fictional Frontiers has Aaron Allston, while Jedi Journals caught up with Aaron and Drew Karpyshyn at CVI. And Roqoo Depot ties up their series of CVI video interviews with John Jackson Miller.
Street dates.Knights Archive spotted this release date for Troy Denning’s Crucible on the Random House Smart Archive. As it is put there by the publisher this could be the real release date… At the moment, anyway. The farther we are out from a release date, the more the things move around, but it might be worth penciling in.
Star Wars Reads. Start planning for October 6th now, as StarWars.com has posted a location map for events through the U.S. A few authors have posted where they’ll be appearing already: Troy Denning, Dan Wallace and John Jackson Miller will be in Roseville, MN, while Pablo Hidalgo and Haden Blackman will appear in Corte Madera, CA, along with Aaron Allston, Drew Karpyshyn and Alexander Freed in Austin, TX. I suspect we’ll be hearing about more of these as the date approaches!
Detectiving! In all the hussle and bussle of live-tweeting Celebration, there’s not always time go back and find your sources. Thankfully, Pete did a little digging to find Paul Kemp’s tweet about his mystery duology.
Reaction to the new Star Wars comic has been, in a word, mixed. There’s been the expected asides about canon and continuity from the usual quarters, of course. (I’ve already said all I need to say on that.) But today, the headlinenews from this has been, unquestionably, this from Wood on Tumblr: “Oh yeah, Leia’s an X-Wing pilot.”
Leia is not going to be sitting around in a gown attending a lot of meetings — she has her blaster and an X-wing and is out there with Luke and Wedge working on building the Alliance back up after losing so much. I really wanted to put Leia into the mix, holding her own in battle.
On the one one hand, of course I would like to see Leia get more of a role. On the other hand, we already know Leia’s a badass and a better shot than most of the dudes: Does putting her in an X-Wing really show a new dimension to her character?
Yes, this again. Here’s the thing: We are constantly told Leia is a brilliant politician, but how often do we actually see that aspect of her – her actual career? Every once and a while in the books, right before things go sour and the blasters (or, more recently, the lightsabers) come out?
I’m not against putting Leia in an X-wing. This is not really specific to Star Wars, the Comic. (And a comic book is almost certainly not the place for that sort of Senator Organa anyway.) I just wish when we got more Leia, it would be less about the size of the lasers she’s shooting and more about adding some dimension to an aspect of her character that’s been shamefully neglected.
And hell, maybe Wood will go there between battle scenes. Obviously, I have no idea. I just wish we could click off a box other than Action Girl every once and a while.
So when Dark Horse first announced that Brian Wood would be starting a new ongoing series, simply titled Star Wars, back at Comic Con last July, and mentioned that Leia would be piloting an X-wing fighter, the two big fusses that popped up were about fitting continuity (isn’t it always?) and Leia in a role we hadn’t seen her in very often: fighter pilot. (Never mind that she’s been piloting starfighters since Splinter of the Mind’s Eye.)
Nerdist has 
Release dates. Troy Denning’s Crucible has appeared 
New York Comic Con. The schedule for the October 11-14 con is up, and both EU panels are on Friday… 
Reaction to the 