In this weekend’s vintage video, George talks about his decisions regarding Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca and the Ewoks.
Out this week: Miller’s Kenobi and more
You’ll finally be able to pick up John Jackson Miller’s Kenobi on Tuesday, but in the meantime, there are Miller interviews at Eleven-ThirtyEight and Fangirl. There’s an excerpt read by James Arnold Taylor and a look at the book’s geography as well… And my review will be up tomorrow.
Also out on Tuesday is Jeffrey Brown’s Jedi Academy. The author of Darth Vader and Son and Vader’s Little Princess now has a bigger book that is a Diary of a Wimpy Kid take on being in a Jedi middle school, under Yoda. Check out Bleeding Cool’s preview of the book, or watch the book’s trailer.
Meanwhile, in comics, Legacy #6 is out on Wednesday.
Our next novel, Martha Wells’ Empire and Rebellion: Razor’s Edge, will be out on September 24th, while the highly anticipated The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi by J. W. Rinzler is out October 1.
Rumor: Obi-wan also coming back for Episode VII?
And the spectral hijinks continue, with Latino Review now claiming that “three close sources” say Obi-Wan Kenobi is also going to return as a (presumably aged-up) Force ghost, and that Ewan McGregor wants a solo standalone as well. We already know he’d be up for returning.
Both are plausible and an Obi-Wan film is a no-brainer… But none of these recent rumors seem like they’ll end up as much more than cameos, so let’s not put too much weight on them – even for rumors – just yet.
Cover for Miller’s Kenobi novel revealed!
We’ve already seen the blurb, but now io9 has the cover for John Jackson Miller’s Kenobi! It’s pretty standard, but nice and simple: Glad to see not every cover we’re getting this year is photoshop trickery!
And here’s that blurb again, because why not:
Tatooine—a harsh desert world where farmers toil in the heat of two suns while trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from the marauding Tusken Raiders. A backwater planet on the edge of civilized space. And an unlikely place to find a Jedi Master in hiding, or an orphaned infant boy on whose tiny shoulders rests the future of a galaxy.
Known to locals only as “Ben,” the bearded and robed offworlder is an enigmatic stranger who keeps to himself, shares nothing of his past, and goes to great pains to remain an outsider. But as tensions escalate between the farmers and a tribe of Sand People led by a ruthless war chief, Ben finds himself drawn into the fight, endangering the very mission that brought him to Tatooine.
Ben—Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars, traitor to the Empire, and protector of the galaxy’s last hope—can no more turn his back on evil than he can reject his Jedi training. And when blood is unjustly spilled, innocent lives threatened, and a ruthless opponent unmasked, Ben has no choice but to call on the wisdom of the Jedi—and the formidable power of the Force—in his never-ending fight for justice.
Kenobi will be out in hardcover on August 27. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that July 9th’s Crucible will contain an excerpt from Kenobi.
Miller’s Kenobi novel gets a blurb!
The blurb for John Jackson Miller’s Kenobi is up on the Random House catalog, Star Wars Books reports! And here it is:
Tatooine—a harsh desert world where farmers toil in the heat of two suns while trying to protect themselves and their loved ones from the marauding Tusken Raiders. A backwater planet on the edge of civilized space. And an unlikely place to find a Jedi Master in hiding, or an orphaned infant boy on whose tiny shoulders rests the future of a galaxy.
Known to locals only as “Ben,” the bearded and robed offworlder is an enigmatic stranger who keeps to himself, shares nothing of his past, and goes to great pains to remain an outsider. But as tensions escalate between the farmers and a tribe of Sand People led by a ruthless war chief, Ben finds himself drawn into the fight, endangering the very mission that brought him to Tatooine.
Ben—Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars, traitor to the Empire, and protector of the galaxy’s last hope—can no more turn his back on evil than he can reject his Jedi training. And when blood is unjustly spilled, innocent lives threatened, and a ruthless opponent unmasked, Ben has no choice but to call on the wisdom of the Jedi—and the formidable power of the Force—in his never-ending fight for justice.
The book will be out in hardcover on August 27, and we ought to be seeing the final cover soon.
Rumor: Obi-Wan and Maul to face-off in spinoff?
Cosmic Book News is at it again! Today they’ve set on another spin-off concept, one featuring Obi-Wan during his Tatooine exile with old buddy Darth Maul and a possible appearance by a young Luke Skywalker. (via)
A similar story was published in 2005 as the lead story of Star Wars: Visionaries. But as story concepts go, we’ve heard worse, and Ewan McGregor hasn’t been shy about his willingness to return. But, as always, it’s only a rumor.
Wells’ Leia novel gets an October release date; Miller’s Kenobi moves up to August
Del Rey’s Erich Schoeneweiss updated fans on Facebook today with a few release dates. Martha Wells’ untitled Leia novel is the first of the Rebels series to drop, with an October 29 release. (Erich mentions that it’s moving up a week, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time they’ve given us a date publically.)
Meanwhile, John Jackson Miller’s Kenobi moves up a whole month, from September 24 to August 27. As always, our book release schedule has been updated!
Sideshow expands Star Wars with new line
Sideshow has a new Star Wars line, Mythos. A couple of the figures look fairly interesting: A hermit Obi-Wan (in both Ewan and Sir Alec versions!) and a be-toged Darth Maul. And if this mean they’ll be doing figures of existing characters at non-movie points of their lives, maybe we’ll eventually see a couple insipired by post-Return of the Jedi. Here’s the money graph:
This line of collectibles will be populated by characters from new and existing story lines. We will bring history, unique details and personal choices to each in order to elaborate on who they are. Through the design and sculpt process our goal is to delve deeper into these established characters and offer our own interpretations of what they have done outside of the Star Wars canon.
Outside of canon!?! Eleventyone!
Anyway, the “new” part of the equation? Psst, there are a few existing characters you guys haven’t done yet, in any form. I mean, we are still waiting for that Mara. Or even, hell, a Leia wearing something other than the metal bikini. Or a Padme. Have they ever even done a Padme? An Ahsoka? What do the Gamorrean fans have that we don’t, Sideshow? TELL US. I promise we have many ladies willing to pony up for that Obi-wan if you do.
Friday’s Clone Wars sets Obi-wan and Maul rematch
Entertainment Weekly has a preview of the fight between the ‘resurrected’ Sith and Obi-wan Kenobi in Friday’s episode, ‘Revenge”. Plus a poll. Of course.
EW will have Sam Witwer (Maul) and James Arnold Taylor (Obi-wan) for Friday’s live chat.
Santa Maul has woken, and he has a ‘gift’ for you
‘Ah, Santa Maul, it is too early for you,’ perhaps you are saying. But you are wrong. Has retail taught you nothing? It is never too early for the trappings of Sithmas to intrude into everyday life. (Four days before Halloween! I am indeed mighty.) Santa Maul depends on your hatred and rage at the season’s shameless insidiousness, after all. It is what wakes him, long before his intended time. Well, that and the candy.
In any case, Santa Maul knows his lady readers, and the ladies (and many of the mens) love that silly twit Obi-Wan, even at his most mulleted. So he brings you this Sideshow production peek, to taunt you a product that will probably not be ready for Christmas! For such is his whim. Welcome to the Sithmas season, minions!