EUbits: Fate of the Jedi is ending, have you heard?

Fate of the Jedi. Apocalypse is only days away, and so there is a book trailer. (Naturally.) And a mini-excerpt. And a 50-page excerpt. And Troy Denning on a podcast. And, of course, another spoiler-free review at Star Wars Report. Will it ever end? (Well, yes. Presumably, Tuesday. And then, the arguing. Yay!)

Comics. John Jackson Miller talks about Knight Errant’s next arc, ‘Escape,’ with io9’s Cyriaque Lamar.

Upcoming. DK will be releasing The Old Republic Encyclopedia this fall, Roqoo Depot discovered.

The blogside. Roqoo Depot’s Skuldren speaks out against super-powered characters in video games and the EU. In my book, that’s a very big reason why certain streams should no be crossing… Meanwhile, io9 makes a valiant effort to connect the Star Wars timeline to Earth’s timeline – pity that the comic tale they’re using as a cornerstone is kind of, a little bit, well, actually entirely Infinities, aka a non-canon AU. Which they admit. But still.

Okay, fine. If it’s an actual EU timeline you’re looking for (sorry, no Earth,) here’s an official one from Del Rey.

Review. James gives the latest Clone Wars digest, The Enemy Within, a thumbs-up for its Dirty Dozen meets L.A. Confidential in space storyline.

EUbits: Where the hell are the female protagonists?

The blogside. Over at EU Cantina, Nanci has a lot to say about the disappointment that many were feeling about yesterday’s cancellation of the Nomi Sunrider novel, and why it’s important for the books to start nurturing their female characters. Meanwhile, at Roqoo Depot, Lane has something you can link to your curious friends: An introductory roadmap for the Expanded Universe.

Sneak peeks. There’s been an abundance of previews for Essential Guide to Warfare. Three on Facebook (a map, Lando at Taanab and one of Luke and Daala. Dude is too old for the shag, not that I’m advocating a return to the Wall Street.) plus 10 more at io9 today. Lots of ships and battles and things, but there is one of Anakin and Ahsoka.

Fate of the Jedi. Yet another mini-excerpt from Apocalypse, plus a link to Roqoo Depot’s giveaway.

Interview. Knights Archive talks to Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff about Shadow Games and the upcoming fourth Coruscant Nights book.

Review. James is kinda meh on Crimson Empire III: Empire Lost #5.

EUbits: Do we need George Lucas?

The blogside. With a title like ‘We Don’t Need George Lucas,’ the latest Action/Reaction over at EU Cantina was was bound to be controversial. Chris has some interesting points (yes, George Lucas worship does get out of hand from some aspects of fandom) but I don’t really agree with everything he says (I have no regrets on our coverage of Red Tails or Amanda Lucas) And course we’ve always had coverage of things outside the realm of Star Wars and the Expanded Universe. I’m not so fond of the ‘telling other people how to be a fan’ aspect, but it’s certainly an issue worth giving some thought.

Street date shuffle. In responses to a query about Paul S. Kemp’s duology, Frank Parisi says it’s “a very ambitious project” but the first book won’t be coming out this November as it was previously (tentatively) scheduled.

Excerpt. The latest mini-excerpt of Denning’s Apocalypse comes with bonus audio linkage.

Photoshoppery. What if Judy Blume wrote Star Wars books? (Bonus linkage.)

Review. James looks at Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness #4.

EUbits: Considering Padme Amidala and Jaina Solo

The blogside. On Livejournal, Chameleon Irony takes a look at what implications the events of Darth Plagueis may have had on Padme throughout the films. (Contains Plagueis spoilers.) Meanwhile, at Rooqoo Depot, Lane considers fandom, Jaina Solo, and ‘strong female characters.’

Fate of the Jedi. The latest mini-excerpt from Apocalypse features Luke and a Sith.

Celebration VI. Two more authors have been confirmed to be attending: James Luceno and Jason Fry. Paul S. Kemp, not so much.

Art. Two more looks at the interior art of The Essential Gude to Warfare: An Imperial refueling and a fantastic Dave Seeley title page spread showing the Battle of Couscant from Revenge of the Sith. It’s better than the actual cover!

Reviews. Over at Big Shiny Robot, James considers Agent of the Empire #3, Crimson Empire III #4 and Knights of the Old Republic: War #2.

EUbits: Tom Dupree revisits his Star Wars years

Blast from the past. Tom Dupree, who was an editor at Bantam, writes about his time editing Star Wars novels on his blog as part of a larger series on his career. Old-timers like yours truly will remember him dropping little hints of book news on the AOL Fan Forum, or perhaps such hints being reported in a so-called ‘fan fiction’ newsletter.

Interview. Michael Reaves talks Shadow Games over at Suvudu. Iffy on the book? Take a test drive with a 50-page excerpt.

Excerpts. A little bit of Luceno’s Darth Plagueis.

Comic reviews. Over at Big Shiny Robot, James reviews Knight Errant: Deluge #4, Crimson Empire III: Empire Lost #2, and Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness #3.

Pretties. Flickr user Sith_fire30 creates custom figures based on Star Wars games and comics. Be sure to check out his Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (based on an issue of Invasion, Cade Skywalker, Savage Opress and more.

The fandom minute: Lucasfilm gives, Lucasfilm takes

Photographer Cédric Delsaux apparently has Lucas blessing to publish Dark Lens, a book featuring his Star Wars in Dubai photographs. George Lucas himself wrote the book’s introduction. (Yet… it’s unlicensed? So confusing.)

EUbits: DK’s LEGO Visual Dictionary has lengthy bestseller run

Sales. LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary is selling like crazy. It’s been on the New York Times Children’s Picture Book Bestseller List for 52 weeks. (Guess that explains all the LEGO stuff that DK has coming.) To celebrate the books’ NYT longevity, Lucasfilm and DK are donating $52,000 worth of books to charities supported by 501st and Rebel Legions.

In question. J. W. Rinzler will find out if he gets to write a Making of Return of the Jedi by the end of the month, he tweeted last night. Somehow I doubt they’re going to say no.

The blogside. Chris at EUC takes a look at the EU offerings of 2010 and 2011.

Comics. The upcoming return of Dark Horse Presents will feature details on the wildly anticipated Crimson Empire 3.

Interview. Our pal Mandy interviews comic artist Michael Golden, who drew Marvel’s Riders in the Void back in 1980.

Podcastery. The latest Jedi Journals is up.

Giveaway. Comment at Paul S. Kemp’s blog and you could win an ARC of The Old Republic: Deceived. Meanwhile, the EUCast is giving away a copy of Knight Errant.

EUbits: Al Williamson, Heir to the Empire, and September comics

RIP. Artist Al Williamson, who illustrated the Star Wars comic strip and adaptions of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, passed away this weekend. He’s remembered by editor Dave Land at DarkHorse.com

We read it uphill, in the snow, with no boots. Suvudu salutes Heir to the Empire — with a little help from Tim Zahn, editor Tom Dupree and art director Jamie S. Warren — as part of their 25 years of Spectra features.

Solicitations. Look ahead to September comics from Dark Horse, with new issues of Invasion, The Old Republic: Threat of Peace, that Fett thing, and a $1 reprint of Legacy #1.

Blogside. Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff on mistakes.

For the nitpickians. A new Essential Atlas appendix – in PDF form. Prime your hole-punchers!

Quotable quotables: Ackbar rules

It really was a trap, you know? LT sometimes likes to harsh on Admiral Ackbar for so theatrically pointing that out, quite a while after the fact, but I always tell him fuck you. Ackbar rules. He had the balls (figuratively, at least; anatomically, it’s unclear) to say so out loud! Plus, so dashing in the white uniform.

– Mimi Smartypants, ‘as discriminating as a goat’