Lucasfilm Publishing hosted their own panel at Star Wars Celebration 2022 in Anaheim, giving a sneak peek at what’s to come in the world of novels and comics from this branch of the Star Wars universe.
What’s Happening:
- Lucasfilm Publishing creative director Michael Siglain helmed the “Lucasfilm Publishing: Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away” panel at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022, bringing fans a look at what’s ahead in novels, comics, and more.
- He was joined on stage by executive editor Jennifer Heddle and a who’s who of Star Wars authors:
- EK Johnston (Star Wars: Queen’s Hope)
- Kiersten White (Star Wars: Padawan)
- Roseanne A. Brown (Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith)
- Delilah S. Dawson (Star Wars: Stories of Jedi and Sith)
- Rodney Barnes (Marvel’s The Mandalorian)
- Amanda Diebert (Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories)
- Cavan Scott (Star Wars: Tales from the Rancor Pit)
- Artist Jake Bartok (Stories of Jedi and Sith)
- Here are some of the highlights and news coming from that presentation:
- Siglain reports that The Marvel Comics eight-issue adaptation of the hit series’ first season is quickly becoming a must-have for Mando fans, with preorders reaching into the hundreds of thousands.
- “It’s the easiest gig I’ve ever had and the toughest at the same time,” said writer Rodney Barnes. “The easy part is having an existing story to work from, '' he continued, “but pacing and plotting an episode of the series into one book is a challenge.”
- Barnes also mentioned the upcoming fiction in Star Wars Insider that will follow Jedi Master Mace Windu on an adventure during the Clone Wars. “Mace thinks some Sith are up to really bad, Sithy stuff,” he teased.
- Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories will hide a story within the story. Writer Amanda Diebert told the crowd to pay attention to the details as they read each issue of the Dark Horse Comics series. A story following one character and an item are scattered throughout the all-ages anthology comic series, and when put together chronologically they will tell a complete tale. Look for Hyperspace Stories in August.
- Cavan Scott teased a little of what we can expect in Star Wars: Tales from the Rancor Pit, a Halloween-themed comic series following in the tradition of Star Wars: Tales from Vader’s Castle. Baby wampas, droid ghosts, and High Republic adventurer Ty Yorrick are just a few of the things Scott has in store.
- Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Starlight Stories is a collection of all of the High Republic stories from Phase I. The glittering, serene space station floats in a field of stars in the newly revealed cover artwork. The stories focus on the people doing their jobs keeping the station running from day to day. While they seemed doomed to a grim fate, Scott hinted there might be hope yet. “You haven’t seen the last of them,” he said.
- Chronicles of the Jedi: An Illustrated Guide to the Galaxy’s Golden Age from Insight Editions, written by Cole Horton, is an in-universe, illustrated look at the High Republic. “I would read this book closely when it comes out at the end of the year,” Siglain teased. “It may have some key information about Phase II and possibly Phase III in it. This is definitely one to watch.”
- Panelists also chatted briefly about the upcoming novels Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher and Star Wars: The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis. (“To my fellow Han and Leia fans, this is the book we’ve been waiting for,” Heddle said of The Princess and the Scoundrel.) Both books are scheduled for release this summer.