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Comic Release: The Clone Wars Comic #8:
Posted: 27th May
Released today in the UK is the latest issue of The Clone Wars Comic from Titan Comics. Issue #8 features the original comic story A Trooper's Tale.

Comic Release: Invasion: Rescues #1 (part 1 of 6):
Posted: 26th May
Invasion returns with the release of the first part in a new six-part series, Rescues.

Comic Release: Legacy #48 (Extremes, part 1 of 3):
Posted: 26th May
The final chapter of Legacy begins with the release today of issue #48, Extremes part 1 of 3.

Upcoming The Clone Wars children's books (UPDATE):
Posted: 25th May
Following our story of 11th May, affiliate StarWarsTimeline.com has updates from Penguin regarding these new The Clone Wars children's titles due in 2011: A Padawan's Guide in 3D and Secret Missions #3: The Space Siren. Although very little is known about these books it is assumed that the 3D Padawan Guide maybe the same title that Amazon.com has listed as A Jedi Adventure in 3D, which according to Amazon.com is a 64-page paperback by Pablo Hidalgo due April. While Amazon.com has also listed the third Secret Missions by Ryder Windham title as Duel at Shattered Rock with a February release date, we can assume Amazon.com were using a working title to list this book.
Finally, Scholastic Books have released the title of their third Adventures in Hyperspace book, also by Ryder Windham, as The Big Switch and due for release in September.

Book Release: Fate of the Jedi: Allies:
Posted: 25th May
Released today in the US in hardback is, Allies, the fifth book in the nine-book Fate of the Jedi series, by Christie Golden.

Book Release: Fate of the Jedi: Omen:
Posted: 25th May
Released today in the US in paperback is, Omen, the second book in the nine-book Fate of the Jedi series, by Christie Golden.

The Old Republic - Blood of the Empire #3 now online:
Posted: 21st May
The third issue of Blood of the Empire, the second introductory online comic for the forthcoming MMO video game Star Wars: The Old Republic, is available to read online.
The third issue of Blood of the Empire chronicles two formidable confrontations--one between Teneb Kel and his former master, Lord Calypho, and another between Teneb Kel and the Dark Council! And what plans do the Emperor and his mysterious apprentice have in store for Teneb?
(Source: swtor.com)

Book Release: The Clone Wars: No Prisoners
Posted: 20th May
The Clone Wars: No Prisoners by Karen Traviss is released in paperback in UK today.

Updated US release schedule plus new Essential Guide titles:
Posted: 18th May
Sue Rostoni, LucasBooks' Executive Editor, has published an updated US book and novel release schedule for 2010 / 2011. While some titles have shifted slightly, notable changes for 2011 since Sue's last release schedule are:

• Michael Reaves & Maya Bohnhoff's Holostar (paperback) novel pushed from March to 26th April;

• Alex Irvine's untitled Nomi Sunrider novel (hardback) pulled from June to 24th May;

• Paul S. Kemp's untitled Crosscurrent sequel (paperback) pulled from July to 28th June;

• the penultimate Fate of the Jedi novel by Christie Golden (hardback) pulled from August to 26th July;

• Timothy Zahn's Choices (working title, hardback) pulled from September to 30th August.

However Sue also added two non-fiction titles to her schedule: Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare (Jason Fry, paperback) due for release in June 2011. This was to have been The Essential Guide to the Military but Sue says "'Warfare' is more appropriate to the content"; and in August 2011 we can expect Star Wars: The Essential Readers' Companion by Pablo Hidalgo (also paperback). Sue describes it as "a super guide to the novels, short stories, e-books, etc. With new illustrations of characters you've only read about. This will be organized chronologically according to in-universe dates and written out-of-universe so that it won't be like the Essential Chronology but more like a non-fiction guide to fiction, with side-bars calling out related comics and events".
Our US Release Schedule for 2011 has been updated to reflects Sue's schedule but bear in mind that these are proposed release dates for titles due in a year's time and are subject to change.

Dark Horse Comics speaks of the end of Legacy and the future of Star Wars comics:
Posted: 17th May
While legions of disgruntled Legacy comic series fans continue to voice their personal and sometimes highly opinionated views about its ending with issue #50 on a myriad of online forums, Dark Horse Comics has attempted to offer some form of consolation for its ending as well as consolidations and assurances about Legacy's replacement and the future of Star Wars comics with Dark Horse Comics.
On 20th April, via Dark Horse Comics' own Message Boards, Senior Editor Randy Stradley firstly apologised for the unintended manner that fans learned of its ending, "[it] was announced in a less than favorable manner"; quickly adding "[n]o door closes without another opening, and to those longtime readers who pointed out that it was not likely that I would end Legacy without having some replacement planned, I thank you for your confidence. Trust me, it will be rewarded". As for the future of Star Wars comics, Randy finishes by teasing fans: "feel free to speculate on what the future holds. Just don't get too invested in your speculations because, I guarantee, you wont guess what's coming next".
Unfortunately, Randy's voice appears to have been unheard, as three weeks later on 11th may via Facebook, Dark Horse Comics released an official announcement regarding Legacy's ending, stating "[Dark Horse Comics] have never felt that John [Ostrander] and Jan's [Duursema] work dipped below the benchmark of fine sequential art. So, it was a hard, but ultimately necessary, decision to close this chapter of the Star Wars universe with issue #50". In addition, "Dark Horse has never been one for prolonging a series simply to do so. Our comics come from a place of creativity and artistic expression, and this applies to all of our titles, whether creator owned or licensed property". Finally adding "[a]t this time, we cannot announce what, if any, projects John and Jan will be a part of in the future. We hope fans will appreciate our proprietary stance in this matter. Know that we will make announcements regarding new Star Wars projects at the proper time, in coordination with our partners at Lucasfilm".
Now, just three days after that announcement, Randy Stradley has stated via TheForce.net's Jedi Council forums that the recently announced Blood Ties: A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett four issue mini-series is not Legacy's replacement, but rather "Blood Ties is a series that ties in to our year-long "Season of Fett" promotion". He further teased the speculators that "[n]one of you has yet guessed what's coming after the end of Legacy [...] I don't believe any of you will, at least for a while. Possibly not until we reveal it [...] We haven't revealed it yet [...] We won't be revealing it for a while yet [...] We'll reveal what's coming after Legacy when we reveal it, not before".

The Empire Strikes Back webcomic:
Posted: 16th May
As part of its The Empire Strikes Back 30th Anniversary celebrations, StarWars.com has published online, as a webcomic (requires Flash), the first issue from Marvel Comics' official comic book adaptation of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
First published as Star Wars issue #39 in June 1980, Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan's script was adapted by Archie Goodwin with art by Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon; lettering by Jim Novak and coloring by Glynis Wein.
You can read the online comic here (requires Flash).

Generation Star Wars delayed:
Posted: 15th May
Following its disappearance from RandomHouse.com online catalogue and Amazon.com removing its Pre-Order status, Sue Rostoni, LucasBooks' Executive Editor, has confirmed that Generation Star Wars: A Celebration of Fandom, a book by Bonnie Burton, Mary Franklin, and Pete Vilmur that promises to "reveal insights into a group of individuals [ie Star Wars fans] you might have thought you understood", and was due for release this summer, has been delayed.
Commenting via StarWars.com Message Boards, Sue stated "It's been put on hold for now. We want it to be exciting and compelling and we need more time to develop the concept and content."
It is unclear at present when we can expect Generation Star Wars: A Celebration of Fandom to be released but, as always, Star Wars Books will keep you updated.

The Clone Wars Season 1 webcomic graphic novel confirmed:
Posted: 15th May
Following our stories of the 2nd and 5th April, official confirmation of a graphic novel edition of The Clone Wars Season One's webcomic stories has been published by StarWars.com. The graphic novel will be titled Tales from The Clone Wars and will be published by Dreams & Vision Press and Dark Horse Comics.
The official statement also confirms the availability of this book and some extra content: This edition will be available at Celebration V this August, and then exclusively at StarWarsShop.com after the event. It includes the entire run of Season One webcomics -- written by Pablo Hidalgo and illustrated by Jeff Carlisle, Katie Cook, Grant Gould and Tom Hodges, as well as the "gameisode" installments that tied into online Flash games following Season One. A bonus section features concept art and development sketches, as well as bonus art from all the artists. This special collected edition includes a foreword by Dave Filoni, supervising director of the television series. 

Comics for August and beyond:
Posted: 14th May
StarWars.com has posted solicitations from Dark Horse Comics for August and beyond. In it they have announced a new 4-part mini-series featuring everybody's favourite father-and-son bounty hunter team Jango and Boba Fett, Blood Ties: A Tale of Jango and Boba Fett by Tom Taylor (author Star Wars: Invasion) with art by Chris Scalf begins on 25th August.
The Old Republic #2: Threat of Peace (part 2 of 3) will also be released in August; while the second A Long Time Ago... Omnibus graphic novel will collate Marvel Comics' issues #28 thru #49 and is due for release in October.
Lastly, The Force Unleashed II will be adapted into a comic story by lead writer Haden Blackman and artist Omar Francia and published as a graphic novel in October.

Preview for Invasion #6 now online:
Posted: 12th May
Dark Horse Comics has published a four-page preview of Invasion #6, the first issue of a new six-part story Rescues: The Yuuzhan Vong invasion spreads death and destruction across the galaxy, leaving behind ravaged worlds with little hope of survival. Artorias, the homeworld of the Galfridian family lay in the path of the Yuuzhan Vong armada-and now, though separated, Finn, Kaye, Nina, and Caled work to fight the invaders with the hope that one day they will again be together on their peaceful planet.
Finn studies at the Jedi temple with Luke Skywalker and the grown Jedi children of Han Solo and Princess Leia! Kaye and Nina use a Yuuzhan Vong slave ship to attack their former captors! Caled raises forces on Artorias-not knowing the danger from one of his trusted allies!
Written by Tom Taylor with art by Colin Wilson, Invasion #6 is due for release on 26th May.

Black Orchid to get new title:
Posted: 24th April (UPDATED: 11th May)
LucasBooks' Executive Editor Sue Rostoni has announced via StarWars.com Message Boards that Black Orchid, the title of Joe Schreiber's second Star Wars horror novel following last year's Death Troopers*, is to get a new title.
Why? According to Sue, it's because "some folks weren't keen on this one -- thought it sounded like a Romance Novel!!!". Sue makes a personal comment about this decision: "I'm a bit disappointed because my brother's high school garage band was named The Black Orchids. I thought it was pretty cool".
Black Orchid (or whatever its new title will be) is due for hardback release in the US in February 2011.

* Regular visitors will remember that Death Troopers itself had a slight change of name before its release, originally titled Deathtroopers (one word), when in February 2009 it was decided to split the title into two words.

UPDATE: According to the listing on RandomHouse.com, Black Orchid's new title is to be Red Harvest and will be available in the US on 25th January 2011.

Upcoming The Clone Wars children's books:
Posted: 11th May
Affiliate StarWarsTimeline.com has discovered online listings for three upcoming The Clone Wars children's books for both US and UK readers. The first title, The Clone Wars: Little Library from Sunbird Books (UK), is designed for the youngest reader and features six little board books: each featuring a key Jedi or Separatist character - Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Asajj Ventress, General Grievous and bounty hunter Cad Bane. It is due for release this September.
The third title in Ryder Windham's series for older children, Secret Missions, according to Amazon.com will be Duel at Shattered Rock. It follows the first two books, Breakout Squad and Curse of the Blackhole Pirates, and is due for release in the US in February 2011 (UK release should follow soon thereafter).
Finally, US publisher Grosset & Dunlap has produced The Clone Wars: A Jedi Adventure in 3-D. Although there are few details for this book, Amazon.ca list it as being written by Pablo Hidalgo and due for release in April 2011.

The Old Republic - Blood of the Empire #2 now online:
Posted: 7th May
The third issue of Blood of the Empire, the second introductory online comic for the forthcoming MMO video game Star Wars: The Old Republic, is available to read online.
The second issue of Blood of the Empire takes us to the Imperial capital of Dromund Kaas, as the young Sith Teneb Kel and his companion Maggot leave the war's front lines--only to find new tensions awaiting them at home. Meanwhile, a mysterious Force-user sets her plans in motion on a distant, crime-ridden world.
(Source: swtor.com)

© SWBooks.co.uk.

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