The Mandalorian publishing program revealed

From StarWars.com:

“Fans of the The Mandalorian will soon go deeper into the world of the Disney+ series than ever before.

StarWars.com is thrilled to announce a new publishing program dedicated to The Mandalorian, featuring books and titles for fans of all ages. The series kicks off this fall, with releases planned through the winter and spring. Check out the list below for a look at some of what’s in store, and get a sneak peek at the cover for The Art of The Mandalorian (Season One) featuring a new illustration by Lucasfilm’s Doug Chiang:

• The Art of The Mandalorian (Season One) by Phil Szostak; cover by Doug Chiang
• The Mandalorian: Original Novel (adult novel, Del Rey) by Adam Christopher
• The Mandalorian: The Ultimate Visual Guide (DK) by Pablo Hidalgo
• The Mandalorian: Allies & Enemies – Level Two Reader (DLP) by Brooke Vitale
• The Mandalorian: 8×8 Storybook (title to be revealed later) by Brooke Vitale
• The Mandalorian: Junior Novelization by Joe Schreiber

In addition, The Mandalorian-inspired comics are coming from Marvel and IDW Publishing, and magazine, novelty, and coloring and activity titles are on the way from Titan, Studio Fun, Crayola, Thunder Bay Press, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Dreamtivity. Younger bounty hunters can look forward to a Little Golden Book and a Screen Comix retelling of Season One.”

‘Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi’ book announced

From StarWars.com:

“Prepare, Padawan, to learn from a legend.

StarWars.com is excited to reveal Star Wars: The Secrets of the Jedi, a new book from author Marc Sumerak chronicling the history of the Jedi Order, with Luke Skywalker as your guide. Coming November 19 from Insight Editions, the tome is filled with lush paintings and special interactive features, including a pop-up holocron, a translator card, a Jedi equipment booklet, and more. You can get a first look below, exclusively on StarWars.com. […]

The Secrets of the Jedi promises to be expansive, incorporating lore from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the Star Wars films, and beyond. To see Luke Skywalker address the Force Priestesses (from The Clone Wars) and other iconic Jedi like Qui-Gon Jinn is especially surprising, and sure to intrigue fans new and old.

“One of the greatest challenges with a book like this is to find a way to bring all of the vital information together in a way that feels fresh and new,” Sumerak says. “For this particular project, I think that unique perspective flows naturally from our beloved narrator, Luke Skywalker. Sure, we all know his epic story by heart, but the Luke who is writing this particular tome is a long way from the optimistic farmboy he was when his journey began. Because of that, he’s able to look past the glorified stories of the Jedi of old to find the truth about the Order, no matter how difficult it may be for those reading to hear. So with that in mind, we were able to examine the different aspects of the Jedi Order from an angle that cut through the ancient legends, allowing us to examine why the Jedi needed to exist, why they were destined to end, and whether or not they could — or should — rise again.””

Check out some illustrations from Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy

From StarWars.com:

“Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy arrives on October 30, but you don’t have to wait until then to get a look inside its covers. I’m honored to have been able to write this book all about incredible female Star Wars characters, but the art is what makes it truly special. With over 100 distinct and striking illustrations by 18 different artists for 75 female Star Wars characters, I don’t think there’s anything else like Women of the Galaxy. I get chills when I flip through the pages and see so many powerful and unique portraits of characters integral to the Star Wars galaxy. I’m not ashamed to admit the art has caused me to hug my copy of the book more than once. I cannot wait for everyone to experience the same feeling, so I wanted to share an exclusive look at five illustrations from Women of the Galaxy with StarWars.com readers first. […]

Padmé’s Handmaidens

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how fierce and awesome Naboo’s Royal Handmaidens are? Their skeptical, mysterious appearance in this incredible art by Cryssy Cheung jumps off the page and says, “Do not mess with these women.” […]

Zam Wesell

We know the Clawdite shape-shifter best in her human form, so this illustration by Little Corvus of Zam in a purple-hued setting that matches her costume could not be more perfect. Her no-nonsense stance makes me feel like I should be running and hiding (I swear I didn’t do it, Zam!).”

Star Wars: Scum and Villainy book announced

From StarWars.com:

““You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.” So said Obi-Wan Kenobi of Tatooine’s Mos Eisley spaceport. And you know what? His statement is debatable — because the galaxy is filled with wretched hives and even more scum and villainy, as Lucasfilm’s Pablo Hidalgo confirms in his appropriately titled upcoming book, Star Wars: Scum and Villainy – Case Files on the Galaxy’s Most Notorious.

Scum and Villainy, however, isn’t just an encyclopedia of bounty hunters, gangsters, and baddies who have the death sentence on 12 systems; rather, it’s a fully-illustrated, hardcover tome made entirely of notes and intel from three generations of a family of police officers, spanning the eras of the Republic, Empire, and New Republic. Set for release on October 23 from Epic Ink and available for pre-order now, Scum and Villainy looks to be an essential release for all wanting to learn more about the seedy figures of the galaxy…without having to step foot in places like Jabba’s palace. StarWars.com got an early look at the book and caught up with Hidalgo to discuss his affinity for Star Wars‘s shadiest, a long-lost letter from Hondo Ohnaka, and how Scum and Villainy builds on Solo: A Star Wars Story. […]”

Star Wars: Droidography book announced

From StarWars.com:

“Where would our Star Wars heroes be without droids? BB-8 completed Poe Dameron’s mission and delivered the map to Luke Skywalker. Plus, he drove an actual AT-ST and rescued Finn and Rose. Chopper saved the Ghost crew on numerous occasions, including some solid undercover work. R2-D2 managed to escape the stormtrooper-infested Tantive IV, find Obi-Wan Kenobi, and get the Death Star plans all the way to the Rebellion on Yavin 4. Because of that, the planet-destroying battle station was destroyed. (Also, without Artoo, Luke would’ve most likely followed in his uncle’s footsteps and never even picked up a laser sword. He certainly wouldn’t have gotten out of that trash compactor.)

So maybe the better question is: Where would Star Wars itself be without droids?

That’s why Star Wars: Droidography, a new book coming November 6 from HarperFestival and revealed here for the first time, is so exciting. Written by Marc Sumerak and illustrated by Joel Hustak along with Massimo Travaglini and Arianna Sabella, Droidography is a deep dive into mechanical beings across Star Wars — from icons like R2-D2 to new favorites Triple Zero and Bee Tee, i.e., Doctor Aphra’s psychopathic droid pals introduced in Marvel’s comics. And maybe best of all, it’s all told from the point of view of Roger, the good-guy battle droid from LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures. StarWars.com caught up with Sumerak over email to find out a little bit more, and also absconded with our own secret plans, as it were — your first look at Droidography‘s cover and a few interiors. […]”

Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy book announced

From StarWars.com:

“The women of the Star Wars universe are a diverse galaxy of heroes and villains, renegades and rogues, caretakers and, sometimes, unscrupulous scum.

Now StarWars.com is thrilled to exclusively announce a new book from Chronicle Books that celebrates this eclectic mix of female characters from the films, cartoons, novels, comics, and video games — Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy by Star Wars fan and journalist Amy Ratcliffe, arriving October 2018 in hardcover.

Featuring Leia Organa, Rey, Ahsoka Tano, Jyn Erso, Rose Tico, Maz Kanata, and many more — including characters from Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Resistance — the book gathers 75 profiles with text by Ratcliffe and all-new, incredible artwork from 18 talented female and non-binary artists. The amazing lineup of illustrators includes Alice X. Zhang, Amy Beth Christenson, Annie Stoll, Annie Wu, Christina Chung, Cryssy Cheung, Eli Baum, Elsa Charretier, Geneva B., Jen Aberin Johnson, Jen Bartel, Jenny Parks, Karen Hallion, Little Corvus, Sara Alfageeh, Sara Kipin, Sarah Wilkinson, and Viviane Tanner. Check out Jen Bartel’s cover below, featuring a striking image of Rey.

“Chronicle Books has put together an all-star line-up of amazingly talented and diverse artists to bring some of the most important, iconic, and, at times, lesser-known characters from the entire Star Wars saga to life as we’ve never seen them before,” says Michael Siglain, creative director of Lucasfilm Publishing. “Everyone involved, from Chronicle to Lucasfilm, is extremely proud of this title, and of its extremely talented creative team. Amy Ratcliff’s insightful commentary combined with the beautiful, haunting, truly awe-inspiring art makes Women of the Galaxy a must-have for fans of the saga and for art collectors everywhere.”

To celebrate this exciting announcement, StarWars.com sat down with author and frequent StarWars.com contributor Ratcliffe to talk about finding inspiration from the saga and celebrating the jaw-droppingly cool women of the galaxy far, far away.

StarWars.com: First — congratulations, Amy! How do you feel now that the world knows about this book?

Amy Ratcliffe: Thank you! I’m relieved, thrilled, nervous — my emotions are all over the place. I’ve been so unbelievably excited about this book. Between digging into stories and my memories to find the very best character moments to highlight and seeing the stunning pieces artists have contributed, I’m just over the moon to share this book with everyone.

StarWars.com: There’s never really been a book like this before — one dedicated to the female characters of Star Wars across mediums. What did you want to achieve with Women of the Galaxy?

Amy Ratcliffe: With Women of the Galaxy, I want to celebrate female characters across the galaxy — from the ones fans know incredibly well, like Leia and Padmé, to lesser known women like Vi Moradi or Aurra Sing. The characters in the book have a range of alignments, professions, and traits, and they all offer so much to the universe. Every one of them is important. I think of the entries as being part celebration and part bio, with background information about the character, behind the scenes facts, and key moments that resonated with me.

My hope is that fans of all ages will find inspiration from the characters in the book and maybe be encouraged to explore more stories set in the Star Wars galaxy. […]”

Jon Favreau to executive produce and write live-action Star Wars series

From StarWars.com:

“Lucasfilm is excited to announce that Emmy-nominated producer and actor Jon Favreau has signed on to executive produce and write a live-action Star Wars series for Disney’s new direct-to-consumer platform. Favreau is no stranger to the Star Wars galaxy having played roles in both the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series and in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story.

“I couldn’t be more excited about Jon coming on board to produce and write for the new direct-to-consumer platform,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “Jon brings the perfect mix of producing and writing talent, combined with a fluency in the Star Wars universe. This series will allow Jon the chance to work with a diverse group of writers and directors and give Lucasfilm the opportunity to build a robust talent base.”

Favreau is thrilled to be returning to the Star Wars galaxy: “If you told me at 11 years old that I would be getting to tell stories in the Star Wars universe, I wouldn’t have believed you. I can’t wait to embark upon this exciting adventure.”

Disney’s collaborations with Favreau extend back a decade, when he helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe as director of Iron Man and Iron Man 2 and as an executive producer of the Iron Man and Avengers films for Marvel Studios. For Disney, he directed and produced the massively successful The Jungle Book, which won an Academy Award for its groundbreaking visual effects. He is currently in production on Disney’s highly anticipated reimagining of The Lion King, set for release in 2019.

The untitled Star Wars live-action series does not yet have a release date.”

New Prequel Trilogy-related books revealed at SDCC

From StarWars.com:

“Time to make rathtar-sized room on your bookshelf and in your long boxes.

Lucasfilm announced and unveiled tons of new books and comics at San Diego Comic-Con today, including a Thrawn adaptation from Marvel, more from the Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi publishing program, and many titles inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Check out their covers in the gallery below!”

[Note : we’ve narrowed it down to the Prequel Trilogy-related books]

5-Minute Star Wars Stories Strike Back
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Authors: Various
Artist: Pilot Studios
A brand new collection of twelve action-packed retellings that span the entire Star Wars saga—including two tales from Star Wars: The Last Jedi! These exciting stories can each be read in just five minutes—perfect for galactic adventures at lightspeed!

Star Wars Moviemaking Magic: Creatures and Aliens
Publisher: Abrams Books
Author: Mark Salisbury
The first in an immersive line of behind-the-scenes books for kids, Star WarsMoviemaking Magic: Creatures and Aliens uses the strange, creepy, and iconic creatures and aliens of the entire saga as a lens through which younger readers will enjoy a visual and interactive tour of the history of moviemaking and special effects. Exhaustively researched; includes archival interviews with iconic talent such as Ralph McQuarrie and Stuart Freeborn, along with new, exclusive interviews with Neal Scanlan, Doug Chiang, and Dave Filoni.”