Episode VIII has a name now. Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Still haven't seen Solo : a Star Wars Story. Failed to see it on Memorial Day, so I hope to see it this coming Sunday. Still, a piece of info for the film has come up.

There was a rumor floating around the stratosphere, that one of the characters in the film would turn out to be something other than heterosexual, and the writers, the Kasdans, father and son, have said it is true, which raises a couple of surprises.

1st. The non-heterosexual character is Lando.

2nd. While homosexual characters and even bisexual characters are becoming more common in film, Lando is neither. He is pansexual. Or someone who is not limited to sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender, or gender identity. Thus, as far as I know, this makes him the 1st pansexual character ever to appear in a major film.

More as it becomes available.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Solo : a Star Wars story has spawned over a dozen new books. So many I can't keep track of them all, except I know they divide into . . .

adult and teen fiction
adult and teen non-fiction
kids and tweens fiction
kids and tweens non-fiction.

I do know that both Lando and Beckett will be getting their own stories told in graphic novels.

And then there is Star Wars : Women of the Galaxy, featuring the profiles of 75 female characters from Star Wars, including the newest film Solo : a Star Wars Story and the newest TV show Star Wars Resistance with over 100 illustrations by 18 female artists.

And each year the theme parks in California and Florida have 1 special night in which all that is Star Wars is celebrated, and they often bring in special guests from Star Wars. This year the one in Florida brought in Warwick Davis, who plays a Marauder in Solo : a Star Wars Story and Jonas Suotamo who plays Chewbacca in the same film. And when they were on the stage together, it must have been some record in height differential, as Davis stands at 3'6" or 42", while Suotamo stands at 6'11" or 83" or a difference of 3'5" or 41".

And if there is any question as to whether Star Wars is part of the House of Mouse, C3PO--voiced, of course, by Anthony Daniels--puts in a cameo appearance in Ralph Breaks the Internet : Wreck-it-Ralph 2. And there will be storm troopers.

More as it becomes available.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Both the Millennium Falcon and the Death Star can be seen next to the house from Up.

Ralph Breaks the Internet : Wreck-it-Ralph 2


The recent controversy does not seem to have affected the popularity of Star Wars, if one is going by tickets sold for April, 2019's Star Wars Celebration in Chicago (Illinois.)

Special tickets - Sold out
adult 5 day passes - Almost sold out
child 5 day passes - Still available
adult 1 day tickets - Still available
child 1 day tickets - Still available

Since George Lucas in the past has said, Star Wars was something he created for children, it is nice to see that it is something children still take an interest in. And maybe because it is just not my thing, it is interesting to see the cosplayers come in costume for something like this.


the Past: a teen novel by Claudia Gray
the Present: art and adapted into magna format by Yusaku Komiyama.
the Future: a film script. Who knows. Only time will tell.

Lost Stars

Right now I'm reading v.1. of the magna, which covers chapters 1-6 of the novel, and looking forward to v.2. of the magna.

Next time: more as it becomes available.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Pablo Hidalgo
Star Wars : the Force Awakens : the Visual Dictionary

My comments on what I learned from reading this.

01. There is not only conflict between Kylo Ren and Hux, but there is conflict between Hux and Phasma.

02. Just as America and Russia had its proxies in the Cold War, so the Resistance seems to be--in part--a proxy of the New Republic.

03. That does not mean there is not conflict between the Resistance and the New Republic.

04. Within both the First Order and the Resistance, the rankings seem to be an equivalent of both Earth naval and non-naval rankings.

05. Though, on the Star Destroyer, naval rankings seem to predominate.

06. Captain Phasma's rank is the equivalent of that of a military Colonel on Earth.

07. Thus, the Storm Troopers on the Star Destroyer seem to be the equivalent of Earth's Marines on a naval warship.

08. Maz is force sensitive. Lar San Tekka is not.

09. Exterior clothing is expected to reflect the interior person.

10. Finn's motivation for deserting is made clear.

Though, for every plot hole the book closes (i.e. #10) the book opens up at least 2 more plot holes.

11. Why has there never been a large scale salvage operation on Jakku? Or, has there been?

12. And how did Rey, who was apparently abandoned on Jakku as a pre-teen, manage to survive for almost a decade on her own?  Till we see her in the film. Lar San Tekka?

Next time: Hidalgo and Remillard. Star Wars : Rogue One : the Ultimate Visual Guide.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Hidalgo and Remillard
Star Wars : Rogue One : the Ultimate Visual Guide

Plot holes closed and opened.

Closed: The Death Star now makes sense. Opened: but if the Senate had known about it, would that not make it more of a deterrent.

Opened: If the Kyber shipments are vulnerable to ambush, as in the film, then why don't they fly them out?

Comments
01. Jyn Erso, as a girl, had almost 2 dozen handmade toys in her toy chest.

02. Which is why Lucas Films is a good match with the House of Mouse. Both are extremely detailed oriented.

03. The timeline in the Star Wars Universe is similar to the BCE timeline here on Earth.

04. Which is why the events in Rogue One, while supposedly referencing events in the Star Wars Universe, also reference events here on Earth.

05. Save your plastic water bottles. They are needed and wanted on Jedha.

06, We get figures.
a. Darth Vader was 6'8", and at the time of the film he was 41 years old.
b. A figure I wanted. There are o'er a million people on the Death Star.
c. And almost 50,000 people on a Star Destroyer.

07. A Star Destroyer also seems to be over weighted in officers. With 1 officer for every 5 enlisted men.

08. The groom was almost a decade older than the bride. Jyn Erso's parents, when they married.

09. It's a violent world out there. Of the 21 characters given a full write up in the book, 13, or 62%, are known to have died violently.

10. Height of characters. From Jyn Erso's 5'3" to K2-SO's 7'1". Average 6'.

11. Age of characters. From K2-SO's 12 years to Admiral Raddu's 65. Average 37 and a half.

12. Best photo in the book. The extras playing the storm troopers in the film, resting between takes, with their helmets off. Putting a human touch to what otherwise is anonymity.

Next time: The Art of Rogue One.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Lucas Film Ltd. and Josh Kushins
The Art of Rogue One : a Star Wars Story
1 more non-fiction

Concept art is done ere a production starts to see what may work and what may not work. And this features the concept art featuring the . . .
vehicles -- sets -- props -- environments -- creatures -- costumes -- and even the characters . . .
from Rogue One : a Star Wars Story.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Daniel Jose Older
Cuban-American
award winner
Star Wars : Last Shot
8 more fiction in 2 more series + 1 stand-alone

As typical, I found it to be better than those who dislike it, as being atypical Star Wars. As there were moments in it that I found stomach churning, exciting, gut wrenching, emotionally involving, and blood curdling.

And with Han now being a husband and having a 2-year old son, and Lando having someone he seemingly cares for as much as himself, I found them coming across as being less perfect and more human than their original creations.

Though, there was one thing in the book I could never figure out. One of the characters, and I could never figure out why, is always referred to in the 3rd person plural, almost like the "Imperial We." While I often refer to myself in the 3rd person, it is never in the plural form, but the singular.

Now, excluding this one, there are . . .

16 books (7 unread or unreadable)
10 films (6 unseen or disliked)
02 TV shows (both unseen)
That can be considered to be canon.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Jason Fry
Star Wars : the Last Jedi
12 more Star Wars books (fiction and non-fiction) +
3 more fiction in 1 more series
based on a story by Rian Johnson

Like most it . . .
1. fills in plot holes
2. adds depths to the characters
3. based on an earlier script, so what you see here, you may not see on the screen.
4. adds characters not seen in the film, so the story is strengthened.
5. and as always, the villains here are more interesting (IMHO) then the heroes.

The only disappointment is the description of the action scenes. Then action is visual, so it looks better in a film or on a TV show, then it sounds in a book.

[BoyScoutKevin]

A joint production of Disney XD and Lucas Film Animation
Star Wars Resistance
a prequel to Star Wars : the Force Awakens

From the teaser trailer, these are some of the Star Wars characters who may appear.

BB-8
C3P0
Captain Phasma (who is the main villain in the series)
General Leia
Kylo Ren
Poe Dameron
Rey
and a new character
Kazuda Xiono (voiced by Josh Brenner.)

One thing has proven to be correct. They said, unlike the 2 previous TV series, this would be done in the style of Japanese anime, and again from the teaser trailer, this appears to be so.

I thought they'd hold off for its release to next year or 2019, but it debuts in France in October, 2018, and a similar release date appears to be forthcoming for the U.S.

[BoyScoutKevin]

The latest graphic novel from Star Wars is The Ashes of Jedha.

Excluding that one, as of November, 2017 we have . . .
8 more Star Wars graphic novels + Shattered Empire
5 featuring Darth Vader + Darth Vader : Dark Lord of the Sith. v.1. Imperial Machine
2 featuring Darth Maul
1 featuring Han Solo
1 featuring Princess Leia
+ adaptations of The Force Awakens and Rogue One

And while I have not been able to confirm it, The Clone Wars may be returning in some form to the small screen next year, with all new episodes.

[BoyScoutKevin]

I have probably kept closer track, till recently, of Star Wars : the Graphic Novel, then Star Wars : the Book, Star Wars : the Film, or Star Wars : the TV show.

Marvel Comics had the 1st rights, and all was well,
then Dark Horse Comics got the rights, and what was mostly readable, became mostly unreadable. Maybe because it was almost entirely Solos and Sky walkers.
Now that Marvel Comics have the rights again, that doesn't seem to be a problem, as these limited run of comics, of various lengths, are featuring . . .

Chewbacca
Captain Phasma (unread)
Doctor Aphra (the one comic series, besides Darth Vader, which I just can't stand)
Kanan (my favorite to date)
Lando
Obi-wan and Anakin (my 2nd favorite to date)
Poe Dameron
and Thrawn (unread)

Of course, the big news is that the cast list for next year's Episode IX is up and out. Few surprises, as anyone who started in Episode VII, except for those already dead, will be back. Even Carrie Fisher, using unused footage, which was shot for Episode VII. And Billy Dee Williams, after some doubt, will be returning as Lando.

One surprise is that Gwendoline Christie will not be back for Episode IX. Maybe she finally went to that Great, Big Trash Compactor in the Sky. Though, she will be voicing her character in the animated TV show Star Wars Resistance.

Another surprise, at least to me, is how few new people they are bringing in. So far it looks to be only Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, and Keri Russell.

More as it becomes available.

[BoyScoutKevin]

There is a new series of Star Wars graphic novels out. Star Wars Adventures. Right now they seem to be concentrating on characters from the latest episodes, but it looks like they'll be featuring characters from all the episodes.

v.1. Heroes of the Galaxy (2017)
collecting the Ashcan + issues #1-2.

v.2. Unexpected Detour (2018)
collecting issues #3-5.

And he is not only a voice actor, but he is a writer, too. Alan Tudyk wrote 1 of the stories in v.2.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Star Wars has been very, very good to some parts of the English entertainment industry. Titan Comics, the English comic book publisher, has put out the following books.

The Official Collector's Edition
Solo -- Rogue One -- The Last Jedi

The Official Mission De Brief
Rogue One

The Official Movie Companion
The Last Jedi

Heroes of the Force

Icons of the Galaxy

The Best of Star Wars Insider
v. 1-4

and The Official Movie Special
Thor : Ragnarok -- Black Panther -- Avengers : Infinity War -- Ant-man and the Wasp

Or, what we like they like in the U.K.

Star Wars pinball
Not the first, but the latest to feature a pinball machine with Star Wars characters. Solo : a Star Wars Story.

and 2 new graphic novels just read
Mace Windu :
Jedi of the Republic
collecting issues #1-5

Captain Phasma
collecting issues #1-4
from the destruction of Star Killer Base to its aftermath, with a flashback, seen thru the eyes of Phasma.

More as it becomes available.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Films
Are there hobbits in space? Dominic  Monaghan has been added to the cast appearing in Episode IX.

Graphic novels
Beckett from Solo : a Star Wars story is getting his own graphic novel title. Which is why I like the graphic novels from Marvel better than the ones from Dark Horse, as Marvel is going beyond the Solos and Sky walkers.

Non-fiction
The newest Star Wars Icons will be out November 13, 2018 and will deal with Han Solo.

Novels
For pre-teens . . .
Tom Angleberger
American
The Mighty Chewbacca in the Forest of Fear
featuring Chewbacca and the characters from Rogue One : a Star Wars Story
1 more fiction and 1 more series

For teens . . .
Rae Carson
American
Most Wanted
featuring the characters from Solo : a Star Wars Story.
1 more series

And more when it comes available.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Films
Episode IX

The cast just gets curiousier and curiousier.
Matt Smith, who is probably best known for playing the 11th Doctor, in the Doctor Who TV series, is the latest actor to join the cast.
Just after it was announced that he'd be in the film, there was an article in USA Today wondering what role he'd play in the film.
The one suggestion that made the most sense to me was that he'd be one of the film's villains. While that would be a bit of reverse typecasting, as he normally plays the hero, I can see him being a great villain in the film.

Books (non-fiction)

Pablo Hidalgo's Star Wars :
Scum and Villainy :
Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious

Profiles the misdeeds of infamous smugglers, pirates, gamblers, bounty hunters, and thieves.
Explore the case reports, surveillance images, warrants, and artifacts of 3 generation of galactic law enforcers.
Introduces all new details and characters.
Release date: October 16, 2018.

More as it becomes available.