February 2020 - Kylo Ren, Star Wars, Project Luminous, Undiscovered Country
HIGH THERE.
Been a while since I sent out an update, There's a reason, though - I wanted to wait until the announcement finally dropped that the long-awaited Project Luminous is actually a massive, multi-platform storytelling event set in an entirely new era of Star Wars called THE HIGH REPUBLIC. That finally happened Monday, so here we are. More on that reveal, plus updates on all the other stories I'm telling these days... read on!
The Rise Of Kylo Ren
For such big fans of Kylo Ren, you all really have trouble letting the past go. THE RISE OF KYLO REN #1 is going back for its FOURTH printing, #2 is going back for its third, and #3, which came out 2/12, sold out that same day and is going back for its second! You guys are well and truly supporting this story of young rascal Ben Solo, and I know it’s been hard to find issues in stores.
But here’s some good news: as a subscriber to my newsletter, you’ve got exclusive access to copies of the first printing of Issue 1, signed by me and series artist Will Sliney. These are rare enough as it is, but copies signed by both Will and I are incredibly hard to find. I only have eighteen available, so they'll go fast. You can find them here!
Star Wars
Speaking of second printings, Star Wars #2 (written by me, art by Jesus Saiz) is also going back for a second printing! Star Wars #3 was out this week, and ends on a cool cliffhanger as Lando, Luke and Leia head back to Cloud City because they REALLY like people whose names begin with L.
We’re just getting started on this story, really (I know that’s an obvious thing to say, with only three issues out) - but it’s designed as an epic in the best Star Wars style. Luke will roll on along the Jedi path, the Rebels are in trouble, Threepio constantly makes absolutely tone-deaf remarks despite supposedly being a protocol droid aka a diplomat... all that good stuff.
Project Luminous
Okay. OKAY. Project Luminous, first announced at Star Wars Celebration in April 2019, has been revealed as Star Wars: THE HIGH REPUBLIC. It’s a gigantic new era of storytelling set hundreds of years before The Phantom Menace, with tales to be told across novels (adult, young adult and middle-grade), comics, and more. The reveal announcement was in Los Angeles this past Monday, at Disney Studios. It was very fancy! The Luminous writing team was all there - the group who built the story from the ground up over the last few years, including me, Claudia Gray, Justina Ireland, Daniel Jose Older and Cavan Scott. We got dressed up, looking all fancy, and did a whole event hosted by SNL’s Bobby Moynihan for an assemblage of press and Disney execs.
As part of that event, it was announced that I’m writing the launch project for THE HIGH REPUBLIC, an adult novel for Del Rey called LIGHT OF THE JEDI. It will be out August 25, 2020, and you can pre-order it here.
(The Wookiee Jedi is named Burryaga Agaburry, and the lady Jedi in front is named Avar Kriss. More... down the road. Everyone on that cover has a really cool role to play in this story of the Jedi at their height.)
This whole week felt... well, it felt pretty damn luminous. Building something like this has taken endless amounts of time and focus, and it’s been hard to keep it secret for so long. The reveal announcement landed really well, though - the teaser trailer, which you can see here, has millions of views, and LIGHT OF THE JEDI immediately spiked to #21 on Amazon on pre-orders alone.
Here’s a great interview with the team about how the project came together, and what it’s been like to build it so far. Needless to say, we're excited, and can't wait for you guys to learn more about what we're doing.
UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
A few weeks back, fellow Undiscovered Country writer Scott Snyder and I took a trip out to LA to work on the screenplay with the production company developing the film - New Republic (you may know them for the Oscar-winning1917, as well as Black Swan, Rocketman and many more great flicks.) It was pretty special, just being in that room throwing ideas back and forth about directors, cast, tone, even music. Will it ever happen? Who knows - most movies don't get made. But it was fantastic to go out there with Scott and have those conversations. Good times.
Tons in the works for UC - the issues are also going to multiple printings (the fourth printing of #1 is to the left), merch (our first shirt is below, and you can order it here), and of course the movie. Right now we're working hard on locking the final issue of the first arc, #6, and then getting to work on the next big chunk of story.
Upcoming Appearances
Coronavirus permitting, my convention season is starting very soon. I'm doing a lot of international shows this year, not as many in the US. The first two are La Mole in Mexico City on March 13th and Armageddon Expo in Wellington, New Zealand on April 10th. I do have some US cons scheduled, though. You can find all of my upcoming shows and appearances here, and if there's anything you'd like signed, or you want to check out unique items, hit up my site store here. See you next month!