NYCC 2017: Star Wars – Lucasfilm Publishing Panel Recap

The jam-packed Lucasfilm Publishing spotlight began in earnest at New York Comic Con, featuring more than 10 writers who have crafted novels in the Star Wars universe recently.

The panel included Ben Acker, Christian Bluggot, Delilah Dawson, Drew Daywalt, Jason Fry, Claudia Gray, John Jackson Miller, Daniel José Older, Cavan Scott, Charles Soule, Elizabeth Wein, Timothy Zahn and more in a discussion led by Michael Siglain from Lucasfilm.

Siglain spoke about Ben Acker’s projects, including the Storms of Crait miniseries coming from Marvel Comics later this year.

Speaking with Christian Blauvelt, writer of Star Wars Made Easy, the writer wanted to make a book for someone who was asking to learn more after watching Star Wars for the first time in their life. “I’m really hoping I can have an impact on guiding people into this universe,” Blauvelt said.

Asking how he channels her inner bad ass to write a character like Captain Phasma, Delilah Dawson made playlists that are available on Spotify, and watched movies with “viking murder,” and gritty sci-fi like Dune.

Creating A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Drew Daywalt spoke about his BB-8 centric book, BB-8 On The Run. He has a background working on violent films and horror shorts as well as his children’s books. His book chronicles BB-8’s journey in the desert after Poe tells him “run!” to when it gets found and rescued by Rey. He said it was difficult because his book ends with with deus ex machina of Rey saving BB-8, but once he figured that out it was easy for him to accomplish.

Fry, who wrote the Last Jedi novelization, spoke about his influences writing fiction and non-fiction.

Claudia Gray spoke about her experiences writing Leia in Bloodlines and Leia: Princess of Alderaan. She had to figure out the two different eras, since she started our writing the character after Return of the Jedi then had to go back her youth for the second book. Gray said that she wanted to explore who Leia’s mother was, and that was one of the biggest ideas she had before she got the gig to write it.

John Jackson Miller has a second in the Canto Bight book. He calls it Monte Carlo spelled sideways, and it’s a book where people go to play games and “forget about all the stuff in everyone else’s books.” He revealed the stories in the book use characters from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

Daniel José Older spoke next, being the newcomer on the Star Wars block, spoke about his story in From A Certain Point Of View, in which a Stormtrooper is obsessed with Dewbacks. He always loved Dewbacks ever since he was a kid.

Adventures In Star Wars

Cavan Scott spoke about Adventures In Wild Space and the IDW comic Star Wars Adventures, featuring all ages and young adult stories. He spoke about how important it is to create comics for kids.

Charles Soule had to leave early so he could make a meeting with Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill, an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He did an audience poll by show of applause, asking people which of his Marvel Comics people preferred: Darth Vader or Poe Dameron. Fans overwhelmed in their cheers for Vader. He said it’s funny how people enjoy the character so much because he’s so awful, and he had to crack that nut of making a narrative about the awful Sith Lord.

Elizabeth Wein spoke next about her experiences as a pilot helped her write Cobalt Squadron. She had to be coy about the story, since Cobalt Squadron doesn’t release until December 15. “I think that the grittiness of it- when you’re training… you are totally focused on getting back down to the ground safely,” Wein said. “When I learned to fly, I was in a constant state of panic.” She put all of that fear into her book.

Timothy Zahn spoke last, addressing the differences between the past and present regarding Star Wars literature. “The big difference is back then, it was a test. Were there fans out there that wanted to read this stuff?” Now Lucasfilm knows there is an audience.

New Announcements

Starting a “lightning round,” Siglain asked about writers favorite lines of dialogue. Acker described a scene in which Wedge Antilles was in a rampage, and he says “You come after Red Squadron, you better bring a Star Destroyer.”

Scott talked about his Obi-Wan story in From A Certain Point of View, which is about the old Jedi’s moment of death and how he becomes a Force ghost.

Asked what Star Wars books the writers would like to see as fans, Older jokingly said “Revenge of the Dewback.” Zahn said he wants to read the story of Boba Fett going from Cloud City to Tatooine with every other bounty hunter trying to take Han Solo from him and steal the reward.

Acker said he wants to read a story that tells translates everything Chewbacca and R2-D2 ever said in the movies. Dawson said she wants to learn about Kylo Ren’s fall. Daywalt said he wants to learn about a droid who can use the Force, and Dawson joked about finding out what actually happened to the Bothans.

Older wouldn’t spoil his next project, but it is coming out next year. Jason Fry’s adaptation of The Last Jedi was teased next, and he too wouldn’t spoil anything.

They announced a five-issue miniseries for IDW, Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, and showed a cover by Elsa Charretier.

Zahn announced a new Thrawn novel, called Thrawn: Alliances. It’s already finished, it will come out next summer. And it will heavily feature Darth Vader.

Adam Rex announced a new children’s book called Are You Scared, Darth Vader? The Sith Lord is featured on the cover saying “I FEAR NOTHING.”