In case you missed it, Disney Publishing Worldwide and Lucasfilm announced last week "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens," an "ambitious publishing program" that will see the release of more than 20 print and digital books/comics that, as the name suggests, lead up to the release of the highly anticipated next film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With the old Expanded Universe no longer being recognize, the aim of this program is to help build a new one, and it'll start with the release of Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath.
Taking place after the events on Endor in Return of the Jedi, the new book will contain hints about The Force Awakens, including new starships, planets, characters, and "subtle clues" about what happened to older characters following the Battle of Endor.
An official description on the Star Wars blog provides a bit more description of the book:
"The second Death Star has been destroyed. Rumors are flying that the Emperor and his enforcer, Darth Vader, are dead. A new government is forming to replace the Empire. But the galaxy is a big place, and the fallout of this cataclysm will affect different worlds in different ways. Does everyone accept the fall of Imperial rule? Has everyone even heard the life-altering news? What rushes in to fill the vacuum the Empire has left? And who will try to stop them? Those are some of the themes we’ll be exploring in Aftermath…"
Aftermath will actually be the first book in a trilogy that will bridge the Star Wars timeline between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
As for the broader program, future stories part of Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens will feature characters old and new, and retell classic Star Wars tales from new perspectives. All titles published under this program will be canonical within the Star Wars universe, and in-continuity with the Star Wars films, animated series, new books, and Marvel comics.
Admittedly, I'm not much of a reader, but with so much mystery surrounding Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, I'm intrigued to learn more. When the new movie releases, I want to feel like I already know the characters. If narrative stories aimed for "middle grade and young adults" are my only way, then so be it.
Star Wars: Aftermath is set to release in September, three months before The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18, 2015. While we're on the subject, Disney last week also announced the release date for Star Wars: Episode VIII as well as one of the planned spin-offs Star Wars: Rogue One.
