The Expanding Star Wars Galaxy

The Star Wars Universe is expanding wildly through print. It includes both novels for kids and adults as well as comic books and graphic novels. Then there are reference novels and 'unofficial' references. It started simply enough with the novelization of the first movie and a comic version. These can be revealing. Both book and comic are usually created before the movie's release, or at the same time. This means that they are not always working from the final script. Scenes will be revealed that were later cut. Characters appearances may not have been finalized. Fans will be intrigued to discover a purple Yoda in an early version of the Empire Strikes Back comics by Marvel. You won't see him in the Dark Horse version reprints. And did you know Chewbacca originally had yellow eyes? In addition, there are novels and comics set between movies.

The Novels

There are two novelizations per movie: a kid's version and an adult version. The other books may be set thousands of years before the movies, or long afterwards. You can get a look at Anakin and Obi-Wan's heroism in the Clone Wars, follow Luke and friends establishing a New Republic or follow and get to know background characters or even all new ones.

You won't find these peeks outside the novelizations:

• Young Anakin's dream sequence of saving the slaves as a jedi
• Anakin's encounter with a tusken raider.
• A conversation between Anakin and Ruwee, Padme's father.
• C3P0's viewpoint on the alleged Jedi Rebellion
• Palpatine's attempts to convince Anakin that Padme was unfaithful.
• Anakin's feelings about having padawan Ahsoka Tano shoved on him.
• Luke's childhood friend Biggs Darklighter, whose scenes did not make the final cut into the movie. The scenes are so powerful that many are convinced they've seen them. Lucas insists they have never been released in theaters and are not yet available on DVD. Rumor has it they may appear on Blu Ray.
• A Blue Yoda, written before Yoda was officially finalized for the films.
• Anakin Skywalker's thoughts as he lay dying.

Star Wars books and comics are considered 'semi' cannon. In other words, it's official until contradicted by the official movies or television series. A trilogy about Boba Fett, written years ago, was essential torpedoed by Attack of the Clones new backstory.

There are a few books that are rare and hard to find. Some, especially of the comic books, have more than one cover version. Some, but not all, are available as audio books. There is also an original Trilogy audio Drama, first performed on National Public Radio. This is often confused with the audio book novelizations.

The Comics

These began with Marvel and are currently done by Dark Horse comics. You can also find comics in the toy aisle, packaged with 2 action figures from that comic. For series and mini series, they usually end up being rereleased in graphic novel format. Some have more than one cover available.

What can you find here you can't find elsewhere?

• The purple Yoda - but only in the original Marvel version, and not in the reprints.
• Crossover storylines extending generations, from the Old Republic, the the Empire and into the New Republica and beyond.
• Asaaj Ventress original backstory
• Jango Fett's backstory
• Chewbacca backstory
• An audio drama based on the comic books: Tales of the Jedi
• The Golden Age of the Sith, long before the Rule of Two was established.
• A story where Luke helps free a people who his father once encountered. Written a long time ago, and suggesting his father had Obi-Wan and another apprentice: Darth Vader, with him at the time.
• Tie-ins to the Droids cartoon: their view of the events in A New Hope.
• A strange crazy old man who claims to be a jedi and a green carnivorous rabbit warrior.
• The first view of Mandalore
• The ground of the gas planet Bespin
• Our first introduction to Quinlan Vos
• The Jedi council member's Ki-Adi-Mundi's family, set right before the prequels.

For a complete list of the Comics and Graphic Novels check out Dark Horse Star Wars Zone Currently, you can find online comics at StarWars.com and on itunes.

Reference

Reference books can be anything from coffee table books to 'making of' books. You can find art books and look at concept sketches and learn about design.
You can get books on the sounds and languages.
Or you can dive into the details of the universe with books about the planets, the creatures, the technology and more. Some double as reference for role playing games.
Some of the older books, such as The Annotated Star Wars, have not only the screenplays, but also details that didn't make it into the first trilogy but were used in the second.

Not surprisingly, given the relationship between book and movie, some information in older books is either outdated or just plain wrong. For instance, at one point, Owen Lars was actually Obi-Wan's brother. This changed with the prequel trilogy, but it was in the original Return of the Jedi novelization, and from there ended up in reference books.

Did you know these tidbits?

• The lava planet from Mustafar was considered for Return of the Jedi's duel between Luke, Vader and the Emperor.
• The name Coruscant came from publishing. Many readers pronounced it with a hard c in the middle, until the prequels altered it.
• The original trilogy was considered to be about 40 years after the prequels, until the timeline was altered when the prequels were written. Hence Obi-Wan being older than you would expect.
• That the Tatooine scenes were filmed in Tunisia, and every time there was a sandstorm that destroyed the set?
• That the code name for Return of the Jedi was 'Blue Harvest'. It was used to keep fans out from discovering the film locations and prevent the story leaking out.
• That the 'flying whales' or aiwhas seen in Attack of the Clones were seen in Ralph McQuarrie's original trilogy artwork for Alderaan?
• That the backstory set for Han Solo in the novels by Ann Crispin was nearly blown up, when a cameo was considered for Revenge of the Sith? He would've been an orphan Chewbacca was raising.