Random Star Wars Thoughts March 28th thru April 2nd

 It's a slow week news wise. Well Kenobi being moved to May 27 with the 1st episodes debuting is big news (being moved for Ms Marvel). New collecting news will take center stage next week, as this upcoming Wednesday (typed March 31) is a live stream event.

Honestly, I'm finding it hard to enjoy Star Wars comic books, and it's a reason I have largely ignored super hero titles. No it isn't woke points but it's crossovers! Vader Down was cool, Screaming Citadel can't even clear out Ollie's at a $2.99 price for the Trade Paperback. I liked the Bounty Hunter Wars (Legends Shadows of the Empire was better, but this was a fun read). Now Crimson Reign in unfolding and it is just too much. One event every 2 years is fine. But this all is coming back to back. Charles Soule had a great story going until this unfolded in the monthly series. Greg Pak has an interesting subplots as well in his Vader comic (like going to Exegol and Padme's handmaidens still being alive). The Dr Aphra monthly feels more like an obligation. The story isn't bad, but the art is off for a Star Wars comic anyway.

Rising prices are becoming a concern for collectors. Some toy industry analysts see a possibility that 6-7 inch figures may no longer be the norm in the toy industry because of it. Hasbro can't move Black Series, Marvel Legends or GI Joe Classified at $24.99 on Amazon, who is knocking some prices down to $19.99-$20.99 on certain (not all) figures. I'm limiting Black Series to only 2 definite purchases this year (so far): Aayla Secura and Maul from Season 7 of Clone Wars. Next year it's Jedi Luke (if it's the one that was supposed to come with the Rancor HasLab), and maybe a new main character figure. I have no clue who will be in future pipeline releases but my Rebels crew needs some Inquisitors and an Agent Kallus to go against. Oh and the code names for future figures. Why not just end the secret code and say hey, we have the Black Series Obi-Wan as seen in Kenobi coming out this Christmas! There really is no competition outside of Bandai/SH Figuarts, and they don't make as many figures as Hasbro. Or maybe Disney forces this. Who knows. But I hate it.

In the book reading note, The Approaching Storm is my re-read since the 20th Anniversary of AOTC is coming up. Yes it's Legends but to me, it's Canon. Even if Barriss is waayyy different in this book than she is in the 2008 Clone Wars series. It's been a long time so I wonder if I'll have the same thoughts as I did the last time I read this. I remember Anakin and Barriss having a sibling like relationship, and Obi-Wan being a bit doubtful about his ability to train Anakin. But like I said it's been years. But I'll post my review once I'm done. Really wish I had more time to read!

Especially with some of the new books coming out. Secrets of the Sith is a rare Disney Canon look at post ROTJ stories featuring Luke Skywalker. This covers what Lando told Rey, Finn & Poe in Episode 9. So will the author find a way to Retcon Episode 8, well, that ain't happening. Maybe we'll finally get some insight into why Luke becomes bitterly depressed and quits on the galaxy, his friends and his family. Sigh. And to everyone hoping The Mandalorian would undo the sequels, well, there is a way it could happen. But no way does Kathleen Kennedy allow Favreau and Filoni to do that.

But, as I've said on other formats, personal head Canon is the best Canon. I love Legends, up until the New Jedi Order anyway. I've been reading some fan fictions that are, well, not so good. Others have interesting premises. Others are definitely NSFW, or younger readers. But I miss the old Fanfix dot com, which had numerous Star Wars fan fiction stories, some of which were really good, but are mostly gone if they haven't been uploaded on the newer sites. Fan sites like theforce.net and clubjade.net had good fan fictions. But for those you have to dig deep. Clubjade is easy to find but you can't find tfn's on their site, you have to type out theforce.net fan fiction and pray it is still up. Again, not all are great stories. Some have a great premise. But I use my imagination to tell a better story, and that is why I love Star Wars, because I'm still inspired to use my imagination.