Lit So does the new announcements pretty much close the book on legends ever getting continued

It really doesn't. But, agree to disagree.

 

No multimedia franchise has stories with consistent quality, especially not franchises with huge and long running publishing like Star Wars. There are always good and bad products, and that's certainly true for both Star Wars Legends and canon.

With all due respect, but "he's basically a bratty kid so I can see him just not bothering to check to see if it's her in the force" is IMO an excuse for a very powerful Force user like Kylo. Add to that, I don't think you'd need to be Force sensitive to figure out something's off when a mute helmet is waved from the corner of a door. Unless its a Looney Toons style story.

 

double

 

A very powerful, but immature and emotionally underdeveloped, force user that brute forces his way through everything. That kind of mentality makes you miss things.

 

This post is written on the assumption that the new canon is better than what it replaced. Many feel otherwise--to quote myself:

What I've seen so far isn't good--the damage to Leia and Han's characters: I've written about this in other posts, I'll requote one here:

I was hoping no when the reboot was announced, but it seems now that the answer is yes. And in regards to stuff like Han gambling with the Rebellion's money in new canon comics and Leia being verbally and physically abusive to Han in the new canon, none of which were really indicated in the OT--I'm going to say the OT characterizations from the old Legends EU novels, classic newspaper comics etc in this timeframe got the characters right. It's the new canon stuff that's getting it wrong, for no reason other than a desire to be different than what came before, ignoring that what came before had a strong basis firmly rooted in the films.

Again on why the new canon I feel isn't good, detailed arguments:

NuCanon isn't bad because it's different, but because it's worse different in many ways. Look at the discussion of what Marvel has done to Leia in the Han and Leia thread. She is now a sociopath who disregards Luke's life to kill Vader, is physically abusive to Han, verbally abusive, and has a condescending behavior to Luke: "Are you going to make me regret it?" when reminded about Luke's comforting words, threatening to take Luke back to Tatooine, etc.

Han is now a smuggler who gambles with the Rebellion's money and really lost what moral fiber he had in the EU. And people thought Greedo shooting first was bad?

Some of these story decisions don't even seem to make sense from a business perspective. Hobbie was a major character in the EU X-Wing subfranchise, and they introduced him in Rebels in new canon. Then he's unceremonially said to be killed at Hoth in a throwaway line in a reference book in new canon. These aren't decisions that are made for the best use of story, or for best use of marketing even. It's just to be different from the EU for the sake of it.

Many people aren't complaining about the new canon because they want the EU back. They're complaining about it because a lot of aspects just aren't good--they are not thought out. Dr. Cylo and his clones are another example.

I am providing detailed arguments on why I feel the new canon so far is lacking. Very detailed. I guess there are just differences of opinion here, we are all obviously reading the same material but I don't feel it is good.

 

It still seems to me like trying pretty hard to justify Kylo's action in canon. Again, no disrespect meant.

 

If applying the character's personality to the character is "trying hard to justify", then yes, I am.

 

That's still way out of character from what I've seen of Kylo in TFA and recently in the Battlefront II single player. Obviously, we interpret the character differently, so agree to disagree.

 

Hey, like I said in the Star Wars Adventures thread, Kylo was having an off day, he was randomly ranting about completing his training to a room full of First Order higher ups, maybe Snoke chewed him out in the morning holobriefing and he was feeling particularly moody. Besides, I think the all powerful Kylo Ren being fooled by a shaking helmet is funny, and it's intended to be.

 

I'm not assuming new canon is better than the old. I don't even expect the quality of writing to improve! I expect it's much the same, and it's still restrained, constricted, and still using the same exploitative gimmicks imposed by the same exploitative system. That's all it can be.

However, it now has far wider scope to be less bad, an opportunity to tell a better story with more freedom, less baggage, less nonsense. You never know, they might be able to hire a talented author one day.

Han and Leia having a different dynamic is a good thing. Leia having a personality beyond 'woman' is a good thing. You bet the OT established the seeds for an abusive and manipulative relationship - all the insults back and forth, and bickering, the creepiness of that no-means-yes kiss (not to mention that other creepy kiss), and you bet Han, a drugs and arms smuggler who works for a 'vile gangster', would not suddenly become an incorruptible angel because he killed his boss, married a princess and won a civil war.

You don't like some of the creative decisions in the new continuity, but I don't mind change, especially when it's badly needed.

 

There is still a very healthy desire for Star Wars Expanded Universe material. I've talked to an artist recently who did a lot of colouring work for Dark Horse. He has been recieving risidual payments for his work because of how well the "Legends" reprints have been selling.

Jaina Solo is just hitting toy shelves and is going to be a hit seller akin to Revan from last Christmas. Zahn's Thrawn novel actually sold to some EU fans because it worked smartly enough towards not only being a "canon" novel but reading to EU fans like a story that introduced elements of Disney Star Wars into the EU..........if one wanted to read it as such.

And, yes, The Old Republic carries on.

It is honestly just a matter of time until we see more Star Wars EU. Be it toys, or books, or comics - maybe a new comic or short story attached to a comic book omnibus or re-release of EU novels.

It isn't a matter of if. Just when.

 

It occurred to me recently that there is, in fact, a strong possibility that a certain strand of Legends storytelling will continue in 2018. I haven't discussed it here yet because I'm waiting for mod permission to start a thread on the topic (because it is, admittedly, entirely speculative). If I can't secure that permission in the near future I'll post my thoughts about it here. Suffice it to say for now that said continuation might not be the first thing that comes to mind for folks who want a "Legends continuation" but it would be kind of awesome nevertheless. At least for old timers like me

 

That's a pretty low bar. A little nugget here or there.

Nuggets are possible. But that's about it.

I used to believe they'd continue Legends stories because why not?

But now I think they never will. The more time goes on, the less likely it increasingly becomes.

There may be a market, but a MUCH smaller market. And they will put their efforts and resources into what will bring in the bigger profit.

Arguably, if Legends comics are still selling decently it's because of the marketing push from new Star Wars stuff and how mega-popular the Marvel Star Wars books are.

Legends is done. Except for an occasional nugget. I'm not a gamer or toy collector, so a Jaina action figure (one toy in an ocean of new Star Wars toys coming out this Christmas) and a video game don't do much for me.

Although, I guess I will buy a few Star Wars toys for some children. Including a 5 year old little girl who is a Star Wars fan. She likes Rey and BB-8. There is a lot of hoopla surrounding those characters. It's a cultural experience. It's an experience she can share and brag about with her friends.

A Jaina toy won't have that same affect. A Jaina toy never did have that same effect.

I sincerely would love more Jaina and Legends stories. I was pretty stoked about the Sword series and bumbed when it was cancelled.

But that was also about 5 years ago.

And there are so many exciting things happening in Star Wars. So many great stories.

I have said this before: if you aren't finding new Canon stories you like, you are putting a lot of effort into not liking them.

Sent from my Moto X-Wing

 

Yes. The deal Robimus was talking about is happening because Marvel is selling those Epic Collections. They are selling ok but likely not well enough to make the comic companies think they need to start telling new legends stories (definitely not when they have a sure fire seller in the new canon comic stories). Even the Kanan and Aphra series have sold/are selling about twice as many collection items as they are getting from the legends stuff.

The only way we would likely see a continuation of legends in comic form is if Darkhorse is somehow given some form of license again. No way is Marvel going to do it. IDW likely won't do it with how the new canon stuff is doing for them. Short story potential is probably far more likely than a new legends comic.

 

Idk...I disagree that another publisher would be the only way for more Legends comics.

It would still be commissioned and allowed via the story group... I think. I'm not entirely clear on how the story group works, really.

My bigger point being another publisher doesn't make much of a difference. It would still be through the larger marketing plan/business plan for Star Wars.

Sent from my Moto X-Wing

 

Maybe. But Disney/Lucasfilm/story group would likely only issue the ok for one of their current licenses to do a new legends comic if the sales for the legends being released were selling comparatively as well as the new canon comic collection items. And likewise Marvel or IDW would likely only want to do it if they felt they were going to get just as good as return as the new stuff would bring them. Neither one of those is happening right now.

 

Since the thread has drifted in precisely that direction, I might as well talk about that "certain strand of Legends storytelling" I feel is likely to happen at some point in the not too distant future, a continuation of the 1980s Marvel Star Wars series by IDW. Before you scoff, consider that IDW has already done that exact thing twice before, with successful continuations of the old Marvel Transformers and G.I. Joe series picking up from where the originals left off complete with the original writers and issue numbering. With Story Group seemingly allowing IDW to take a lighter approach to canon than does Marvel, I actually see this as a big possibility (and one I'd be thrilled to see, especially if they could find Mary Jo Duffy and have her continue the post-ROTJ story she was working on when the series was canceled). I might not be holding my breath, but I will be watching IDW's future Star Wars-related announcements with interest.

 

I wouldn't necessarily see those as applicable to SW though.

Transformers was Furman finishing off his run and Hama doing the same on GI Joe, with both writers being strongly identified with the specific property / licence, which was near enough the reason they happened.

Does the original Marvel run have someone so closely identified with it? That there would be major interest in a conclusion?

 

I wouldn't say Jo Duffy is "identified" with the Star Wars series as those writers are with theirs, no. But I wouldn't underestimate the level of interest were it to come to pass. I think the bigger problem is whether or not they could actually get Ms. Duffy back for writing duties. Wikipedia says she left the comic book world and worked for the U.S. Immigration Service, then started a self-publishing company that basically went nowhere. So there's more than a little uncertainty as to her status. But I wouldn't count it out by any means.

While I personally love the 1980s Marvel series and would be thrilled to see the ideas Ms. Duffy had in the offing for it prior to its abrupt end, I'll admit that basically half the reason I want to see this happen is to see some of the crazy debates over canonicity that would erupt here. Especially if she followed her own course and didn't bother trying to follow the Legends continuity that was laid down following the end of her series (transitioning the Alliance of Free Planets to the New Republic and so forth). A barn burner for sure!

 

As Nietzsche said; "When Zarathustra was alone, however, he said to his heart: "Could it be possible! These fans on the forum hath not yet heard of it, that Legends is dead!""

It's really past time to move on. Carrie Fisher is dead and not coming back. Just like Legends.

 

A bigger problem is continuing a Legends story. Not gonna happen. It's about as likely as Sword of the Jedi.

Sent from my Moto X-Wing

 

I agree

 

http://www.theexpandeduniverse.com/...-Path-to-Immortality-as-a-Digital-Force-Ghost

 

Honestly, I think this is a great idea.

Not because of all that #IBelieveInLegends stuff, but because there are some legitimately good Legends books that aren't digital, and I think the best way to archive older books is via digital formats.

Its not gonna make Disney write more Legends stories, but it will make a lot of the older ones easier to get a hold of.