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(If I recall correctly, a thread like this was posted a while back, but I can't find it to bump it. Apologies in advance.)
So it's been over a year since Disney began pumping out new canon, starting with A New Dawn and Star Wars: Rebels. I think we've given Disney a good timeframe to really 'wow' us with their newly inherited IP, and what we still want from them. For a reference of 'canon', here is a few reminds of what is: The Six Films, The Clone Wars TV show, The Rebels TV show, Comics, and Books.
The films and Clone Wars, I won't talk about too much, since it was kinda before disney. They're both great, and keeping the Clone Wars added helped to keep a small, well-organized canon universe outside of the films.
Starting with visual, I'll talk about the Television show, Rebels. It's turned out to be quite enjoyable, becoming a lot more interesting in the second season. With the characters developed and us now knowing the reoccuring characters, better stories can be told and the use of returning characters like Hondo, Ahsoka, and Rex help to make us 'know it all' fans even better. Keeping many of the writers from TCW has greatly benefitted this show.
The comics, I have a lot to catch up on, having not even started Lando or Chewbacca, and hardly delving into Vader and Shattered Empires. From what I've read so far though is great though. I was really worried seeing the transition away from Dark Horse Comics and Marvel to begin making it. I have a little bit of prejudice against them, being more into DC and not enjoying the original Marvel run of Star Wars. But I digress. The diverse storytelling and fantastic artwork has made me excited to read them, and a few big names are in charge of these stories. Honestly, I'm disappointed in myself that I've fallen so far behind on reading them, but they're great.
The Novels. A bit of a foreword; I don't really read YA novels. I haven't given any of them a try, and I know they add to canon, but just haven't mustered up an interest in getting them. So far, I have read A New Dawn, Tarkin, Lords of the Sith, Aftermath, and Heir to the Jedi. That means there's a few I haven't read yet, like the Battlefront tie-in book, Dark Disciples, and basically every short story. The novels so far feel like one of the weaker parts of their new canon. There hasn't been any stand out novel that is 'up there' with the classics like the Thrawn Trilogy. No major characters, in my opinion, have been developed that stand out to be worthwhile, but these are instead expansions on current characters. There's no 'Mara Jades' or Corran Horns, or Jaina Solos. Sure, each story is entertaining in their own right, but there's just no GREAT stories yet. I'm sure in time, those will come, but until then, I'm a bit hesitant to read all of them.
Odds and ends. Merchandising is in full swing, you can't go into any section of a Target or Walmart without finding something decaled to a Star Wars aesthetic. That's nice if you're into having everything star wars, but I'm not huge on it. Tabletop games like X-Wing, Armada, and Imperial Assault are fun, and I've enjoyed them, and the fact that they've continued to make them. So far, the gaming part of Star Wars is lackluster. Battlefront, I haven't played yet, but the free Mobile games are 'meh'. Nothing to really sink hours into.
Overall, I enjoy where Disney has gone with Star Wars. It's given a fresh breath into an oversaturated lore, and is slowly filling in the holes. It's not jumping around, but keeping the lore into a specific part of the Star Wars timeline. Sure there are 'ancient' things like Temples and Customs and stuff here and there, but that's about it. They are intertwining the story a lot better, which is something I didn't enjoy with the old lore. Every 'great' period of the timeline was in pockets, usually on a random spinoff game or story that people loved. It just feels a lot more controlled, and well written.
Anyways, what have you guys read/played/watched in the new canon, and do you feel that Disney has done the franchise well so far?
So it's been over a year since Disney began pumping out new canon, starting with A New Dawn and Star Wars: Rebels. I think we've given Disney a good timeframe to really 'wow' us with their newly inherited IP, and what we still want from them. For a reference of 'canon', here is a few reminds of what is: The Six Films, The Clone Wars TV show, The Rebels TV show, Comics, and Books.
The films and Clone Wars, I won't talk about too much, since it was kinda before disney. They're both great, and keeping the Clone Wars added helped to keep a small, well-organized canon universe outside of the films.
Starting with visual, I'll talk about the Television show, Rebels. It's turned out to be quite enjoyable, becoming a lot more interesting in the second season. With the characters developed and us now knowing the reoccuring characters, better stories can be told and the use of returning characters like Hondo, Ahsoka, and Rex help to make us 'know it all' fans even better. Keeping many of the writers from TCW has greatly benefitted this show.
The comics, I have a lot to catch up on, having not even started Lando or Chewbacca, and hardly delving into Vader and Shattered Empires. From what I've read so far though is great though. I was really worried seeing the transition away from Dark Horse Comics and Marvel to begin making it. I have a little bit of prejudice against them, being more into DC and not enjoying the original Marvel run of Star Wars. But I digress. The diverse storytelling and fantastic artwork has made me excited to read them, and a few big names are in charge of these stories. Honestly, I'm disappointed in myself that I've fallen so far behind on reading them, but they're great.
The Novels. A bit of a foreword; I don't really read YA novels. I haven't given any of them a try, and I know they add to canon, but just haven't mustered up an interest in getting them. So far, I have read A New Dawn, Tarkin, Lords of the Sith, Aftermath, and Heir to the Jedi. That means there's a few I haven't read yet, like the Battlefront tie-in book, Dark Disciples, and basically every short story. The novels so far feel like one of the weaker parts of their new canon. There hasn't been any stand out novel that is 'up there' with the classics like the Thrawn Trilogy. No major characters, in my opinion, have been developed that stand out to be worthwhile, but these are instead expansions on current characters. There's no 'Mara Jades' or Corran Horns, or Jaina Solos. Sure, each story is entertaining in their own right, but there's just no GREAT stories yet. I'm sure in time, those will come, but until then, I'm a bit hesitant to read all of them.
Odds and ends. Merchandising is in full swing, you can't go into any section of a Target or Walmart without finding something decaled to a Star Wars aesthetic. That's nice if you're into having everything star wars, but I'm not huge on it. Tabletop games like X-Wing, Armada, and Imperial Assault are fun, and I've enjoyed them, and the fact that they've continued to make them. So far, the gaming part of Star Wars is lackluster. Battlefront, I haven't played yet, but the free Mobile games are 'meh'. Nothing to really sink hours into.
Overall, I enjoy where Disney has gone with Star Wars. It's given a fresh breath into an oversaturated lore, and is slowly filling in the holes. It's not jumping around, but keeping the lore into a specific part of the Star Wars timeline. Sure there are 'ancient' things like Temples and Customs and stuff here and there, but that's about it. They are intertwining the story a lot better, which is something I didn't enjoy with the old lore. Every 'great' period of the timeline was in pockets, usually on a random spinoff game or story that people loved. It just feels a lot more controlled, and well written.
Anyways, what have you guys read/played/watched in the new canon, and do you feel that Disney has done the franchise well so far?
