Star Wars has several exciting releases coming up, and a new one just dropped! Last week we learned Timothy Zahn’s new Thrawn: Ascendancy series will release in September. Now, readers have another new canon tome coming. On July 28th, get ready for Star Wars: Dark Legends! This book delivers six new and creepy galactic tales crafted by author George Mann and illustrated by artist Grant Griffin. This dynamic duo has been down this road once before. Together they crafted an amazing book in Star Wars: Myths and Fables. Now they return for a darker spin on George Lucas’s lore with Dark Legends.
Read on if you dare! This unique in-world collection hallows the spooky tales and ghost stories that would have kept young Luke and Leia up at night. Created by George Mann and Grant Griffin–the same team behind the stunning Star Wars: Myths & Fables–these six frightful fables have been carefully woven from the expansive fabric that is the Star Wars galaxy (including the thrilling landscape from Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney World), and beautifully painted in a lush illustrative style that feels intergalactic yet innately archetypal and timeless.
Disney Books
Just How “Dark” Will The Book Be?
I had the extreme pleasure of interviewing author Joe Schreiber last year about a book near and dear to horror and Legends/EU readers, Death Troopers. In that interview, he told me one of the things that inspired him to merge Star Wars and the horror genre was Darth Vader, himself:
“The scarier parts of Star Wars always resonated with me—the thing swimming around in the trash compactor, the sand people, and of course Vader himself, essentially a man walking around inside his own coffin.”
Joe Schreiber to THS
I never thought of Vader that way, but he’s exactly right. Vader is literally the walking dead inside his own coffin. That sentiment alone is terrifying, and I think that line of thought lends nicely to someone writing Star Wars horror. Joe also penned Maul: Lockdown and Red Harvest, both relegated to Legends/EU, and both horror-based.
Other than the quoted snippet from Disney Books above, nothing is known yet about the six stories in this new, darker book. However, Vader on the cover suggests he’ll be the subject in at least one of them. Also, that Imperial Officer’s look reflecting back in Vader’s lenses is foreboding something bad is about to happen. The official age range listed for this volume is eight to twelve. With that in mind, I don’t expect anything too graphic. But as Joe Schreiber said, the scarier parts of Star Wars resonate. Even with this age designation, I have high hopes.
What Else Can We Expect From Dark Legends?
George Mann and Grant Griffin did a marvelous job on Star Wars: Myths and Fables. Griffin’s amazing artwork set the stage for Mann’s smartly crafted tales, with stories both both familiar and some broaching new Star Wars territory. One story in particular, The Knight and the Dragon, is a vague legend about Obi-Wan Kenobi and his first few years on Tatooine. It would make a jaw-dropping side story in the upcoming Kenobi series on Disney Plus if they chose to use it. This creative duo set the stage for some great Star Wars fireside stories. I am excited to see what they have in store with a darker tone in this new book!
Who’s Ready For More Star Wars Stories?
This book release is exciting. I ordered Myths and Fables for my personal collection and it’s fabulous. Dark Legends will fit nicely beside it on the shelf. What about you other Expanded Universe and Legends readers? Ready for some new and scary Star Wars stories? Sound off in the comments and let us know! As always, to learn more about our favorite galaxy far,far away, you can visit the official website at www.starwars.com. We’ll keep you up to date on all things trending in geek pop culture, so stay with That Hashtag Show to keep up with all the Star Wars new releases and breaking news!
