Books, Brands and Fun
After recovering from the NYCC blitz, the Star Wars Books Facebook page got back into full swing. Here’s what you can find there:
- From Suvudu, Del Rey Spectra’s 50 Page Fridays spotlights Paul Kemp’s Riptide, which is due out in bookstores on Tuesday.
- Random House posted a chapter excerpt for The Old Republic: Revan by Drew Karpyshyn, coming on November 15th.
- On the Facebook page itself, a mini-excerpt from Darth Plagueis.
- The page also has links to videos, reviews, and other promotions for The Complete Vader, in stores now.
- Frank Parisi kicked off a discussion about fans’ favorite Star Wars species to pump up Scourge by Jeff Grubb, which features Hutts and goes on sale next spring.
- David Pomerico posted a preview picture of the print edition of Shadow Games, also releasing in November, and commented that it was the first Star Wars book he edited.
A few comments on the active week:
- I’m impressed with the push to increase visibility. Market saturation is very important to gaining new readers. At the Geek Girl Con Star Wars panel, there were women in the audience who didn’t even know how many Star Wars books existed or who the characters were, and that’s exactly the kind of crowd that Star Wars should be trying to reach.
- Wow, look at all those male protagonists! Nothing illustrates better how lopsided the books have become.
- With David Pomerico added into the mix, there are now four editors working on Star Wars books.
Speaking of the Star Wars brand and its visibility, Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing, spoke at Brand Licensing Europe 2011. PRWeek.com wrapped up the highlights.
[Roffman] also revealed more details about the hotly rumoured Star Wars™ animated TV comedy series with Seth Green which will premiere “within the next two years”, as he was grilled by EMPIRE magazine editor-in-chief Mark Dinning in The Big Interview. Roffman also hinted that a totally new Star Wars™ live action TV series was under consideration for the future. […] “The new animated Star Wars™ comedy series with Seth Green is a product of Lucasfilm’s focus on continued innovation. I remember showing George the French & Saunders parody of The Phantom Menace with trepidation in my heart, but I don’t think I have ever seen him laugh that hard! Lucasfilm has never been more prolific. We are in one of the most exciting phases of Star Wars™ 34-year history.”
For all those aspiring entrepreneurs, Star Wars wouldn’t be the success it is without good brand management. Those same principles can be applied to smaller business ventures, and one day I may do a more detailed blog that points out the things you can watch and learn from.
Three quick fun reminders:
- Courtesy of Titan Magazines, here’s your opportunity to vote on the next Star Wars fans’ choice action figure. (There’s a fan-favorite redhead in the voting group. Keeping my fingers crossed Mara wins.)
- Need Halloween pumpkin carving ideas with a Star Wars twist? Check out this article from JustJennRecipes.com.
- Don’t forget that the trailer for The Phantom Menace 3D will run in front of The Three Musketeers, which is in theaters now. (Update: Or you can save the money and just watch it here, via TFN.)
- Hyperspace Theories: The Heroine’s Journeys of the MCU’s Echo and What If? Series - August 29, 2024
- Hyperspace Theories: THE ACOLYTE and Star Wars Brand Management - August 7, 2024
- Tricia Barr Talks Tales of the Empire on Who’s The Bossk? - May 7, 2024