Star Wars Comic Adaptations

The announcement of the Thrawn comicbook adaption at SDCC 2017 was met with a lukewarm reception across fandom, especially for those hoping for new in-Universe material from Marvel. This will be the first comic adaption of a new canonical novel and will stand alongside adaptions of TFA and Rogue One, but this is far from the first time stories from Star Wars novels or films have been adapted to comics. The entire Legends Thrawn trilogy was put to panels by Darkhorse in 1995, each OT film found an an adaption in the first run of Marvel comics (1977), and the Prequels saw their own comic iterations.

New Canon Marvel Comic Adaptions

Star Wars: Thrawn

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Comicbook adaptations in their simplest form offer a more visual type of storytelling and allow artists to translate written descriptions to the panels. Star Wars has always been a visual experience with a huge part of the story expressed through careful attention to world building details and state-of-the-art special effects. The novels are a fantastic addition to the Universe but I still find I’m craving more cinematically from the stories, and this is where comics come in.

What could be; an image of Ceina Ree drawn for Star Wars Fantasy Flight Game, Armada.

The next step in the the evolution of bringing these stories to life is an artist interpretation of the characters and scenes in the books. How could you not be excited about seeing Lost Stars or Aftermath adapted to comics or a full series worth of artist interpretations of characters like Ciena Ree, Thane Keyrell, Rae Sloane, and Norra Wexley?

With the current run of Dr. Aphra giving fandom the confidence in Marvel to create new and exciting characters in the Star Wars Universe, I understand the angst behind what could be interpreted as hesitation to produce fresh content, and maybe even double dipping. But, I really see this as an opportunity to enrich the novels with the visualizations that add an another layer to the Star Wars stories. I don’t want the adaptions to take the place of other comicbook stories but I fully support them being apart of the new canon and I'm looking forward to more announcements of comicbook adaptations!

To leave you with a tease, images of Norra Wexley and Rae Sloane drawn by Steve Thomas for the Barnes & Nobel release of Empires End give us a little more insight into what could be with more comic adaptions.

Norra Wexley  

Rae Sloane

Marvel's next adaptation, Star Wars: Thrawn will hit shelves in February, 2018 starting with an oversized 30 page issue and will run for 6 issues.

What are your thoughts of Marvel adapting the new novels to comicbooks? Let us know in the comments below!

Tim

The Nerd Room Episode #81 P2: Star Wars at SDCC 2017 & D23

Join hosts Troy and Tim to discuss all of the Star Wars news and reveals from SDCC 2017 and D23! The guys touch on announcements from Hasbro, Lucasfilm Publishing, Disney Parks and breakdown the BTS reel from D23.

05:29 - Hasbro Panel - SW Black Series Reveals

22:51 - Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge (SW Land) & Hotel

29:16 - Journey to TLJ books announced

41:04 - The Last Jedi BTS trailer & new posters

Be sure to check out more from the Star Wars Commonwealth and follow Talk Star Wars, Tumbling Saber, Generation X-Wing, Rogue Squadron Podcast, Skyhopper Podcast and the San Diego Sabers!

Twitter | Facebook | YouTube 

The Nerd Room Episode #81 P1: Marvel & DC at SDCC 2017 & D23

Join hosts Tim, Troy, and Sunjay for a monstrous discussion of Marvel and DC at SDCC 2017 and D23. Its been two of the biggest weeks in fandom and the reveals have been pouring in!

This week the guys take a close look at what Marvel Studios and WB (DCEU) had to offer from their Hall H panels (and D23) and how the announcements change the landscape in each of their Cinematic Universes.

They also breakdown the Hasbro Marvel Legends reveals and what we can expect in the coming months from the toy line.

01:59 - Sunjay at SDCC 2017

22:23 - Spider-Man Give Away Results

23:59 - The DCEU SDCC Panel (Film Slate, Aquaman, Justice League Trailer)

1:10:31 - Marvel Studios SDCC/D23 Panels (Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Infinity War, Captain Marvel)

1:41:17 - Hasbro: Marvel Panel

Check out our NEW WEBSITE - thenerdroom.net

Be sure to check out more from the Star Wars Commonwealth and follow Talk Star Wars, Tumbling Saber, Generation X-Wing, Rogue Squadron Podcast, Skyhopper Podcast and the San Diego Sabers!

Twitter | Facebook | YouTube 

Marvel Studios | SDCC 2017

Hot off the heals of their appearance at D23 and the unveiling of the first official teaser trailer for Avengers: Infinity War, Marvel Studios stormed Hall H on Saturday to highlight their next two films; Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther, while also dropping teases for Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel and Avengers: Infinity War! 

We will be discussing all the details of Marvel Studios SDCC 2017 reveals on episode #81 of The Nerd Room, airing as part of our 2 episode coverage of D23 and SDCC 2017 on Wednesday July 26th.

Marvel kicked off the SDCC weekend by releasing new posters for Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther. The Thor: Ragnarok poster perfectly depicts the colour palette and the tone of the film while continuing to amp up the anticipation level for what promises to be a very different Thor film. The Black Panther poster is a huge step up from the first poster which looked painfully photoshopped, The King has certainly arrived!  

Marvel Studios Hall H Panel

Posted by We Live Entertainment 

The panel kicks off with Kevin Feige revealing details about Ant-Man & The Wasp, and Captain Marvel. As predicted by TNR's own Troy, concept art for Captain Marvel was shown as well as the reveal of some huge plot details. Captain Marvel will be set in the 90's before the events of Iron Man and will feature a 2-eyed Nick Fury (with some de-aging tech applied). This is a unique setting for a MCU film as traditionally each film serves as a sequel to the one previous. The 90's setting will allow for a full origin story for Captain Marvel outside of the events of Infinity War and may also gives us that Nick Fury origin story. 

Probably the biggest reveal of the panel was that Captain Marvel will be battling the shape-shifting Skrulls. The film rights for the Skrulls were previously thought to have been owned by Fox under the Fantastic Four banner, but with this reveal we now know that they are either shared or Marvel has been working with Fox to acquired back characters. I'm immesnsly excited for the Skrulls to appear in this film and I can only image what this means for future films! Will we get a secret invasion storyline in Phase 4? Is their a Skrull already amongst the ranks of the MCU heroes?

Captain Marvel lands in theatres on March 8th, 2019.

Kevin Feige revealed casting news from Ant-Man and the Wasp and although plot details are being kept tight we now know additions to the cast include of Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch, Randall Park as SHIELD agent Jimmy Woo, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, and Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Bill Foster. The inclusion of Janet Van Dyne and Bill Foster, two important legacy characters from the comics, only gets me that much more excited for this film!

On the final day of SDCC 2017 Marvel released a concept art poster for Ant-Man and the Wasp. The poster sees Giant-Man fighting along side of Wasp and confirms the return of Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, and Michael Pena. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp hits theatres on July 6th, 2018.

The first part of the Marvel Studios panel ended with the cast of Thor: Ragnarok discussing their characters in a bit of detail and the release of a brand new trailer! Highlight from the trailer include an incredible colour palette, witty dialog, Loki's role, and an evolved Hulk! 

Thor: Ragnarok smashes into theatres on November 3rd, 2017.

The Thor: Ragnarok panel was followed by the Black Panther panel. The cast for this film is absolutely incredible and it continues to rank amongst the most anticipated films for 2018. Footage was shown but not released outside of Hall H, watch for a second trailer dropping in the coming months!

Black Panther drops on February 16th, 2018

Marvel did show the packed house in Hall H the Avengers: Infinity War teaser trailer and although they have yet to release it publicly (much to the dismay of the entire internet), Marvel did release a 3-part poster over the weekend depicting the scenes shown in the trailer and when merged together we get an epic banner poster! 

Painted by Marvel Studios Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding, the poster gives us our best look at what appears to be the hero groupings we are going to see in the first part of the film and we also get a good look at Nomad Cap, and Teen Groot! 

Thanks you for reading and make sure to check out Episode #81 of The Nerd Room for our breakdown of the weekend reveals (drops July 26th).

Tim

SDCC 2017 | Highlight Panels

San Diego Comic-Con is upon us! Here are some of the key panels from Star Wars, Marvel, and DC to keep an eye on over the weekend!

For those looking to experience more of SDCC you can stream most of the SDCC Marvel Panels right HERE!

All panel times are PST

**Streamed Panels

Thursday July 20th

20th Century Fox (11:30PM–12:30PM PT, Hall H)

One of the big three Studios opens the convention with their keynote panel. Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Deadpool 2, New Mutants, X-Men: Dark Phoenix will all be on display as Fox tries to find their place in a crowded CMB world!

JAKKS Pacific: Fall 2017 Sneak Preview (12:00pm - 1:00pm, Room 29AB)

Join JAKKS Pacific for a preview of all the new figures, collectibles, and RC vehicles they will be releasing in the coming months. Attendees will get an exclusive first look at new items for Nintendo, DC Originals, Justice League, Marvel, and Star Wars. Following the preview will be a Q&A with members of JAKKS's development team and special giveaways of their premium DC Originals Tribute Series figures.

Marvel: Next Big Thing (4:00pm - 5:00pm, Room 5AB)**

Get a sneak preview of what the rest of the year holds in store for your favorite Marvel heroes, as well as the upcoming Generations weekly series featuring the heroes of today teaming up with their counterparts from yesterday! Editor-in-chief Axel Alonso and editors Nick Lowe and Sana Amanat will be on hand with Cullen Bunn (Generations: The Phoenix) and Margaret Stohl (Generations: The Bravest) for a look forward (and backward) toward some of Marvel's greatest heroes.

Marvel Television: Marvel’s Inhumans (6:15PM–7:15PM PT, Ballroom 20)

The Inhumans have landed in San Diego! Special guests of the highly anticipated Marvel's Inhumans unveil an explosive panel moderated by executive producer Jeph Loeb. This event series will premiere a version of the first two episodes exclusively in IMAX theatres for a two-week window prior to the debut of the full series on ABC.

Friday July 21st

 

Marvel: Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (10:30am - 11:30am, Room 24ABC)**

Swing by this panel to see what's in store for all of your favorite spider-heroes! Join editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, Spider-editor Nick Lowe, writer Cullen Bunn (Venomverse), and other mighty Marvel guests for a spectacular discussion about Spider-Man, Venomverse, and more.

DC Universe Rebirth (11:15AM–12:15PM PT, Room 6DE)

DC Universe Rebirth has taken the industry by storm. The universe has been restored with hope and optimism, engaging storylines, and dynamic characters. Come discover more about your favorite DC superheroes, plus hear from the talented teams bringing these stories to life!

Lucasfilm Publishing: New Star Wars Stories from a Galaxy Far, Far, Away (12:00pm - 1:00pm, Room 7AB)

Get ready, rebels! Bestselling, fan-favorite authors Christian Blauvelt (Star Wars Made Easy), Cullen Bunn (Star Wars: Darth Maul), Christie Golden (Battlefront II: Inferno Squad), Claudia Gray (Leia: Princess of Alderaan), Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Star Wars Jedi Academy: The Force Oversleeps), Cavan Scott (Star Wars Adventures), Beth Revis (Star Wars: Rebel Rising), and Landry Walker (Star Wars Adventures) discuss their latest stories set in a galaxy far, far away. Also featured will be exclusive sneak peeks at upcoming stories, surprise guests, and giveaways exclusive to SDCC. Moderated by Lucasfilm's Michael Siglain.

Marvel: Secret Empire (12:30PM–1:30PM PT, Room 5AB)**

Hail Hydra! Things are heating up as Secret Empire races toward its startling conclusion. Join Mark Waid (Avengers), Humberto Ramos (Champions), and Matthew Rosenberg (Secret Warriors) along with Hydra double agents (and editors extraordinaire) Nick Lowe and Alanna Smith for all the latest news about the blockbuster series!

Hasbro: Star Wars (1:00pm - 2:00pm, Room 7AB)

Members of the Hasbro team discuss the popular Hasbro Star Wars line. Attendees will get an in-depth look at Hasbro's latest action figure offerings. Word on the HoloNet is that there may also be a few surprises, including a special product reveal!

 

Netflix’s Marvel's The Defenders (5:15PM–6:15PM PT, Hall H)

Daredevil. Jessica Jones. Luke Cage. Iron Fist. Four iconic superheroes. One stage. Nuff said! Jeph Loeb and surprise guests of the highly anticipated Netflix original series Marvel's The Defenders band together for a panel you do not want to miss! Be the first to get an exclusive look into the superhero team-up that everyone is talking about before its August 18 global launch on Netflix.

Saturday July 22nd

Warner Bros. Pictures (11:30AM–1:30PM PT, Hall H)

Warner Bros. will light up Hall H with a presentation showcasing some of its eagerly awaited upcoming releases, with exclusive footage and revealing conversations, helmed by master of ceremonies Chris Hardwick. The lineup includes director Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One,based on the hugely popular Ernest Cline novel, with stars Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, and T.J. Miller, author/co-screenwriter Cline, co-screenwriter Zak Penn, and Spielberg on the panel; the long-awaited Blade Runner 2049, Alcon Entertainment's sequel to the cult classic, which takes us 30 more years into the future, with stars Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford as well as Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Lennie James, and Mackenzie Davis, writers Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, and the film's director, Denis Villeneuve; and the greatest superheroes of the DC universe, united for the first time on the big screen, with stars Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher talking all things Justice League, as well as an early look at director James Wan's Aquaman.

Netflix’s Stranger Things (3PM–4PM PT, Hall H)

Join the cast and creators of the pop culture phenomenon Stranger Things for an in-depth discussion on the acclaimed series, the journey to Season 2, and be the first to experience never-before-seen footage of what's to come this October.

Marvel Cup O’Joe (4:00pm - 5:00pm, Room 25ABC)

Here is your chance to ask Marvel's chief creative officer Joe Quesada about anything and everything Marvel. Got a question about your favorite hero? Want to hear the latest developments on Marvel's Legacy or our up-and-coming heroes? This panel has you covered! Also featuring executive editor Nick Lowe, director of content and character development Sana Amanat, and creators Kris Anka (Runaways), Ryan North (The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl), and Rainbow Rowell (Runaways)!

Hasbro Marvel (5:00pm - 6:00pm, Room 25ABC)

Hasbro and Marvel product experts will discuss some exciting news around Hasbro's ever-popular Marvel Legends product line. Attendees will also get a sneak peek at upcoming, never-before-seen Marvel action figures, followed by Q&A.

Marvel Studios (5:30PM–7PM PT, Hall H)

Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige and special guests provide an inside look at the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Infinity War taking centre stage at D23 look for Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther to stand tall! Hopefully we get that Infinity War teaser trailer released to the public!

Sunday July 23rd

 

Marvel: ResurrXion (11:15am - 12:15pm, Room 5AB)**

The ResurrXion is upon us! The X-Men have been catapulted back to the forefront of the Marvel universe, and there's still more to come! join editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, executive editor Nick Lowe, and writers Sina Grace (Iceman), Marc Guggenheim (X-Men Gold), and Christina Strain (Generation X) for an X-citing discussion about the past, present, and future of all things X-Men!

Sunjay does SDCC 2017

Everyone's favourite DC fan is kicking down at SDCC 2017! As a first time Con attendee he could only snag Thursday passes but the atmosphere in San Diego is all encompassing!

Here are a few photos from his first few days down at the nexus of nerd!

For on the fly updates of Preview night and Thursday from the floor, follow Sunjay on twitter (@SunJabbi)!

Hear all about his adventures in San Diego on Episode #81 of The Nerd Room, airing next Wednesday July 26th, 2017!

Thanks for reading!

The Nerd Room Podcast | D23 & SDCC 2017 Coverage

There will be no new Nerd Room Podcast episode for the week of July 20th but we will be coming back next week with a special double episode!

July 26th, 2017 - Marvel & DC - D23 / SDCC 2017 Reveals

July 27th, 2017 - Star Wars - D23 / SDCC 2017 Reveals

Make sure to follow our reactionary commentary and coverage of SDCC 2017 on TNR website and twitter!