Note: none of this post represents my publishers or the Star Wars universe, and I have literally no special knowledge or power in this regard. All the opinions below represent me, not Del Rey, not Lucasfilm or Disney. Just little old me.
Hi, Expanded Universe / Legends fans.
It’s me. Your pal, Chuck Wendig.
If your emails and tweets and YouTube videos about me are any indication, you care very little for me, and that’s fine. I wish you’d be a little nicer about it, but hey, you do you.
I wanted you know that I saw that thing you did with the billboard, and really, it’s pretty cool. It got you press. It’s a way to demonstrate what you love in a fairly positive way. It shows the power of crowdfunding. One could argue that you might’ve made the same impression or better if you organized the money to go to charity (Force For Change, after all, is a Star Wars-based charity), but what do I know? Thing is, what you did is pretty nifty and it shows the collective power of an engaged, interested fandom.
I talked about this a bit on Twitter yesterday, and I have been accused now and many times before of somehow being a Legends-hater (also: a prequel-hater, apparently). I don’t hate the prequels and I don’t hate Legends (or what was once the Expanded Universe). I loved Zahn’s novels and Stackpole’s, though I never really read much deeper than that because, well, for me, there were other books to read. I didn’t want to be reading Star Wars novels only, and I was a pretty diverse reader across genres. But some folks were and still are fairly deep into the Legends/EU line of stories, and those are stories that linked books and comics and games in a not-quite-canon-flavored way, and that’s honestly kinda great. I want to tell you that I get it. I understand why you want more. Stories have power over us. Star Wars in particular is a storytelling universe that has really enveloped our own — this is pop culture that has threaded its way into our narrative DNA. It’s part of us. The EU came up at a time when we thought we weren’t getting more Star Wars stories. That universe seemed dead, inert, done-zo, and suddenly here comes the start of a whole new universe of stories. Where once there were three movies, suddenly there were dozens — eventually hundreds — of books. And comics. And games.
That single bulk of narrative material outweighs most other universes. One could argue that it even outweighs what we get with the films, at least in terms of sheer storytelling girth. Some of the books were great. Some of them, nnnyeah, okay, maybe not so great. But it was a huge legacy, a massive obelisk of material, and it was worthy of worship.
And then, it came crashing down.
That universal lineage, that massive branch of the Star Wars storytelling tree — it broke off, fell to the ground, and you feel like Disney woodchipped it and shoved the splinters in a box marked “Legends.” Some books ended up cancelled. Some games, too, maybe even comics. Fade to black, and then the curtain parts again and now there are new movies and new books (ahem, Aftermath), and they either ignore the Expanded Universe stories or they pick ideas and characters from them to use now or later.
I get it. It’s the same feeling when a TV show you love gets canceled (looking at you, Firefly). Or when one of the big comic companies takes an entire universe and ends it, or changes it, or reboots it. Shit, I get pissed when Target stops selling a cereal I like, or I discover that a t-shirt or sneaker I like is discontinued. Sneakers, I mean, shit, if Nike or Reebok release a sneaker and you wear it and you like it, next season that sneaker is already on a burning trashpile in the Pacific Ocean and replaced with the next upgraded model and that model sucks because it’s not the shoe you jolly well fucking liked in the first place, and now your brand loyalty for that company is cut off at the knees because they stopped making the thing you like.
So, let me just say: I support you. I hope you get what you want. I have literally no power to make it happen. And I’m sure they wouldn’t hire me for the job anyway because if they hired me to write the Expanded Universe at least a half-dozen of you would probably burn down Disneyland. But I’m all for more stories in the world, and I’m certainly all for more Star Wars stories. Here’s me. Giving you a thumbs-up with a big smile and a glint of hope in my eye.
But, of course, I have some caveats.
The Caveats
1. If it does happen, I’d expect it to be a limited series. “One last trilogy” sort of thing. Again: I have no insider information in this regard, and I have no reason to believe this is even happening. I’m just saying, if it does happen, I would expect it to take the form of a bone thrown in your direction rather than a revivified Legends directive.
2. It also probably won’t happen at all. You need to prepare yourselves for that. The reasons it probably won’t happen are many. For instance:
a) It takes a lot of ecosystem to fire up a new publishing line, and that’s sort of what’s happening here. It takes staff, it takes money, it takes time out of a publishing schedule. Publishing is slow. It’s already understaffed. I speak from experience. This isn’t a case of JUST FLIP THE SWITCH AND BRING BACK LEGENDS. Mountains need to be moved.
b) Right now, Disney has a pretty sweet thing going, and seeing them switch gears — even temporarily — would surprise me. The new movie did huge numbers. The books are selling well — and despite some who want to assure me that Aftermath did not sell well, it, ahh, it really did. It sold big. It lingered on the bestseller charts. I have a very small royalty percentage compared to my other books (most tie-in work offers you no royalties), and even with that truncated royalty, I just got a royalty check that was bigger than some of my advances. I don’t say that to brag (okay, humblebrag, maybe), but just to clarify: the book sold well and continues to sell well even now. So, it’s hard imagining why Disney would have interest in suddenly returning to stories that don’t connect to the larger narrative.
c) That larger narrative is actually part of the problem for Legends — it’s quite a big deal that, at present, everything coming out regarding Star Wars is connected. That’s not true really with anything else, I don’t believe, at least not at this scale. It is all, relatively-speaking, “canon.” To suddenly introduce these other stories that aren’t connected opens Disney up to branding confusion. People yelling at them on social about how they thought Han and Leia had only one kid and is Rey actually Jaina and wait is Kylo and the Knights of Ren in these books and HOLD UP IS MARA JADE REY’S MOM. You’re fans, so you understand the difference. But the average reader doesn’t see the difference. They have a limited view of canon and think that if they pick up a new Star Wars book it’ll probably connect to the movies or the other new books. When that fails, that creates disappointment.
d) It bears repeating: Disney probably wants to avoid branding confusion. At all costs. At least until all the movies are out and that part of the story has been told.
e) You may not have the numbers to demonstrate support for the continuation of Legends. The Indiegogo campaign had 146 backers and raised $4,784. No small feat and really cool. But 146 people is not enough to support a line of books. And 1,146 people isn’t enough. And maybe, 11,146 people wouldn’t do it, either. They want to sell 100,000 copies of a book.
f) A lot of “fan-demanded” projects actually don’t earn out. Serenity eventually made it on DVD, but in the theater, was a bomb. When a TV show comes back based on fan demand, it often ends up getting canceled again anyway because the reality is, core fandom isn’t enough to support big meaty narrative universes. Fandom by its nature represents the most excited members, sure, but most big properties thrive on non-fans — people who don’t want to read 100 other books to understand this one they just bought. Narrower, niche properties can live on the support of fandom. But Star Wars is not a narrow, niche property.
3. If it doesn’t happen, I might encourage you to summon peace with that reality. There does come a point when your energy can best be spent elsewhere. Share your love with other great stories, even if they’re not inside Star Wars. This isn’t me smacking your hand and saying JUST GET OVER IT, LOSERS. But it is vital to recognize the reality that you neither own nor control this stuff, and you still have hundreds of great Legends stories that you can still enjoy. That’s huge. And I know it’s not fair, but life is frequently full of unfair things and part of our skillset as human beings is how we inoculate ourselves against disappointment.
4. Also, hey, you can sorta take ownership and control of the Legends continuity through the power of fan-fiction. Fan-fiction informed me and I don’t look down it. Nor should anybody. It’s a great way to be creative and also continue exploring a narrative universe that either left you behind or you left behind. It allows you to continue engagement with that world. So rad.
The Final Caveat
Many of you are nice and passionate. Thanks for being fans — if not of mine or my work, then of Star Wars in general. It’s a universe under a big, big tent. That’s a good thing.
Sometimes, though, in fandom, passion becomes tainted — shot through with the sepsis of frustration. And further, sometimes fandom attracts people who are, mmm, maybe not the finest specimens of humanity, and when that happens, harassment occurs. As it has occurred amongst the Bring Back Legends movement.
You need to get your house in order.
What I mean is, harassment is not a good way to get what you want. It is, in fact, a very good way to be dismissed. It is a great way to be seen as bullies. And nobody wants to give you more Legends if the way you get it has been by protracted campaigns of harassment or even by rogue members of your campaigns and Facebook groups demonstrating very bad behavior. Some other fans who operate fansites have felt harassed and bullied (for instance: this post at Tosche Station). I’ve seen it in person. I’ve seen it online. I’ve seen what happens at the Star Wars Books public Facebook page (and whoever runs that page has the patience of the saint and is hopefully paid a merciful six figures). Threats to spoil The Force Awakens came out of an Expanded Universe group. This is not unknown. It is real.
I know I’ve been on the end of harassment — not just for the content of Aftermath but sometimes because I am somehow held responsible for having ended the EU, or because I’m not Timothy Zahn or because I supposedly hate Legends, or, or, or. I get emails. People tweet angrily at me every week. I get hate and harassment flooded in my direction just because I wrote a book. It’s not awesome, and it’s certainly not endearing. The public relations manager of the Indiegogo campaign for the billboard made this video about me, which — *whistles* — I don’t even know what to say about that except I hope he’s okay. It is not his only video of… dubious content.
It’s not fun. It’s not funny. It’s harmful to your cause and to the victims who endure. And I know that it’s #NotAllLegendsFans, but that doesn’t really salve the sting of harassment that both fans and professionals have felt.
I hope you get more books. Sincerely. I cheer you on. More stories is more goodness.
I also hope some of you stop your worst behaviors and your worst members. Because they have dominated this conversation and poisoned your efforts from within. It’s time to grow up and be better. Demonstrate your desires with love and outreach, not hate and spite. Even if that doesn’t get you what you want, it at least keeps the slate clean and ensures that nobody feels harassed.
Best of luck.
Paul says:
This is so great, very well said sir! MTFBWY
April 20, 2016 — 10:49 AM
Paul Baxter says:
Two out of two Pauls agree, then.
April 20, 2016 — 10:54 AM
Paul Barrett says:
Three out of three Paul. Chuck’s on a roll
April 20, 2016 — 11:54 AM
Harley Alderson says:
as of right now my name is now paul since i feel left out lol
April 20, 2016 — 1:02 PM
Paul Baxter says:
… aaaand…. mic drop. Elegant job, Chuck. I don’t know what else there is left to say after that.
Except I gotta say, Aftermath MUST’VE been big, because I’m still seeing it all over the place. Bookstores, megamarts, newsstands.
April 20, 2016 — 10:53 AM
Matthew Chenault says:
Could also be that they have so many of the books that they can’t get rid of them.
April 20, 2016 — 1:43 PM
Corey Peterson says:
Be more amazing, Chuck. You can’t. I’m gonna buy 50 copies of Life Debt and make a nest out of them. I’ll come out of my nest when word of the third book reaches me.
April 20, 2016 — 10:59 AM
williamallenpepper says:
Well said. I’m a casual SW fan but I picked up Aftermath because I dig me some Wendig. I liked the characters and the story. I wasn’t crazy about some of the writerly choices (style stuff, not plot stuff), but I wasn’t going to burn down Disneyland. I just appreciate your contribution to the universe and get on with my life. The best part of the video, by the way, is that he thinks you’re British, apparently? And maybe Father Christmas? With the ho-ho-hos?
April 20, 2016 — 11:00 AM
terribleminds says:
Also, that I apparently don’t like big words? I don’t really understand that one, because other people have criticized me for using words that were too big, and… man, I just dunno.
April 20, 2016 — 11:03 AM
Corey Peterson says:
Holy shit. I say this as someone with way too much free time on his hands, but that’s a dude that has wayyyyy too much free time on his hands.
April 20, 2016 — 11:54 AM
bbbourb says:
That was far more eloquent than what I wrote. Very well said, sir.
April 20, 2016 — 11:05 AM
Tee Morris says:
Damn, Chuck. Nice one. 🙂
http://i.giphy.com/b9aScKLxdv0Y0.gif
April 20, 2016 — 11:16 AM
Troyce says:
Thank you for wading through the hate and continuing to write Star Wars. In my earlier years I was an avid reader of the EU. It was an experience I shared with my father. I remember agonizing over having to wait for the paperback versions to come out months after the initial release. Then characters were killed, turned evil, or underwent drastic changes that really turned me off to reading anymore Star Wars stories. I was excited to hear about the launch of a new publishing line. It would be a new opportunity to introduce an in-depth look at a universe I adored. When the first few novels came out though, I began to fear I might have just grown out of the genre. They were bland and lacked much excitement. Then Aftermath arrived, and I finally felt a thrill similar to reading those old legends novels and my hopes were confirmed. You and Claudia keep it up!!
April 20, 2016 — 11:22 AM
Dunc says:
Thank you for writing this. I don’t know if they’ll actually listen to your smart and super valid points, but I hope it at least gets through to some.
I loved the old EU (though not blindly) and it did me a great service, by giving me brand-new Star Wars stories involving the stuff I was actually invested in when the movies/tv portion of the franchise wasn’t. But I also realize that it was deeply flawed, and that the further we got along, the less it was about the things I actually loved about Star Wars. I wasn’t thrilled with the last of Legends, but quite honestly it was a bit of a relief to just see it end. I really do hope that these folks are able to find peace with that end healthily, at some point.
That said, I don’t see how they think they have some kind of high ground when they’re still putting out stuff like that weird video mocking you and doing things like driving people from their own sites.
April 20, 2016 — 11:22 AM
birdonabird says:
I feel like the whole Bring Back Legends thing is kind of like an ex doing sweet but misguided things in an attempt to get you back.
April 20, 2016 — 11:27 AM
terribleminds says:
I only wish all those things were sweet, because sometimes it feels like an ex stalking you, threatening you, or harassing you.
April 20, 2016 — 11:31 AM
cajetane says:
Hi Chuck, just want to say that it’s really awful to see the barrage of hatey crap you’re copping over Aftermath, in particular, and some of your other passionate AND sensible writings. I really admire your willingness to put yourself out there and take a stand in spite of this. I hope you’re letting as much as possible of the caccola roll off your back, and that you have some good people by you to help keep you happy and peaceful and strong. Other peoples’ bad behaviour shows more about them than they realise… How does it go? Just art harder 🙂
April 20, 2016 — 11:30 AM
Amber says:
I love every bit of this. I agree with most of it. But I love all of it. (And I loved Aftermath. And I loved the EU. Go figure.)
April 20, 2016 — 11:32 AM
Lindsey says:
Exactly! Well-said. I am a huge fan of the new canon, and I still have all my Legends books to enjoy at my leisure (currently reading both Dark Disciple and the New Jedi Order books). There’s no excuse for bullying. I’m excited for Life Debt, already pre-ordered!
April 20, 2016 — 11:32 AM
Steve Fahnestalk says:
Sorry these people are such haters, Chuck. I admit it, I’m just a casual SW fan, and haven’t read Aftermath, but this crap is beyond the pale. I read your blog daily, and really like your non-fiction style, so take that for what it’s worth.
By the way, “Serenity” failed not because there weren’t enough fans, but because it was not well written from a fan point of view. I’m also a casual “Firefly” watcher, but even I thought killing off Wash and the preacher wasn’t such a hot idea. In general, I like Joss Whedon–but that doesn’t mean he’s a writing god or anything.
Anyway, remember–“haters gonna hate” despite all your efforts to the contrary. So fuggem, know what I mean? Do what you do. Some of us get it.
April 20, 2016 — 11:36 AM
urdith says:
I sometimes feel folks like this are reincarnations of Crispin Glover’s character from /River’s Edge/ – they’re so desperate for a cause to support or a way to fight against perceived oppressors they’re willing to abandon common sense and help an admitted murderer escape.
But the real world doesn’t work like that. You end up stalled out, alone, in your broken down VW bug with pent up rage and frustration.
April 20, 2016 — 11:38 AM
Matthijs Flipse says:
You think losing firefly was bad? Firefly existed for a year. I was invested in the expanded universe for 20 years. And it was wiped away. Disney has shown how much it cares for it’s fans both with star wars and marvel. They will never again receive my money. So I had some to spend on this billboard instead.
They won’t bring it back though, they don’t give a fuck about how much they hurt me or many other fans. But this is my small way of letting them know how important this thing they casually destroyed was to me.
None of this is your fault, I don’t blame you for taking a paying job, we all got bills. Just don’t be surprised when your books get tossed out with the next reboot.
April 20, 2016 — 11:40 AM
terribleminds says:
“Disney has shown how much it cares for it’s fans both with star wars and marvel.”
If you mean, they demonstrated this by making new movies and comics that are by most metrics pretty great, then yes, they’ve shown how much they care. Which is to say, considerably. Further, they also care about making money because they are a company, not a benevolent hug machine. And this is very much that. One assumes that putting aside Legends was not a casual HEY FUCK YOU decision, and was the result of flagging sales and a convoluted universe.
And they didn’t hurt you, and this kind of dramatic language is toxic to your cause. Wanting new stories is understandable and fair. Claiming they hurt you — when real hurt exists, by the way, every day, to many people — is hyperbole of the highest order and I would suggest you make peace with the hundreds of books that you still possess because nobody destroyed them.
As for my work getting “tossed out” with the next reboot — no, I wouldn’t be surprised at that, and the EU authors were likely not surprised, either. Stories aren’t forever. Further, we don’t own the material. I got to write it, and I’m happy it exists, and if one day it’s not “canon,” that changes nothing. It would not diminish my happiness or my success.
I also won’t be surprised when one day I die, because that’s how things go. I’m not naive.
April 20, 2016 — 11:54 AM
Matthijs Flipse says:
How sanctimonious you are. Who are you to judge my pain? You think my life has been pleasant? You can’t imagine a world where maybe I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have a place to hide in? You have no right to judge my pain and call it insignificant.
Tell me chuck which of my pain is valid? The time my father locked me in the back of a van so he could spend time with his new fling and I had nothing but a tiny window to get some light all day? Does that count, oh great judge of all hurt.
Or do you want something more physical? How about the time my mother refused to take me to the dentist when my tooth broke and I had to rip a broken tooth out of my jaw with my fingers.
It’s so sad that as an author you don’t realize how much books can help people who perhaps didn’t have the greatest start in life.
My life is better now, not as dark as it once was. But the loss of the expanded universe still hurt, it helped me get through some dark times and I hoped it would continue to grow as I grew up. Maybe my kids could one day enjoy it as well.
And I will use the word hurt regardless of what you think of that.
As for my cause, I have no cause. I don’t expect legends to be brought back. I might have had that dream briefly in the beginning but no longer. I’m part of some Facebook groups but only because I enjoy talking about the expanded universe. I donated to the billboard to let my opinion be known. That’s it.
I actually came here thinking maybe everything I had heard about you was wrong. But it seems people were pretty much spot on. You’re a man with an insistent need to attack anyone who has a different viewpoint than you do.
Empathy is an important skill for an author. Maybe when you grow up you’ll find some.
For my final words I will say this. I feel I’ve been through enough pain in my life to know what pain is. When you diminish my pain to make yourself feel important it really shows what kind of a man you are.
I hope you live a good long life and never have to go through a period where books are the only thing to keep you going.
April 20, 2016 — 1:39 PM
terribleminds says:
Apologies if I seemed to diminish your pain.
But the point remains that Disney taking away those books — or, more precisely, simply reorganizing them under a new label — does not actually hurt you. If you feel that it hurts you, I can’t change that, and maybe I don’t understand what you’re going through. But using that kind of language probably won’t actually crystallize any affirmative action in having that universe come back.
April 20, 2016 — 1:51 PM
Escobar Jimenez Pablo says:
You don’t need the expanded universe dude….you need therapy. Hope you can defeat your inner demons and have some peace.
April 20, 2016 — 2:04 PM
Kate says:
…Buddy. They didn’t round up all the EU books and burn them. Just like they didn’t shred every Marvel comic that came before Iron Man. Those things you loved are still there. Those stories that are clearly so important to you aren’t gone, they’re there, same as they ever were. They didn’t even disown or disavow the books. All the Story Group did was change the name. They’re not canon, but that’s not a new state of affairs for the EU – its relationship to canon was always nebulous and one-sided, and now at least decisions in the New Canon won’t override and retcon anything that exists in the Legends. Yes, those books and stories won’t continue at this point (though they’ve said that once the New Canon is established, they might tie up some loose ends in Legends). But there was no possible way they could’ve kept the EU in its sorta-canon status and told new stories – every time period and character has been touched by the EU.
More to the point, while your love of Star Wars is important and valid, you don’t own Star Wars. It isn’t the property of those who have loved it the longest or the fiercest. It belongs as much to you as it does to my thirteen year old niece who loves Rey and is getting into Star Wars for the first time. If you can’t get behind that, if you can’t deal with it not catering to you despite the joy it brings others, then you are hella Dark Side, and I can’t help you.
April 22, 2016 — 3:16 PM
Bria says:
You’re good people, Chuck.
April 20, 2016 — 11:41 AM
Jenni C says:
Seeing the examples of this abuse made me feel the same way I felt watching men tie a dog to a bull and set it loose for entertainment. Shame on all of them for creating this toxic space. I felt so bad for Brian leaving his space, but as an anxiety sufferer, I get it. My whole insides go into overdrive when I see cruelty of any kind. Chuck, stay strong. You often are a voice of reason in an unreasonable world. All fans should take a deep breath and remember it is just a story. Not real life!
April 20, 2016 — 11:41 AM
dennis hardison (@dokdenden13) says:
Most of the harassment wasn’t Legends fans. It was trolls or people that were already excised from the movement.
April 20, 2016 — 11:41 AM
Danny J Smith says:
Oh. I see they must have changed the meaning of “most” to “very little”. We have all seen the screens. Much of it was done by an admin, a current admin of more than one page/group in the “movement”.
Anyway, Hi Dennis!!
April 20, 2016 — 3:57 PM
Anne Gray says:
Huh. Thinking back to my thoughts and feelings at the time, I seem to recall a lot of anxiety in the fan community about the Serenity film, because once it came out it rapidly hit the airwaves that major very beloved characters were going to die, and if we watched the movie, which was otherwise a good movie, it was going to really hurt. Somehow, because of the cons and the cosplay and the browncoats and having the DVDs and the role-playing, the characters of Firefly hadn’t aged in our hearts and minds, and in fact the plot of the film is very close/overlapping with the time period of the shows.
[note: the below comments contain spoilers if you haven’t seen Serenity.]
This latest Star Wars film was different — many of us found out in advance that someone was killed, but there was a separation there and an understanding that the old characters were now, well, old, and it was time to give the focus over to a new generation. We were ready for it.
I did see Serenity in the theater, but I don’t recall if it was first run, and I do remember I came out of it angry. Angry at a thing of beauty that none-the-less stung like a bitch and seemed to ruin all chances of a storyline that I wanted going forward, because it brought the pain to my favorite character, who was Zoe, and to one of the too-rare awesome interracial marriages we had seen on screen or page ever, and also to Book who was the only other black character and grrrr. So the fans were not all on board, and certainly not all with the enthusiasm that would mean first-run blockbuster proceeds.
So I don’t know if the industry is actually doing the comparison you just pulled up, but I really don’t know that Serenity makes any sense as a basis for “will this do well” for more Legends stories, reborn.
April 20, 2016 — 11:41 AM
Shirley Will says:
I’m actually not speaking to a (now ex) friend because of his, um “passion” about his fandoms. One of them was Star Wars, but the times he actually got angry at me was because of Supernatural. Oh, and because Matt Smith is not among my top 5 favorite Doctors. It’s like, if you don’t enjoy what they enjoy, it means you hate it. And by extension them? I have no clue. It was bizarre and a bit frightening.
And while I don’t generally read novelizations (even though Stackpole is a local boy & I’ve run into him at swing dancing events), my love of Wendig books got me to read Aftermath. And you know what? I enjoyed it. I posted a nice review on Goodreads. I may also be a little in love with Mr. Bones. Yes, I’m getting help.
April 20, 2016 — 11:46 AM
Michael Jures says:
Kudos Chuck. Huge Legends fan here that has no interest in the new books. Sadly I feel like Disney will never create more Legends material. But I’d rather spend my money on a billboard then Aftermath. That’s not a jab at you, that’s a choice I’m making. All I’ve every known is the EU. Reboots don’t interest me one bit. I also feel that the billboard was a much better way to be heard then donating to a charity. But alas, that’s how the world works. I would also challenge that disney canon fans are much more aggressive and hateful towards Legends fans then the other way around. I get that you get blasted probably more than anyone. Which gives you the view you have. Certain point of view if you get my meaning. I wonder what the magic number is that we’d need to get more content. Perhaps a kickstarter with a very high goal. I do not know the history of cold hard facts concerning book sales. So I can’t tell how much better or worse the new books are doing. I do know that the old books sold very well. Thanks for the little write up. I apologize for ranting. I apologize for how others act, even though I can’t stop it. God bless and may the force be with you.
April 20, 2016 — 11:52 AM
Jim Kiley says:
I am going to guess that some nonzero fraction of the BRING BACK LEGENDS contingent is also a GIVE ME A GAY-FREE STAR WARS contingent. I’m not saying that’s all it is, but I bet that is it for some people.
April 20, 2016 — 12:08 PM
Shirley Will says:
I also get the same feeling. I also know that as I kept reading Aftermath, I kept saying “Holy shit, that alien/commander/bounty hunter is female, too?” I never really knew how awesome it was to be widely represented, until suddenly I was. Yay Chuck!
April 20, 2016 — 12:43 PM
Michael Jures says:
This is one thing I never understood. The EU had plenty of female characters. From heroes to Jedi to sith to imperials to aliens.
April 20, 2016 — 1:26 PM
Steven Rott says:
But the thing was that they were never at the forefront. I mean they killed Chewbacca, the token alien minority in their group. Doesn’t that tell you how human biased, the old EU was? #WookieLivesMatter
April 21, 2016 — 5:36 AM
Gregory Kelbaugh says:
Human biased? Who was Leia’s Master when she was an apprentice Jedi? Jedi Master Saba Sabatine, a Barabel. A non-human female.
April 21, 2016 — 9:41 PM
andrew horton says:
I really like the old EU and I really like the new Canon novels I don’t see the problem, you don’t hear Star Trek or Doctor Who fans moaning that the new stuff disregards older novels/comics/audiostories, they are just happy that new stuff is being made.
April 20, 2016 — 12:14 PM
Tom B says:
Well, I’m glad we didn’t go through the same thing after Doctor Who came back to television in 2005. There was a slightly different situtation there, though, that may have proven to be a big factor – the BBC was still letting Big Finish make audios with past Doctors and doing spinoff material, so despite (temporarily) not having past Doctor novels coming out (which they’ve changed their mind on), there was still an outlet for people who preferred the “classic” Doctor Who. Also, having people who wrote Doctor Who New Adventures novels in the nineties (as well as one showrunning), and later adapting some stories helped. I think that the fact of the older stuff explicitly not being ignored helped avoid a lot of the acrimony that there with the Star Wars Legends people now.
April 20, 2016 — 3:33 PM
Doug Davis says:
Chuck I loved Aftermath and the characters you created. I’m genuinely sad you have suffered from online bullies. I hope it doesn’t dissuade you from writing more in the SW universe.
April 20, 2016 — 12:16 PM
Kylo says:
I loved the EU. I liked Aftermath. I really liked TFA. We need more games tho, can’t understand why they didn’t make a movie game for TFA but whatever. Galaxy of Heroes is free and awesome.
Haters will hate. Ain’ters will ain’t. #stawarsforlife
April 20, 2016 — 12:35 PM
Carl Poole III says:
Hey Chuck, it’s me, another loyal Star Wars EU fan. I read your open letter. It was really cool. Thanks for the thumbs up, man. It was clear you wanted your words to be deeply touching to us. I never would have never guessed that you cared. I was so impressed by your open letter that I have decided to put up my own finger to give to you. I’m sure you know us EU fans well enough to figure out which finger it is. There’s no need for me to explain anything more about that. I just hope that my finger touches as deeply as your words were meant to touch us. Best of luck with writing Star Wars books and enjoy a long career with Del Rey.
April 20, 2016 — 12:45 PM
terribleminds says:
Thanks for the thumbs-up, Carl. I assume that’s the finger you mean. AND BACK ATCHA.
April 20, 2016 — 12:47 PM
Carl Poole III says:
Well, to be honest, it’s probably more accurate to describe a thumb as one of five digits on a human hand than as an actual finger itself. Try again….
April 20, 2016 — 12:53 PM
terribleminds says:
Yeah, no, Carl, we all got that you were giving me the middle finger, which is a very classy way to prove that EU fans are extra-classy. Thankfully, most are, and have been gracious about this post. Bye, now.
April 20, 2016 — 1:02 PM
Andrew reed says:
We’ll said!
I quite liked Aftermath (Wait… am I allowed to say that?).
April 20, 2016 — 12:58 PM
Andrew reed says:
I SAID WE’LL, I MENT WELL. I’m such a fool.
April 20, 2016 — 1:01 PM
Gregory Kelbaugh says:
I am a member of Give Me Legends, and while unlike most of the hardcore EU who have been reading nearly as long as me (since Splinter of the Mind’s Eye), I am ok with SPLITTING the SW universe into Canon and Legends. It truly is no different from what is done with Marvel Comics properties. Marvel’s comics are in another alternate universe from the movies with the occasional movie tie-in comic. Disney owns Marvel Comics as well. Just allow us to have what we want and Disney will make a HELL of a lot more money. We aren’t asking for movies based on the EU. That ship has sailed. But to compare our fandom and love of SWEU to shoes, cereal, or a favorite t-shirt is juvenile and shows that you DON’T understand us at all. I enjoyed the new movie and I am enjoying the new books (with one GLARING exception because of writing style ONLY). I can live with Disney’s vision of Canon as long as I’m able to continue reading about the universe that shaped me as a person over the last 35+ years.
April 20, 2016 — 1:02 PM
terribleminds says:
The shoe comment wasn’t glib. I really come to love certain products, and when those products go away, I get legitimately upset they’re gone.
As for what Marvel has done — the way you describe Marvel (and this goes for DC, too) isn’t that much different from what is happening with Star Wars. They periodically reboot their universes. That leaves whole storylines and full comics unfinished, and they generally don’t go back and finish them.
The assertion that Disney will make tons more money is dubious, though. And I don’t think it should really be the thrust of the sales pitch, because there’s no good way to prove it. But as with all things, YMMV.
April 20, 2016 — 1:12 PM
Gregory Kelbaugh says:
Did you spend thousands of dollars, and 35+ years loving “certain products”? Yes Marvel periodically reboot their universes, but they haven’t wiped the slate clean and declared that the only comics that will be published from such-and-such point on will be the same universe and won’t contradict the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If Disney were to do that to Marvel then you would have a even BIGGER reaction than Disney got over EU becoming Legends. Instead Disney has allowed for “alternate” universes with Marvel, so why not with Star Wars. Once again, the Disney Canon books are not selling like the EU books did before the announcement, they aren’t reaching the same heights on the best-seller charts. By diversifying Disney can take advantage of all the sales of the new Legends books as well as New Canon. And believe me…. Disney would get their desired 100,000+ book sales on new Legends novels. As a person who knows how this stuff works, for every vocally disgruntled person there are 100 that are quiet. For every vocally happy person there are 500 that are quiet.
April 20, 2016 — 6:22 PM
Tom B says:
“Yes Marvel periodically reboot their universes, but they haven’t wiped the slate clean and declared that the only comics that will be published from such-and-such point on will be the same universe”
DC has done that a couple of times. Now they’re trying to backpedal from the most recent iteration of that, but it’s been 5 years for them to do it. It wouldn’t surprise me if Disney unclenches a bit down the road and gets more comfortable with the idea of Legacy stuff, but it will probably take a bit of time.
April 21, 2016 — 12:01 PM
Brandon Wright says:
A lot of excellent points made here. I can appreciate this guy and now I want to pick up a copy if aftermath so I can get an idea of his work. Awesome job.
April 20, 2016 — 1:07 PM
Jeff says:
I’m going with option three. Just the end of a great era. I will concentrate on finishing up my eu collection and that will be the extent of my Star Wars fandom.
Not really interested in who is Rey’s parents. Or why kyle is named Ben when that was supposed to be Luke’s son.
I know money controls the market and Disney will do what profits shareholders. Actually, I bought stock in Disney. I plan on making lots of money off this ruining of my fandom. Ftw
April 20, 2016 — 1:12 PM
Kate says:
Ugh, “ruining of your fandom”. Like it belongs to you. They’re telling new stories, not burning books. You’re not a better or purer or more real fan because you like certain aspects of Star Wars and not others. Why can’t you just accept that the new stuff might not be your thing, but it will likely mean as much to someone else as the EU does to you, and keep enjoying what you enjoy?
April 22, 2016 — 3:29 PM
Faith says:
thank you.
Im an EU fan hardcore. I mean, the EU is the reason Im a Star Wars fan at all. it’s the reason I finally learned how to read at 9 years old. its the reason I wanted to change the world. the reason I didnt drop out of school when I was struggling. the reason I became a writer. it did massive things for me. and lately being called an EU fan has such terrible connotations.
I wanted to apologize for the harassment. you’re a real person with real feelings and seriously. you didnt kill the EU. people need to stop. I read Aftermath and I dont know. I was still pretty salty about the EU. it was harder for me to get used to. but I have respect for you. I think if I re-read it now, things might be different.(although, your writing style tripped me up a bit. sorry. I learned to read at 9, remember? Im a terrible reader.) but I think you’re chill.
thank you for your patience and kindness and how cool you’ve been about this. stay classy 🙂
April 20, 2016 — 1:13 PM
terribleminds says:
Thanks! The writing style of the book is atypical, and I don’t blame anybody for getting tripped up on it no matter when they learned to read! I just wrote the book I wanted to write, and hopefully it’ll find its audience.
April 20, 2016 — 1:18 PM
thesexiestwriter says:
I like to imagine all this energy put to use in a GOOD way, you know?
April 20, 2016 — 1:21 PM
David Guipre says:
By 2 year olds, I meant the setup being too easy. The first book showing the after Endor Galaxy. And Disney/StarWars backing you. not your writing. Good luck to you
April 20, 2016 — 1:25 PM
David Guipre says:
Darn it!! I stated that a 2 year old would have a bestseller with the setup Mr. Wendig had. Lost Stars was brilliant, I wasn’t to fond of Aftermath, felt forced? I will read Life Debt and hope it is better. I’m truly sorry you were harassed, I left a group because It had a rule “no positive comments on the new continuity” F ing stupid. I will say that with “My” old EU, you said what I’ve That it needs finality a last series as a bow tie. They Called it canon, hell as someone said earlier, this is what started me reading. Same here and many others as well.
April 20, 2016 — 1:33 PM
terribleminds says:
Listen, I get it, you’re trying to make a point, and a two-year-old might’ve had a bestseller for one week. But if it was bad, it would’ve dropped off the charts. But it hung in there. And it continues to sell well. I’m not dismissing your concerns with the EU, so please don’t dismiss my success regardless of how much you did or did not like the book. Thanks.
April 20, 2016 — 1:37 PM
Weirdmage says:
1 of 2.
I read a lot of the Marvel SW comics in Norwegian in the 1984-1988 time period. (The movie was on Norwegian TV in September 1984.)
I loved those comics, and they filled in the gaps.
To explain that a bit, after seeing Star Wars on TV I was lucky enough that my mom got me and a friend in to see Empire Strikes Back at the cinema. (It was certificate 12, and we were 10. She had to argue with the ticket inspector to get us in.) But, it took a couple more years before I could see Return of the Jedi on VHS.
Those comics were what kept Star Wars alive in that period, along with the action figures of course.
(Comment 1 of 2, as my comment makes the log in details disappear.)
April 20, 2016 — 1:35 PM
Kurt says:
Wow, I really appreciate you offering your perspective here. I am about half way through aftermath. It’s taken me a while cuz I simply don’t have spare time. I am fully embracing the new canon, while holding onto hope for continuing the Legends timeline. I own every book, comic and even junior readers books. So you could say I invested in it. I assume that the many folks like me would continue to purchase books in the Legends timeline. Duel timelines seems to be working for the Jason Bourne and Walking Dead universes, let alone the DC and Marvel stuff. But, as I know nothing about the business, I guess I have no way of really knowing if it would be profitable. I just assume it would be.
Congratulations on the fact that your book sold well. I’ve enjoyed it this far and will purchase any other SW books you write(and possibly others, once I like an author, I check out his/her other stuff frequently).
I can’t speak for the lunatics. Absolutely nothing good comes from idiotic behavior. As if picketing and threatening will make them make a movie out the Thrawn Trilogy if the NJO?! I hope you are safe in knowing that these internet/keyboard tough guys would likely wilt at the thought of a face to face confrontation. So in actuality, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.
Again, thanks for your perspective and good luck in all your future endeavors.
Kurt
April 20, 2016 — 1:36 PM
Weirdmage says:
2 of 3.
I think what they did with Boba Fett in the prequels was stupid, and that the way Anakin was portrayed ruined his redemption at the end of RotJ.
I’d have preferred Lucas to announce Star Wars 2.0 before Episode I. Basically starting with a clean slate then. (And preserving what had gone before as another version of the story. -Like historians may sometime disagree about interpretations of events.)
Yes, that means remaking episodes IV-VI.
(Will have to make it 3 comments because of problem above…)
April 20, 2016 — 1:37 PM
Weirdmage says:
3 of 3.
I don’t think that the Prequels and the Clone Wars CGI series (haven’t seen the other one, so no opinion on that) fits together with the Original Trilogy.
I did love The Force Awakens, I do love Rebels, and I will get Aftermath in HC though.
I suspect I will get a lot of the other new stuff too.
…I just wish they could have looked at how things fit together, instead of declaring things canon that are inconsistent. Seems a waste to start with inconsistencies when you are wiping the slate.
April 20, 2016 — 1:38 PM
anonymous says:
Wow, that video about you/”Wendig’s World” is pure cringe. Did they never stop while filming it and go “what the fuck am I doing?” 😐
April 20, 2016 — 1:44 PM
David Guipre says:
A 2nd Damn. I phrased that badly, and am sorry for the offense. I meant that it was made to sell, “if you no what I mean”? Not a reflection on your ability. I really not that much of a jerk. I thought Aftermath was hard to get into. I would not have said I was getting Life Debt other wise. While it was an easy setup for a bestseller, it was also a bit43h to write. So much you can allude to and more you can’t. You were in obvious restraints. Sorry for my poor writing, but have nerve DMG and writing hurts. My (first/more clear) Statement was better but lost. I ask you to read my badly written statement and this again. Sorry for the misunderstanding
April 20, 2016 — 1:49 PM
terribleminds says:
No worries, and thanks for clarifying!
April 20, 2016 — 1:55 PM
Marion says:
As far as your list of caveats, I am the “average reader” you mention in 2C — and the reaction you describe would be mine. I had lost interest in STAR WARS during the “prequel period,” and I knew nothing about the EU (which, for a while, I thought meant European Union, and I was very confused). I read AFTERMATH on a whim and really enjoyed it. Having had NO plans to see SW:TFA, I was inspired to see it because I enjoyed the energy and adventure of AFTERMATH so much.
I don’t think I’m *that* much of an outlier; many people I know “came back’ to the franchise because of SW:TFA and we could be confused and disillusioned if the franchise again changed course.
And about the video… disturbing, but I do like the costume glasses. Is that a British accent he’s trying to do?
April 20, 2016 — 1:56 PM
terribleminds says:
I think he’s maybe doing like, a British Yoda? Or maybe he’s just constipated.
Anyway, glad you dug AFTERMATH. 🙂
April 20, 2016 — 1:58 PM
Ron says:
Just poking my head in to offer support and a round of virtual applause for this classy, respectful, and genuine response to the BBL/GUL movement. As Bria said, you’re good people.
April 20, 2016 — 1:57 PM
R.F. Kacy says:
This bring up a question I’ve had for awhile. What if you’re now in your mid-50s but never really followed the Star Wars stories? Oh, sure, I dipped my toes into one or two of the early movies, but I never really liked movies. I’m all about books. My imagination and a good book can create scenes that way surpass anything I’ve ever seen on the screen. That is, assuming the book is written by an author who knows their craft.
So, if someone wanted to enter into the Star Wars world in print, where do they start? Is there a progression through books that makes any sense, or is it just a hopeless jumble of competing storylines?
April 20, 2016 — 1:58 PM
terribleminds says:
That’s part of the plus-side of a reboot: you can just jump in. No hopeless jumble. LOST STARS is an excellent place to start, as it will take you on a tour through the things you loved about the movies, but featuring different, star-crossed lover characters.
April 20, 2016 — 2:01 PM
R.F. Kacy says:
That makes sense … thanks for the tip!
April 20, 2016 — 2:02 PM
David Guipre says:
Mr. Wendig, My mother is an author as well, At an absurdly smaller scale. Any Author is a gift to the world, and I thank you for doing it. Stories are one of?” the few thing all Humans have in common. While I wasn’t a big fan of Aftermath, I loved the old/modified battle droid and the future resistance fighter “Snap wexely?” Mostly the droid, that must’ve been fun to write. 1 question. I heard that “Snap” (it’s been awhile since I read it) was supposed to be shot down, did you know that?
April 20, 2016 — 2:21 PM
David Guipre says:
While writing, did you know? Sorry, I need an ediitor
April 20, 2016 — 2:22 PM
John T. says:
Hello Chuck, first let me just say thank you for the kind words about the Billboard and thank you for your well wishes as we continue to get our favorite stories continued. As both a long time Star Wars fan and a one of the organizers behind the billboard it is a honor to have our work not only shared but complemented by an author such as yourself.
I would however like to clear the air about a few things mentioned in your post. Yes there are bad apples out there who have said some regrettable things. There is no taking back what has been said and I would like to apologies on behalf of those who said them. That being said you concerns are known to us and is something we have been working to fix.
You mentioned the Del Rey page and while it is true we do frequently comment asking for more legends there we do not mean to harass them. On the page that runs those campaign it says in many places to be polite and respectful, to not get into heated arguments, to not attack others in the comments and only comment if you can keep your comment on topic to what has been posted. Since these rules have been implemented we have seen a drop in participation with many saying that they couldn’t comment under those guidelines. Now not everyone who has posted negatively in the past has obliged by the rules but you have to understand that it is simply impossible to control the actions of everyone every time they want to comment.
I would also point out that not everyone who does these things is us. I think the best example of this was the incident at Dragon Con. The individual responsible for that was at one point a member of our movement but early on he showed both a lack of restraint resulting in harassing of other fans and an inability to work with the movement in general. As such we cut ties with him in an effort to remove those types of people from our ranks. He then made his own group following his own campaign with no thought of the rest of us and ended up at a well-known con doing the very thing we kicked him out for doing. He isn’t the only example as there are many people we have cut ties with for various reasons who caused trouble for us later but he is the most notable.
Additionally while the spoiler Jihad did originate in one of the groups it was not something that was an actual campaign or even something that occurred. It was started late at night by a few individuals who had recently joined the group and hadn’t had any interaction since then. They started joking about spoiling the movie someone took a screenshot and people took it too seriously. Those individuals are no longer a part of the movement and I can assure you no one who actuality represented us ever organized or condoned such a campaign.
As for Matt’s video well you will have to talk to him about that one as he puts it better than I do. Again my deepest apologies for some of the things said against you your reputation amongst EU fans isn’t that great and there are things said on both sides that can never be undone. I just wanted to help clear the air and let you know that your concerns are warranted and is something we are working on, but you can’t expect us to be able to police everybody and not everyone who harassed you or anyone else is us. Thank you for your time and may the force be with you.
April 20, 2016 — 2:23 PM
Bjørn Melbøe says:
Regarding your Second caveat, point c) and d): I’m not confused. No. I’m a Star Wars fan, I read Star Wars books and Comics, but I don’t read the new books. Why? Because they are not Legends. Let’s turn this all around, shall we, and picture another fan who buys and read only the new Star Wars books. If there’s a new book published he’s there first for the hardback and later he is first in line for the paperback too. But not for the Legends, oh no, he ( could be a she, of course ) has heard of them, fully knowing of their existence, but these are not the books these fans are after. So why would there be any confusion if this trilogy ‘the Sword of the Jedi’ hits the stores with the ‘Legends’ banner printed over the title… Who would pick that up, read it, and then write a letter to Disney, saying “who the hell is this Jaina Solo and why is she in my book???!” No, it doesn’t make sense. Every fan of Star Wars would hear the announcement from Disney regarding a brand new Legends book in the works. Everyone, just like everyone currently online knows what new Star Wars books are coming out. But I don’t buy them, I know what I want. Why does Disney treat their other fans like ‘those who don’t know what they want’?
April 20, 2016 — 2:26 PM
pulplives says:
I think I might be one of the few who is really excited about the splitting of the franchise into Canon and Legends. The big reason is that I like stories that end. Endings are awesome, because they bring you that final moment of emotional closure that seals the whole deal. To me, the EU (while cool) could never have an ending. My personal exception was Shadows of the Empire, because that was some legitimately epic shit, but I’m fine with the shift to a closed universe again. It means there will be an ending (someday.) Hell, we’ve already seen the end of Han Solo’s character arc. That moment gave me some closure that I never found in the EU.
That said, I was pretty worried about how TFA would turn out before I saw it. I was afraid it would add the suckitude the die-hard EU fans were promising, thereby compromising the whole franchise. Luckily, I was wrong as shit. And I don’t believe I have ever geeked out as hard as I did over the Rogue One trailer. I get to see a beach invasion against AT-ATs, fulfilling a childhood dream I didn’t even know I had.
Does that mean I’ve whored out to the Disney owned heresy that is the New Canon?
…
Well, yeah.
Because it’s awesome. And because closure allows me to appreciate these stories more. It means I get to start back at the beginning and love the whole thing over again. That’s more than making money. That’s some competent storytelling.
I don’t wish any harm to the Legends folks. I hope, like you said, they get what they want. And even if they don’t get it, they can create what they want, the way we have done every time someone writes fan fiction, or plays a Star Wars RPG campaign, or *shudder* enjoys The Force Unleashed. We can all love stories in our own way.
I also just talked myself into reading Aftermath. Damn you, Chuck Wendig. I don’t have time for that shit. But now it has to happen. You monster.
April 20, 2016 — 2:28 PM
John Mac McCormick says:
A very well thought out open letter it’s a shame some people are still being churlish.
I loved the EU, I had the novel adaptions of the OT and suddenly reading novels set after Jedi was a thrill for me. I read the great and not so great amongst them. I also paid attention to whenever Lucas was asked about the EU and said in no uncertain terms that they were an alternate timeline to his movies. I wondered if he’d integrate them somehow once the prequels were announced and I was pleased to see Coruscant was still going to be the Capitol City planet. That Aurra Sing was watching the pod race.
Then came Attack Of The Clones. The new origin of Boba Fett. It annoyed me at first, I’ll freely admit (as did what Filloni did to the Mandalorians in Clone Wars after I’d adored the Karen Traviss Republic Commando books) but they hit home what Lucas had said. The EU was an alternate timeline. Another shared but different universe. So when Lucasfilm was bought by Disney and Lucasfilm decided to make all future EU material canon I was actually happy.
But then the restore the EU brigade came out and annoyed the piss out of me, blaming Disney about the relabel, acting like a giant mouse had burned their novels (I checked, my collection was smoke and flame free) and just throwing a massive tantrum.
The EU/Legends for me was dying, the last seties of books went on far too long, the whole Abeloth saga dragged. The Killiks weren’t thrilling before that. The Darth Cadeus/Jacen saga had its moments but it felt forced in places. I was disappointed that the Sword of the Jedi series never made it to print but I accepted that all the novelists involved had now had the canon timeline to do.
I’m loving the new Marvel comics. I’ve enjoyed a few of the new novels. It’s early days and I know once it gets going this new EU will be unmissable. As for Legends? I can go reread them, find the few I missed.
Canon never bothered me. A good Star Wars story is all I want. May you and your fellow authors continue to entertain Chuck.
May The Force Be With You.
April 20, 2016 — 2:43 PM