When the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia initiative — which has, to date, included comic books, conventional Star Wars novelizations, and young adult (YA) books — was officially announced in January 2021, writers Charles Soule, Justina Ireland, Cavan Scott, Daniel José Older, and Claudia Gray all participated in the live stream from remote locations.
Set 200 years before the Skywalker Saga begins with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) — when the Jedi Order reigned supreme — the project has, to date, introduced Star Wars fans to a golden era in the Star Wars galaxy, starring a host of new characters like the villainous Marchion Ro,the polarizing Geode — a literal rock with Force powers — a young version of Grand Master Yoda, and Jedi Knights Keeve Trennis, Avar Kriss, Elzar Mann, and Lula Talisola.
Now, Daniel José Older has done a new interview discussing his work on the High Republic initiative.
Older has worked on multiple projects, including children’s novel “Race to Crashpoint Tower” and YA novel “Midnight Horizon.” He’s also been part of the team behind IDW Publishing’s Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures all-ages comic books. Now, he’s working on Marvel Comics’ “Trail of Shadows,” a High Republic murder mystery.
He shared details about what there is to look forward to in upcoming projects — including “hugs, pastries, and evil singing nursemaids” — and spoke about being able to propel the Star Wars universe forward using a wide variety of storylines:
“I’m more just excited by the challenge of having the opportunity to display such a range of storytelling. It’s so cool that these two comics will both come out in the same month and there’ll be one where it’s like hugs and pastries and the other is like monsters and hallucinations and evil, singing nursemaids. That’s range and it’s a range that I have in the material that I consume too.”
One of the most ambitious upcoming projects that will be set in the High Republic era is Leslye Headland’s The Acolyte series, which is rumored to feature the rise of Emperor Palpatine’s Sith Master — and murder victim — Darth Plagueis.