Tonight, Starwars.com updated with with info on ESCAPE FROM DAGU, the second in a line of Clone Wars adult novels. This paperback, set for a March 2004 release, features Jedi Master Shaak Ti trying to liberate slaves on the namesake planet. Click here to check out the summary and cover art. Our timeline has been updated with this new cover.

Secondly, with Comic-Con 2003 underway, Dark Horse Comics has announced they will be adapting the upcoming Clone Wars Animated Series into comic book format. What's even cooler is we got a sneak peek at the art from the adaptation. Head here to check it out. Our timeline has been updated to include this new art.

Also included in the above Starwars.com update was sketch art from the CWAS creators. If I'm reading the update correctly, fans that visited the Cartoon Network booth got a booklet with the art. Hey, I'm not able to attend Comic-Con this year, but I would love to check out the booklet. If you're a fan of this site and happened to pick up 2 of them, would you be so kind as to mail me one? Please? obgates@galacticsente.com :D

Finally, the lucky people that attended CCSD 2003 got a glimpse at the first episode of the CWAS. Starwars.com describes the episode:

The episode introduces the major players and their motivations in the Clone War through a thrilling montage of Republic versus Separatist action, featuring Yoda, Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Chancellor Palpatine, Kit Fisto, Count Dooku and others, ending with an emotional encounter between estranged lovers Anakin and Padmé.

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The first in a pair of LEGACY OF THE JEDI books by Jude Watson has started hitting book stores.

The novel has 204 pages total with 27 chapters. It is divided into 4 sections, each approximately 50 pages, about a different Master/Padawan combination.

Here's the text description from the inside cover:

FOUR GENERATIONS OF JEDI.

ONE COMMON ENEMY.

The Jedi Temple of secrets and trust.  Inside it's walls a legacy is passed down from generation to generation of peace, justice, and strength.  But that legacy can be broken.  Sometimes the greatest enemies rise from within....

Lorian Nod is a promising Jedi apprentice.  A Padawan named Dooku is his best friend.  Under the watchful eye of Yoda, they are preparing to become Jedi Knights.  Dooku knows their fate is intertwined...yet he is not prepared for a turn of events that reveals the darkside to him for the first time.

Years later, Dooku is a Jedi Master and Lorian Nod is a pirating outcast.  With an unforeseen desire for revenge, Dooku works to thwart his former friend - even if it means crossing his own apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn....

When Qui-Gon himself becomes a Jedi Master, the specter of Lorian Nod still looms.  As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan Kenobi struggle to find their place as Master and Padawan, they must work together to prevent an interplanetary threat - and to outwit a very familiar enemy....

During the Clone Wars, Lorian Nod wants to play a pivotal role as the Republic battles to keep hold of a strategic planet.  On one side, Obi-Wan and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, must decide whether they can trust such an infamous figure.   On the other side, the now compromised Count Dooku has a score to settle with his old nemesis....

Check out the Mission to Null for more info. Read our review of the novel here.

Got news or questions? E-mail us at Clonewars@starwarz.com. Discuss these stories at The Galactic Senate.

Starwars.com posted this news article regarding free Clone Wars Animated Series posters to be given away to HYPERSPACE members at ComicCon San Deigo 2003. LucasOnline will have a both where Hyperspace members can swing by with the appropriate credentials (explained in the article) to get the free goods.

In related news, TF.N posted info on the Clone Wars Animated Series. Zap2It.com reports that reporters at the TV Critics Association got a preview of the first episode of the Clone Wars cartoon--those lucky reporters! Check out the full article here.

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Best-selling author Michael A. Stackpole was one of the writers of the fan favorite X-WING Series.  He also wrote I, JEDI and the New Jedi Order duology, DARK TIDE I: ONSLAUGHT and DARK TIDE II: RUIN.  More recently, he penned the a Clone Wars short story for Star Wars Insider entitled ELUSION ILLUSION, featuring Jedi Knight Aayla Secura.

Read the interview conducted by Andrew Liptak here.  Check back for Part 2 of this interview coming soon!

UPDATE: Jedinet (story 1 and story 2) and TF.N have posted news stories on this interview.

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Elizabeth Hand, author of BOBA FETT #3: MAZE OF DECEPTION and BOBA FETT #4: HUNTED will be taking fans questions until July 10th. Head to Starwarskids.com for more details.

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Star Wars Insider #69 started shipping to subscribers the other day. In it was some terrific Clone Wars materials:

First off, there was a timeline included in the issue that cleared up the placement of THE NEW DROID ARMY. It is now placed at Month 10 ABOG to coincide with Wat Tambor's rescue in Month 11 ABOG.

Next, included in the timeline were three NEW short stories by fan favorite authorsJude Watson, Timothy Zahn, and Matthew Stover:

The Storm Fleet Destroyers - "Storm Fleet Warnings" by Jude Watson
4 Months After The Battle Of Geonosis

The Fortress Of Axion - "Duel" by Timothy Zahn
4 Months After The Battle Of Geonosis

The Haruun Kal Crisis - "Equipment" by Matthew Stover
6 Months After The Battle Of Geonosis

These tales will be published in a booklet to be packaged with various Clone Wars vehicles from Hasbro this fall. However, while browsing this morning, a friend alerted me to a press release on Paizo Publishing's Official Site dated July 2, 2003. It had a picture of the short story collection cover as well as more info on the stories themselves. Interestingly enough, the entire collection was available for download in .pdf format! These stories aren't supposed to be available until August's release of the Clone Wars Vehicle line and at couple of conventions this summer (San Diego Comic Con and Wizard World Chicago). I suppose word of this got to the higher-ups and the file is no longer available for download at that site. I was lucky enough to get it before it was taken off!

We've since updated our site with summaries of each of the stories (The Battle of the Llon Nebulae, The Battle of Axion, and The Battle of Haruun Kal) and included them in our ever-growing Clone Wars Timeline.

Got news or questions? E-mail us at Clonewars@starwarz.com. Discuss these stories at The Galactic Senate.

Starwars.com updated with comics for October. Included were JEDI: DOOKU and REPUBLIC #59: ENEMY LINES featuring a confrontation with Anakin Skywalker and A'Sharad Hett!

Starwars.com updated back in June with comics for September. I forgot to mention that STAR WARS TALES #17 will feature all dark side users, including Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress! It didn't say if the story will be during the Clone Wars, but we can probably assume it will be.

Finally, Dark Horse Comics updated with a new August 6 release date for JEDI: AAYLA SECURA. That's cool considering the quality of the JEDI series thus far! Plus, we can wait for Aayla vs. Aurra!

Got news or questions? E-mail us at Clonewars@starwarz.com. Discuss these stories at The Galactic Senate.