Starwars.com has updated with a look at the General as well as some info about him from Producer Rick McCallum. Head over here to read the report. Also be sure to check out their new interview with Genndy Tartakovsky here.

 

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We got a bunch of new to share with you today, and I'm feeling a slight bit lazy, so I'm going to deliver all the goods in this one report. First up, Lucasarts has updated with a bunch of new Republic Commando goodies, including a an outline of the game's plot and specs, as well as some new screenshots and concept art. Head on over here to check that out. Also, check out this new press release on Republic Commando, alot of cool info in there, including a confirmation of the new Episode 3 bad guy: General Grievous! In other news, Lucasarts has also updated with some new images from Star Wars: Battlefront. You can read all about that here. Next up, Darkhorse comics has posted a brand new interview with Hayden Blackman on their websitem, concerning the upcoming Clone Wars Adventures TPB. You can check that out by going here. The Clone Wars Adventures TPB is based off of the hit Clone Wars cartoon shorts, check out Starwars.com's update on Clone Wars Adventures here. Republic #61 will be available very soon, and Darkhorse Comics has updated their profile of the comic, including a better look at the cover. And you can view that here. And that about does it for todays new round up. If you got any more Clone Wars News, send it in to clonewars@starwarz.com!!! Discuss the Clone Wars and more at the Starwarz.com message boards!!

 

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Rebelscum posted info on a couple of upcoming Clone Wars comic book releases from Dark Hore. First is a DOUBLE-SIZED, 96 page trade paperback of the Clone Wars Adventures! This story picks up where season 1 of Star Wars: Clone Wars, the epic micro-series left off. Obi-Wan and Anakin are on planet Nivek battling a mysterious new force, Mace Windu and Saesee Tiin continue an assult on some deadly battle droids, and Kit Fisto continues to fight on Mon Calamari. This comic is illustrated in the same style that the cartoon is drawn and is helmed by Haden Blackman, Ben Caldwell, Matt and Shawn Fillbach (no Brian Ching?). Expect this to arrive June 23, 2004 with a retail price of ONLY $6.95. We will post more info on this comic as it becomes available. Next is Republic #65 by the John Ostrander and Jan Duursema team. In response to the bounty that has been put on the Jedi (by Asajj Ventress), Mace Windu and a team of Jedi go directly to the Bounty Hunters Guild to explain why attacking a Jedi is a very bad idea. Expect this one to ship on May 26, 2004 retailing at the regular $2.99 price. No cover as of yet but we will keep you posted.

 

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***Warning there's a major Episode 3 spoiler below*** We knew when we read the synopsis for Boba Fett #5: A New Threat that the new Episode IIIbad guy General Grievous would make an appearance, and now we know how he looks thanks to this image on the cover. Starwars.com describes the story within: Young Boba Fett's next target is Wat Tambor, Foreman of the Techno Union, on the planet Xagobah. There, Fett discoveres a powerful new threat to the Republic. Boba Fett #5: A New Threat, by Elizabeth Hand, will be released in March 2004 published by Scholastic, Inc.

 

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Foreign gaming site, Gamedox, has obtained seven NEW screen shots from the game Republic Commando. Check those out HERE. GMR Magazine will be featuring Republic Commando in their March issue, with a blurb here, and a cool cover. Finally, TFN posted info that PC Gamer ran in its latest issue. Republic Commando is described as being the HALO of Star Wars, so fan anticipation is high! Pick up PC Gamer on newsstands now. Republic Commando is scheduled for release later this year. Thanks to Jedi Andy for the report!

 

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An inside source has provided us with summaries for the first 5 episodes of season 2 of Star Wars: Clone Wars. Beware of spoilers below: Episode 11 It starts right where 10 left off in space. Anakin and Asajj are in a wicked dog fight in space with their trigger fingers going crazy. There is one scene when Anakin targets her and says the famous line " I have you know ", just like Vader in ANH. They descend to Munilist and start flying through the city blasting at each other and whipping around buildings. They fly right over Obi-Wan and his troops almost smoking all of them. Obi tells Anakin to leave the fight because he is being "bated" by the mystery pilot. Anakin refuses and goes off to catch Asajj as she goes into hyperspace. Obi says that he has a "bad feeling about this" and sends a bunch of his troops after them. The episode ends with the troops taking off into space. Episode 12 This episodes starts a new story. A young boy runs across the plain to watch a huge battle already in progress. Mace Windu is leading a clone army on Dantooine against Separatist droids. If I am not mistaken Mace actually says nothing the entire episode, but he kicks major droid ass and his lightsaber skills are awesome. The Separatist army has a new weapon--a huge stamping machine. It looms over the battle field and crushes thousand of troops in one stomp. This stomp is a really cool effect which causes a large tidal wave on the battle field. Episode 13 Due to the tidal wave Mace loses his lightsaber and must fight hand to hand with the driods. Mace seems to have a Force-crush of some kind that can rip the droids apart. He also uses his fist and kidney punches battle droids until they burst. The coolest effect is Mace using the Force to pull all of the bolts out of a droid, and then use them as projectiles (like bullets) against other droids. Meanwhile, the Stomping machine starts up again and another tidal wave shakes things up. While he is being tossed around, Mace sees his lightsaber and Force-grabs it. He then flies up into the stomping ship and proceeds lay waste to it. The episode ends with Mace leaping over to where the boy is standing. The boy looks up at Mace with awe and hands him his canteen. Mace takes a swig and goes of into the sunset. Episode 14 Luminara Unduli and her padawan Barriss Offee are on the snow covered planet Ilum. They are in a dark cave filled with crystals. They are using these crystals to assemble a lightsaber for Barriss Offee. A ship crashes into a snow bank and out pops a spider-like battle droid (not the same one that was in ATOC, but a new kind). The droids start an attack on the cave to destroy the crystals, but the two Jedi are quick to defend it. A battle begins between the Jedi and the doirds. Lumiara and Barriss fight in tandem and it is pretty neat. The droids also have cloaking devices that they use to ambush the two Jedi. The episode ends with Lumiara and Barriss trapped under a pile of rocks awaiting help. Episode 15 Yoda is for some reason on Amidala's ship meditating when he senses that Luminara and Barriss are in trouble. Using a Jedi mind trick, he gets Captain Typho to persuade Padmè to take them to Ilum. Once they land, Yoda tells Padmè to stay with the ship, and of course Padmè is wearing a hot little snow suit. On his way to the crystal cave, Yoda is attacked by the battle droids form the previous episode. Using his speed and the Force, he manages to destroy all of the droids by causing an avalanche that crushes them and then makes his way to the cave.

 

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Starwars.com announced that a new Clone Wars novel featuring Yoda is slated for release December of this year, written by Star Wars newcomer Sean Stewart. Here's the scoop: A battle-scarred Jedi returns from the frontlines with a surprising message for the Jedi Council -- Count Dooku wants to sue for peace. Dispatched to find out the truth behind this new development is the greatest Master of the Jedi order, Yoda. Also you collectors out there might be interested in this. Starwars.com also announced a new Clone Wars pin set, which will soon be available from super secret online retailer. Head over here to check that out.

 

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Starwars.com announced that a new Clone Wars novel featuring Yoda is slated for release December of this year, written by Star Wars newcomer Sean Stewart. Here's the scoop: A battle-scarred Jedi returns from the frontlines with a surprising message for the Jedi Council -- Count Dooku wants to sue for peace. Dispatched to find out the truth behind this new development is the greatest Master of the Jedi order, Yoda. Also you collectors out there might be interested in this. Starwars.com also announced a new Clone Wars pin set, which will soon be available from super secret online retailer. Head over here to check that out.

 

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*WARNING the following contains possible Episode 3 spoilers* A while back we heard about a new character in Episode 3 named General Grievous in various spoiler reports. The character was accidently confirmed by starwars.com in their Clone Wars timeline, but the entry has since been removed. We also heard in various spoiler reports that Grievous will have a number of droid assassins that carry weapons capable of taking on Jedi in close combat situations (see Hyperspace's Before the Helmet: Killing Machine Accessory). On top of all of this, we've been told by different official sources that certain Episode 3 elements will be appearing in the EU this year and next, including the new baddie, Grievous. Well it appears that his henchmen might have been revealed in Republic #60. During one scene in the issue, Asajj Ventress is training with these bug-like, cloaked droids, and she commands them to surround her and attack her as if they were Jedi. By the end of the scene, Ventress has destroyed all of the droids and she says, "Hmm, still moving too slowly, Count Dooku's Engineers will need to update their programming." They sport a very interesting weapon which seems to be made for the purpose of defending against lightsaber attacks. They're also cloaked just as spoiler reports have mentioned Grievous' henchmen would be. Perhaps more importantly, Pablo Higaldo mentioned in the set diary "It's all Digital Magic" that there are new Separatist droids in Episode 3 which use these lightsaber-resistant weapons, and are also cloaked. Have a look at the picture above and decide for yourself. UPDATE: It was brought to my attention by my friend Phil Tinajero that the droids pictured above in Republic #60 resemble the ghouls from Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. I know Mr. Lucas is a fan of Ray Harryhausen, so is this an homage to him? Check out the pics below and note the similarities to the droids in Republic #60, the big eyes, the horns on top of the head, the triangular mouth, the thin body, and the four fingered hands. I don't think it's just a coincidence. It's interesting to say the least. Thanks also to Benovite for providing the first image. UPDATE #2! I asked Pablo Higaldo about this in the General Hyperspace Q&A Drop Box. My question: Is it possible that we may have seen some "Episode 3 elements" in the EU and for it to have gone by unnoticed? Answer: Yes, most definitely. Could this be one of them? :0)

 

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TUCWS has information on several upcoming Clone Wars short stories slated to be published in Star Wars Insider. First, Timothy Zahn mentioned in a recent Hyperspace chat that he's written a two-part Clone Wars tale story featuring Anakin and Obi-Wan. No word yet on which issues these stories be in, but we'll let you know as soon as we have more info. Next, Steven Barnes is writing a short story featuring Obi-Wan based on an event that happens in The Cestus Deception. If I had to guess, this story will be published in a summer issue of Star Wars Insider to coincide with the release of Cestus. Vic Wertz, associate editor of Star Wars Insider, mentioned on the starwars.com forums that Paizo had in its possession THREE unapproved manuscripts so these are probably the stories he's talking about. Stay tuned to TUCWS for more news on these stories!

 

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Dark Horse has posted yet another preview - this time of Clone Wars Volume 3: Last Stand on Jabiim. It's available this month and collects Republic issues #55-59. Click HERE to check it out!

 

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