![]() His process and ideas behind his sketches, based off of the 5 different pitches each author made that was eventually kitbashed together into what we are reading today, show his pure instinctual connection to making something fit in the greater Saga, while shows how the groundwork he, and Phil Noto as well, laid for the later artists like Grant Griffin (who made the beautiful cover for this book!), Petur Antonsson, Jeffrey Thomas, Ario Anindito, and Harvey Tolibao, to name a few, was such a strong foundation it also helped inspire the authors in unique ways too. A lot of this comes from Iain McCaig, the renowned concept artist responsible for Padmé and Darth Maul’s looks in the prequels, who we’ve known was part of the earliest sketches and conceptualization of the era but we’ve never really heard from. While many of the early news drops and High Republic Shows contain some of the information or similar thoughts from creatives you’ll find in the book, it’s not only nice to have it all complied together like this, the amount of new reveals and details far outweighs something you’ve heard before. The art alone would make the book worthy of purchase, but it’s the insight from creatives, and the narrative Kristin weaves around it across the various sections of the book, which turn this into something truly special. Kristin Baver, the always welcoming and excited personality behind This Week! In Star Wars, wrangled together interviews with people across the planning stages of the era, as well as tons of never-before-seen art, to make The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic (Phase I) such a rewarding read. When it was finally announced, it was both a surprise and vindication, and now that it’s finally here, I’m glad to tell you it’s not only worth the wait, but it’s so much more than that. The amount of art they’ve already released for THR is exceptional, but we’ve known for some time now there is so much more, as the teams iterated and built out the look and feel of everything in the era, so the hope for an artbook, unheard of for publishing, has been enormous. Typically, the most art we get for a new book is simply the cover, maybe a variant/retail exclusive cover, and or potentially a poster, but characters are left for our imagination to fill in. ![]() ![]() The High Republic initiative is something I’ve been over the Death Star about since before it launched, and while it was mostly due to the excitement of a fresh story where publishing could run wild, not beholden to fill in blanks for a film or show, the glimpses at the artwork in news releases and the THRS show helped build my connection to the era while also revealing Lucasfilm’s commitment to this initiative. In various news releases leading up to The High Republic’s launch in 2021, and later across many delightful The High Republic Show episodes, Lucasfilm unveiled many of the finished pieces to build up hype for and broaden fans’ connection to the era. ![]() Building out such an initiative fans would enjoy via reading, not on screen or video games yet, and to help solidify the luminous authors’ visions for the era, tons of concept art was made to breathe life into story, characters, and the world of a Republic largely at peace, the Jedi at the height of their power, and those who would threaten said peace. While its story plays out in visual mediums like comics, magna, and storybooks, a large portion of The High Republic’s publishing initiative doesn’t, detailing the exploits of the Jedi and the Nihil 200 years before The Phantom Menace in various novels. The High Republic fans won’t be disappointed in the slightest! Kristin Baver has complied the most comprehensive look at the process of designing and building up The High Republic initiative with Abrams Books’ The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic (Phase I), a book brimming at the seams with never-before-seen artwork depicting the era’s conceptualization, with intriguing insights from all levels of those involved with the work.
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