📖August 'Star Wars' Releases

San Diego Comic-Con News and a New Book Excerpt!

Author

Karl Sander
July 29, 2025

Good Morning, Youtinians.  Between last week's San Diego Comic-Con and a new month of releases to look forward to, we've got an exciting update for you this week! Plus, there's a new book excerpt out on the holonet. We've got all the details, so let's dive in!

Star Wars August Releases

Image Credit: Penguin Random House/Youtini Illustration

There are so many good things coming down the Star Wars pipeline! Here are a few that we’re really looking forward to coming up in August:

  • Sanctuary: A Bad Batch Novel by Lamar Giles: This is our first adult novel tie-in for the incredible animated series, The Bad Batch.

    • This book is set after Season 2, Episode 13 of the show and will focus on the batch’s mission to help rebuild their oasis of Pabu.

    • Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, and Omega follow Phee Genoa’s lead (for better or worse) to acquire some much-needed resources for the island planet.

    • We don’t have long to wait for this one as it comes out on August 5th!

  • The Art of Star Wars: Outlaws by Dark Horse Books: This art reference book is perfect for anyone who enjoys the game!

    • The Art of Star Wars: Outlaws features concept art and creator commentary from the game, and if the cover is any indicator, the concept art will be well worth the price.

    • Star Wars: Outlaws came out last year and follows Kay Vess as she travels the galaxy during the Imperial era, hoping to get by and perhaps escape her past.

    • You can find this one at your local bookstore on August 19th!

  • Modern Era Epic Collection: Kanan: The Last Padawan by Greg Weisman, Jacopo Camagn, and Andrea Broccardo: A new collection of the incredible comic series, Kanan: The Last Padawan.

    • In keeping with our animated series tie-ins next month, we also have this new collection of Kanan: The Last Padawan to look forward to.

    • This comic tells the story of how Caleb Dume became the Kanan Jarrus we know and love from Rebels. If you are a Rebels fan, this 12-issue comic is definitely worth your time.

    • Be on the lookout for this collection at your local comic shop on August 26th!

We're all fine here now — how are you? These are just a few Star Wars reads we can’t wait to check out next month. Check out the Youtini Canon Book Club podcast for Emmi, Hannah, and JG’s thoughts on next month’s books and The Cosmic Force podcast for Caleb, Oz, and Jacob’s takes on next month’s comics!

Star Wars News From San Diego Comic-Con

Image Credit: Lucasfilm/Youtini Illustration

A new image from Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord was just the beginning at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. A convention is never just a convention when George Lucas makes an appearance, AND at SDCC, he did just that!

So, let’s break down the key takeaways from just a few days in San Diego:

Thank The Maker

Yes, George Lucas made his first-ever appearance at an SDCC (dang it… should have gone!), where the crowd received him with a thunderous standing ovation.

  • He focused on the upcoming opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open its doors to fans in LA in 2026.

  • Lucas spoke about amassing more than 40,000 pieces of art over the past 50 years and how he cannot wait for it to have one special place to call home.

LEGO Does It Again

They have done it AGAIN! For the third Dispatch in a row, my friends, LEGO has come out swinging with FIVE new sets to add to our ridiculously MASSIVE Star Wars collections!

Hasbro News

LEGO had plenty of company in terms of big announcements! Hasbro unveiled several new figures, and oh, my oh my, these are CLASSICS!

In their Star Wars The Black Series line, Hasbro announced:

  • Darth Sidious and Mace Windu - Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith duel

  • Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker - Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back duel

  • Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex

  • Jango Fett and Asajj Ventress

  • The Stranger (Qimir)

But that's not all. In the Star Wars The Vintage Collection, Hasbro announced

  • Han Solo and Chewbacca

  • Force Spirits Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Anakin Skywalker

  • Imperial Shock Trooper

Additionally, we learned that the latest HasLab project is the LAAT/i Republic Gunship, which you can support until September 8th, with a planned release in Fall 2026

The Lucasfilm Publishing News

Always providing awesome reveals and new stories, Lucasfilm’s Michael Siglain hosted a panel full of amazing announcements:

  • The Finale covers of Marvel’s Star Wars: The High Republic comic

  • The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic Volume II cover

  • Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures - The Training Sessions cover

  • The Art of The Acolyte

  • Tales from the Nightlands, a comic from Dark Horse Comics

  • Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: Grievous cover

  • ILM 50th Anniversary book

  • Star Wars: The Mandalorian Visual Guide cover

  • Star Wars: You’re My Little Grogu cover

  • Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch covers

  • Comic reveals from Doctor Aphra, Legacy of Vader, and Star Wars: Jedi Knights.

  • Star Wars: Outlaws is back with Low Red Moon by Mike Chen!

We hope we’re all fine here — how are you! After all that exciting news, let’s take one GIGANTIC breath together. Star Wars went next-level at SDCC, and we have to digest this Bantha burger!! We'll have all the news analyzed and dissected on The Youtini Show and in articles on Youtini.com. And be sure to jump on Discord, where we can’t wait to hear what you think about these news drops!

Kobo Releases Crystal Crown Excerpt

Image Credit: Penguin Random House/Youtini Illustration

Tessa Gratton has penned some of our favorite High Republic stories. Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown looks like it will be no exception, with the highly anticipated return of some of our favorite characters from The Acolyte. 

Well, if you want a sneak preview of this amazing new journey, then you're in luck. Kobo's UK website has an exclusive excerpt that sheds some light on what promises to be an awesome story!

What’s in the Excerpt:

  • The excerpt includes the title page and the entire first three chapters!

  • Yord, Jecki, and their respective Masters embark on a mission investigating hypermatter fuels, and the two Padawans discover they have more in common than they first believed.

Key Takeaways:

  • Even though the e-book isn’t available from Kobo in the US, American readers can still access the excerpt. Visit the UK Kobo site, then click on the ‘Preview Now’ text directly below the image of the cover. You may need to adjust the font size or screen resolution (as your humble editor learned after much vexation with the Trials of the Jedi excerpt).

  • While the excerpt has a few tantalizing teases, you'll have to wait for the full-length book for the big reveals. That means you can enjoy the excerpt without fear of major spoilers.

We’re all fine here now — how are you? This is the second little gem from Kobo, and don’t we love it when we can delve just a moment into an exciting new tome before anyone else? Brace yourselves for the return to The Acolyte timeline. Are you excited about Jecki and Yord returning? Jump onto Discord and tell us your thoughts.

🛰️ In the Youtiniverse

🎙️ On this week's episode of The Cosmic Force, the crew breaks down Doctor Aphra — Chaos Agent #2.

✏️ Eric takes you behind the scenes at Inkstone Books for a fascinating look at how they've revolutionized the world of Star Wars special edition books.

✏️ Speaking of behind the scenes, Sam lifts the curtain on all the hard work and collaboration that went into creating Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

🧭 Smuggler’s Finds

Fresh Star Wars treasures, hand-picked by the Youtini crew.

  • Get your youngling or Padawan ready for school (or get yourself something sharp for your next adventure!) with this Star Wars backpack! In addition to the classic wordmark, it sports an all-over print featuring some of the franchise's most iconic characters. It also has a comfort strap for everyday wear and compartments to keep everything organized.

  • Whether it's the Dune Sea on Tatooine or summertime here on Earth, you need to stay hydrated! Do it in style with this lightsaber water bottle that pairs the iconic look of a Jedi's weapon with unmistakable sound effects. A wrist strap makes it easy to carry and hold, while a push-button opens the top, just like you'd activate your blade! Available in both red and blue, so you can stay refreshed no matter which side of the Force calls to you.

  • One of the things that makes the Star Wars universe so epic is its assortment of memorable alien animals! Learn about them all, and enjoy stunning artistic depictions of them, in the richly illustrated Star Wars Beastiary, Volume 1. And if you haven't seen it already, be sure to check out Anthony's review!

📆 Releasing This Week

  • July 29

    • The Acolyte: Crystal Crown by Tessa Gratton. While their Masters clean up a political mess left behind by one of their own, Padawans Jecki and Yord are drawn into a planet-wide coming-of-age ritual as featured guests. When the final event is interrupted, they'll have to use all of their abilities and work together to keep each other and their new friends safe from danger.

    • The Star Wars Archives: Episodes I-VI by Paul Duncan. This volume combines two earlier separate releases covering the Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy. The book features script pages, concept art, storyboards, on-set photography, and more.

  • July 130

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