SWBC: Star Wars books for Pride Month
Plus: Star Wars books and comics coming out in June, and new photos revealed from "Ahsoka."
Star Wars book recommendations for Pride Month
Star Wars is and has always been for everyone. And Star Wars books, in particular, have starred and included a multitude of LGBTQIA+ characters.
While I am still woefully behind on the former Expanded Universe/Legends stories, the books published post-Disney purchase are increasingly becoming more diverse.
Below are some of my Star Wars book recommendations for Pride Month. If you have more suggestions — especially Legends! — share them in the comments.
The High Republic books: The High Republic books and comics are considered the most diverse publishing initiative in Star Wars. So, that means nearly every book and comic issue include at least one queer character. The three below are some of my favorites.
Midnight Horizon
Path of Deceit
Quest for Planet X
The Padme trilogy: Similarly E.K. Johnston’s Queen’s trilogy has been praised for its inclusiveness as well as its dedication to giving Padme Amidala the story she deserves. Many of her handmaidens are queer, and Queen’s Hope includes the first appearance of a transgender clone named Sister.
Queen’s Peril
Queen’s Shadow
Queen’s Hope
Jedi: Battle Scars: The release of this tie-in novel to Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor was met with criticism, but not for its queer representation. It’s revealed in the book that Merrin, a Nightsister from Dathomir, is pansexual. Battle Scars also focuses heavily on Merrin’s journey of self-discovery through her brief but passionate love affair with an Imperial defector.
Doctor Aphra: Chelli Lona Aphra has been a fan-favorite queer character since her debut nearly a decade ago. She is a messy, chaotic, disaster lesbian who (according to her father) has terrible taste in partners. But she’s also hilariously relatable, and that’s why fans continue to love her so much.
Alphabet Squadron trilogy: Most, if not all, of the major characters in the Alexander Freed-penned Alphabet Squadron trilogy are queer — with many at least heavily hinted as pansexual. All of the main characters are also morally gray and far from being considered heroes. Still, Alphabet Squadron is a vastly underrated trilogy that adds so much depth to the post-Return of the Jedi galaxy.
Aftermath trilogy: This trilogy of books by Chuck Wendig featured the first gay couple in Star Wars — Sinjir Velus and Conder Kyl. Imperial leader Rae Sloane, who is openly bisexual, also appears throughout the trilogy.
Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire: Delilah S. Dawson’s tie-in book to Galaxy’s Edge at Disney stars Vi Moradi, a canonically asexual character who actually “comes out” in her own way in the book. Vi may be one of the first aromantic, asexual Star Wars characters, but she’s not the only one — in The High Republic, Leox Gyasi and Jedi Vernestra Rwoh are both confirmed to be ace.
Ronin: The Visions novel by Emma Mieko Candon has all of its main characters being queer. The lead character, Ronin, is pansexual, at least two other characters are bisexual, there’s a nonbinary character, and there are two trans men receiving the Star Wars version of hormone replacement therapy. According to Star Wars Queers Watch, Ronin is the queerest Star Wars book yet.
What other Star Wars books and comics would you recommend for Pride Month? Share them in the comments!
Star Wars books and comics coming out this month: June 2023
My top picks for June:
Path of Vengeance audiobook (June 6)
Return of the Jedi: The Empire #1 (June 7)
Star Wars Insider #219 (June 13) — this issue has my interview with Zoraida Córdova!
The High Republic Adventures #6-8 (June 28)
The full list: Star Wars books and comics arriving in June
New photos from Ahsoka
It’s been over a decade since we were introduced to Ahsoka — Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan and one of the most beloved characters in Star Wars. Now, we’re just a couple of months away from Ahsoka the live-action show.
With the August premiere date looming, we’ve already got teasers, trailers, and first-look photos. And last week, Empire magazine share a few more exclusive photos from the series, which is set around the same time as The Mandalorian.
One of the most exciting images is the one below, showing Ahsoka and Sabine Wren in a live-action version of the final scene from Rebels.
The other image is that of an unnamed Imperial Inquisitor, which begs the question: why are there still Inquisitors post-Return of the Jedi?
The Inquisitors have popped up in several Star Wars projects — first in Rebels, then in Jedi: Fallen Order, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and in some of the comic series. But it remains to be seen who this Inquisitor is and what they’ve been up to since the destruction of the Empire and the death of their master, Darth Vader.
Read more from Empire at EmpireOnline.com.
May reading recap
Chronicles of the Jedi: An Illustrated Guide to the Galaxy’s Golden Age: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Sea of Monsters: ⭐⭐⭐
The Chimera Bounty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Dark King: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ambrosia: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Current reads
Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade: What makes a Jedi want to become an Imperial Inquisitor, tasked with hunting down their former peers and friends? Delilah S. Dawson’s new book answers that question. Pub date: July 18
Thrawn: Treason: Set during the final season of Rebels, the book forces Thrawn to choose between conflicting loyalties — to his fellow Chiss and his new allegiance to the Empire.
A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: A prequel to The Hunger Games, the novel follows the eventual President Snow as a young man before, during, and after the 10th Hunger Games. Beyond being a bit of an origin story for Snow, the book shows how and why the Hunger Games turned into a voyeuristic, sadistic reality TV show.
A Gathering of Shadows: The second book in the Shades of Magic trilogy from V.E. Schwab has pirate shenanigans, a tournament of magicians, and a dark force rising again.
I love the diversity of the canon Disney novels. 💕 I bought the Kantam Sy pride cover of Yoda #8 today! I love Kantam so much.