Facts before commentary. IESB reports that another STAR WARS cartoon is on track to join CLONE WARS. This one, however, with the working title “Squishies” will be based on the Galactic Heroes toyline and, thus, directed at the wee ones in the Pre-K department. Those are the facts. It'll be based on these... Basically the fourth prequel. Considering that this isn’t aimed at guys my age, nor do I have any kids, odds are I won’t be checking it out. I do find this announcement funny for a number of reasons, although probably not the reasons you’re expecting. First, I was (GASP! SHOCK!) huge fan of the prequels and remember feeling a mildly-upsetting sense of finality while walking out of REVENGE OF THE SITH in 2005. After six plus years of rumors and anticipation, it was kind of crazy to wrap my hand around the notion that that was it, especially in this business of indefinitely-continuing franchises. That’s the last time you’ll ever see a new STAR WARS movie in theaters.
"If it's successful..." Cut to summer 2008 and I’m watching the CLONE WARS movie in a theater, realizing that there’s no such thing as “never” in entertainment. Sure, it wasn’t exactly the same thing, but nevertheless, here was a new STAR WARS movie, coming out on roughly the same three-year release schedule I’d gotten used to. Then at the end of last year, after seeing the sheer number of kids scooping up SW toys while I was Christmas shopping for my nieces, I became abundantly aware that this franchise isn’t going anywhere. We’ve already got the CLONE WARS toon that’s a big hit and we're just waiting until that live-action show comes out after what’s seemed like 20 years.
I always find it amusing that Lucas qualifies his statements about the prospect of future SW shows by saying they’ll do more if these are successful. Yeah, if they’re successful. Like that really is in question.
-- Tom Pinchuk is the writer of UNIMAGINABLE for Arcana Comics and HYBRID BASTARDS! for Archaia. Watch out for the HYBRID BASTARDS! hardcover collection this March - - available for pre-order now on Amazon.com.
