Universe Expanded: Star Wars Book Pages in Progress

Yesterday I shared a screenshot of my experimentation with the design for a book devoted to the Kenner 1998 Star Wars Expanded Universe subline of toys ((Amazon.com search*). That screenshot was actually snapped a few days ago, before my trip to NYC, and since that time I’ve made significant progress on the book’s rough design. At the moment about 50 of the 80 pages are blocked in, and I’m almost at the stage where it’s time to start opening every single package so that the toys can be photographed.

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My very first thought as I assembled the complete collection of 1998 Expanded Universe toys was to post reviews here at battlegrip.com. BUT, as I’ve mentioned before, posting reviews to the site puts them at risk if anything were to ever take the entire site down. So I quickly settled on a plan to instead create a book about the subline. I can post the book as a free PDF and then run a Kickstarter project to try and bring this to life. That both contributes the material to the internet and gives those of us who prefer printed pages a chance at the work in a more permanent format. Hopefully there are enough people out there who love printed pages that the book can come to life.

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10 thoughts on “Universe Expanded: Star Wars Book Pages in Progress

  1. I’m all in for a hard copy of the book, Phil. I just my two books in the mail over the weekend and they are GORGEOUS!

    By the way, have you considered adding in the Shadows of the Empire figures from 1996? Of course, I think you should take your love of minirigs and do a book on earlier Star Wars figures that weren’t in the films: Minirigs, the cruise missle trooper, and the POT2 Kenner deluxe figures. That’s be an interesting look at those Star Wars toys that appeared “just off camera.”

    1. @Barbecue17 – I keep thinking I want to keep this very focused. Shadows of the Empire may make its own book in the future. Sticking to a narrow focus means more room for each toy.

      And yes, something with Mini-Rigs will happen one day.

  2. I just got my books from you too, and I would gladly back another one. I don’t even think I looked at the PDF versions. Something like this, it just feels better to be able to hold it in your hands.

    Was the Shadows of the Empire line extensive enough for its own book? I remember it being a rather small subset.

    1. @Stunt Zombie – Glad you like them!

      I think Shadows of the Empire is large enough. 5 figures, 2 double figure sets, and three vehicles. I can definitely get 64 pages out of that.

    2. If you covered the Galoob Micro Machines and Action Fleet releases and the applause vinyls, you’d definitely have a decent amount for a book. Hasbro released… I want to say five basic figures, two two-packs, the Swoop with rider, and the outrider. That’s more than the Expanded Universe line.

      1. @Barbecue17 – I’m pretty confident that Shadows of the Empire 3.75-inch scale figures and vehicles alone is plenty for a nice book. Slave 1 was also a part of that subline at first.

        SOTE had a total of ten action figures and three vehicles.

        EU had a total of twelve action figures and three vehicles.

  3. I don’t think there should be any issues with the .pdf version interfering with actual book sales. Especially now that you have a couple of successful books under your name; people know what to expect in terms of product.

    Hell, the only reason I’m big on .pdf versions is because I live in Korea. Otherwise I’d be all over the physical books too!

    1. @ShenaniTims – Thanks! Part of my thinking behind releasing the PDF for free is that it makes this more likely to be a kept and references resource for many years to come. The research value of the title increases if the PDF can be shared and save free of charge.

      The hardcover book is for people like me who love to hold a finished book.

  4. My problem with PDF’s is that I either have to sit at my computer and read it, or I have to use my Kindle Fire. Neither one is ideal, and it’s especially annoying on the Fire. Anything other than regular plain text books never seems to fit right. Forget even trying to read it on my S4.

    So I’ll gladly spring for a hard copy that I can hold.

    1. @Stunt Zombie – I’m okay with PDFs on my iPad or iPhone for flights, but in the end I prefer a printed book. Just feels better in my hands and is overall more enjoyable.

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