Sometimes, it’s just one of those days: an audiobook original for Audible gets shadow dropped by Disney Lucasfilm Press, while Dark Horse announces both a Bad Batch focused miniseries for January 2025 (via Star Wars News Net), and The High Republic Adventures Annual Phase III. Audible’s Padawan’s Pride follows a young Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the early days of their training (and I’ve already listened to some of it), Clone Force 99 rides again in Hyperspace Stories – The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents, set during the Clone Wars, and the THRA Annual bring 5 stories of light and life during the era’s third Phase. Head below for all the details!
The Manor’s own Chris, thanks to a Discord chat for Youtini, was among the first who brought to Twitter’s attention the first inklings of Padawan’s Pride, a suddenly released out of nowhere Audible Original via Disney Lucasfilm Press. As Jake Bartok confirmed the artwork was his and the writer, Bryan Q. Miller (Smallville, Arrow, Shadowhunters), announced his new release dropped, Collider had an exclusive first look all queued up but seems Audible got ahead of them. Padawan’s Pride, set 3 years after The Phantom Menace, follows the early days of Anakin and Obi-Wan’s time training together, with the official blurb stating:
“Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker star in this thrilling galactic adventure set three years after the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
When a Republic spy goes missing on the Moons of Varl, the Jedi Council asks Obi-Wan and Anakin to infiltrate an underground podracing circuit run by a crime boss believed to be holding the spy prisoner. With Anakin posing as a hotshot racer and Obi-Wan as his attendant, tensions between the two threaten to run even higher than usual.
But when Obi-Wan is forced to leave Varl, Anakin is on his own as he faces a series of increasingly treacherous races that will determine his fate—and that of the spy.
Master and apprentice must use all their Jedi skills in this action-packed tale of cutthroat competition, deadly deception, and, ultimately, what it means to be a Padawan.”
Performed by Kevin Kemp, I’ve already listened to the first full chapter and have had a blast with it so far! Miller has done a great job bringing these two characters to life and Kemp keeps things lively and brings a lot to the script’s interactions, especially a rather wonderful little spat between Master and Apprentice towards the end of the opening chapter. I won’t say much more, but I liked how it shows Obi-Wan still looking into the identity of the Sith assassin who killed his Master and Anakin searching for fun in all the wrong ways that informs a scene in Attack of the Clones. I’m really looking forward to the podracing though, as it’s long overdue to make another appearance!!! I don’t have this to offer, but Star Wars Explained and Meg Dowell are offering a chance to listen to it for free via a trial link! Otherwise, I really hope this is followed closely by an e-book or script offering soon, as it wouldn’t be fair to fans who are unable to enjoy audiobooks to not release this in a format they can enjoy. You’d figure after all the feedback on previous audio originals they would maybe mention there will be a way for all fans to check this out, even if it’s 5-6 months later when an e-book would come.
As for Dark Horse’s comic news, writer Michael Moreci, who brought us IDW’s The Clone Wars: Battle Tales and later brought the Bad Batch to Hyperspace Stories last year, will be the mastermind behind Hyperspace Stories – The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents. He’s joined by Reese Hannigan on art, with Elisabetta D’Amico & Michael Atiyeh on colors and Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt lettering, while series covers are provided by Valeria “Lux” Favoccia (the one provided is still not final art, so it might change with the final release). Here’s the blurb:
The Clones of the Bad Batch have been through some intense missions throughout the Clone Wars and it’s said they have a 100% success rate. But this time, they may have met their match. In Star Wars: Hyperspace Stories: The Bad Batch: Ghost Agents, they are on a mission to hunt down the mysterious Separatist ghost agent who executed a daring heist on Coruscant! The thief’s trail leads Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, and Tech to the seediest corners of the galaxy, a place where kingpins and thugs threaten the clones’ mission—and their lives!
Fans of The Bad Batch might be a little disappointed it doesn’t take place during the events of the show or fill in some blanks before the epilogue scene in the series’ finale, but I don’t think any will complain about spending more time with these characters. Maybe if this sells well, more will come? Check out the first issue January 15, 2025!
Also out in January from Dark Horse is The High Republic Adventures Annual Phase III, which will feature fan-favorites in 5 stories from a great list of writers and artists (we don’t know who is all teamed with who and who they doing a story with yet): Writer Alyssa Wong and artist Liana Kangas have a tale about Driggit Parse; Justina Ireland and Colin Craker will of course focus on Vernestra Rwoh; other writers include Cavan Scott (probably doing a tale about Baron Boolan/H’tar, a Child of the Storm, who are both on the cover and were in his The High Republic – Phase III run), Zoraida Córdova (maybe the one about Churo the Hutt, who was just in her Beware the Nameless), and Charles Soule with daughter Rosemary Soule (like a tale about the younglings Jon, Bree, and Toko from their previous book Jedi Brave in Every Way); the other artists are Nick Brokenshire (I’m betting he’s on Scott’s tale), Andy Duggan, and Lucas Maragon, while colorist Michael Atiyeh and letterers Tyler Smith & Jimmy Betancourt. Here’s the blurb:
This anthology issue collects five tales of Republic bravery and Nihil treachery from across the galaxy! Featuring Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh, Jedi Younglings Jon, Bree, and Toko, Churo the Hutt, the sly Nihil Driggit, and the sinister Baron Boolan as they navigate the perils of the impending Battle of Eriadu! Brought to you by some of the most influential creators of the High Republic saga, including Justina Ireland, Alyssa Wong, Cavan Scott, Zoraida Córdova, and Charles and Rosemary Soule!
These are always a blast and I love 2025, and the last few months of publishing initiative, will kick-off with this, which releases January 22.
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Bluesky, Twitter @MynockManor, and Instagram @mynockmanor.