The Star Wars Adventure Journal, alternatively styled as The Official Star Wars Adventure Journal, was published by West End Games between the years 1994 and 1997. Fifteen issues were printed, containing short stories by both well-known and relatively unknown Star Wars authors; adventures and source material for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game; Galaxywide NewsNets, in-universe news reports from throughout the galaxy; interviews with personalities from all walks of Star Wars literature; and reviews of new and upcoming Star Wars products.
The Adventure Journals were discontinued following the publication of number fifteen, when financial problems forced West End Games to give up the license to publish further Star Wars material.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 1 was the first issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in February of 1994. It contained short stories such as First Contact written by Timothy Zahn, which was later reprinted in the short-story anthology Tales from the Empire; Escape from Balis-Baurgh written by Paul Balsamo; and Breaking Free written by Dave Marron. Complementing the short stories was a series of articles written by a wide variety of individuals, including the first Adventure Journal appearance of Wanted by Cracken by Thomas Woods. Issue one was edited by Peter Schweighofer.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 2 was the second issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in May 1994. Along with the short stories compiled, including Whispers in the Dark by Charlene Newcomb, Adventure Journal 2 is noteworthy for a series of articles and interviews. Among those included were You're in the Army Now! by James Cambias and Making Star Wars Comics Come Alive, which was an interview conducted by Ilene Rosenberg with author Tom Veitch.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 3 was the third issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in August 1994. Adventure Journal 3 collected various short stories by authors Charlene Newcomb, Patricia A. Jackson, and Dave Marron, among others. Likewise, these short stories were illustrated by various artists, including Mike Vilardi, a veteran West End Games artist. Among the articles included was the continuation of Wanted by Cracken, begun in Adventure Journal 1, and Drawing A Daily Diet of Star Wars Comics, which was written by Ilene Rosenberg.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 4 was the fourth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in November 1994. Adventure Journal 4 is notable for containing an original short story written for the Journal by author Kathy Tyers, author of The Truce at Bakura. To complement Tyers' short story, Ilene Rosenberg included an interview conducted by herself with Tyers, revolving around Tyers' conception and production of The Truce at Bakura. Among the other additions to Adventure Journal 4 was the continuation of Wanted by Cracken, and It's a Gambler's Life written by Anthony P. Russo, which detailed the gambling character for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 5 was the fifth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in February 1995. It contained a number of short stories, including Turning Point by Charlene Newcomb and Vengeance Strike by Peter Schweighofer. Among the articles collected for this issue were A Buyer's Guide to Alternative Starships, which detailed several new starships, and Smugglers of the Outer Rim written by Doug Shuler. Adventure Journal 5 was edited by Peter Schweighofer.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 6 was the sixth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in May 1995. Adventure Journal 6 collected various articles, including "Relic," an adventure centered on the Dark Jedi Durrei, written by George R. Strayton and illustrated by Doug Shuler. Also included in this issue were a number of short stories, such To Fight Another Day, written by Kathy Tyers and illustrated by Mike Vilardi, and Rendezvous with Destiny by Charlene Newcomb.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 7 was the seventh issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in August 1995. Adventure Journal 7 is notable for several role playing articles, including Cracken's Rebel Operatives which was written by Timothy O'Brien and illustrated by Scott Neely, and The Kaal Connection, co-authored by Peter Schweighofer and Timothy Zahn. Likewise, collected in this issue was an interview conducted by Ilene Rosenberg entitled The Adventures of Rogue Squadron. This Journal was also the first appearance of Corran Horn.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 8 was the eighth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in November 1995. Unlike previous issues, whose covers showed scenes from the universe of Star Wars, Adventure Journal 8s cover depicted the character of Yoda dressed up like Santa Claus, a popular winter figure. Among the articles included in this issue were The Gree Enclave by Timothy S. O'Brien, and Counterstrike by George R. Strayton. Likewise, Adventure Journal 8 is notable for the first publication of the short stories Uhl Eharl Khoehng, written by Patricia A. Jackson, which was later reprinted in the short-story anthology Tales from the New Republic, and A Certain Point of View and *Blaze of Glory, both of which were later reprinted in the short-story anthology Tales from the Empire.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 9 was the ninth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in February 1996. Adventure Journal 9 collected several short stories, including Slaying Dragons, a story which takes place just after the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, written by Angela Phillips. The short story was later reprinted in the short-story anthology Tales from the Empire. Journal 9 also collected various articles for use with the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, such as Fizzi's Slightly Used Starships by John J. Richardson III, which details several starships from the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 10 was the tenth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in May 1996. Adventure Journal 10 witnessed the return of veteran Star Wars author Kathy Tyers, who contributed the short story Only Droids Serve the Maker. Among the other collected short stories were Desperate Measures by Carolyn Golledge, and The Capture of Imperial Hazard by Nora Mayers. Like the other Adventure Journals in previous years, Adventure Journal 10 collected roleplaying articles, such as A Free-Trader's Guide to the Planets, which details a number of planets.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 11 was the eleventh issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in November 1996. Adventure Journal 11 is notable for the fact that, unlike previous Adventure Journal issues, it collected a comic-strip along with the usual selection of short stories and game articles. The comic strip was entitled Bungo n' Rusti Get Carry-Out, and was written by author Jim Anderson. Among the articles included was Alien Encounters, written by Timothy S. O'Brien, which detailed various aliens, providing background information and game stats for use with the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 12 was the twelfth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in February 1997. Adventure Journal 12 is notable for collecting the first two parts of the short story Side Trip, written by authors Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole, respectively. The short story was later reprinted in the short-story anthology Tales from the Empire. Side Trip revolved around a character claiming to be the bounty hunter Jodo Kast, and the father-son team of Hal and Corran Horn. Adventure Journal 12 is also noteworthy for being the first Adventure Journal to collect an article by author Pablo Hidalgo, who would go on to become a successful contributor to the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 13 was the thirteenth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in May 1997. This issue collected various articles for the Star Wars roleplaying game, including Special Ops: Ship Jackers, co-authored by John Beyer and Kathy Burdette, and Scouts' Dispatch by Peter Woodworth. Adventure Journal 13 also collected the final two parts of the short story Side Trip, with part three being written by Timothy Zahn and part four being authored by Michael A. Stackpole. The short story was later collected in the short-story anthology Tales from the Empire.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 14 was the fourteenth issue of the Adventure Journal and was published in August 1997. Adventure Journal 14 is notable for collecting an original short story Murder in Slushtime, written by Barbara Hambly, who was the author of two Star Wars novels centered on the character of Callista Ming. Murder in Slushtime continued the story of Callista, a former Jedi who could no longer touch the Force. Among the other pieces collected in Adventure Journal 14 were the articles Special Ops: Drop Points and From the Files of Corellia Antilles.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 15 was the fifteenth and final issue published of the Adventure Journal. It was published in November 1997. Unique to Adventure Journal 15 was the work of author Kevin J. Anderson, author of The Jedi Academy Trilogy and various Tales of the Jedi comics. Anderson's short story for Adventure Journal 15 was entitled Firestorm and centered on Tionne and Luke Skywalker. Journal 15 also collected various roleplaying game articles, including Special Military Unit Intelligence Update by Timothy O'Brien, which provided updates on several military units which had been introduced in earlier West End Games products.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 16 was the first cancelled issue of the Adventure Journal, following financial difficulties by West End Games. It was set to collect various short stories, including Credit Denied by George R. Strayton, and Gathering Shadows by Kathy Burdette. Gathering Shadows was later printed in the short-story anthology Tales from the New Republic.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 17 was the second cancelled issue of the Adventure Journal, following financial difficulties by West End Games. Adventure Journal 17 was meant to contain several short stories, including Jade Solitaire, written by Timothy Zahn, which told the story of how Mara Jade acquired her ship Jade's Fire. Also slated to be included was the short story Love Is a Warm Blaster, which was eventually released on the internet.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 18 was the third, and final, known cancelled issue of the Adventure Journal, following financial difficulties by West End Games.
A number of articles destined for the Adventure Journal were as yet unpublished when West End Games canceled the Journal.
- Creatures of Kashyyyk
- "Star Wars Publications Timeline" — Star Wars Insider 23
- "Assignment: Decoy" — Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 7
- The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire