The Star Wars Adventure Journal
From 1994 to 1997, The Official Star Wars Adventure Journal, also known as the Star Wars Adventure Journal, was released by West End Games. There were fifteen editions in total; they included short stories from both famous and lesser-known Star Wars writers, adventures and source information for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, in-universe news reports called Galaxywide NewsNets from all over the galaxy, interviews with people from all areas of Star Wars literature, and evaluations of new and forthcoming Star Wars products.
After the fifteenth issue was released, the Adventure Journal series came to an end when financial difficulties forced West End Games to relinquish its license to publish further Star Wars content.
The Adventure Journal series began with Star Wars Adventure Journal 1, which was released in February of 1994. It featured short stories like First Contact by Timothy Zahn, which was later included in the Tales from the Empire anthology of short stories; Escape from Balis-Baurgh by Paul Balsamo; and Breaking Free by Dave Marron. Accompanying the short stories were a number of articles written by various people, including the debut of Wanted by Cracken by Thomas Woods in the Adventure Journal. Peter Schweighofer served as the editor for the first issue.
The second issue of the Adventure Journal, Star Wars Adventure Journal 2, was made available in May 1994. Adventure Journal 2 is notable for its collection of articles and interviews, in addition to the compiled short stories, such as Whispers in the Dark by Charlene Newcomb. Among the featured items were You're in the Army Now! by James Cambias and Making Star Wars Comics Come Alive, an interview with Tom Veitch conducted by Ilene Rosenberg.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 3, the third edition of the Adventure Journal, was released in August 1994. Adventure Journal 3 included a variety of short stories by authors such as Charlene Newcomb, Patricia A. Jackson, and Dave Marron. Similarly, these short stories were illustrated by a number of artists, including Mike Vilardi, a seasoned West End Games artist. Among the articles featured were the continuation of Wanted by Cracken, which began in Adventure Journal 1, and Drawing A Daily Diet of Star Wars Comics, which was written by Ilene Rosenberg.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 4, which came out in November 1994, was the fourth edition of the Adventure Journal. Adventure Journal 4 stands out because it features an original short story written specifically for the Journal by Kathy Tyers, the author of The Truce at Bakura. Ilene Rosenberg also included an interview she had with Tyers to go along with Tyers' short story, which focused on Tyers' conceptualization and production of The Truce at Bakura. Adventure Journal 4 also included Wanted by Cracken and It's a Gambler's Life by Anthony P. Russo, which provided details on the gambling character for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.
The fifth issue of the Adventure Journal, Star Wars Adventure Journal 5, was released in February 1995. It included a number of short stories, such as Charlene Newcomb's Turning Point and Peter Schweighofer's Vengeance Strike. Among the articles gathered for this issue were A Buyer's Guide to Alternative Starships, which went into detail about a number of new starships, and Smugglers of the Outer Rim by Doug Shuler. Peter Schweighofer was the editor of Adventure Journal 5.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 6, the sixth issue of the Adventure Journal, was released in May 1995. Adventure Journal 6 featured a variety of articles, including "Relic," an adventure by George R. Strayton that was centered on the Dark Jedi Durrei and illustrated by Doug Shuler. A number of short stories were also included in this issue, including To Fight Another Day by Kathy Tyers, illustrated by Mike Vilardi, and Rendezvous with Destiny by Charlene Newcomb.
The seventh issue of the Adventure Journal, Star Wars Adventure Journal 7, was released in August 1995. Adventure Journal 7 is well-known for its numerous role-playing articles, including Cracken's Rebel Operatives by Timothy O'Brien, illustrated by Scott Neely, and The Kaal Connection, which Peter Schweighofer and Timothy Zahn co-wrote. This issue also featured an interview with Ilene Rosenberg titled The Adventures of Rogue Squadron. The first appearance of Corran Horn was also in this Journal.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 8, the eighth issue of the Adventure Journal, was released in November 1995. Adventure Journal 8's cover featured Yoda dressed as Santa Claus, a well-known winter figure, in contrast to earlier issues, which featured scenes from the Star Wars universe. Among the articles featured in this issue were The Gree Enclave by Timothy S. O'Brien and Counterstrike by George R. Strayton. In addition, Adventure Journal 8 is notable for the initial publication of the short stories Uhl Eharl Khoehng by Patricia A. Jackson, which was later reprinted in the Tales from the New Republic anthology, and A Certain Point of View and Blaze of Glory, both of which were later reprinted in the Tales from the Empire anthology.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 9, the ninth issue of the Adventure Journal, was released in February 1996. Adventure Journal 9 featured a number of short stories, including Slaying Dragons, a story by Angela Phillips that takes place shortly after the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY. The short story was later reprinted in the Tales from the Empire anthology. Journal 9 also included a number of articles for use with the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, such as Fizzi's Slightly Used Starships by John J. Richardson III, which provided details on a number of starships from the Star Wars universe.
The tenth issue of the Adventure Journal, Star Wars Adventure Journal 10, was released in May 1996. Adventure Journal 10 marked the return of seasoned Star Wars author Kathy Tyers, who contributed the short story Only Droids Serve the Maker. Among the other short stories collected were Desperate Measures by Carolyn Golledge and The Capture of Imperial Hazard by Nora Mayers. Adventure Journal 10, like the other Adventure Journals from previous years, included roleplaying articles like A Free-Trader's Guide to the Planets, which provided details on a number of planets.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 11, the eleventh issue of the Adventure Journal, was released in November 1996. Adventure Journal 11 is noteworthy because, in contrast to earlier Adventure Journal issues, it included a comic strip in addition to the standard selection of short stories and game articles. Author Jim Anderson wrote the comic strip, which was titled Bungo n' Rusti Get Carry-Out. Among the articles featured was Alien Encounters by Timothy S. O'Brien, which provided background information and game stats for use with the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game and went into detail about a number of aliens.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 12, the twelfth issue of the Adventure Journal, was released in February 1997. Adventure Journal 12 stands out for its inclusion of the first two parts of the short story Side Trip, which were written by Timothy Zahn and Michael A. Stackpole, respectively. The Tales from the Empire anthology later reprinted the short story. Side Trip centered on the father-son team of Hal and Corran Horn and a character who claimed to be the bounty hunter Jodo Kast. Adventure Journal 12 is also notable for being the first Adventure Journal to feature an article by Pablo Hidalgo, who went on to become a successful Star Wars universe contributor.
The thirteenth issue of the Adventure Journal, Star Wars Adventure Journal 13, was released in May 1997. This issue featured a number of articles for the Star Wars roleplaying game, including Special Ops: Ship Jackers, co-written by John Beyer and Kathy Burdette, and Scouts' Dispatch by Peter Woodworth. The final two parts of the short story Side Trip were also included in Adventure Journal 13, with Timothy Zahn writing part three and Michael A. Stackpole writing part four. The Tales from the Empire anthology later included the short story.
Star Wars Adventure Journal 14, the fourteenth issue of the Adventure Journal, was released in August 1997. Adventure Journal 14 is notable for its inclusion of Murder in Slushtime, an original short story by Barbara Hambly, who also wrote two Star Wars novels focusing on the character of Callista Ming. Murder in Slushtime continued Callista's story, which told of a former Jedi who could no longer feel the Force. Adventure Journal 14 also featured the articles Special Ops: Drop Points and From the Files of Corellia Antilles.
The fifteenth and final issue of the Adventure Journal was Star Wars Adventure Journal 15. It was released in November 1997. Adventure Journal 15 featured the work of Kevin J. Anderson, the author of The Jedi Academy Trilogy and a number of Tales of the Jedi comics. Anderson's short story for Adventure Journal 15, titled Firestorm, centered on Tionne and Luke Skywalker. Journal 15 also featured a number of roleplaying game articles, including Timothy O'Brien's Special Military Unit Intelligence Update, which provided updates on a number of military units that had been featured in earlier West End Games products.
The first issue of the Adventure Journal to be canceled due to West End Games' financial difficulties was Star Wars Adventure Journal 16. It was supposed to include a number of short stories, such as Credit Denied by George R. Strayton and Gathering Shadows by Kathy Burdette. The Tales from the New Republic anthology later included Gathering Shadows.
Following West End Games' financial difficulties, Star Wars Adventure Journal 17 was the second issue of the Adventure Journal to be canceled. Adventure Journal 17 was intended to include a number of short stories, including Jade Solitaire by Timothy Zahn, which told the story of how Mara Jade came to own her ship, Jade's Fire. The short story Love Is a Warm Blaster was also scheduled to be included, but it was eventually released online.
- " Star Wars Publications Timeline " — Star Wars Insider 23
- " Assignment: Decoy " — Star Wars Galaxy Magazine 7
- The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
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Adventure Journal in the StarWars.com Cargo Bay (content now obsolete; backup link)
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