NYCC 2017 | From A Certain Point Of View Panel Recap

If you couldn’t be at New York Comic-Con this weekend, or you were in attendance but unable to attend the panel, we have a recap generously provided by Mark Newbold of Jedi News. Panelists were contributors to the anthology and included Pablo Hidalgo, Ben Acker, E. K. Johnston, John Jackson Miller, Keiron Gillen, Claudia Gray, and many more.

Check out the play-by-play below:

Kicked off with the bad guy authors, hosted by Pablo Hidalgo.
Ben Acker, told story of trooper who bumped his head. Is he a bad guy?
“He’s committed to Empire as a mindset, but doesn’t think he’s a bad guy”
Trooper who bumps his head causes issues years later in TFA era.
Mallory Ortberg story was Pablo’s fave. Tale of a report to HR after Vader chokes him. Very funny writer, said how Motti was cool with being choked but not with Vader bringing his religious views to the Death Star.
Elizabeth Wein story from POV of Death Star guard, watching her interrogation and Alderaan’s destruction.
Her story is 2nd person, allowing reader to get in there. The characters have no names, but are highly placed.
Kieron Gillen next, and an Aphra mission on Dantooine.
“Always going to be Aphra.” His first prose published, always comics since he was 25. A deep dive into Aphra’s head. She is an Empire apologist, tries to justify it. Put a spotlight on her hypocrisies.
Adam Christopher, his story sees the crew on the other end of the boring conversation scene.
1 million people on the station, 160km wide. Don’t know what’s going on. Trying to solve the issue as story of ANH goes on. Someone had family at Scarif but no idea what’s going on.
Daniel Jose Older read his own short story on the audio book.
Didn’t do the best read, producer said “This guy hates commas”
If offered a good guy:
Ben would do Wedge.
Dan, the Modal Nodes
Mallory, Mon Mothma. Her and Aunt Beru, somehow.
Elizabeth, R2-D2
Kieron, whoever Luke sold the speeder to
Adam, final scene in hangar, the unseen heroes.
Now the good guys and the heroic stories.
Lost Stars and Leia Claudia Gray, Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot, Cavan Scott, Adventures in Wildspace. EK Johnston, Ahsoka, Pierce Brown, writing his 1st SW story. Jason Fry, so much stuff. Weapon of a Jedi and The Last Jedi adaptation.
Claudia Gray, on communing with Qui Gon. She chose it as she always wanted to write the Force and Jedi and delve into that.
Meg, story of Beru. Never had spotlight. She chose because she is the most important character. She nurtured Luke, then died. That spurred him to leave and save galaxy.
Pablo, most pivotal moment is throwing his lightsaber away in Jedi. That compassion is from Beru. Her loss compels him to go.
Cavan tells story as he dies. Just saw the Rebels episode as we see Luke in distance. Life flashes before his eyes, but what does that mean to a Jedi who knows he’s going somewhere else. Qui-Gin is in there too.
EK story refers medal ceremony at end of ANH. Put female pilots in there. She read some at SLCC. People were crying in the audience. 1st thing she wrote after Carrie died, very personal.
Pierce is a Biggs story. Original title was The Last Moustache Ride. Biggs a big brother character to Luke. His death is a sacrifice, to help finish Death Star. How Luke looked up to him but how Biggs grew to respect him in the battle.
Jason Fry, also looks at the Death Star battle.
Geeky semi-retcon piece. Didn’t want to give anything away. Pierce and Jason both worked on same scene. Both looked at Wedge and how he helped draw people away as Luke continues, the untrained farmboy. How the wingmen make sacrifices, the rebellion are martyrs.
Claudia, the absolution of blame is discussed re: Anakin. Structure of Jedi worked for a young Ben, but not an older Ani who still had his Mom alive. Still all Anakin’s choice tho, his decision.
Cavan, Meg and Claudia all wrote about characters after their death. Meg wanted hers to be having her say after death as an interview. How different her life could have been.
We see Queen Organa in Claudia’s story, but Luke had Beru.
Cavan story runs thru all films and TV but also things he didn’t see. At point of death her may see flashes of the future. Most of story during the fight so which Anakin is he seeing when they fight? Also training him from a distance.
Which bad guy would they write?
Claudia would be Motti.
Meg, the trooper who killed Aunt Beru.
Cavan, torture droid
EK would be Palpatine.
Pierce, trooper tracking the droids. “I’m on a lizard!”
Jason, Kylo Ren
Pablo, didn’t know we wanted this book until we got it. Jason very excited for it. As a fan he was blown away.
Marc Thompson reads story as Ben dies and Yoda senses it.
Ben asks Yoda to train Skywalker. He agrees quickly. “Long have I wanted to train her.”
No, Luke.
“No! Not him! Her. He is reckless.”
Delilah S Dawson, The Perfect Weapon and Phasma, Chuck Wendig, Aftermath, Zoraida Cordova a new author, JJM sooo much, Mur Lafferty new author, Charles Soule, Lando mini series and Darth Vader
Delilah does the longsnoot story. Morally ambiguous character. Garindan has an interesting history. He is very alien, two sets of teeth, has his own business. She has synaesthesia, senses get mixed up. Turns his sense of smell into a part of the story.
Chuck looks at Wuher from Chalmun’s cantina. Films take us from Vader to Luke but more about why Wuher has issues with droids. Goes back to prequels.
Zoraida wrote about the Tonnika sisters, why are they there and in that world. How did they survive in the galaxy?
JJM looks at Tusken party who attacked Luke in ANH. As a kid he was intrigued by Tuskens, looked back to Kenobi and the link between them and Kenobi. Stuck to that atory, advance 19 years.
Mur talked about the Bith band, nothing in there makes you think Tatooine is a good place to be. Did it memoir style, the old washed up rocker looking back at the gig days.
Soule wrote about Lando and Lobot before ESB. Lando has an interesting journey, thinks he gets it all. Smart guy but sees something that shakes his faith, a moment from ANH. Lando has an interesting journey.
Pablo loving the Lando renaissance. More to come via Donald Glover.
Pablo’s story, Verge of Greatness. About Tarkin and not enjoying the victory of the Death Star due to Krennic. One is a politician and military man, the other an engineer. One Katy Perry, one Taylor Swift.
Chuck name drops Ackmena in his story. Nightshift manager of the cantina.
Zoraida writes a lot about the family dynamic, Vin Diesel in FandF. Her brother is also creative and she worked that into the book.
Mur – what would she add? Take them to cooler places than the cantina. The book is chapter 3. The band are loyal to Figrin. Where else do they go.
Charles and JJM. Charles invented click-clack, gambling seen in Canto Bight. One card game, conversation for 10 mins, higher or lower. JJM did zimbittle, from WEG era. Sabacc from L Neil Smith books. JJM did a new game, sent to Pablo.
Pablo says what a great book. Charity raiser, Penguin raising money to First Read, no author paid. Credit to editor Elizabeth Schaeffer.
Asks who else they would write about?
Delilah chose the tauntaun midwife.
Chuck the Aftermath characters. Also the Falcon has a personality.
Zoraida said Ackmena
JJM the Ugnaught who cleans the vents. Finds Luke’s hand and saber.
Mur the two guys who were in the tube when the superlaser fires.
Charles Jabba after her meets Han in ANH. Tail hurts after Han stepped on it.
Elizabeth said Wedge. Survivor who stays positive.
And there you have it, a great panel and a mouth-watering book.