I recently recieved Star Wars Insider #96 in the mail, and I was quite pleased!

I'm not just saying that because I got a piece of my own art into Bantha Tracks (page 70, at the bottom ), though that was pretty cool too! (Speaking of StarWars.com bloggers in print, check out my last blog if you missed it; and also, congratulations to obiwanlover0 for winning Insider's "bounty hunters" competition for this month and getting her picture in the new magazine!)

When Titan Magazines took over Star Wars Insider earlier this year, I was not all that happy. It seemed like for all their proud professionalism, the only improvements to the magazine were very superficial. Much of the community atmosphere, the "We're just regular fans like you " ethic that Insider has had ever since I first subscribed several years ago, was gone. I wrote them a letter saying so, and outlining what I did think they were doing right, and mentioning some other things I'd like to see. And now, with their fourth issue in my hands, I'm quite pleased to say that they seem to have listened to what I said to them, or at least to other fans who had similar things to say.

Here's the letter I wrote, with my post-#96 annotations (in the form of footnotes):

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26 June, 2007

Dear Star Wars Insider,

Hello there! I just finished reading the first two issues of the new Star Wars Insider, and as promised, I was not disappointed! I wasn't blown away either, mind you - but I can see improvements already. It's great to see a lot of the old columns and departments still in action, and I'm thrilled to see great guys like Daniel Wallace and J.W. Rinzler back and doing cool original stuff (about a third of Wallace's facts were new to me [1]).

Some parts of the magazine could be a little more personal - the Com-Scan news articles are cool, but they read more like AP stories than updates in a Star Wars magazine. (Hint: "Star Wars is not dead" is not news; nor is "Leia is the hottest sci-fi character"...okay, kidding on that last one.) The great thing about previous incarnations of Insider was the community feel - on every page you could tell it was one Star Wars fan writing to others. The more at home the writers and the readers feel with each other, the better [2]. Another thing that bothered me a little was the large attention grabbing ads for things completely unrelated to Star Wars, like magazines for "Grey's Anatomy" and "Prison Break." I can get over it, but it strikes me as a little tacky [3].

One request I have for the future is that you make an effort to include some Expanded Universe content. I know it's something of a personal preference, but I also know that there are many, many other fans out there who love to read the Star Wars books, comics, etc. The columns with book and comic news are a good start, but it would be great to see more content coming out of the Expanded Universe [4]. The one thing that originally got me subscribed to Insider in the first place was the original short fiction they used to publish [5]. And even after that petered out, we started to see cool articles incorporating the Expanded Universe. One example was those really awesome pieces that Abel G. Peña and Joe Corroney did, like "The History of the Mandalorians" in #80 and "The Story of General Grievous in #86. I actually remember hearing that those two were working on a "Vader's Legacy" article; are you guys planning on printing that? (Hint: That would really sell me on the new Insider!) [6]

I was cynical at first, but my reaction to the latest incarnation of Star Wars Insider has so far been mostly positive. As long as you keep looking to improve it, and keep trying out new things, I think you're on the right track. Just remember: Don't be too proud of this...publishing reputation...you've created. A lengthy résumé and a flashy new layout might sell a few issues on the newsstands, but the consistent customers - the serious Star Wars fans - are looking for that sense of wonder, excitement, and community that made them Star Wars fans in the first place [7].

Thanks, and may the Force be with you!

[Name and city]

P.S. Aren't you going to print any feedback letters? [8]

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[1] Up to 50% in the second half!

[2] I haven't noticed problems with the "Com-Scan" section much lately, so I think it's gotten a little better.

[3] These are still there, and still extremely tacky (the last issue had a giant ad for the Star Trek magazine!), but it seems like there have been a bit fewer of them, and a bit more Star Wars related and otherwise less tacky ads.

[4] Improving slowly - the new issue's articles about Imperial aliens and military officers are all about characters from the movies (with one exception), but at draw significantly from the EU, and feature at least a limited amount of new information. But I hope Jonathan Wilkins's "Imperial Officers Field Guide" piece isn't supposed to pass as significant EU content - it comes across looking like he had to slap something together in a single afternoon, and couldn't decide whether it was supposed to be serious or a joke (it has some cool chunks of info from the EU, but it's hard to take seriously when every section ends with a half-hearted joke; and I'm not laughing either).

[5] Still waiting on this one...

[6] Still waiting on "Vader's Legacy," and waiting to see any of Joe's art; but at least they let Abel co-author a couple features. It's a start!

[7] I wouldn't be able to explain it, but I feel like the magazine is improving in general in these areas.

[8] Still waiting...and not just because I wrote one. I'm a little weirded out that they still haven't even asked anyone what they think of the magazine, much less printed any feedback, other than the occasional "Great job guys!" at the beginning of other letters. I don't care if they print mine. It's probably a little long anyway. But it seems a little arrogant not to print anybody's.

Conclusion: Titan's incarnation of Star Wars Insider still leaves a lot to be asked for, but it's already come a long way in just the first four issues. If they continue listening to feedback and improving the magazine, they have my approval.

-RD