Good Morning Youtinians.  We’re a day later than usual but with the same content we usually cover. Thanks for your patience. We had a great weekend with approximately 30 Youtini staff and significant others gathering in Charlotte for a company retreat dubbed Youtinicon.

The Living Force by John Jackson Miller has officially been released, so check out Eric’s review of it.

We asked last week if you were planning on seeing The Phantom Menace in theaters and overwhelmingly 65% of voters responded yes. 35% of voters said that Marvel Rivals was not your type of game with a much closer vote.

— Corey Helton & JG Carse

First Looks at New Star Wars Comics!

Free Comic Book Day happens every year on the first Saturday of May, and this year’s special day is even more relevant to us Star Wars fans as it falls on May the 4th! Many free issues will be available on that fateful day, but this week, we got an exclusive first look at one of the Star Wars options and at a new comic story set within The Phantom Menace!

Young Jedi Adventures: If you have any younglings in your life — or you are one at heart — you’ll be very familiar with Young Jedi Adventures, a Disney+ show that follows three Jedi younglings and their pilot best friend on their many exploits around the galaxy far, far away. Dark Horse has announced a Free Comic Book Day issue of Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, which features Lys, Kai, Nubs, and even a few faces that will be familiar to readers of The High Republic. Check out the cover art and the first two pages of the issue for an exclusive first look at this free comic!

The Phantom Menace Anniversary Comic: If you just can’t find it in yourself to wait until May 4th, you’ll be happy to hear that The Phantom Menace 25th Anniversary Special is dropping a few days earlier on May 1st! Though we don’t have much of the story yet, Marvel released the cover art and several pages of panels that have us very intrigued. The comic is set “between the scenes” of the movie and should give readers a better look at young Ani’s perspective of his ascension off of Tatooine. 

We’re all fine here now — how are you? Which upcoming Star Wars comics are you most excited to read? Let’s talk about it in the Younited Discord!

Julia Garner joins The Fantastic Four as the Silver Surfer

Julia Garner has been cast as a Shalla-Bal version of the Silver Surfer. Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm} were announced on Valentine's Day to form The Fantastic Four. The MCU's first take on the iconic family will be released on 2/14/25.

Actress Background. Julia Garner is best known for her role in the Netflix series Ozark. She has also had roles in The Americans and Maniac. Additionally, she was in Perks of Being a Wallflower as Susan. Silver Surfer will be Garner's first role in a major cinematic franchise.

Character Context. The Silver Surfer character has been adapted numerous times over the years since first appearing in 1966's Fantastic Four #48. The Shalla-Bal iteration of the Silver Surfer was introduced in 1968's Silver Surfer #1. Shalla-Bal has connections to other Marvel characters like Galactus, Mephisto, and Doctor Doom. Shalla-Bal appears in the 1998 Silver Surfer show, voiced by Camila Scott. 

We’re all fine here now — how are you? What are your thoughts on the upcoming Marvel Studios film? Let us know in the Younited Discord movie channel.

Houston Pitcher Throws Earliest No-No in MLB History

Ronel Blanco made history when he pitched the 17th no-hitter in Astros franchise history against the Toronto Blue Jays. It also marked the earliest no-hitter to occur in an MLB season. This was Blanco's 8th career start. Blanco joined the Houston bullpen after Justin Verlander sustained a shoulder injury. The victory led the Astros to their first win of the early season.

Context. A no-no, or no-hitter, is when a team does not record a hit. Only 323 have occurred in the MLB since 1876. A perfect game is when there is a no-hitter, and no player makes it on base in any capacity. Most no-hitters are shutouts. However, teams have managed to score runs in 25 no-hit games in MLB history, usually due to walks, errors, or batters hit by pitches. 

Background. Blanco started pitching when he was 18. After visiting several academies in the Dominican Republic, the Astros signed him for $5,000. In 2022, he finally found himself on the MLB roster. 

Looking Ahead. Houston would end up winning the series against Toronto and splitting the series with the Texas Rangers. In his next appearance, Blanco did not allow a hit until the 6th inning, extending his no-hit streak to 14 and 2/3 innings, the longest since 1961. With a 4-7 start, Houston will head to Kansas City next. 

Continue the conversation with other like-minded fans in our Younited Discord baseball channel.

🎬 Ethos in Action

Youtin Staff Gather For Youtinicon

The first Youtinicon was a testament to the strong sense of community among the Youtini staff. Despite not everyone being able to make it, those in attendance had the opportunity to meet for the first time or reconnect since Star Wars Celebration 2022. Here are three highlights that truly captured the spirit of our gathering:

🍿 We enjoyed many of the Star Wars movies, including some love for Star Wars Resistance. Star Wars wasn't the only thing people watched as they explored new fandoms, such as content from Dropout TV, Survivor, and more.

⚾ Friday night was a blast as we cheered on the Charlotte Knights at a thrilling game. Despite a challenging start, with the Knights going down ten runs to the Norfolk Tides in the first inning, the team fought back and went into extra innings. Although the Knights came up short, losing 11-10 in the 10th inning, the excitement and energy were palpable.

🎲 During free time between group gatherings, the staff enjoyed the outdoors on the lake and deep conversations about fandom and life. Lots of gaming happened, including Star Wars games like Star Wars Unlimited, Star Wars Deckbuilding Game, and Star Wars Jabba's Palace: A Love Letter Game. Additionally, other games were played, such as Zoo Vadis. 

🛰️ In the Youtiniverse

• The Bounty Hunt crew recorded a special live episode covering episodes 10 and 11 of The Bad Batch. Join Oz, JG, and special guests Corey and Eric as they break down the doubleheader and speculate about what’s to come in the series' final episodes.

• Discover the world of Frank Herbert's Dune on our website. Gea expertly navigates newcomers through the franchise's rich history and provides essential tips for diving into the world of Dune.

• Fortnite is for adults? Eric explores the phenomenon that is the video game Fortnite and why it’s not just for younger gamers but for all gamers of any age. So, where we dropping?