Club Jade

StarWars.com has a new Clone Wars preview video today, ‘Truly Cinematic,’ featuring Dee Bradley Baker, Matt Lanter, James Arnold Taylor, and Ashley Eckstein. There are peeks at a lot of the footage that was revealed at Celebration, but I’m not well-vested enough to know if anything else is all-new.

Lots of good information has come out at Celebration V on what Season 3 has in store for Star Wars: The Clone Wars. We’ve already touched on a few things previously, but here’s a little more in-depth view, opening up some questions for speculation.

• Delta Squad. Who didn’t get chills when the Republic Commando helmets popped up in the Thursday sneak peek clip showcasing rain effects (and also for a split second in the extended trailer shown on Saturday)? Dave Filoni has confirmed that it’s the Delts, and that there shouldn’t be any major continuity issues with their appearance on the show (avoiding Mandalorian-level changes.)
• Ahsoka Tano’s character development: Anakin’s padawan is going to start getting visions (similar to Anakin’s visions in Episode III) and this is going to make her life a bit more complicated. Ashley Eckstein has hinted that Season 3 will really bring a lot more to Ahsoka’s character.
• Kamino: In the Season 3 panel, Dave Filoni talked up the new technology in animation that will allow them to use Kamino – water and reflections and such. And from the clips, we learn that Kamino is a big deal: the clones will be fighting for the closest thing to a home they have… and for all their younger brothers. Expect some giant robo-tentacular action as Asajj Ventress and the Separatists launch an underwater assault.
• Baron Papanoida and family: In the Main Event, George Lucas previewed a clip showcasing a cantina firefight between some thugs and Baron Papanoida (as played by George Lucas in Episode III) and his fellow Pantoran family members. George remarked that his son, Jett, was jealous that Jett’s character only gets one blaster to George’s two. This episode and a few others were penned by Katie Lucas, who also wrote the season 1 episode ‘Jedi Crash.’ Does George return to voice his character?
• Aurra Sing: Someone asked if Aurra’s established background as a Jedi washout with mad lightsaber skills would eventually be shown in the show, but Dave Filoni explained that Aurra in the show would simply just be a butt-kicking bounty hunter – besides there’s already a bald pasty lightsaber-wielding villainess. Which bring us to:
• Asajj Ventress: She’s going to be getting some major storyline action as she somehow finally loses Dooku’s (and Sidious’) favor and is forced on the run. In clips, we’ve seen her arrive wounded on Dathomir, where she is challenged by Nightsisters, until Mother Talzin vouches that Ventress is no stranger. Filoni also pointed out that one of the Nightsister weapons, a kind of energy bow, is an homage to Hank’s bow from the 80′s Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. Expect Asajj’s story to go from bad to worse to ???, while someone else might take her place…
• Savage Opress: According to George, he’s Darth Maul’s brother – but that might just be from a certain point of view. He’s certainly fear-inspiring. While Maul had the lethal look of a martial artist, Savage Opress (who’s clearly trying to have a name even sillier than Kit Fisto) has the hulking horror of an Oakland Raiders fan – except that he’s in Steelers’ colors, thanks to Filoni’s hometown love. The Nightsisters of Dathomir are making a play by bringing Dooku this Zabrak version of Brock Samson as a new apprentice. But then again, they also turn invisible and attack Dooku in his pajamas, and the Count is no slouch when fighting in his Sitharoos.
• C-3PO: He’s getting droid-napped… and tortured (a la EV-9D9′s chamber in Jabba’s palace.) After Artoo getting some dangerous adventures in Season 2, it’s time for Goldenrod to get some action. Will Padme or Jar Jar be the one to rescue him?
• The future of the show: They’re already scripting season five, and with the advances in animation technology, the show’s look now to what the future holds was compared to an Atari video game with XBox 360.
• And in short: Shaak Ti. Saesee Tiin. more Cad Bane. and some sense made out of “There are heroes on both sides.”

Can’t wait for Season 3? Clone Wars Adventures online experience is now in beta, filled with lots of fun mini-games for the whole family. (Although if you want to play as a female character, you can only be a human or Twi’lek Jedi, while male characters also include clonetroopers.)

James and I were able to grab a quick interview on with Ashley Eckstein at the con! It would be hard not to be impressed by the strides that the company has made in so short a time. They had a great product that was literally all over the con, from all the t-shirts that were near-ubiquitous on female attendees to the limited edition Empire Strikes Back necklace, even down to the (reusable!) shopping bags. As I said in the video, it’s something we’ve been wanting for years, and I won’t lie: I got a little choked up. I can’t wait to see what’s coming: Thank you so much, Ashley!

Ashley Eckstein is getting some ink for Her Universe in the most unlikely of places: ESPN! I don’t doubt being married to an MLB player helps widen the field of interest, but let’s not forget we’re the only fandom with a noteworthy gender disparity. (Sports-loving ladies can see the Alyssa Milano line that Ashley mentions as an inspiration at Fandalia.)

Not the lawsuit you’re looking for… Lucasfilm has backed down from their legal threat against Wicked Lasers, which makes a (you have to admit) very lightsaber-looking laser. But elsewhere in the world, the march continues…

Horrors of the audition tapes. Sylvester Stallone auditioned for Han Solo? Sounds like he didn’t get far enough for tapes, but that’s probably a good thing.

Presented without commentary. Are Jedi Knights Libertarian or Socialist?

James’ last three videos wrap up with the Q&A portion of the panel. (more…)

James came through again! Here’s most of yesterday’s Her Universe panel. Check below the cut for Jane Espenson, Katie Cook, Mary Franklin, Bonnie Burton, Cat Staggs and more. (more…)

Ashley Eckstein will be joined by our Star Wars peeps Mary Franklin and Bonnie Burton, artists Cat Staggs and Katie Cook, writer/producer Jane Espenson (Battlestar Galactica, Buffy The Vampire Slayer,) author Melinda Snodgrass and the Syfy Channel’s Director of Development, Erika Kennair. The panel, ‘Her Universe: Shining the Spotlight on Female Fans – the Past, Present and Future of Science Fiction Through Female Eyes’ will take place Saturday evening.

Head over to the Her Universe Shop to purchase items from Ashley Eckstein’s new line geared towards female fans! So far there are only six tees and two hoodies available, but more is on the way.

The reaction to the the announcement of Ashley Eckstein’s upcoming Her Universe line has been overwhelmingly positive, to the shock of no one with an XX chromosome.

The line will launch with not only t-shirts, but also a sweatshirt, some long-sleeved tees, hats, and two necklaces, Eckstein said on last week’s Forcecast. “The female fans have always been there, but it’s really changed over the past decade,” she said, adding: “A lot of the top blogs and sites are now written by women.” (NO WAI.)

Former fan club president Dan Madsen is also involved – He’s been answering questions on Rebelscum’s forums. He revealed the list of conventions the Her Universe folks will be hitting up – all the majors: San Diego Comic Con, Celebration V, Chicago Comic Con, Dragon*Con and New York Comic Con.

Sizing has been a hot issue, and in a FAQ posted yesterday, Eckstein says that the first line will be avaliable in sizes XS-XXL – and they are pursuing plus size. The cost may be a bit more than folks expect, though, with t-shirts in the $30-$35 range.

Artists Katie Cook and Cat Staggs are already on board, but get your vote in on the Her Universe Facebook page.

The voice of Ahsoka Tano has teamed up with The Araca Group to make Star Wars stuff geared towards women. This seems to be a bit more than just a simple line of t-shirts – according to the press release, Eckstein and company have entered into a multi-year agreement with Lucas Licensing for “apparel and accessories.” Intriguing, no?

Pretty exciting – and LONG overdue. Not seeped in pink, either!

For more, stay tuned, follow HerUniverse on Twitter and Facebook, or head over to tomorrow night’s Forcecast, where Eckstein will take live calls.