Club Jade

The official blog reveals another Celebration Japan print from Spencer Brinkerhoff III, ‘Sorry About the Mess.’ Bonnie also interviews him about the print (and the extras he’s done for it.)

The artist revealed his Celebration Japan print, this stunning General Grievous, on his TFN thread yesterday. Be sure to check out the thread or his gallery for more Star Wars, movie, and comic art.

The official site updates (!!) with Ralph McQuarrie Exclusives at Celebration Japan: Two prints, a Lawrence Noble painting based on McQuarrie’s original poster concept, and a second go at Art of Ralph McQuarrie from Dreams & Visions Press.

In other Celebration Japan art news, Rebelscum has previews of Tsuneo Sanda’s prints.

A convenience store in Japan got a visit from a few costumed menacers in preparation for Celebration Japan. Sending out 501sters to random public places seems like a pretty neat promotional idea to me… Who doesn’t love a stormtrooper in Walmart?

Also: Slides!

Star Wars BE@RBRICKS, most of which are being given away free with bottles of Pepsi Nex in Japan. Wicket and Paploo are Celebration Japan exclusives. (via)

• Podcast: The Force-Cast catches up with Steve Sansweet in Chicago: Most of the discussion revolves around Celebration Japan and The Clone Wars. (And the Complete Encyclopedia – look for that in the next entry.) Also, he claims they’re not even thinking about C5 until after Japan… Damn.

• Guests: CelebrationJapan.com reports that Carrie Fisher won’t be able to attend.
• New press release details The Clone Wars plans.

StarWars.com has announced that Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels will be guests at the third 30th anniversary convention taking place outside Tokyo this June. Kenny Baker, Jeremy Bulloch, Jake Lloyd, Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan and Matthew Wood are also confirmed.

Tickets are on sale now, and today StarWars.com members can check their email for a few more announcements:

• Add David Prowse (Darth Vader,) Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca,) and Anthony Forrest (Fixer and Stormtrooper) to the confirmed guest list.

• Costume contest!
• Gus Lopez and friends are planning a variety of collecting panels. So far: Collectibles Road Show, Plush Star Wars, Coca Cola Collectibles, and Humorous Star Wars Items.
• Replica movie sets, including an speeder bike, Hoth snow speeder, and the Millennium Falcon’s lounge.

UPDATE: All this is live now at StarWars.com.

It’s beginning! Our first chunk of Celebration Japan news is a biggie: Carrie Fisher will appear at the three-day anniversary con near Tokyo. In other news, sculptor Lawrence Noble will be sculpting Luke Skywalker live, the Collectible Medallions are returning, and tickets are going on sale this weekend!

The tickets will go on sale April 20 for Hyperspace members, May 17 in the U.S, and May 18 in Japan. There are also two levels of premium tickets that grant fans souvenir collectibles and special VIP privileges.

In other event news, StarWars.com also has the news that Jake Lloyd will be a guest at Disney’s Star Wars weekend on June 27-29… And an item on special Muppet/SW mashup figures that will only be available at Disney.