Art you can appreciate: Sci-Fi Heroes

Artist Martin Firrell has begun developing a series of art videos about heroism and has changed his focus from real-life soldiers to sci-fi heroes.  It’s a mix of artistic video and interview. 

Some very interesting comments from Joe Flanigan, Kate Mulgrew and Nathan Fillion.

I’m not sure what the female fan’s reaction will be to Joe Flanigan’s opinion on what attracts women to the hero (second video in).  He raises an interesting point, though.  And Kate Mulgrew has some interesting comments about the difference between the male and female Starship captains.  Worth checking out.

EUbits: Visions, crafts, blogs and more

Visions. The cat is officially out of the bag on the upcoming art book, and the previews keep on coming. I’m rather taken with the classical styles of the Daniel E. Greene and Will Wilson pieces.

First look. Bonnie Burton’s craft book!

The blogside:Ben Kuchera of Ars Technica draws a parallel between Grand Admiral Thrawn, Exar Kun, and the Sith of The Old Republic; Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff on making up planets.

Interviews: NJOE talks to Invasion’s Tom Taylor.

Lists. Topless Robot’s Adam Pawlus counts down his list of the ten best stories in the Expanded Universe. The vast majority of these are at best unnoteworthy to this EU fan, and I certainly can’t condone anyone who puts a Boba Fett comic above the Thrawn trology. (Zahn may not be perfect… But Boba Fett? How uncivilized.)

Namesake corner. Sideshow says Mara Jade will make “an appearance in one of our lines by 2011.”

Blurbs times two: Vortex and Visions

Ewan of SWBooks.co.uk spotted the blurb for Denning’s Fate of the Jedi: Vortex in the Random House Fall catalog. It’s somewhat spoilery, so highlight to read:

In Book Six of the bestselling nine-book Star Wars Fate of the Jedi series, the suspense crescendoes as the Skywalkers and their treacherous Sith allies race against time to discover the origins of the mysterious Force-entity known as Abeloth. When they begin to uncover secrets better kept hidden from mortal minds, no one is surprised to see the uneasy partnership erupt into violence. But they are surprised at where the investigation leads: to the home of the reclusive Fallanassi, who may hold in their hands the future of the Jedi Order itself.

Also appearing in the catalog are The Force Unleashed II (Pencil in November 2010 for the game and October 5 for the book;) and a first look at the cover art for Bonnie Burton’s craft book. (Two words: Lightsaber scissors.)

We’re also finally getting the skinny on Visions, with thanks to Eddie. Blurbs have appeared on both the regular and deluxe editions on Amazon. Here’s what the regular has to say:

Star Wars Visions collects a wealth of art – hand-picked by George Lucas – produced by a variety of artists, illustrators, designers and cartoonists, working across all genres and styles to celebrate their favourite characters, themes, worlds and moments from the Star Wars Universe. The full list of contributors is to be released incrimentally over the 6 months leading up to publication, with sneak previews, on starwars.com.

The deluxe blurb gives a list of artists, and the information that it will come with 50 additional “paintings and illustrations,” which is just mean. But such is life.

And while we’re on the subject, President Obama bought a copy of Star Wars: A Pop-Up Guide to the Galaxy in Iowa City today as a gift for the son of press secretary Robert Gibbs. Hat-tip to reader Greg for the photo link!

EUbits, arty scoundrel edition: Han, Chewie, Lando and Cade

Visions. So I haven’t been unimpressed with the peeks we’ve had of this ‘mystery’ book so far, but I wasn’t really blown away until Raymond Swanland’s ‘Shadows of Tatooine’ appeared today. It may not be ‘The Death of General Wolfe’ pastiche I so greatly desire, but: WANT.

Fate of the Jedi. Why hello there! Get your first look at Lando on the back cover of Allies.

Comics: io9 has the preview for Legacy #46.

EUbits: The Gambit marches on

Gambit: Siege. The official site has brewed up the summary for Karen Miller’s final Clone Wars novel. Beware of spoilers: The book is a direct sequel to next month’s Gambit: Stealth.

And in other previews… Teasing the next installment of John Jackson Miller’s Lost Tribe of the Sith, coming February 10th.

Gaming, sort of. Artist Terese Nielsen talks to StarWars.com about her character portraits for WOTC’s latest miniature line.

Interview. Jason Fry talks Atlas with Gelf Magazine.

Namesake corner. Neat Mara Jade drawing.

EUbits: It’s art week for Star Wars fans

hughes-maraNamesake corner. Topps is saluting the ‘Women of Star Wars‘ in their Galaxy 5 line. And since you can only have so many slave Leias before the theme gets tired, there’s an Adam Hughes Mara Jade card. Granted, it’s Adam Hughes and thus total cheesecake, but we’re used to that.

Visions peek. I can’t believe there’s, like, war and battle and stuff in the Star Wars art book. Ugh. (P.S. If we’re going there, I would love something ROTJish in the style of The Death of General Wolfe. And prints, because I would so totally buy prints of that if it was done with a stylistically straight face.)

Would you like some false hope with that? IGN has ‘thoughtfully’ compiled all the leading candidates for the totally nonexistent, never-going-to-happen (except for probably that bounty hunter thing in the live action series) additional Star Wars movies. Basically, what I am saying is, no matter how good the effects on Avatar are, don’t hold your breath. (Yeah, I am a little sick of this topic and Dark Empire? Are you kidding me? …Sorry.)

Crosscurrent. Check out chapter two of Paul S. Kemp’s upcoming paperback. Meanwhile, the first review has surfaced over at Stomping on Yeti.

The Old Republic. NJOE’s Rogue77 found a brief summary for Sean William’s The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance.

EUbits: Art, comics, blogs and a very dead parrot

Pictures! We’re not exactly big gamers ’round these parts, but the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game is noteworthy for providing us with new Expanded Universe art, and The Nightsister’s Revenge expansion is no exception.

Comics: StarWars.com has Dark Horse’s spring 2010 solicitations. Don’t get too excited, though: There are only two things on there. But they are both Legacy. Could the rest of spring be under wraps? In the more immediate future, previews for Legacy #43 and Knights of the Old Republic #48.

The blogside. Drew Karpyshyn explains (Spoilers!) the end of Dynasty of Evil, while Dan Wallace talks about some of his work on George Lucas’ Blockbusting.

Pining for the fjords. A summary for Karen Traviss’ second Imperial Commando novel -Remember? The one that’s pretty much cancelled? – has appeared on Amazon.co.uk. You live the dream, Amazon. (via)