Of all the features of Threepio we might find useful, these folks go for… Storytelling. Okay then.
Hasbro discontinuing Comic Packs
Sales haven’t been good for one of the few sources for Expanded Universe action figures, so the line won’t continue in regular stores through the Spring. Here’s what Hasbro said in a Q&A last month:
We can confirm that the Comic Packs will be discontinued after Spring 2010 (meaning no packs for Fall 2010). The Wal-Mart exclusive Comic Pack program has been cancelled after the last ones ship this Fall. Wave 3, including the pack with Tholme and T’ra Saa, will now be on shelf approximately March in the U.S. along with the rest of the Fall Comic Packs shown at Comic Con. This schedule should hold unless there are further delays. The Spring 2010 Wave 1 packs shown at Comic Con, including the Darth Nihl & Deliah Blue pack, may not make it out at all based on the current rate of sale, but we remain hopeful. The Camie/Fixer pack will be a convention exclusive next year.
This doesn’t bode well for EU figures, though it doesn’t effect the Jacen and Jaina figures (they’re part of Legacy Collection, an entirely different line.)
‘Yobs’ ‘force’ Jedi Church founders out of Anglesey
I really can’t imagine why anyone has trouble taking the First Church of Jedism seriously. Yes, the Vader attack was uncalled for, but you can’t do stuff like refuse to take off your hood in a store (with no canonical backingfor said ‘rule’ whatsoever) and expect to not be laughed at.
The fandom minute is working for the weekend
Art strikes back. Boston fans can head to Art Asylum Boston for an exhibit of Star Wars art. The rest of us will just have to settle for checking out the blog. I’m rather fond of Allison Bamford’s ‘Ewok Sundae’ (right,) ‘Robotsicle’ and ‘Death Star-e-o.’ (via)
Spotlight on the fans. StarWars.com has our first look at Generation Star Wars, the book by LFL’s Bonnie Burton, Mary Franklin and Pete Vilmur that shines the spotlight on the fandom. On that note, Bonnie talks Rebel Legion with Indiana’s Matthew Hofmann.
Crossover fail. There was an awful lot of Wars/Trek confusion in the popular blogosphere this week: Both Cake Wrecks and Failblog discovered some.
The more you know. Thanks to an auto-friending of @clubjade on Twitter, I discovered that LFL can mean Lingerie Football League as well as Lucasfilm. This is a good example of why auto-friending people based on search terms is a bad idea.
Video: Tokyo Dance Trooper in Singapore
Well, my world is shattered.
Video: Child converted to Gonk droid for a mere $40
501ster Chris Bartlett built this Gonk costume for his kids with storage bins, foamcore and dryer vent hoses. (via)
New show to explore sci-fi science, including lightsabers
The first episode of Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible, which premieres Tuesday on the Science Channel, will take a look at lightsabers and a Stargateesque portal. Sure, the History Channel has been-there done-that, but the more the merrier. As for the ones in the pictures… I doubt those are actual plasma tubes, io9.
The fandom minute is not celebrating an Ewokiversary
Bitchin’ Endor. You’re sure to get a kick out of today’s most famous Star Wars eBay listing, i hate this stupid ewok. On that note, this is apparently the 25th anniversary of the debut of the first Ewok movie, Caravan of Courage. I’m sure everyone was all waiting breathlessly for that one back in the day.
Celeb fans. Bonnie talks Star Wars (and The Guild and Dr. Horrible and such) with geek of note Felicia Day.
Contests. Hasbro has picked the winner of their diorama contest.
Charity. The Seattle Area Lucasfilm Artifact Collectors Club, aka SARLACC, are selling a collectible lapel pin to raise money for cancer research.
What. Device to subdue rampaging elephants inspired by Empire Strikes Back? Sure, why not.
EUbits: Amazon still breaking all the TOR novelization news
Still nothing official, though. An extended title for the unconfirmed novel by Sean Williams was spotted on Amazon: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance. (The release date remains listed as July 2010, but we still don’t have a date for the actual game, so count on nothing at this point.) Wonder if this means we’ll get some kind of official announcement soon?
The blogside. Drew Karpyshyn is going on about the Sith again, while Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff writes about filk.
Authors. Aaron Allston is on Twitter. Sort of.
Hyperspace: Go obscure with The Forgotten War: The Nagai and the Tofs by James McFadden.
Video: The ForceCast’s ode to ‘Humpy’
If I hadn’t already decided that the Today ewok shenanigans was one of my favorite Star Wars moments of 2009, this song may very well have been the thing to push them over the edge. You go, drunken ewok.