Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, the latest host of the Science Meets Imagination exhibit, is auctioning off an X-Wing miniature autographed by George Lucas.
This is what the Times actually believes
These guys are big on lists lately – this time, it’s their forty most memorable aliens. Ewoks and Max Rebo make the list, as well as other familiar faces like Doctor Who and Mr. Spock.
What a week for lists…
Kunochan.com’s top twenty starship captains. Both Han Solo and Grand Moff Tarkin (O RLY?) make the list, but I’m mostly tickled by the inclusion of Turanga Leela. Futurama: awesome animated sci-fi show, or most awesome animated sci-fi show?
Our BNFs can beat up your BNFs, but do they have the buns to be Princess Leia?
IGN lists their top ten cool Star Wars nerds. Honorees include Conan O’Brien, Seth Green, Kevin Smith, Samuel L. Jackson and… Oh, screw it, go read.
In other list news, Princess Leia’s buns top movie hairdo poll, beating out Marge Simpson, Audrey Herburn and John Travolta. That, my friends, is cultural permanence.
The Catchup: Friday morning reading list
NEWS
- Fractal Matter interviews Rick McCallum about all the usual suspects: Red Tails, TV shows, etc.
- Antifungal drug causes visions of Chewbacca. Well, better Wookiees than, say, Cthulhu.
- Star Wars gets namedropped in Blackwater probe.
- £10,000 worth of figures stolen in UK.
EVENTS
- Cédric Delsaux’s Star Wars on Earth photographs are on exhibit in Washington D.C.
GAMING
- Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron comes out on Tuesday, and TOS has been pulling out all the stops: a two part Q&A; an introduction to Commander Col Serra and a look at his character evolution.
FANDOM
- Perennial blogger Jason Kottke asks the age-old question: What’s the best order to indoctrinate your young with Star Wars?
- University of Alabama offers BUI 301: The Gospel of Star Wars: Mass Entertainment as Postmodern Religion. Does that mean Steve Sansweet is a prophet?
- Bengal Trooper spotted!
PEOPLE
- Sean Connery sexier than Harrison Ford, says poll.
- Natalie Portman campaigns to help end global poverty; will be starring alongside Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal in Brothers.
- Carrie Fisher to take on Mrs. Bennett in Pride And Prejudice spoof.
- Billy Dee Williams in Aretha Franklin biopic?
MERCHANDISE
- Get your Master Replicas’ products now; with their license expiring, they stop selling Star Wars stuff after December 31st.
- Check out some of the 30th Anniversary Sketch Cards.
- Complete your collection of convention exclusives with the Celebration Europe Droid 2-pack.
Hyperspace
- The latest Bantha Tracks.
- Two Newsnets: Ralltiir Blockade Impacting Sector Economy and Kira Run Opening Up to Mainstream Trade.
- One tiny fiction bit: One Step Ahead.
- And a lowdown on Delta Source.
Indy IV theft déjà vu for LFL?
Two similar incidents to this week’s Crystal Skull production theft occurred in 1977 at the Star Wars publicist’s office and ILM’s Van Nuys studio. That time, however, the stolen items were never full recovered.
Window into a larger world
North America can now get in on the Star Wars photo wall action. The giant wall murals debuted in Europe last year. They’re still based overseas though, so better measure in metric.
We ♥ publically humiliating your pets
The Star Wars Halloween costumes for pets are nothing new, but they certainly haven’t become any less hilarious. (Is that Ewok a custom job?) So why not show your support for the home team in Good Housekeeping’s Halloween Pet Contest?
Great military blunders of the Galactic Empire
“Darth Vader’s tyrannical Empire struck fear into an entire galaxy. Sadly, his fleet was also behind some embarrassingly ill-planned military ventures. Reviewing early Imperial schematics, the Sith Lord himself expressed serious doubts about his soldiers’ tactical choices…”
Bonus round: Horton Hears a Death Star.
The Catchup: Friday morning reading list
NEWS
- Yoda stamp set to be dedicated Oct. 25 at Madison Square Garden, while Artoo mailboxes move out overseas for military duty.
- Wired spotlights Robot Chicken and the New York Jedi.
ART & ARCHETYPES
- Liverpool Art and Culture Blog features Return of the Jedi artwork by Josh Kirby.
- Matt Busch corner: Behind the ‘Sith Circus’ poster; Color Pencil video.
- Mark Hamill narrates Green Arrow documentary on Smallville S6 DVDs.
FANDOM
- Stormtroopers love Weird Al.
- Dejarik: Can you play it? Yes!
- Know A Legion: Garrison Carida. 501st of West Virginia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.
- Australian lottery winner plans to spend part of his winnings on Stormtrooper gear.
EVENTS
- Where Science Meets Imagination opens in Chicago next week.
- Geppi’s exhibit so popular, it gets an extension.
- Star Wars at the Binghamton Zoo.
EU on HYPERSPACE