Time for a new colossal-sized episode of Star Wars Story Talk as Yowie the Skunk, Baby Jawa, and I cover the latest in Star Wars stories, and we have a lot to talk about: a few recent Star Wars events and check out not one, not two, but three Star Wars books! I give a recap of all the Star Wars goings-on at Salt Lake Comic Con, held at the beginning of September, plus talk a bit on Star Wars Day at the San Diego Padres, and dive into three books: the newest Star Wars Little Golden Book: I Am a Princess, and Star Wars: Aliens of the Galaxy by Jason Fry and the newly released Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition by Pablo Hidalgo. Plus an update on Wear Star Wars Every Day and a triple dose of Baby Jawa fun time! Continue reading “Star Wars Story Talk: Salt Lake Comic Con, Aliens of the Galaxy, & Year by Year”
Star Wars Story Talk (AKA the show formerly known as Unboxing Star Wars) gets in one more episode before Star Wars Celebration Europe! This time, Baby Jawa, Yowie the Skunk, and I try some snacks and review two books: LEGO Star Wars: The Chronicles of the Force, by Adam Bray, David Fentiman, and Cole Horton; and the junior novelization of The Force Awakens by Michael Kogge. Plus a little update on where I’ll be in the coming weeks —Star Wars Celebration Europe and San Diego Comic-Con. Hamburger Helper, Cheez-It crackers, and of course some Baby Jawa fun time!
Quick reviews
→ LEGO Star Wars: Chronicles of the Force – A fun and fact-filled guide to both Star Wars and LEGO Star Wars in particular. Lots of focus on LEGO minifigures and sets with plenty of call outs about the story of Star Wars. Plus the exclusive Unkar Plutt’s thug minifigure.
→ Star Wars: The Force Awakens junior novel – Thumbs up! Michael Kogge pens the adaptation of the film for the younger audiences. Quite a few scenes in it that weren’t in the film, and we see a few scenes a bit differently as well. Plus an insert of color photos from the movie.
→ Cheez-It Star Wars crackers – The cheesy square crackers have Star Wars shapes stamped into them! A Star Wars food tie-in done right.
→ Ultimate Hamburger Helper – Star Wars – Barely a tie-in. The food’s the same. Just an offer for $5 of movie concessions if you submit a photo of a receipt showing the purchase of 3 or more boxes. A Star Wars food tie-in done pretty sad.
Where to see jawajames at Star Wars Celebration Europe:
→ Friday: STEM Heroes and Heroines of Star Wars, 12:00p to 1:00p, Star Wars Fan & Collector’s Stage, with Tricia Barr, Cole Horton, Kevin Beentjes, and Hannah Gillis.
→ Saturday: International Star Wars Fandom, 10:30a to 11:30a, Star Wars Fan & Collector’s Stage, with Mark Newbold (UK), Tim Veekhoven (Belgium), Johanna Nybelius (Sweden), and Kevin Beentjes (Netherlands).
The hunt for a new name for my video series is over! Since we mostly focus on the latest in new Star Wars storytelling in TV, films, books, comics, and events, Unboxing Star Wars is now Star Wars Story Talk! Yowie the skunk, Baby Jawa, and I review the latest book for the kid set: Star Wars: ABC-3PO, by Calliope Glass and Caitlin Kennedy, with illustrations by Katie Cook. We also flash back to LEGO Star Wars Days held earlier this month at LEGOLAND California and discuss the new LEGO Star Wars TV series, The Freemaker Adventures. For more details on the LEGOLAND event, check out my article on starwars.com: LEGO Star Wars Days. Plus random fun with a Jawa buddy, and then some Baby Jawa fun time!
Quick reviews
→ Star Wars: ABC-3PO – Two thumbs up! Love the Katie Cook illustrations and fun rhymes by Calliope Glass and Caitlin Kennedy. Great for fans whether kids or parents! (For ages 3-5)
→ LEGOLAND California: LEGO Star Wars Days 2016 – A lot of fun! In a year without any new permanent Star Wars additions to Miniland, the park still knows how to make a great Star Wars event with plenty of unique activities including photo ops with costumers from the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, and Mandalorian Mercs; the really awesome Fan Gallery, showcasing amazing Star Wars-themed builds from LEGO fans; family build, trivia and costume contests; and a bunch of scavenger hunts. Plus sneak preview screenings of the first episode of LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures.
→ LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures. Thumbs up! If you’re a fan of the previous LEGO Star Wars series, this new show on Disney XD will delight! Maybe a little more kid-focused than some of the previous series, it still contains the great mix of Star Wars stories with LEGO humor, and introduces a new set of heroes!
Happy 39th birthday, Star Wars! To celebrate, we’ve got a new episode of Unboxing Star Wars! Yowie the skunk, Baby Jawa, and I review some of the latest crop of Star Wars Little Golden Books: I Am a Droid, I Am a Pilot, and I Am a Jedi, as well as I give my recap on the James Clyne and Iain McCaig presentation and The Force Awakens concept art exhibition at Gnomon in Hollywood. For more info on the presentations by Art Director James Clyne and Concept Artist Iain McCaig, check out my article on starwars.com: Designing The Force Awakens. Also, check out photos from the concept art exhibition and the artists’ presentation. Plus random fun with Ponda Baba, and then some Baby Jawa fun time!
Quick reviews
→ I Am a Droid – Thumbs up! Written by Christopher Nicholas and illustrated by Chris Kennett, this Little Golden Book focuses on different aspects and roles of droids in Star Wars. My favorite of the bunch, though possibly could have done without a page showing a droid being tortured.
→ I Am a Jedi – Just OK. This Little Golden Book by Christopher Nicholas and illustrated by Ron Cohee talks about the basics of what a Jedi is and what a Jedi can do, and a little about the Force and the Sith. Nothing from The Force Awakens, but it does reveal the identity of Darth Vader, just in case you want to save that revelation for later in your child’s life.
→ I Am a Pilot – Just OK. By Christopher Nicholas and illustrated by Alan Batson, this Little Golden Book showcases a bunch of different pilot characteristics in Star Wars and some of the more famous pilots. Sadly, none of the pilots in the book are women.
→ Episode VII: The Art of James Clyne & Iain McCaig at Gnomon Gallery, Hollywood – Go see it if you’re in the area! There’s almost fifty pieces on display, pretty evenly split between Clyne and McCaig. I *think* all of the displayed artwork can be found in The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but here’s a chance to see it in a larger format. The exhibition runs until July 20, 2016.
We’ve got a new episode of Unboxing Star Wars! Yowie and I hit the road for the Star Wars Rebels finale screening at Walt Disney Studios and we review ‘Twilight of the Apprentice’. I also check out Star Wars Character Encyclopedia Updated and Expanded by Pablo Hidalgo and Simon Beecroft, from DK. Plus I give a quick review of the first issue of the Poe Dameron comic, while Baby Jawa plays with a new R2-D2 toy and we check out some of the new Star Wars stuff we’ve picked up. And at the end, some Baby Jawa fun time!
We’ve got a new episode of Unboxing Star Wars! Yowie, Baby Jawa and I review the Star Wars Rebels episodes ‘The Forgotten Droid’ and ‘The Mystery of Chopper Base’ and then I give my take on: The Force Awakens: Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens Volume I by Landry Q. Walker, from Disney-Lucasfilm Press. Meanwhile, Baby Jawa does baby things and we also look at some R2-D2 socks, a Millennium Falcon pocket watch from Japan, and the really nifty Vote Leia posters promoting the upcoming Claudia Gray novel, Bloodline.
Quick reviews
→ The Force Awakens: Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens Volume I (release date: April 5, 2016) – Thumbs up! Six short stories about some minor TFA characters give us a variety of genres, all from one author, and all very enjoyable! Fun stuff!
→ ‘The Forgotten Droid’ – Loved it! Chopper has his own adventure and does the impossible: makes a friend. Great work by Stephen Stanton as AP-5!
→ ‘The Mystery of Chopper Base’ – Decent. We get some bug hunting action with the spiders, and some tension as the Ghost crew prepares to bid farewell to Kanan and Ezra.
Time for another episode of Unboxing Star Wars with Baby Jawa, Yowie, and me! Yowie and I discuss the Star Wars Rebels episode ‘Shroud of Darkness’ and then review two recent books: The Force Awakens: Rey’s Story by Elizabeth Schaefer, from Disney-Lucasfilm Press, and Pablo Hidalgo’s The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary, from DK Publishing. Meanwhile, Baby Jawa does baby things.
Quick reviews
→ The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary – An enjoyable must-have guide for all Star Wars fans!
→ The Force Awakens: Rey’s Story – A great retelling of TFA from Rey’s point of view. Intended for young readers, but can be enjoyed by any fan. Love that artwork by Brian Rood!
→ ‘Shroud of Darkness’ – Thumbs-up! Force visions reveal some interesting secrets for our characters, and provide for some cool scenes and the return of several legendary SW voices.
This time on Unboxing Star Wars, Baby Jawa, Yowie, and I check out one recent book and one brand new book, and two recent episodes of Star Wars Rebels. First we review The Force Awakens: Incredible Cross-Sections, illustrated by Kemp Remillard and written by Jason Fry from DK Publishing. Then we check out the new original trilogy comic adaptation for kids, Star Wars: The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel, scripted by Alessandro Ferrari, out today from Disney Lucasfilm Press. Finally we chat Rebels with a look at the past two episodes, Hera’s family reunion in ‘Homecoming’ and unlikely allies Zeb and Kallus in ‘The Honorable Ones.’ Plus we get a new Wookiee to play with!
Quick reviews
→ The Force Awakens: Incredible Cross-Sections – Thumbs-up! Great look at the vessels and vehicles of the new movie.
→ The Original Trilogy – A Graphic Novel – Okay for intended audience (ages 9-12), but cuts out a bit too much of the story for my tastes – keeps the plot, but loses flavor.
→ ‘Homecoming’ – Thumbs-up! Great to return to Ryloth, connecting Hera to her father, a Clone Wars legend.
→ ‘The Honorable Ones’ – Thumbs-up! Putting Zeb and Kallus into a survival situation shows them both off in new lights
Marvel today announced (via Comic Book Resources) that they’re doing a 5-issue adaptation of The Force Awakens for June. Aftermath author Chuck Wendig is writing, with Luke Ross on art.
→ Jedi News noticed that The Force Awakens Blu-ray is now listed as a three-disc set – two Blu-rays and one DVD – on Blu-ray.com. Everyone is still playing coy on the release date, but it’s probably April 5.
→ Co-producer Ben Rosenblatt talks to The Hollywood Reporter about the film’s final shot.
→ Jason Fry explains how General Hux’s father became part of his Rebels tie-in series, Servants of the Empire.
→ Variety looks into how ILM made Starkiller Base crumble. Spoiler: Computers.
In today’s episode of Unboxing Star Wars, Baby Jawa, Yowie, and I celebrate both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day, while reviewing Lost Stars by Claudia Gray, and two recent episodes of Star Wars Rebels: the Zeb-focused ‘Legends of the Lasat’ and spacewhale tale, ‘The Call.’
Marvel today announced (via 