Tag: merchandise

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What really is the most embarrassingly awful Star Wars merchandise? (Besides the Jar Jar lollipop.)

Gizmodo tries their hand at listing the most embarrassing official Star Wars merchandise, and while they do hit a few – the (hopefully) never-to-be-topped Jar Jar lollipop, the Star Wars Christmas album, the fishing tackle – overall, I think their choices are pretty weak. Sure, most of it is really, truly dumb, but it takes more than some Artoo Christmas lights to get us clutching our pearls.

In fact, I’m sure we can do better: Hell, we have a whole tag devoted to the crazy stuff that Lucasfilm approves. My vote goes to the vaginal Sarlacc toy. Or the pan-fried Vader hospital playset. Or perhaps Le Parfum Des Jedi? (And let’s not even start on the fiction, the comment thread will never end.) It’s a rich minefield down that rabbit hole. What’s your favorite?

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Rumor: Disneyland Paris to open a ‘Star Wars Land?’

Disney and More theorizes that Disneyland Paris may be getting far more than a Star Tours upgrade: There may be an entire section of Discoveryland devoted to Star Wars. It won’t be like the image above – a previously published concept by Tim Delaney that imagines a reskinned Space Mountain – but may involve a Jedi Academy like the U.S. parks have and a Mos Eisley Cantina-inspired restaurant. (via)

In less questionable news, StarWars.com had two items this week regarding Disney World – new Star Wars art at Downtown Disney and a look at the merchandise for Star Wars Weekends.

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Sideshow expands Star Wars with new line

Sideshow has a new Star Wars line, Mythos. A couple of the figures look fairly interesting: A hermit Obi-Wan (in both Ewan and Sir Alec versions!) and a be-toged Darth Maul. And if this mean they’ll be doing figures of existing characters at non-movie points of their lives, maybe we’ll eventually see a couple insipired by post-Return of the Jedi. Here’s the money graph:

This line of collectibles will be populated by characters from new and existing story lines. We will bring history, unique details and personal choices to each in order to elaborate on who they are. Through the design and sculpt process our goal is to delve deeper into these established characters and offer our own interpretations of what they have done outside of the Star Wars canon.

Outside of canon!?! Eleventyone!

Anyway, the “new” part of the equation? Psst, there are a few existing characters you guys haven’t done yet, in any form. I mean, we are still waiting for that Mara. Or even, hell, a Leia wearing something other than the metal bikini. Or a Padme. Have they ever even done a Padme? An Ahsoka? What do the Gamorrean fans have that we don’t, Sideshow? TELL US. I promise we have many ladies willing to pony up for that Obi-wan if you do.

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Quick tweets: George approves ‘thrilling’ book; New Her Universe shirts coming May 4

What could it be? Well, it’s Rinzler and Lucas, so probably nonfiction of some sort. Maybe another art book. We’ll find out one day.

Or maybe it’s this.

Meanwhile, earlier…

One of them is likely the Dolman top. Or maybe the Ahsoka onsie? The tote bag?

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Documentary explores the world of Star Wars toys

Given the overwhelming focus on merchandising in Star Wars – and fandom’s continuing fascination with it – there’s no surprise that it’s now inspired a documentary. Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys is directed by Brian Stillman and will be on DVD in November. (Yes, despite the teaser saying August.) The film will feature “interviews with former Kenner employees, experts, authors, and collectors” and look at history, influence and the current state of collecting. (via)

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Ridiculous merchandise: Precious metal droids

Leave it to Japan… A company over there is producing gold and silver sculptures of Artoo and Threepio – actual gold and silver – for the 35th anniversary of Star Wars. According to Highsnobiety, they go for $1,800 and $6,000 USD, limited to 35 each, and will be available in May.

So, for $6,000 you can get a life-sized Darth Malgus… Or a gold Threepio? No idea how big these things are, but clearly there are way too many overly-solvent Star Wars fans out there, and Lucasfilm (or someone…) is fully committed to parting them from that money. Bless.

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Up close with Hallmark’s 2012 Star Wars ornaments

This year’s Dreambook is up and running for us mere mortals, and with it your best look at this years selections – at least until Hallmark upgrades their website with a zoom feature or (more likely) they make their debut in stores this summer.

The Star Wars offerings: TIE Interceptor, Darth Maul, General Grievous, Han Solo on a tauntaun and two with a LEGO-theme, Stormtrooper and Vader.

And we wouldn’t dare forget the Darth Vader peekbuster, though we’ll try our darndest to keep him away from Santa Maul… I mean, seriously:

Surprise your gift sleuth with one of nine alert messages from Darth Vader on this motion-sensing ornament.

Whoever came up with that has no pets, clearly.

You can browse the whole catalog either as a PDF or via category. And hey, there’s a certain time-traveling 80’s supercar…