From my parents this Christmas I received this very apt "Surf the Dark Side" t-shirt.
"Surf the Dark Side" T-Shirt
Stormtrooper Pez Dispenser
Another Christmas present from my partner was this awesome Stormtrooper Pez dispenser.
This'll go great with my growing collection of Star Wars-themed Pez dispensers - including Chewbacca, Darth Sidious, and the Darth Vader I picked up a short while ago.
Star Wars Belt
I received some fantastic Star Wars-themed gifts this holiday season, first of which is this amazing belt from my partner.
It wasn't long ago that Star Wars clothing was extremely hard to come by in New Zealand. In recent years, however, there's been an explosion of fantastic items like this. This is the first Star Wars belt I've owned, and it goes without saying that it'll be getting a lot of wear!
Darth Vader vs. Santa Claus
Every now and then a reader will send me something that I just have to share. A short while ago, Loris from Italy did exactly this. He's part of the D-UNIT Stunt YouTube channel, and to celebrate the festive season they've put out an incredibly polished (and hilarious) video entitled "Darth Vader vs. Santa Claus". Check it out below!
D-UNIT Stunt have a bunch of great videos, so be sure to visit their channel and give them a follow. A huge thank you also goes to Loris for sending this through!
Mission Series 3 3/4" MS 07 Death Star Han Solo and Chewbacca
This year I took part in the New Zealand Post Twitter Secret Santa. The mandate was simple: spend around $10.00 on a Christmas present for a random Twitter user, and in turn you would receive a gift from another anonymous individual. Mine arrived a couple of days ago, and my thoughtful Secret Santa (whoever he or she might be) surprised me with this awesome Mission Series MS 07 Death Star Han Solo and Chewbacca!
It's a great set, featuring two of our favourite heroes from the original saga. I must say, I'm continuing to be surprised by the high quality of the sculpts on these five-points-of-articulation figures. Chewie's bowcaster is particularly detailed - the stock, bow, and sight all disassembling for easy transportation.
If my Secret Santa happens to be reading this, then thank you so much for my amazing gift!
Darth Vader Pez Dispenser
During my recent travels i found a Darth Vader Pez dispenser being sold on the Dover to Calais Ferry for £3.95 ($NZ8.05). This is an item that falls outside of my usual collecting focus, but ever since seeing Fanboys I've found Star Wars-themed Pez dispensers incredibly cool.
For some reason, they're also an item that's incredibly difficult to come across in New Zealand - so it's always hard to resist the temptation to purchase any I do find!
Disney A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back Figurine Playsets
I recently spent some time abroad, and while travelling through London I managed to track down a Disney store and pick up two of their new figurine playsets - those from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. Unfortunately they'd sold out of the Return of the Jedi packs, so I'll soon be hunting for one of these to complete the set!
These packs retailed for £12.50 ($25.23NZ), making them an incredibly affordable way to build up a nice collection of well-detailed characters. The figures lack articulation, but their dynamic poses more than make up for this. Each figure is also mounted on a black display base - perfect for diorama building!
Vintage Poster 13 Coaster Set
Another birthday present - this time from my parents - was this tin of thirteen vintage poster coasters.
The graphics are fantastic, and draw on designs from around the world. The coasters themselves are completed with a matte finish that makes them well-suited as mini-artworks in their own right.
The Ultimate Action Figure Collection
I celebrated my birthday a couple of weeks ago, and was lucky enough to receive a copy of Stephen Sansweet's The Ultimate Action Figure Collection from my partner.
Written by the owner of the world's largest Star Wars collection, the book features photographs and details of every Star Wars figure every released at the time of publication. It's a sizable tome, and a must-have for anyone in the hobby.
The Force Awakens Teaser Trailer Released
Yes, this is now incredibly old news - but the biggest Episode VII announcements always seem to be made while I'm travelling! For those of you that might have missed it (which, lets be honest, should be absolutely no-one) the official teaser trailer for The Force Awakens was released on November 27th. You can watch it below:
Since the release, Lucasfilm has also attached names to the characters we see in the trailer. John Boyega's stormtrooper armoured figure is called "Finn", the adorable ball droid is "BB-8", Daisy Ridley's speederbike rider is "Rey", Oscar Isaac's X-Wing pilot is "Poe Dameron", and the mysterious cloaked figure in the forest is "Kylo Ren". Andy Serkis has also been confirmed as having provided the voiceover.
Insofar as teaser trailers go, this was absolutely perfect. We saw just enough of the action to get some sense of the the pensive atmosphere of The Force Awakens, but not so much as to begin ruining plot points of the movie. The decision to focus on the new cast - leaving out the old guard - was also an excellent one. It's these characters who will be leading us into the new trilogy (and perhaps even beyond), so it's only right that they're the central focus of the marketing.
I absolutely adored this trailer. There's something about the camera-work that makes this feel far more like Star Wars than anything we saw in the prequel trilogy. There's also the perfect blend of the new and old. It's clear that there are a number of exciting new elements about to be introduced to the Star Wars universe, but they all feel solidly grounded in what's come before. And lets be honest - whose eyes didn't get a little watery when the Falcon blasted onto the screen accompanied by the Star Wars fanfare?
What are your thoughts on the teaser trailer for The Force Awakens? Be sure to email them to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com, or send me a tweet at @Archon_Revuge!
Insofar as teaser trailers go, this was absolutely perfect. We saw just enough of the action to get some sense of the the pensive atmosphere of The Force Awakens, but not so much as to begin ruining plot points of the movie. The decision to focus on the new cast - leaving out the old guard - was also an excellent one. It's these characters who will be leading us into the new trilogy (and perhaps even beyond), so it's only right that they're the central focus of the marketing.
I absolutely adored this trailer. There's something about the camera-work that makes this feel far more like Star Wars than anything we saw in the prequel trilogy. There's also the perfect blend of the new and old. It's clear that there are a number of exciting new elements about to be introduced to the Star Wars universe, but they all feel solidly grounded in what's come before. And lets be honest - whose eyes didn't get a little watery when the Falcon blasted onto the screen accompanied by the Star Wars fanfare?
What are your thoughts on the teaser trailer for The Force Awakens? Be sure to email them to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com, or send me a tweet at @Archon_Revuge!
Star Wars Episode VII Title Confirmed - "The Force Awakens"
Well, we finally have it folks - the official title for Star Wars Episode VII is "The Force Awakens".
I, for one, dig this title - but what are your thoughts? Be sure to send them to me at relicsoftheforce@gmail.com or tweet them to @Archon_Revuge!
I, for one, dig this title - but what are your thoughts? Be sure to send them to me at relicsoftheforce@gmail.com or tweet them to @Archon_Revuge!
Star Wars Rebels Arrives
Last weekend the first episode of Star Wars Rebels "Spark of Rebellion" premiered on Disney XD. Like a lot of fans, I'd been buzzing with excitement about this series for some months. I absolutely adored The Clone Wars, and was curious to see what that same team would be able to do with this new - and relatively untouched - era of the saga.
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| (Image courtesy of starwars.wikia.com) |
Fortunately, Dave Filoni and the incredible cast and crew behind Rebels didn't disappoint. After seeing the extended preview back in August, I commented that it looked like "the 'Wars that we all grew up with and fell in love with". Last weekend's episode truly lived up to this sentiment. The plot, the pacing, the banter, and the score - they all hearkened back to what makes this saga truly amazing.
Rebels is an incredibly fitting follow-on from The Clone Wars, but it's also a very different show in so many ways. Gone are the sprawling vistas, grand armies, and political machinations. Rebels is a far more intimate show than its predecessor - and this is where it triumphs. The almost claustrophobic space in which the action takes place gives the characters a real chance to shine. There's an instant attachment - and investment - to be found in every one of the ensemble cast. While Rebels still has a long way to go to match The Clone Wars in its final few seasons, it already shows an enormous amount of promise.
If you're looking for a Star Wars fix to hold you over until next December, then this is exactly what you're after. Episode 2 of Rebels airs this weekend, and is also currently available as a free download in the iTunes store.
October 2014 "Wretched Hive" SWNZ Wellington Meet-Up
The Auckland members of the SWNZ Message Boards have been holding some fantastic meet-ups over recent months, and after a little research I've discovered that there's a strong demand for something similar to be held down this end of the island. In light of this, I'm incredibly excited to announce the very first "Wretched Hive" SWNZ Wellington Meet-Up!
This first meet-up will be held at 5.00pm on Saturday October 11th. It'll be a fairly laid-back event at a bar/restaurant in the Wellington CBD. Despite the allusions to scum and villainy, we've decided on a venue that's very family-friendly, so kids and significant others will be very welcome!
If you're interested in attending, be sure to send me (Archon Revuge) a PM on the SWNZ Message Boards, or email me at relicsoftheforce@gmail.com for full details of the venue. I hope to see you there!
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