Solo: A Star Wars Story Premiere (May 2018)

Last night, my fiancée and I went along to our local theatre to catch the first screening of Disney's fourth contribution to the saga - Solo: A Star Wars Story. When it was first announced, I was less-than-enthusiastic about the idea of a Han-centred origin film. While he's my favourite character in the saga, I felt that there were far more interesting stories to be told in that galaxy far, far away. Nevertheless, my anticipation for the film had been steadily growing over recent months, and I went into last night's screening with a cautious sense of optimism. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.

This might just be the Star Wars movie I've been hoping for ever since Disney took over the franchise: a fun-filled romp through the galaxy that - while still having high stakes - isn't yoked with the burden of having to further the story of the main episodic saga (which, despite being a standalone film, Rogue One was still tasked with doing). Sure, this story might not matter. Skipping it certainly won't leave you bereft of plot information that's vital to understanding the rest of the saga. But if that's all you're focused on, then I daresay you've missed the point of these standalone films - and the Star Wars franchise more generally. I'm a veteran of the Expanded Universe, and I learned a long time ago that a Star Wars story doesn't need to "matter" in order to be important. This franchise has always been about world-building - about fleshing out characters and filling in little unexplored nooks and crannies of the universe. That's one of the things I love most about this franchise. And this is something that Solo gets absolutely right.

Alden Ehrenreich nails it. I'd harboured some deep scepticism about any actor's ability to step into such an iconic role. But less than five minutes in, I'd bought it. This was Han Solo. I recognised the character, and the actor playing him was largely immaterial. In fact, Ehrenreich's portrayal of the famous smuggler is only eclipsed by Donald Glover's Lando - a masterclass in inhabiting a hugely familiar character without falling into the trap of imitation. Glover's delivery was so good that there were a few moments where I even questioned whether Billy Dee Williams might have dubbed some of Lando's lines. The rest of the ensemble cast shine, too, though the real highlight is L3-37 - a droid unlike any we've seen before. Emilia Clarke inhabits the role of Qi'ra completely, and Woody Harrelson and Thandie Newton give us a phenomenal pair of swashbucklers who steal many scenes. Even Jon Favreau's CGI character Rio Durant - who for the most part acts as comic relief - manages to bring a surprising amount of poignancy to his performance.

There's one other character who really takes centre-stage in this film, however - but to whom not a lot of people will pay due credit: the Millennium Falcon. In fact, I joked with my fiancée that this movie could just as easily have been titled "Falcon: A Star Wars Story", as it's just as much her origin tale as it is Han's.

How about you? What are your thoughts on Solo: A Star Wars Story? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Hunt Is On - Force Link 2.0 3 3/4" Wave 2 Figures Found

In a piece of incredibly fortuitous timing, HasbroToyShop.com listed the second wave of Force Link 2.0 figures on the same day as their May 4th 20% discount and free shipping deal. There were only two figures from this wave on my hunt list - Moloch and Supreme Leader Snoke - and I was able to pick up both along with my order of Han Solo's Landspeeder.

Despite making his screen debut all the way back in 2015, this is the first time we've seen a single-carded Snoke in the basic figure line. A repack of the figure that appeared in the BB-8 mega playset, Snoke doesn't really have a huge amount going on. Including only four points of articulation and zero accessories, he's less of an "action figure" and more of a display piece. He performs this role admirably, however - towering over other figures and catching the eye in his glistening gold attire. In fact, that's one detail that Hasbro pulled off quite well. Instead of painting the figure in a lacklustre pigment, they've instead opted to mould the entire body from a metallic-coloured plastic that really makes Snoke pop.

But for all of his presence, Snoke is massively outshone by Moloch. Representing one of the minor antagonists of Solo, Moloch has been rendered with a surprising amount of detail and care. Wonderfully sculpted and equipped with a rubberised overcoat, staff, blaster pistol, and working holster; the greatest feature is perhaps the least obvious one - a removable mask. Moloch's breathing apparatus extends and lowers in a most pleasing fashion, allowing for the removable of his faceplate. Underneath you'll find a wonderfully Henson-esque visage that rotates on a single point of articulation.

These will most likely be the last single-carded basic line figures I pick up for a while. Wave 3 is almost exclusively repacks, and there's scuttlebutt that Wave 4 may not even make it to retailers - a rumour that's only fueled by the fact that the final waves of the Force Awakens and Rogue One lines were nearly impossible to find, and the final wave of the Last Jedi line was relegated to an online store exclusive.

Force Link 2.0 3 3/4" Han Solo's Landspeeder

While it may not have made it onto my Force Link 2.0 hunt list, Han Solo's Landspeeder has been calling my name for some time now. I love the design, and the unique lines and colour scheme are sure to stand out amongst any shelf of 3 3/4" action figures. So, when HasbroToyShop.com had a 20% discount and free shipping on all Star Wars products for May 4th, I finally gave in to temptation.

While definitely a pleasing design, this speeder is certainly more of a display piece than a play piece - not really boasting much in the way of interactive features. This is understandable however, given its role in the film. Han's landspeeder is an open-topped transport, not a vehicle of war, so there's no real opportunity for the usual hinging canopies, firing missiles, and associated play features. The one included mechanism is an Incredible-Crash-Dummies-esque collapsible rubberised front that allows you to ram the landspeeder into an obstacle and have Han projectile-launched from his seat. It's a nifty gimmick for kids, but one that also remains happily hidden while the vehicle is on display.

There are a couple of minor improvements that could have been made to improve this displayability, however. Firstly, the landspeeder is in dire need of some sort of stand or wheels to get the vehicle off the ground. That kind of feature has been standard for Star Wars landspeeders ever since the Vintage Kenner line, so its puzzling as to why it was left out here. Secondly, it would have been nice if a little more thought had been given to the positioning of the seat and steering wheel in relation to Han. In order for Han to properly grip the steering wheel, he has to be posed in an unnatural forward lean. When the figure is sitting in anything resembling a normal position, his hands are instead left floating in mid-air. Don't get me wrong, it's a small problem, but one that could have been easily remedied by simply making the steering stalk half an inch longer.

The pack-in figure itself is a great likeness of a Alden Ehrenreich, and features some nice little touches - like a smattering of brine up the legs. He also comes with a single sidearm. Given that this is the first actual Han Solo figure I've picked up from the Solo line, he's a very welcome addition to my collection!

May the 4th Be With You!

The fourth of May has come around again, and you know what that means: It's Star Wars day! May the 4th be with you! I'll be kicking back with some blue milk, watching the films, and maybe adding a few new choice items to my collection.

Have you got any special plans for Star Wars Day? If you do, be sure to share them with us via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com.

Micro Machines Action Fleet Millennium Falcon

Regular readers will know that I have a real soft spot for Galoob's old Micro Machines Action Fleet line. Sure, there's the sentimental attraction of these being the very toys I played with as kid. But I also believe that these were - and still are - the best line of Star Wars toys ever made available. Nowhere else have we ever seen a line that provides us with such a phenomenally diverse line of articulated figures and feature-packed vehicles and displayable environments and playsets. I was heartbroken when the line came to an end in 2002, and have spent the intervening years filling the many gaps in my childhood collection. One of the most glaring of these omissions was the Millennium Falcon. While two iterations of this vehicle were released (one single-packed, and one packed in a Toys'R'Us "Classic Duels" two-pack with a TIE-Interceptor) I'd never come across either in a brick-and-mortar store. My soon-to-be brother-in-law recently discovered this, and surprised me last weekend with a Falcon he had going spare!

Pulled from the Toys'R'Us two-pack, this version of the Falcon comes with Lando Calrissian and an Endor Rebel Commando instead of the usual pairing of Han and Chewie. I'm particularly rapt with this, as - while I already have a surplus of Han and Chewies in my Action Fleet collection - I can never have too many troopers. This particular trooper also happens to be the notorious bearded fellow who dons Scout Trooper armour during the Rebels' assault on the Endor bunker - and who also makes a perfect stand-in for a particular clone trooper captain from a certain animated Star Wars series.

A quick perusal of the images above should give you a clear indication of why I place this line of toys on such a pedestal. As well as the included display stand and two minifigures (both of which have articulated arms and legs), the Falcon itself comes with no less than eight action features: a firing missile between the forward mandibles, retractable landing gear, rotating laser cannons, a rotating and tilting communication dish, an opening cockpit that seats one minifigure, a retractable gunwell that seats another minifigure, an opening rear cargo bay, and an opening floor concealing a hidden 'smuggler's compartment'. All of this in a toy that, at its time of release, retailed for a mere $29.99NZ (or about twice the price of a Hasbro action figure). It might be a tired cliché to say "they don't make toys like they used to" - but in truth, they really don't...

New Animated Television Series "Star Wars Resistance" Announced

Following on from The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, StarWars.com this morning announced the next animated instalment in the saga: Star Wars Resistance.

(Image courtesy of StarWars.com)

This announcement isn't all that surprising (having produced both prequel- and original trilogy-era shows, it only made sense that the next would be based in the sequel-era) but is nevertheless very welcome. The finale of Star Wars Rebels left me thirsty for more, and knowing that Dave Filoni (the creative genius behond both Rebels and its predecessor, The Clone Wars) will be helming this project gives me complete faith that it'll be a phenomenal show. Specifically, the series will follow:

"...Kazuda Xiono, a young pilot recruited by the Resistance and tasked with a top-secret mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order. It will premiere this fall on Disney Channel in the U.S. and thereafter, on Disney XD and around the world. 

Featuring the high-flying adventure that audiences of all ages have come to expect from Star Wars, Star Wars Resistance — set in the time prior to Star Wars: The Force Awakens — will feature the beloved droid BB-8 alongside ace pilots, colorful new characters and appearances by fan favorites including Poe Dameron and Captain Phasma, voiced by actors Oscar Isaac and Gwendoline Christie, respectively."

How about you? What are your thoughts on this announcement? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

Episode I 3 3/4" and Shadows of the Empire 3 3/4" Figures

My fiancee and I are heading back to Houston soon. But before departing Maryland we decided to drop by our local book / comic / collectible store for one final visit. I had a rummage through their clearance section, and was lucky enough to stumble across a trio of figures on my hunt list for $5.00US ($6.93NZ) a pop: Shadows of the Empire 3 3/4" Prince Xizor, Episode I 3 3/4" Ki Adi Mundi, and Episode I 3 3/4" Naboo Royal Security. 

All three represent the best of '90s Star Wars action figures: bulked up, limited articulation figures that could withstand all kinds of play-related wear. Both Ki-Adi Mundi and the Naboo Royal Security also come with CommTech chips - the early (and, arguably superior) predecessor to today's Force Link gimmick. Xizor, on the other hand, represents one of only two releases of this figure in the 3 3/4" scale - a must-have for a die-hard Shadows of the Empire fan like myself.

The Black Series 6" Porg Two-Pack

In addition to the items on my Force Link 2.0 and Vintage Collection hunt lists, I made one extra purchase on the April 13th Solo product release day: this adorable two pack of Black Series porgs.

While these are technically from the 6" line of figures, my fiancée was quick to point out that they're small enough to also look perfectly at home among my 3 3/4" figures (as pictured above). She wasn't wrong! The only 3 3/4" scale porg we've seen so far is the one that came with the Force Link Chewbacca. Unfortunately, it was a pretty underwhelming - and perhaps too-small - sculpt. These, however, are incredibly well detailed - as is to be expected of any item from the Black Series line. Most surprisingly, these aren't entirely static pieces. One of the porgs actually comes with four points of articulation, being able to twist his legs and move his ball-jointed wings into all sorts of amusing poses!

The Hunt Is On - The Vintage Collection 3 3/4" VC120 Rebel Trooper (Hoth) Found

Along with the first wave of Force Link 2.0 figures, the April 13th Solo product release date also saw the return of the wildly popular Vintage Collection after a hiatus of almost five years. Featuring phenomenal articulation and fantastic accessories, the Vintage Collection represented the very pinnacle of the 3 3/4" line, and I - like many fans - am thrilled beyond words to have it back. My picks from this line will be somewhat selective. When it comes to newer characters (i.e., those from the prequel, sequel, and standalone films) I tend to make my purchases from the main movie line as something of a 'time-capsule' of that particular era of figures. For this reason, my Vintage Collection hunt list will be focused on original trilogy and Expanded Universe characters. There was one figure in the first wave of new Vintage figures that fit this bill - and that filled a glaring omission in my collection thus far - the Hoth Rebel Trooper.

This trooper proved somewhat elusive, being that he's both (1) highly desirable to fans of the original trilogy, and (2) a great army builder (meaning that most collectors will tend to buy multiple). After some hunting, however, I managed to track one down at a Gamestop of all places. The Hoth Rebel Trooper encapsulates everything that's great about the Vintage Collection line. Featuring a wonderful fourteen points of articulation, two blasters, a working holster, and removable headgear and backpack, there isn't much more you could expect from a plastic representation of this character. The sculpt and paint app are - as always - on-point, and there's even some soft goods to add an extra sense of quality to the figure.

Hoth-themed figures have been getting a lot of love over recent years, including the wonderful Imperial Probe Droid and Wampa figures I picked up over the last few months. The Hoth Rebel Trooper will look great alongside these other recent additions!

The Hunt Is On - Force Link 2.0 3 3/4" Wave 1 Figures Found

As was the case across much of the country, the product release for Solo: A Star Wars Story arrived with something of a whimper in my neck of the woods. For the most part, staff - even those stationed exclusively in the toy section - had no idea that there were any new Star Wars items on their way. It took visits to two Walmarts and four Targets across two states before I finally came across the items I was after. It was only at the last of these that I lucked out by being in the toy section just as a shelf-stocker wheeled a trolley of new product into the aisle (despite being told by the manager only moments earlier that they hadn't received the shipment of new stock). The stocker was kind enough to let myself and two other fans stand by as she unpacked the new product, and gave us first choice on the items as they emerged from their boxes. As a result, I managed to get everything on my Force Link 2.0 hunt list in one fell swoop.

While the distribution of these figures may have been disappointing, the products themselves certainly are not. I picked up most of the Solo characters available including Chewbacca, Qi'ra, the Rangetrooper, the Mimban Stormtrooper, Lando (with a Kessel Guard), and Enfys Nest (with her speeder bike). Continuing the trend started in 2015, these basic movie-line figures are mostly five-points-of-articulation (5POA). That being said, the sculpting and paint apps have been significantly improving with every wave of new figures. Qi'ra is a phenomenal example of this - her face framed with finely detailed wisps of hair, and her face painted in an uncanny likeness of actress Emilia Clarke. The quality of the basic line is improving elsewhere, too: Qi'ra, the Mimban Stormtrooper, and Enfys nest all comes with two extra points of articulation in their wrists, and Enfys also comes with a cloth cape - the first we've seen in the basic line since its advent.

There are other great features hidden throughout these figures as well. Enfys's speeder bike (which, itself, is a beautifully delicate and detailed vehicle) comes with a mount for her halberd, and the Kessel Guard weapon is able to clip to his backpack when not in use. Perhaps best of all, Hasbro have finally rediscovered how to do pack-in accessories. Gone are the ridiculous 'build-a-weapon', 'armour-up', and oversized cannon inclusions of recent times. Instead, the Force Link 2.0 range of figure two-packs come with large screen-accurate weapons and accessories that are perfect for diorama building. In this case, Lando and the Kessel Guard come with a wonderful banged-up turret and generator reminiscent of the E-Web heavy repeating blaster used by snowtroopers in The Empire Strikes Back.

But the real star of this first wave of Force Link 2.0 figures isn't even from Solo. Instead, it's the wampa - a figure that I've been obsessing over since its announcement almost a year ago.

While the pack-in Luke is a simple 5POA figure (and no match for any of the super-articulated Hoth Lukes we've seen in recent years), the wampa is a beautiful six-inch tall hunk of plastic that boasts an impressive 11 points-of-articulation. This added range of motion makes him look great in a number of poses, and his severable right arm (yes, that's right, severable) even allows you to play out Luke's most infamous act of wanton cruelty.

This range of figures has got the Force Link 2.0 line off to a great start. I've not yet had the chance to try out any of the Force Link gimmickry - mostly because the reader is grossly overpriced, and likely to plummet in cost in the coming weeks and months. For me, however, that feature is superfluous - and I can safely say I'm already rapt with these figures, even without access to their technological features.

Solo: A Star Wars Story Theatrical Trailer Released

With only seven weeks until its premiere, Solo: A Star Wars Story finally had its official trailer released this evening. You can check it out below:

Lucasfilm's marketing is on-point, because in the matter of a few short months they've managed to take me from largely indifferent about this film, to incredibly excited for its release. Solo certainly looks like it may be the 'coolest' Star Wars film yet - brimming with a charm and swagger that we haven't really seen in this universe before (except, of course from its titular character).

What are your thoughts on the theatrical trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

Future Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Miniatures Projects

I've been thinking about Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Miniatures game a lot lately. Between 2005 and 2009 I amassed a decent collection from this line, and - after playing a lot of River Horse's Labyrinth board game with my fiancée lately - I've had a real hankering to get back into some strategy gaming. 

But that's the thing. Unlike other tabletop wargames such as Warhammer (which, don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved - and played to no end), Miniatures wasn't just a strategy game. The complex scenarios, unique abilities of characters, and small party sizes (sometimes limited to only two or three miniatures) meant that there was a real sense of story around each game. An evening's worth of play felt more like a mini RPG session than it did a military campaign.

For now, my collection of miniatures is safely in storage back at my parents' place in New Zealand. I hope to break them out again in the near future - and when I do, I have a few projects planned. This post is a way of bookmarking some of those ideas and the inspirations behind them.

My Star Wars Miniatures collection.

My miniatures are currently just as they came in the box: pre-painted and unbased. This is something I plan on changing, however. A full repaint is a rather daunting prospect, and - it turns out - mostly unnecessary. During my internet browsing, I stumbled across some phenomenal looking custom Miniatures on Paul's Star Wars Miniatures blog - all achieved by the simple application of some ink washes (like those in this set). These washes enhance the details already present on the moulds, darkening the shadows and adding some appropriate "used universe" grime to characters. I love this effect, and can't wait to try it on my own miniatures.

Next up, I'll need to decide what to do with the bases. My initial thought had been to leave them a neutral black - my reasoning being that anything else would limit the terrain on which the miniatures could work (a grassed-based miniature won't exactly look right in a spaceship interior). I've realised, however, that this kind of reasoning never stopped me from going all-out when basing my Warhammer miniatures. In addition, the right choice of basing can really make a miniature pop. The final kicker was when I stumbled across Grudgingly Read's phenomenally realistic (and easy) technique for creating snow bases. A good chunk of my miniatures are Hoth-based, and would look fantastic with this treatment, so that's what I'll be doing.

To add some diversity, I plan on using a variety of other basing techniques too. The plan is to loosely combine groups of miniatures into thematic squads, then use unified basings to tie them together. At the moment, I'm thinking something like the following:

• Imperial Forces - Grass Bases (à la Naboo)
• Rebel Forces - Grass Bases (à la Naboo)
• Cold Weather Imperial Forces - Snow Bases (à la Hoth)
• Cold Weather Rebel Forces - Snow Bases (à la Hoth)
• Republic Forces - Red Desert Bases (à la Geonosis)
• Separatist Forces - Red Desert Bases (à la Geonosis)
• Mandalorians - White Desert Bases (à la Mandalore)
• Scum and Villainy - Yellow Desert Bases (à la Tatooine)

It's not just miniatures that I'll be working on, either. I also have plans to improve my selection of scenery. I still have a fantastic Citadel grass gaming mat (shown in the photo above) from my Warhammer days, along with an assortment of other walls, building, and general battlefield detritus that will be perfectly to scale with my miniatures. I want to get a few more specifically Star Wars-themed items in there however. For one, I have a damaged double-up of the Micro Machines Action Fleet Mos Espa Market playset that is just begging to be customised and repainted for inclusion on the battlefield. I also have two AMT/Ertl model kits - a Naboo Starfighter, and a trio of droid starfighters - that, at 1:48 scale, are the perfect size match with the Miniatures line. I'm still unsure whether to use these as static pieces of scenery, or base and write rules for them to actually be used in gameplay as some sort of "aerial bombardment" mechanic.

I'll hopefully get to these projects in the near future - and when I do, I'll be sure to post about my progress. Stay tuned for updates!

Kinder Surprise The Force Awakens Twistheads

It's Easter Sunday today, and among the parcel of chocolate treats my fiancée and I received from my parents were four Star Wars-themed Kinder Surprise eggs. We didn't know what to expect inside, but it turned out to be a second series of the wonderfully weird 'Twistheads' line that first debuted back in 2013 - this time featuring a line of new characters from the sequel trilogy.

Each figure comes with a twisting head (as the name suggests), though the previously-included dial mechanic is no longer present. The attached string on the the head means the figure can be used as a phone or bag charm, or even as a keyring. There are eight Twistheads in the series, and by a stroke of luck we managed to get four unique characters: C-3PO, Finn, a First Order Stormtrooper, and - our favourite - Captain Phasma. The latter is made even more awesome by the inclusion of a tiny fabric shoulder cape that ties around her neck!