Fangirl fangirling

Friday night I got the opportunity to meet one of my fangirl icons, Ashley Eckstein. Ashley is the voice of Ahsoka Tano on Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Now, Ahsoka is my favorite Star Wars character, but Ashley is also a hero of mine outside of Star Wars as well. She founded the geek fashion company Her Universe which makes fangirl fashions inspired by Star Wars, Disney, Star Trek, Marvel, Doctor Who and Studio Ghibli. They started with Star Wars t-shirts and dresses for women and girls, but the brand has grown exponentially since then and now includes items for guys as well as well as make up! I just picked up the Her Universe Infinity Gauntlet inspired make up palette and Infinity Stone lip gloss set, which I will have full swatches and a review of later this week.

We snuck a quick selfie with Ashley, excuse my face.

Ashley was in town to promote her new book "It's Your Universe" from Disney Press. The book is part memoir, part manual and part journal. I haven't finished it yet, as I just picked it up at the signing since you could get an exclusive Ahsoka enamel pin. I'm about half-way through and I already love this book. It's written at a level that would make it perfect for any in their early teens and up. Ashley's authorial voice is approachable and friendly, and I can't help hearing her voice in my head as I read it.
The illustrations are also beautifully done by Ashley's close friend and collaborator Ashley Taylor; who works for Disney as an illustrator and designer and has previously worked with Her Universe on their Disneyland and Studio Ghibli collections. Taylor was also there to share her story and discuss the book and was a joy to talk to. Meeting both Ashleys was a wonderful experience, they were warm and kind and took time to talk to everyone who came to see them, which was about 130 people. Star Wars Oregon was also there to provide an honor guard if you will, including a Darth Vader, and full-size Chewbacca. It was an experience that I will never forget.

I was really excited to meet Chewie!

I will probably post a full review of "It's Your Universe" once I have had a chance to finish it. But so far I would definitely recommend it as a graduation present (its that time of year), a gift to any younger person in your life, or as a treat-yo'self gift for when you could use a little cheering on from a friendly voice.

If you're not familiar with Her Universe, here's a link to their website but their designs are also available at Hot Topic, Torrid, Box Lunch and Think Geek.

Ashley, if you're reading this, thank you so much for Ahsoka, for being so kind to all your fans and for giving fangirls like me a way to show off our love for our favorite  things.

Heir to the...Jedi?

I'm not really sure how I feel about Heir to the Jedi which is why its been almost a week since I finished the book and I'm just now getting the review up. There are some really strong and creative aspects of the book but overall the story is forgettable. Heir to the Jedi (HTTJ) is the newest adult novel in the new Star Wars canon (and by adult I don't mean nsfw but not intended for children or teens, although how much fun would that be right?), although just by publication date. It was originally announced before the old EU was rebranded as Legends but it happens to fit in the timeline of the new canon. HTTJ takes place in the months after the Battle of Yavin and falls in with the other new additions, namely the three Marvel Star Wars storylines that are currently under way: Star Wars, Darth Vader and Princess Leia. All of these are excellent and I can wholeheartedly recommend them. It focuses on Luke as he's getting over Obi-Wan's death and coming to terms with his connection to the Force. What makes HTTJ unique, and hard to love, is its first person narrative. The whole book is told from Luke's perspective which is hard to get used to both for the reader and, it seems. The effect is that the book doesn't really feel like a Star Wars story. That and the vocabulary is awkward and not very in-universe. For example, how does the kid who grew up on the dirt-poor desert planet of Tatooine know about ice cream? He doesn't/shouldn't. After so many years of the EU the Star Wars vocabulary is established; fresher for shower, chrono for watch, caf for coffee and the like. So far the other novels have kept up with this tradition but Kevin Hearne is new to the franchise and I would love to know whether it was a conscious decision by the author or the editor to break with tradition. Dear god I know its pedantic, but these are the things that bother me while reading.

HTTJ is not without redeeming factors. Luke is at his most likable in this book and Hearne really captures the feeling of young, slightly dorky "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to save you!" Luke rather than the dour Jedi master that we'd become so used to in the old EU. He feels like the Luke I fell in love with as a little girl. Luke's inner voice feels young and his infatuation with the other main character Nakari is sweet and endearing in sort of a puppy love way. He's also struggling to find his way and without Obi-Wan to guide him. He's coming off being the hero of the rebel alliance but its really done nothing to bolster his sense of self confidence. He's making little headway learning about the force and he's trying to grapple with his relationship with Darth Vader, the man he believes killed his father. He's trying to do what he can to help the rebellion but he feels like he's not as important as Leia. Luke and Nakari are tasked with retrieving an expert mathematician/hacker from Imperial custody and delivering her to a deserted planet to live in safety with her family. Along the way they are chased by imperial agents and get sold out by those they think they can trust. There is everything we hope for in a Star Wars novel but there is a greater focus on lesser known species and planets. 

Nakari is Luke's sidekick, love interest and biggest fan. She is an excellent character, and probably this book's brightest spot. She is a badass, confident, smart and creative. Their personal interactions are both awkward and endearing, although I personally could have done with a little more actual romance. Nakari is sort of a mentor to Luke and a cheerleader rather than a damsel in distress. 

The plot overall has some pacing issues, each battle scene is separated by and few pages of dialogue in a way that seems formulaic enough to be more at home in a video game than a novel. The entire book can be spit in tho three missions each with a different location. Perhaps this story my have been more effective told as a comic than a novel. The feeling of "what's at stake?" is largely missing. We can't argue that Luke and Nakari's mission is of vital importance to the success of the rebellion. 

The major problem with the book is also its biggest spoiler so here goes...

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Nakari dies at the end. For no reason other than to cause Luke pain and give him a chance not to give in to the dark side. It's ridiculous. He could have had another reason, maybe anger or fear. It's just really unfortunate to waste a dynamic female character just to cause a man some pain. We've seen a few women in Luke's life get killed off in the old canon, but it always felt like it was because he was supposed to end up with Mara, but now there is no Mara. I just feel like it was lazy storytelling and I was hoping for more in the new canon. It proves that Lucasfilm/Disney/DelRay aren't listening to female fans yet, and that is really unfortunate.

Overall, unless you're a huge fan of all things Luke Skywalker, I would give this one a miss.

Many Bothans died to bring us this information

There's been a lot of big news in the Star Wars universe in the past week. Last week LucasFilm announced release dates for Episode VIII as well as the first of several planned stand-alone films, entitled Rogue One. Filming on Rogue One begins this summer in London and release is set for December 16, 2016 just less than a year after the premier of The Force Awakens. It will be directed by Gareth Edwards best known for his work on last year's Godzilla. The only star announced so far is Felicity Jones, who garnered an Oscar nod for her work on The Theory of Everything earlier this year.   Episode VIII is scheduled for release May 26, 2017, forty years and one day after the opening of A New Hope. It will be written and directed by up and comer Rian Johnson.

I have high hopes for Rogue One especially considering that Jones is the only star thus far. I'm hoping the rogue in the title refers to Rogue Squadron, an elite flight of X-Wing pilots founded and led by Luke Skywalker after the Battle of Yavin. Rogue Squadron was a staple in the books of the old expanded universe and it would be great to see them on the big screen, especially in the command of a woman. I'd love to see Jones as a Jaina Solo-esque character. It's possible, although highly unlikely that she could be Jaina. Although this is purely speculation, there is nothing to say what era the film is set in, all we know so far is that the story line stands apart from the main saga. I would love to see a few nods in upcoming stand alone films to the old EU. Those stories and characters are so dear to the hearts of so many fans that it would be nice to see that they haven't been completely discarded.

In addition, LucasFilm and Disney Publishing have announced that more than twenty upcoming books across all genres will lead up to the release of Episode VII in what they are calling the "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens." All works released during this period, including comics, novels, children's activity books and reference books will be included in canon and will drop hints to the plot of The Force Awakens. It appears that there will be a fair amount of fodder for speculation enthusiasts. Many of the stories will retell parts of the original trilogy while others will fill in the time between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. I am interested to see if there will be a novelization released before the actual film like there was for The Phantom Menace. Also released this week was the cover art for Star Wars: Aftermath. Aftermath should be really exciting, as it represents the first new EU novel set after Return of the Jedi and has been touted as introducing people and places that will have significance in the new trilogy.

At the moment I'm working through some of the new comic arcs, Star Wars, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader and I'm about two-thirds of the ways through Heir to the Jedi. I couldn't be happier. The art in the Marvel comics is superb and the writing is tight and witty. Heir to the Jedi is an interesting departure as it is written in first person from Luke's point of view. It takes place right after the Battle of Yavin and it focuses on Luke's mourning the loss of Obi-Wan, his uncertainty of his force abilities and his anxieties about becoming a Jedi without an teacher to guide him. It is a unique portrayal and I am enjoying it. A full review will definitely follow :)

Sources: Star Wars.com, IMDB

LootCrate takes a look back

This month's LootCrate theme was rewind. It was jam packed with all the nostalgic things nerds of a certain age loved back in the day in all their pixelated, low-res glory. I am a sucker for all things retro myself and this month didn't disappoint. I really like that the crate themes have broadened a little bit and gotten away from being quite so gaming heavy. I also appreciated that more of the items in this month's crate were really usable. 

This month included an exclusive tee featuring Voltron. The blue-on-black is subtle and has kind of a Tron-esque vibe that I love. I'm definitely going to be getting some serious mileage out of this one.

I really like that there are more usable items in this month's box. The 8-bit sunglasses probably won't replace my daily wearers, but they'll be fun for specific outfits and they're UVA rated so they're not just for costume. Probably my favorite item this month though is the Space Invaders tie from Black Tie Geek. I'm already working to put together a work outfit to feature it but it would also make a great headband for those who are not so necktie-inclined. The comic notebook is a small blank book pre-divided into panels for at-home comic artists. It even includes a small stencil for all the thought bubbles and sound effects.

Next up is this little guy, a 10-doh! figure by Squid Kids Ink. Its a little anthropomorphized NES cartridge. He's even got his own little zapper. Each one of these little guys features a parody of a classic Nintendo title. 

Last, but certainly not least this month's comic was Marvel Star Wars #1. This is Marvel's first Star Wars comic since 1987 and it was a great opening effort. The story takes place after the events of Episode IV and features Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker sabotaging an imperial weapons depot. The art is outstanding and the storyline seems promising. I will definitely be picking up the other books in this arc.

All in all, this month was probably my favorite crate so far. If you're interested in a subscription or more information on LootCrate visit them here.

Star War Episode VII Teaser trailer thoughts/flails

You guys. The three little words that set the heart alight...*new Star Wars* If you haven't feasted your eyes on 88 seconds of nerd crack you can find it here. Ok now lets talk about it. The trailer opens with John Boyega's character out in the desert, is it Tatooine? Is he really a stormtrooper? If so, where's his helmet?

Personally I think that Boyega's stormtrooper establishes a new order of trooper, a not so subtle reminder that Imperial stormtroopers are not the Jango clones that we grew so fond of during the Clone Wars era. The new Stormtroopers look sleek and deadly. I'm really hoping to see them come into their own as the galaxy's best military force. They look like they're about to execute a dangerous drop. I'd like to see them more like Halo's ODSTs than the three stooges. Next the soccer ball droid. I love it, a fitting side kick for a new generation of Jedi. Next Daisy Ridley's character rides away in the same desert setting on a beat up speeder bike. I like her look, it's kind of farm-kid bad ass a little bit reminiscent of Abrams' reboot Kirk.

Coincidence? I think not.

X-wings skim over a lake. Could this be Naboo? How much is this movie going to tie into the prequel trilogy: many young fans' most personal link to the Star Wars universe. X-wings to me speak so strongly of a post Original Trilogy era which I identify with the now "legends" EU. Speaking of which I'd love for the young pilot to be an Antilles. Just saying.
A lonely figure in a dark wood powers up a rudimentary red Sith lightsaber. It starts up in fits and spurts like somethings not quite right. It is not the smooth power up we're used to seeing but the hand guard part looks super cool and when you think about it, wouldn't that be more useful when locked in a battle of life and death? Maybe somebody wants to be the first Force user in two generations not be missing a hand?
And then the Millennium Falcon happened and the Williams' theme music swelled and it really felt like a Star Wars movie. The Falcon looks awesome. The effects are top notch and it looks as Kessell Run ready as ever.
All in all, it all looks cool. There's a lot left to the imagination which I think is a great way to go with the movie still a year away. I'm not looking to be spoiled for the whole plot this far out and this teaser is a refreshing change.

Star Wars' New Era

Star Wars has been in the news a lot in the past week and it only felt right to me to talk about the new era in the Star Wars universe. Just like many fans, my world was rocked by the announcement that the old Expanded Universe (EU). I was sad that Jaina and Jacen Solo, Mara Jade, and the Republic Commandos would no longer be canon. With the announcement of Episode VII, I cherished the hope of seeing my favorites on the big screen. But Disney has big plans for the new Star Wars. 

Phase one begins with the animated series Star Wars: Rebels on DisneyXD accompanied by the first new EU novel A New Dawn by John Jackson Miller. Having finished A New Dawn and seen a few episodes of Rebels I have to say I'm pretty excited. We haven't seen much about what happens in between Episodes III and IV and there's a lot of tantalizing nuggets in both stories. The strategy seems to be to show the universe from the bottom up. Both Gorse, the planet where A New Dawn takes place, and Lothal, the setting of Rebels, are on the outer rim, far away from the planets fans are familiar with. The people who live there are the little people who stand to sacrifice the most to the empire while reaping the least benefit from its rule. Even this early in the new era, its easy to see the roots of what would become the Rebel Alliance of the Original Trilogy (OT). What I especially like about Rebels is that they've made an effort to tie it into the OT. They've brought in characters that we know and love, sampled music from the original John Williams score and created backdrops taken directly from Ralph McQuarrie's concept art for the OT. 

The characters are both new and familiar at the same time. Kanan the one time Jedi padawan, is a Han Solo type swashbuckler, the lovable jerk. Hera is the brains of the operation, as adept as she is beautiful, reminiscent of Princess Leia. I have high hopes for Hera, I think there are a lot of places they could go with her character. I'm a little disappointed that Hera kind of got short shrift in A New Dawn as far as backstory and dimension go. She is mostly presented from Kanan's point of view as an object of desire and there is kind of a "will they or won't they" relationship between the two so far. Zeb is the muscle, who delights in cracking Stormtroopers' heads together and reminds me strongly of Jayne from Firefly fame. Sabine is a breath of fresh air. A teenage girl with a lot of artistic talent and a special appreciation for explosions, Sabine is sure to be a fan-favorite with little girls, a worthy successor to Ahsoka Tano. My not so secret hope for Sabine is that she will be an avenue to have more Mandalorians in the new canon. Lastly, there's Ezra, who is a force-sensitive street rat, adopted by the rest of the crew and poised to become Kanan's apprentice. The gang is frequently harassed by platoons of stormtroopers just as inept as they ever were and commanded by Agent Kallus and grasping imperial trying to wring the last assets out of the local people. Kallus reports to the shadowy Sith Inquisitor, whose purpose is to eradicate the last of the surviving Jedi. 

There are a few questions in particular that I'm still wondering how producer Dave Filoni (of Clone Wars and Avatar fame) will answer. One is what becomes of Kanan and Ezra if Luke, Obi-Wan and Yoda are the only surviving Jedi just 20 odd years later. The other is whether there will be any ties between this series and the Clone Wars. Could Ahsoka be back? How about the clones that enter the 501st? Its early days yet, but the new era for Star Wars is full of promise. 

For more on A New Dawn, check out my Goodreads review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1089174653?book_show_action=false