Catching Up: Star Wars Celebration 2015

This is the first of many posts where I will attempt to catch up my poor little neglected blog.
So...

The endless churning sea of Star Wars fans at SWCA2015.

To say that Star Wars Celebration 2015 Anaheim was a phenomenal experience would be a severe understatement. Over the course of four days, I was inundated with Star Wars for every waking hour... and I was totally fine with that.

Everywhere I turned was Star Wars. Every exhibitor, vendor, and attendee was Star Wars. The atmosphere was invigorating, and I knew going in that there was NO WAY I was going to have enough cash to get all the cool stuff. I got a few nifty things, a plethora of pictures, and a multitude of cool stories.

Being a part of the Rebel Legion, I've grown accustomed to being with people in costumes that are as passionate about Star Wars as I am... but not on this scale. The number of amazing costumes was absolutely astounding. The time and effort that people put into their costumes was easily evident; I was practically giddy as I took photos of these walking works of art... and posed for a number of photos myself. :-) These costumers were happy to chat about the work that went into their costume, and you see the pride and gratification on their faces at the recognition and praise for their hard work. There were Jedi, Sith, Wookiees, Jawas, droids, Stormtroopers, Rebel soldiers, X-Wing pilots, TIE pilots, and a multitude of creatures from the Star Wars universe. It was truly a sight to behold.

Both the Rebel Legion and The 501st Legion had very large presences, as well as The Mandalorian Mercs and a number of other Star Wars costuming groups. Legion members from around the globe descended upon Anaheim for this event, and it was great to finally meet the people behind the names I've only seen in the online forums. We often didn't know each other by our "real" names only my our character or forum names; it got to where I answered to "Qen Varith" or "Master Jedi" as often as my real name. And it was strange... I had gotten to where I only knew people by the costumes they wore, so I almost didn't recognize them when they changed costumes or were only wearing normal street clothes. nice to meet the individuals behind the costumes.

The Rebel Legion group photo,
in front of the Anaheim Convention Center.

And... one of the biggest highlights of the trip: the reveal of the new trailer for "The Force Awakens". People from around the world clogged the internet to see the trailer the moment it was posted... but to see it in a room full of costumed, hard-core Star Wars fans was absolutely electrifying. There was a main stage where the the live emcee and celebrities were, and that was simulcast into four or five other auditoriums. There were short interviews with some of the stars, talk of what we could expect at the convention, and teasers of some of the Star Wars content to come. At the end, when they asked if we were ready to see the trailer, the room erupted in hoots and cheers... but you could have heard a pin drop when the lights went down and the first sound came from the speakers. Throughout the trailer, you could hear quiet gasps of "oh my god" and "so awesome"... and then came the voice of Han Solo: "Chewie... we're home." The roar of cheers was deafening. The lights came up, and I looked around to see multitudes of people wiping tears from their eyes... myself included. Then the emcee said, "f**k it, ya wanna see it again?" There was a resounding "YEAH!", and the lights went down again. There were a number of people that were trying to beat the crowd out the doors after the first showing, so when the room went dark, there was sunlight blasting through the open doorway. People were screaming, "CLOSE THE BLAST DOORS!" until the trailer started again. After we left the auditoriums, the trailer was posted online for all to see, and all my roommates and I quickly downloaded it to our phones. I probably watched that trailer 8-10 times a day for the entire trip.

Waiting for a Corellian Ale at the cantina;
you can see the sabacc cards on the bar.

In a corner of the main exhibition hall, there was a very impressive Mos Eisley canitna set, but it was roped off with only a few people at the cantina "bar". I wandered by, wondering what was going on, craning my neck to look around the gathered crowd and see into the cantina. The man standing guard looked me up and down in my X-Wing pilot outfit, and said, "you want in?" I stammered, "sure!" and he stepped aside to allow me inside. I walked to the bar and asked what this was all about, and was told that StarWars.com was broadcasting live throughout the event, and this cantina was a backdrop to their broadcast. I chatted with others at the bar, and answered a couple of trivia questions from the bartender, which got me a limited edition Celebration t-shirt and sabacc card deck. I talked to a few other bar patrons, and even explained the rules of sabacc to a very cute Padme. They then announced "5 minutes to masks on", and everyone got ready for the broadcast to start. Then to my surprise, the person that walked out on the stage was none other than Weird Al Yankovic. It was a "right place at the right time" moment!

This was my first time at a convention like this, but it certainly will not be my last. This was one of the coolest moments in my life of geekdom!

Okay, I really suck at this...

I'm sorry.

So sorry.

Not that I have all that many followers, but... it's been well over a year since I last posted to this blog... and SOOOOOOO much has happened in the world of Star Wars. I have mapped out my next few blog entries, and I will try to do better at staying current. Heck, if I can keep up with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr, I can do this too, right?

Why are you laughing?

So Many Things...

Been a bit since I posted anything, and so much has happened! I'll try to post every couple of days or so and get caught up... but where to start?
Okay, Let's start with this....

I'm attending Star Wars Celebration VII in Anaheim!!!

I had plans to go from the beginning, and even ordered my ticket for the full four-day event, taking place April 16-19, 2015 in Anaheim, California. But I suffered a job loss, was plagued by various major financial issues, etc., so I had already resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to give up on my hopes to attend; just couldn't afford hotel, plane tickets, and necessary expenses. My ticket was just going to have to go to waste or I'd have to sell it.

However, after sharing my situation with a fellow Rebel Legion member, he offered to let me bunk in the room he already had reserved with a couple of others, so now we get to split the room cost four ways. And my best buddy helped me to find an awesome deal on a plane ticket. And a last-minute Christmas gift from my mom clinched it... I was going to Anaheim!

So, for those readers saying, "Okay great... so what is Star Wars Celebration?"



Needless to say, "excited", "ecstatic", "stoked", "pumped"... these words are insufficient to explain my feelings. I have wanted to attend a Celebration event since the very first one held in Denver, CO in 1999; but they were always too far and too expensive to even consider. I'm very blessed to finally be in a place in my life (and have such wonderful people in my life) where this can finally happen.

There will be a HUGE presence from the major Star Wars costuming groups, such as the Rebel Legion, The 501st Legion, and The Mandalorian Mercs. At the time of this post, there are over 70 members of the Rebel Legion attending. I will be bringing my Jedi costume (of course), and am madly working to finish a new X-Wing pilot costume before the event. I'll post pics of that once it's completed.

So, if you're going lemme know! I want to meet as many fellow Star Wars fanatics as I can!

I'm a Geek.

I'm a geek.

I'm a 46-year old lover of video games. I have a VERY goofy sense of humor. I love most science fiction, but I am a "Star Wars" fanatic. I dress in a Jedi costume and go out in public with my friends in The Rebel Legion and The 501st Legion. I have shelves full of toys, miniatures, and action figures. I have a number of swords hanging on my wall. I have a huge cutaway poster of the NCC-1701-D Enterprise hanging in my kitchen. I have a couple of costumes I like to wear to renaissance faires, and I love to roleplay using an English accent when I do. I love watching cartoons, especially the classics. I read comics and I love to draw superheroes. I've seen all the Marvel and DC superhero movies multiple times, and I even enjoy the ones that few others seem to like ("Green Lantern", "Daredevil", etc). I even played Dungeons & Dragons once upon a time.

Yes... I'm a geek. 

And I'm good with it. Actually, I'm proud of it. For a long time, I worried what people thought. Would they think I was a wacko? That I was some socially inept nerd that never left his house and had no friends? That used to bother me... but no longer. I have a large number of friends that accept me as I am, and a few very close friends who share in my geekiness. I've had some people say that I might not ever find a woman who will accept me, but I WAS married for 14 years (divorced a few years back) and have two awesome sons who love Star Wars and superheroes like I do, and we watch sci-fi flicks and play video games together. Eventually, I'll find a lady who appreciates many of the same things I do, and would like to share a mutual enjoyment of those things. I have seen a number of couples that cosplay together, so I know it's possible, and I remain hopeful.

So, do I feel embarrassed by the way that I am? Am I worried that people might think me strange? That I might be shunned for those things that I love? Nope. Absolutely not. If I was concerned, I wouldn't be driving around town with a license plate on my car that says, "IM JEDI".

I also have a number of other qualities as well. I'm a Christian. I play piano by ear, I absolutely love to sing, and am part of the praise & worship band in my church. I love to cook, and my kids really enjoy their "daddy cooking". I am an artist, and a graphic designer by trade. 

All these diverse elements come together to make me who I am... and I really like that person. Am I perfect? Not by a long shot. Have I made mistakes? Most definitely. But I always strive to improve and be more than I am, while never being ashamed of the man that I have come to be.

To quote Mystique from "X-Men: First Class": "Mutant, and proud."

The Star Wars *shudder* Prequels

Okay... it's taken many years and a lot of thought, analysis, and reflection to come to the following conclusion:

I'm finally okay with the Star Wars prequels.

Before you pick up those rotten vegetables and begin hurling them, let me explain.

When the first Star Wars film was released in 1977, I was nine years old. The magic immediately captivated me, and I was hooked for life. It became my major focus for every Christmas and birthday wish list for many years (and still is, to some extent). I read every comic I could, every behind-the-scenes reference I could lay my hands on, and the passion continued through the two sequels. Moving forward, I continued to absorb all things Star Wars. It was now firmly engrained into my being; I was one with Star Wars.

Then 22 years later, the first new Star Wars movie was released: "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace".  After watching it for the first time, I remember thinking, "Not bad, but not good, either. Has Lucas forgotten how to make movies? The writing is terrible and stilted. The characters are missing a sense of depth. Really, this kinda stinks."

FowlLanguageComics.com, ©Brian Gordon

As the years went on, I would find more elements to the film that I did like, but the list of things that bugged me was still quite extensive. And, though each successive prequel was better than the last, none of them held a candle to the original trilogy. Yes, they had super-clean, shiny CGI and lots of action, but they just didn't hold up to the level of their predecessors... at least, not to me.

When my oldest son (now 17) was old enough to start watching the movies, Episode I was the first one he saw on the big screen. And, for many years after, it was always his favorite. He has watched the original trilogy with me at home, but the magic of seeing it on the big screen, experiencing it with young, new eyes, etched it into his memory. That's really when Star Wars came alive for him. For my younger son, it was Episode III. I've explained why I prefer the original movies, and we have watched them all multiple times. And, though they see my point, the prequel fils are still their favorites.

Then, as the Clone Wars animated series began, I figured, "this is intended purely to capture a younger audience", and it was... and it did. I've been to a number of events with the Rebel Legion and 501st, and though they might recognize Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, the younger ones always migrate to the clone troopers, or anyone dressed as Anakin Skywalker or the younger Obi-Wan Kenobi. That's really when it hit me: There are elements of the Star Wars universe that appeal to everyone, and — depending on when that element was introduced to them — that can really be the "force" that holds a special place in their heart. Do I have to agree with their love of Episode I and Jar Jar? Absolutely not. Do they need to agree with me that "The Empire Strikes Back" is the greatest of all the Star Wars films? Nope. The fact remains that we love the same expansive universe, we hold the same desire to own a lightsaber, to fly a fighter craft through an asteroid field, to have a droid follow us around.

Though I may not care for the prequels like I do the original films, I have finally come to terms with them, and admit that their place in the Star Wars universe is a very important one. It's the love of these films by the newer generations that has kept the franchise growing and vibrant. All of us together keep buying the books, games action figures, video games, and let the filmmakers know that we want more. And, we all wish J. J. Abrams the best of luck and all the Force he can muster to make Episode VII a smashing success for ALL generations.

Star Wars and the New Canon

There were a lot of very upset Star Wars fans when it was announced that all the "Expanded Universe" (or "EU") would be relegated to "Legends" status, and would not be considered canon. Only the six films and the Clone Wars TV series would be considered true canon. (article)

So... what is "canon"? According to Wiki, canon is "the conceptual material accepted as 'official' in a fictional universe's fan base". So, in the reality of Star Wars, only the movies and the Clone Wars series "actually" happened. All the other characters, settings, and adventures are now no longer part of the Star Wars continuity.

HOWEVER, that being said, the press release from StarWars.com clearly states that "While the universe that readers knew is changing, it is not being discarded. Creators of new Star Wars entertainment have full access to the rich content of the Expanded Universe. For example, elements of the EU are included in Star Wars Rebels (the new upcoming animated series). The Inquisitor, the Imperial Security Bureau, and Sienar Fleet Systems are story elements in the new animated series, and all these ideas find their origins in roleplaying game material published in the 1980s."

We also know that George Lucas occasionally used elements from the EU in the prequels, as well as the Special Edition versions of the original films: He used the Aurebesh characters (the Star Wars alphabet) in "A New Hope" Special Edition to replace text that was previously in English. Aurebesh is also being used in Episode VII for various signage and such (some of the leaked set photos confirm this). Also, the name of the planet Coruscant was originally from Timothy Zahn's "Heir to the Empire" trilogy, and Lucas used it in Episode I, II, and III.

So, what does this all mean? it means that storytellers from this point forward have a plethora of source material to use for inspiration in future works. If they have something from an old "Legends" story that they really like, and if they approval from the Star Wars Story Group, old original EU elements might find their way into the new canon. And, with the formation of this new Story Group, ALL Star Wars materials going forward will be canon: movies, TV series, books, etc. It will all be under one major story umbrella. So there will no more plot conflicts, no more discrepancies with previously told tales. The entire Star Wars universe will be completely cohesive.

So, don't give up on your favorite EU content just yet... it may resurface.

And, I'm sorry... but Jar Jar Binks is still canon. *sigh*

My Star Wars Fandom

To say that I am a Star Wars fan is... well... inadequate. I fell in love when I first saw "Star Wars" ("A New Hope" hadn't been tagged into the title yet) in the theater at the age of 9. My first Star Wars toys were the Landspeeder and an R2-D2 action figure. You'd think I'd get a Luke Skywalker figure to drive the Landspeeder, but R2 came first. But I digress... expect that a lot on this blog. ;-)

My love affair with Star Wars continued through grade school, high school, college... there was never a time when Star Wars was not a significant part of my life. It was always easy for family to know what types of gifts to buy for birthdays and Christmas... if it had "Star Wars" printed on it, it was a pretty safe bet. 

Even to this day, 37 years after the initial film's release, Star Wars still reigns supreme in my interests and hobbies. However, instead of collecting action figures (I still buy a few here and there), I've become a life-size action figure myself: I'm a proud member of the Rebel Legion.

My Jedi costume, without the outer robe.

For those not in the know, The Rebel Legion is a worldwide Star Wars costuming organization, specializing in the "good guy" characters of the franchise (for the bad guys, it's the 501st Legion), comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans. While not sponsored by Lucasfilm Ltd., it is Lucasfilm's preferred volunteer Rebel costuming group. It is a fantastic group of like-minded people, gathering to raise money for charity while sharing our love of Star Wars and costuming with each other and the public, and making children (and adults) smile. I've only been a member for a little over a year, but it has been a truly awesome experience. I hope to eventually have multiple costumes, as well as membership in the 501st.... but building film-accurate costumes is time consuming and expensive. 

I get occasional chuckles from people when I tell them about my costuming with the Legion, until I explain what we do, why we do it, and they see photos. Then they realize that this is far more than just being an über-geek, though that definitely helps. And though they might think it's a bit silly and admit that THEY would never do it, they understand why I do.