A FISTFUL OF STAR WARS MOMENTS

Conceived and used with the permission of Matthew Constantine and Brad Gullickson, the original dorks.

Everyone has a “Top 5.”  But Brad and Matt, choosing to walk a different path, amended that to “A Fistful…” over at their blog, In the Mouth of Dorkness.  A film-centric blog where they also discuss comics and books and TV, these two regularly share their top 5, ranging from “Heroic Kids” to “Spies” to “Summer Movies” to “Punches” to all things in between.  Always fun, often insightful, and something I hope to regularly pilfer for Warrior27.  As they say:  If you’re going to steal, steal from those you know relatively well, who will not sue you.

I was five when Star Wars was released.  Saw it in the theater, and I was hooked.  I had the toys, the books, the comics, posters, the soundtracks, the collector glasses, the pajamas, the bedsheets, coloring books, the official fan club magazines (plus membership card), the movies (and behind-the-scenes specials) on Laser Disc then on VHS then on special edition, letterboxed VHS, and finally DVD.  Star Wars is the alpha and omega of my collecting.  As I stated in this Thanksgiving reminiscence:  It was always about Star Wars.  So, spurred by the arrival of “The Force Awakens” and the IMTODcast’s impending episode featuring their own Fistful of Star Wars moments, here are my top 5 moments from this seminal film series. 

5. 

“It’s a trap!” 

 

It took ILM, Lucafilm’s special effects division, three movies to ramp up to a fully-pitched space battle, and it was so worth it.  Hundreds of ships, all different shapes and sizes, racing in myriad directions, firing, swerving, arcing out of (or into) harm’s way.  The complexity of this shot is astounding, and it not only works but manages to suck you in, emotionally, as the Rebels discover it’s a trap and have to decide whether to break it off, or just go for it, because when will they get another chance like this?

4.

“I, am your father.” 

  

Sure, we had Obi-Wan battle Vader, with their lightsabers, on the Death Star in the first movie, but this one took it up a notch.  Luke, inexperienced and brash, takes on the Dark Lord of the Sith in the bowels of Cloud City.  The setting, the disadvantage we realize Luke has (overcome by his youthful energy and naivete), and the stakes involved all coalesce to craft a poignant lightsaber battle that is engaging and electrifying.  Then, after relieving young Skywalker of one of his hands, Vader drops the bomb:  “I am your father.”  Star Wars went next-level with that declaration. 

3.

“ . . . “

This scene perfectly encapsulates Luke’s despondency at being stranded on Tattooine.  From the beautiful scene of the two suns setting to the musical cue from John Williams, it is a scene I look forward to and one that never fails to give me chills. 

2.

“Never tell me the odds.” 

Star Wars has a collection of great space ships, but the Millennium Falcon is, by far, the best.  And the asteroid belt perfectly exhibits why.  From Han Solo’s brash decision to dive into the asteroids to the way the Falcon deftly twists and turns around all the flying rocks in an almost balletic manner, this is the scene that cemented the Falcon and its two-man (two-being?) crew as the coolest ship in that galaxy far, far away.

1.

“There’ll be no escape for the princess this time.”

This is it.  The opening shot of Star Wars.  The blockade runner coming across the movie screen in close-up, a space ship that feels big, and then . . .

That Star Destroyer in hot pursuit.  It went on forever, then we came to the docking area and you thought it was the rear of the ship…and it wasn’t, and it kept going on, pushing the Tantive IV ahead of it until that first ship was just a speck on the edge of the screen…and the damn Star Destroyer continued to roll across your vision, until finally, it’s propulsion system revealed itself.  That was the point where I was all-in.  It was spectacle like I hadn’t seen up to that point in my life (I was only five).  It’s the scene that made the biggest impression on me the first dozen or so times (dozens?) I watched Star Wars.  And it’s stayed with me ever since. 

-chris

ANTICIPATING NEW STAR WARS: Starlog Anniversary Issue

Born in 1972, I was five when Star Wars [no, not “A New Hope”] hit theaters, where I saw it like most everyone else on the planet, at that time.  Stating I was blown away is a bit of an understatement.  From the “Holiday Special” to the action figures to the trading cards and the storybook adaptations, I was all in.  That trilogy – the only Star Wars trilogy, to my mind – was the be-all and end-all for many, many years.   

It’s now December, 2015, and we are barely weeks away from the new Star Wars film, “The Force Awakens.”  All signs point to this will be good, and with all the excitement surrounding this new chapter, my mind has trailed back to some of my fondest Star Wars memories.  Here’s one . . .

In 1987, Star Wars was celebrating its 10^th anniversary and Starlog magazine its 11^th.  Which meant it was a perfect time for an over-sized issue of that seminal science fiction magazine—a 100-page Science Fiction Spectacular!

This magazine was one of the things that kept my fanaticism of Star Wars going strong during the quote-unquote Dark Years (from roughly 1985, the last year new action figures were produced, to the middle of 1991, when Star Wars returned in the form of the first of many new novels, followed closely in December of that year with new comics from Dark Horse).  The issue was full of reminiscences on the Star Wars universe, with thoughts on the films from myriad contributors, short comics from a number of creators, and pieces on all things Star Wars.  Some of the highlights:

·         A look at the original treatments for Star Wars and how things evolved by Randy & Jean-Marc Lofficier.

·         Roy Thomas’s reminiscences of taking on the scripting of the Star Wars comic, before the film was released, and then expanding on what George Lucas had created.

·         A wide-ranging examination of Marvel’s Star Wars comic series, touching on the entirety of the 114 issues published (107 regular issues, 3 annuals, and the 4-issue Jedi adaptation)

·         But the best, the absolute best piece in the whole thing, was a short article toward the back, wherein Michael Wolff makes note of the many unanswered questions from the films and extrapolates some possible theories that he, and all fans, hoped would be answered in future installments [we all know how that worked out, right?], including:

o   Luke’s comment that there was “something familiar” about Dagobah.  Did he spend a few of his early years on the swamp planet?

o   Leia claiming to remember her mother.  Did she keep Leia with her for a time, before giving her up the Bail Organa?

o   What were the Clone Wars?

o   What was C-3PO hiding in Star Wars claiming ignorance of Princess Leia when we first see her holographic message projected by R2-D2, despite stating in the opening scene, “there’ll be no escape for the Princess this time,” when the Tantive IV is under attack?

There’s a ton of great stuff in this issue for all Star Wars fans, and the memory of discovering it on the magazine racks at Mr. Paperback, buying it, and racing home to read it is one of many that I cherish from my childhood. 

And if you want to check this issue out, it’s completely free here.  

-chris

ANTICIPATING NEW STAR WARS: The Sears Wish Book!

Born in 1972, I was five when Star Wars [no, not “A New Hope”] hit theaters, where I saw it like most everyone else on the planet, at that time.  Stating I was blown away is a bit of an understatement.  From the “Holiday Special” to the action figures to the trading cards and the storybook adaptations, I was all in.  That trilogy – the only Star Wars trilogy, to my mind – was the be-all and end-all for many, many years.   

It’s now December, 2015, and we are barely weeks away from the new Star Wars film, “The Force Awakens.”  All signs point to this will be good, and with all the excitement surrounding this new chapter, my mind has trailed back to some of my fondest Star Wars memories.  Here’s one . . .

As a kid, when September rolled around, anticipation for the Sears Wish Book (as well as those from JCPenney & other large department stores) was a big thing.  These giant catalogs were full of products to order, and there was a great section of toys toward the end of the book.  For those prime years of my childhood, the main draw in that toy section were the Star Wars toys.  So many cool ships and figures and accessories that I coveted, as a kid, circling all these things I wanted with red pen. 

Ah, memories. 

ANTICIPATING NEW STAR WARS: A Fistful of action figures

(or, um…tiny dolls, with cool articulation)

Born in 1972, I was five when Star Wars [no, not “A New Hope”] hit theaters, where I saw it like most everyone else on the planet, at that time.  Stating I was blown away is a bit of an understatement.  From the “Holiday Special” to the action figures to the trading cards and the storybook adaptations, I was all in.  That trilogy – the only Star Wars trilogy, to my mind – was the be-all and end-all for many, many years.   

It’s now December, 2015, and we are barely weeks away from the new Star Wars film, “The Force Awakens.”  All signs point to this will be good, and with all the excitement surrounding this new chapter, my mind has trailed back to some of my fondest Star Wars memories.  Here’s one . . .

The most direct way for me, as a kid, to feed my Star Wars fandom (fanaticism?) was through the action figures.  These 3 ¾” figures were probably my first collection (comics, trading cards, patches, books—these all came later).  I loved playing out scenes from the movies, or brand new ones, with my favorite characters.  Or, my friends and I would play hide-and-seek with them—one of us taking a few dozen figures to hide around the house for the others to find.  (Usually we found them all, but one of Donnie Eagan’s did end up melted to a lightbulb when we forgot where that last figure was and the lamp was turned on, leading to a terrible burning smell that alerted us to its whereabouts.) 

And . . . there were the card backs that showcased all of the available figures, taunting me with images of the ones I had yet to procure.  That, above all else, helped push me to be a crazy collector of these little plastic dolls—uh, action figures.  So, without further ado, my Fistful of Favorite (classic) Star Wars action figures, in no particular order, other than #1:

5.  Darth Vader:  

Come on.  This guy was the baddest of the bad.  He took out Obi-Wan, choked Imperial officers from across the room, wielded a red lightsaber, and wore all black.  That first scene, as Vader marches through the smoke onto the Tantive IV surrounded by his Stormtroopers, their white uniforms (and the white walls of the ship) contrasting strongly with his black armor and cape, is epic.  Vader’s look—including the mask, the breathing, and the high boots—was, and still is, incredibly cool.  How could you not love Darth Vader?  Having his figure was a must. 

4.  R2-D2:

This little astromech droid can be annoying for some, but I love R2 (and 3PO), especially in the beginning of Star Wars.  R2 demonstrated a resourcefulness that is admirable, especially in a droid, and there’s something incredibly special in their escape from the blockade runner and the travails that follow on the desert planet of Tattooine.  For this, as well as his cool design and obvious smart-ass remarks to 3PO, R2 was always a favorite of mine. 

3.  Hoth Han Solo:

This was the coolest Han Solo figure, to my mind.  The color of his jacket (a favorite of mine, midnight blue), the design and detail of his boots, and the hood (which covered his hair, a problematic design element for these sculpted figures) all add up to a cool looking figure.  Probably didn’t help that the head on the original Han Solo was never properly proportioned with the lean body they gave that figure.  Whenever I had to pick a Han Solo figure, this would often be the one in my hand. 

2.  Walrus Man (or, Ponda Baba): 

The cantina scene from Star Wars is one of the best scenes in a film, ever—or, at least the best in any fantastic film.  The myriad creatures, the dark ambience of the place, the sense of danger epitomized by Han Solo’s altercation with Greedo, all enrich this scene and make it memorable.  Every creature from the Mos Eisley cantina was a favorite of mine, but I landed on Walrus Man because he is so crazy looking, as a figure—the color choices, the walrus like visage and flippers for hands, the simplistic design for his suit all add up to a figure that is distinct and engaging. 

1.  Chewbacca: 

Chewbacca is easily my favorite action figure.  I believe it was the summer after I turned 6, 1978, and I came down with the measles.  It was sunny out (deep, blue sky; puffy, white clouds; I remember that distinctly), and the doctor said I needed to stay inside, away from people, for at least three days.  Ugh.

My Dad went out and bought me the Chewbacca figure.  This was the first Star Wars action figure I owned.  I grabbed a chair (it was my Death Star), and for the next three days I played with that Chewbacca figure.  It was awesome.  Through the ensuing years, I lost this figure twice, both times dropping him somewhere in my family’s backyard (an all-brown, 4-inch figure, lost among the brown earth and green grass isn’t easy to find).  The second time I replaced him with a new iteration, only to rediscover the original in the backyard again.  To this day, I still have this Chewie, and the memories forged with this old Wookiee are some of my most-cherished from when I was a kid. 

-chris

ANTICIPATING NEW STAR WARS: the best Star Wars comic you’ve never read

Born in 1972, I was five when Star Wars [no, not “A New Hope”] hit theaters, where I saw it like most everyone else on the planet at that time.  Stating I was blown away is an understatement.  From the “Holiday Special” to the action figures to the trading cards and the storybook adaptations, I was all in.  That trilogy – the only Star Wars trilogy, to my mind – was the be-all and end-all for many, many years.    

It’s now December, 2015, and we are just weeks away from the new Star Wars film, “The Force Awakens.”  All signs point to this will be good, and with all the excitement surrounding this new chapter, my mind has trailed back to some of my fondest Star Wars memories.  Here’s one . . .

The Marvel iteration of the Star Wars comics was fun, if a bit hamstrung by the need to tread lightly around film continuity, and the subsequent Dark Horse books expanded greatly on the bedrock laid by those films.  But one of the best Star Wars comics ever was published in 1987—the 10^th anniversary of the original film—by Blackthorne Publishing, and I imagine there are many Star Wars fans who’ve never read this story.

Written by Len Wein, with art from Glen Johnson & Jim Nelson, this story takes place almost directly after the end of Star Wars.  The story follows Luke, Han, Chewbacca, and C-3PO as they travel in the Millennium Falcon back to Tattooine.  With the unplanned flight from his home planet, as Imperials hotly pursued them, Luke did not have the opportunity to see to his deceased aunt and uncle’s affairs, most importantly the question of who would take over their moisture farm.  Following the Force, the quarter end up at the Mos Eisley cantina where Luke offers the farm to the large alien, Throgg, who looks like he would be more comfortable ripping the arms off a Gundark than working moisture vaporators.  He refuses.  Then things go from bad to worse, as Han is recognized by one of the patrons. 

A healthy brawl ensues, followed by the Rebels escaping through the crowded streets of Mos Eisley, pursued once again by Imperial Stormtroopers, which they easily dispatch.  Back in the dunes, Jawas have found the Falcon, but Han has a few surprises and manages to scatter the desert scavengers as the four board the ship and blast off from that arid dustball, even as we, the readers, discover that Throgg has decided to take over the Lars’ homestead and return to his life as a moisture farmer. 

Published in Blackthorne’s 3-D series, as a Tenth Anniversary Special, this Star Wars tale has a lot going for it.  Len Wein gives us [some] of our favorite characters from the movies in a moving, action-packed story that evokes the tone and feel of Star Wars, perfectly.  It suffers, in places, from over-explanation and exposition.  But this aspect, still common for comic books at this time, does not detract overmuch from the narrative.  The art is competent enough, telling the story in a clean manner.  Certainly, reading this without the blue/red 3-D glasses is a bit of a pain, but if you’re a big Star Wars fan, it is well worth the effort.  And if you find it in the Dark Horse omnibus collection, “Wild Space,” you’ll be able to read it without the 3-D effects.  Seek it out; utilize your library, if need be; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

-chris

What It Is – week ending 30 November [2014]

With apologies to Dave the Thune.

WRITING:

Every day.  1000 words.  That’s the goal.

Ever since I completed the first part of the novel, along with the opening scene to part two, I’ve found my attention straying to other ideas.  In last week’s “What It Is” I noted that I’d completed the first draft of a new short story.  This week, I’ve split my time between another new short and a pitch for a short comic story, which I sent off yesterday.  The pitch was based on the short story I wrote last week, with minor tweaks so that it fit the guidelines of the submission call, and revolves around a childhood experience with an abandoned house that was obviously haunted (the light on the second floor was a testament to that), and I'm pretty happy with it.  We'll see where it goes.

  

This newest short story has been more of a chore to get out of my system.  Sections have been written and re-written a few times, and, despite having a good idea of what I want to write, it has taken longer to get the words down than normal. 

One thing that might have been holding me up was the fact that I didn’t know exactly how it ended.  But then I latched onto an idea and decided to write that final scene.  In the writing of the ending, some things came into focus about the story for me.  Initially, the parents of my protagonist were even less than background characters, hardly visible at all.  But with the final scene, they are front and center, as their daughter is returned to them at a point when they must care for her.  This provided the dramatic tension in that final bit, but I needed to seed in more of the parents interactions with their daughter in earlier parts for it to have the right emotional resonance at the end.  This had me rethinking those first couple of scenes I’d already written.  They will need some heavy revising.  It also spurred me to come up with other scenarios to include, substituting some of what’s already been written.  And all of this is working toward making this a far stronger, and more emotionally compelling story than it had any right to be, when I first conceived of the story.  I’m really looking forward to finishing up this first draft.

And, at this point, I think I’ll just wait and return to the novel in January.  Because Santa letters are next up on the list, and that’s something I can’t let slide. 

READING:

ECHOES (2011) by Joshua Hale Fialkov & Rahsan Ekedal, published by Image/Top Cow. 

Wow!  

Fialkov is a writer who has never disappointed.  And yet, maybe because of the methodical way in which he’s been building his writing career – with books such as Elk’s Run, Tumor, and the Bunker – he is someone with whom I’ve been familiar, but who is a writer I don’t often think of when thinking of writers I follow.  But, man, I need to change that, and Echoes solidified that for me.  This was an amazing book. 

Brian Cohn suffers from schizophrenia, just as his father did – an abusive father whose final words to his son were a confession of all the young girls he killed.  Brian investigates, finds these tiny dolls crafted from the skin and tendons of the girls, right where his father said they would be.  And when another girl shows up dead, with the doll arriving at Brian’s home, Brian wonders if he might not be doing the same thing his father did. 

It’s a chilling story that keeps readers wondering if it’s real or just a figment of Brian’s fractured imagination, exacerbated by his mental instability.  There are moments, truly chilling moments, that do not seem to make sense, hinting at some supernatural reality (or, again, the ravings of Brian’s mind) that threatens to derail the very real story being told by Fialkov and Ekedal.  But, in the end, Fialkov brings it all to an incredibly satisfying and reasonable conclusion, a conclusion that you will not see coming, despite it being the only one possible.

THROUGH THE WOODS (2014) by Emily Carroll, published by Margaret K. McElderry Books. 

A collection of five horror stories from Carroll, these are some of the moodiest comics I have read in a long time.  Carroll manages to infuse every story with a sense of dread and anxiety that is all too real, utilizing a beautiful cartooning style and a limited color palette to draw readers into the narratives and then play on their own fears as she lets each one unravel in their hands. 

There really is something magical going on in these stories.  None of them rely on the “shock” one finds in filmic horror.  None rely on huge, intense reveals, though there are revelations to be had.  None rely on grossing the reader out, though there are grotesqueries to be found.  Instead, Carroll hides the horrors in plain sight, either using shadow or the edges of the panels or the facades of other characters’ bodies (sometimes used by the grotesqueries of the stories) to chill her audience.  It is this, punctuated by some imaginative page layouts and shards of color, particularly sparks of red, and her facility at writing that evokes the chills to be found within this collection.  Great stuff.

WATCHING:

Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens teaser trailer

So, the internet was abuzz with the release of the first teaser trailer of the new Star Wars film.  And everyone’s excited. 

Except for me. 

I don’t know.  This should be right up my alley.  Star Wars is ingrained in my DNA – it’s the reason I gravitated to science fiction and fantasy in my reading and viewing as a kid, and it’s why I had such a large collection of classic action figures (or mini-dolls, if you prefer) to pass on to my children.  I get excited when I see those retro-carded figures in stores.  And I get excited when I see a cool R2-D2 or Stormtrooper sculpt (as with the Pez dispensers I recently saw when shopping).  But this . . . nothing. 

Ah, well.  I’ve got a year’s worth of articles, images, and trailers ahead of me, and I expect those will whet my appetite enough to get me in line next December.  Odds are good that will happen, but they haven’t got me hooked yet, and that wasn’t the case after I saw that first trailer for Phantom Menace (and we all know what a wreck that was)

SIGN OFF: 

And, as always, check out my friends – Brad & Matt and Don McMillan for their own weekly recaps on things comic-y and geeky, and we'll see what's what in seven.  

-chris