Discussion, Analysis, and Rhetoric
Very simply put, this is the most important thing you can come to grips with, and become part of. And yeah, me, of the first estate by vocation, I will teach this to the bitter end. There are evil and nefarious forces in the world masquerading as goodness, trying to steal the inherent beauty in each of us. There are greedy people trying to gain unlimited power through the theft of the beauty each of us possesses.
Dodging laser fire … Eluding capture – and becoming the main course of an almost 10-foot tall behemoth … Oh my gosh! Is that Darth Vader off to the side ready to use his Force powers on you? … There’s BB-8 up ahead, beckoning you to join him for a photo op. What’s going on here? If you didn’t know better, Read more
With Father’s Day coming up next week I was thinking about what makes that day special. If any dads are like me, on Father’s Day they prefer to have alone time. A lot of alone time. That’s the difference between dads and moms: on Mother’s Day moms seem to want to spend a lot of quality time with their kids. On Father’s Day I want a nap. But a weird thing happens when I’m not around my kids: I start to miss them. How many times has someone said to enjoy your kids while they are young because they won’t stay young forever? And is there anything a father wouldn’t do to protect his children? Now imagine how Darth Vader felt when he found out his child (and later children) was alive and he had missed out on his son’s childhood and the most evil person in the galaxy may want his son dead. I would imagine he was filled with some desire to spend time with his son, make up for lost time, and do anything to protect him. Is Darth Vader really so different than other fathers?
Sit down, pour a cup of joe and relax. Be at one with the Force as we discuss all the comics from May — and we mean all of them.
Apologies for the length of this show — it’s more than two-and-a-half hours — but there was a great deal to discuss about the events of (The) Screaming Citadel crossover that’s gone through three of its five chapters in its namesake one-shot, Star Wars No. 31 and issue seven of Star Wars: Doctor Aphra.
(At this rate, our show discussing August’s comics will last three days!)
This month I want to talk about two films that may not have had a direct influence on Star Wars, yet their lasting legacy helped paved the road for filmmakers like George Lucas, and eventually J. J. Abrams and Gareth Edwards to create movies that will inspire future filmmakers.
Those two films are Double Indemnity, whose film noir style created a whole new genre in film as far as cinematography, story, and dialogue. And Mysterious Island which served as yet another technical milestone for effects artists Ray Harryhausen and composer Miklòs Ròsza.
The day is almost here and honestly, it’s hard to believe that Star Wars (A New Hope) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. What’s even harder to fathom, is the realization that I’ve grown up right alongside it―we’ve gotten old!
It was the first film that I’m aware of that played in the theater for a full year, giving it the title “blockbuster.” Strangely enough, I still remember going to the theater to see it for the first time. My brother was just super excited, and I was experiencing the movie theater for the very first time. Yes, Star Wars was my first film experience―and it’s left its mark on me. Read more
With convention season in full bloom this spring I decided for this month’s blog to compare the two conventions I attended in April: Star Wars Celebration Orlando and the Utah Dental Association Convention. Both conventions are filled with panels and vendors, both attract geeks from around the world, and at both I was able to spend time with people that I appreciate more than I can say. Let’s break them down and see which wins the tale of the tape.
April proved a pivotal month for Star Wars comics.
From the first issue of Marvel’s Rogue One adaptation, which provided some context and details not seen in the film, to the conclusion of story arcs in Star Wars 30 and Star Wars: Doctor Aphra 6, along with the passing of a beloved member of the Resistance’s Black Squadron in Star Wars: Poe Dameron 13, there was plenty of pathos and high adventure to be had.
Co-hosts Matt Moore and Jeff McGee were suitably impressed with Star Wars: Darth Maul 3, which continued to build nuanced layer after nuanced layer on a Zabrak who began life seemingly as a throwaway character, but has grown to become one of the Star Wars Saga’s most enduring and utterly complex characters.
Well, I’m back from Celebration Orlando. A grand time was had by all. Or at least by most. Probably by all. It wasn’t without its hiccups, but what large gathering of 60,000 people isn’t? The short version of my experience is this: It was great to see some friends again after 2 years, and great to meet some new friends for the first time, including my Comics With Kenobi co-host, the illustrious Mr. Matt Moore. There were a few nice surprises, which I’m sure you’ve read about already: Harrison Ford and George Lucas onstage for the 40th Anniversary Panel, John Williams playing Princess Leia’s theme as part of a tribute to Carrie Fisher, and the reveal of the teaser for The Last Jedi, to name just a few. There was one moment that was simultaneously somewhat surprising and not shocking in the least. Read on to find out what it was!
The 40th anniversary of Star Wars dominated Star Wars Celebration Orlando this month. In fact, a celebration of 40 years kicked off the convention. George Lucas, Warwick Davis, Mark Hamill, Hayden Christensen, Harrison Ford and many others recounted the history of Star Wars from 1977 to the present and began the conversation from the Galaxy Stage. Naturally, this lead to many conversations about the best and favorite Star Wars moments from the past 40 years. One of my most favorite moments was the release of the Star Wars: Special Editions. I’m certain this is a controversial pick. Many fans hate the changes made to the classic movies. However, I have many reasons for celebrating the 20th anniversary of the special editions. For now, I’ll focus on two, which include a personal reason and a content addition.
