Report: Topps Reveals Rejected Star Wars Art

Back in the 1990s, the Topps Company dazzled Star Wars enthusiasts with a trio of celebrated trading card sets called the Star Wars Galaxy. These series provided an illustrative, rather than photographic, overview of George Lucas’ seminal brainchild. Each showcased art used in the production of the three original movies, art used for their promotion and merchandising, and finally breathtaking, newly-commissioned art inspired by the films themselves. This last and most fanciful gallery, entitled “New Visions,” enabled illustrators from both the comic book and mainstream venues to lose themselves in imaginative bliss, dreaming up concepts and characters from Lucas’ fantasy universe that never were, but easily could have been.

Not surprisingly, some of these notions were deemed a bit “far out” by Lucasfilm’s officially designated editors. Additionally, many seemed at odds with certain aspects of the mythology that hadn’t been finalized yet. As a result, a handful of “controversial” New Visions were turned down, relegated to the catacombs of Topps’ picture archives. Until now.

With the rebirth of Star Wars Galaxy in the 21st Century as an eagerly-awaited Fourth Series, editors at Topps decided to re-visit those previously rejected paintings and renderings. Today, with so many storyline questions answered by the new episodes, many of these speculative Visions suddenly seemed viable. Some accurately predicted events in Lucas’ still-unfolding mythology, while others offered dramatically different takes on key story developments. Either way, it was decided by everyone involved that the time had finally come to reveal these previously-hidden creations to the world.

As expected, the original artists were delighted by this belated recognition of their efforts. “How great to have my Star Wars artwork finally see the light of day!” beamed Chris Moeller, one of a handful of illustrators showcased in SWG4’s special chase set entitled “The Lost Galaxy.” His unique rendering dared to show what the stormtroopers look like beneath their helmets - a full decade before George Lucas decided that all of these ubiquitous Imperial soldiers were actually clones of Jango Fett. Indeed, Boba’s enterprising father didn’t even exist as part of the Star Wars mythology back in the ’90s.

There will be a total of six Lost Galaxy cards in the new chase set. Other pieces include: Joe Ciardiello’s offbeat portrait of George Lucas; infant-style renderings of Luke and Leia by Garbage Pail Kid artist John Pound; a young Obi-Wan whisking away the infant Leia by Kevin Nowlan; an extremely formidable, Jedi-slaying Jabba by Tim Burgard; and, last but hardly least, John Rheaume’s enigmatic depiction of Yoda in the middle of a religious ceremony, on what appears to be his native world. The Rheaume piece has a rather noteworthy and controversial history of its own, having been released by accident on an earlier Star Wars Galaxy promo card before being pulled from distribution. A somewhat legendary image to collectors, it now returns as a fully-authorized Star Wars Galaxy 4 chase card, complete with a concise history of its colorful evolution. As an extra-added treat, the artist has agreed to provide his signature to a limited number of these Yoda cards.

“We’re delighted that Lucasfilm feels the same way we do about these unique illustrations,” says Ira Friedman, Topps Vice President of Publishing. “And their presence in Star Wars Galaxy 4 is only the beginning. Future Galaxy sets will contain additional ‘lost’ artwork, and other rare items too controversial for the ’90s. Clearly, their time has finally come!”

Star Wars Galaxy 4 will be available primarily in comics and hobby shops beginning Wednesday, February 11.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Nintendo Wii - Review

Following on from the cartoon movie and now the related TV series, players finally get the chance to challenge each other to the Lightsaber Duels of this game’s sub-title.

Based on the story between Episode II and III of the new trilogy, you’re thrown deep into the battle between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy.

HOW DOES IT HANDLE? Who needs a blaster when in your hands the Wii-remote becomes a Lightsaber wielded by a hero to defeat evil.

Or if you prefer, you can take on the guise of one of the villainous characters such as General Grievous, although there aren’t that many recognisable choices.

For decades now, young boys and big men have dreamt of having a Lightsaber and have used every manner of object to imitate that famous weapon.

Here that dream comes to life with reasonable accuracy through a mixture of levels where you fight one-on-one or hack at objects or scenery.

But while it is very fulfilling for the first half an hour, it soon gets boring and repetitive.

The moves are all very similar and there are occasions when your swings do not react as well or as quickly to the action on the screen.

This leaves you prone to being swiped and hurt by your rival.

SCREEN GRAB OR SCREEN DRAB? Graphically this is a real let-down.

With its heritage chiefly in the cartoon variation rather than the live action films, it looks very childish. The maker’s previous title The Force Unleashed was a visual masterpiece but this is so dumbed down compared to that you can only assume it’s been aimed firmly at a younger market.

Which makes its 12+ certificate surprising and personally I think it’s rated too high for the age groups likely to enjoy it the most.

HOW LONG TILL I’M BORED? This should have been the game Star Wars fans were waiting for and dreaming of ever since the original movies.

It is such a missed opportunity but perhaps it’s just LucasArts practice run for a more fully-fledged Lightsaber battler for adults only.

There’s certainly plenty of room for improvement and lots of lessons to be learned but if you can find it cheap enough in the Christmas sales, younger teens might get a Jedi night or two’s worth of excitement with their mates.

The Clone Wars - TV Guide Collectible Covers

TV Guide will be releasing four exclusive collectible covers of the upcoming Star Wars movie, The Clone Wars.

We were able to get a sneak peak from TV Guide on the exclusive covers which will hit the news stands on August 7th. Be sure to grab your copy and collect all four of these great collectible covers.

This animated film from George Lucas fills in the events that take place between Episodes II and III in the live-action narrative. Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker are now both full-fledged Jedi, and it’s Anakin who has a Padawan apprentice, a young girl named Ahsoka, a teenage female Togruta, which is a race of red-skinned, horned aliens. The movie is a launching pad for a similarly themed animated TV show, which will air on TNT and the Cartoon Network beginning in the fall.

Check out the TV Guide covers below:

Fans can get information about the upcoming movie, as well as breaking news, scoops and video of Star Wars: The Clone Wars at:

http://www.tvguide.com/movies/star-wars-clone/292483

This movie is going to be amazing. I’m almost as excited to see The Clone Wars and I am for The Force Unleashed!

Fans await return of Star Wars…

Cnn.com has posted an article and interview with George Lucas about the upcoming, “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” a computer-animated movie due in theaters August 15. It will be followed by a TV series of the same name, to air on the Cartoon Network and TNT this fall. George Lucas gives a quick glimse into what fans can expect from this and what to expect in the future! Looks amazing!

“”You’ve got the whole assembly line built, and then you say, ‘Hey, we can make up something,”‘ Lucas said in an interview. “It was like old-time movie making. What I love about television, it’s like Monogram Pictures or the old studio system, where a couple guys come to work and they sit and have some coffee and go, ‘Why don’t we make a movie about such and such? OK, fine.’ And at the end of the day, it’s pretty much on its way.”

Set in the years between episodes II and III — “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith” — of the big-screen “Star Wars” chronicle, the movie and series present fresh adventures of Jedi warrior Anakin Skywalker, his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and other colleagues.

The movie introduces a female Jedi, Ahsoki, who is Anakin’s young apprentice.

“It’s like ‘Band of Brothers’ in space, with Jedi,” Lucas, 63, said. “You can tell lots of stories. They come up all the time.”

Lucas said he plans to produce at least 100 hours worth of TV episodes of “Clone Wars.”

He also is moving forward with a live-action “Star Wars” TV show focusing largely on new characters removed from the Skywalker family. That show will be set in the decades between “Revenge of the Sith” and the period when the original film, 1977’s “Star Wars,” takes place.

So can fans ever get enough of “Star Wars”?

“I don’t know,” Lucas said. “I’m thankful every year that it keeps going.”

Best case mod ever…

This is the coolest case mod for a computer I have ever seen! I would actually buy this in a store, easily. I want one! A Darth Vader case mode or Death Star would be pretty damn cool as well.

“The original R2-D2 chassis was specially created by Australian firm Petric Engineering and was precision made to a high standard with small tolerances. R2-D2 was played by Kenny Baker in five of the six Star Wars films, (though credited with appearing in Revenge of the Sith, he never filmed any scenes) with many scenes filmed using mechanical and computer-generated imagery (CGI) versions of the character”

Thanks to TheContaminated.com

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