Anchorhead

The Tantive IV goes to Toprawa to get the plans.

I remember that (now that you reminded me) 😉 I probably caught the reference at the time or at least remember someone here discussing it.

I should point out that I’m fine with call-backs or name checks to the other films. I would just rather it be an actual stand-alone. This is our first real chance to break away from the contaminated Lucas franchise and really get another Star Wars adventure.

It could be something actually in the vein of The Adventures Of Luke Starkiller, even when he’s not in it. The Goodwin & Williamson strips ran every day for six years and took place all over the galaxy, with a myriad of non-film characters and story lines. The same with the Daley and Zahn novels, plus probably tons I haven’t read.

The fan base has shown itself to be more than fine with moving off Tatooine and away from Vader & Co. This could have been our chance to finally put Lucas behind us. Maybe Bingo’s idea of Ben in exile will be that film. Ewan is the perfect age for a sort of middle of Ben’s story, hopefully between the Prequels and later on Tatooine.

Maybe I should just stick to EU. 😉

Bingowings said:
It looks like it’s becoming the new episode 3. In that the resolution is mentioned in the crawl of episode IV and it seems to belong more to the world of the OT without totally dismissing the prequels. So yes. Not stand alone at all. To be honest I’m okay with having three other films I can pretend are THE prequel trilogy. So an Obi-Wan in exile film or an Admiral Akbar movie wouldn’t hurt if they were good films. Television novels and comics are better for expanding universes in my opinion.

I’d agree with that. I’m nearly novel/NPR-only myself. At least I’ll have some sort of backstory to watch if I want. Because I’m unfamiliar with the prequels, I most likely won’t know when they’re being referenced anyway. There may have been some prequel references in The Force Awakens that I didn’t know about. I’m fine with that.

I’m becoming concerned that this isn’t going to be as stand-alone as I’ve been hoping. Star Wars, under and because of Lucas, has long since become a convoluted, shrunken universe, incestuous mess. That’s what turned me away from the film/Lucas franchise and into the Daley and Zahn EU. New characters, new storylines, new worlds.

I understand Rogue One can’t be completely free of 1983-2005, but it now looks to be shaping up as some sort of Kumbaya for all the fractured fan bases.

This is another really nice Mondo piece. I’m a big fan of their use of the original 1976 teaser copy, font, and logo. That is a direct lift from the original 1976 teaser I’d owned since about 1977 (I gave it away last year).

Consider me slightly biased since they’re headquartered here in Austin. Fantastic work by a lot of artists, for a ton of films. The gallery is just a few blocks away so I go over sometimes on my lunch break, depending on what they’re showing.
https://mondotees.com/blogs/gallery
https://mondotees.com/blogs/news

Regarding their Star Wars pieces; Tyler Stout for me. A 1970s comic book style, of which I’m a huge fan anyway. That style used on Star Wars is pretty much a given that it’ll be my favorite.

http://collider.com/star-wars-posters-mondo-tyler-stout/

Current on the Batman Rebirth, working my way through Nightwing. Both series are excellent so far. The restoration of the timeline and universe was much needed.

Batgirl makes a cameo about midway through this issue and she looks to be properly restored also. Including a bit of a nod to TV Batgirl. It looks like she’s been returned to her pre-Killing Joke story & character. No mention of Oracle, Cassandra, or Stephanie. I don’t follow the series yet, so I’m not sure of the specifics. I’ll probably jump over to it soon.

Great news about Giacchino coming on board. I have a few of his scores and dig them all. Super 8 and Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes are both regulars in my music rotation. In fact, I listened to the latter just yesterday. To me, his Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes score is a perfect mix of his own fantastic work and a few nods to Goldsmith’s original Planet Of The Apes.

Goldsmith is my favorite composer and Planet Of The Apes is one of my Top Ten films. That’s hallowed ground in my world and Giacchino handled it expertly. I can’t imagine a better person to do the same with a Star Wars film and Williams, two gargantuan sets of shoes to fill. To me, Giacchino’s work is generally a little deeper than Williams and a bit more serious. Considering how Rogue One looks to be a darker and more serious take on Star Wars, the score is in great hands.

Giacchino often names his pieces with puns, so I’m already trying to guess at some he may create for his Rogue One score…

“I’ve Got A Bad Stealing About This”
“It’s a TIE Game”
“Beaching To The Choir”
“That’s Your Moon”

ZkinandBonez said:
I ever actually read the newspaper strips so don’t really know what they would have looked like originally…

They’re all here in their original format. A must-read archive, perfectly preserved.
http://dailysw.blogspot.com/2009/03/welcome-to-daily-star-wars.html

Still one of my favorite ways to step into the Star Wars universe. This is well before it became a contaminated mess. Just a comic strip based on a popular film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTC3SqPyEDU&sns=em

This public service announcement from 1979 is still being used. They showed it in my defensive driving course just last year.

Scout trooper was my first thought as well. Actually, that’s what I thought it was at first glance. Fits well with the OT.

Now I’m trying to remember what I deleted. I thought it was a Ben Solo post, but damn if I can remember. I recall that I didn’t see it as a spoiler, but someone did so I erred on the side of caution.

SilverWook said:

I do wonder sometimes if the comics mean as much to fans today as they did in the 70’s. We have such easy access to the movies now, even though we still have to wait patiently for the next film. And there are so many shiny flashy things competing for attention now.

I wonder if it’s also a generational thing. I read more comic books now than I ever have, at least two a week, because there are so many flashy shiny things. Buying DVDs aside, I find the multiple media platform saturation of Movie/TV related news, teasers, trailers and trailer-teasers to be assaulting.

For me, comic books and novels are a way to shut off the noise and travel into the story. Maybe it’s different for twenty-somethings who have only ever known multi-platform uber saturation. Perhaps what I see as noise, they see as normal. Having grown up not having to concentrate because everything is fed to them 24/7, they may find comic books and novels to be a chore. They don’t have the attention span for it because they’ve never had to.

-edit
I’m not painting all twenty-somethings as short attention sufferers. I work with two who often sit and play Stratego at lunch. I’m good for about ten minutes of watching before I glaze over. They’re also scientists, so they may see that hour as the mental downtime I associate with reading. Different ways to decompress.

One more issue of the Batman Rebirth series. http://www.dccomics.com/comics/batman-2016/batman-rebirth-1
Very happy about the restored timeline. New 52 was fine to a point, but it was a mess. This goes a long way towards correcting it.

Tyrphanax said:

ray_afraid said:

I much prefer the sarcastic version.

I agree.

Make that three. http://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/981968 I’d like her to be a break from the usual heroes. Give her some depth, some backbone. Let her exist outside of the norm.

Just going by the new trailer, the more adult tone of the film, and what appears to be an outstanding character & performance by Felicity Jones, this is most likely the Star Wars film I’ve always wanted. I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t become my favorite instantly.

It has a Timothy Zahn vibe to it, of who I am a huge fan. This looks very much like something he would write. Jyn comes across as a less angry Mara. Mara when we first meet her, not Mara from years later. I dig a strong female lead like that. Felicity Jones looks perfect for this.

Fingers crossed that Vader is little more than a cameo character. I’ve never been a fan or found him more than two-dimensional at best. No 3PO and no R2 is already a plus. Limited Vader and limited Force would really be nice.

Tobar said:

I too would prefer a film completely devoid of the Force but there are too many out there with the very strict opinion that it isn’t Star Wars without it.

It would be fine with me if they broke away from the decades-long saturation of Force\Jedi\Sith.

I do like that Jyn says “may the force be with us” with a sort of snark in her voice. It would be nice if she had a Han Solo view of it as hokey. I’d dig it if it were in there solely to show this particular section of the universe either dismisses it or has no knowledge of it.

Lucas doesn’t get to decide what Disney is allowed to release.

SilverWook said:

Tarkin was experimenting with hair dye, but the snickering of his subordinates got on his nerves. Several surprise terminations followed, and he washed it out. 😉

Actual LOL.
😉

Tobar said:
It’s pretty messed up that they asked for his input and he repeatedly told them he was against it and they did it anyway. What a way to “honor his legacy.”

That’s where I am on it also. I have absolutely no problem what so ever with a gay crew member. I’m all for it.

If you’re going to ask the original actor for his input on the character he helped create, then at least respect his wishes. That would be the ideal way to honor his legacy. A new crew member would work just as well.

May not be too late to edit it out. If it really is just some non-space travel scenes to establish, and considering the opinions from Takei, make the change and go with a fully established new character in the next film.

This film is already going to have a pall over it with Anton’s passing. No need to make it even more of a troubled film with one of the elder statesmen of the franchise voicing his displeasure with their rewriting his character.

Smithers said:
I’m currently reading Scoundrels and I’m liking it thus far. I trust Timothy Zahn more than most writers to make a good Star Wars story. I’ll keep you guys posted.

I feel the same way about Zahn. Definitely understands the Star Wars universe. I’ve read all of his Star Wars novels and haven’t been disappointed yet. Hes my go-to when I need a Star Wars fix.

TV’s Frink said:

Worst Rogue One spoilers ever all up in here.

It’s as though they don’t even realize.

BobaJett said:
I even had the soundtrack playing as I drove from spot to spot.

I’d be surprised if any of us didn’t have the music playing. I certainly would.

Well done on the pics. Really neat.

Bingowings said:

My impression was they took the Rebels more seriously. So sent the Emperor’s blood hound after them with a small fleet and a fancy command ship. Palpatine is playing with fire knowing that if Vader finds his child there will be sparks. But he also knows it will be a beacon to finding the rest of the Rebels that fled Yavin.

SilverWook said:

I sort of get the impression that the Emperor lost faith in guys like Tarkin after the first Death Star fiasco, and gave Vader more autonomy.

I attribute it to the character and film being a global cultural phenomenon lasting years, so Lucas decided to change his significance and history to increase profits. No story beyond '77 suddenly became hire someone to write some sequels, this thing is huge.

canofhumdingers said:

@Anchorhead

Man, I never noticed. That’s significant…now that you’ve ruined Vader for me.

😉
Kidding.