Samuel Delany (previously) is one of science fiction's titans, a pioneer who was the first openly gay writer in the field, as well as one of the first Black science fiction writers to attain prominence. Read the rest
French company Le Creuset has announced a line of its signature enameled cast-iron cookwear themed after the Star Wars franchise; it's expensive even by Le Creuset standards, and a few of the pieces are uninspired messes, but the Han Solo in Carbonite roaster ($450), the R2-D2 Mini Cocotte ($30) and the Porg Pie Bird ($25) are positively brilliant. I'm also fond of the Tattoine Dutch oven, but that one isn't even priced and the company is offering an "opportunity to purchase." (via Geekologie) Read the rest
Mini Cocottes of BB-8, C-3PO, and R2-D2 ($30 each)
Just when you thought they had made all the Star Wars items we'd ever need in a lifetime, comes the Star Wars x Le Creuset Collection. Yep, the high-end cast-iron brand will soon release a line of Star Wars cookware, from a Han Solo frozen-in-carbonite roaster ($450)...
To an extremely limited-edition, hand-painted Tatooine Round Dutch Oven ($900 and sold separately from the rest of the line)...
Then there are these Death Star and Millennium Falcon trivets for $20 each...
And this $395 Darth Vader dutch oven...
But, perhaps the most adorable of the collection is a pie bird fashioned after The Last Jedi's Porg ($25).
The pieces (except that Tatooine dutch oven) will be available November 1 online, at Le Creuset boutique and outlet stores, and at William-Sonoma stores.
images via Le Creuset
Relive the glorious moment when the First Order almost ended the Resistance! This lovely model of the rinky-dink Crait Ski Speeder will take you there.
The kit comes with a Poe Dameron minfig as well as some Admiral named Ematt, a 'resistance trooper' and 2 First Order snowtroopers. Pretty sure the resistance guy dies easy.
You may engage in futile attacks on the Mobile Big Laser used by the FI to smash the resistance's big barn door!
LEGO Star Wars: The Last Jedi Defense of Crait 75202 Building Kit (746 Piece) via Amazon Read the rest
Mindy Clegg has posted a wonderful essay covering the "social and political conflicts over fandom", and how even though such discussions are appearing in the modern communities surrounding recent films such as Captain Marvel and The Joker (previously), the reality is that such political and social issues have surrounded both the discussion of, and indeed the very core beliefs of some of our most well-known Sci-Fi franchises for decades:
Roddenberry consciously created a multiracial crew on the Starship Enterprise. The show sought to promote the concept of racial tolerance among its viewers by showing a peaceful and egalitarian multiracial crew of humans. Many saw it as doing just that. Actor Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed Lt. Nyota Uhuru, the accomplished and talented communications officer, was told by Dr. Martin Luther King at an NAACP meeting that her depiction of Uhuru was making a difference in the lives of young black women. This was a time when black women rarely had prominent roles on TV, much less in such powerful positions. When she told him that she was planning on leaving the show due to ingrained racism and sexism on the set, he told her that she couldn’t do that, given the positive role model she was for young black women. She even inspired the first black woman to go into space, Mae Jemison. Jemison would later go full circle, and appeared on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. George Takai, who portrayed Lt. Hikaru Sulu, eventually also parlayed his acting work into activism.Read the rest
The 2019 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar is here.
Palpatine will rise!
LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar 75245 Building Kit, New 2019 (280 Pieces) via Amazon Read the rest
The "Vader Down" crossover event in Marvel's 2015 Star Wars comics featured an absurdly-overpowered Darth Vader contending with seemingly the entire rebel force, as well as a cyborg rival for Palpatine's favor. John Stratman created this two-part 16-bit animated adaptation that does a great job of squeezing in all the highlights and slapstick moments:
(Via Kieron Gillen.) Read the rest
James Stangroom has set out on a quest to find the Stormtrooper who banged his head inside Death Star 1.
You can tell this trailer is a parody as it doesn't give away the whole thing. Read the rest
Tim Gonzales has loving edited together a trailer for an Ahsoka Tano feature film. Using old footage from Star Wars Clone Wars and Rebels, the story is focused on Ahsoka, one of the few worthwhile Jedi, as she proctors, the galaxies' remaining Jedi and faces off against her old Master.
This arc in Star Wars Rebels tries to lend Obi-Wan's lie credentials. The whole 'Vader killed Annikon Skywalker,' i.e. that Anni wasn't a massive asshole the entire time story.
He was and sematic bullshit seems to be a form 3 lightsaber move. Read the rest
I remain convinced that Dr. Julius Strangepork was up to no good. It is entirely possible he is in league with Sir Topham Hatt.
I am also rather certain that was a chicken lovin' Sith Lord. Read the rest
"The story of a generation comes to an end." Who wins?: Kylo Ren vs Rey.
Everyone these days seems to have one of those fancy programmable pressure cookers known as the Instant Pot (IP). Now I've learned that people are decorating their IP's stainless steel exterior with decorating decals and wraps. In fact, over on Etsy, there are whole shops dedicated to beautifying your IP. One shop, in particular, has a magnetic, easily-removable wrap that will make your IP look like R2-D2. If this is your jam, head over to InstantWraps to get one. They offer them in a variety of IP sizes with prices starting at $11.
Unmute the video below. You need this, in all its glory. Read the rest
Dan Hon (previously at BB) noticed that Star Trek's meetings and conferences always involve military officers, usually occur with ample time for preparation, yet invariably has them just talking to one another. If there are any graphics involved, they are simple, concise and expressive.
This is of course nothing whatsoever like any military on earth or off it. So Hon decided to photoshop what such meetings would actually entail: PowerPoint, and lots of it. Read the rest
The excellent "Then & Now Movie Locations" visited the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park where some of the Tatooine shots were filmed for Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977). It's a beautiful locale but I can understand why Luke would want to be teleported off this rock.
For more shots of terrestrial locations used for Tatooine, here's a 2015 article from The Guardian about the remains of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's homestead in the Sahara desert.
