Saturday 28 February 2015

LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales coming to Disney XD



The Hollywood Reporter has the exclusive scoop on Disney XD's next foray into Star Wars.

LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales will chronicle the adventures of the franchise's lovable droid duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.

Here's an extract from the THR article: Set after the Rebel Alliance victory on Endor seen at the end of Return of the Jedi, the droids are regaling the assembly with their adventures that led them to their present situation. An accidental kidnapping leads to a new adventure that progresses to the retelling of the saga in chronological order, from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi.

The five-episode mini-series will air in time for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Thursday 26 February 2015

Neill Blomkamp's Alien is a direct sequel to Aliens



Game over! Director Neill Blomkamp confirms his Alien movie will be a sequel to James Cameron's Aliens during an interview, promoting Chappie, with Sky Movies.

Franchise star Sigourney Weaver, currently starring in Chappie, is keen to reprise her role as Ellen Ripley. "I would love to take Ripley from orbiting around in space and give a proper finish to what was such an excellent story."

This is what Blomkamp said during a Q&A with EW: "Over the years, I came up with a story for a film in that universe that I wanted to make. And then when I talked to her about her experience making those films and what she thought about Ripley and everything else, it informed and changed the film I wanted to make into something different. It just sort of stuck with me. A year later, when post-production was winding down on ‘Chappie,’ I started fleshing out the idea for a film that would contain Sigourney. Fox never knew. I just worked on it when I could. Before I knew it, I had this really awesome film with a lot of artwork and a lot of backstory. And then I didn't know whether I was going to make it or not. So I just kind of sat on it for a while."

More and more directors are leveraging social media and Blomkamp's is a marketing masterclass comparable to fellow genre auteurs JJ Abrams, Bryan Singer and Zack Snyder.

Does it bother you Alien³ and Alien Resurrection will be ignored? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Introducing LEGO Star Wars Buildable Figures



During this year's New York Toy Fair, LEGO introduced a new line of buildable figures based on Star Wars.

Expanding the way children can build and play within the Star Wars universe, new large scale Buildable Figures unveiled – sets featuring, among others, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker ($19.99 & $29.99 to be launched in September). Additional Buildable Figures in the collection will be unveiled throughout the year. The Battle for the galaxy will get bigger!

These remind me of Microman (AKA Micronauts) from Takara Tomy. What do you think?

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Darth Vader returns for Star Wars Rebels finale



Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, returns in the season finale of Star Wars Rebels on Disney XD. The episode is entitled Fire Across the Galaxy and is broadcast on March 2nd.

The first season of Star Wars Rebels has been terrific fun; boasting cameos by beloved cast members from the original Star Wars trilogy. Harrison Ford is rumoured to reprise his role as Han Solo in the second series. This would be poignant in the lead up to the theatrical release of JJ Abrams' The Force Awakens this December.

Looking forward to seeing Darth Vader again? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday 23 February 2015

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. teases Marvel's Inhumans



Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns from its mid-season break, on March 3rd, with Skye discovering her quaking powers as an Inhuman.

“My whole life, I wanted a family” intones Skye as the latest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. trailer begins, which premiered during the Oscars telecast. “S.H.I.E.L.D. took me in. They trained me to be an agent, but there was something inside of me, something I didn't even know was there. Something possibly… Inhuman. And if it gets out, nothing will ever be the same.”



Inhumans isn't hitting cinema screens until November 2018, but Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s story arc will whet fans appetite.

If, like me, you stopped watching early in season 1, may I suggest you go back and watch from episode 10, The Bridge. The series goes from strength to strength and there's tie-ins with the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Looking forward to seeing Skye's powers in action? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday 20 February 2015

Star Wars Rebels actress joins Guardians of the Galaxy



Marvel has announced the cast for its upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy animated series on Disney XD and it includes Star Wars Rebels actress Vanessa Marshall (Gamora) and Star Wars: The Clone Wars veteran actor James Arnold Taylor (Yondu/Cosmo).



“The cast for the new GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY animated series has all of us at Marvel animation very excited. These are some of the best, boldest and funniest voices in the business,” said Marvel’s VP, Current Animation, Stephen Wacker. “All of us here at Marvel Animation Studios are working around the clock to bring you an over-the-top, action-packed show worthy of the biggest film of 2014. We can't wait for you to see it!”

The Guardians of the Galaxy animated series will debut on Disney XD later this year.

Thursday 19 February 2015

Neill Blomkamp to direct Alien



In January District 9 director Neill Blomkamp posted his original concept art for Alien on Instagram, which attracted the attention of fans, across the globe, in the hopes the beleaguered franchise may return to its nightmarish roots...

“So I think this is officially my next film,” the director wrote on Instagram.

Trade paper Variety then confirmed Blomkamp has inked a deal with 20th Century Fox to direct the next Alien movie. This is unrelated to producer Ridley Scott's Prometheus 2.

District 9 and Elysium had rich political subtexts that failed to deliver on their initial premise. Both movies descended into generic Hollywood blockbuster fare in the final act.

However, the notion of another Alien movie, pitting the proletariat against the bourgeoisie, is mouthwatering. There's going to be xenomorphs and, possibly, Sigourney Weaver reprising her role as Ellen Ripley. What's not to like?

It's speculated the new movie will be a reboot a la JJ Abrams' Star Trek and follows events depicted in James Cameron's, seminal sequel, Aliens. Fans of the series will find out in 2016.

Can Blomkamp resurrect Alien? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday 16 February 2015

Guardians of the Galaxy series coming to Disney XD



Marvel's teased its upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy animated series on Twitter. The Disney-owned company officially announced the series at New York Comic Con in 2014.

Little is known about the new Disney XD series, but it's rumoured to tie-in with James Gunn's blockbusting movie.

Expect more announcements from Marvel this week.

Excited to see Star-Lord and friends on the small screen? Let me know in the comments below.

Friday 13 February 2015

JJ Abrams will kick off Star Wars Celebration



Following months of intense speculation as to whether or not the next trailer for The Force Awakens would premiere during Star Wars Celebration. It looks like the answer is yes.

Director JJ Abrams with producer and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy will kick off the event in a "big way" this April.

For J.J. Abrams, the Star Wars Celebration circle is now complete.

StarWars.com is thrilled to announce that the director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens — who once attended Star Wars Celebration as a fan — is confirmed to appear at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim this April. Abrams and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy will kick off the show in a big way on Thursday morning, April 16, at 10:00 a.m. This will be a day long remembered.


Read the full announcement on Starwars.com.

Are you going to Star Wars Celebration? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday 12 February 2015

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers



This retro review, originally published in SFX and Starburst magazines, harks back to a time before director Peter Jackson favoured bloated spectacle as evidenced by The Hobbit trilogy...

In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie

The diluted darkness of the Star Wars prequels is eclipsed by Sauron’s shadow in The Two Towers!

Director Peter Jackson reprises the narrative cue of Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back) and, forsaking any introduction, embarks on a deeper, introspective and urgent deconstruction of the psychology that underpins the now fragmented fellowship; the Ring’s seduction of Frodo, the tragedy of Gollum (a true synthespian) and the heroics of Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen a revelation), Gimli and Legolas.

Visually. Rivendell’s redolent beauty is replaced by nightfall, ruin and decay. The Elves, in their haste to elude Sauron, accelerated the corruption of the landscape. This aesthetic is maintained throughout most of the film and recapitulates the theme of darkness falling, but light is not entirely driven into shadow.

The battle at Helm’s Deep delivers in ways that no Clone War could ever emulate - an epic confrontation from a very human perspective. In between the moments of dark reflection there are those that are life-affirming. None has more poignancy than that of Gandalf’s return.

If there is a fly in the ointment; it is the Balrog! This ‘mythical’ beast appears to have escaped from a console game and should have evoked memories of the T-Rex attack from Jurassic Park.

Despite my serious reservations surrounding this project. Peter Jackson has surprised and delighted with both Fellowship and Towers. Will it be three times the charm or will the trials of the trilogy be insurmountable even for this master of the ring?

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Spider-Man swings into the Marvel Cinematic Universe



My spider-sense is tingling. Sony and Marvel have agreed to bring the beloved web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Sony retains control.

Alas, Andrew Garfield will not be standing side-by-side with Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey, Jr. and friends in Captain America: Civil War. Andrew Garfield acquitted himself well as Peter Parker and will be missed.

"We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. "This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans."

This is a smart move for Sony Pictures. The studio has, arguably, driven the Spider-Man franchise into the ground, creatively, due to its historical deal with Marvel. The theatrical rights would revert back to the Disney-owned company if Sony stopped producing endless reboots with mixed results. Fans were poorly served, for the most part, and the box office reflected that.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” says Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige in the announcement. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realisation on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

Going forward. It'll be interesting to see whether or not Fox announces a similar deal with Marvel to take The X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises into the MCU fold.

Due to the addition of Spider-Man. Marvel's release schedule for Phase III is subject to change.

Are you stoked Spider-Man is joining the Avengers? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday 9 February 2015

Lady Sif returns to Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.



Asgardian warrior and lover of Thor, Lady Sif (Jaimie Alexander) returns to Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a twist this March! Sif is without her trademark armour and has lost her short-term memory.

"Sif has no idea who Thor is or that she serves a king, and we're going to have fun with that," says executive producer Jeffrey Bell. "It'll give us some much-needed humor in a season that's been full of betrayal and death. Sif can't even recall who she came here from Asgard to stop, but Agent Coulson [Clark Gregg] and his team will try to help her figure all that out."

Looking forward to seeing Lady Sif back in action? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday 7 February 2015

Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones



In this retro review, originally published in Dreamwatch and Starburst magazines, I look back at Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Incidentally, this was the first movie I saw digitally projected, a novelty at the time...

Lucas Strikes!

After the relative disappointment of the first prequel, a film I watched six times at the Odeon, much rides on this second instalment in Lucasʼ six-part magnum opus. Does it deliver and can it equal ʻThe Empire Strikes Backʼ in the dramatic stakes?

On Tuesday, May 21st 2002, I travelled (with friends) to see the movie at the Odeon, Leicester Square. This is one of too few venues, which has the facility to present motion pictures digitally (if itʼs available in the format). Suffice it to say that I was excited to see, for myself, whether or not ʻClonesʼ could deliver both in terms of dramatic and technical performance?

On the former. After the obligatory credit crawl. The camera pans up, which breaks with the convention established in the previous entries, a motif that signifies a change in tone. The colour palette and designs allude to ʻEmpireʼ. And the tense, and by turns amusing, chase through Coruscant inspires obvious comparison with ʻBlade Runnerʼ and the highly derivative ʻFifth Elementʼ on speed!

This is followed by Obi-Wan Kenobiʼs journey to the, mysterious and enigmatic, water world Kamino. The clinical ʻlook and feelʼ of the cloning facility mines the cinema of Stanley Kubrick! Culminating in a thrilling rain-soaked encounter with bounty hunter Jango Fett on a landing platform. Jangoʼs eventual fate, at the hands of Mace Windu, was deserving. This hopefully drives an older Boba Fett to play a substantial part in the final prequel! He certainly has the motivation.

Anakinʼs ʻTusken slaughterʼ confessional to Padme is, arguably, almost on a par with Vaderʼs paternal revelation! Hayden Christensen (finally getting centre stage) chillingly convinces as the conflicted apprentice. John Williams serves to underscore this pivotal scene, reflecting on what is to come with familiar leitmotifs that sound somehow fresh and new.

Christopher Lee excels as Count Dooku! His confrontation with Obi-Wan is rich with kinetic tension. Dookuʼs choreography shadows Vaderʼs thereby embellishing the seriesʼ mythology further. And this is cemented when Anakin loses his right arm during the duel - echoing Lukeʼs loss of hand in ʻEmpireʼ. Let's hope that Lee reprises the role in Episode III.

Whilst ʻClonesʼ is certainly an improvement on ʻMenaceʼ. Lucas is still unable to write dialogue (an affliction that is not unique to him) and the production methodology intrudes at times - too often one is aware of the layers of fx composition.

Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensenʼs chemistry is wasted on relatively poor dialogue. And a few of the later scenes are laughable! The worst offender, not involving the doomed duo, features a clone trooper asking Padme if she was OK after falling from an airborne gunship? Surely it would have been more poignant (and ironic) if clone troopers had recovered her unconscious body, from the desert, in a scene echoing Stormtroopers confronting Leia at the start of A New Hope?

On a technical note. The difference between analogue (film) and digital (hard drive) sources is palpable! The sound and picture are vivid and, at times, an overwhelming feast for the eyes.

In conclusion. Ultimately it was inevitable that ʻEmpireʼ wouldnʼt be displaced, in my opinion, as the best Star Wars movie. But, there is much to enjoy and relish in ʻClonesʼ. The performances, pacing and visual virtuosity are exponentially improved.

Star Wars has never looked more beguiling - replete with unrivalled colours and textures. It is with elevated spirits that I look forward to the darkest, and by extension, most complex instalment: Episode III.

Friday 6 February 2015

JJ Abrams talks Star Wars: The Force Awakens



Collider caught up with JJ Abrams during the recent Visual Effects Society Awards where he accepted a Visionary Award. The director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens talked about the creative process and that lightsaber...

“I will say that what’s been funny is, since the lightsaber’s come out, I cannot tell you how many contradictory emails I have received from people who have both defended it with unbelievably detailed graphics… I've gotten things that are nuts, and I've gotten people who've shown how it'll kill you and how it doesn't make any sense. It’s been the funniest thing to see the arguments that have developed over this thing.”

Abrams goes on to describe the judicious use of filmmaking tools.

“I feel like the beauty of this age of filmmaking is that there are more tools at your disposal, but it doesn’t mean that any of these new tools are automatically the right tools. And there are a lot of situations where we went very much old school and in fact used CG more to remove things than to add things.”

You can watch the full interview below.

Thursday 5 February 2015

Watch the first teaser trailer for Marvel's Daredevil



Netflix has unleashed the first teaser trailer for Marvel's Daredevil, which is the inaugural series from the company's exclusive original content deal with Disney. This includes AKA Jessica Jones, Iron Fist and Luke Cage. Culminating in The Defenders mini-series in 2017.



“I've been preoccupied, of late, with questions of morality,” Murdock moodily intones to a priest in the 90-second trailer. “I'm not seeking forgiveness for what I've done, Father. I’m asking forgiveness for what I'm about to do.”

Daredevil follows Netflix's past successes, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, with all episodes premiering on day-one this April. A tactic that satiates my predilection for binge-viewing. For those of you with 4K UHD compatible devices, you'll be able to feast your eyes on the inky blackness in superlative detail.

Excited for Marvel's Daredevil or could care less? Let me know in the comments below.

Wednesday 4 February 2015

LEGO goes timey-wimey with Doctor Who



It's official! Doctor Who and his companions are to join the ranks of Marvel and Star Wars by being immortalised in LEGO bricks later this year.

Marcus Arthur, managing director of BBC Worldwide said: “This is a really exciting deal between one of the world’s premier content companies and the world’s largest toy manufacturer.”



Emma Owen, UK spokesperson for Lego Ideas, said: “We’re extremely excited to announce that a Doctor Who and a WALL-E set will be released as our next Lego Ideas fan based sets, congratulations to the designers Andrew Clark and [WALL-E] Angus MacLane! After receiving over 10,000 votes from the online community and having gone through rigorous toy testing from our expert panel, these awesome sets are on track to be on shelves later this year. The final set designs, pricing and availability are being worked out as we speak, so watch this space for the final details!”

What LEGO Doctor Who sets would you like to see? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Inaugural runDisney Star Wars Half Marathon weekend



Serendipity and social media go hand in hand.

Last week video games retailer GAME was retweeting followers earliest memories of playing games. Mine was Space Invaders on the Atari VCS and Tim Rees' was Horace Goes Skiing on the ZX Spectrum. As a former ZX Spectrum owner I replied to Tim, started sharing anecdotes, and had no idea he was a fellow Star Wars fan until I checked his Twitter bio: BOOM!

Guest blog post by Tim Rees

I am not that hard to please, but a few things are likely to guarantee my interest - Rum, Playstation, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Star Wars.

My wife and I run a bit, in our spare time, and have started to travel the U.K. in order to take part in running events, but her idea of travelling to Los Angeles, for a series of runs, made me a bit apprehensive... until she mentioned it was a Star Wars event. I was in.



With Disney buying Lucasfilm, you would expect them to put their full weight behind the Star Wars franchise and so runDisney launching a series of three themed runs under the Star Wars 'Rebel Challenge' banner (running a 5K, 10K and an half marathon over 16th - 18th January) should have been expected.

A lot of planning and thought had clearly gone into the details of the event: from promotional items through to the running medals (Battle of Yavin medal? Check!) - all very professional.



runDisney produced a slick operation with a winding route around the Anaheim Disneyland park taking in the majority of the park's attractions and sprinkled with photo opportunities with a variety of characters from the movies.

The highlight, for me, was the final day on the half marathon when, running the Anaheim streets (and outside of Disney control), it seemed every Californian Star Wars cosplayer had come out to cheer the runners on with some great outfits producing a great community feel.

So, three early starts, 23.4 miles and four medals later it was all done, but what an event!



One of the oddest runs I have ever done, for the pure geek factor alone, but if you love your running and you love your Star Wars - this is where it all comes together.

Follow @Grim_Tim_

Special thanks to Tim Rees for the photographs.

Have your own Star Wars story to share? Please get in contact.

Monday 2 February 2015

Marvel heroes clash at Super Bowl and charity wins



Actors Chris Pratt and Chris Evans, better known as Star-Lord and Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently embarked on a friendly rivalry on Twitter. Who would win this year's Super Bowl between New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks?

The loser promised to attend a children's hospital, of the victor's chosen charity, in costume, help raise awareness and make a donation. Chris Pratt was gracious in defeat, after the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks, and will be visiting Christopher's Haven.

Turns out our intrepid heroes are going one step further and both children's charities will benefit. As someone who spent a lot of time in children's hospital, following a serious head trauma at primary school, I have nothing but the utmost respect for these guys.

Everything is awesome!

Sunday 1 February 2015

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy



This is the first in an occasional series of retro reviews, which will cover film, television and video games, published online and in magazines before I began blogging...

In January 1978, at the age of five, my world was changed forever by an inaugural encounter with the cinematic realm. The film in question was Star Wars and, like fellow members of Generation X, I've followed the series in its multitude of media incarnations from books to toys. However, video games remain the fondest forum since the early Atari coin-ops.

Jedi Academy is the second sequel to Jedi Knight and rapidly follows in the wake of Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. And, as such, is the third instalment. The speed of the game’s port, to the Macintosh platform, is indicative of the timely talent of Aspyr Studio and the insatiable appetite of Mac gamers for original and licensed product. The most pertinent question on many gamers’ minds is: will it suffer from trilogy exhaustion?

Graphics
The graphics are augmented by Raven Software’s code enhancements. The sumptuous visuals belie the Quake III game engine’s four-year age! Rain super heats as it falls onto a striking lightsaber and the character animation is suitably smooth and fluid even on modest hardware (this review was conducted on an 800MHz iMac G4 with 512MB RAM). Close combat has not witnessed such balletic battles since Darth Maul cartwheeled onto celluloid in The Phantom Menace.

Sound
The sound design is unquestionably of a pedigree deserving of the title’s roots. My review sessions were monitored using JBL Creature speakers, which rendered an involving and detailed three-dimensional sound stage replete with the familiar sounds of a galaxy far, far away. I lamented being unable to savour the delights of a 5.1 mix, however. Where would a Star Wars adventure be without the familiar underscores of John Williams’ familiar (if overused) leitmotifs? No longer used in their original cinematic context, here his orchestrations inform your journey to become a Jedi.

Gameplay
In this outing Kyle Katarn (who made his first appearance in the legendary Dark Forces) is no longer the principal protagonist and acts as mentor alongside Luke Skywalker. Instead the game designers adroitly avoid any tenuous contrivances and invite you to create a new character from scratch albeit one who goes by the fixed name of Jaden Korr. The inevitable Sims (no it’s not Skywalker Family Ties) comparison cannot be ignored, but doesn't detract from the short-lived novelty of deciding gender, species and lightsaber type (later stages allow for the wielding of two lightsabers and Darth Maul’s infamous double-bladed lightsaber).

During the early stages of Jedi Academy, as you investigate the whereabouts of Luke's missing journal, the missions allow you to hone and enhance your Jedi powers before the saga starts gaining momentum. In between levels you get to choose between Light and/or Dark Force powers and either Choke or confuse your opponents with Mind Trick. The decisions you make delineate character, which is a neat twist and one that leads to a choice culminating in two possible endings.

The decision to provide the lightsaber from the outset was an inspired one – you now get what’s on the box – instant gratification. The galaxy-spanning missions take in the sights and sounds of Yavin 4, Tatooine and the derelict Rebel Base on Hoth.

Friends and old enemies return to assist or impede your path. Incidentally, I took great delight in confronting Bucket Head (fans will know who I am referring to)! And utilising mounts i.e. Tauntauns adds an arcade aspect to the title.

The multiplayer section is undoubtedly the most compelling facet of Jedi Academy. Alongside the obligatory Capture the Flag and Free For All is Siege. The brand new Siege mode takes it cue from Wolfenstein's class-based objective mode and involves co-operative play. This allows for tremendous strategic scope and success will be determined by the abilities of the team. From Duel and Power Duel to the Siege mode – even the most jaded multiplayer veteran should find something to satiate their needs.

Conclusion 
Jedi Academy lacks a compelling narrative; dramatic pace is thwarted by a non-linear mission interface. And the title gravitates more towards Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson's Creek sans angst - will the kids ever graduate?

Although one can make an ideological choice between the Light and Dark side of the Force, the consequences are bereft of any deep emotional resonance. This is no Greek tragedy. On an entirely subjective note, the temptations of the Dark side can be overwhelming and brandishing a red double-bladed lightsaber is supremely seductive!

The play experience lost some of the anticipated lustre due to stuttering frame rates in the first patch (1.0.1a) for the single-player edition. Programmer Brad Oliver rapidly addressed this issue and it is strongly recommended that you apply the most recent patch (1.0.1b). This should solve matters for Mac OS X 10.3.x Panther users. However, I didn't have a copy of Mac OS X 10.2.x Jaguar to perform a comparison test.

The Jedi Academy bonus multiplayer maps extend the game’s life cycle. The addition of a level from Ord Mantell (referenced in The Empire Strikes Back and further explored in the comic strip serial by Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson) should bring a smile to the face of any fan – it’s where Han Solo encounters one of Jabba The Hutt’s notorious bounty hunters.

Whilst this is the perfect primer while we wait for the Macintosh port of Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic, it remains to be seen whether or not there is any life left in the Jedi series. However, for sheer kinetic fun adorned in the furnishings of the Star Wars franchise, you'd be hard-pressed to ignore the emotive thrill of brandishing two lightsabers at once and the ensuing Stormtrooper decapitations!