#star wars 30th anniversary collection

[short-wooloo]

Star Wars 30th Anniversary Collection #1 Obi-Wan Kenobi

Asdfghjkl

Status: betrayed by his former Padawan

Characteristic: forced to destroy his friend

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Hasbro's Delta 7 Jedi starfighters from the 2000's; Obi-Wan's from 2002, the Clone Wars fighter from 2003, Plo Koon's from 2005, Kit Fisto's from 2006 and Saesee Tiin's from 2007. I had the Obi-Wan's fighter when I was kid. I love the paint job on Plo's fighter. Rocking those blue and white stripes!

[galactic-hunter]

A quickie work-in-progress. I was trying to replicate an old publicity photo using some handy Hasbro and Kenner Star Wars figures from the last 45 years. (Some may be older than me! OK just one may be.) I was trying to replicate an old publicity photo I saw as a kid, see below, of Jabba's Palace in Return of the Jedi.

The playset is the 2023 Hasbro Boba Fett's Throne Room - but the figures are a mix of vintage Kenner, POTF2, Saga, 30th Anniversary Collection, those 5-jointed Rebels-era guys, The Black Series, The Saga Collection, The Vintage Collection, Power of the Jedi, Saga, The Legacy Collection, and my apologies if I forgot to name-check one.

As you can see, we're close. I probably could've grabbed Hrcheck Kal Fas to stand in for the Saurin. We haven't seen Hasbro try to do the Ugnaughts yet, and I'm not sure who the human creeping in the background is - maybe some guy? I wish we could get a Geezum (Snivvian/Snaggletooth) too.

Looks like I missed Klaatu behind Hermi Odle. Oops. Something for later.

[ar-pic-ulated]

The Bounty Hunter

Forger and bounty hunter Rose Tico and her crew are targeted by a crime syndicate chasing a stowaway on their ship, The Twin Mardji. When the crime syndicate reveals a hostage in the form of Rose’s sister, Paige, Rose and her crew reluctantly ally with Rey to retrieve the package on Takodana in the hope that Paige’s life can be saved.

The second profile in a series for an alternate universe with the sequel trilogy characters

The mix and match series was started just by swapping out clothes, faces, and accessories of different characters to see what new characters could be created or improved upon. There’s not always an intended story behind the choices— More often than not I just want to see what fit and looked cool.

Rose Tico

Head: Rose Tico, Force Link series

Body: Jyn Erso, Eadu disguise, Force Link series

Gun: Cad Bane’s blaster, Vintage Collection

Bounty Hunter #1 (From L to R)

Head and body: Qui-Gon Jin, Jedi training gear, The Power of the Force series

Cloak: Darth Vader’s cloak, The Power of the Force series

Rifle: General Grievous (Pre-Cyborg), 30th Anniversary Collection

Helmet: Lando Calrissian’s skiff guard disguise, Vintage Collection

Bounty Hunter #2/Criminal (From L to R)

Head: Axe Woves, Vintage Collection

Body: Cassian Andor on Ferrix, Vintage Collection

Jacket: Cad Bane’s duster, Vintage Collection

Rifle: Fennec Shand’s rifle, Vintage Collection

Binders: Mythrol accessory, Vintage Collection

Bounty Hunter #3 (From L to R)

Head: Aayla Secura, Vintage Collection

Body: Cad Bane, Vintage Collection

Jacket: Cassian Andor’s Ferrix jacket, Vintage Collection

Rifle: 4-LOM’s rifle, 30th Anniversary Collection

Backgrounds

K-2 Surveillance room, pg 68, The Art of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Art by Chris Bonhura.

Gozanti landing, pg 105, The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2. Art by Ryan Church.

[domono08]

If you’re asking, yeah I have a big stack of comics.

L to R

Mickey Mouse #4

Mickey Mouse #1

Robin #?

Space jam the graphic novel

Richie rich #184

Mighty Mouse #2

Sovereign seven #1

Sonic IDW’s 30th anniversary

Toy Story #1

X-men: messiah complex #1

Mickey Mouse #5

Big Nate: top dog

Smile

Sisters

Powerpuff girls: power party

New kid

Class act

Guts

Big Nate: stay classy

Ozy and Millie

The adventures of Superman #23

Betty and Veronica #289

Archie #316

Betty and Veronica #293

Batman the war years 1939-1945

Bugs bunny: what’s up doc?

Invader zim volume 8

Archie #319

Sabrina: the magic within : #3

Disney’s colossal comic collection #6

Everything’s Archie #2

DC Scooby doo #43

World of Archie #126

World of Archie #114

Archie #317

Archie’s big book volume 6: high school yearbook

Sonic the hedgehog archives volume 18

Harvey Scooby doo #1

Batgirl #11

DC Scooby doo #46

Star slammers #5

Ducktales 2017 treasure trove

[nerdgatehobbit]

I was tagged by @ladytharen thanks!

Comfort movie: I’ve watched the Beauty and the Beast 30th anniversary special three times since it came out last month, so I suspect it’s speeding up the list.  Others include George of the Jungle (1997), Love & Friendship, and Cinderella 1997.

Comfort food: Roasted Brussel sprouts and cupcakes, even if only one of them is a typical comfort food.

Comfort clothing: Anything soft & fluffy!  I also have quite a few nerdy tees that I like wearing (Stargate, Star Wars, & Stitch are all well-represented).

Comfort books: Once on a Time by A.A. Milne and my Dinotopia collection (I’ve got the Gurney ones, both of Foster’s novels, and two of the junior chapter books)

Comfort game: As much as I like Dreamlight Valley (Mirabel next month!), I’m more likely to do some stuff on the Pokémon Masters app to unwind.

No pressure tagging @magic-owl @mylittleredgirl @bex-pendragon and anyone else who wants to do it!

[fancoloredglasses]

[RERUN] Crisis on Infinite Earths (The Second DC Reboot), introduction

[All images are owned by DC Comics. Please don’t sue me]

(Except the image above and unless otherwise stated, all images are courtesy of DC Database)

I’ve mentioned Crisis quite a few times when discussing the various media based on characters created/acquired by National Publications (which became DC Comics in the 70s), but haven’t really gone in-depth as to what it is. That’s because…it’s complicated.

Crisis on Infinite Earths was to comics in the 80s what the Marvel Cinematic Universe is to movies: a massive undertaking that redefined what creative teams could do with the media if the stars aligned (and subsequent attempts showed what would happen if they didn’t)

First, a bit of history, dating back to the 50s. While Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were still in publication after World War II, the rest of the heroes of the “Golden Age” faded into obscurity as people stopped caring about them after the war. In 1956, National decided to “test the waters” by bringing back the Flash…

…but updated for “modern” times (forensic scientist Barry Allen instead of college student Jay Garrick) When that succeeded, they introduced more.  Then they “updated” the origins of the “Big Three” to suit the times (obviously they couldn’t have been active since the war!) This was the first “reboot” (as we now call them) to what is now known as the “Silver Age” of comics. The Golden Age had nothing to do with the current direction National was going.

That changed a few years later when the Flash of the Silver Age met the Flash of the Golden Age, and they determined that the Golden Age heroes were part of another universe (dubbed Earth-2, since OF COURSE the Silver Age Earth, which started after the Golden Age, would be Earth-1). And thus was born the Multiverse. As writers got ideas on stories that wouldn’t fit on Earth-1, more universes were created:

Earth-3 was a world where the Earth-1 heroes were villains (collectively known as the Crime Syndicate of America) who ruled the Earth, and Lex Luthor was the sole hero trying to end their tyranny.

(Thanks again to Wikipedia)

Earth-C (for “cartoon”) was home to Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew (think Superfriends meets Looney Toons)

Earth-S (for “SHAZAM!”) was home to the characters National licensed from Fawcett Comics in 1973. (nice to see they were given a home after National sued them out of existence…)

Earth-4 was home to the characters DC acquired after buying Charlton Comics in 1983. Alan Moore wanted to use them for a story, but since that would involve killing characters DC just spent a fortune for, he tweaked names and attitudes a bit and created Watchmen.

Earth-X was home to a number of the characters National acquired after buying Quality Comics in the 50s (the rest wound up on Earth-Q), Earth-X differed from most of the other Earths in that World War II didn’t end in 1945, but continued through to the time of Crisis.

…and so on. It started to get a bit confusing keeping everyone straight, so in the early 80s, as part of their 50th anniversary celebration, DC started two projects. In 1986, DC published The History of the DC Universe. A tale of the events in the DC Universe from the Dawn of Time through the Legion of Super Heroes in the 30th century

Wait, how does that work with DC being a multiverse?  Well, that was why the other project started the year prior, a streamlining and rebooting of the entire DC line from the Golden Age onward into one (more or less) cohesive narrative. Characters and universes rewritten, if not outright removed, to suit the new narrative (sorry, Captain Carrot) It was all explained in a 12-issue series that expanded and crossed over into nearly every DC title called Crisis on Infinite Earths.

I’ll be doing an issue-by-issue narrative (interspersed with my usual humor and opinions) of the events of the main series (and ONLY the main series, because most of the crossovers had little impact on the main story and were mainly to (a) explain how Crisis was affecting your favorite heroes and (2) to generate sales, since DC was saying every Crisis crossover was a “must read” story), as well as the series’ impact on DC.

If you would like to read the series, it has been collected in graphic novel form and is available (or can be ordered) at your favorite comic shop, bookstore, or online retailer…or on Read Comic Online.

Watch for the Issue 1 episode review soon!

[desperatecheesecubes]

February Wrap Up part 2!

Action Comics (1938) issues 698 and 699

Dates Read: February 18, February 25

Review: 3 stars

Thoughts: the swelling arc thing was very… not great. Figuring out where to read 699 was also not great lol.

Supergirl (1994) issues 1-4

Dates Read: February 19, February 22, February 26

Review: 3 Stars

Thoughts: I really love Matrix and I wish people would read more about her :/ I want her to come back from war.

Actions Comics (2016) issues 1059-1062, 2023 Annual

Dates Read: February 20, February 21

Review: 3 stars for all of them

Thoughts: While I’m really enjoying the superfam all hanging out and being a family, the comics are definitely struggling a bit to consistently juggle that many characters. I was also going to say I miss when Superman got to be Clark Kent but I think he was for much of this arc, it’s just that I binged through all my backlogged super comics at the same time and he wasn’t clark in a single issue lol. If people got their own ongoings again maybe that would change. Or maybe the authors would change their entire personality for shits and giggles and piss me off (looking at YOU power girl)

Titans Beast World Tour Metropolis

Dates Read: February 20

Review: 3 stars

Thoughts: It wasn’t good enough to make me interested in reading the entire beast World arc so it couldn’t have been that good.

Superman (2023) issues 7-11

Dates Read: February 22

Review: 3 stars

Thoughts: This run is also pretty fun so far, I love the art. The filler issue where they were inexplicably old west cowboys on the east coast was interesting. Not sure the authors have a great grasp of ya know history and geography but whatever it’s a comic.

Superman the man of steel (1991) issue 33

Dates Read: February 22

Review: 2 stars

Thoughts: yeah this felt REALLY fetishtic… now for me

Superman (1987) issue 89

Dates Read: February 22

Review: 4 stars

Thoughts: this one was so bad it looped back around to being brilliant. Not a single panel could be taken seriously. The wild headliners somehow getting published at the Daily Planet, the explosions Lois just ignored, all of it absolutely brilliant.

Superboy (1994) issue 4 (reread)

Dates Read: February 23

Review: 3 stars

Thoughts: been a while since I’d read any of Kon’s run let alone the beginning of it. Forgot how YOUNG they had him looking (because he was young). I wasn’t here for the comedy parts so I skimmed over the Superboy show portions but I remember them being pretty funny.

Making It So: a Memoir by Patrick Stewart

Dates Read: January 30- February 25

Review: 4 stars

Thoughts: this took me so long to get through because I was NOT putting my mind to finishing it. Also I highly recommend putting the audiobook at at LEAST 1.2 speed lmao. Stewart is a great story teller and you could tell he really enjoyed narrating this. He might even have been enthusiastic enough to get me to read Shakespeare. We’ll see.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Dates Read: February 16- February 28

Review: 4 stars

Thoughts: very in line with Emily Austens work! Eleanor was such a fun protagonist and she clearly had no idea what an unreliable narrator she was.

The Return of Superman 30th Anniversary Special

Dates Read: February 23

Review: 3 stars

Thoughts: liked this more than the death of Superman anniversary. I think they did a good job writing shorts that felt accurate to the original comics although it was jarring to see smart phones lmao. Don’t ask me why the fuck Eradicator was there, they clearly needed an excuse to have all four of the super replacements hang out

All in all in February I read:

1 nonfiction

1 poetry collection

1 comic collected

4 novels

34 single issue comics

Bringing me to 54 books read so far for 2024, according to Goodreads 21 books behind schedule for my goal lol. On kindle my reading streak is 49 days and my weekly streak is up to 292. Woohoo

[parksaversnews]

ShopDisney Twice Upon a Year Sale 2024: Top Deals, Exclusive Merchandise, and Tips

The Twice Upon a Year Sale at ShopDisney is back for 2024! This highly anticipated biannual sale offers deep discounts on tons of Disney merchandise. As both a Disney parks fan and savvy shopper, I've compiled everything you need to know to save big during this sale event. Overview of the Twice Upon a Year Disney Sale - Sale Dates: Typically late December to early January and late May to early June for about 1-2 weeks each - Discounts: Up to 50% off items sitewide, plus an extra 25% off with a promo code - Eligible Merchandise: Almost all in-stock Disney items from clothing to toys to home goods - Online vs In-Store: Available online and in Disney stores Twice a year, Disney fans await this magical sale for a chance to stock up on Disney essentials for less. During the sale, you'll find markdowns up to 50% off regular prices, with an extra 25% discount when using a promo code at checkout. The Twice Upon a Year Sale first debuted in 2019, replacing the former Magic Sale. It has since become a beloved tradition for Disney fans to shop major discounts on their favorite Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel items. Top Deals and Discounts Mickey Mouse Red Plaid Loungefly Mini Backpack - $78.00 $54.98 The Twice Upon a Year Sale brings over a thousand Disney products at up to 75% off. Here are some of the best discounts I found: - Mickey Mouse Dooney & Bourke Satchel Bag: $298 $167.23 (44% off) - Spirit Jersey for Adults: $64.99 $38.99 (40% off) - Mickey and Friends Holiday Pajama Set: $39.99 $23.99 (40% off) - Toy Story Woody Talking Action Figure: $29.99 $17.99 (40% off) - The Little Mermaid 30th Anniversary Collectible Pin Set: $29.99 $20.99 (30% off) - Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more! Code: SHIPMAGIC  For even bigger savings, use code EXTRA25 to take an additional 25% off items already on sale. With stacked discounts and markdowns, you could potentially get merchandise for up to 75% off retail prices! When Is The Twice Upon A Year Sale? While there are no specific dates set, the sale usually happens late December - early January & late May - early June 2024. Mickey Mouse Holiday Plush 15" - $26.99 $13.49 Disney Classics Christmas Spirit Jersey for Adults - $79.99 $39.99 Minnie Mouse Holiday Cardigan for Women - $59.99 $29.99 Mickey Mouse and Goofy Holiday Homestead Long Sleeve T-Shirt for Adults - $36.99 $18.49 Exclusive and New Disney Merchandise In addition to major discounts, ShopDisney debuts special merchandise during the Twice Upon a Year Sale. Here are some of the new and exclusive products launching this year: Disney Parks 2024 Collection Ring in 2024 with new dated Disney Parks merchandise. This collection features designs with Sorcerer Mickey, Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, and more iconic Disney attractions. Apparel and accessories allow guests to commemorate their 2024 Walt Disney World and Disneyland vacations. Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Items Transport yourself to Batuu with authentic Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge merchandise. These items are sold exclusively in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney World. For 2024, new Legacy Lightsabers and droids will be released online for the first time. Disney100 Products Continue celebrating Disney100 years of wonder with special merchandise. Commemorative collectibles and limited releases will be available, like individual Disney Fab 50 character pins and a Steamboat Willie Funko Pop figure. I'll be snagging a few pieces from the Disney Parks 2024 and Disney100 collections this year! Tips for Shopping the Twice Upon a Year Sale Mickey Mouse and Friends Holiday Clogs for Adults by Crocs - $59.99 $29.99 Follow these top tips to save the most money during this epic Disney sale: - Sign up for ShopDisney emails and enable notifications to get early access to deals. Members can shop select sale items before the general public. - Use code EXTRA25 at online checkout for an additional 25% off items already discounted up to 50% off. - Buy Disney gift cards during the sale to save on future purchases. Gift cards are 10% off. - Check online and in stores. More variety and extended sizes may be available on ShopDisney.com. - Buy pins! The selection of discounted pins is best during this sale. Build your Disney pin collection on a budget. - Act fast! Popular items and sizes sell out quickly. Shop early for the best selection. - Get a $100 Statement Credit after first purchase with a new Disney Visa Card. Learn how to save more! - Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more! Code: SHIPMAGIC  Stay Up To Date On Sales Here are step-by-step instructions for signing up for the shopDisney newsletter to receive updates on the Twice Upon a Year Sale in 2024: - Go to the shopDisney website: https://www.shopdisney.com - At the bottom of the page, click on "Email Sign Up" under "Stay in Touch" - On the Email Sign Up page, enter your email address in the field provided - Check the box next to "I would like to receive updates, special offers, and other information from shopDisney and The Walt Disney Family of Companies" - Click the "Sign Up" button - You will receive a confirmation email to complete sign up. Click the link in the email to confirm. Once signed up, you will receive emails from shopDisney with information and updates on upcoming sales and promotions, including the Twice Upon a Year Sale dates when they are announced for 2024. Be sure to check your email and enable notifications so you don't miss any sale announcements or early access opportunities as a newsletter subscriber.  Mickey Mouse and Friends Disney Parks Holiday Train Set - 151.99 $75.99 Conclusion The Twice Upon a Year Sale brings magical discounts on Disney must-haves for fans of all ages. With elite deals up to 75% off and new merchandise releases, it's the perfect time for guests to shop for their next Disney park vacation. Mark your calendars and prepare to save big during this spectacular biannual Disney sale! Save even more by checking out our Discount Disney Park Tickets, guaranteed to beat gate pricing! Read the full article

[coles-corner]

Here’s my Comic Trade Paperback Collection

DC Comics

Superman

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow

Death of Superman

Funeral for a Friend

Reign of the Supermen

Return of Superman

Superman: Doomsday

Superman: Hunter Prey

Superman: Secret Origin

New 52 Action Comics vol 1

The Final Days of Superman

Lois and Clark

Action Comics 1000

Death of Superman: 30th Anniversary Special 

Superboy

Superboy vol 1

Batman

Batman: Second Chances

Batman: The Caped Crusader vol 1-2

Batman: Year One

Batman: Birth of the Demon

Batman: The Killing Joke

Batman: A Death in the Family

Batman: Venom

Batman: Prelude to Knightfall

Batman: Knightfall

Batman: Knightquest

Batman: Knightquest The Search

Batman: KnightsEnd

Batman: Contagion

Batman: Legacy vol 1-2

Doug Moench Batman vol 2

Batman: Cataclysm 

Batman: Road to No Man’s Land vol 1-2

Batman: No Man’s Land vol 1-4

Batman by Ed Brubaker vol 1

Batman: The Long Halloween 

Batman: Haunted Knights

Batman: Dark Victory

Batman: Ego and Other Stories

Batman: The Chalice

Batman: Hush 

Batman: Under the Red Hood

Batman: The Man Who Laughs

Batman/Two Face: Face to Face

Grant Morrison Batman Omnibus 1-2

Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader

Batman: Battle for the Cowl

Batman: Long Shadow

Batman: Life After Death

Batman: Eye of the Beholder

Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne

Batman: Red Hood the Lost Days

Batman: Gates of Gotham

Batman: The Black Mirror

New 52 Batman vol 1-10

Batman: The Dark Knight vol 1

James Tynion Detective Comics vol 1-4

Bryan Hill Detective Comics

James Robinson Detective Comics

Peter Tomasi Detective Comics vol 1-3

Detective Comics 1000

Batman and the Outsiders vol 1-2

James Tynion Batman vol 1-2

The Joker War Saga

Batman:  Three Jokers

Batman: The Long Halloween Special

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures vol 1

Gotham City: Year One

Nightwing

Nightwing vol 1-8

Nightwing: Year One

Nightwing: Renegade

Nightwing by Peter Tomasi 

New 52 Nightwing vol 1-5

Grayson vol 1-5

Nightwing Rebirth Deluxe vol 1-3, vol 7-11

Infinite Frontier Nightwing vol 1-2

Nightwing: Fear State

Batgirl

Batgirl: Year One

Batgirl vol 1-3

Batgirl: Destruction's Daughter

Batgirl: Stephanie Brown vol 1-2

Robin

Robin: Year One

Robin vol 4-5

Robin: To Kill A Bird

Red Robin vol 1

Flash

Mark Waid Flash Book 1-8

Impulse Book 1

Grant Morrison and Mark Millar Flash

Geoff Johns Flash vol 1-6

Flash: Rebirth

Geoff Johns Barry Allen Flash vol 1-2 

Flashpoint

New 52 Flash vol 1-9

Flash Rebirth vol 1-17

Flash 750 Deluxe Edition

Flash Forward 

Rogues

Green Lantern

Green Lantern: Hal Jordan Book 1

Ion vol 1-2

Geoff Johns Green Lantern Omnibus 1-2

Green Lantern: Rebirth

Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War

Green Lantern: Agent Orange

Green Lantern: Blackest Knight

Green Lantern Corps vol 1-6

New 52 Green Lantern vol 4

Green Lantern Rebirth vol 1

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps vol 1

Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 

Aquaman

Geoff Johns Aquaman Omnibus

New 52 Aquaman vol 5-6

Teen Titans

Titan Hunt

Rebirth Titans vol 1-4

Titans Lazarus Contract

Young Justice

Young Justice by Peter David Book 1-6

Secret Six

Secret Six vol 1-2

Hawkman

Geoff Johns Hawkman vol 1

Venditti Hawkman vol 1-2

Shazam

New 52 Shazam vol 1

Deathstroke

New 52 Deathstroke vol 1

Justice League

Meltzer Justice League vol 1

Justice League: No Justice

Crossovers

Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold

Batgirl/Robin: First Blood

New 52 Batman and Robin vol 1-2

Batman/Flash: The Button

Heroes in Crisis: The Price

Superman/Batman Worlds Finest vol 1

Batman/Spawn 2022

Elseworlds

Kingdom Come

Freedom Fighters

DCeased

DCeased: Unkillables

DCeased: Hope at World's End

DCeased: Dead Planet

Green Lantern Legacy 

Green Lantern Alliance

Green Lantern Earth One vol 1-2

Batman Adventures: Nightwing Rising

Batman: Dark Allegiances

Superman: American Alien

Superman: Earth One vol 1

Batman: In Darkest Knight

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight

Superman: Speeding Bullets

All Star Superman

Justice League: Last Ride

Batman: White Knight

Batman: Curse of the White Knight

Batman: Universe

Events/Crisis

Crisis on Infinite Earths

Underworld Unleashed

Infinite Crisis

Final Crisis

Blackest Knight

Forever Evil

DC Rebirth

Dark Knights Metal

Dark Days: The Road to Metal

The Resistance 

Dark Knights Rising

Heroes in Crisis

Marvel

Spider-Man

Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus 1, 2, 4

Roger Stern Spider-Man Omnibus 

Kraven's Last Hunt

The Death of Jean Dewolff

Amazing Spider-Man: Hunted

Ultimate Spider-Man vol 1-15

Spider-Men

Spider-Man: Life Story

House of M: Spider-Man

Captain America

Ed Brubaker Captain America vol 1-2

Captain America: Civil War

The Death of Captain America 

Captain America: Fallen Son

Rick Remender Captain America Omnibus

Captain America: Man Out of Time

Iron Man

Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Iron Man: Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Complete Collection 

Iron Man Noir

Thor

Walt Simonson Thor vol 1-4

Thor Ragnaroks

Beta Ray Bill: Argent Star

Hawkeye

Matt Fraction Hawkeye vol 1-4

Jessica Jones

Alias vol 1-2

Daredevil

Mighty Marvel Masterworks Daredevil vol 1-2

Frank Miller Daredevil Omnibus

Daredevil: Born Again

Kevin Smith Daredevil 

David Mack Daredevil

Bendis Daredevil Book 1-3

Daredevil: The Unusual Suspects 

Brubaker Daredevil Book 1-2, vol 5-7

Daredevil: The Devil's Hand

Daredevil: Shadowland

Daredevil: Reborn

Mark Waid Daredevil vol 1-7, collection 4-5

Charles Soule Daredevil Omnibus 

Man Without Fear: The Death of Daredevil

Chip Zdarsky Daredevil Book 1, vol 3-7

Chip Zdarsky Daredevil and Elektra vol 1

Daredevil: Yellow

Daredevil: The Man Without Fear

Daredevil vs Punisher: Means and Ends

Daredevil: Dark Knights

Daredevil: End of Days

Doctor Strange

Triumph and Torment

Doctor Strange: The Oath

Death of Doctor Strange

Hulk

Planet Hulk

World War Hulk

Mark Waid Hulk vol 1

She-Hulk

Charles Soule She-Hulk

Red-Hulk

Red-Hulk vol 1

Venom

Mike Costa Venom vol 1-3

Donny Cates Venom vol 1-3, 6

Venom: War of the Realms

Moon Knight

Moon Knight vol 1-3

Jeff Lemire Moon Knight

Jed MacKay Moon Knight vol 1-3

Wolverine

Chris Claremont Wolverine 

Wolverine: Madripoor Nights

Wolverine: Back to Basics

Death of Wolverine Prelude

Death of Wolverine

Return of Wolverine

X-Men

Astounishing X-Men Ultimate Collection Book 2

Uncanny X-Force vol 1

House of X/Powers of X

Dawn of X vol 1-16

X-Men/Fantastic Four

X of Swords

Reign of X vol 1-6,9

Trials of X vol 1

Avengers

Avengers: Disassembled

New Avengers vol 1-3

Siege New Avengers 

Siege Mighty Avengers 

Siege Dark Avengers 

Young Avengers Omnibus

Invaders

Invaders Now!

Fantastic Four

Fantastic Four: Full Circle

Events

Infinity Gauntlet 

Secret War

House of M

The Road to Civil War

Civil War

Illuminati

Secret Invasion

Shadowland

Absolute Carnage

Devils Reign 

X-Men

Superior Four

Star Wars

Legends

Star Wars: The Old Republic Omnibus

Jango Fett - Open Seasons

Star Wars: The Clone Wars vol 1-3

Star Wars Infinites: Empire Strikes Back

Canon

Star Wars: The High Republic vol 1-3

Star Wars: The High Republic - Trail of Shadows

Star Wars: Obi-Wan and Anakin

Star Wars: Darth Maul - Son of Dathomir

Star Wars: Darth Vader - Dark Lord of the Sith vol 1-4

Star Wars: Kanan

Kieron Gillen Star Wars: Darth Vader vol 1-4

Jason Aaron Star Wars Omnibus

Star Wars vol 7-13

Star Wars (2020) vol 1

Star Wars: Darth Vader (2020) vol 1-2

Star Wars: Shattered Empire

Miscellaneous 

TMNT

TMNT IDW Collection 1-15

Invincible

Invincible vol 1-2

Power Rangers

Go Go Power Rangers vol 1-3

Halo

Halo: Fall of Reach

Halo: Legacy Collection

Halo Graphic Novel

Terminator

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Terminator 3: Before the Rise

Avatar

The Search

Vox Machina 

Vox Machina: Origins Series 1&2 Collection

Epic Battles of the Civil War

Volume 3: Antietam

Volume 4: Gettysburg 

Dragon Prince

Through the Moon

[fanthatracks]

Star Wars Celebration Japan presents the best of the Star Wars saga at the Makuhari-Messe Convention Center in Chiba, Japan. For three days, July 19-21, meet your fellow fans from Japan, Asia, and around the world to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars saga in Japan. Enjoy live entertainment, memorable exhibits, great Star Wars shopping, and days of events you'll find no where else but here... That's how the official Celebration Japan site teased the weekend, but how did it really shape up? Was it a storming success like Celebration Europe? Did it pour down with rain? Was there a huge surprise appearance by George Lucas like Celebration 3, or would the magic of Star Wars reign supreme as it did at the first Celebration back in 1999? Fan Chris Gereke, Lucasfilm Events Manager Mary Franklin and artist Richard Chasemore were in attendance, and here's what they had to say about the show.... Celebration Japan Art Show: Come see and purchase the works created by official Lucasfilm artists especially for this weekend. These beautiful Star Wars pieces will be available only at Celebration Japan. This is your opportunity to meet the artists and ask questions, too. Lawrence Noble Sculpting Live: Star Wars artist Lawrence Noble, who has created sculpts and artwork for the Star Wars galaxy including personal sculpts for George Lucas, will be sculpting Luke Skywalker (actor Mark Hamill) live during Celebration Japan. Enter to win, and you might be drawn to receive this one-of-a-kind sculpture! One lucky fan will win it! Must be present to win. Star Wars Photo Sets: Star Wars fans have created fantastic photos sets, including vehicles and creatures, that will make you feel like you are inside the Star Wars galaxy. Find them across the show, and stop to have your picture taken! Celebration Store: The Celebration Japan Store features exclusive, collectible Star Wars items that you can only purchase here, plus more Star Wars treasures for sale. Do not miss shopping at Star Wars Celebration Japan. The Vader Project: Pop culture and underground artists, including exciting artists from Japan, have created their own edgy variations on the iconic Darth Vader helmet. This exhibit is a must-see on your Celebration Japan schedule. Celebration Japan Autographs: Official Pix, the licensed provider of official Star Wars photos and autographs, is hosting the Autograph Hall at Celebration Japan. Meet stars from the movies of the Saga, and get their autographs. Here's who you can meet: - Amy Allen (Aayla Secura, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith); - Jeremy Bulloch: (Boba Fett, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi; Lt. Sheckil, The Empire Strikes Back; Captain Colton, Revenge of the Sith.); - Anthony Daniels (C-3PO, all six Star Wars movies); - Anthony Forrest (Fixer and Stormtrooper, A New Hope); - Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker, original Star Wars trilogy); - Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker, The Phantom Menace); - Daniel Logan (young Boba Fett, Attack of the Clones); - Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca, original Star Wars trilogy, and Revenge of the Sith); - Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett, Attack of the Clones; Commander Cody and clone troopers, Revenge of the Sith); - Ray Park (Darth Maul, The Phantom Menace); - David Prowse (Darth Vader); - Tim Rose (Return of the Jedi); - Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith); - Matthew Wood (General Grievous, Revenge of the Sith; Bib Fortuna, The Phantom Menace). Also meeting fans and providing complimentary autographs in the Official Pix area: - Dave Filoni Saturday, 2:30pm - 5:00pm; - John Knoll Sunday, 3:00pm - 4:30pm. Star Wars Family Area: Families will enjoy Star Wars crafts and activities, and a place to sit down and enjoy the Celebration together. Come take part in the interactive fun of being a Star Wars fan of any age! Star Wars Jedi Training Stage: Young Padawans who want to learn the ways of the Jedi are invited to train at the Jedi Stage every day of Celebration Japan.

Learn from the Jedi Master, and prepare to take on surprising challenges! Every day at 11am, 12pm, 3pm, 4pm, and 5pm. Celebration Japan Exhibit Hall: Makers of great Star Wars toys and collectibles will be showing and selling their wares in the exhibit hall. Find Star Wars treasures to buy in the dealer booths, too. In the Fine Molds booth: Lorne Peterson, autographing each day of the show: 3:00pm - 4:00pm Star Wars Fan Tables: Learn what these great Star Wars fan clubs do, and maybe join the fun yourself! Celebration Japan Fan Events: Saturday, July 19th 1:00pm - 1:30pm: Rebel Legion & Jedi Order on Jedi Stage 2:00pm - 2:40pm: Preparation of 501st Parade - 501st Fan Table 2:40pm - 3:00pm: 501st Parade Sunday, July 20th 8:20am - 9:00am Preparation for 501st Legion Group Photo 9:00am - 9:30am 501st Legion Group Photo 10:00am - 5:01pm 501st Legion Droid hunt 1:00pm - 1:30pm: Rebel Legion & Jedi Order on Jedi Stage 2:00pm - 2:20pm: Preparation of Combined 501st Legion and Costume Contest Parade 2:20pm - 2:45pm: Costume Parade Monday, July 21st 10:00am - 12:00 noon: Announcement of Droid hunt Prize - 501st Table 1:00 pm - 1:30pm: Rebel Legion & Jedi Order on Jedi Stage 2:00pm - 2:40pm: Preparation of 501st Parade - 501st Fan Table 2:40pm - 3:00pm: 501st Parade Chris Gereke "Star Wars Celebration Japan in Makuhari-Messe in Chiba. Celebration Japan standouts were The Clone Wars panels with Dave Filoni, Matt Wood and Takeuchi." [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="144925,144924"] "The 501st had a cool Silver Trooper guarding George Lucas in carbonite. Someone's head will roll. Alongside the Rebel Legion modeling groups were set up with some amazing character and ship models as well as collector groups." [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="144927,144926"] "The Clone Wars footage was amazing. Three different clips were shown. Obi-Wan, Cody, Anakin, Rex and the clones battling countless Battle and Super Battle droids as well as spider droids on the world of Christophsis. Anakin and Rex make a very dramatic and unconventional flanking move to turn the tide of the battle against the droids. Several clones lost heads or limbs and became cannon fodder. The next clip was a fun clip with Anakin and the new character Ahsoka. Anakin's padawan (who rivals Padme and Leia with her wit and character) attacking a Separatist outpost atop of a mountain. "Race you to the top!" The massive AT-TE actually ascending the mountain, the battle droids are zany almost a stooge quality or a Gomer Pyle shtick. I loved how the battlefield is turned on its side as 'sky guy' and 'snips' race to the top. I think fans will love Ahsoka, she is a very cool character. The third clip was Kenobi and Asajj Ventress in a fierce lightsaber duel with Kenobi's famous quips that ended with Kenobi at the business end of Asajj's lightsabers. The Clone Wars looks amazing...on all levels." "The Fetts, Vader, Chewie, Skywalker, John Knoll and Dave Filoni panels were great. Steve Sansweet mc'd most of them. The English to Japanese translation took a little patience and the Celebration Japan fans went wild for Mark Hamill." Mary Franklin "Producing a Celebration in Japan was a unique challenge, because it was the first of the Celebrations in which most of the staff and crew did not speak English, and I do not speak Japanese. Even though we did not share a common language, we shared a common goal: putting on a great experience for Star Wars fans. We carried on together for the best possible outcome." Chris Gereke "The front middle of the Celebration Japan floor was the family recreation area where families could do crafts or Lego and buy toys from the coin vending machine. Beside that was the Jedi training stage where padawans could test their Jedi skills against Darth Vader and two of his Stormtroopers. The stage was lined by the Family Mart vendors where you could purchase food. Especially cool were the Pepsi Bear Kubricks that came with Pepsi."

[gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="144931,144932"] "From left to right as you looked onto the Celebration Japan convention floor was laid out with the Artist Alley. On the left was artist Matt Busch, Spencer Brinkerhoff III, Randy Martinez, JAKe, Ralph McQuarrie, Tsuneo Sanda, Nagano, Lawrence Noble, Malcolm Tween and Robert Hendrickson." Richard Chasemore "Me drawing with a speeder helmet on!" Chris Gereke "There was a VIP party with the celebs with food, exclusives such as a Tsuneo Sanda print or Ewok hair. The con was adorned with Clone Wars posters and the Sanda Celebration Japan promo posters." [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="144935,144941,144942"] "Official Pix did an extraordinary job with the autographs and VIP actors and guests. Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Amy Allen, Jake Lloyd, Orli Shoshan, Tim Rose, Ray Park, Dave Prowse, Daniel Logan, Temeura Morrison, Mike Edmonds and Matt Wood." "The Celebration Japan store had some cool Star Wars exclusives that should be available on starwarsshop.com soon. Bounty Hunter shirts, bottle caps, Kubrick shadow guard, Marc Ecko Stormtrooper and Boba Fett hoodies. Clone Wars tickets, CJ towels, dolls, McQuarrie print, bear ewok and Kubricks." [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="144937,144938,144939"] "The Dewback Project was an amazing fan favorite. Goro the designer created an amazing likeness to the Dewback from A New Hope, maybe even better. You could ride or have a photo oportunity with the Dewback and or Yumi. And don't forget the cute Celebration Japan Slave Leia." Mary Franklin "There was no doubt in my mind that Star Wars was a cultural phenomenon in Japan, but my biggest concern in planning the programming was getting the mix of entertainment and exhibits just right for the audience. Based on what I have seen from Japan over the years – the different Star Wars collectibles, different Star Wars animation and costumes – the Japanese fans consistently add their own refreshing and unique spin on the saga. As we anticipated the majority of the audience would be Japanese, I really wanted the show to appeal to them. It was important it be a real Star Wars Celebration, but I believed it also specifically needed to be a Japanese celebration of Star Wars." Chris Gereke "In a separate Clone Wars panel with Dave Filoni, Takuechi and Matt Wood they premiered the General Grievous episode from the TV series. The Clone Wars TV opening had a retro World War II newsreel opening and radio era voice instead of an opening crawl. This episode contained Kit Fisto and his clones, which look amazingly cool. They descend on a planet to apprehend Rune Haako. The episode had a cool dark suspenseful feel and a new Mon Cal Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb who was Kit Fisto's padawan. They descend into a lair only to discover Grievous' pet Roggwart, named Gor. Very cool." [gallery link="file" columns="2" size="large" ids="144944,144943"] "The exhibitor area had Disney Star Tours, the post office where you could purchase customized stamps, model areas, Wii, Lego, Hasbro, Sanyko and photo oportunities with Vader, Artoo and Threepio. Larger than life pachinko and arcade type games were giving Vader postcards with signatures. Watches, JAL Vader and Stormtrooper samurai armor. Kotobuyika, Clone Wars figures, book sellers where Steve Sansweet signed his Vault and Star Wars Poster books which are a must for a Star Wars fan. And make room on the shelf for the Star Wars Encyclopedia." Richard Chasemore "Lawrence Noble giving a prize of a bust he did of Luke! Amazing work and the Japanese girl that won it went mad when she found out!" [gallery link="file" size="large" ids="144945,144946,144947"] Chris Gereke "Star Warriors was a documentary about the 501st and the Rose Bowl Parade starring Lucasfilms Steve Sansweet and Mary Franklin, George Lucas and the different personalities of the 501st."

Mary Franklin "The local fans from the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, and Star Wars collecting and building clubs were a tremendous resource. Not only were they readily willing to share their talents and time and ideas before the show, they took an active part in the show with fan tables, presentations, costumes, and entertainment. They were instrumental in a successful show that was “by the fans; for the fans.” Japanese guests, like The Clone Wars episodic director Atsushi Takeuchi, showcased national talent at the show as well." Chris Gereke "Behind and beside the Artists Alley were the Belgian Props with the Millennium Falcon, Snowspeeder, speeder bike and Jabba. Behind that was the Digital Stage with Rex, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka guarding the entrance. Beside the digital stage was the Vader Helmet project which was amazing." Mary Franklin "For the three days of the show I watched the fans have a great time, and take in every aspect of the programming and entertainment. I hope they felt it was a show created just for them, even while it celebrated the worldwide fandom of the Star Wars saga." Originally posted on Lightsabre.co.uk in 2008.  Listen to Collecting Tracks Episode 6: Revisiting Celebration Japan 2008 as Richard and Chris look back to the collectibles of the event ahead of our return to Japan in 2025.  [amazon box="B0BP5NV3M6"]

[iamvoid0]

Starfield release date, "Warzone can run on Switch", says Microsoft, Square Enix Shakeup, and Mario Day Deals!

🕹️ The Console War Rages On

Metroid Fusion launches on Nintendo Switch Online!

The critically acclaimed Metroid Fusion will finally be available via Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on modern consoles. It was released on the 9th of March, 2023. Initially released for the Game Boy Advance in 2002, Fusion is the canonically fourth game in the long-running franchise, with Metroid Dread being the fifth and most recent instalment released on the Switch in 2021. (Source)

Cities: Skylines gets a sequel with an announcement trailer.

The critically acclaimed Cities: Skylines will receive a sequel, thanks to a new announcement trailer released by Colossal Order & Paradox Interactive. The game is slated for a 2023 release and will be coming to Xbox and GamePass, PlayStation, and the PC via Steam.  (Source)

Bethesda Softworks' Starfield finally gets a release date.

The long-awaited "Skyrim in Space" has finally received a launch date. According to the blurb, this will be the first new universe from Bethesda Game Studios in almost 25 years. The game will launch on the 6th of September, 2023. (Source)

Microsoft claims Activision can get Warzone to run on the Switch.

In another snippet from the documents relating to the ongoing acquisition of Activision-Blizzard-King, Microsoft claims that "low-end pcs" already run Warzone, so it will be trivial for Activision-Blizzard-King to run on the Switch. (Source)

📈 Financing the Bits & Bytes

Square Enix will change its President

Yosuke Matsuda, who has led Square Enix since 2013, will be succeeded by Takashi Kiryu, who has been with Square Enix since 2020. It appears from the announcement that Yosuke will be exiting Square Enix entirely, with the change set for approval at the 43rd Annual Shareholders' Meeting that will take place in June 2023. (Source)

✨ Going to Events Spiritually

Mario Day, the 10th of March, will see a host of Nintendo games go on sale at major retailers. Most games will be listed for USD 40 versus their regular USD 60 price tag.  (Source)

Capcom Showcase

Megaman Battle Network Legacy Collection will launch on the 14th of April, 2023, for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Steam. The segment gave an overview of the game and revealed new details. The game includes all 499 Japanese-only patch cards. Mega Man Battle Network 4–6 uses these. The final round will also have a 1,000-illustration art gallery.

Street Fighter VI will launch on the 6th of June, 2023. Capcom has unveiled Hikaru Takahashi as the final commentator for Street Fighter 6. The Japanese actress will join the list of commentators that have already been released, which includes WWE star, Zelina Vega. The final game will also feature commentary in 13 different languages.

Capcom Town will launch on the 12th of June, 2023. Capcom declared that Capcom Town, a virtual theme park, would be the centrepiece of the company's 50th-anniversary celebrations.

Exoprimal received much attention during the program thanks to a brand-new trailer outlining its plot and characters. The extensive information is that the game's open beta ran from the 17th of March to 19 before the game's official launch on the 14th of July.On day one, it will also be available on Xbox Game Pass. The pre-order bonuses, the deluxe edition, and the game's survival pass were covered in depth during the stream.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, the 30th of June, 2023.

Monster Hunter: Rise + Sunbreak will be heading to all platforms, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. April 28th, 2023

Resident Evil 4: Chainsaw demo is available on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam.

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This Month In History - December

What a month for landmark anniversaries! Here are just a few I am saluting:

Dec. 1, 1977: Draw the Line released

In Dec. 1977, Aerosmith’s 5th album was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 45th DTL!

Dec. 5, 1997: Good Will Hunting opens

In Dec. 1997, one of the greatest Boston-set movies of all time was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 25th GWH!

Dec. 6, 2002: Adaptation opens

In Dec. 2002, Spike Jonze’s meta comedy was released. Here is my blu-ray review I wrote in 2020. Happy 20th Adaptation!

Dec. 7, 1987: Remote Control premieres

In Dec. 1987, MTV’s fun game show premiered. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 35 RC!

Dec. 11, 1987: Wall Street opens

In Dec. 1987, Oliver Stone’s best movie was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 35th Wall Street!

Dec. 12, 1997: Scream 2 opens

In Dec. 1997, the best Scream sequel was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 25th Scream 2!

Dec. 14, 1977: Saturday Night Fever opens

In Dec. 1977 one of the all time great coming-of-age movies was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 45th SNF!

Dec. 14, 1992: Incesticide released

In Dec. 1992, Nirvana’s first compilation album was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 30th Incesticide!

Dec. 15, 2017: Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens

In Dec. 2017, the second film in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (episodes 7-9) was released. Hindsight will allow the Sequel Trilogy to be seen differently, similar to how the prequel trilogy (episodes 1-3) are looked at as being better than they were at the time of their release now. But as much as the Sequel Trilogy has been raked over the coals by SW fans, the one in the series everyone seems to agree on is that episode 7 directed by Rian Johnson is the best of the series. This one had a ton of surprises and turns I wasn’t expecting, not to mention Luke Skywalker as a grumpy old man and Carrie Fisher’s final performance. I named this one my #6 Movie of 2017. Happy 5th TLJ!

Dec. 19, 2002: The 25th Hour opens

In Dec. 2002, one of Spike Lee’s best and most underrated films was released. It was one of the first movies to address September 11 as it took place in NYC post-9/11 as Edward Norton plays a convicted drug dealer about to go to prison who on his last day of freedom spends the night with his two longtime friends played by Barry Pepper and Philip Seymour Hoffman. The entire cast is firing on all cylinders. Just watch Norton’s scene as he rants about NYC and try not to be blown away! Happy 20th 25th Hour!

Dec. 20, 2002: Gangs of New York opens

In Dec. 2002, Martin Scorsese’s epic was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 20th GONY!

Dec. 22, 1967: The Graduate opens

In Dec. 1967 my all-time favorite movie was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 55th The Graduate!

Dec. 25, 1997: Jackie Brown opens

On Xmas Day 1997, Quentin Tarantino’s third movie was released. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 25th JB!

Dec. 25, 2012: Django Unchained opens

Speaking of QT, his 7th film was released on Xmas Day 2012 (he’s had more than a few Xmas releases). Here is my piece I wrote in 2017. Happy 10th DU!

Dec. 25, 2017: Phantom Thread opens

Similar to QT, Paul Thomas Anderson has had several of his films open on or around Xmas Day. His 8th feature was released in December 2017. It is a 1950s-set romance between a fashion designer and a young waitress that changes him. If this was in fact Daniel Day-Lewis’s final performance, he went out on top. It’s also a film I see something new in each time I watch it. I named it my #12 Movie of the 2010s! Happy 5 PT!

Dec. 26, 1967: Magical Mystery Tour premieres

In Dec. 1967, the third Beatles film (following A Hard Days Night and Help!) premiered on BBC. Fans don’t always talk about this one as much as the other films, but it’s got some cool music sequences. I got the 2012 blu-ray in my collection! Happy 55th MMT!

Dec. 26, 2007: There Will Be Blood opens

Speaking of PTA, his 5th film was released in Dec. 2007. Here is my piece I wrote in 2017 and here is my soundtrack review I did in 2019 when it was reissued. Happy 15 TWBB!

Dec. 31, 2022: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind opens

Adaptation isn’t the only Charlie Kaufman-written film to celebrate an anniversary this month. His (ahem) adaptation of Chuck Barris’s wild and crazy autobiography marking the directorial debut of George Clooney was released in Dec. 2002. In a star-making performance Sam Rockwell plays Barris as the host of The Gong Show and his secret life as a CIA assassin. Whether it was true or not, it was one of the most original films of the 00s. No one ever talks about this film in contrast with Clooney’s other directorial efforts, but it’s his best IMHO. Happy 20th COADM!

[actionjackson2998]

Star Wars 30th Anniversary saga 2007 exclusive. Action figure order 66, 2-pack with Obi Wan Kenobi and AT-RT Driver. Star Wars Collectibles Obi-Wan Kenobi Figure At-Rt Driver Figure Order 66 Limited Edition,

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

‘Wow, there’s a lot of sex and swearing’: Channel 4’s top-rated drama ever, 30 years on - The Guardian

Partner-swapping, nudity, Felicity Kendal: it’s three decades since raunchy wartime series The Camomile Lawn broke TV ratings records. How does it hold up?

Nice-but-dim nymphos … Jennifer Ehle and Toby Stephens in The Camomile Lawn. Photograph: Moviestore Collection

‘There’s going to be a war! What the heck do Sophy’s knickers matter?” What indeed, Felicity Kendal. This week marks the 30th anniversary of The Camomile Lawn, a bosom-heaving period drama that broke ratings records back in spring 1992. All is fair in love, war and lingerie.

Revisiting it, the hammier-than-Peppa-Pig five-parter often feels like a spoof. And wow, there’s a lot of sex and swearing in it. No wonder it was known as “The Camomile Porn” by the popular press. This is Game of Thrones with gravy-painted legs. Or perhaps Euphoria with a ration book.

All ravishing Cornish coastlines and lip-quivering passion, Channel 4’s starry adaptation of Mary Wesley’s beloved semi-autobiographical novel came as a welcome burst of nostalgic sunshine in PM John Major’s grey, boring Britain. It was written nearly a decade earlier when Wesley was 70 – part of a remarkable burst of creativity in her twilight years. This late bloomer only turned to her typewriter as a way to earn some cash after she was left impoverished by the death of her second husband. She proceeded to bash out 10 bestsellers in the last 20 years of her life.

The sumptuous miniseries was directed by theatre titan Peter Hall – who cast his daughter Rebecca as orphaned Sophy, the soul of the story. It’s an astonishingly accomplished turn from nine-year-old Hall, who radiates star quality in her first professional role. Wesley’s text was faithfully adapted by screenwriter Ken Taylor, who had previously turned Paul Scott’s The Jewel in the Crown into a prime-time blockbuster.

Pulling in more than 7 million viewers, The Camomile Lawn became Channel 4’s top-rated drama ever – a record it still holds, with only robo-thriller Humans and Russell T Davies’s It’s a Sin coming close. At a time when most homes had only four channels, The Camomile Lawn’s potboiler plot and tabloid notoriety meant it attracted one-third of the total TV audience.

The handsome saga traced the intertwining lives of three genteel families. As storm clouds gathered over Europe in 1939, four teenage cousins visited a clifftop country pile in Cornwall for one last idyllic holiday. Their lives, as dramatic convention dictates, would never be the same again.

Wartime sequences were intercut with scenes from a family funeral four decades later, as the characters were reunited at a graveside. But who had died? Who had married who and were they being faithful? Who was a famous novelist and who had grown “fat and respectable”? And who was about to call a fellow mourner the C-word and throw a punch? This was an upmarket soap in the vein of Downton or Bridgerton.

A major draw was the pan-generational ensemble cast. Kendal starred as matriarch Helena Cuthbertson, owner of the enviable Cornish mansion with its eponymous fragrant lawn. It was Helena’s reminiscences in her dotage – with Kendal wearing a ropey wig, even ropier ageing makeup and slugging single malt from a silver hip flask – which framed the story.

Youngsters were played by Jennifer Ehle (the flighty, ludicrously named Calypso) and Toby Stephens (her brooding suitor Oliver), both making their screen debuts. Helena’s harrumphing husband Richard was winningly played by Paul Eddington. A clever piece of casting, since he and Kendal’s characters always had an unrequited vibe in The Good Life. The older Calypso was played by Rosemary Harris, Ehle’s real-life mother. Claire Bloom took over as midlife Sophy.

The family were joined by identical brothers from the local rectory, only ever referred to as “the twins”, along with Max and Monika Erstweiler, a Jewish refugee couple from Austria. Max became a famous violinist and, despite his ’Allo ’Allo accent and Einstein-esque grey fright wig, somehow managed to seduce pretty much every female. “You open the legs, ja?” he purred to one paramour.

However, it was mainly Calypso who put the phwoar-time into wartime. We followed her transformation from prissy virgin into prolific saucepot – a metaphor for how the war swept aside traditional morality. As Wesley herself said: “We were a flighty generation. We’d been brought up so repressed. War freed us. We felt if we didn’t do it now, we might never get another chance. It got to the stage where one woke up in the morning, reached across the pillow and thought, ‘Let’s see, who is it this time?’”

Wesley poured those memories into The Camomile Lawn, which saw all manner of bed-hopping and “raunchy romping”, as it was termed in tabloidese. Ehle’s screen career was launched with a string of nude scenes. “I haven’t done any nudity since and never will again,” she later said. “I didn’t realise there would be so much of it, but no one forced me to do it. The first time I felt really shocked – then came a whole day of naked scenes. I went home and was physically sick. I had forgotten that I’d be seen naked in a lot of living rooms.”

Predictably, there was lots of female flesh on display, with just the odd male buttock as a nod to equal opportunities nudity.

One memorable scene saw Calypso go into labour under a kitchen table during the blitz, with schoolgirl Sophy acting as midwife. As furniture fell and plaster crumbled around them, Calpyso screamed, “Fuck Hitler! Bugger that bomb!” while she gave birth to a son.

Cousin Polly (Tara Fitzgerald) formed a proto-throuple with the twins. She had their children but nobody knew who fathered which. Felicity Kendal, a pin-up for men of a certain age, steamed up their spectacles with a woodland sex scene that wouldn’t look out of place in current period romps Poldark or Outlander. Even the seemingly stuffy Richard and Helena swapped partners with Max and Monika. “May I fuck you now?” asked another character who was “fearfully randy”. Oliver demanded his “comforts” whenever he returned home from military postings, at one point telling Calypso: “I’ve got an erection. I want to poke it into you.” Steady on, old chap.

It all gave pensioner Wesley a reputation as a purveyor of posh smut. Her style was described as “arsenic without the old lace” and “Jane Austen with sex”. Her family disapproved of this late-career pivot. Her brother called her novels “filth”, while her estranged sister strongly objected to The Camomile Lawn, claiming some characters were based on their parents.

It wasn’t until the last year of her life that Wesley collaborated with biographer Patrick Marnham on an authorised memoir, Wild Mary. The title referenced her childhood nickname and her liberated sex life. Wesley shared her memories from her sickbed, saying: “Have you any idea of the pleasure of lying in bed for six months, talking about yourself to a very intelligent man? My deepest regret was that I was too old and ill to take him into bed with me.”

Nowadays The Camomile Lawn comes with a warning, not just about strong language and sexual scenes but “offensive, racist language and attitudes”. These were indeed different times. Racial slurs were bandied about, as was the word “Bitch!” (mainly on the rare occasions when women declined an invitation to bed).

Blimpish old gents in crumpled cream suits blustered that “concentration camps must be splendid places”. Calypso boasted about meeting “awfully nice” Nazis while skiing. Uncle Richard admitted an unhealthy interest in young girls, with references to him “groping” his nieces – which everyone dismissed as a harmless eccentricity. At one point, a coastguard flashed “his pink snake” at 10-year-old Sophy and ended up being pushed off a cliff for his trouble.

It’s a tale of toffs who are so pampered they don’t just own separate town and country houses – some have town and country spouses, too. Everyone goes “up to Oxford” from boarding school, dines at the Ritz or the Savoy, drinks like dehydrated sailors and demands kedgeree for breakfast. Uncle Richard nearly cops it when he ventures outside during a bombing raid to rescue a case of vintage claret.

The Camomile Lawn is like a time capsule. A relic of a lost England. It’s Brideshead Revisited meets Ian McEwan’s Atonement, with Jilly Cooper drafted in to sex things up. The acting is stiff, stagy and laughably plummy, like a bad Radio 4 audio play. Stephens’ attempts to emote are often reminiscent of a parody by Victoria Wood or French and Saunders.

Fittingly, proceedings climax in typically absurd fashion. There’s the sort of unconvincing, hysterically shrill laughter that might precede the credits of a bad sitcom, before Wesley’s nice-but-dim nymphos find themselves facing something truly dreadful. Something guaranteed to send a shiver down the spine of any right-thinking toff. As the series closes, some ghastly parvenu is overheard discussing his plans to dig up the camomile lawn and replace it with a swimming pool. Bally typical.

The Camomile Lawn is available for streaming on All 4 and BritBox

Credits: The Guardian