Star Wars Action News - Audio Podcast Feed

Note: Starting in May, 2013 with version 11.0.3 an Apple iTunes update changed the iTunes Miniplayer. This update changed what must be done to view enhanced podcast images in iTunes. To view these images:Start playing the podcast in iTunes. At the top of iTunes you will see the player bar with a small icon of the show cover art.In Windows hold down Ctrl and click the cover icon. In Mac hold down Command and click the cover icon. This will pop up a new window where you can see enhanced images. (if you just click on the icon it only shows a larger icon, no enhanced images).The world's largest convention, San Diego Comic-Con International, is winding down but with all the news and reveals at the convention Star Wars fans have much to look forward to! Join the Star Wars Action News crew as they report on all the new collectible news from Hasbro, Gentle Giant, Kotobukiya, Diamond Select, Sideshow Collectibles, and so much more!We want your feedback! Please take a few minutes and take the Star Wars Action News listener poll and tell us what you'd like to hear on the show!

Note: Starting in May, 2013 with version 11.0.3 an Apple iTunes update changed the iTunes Miniplayer. This update changed what must be done to view enhanced podcast images in iTunes. To view these images: Start playing the podcast in iTunes. At the top of iTunes you will see the player bar with a small icon of the show cover art. In Windows hold down Ctrl and click the cover icon. In Mac hold down Command and click the cover icon. This will pop up a new window where you can see enhanced images. (if you just click on the icon it only shows a larger icon, no enhanced images). Today kicks of San Diego Comic-Con International 2013! On the first part of Star Wars Action News' coverage join Marjorie and Arnie as they report on Preview Night, with a first-hand look at The Black Series figures in Hasbro's display, including the new Black Series 6-inch Boba Fett and Han Solo in Carbonite! Fans have been divided on the new 6-inch series, but Arnie has been excited for the detail and articulation. Now that the production figures are out, does the excitement last? Listen and find out! We want your feedback! Please take a few minutes and take the Star Wars Action News listener poll and tell us what you'd like to hear on the show!

Note: Starting in May, 2013 with version 11.0.3 an Apple iTunes update changed the iTunes Miniplayer. This update changed what must be done to view enhanced podcast images in iTunes. To view these images:Start playing the podcast in iTunes. At the top of iTunes you will see the player bar with a small icon of the show cover art. In Windows hold down Ctrl and click the cover icon. In Mac hold down Command and click the cover icon. This will pop up a new window where you can see enhanced images. (if you just click on the icon it only shows a larger icon, no enhanced images).Released in stores today is Crucible, the new Star Wars novel from prolific author Troy Denning. Taking place after the events in the last two major story arcs Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi, this book focuses on Han, Luke, and Leia in what could be their final adventure (in this version of the expanded universe, anyway). On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast Arnie sits down with Troy to discuss the impact of Episode VII on the existing Expanded Universe, his intents behind Crucible, and the Mortis trilogy's impact on Apocalypse.With a San Diego Comic-Con schedule update, more CE2 news, and Johnathan On the Pegs, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

Note: Starting in May, 2013 with version 11.0.3 an Apple iTunes update changed the iTunes Miniplayer. This update changed what must be done to view enhanced podcast images in iTunes. To view these images:Start playing the podcast in iTunes. At the top of iTunes you will see the player bar with a small icon of the show cover art. In Windows hold down Ctrl and click the cover icon. In Mac hold down Command and click the cover icon. This will pop up a new window where you can see enhanced images. (if you just click on the icon it only shows a larger icon, no enhanced images). In preparation of The Yoda Chronicles premiere on Cartoon Network LEGO revealed their largest model ever--a life-sized X-Wing. For Star Wars days at LEGOLand the X-Wing trekked across the country, and Star Wars Action News' reporter Berent was on hand to see it and talk to the master builder behind it. How many bricks does it take to get to the center of a life-sized X-Wing? Listen to Berent's interview to find out! Also on this week's show, Marjorie and Arnie look at the new San Diego Comic-Con exclusives announced by Gentle Giant and Petco, as well as the non-exclusive announcement from Sideshow Collectibles. With a review of Gentle Giant's C6 exclusive Clone Lieutenant statue, Brock reviewing Troy Denning's new novel, and so much more, it's all in this week's Star Wars Action News!

Note: Starting in May, 2013 with version 11.0.3 an Apple iTunes update changed the iTunes Miniplayer. This update changed what must be done to view enhanced podcast images in iTunes. To view these images:Start playing the podcast in iTunes. At the top of iTunes you will see the player bar with a small icon of the show cover art. In Windows hold down Ctrl and click the cover icon. In Mac hold down Command and click the cover icon. This will pop up a new window where you can see enhanced images. (if you just click on the icon it only shows a larger icon, no enhanced images).The 3.75-inch Black Series is looming and new packaged shots are being released of the first wave of figures with Padme, Biggs, Luke, Vader, and more. But despite the eagerness of Star Wars collectors for new figures, fans are having a mixed reaction to the new packaging for these figures. On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast hosts Marjorie and Arnie are joined by their Marvelicious Toys co-host Justin, a graphic designer and packaging expert, to examine Hasbro's latest Star Wars designs. Also on this week's show, Johnathan updates us what's in stores and online, Steve the Gingerprince reports from Collectormania, and Arnie and Marjorie celebrate a new Ewok LEGO set. All that and more on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!Plus on this week's show is an update on Third Annual SDCC Star Wars Fan Breakfast! On Friday, July 19th, at 7:30 a.m. come to the Edgewater Grill at Seaport Village to talk Star Wars with friends! It's walking distance from the convention center, and prizes will be given away from sponsors Hallmark, Uncle Milton, Diamond Select Toys, Kotobukiya, Random House Audio, and more! There is no cost to attend, just pay for what you order for breakfast! To attend, just RSVP by July 10th to fanbreakfast@swactionnews.com with how many people are in your party and we hope to see you in San Diego!

Note: Starting in May, 2013 with version 11.0.3 an Apple iTunes update changed the iTunes Miniplayer. This update changed what must be done to view enhanced podcast images in iTunes. To view these images:Start playing the podcast in iTunes. At the top of iTunes you will see the player bar with a small icon of the show cover art. In Windows hold down Ctrl and click the cover icon. In Mac hold down Command and click the cover icon. This will pop up a new window where you can see enhanced images. (if you just click on the icon it only shows a larger icon, no enhanced images). San Diego Comic-Con is just a month away and Star Wars collectible companies like Hasbro, Gentle Giant, Hallmark, and Diamond Select Toys have been revealing their 2013 convention exclusives! Listen to this week's Star Wars Action News podcast to find out what people at the con will be fighting over, and those at home will be left to drool over. The hosts also discuss CE2 exclusives, including the announced CE2 art prints, and how international collectors may be able to get some of their money back on these great pieces. Plus on this week's show the Third Annual SDCC Star Wars Fan Breakfast is announced! On Friday, July 19th, at 7:30 a.m. come to the Edgewater Grill at Seaport Village to talk Star Wars with friends! It's walking distance from the convention center, and prizes will be given away from sponsors Hallmark, Uncle Milton, Diamond Select Toys, Random House Audio, and more! There is no cost to attend, just pay for what you order for breakfast! To attend, just RSVP by July 10th to fanbreakfast@swactionnews.com with how many people are in your party and we hope to see you in San Diego!

This week in New York City LEGO revealed the largest Star Wars LEGO set ever--a life-sized X-Wing! Accompanied by a much more modestly sized Toys R Us Times Square exclusive set, and Yoda mini-figure, this spectacle was all to promote Wednesday's premiere of The Yoda Chronicles on Cartoon Network. On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast Marjorie and Arnie review some of the exclusive LEGO sets commemorating the premiere. Also on this week's show, new pre-orders from Sideshow Collectibles, a run down of new art available from Acme Archives, and a discussion of the first US site to have the 6-inch Black Series Star Wars figures up for preorder. All this and more on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie have reported many times on the Toy Man Toy Show in St. Louis, MO. Sunday, May 19th, was the most recent show and had Star Wars represented from all era, from 12-Back carded vintage figures to the most modern of Hasbro toys. Listen to find out if you should visit St. Louis for the next Toy Man show on July 14th! Also on this week's podcast, Brock reviews Dawn of the Jedi--Into the Void, Jerry continues looking back at Return of the Jedi toys from 30 years ago, Johnathan reviews the new Endor AT-AT, and Steve reports from Star Wars Fun Day in the UK! With details on how to get the Endor AT-AT for 20% off and a bendy Artoo, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

For many, the joys and pains of collecting can be summed up in one word--exclusive. A hard-to-obtain, limited piece can be the prize of a collection both as a rarity and as a memory of a trip. But obtaining these exclusives often is difficult for many either involving expensive trips or high premiums on the secondary market. But as the 2013 convention season commences new exclusives are being announced every week. Last week came news of Hasbro's San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Han in Carbonite and Boba Fett Black Series 6-inch figures. Now on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast Marjorie and Arnie look at exclusives announced for Star Wars Celebration Europe 2. From T-Shirts to posters to pins, the first round of exclusive merchandise offers some collectibles with a vintage style and others with a more modern and German flare. Join their discussion and start your shopping list now! Also on this week's show, a run-down on the Toys R Us exclusive Endor AT-AT, a report from the C2E2 Vintage Toy Auction, a review of Super 7's exclusive Leia Story print, and more!

Tomorrow a new era in Star Wars Expanded Universe novels beings with the release of Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void. Written by Tim Lebbon and based on the Dark Horse comic series Dawn of the Jedi this book tells of Force users twenty-five thousand years before the battle of Yavin. It's the first Star Wars novel set so early in the timeline, and also the first Star Wars novel by Lebbon. On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast Arnie talks to Tim about the process of writing this novel and the themes throughout. Also on this week's show, Berent went to Disneyland and talked to artist Mike Kungl who was revealing new works. He talks about his upcoming prints from Acme Archives, works Lucasfilm rejected, and his latest Jabba art piece. Listen to find out about them and find out how to win one of Kungl's Rebel Alliance--Defend and Protect prints! With a Free Comic Book Day report from St. Louis, a con report from the UK, May the Fourth sales, and reports of Endor AT-AT spottings, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast.

This past weekend was the C2E2 convention in Chicago, Illinois. In its fourth year, C2E2 has grown to fill an entire hall at McCormick Place. With no major stars like Val Kilmer and John Cusack to headline, the star wattage was a little bit dimmer, but that doesn't mean there wasn't tons to do at the con. On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast, hosts Arnie, Marjorie, and Johnathan are joined by Chris, Sarah, and Yakface.com's Jayson live on the C2E2 floor! Listen as they run down their impressions of the convention, with tons of Star Wars collecting! From vintage finds to modern, high end and low end, plus custom items like coffee mugs and art, they discuss it all. Also this week, Arnie sits down with Darth Vader and Son author Jeffrey Brown to talk about that book, the recently released follow-up Vader's Little Princess, and his upcoming Scholastic book Jedi Academy.With news from Sunday's vintage toy auction, special collectibles for May the 4th, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News!

When the book Star Wars: The Blueprints by J. W. Rinzler was released in 2011 few could argue that it was not an impressive collection of schematics and a wealth of information about the construction of some of the most iconic creations in movie history. But also, few could afford the massive book. Now the book has been rereleased in a more shelf-friendly size and at a more affordable price. Listen to find out how this new release compares to the original, and if you should pick this up. With Steve reviewing the Star Wars Steelbook releases and Johnathan discussing his latest Star Wars display, it's all in this week's Star Wars Action News podcast! And be sure to look for Arnie, Marjorie, and Johnathan this weekend at C2E2! Stop them and get a free convention exclusive Star Wars Action News badge with a code that can be redeemed for an exclusive T-Shirt design! All thanks to our awesome graphic designer Chris!

Correction/Clarification: We have received definitive information that the Disney Build-A-Droid is not at Downtown Disneyland, only Downtown Disneyworld. At Disneyland the Build-A-Droid is available in-park only. We're sorry for any confusion this may have caused. Star Wars fandom in early 2013 is full of highs and lows. While Hasbro idles, awaiting the release of new product later this year, and Disney continues to restructure their new purchase by closing LucasArts, other Star Wars licensees continue on! On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast, Marjorie and Arnie look at a couple of Star Wars collectible makers that offer exciting new products in this slow period of collecting.First up is Sideshow Collectibles, who's 12-inch Commander Wolffe figure went up for preorder last week, and who's Legendary Scale Darth Maul figure is in stock and ready to ship! Then we look at Gentle Giant, who just shipped their animated Ewok and Scout Trooper Maquette, and has for preorder two new jumbo figures and two new mini-busts!Plus we also look at one inventive collector who is keeping action figure collecting lively by offering 3-D items that bring your cantina diorama to life. It's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

Gentle Giant's Premiere Guild Memberships for 2013 started recently with two exclusive Premiere Guild Member mini-busts, a holographic Darth Vader and an Episode III Mace Windu. As they ponder their gift for 2013, Marjorie and Arnie look back this podcast at two mini-busts for PGM members in 2012, the Rebel Trooper from A New Hope and a white Republic Commando from the Expanded Universe.Also this podcast, Brock reviews the recent novel The Last Jedi, Javier reports in on green card figure finds in Mexico, and we report on a very cool, 2-week limited art print from J.K. Woodward. All this and more on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

Wizard World conventions are a staple for sci-fi and comic book fans. Having produced their multi-city conventions for years in Philadelphia, Chicago, and many other cities, they now expand their reach deeper in the midwest this year with Wizard World St. Louis! Marjorie and Arnie were at the con meeting Star Wars fans, celebrities, and seeing what Star Wars collectibles were for sale! With the 2014 St. Louis convention already announced, should you save the date? Listen to Arnie & Marjorie's report to find out!Also this week, Johnathan is back with a look at the 2013 Movie Heroes action figures, Jerry gives a Vintage Viewpoint from Endor, and Steve the Gingerprince reports in from the UK--with a chance for one lucky listener to win some of the 2013 Yoda carded Clone Wars figures not released in the USA!