Star Wars Action News - Audio Podcast Feed

At Five Below stores across the country an unusual figure is showing up. It was first reported at Jedi Temple Archives.com and has been spotted by many collectors, including Arnie and Marjorie of Star Wars Action News. It's a variant of the 212th Battalion Clone Trooper with a more detailed, more white helmet. But the odd thing is, the figure has seemingly been opened, then taped back shut. Have you found this new variant? Hear about the figure part swap on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast! Also on this week's show, more finds at discounted prices, from other Star Wars collectibles at Five Below to hard-to-find exclusives at TJ Maxx, to value bundles at Toys R Us. Plus holiday items hitting store shelves, Lego sales, and a hint of Black Friday (or is that Thursday) sales next week! With an X-Wing miniatures gameplay review by Darth Cheddar, Steve the Gingerprince updating us on his collecting, and a review of the Angry Birds iPhone game, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

It's been exactly one week since the news broke: Disney buys Lucasfilm, Episode VII in 2015. It's a major change of course for a franchise that had long been declared dormant, and one that will have far-reaching impact on Star Wars collectors. On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast, Marjorie and Arnie take your voicemails, giving podcast listeners the stage to share their excitement and their trepidation about this news. Plus updates on new Star Wars collectibles for sale online. All this and more on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

Many Star Wars fans had to check their calendars today. Was it April Fools' Day? Were the folks at Lucasfilm and Disney joining to play a Halloween prank on fans? But slowly the news set in -- for over four billion dollars Disney has bought Lucasfilm, with the primary focus being the Star Wars franchise. More, they are immediately beginning preproduction on Star Wars Episode VII with a planned release in Summer, 2015. It's the single biggest surprise since Vader said "No, I am your father." and now the Star Wars Action News team has gathered to gather the reaction from Star Wars fans and collectors. Join Marjorie, Arnie, Berent, Nathan, Jerry, Andrew, Jakob, and Steve the Gingerprince as they tell their initial reaction to the news, and what this means for their collecting. Listen to this special episode of Star Wars Action News, then call us and share your thoughts on this major revelation for Star Wars. Leave us a voicemail at 415-508-JEDI

For years many fans' holy grail for the Star Wars 3.75-inch collection has been an original trilogy vehicle never realized in either vintage or modern era--Jabba's Sail Barge. The scale and scope of such a vehicle has made it seemingly prohibitive, but at this year's New York Comic-Con the Star Wars brand team mentioned that they could possibly do it. This has caused Star Wars fan sites, including Star Wars Action News, to unite like never before with the Bring on the Barge fan site petition. With the lofty goal of 10,000 signatures by Jan 31st this petition is to show Hasbro that there is a huge base of support in the community for a barge. On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast, Marjorie and Arnie discuss the probability of such an item, and where it would fit in their collection. So listen to the show, head over and sign the petition, then come to the Star Wars Action News forums for their Poll of the Week and tell them how much you'd be willing to pay for the Barge. Also on this week's show, the Star Wars Angry Birds attack continues! The first reveal was Hasbro plush toys, but now large scale plushies and even adult Halloween costumes for Star Wars Angry Birds have been revealed! With sales on Vintage Collection exclusives, a big Toys R Us exclusive with a bigger price tag, and a look at the Star Wars X-Wing Miniature game, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

New York Comic Con was a great time for Star Wars fans. From new toy reveals from Hasbro and their Angry Birds Star Wars to new collectible and product announcements from Hallmark, Kotobukiya, and more, and convention veteran Mitchell Hallock was on-hand to cover it all. Join us on Star Wars Action News this week to hear his recollection of the con, along with interviews with Kotobukiya, Hallmark, Comic Images, and a discussion of Star Wars toys with Toy Hunter Hembrough! Also on this week's show, Johnathan joins us to discuss his latest finds in store, on line, and a special vintage purchase. With a Vinylmation contest winner and more, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

In 2007 Matthew Reinhart brought a new dimension to Star Wars books with Star Wars: A Pop Up Guide to the Galaxy, a book that helped redefine what a pop-up book could be for Star Wars fans. It quickly became a New York Times Bestseller and now Matthew is back with his follow up--Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-Up Adventure. General Grievous, Acklay, and more, this book has light up features, sounds, and so much more! And on this week's Star Wars Action News, Matthew joins Arnie and Marjorie to discuss this new prequel era book for fans of all ages! Also for fans of all ages, this past week Hasbro and Lucasfilm announced Star Wars Angry Birds, a videogame with toy tie-ins from Hasbro including an Early Angry Bird Kit! Some fans disdain this new license while others embrace it. Hear both sides of the discussion on this week's podcast. With new Hallmark Keepsake ornaments, a hands-on review of the new Hasbro Toys R Us exclusive Speeder Bike, your voicemails, news from New York Comic Con and more, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

Last Saturday was the first annual Star Wars Reads Day, an event promoted by Del Rey and Lucasfilm to promote literacy in general, and the reading of Star Wars books in particular. Over 1,000 libraries and book stores across the country took part, with kits provided by Del Rey giving kids activities and crafts, and promoting Star Wars. Marjorie and Arnie of Star Wars Action News trekked to Roseville, MN for one of these events at Barnes & Noble with guests Troy Denning, John Jackson Miller, and Dan Wallace. On this episode of the podcast, they recap the events and share their hopes for next year's event to make it even better! And with Star Wars Reads day what better book is there than the Star Wars Essential Reader's Companion to introduce new readers to the Star Wars Expanded Universe? Star Wars Action News Book Club Liaison Brock provides an in-depth review of this new book on this show. With a recap of finds at the Toy Man Toy Show in St. Louis and the Fallcon convention in Roseville, new finds at Toys R Us, a die-cast C-3PO, and more, it's on this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

On October 6, 2012 is the first Star Wars Reads day. Across the country bookstores will be hosting events celebrating Star Wars books, both fiction and nonfiction. Many stores are having Star Wars authors speak and autograph books, including the Barnes and Noble in Roseville, MN where Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie will be going to see authors Troy Denning, Daniel Wallace, and John Jackson Miller. With Star Wars Reads day being the biggest thing for Star Wars fans since Celebration VI, it is the perfect time for the release of Pablo Hidalgo's Star Wars: The Essential Reader's Companion. With Star Wars fiction predating the Star Wars films themselves, and with a constant stream of expanded universe novels coming for over twenty years, The Essential Reader's Companion provides summaries, trivia, and artwork for over 100 Star Wars adult novels, plus many more junior novels and comics besides! On this week's Star Wars Action News podcast, Arnie sits down with Pablo to discuss the inception of this new book and how it can be used by Star Wars readers of all experience levels--from those who've just read their first novel to the experienced reader who's consumed every book released! And also on this week's show, Star Wars fans and Disney fans alike go crazy for Disney's Vinylmation figures. Exclusive to the Disney theme parks, the second series of Vinylmations was released in August, simultaneous with Star Wars Celebration VI. Events were held on both coasts, at Disney World in Orlando, and Disneyland in California, and Podcast Enhancer Berent's significant other Carmilla attended Disneyland to get a set of these figures! On this week's podcast, listen to hear their impressions of this new series, and how you can win a full set of these figures from Star Wars Action News!

Star Wars Celebration VI is almost a month behind us, but the memories are still fresh, as are the collectibles! From coast to coast Celebration attendees are receiving their Disney Carbon Freeze Me statues! Marjorie and Arnie got theirs in the mail last week, so listen to this week's hands-on review of these truly one-of-a-kind collectibles! They'll tell you if it would be worth a Disney trip if these return to the theme parks. Also on this week's show, your Star Wars Action News hosts review a couple of high end Star Wars items, including Sideshow's one-sixth scale Greedo figure, and Gentle Giant's Emperor Palpatine Return of the Jedi mini-bust. With a discussion of the Vintage Droid Factory set and a segment from Republic Forces Radio Network's Johnathan updating you on the lastest toys in stores and online, it's all on this week's Star Wars Action News!

With so much anticipation it's hard to believe Star Wars Celebration VI is over, but with all the good times come good memories! On this week's Star Wars Action News, Marjorie and Arnie listen to recounts of some of the best times people had at Star Wars Celebration VI, from meeting celebrities to shopping to making friends to just partying, you shared your thoughts on this episode of the podcast. Then Jerry comes with an unusual Vintage Viewpoint, looking at Celebration VI from the perspective of a vintage collector. From Celebration VI store items that harkened back to days of OT to some of the rare items seen on the show floor, Jerry recaps it all. With a store report on new exclusive items hitting shelves and more, it's all in this week's Star Wars Action News podcast!

On Sunday night Star Wars Celebration was winding down, but the Collectors' Social Area still had hundreds of people pouring through trying to complete their Star Tots collection! Marjorie, Arnie, Berent, Jay, and Steve were all there handing out Star Tots but as the line grew longer the Star Wars Action News team took a break to reflect on the end of Star Wars Celebration VI. In this final episode of Celebration coverage, Marjorie, Arnie, Berent, Steve, and Scott from Tulsa reflect on the high points of C6, discuss Celebration Europe 2 in Germany, the release of both Episodes II and III in 3-D in 2013, and the SWAG they got and missed. Listen to this episode of Star Wars Action News, then share YOUR thoughts on Celebration. If you attended, what did you love? What did you see? Who did you meet? If you didn't attend, will you be attending Celebration Europe 2? Are you excited by the expedited release of the prequels? What did you think of Detours? Let us know at 415-508-JEDI or send an MP3 to show@swactionnews.com

Clone Wars may still be on summer vacation, but at Star Wars Celebration VI the Wars raged on, and Republic Forces Radio Network hosts Jerry, Johnathan, and Arnie were there! From an early Season 5 premiere to something totally new called Young Jedi, listen for the report on Clone Wars from C6! This episode has very light spoilers for both Young Jedi and The Clone Wars Season 5 premiere. If you want to know absolutely nothing about the plots of these episodes, hold off on listening. However no major spoilers are revealed, saving those for when these episodes are shown on television.

On Sunday Star Wars Celebration VI started to wind down, but Marjorie and Arnie were still going strong. Marjorie had her new tattoo, Arnie had a number of purchases, and they were recording all about it at The Force United booth! But this podcast ended up being Podcrashed by Chris Gore. Chris was covering Celebration for StarWars.com and he sits down with Star Wars Action News to discuss his fandom of Star Wars, what he's enjoyed at Celebration, and the crazy things that happened at the 501st party at the Grotto!

Celebration VI was underway, George Lucas was taking a Detour on stage, but Marjorie, Arnie, and a number of Star Wars Action News listeners were still having fun in the Star Wars Collectors' Social Area Saturday at noon! Listen to the second live podcast from the show where the Star Wars Action News hosts discuss being frozen in Carbonite, the bounty of items found at the Social Area Swap Meet and Social Friday night, Marjorie's impending new tattoo, and more! Plus we have an interview with the voice of Star Wars fiction, Marc Thompson who performed the audiobook editions of the Thrawn Trilogy of novels, the Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi series, and many more!

Thursday at Star Wars Celebration VI was the night of the Star Wars Action News/Yakface party. An edible Jabba attended, as did Slave Leia to flip the roles and eat the Hutt! Prizes were handed out, death sticks were consumed, and Jerry got to talk to several of the attendees about their expectations for Star Wars Celebration VI and their first day experiences. So join the party and listen now!