Oswald Opines - Star Wars: The Acolyte First Trailer

 

Everyone gets an opinion right, and I find myself with mixed thoughts about Star Wars: The Acolyte.  While I don't want to be negative, I do feel a mix of emotions that makes we worry that this series against other Star Wars' offerings.

 

 

The good stuff!

• We see red and blue/green lightsabers:  The trailer makes it clear that we are going to get some Jedi/Sith fighting action.  I really think visually that for non-super fans this is really appealing.  Lightsaber battles to me are an iconic image from my childhood, and I think that those who have not read 85 comics and watched 63 cartoons about the High Republic will consider this series despite not walking in with the backstory of Starlight Beacon.  
• We see a respected action star:  I wasn't fully aware of Carrie-Ann Moss and her casting in the series.  I think this is a win.  Non-Star Wars fans will recognize her and have I think positive feelings about her and see Moss as a trusted action star.  She brings a level of extra validity to this series for me.  So a second win for this series is going to be action packed!
• It's visual:  I think visuals are the best way to tell a Star Wars tale.  It really needs images to show off all the various species, backgrounds, ships, and whatever lightsaber variant is going to be unleashed.  And the trailer does show a Jedi who will have a very cool variant.   
• Yoda!:  While we don't see him in the trailer, the books have established that Yoda is a respected Jedi Master during this timeframe!
  
• I like Star Wars!:  Seriously, I want and like good new Star Wars. Who is that grown adult who watches Star Wars: The Bad Batch every week?  This guy!
  

 

The questionable thoughts!

• Who cares about the High Republic?:  I know that Disney and LucasFilm have unleashed a massive publishing program, but I don't personally feel it has worked well.  I know that as a fan I've at times been interested in earlier Jedi and Sith, but maybe we've been told too much now.  The books have just not worked to sell this period.  I worry that despite this show being years after the books, that non-readers will feel intimidated since they are not aware of backstory that may not be needed.
• Who's that?:  One of the Jedi featured in the trailer is Vernestra Rwoh.  This Jedi was introduced in books, books I've read.  But I failed to catch this in trailer glimpses.  And while I think Rwoh is interesting in the books, and maybe I can be intrigued what happened in the decades between books and live-action...I just didn't catch her presence or her very cool lightsaber!
  
• Do I need to watch that?:  When watching Star Wars: Ahsoka a friend pointed out references to Star Wars: The Young Jedi Adventures.  Now I've not watched this truly kid directed program.  With this being the other show that exists for the High Republic, will some feel like they need to watch an entire cartoon series, for kids, to find this show accessible?
  

I worry.  I am the only one in the Between House that watched Star Wars: Andor, which is a great show all the way around!  And while Star Wars: The Mandalorian is a must watch under this roof, I've heard some grumbles about how complex the story is getting.  I've also heard this thought stated out loud about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the tapestry that is being woven there.  I'm pretty sure that nothing here will be needed for the future enjoyment of the Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu saga, which is likely where many will put their Star Wars enjoyment at the moment. 

So, here's my newest crazy theory taught to me by James Bond!  I think that the Daniel Craig Bond movies are fine.  But the problem is to fully enjoy the last one, you need to know everything that came before from the first moment he joined the screen.  That's not James Bond.  Bond adventures work best when we get a brief moment of adventure to reintroduce Bond, we get a world-threatening villain, Bond gets his toys, Bond meets a girl, Bond gets captured, and Bond saves the world.  And then the next time we meet, none of that matters!  My hope for Star Wars: The Acolyte is a Bond story.  I want something that is action packed and maybe unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not all connected to the rest of the galaxy far far away! 

I'm not sure that Deadpool will be able to bail Disney out of audience loss if non-super fans are not willing to enjoy a regular Star Wars diet along with me!

Between Books - Star Wars The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness

Yeah, I just can’t stop. Call me a completionist! Call me stubborn. Or just call me a bit loony, because Star Wars: The High Republic is back with a book and I chose to read it so you don’t have to…unless you want to.

Star Wars: The High Republic The Eye of Darkness by George Mann brings us back to the later High Republic after Lucasfilm publishing had moved us to earlier in the period for several books. We need a printed info graphic timeline to track this thing! In those books we learned why Marchion Ro hated the Jedi so much. Though, I am not buying it! Now, Mann brings us back to the original High Republic time frame and story line that Disney introduced to us. There’s just a lot of confusion here as we jump between different stories in different times in a Star Wars era we’ve not spent a lot of time in. For example,e, I found myself confusing characters between the two phases of the High Republic.

Back to Star Wars: The High Republic The Eye of Darkness! The Nihil led by Marchion Ro are at the heights of their power after the fall of Starlight Beacon. Ro’s forces has claimed a portion of the galaxy, with the Nihil establishing the Stormwall, a buried that Republic forced cannot pass. Within Nihil space, the chaos of the Nihil causes disorder and death. Outside the Stormwall, the Jedi hide from Ro’s ultimate weapon, the Nameless, animal force user hunters. Mann follows a few key Jedi as they struggle to stay alive within Nihil space or seek to crack the Stormwall to bring freedom to the Nihil captives.

It is getting better? A little bit! There are fewer characters to keep track of which helps a lot. Honestly, the first volumes had so many Jedi and other characters it was difficult to remember who was who. At this point, the cast has been weeded down enough that really we are focusing on a few characters like Avar Kriss. It just makes the plot easier to follow. And it also brings stakes as we have seen so many of them reach the end of their stories in their past. The basic plot of hostages and hopelessness also creates a lot of internal stress. I will admit, there are stakes as we don’t know where these heroes and villains end.

Mann’s writing provides an adventure tale that holds attention. However, it does feel like it rushes to an ending. I kept looking at how much needed to get at least partially involved and it felt like a lot for me, especially reading in Kindle and knowing there was a small percentage of the book to go.

Yet, I still have thoughts.

I don’t believe that the added earlier phase of the New Republic is needed to enjoy this story. The story within this phase focusing on Starlight Beacon is the best preread for this story. The idea that the Ro family has complaints about the Jedi doesn’t give me more depth to Marchion Ro. No, just let him be a horrible terrible person. That’s enough. And we could have avoided the literary flashback that none of our characters asked for.

I’ve had concerns about the Jedi, starting with the prequel trilogy forward. When I was a kid, Yoda was a hero, mentor, and someone to look up to. Now knowing that he worked closely with a Sith Lord and allowed him to groom his future apprentice under his watch my thoughts have evolved. The earlier phase of the High Republic makes it even worse for me. Yoda we now know was aware of the Nameless, had seen Jedi die to the Nameless, and seemed committed to learning how to combat the Nameless. Now generations later, he seems to have done nothing. Yoda quite simply does not come off as the hero that young me needs and wants him to be.

I recently saw a TikTok that declared the High Republic to be a failure. I’m not that far yet. I may say the High Republic isn’t the most interesting or what I want! But that did get me thinking. Disney and Lucasfilm have a history of scraping projects. We have all heard of movies and Disney+ offerings that were canceled, never made, and walked away from. I mean I would still like to see Star Wars: Rouge Squadron. If fans are not loving the print offerings on the High Republic, why hasn’t Disney done so here? I get that publishing is a lot cheaper than movies and television. I understand how comics and books can be trial balloons to gauge interest. And if this is a pilot, well I think interest is low. Personally, I think that it’s time to revise what the High Republic could be or should be. If I was the architect, I would revise the plan for this era to follow one Jedi, I vote for Porter Engle, who is longed lived, like Porter Engle, has some mystery behind him, a Porter Engle type, and some drama, such as Porter Engle, and is respected by others, much like Porter Engle. They’d probably need to create an entirely new character! You could have this one Jedi travel the galaxy and have adventures. Then this one Jedi’s journey could give us the backstory for the High Republic if Disney really wants us to enjoy stories in this era.

Star Wars: The High Republic The Eye of Darkness by George Mann shows us that Marchion Ro is a bad bad man. He holds millions hostage and the Jedi are helpless. If one can look at this story as one of good versus evil in the Star Wars universe, the tale works. But as something that is part of a larger framework, it does not connect as well as Lucasfilm might hope.

Oh yeah, remember when I said I felt like Mann had to rush to an ending? As those who have read books before might guess, the story doesn’t end here. So everyone can look forward to more Marchion Ro and his hatred of the Jedi.

Will I try to read it? Well, there is no try, only do or do not!

 

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Cap's Comics - Star Wars #20

In 1991, a young comic book company named Dark Horse Comics started to print Star Wars titles and carry the monthly torch of Star Wars fandom.  And I think every fan has to agree that in general Dark Horse treated Star Wars well with reprinting the Marvel issues and making them available to fans, numerous titles including one of my favorites Star Wars: Agent of the Empire, and 20 months ago launching a Star Wars title which featured Han, Luke and Leia along with the gang.  But this was all before Disney acquired LucasFilm.  And Disney has announced that the license will be moved from Dark Horse to the Disney owned Marvel Comics, where Star Wars comics got their launch in the 1970’s.

At San Diego Comic Con Marvel announced three Star Wars titles.  One mini-series will be about Princess Leia and another will focus on Darth Vader.  But for me the title that has my interest is Star Wars which will be written by Jason Aaron, who I am loving on Original Sin, and will feature our original cast.  In effect this title will effectively replace Dark Horse’s title of the same name though it will not continue those stories per say.  So despite the fact that business realities are putting Dark Horse’s Star Wars volume 2 into retirement, I am optimistic about Disney bringing the Star Wars title into the Disney family and back to Marvel.  Seriously the Between Kids found a lightsaber in Disney Infinity this week and it is really fun to see Mickey swinging his saber around in the Toy Box.  It feels so good as a Disney fan to have LucasFilm in the family.  

I have read all of Dark Horse’s Star Wars, as I found the first issue was really enjoyable and I felt like it captured the spirit of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.  And when I realized the title would end I decided to keep collecting it since I was months away from having a full run since it would clearly eventually end.  And now in August 2014, Dark Horse’s time with Star Wars ends.

Star Wars issue 20, “A Bright Center to the Universe” by Brian Wood gives Dark Horse a chance to say goodbye to Star Wars.  Princess Leia recruits Han and Luke to retrieve Rebel spy and childhood friend Seren Song who is attempting to come out from undercover.  But the Rebels worry that Song may no longer be their agent.  As they seek Song, both the spy and Princess Leia’s party are stalked by IG-2000 the robot bounty hunter, though he is mislabeled as IG-88 at one point.  Will our trio be able to save Song?  And most importantly can Wood give his readers an adequate conclusion?

Overall I would say this issue was not my favorite of Wood’s run.  It is a nice adventure story, but it has to conclude quickly due to the nature of the title ending.  And I have to compare it to an earlier two issue arc that shows Darth Vader tying off loose ends from the first major story arc, which are both brilliant.  In that Vader arc we had more setup to prepare us as readers.  But issue 20 is an enjoyable adventure that a reader can enjoy.

I would say that Wood does give his readers a bright conclusion.  He clearly could not harm any of the core characters and he does put them back into a place where readers could assume or pretend the future Marvel title is simply a continuation of the story, though it will not be.  And a piece of information is provided that helps explain how the story, if LucasFilm wanted to, could transition the Rebels from the Battle of Yavin to Hoth.  But it is also a piece of information that is small enough it could be ignored if Marvel chose to.  I have really enjoyed Wood’s writing and I would rate this entire series very highly!

Overall I have really enjoyed this series as I said.  I was really surprised that really Princess Leia was the core character, with Han and Luke being more in the background.  I liked the fact that Luke was portrayed with plenty of farm boy, who often had to be counted by the wiser Wedge.  And Han was full on scoundrel, though I needed to see more of him.  If I had a complaint it was that our main cast were rarely together.  Instead they generally went off on their own missions.  It was really only at the end that one noticed the core together in one adventure.  Though one could argue the same trend occurred in the early Marvel issues in the last 70s.  But again, the entire series was well-written, well-drawn and a success in conveying stories that felt like Star Wars.

I will miss Dark Horse’s Star Wars.  It was a nice run and one of only four titles I follow on a monthly basis long-term (longer than six months).  I am still excited about our new Disney possibilities.  And I will grab the first issue of Aaron’s run in January 2015, but the real question is will I add it to my pull list permanently?

     

Mousey Movie (TV) Preview - Stars Wars The Clone Wars Season 6

It was last May that I received a letter from LucasFilm stating I should look forward to the future even though Star Wars: The Clone Wars was coming to an end.  We now know the promised future project under Dave Filoni is Star Wars: Rebels. 

But shockingly, that is not the end of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars story.  With Disney's growing relationship with Netflix, on March 7, 2014 (today), a final 13 episode final season will be shown on Netflix!

Here is the trailer:

What did you think?

These 13 episodes are more than a few pick-ups, this is really a half season of content.  And I love seeing arcs we were hinted about making an airing.  

Personally, I loved this series and I think it is great that it has a streaming home on Netflix.  It makes me feel less pressured to buy all the seasons (I only own one).

I am excited to see them dig deeper into the Force, and the Yoda arc looks fantastic to me.

And I love seeing them exploring Order 66 and the Clones in greater depth.

The biggest question is how many episodes can I get in this weekend?

Between Books - Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co.

Usually when you match free with Walt Disney you catch my attention.  So when I saw Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co. by Sal Galvan as free on a Kindle site I follow, well I grabbed it.  What I hoped for was an interesting and likely brief discussion on Walt Disney.  But what I got was something very different.

Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co. starts with a very brief discussion of the life of Walt Disney and the establishment of his studio.  This is followed by a more lengthy discussion on state of the company today.  Special focus is given to Marvel and Lucasfilm and fan reactions to the Disney acquisition of these media companies. 

Okay, I do not want to sound harsh.  There is an interesting premise here, it is just not one about Walt Disney the man.  It is mostly observations to the company today as seen through the eyes of Marvel and Lucasfilm fans.  And there is plenty of merit to covering that topic.  I just wish it was not in a paper under a cover with Walt Disney on it.  Walt had nothing to do with those two companies and their purchase.  So I really wish this book was retitled.

This really is a paper.  The fact that the second page states "Research Paper" and "History of Broadcasting" makes me think it was written for a class.  I have read enough research papers and journal articles to understand that small in length does not mean nothing to say.  But some readers may have issues with purchasing through Amazon someone's homework.

I think for me the real issues are in the errors and sources.  For the life of Walt Disney no major biographies are referenced, though Wikipedia is!  The section on Walt's life makes it feel like the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio opened with Mortimer, soon to be Mickey Mouse, as their first character.  And even today's facts are jumbled with Lucasfilm referred as Lucas Film and Bob Iger as Roger Iger.  I can understand these mistakes in a mid-term paper, but better editing and fact checking should have been applied when reaching to a deeper audience.  And honestly, it should be retitled.

In the end Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co. fell flat for me.  But much of this was based on expectations!  And I would look elsewhere for information about the life of Walt Disney. 

Between Books - The Best of Walt Disney

The Best of Walt Disney: Life Lessons from the Creator of Disneyland & Mickey Mouse by Timothy Bauer distills the life of Walt Disney into lessons that anyone can apply in their real life.  The book starts with a very brief biography of Walt Disney.  This is followed by a history of the company he created. The histories are followed by a timeline and a discussion of the current Walt Disney Company''s  units like Disney Parks and LucasFilm.  This is followed by discussions on success and life based on Walt Disney's life.

I got this a a free Kindle book, and it is only estimated to be around 23 pages long.  When you look at the history presented in the text, it is easy to see there a lot of things that will be left out.  For example, in the biography on Disney the fact that he started a company is just assumed and left out.  And there are gaps.  For example the discussion of Disney units mentions Disneyland, but no other parks such as Walt Disney World.  And the timeline has as much to do with the Walt Disney Company then it does Walt Disney, for example Michael Eisner is mentioned on the timeline.  At a certain point the lessons become as much about the company than the man.  Additionally, the lessons could be made stronger to me.  I really wish that instead of telling Walt Disney was courageous, that it would be shown to me through a historical example.

Currently this book is listed on Amazon at $2.99.  I really is a steep price for this book.  As a free book it helps me to think about Walt Disney.  But as a paid offering it is short and not deep in content.  I would pass on The Best of Walt Disney until it comes along for free again. 

Oswald Opines - Long Live the Clone Wars

A little over a month ago I suggested that Disney fans join RebelForce Radio in writing Bob Iger to save Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  And then a day later the news of the show's cancellation hit the press.  And I thought the story was over!

And then this week, I received this letter.  And I have to admit I was shocked and a little overexcited to get a letter addressed from LucasFilm.

Here are my brief thoughts on this letter:

• The Padawan: I think many Disney fans, including me, worried  what cancelling the show would mean for the career of Dave Filoni at LucasFilm.  In my opinion, Filoni is a master storyteller, a brilliant director, a skilled organizer, and George Lucas' padawan.  I think the second part is important.  From interviews it is clear that Filoni has spent hours with Lucas discussing Star Wars back story, meaning and intent.  Filoni is probably one of a few in the world that have such a high understanding of Lucas' intent.  And as a Disney fan I do not want to see him go elsewhere.  In many ways Filoni should be seen as a John Lasseter for Star Wars animation.  This letter makes it clear that Filoni was not one of those laid off and is in fact working on the next Star Wars animated saga.  And that is a little victory.  

• The Admiral:  I sent my letter to Disney and Iger.  The response I received was from Kathleen Kennedy.  I think this shows that Disney corporate is going to treat Kennedy as Lasseter and Ed Catmull.  She will be the voice and creative director of a Disney subdivision.  And even if some of the changes (layoffs, 3D cancellations  seem to match Disney trends, LucasFilm will have a voice separate from the Disney CEO.

• The King is Dead, Long Live the King: Star Wars: The Clone Wars is gone.  It will not be coming back.  No matter how well received the bonus content is, the show will not be coming back.  LucasFilm has moved on, Filoni has moved on, and they would like fans to move on....to Episode VII.  Clearly, as many have reported, their efforts will be directed towards preparing us for the next trilogy.   

I am still shocked.  I never expected Disney or LucasFilm to respond.  There was nothing that said that Disney had to spend the 46 cents for a stamp and send me a letter.  I have received less consideration from publishers I have contacted and a apparel store that messed up a recent hat order.  Honestly, part of me did not think my favorite animated show could be saved.  And it was not.  But I am starting to move on.  As the letter notes, they did give me an ending.  And the show lasted than most animated television series.  I am moving on, straight into the next chapter when I can take the Between Kids to new Star Wars in the theater.