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I was one of the few and the proud who championed the entire run of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS animated program every opportunity I got. Knowing full well that this Prequel Trilogy era didn’t quite work out to many long-time fans’ expectations, I went into TCW with little expectations and was rewarded handsomely for it. The stories pushed the boundaries when there was room to play with the mythology, and more often than not the writers honed in on the treachery, politics, and deceit all Star Wars fans wanted to see in the big budget films, delivering quality narratives, interesting characters, and one more compelling reason to journey back to that galaxy far, far away.
Like most fans of the show, I was devastated when it was cancelled. Sure, I was glad to hear that Disney wasn’t going to completely ignore a regular TV program in Lucas’s universe – STAR WARS: REBELS was announced shortly thereafter – but I’ll always wish for more stories in the war-torn corners of that Old Republic before the Empire took hold.
Like most fans of the show, I was devastated when it was cancelled. Sure, I was glad to hear that Disney wasn’t going to completely ignore a regular TV program in Lucas’s universe – STAR WARS: REBELS was announced shortly thereafter – but I’ll always wish for more stories in the war-torn corners of that Old Republic before the Empire took hold.
At first blush, STAR WARS: REBELS would certainly seem like a grand idea. Set in those fragile days before the events of STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE, REBELS is free once again to explore these dark times when the Empire was closing its fist around star systems new and far, and – if SPARK OF REBELLION is any indication – it should enjoy a long life in the minds of those still young at heart.
See, THE CLONE WARS offered storytellers the opportunity to tinker with some meaty issues. Understandably, the galaxy was mired in the chaos of war, so this presented an endless scope of opportunities rich for examination. Conflict. Allegiance. Honor. Duty. Responsibility. Sacrifice. Teamwork. So on and so forth. All one need do is thrown in any quality World War II picture in the DVD player, and you can see the inspirations available. And – in most respects – THE CLONE WARS did a stellar job working through some of its early missteps, eventually settling into broader tales that gave writers two, three, or even four episodes with which to play out character arcs.
See, THE CLONE WARS offered storytellers the opportunity to tinker with some meaty issues. Understandably, the galaxy was mired in the chaos of war, so this presented an endless scope of opportunities rich for examination. Conflict. Allegiance. Honor. Duty. Responsibility. Sacrifice. Teamwork. So on and so forth. All one need do is thrown in any quality World War II picture in the DVD player, and you can see the inspirations available. And – in most respects – THE CLONE WARS did a stellar job working through some of its early missteps, eventually settling into broader tales that gave writers two, three, or even four episodes with which to play out character arcs.
By contrast, REBELS felt a bit rushed. Granted, it’s never easy to launch an all-new incarnation of any franchise, but this one seemed dependent upon action to push the story forward instead of relying on characters easily recognizable and their actions understandable. The opening – a bit of thievery between two opposing groups – seemed a bit nebulous (somewhat understandably once you know what’s going on), and it doesn’t get cleared up until fairly well invested into the 43-minutes. While that might work for some, it required a bit of a stretch for me.
Immediately after viewing it, I wondered if the run-time wasn’t the premiere’s greatest disadvantage. After all, THE CLONE WARS launched with a theatrical outing before settling in to its weekly 23-minute format, so audiences were given more material and the familiarity of established characters and settings to sort through. I hate saying it but even if TCW wasn’t your particular ‘cup of tea’ then there still was more to digest with which you could reach that determination. To me, REBELS seemed as if the writers wanted to speed events up to the point wherein the viewer had no opportunity to stop and posit a question as simple as “How did we get here?” and that could be because … well … they only had 43 minutes to work with. Before the audience even knows all of the essential pieces they were whisked off on yet another chase, another battle, another argument, giving SPARK more the feeling that it was culled together for brevity rather than entertainment’s sake.
When you have a half-dozen new characters AND a new time and place AND new circumstances to establish, that’s a lot of ground to cover. As I’ve always said when examining movies and television shows, I’d rather a storyteller take a few minutes extra to get something right than trim a few minutes off only to risk getting it wrong.
Immediately after viewing it, I wondered if the run-time wasn’t the premiere’s greatest disadvantage. After all, THE CLONE WARS launched with a theatrical outing before settling in to its weekly 23-minute format, so audiences were given more material and the familiarity of established characters and settings to sort through. I hate saying it but even if TCW wasn’t your particular ‘cup of tea’ then there still was more to digest with which you could reach that determination. To me, REBELS seemed as if the writers wanted to speed events up to the point wherein the viewer had no opportunity to stop and posit a question as simple as “How did we get here?” and that could be because … well … they only had 43 minutes to work with. Before the audience even knows all of the essential pieces they were whisked off on yet another chase, another battle, another argument, giving SPARK more the feeling that it was culled together for brevity rather than entertainment’s sake.
When you have a half-dozen new characters AND a new time and place AND new circumstances to establish, that’s a lot of ground to cover. As I’ve always said when examining movies and television shows, I’d rather a storyteller take a few minutes extra to get something right than trim a few minutes off only to risk getting it wrong.
For all of the hype I’d heard around the new droid Chopper, good ol’ Chop didn’t seem all that feisty to me in this premiere adventure. Some of that could be due to the fact that with a small handful of characters and only 43 minutes of run-time, scenes were divvied up as needed to keep focus on moving the story forward; as such, SPARK didn’t have all that many character moments. I, myself, saw a few missed opportunities with which to add in more individual flavor, and that’s never a great thing.
Granted, some of this may seem like I’m nitpicking, and – if it does – then I’ll say I hope that only underscores how important I take my STAR WARS properties. I’m all for lightening up the mood, and I’m even a pretty big proponent of keeping something kid-friendly so long as there’s no sacrifice to quality storytelling. REBELS had a few great moments – the ‘big reveal’ regarding the true identity of a lead character, as well as the ominous set-up for the series promised villain – but they were spread out around some frenetic action sequences that looked good though didn’t make much sense.
RECOMMENDED. Always the optimist when it comes to most things George Lucas, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. The Force looks strong with this one, but as it’s airing on Disney / DisneyXD it definitely looks at first blush like STAR WARS: REBELS won’t have the intellectual depth of storytelling that populated so much of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS in its five/six season run on television/Netflix. That may not necessarily be a bad thing as Dave Filoni and his merry band of animators clearly hope to capitalize on the nostalgia factor: I mean, how cool was it to see actual TIE fighters at work again?
Granted, some of this may seem like I’m nitpicking, and – if it does – then I’ll say I hope that only underscores how important I take my STAR WARS properties. I’m all for lightening up the mood, and I’m even a pretty big proponent of keeping something kid-friendly so long as there’s no sacrifice to quality storytelling. REBELS had a few great moments – the ‘big reveal’ regarding the true identity of a lead character, as well as the ominous set-up for the series promised villain – but they were spread out around some frenetic action sequences that looked good though didn’t make much sense.
RECOMMENDED. Always the optimist when it comes to most things George Lucas, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. The Force looks strong with this one, but as it’s airing on Disney / DisneyXD it definitely looks at first blush like STAR WARS: REBELS won’t have the intellectual depth of storytelling that populated so much of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS in its five/six season run on television/Netflix. That may not necessarily be a bad thing as Dave Filoni and his merry band of animators clearly hope to capitalize on the nostalgia factor: I mean, how cool was it to see actual TIE fighters at work again?
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Hey, peeps, just sharing that I had yet one more web-based warm fuzzy when the lovely Andrea Roth thanked me for wishing her a Happy SciFi Birthday. Here's the proof, for those of you who question it:
Ahhhhh ....
Isn't web-life grand?
Isn't web-life grand?
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Everyone's favorite haunted time of year -- Halloween -- is just around the corner, and -- whilst hitting the local Walgreens to pick up some minor meds -- I saw these lovely plastic Darth Vader pumpkins. I couldn't help but whip out the iPhone to snap a pic to share with you peeps.
Happy Halloween ... early!
Happy Halloween ... early!
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Yes, I know sometimes it's easy to make too much of little things like what I'm about to ... but, seriously, I find it amazing how technology has brought fans closer to the talent they admire. Regular folks are less likely to know who Marshall Bell is, but he's been working in terrific projects as long as I can recall. And to take a few seconds to Tweet a courteous response to well wishes on his birthday just helped make my ordinary day a bit more special.
God Save the Internet!
God Save the Internet!
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OMG ... Have you seen the new Star Wars IttyBittys?!?! I just came back from the area Hallmark Store where I picked up a set for my wife to give me (because she loves me), and I wanted to share them. There are also an individual Darth Vader and an R2-D2 to round out this first series, but the clerk assured me that their catalog shows more are coming in the new year.
Aren't they just adorable? Obi-Wan Kenobi has never looked so happy!
Aren't they just adorable? Obi-Wan Kenobi has never looked so happy!
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I rarely dream, but – when I do – they tend to be very vivid. And particular. I notice very specific things. Colors. Names. Very fine details from the experience tend to linger beyond the fog in my head, and I’ll often times wake up with a specific name or some other arcane trinket of information that means nothing to me. While these dreams may be little more than a source of curiosity for me, the sad news is that my nightmares are just as vivid. I recall a time more than a decade back that I actually had a dream featuring on the unstoppable Xenomorphs that featured prominently in the ALIEN universe; and, no doubt, my wife remembers me screaming when I woke up.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the Dark Horse website: “During a vicious xenomorph outbreak, terraforming engineer Derrick Russell leads a desperate group of survivors onto a rickety mining vessel. They hope to escape the creatures overrunning their colony—but they’ll face horrors both in space and on the strange planet they crash on.”
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the Dark Horse website: “During a vicious xenomorph outbreak, terraforming engineer Derrick Russell leads a desperate group of survivors onto a rickety mining vessel. They hope to escape the creatures overrunning their colony—but they’ll face horrors both in space and on the strange planet they crash on.”
Those pesky, hungry, acid-dripping Aliens are back – never a good sign for the space-going – in Dark Horse’s latest ‘event’ FIRE AND STONE, a miniseries crossover experience promising to bring together not only ALIENS and PROMETHEUS but also looks to introduce a few PREDATORS for good measure. And why not? Theatrically, it’s been established that PROMETHEUS takes place in the same universe as ALIENS, and the ALIENS have been haunted by those PREDATORS in both comic book and theatrical fashion. This indeed is a match made in sci-fi heaven! (FYI: PROMETHEUS: FIRE AND STONE 1 of 4 has already streeted, and interested readers can pick up a copy at their local comicbookery any time they like.)
As for ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE, the first issue serves to set up the particulars for the tale that’s only beginning. Colonists – always in danger of a Xenomorph infestation – find themselves in dire straits right out of the gate in #1 which happens to take place on LV-426. (For the uninitiated, LV-426 was the planet explored in the ALIEN sequel, ALIENS, directed by James Cameron.) These people are on-the-run, and they’re left with no other choice than to abandon that world, seeking out a place for safety and survival. Little do they know that their craft already has some baggage they’ll be none too happy to unload wherever they set down next!
The tale is written by Chris Roberson, and – along with Patric Reynolds’ dark, bloody, and necessarily grim artwork – it feels a part of the broader ALIEN mythology right out of the gate. The pacing is quick, and the stakes are set clearly with each advancing page: LV-426 is doomed, and these folks will take their chances anywhere else but here. It’s tight, exciting, and effective from start-to-finish, ending with a panel that harkens back to that memory in my imagination: a lone but energized monster howling like a wolf at the sky.
Great stuff!
As for ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE, the first issue serves to set up the particulars for the tale that’s only beginning. Colonists – always in danger of a Xenomorph infestation – find themselves in dire straits right out of the gate in #1 which happens to take place on LV-426. (For the uninitiated, LV-426 was the planet explored in the ALIEN sequel, ALIENS, directed by James Cameron.) These people are on-the-run, and they’re left with no other choice than to abandon that world, seeking out a place for safety and survival. Little do they know that their craft already has some baggage they’ll be none too happy to unload wherever they set down next!
The tale is written by Chris Roberson, and – along with Patric Reynolds’ dark, bloody, and necessarily grim artwork – it feels a part of the broader ALIEN mythology right out of the gate. The pacing is quick, and the stakes are set clearly with each advancing page: LV-426 is doomed, and these folks will take their chances anywhere else but here. It’s tight, exciting, and effective from start-to-finish, ending with a panel that harkens back to that memory in my imagination: a lone but energized monster howling like a wolf at the sky.
Great stuff!
ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE (1 OF 4) is written by Chris Roberson; the art is provided by Patric Reynolds; the colors are provided by Dave Stewart; the letters are completed by Nate Piekos of Blambot; with this issue’s primary cover art supplied by David Palumbo. For those needing it spelled out perfectly, the storyline ties in with both Twentieth Century Fox properties ALIEN and PROMETHEUS. Lastly, the issue comes with a cover price of $3.50, and that’s a bargain so far as this longtime comic book reader is concerned.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If the action and the set-up in the opening pages of ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE (1 OF 4) seem a bit familiar, then take heart: LV-426 is better known as Hadley’s Hope, the terraforming colony featured prominently in the 1986 blockbuster sci-fi motion picture, ALIENS. The tale opens with plenty of action (just how we like ‘em!), and it closes with the promise of circumstances only growing more and more dire for the surviving colonists who manage to escape but unfortunately happen to have the worst stowaways possible in league with them. Who knows where it’s heading? We’ll all know more in 30 days.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Horse Comics provided me with a digital reading copy of ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE (1 OF 4) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. If the action and the set-up in the opening pages of ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE (1 OF 4) seem a bit familiar, then take heart: LV-426 is better known as Hadley’s Hope, the terraforming colony featured prominently in the 1986 blockbuster sci-fi motion picture, ALIENS. The tale opens with plenty of action (just how we like ‘em!), and it closes with the promise of circumstances only growing more and more dire for the surviving colonists who manage to escape but unfortunately happen to have the worst stowaways possible in league with them. Who knows where it’s heading? We’ll all know more in 30 days.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Horse Comics provided me with a digital reading copy of ALIENS: FIRE AND STONE (1 OF 4) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
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I'm quite certain something like this has probably existed for some time, but -- whenever I stumble across a sight that catches my interest -- I do try to share with others. Take the above Dark Vader house key, for example: I've seen that this is now available for purchase in one of those self-serve key-making machines in the local convenience store. I guess Star Wars fans now don't have to worry that they'll be harassed by the Home Depot clerk if they'd like a new key featuring their favorite Dark Lord of the Sith ... they can now do it for themselves!
Bravo, mankind! Bravo!
Bravo, mankind! Bravo!
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I had to run an errand this morning, and that errand had me stopping in to the local WalMart in Arizona. As is my custom, I always hits the toy shelves in hopes of seeing something new and exciting, especially when it comes to Star Wars, DC, or anything related to Science Fiction. Lo and behold, they actually had a few items: in this 20-inch line, there were three choices I hadn't yet seen, including the Tie Fighter Pilot and two characters all Jedi will be getting to know in a few weeks when Star Wars: Rebels premieres on the Disney Channel.
May the Force be with us!
May the Force be with us!
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Good afternoon, peeps. I had to run a few errands today, and I stopped in at my local Target store in Arizona. While carousing the shelves, I noticed that the store had just taken down the 'Back to School' section, and they were starting to erect the Halloween aisles. (I love me some quality scares!). Anywho, while shuffling through their wares, I came across these two Star Wars items I thought I'd share ...
As can happen when these likenesses are mass produced, they may not be as 'faithful' to the source material as we'd like. Still, they caught my eye, and I thought I'd share 'em with the cyber-universe.
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
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Hey, peeps, I found this article on Collider while surfing a few moments ago, and I thought I'd share it for those who hadn't yet seen it. Check it out: there's half of a Millenium Falcon being used for practical filming shots on the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII - To Be Determined! Pretty swell sight, if you ask me, as I'm no fan of the prevalence of CGI used in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. Gives me 'A New Hope' that these new adventures will definitely be worth the wait ... as well as being worth JJ's inclusion in them.
May the Force be with us!
May the Force be with us!