Tag Archives: Admiral Ackbar

Liverpool Comic Con

Posted on by
1

Liverpool Comic Con

Saturday 4th May and Sunday 5th May 2024

Exhibition Centre, King’s Docks, Liverpool

Liverpool Comic Con is massive! This event has grown into a truly huge experience, taking up gigantic halls just at the side of the river Mersey. For one whole weekend, thousands of people visited this convention and were able to be a part of what was a monumental gathering.

With it being Star Wars Day on the Saturday (“May the Fourth be with you”, of course), this event seemed like the ideal place to be. I ventured over to Liverpool with my daughter in tow on the Sunday, eager to make a full day of the whole experience.

Daughtertron attended dressed as Ellie Williams from The Last of Us Part 2. I’ve never heard of it, but she looked pretty cool. Unfortunately I have been banned by Daughterton from sharing her photos, in case they are used for nefarious deeds by evil classmates. A shame, it was nice that one of us made the effort to get into a bit of cosplay – but never mind – there are plenty of other photos here.

With literally hundreds of people milling about, there was no way I could take photos of everybody. There were dozens of amazing costumes worn by talented people on display – thank you all for allowing me to take your picture. You’re all heroes, and one day I’ll join in with you and get dressed up. I’m running out of excuses, so I just need to decide who to be. Suggestions are welcome.

Of course the merch stalls were a big draw for me, as always. There were loads of different stalls selling all kinds of amazing paraphernalia, all in an enormous aircraft hangar of a building.

The best bit was that I was actually able to buy comics at a Comic Convention! I know that sounds crazy, but several of the events I’ve attended haven’t had a single stall selling comics. Luckily I was able to spend a few quid on some classic Bronze Age Marvel publications for my collections.

I was less happy with the action figure situation, as there was little in the way Star Wars and Reaction figure selections that interested me. Tons of Funko Pops, though none I desired. Daughtertron was very happy with a Monster High doll and an Elvira Funko Pop (different to the version I already own!).

There were many celebs in attendance for those desiring of autographs and meet and greets. The guest list was very impressive, with Hollywood big timer Orlando Bloom at the top of the list. There were also some Lords of the Rings dudes, Jay and Silent Bob, and John Cleese – amongst many others.

The only criticism I’ve heard of the day was the inflated prices: tickets, celeb autographs and photos, even the food. One one hand, putting on an event of this magnitude must incur some major expense; but I could see the point of the detractors. This was an event where spending could easily get out of hand.

My only complaint personally was that there was little in the way of guidance for what was where. Visitors could buy a program, which seemed to be the only way to get hold of a map. Without a map, finding your way around could be a headache. It took us a while to find our way into the main arena – but when we did get in there, our jaws hit the floor.

The huge arena housed an array of amazing vehicles and props: a life size X-Wing Fighter, Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder, a Jabba the Hutt model. There were also vehicles and scenes from Ghostbusters, Robocop, Stranger Things, The Lost Boys, even the Flintstones. It was photo opportunity heaven, all while live bands played.

My autograph hunting days are well behind me, but we made an exception to meet Tim Rose, the man behind many creations including Admiral Ackbar and Salacious Crumb in Return of the Jedi. Ackbar is one of Daughtertron’s favourite Star Wars characters, and mine too. Mr Rose could not have been nicer, he was charming and chatty and an absolute joy to spend a few minutes with. Thanks, Tim!

And that was about it for the day. I hope you enjoy the photos – there should be some more, but currently the technology is playing tricks on me and I can’t find them. If and when they turn up, I’ll do a Part 2. Hope you had a good time at Liverpool Comic Con if you were there. If not, get yourself to the next one!

Here’s the Liverpool Comic Con website.

Star Wars Figures – Return of the Jedi Part 1

Posted on by
Reply

May 2023 saw the 40th anniversary of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. I went to see the film again in the cinema, with my family. As always, there was a tear in my eye watching several scenes in that magnificent movie, particularly at the end. I shouldn’t need to worry about spoilers, surely, but we’ll leave the detail obscure. Jedi may not be considered the best of the Original Trilogy, but it’s a fabulous film that concludes the storyline brilliantly.

I was ten years old in 1983. I’d seen both previous Star Wars episodes in the cinema, but this time I was a little older, and the excitement of a new instalment was building. I can remember much more about that build up, as I ravenously absorbed every picture I could find in any magazine, newspaper or television show for clues about the new movie.

The Marvel UK Star Wars comic had kept me intrigued, but I recall catching tantalising sights of new characters that excited me. Brief glimpses of Bib Fortuna, Admiral Ackbar and Biker Scouts. I couldn’t wait to find out more about them.

Of course the real anticipation was with regard to the action figures. Star Wars fans everywhere could not wait to see what new characters – and old favourites in new guises – we would get.

Some characters began to show up on promotional literature, but the first ROTJ figure I ever had (I think) was Admiral Ackbar. I won Ackbar in a Palitoy drawing competition: third prize (there were probably hundreds of third prize places). He turned up without a card and became an instant favourite.

The first character I bought off a toy shop shelf was General Madine, if I remember correctly. He looked like a cool new character who must have a big role in the new movie, being amongst the first releases. How wrong I was! Never mind, I always was a sucker for troops.

The main heroes now had cool new outfits. Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) came equipped with a blaster and green lightsaber. Green?! All would be revealed… Luke also had a cool removable cloak. But the big news really, as revealed by the name lozenge, was that Luke was a Jedi. At last! A cool figure which I still have complete.

Princes Leia was in “Boushh Disguise”, including a removable helmet which was all very intriguing and looked great. Originally my sister bought all the Leia figures, I finally bought my own right at the end of the line in 1985. This meant that my own Leia Boushh is still in excellent condition.

Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard Disguise) is an absolute classic action figure. Great design, another removable helmet – he was an early purchase in this wave. I still have mine complete.

Nien Nunb, Lando’s co-pilot on the Millenium Falcon, is a great looking figure. The character design for the movie is fabulous, and it carries over well to the toy version. Another lifelong favourite!

Again, I loved the Rebel Commando figure, because I love to build up troops! Over the years I managed to add a few duplicates to my collection, as you can see here in my Ewok Village Playset display.

When the first wave of Jedi figures were released, the card backs tried to hide some of the new major characters: of course, I’m talking about the Ewoks. Logray, the Ewok Medicine Man, and Chief Chirpa were both “blacked out” on the reverse to retain some mystery. I remember my Mum suggesting using an ink eraser to gently rub away the black covering. Believe it or not, it worked – kind of. Two ghostly shapes could eventually be seen, which in retrospect vaguely resembled Ewoks. I still have the card somewhere, so one day I’ll prove it!

Logray and Chief Chirpa are both complete, and I’ve got duplicates of each to fill out that Ewok Village I mentioned earlier.

The only Imperial characters in the first batch of figures were two of the best looking of the whole range: the Biker Scout and Emperor’s Royal Guard. The Biker Scout is just an awesome design, add him to his speeder bike (sold separately, I’ll add photos one day) and you have an iconic 80’s toy from one of the best scenes in the film. Even his blaster is ace (still got the originals).

Likewise, the Royal Guard is amazing, a flamboyant flash of bright red amongst all of the white and black Empire troops. I remember being really disappointed (as many others were) that the Royal Guards didn’t have a bigger role in the movie. Sadly, the figures staff has not survived.

Finally, we get to another of my favourite subsets of Star Wars figures: aliens. Return of the Jedi had a plethora of weird looking creatures in Jabba’s palace. The creature designers really did a wonderful job, letting their imaginations run riot, creating these thugs for the Hutt’s throne room.

First up was Bib Fortuna, with those bewildering tentacles emerging from the back of his head. A great figure, Bib is a really good example of how far the toy moulding had come. Bib has a removable cloak (just leave it on, please) and a redundant staff. Another figure that is unmistakably iconic.

Next, the Gamorrean Guard. Not as clever a design as other Jabba goons to my eyes, but never the less a great figure. I added a couple extra over the years, complete with weapon, to build up the pig palace guard.

Ree-Yees (the name came from his “three eyes”) is another odd looking character. Still, the species design has remained popular enough to show up in later instalments. I still have the gold coloured gun for this guy. It’s very Flash Gordon.

Squid Head is a far better design – I mean, what a brilliant idea! He’s a great figure too, accurate features and lots of soft goods accessories that make him an absolute must-have. Cloak, skirt and separate belt all add to the finished look. I have at least one without all the accoutrements, just for use as a background figure.

Klaatu (now known by his original ILM production name, Wooof – I’m not going into that here!) is an all time classic alien design. The species was used multiple times on ROTJ and other Star Wars episodes/series since. Awesome looking character, nicely rendered with that fur skirt.

Finally, we have Weequay – possibly my favourite of Jabba’s goons in the film. He just looks cool – and mean, with that unique stance/hand position for holding his staff. Great facial detail, too.

There are a lot of memories regarding these wonderful toys, if you’ve read this far, thanks for staying with me. That’s enough info for now, I’ll be back soon with a Part 2 to examine the next wave of Return of the Jedi action figures. For now, enjoy these amazing toys, and May the Force be with you!

Please note: all figures are original 1980s Kenner versions. All accessories are original.

Ewok Village Playset

Posted on by
3

I have a lot of Star Wars toys.  Not everything, but a lot of stuff.  Most of it was collected when the toys were originally released, back when I was a kid.  Luckily, I’ve kept them all, and since the late nineties I’ve sporadically added to the collection.

The Ewok Village Playset was a toy I never owned as a kid.  Released as part of the Return of the Jedi toy line, it’s a large and feature packed set that provides a perfect home for your cuddly-yet-vicious little Empire destroyers.

There’s a fire for roasting Han Solo; a net for capturing rebels; a throne for C-3PO; an elevator for lifting figures up – and a secret escape chute for them to escape down.  All of these neat play features and more; plus it makes a cool diorama for displaying your ROTJ action figures.

When I got into collecting Star Wars toys again in the late 90s, the Ewok Village was on my list of “wants”.  I tracked this example down to a toy shop in Manchester and picked it up for £60, if I remember correctly.

I don’t think that shop is still there now.  Or at least, I’ve not found it on subsequent visits.  It seems to have vanished mysteriously into thin air…

Although opened, this Ewok Village was complete in box, with all the bits packed inside in little baggies.  It’s easy to assemble – before long you can start to recreate some moments from the film.

And that’s exactly what I wanted to do here, with this series of photos: showcase some of my figures from the original line, as they appear in the film.  I decided against doing a further photo session with more modern figures due to time!

There are two scenes recreated here.  Firstly, the Rebels held captive by the Ewoks, whilst 3PO sits on his wooden throne.  Han is held above the fire, about to make a tasty celebratory meal.  The others are gathered (not tethered to wooden poles as in the film, as nothing like that exists for these toys) as they attempt to persuade their way out of the situation.

Unfortunately, a figure of Leia in her Ewok robes was never made for the original line, so she’s not present.  Maybe I will have to create this again with the later figures after all, as that the Princess in that outfit was made later on.  But hey, I’m not aiming for 100% screen accuracy here, just the best I can with what I have available.

I love ensemble scenes using action figures, so another I wanted to recreate was the end of the film.  The Empire has been destroyed, the Galaxy is free: the Rebels celebrate their victory with their short, furry allies and all looks good for the future.

The ghosts of Obi-Wan, Yoda and Anakin are represented by their vintage figures, plus the main heroes are joined in their rejoicing with numerous members of the Rebel Alliance on Endor.

Ensemble scenes like this are my favourites in the movie, because it’s fun to spot random characters and details that were dropped into the film.  This is the sort of thing that creates the rich diversity of Star Wars, and what constantly intrigues me.  So, it’s nice to try to create something with toys that aims for as wide a scope.

So here are the two scenes: reasonably screen accurate, but not shackled to that original image.  I did the best I could, and it was great fun.

One big mistake?  Yes, I forgot to take a photo of the box the Ewok Village came in.  Never mind, you can Google that, should you need to.

May the Force be with you!

Wales Comic Con

Posted on by
Reply

Wales Comic Con

Saturday 2nd – Sunday 3rd December 2017

Glyndwr University, Wrexham

One more Comic Con for the year, to finish 2017 off in style.  It seems like I’ve done a lot of conventions recently!

I didn’t make it to Wrexham for Wales Comic Con back in April, but I’ve been there previously and it’s always a fun event.  Now expanded to run over two days, this winter edition of the Con was bigger than ever.

Most impressive was the calibre of the guests that appear here.  It’s a far more impressive line up than even the mighty NEC could muster recently.  Wrexham definitely punches above it’s weight in that category.

Boba Fett
Abraham and friend
Jurassic Park
Agent Carter
Carl and Daryl

Being December, the weather was sometimes a challenge.  The Spring gathering has been lucky weather-wise, and the outside expanse has always been a fun place to hang out and take photos, meet people etc.  Cold and rain took more of a toll this time, but didn’t seem to dampen peoples spirits too much.

This event wasn’t without some criticism.  Although we had bought tickets prior, we had to queue (outside, in the rain) for about forty minutes after the doors opened to get in. 

When we did get in, we marched off to the Signing Zone to find the guests from The Walking Dead (our prime reason for being there).  After scouting around the entire area, it turned out that these particular guests were in a different Signing Zone!  Notification of this passed us by completely, if it was available at all.

Despite these organisational issues that we perceived at first, things settled down and this Comic Con turned out to be a great success.

The first hit of the day was the Q&A panel featuring Scott Wilson (Hershel) and Michael Cudlitz (Abraham) from The Walking Dead.  This was really interesting, with some quality questions from the audience.  Both Scott and Michael came across really well, with amusing anecdotes and genuine appreciation for the show and it’s fans.

Wednesday meets Jareth
Wednesday and the pirates

We could have happily listened to these guys for much longer, but all good things come to an end and this had been unmissable.

It was then time to queue up (again!  Haha) to meet the actors from The Walking Dead.  We’re big fans in our house, in particular Mrs Platinum Al – and she was really keen to meet Michael Cudlitz.

The queue wasn’t too long or arduous, and we got to meet Mr Cudlitz and get a selfie and autographed photo.  He was very cool and gracious; he joked with fans and was very friendly.  Despite only having a short time to meet people, Michael did an excellent job of remembering names and making everyone feel very welcome.

Superb stuff, and Mrs Platinum Al’s Christmas present was now in the bag!

Talking about acquisitions, Wrexham has upped the ante with the amount of traders selling goodies.  In the past the number of dealers seemed limited (probably due to space), there were far more this time.  Good news in a wallet endangering way.

Doesnt like Daleks
Meeting Abraham

 

The Prop Knife

Remember those trick knives you used to find in joke shops?  Plastic, with a blade that retracted into the hilt when you “stabbed” something?  We took one as a prop for my daughter, who was dressed as Wednesday Addams.  Turned out to be a cool idea.  Michael Cudlitz, bless him, allowed Eloise to “stab” him in the head, walker killer style, to “stop him coming back”.  From the dead that is, not back to Wales.  Michael played along brilliantly – I didn’t get a photo though, curses!

The trick knife also came in handy for a cool zombie killer pic featuring Mrs Platinum Al (see below).

With tons of guests, Q&As, memorabilia to peruse and other activities, there was plenty to see and do.

Of course there were loads of great Cosplayers at Wales Comic Con too.  I took a few photos, but the usual issues of time and the weather meant I didn’t get too many.  I’ve shared the pics here.  Unfortunately some photos didn’t turn out (as always), hopefully these shots will provide a flavour of the event.

Admiral Ackbar
Joker
Cool!
Leeloo
Hela

Thanks again to these amazing people, who have created fantastic costumes and let their creativity flow.  Thanks for allowing me to take pictures and more power to you!

If Wales Comic Con keeps developing as it has, then 2018 should be even bigger and better.  The fact that the organisers can entice such amazing guests is fantastic.  Let’s hope the success continues.

The Wales Comic Con website is here.

The Return of Wales Comic Con 2015

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_4591

Wales Comic Con – Sunday 29th November 2015

Glyndwr University, Wrexham

Back in April, my family and I attended the first Wales Comic Con of the year, held at Glyndwr University in Wrexham.  However just one day was not enough – November saw a second event in a similar vein.

So that meant star guests signing, merch for sale and dozens of cosplayers – all gathered together for a fun day.  Whatever you’re fan of, from the realms of film, television or comic books; be it sci-fi, fantasy, or other genre – there was something there for everyone.

Leia and Fett
Vic Rattlehead
Nick Fury
Deadpool
Halloween Jedi
Family portrait!
Disney princesses
Leia and Elsa

At the previous event, we were lucky to have some stunning warm weather.  No such luck this time – the rain lashed down and the wind blew mercilessly.  Even for November, this weather wasn’t great.  No matter though, the atmosphere at the event was still every bit as sunny as previous.  Quite surprisingly, everyone’s spirits were high and there was still an air of excitement.

Comic Con was largely about Star Wars for my family, with my daughter Eloise dressed as Princess Leia in classic A New Hope style outfit.  She had a fantastic time having photos taken, and running after stormtroopers trying to shoot them (with a blaster from my collection!).  Meeting Chewbacca was also a highlight.

Natasha, Scott, Elf
V
Cap
Family Portrait 2!
Pris
Wonder Woman
Join the Empire or else!
Incredible!

The costumes were varied and impressive – though due to the weather, lack of time and a technical fault my photos were limited.  Which was a shame as there were many more photos I’d have liked to take.

So another great event at Wrexham, and an excellent afternoon out.  We’ll definitely be back for more next time.

The Wales Comic Con website is here.

Its a trap!
Princesses
Grotbags!
Captured!
Jurassic Park patrol
Ghost Rider
Windy

Star Wars Spin Off Movies – part 2

Posted on by
Reply

Way back at the start of 2015, I wrote an article speculating about the content of new Star Wars films.  Not Episode VII, which we know is just a few short months away.  Rather, I was intrigued by the “spin off” movies that would focus on characters and events within the Star Wars galaxy, but not directly within the continuity of the major films.

Of course we now know that these “spin offs” will be called Star Wars Anthology movies.  The first film we will see is “Rogue One”, directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Godzilla) and centred on the adventures of resistance fighters, stealing the plans for the first Death Star.

There are also plans for a Han Solo movie, telling of his early exploits before the events of Episode IV.  Those of you who read my original blog on this topic may remember that a solo Solo movie was considered back then.

So with that earlier success in mind, here are a few more ideas for Star Wars stand alone movies I would like to see:

Rogue Squadron

I’m assuming that “Rogue One” will not be related to legendary rebel pilots Rogue Squadron.  A film exploring the adventures of Wedge Antilles and comrades would therefore be pretty cool.  It would need to be set around the time of the original trilogy, tying into events as the Rebel Alliance fight against the Galactic Empire.  No thoughts on a new Wedge yet, but I’m working on it.

Lando Calrissian

One thing that currently troubles me about Episode VII is the total lack of Lando Calrissian.  The other major players are present and correct (except Denis Lawson/Wedge, but more fool him), so where’s Lando?  I’d love to see how the biggest scoundrel in the galaxy managed to “acquire” Cloud City.  Think Oceans Eleven style heist movie maybe?  But who to play Lando…

Mace Windu

Surely Samuel L Jackson would be up for his own stand alone movie, starring the enigmatic but under used master Jedi?  Hell, make it into a Clone Wars movie and get Ewan McGregor in as Obi Wan too.  This one HAS to happen – we saw hardly any Clone Wars on film.  Tarantino to direct.

Jabba the Hutt

Why not dive head first into the seedy Star Wars underworld with a film about intergalactic crime lord Jabba the Hutt?  Intrigue and menace would be the order of the day, with the big old slug up to loads of nefarious exploits to maintain his criminal empire.  Scorsese to direct; Robert De Niro as the voice of Jabba; Ray Liotta as Bib Fortuna and Joe Pesci as Salacious Crumb (obviously).

Admiral Ackbar

Just how did Ackbar get to command the Rebel Fleet, what are his experiences and motivations?  This could explore the struggle against the Empire from another angle, and also show how the Rebel Alliance developed to topple it.  You can guess the tagline.

Any more ideas for Star Wars Anthology movies?  Who should direct or star in them?  Leave a comment below if you have a suggestion…

You can read Star Wars Spin Off Movies – part 1 here.