The Fanboys Controversy

Why is it that the media doesn't fact-check anymore? I'm not even going to go into the details about the current controversy surrounding the re-editing of the yet-to-be-released film Fanboys, but you can easily Google the story to play catch up. I'm just venting a little here as I feel that a few inconsiderate Star Wars fans (who claim to be 501st members), chose their words poorly and have now dragged the 501st Legion into this debacle. Blogs and/or entertainment "news" sites are running amok, exploiting the current events with a "geeks gone wild" theme, and naming the 501st as the group "spearheading" the grassroots anti-Weinstein campaign. Would it really kill them to just e-mail the 501st and ask if we, as an organization, are really behind this? Due to the overwhelming number of reports now slandering the Legion's name (and a phone call from NPR), we were forced to post an official statement which can be seen on 501st.com among other places:

The 501st Legion is not involved as an organization in any protests, boycotts, or movements related to the film Fanboys, nor do we have an opinion or position on the film (which has not yet been released). A few of our more than 4,000 members in 47 countries participated in the project, and accordingly may have their personal opinions about the current issues surrounding the project. But their participation in this film was not coordinated through or sanctioned by the Legion. Our organization is an all-volunteer costuming club that focuses on official Star Wars promotions and charity work. Mounting protests is counter to the Legion's mission and would detract from the time and energy that we currently devote to more meaningful causes. If you would like to learn more about the 501st and what we do, please feel free to contact us.

It's worth mentioning that the "masterminds" behind the Weinstein protests have not revealed themselves at this time, nor proven that they are truly members of the 501st. As for me, I'm anxious to see the film in any form. It's been years since we first heard news that some of our Legion members got a chance to participate in the film. For old time's sake, here's the movie trailer from 2006:

More Commercial Stormtrooper Armor Coming

I posted a while back about the Rubies Supreme Stormtrooper costume that's coming out later this year. Jez from StarWarsHelmets.com got in touch with Rubies and acquired some better images of the promotional shot for curious fans. I'm still concerned that the material may not be of reliable "trooping quality" and that the "standard" size will mislead buyers into thinking that this is a ready-to-wear costume. Even if the quality is good, the wearer will need to customize and modify their armor to fit their body type unless you happen to be the exact height/weight/shape of the model that this costume was based upon. But enough about Rubies and their "Halloween" costumes...the bigger news is that a high-end collectible company known as Museum Replicas/Windlass Studios has also acquired the license to produce Stormtrooper armor (among other Star Wars costumes). This company seems to lean toward movie replicas that are meant more for display or for the discerning costumer who can afford to pay a higher price for a better product. No photos or price points have been revealed so far, but we are told to expect something at San Diego Comic-Con in late July. I am also arranging for a 501stCast interview with a representative from Museum Replicas to see if we can get answers to all the burning questions---including clarification on a statement that they have been working with the 501st to develop the armor. Meanwhile, here's a link the press release and an initial interview.

Taking a Break from Legion Duties...Or am I?

Each year, the 501st Legion elects its Legion Commanding Officer (LCO)---the equivalent of a President and CEO for this fine volunteer costuming organization. The LCO then appoints his or her second-in-command, the Legion Executive Officer (LXO), as well as a staff of administrative officers which include my previous title of Legion Webmaster (LWM). Sometimes there is carryover from the previous administration, but it is not required by our Legion Charter. This year, 2008, will be a busy one for me personally with the construction of a new farmhouse in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, new job responsibilities, several out-of-state family vacations (including Star Wars Weekends and Dragon*Con), assisting an ailing father-in-law, and more. While I thoroughly enjoy helping fellow costumers with questions and problems they encounter on various 501st websites, the role is a huge time-sucker and requires daily attention to matters both public and private. Really, it has been less like a hobby and more like a job---except there is no pay other than the pure satisfaction of helping others. So, with a reliable replacement identified, I can now feel free to focus on family, job, and personal projects including several more half-completed costumes (AT-ST Driver, Tusken Raider, and my wife's Padme Naboo Pilot), some 501st merchandise projects, and the 501stCast. Hardly sounds like time away from the Legion at all...

LASIK: The Ultimate Mod

Any respectable Stormtrooper is always tinkering with their costume, whether it's adding new parts or improving old ones. The colloquial term for a modification is "mod". I have a whole section of the old site dedicated to trooper mods that make things easier, better, or more fun. Well, in late 2006 I made the decision to make what I would call "the ultimate mod," laser eye surgery. While some troopers deal with wearing eyeglasses while trooping, they are not comfortable given the confines of a Stormtrooper helmet, and they can fog up easily. For five years, I endured the increasingly aggravating use of rigid gas-permeable contact lenses beneath my helmet to deal with my nearsightedness. I was always concerned with how long I would be in costume since I knew the lenses became more irritating with time, and the sweat that inevitably ran down into my eyes didn't help the situation. I inquired amongst some other trooper friends and coworkers and decided LASIK (or more specifically, IntraLASIK) would be right for me. Fortunately, my eye doctor concurred (note that not everyone is a good candidate depending on the shape and condition of your eyes). This was the first pre-meditated elective surgery I've ever had, but I don't consider it cosmetic as much as functional (pity my insurance company doesn't see it the same way). The outpatient surgery was much simpler than I thought it would be and after 20 minutes of slicing and burning my eyes (yes, there is an odor of burning eye tissue), my vision was corrected to 20/15. Surprisingly, the procedure was fairly painless and the painkillers took the edge off. However, I must admit that the first 12 hours after the surgery are not fun. Think sand in your eyes. Light...any light...is blindingly painful and you need to force your eyelids open to administer prescription eyedrops. You may also experience some blurriness, starbursts, and halos around bright lights which can last several months. Even today, my eyes are dryer than they ever have been. While many would consider the procedure itself a bit unsettling, the end result was still the best $3000 I ever spent and just in time for my participation in the 2007 Rose Parade. Remember that LASIK is not for everyone so please consult one or more vision specialists before making the decision to have your eyes operated on!

Off the Shelf Stormtrooper Armor

My posts on various costuming message boards today began with "This is either the news we've been waiting for...or the news we've been fearing." You see, for over a decade, die-hard fans have been sculpting, forming and casting their own replica Stormtrooper armor in garages and basements around the world. And, frankly, we've gotten quite good at it. Scores of trooper experts spend countless hours debating over the minutiae of what constitutes a completely screen-accurate Stormtrooper. At a glance, we can tell you which Star Wars film a particular armor part comes from. It's a sickness. Well, now the corporate entity of Rubies Costume Company (who currently holds the license for Star Wars costumes) enters the scene with their $850 answer to every fan's desire to be a Stormtrooper. Although we grass-roots costumers hold no rights to the intellectual property of Lucasfilm, it kind of feels like someone just signed the deal to build a Super Wal-Mart next to our favorite Mom & Pop grocery, the difference being that the fan-made suits are much more accurate in appearance and generally less expensive. The jury will be out until we've actually seen and touched one of these Supreme Edition Stormtrooper costumes in person, but Rubies does not have a great track record for the discerning fans as witnessed in discussion threads like this one. Click here to take a look at what the costuming community is already calling a "craptastic" suit of armor.

Just Picture Them in Their Underwear

What do Stormtroopers wear beneath that shiny white armor? Even among the seasoned ranks of the 501st, that question makes for awkward discussion. Well, as an integral part of any trooper's wardrobe, I'm here to reveal my personal secret. First, let me explain that a black bodysuit is necessary to complete the proper look of a Stormtrooper where there are gaps between the armor. Second, I don't like to think that any troopers "go commando" beneath that bodysuit...not even if they are a Republic Commando. I've tried boxers, but they bunch up. I've tried briefs, but the cotton doesn't breathe well. I've tried boxer-briefs...the worst of both worlds. So, one day my wife and I were perusing a camping/outdoors shop and she recommended these Give-N-Go shorts that were supposedly made for high-energy outdoor activities. They are lightweight, moisture-wicking, odor-resistant and very travel friendly in that you can hand-rinse and air dry in a matter of hours (this works out great for multi-day trooping events where you don't want to pack too much luggage or do laundry on vacation). These Ex Officio Give-N-Go shorts come in boxer or brief styles, and they even have some for the lady troopers. So, if you see me at an event, and my menacing skull-like frown makes you nervous, just picture me in my underwear. For more about the bodysuits worn over the underwear, click here and scroll down to Bodysuit.

The 501stCast Won't Stop

Well, it would seem that we are cranking out 501st podcasts faster than I can remember to blog about them here on my own site! We're already working on 501stCast episode 9 now, and have also debuted a fun new game show called Stump the Trooper where we test the knowledge of our 501st members and give out prizes to our friends on myspace.com/501stcast. The widget on the right column is your easiest way to listen from tk899.com. For the fastest distribution and notification, you can always subscribe to the podcast RSS feed through any podcatcher. Am I speaking a foreign language? The podcast feed is "Really Simple Syndication" which allows you to use a "podcatcher" or "aggregator" such as iTunes to automatically download each new episode as soon as it is posted. Here's a list of podcatchers (most, if not all, are free): http://www.podcatchermatrix.org/ Now go forth, and tell your friends.

501stCast Episode 6

The latest 501stCast is now available at 501st.com/podcast (or conveniently through the 501stCast player on the right column of this page). Since this was Episode VI, we gave the show a title that alluded to the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi and joked about how it would be 100% Ewok-Free (us troopers are still bitter about that whole "defeated by teddy bears" thing). As we started reviewing the stories in this podcast, it became evident that there were a few unexpected Ewok references so we had to change the title to 97% Ewok-Free to comply with galactic "truth-in-advertising" laws.

Holiday Greetings from Around the World

Back on November 14, 2007, I posted an internal request to the Commanding Officers of every unit of the 501st Legion to send me their New Year's Greetings in their native languages. I thought it would make a nice minicast for the 501stCast. Additionally, we needed something to round up the past year's greatest accomplishments of the 501st...the 118th Tournament of Roses Parade (I was there, baby!), Celebration IV and Celebration Europe, recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records, a trooper on every continent...the list goes on and on! Anyway, I received 29 different recorded audio messages from around the globe which I compiled into a single mp3 and released on New Year's Day. While the request was for a no-frills "Happy New Year from (insert your 501st unit name here)", I ended up with some very creative submissions, some of which I was able to recycle and edit into the overall message. Click here to check it out or just use the 501stCast widget in the righthand column to listen without leaving this site. Happy New Year from TK-899, a proud member of the international 501st Legion!

501stCast Episodes 4 and 5

Where is the time going?! Okay, the fourth and fifth episodes of our official 501st Legion podcast are now available for download at 501st.com/podcast. We've done our first "celebrity interview" with Star Wars author Karen Traviss (of the Republic Commando series) but it wasn't edited in time for Episode 5, so listen for it in Episode 6 in January 2008. I'm also doing some Skype (you do have Skype, don't you?) interviews with 501st members who participated in the New Year's Day Rose Parade in 2007 for a special retrospective 501stCast episode. Hopefully this will be out during the first week of January as well. Honestly, you should just subscribe to the feed instead of relying on me to blog about it here, but since I like to experiment with new things I just added a 501stCast widget to the sidebar for your convenience. Just select the podcast episode and press the play button (you may have to wait for it to load 100% before you get audio).