GENERATION SKYWALKER: STAR WARS

LETRASET STATIONERY ORIGINAL ARTWORK DISCOVERY

If ever there were Star Wars items Craig and Mark dreamed of turning up, it would be these. 

Join them for this special one-off sofa chat as they discuss the pre-production find of their lives – from stumbling on an auction listing that seemed too good to be true and building a war chest, to some tense phone bidding and ultimately taking delivery of some of the most amazing original Star Wars artwork of the vintage era.

It's a candid conversation that explores how connected they are to these items on more levels than just childhood nostalgia, and an opportunity for you to hear about the artwork in more detail.

This represents a landmark discovery for the hobby and a very personal achievement for two incredibly passionate collectors. Some things are meant to be.

There's a video version of this episode you can watch here.

And for a more in-depth look at the pieces with lots of added insight from the world of graphic design and print production in the late 20th century, check out the blog that accompanies this video here.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : EPISODE 17 : THE EMPEROR, HIS DIGNITARY AND HIS ROYAL GUARD

Those Old Fossils in back with another absolutely stellar episode, packed with nothing but pure vintage goodness.

Thanks to the knowledge and help of Daryl Whitlow, Chris Moorehead, Ron Salvatore, Mark Andrews, Mark Baker, Jamie Acott and Will Mellish, the Generation Skywalker boys take a deep dive on the Emperor, his Dignitary and his Royal Guard.

Ron journeys into the realm of the 'Bald Emperor' prototype and throne room options whilst also declaring his disdain for any name other than 'The Emperor', don't call him Palpatine and don't even dream of saying Sheev!

Jez gets Daryl up at 7am to learn all about his passion for The Emperor and later chats with Chris about his fantastic ERG collection, you won't want to miss either interview.

Stuart also announces his undying love for the Imperial Dignitary and appears to be well on his way to becoming the seminal Imp Dig Focus Collector.

The Variant Villains give us the downlow on variant options for all 3 figures and the episode is completed with Stu, Craig and Dan finding a whole mix of Beyond the Toys wonders.

It's a feast of greatness covering Imperial badness. It's Sith Hot!

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 20

It’s time to hang out, chat modern Star Wars, and let Stu, Dan and Craig be your guides through all the hottest news and announcements from Hasbro, Hot Toys, Lego, Regal Robot, Gentle Giant and many more.

 

We discuss the latest developments at Hasbro Pulse and what that might mean to independent retailers, catch up with the highlights from D23 and Hasbro Pulse Con and have a little reminisce about Toys R Us, in light of their recent online relaunch in the UK.

 

Things take festive turn with a look at some of the best Star Wars holiday offerings for this year and some recommendations of the best Star Wars advent calendars for you to get ordering before December.

 

From high-end replicas, to pocket money novelties – there’s something for every modern collector.

THE COMMITTEE : ON-SCREEN DUOS

Join Stu, Craig, Jez and guests Marc Hockley and Peter Lee as they discuss the best on-screen, one-to-one relationships in the Star Wars galaxy.

In this new format show, you can watch the Top 10 on YouTube and TikTok, but here on the full podcast you can hear us discuss Star Wars duos in a committee!

Find out which pairings were considered and rejected, who's arguments swung the voting and hear Jez make his passionate case for Frog Lady and her husband.

Do you agree with our choices?

Who would you have liked to have seen included?

Fancy joining The Committee?

Get in touch and let us know.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS EPISODE 16 : DARTH VADER WITH BILL McBRIDE

Bill McBride is universally recognised as THE Darth Vader collector.  The lifelong Star Wars fan holds the Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Darth Vader Collection in the World’.

Generation Skywalker were delighted to have Bill join the team for this month's extra special deep dive into the Dark Lord of the Sith.

We would be honoured if you’d join us and listen to the probing questions on all aspects of Bill's life as a Star Wars fan and a variety of his collecting highlights.

Bill shares some incredible collecting stories and covers all aspects of his Vader Vault from his mushroom tipped DT to his treasured Ralph McQuarrie Party Favours and from his 1978 Darth Vader beer to his 1999 Japanese Motorcycle Jacket. The less said about the Darth Condoms and Darth Vader Mr. Potato the better! The interviews are split into 2: ‘Bill & collecting’ and later in the show ‘Bill’s collection’. Plus, there is a Rapid-Fire round at the end of the show to put him on the spot.

The team is also blessed to host two small sections from the Variant Villains crew who open our minds to the plethora of differences in: figures, capes and sabers. A fascinating insight.

Jez, Dan, Craig and Stu also cover a variety of beyond the toys Darth Vader items to ensure that the greatest film villain in the Galaxy is truly honoured.

The enhanced YouTube version of this great show has just begun will be out towards the end of September.

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 19

Beginning with a peek at what contemporary Star Wars collectibles the team has been buying, this episode of our Modern collecting roundtable show takes a look at what happened when Generation Skywalker attended the recent London Film and Comic Con as part of the Star Wars Zone, as well as exploring the supply, quality, packaging and price issues that are angering parts of the Hasbro collecting community.

And of course we run through all the fresh releases from The Vintage Collection, Black Series, Hot Toys, Lego, Funko and beyond.

Where will Dan find the room for a 4 foot N1 Starfighter? Just how far will Jez's 'one from everything' rule extend? Will Stu be buyng a petwer Fett bust for his mahogany panelled snooker room?

Click play and find out.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : EPISODE 15 : A WALRUS, A REBEL, A BIKER AND A DROID

Join Jez, Stu and Craig along with collecting powerhouse and Star Wars community favourite, Lee Bullock forming the round table.

Alex Pardi joins us to talk all about his Cantina Collection, Ron Salvatore pops in to wax lyrical about his love of Walrus Man (and his collecting pet peeve). Andy Goulding talks 'Hoth Soldier' as part of his Rebel Soldier focus. (He says he's not a focus collector but he's fairly focused).

We also discuss the Biker Scout and Pop-Up Lightsaber R2-D2, with the Variant Villain team (Mark Andrews, Will Mellish, Jamie Acott and Thomas John) joining the crew throughout to run through the figure variants of each of the four chosen characters.

Is this our most vintage figure focused podcast yet? It's certainly our longest episode but it's pure vintage and nothing else.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : VINTAGE STAR WARS WILD FIND OF DREAMS

 

This is the yard sale find of dreams. Join Jez as he interviews lifelong fan and collector Paul Jason who has recently managed to get himself an incredible find of vintage Star Wars.

 

Paul’s find gives everyone ‘A New Hope’ that the vintage we crave is still out there to be found.

(Also available as an enhanced podcast on the Generation Skywalker YouTube channel.)

A LOOK AT OBI-WAN KENOBI

Re-live the highs and lows of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series with the Generation Skywalker team as we sit down to discuss the entire six-part story in one, in-depth, spoiler-filled show.

We leave no force-lifted stone unturned as we get into the themes, fan controversies and Easter eggs, and breakdown what individual elements really shone and what left some of us cold.

Cross referencing IMDB ratings with our own social media polls, there’s a general consensus, but not everyone on the team sees things the same way. 

It was awesome to see Anakin and Obi-Wan at it again, but have lightsaber stabs lost their sting? Is there more to NED-B? And did the discussion around Leia’s ladder need to have quite so much screen time?

Listen in and let us know your thoughts.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : EPISODE 14

Those Old Fossils – our vintage collecting show – is here with the first of our Four Figure Focuses.

This month an incredible nine members of the global Star Wars community join Jez, Stu, Dan and Marc Hockley as they delve into: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Dengar, Anakin Skywalker and everyone’s favourite peg warmer Klaatu.

Matt George drops in for a brilliant interview on his beloved Ben Kenobi, giving some incredible insights to pre-production collecting. Jez discovers a brilliant Facebook Group dedicated to Klaatu (The Klaatorium – Star Wars Klaatu and Skiff Guard Memorial & Cocktail Lounge) and interviews three of its most enthusiastic members: Paul James, Barry Lewton and Dave Moore.

Ron Salvatore drops in with his brilliant take on Anakin Skywalker and Mark Andrews, Will Mellish and Jamie Acott from Variant Villains give the lowdown on each figure.

Lots of voices, lots of knowledge – all looking at these characters, action figures and the Beyond the Toys items that they inspired. Did we miss anything? Let us know and get involved.

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 18

We’re back for our regular round-up of modern Star Wars toys and collectibles. And this time we have a special guest.

Toy shop owner, event organiser and all-round fan ambassador, Dave Tree joins Dan and Jez to look at the new releases, as well as offering up some fascinating insights into the workings of Hasbro and the toy industry in general.

This episode covers all the latest from our favourite licences and a few that have the team scratching their heads. What do we think to Haslab’s Reva Lightsaber project? How many retro prototype variants is too many retro prototype variants? And will anyone be ordering the £2k Lladro porcelain Vader?

Dive in to find out and hear more about the Star Wars Fan Zone at London Film & Comic Con and where Generation Skywalker fits in to three exciting days at Olympia.

STAR WARS CELEBRATION : A CELEBRATION & SWCA 2022 REVISTED

Fresh from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022, Craig sits with Stu, Mark and Jez to discuss our collective experiences of past Celebrations and highlights of the one just gone.

Themed around the latest output from Disney, vintage and modern collectibles, social events and swag – it's a jam-packed show that takes in the key live panels, The Mandalorian Experience exhibition, Collecting Track, the Generation Skywalker-sponsored Hop Wars craft beer event and all the action from the show floor and beyond.

What was the first post-pandemic Celebrations actually like? What new Star Wars playing cards do Theory 11 have up their sleeves? And what are everyone’s plans for London 2023?

Star Wars events don’t come any bigger. Post show round-ups don’t come any richer.

THE JON AVES INTERVIEW

 

Generation Skywalker is all about passion, and fans and collectors don’t come more driven than our latest guest – Jon Aves.

 

In this interview, Jon takes us through some of his memorable Star Wars experiences, from trekking across the desert visiting the film sets of Tunisia, to meeting cast and crew to collect autographs on a very special quad poster in an incredibly short space of time.

But it's his stand-out Palitoy collection that really deserves your attention.

Quality like this doesn’t come without a huge amount of discipline, patience and tenacity, so sit back and marvel at some great collecting tales and guided tour of some world-class carded action figures and a truly outstanding array of unused boxed ships and playsets.

THOSE OLD FOSSILS : EPISODE 13

Those Old Fossils is back after a bit of a break, with a renewed focus and exciting plans for future shows.

Join us to find out what Jez has in store with his new figure-focused section, then settle in for more collecting stories from the team, a round-up of recent highlights from three major auctions and a look at the Palitoy Facebook Group hashtag that's got everyone posting.

Plus, there’s an exciting announcement about the next event we’ll be attending, that you really won’t want to miss.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES MONTH : EPILOGUE

After spending 31 days looking at a whole variety of topics in relation to Attack of the Clones, the Generation Skywalker boys reassemble one last time for Anniversary month to discuss what they've learnt, what they've learnt to love and what they've learnt to tolerate.

Have their feelings for Attack of the Clones changed?  You'll be surprised!

Enjoy the show.

THE COMMITTEE : TOP 10 MOMENTS FROM ATTACK OF THE CLONES

The Committee is a new style show format from Generation Skywalker.

Each Committee Show will have a topic, a Top 10 countdown and the discussion that led to the order and what was included in that countdown to begin with.

In this pilot show, Craig, Jez and Stuart debate the most memorable moments from Attack of the Clones, with some very differing views.

The Top 10 highlights that the Generation Skywalker boys like their Star Wars dark.

Don't agree with the countdown?  Head over to the We Are Generation Skywalker Facebook page and join in the debate. 

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 17 : THE TOYS OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

Despite being the first theatrically released Star Wars movie not to have a dedicated toy line, Hasbro went all out for Attack of the Clones.

33/4 figures led with innovative action features and were loaded with accessories; the ships, vehicles and creatures were packed full of play value, and the Geonosis Arena playset was one of the best in the company’s history.

Launched at a time when background characters received as much love as the heroes, the team take a look at some of the hits and misses from Hasbro and beyond – starting with the very first sneak peak figures and bringing us right up to date with the latest announcements from Hot Toys.

THE COSTUMES OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

We’ve looked at ‘art’, we’ve listened to ‘sound’, and now, as we move towards the end of our special Attack of the Clones month, we are turning our attention to another standout element of the movie – 'costumes'.

Stu, Craig and Dan explore the work of Trisha Biggar and Ian McCaig and their teams, as they appraise a number of key looks from both an ‘in-universe and 'real world' perspective.

It’s not every show where we get to talk 'antique lace', ‘the male gaze’ and ‘cosplay’ – so join us as we explore the costumes of a selection of key players and background characters, and of course, have a good rifle through Padme’s eclectic wardrobe. 

THE SOUNDS OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

George Lucas and Skywalker Sound live by the rule ‘sound is half the picture’.

Join us as we look, well… listen to the wonderful work of Ben Burtt, Matt Wood and the masters at Skywalker Sound for a show that takes you deep into the incredible sounds of the Attack of the Clones.

Discover how dolphins, vintage aircraft and mating penguins all played their part in creating the soundscape of the galaxy, as Jez leads an exploration that will change your perception of the movie forever. 

ATTACK OF THE CLONES : ACROSS THE STARS AND BACK

Star Wars : Episode II : Attack of the Clones premiered 20 years ago today. 

We have been celebrating all month, but as an extra special treat we've curated and assembled a collection of behind the scenes clips, archive news and TV footage into one mega tribute to a chapter in the Skywalker story that has sat too long in the shadow of more revered movies.

Come with us back to 2002 for a journey across the stars. 

And back.



THE ART OF ATTACK OF THE CLONES

 

In 1977 a Star Destroyer flew over our heads and the Hildebrandt brothers turned in an mesmerising poster to promote a new space fantasy movie. Star Wars has continued to push the limits of visual artistry on and off screen ever since.

 

And Attack of the Clones was no exception.

 

Stu, Jez and Craig go deep on this one, as they explore the marketing campaign – from the teaser poster and Drew Struzan's stunning artwork, to the unusual strategy and some of the clever tactics employed to encourage people around the world into cinemas.

 

The team also look at the concept work of Doug Chiang and his team, examine the influence of Art Nouveau on the film and cherry pick some of the best licensed and unlicensed art inspired by the movie.

 

Checking out the enhanced version of this one is very much recommended.

THE MATTHEW SCHOENFELDER INTERVIEW

Episode II? A missed opportunity to be brilliant?

Not for Prequel and Attack of the Clones superfan Matthew Schoenfelder.

Matthew joins Stuart to discuss why this film works for him and why he feels the need to defend the prequels on social media at every given opportunity.

It's a refreshing discussion with a fan who sees the positives in ALL Star Wars, even if it's sometimes flawed.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES COMMENTARY

Join Stu, Jez, Craig and Dan for a big watch-along as we start to get into our special month of Attack of the Clones shows.

As longtime fans who are heavily invested in Star Wars, what exactly does everyone think to this film? Which bits work and which bits don’t? And what tidbits of info have stayed lodged in our brains all these years? 

Consider this your formal invitation to hang out with the boys for 2 hours and 25 minutes as they candidly air their views in real time.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES MONTH : PROLOGUE

May 2002 saw the release of the second chapter in the Skywalker saga, and Episode II : Attack of the Clones instantly rocketed to the bottom of a lot of fans’ lists of their favourite five Star Wars movies.

Its detractors are often quick to point at the bad dialogue, wooden acting and poor cgi, so why would Generation Skywalker dedicate a whole month to exploring a film most people are lukewarm about at best?

Because we we are convinced there’s more too it – things we’ve maybe missed and elements that certainly deserve closer examination with the hindsight of 20 years.

So join us as we set the the scene, with this short episode to kick-off 31 days of shows, unboxings and social posts that will explore the best and worst of the movie and its legacy.

Think you know Attack of the Clones? Think again.

THE MODERN WAY : EPISODE 16

Our modern collecting shows are always crammed with news and reviews of the latest Star Wars collectible releases – and this one is no exception. 

We have all the latest on Hasbro’s Star Wars licence renewal, a watch of the Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer, a look at how recent TV shows are affecting the prices of older toys, thoughts on our freshly landed Razor Crests and of course, a run down of what’s new from Hasbro, Lego, Sideshow and all the other things we like to chat about. 

So join us to hear Mark get nerdy over Nerf, Stu get geeky about new tikis, Craig get a teeny bit excited for tiny toys and for Dan's hot take on Hot Toys stands.

This is the Modern Way.