Category Archives: SWEU

Origins Day Four Recap: Q&A With Mike Stackpole

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The last day at Origins was a brief one, mostly due to the fact that the convention wraps up a little after mid-day. In all, the whole affair was an enjoyable experience (after I figured out how their bizarre event ticketing system worked). While it seems a little odd to attend a game convention to talk to notable Expanded Universe authors, Origins turned out to be a fantastic place to discuss Star Wars with both notable figures and fans.

But beyond the games and the panels, it was a great chance to hang out with some cool people. I had the chance to chat things up with Tracy and the rest of the Club Jade folks as well Rachael from Galactic Drift. Hanging out with two good friends of mine (and using that as an excuse to see The Avengers for a seventh time) was a blast. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back next year. We’ll see if we can get Shane, Emily, and Nanci up here as well.

But enough rambling. Before heading off to the airport, I sat in on a Q&A with Mike Stackpole. Highlights below the jump!

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Origins Day Three Recap: More with Allston, Zahn, and Stackpole

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Day three at the Origins Game Fair brings more discussions from Expanded Universe authors Timothy Zahn and Aaron Allston as well as a reading session from Mike Stackpole. No game recommendations today, but I’ll try and get back onto the dealer floor tomorrow to play test one more before heading home.

To the jump!

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X-Wing Retrospective Part 1: Rogue Squadron

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 If you listen to podcast here at Tosche Station, (and if you do, great, if you don’t, why not?) you’ve heard that in honor of the coming latest addition to the fantastic X-Wing series, Mercy Kill, we’re presenting you a retrospective of the series.  It will provide a great opportunity for those of us who haven’t read the books in a very long time to refamiliarize ourselves with it.  That is actually my own situation—I love these books but somehow I haven’t read them for what must have been a solid decade.

I imagine that there are plenty of you out there that are regulars here at the site that have read my prior material and you’re worrying.  Why is the snarky, jaded guy reviewing the first part of this?  Is he going to rip it apart?  Will he ruin these books for me?

Yes.  I mean no.  Very no.  I love these books and I have an even  better perspective on them now.  And by now, I mean, after I’ve been looking at some of the most poorly written books in the entire saga. I know what bad Star Wars looks like.  This isn’t that.  Praise the Force!

So, without further adieu, X-Wing: Rogue Squadron.

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Origins Day One Recap: Writing Advice, Mara’s Death, and a Whole Bunch of EU Goodness

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The second half of the day brought all sorts of star Wars Expanded Universe goodness. Authors Timothy Zahn, Mike Stackpole, and Aaron Allston were on hand to discuss everything from the writing process to Star Wars. Highlights below the jump!

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Origins Game Fair Coverage This Week

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The Origins Game Fair in Columbus is this weekend and as it so happens, I’m going to be there. Keep an eye here on the blog and on our Twitter account for news, tidbits, and fun from the convention.

Notable guests in attendance include actors Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day. There’s also a host of great authors in the lineup such as Bryan Young, Timothy Zahn, Michael Stackpole and Origins Guest of Honor Aaron Allston. All of them will be holding reading sessions to show up new and upcoming books and will also be part of several panels throughout the event.

Ninth Batch of ‘EG to Warfare’ Endnotes Talks Baron Fel

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Author Jason Fry released the ninth set of endnotes from Essential Guide to Warfare this morning. This week he discusses being in the Empire’s Service and dives into the War Portrait of Baron Fel as well as what went into the Han Solo section of the book.

Fel’s one of the more interesting EU characters, and I struggled with how to do justice to him, worried that a recitation of his career would be flat and dull compared to Dark Horse’s X-Wing #25, which I think is one of the greatest tales of the EU. I cracked the puzzle – or at least I hope I did — with the by-now-familiar tactic of taking a step back and seeing him through other eyes. Wedge was the logical choice to tell Fel’s story, as he’s not only a fellow pilot but also a fellow Corellian.

For more, head on over to Jason Fry’s Tumblr.

Replace the Catsuit: Costume Entry from Blizz

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Over the weekend, we got our first costume entry for the Replace the Catsuit contest. This one comes from reader Blizz. She says that this outfit was based on Mara’s appearance at the end of The Last Command graphic novel.

Lightsaber? Functional yet good looking jacket? Coruscant background? Nanci and I talked about this entry on the latest podcast episode we recorded and we both agree, this costume is great.

Thanks for submitting, Blizz!

Trope Tuesday: Deadpan Snarker

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"Two fighters against a Star Destroyer!?"

Another Tuesday, another highlighted trope. Every week we venture into the black hole that is TV Tropes and investigate a theme or device that makes the entertainment we love work. Up on the docket is a favorite of mine: Deadpan Snarker.

A character given to gnomic, sarcastic, sometimes bitter, occasionally whimsical asides.

The Deadpan Snarker exists to deflate pomposity, point out the unlikelihood ofcertainplans, and deliver funny lines. Typically a Deadpan Snarker isthe most cynical supporting character. In most cases, it is implied that the snarker would make a good leader, strategist, or consultant given their ability to instantly see the flaws in a constructed plan. More often than not, their innate snarkiness is the only thing preventing the other characters from comprehending this for themselves. In other cases, the Deadpan Snarker resorts to sarcasm because they’re the Only Sane Man.

The Star Wars Expanded Universe has a number of these characters. Most notable is Mara Jade, the snarky foil that Luke Skywalker so desperately needed in his life. Of course, their son Ben takes after mom. One of my favorite lines from him in Fate of the Jedi occured after Luke had relayed some stories of personal failure.

Ben: You know, it gives me hope that you screwed up so badly and so consistently as a kid, Dad.

From the X-Wing novels, you’ve also got Ton Phanan and Hobbie Klivian. The latter of which played the role of Deadpan Snarker perfectly in Starfighters of Adumar. A non-Star Wars example I’ve enjoyed lately was the character Fran Kranz played in Cabin in the Woods. That’s a case of mixing genre savvy with deadpan snarker.

Replace the Catsuit: Art Entries from Victoria

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We’ve got another pair of entries for the Replace the Catsuit contest! These come from Victoria and I’ll let her describe them for you.

The first picture (“Rogue Skywalkers”) is an illustration of Mara and Luke in Rogue pilot fatigues heading to/from their star fighters. I knew Mara was a talented pilot and even though she was probably not of Luke’s caliber, I’m sure the two of them had plenty of flights with one chasing the other, trying to prove which one of them was the best. And even though I don’t think she was ever officially a part of the Rogues, it’s hard for me to think that the members of the Squadron would not consider her at least an honorary member. 

The second picture (“Formal Jedi Gown”) came to mind when I thought of Mara being the type of woman who didn’t mind being a girl and wearing pretty gowns every once in a while. This dress would be something she would wear if she needed to attend a formal event as a Jedi – not necessarily in her robes or flight suit – and she wanted to impress others. Also, it could be something she would have worn to her Jedi wedding in the comic “Union” (I know, she’s wearing something different in the illustration, but this is my vision haha) when she and Luke had their private wedding. 

Thanks for submitting these, Victoria! I dig both of them, but I really love the flightsuit.

We’ll have another entry up tomorrow morning. Remember, you’ve got until August 15th to submit costumes and art for the contest.