Star Wars exclusives and panels at SDCC 2018
It’s that time of year once again for the geek commemoration that is San Diego Comic Con, and what fanboy celebration would be complete without Star Wars. This year San Diego promises to be the biggest Comic Con to date with celebrities, panels, workshops and toy exclusives to make all Star Wars fans cheer and wallets cry out in agony like Han being tortured in Empire Strikes Back. Here’s some key exclusives and panels to check out at the Comic Con for those lucky enough to find themselves at San Diego.
The first one is a exclusive piece brought to us by the awesome Sideshow Collectibles, the Hot Toys Dark Side Version Anakin Skywalker. Sideshow pieces never fail to impress and if you can’t afford the $265.00 price tag on this wonderful piece of Star Wars Lore you can still check out and photograph other Star Wars pieces that Sideshow will have on display at their booth #1929. This piece is a must for any hardcore Revenge of the Sith fans with Anakin portrayed in the final scene with his battle with Obi-wan.
The second one is the Gentle Giant Boba Fett Exclusive Figure. The Galaxy’s favorite bounty hunter gets the 12” upgrade treatment. It’s been over 35 years since Boba made his appearance in the iconic franchise and this figure pays homage to his appearance in Return of the Jedi. Paying homage to his original toy sold out of the Return of the Jedi line back in the day. The jumbo sized figure comes with 5 points of articulation packaged in a nostalgia figure packaging all for $80.00 and can be located at the Gentle Giant booth #3513.
If your into exclusive art work, Russel Walks will be selling exclusive prints at the Trends booth #2913-D. Walk’s prints have been fan favorites for Star Wars fans. This years prints will be depicting the complete Star Wars eras. Each print has some of the central core characters that portray the Skywalker Story from the beginning Prequels to the current installment of Star Wars.
There are tons of Star Wars exclusives to find at San Diego from the Lego, Mattel, and Funko. However no other toy vendor has put more news out than Hasbro. Hasbro has been notorious for their San Diego Comic Con Exclusives. In order to get access to Hasbro exclusives many must first obtain special tickets to just get into line at the Hasbro booth. Hasbro has never failed to impress and this year is no exception. In total, Hasbro has four exclusive toys available at Comic Con this year. They highlight their offerings with the large size collectible of Chewbacca and the porgs, the black series Han Solo with Mynok and the Rey and Kylo Ren’s battle. The last two will be a popular get for black series collectors. For hardcore fans of the extended universe, however, we get a special nod to everyone’s favorite Star Wars archaeologist Doctor Aphra. The collector piece has Doctor Aphra and her droid assistants, BT-1 and 0-0-0 (Triple Zero). The Hasbro booth will be located at #3329 and any Star Wars fan will have to be ready to empty their wallets to get these four exclusives.
If toys and collectibles are not your bag there is going to be a lot of Star Wars content to be had this year with Panels and exhibits starting on Thurs and going through the weekend. Here’s some key ones not to miss out on.
The Lucasfilm Star Wars Pavilion, #2913
A key exhibit to check out on the show floor will be Lucasfilms massive booth, #2913. The Lucasfilm Star Wars Pavilion will be taking a large portion of the San Diego Comic-Con exhibit floor, and its home to lots of vendors selling very cool Star Wars merch and exclusives. StarWars.com reported that the “next docking bay for the traveling Millennium Falcon Experience — a stunning life-size replica of the iconic ship’s cockpit” — will be San Diego Comic-Con 2018. This will give fans everywhere the opportunity to step into the most iconic ship from a galaxy far, far, away.
THURSDAY JULY 19TH
What: The Clone Wars 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
When: 11:45am – 12:45pm
Where: Room 6BCF
Executive producer Dave Filoni and panelists look back on 10 years of the Emmy Award-winning series that expanded the Star Wars universe and introduced countless fan-favorite characters to a galaxy far, far away.
What: The 501st Legion: Star Wars Villainous Costuming
When: 08:00pm – 09:00pm
Where: Grand 1 & 2, Marriott Marquis
An introduction to the creation of fan-made villain costumes from all 10 Star Wars movies and beyond. Legion members from the Imperial Sands and Star Garrisons will provide an overview of the creative process that brings Stormtroopers, Tusken Raiders, Boba Fett, or Kylo Ren from the silver screen into reality. Dean Amstutz (ISG membership liaison) will discuss the membership journey, from initial interest through final approval. Kevin Weir (Imperial Surplus Armor and KW Designs owner) will relate his process for working with armor parts. Howard Smart (ISG member) will speak about small prop and soft costume construction. Sean Fields (Star Garrison member) will discuss 3D modeling and printing. Todd Mullin (ISG commanding officer) will moderate the panel and a Q&A session after the presentation.
FRIDAY JULY 20th
What: Star Wars Collectibles
When: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Where: Room 7AB
Hosted by Lucasfilm’s Brian Merten, this panel showcases all the coolest new and upcoming releases by Anovos, Bandai, eFX, Gentle Giant Studios, Kotobukiya, Sideshow Collectibles, and a surprise panelist. As always, the panel concludes with some very cool raffle prizes.
What: Behind the Design: Star Wars Fashion Collaborations
When: 12:00pm – 01:00pm
Where: Room 7AB
Star Wars has always been on the forefront of the “geek chic” fashion movement by bringing iconic characters and stories to life through the lens of modern fashion. Over the past decade, the portfolio of brand partnerships has grown significantly, allowing fans all over the world to celebrate their passion for the brand with more than just T-shirts. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the design and development process of Star Wars fashion and accessories with the creative leads of some of the most popular collaborations to date.
What: Hasbro Star Wars
When: 01:00pm – 02:00pm
Where: Room 7AB
Members of the Hasbro and Lucasfilm teams will discuss the popular Hasbro Star Wars line. Attendees will get an in-depth look at Hasbro’s latest action figure offerings. Word on the Holonet is there may also be a few surprises.
What: Disney/Lucasfilm Publishing: Stories from a Galaxy Far, Far Away!
When: 02:00pm – 03:00pm
Where: Room 7AB
Michael Siglain (director, creative: Disney-Lucasfilm Publishing) and surprise panelists share previews and exclusive announcements about what should be on your must-read list from Star Wars publishing.
What: The Science of Star Wars
When: 04:00pm – 05:00pm
Where: Room 7AB
Ever wondered if lightsabers could one day be a reality? Curious about which Star Wars droid NASA would take into space? Is there a form of fuel that could keep The Resistance out of reach from a First Order fleet? Expert panelists Kim Steadman (systems engineer, NASA-JPL), Emily Manor Chapman (systems engineer, NASA-JPL), Kieran Dickson (editor, CometTV.com, MGM Studios), Fon Davis (Star Wars production designer), Travis Langley (editor, Star Wars Psychology), Steve Huff (fight choreographer and weapons expert), Eliot Sirota (VFX expert), and host Jenna Busch (creator, Legion of Leia) act as your Bor Gullet into the mind of Star Wars creators and break down the science behind a galaxy far, far away. Q&As, surprises, and giveaways will follow.
What: Star Wars Trivia Game Panel
When: 09:00pm – 10:00pm
Where: Room 7AB
Members of the San Diego Star Wars Society, veteran hosts of trivia panels at Comic-Con International since 2002, have prepared an even more challenging contest this year for fans who think they know the galaxy far, far away. Returning this year will be a game round for kids aged 5 to 11, in which every child will win a prize. Following will be three adult game rounds (ages 12 and up). All game rounds are conducted in a last-man-standing format. Come test your knowledge, and you may win some of the thousands of dollars of prizes provided by Star Wars licensees. Hosted by Leia Hornedo, Linda Crispien, Brendan Prout, Carlos Munoz, Felicia Nykaza, and Collin Gomez.
SATURDAY JULY 21st
What: Star Wars Declassified: How a Galaxy Far, Far Away Impacts the World
When: 02:00pm – 03:00pm
Where: Neil Morgan Auditorium
Hosts R. A. Rayne and Kris Koller are joined by voice actor Eric Bauza (TMNT, LEGO Star Wars), Troy Manning (SoCal 501st Troop), Dan Madsen (Her Universe, Star Wars Insider) and J. C. Reifenberg (Scum & Villainy Cantina, Hughes The Force) to discuss how Star Wars and its fandom have impacted their personal lives, their professional lives, and society as a whole. What does Star Wars mean to your life? The panel will also participate in a Star Wars trivia contest against the audience with prizes to be won!
What: MSE and Extreme Droid Building
When: 06:00pm – 07:00pm
Where: Grand 1 & 2 Marriott Marguis
From feisty astromechs to diminutive mouse droids, master builders Doug Dobyns, Michael Wheeler, Kevin Holme, Tom Hellwig, Michael Kelly, and John Boisvert discuss some of the extreme ways that droid builders have brought the magic of the droids of the Star Wars Universe to life and gone way beyond. Moderated by Guy Vardaman.
SUNDAY JULY 22nd
What: R2 Builders Panel
When: 10:00am – 11:00am
Where: Room 11
Get all the information you need to build your own fully functional droid character from the Star Wars universe. Moderator Victor Franco and panelists Mike Senna, Michael McMaster, William Miyamoto, Chris Romines, and Thomas Roeoesli share their knowledge and expertise to help your build a success.
What: Cartoon Voices
When: 11:45am – 01:15pm
Where: Room 6A
Animation voice director Mark Evanier gathers another stageful of the top actors who speak for animated characters to demonstrate their skills. Appearing will be Elle Newlands (Adventure Time, Final Fantasy), Kiff Vandenheuvel (Star Wars Forces of Destiny, World of Warcraft), Vanessa Marshall (Star Wars Rebels, Young Justice), André Sogliuzzo (Transformers: Robots in Disguise, World of Warcraft) and Dino Andrade (World of Warcraft, Batman: Arkham Asylum). There will also be a few surprises, and the actors will destroy a much-loved fairy tale with a live, unrehearsed reading.
There are other panels to be had with Star Wars eccentric issues and will be also highlighted in the San Diego Comic Con Guest Guide which will be free to all attendees. Overall the major panel not to miss out is the Thurs panel for Clone Wars. Dave Filoni and crew will be making a appearance and knowing that we could expect news on the upcoming Star Wars series Resistance. Filoni always does right be the fans when he makes appearances at Comic Con. The celebration of the Clone Wars anniversary should be a must for any Star Wars fan attending this year’s Comic Con. Overall the Comic Con is packed with lots of Star Wars content and should make any fan of Star Wars happy and pleased. Most of all the Comic Con is a time for Star Wars fans to gather together and celebrate what truely binds us all as one, Star Wars. May the Force be with the fanbase…always.
