Welcome to the Quantum Holo-Net!
This is a space that will be used by me, your host, Bodhi-Wan Kenobi, to highlight some of the news and interesting things that I come across in my little corner of the Pop Culture world. I will try to keep this up weekly for your viewing pleasure. For this inaugural story, I would like to speak of something that is very near and dear to my heart, and has been with me for the (almost) entirety of my life: Star Wars!
I have been a fan of this wondrous franchise since it's inception in 1977 (yes, I am that old). As a child I collected the toys, and the Comics, rapaciously making my little world a part of a galaxy far, far away. When I was older, that did not change, except to add books to that list. Even still, I collect the Comics, the toys, the Lego, the Action figures, and eagerly devour a great deal of the content out there.
Star Wars: A New Hope was one of the very first movies that I even saw. I was so struck with wonder upon viewing it, that nearly everything else seemed uninteresting to me. I was entranced by what I was seeing onscreen. The Force, the Death Star, the hilarious companionship of C-3PO and R2-D2, the cool look of the Storm Troopers, the fearsome countenance of Darth Vader, the beauty and ferocity of Princess Leia, the crass bravery of Han Solo, the power of Chewbacca, the wisdom of Obi-Wan, and the youthful desire and ability of Luke Skywalker. I was hooked for life! Every decent stick I found thereafter transformed into a lightsaber in my little hands. The living room floor became a battlefield of the Empire vs. the Rebellion. And every blizzard we drove through (which were a lot) turned into us going to light speed. And with Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, that youthful exuberance only increased.
But then, there was very little for Star Wars, for a very long time. But then, a new trilogy of books came out that continued the story of Star Wars beyond Return of the Jedi, beginning with "Heir to the Empire". Suddenly, I was thrust back into a galaxy far, far away with the speed of a Jawa finding an abandoned droid in the Dune Sea! I devoured those books with the fervor of a hungry Rancor! Then, not long after that, Dark Horse Comics began publishing Star Wars Comics again, bringing us incredible titles such as the Comicbook adaptation of the new book trilogy, as well as Empire, Rebellion, Legacy, and more. Star Wars was back! And then, the Prequel trilogy came out! It was a very good time to be a Star wars fan.
However, Star Wars is not exactly what it used to be. The sequel trilogy was divisive amongst fans at the very best, and did far more damage to the galaxy far, far away than the Dark Side ever could. This hodgepodge of ham-fisted storylines seemed to be attempting to follow a similar pattern to the original trilogy (at least initially), but then took a sharp left-turn, leaving many of us fans scratching our heads, wondering what had happened to the franchise that we loved so much. Much of the fan base turned completely against their beloved franchise, while many others (myself included) ended up choosing to try and forget the Sequel Trilogy ever existed, and concentrate on some of the incredible things that came before, such as the Clone Wars, and Rebels animated series.
Then came the shining light that was the Mandalorian. This was not only a breath of fresh air for Star Wars fans, but also provided the "new hope" needed for the future of our beloved Star Wars. Not only did the Mandalorian show provide a glimpse into the gritty underworld of the Star Wars universe that many of us find so fascinating, but it also told stories from that most intriguing time right after the Return of the Jedi. Plus, it gave us more information on that of Mandalorians, which were ever shrouded in mystery, and intrigue. And then, the moment that literally made millions of Star Wars fans cry with joy, when Luke Skywalker appeared at the end of the second season. Wow! I still get goosebumps when I watch it. It was that EPIC!
Meanwhile, on the Comicbook front, Dark Horse Comics 20 year run had come to an end, and the publishing rights for Star Wars Comicsbooks passed to Marvel Comics, who immediately picked up the proverbial ball, and ran with it, featuring stories set immediately after A New Hope. These titles featured the classic characters of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2. Marvel also published a Darth Vader title at the same time, much to the delight of fans. Marvel continues to publish fun and exciting Star Wars titles, including Doctor Aphra (an archaeologist/thief), The High Republic series, which is the definitive storyline based on the era before the Phantom Menace, during the height of the Jedi's power, and many more.
But that leads us to the newest, and by far the worst thing to ever have happened to Star Wars, and that is the Acolyte, on Disney. Now, I don't mean to step on the toes of people who actually liked this... actually, yes I do. It was complete and utter garbage, written by people who had little to no knowledge of Star Wars, story telling, filming, directing, or even simple things like how fire works (they actually had fire burning in space, as well as burning rock). And worst of all, it decimated the lore of Star Wars, essentially taking a giant dump right on top of established continuity. I suffered through the entirety of this series (because I have always been a hardcore Star Wars fan), so I am speaking from the experience of watching it, rather than from any Youtubers comments. Fortunately, all true Star Wars fans can rejoice, as there will not be a season 2, and Disney seems to be doing all that it can to erase this monstrosity from existence (as am I).
As for the future? Who can say? I am ever the optimist, and will hopefully be overjoyed at the upcoming Mandalorian movie, and fervently hope that Yoda's wisdom breaks through to Lucasfilm once more, and their future decisions reflect the actual fanbase of this incredible franchise.
This is a space that will be used by me, your host, Bodhi-Wan Kenobi, to highlight some of the news and interesting things that I come across in my little corner of the Pop Culture world. I will try to keep this up weekly for your viewing pleasure. For this inaugural story, I would like to speak of something that is very near and dear to my heart, and has been with me for the (almost) entirety of my life: Star Wars!
I have been a fan of this wondrous franchise since it's inception in 1977 (yes, I am that old). As a child I collected the toys, and the Comics, rapaciously making my little world a part of a galaxy far, far away. When I was older, that did not change, except to add books to that list. Even still, I collect the Comics, the toys, the Lego, the Action figures, and eagerly devour a great deal of the content out there.
Star Wars: A New Hope was one of the very first movies that I even saw. I was so struck with wonder upon viewing it, that nearly everything else seemed uninteresting to me. I was entranced by what I was seeing onscreen. The Force, the Death Star, the hilarious companionship of C-3PO and R2-D2, the cool look of the Storm Troopers, the fearsome countenance of Darth Vader, the beauty and ferocity of Princess Leia, the crass bravery of Han Solo, the power of Chewbacca, the wisdom of Obi-Wan, and the youthful desire and ability of Luke Skywalker. I was hooked for life! Every decent stick I found thereafter transformed into a lightsaber in my little hands. The living room floor became a battlefield of the Empire vs. the Rebellion. And every blizzard we drove through (which were a lot) turned into us going to light speed. And with Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi, that youthful exuberance only increased.
But then, there was very little for Star Wars, for a very long time. But then, a new trilogy of books came out that continued the story of Star Wars beyond Return of the Jedi, beginning with "Heir to the Empire". Suddenly, I was thrust back into a galaxy far, far away with the speed of a Jawa finding an abandoned droid in the Dune Sea! I devoured those books with the fervor of a hungry Rancor! Then, not long after that, Dark Horse Comics began publishing Star Wars Comics again, bringing us incredible titles such as the Comicbook adaptation of the new book trilogy, as well as Empire, Rebellion, Legacy, and more. Star Wars was back! And then, the Prequel trilogy came out! It was a very good time to be a Star wars fan.
However, Star Wars is not exactly what it used to be. The sequel trilogy was divisive amongst fans at the very best, and did far more damage to the galaxy far, far away than the Dark Side ever could. This hodgepodge of ham-fisted storylines seemed to be attempting to follow a similar pattern to the original trilogy (at least initially), but then took a sharp left-turn, leaving many of us fans scratching our heads, wondering what had happened to the franchise that we loved so much. Much of the fan base turned completely against their beloved franchise, while many others (myself included) ended up choosing to try and forget the Sequel Trilogy ever existed, and concentrate on some of the incredible things that came before, such as the Clone Wars, and Rebels animated series.
Then came the shining light that was the Mandalorian. This was not only a breath of fresh air for Star Wars fans, but also provided the "new hope" needed for the future of our beloved Star Wars. Not only did the Mandalorian show provide a glimpse into the gritty underworld of the Star Wars universe that many of us find so fascinating, but it also told stories from that most intriguing time right after the Return of the Jedi. Plus, it gave us more information on that of Mandalorians, which were ever shrouded in mystery, and intrigue. And then, the moment that literally made millions of Star Wars fans cry with joy, when Luke Skywalker appeared at the end of the second season. Wow! I still get goosebumps when I watch it. It was that EPIC!
Meanwhile, on the Comicbook front, Dark Horse Comics 20 year run had come to an end, and the publishing rights for Star Wars Comicsbooks passed to Marvel Comics, who immediately picked up the proverbial ball, and ran with it, featuring stories set immediately after A New Hope. These titles featured the classic characters of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2. Marvel also published a Darth Vader title at the same time, much to the delight of fans. Marvel continues to publish fun and exciting Star Wars titles, including Doctor Aphra (an archaeologist/thief), The High Republic series, which is the definitive storyline based on the era before the Phantom Menace, during the height of the Jedi's power, and many more.
But that leads us to the newest, and by far the worst thing to ever have happened to Star Wars, and that is the Acolyte, on Disney. Now, I don't mean to step on the toes of people who actually liked this... actually, yes I do. It was complete and utter garbage, written by people who had little to no knowledge of Star Wars, story telling, filming, directing, or even simple things like how fire works (they actually had fire burning in space, as well as burning rock). And worst of all, it decimated the lore of Star Wars, essentially taking a giant dump right on top of established continuity. I suffered through the entirety of this series (because I have always been a hardcore Star Wars fan), so I am speaking from the experience of watching it, rather than from any Youtubers comments. Fortunately, all true Star Wars fans can rejoice, as there will not be a season 2, and Disney seems to be doing all that it can to erase this monstrosity from existence (as am I).
As for the future? Who can say? I am ever the optimist, and will hopefully be overjoyed at the upcoming Mandalorian movie, and fervently hope that Yoda's wisdom breaks through to Lucasfilm once more, and their future decisions reflect the actual fanbase of this incredible franchise.
