Static Burst Issue #2 by kchristley

t i s i V tooine

a T l u f i t u a e

Mountains large enough to hide a family of krayt dragons. With good hiking trails! Hours of fun for the whole famly.

Kilometes and Kilometers of sandy beaches without any to take your perfect spot in the suns.

Over 300 days of sunlight every year so book your trip today every day is the “on” season!

Now with a larger imperial preseance so you don’t have to worry about those pesky native inhabants.

With thousands of indigenous species inhabit beautiful Tatooine including the revered bantha* (*Not Pictured)

tatooine pictures courtesy of linda crispen sandtrooper picture of chris rhoads by ????

Editor’s Letter The Empire Strikes Back! By Kevin Christley

It’s hard to believe that in the span of seven short months, it’s time for Static Burst’s long-awaited sophomore issue. While mounting pressure to out-do ourselves for the second issue might have crushed a lesser staff of volunteers, I think the team has parked the Death Star in orbit and is about to blow Alderaan out of space! Let me tell you, it’s been worth all the hard work - Static Burst has inspired Garrisons around the Legion, like the NER and the Spanish Garrison, to start up their very own newsletters reporting on local events! For those of you who are fans of another recent movie trilogy, took the blue pill and are blissfully unaware, you’d never realize that our hard-working and dedicated staff never took a break to bask in the accolades from the release of our first issue. Kudos from the Legion and the fine folks at Lucasfilm never had the chance to sink in because we were busy churning out ideas, stories, interviews, artwork, and even fanfiction in consideration for this second issue. We even expanded the number of editors to handle editing the influx of new stories that came in from all around the world! Some of us travelled to Los Angeles to visit our friends at Lucasarts during E3, San Diego for Comic Con, spent four weekends at Disney Star Wars Weekends, Bosnia Herzegovena, Taiwan, Formosa, and even Austrailia just to bring you the stories and photos contained in this single issue that you now have before you! Artwork from two very talented Italian twins sped in from half-way around the globe just in time to be pasted in by a lone trooper in New Mexico. And an entire editing team collaborated via a beta Web 2.0 application by Google. Thanks, Writely team! So just as the sun never sets on the Empire, nor does it set on the Legion. Somewhere in the world, a trooper is brightening up a child’s day - and we wouldn’t have it any other way!. For as long as that trooper has the will to don the armor, we’ll be present to report all about it! Thanks for reading this all-volunteer effort and see you again in four months for our festive end of year wrap-up.

Masthead

TOC

2006 San Diego ComicCon Inductions By Kevin Christley

On the night of July 21st at San Diego’s Samba Grill, the 501st Legion held their annual “501st and Friends Dinner” hosted by Cris Knight, Commanding Officer of the Southern California Garrison. At this intimate dinner, attended by several Star Wars celebrities such as Steve Sansweet, Jan Duursima, Joe Corroney, & several other artist friends, a few new honorary inductions took place, MC’d by our Legion Commander Mark Fordham. The first inductions were for the creative family that brought you 1997’s “Troops” fan film; a famous parody of the “COPS” TV show set in the Star Wars universe, as well as the hilarious “Tag and Bink are Dead” comic book series, which serves as a humorous romp through the original Star Wars Trilogy as seen through the eyes of two bumbling troopers, and is a fine-crafted parody of Tom Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead”. Director Kevin Rubio, as well as his brothers Craig and Brian were all inducted as Honorary Members to thunderous applause and a standing ovation by the entire dinner audience. Kevin was genuinely appreciative and thankful for the honor, and gratefully accepted his brothers awards as they were unable to attend due to work commitments.

And to complete the evening, the 501st’s Clonetrooper Detachment inducted “Star Wars: Republic Commando” author Karen Traviss as an honorary member as thanks for her friendship and assistance in participating on their forums. Karen is the first honorary member who is striving to become a regular member of the 501st with a set of matte black Republic Commando armor, as well as a custom Mandalorian done up in the official colors of her home town of Portsmouth, UK. Karen not only received the plaque, but also received a CT.net polo shirt, as well as a full set of Wizards of the Coast Republic Commando minis, courtesy of CT.net’s WookieGunner. The Detachment also pitched in to get her a prototype wearable fiberglass Republic Commando helmet, complete with LED lighting - so she’s got a “head” start on her RC. And they’re working on getting her a full set of the RC armor as well! Karen was simply thrilled with the honor: “What can I say? It was fantastic to meet you all and the honorary membership made my con.

You’ve been incredibly generous and supportive friends and I can’t ever repay you, but I promise I’ll be an active member and try not to let you down. You all looked superb. You never fail to impress me with your professionalism, kindness and general excellence. And as an update for everyone: the third Republic Commando novel that was announced at SDCC will be dedicated to our fallen comrade Christian Stafford (TC1219 FL Garrison) with the kind permission of his father Rick Stafford, TC7425. Look out for one of the Null ARCs making an appearance in the hunter green armour that Christian liked so much - see the image below. (LFL allowed me to vary the ARC armour colour specially.)” We all thank you, Karen! You’re a more than worthy member of the family now.

You can view Kevin’s movie “Troops” at: www.theforce.net/ fanfilms/shortfilms/troops/ Kevin & Brian were both sponsored by Linda Crispien, Craig was sponsored by members of the 501st Special Operations Detachment.

Word From the LCO I would like to briefly talk about the fat lady. The what, you ask? Let me explain. I recall in the months prior to the release of Revenge of the Sith hearing people in and out of the Legion prognosticating about the slow decline of interest in Star Wars and subsequently the Legion after the last film was released. Though all I could do at the time was voice an opinion otherwise, I can now do a little better than that. ROTS was released well over a year ago now. So, is our membership or interest declining? In the past year, we have created over a dozen new units to include five Outposts and eight Garrisons. In particular, southeast Asia has blossomed with new units forming in Malaysia-Brunei, Taiwan, and Hong

Kong, adding to the presence we already have in the Philippines, Singapore, Korea, and Japan. And we currently have applications pending for new units in the previously virgin territories of Venezuela and Thailand! How’s that for growth! Our membership team is constantly processing applications that continue to pour in from across the globe. Hmmm, no signs of the fat lady singing yet. On a personal level, even before the prequels were even a serious consideration, I marveled at how years and years after the release of Return of the Jedi, I could never recall walking through a major department or discount store without seeing something Star Wars! Even a decade and a half after the release

of the last installment of the original Trilogy! The love of Star Wars and interest in being a part of the phenomenon through participating in fan clubs such as the 501st Legion will continue for years and years, just as it has in the past. My kids, like yours, are already die-hard troopers! As we continue to troop, we create a legacy that will last for generations. So to those who say “it’s over when the fat lady sings”, when it comes to Star Wars and the 501st Legion I say, “there IS no fat lady!” Troop On! Mark Fordham LCO

2006 Legion PR DVD By Jacques Languedoc

Fresh out of the oven, here comes the new 501st Public Relations DVD: 2006 Edition. This terrific DVD was born out of collaboration between the Legion Public Relations teams after 3 months of work. The DVD showcased some buried treasures including more than two hours of the best 501st video montages along with a collection of facts and photos of the most noticeable 501st events. The DVD was officially released in July during San Diego Comic Con International and is already a huge success. According to the Commanding Officer of the Southern California Garrison, Cris Knight, the 501st PR DVD footage helped a lot of people take notice of the 501st table. It even caused a minor traffic jam, momentarily blocking the passages in front of the fan table! The DVD was viewed by thousands of people of all ages during its first two days of release; including our good friend at LFL, Steve Sansweet, who stopped by and watched it for quite awhile. After the reaction from the crowd at San Diego Comic Con, it would be only fair to say that the 501st PR team has achieved their goal with the DVD. The 501st PR DVD was designed to stimulate interest, build excitement and encourage the crowd to inquire about our group. It was also intended to be used as a promotional tool; adding some entertainment value to our 501st convention tables across the entire Legion. For more information about the 501st PR DVD, you can contact the Legion Public Relation Officer, Jacques Languedoc by email at pro@501st.com or check with your local Garrison Public Relations Officer.

LucasArts E3 Preview By Kevin Christley

At this year’s E3, the 501st’s own Static Burst Editorial Team had a rare opportunity to preview a few “most impressive” games and gaming technologies currently in the works from the LucasArts Team. First off is the very anticipated Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy - sequel to the breakout game from last year. In this game, you can essentailly make your own character - Slave Leia Yoda if you insist, to play the game with endless customization (of 50 different character’s bricks). All the OT scenes are here, presented in all their Lego glory and now you can even ride creatures and use vehicles! Combine that with the fact that you can use your game saves from the original Lego Star Wars game, and it gives you 50 more characters to mix and match parts from in the free play mode! The game trailers look great, gameplay is up to the same high standards as before, and it’s still the fun game for adults and children alike. Lego Star Wars II is scheduled for release in early September to coincide with the OT DVD release. Next we took a look at Empire at War - Forces of Corruption Expansion, the sequel to Empire at War. Featuring a new underworld rival of Jabba the Hutt called Tyber Zann you’ll be able to spy, bribe, steal, saboutage, and smuggle past space battles to win in this game. It takes place right after the destruction of the first Death Star, and looks to be a very cool strategy game, just like it’s predecessor but it includes enough new elements and gameplay to keep you on your feet. And the fact that you can destroy captial ships with the second Death Star is something to be happy about, unless you’re on the receiving end! Forces of Corruption will be appearing on

store shelves this September. And finally, Indiana Jones is getting a new game - hot on the heels of the leak of the new movie! Indy 2007 will be the latest Indiana Jones game on the block, and if the beautiful concept art is anything like the gameplay, it should end up being a very cool game. Set in 1939, the game takes place about a year after “The Last Crusade” and the two gameplay levels we viewed were fist-fighting in Chinatown against mob goons and atop a cable car as it travelled up and down the many hills of San Francisico. It was made even more impressive because it utilizes LucasArts’s new euphoria engine, where the mobsters reacted with their environment - if they slipped, they’re either catch their fall or fall under the wheels of the cable car. Gangsters would jump from Taxi to cable car to climb up and fight Indy, all while reacting to the twists and turns the cable car made on it’s wild ride through the streets of San Francisco. The game is scheduled for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS sometime next year. The biggest secret was the new “Vader” game that LucasArts reps would at first neither confirm or deny - but it was quite clear from the concept art at the entrance to their booth as well as the behind-closed doors technical demos that they refused to show us - but we saw anyways, is indeed in the works. Currently known as “Star Wars 2007”, this game promises to show the devastating effects of the force like no other Star Wars game has before. Thanks to the new euphoria

behavioral-simulation engine (think “physics/reaction” engine) as demonstrated in the upcoming Indiana Jones game and “digital molecular matter”, where materials in the game now act like their real-world counterparts, these groundbreaking new technologies will bring unrivaled realism to gaming on a level you’ve never seen before. Using Euphoria technology, when an enemy is hit or blown backwards by the force, they will react and attempt to save themselves, such as grabbing out for a hand-hold or dodging as a real person would. So no battle is ever the same, even if you replay the level hundreds of times - it will end up different each time as there are no pre-scripted falls or reactions. This is a big advance on the old rag-doll, scripted physics of the past. And the “Digital Molecular Matter” is equally as impressive - wood actually splinters, metal dents, rock crumbles, and glass shatters in a very realistic fashion equal to the force in which it is hit. Even gel surfaces stretch and rebound like the real thing. In the secret “invitationonly” demos, players visited a virtual museum of materials and throw R2 units at multiple surfaces to see how they’d react. There was also a giant Rancor that would break apart at the joints and you could toss stormtroopers at scaffolding above it and they’d literally try to grab and hold on for dear life as the wood started to buckle and bow under their combined weight, then finally snap into a flurry of splinters as the troopers tumbled downwards to their doom. The end result of all this technology was a CG trailer where numerous Jedi literally decimated groups of troopers and the environment around them with astounding force powers - just like the concept picture. If/when this technology works in the game, it’ll be a landmark event in

raw power for video games. So there you have it - a behind the scenes look at the games and technologies that most others didn’t get the chance to see. From what we’ve seen, 2007 is looking like a banner year all around for LucasArts. Game on, Troopers! euphoria engine - indianajo n e s.c o m/vid e o ga m e s/n ews/ news20060427.html Indy 2007 Trailer - indianajones.com/videogames/news/indy2007trailer.html Forces of Corruption - starwars. com/gaming/videogames/news/ eawfoctrailer.html Lego Star Wars II - lucasarts.com/ games/legostarwarsii/ Static Burst @ LucasArts Photoset flickr.com/photos/50408839@ N00/sets/72057594137947904/

COSI “Where Science Meets Imagination” Exhibit By Mary Walton

Recently in a state not so far, far away, ten members of the Midwest Garrison donned their costumes and participated at COSI’s exhibit, Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. Since 1964, COSI, the Center of Science and Industry, has been providing education and enjoyment to the public through their interactive exhibits. This particular exhibition focuses on technology seen in all six of the Star Wars movies and the similarities between special effects and technology available today. With several prototype examples, the exhibit gives a unique look into what is possible in the near future. Although June 1st was the press opening for the exhibit, the real fun began on Friday when over one thousand COSI members were allowed in for a special midnight peek. Jon and Susie Leopold, as well as Carrie and Jason Ivey were actually seeing the exhibit for a second time. Both member couples had made the trip to Boston’s Museum of Science for the traveling exhibit debut. Joined this time by their fellow MI Squad members Chris and Julie Balk, they soon met up with John Duffy, Damian Jorgenson, Trent Thornton, and Michael Washko. After quickly previewing the exhibit before the member’s only opening, the MWG suited up and joined more than one hundred costumed folks for the night’s festivities. Members of the museum who visited the exhibit received a catered buffet, goody bags, and perhaps what seemed to be everyone’s favorite, photo opportunities with their alltime favorite Star Wars characters. After a long night, Legion members once again trooped the following day for the official general public opening. COSI boasts over 320,000 square feet of museum space, which allowed for a large participation of costumed folks. Star Wars costumers were split up between the large lobby area, the hallway outside of the exhibit, and the exhibit itself. The Star Wars exhibit was located on the third floor, so multiple face characters were allowed for this event. With so much room to work with, the 501st Legion and the Rebel

Legion had fun re-enacting scenes from the films. Han Solo pursued a group of Stormtroopers down a hallway, only to find more Stormtroopers waiting for him at the end. Princess Leia was led to the detention center by Imperial Officers, Stormtroopers, and Darth Vader. And even those pesky Tusken Raiders couldn’t help themselves as they ambushed surprised patrons. Favorite characters from all six films and beyond dazzled both the staff and the public. The sheer dedication by the 501st and the Rebel Legion was unprecedented. When we were out amongst the crowds, no one broke character, which added to the public’s experience. Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader commanded the halls with their elite Stormtroopers. Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia inspired heroism and hope to starry eyed children. Darth Maul lurked menacingly in the shadows. There was no short supply of awe as Chewbacca towered over the crowd, or comic relief as R2-D2 bickered a path through the masses. At Saturday’s catered lunch, costumed members were joined by Jeremy Bullock, who portrayed Boba Fett in the original trilogies. Mr. Bullock gave a brief speech during the luncheon and provided signed trading cards free of charge to attendees. Jeremy is very personable and expressed his pleasure of being able to mingle with the 501st once again. At the end of a long day, tired costumers made it to a dinner dance held in the hotel’s ballroom. Susie Leopold described it as, “It felt like you were meeting up with old friends, even though many costumers there had never met in real or virtual life.”

Members of the MWG finished up their tour of duty on Sunday, where once again according to Duffy, “it was packed”. Children were everywhere, requesting autographs and photos, with adults nearby equally fascinated by the very same characters they had seen as children on the screen. Jorgenson and others commented on the extremely friendly and accommodating staff of the museum who made the experience worthwhile. Not only were the costumers provided with hotel accommodations and lunch; the museum also provided water, a changing area, and a staging area. Any costumer will tell you what a big difference this makes at an event! When questioned, Legion members unanimously decreed that the full-size replica of the Millenium Falcon’s cockpit was the most impressive part of the COSI exhibit. Besides the Falcon, Luke’s original X-34 landspeeder was there, which allowed for a great lesson in the dynamics of levitation. This particular part of the exhibit explored the many ways that objects can levitate, either by air pressure, magnetism, diamagnetism, or by super-conductivity. Besides the original landspeeder, other movie props included the original Yoda from the original trilogy and Darth Vader’s helmet from Revenge

of the Sith. Museum patrons can also view scale models of the X-wing, Y-wing, and TIE Fighters. Also worthy of mention was the large-scale model of the interior of a rusted Jawa sandcrawler. There is even a “Robot Theater” narrated by a lifesized C-3PO, who explains how technology with robots is advancing daily. Even though C-3PO and R2-D2 are fictional, this part of the exhibit displayed examples of highly mobile robots that are able to recognize and respond to images and sounds. As if all this was not enough, there is also an online section on COSI’s website that allows for the fun to continue at www.cosi.org/visitors/on-line-activities After asking for personal accounts of their experiences in Ohio, it seemed without a doubt that a good time was had by all. With a helpful museum staff, friends to costume with, and a hands-on Star Wars exhibit, it would be hard to imagine it any other way. Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination comes highly recommended and the MWG looks forward to perhaps someday hosting the exhibit a little closer to home. It was a true honor and privilege for the Ohio Garrison to host and be a part of this event. Everyone worked together to make this event as great as it was. A very big thanks is in order to Andy Renzetti (XO Ohio Garrison) for his organization and hard work with getting things in order as well as the Rebel Legion and its respective organizers for all of their travels and efforts. Another big thanks to all my Legion brothers and sisters for making this one of the most memorable events since I’ve been part of the 501st. Buckets off to each and everyone of you.

As LFL’s Events Manager, how many conventions do you currently organize a year and what has been your all time favorite?

By Kevin Christley

Former fishmonger, cowgirl, Club Jade bartender, former president of the Star Wars Online Fan Club, lifelong Han Solo fan, longtime editor of Bantha Tracks, and always smiling bigger than the grand state of Alaska - Mary Franklin is Lucasfilm’s Events Manager and facilitator of such “intimate” fan gatherings as Star Wars Celebration IV! Mary’s Lucasfilm career began by working with Steve Sansweet on Star Wars Celebration II in 2001 by taking on monumental logistical and public relations challenges to put together one of the most successful Star Wars conventions of all time. Steve Sansweet, Director of Content Management & Fan Relations for Lucasfilm has this to say about her: “There couldn’t be a more perfect person in the world than Mary Franklin for the job of co-producer of Star Wars Celebrations, and I thank the Force that I was smart enough to hire her. She combines the passion and knowledge of the truest fan, the skills to tackle any job imaginable, a work ethic that would exhaust 99.9% of the working population, and a quotient for fun that would tire even the hardiest party animal. All that, and she is incredibly cool too!” I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Mary for the past two years as part of her network of LFL X-Wing Maintenance Crew Leads and it is my pleasure to be able to interview her on behalf of the 501st Legion.

A lot of people may not realize it, but you started out as a fan just like us. Where did you first start out to get where you are today at LFL?

Friends talked me into seeing Star Wars when it opened in 1977. I have been an avid fan of Sci-Fi stories and novels since I was very young, but had to be dragged to the theater because I thought Sci-Fi movies were “dumb.” I left that first viewing of Star Wars insisting that we all turn around, get back in line, and see it again. I was captivated! What’s your typical workday at LFL like?

I balance and prioritize the needs of a number of coming events. What I love about events is that in a single day I can be doing anything from negotiating terms with individuals or vendors; to touring and evaluating convention centers; to searching the Licensing archives for prizes for Fan Club breakfasts. As Steve implied, they can be very long days. An event is an immovable object - it’s going to happen and you better be ready. But the payoff of a successful event makes it all well worth it.

In this month of July alone I’m working on 14 different events that will happen over the coming months. That number can go up at a moment’s notice, too, depending on the needs of the divisions. LucasArts in particular has many potential shows. All time favorite events? Celebrations II and III. There is *nothing* like working on a huge show about something I love, for a fan community of which I’m a member. And having tens of thousands of people show up and have fun! There is just nothing like it.

The logistics of preparing for a major convention such as Celebration IV must be mind boggling. How long does the average con take to get ready for the public? Two weeks to two years, depending on the show. A big show like CIV takes a lot more time than some smaller shows. I believe I started at least 20 months out from the coming Celebration, touring convention centers and analyzing, with Gen Con representatives, what the cities had to offer. The work will continue right up through the show next May! Is there anything special coming up from LFL that you are particularly psyched about?

Celebration IV! I am so excited to plan a show that celebrates the 30th anniversary of the saga, while looking ahead to cool new things coming from Lucasfilm in the future. It’s like the never-ending Star Wars story, and it’s worth celebrating. In the more immediate future, I’m psyched about many, including the big Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany in August. We (LucasArts) will have a pavilion with Activision. I’m told to expect more than 130,000 gamers on the convention floor, and I can’t wait to see that. Wearing your other hat as the Bantha Tracks Editor, how many submissions do you get a month and what has been the most interesting submission to date?

Wow, I’ve never counted. I get envelopes, letters, and emails every day. I love that! Since Revenge of the Sith, I have gotten a huge spike in letters from young kids. It seems as though Anakin’s journey has captured their imaginations in a big way. It’s great to see a love of the Star Wars story carry on to the next generation.

Most interesting submission? Wow, I don’t think I can talk about that one. What has been your favorite experience with the 501st Legion and what would you like to see us do better?

I am continually moved by the dedication, service, and creativity of the 501st, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. I have been moved to tears by stories of hospital visits, and mightily impressed by stormtroopers standing in the snow at Celebration III, directing line traffic. My selfish personal favorite moments have been the photos with the 501st that I have used on my holiday cards. Pictures with stormtroopers help even my most non-Star Warssavvy friends understand what I do. In closing, is there anything you’d care to say to the members of the 501st?

Thank you all so much. And thank the Maker for you! It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day work details, no matter what the job is. But reading about and hearing about what the 501st Legion members do make me remember that I am so lucky to be in this job, working with incredible people. Which movie in the saga is your personal favorite and why?

The Empire Strikes Back. While it’s true that the story and characters deepened in that movie, what it really comes down to is that Han Solo was totally hot.

suited me just fine. “Jessa” comes from my favorite character in Star Wars Expanded Universe: Jessa, daughter of Doc and past girlfriend of Han Solo, in Brian Daly’s Han Solo at Star’s End. If Han had stuck with Jessa, the Falcon’s hyperdrive always would have worked. The Star Wars Online Fan Club (SWOFC) was a great community in the days when we really had to search to find Star Wars communities. Since the advent of StarWars. com, the prequels, and the Celebrations, the Star Wars fan community has lots of great places to play together. And finally, you must forgive me, but I’ve got to ask you about the penguin wrangling job...

I worked at Palmer Station in Antarctica, where one of my jobs was helping the scientists study Adele penguins. We put little radios on them, studied their behavior in the nesting sites, banded the chicks, and more - all very gently and carefully. Penguins are adorable anyway, and since they have no land predators in Antarctica they will just sit and look at you as you bend over and pick them up - they have no instinct to be afraid. Mary, thank you again for taking the time out of your busy schedule for this interview. You can always catch up with Mary in her Star Wars Insider Bantha Tracks columns and online via her StarWars.com Blog “Sith and the Single Girl” at blogs. starwars.com/Jessa

Is there a story behind your screen name JessaJediB and is there anything you miss from your old AOL SIM days?

My screen name comes from a quote in Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy. Jay calls Silent Bob “Jedi Bitch,” and I decided that name

ance and entertainment for the thousands of children in attendance. Darth Vader and Dark Anakin led a group of Sandtroopers, TIE Pilots, Biker Scouts, and Boba Fett, while Princess Leia was captured and brought before a very special guest, the bounty hunter known as Durge!

Walk Against Hunger Strikes Back By Chris Spice

On the morning of June 24, 2006, I checked and double-checked my gear as I prepared for what would seem a very long, but satisfying mission. For many years, the Greater Chicago Food Depository has held an annual Walk Against Hunger to help both the hungry and homeless in the Chicagoland area. Wouldn’t you want to be a part of something that could help people in such great need?

We had a great time and it was really nice to get out and hit the beach for the first time in my gear. We were able to snag some really great photos of the group and I’d like to thank each and every one of them who came out in support of us. My personal highlight was a toss up between watching a child get really frightened when I walked up to him or taking a couple of photos with one of my childhood heroes, the Hamburgler! Any way you cut it, giving a few hours of your time to something that could greatly help somebody in need is a no-brainer. Having a great time with some really great people is just a cool fringe benefit. United we fight, troopers!

Southern California Garrison News By Yvette Boxer, John Taylor, Todd Gottfried, and Sam Hornedo

The two mile walk on lovely Lake Shore Drive was packed with cyclists, runners, and people walking the course. Our hosts were kind enough to provide us with tents to change in, but we opted to go old-school and change in the parking lot. After all, leaving our wallets, purses, and other personal belongings behind in a tent in the middle of a park in Chicago wasn’t something we preferred to do! Although I began sweating shortly after gearing up, the breeze off the lake provided ample comfort and in all honesty the conditions were simply perfect!

Once again, the Southern California Garrison has been fortunate to have ample opportunities to suit up earlier this year, never giving dust a chance to settle on a willing trooper’s armor. Some weekends were jampacked with events, occasionally with multiple events in different locations at the very same time! In the midst of all this activity, our members also trooped and volunteered for numerous promotional duties at Comic-Con International: San Diego!

As we made our way out to the starting point for the walk, the Midwest Garrison took part in the opening ceremonies. After paying tribute to a kind lady who was fortunate enough to reach one hundred years old, we joined Captain Crunch, Superman, Ronald McDonald, and a plethora of other mascots to help provide ambi-

City of Hope’s Annual Pediatric Cancer Survivor’s Picnic

Here are reports from just a few of our events…

Approximately sixteen members of the Empire and a few more rebellious and nefarious sorts made their trademark appearance in an Imperial March, led by Sith Lord Vader, to the squeals of delight of over three hundred pediatric patients and their families. Despite temperatures soaring to over 100°F in the shade, these stalwart troopers continued to mingle with the crowd, pose for pictures, and seek out members of the Rebel Alliance at the 9th annual event, themed California Dreamin’. Seven years ago, an elite squad from the Southern California Garrison came to City of Hope’s rescue when a major comic book company cancelled the appearance of two costumed superheroes a mere two weeks before the picnic, leaving no costumed entertainment for the children. Ever since that fateful day, it’s become one of the most anticipated parts of the picnic, according to

photo by James Tampa

to the entire Corona/Norco School District? Let’s just say that we got the community’s attention.

the children at City of Hope. The Southern California Garrison has expressed its unending commitment by not only appearing at the picnic, but several times a year for other events and fundraisers as well. To fully understand the positive impact and appreciation that the Garrison has on picnic guests, here’s a brief story… A few picnics ago there was a young wheelchair-bound boy about 13 years old. He was talking to Lord Vader and his armed escorts, posing with them for pictures and laughing away. Discussions with the head of the pediatrics unit later revealed that this patient had hardly spoken a word for about two months after he’d been told he would need both legs amputated due to the spread of cancer. When a doctor inquired about the sudden change of mood, the boy replied, “Darth Vader lost both his legs too, so we had that in common and there is hope for me too.” The Southern California Garrison Joins Forces with Corona PD

Each year, the city of Corona hosts one of the many nationwide “Relay for Life” events for the American Cancer Society and every year the Corona Police Department sends a team of police department employees to work the event. This year, the police department conducted their usual fundraising drive, but decided they wanted to host several more fundraising events prior to the actual “Relay for Life.” But what could they do? Call the Southern California Garrison, of course! This was an easy solution since two of the police department’s employees are also members of the Southern California Garrison.

Police department employees took both digital and Polaroid photographs of the public as they posed with their favorite Star Wars characters. Polaroid photographs were given to them with an informational card that listed an internet address where their digital photographs could be downloaded. Over 600 photographs were taken throughout the night and what a night it was! It didn’t look like the line for pictures was ever going to end! Attendees were not the only people blown away by the event…so were the police department employees. For many of them, this was their first time seeing members of the 501st in action. In fact, Chief of Police Richard Gonzalez and his wife came by for a short time, and the Mayor of Corona Karen Spiegel was also seen perusing the Imperials! Needless to say, everyone was extremely impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the Garrison. By the end of the evening, the Garrison had managed to raise just over $2,100!!! Not bad for four hours of work! San Diego Squad Based Events

The San Diego Squad has been busy with several trooping events in the last several months. Two of the most recent involved a visit to Children’s Hospital San Diego (CHSD) and the Annual Fourth of July Parade at Scripps Ranch. The visit to CHSD was the first of many planned visits to the hospital this year. The kids enjoyed getting autographs from the group and receiving toys and activity books. Each child had a chance to get their picture taken with the group or a member of their choice. Roger Noe (TK2048) said after the visit, “I don’t think I’ve ever participated in an event more fulfilling than visiting kids in the hospital.” Sam Hornedo (TK1064, SD Squad Leader) said this about their hospital visit, “It was a terrific day and very rewarding indeed. It was great to interact with the kids, to sign autographs, and just

So, an evening with the Imperial Forces of the 501st was held at the Brunswick Classic Lanes Bowling Center in the city of Norco. During the event, people could have photographs taken with their favorite 501st characters for a small donation to the American Cancer Society. Members of the Southern California Garrison and the Corona Police Department worked at a feverish pace for over four hours as they interacted with the crowds of people. Did I fail to mention that over 20,000 flyers were sent out

talk about Star Wars with them to give them a chance to take their minds off of what they were going through and enter the Star Wars Universe.” The CHSD staff was excited to have the 501st visit and is looking forward to hosting us again. The Squads’ goal is to visit the hospital at least 3 to 4 times each year. The next hospital visit is scheduled in conjunction with Comic-Con. Recently the San Diego Squad, along with the San Diego Star Wars Society and the Rebel Legion, were asked to participate in the Annual Independence Day Parade at Scripps Ranch. The combined Star Wars clubs were the feature group for the parade and were positioned after the Mayor of San Diego, Jerry Sanders. The parade route took the group through the neighborhood streets of the San Diego community and ended up in Hoyt Park for a celebration. In the park there was a photo booth set up by Grins2Go where anyone could get a free photo with their favorite costumed character. Overall the event was a great success and we’re expecting to be asked to participate again next year.

Bay to Breakers by Ed DaSilva

Back in April, I received an email notification for upcoming races in the San Francisco Bay area. After reading the email, I had a question… “Has anyone ever completed the ‘Bay to Breakers’ in trooper armor?” As I was still relatively new to the 501st, I posed this question on the Golden Gate Garrison message board, curious if such an activity had ever been attempted. As it turned out, there were a few other members considering attempting this 7.5 mile race in armor. With command staff approval, we turned this into an official Golden Gate Garrison event. After a few weeks of planning, coordinating, and a bit of praying, a few brave (or some would deem crazy) men and women braved wet weather, huge crowds, flying tortillas, and potential bodily injury to successfully complete this race. The day before the race, I spent a few hours ensuring my armor was as “raceproof” as possible. This included a few more rivets, extra Velcro, and securing a cell phone to call for an ambulance or least the wife in the event of an emergency. The weather forecast was not on our side; they called for rain on race day. So I figured an umbrella would come in handy and strapped one onto my belt. This proved unnecessary, but turned into an easy way to

figure out who I was when pictures were taken. Thanks to fellow Garrison member Elton Hom and his wife, we secured a changing location a few blocks from the starting line. Two hours prior to the race, we met at the pier and changed into our armor. I said goodbye to my four month old baby girl and wife so they could meet us at the finish line. As we changed, the rain began to subside. Even though the sky was still very cloudy, we were in for great race weather. With everyone fully armored up, Edward Karl led us out onto the Embarcadero toward the starting line. The team took a few pictures under the Oakland side of the San Francisco Bay Bridge, which turned out to be our last pictures alone as a group and with our feet in normal condition. It took less than five minutes before we heard, “Hey! Look - Stormtroopers!” from other racers and bystanders. For the next hour, the 501st GGG took pictures with racers in and out of costume. We continued to hear, “wow!”, “How cool!” and of course, “Is it hot in there?” and “Where did you get that?” We took pictures with kids, adults, and other costumed groups. I believe a few us took pictures with those that should have worn a costume, or at least some clothes! Fifteen minutes before the race started, the tortillas begin to fly. A tradition for the “Bay to Breakers” is the throwing of the tortillas. A benefit of wearing armor, we didn’t get hit in the face; however with the wet pavement and food, it was making the ground a bit slippery. I would have taken a faceplant myself, slipping on a darned wet tortilla, if I wasn’t caught by another member of the Legion. At eight a.m., the starter’s gun went off and the race was under way. Runners would pass us and take photos

to psyche up the runners, there was a beer stand with beer spilt all over the pavement. The Bay to Breakers is also known for costumes, which there were many. The event is also known for nude runners, which unfortunately there were plenty of them as well. Clearing the park and within the final half mile, we could see the Pacific Ocean, which meant the finish line was within reach. We once again lined up the length of the course so we could all march over the finish line together. We had done it! 7.5 miles in Stormtrooper armor!

while the crowd was cheering us on by singing Darth Vader’s theme. As we reached the mile mark in the race, we passed a line of over fifty folks painted in blue and dressed as smurfs. Ironically, they were yelling louder than anyone when the troopers crossed into Smurfville! The toughest part of the Bay to Breakers had to be going up Hayes Street. This is a thirty degree climb for three blocks that feels like two miles. We took a quick break just before the hill to refuel and check our armor integrity. The group was still together and holding strong, so we felt ready to tackle the biggest challenge of the race. The run slows to a crawl going up the hill, which may sound great, but there is little to no fresh air between all the runners. As we crept up the hill, all I could think of was “Please let there be an ocean breeze at the top.” Thankfully, my request was rewarded as we crossed the top of the hill, where we were met with the smell of fresh ocean air. We also met a huge crowd of spectators who were completely surprised to see seven Stormtroopers and an Imperial Officer cross over the hill. We were met with cheers and renditions of the Vader theme and lots of high-fives. That gave us the energy to continue on for the next few miles and finally enter Golden Gate Park. As we continued into the park, we passed a TV news crew. As we surrounded the reporter, his camera man made him turn around to find himself totally engulfed by Stormtroopers! A quick interview and a plug for the 501st and we were set to continue. During the march through the park, we had the opportunity to get our official race photos taken, so we lined up the length of the street to maximize our chances for a group photo. You may wonder what were the sights and smells of the Bay to Breakers? I would sum it up with sweat, salty air and beer. For every grandstand with a band playing

Upon clearing the finish area, everyone really felt their energy disappear from their bodies. We were tired and in some cases, pretty messed up. Feet were blistered and a few of us were not interested in walking anymore. Pinch points from armor were starting to act up and everyone was ready to have a seat and rest. Our graciousness during and after the race had cost us time needed to walk yet another mile from the finish to the post-race event where the costume contest was being conducted. By the time a few of us made it to the venue, we discovered that we were too late; the contest had ended. However, considering how tired the group was, it was probably for the best. Our primary goal was completed. We had finished the race! For me, the race was exactly what I had hoped it would be. We had a good time and surprised a lot of people with our costumes as well as the quantity and quality of the troopers. My blisters subsided in a couple of days and I was no worse for wear. I’m already thinking about next year’s race and trying to figure out ways to expand the group so there are even more of us. So let this act as an official invite for anyone interested in joining next year’s Bay To Breakers in San Francisco on the third Sunday in May. And let’s win the costume contest for best group! Bay to Breakers Participants: Edward Karl – Stormtrooper Ed DaSilva – Stormtrooper Garet Jones – Stormtrooper Sarah Pugliaresi – Stormtrooper Dan Johnson – Stormtrooper Arbues – Stormtrooper Anita Wu (a.k.a. AJ Wu) – Stormtrooper Joshua Schisser – Imperial Officer and Handler Elton Hom – Handler and Photographer Karen Louie – Photographer and Handler Non-501st Legion Handlers- Judith Grivich and Barbie Arbues

Focus on the Taiwan Formosa Outpost By Roy Wuang The Start of Everything...

It all began when I was just seven years old. A spaceship suddenly speeding over the vastness of space, followed by the booming sound of a small triangle at the upper right side of the theatre screen. The triangle enlarges and it’s a massive Star Destroyer in hot pursuit of a lone Blockade Runner that sets off the epic myth. The robots, C-3PO or R2-D2, didn’t impress me at all. And the Rebels? Nope, even those good guys weren’t cool enough for me. Not even when the screen was filled by the dark lord. In my mind, nothing was as impressive as those white Stormtroopers. C’mon! Where else can you find bad-guy characters with angel-like shiny and polished white armor? The memories of those “whiteangel” villains were burned into my mind until I was 29 years old. It was then, in 1998, I made my childhood dreams come true with the ultimate in replica props; an early prototype of FX/GT Storm trooper armor, a.k.a. GF I armor. 1999

Prior to the premiere of Star Wars Episode I, I received an invitation from a widely-published local newspaper that was interested in reporting about my Star Wars collection. That afternoon in late April 1999, I proudly wore my newly-acquired Storm trooper armor in the middle of the main road located in the business district of Taipei, together with two of my best friends whom had purchased Boba Fett and Scout Trooper armor and let the cameraman do his best. That’s the first time that Imperial troopers officially invaded Taiwan! Since that debut, a local fan group realized that fanmade 1:1 replica armor existed and could be bought.

When I attended the Episode I Midnight Madness event at the Taiwan Toy R Us, the fan group saw with their own eyes how impressive the wearable armor was. I quickly realized that by wearing my armor, I was treated as a sort of one-man media event, raising hype while further unifying the local fan community and raising fan interest in Star Wars. After the Episode I premiere, I looked out for every possible opportunity to troop, which included events like a local comic con, toy show, and even seeked further media exposure on television, newspaper, and magazines. 2002-2004

At the year 2002, three more Imperial troopers joined me for all the trooping events during the premiere of Episode II. In November of that year, I set up my own Chinese Star Wars fansite. With the assistance of my web site, it became much easier to enlist other fans for trooping events. From the years 2002 to 2004, we held over 16 trooping events in the city of Taipei! When Chinese join the Worldwide Legion...

I had known about the 501st Legion back in 2002, but during that time I really didn’t think we would ever muster enough costume-worthy members to formally join the Legion. During the Christmas season of 2004, I surfed to the web site of the in-production documentary film, “Heart of an Empire”. After seeing what 501st Legion had achieved, I posted words of encouragement on their web site and mentioned it’s been my dream to troop events in Taiwan as the 501st for years. Shortly after I left the message, I received a personal e-mail from Jay Thompson, the film’s producer. I replied to Jay’s e-mail by showing him our trooping galleries on the web site and mentioned that I just didn’t know how to join the Legion. With Jay Thompson’s help, on January 11st of 2005, I received a warm welcoming message from Legion founder Albin Johnson. With Albin’s letter, I then realized that it might not be that difficult for us to set up a local 501st community, but it would have to be delayed because I was very busy arranging lots of both official and non-official events held for the ROTS premiere in Taiwan. Once all the events had finished, on July 12th of 2005, I was officially accepted as a member of 501st with the TK ID number I had selected; TK1668. Words cannot express how honored I felt in becoming the very first Chinese national officially approved as a 501st member!

I then started recruiting more local 501st members and that lead to the formation of our Outpost. The whole application process briefly stopped again because I didn’t want to keep Albin from spending any less time with his lovely daughter Katie. It was during that time, we joined the entire Legion in praying our best wishes for Katie...

We’ve done only the best with our armor as a means of serving the community but most importantly show only our best during trooping events, letting the crowd shout out loud, “They are Star Wars!” Keep on trooping, fellow brothers and sisters all over the world! Check out all of Formosa’s online gallerys at: www.chinese-starwars.com/501/gallery

In 2005, four more local fans acquired their own armor and trooped with our band of brothers. Spurred on by the hype of Episode III, our Taiwanese troopers made appearances to a whopping thirty-one trooping events held in Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, and even Singapore!

Dewback Ridge Squad on the Silver Screen with Fanboys

The 501st Taiwan Formosa Outpost

As of March and April of 2006, the second and third local troopers were being officially approved as registered 501st members. After great deal of preparation work which included the setting up of our web site, May 17th 2006 was a day to be remembered; the Taiwan Formosa Outpost was established and officially approved by the Legion Council. Formosa is a Dutch word that refers to “A beautiful island”, and was used to describe Taiwan during the 16th century under occupation by the Dutch and is the land formost in the Chinese region occupied by our troopers! Because I am the CO, XO, GML, GWL, and GPR of the Outpost, I was able to quickly recruit seven more members in under fourty-five days who already had their own armor and had been trooping with me for years!

Keep on Trooping!

It’s our distinct honor in being accepted as members of this world-wide big family. By sharing our hobby, we’re now are able to troop not only within our local region but also with our fellow troopers in over 40 countrie!.

by Ken VanLyssel

It’s not everyday that you get to be in a movie, let alone a Star Wars related one. So New Mexico’s Dewback Ridge Squad jumped at the chance when they were contacted earlier this year by the producers of the upcoming film, Fanboys, which will be distributed theatrically worldwide by The Weinstein Co. (formerly Miramax). Fanboys is a combination of road trip/buddy movie/ coming of age/love letter to Star Wars fans. The story takes place in the fall of 1998, a time when everything was pure and Star Wars was ruling the world once again. It follows four life-long friends and Star Wars fans who travel cross-country in an attempt to break into George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch. Their mission is to see Star Wars Episode I early when they discover one of the young men in their group is diagnosed with terminal cancer and will not live long enough to see the film in theaters the following May. The film began in 1998 as a fan script written by Ernest Cline, which soon found it’s way into the hands of Harry Knowles of the Ain’t It Cool News movie website. Harry loved the material and publicized it on his website, where it caught the eye of Coalition Films producer Matthew Perniciaro, who then dedicated the next 7 years to getting the script made into a film. In November 2005, it was finally picked up by the Weinstein’s, and things moved very quickly after that. Matt says, “Throughout the entire process, one of the most important things to me as a producer has been maintaining that original spirit and therefore, we would love to have as many actual SW fans as possible participate in the shooting of the film.” And that’s exactly what he got in January 2006 when he contacted the Dewback Ridge Squad (DRS) to help. The DRS tried to be as helpful as possible and to show what a great organization the 501st is. Judging by director Kyle Newman’s quote on theforce.net, I think they succeded: “Albuquerque’s Mos Alba FanForce and their

Dewback Ridge Squad division of the 501st have been extremely supportive in helping us make this film ... and we thank them immensely.”

• 120+ members of NM’s Mos Alba Fan Force along with the 501st’s Dewback Ridge Squad fill the theatre for the Episode 1 premier scenes.

The producers asked for help rounding up Star Wars costumes, props and collectibles and the entire Squad was needed as extras to play various armored characters and fans during several scenes in the film. Some of the places you will see NM 501st members (or their stuff) in the film are:

• The Skywalker Ranch prop room scene was filled with DRS costumes and props to recreate Lucasfilm’s display pieces, including certain special droids brought from Denver by the Mountain Garrison.

• A dream sequence / movie homage where a squad of Stormtroopers secure a perimeter while a Vaderesque villian and Boba Fett menace one of the fanboys.

• DRS toys and collectibles were used in the fanboy’s bedrooms to double as the fanboy’s collections • Several of the actors wore costumes lent by DRS costumes, and in some cases the DRS created new costumes for them, such as THX guard masks and an Ewok.

• Several members also take an ironic turn at playing Star Wars hating Trekkies in the film, and get into a brawl with the fanboys.

Members of the Squad said that the thing they really appreciated about this film is that many of the producers, cast, crew and the director were true Star Wars fans. They got it, they got into it and were every bit the Star Wars geeks that we are. As Matt Perniciaro says, “This film expresses what it means to care about something so truly that you would do anything for it... what it means to be a fan. This is a film for the fans, made by the fans. We were at Celebration in the rain. We waited in line for days for all of the special editions and prequels. And, making this movie is the most important thing in the world to us.” With an attitude like that, this movie should rock harder than Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes. New Mexico’s Dewback Ridge Squad is a detachment of Colorado’s Mountain Garrison, and currently has 34 active members. To read more about the squad’s involvement with Fanboys, go to: www.bladeseller.com/fanboys

Creatures of Star Wars Word Search

K F U V A A K M G R K E B P A A A A A W N N R N G

B A E N B A K T D E R N A D E A L N E F S A R R K

K K

C O O D F A R C A K M W A N I

E O A A G R

I O W L M T A S S A U N M A Y A R B A R E C L O T

N B P A A R N K C Y S G N A A C T R M G S A N L

N D H B E M P

A B M W R T U O K P K

L N E

C V B Y W E F S R D A R

A O O A H E N I

A R A U A D O D T R C O T D S R Y N S O K K G U E

K O D V C D O K N A L A P N A A D R K A U O N K U

I O N K L A B S A A E A E

A A D B

I O I G G O K A L I

F M A K E O E S P

S S M O M C E R T N

L N R O R B K A N R

L A N R

L K O E M N D G O R T

T R U

U R N D R F S N A O U O R A R B I

T K A A A O Y O P C Y E D

K E E A R O E O O O S B A B D O F A G K Y A D E L A A G N M A R K T R R A N L A L

B G M S A

B R U A U A Y E O A O A

A K R H B

I O O A Y G S O U R A Y

I N N A A L N V Y Y A A Y A S M C E Y N A

W S A A S G U B S

A R E B

U R B

T M L A T K M I

P A E N E A R D O D S A W M D U L

N R U K M E M R A T

T A A

T N R

I O R E D K T O S

B E

I M C T G B O A E A V C O A B

A T A R R D V O C R N E R

I N A F V L A

Y S Y K K D N T A R R A E R A A R N R A O

T N P R R A A D C B A A B U O

S S N M A V O K R M E S C N O U

A A C B U C D N A

I M G E E

L O A K A G G O L

F E R K

D M V W A R P N E C N D A

The hidden words are: Bantha

Veermoks

Mynock

Tauntaun

Sarlacc

Wampa

Gundark

Eopie

Boga

Ronto

Kaadu

Gree

Dianoga

Vornskr

Rancor

Dewback

Acklay

Ysalamiri

Ikopi

Fambaa

The Reel Deal By Mary Walton

results he could achieve under these harsh conditions. The movie’s makeup artists were amazed to discover the products truly lived up to their reputations and Fred has continued to dazzle Hollywood ever since. After reading what his make-up did for Water World, I contacted the company and had a great chat with his daughter. She helped me pick out the product that would best suit my skin features. I chose to utilize his line of airbrushing body paint and combined it with the additional sealer for my costume. My first trial with this product was going to be Saturday at Star Wars Celebration III and I was initially nervous that the make-up would not last.

Over the last decade, my husband, family, and I have enjoyed costuming. Having a closet full of costumes but not a single Star Wars Imperial costume prompted me to attempt to create one that met the 501st Legion’s standards. I chose Aurra Sing, whose character appeared for a brief scene in Episode I. Despite the fact that she was a relatively unknown character in the Star Wars universe, I liked her choice of weapons as well as the fact that she was a bounty hunter. After finishing my costume, complete with pistols that my husband painstakingly researched and made, I had to add all the final touches. I thought the hardest of these would be finding a body paint that could last several hours without ruining my vest and leotard. I knew that I needed serious make-up advice and sought out the Midwest’s own make-up specialist, Toby Markham. Markham is no stranger to transforming one’s face or skin tone. So when he recommended a company called Reel Creations in California

I went straight to their website at www.reelcreations.com. I discovered that Reel Creations was started by a gentleman by the name of Fred Blau. Blau has been a veteran of the motion picture and television industry since the mid1960s and his expertise is evident with an impressive resume. Blau started Reel Creations in 1980 and has over eighty movies credited with his special effects line of products. Star Wars fans would recognize his talents with actors Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen. He has also worked with Sigourney Weaver in “Copy Cat” and his temporary tattoo paint marks Wesley Snipes’ character in Blade I, II, and III. His most notable film work was in Kevin Costner’s “Water World.” With filming in the ocean, make-up was needed that could withstand salt water, sun, sweat, and hours of filming. After the production heard of the products offered by Reel Creations, Blau was consulted and given the opportunity to show what

I ended up wearing the Reel Creations temporary tattoo paint for over 12 hours that day. I took countless photos with fellow convention goers and not once did my make-up rub off on any of them. I also laughed so hard at the “One Man Star Wars Show” that I cried and still my makeup stayed intact. Even after sweating and being caught in a brief rain storm, my make-up endured. As someone lives with sensitive skin, I found no discomfort wearing it for such a long period of time. Applying airbrush make-up is not an easy task. French Impressionist Edgar Degas said “Painting is easy, unless it’s done well” and this certainly applies to airbrushing as well. I was fortunate enough to be blessed with a husband who has been airbrushing for over two decades, so he was very familiar with undertaking such a project. However, for those new to airbrushing, the Reel Creations website offers information and has staff on hand that is very willing to take the time and help customers. I was so incredibly impressed with Reel Creations that I readily refer them to other costumers without a hint of reservation.

The 501st Heads to Pasadena By Ahmad Childress

The 501st Legion was founded by Albin Johnson in 1997 and has become a major force in Star Wars fan events, as well as working charity events involving the Special Olympics, Make-a-Wish foundation and Toys for Tots. During the global premier of Revenge of the Sith, the 501st Legion so impressed George Lucas through their charitable work and support of the Star Wars franchise that he invited them to participate with Lucasfilm’s float in the 118th Rose Parade on Monday, January 1, 2007. Lucasfilm is generously flying in Legion members from sixty units in over twenty countries to participate in the parade, totaling two hundred Stormtroopers. The title of LFL’s parade entry will be “Star Wars Spectacular”, in celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the original theatrical release of Star Wars. The float will include Ewoks, who will urge parade watchers to “Save the Trees”, musically backed up by

the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band. Los Angeles will be an epicenter of Star Wars activity in 2007; not only will the Star Wars appear in the Rose Parade, but it will also be the site of the Star Wars Celebration IV, which will also celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the film franchise with the largest Star Wars fan gathering in history. The 501st Legion has also managed to become a part of the Star Wars mythos as well as an official Star Wars databank entry after being written into Revenge of the Sith when blue 501st Clones supported Darth Vader’s assault on the Jedi Temple. The 501st also became the featured characters in the Star Wars Battlefront game and toy maker Hasbro proudly immortalized the 501st Legion with an exclusive action figure sold at the 2006 San Diego Comic Con.

We asked Mark Fordham, 501st Legion’s current Commander, about the Legion’s reaction to this personal request from George Lucas. Fordham replied, “When we first heard about the Rose Parade opportunity, we were floored! We’re used to trooping events for Mr. Lucas, but in this case this event is not for him, but from him! Other than George showing up on our doorsteps with a cake, I can’t think of a more flattering thank you for the service we have rendered as a club.” The 501st Legion is truly humbled by the honor, “To call this event historic for us doesn’t describe its magnitude.”

Lando Joins the 501st! By Darryl Moran

On Saturday, July 29th 2006, Garrison Carida had the distinct honor of presenting Mr. Billy Dee Williams with an honorary membership award from the 501st Legion. Over 35 troopers were on hand for the award presentation, which took place at the Expo Center Toy Show in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. We also presented Billy Dee with a Garrison Carida t-shirt and patch, and he was very gracious and appreciative for both the honorary membership and formal recognition by the Legion. Prior to the official presentation, we hosted a thirty-minute question and answer session, which Billy really enjoyed. One of the questions he

was asked was if Episodes 7, 8 and 9 would be made, and it required Lando’s services, would you do it? His answer was “Um.. YES!” A very special thank you is extended to all the members from the Ohio, Old Line, Dune Sea, Alpine, and Excelsior Garrisons who attended the event and showed great professionalism. We would also like to thank Anise Maki from Coolwater Productions, LLC and Dominic Alessandria of Orangestone Productions, Incorporated. Garrison Carida considers both of you a part of our family now. Welcome to the 501st Billy! It is truely an honor to have you join us!

By Mish’al Samman

Can anyone blame me for flying halfway across the world to the “Happiest Place on Earth”? Well, believe it or not, having this event in a Disney theme park was and still is the only reason I have a shiny new set

of Biker Scout armor. After wreaking havoc in my place putting together Clone armor last year and having tons and tons of Star Wars toys laying around the house, the prospects of convincing my wife to allow me to get another set was pretty bleak.

up on the forums about Star Wars Weekends, it dawned on me. Not only is it a Disney getaway weekend I’d been promising we’d do for the last 5 years, but hey, it’s also a 501st event as well! So I can troop with a bunch of friends. The details of all the other Jedi mind tricks I had to perform should remain a mystery, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t believe it when it actually worked. So when she finally agreed to don actual armor as well, then that’s when it hit me - I must be good! Of course I also got a lot of help from friends who jointly lobbied that it would be super cool if we all met there for the event as well. After the long journey, we finally made it! The first day of the Star Wars weekends was basically an orientation for us newbies. We set our suitcases outside the backlot gate and received our lanyards so we could

As anyone who has tried to convince someone who isn’t really into this hobby to be interested in what we do is a difficult task, but as the thread came

O P F 24

be let in. We were greeted by Florida Garrison organizers and chatted it up for a bit with the people we did and didn’t know were attending. Soon afterwards, we passed through security into our spacious area. So far the experience at this point was more of a meet and greet as troopers from Ohio, Japan, Australia, and elsewhere exchanged patches, T-Shirts, and business cards. I was a little embarrassed since I actually had nothing to offer but a rain check on possible future swag. It soon was time to prepare for the march and we all started to get ready. My wife mumbled as she put on her new never before trooped-in Biker Scout (TB) armor, and the sight was something else while everyone suited up - troopers helping each other snap on their pieces and the huge fans above keeping us cool. The stress level grew as we both walked out to get into formation, hoping that we don’t fall apart during our first big event! Gosh knows, I knew she’d kill me if she fell apart since I put her armor together. Sure enough, we walked out and I heard a heart-stopping clunk as the holster fell off my wife’s boot. I shook my head and panicked, but everyone around was able to calm us down. I had never felt such anxiety before, trying to focus, making sure my wife was fine, talk to the troops around us, see the celebs getting into the parade cars, and then watching the vets acting like its just another troop! All of this made me realize this IS just another troop. Our instructions were clear and everything was going smoothly. We started marching towards the back gates ready to make our entrance and then I heard it. The trumpets blaring as the theme from “Star Wars: A New Hope” started to play and all of a sudden, I noticed my visor fogging up from my heavy breathing! I looked across at my wife and she was shaking her head. I think she was panicking as well. I looked in front of me, the

troopers both gave me a thumbs up, and the parade began! The doors opened and the crowds behind the doors were in awe as we started to march. Fifteen minutes later, we exited the back doors and I was finally able to take a breath and stop saying to myself “Don’t fall and don’t fall apart” over and over. Buckets came off and I looked across at my wife. She had the biggest grin I had seen on her face in a long long time. At that moment, I finally let go and was able to relax as she said with excitement that she couldn’t wait until the next day to do it all over again. I couldn’t believe it... Could she have enjoyed it more than me? She ran over to our friends and didn’t stop talking about it. “All those cute kids looking at us”, she exclaimed with happiness! We left the park and did the rounds, finally arriving back at our hotel room at one o’clock in the morning.

alone was meaningful enough, but the kudos we received from parkgoers who actually listened to the announcement during the parade by the Disney employees, was one of the coolest feelings to bring such pride and joy in what we do. I managed to pick up lots of Disney Star Wars Weekends memorabilia - from the coins, the caps, the Jedi Mickey, and of course I had one heck of a time packing it all up! But most of all, I remember looking out the balcony during the fireworks and Naomi asking me when SWW was in 2007? It was then I realized that I finally hit a home run with this vacation. Trooping and Disney world... What a package!

When the alarm went off at seven in the morning, she jumped out of bed and was ready to roll. “Jetlag or insanity?”, I thought to myself. We arrived for day two and the numbers were a great deal bigger this time. The same drill, and before I had suited up, she was already done and ready to go. Announcements were made, the doors opened, and I looked over to my partner, and she looked back giving me the thumbs up, and I couldn’t help but laugh this time around. We visited the parks again, went to the 501st dinner, which was a blast! I felt at home with everyone and the laughing never stopped! Here was a bunch of strangers getting together and becoming friends, all in the name of Star Wars. Sunday rolled around and while the fatigue was apparent, but it didn’t stop us from executing a perfect march. We made our way to the parks again, and were asked every day if we were with the 501st, and sometimes asked to have our hands shaken. The recognition

Imperial Girl Dolls By Kathy van Beuningen

Imperial Girl Dolls originally started out as a completely different project, but as the project evolved, so did they.

I began working on the Stormtrooper Imperial Girl first. As the base for my Imperial Girl, I used an eighteen inch inexpensive craft doll from a craft and hobby store. The first step was designing and creating all of the patterns I would need for all of the various components. To do this, I treated the costume as a series of layers, starting with the undersuit, then moving on to the armor and accessories. The costume is finished and complete to every detail: a doll-sized dive skin, trooper boots, gloves, neckseal, custom leather and vinyl Midwest Garrison pauldron, leather holster, blaster, helmet and my “signature” bandanna. The costume was made out of several different thicknesses of super-white

craft foam as well as other odds and ends that I found around the house. I thought the most difficult part of making this was going to be the boot; however, I soon discovered that it was even more difficult to make two boots that both fit and matched. Once that challenge was surpassed, I began to make the gloves. Then, last but not least, the helmet is made out of one of Albin Johnson’s (TK210) old 501st Legion Trooper of the Month helmet rejects. The snowtrooper was next Imperial Girl Doll and involved as much research as the full-sized costume I hope to complete for myself, as it was another doll. For the doll-sized version, I again had to design patterns for all of the pieces. From building all of the full-sized soft parts in the past few months, creating a scaled-down version of these pieces were still fresh in my mind. Likewise, this costume is finished and complete to every detail as the real thing: dollsized mukluks, snowtrooper coat, functional pouches, belt, gloves, neckseal, armor pieces, backpack and helmet. I used a warm white craft foam for the armor. The miscellaneous odds and ends I found around the house included: a coat hanger, a cardboard tube, a blister pack, coke bottle caps, a cream

cheese spread container, a sushi tray,an earring back, a spool and lots more strange junk I pulled out of the trash. The gloves were not as difficult to make the second time around; however, the same cannot be said for the mukluks, which took several attempts before I they came out right. For the mukluks I used stretch denim and functional drawstrings. Insoles and foam were added for height and bulk so they look more like the real thing. Finding something suitable for the helmet dome was a major challenge. I couldn’t find any ready-made found object for that, so I ended up building it from scratch with pieces of blister packaging, metal mesh, plaster and paper mache. Building the dome has gave me ideas for several other pieces that I was having trouble conceptualizing in this scale. I finished my “Imperial Officer Girl” doll this past month. The uniform is made of a lightweight linen and is fully lined, along with a fully lined hat. I made it exactly like I have made our full-sized hats and uniforms - just scaled down. The rank bar was made out of a mayonnaise container lid, the top of a jar of peanuts, and aluminum flashing. The belt buckle is aluminum flashing on Sintra and the belt is leather. The greebles are washer holes I found on the floor at the hardware store and the code cylinders are little shiny things I found on the ground somewhere. And finally, I made the boots out of vinyl. In the future, I hope to complete a BikerScout Imperial Girl, a Bounty Hunter Girl, a Tusken Raider Girl, and perhaps a Darth Vader Girl, which I promise to share with the Legion in future issues of Static Burst.

The young Pantal eo Imperial Offi cer 2

This suit was supposed to shrink when washed!

Like father, like

son â&#x20AC;&#x201D; David B yr

ne / SL1877 an

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1. Daughter of Todd Taylor / TK5920 runs from the Aklay . . . or her parents. 4. Wendy / TK4268â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son has already turned to the darkside as the dreaded mini-Vader! 8. Brad Miller / BH9680 with his son, Anakin as Jango and Boba Fett.

Amidala Katie, daughter of Chr istopher Robar / TK6052

Son, I have a very bad feeling about this. . . . 5

Colleen Turner / BH6767, and daughter, Taia.

Maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just gas.

Olivia Nargi, daug hter

of Matt / TK487

u-tini!!! TK428â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little Jawa

Are you a SW Collectaholic? By Brian Sasaki

Admit it, you couldn’t resist that limited-edition replica prop. Only 500 worldwide are available for the true connoisseur of SW memorabilia! Before you know it, you’re hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the hole. What to do? Suddenly a weekly diet of instant ramen noodles doesn’t seem so unappetizing; as a matter of fact they’re now to die for. But there are far heavier consequences than excess sodium and carb intake. The damage to your wallet is done, but how about your standing with the spouse or ‘significant other’? From here on out we’ll refer to both as the SO. Now unless your SO is a soul mate to your Star Wars costuming fanaticism and collecting, then you’ve got a real problem. Let’s not deny it, collecting is an addiction. The urge to obtain that exclusive resin Slave Leia figurine or that C3 chrome-plated biker scout pistol, is irresistible. We all know of someone who hoards every Hasbro action figure. One is not enough but multiples of ROTS clones and miscellaneous Jedi stand in serried, unopened mint-condition clamshell-packaged ranks. You see an altar of fan devotion; your SO sees another altar forsaken for a kitschy obsession. Here and there the bric-abrac festoon your entertainment centers, walls and shelf spaces. Pretty soon you have ESB shower curtains and wookie bed sheets to snuggle in. Meanwhile your SO is at his or her wits end and wondering when will it ever stop. Must you be a pushover for that life-size Yoda statue or that Master Replicas TS bucket? Oh, and the boards peddle their share of swag too - belt buckles, dog tags,

patches, etc. No collection is complete without that single-run bootleg, offset Mandalorian patch from the East Slovenian Outpost. Ok, I made that up. But if it was out there, you’d be scratching your head wondering how you missed that one and the cost of remedying the egregious omission to your collection. Let’s give the Star Wars collector some credit by distinguishing them from what they’re not. I’m personally unaware of any fan paying a fortune for an elusive screen-used prop then squirreling it away from the public for private viewing every 10 years. Like some long-lost Picasso, blue-period pastel, there’s something warped about protecting an investment in something so valuable by depriving the world a share in its appreciation or enjoyment. If anything, Star Wars fans, especially those in the 501st and I daresay the Rebel Alliance as well, are generally a lot less secretive. General Grievous’s collection pales in comparison to some member’s haul of Master Replica light sabers, but those are unlikely to be hidden in someones basement vault with Howard Hughes-like paranoia. No one’s dug a bunker in his backyard to cache his or her limited edition C3 Gentle Giant sandtrooper bustups. Membership in a costuming group alone implies a predilection for displaying ourselves. For many members we wear what we collect and post URLs linking other members to cybergawk our arsenal of hyperfirm BFGs, or our stash of vintage 70’s Hasbro Vaders. With your niche in the fan hierarchy thus indelibly set, your SO however remains unmoved and unreconciled to your addiction. Suddenly words like ‘denial’, ‘selfishness’ and ‘counseling’ creep into the dialogue creating an unwanted crash course in pop psychology and devolving to

counter-arguments about the redeeming qualities of the other’s Hello Kitty plushtoy ensemble. What to do? First a disclaimer. I’m not a trained therapist-shrink type, so no anonymous requests for advice please - about this or any other idiosyncrasy about the human condition. Real help with your personal issues may be had from people who paid huge tuitions to attend school for a very long time and/or from the occasional daytime talk show host. Next recognize the symptoms of addiction. Here it gets tricky because the line blurs between a hardcore fan and an addict. Here are some tell-tale signs slightly revised for our readership: 1. Do you secretly buy anything Star Wars related on a frequent basis? Jar Jar fans may be excused for this one. 2. Do you believe yourself under some Jedi mind-control urging you to mouth something other than the truth about your situation? 3. Are you experiencing inadequacy or low self-esteem if your BFG is smaller than others, or if you have no more than one? 4. Are you skimming funds for the mortgage, or your retirement to finance last minute flights to scoop up the latest convention goodies? 5. Do you skip midterms or company meetings in order to be at Wal-Mart for that exclusive unleashed Mustafar shocktrooper release? 6. Now a biggie: Is collectoritis deteriorating your relationship with friends and family? This couldn’t be couched any other way and truly differentiates a fan from an addict.

Fortunately substance abuse isn’t a factor in our analysis of the errant collector. We therefore won’t mention incoherent babbling in Rodian or a delusional need for an apprentice in a hostile galactic takeover. Remember troopers and chosen ones - we all have our altruistic, egotistical, or whatever variety of reasons for joining the legion. We are subject to its charter and rules as enforced by our respective garrisons. But no amount of 501st legalese will prevent the collecting addicts among us from alienating our non-fan SOs, not to mention our hard-earned greenbacks from our wallets. Our biggest support, crucial to each members success, may be that SO home front who wouldn’t know a padawan from a bantha. To state the obvious, prudence and moderation of your collecting habits can overcome any SO’s annoyance and pretty soon you’ll have a new convert to your shrine of self-discipline. If all else fails, GET PROFESSIONAL HELP. Sometimes it takes a personal crisis to knock someone flat and put things in perspective. By the way, anyone know where I can get a resin Slave Leia?

George and Me By Sky Wilson

When I was growing up there was nothing better than playing Star Wars with my brothers and sisters. We would spend hours wrapped up in our own little fantasy world of good versus evil with hardly a thought about stopping to eat or sleep. All we wanted to do was stay in that wonderful fantasy world. And in a way, I’ve never stopped playing Star Wars. Around 3 years ago, back in late 2003, I was introduced to the world of Star Wars Fan Films. I was particularly ill at the time and my son had sent me an e-mail containing a link to theforce.net fanfilms page. He figured that seeing some of the fanfilms would make me feel better. I had never even heard of fanfilms before and was amazed that fans could make such fun films. It was like being a kid again. And one thing is for sure.. it certainly cheered me up! In fact, it looked like so much fun that I decided to make an online TV show especially for people that made fanfilms. “Inside Report” showcased the talent behind these films. In the very first show we featured an exclusive video interview with fan filmmaker Shane Felux, who was in the middle

of finishing his film, Revelations. I had never personally seen such a big fanfilm before, so when Shane invited my son and I to attend and cover the red carpet premiere of his film, I jumped at the chance! As luck would have it, around the same time that Shane invited us over, we were also approved to attend Celebration III as members of the press. I just couldn’t believe our luck! We were being given not only the chance to go to America, but also to watch a fanfilm as it premiered, and to attend THE Star Wars convention! I was so excited. During the weeks leading up to our trip, my son and I started thinking about just how big an achievement “Revelations” actually was. It took Shane and the skills of hundreds of people from around the world, nearly three years to complete. Which is a pretty big deal for a fanfilm. And it was all done because of Shane’s love for Star Wars. Now this made us stop and think.. if Shane could do this because of Star Wars, and if my son and I could make a show for fanfilm makers, again because of Star Wars, then

what other positive things could other fans do? Thus, our documentary “George and Me” was born. We set out to make a film that was a celebration of Star Wars fandom. We wanted to show the world that being a fan of something could be a very positive thing. We posted messages and adverts all over the Internet looking for Star Wars fans that had done positive things as a result of their love for the films. The response we received was huge. We were inundated with emails from people all over the world that had all done something great in their lives as a result of being a Star Wars fan. We even arranged to meet some of these fans in Indianapolis to talk about their experiences and the inspiration they had found in Star Wars. One of the people we met was 501st Legion founder, Albin Johnson. We were amazed that such a big organisation could have resulted from one man’s quest to find a set of Stormtrooper armour. The fact that the 501st had grown to have over 3000 members worldwide in just a few years made us want to interview Albin even more. So we met up with him and discussed the origins of the group, as well as what his thoughts on the future of the 501st were. All I can say is that I was very impressed. At the moment we are finishing off our film, which should be available to buy online at the end of September. If you like, you can view the trailer as well as our video blogs online at www.georgeandme.co.uk

Senseless Divisions by Bridget Maguire

All too often in my travels as a Star Wars fan, I have come across those who have experienced animosity between the various fan-based groups. Members of the Fan Force, 501st as well as Rebel Legion sometimes find cause to hold grudges against each other. To me, this is pointless and serves only to drive a wedge between fans of the Star Wars genre. It is an issue that was first brought to my attention by a young woman who would be my introduction to the world of the Fan Force, 501st and Rebel Legion upon my moving to the Northern California area. Her goal, after seeing the strife between the groups, was to unite them at one event where they could discuss their differences and, more importantly, recognize their similarities. Sadly, she never saw her dream realized as her life was cut tragically short. This is not to say that this event never occurred. Several months after her passing at WonderCon 2003 in San Francisco, the members of the three main Star Wars groups organized a pre-convention party not only to celebrate the brilliant life of this young woman, but to celebrate their fandom and get past those differences. In attendance were some Lucasfilm notables including Mary Franklin, Steve Sansweet, and Mike Quinn. While the event went well and nothing negative occurred, I could not help but feel that there were still some bitter feelings in the air between the leadership that lasted a few more years. Events came and went among these three groups, but very little was spoken of unifying them or coming to terms with what had divided them in the first place. As I became a member of not only the Fan Force, but also the Rebel Legion and most recently the 501st, I was forced to ask myself why these groups had found themselves so divided? The 501st and Rebel Legion are mainly concerned with costuming and charity work while the Fan Force is, to put it simply, a fan club. What each of these groups actually does depends on the location and dedication of its members, but all of them have at the basis of their formation the deep-rooted enjoyment of the Star Wars films. That should be enough to keep their members “playing nicely”, but it isn’t often the case. Criticism between the groups leads to strife and members are divided. However, there are areas where the three groups get along famously, mostly due to having members of all three groups within each. One of these areas is in San Diego, California. Their Fan Force, the San Diego Star Wars Society, has become well-known and respected in the area, as well as the 501st and Rebel Legion. Promoters will often hit the SDSWS for charity events before the 501st because they know that many members of that club are 501st affiliates. Building this reputation is difficult for any group, but moreso when similar groups are at odds with one another. When I first joined the ranks of Star Wars fandom, the Sacramento area was divided mostly between the 501st Central California Garrison and the Sacramento Valley Rogue Force. The Rebel Legion, more widespread and relatively new, was barely an entity in this area. Upon asking members of

both the SVRF and CCG, I found what I had seen was not an illusion. There was a divide mostly between the leaders and prominent members of both groups. It centered on one big thing, costume quality. Now, the Fan Force is not a costuming club, but several members like to try their hands at costuming and wear these costumes to events. This was not a problem until the two groups attended events together. There was an almost tangible tension in the air between the members. Having found friends on both sides, it was a wish of mine to see this rift at least acknowledged if not healed in time. Unity in 2003 was the first step, but something else had to be done. For several years, the quiet conflict continued and I continued my small steps towards peace by remaining a member in good standing of both groups, continually trying to bring them together by sharing event information when appropriate. This was made slightly easier during my tenure as Chapter Representative for the SVRF in 2003-2004 as I could shape my own fan force in little ways. In 2006 there was a changing of the guard for the CCG. The SVRF had also undergone some very positive changes under new leadership, though I remained active from my position as ‘retired CR’. Our membership had grown, our events became more numerous, and our presence was felt more throughout the community. The new leadership for the CCG also appointed me as Club Liason, a position I was honored to accept as I

was a member of all three main Star Wars clubs in the area and could easily keep them informed of the Empire’s dealings, as it were. One of the first events planned by the CCG under this new leadership was a multi-group picnic held at our new leader’s home. This event brought together members from clubs extending south to Modesto, north to Yuba City, east to Sacramento and west to the Bay Area. It was something I had waited years to see. For me, this would prove that my groups, whom I had grown to love as a second family, could get along. The event was a huge hit, with over 50 people in attendance and plenty of food, laughter, and fun. There was some division in the yard between the 501st and the others, but that was more due to optimal shade areas than anything else. I noted how people traveled from group to group, chatting with one another without the confines of hel-

mets or other cumbersome costumes. It is said that nothing brings people together like food, doubly so when combined with Star Wars memorabilia and stories. I made a special point of moving among all of my friends and ignoring their group affiliations in order to enjoy the event for what it was, a family reunion or sorts. It was far from idyllic, but there were no ill feelings apparent, no saber fights over the fruit salad, and no arguments over who shot first. The best part was the group photo. Seeing every single person stand together, banners proudly displayed in front so that we could tell who was in attendance, no lines dividing them. Just a mass of Star Wars fans proving once and for all that yes, it can be done. The 501st, Rebel legion, and Fan Forces can indeed get along, if only for one day. But every person who was there now has that memory, a common bond with someone they had once thought of as just

a collection of actions or personas they could not connect with or refused to associate with. I don’t think we’re quite ready to join hands and sing the opening theme as one, but all things start with a single step. For all those clubs across the nation and the world who are experiencing the same strife I saw, I say that there is hope if you just look for that common bond. Having a casual event, preferably centered around food or Star Wars in general, can have an amazing affect on a group of people. Recognize your differences, but celebrate your similarities. With all the fighting in this world, why should fans of the same films find reason to be angry with one another? It starts with a single voice, so put yours out there and hopefully you will see the change just as I have. May the Force be with you, always.

Unit Mottos: A Call to Arms While not every 501st Garrison, Outpost, Squad, or Detachment has adopted a unit motto, those with their own slogan have found that it adds character to their identity and can serve as a rallying cry for their members. See if you can match the mottos below with the correct 501st unit: A. “No Retreat! No Surrender!”

1. Garrison Carida

B. “First Through the Door”

2. Florida Garrison

C. “First to Advance, Last to Retreat”

3. Old Line Garrison

D. “Ever Upward”

4. Special Ops Detachment

E. “Semper Tyranus”

5. Carolina Garrison

F. “A Wretched Hive of Sun and Humidity”

6. FanWars Garrison

G. “May the Fun Be With You!”

7. Garrison Tyranus

H. “Silent, Deadly, and Relentless”

8. Garrison Excelsior

Answers: A=3. B=5. C=1. D=8. E=7. F=2. G=6. H=4.

501st.com Gets a Facelift By Dean Plantamura

As representatives of “The World’s Definitive Imperial Costuming Organization,” we are often asked about the mysterious inner-workings of “Vader’s Fist”: “Where do you get those costumes?” “Do you work for Lucasfilm?” “How can I join the 501st?”

One of the easiest replies has always been to refer inquiring minds to 501st.com for more information. However, until recently, the Legion website was not always updated, was awkward to navigate, and didn’t have the fresh look one would associate with a professional organization such as ours. While talk of revamping 501st.com had been on the proverbial back burner for years, the long overdue facelift project quickly became a priority once it became apparent that the 501st would be in the spotlight at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International. Many fans, future members, and potential event partners would surely be visiting our website for the first time, so it seemed a prime opportunity for a website re-launch. There are so many changes to the new site that they will be covered over the next few issues of Static Burst. For this issue, I will review some of the more obvious changes on the 501st.com home page. The first thing visitors are likely to take notice of is an eye-catching “featured member” image, which proudly highlights the quality and craftsmanship of our own members’ costumes--arguably the reason for our existence and the root of our popularity. As of this writing, there are about 30 different images in

rotation that appear randomly with each page refresh. Each image is also a clickable link to the individual member’s profile. To appear as a “featured member” on 501st.com’s home page, you will need to submit studio-quality photos of your canon Legion-accepted costume in high-resolution format. The key to these images is proper lighting in a professional setting (no convention shots or living room photography please). There is no deadline and images are added on a regular basis, so please make the effort to participate in a professional photo shoot. Some of our own members are professional photographers and may be able to assist you at no charge. Some Garrisons have also coordinated group sessions and split the cost of photography between several members to make it more affordable. Once you have your images ready, contact me at tusken@multiplehat.com. While admittedly most of the site’s best features go beyond cosmetics, a new graphic theme was also put into place to really emphasize the changes. As the “used universe” look is a common element in the Star Wars galaxy (and in the 501st banner logo), a weathered grid in earth tones was implemented to give the entire site a consistent feel. This same theme, incidentally, is also now mirrored by 501stforums.com to tie the main site and forums together. Among the seemingly infinite lines of custom code developed for improved functionality is a Legion News blog with RSS feed capability. All 501st webmasters are encouraged to take advantage of this Le-

gion News RSS feed which allows your local unit website to display 501st.com headlines as soon as they are posted. This is a fantastic way to keep your site’s content current with practically no effort at all. Current sites that feature the RSS feed include the Midwest Garrison (midwestgarrison.com), Garrison Excelsior (garrisonexcelsior.com), the 501st Special Ops Detachment (501stSpecOps.com), and the Mexican Garrison (tk7606.com/ 501stmx/index.php),New England Garrison (www.501neg.com) but even members with their own personal sites are welcome to use this new feature. Please visit www.501st. com/rssfeed.php for more information and instructions. Real-time Legion Stats are also visible on the home page including a costume count for each category we represent, the total number of active members, and a running list of the 12 newest Legion recruits (a little shout out to the newbs!). Plans to include more interesting statistics are in the works! To help fans, members, or interested event hosts better locate our troops, we’ve included a “Trooper Finder” search function on the home

page. Using pull-down menus, users can easily find existing Garrisons or Outposts in their region. Users can also search for a specific 501st unit by name if they happen to hear about some of our troops at a local event. There are also a number of teaser links that appear down the right side of the home page (and most subsequent pages) for quick reference. These graphics link directly to several of our more popular pages within 501st.com including a trading card database, fan mail page, Honorary Member gallery, easy-touse appearance request form, frequently asked question list, member sign-up page, and the frequently-visited “Off Duty” section.

hind the 501st.com facelift project. A very special thank you to Darren Blum, Brian Anderson and Joyce Young. They have sacrificed countless hours of their personal time to make our new Legion website something we can all be proud of.

In the next issue of Static Burst, I will review more of 501st.com’s newly-implemented features and reveal some few plans for upcoming content. Remember, the Legion website represents us all and I invite comments and suggestions at

Developing a whole new site is no simple feat, but the same hardworking team who helped build our Legion message forums at 501stforums.com was up to the challenge. I can’t begin to describe the amount of dedication that it took to make the new site go live by the self-imposed Comic-Con deadline of July 20, 2006. This article would not be complete without giving credit to the talented and hard-working team be-

tusken@ multiplehat.com. See you on the forums!

Arturo Delgado TD-412 Photo by: Art Andrews

Want to weather your armor like a pro? LFL’s Chief Droid Wrangler Don Bies shares his secrets... At Star Wars Celebration III, Don held a clinic on the fine art of weathering. Here are his top tips...

Use water-based paints I use water-based paints because it’s easy to clean up and if you make a mistake, you can wash it right off. ºRaw Umber gives you a nice, dirty feel along with flat black.

Use a water bottle Use the water bottle to create those little greasy drips you see in the movies.

Use a rag to smudge Once I apply the color, I use a lint-free rag to smudge and move the paint where I want it.

Don’t be afraid to over-do it Stuff in the OT was notoriously more dirty than in the Prequels. So don’t be afraid to get things really dirty.

Detachment Focus By Kevin Christley

The 501st Special Operations Detachment formally began in 2004 by troopers Jason Allen and Corey ‘Atin’ Miller, along with Kevin Christley, who was unknowingly working a duplicate effort with the MEPD’s Joe Musso, who were welcomed in later to assist with the Detachment formation. The Special Operations Detachment was formed to provide a permanent home for the TX, or nonclone, expanded universe special operations costumes within the 501st Legion. Our seventeen costumed specialties include: Stealth or Black Hole Troopers, Storm Commandos, Magma Troopers, Swamp Troopers, Sea Troopers, Space Troopers (the only non-EU costume in the Det), Rad Troopers, Coruscant Guards, Dark Troopers, Airtroopers, Hazard Troopers, Mine Troopers, Shadowtroopers, Snow Commando/Scout, Novatroopers, Bombtroopers, and finally, Heavy Weapon Troopers. When Jason was called to serve in the USMC and Atin was in the process of resolving a move and some personal issues, Kevin proceeded to keep the Det alive by boosting the membership, arranging a reliable forum host, and working Jason & Corey’s dream of making the detachment official, which finally happened with formal Council approval in October of 2005. The TX Detachment’s motto is “Swift, Silent, Relentless” and our distinctive detachment patch, modeled in part from the MEPD shield, was cleaned up and rendered by fellow trooper Chuck Flynn. Currently, Kevin Christley (TX1422) is the Detachment Leader, trooper Mike Burnett (RedTrooper)

is our XO, along with Bill England (TX-5466) as Stealth Trooper Lead and Bryan White (TX-6749) led the Storm Commandos from the very beginning until his recent resignation. Finally, Mountain Garrison and fellow Stealth Trooper Erik Ross is the Detachment PRO, a first in the Legion. Slightly behind the Clonetrooper Detachment, we were the second Detachment in the Legion to sponsor an honorary member - Craig Rubio from “Troopers” and the “Tag and Bink” comics. We also headed up the “Operation Christmas Stocking” campaign within the Legion to show our deployed soldiers (and local children) in Afghanistan a great Christmas! From the original seven members back in ‘04, we’re currently at over 136 members world-wide and still growing! It’s our aim and goal to become the best damned Detachment in the Legion and work hard in promoting the EU side of the Empire while trooping and raising awareness for the Legion’s various charities. Make sure you check us out at: www.501stSpecOps.com, as well as the many other Detachments within the 501st Legion!

C-3PO’s Secret Mission in Australia By Chris Bartlett

Recently, I was contacted by Lucasfilm because their LucasArts gaming division wanted a C-3PO suit for their Activision presentation in Australia and all four of the existing suits are on display at various museums worldwide and weren’t available. Mary Franklin contacted me and introduced me to Julio Torres, a producer at LucasArts, but my suit was in the shop getting chromed and wouldn’t be available in time. Coincidentally, it happenned to be the same shop in Los Angeles that chromed the original C-3PO suits. Julio persuaded the shop to get it done faster, then LFL paid for the chroming of my suit as well as everything else! With that out of the way, I got my passport and on July 27th I flew to San Francisco to meet at the Lucasfilm offices where my nowchromed Threepio was waiting to be assembled. Julio set up a nice office for me to use and I went to work assembling, dremeling, drilling, soldering and glueing. All the while, I tried to silently contain my excitement that I was actually at Lucasfilm building props! When I was done, we got him all packed up for the long flight. Just as we were taping up the box, someone popped in and said, “Hey,

the ILM R2 is upstairs, you should put it on and walk over to get some photos.” To quote Vader, “NOOOOOO!” Unfortunately, we were out of time and needed to head to the airport. The chroming turned out fantastic. I kept a journal, so watch for that in an issue of Bantha Tracks in the near future. For now, I met some awesome folks, got a big bag of goodies, and best of all, a real golden Threepio of my own. When I was done, we flew to New Zealand and then on to Sydney, where I stayed on the 24th floor in the Shangri La Hotel overlooking the harbor and the famous opera house. We had some rehearsals and Threepio appeared as “the special guest” for two different presentations. My appearance and gestures, combined with internal servo sound effects and a pre-recorded Threepio voiceover gave the illusion C-3PO was actually speaking and giving the presentation. It was awesome! Before traveling to Australia, I tried to contact the Terror Australis Garrison (TAG) to try to arrange getting together, but I didn’t have my forum name/password right so I thought

I’d miss seeing them. Unbeknownst to me, Activision had called on the TAG to make an appearance for the after-event party. They had Boba Fett, a Snowtrooper, Stormtrooper, Biker Scout, and a TIE pilot. When I got there, I was thrilled to see them and they looked fantastic. The quality of their costumes was excellent. I approached the Fett and said, “Hey Boba, I’m Chris Bartlett.” Fett’s incharacter response appeared to be a characteristically, “Oh?...And your point is...?” Then I tried my 501st number, “TK409?” and suddenly he recognized me. It was a great feeling to be so far around the world and be able to give my TK number and suddenly make a connection with a fellow 501st brother. We talked about Fett stuff and the other troopers told me how my site had been a help to them as they researched their costumes. Stuff like that is always very nice to hear. Joel, the Activision event producer, is a huge Star Wars fan and was the one who contacted Percy Ricaud, CO of Terror Australis Garrison. He didn’t realize I was 501st at the time and he began telling me how impressed he was with their immediate willingness to appear at

his event for LucasArts, as well as the distance they had traveled and the great quality of their costumes. They were a huge hit and posed for many photos. The crowd loved them and I was proud that even though I couldn’t be in costume, I knew the 501st was represented with an excellent quality garrison. Movie footage, news and pictures are coming soon on my site, so be sure to check it out!. http://TK409.com/australia06

One video was when I was awaiting my entrance to the second, larger presentation. Yes, that’s the kitchen of the hotel, just outside the Grand Ballroom. You should have seen the staff with Threepio standing there. It was a combination of “what the?” and “Hey, a robot!” The other video shows my entrance to the first and smaller of the two presentations. They had me enter at such a distance that I had to get to the stage as fast as possible while the voice track was playing. That’s why I’m walking so strangely. The suit is definitely not built for speed. Also, maneuvering thru the staggered tables in a hurry was a nightmare. If you look close, I very nearly clocked a guy in the head with my elbow! Luckily, he ducked at just the right moment. The other videos are short clips of the same presentation. Did I mention the photos of me building 3po are actually at Lucasfilm offices at The Presidio?

This was a surreal and unbelievable experience. LucasArts producer Julio Torres is an awesome guy - you couldn’t find a nicer person to work with. I’m looking forward to roaming around with R2Builder Chris Lee and his fully functional R2 at this year’s DragonCon. I’ll be wearing Threepio at Star Wars Celebration IV as well. One final detail. The folks at Lucasfilm told me, “Thank you so much for helping us out with this! We’ve heard nothing but great things about your appearance.” They also said, “This is the beginning of a great and mutually beneficial relationship.” Woohoo!

Trooper from the Swiss Garrison on a special assignment by Biondi Pascal Tell us who you are and where you live?

I have been a member of the Swiss Garrison since late 1999 and my TK number is TK-7825.

My name is Christof Staeheli. I turn 28 this summer and live in the beautiful eastern part of Switzerland. I worked as an EDP technician before my deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I will continue in that job after my return from this mission, on a temporarily basis with the same company. After that, it is not clear what will come up. Let’s wait and see.

What costumes do you currently have?

How long have you been a member of the Swiss Garrison and what is your Call Sign?

Right now I only have a Stormtrooper, but I am planning to get an ATAT costume. My favorite costume, of course, is Lord Vader. Luckily, the Swiss Garrison has one available, so if I want to dress up as the man in black, I can. You told me about your deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the European Union forces. A deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina with EUFOR troops is very special. Why did you go?

There are different reasons for my deployment. On the one hand, it has always been my wish to work abroad. However, the main reason for me to join the EUFOR troops was to try to make a contribution to the stabilization of this region, which has been suffering from war and ethnic controversy for years. After all, the region is only about ten hours away from Switzerland by car.

Is this your first time in such an deployment?

Tell us about the area you are currently stationed?

This was my third deployment here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I have been here for six months and next week (mid-May, 2006) my employment will end and I will fly back to my normal civilian life in Switzerland. The last two deployments were limited to six months in the Kosovo region, supporting the KFOR troops with the Swiss Company.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very beautiful and interesting country. Not only is the natural landscape impressive and varied, but so is the local population. Three different ethnic groups live together. The past years have shown that the area is still not stable. Sometimes it seems that the peace is fragile, especially in Kosovo, where the war ended in 1999. In Bosnia and Herzegovina it is more or less calm because the war ended in 1995. The normal people around here are very friendly and hospitality counts for much. Still, ten years after the war I still see many destroyed houses and the infrastructure is shattered. There are also a lot of minefields. Bosnia and Herzegovina rank among the most heavily mined countries in Europe.

What exactly is your job in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

I am working with a Liaison and Observation team. I live together with seven other Swiss troops in a house in Bugojno, located in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s in the middle of the town, amongst the local population. We see ourselves as a link between the local authorities and the EUFOR troops. Since we are located in the middle of town, we represent the EUFOR troops and are able to feel the pulse of the local folks. Our job is to hold conversations with local authorities such as the police and the mayor, and recieve information and watch for upcoming problems. We then create an overview in our area of interest for EUFOR headquarters in order to keep things running in an orderly way. Of course we also meet and speak with ordinary people in the street, but always overtly and in uniform. The Swiss deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the EUFOR troops is the second largest of Swiss deployments in the region. Only the deployment of Swiss troops in Kosovo is larger, with around 220 troops and staff. During my last two deployments in Kosovo, I was stationed in a KFORC camp and was responsible for data handling and communications.

As the economic situation is very bad, there are not many jobs. Most of the young people around here are quite pessimistic and, unfortunately, don’t see the future with hope and perspective. Since the situation here is still fragile, investment from abroad is rare, so the development of the economy and the rebuilding of the country are very slow. Besides this, tourism is catching up again you told me:

Well, this country is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. The Adriatic Sea is close and the beachs of the

neighbor country, Croatia, are very nice. Mostar and Sarajevo are especially worth a visit. Mostar, because of its famous and beautiful bridge and Sarajevo, because of the town itself and its place in history. As you may know, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo, which was a leading cause of World War I. I was driving in Sarajevo, along the main street, and I tried to imagine what it was like few years ago, when the city was surrounded by snipers. During the war, Sarajevo had the nickname “Sniper Valley”. It is hard for me, as a Swiss, to imagine what war is like! What are your plans after you return to Switzerland?

I will go on vacation, and then move into my new apartment. Then, we will see what comes next. Back to the 501st. What was you greatest experience as a Swiss Trooper for the 501st Legion?

My greatest experience as a Stormtrooper? One of the most emotional was my first appearance as a Stormtrooper. It was to the Swiss Rehabilitation Centre for Children, close to Zurich. Also, my appearances as Lord Vader at a Benefit Concert in Denzlingen, Germany where an orchestra played the imperial March as we entered the hall. Which will be your next Stormtrooper Event with the Swiss Garrison?

It is still unclear. There are quite a few events coming up this summer. I’ll have to see which one would be best to go to. Chris, as Commander of the Swiss Garrison, I wish you a welcome back to Switzerland. Let’s troop sometime this summer.

les. Her costume will either be a female Tusken or Padme Pilot. What do you consider to be your most significant accomplishments with the 501st?

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by: Jacques Languedoc

Age: 35

Occupation: Marketing Manager, Art Director

Dream job: Hmmm... A 501st/LFL liaison would be cool. What made you want to join the 501st?

What’s the story behind your handle “TuskenTrooper”?

When I first stumbled across websites that actually sold suits of Stormtrooper armor, I thought about how cool it would be to have one. During my research, I looked at various 501st websites and saw how much fun these guys were having at conventions and other events...I wanted to be one of those guys and membership in the Legion seemed like the way to get connected.

When I was first considering a Star Wars costume back in 2000, I couldn’t decide between the savage and mysterious Tusken Raider and the cool and ubiquitous Stormtrooper. I came up with a mix of the two characters as my username while I did my research on various forums and Yahoo Groups. Although I ended up completing a Stormtrooper (TK) costume first, I’m a believer in consistency with forum usernames, so I stuck with the “tuskentrooper” moniker ever since.

How long have you been active in the Legion?

I joined the 501st in April of ‘02 and my first event was a book reading to promote literacy at an elementary school. The event was organized by a local trooper who coincidentally was a high school classmate from a decade earlier (Scott Will, TK-408). I remember desperately ordering a last-minute neck seal from TK-409 (Thanks, Chris!) and wondering what it would be like suiting up in public for the first time. The kids loved the presentation and we even got “hit on” by the lunch ladies!

How many costumes do you own and what are you working on?

Surprisingly, I own only one complete costume which is my TK, which doubles as my Sandtrooper (TD) when necessary. However, I have a plethora of “in-progress” costumes including a Tusken Raider, Imperial Gunner, and AT-ST Driver. I’m also trying to get a costume together for my wife so she can experience the fun at Celebration IV in Los Ange-

There’s a lot of other projects I’ve had my hands in over the years like creating the Legion banner logo, helping Albin develop the Droid Hunt game, and orchestrating the last Legion elections (that was fun!), but I think the Legion forum and new website are the accomplishments I’m most proud of. The recent 501st. com facelift project was something I had been wanting to do for a long time, and I’m really happy with what we have so far. I also think that the launch of 501stforums.com has really improved Legionwide communications beyond anything I could have hoped for. While I coordinated and facilitated these projects, the credit, once again, goes to talents like Darren Blum, Brian Anderson, and Josh Larsen for making these ideas a reality. You’ve been the Tampa Bay CO, CO of Florida Garrison, the Legion webmaster... What’s next?

I started as Tampa Bay Squad Leader in Florida. Then, mostly through a desire to help, was granted the responsibilities of Garrison Web Liaison, Garrison Membership Liaison, and eventually Garrison XO. When Scott Williams stepped down as Florida’s CO, I moved into the spot and had the opportunity to serve the fantastic Florida Garrison during its early growth period. I ended up as Legion Web Deputy to assist with getting members’ photos on 501st.com, then ascended into the Legion Webmaster position when Bob Gouveia needed to take leave. As a Legion Officer, I truly enjoy having the resources to help members better understand the inner-

workings of the Legion and to answer questions. I also enjoy maintaining a web presence that we can all be proud of, but much of the credit has to go to the incredible dedication of the web and forum team. Whether its getting your member photos online or updating your e-mail address--no task is too small and it’s always a pleasure to help others with a common interest in Star Wars. Please feel free to contact me at any time. How did you get involved with the Droid Hunt?

When Albin Johnson presented the idea, I immediately jumped on board to help design the look and feel of the game as well as the rules for gameplay. Once we nailed down the basics over the first few games, Albin gave me the approval to keep it going. As such, I’ve helped coordinate Droid Hunts and design badges for Dragon*Con, Comic-Con and Star Wars Celebration III, as well as a few smaller local games. I’m currently working on the Dragon*Con 2006 Droid Hunt and have some exciting news in store for Star Wars Celebration IV in ‘07! You’re currently the record holder for appearing the most times on 501st Trading Cards?

True. This is mostly because I used silhouettes of my own costume to design the Florida Garrison trading card which features a bunch of troopers on the beach. Counting my own card’s front and back image and the two small troopers in the 501st Legion banner logo on card number one, I think I appear a total of eleven times in the 501st trading card collection. Where does your love of Star Wars come from?

I think I was the right age at the right time. I also emulated my older brother who was already a fan of science fiction. So when he became

a Star Wars fan, I did too. What’s your favorite Star Wars movie and why?

The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite for many reasons, but I’ll give you two big ones: The first time we hear John Williams’ awesome “Imperial March” and the first big screen appearance of Boba Fett. Have you ever been ridiculed for your interests? And how do you brush it off?

What? Ridiculed for wearing a plastic and carrying around a pretend ray gun? Never! I have two words of advice in the realm of handling those who “don’t get it” when you’re out trooping: get yourself a spotter and there’s safety in numbers! Are you a Trekkie or Trekker? And if so, would you be a red shirt, blue Shirt, or yellow Shirt?

I appreciate the original TV series for its campy qualities, but I am by no means a Star Trek fan. Put me in a red shirt, reduce me to a dodecahedron of salt, and call it a day. True or False? You got busted for breaking into the second floor of a night club in Florida to avoid the cover charge?

True. Well, I didn’t get busted so much as had my nose busted. Lesson learned.

You were in a “smarty pants” program in high school and you can actually read Aurabesh?

True. My pants are very well educated and I can thank the International Baccalaureate program for that. You use to be a skate boarding punk?

True. Now I’m an old school skateboarding punk with a corporate day-job and a silly passion for dressing up as a Stormtrooper. What’s the last book you’ve read?

I’m really not much of a book reader, but I do read the Star Wars Insider magazine from cover to cover. What kind of music do you enjoy?

My tastes in music have pretty much remained frozen in time since graduating college in the early ‘90s. However, I’m getting into podcasts lately to pass the time during my daily drive to the office. NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me!” is always worth the download. Any final words of wisdom for your fellow troopers?

Be the better person, kill them with kindness, show respect, display humility, find your passions, pursue your dreams, pick your battles, be yourself. Troop on!

O P -F

Thanks once again for the interview, Dean. We’ll catch you on the forums!

Weather Report by Steve Brejnak TK465 “Tigga”

Weather today: Partly Sunny and dry with a low of 38 and high of 50

Rebel report: Saw some guy in a dayglow orange jumpsuit poking around the shuttle pad. Jeez you should have seen the guy…he had porckchop sideburns…I mean com’n who grows facial hair like that these days. So when I asked him what he was doing he told me he was in maintenance so I went back to breakfast and didn’t give it another thought.

Hot Air Report: The base commander called me on the phone. He was screaming at me from the top of his lungs but I couldn’t quite make out what he was saying on account the noise of a shuttle taking off was loud enough to split an eardrum. The phone went dead shortly after that volley of blaster fire came down from overhead. I suppose he’ll call back if it was important. To be honest it was more of a nuisance than anything…it interrupted me eating my bowl of fruity pebbles, which I might add, is rather difficult while wearing your helmet… trust me. Other than that things have been pretty quiet around here. -Transmission ended

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You own a domain name based on your Legion ID number.

You have your ebay account configured to notify you when a new item is listed matching the description “501st”. You can actually read Aurebesh.

You update your photos on your 501st.com profile every time you make a modification to your costume.

When the sports announcer mentions a “TD” during a football game, you instinctively look for Sandtroopers on the field.

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You have a tattoo of an Imperial cog.

There were Stormtroopers at your wedding.

You wear your armor to the office at least once a year.

When dining at a Chinese restaurant, you get a dish you don’t like just because it’s listed on the menu as “Order 66.”

You make claims that your own costume is more accurate than the ones used in the movies.

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