Photos and S.C.A.L.P. Coverage by: P.F.C.  Shade

Hey Y’all! The elusive Shade reporting for Sandtroopers.com.  You want some Sandtrooper exclusives? Here you go, fresh from the Wizard World East Comic Con 2004! First off, if you’re looking for Star Wars figures, they were all here.  Of course you’d have to buy them from the %$@#!&! scalpers. So do like I did and stick a piece of gum under their tables and walk away smiling. Bring a backpack of goodies to snack and drink unless you’re rich because if you want to get your drinking and munching on it will cost you. If you're going with the old lady, wear some sunglasses because there was no shortage of ladies to check out. Seems Star Wars, Comics & toys aren’t just for geeks anymore. You do have to wait your turn to look at the selection of toys for the booths that  tend to be small, but not a big deal.

The Master Replicas booth is there with a full hands-on display of their Lightsabers, Thermal Detonators,  Jango Pistols, and the like. You can order their Wizard World exclusive mini Obi-Wan full metal Lightsaber replica. At $35 a pop, a real bargain in my opinion. Doesn’t take much room to display and looks great. Too bad Master Replicas didn’t have any of the mini sabers on hand to sell.  Shame on you Master Replicas. If comics are your thing, then you're in luck as well because IT'S A COMIC CON YOU GENIUS! With a little leg work and nagging you can get any Star Wars comic that exists in the world for the best price you're going to find this side of ebay. Will Conrad is also on hand, the artist on Star Wars the comic. When asked what he thought about drawing for Star Wars he simply said "If you could draw, wouldn’t you?" Yes Will. Yes I would.

Orli Shoshan (Shaak Ti) in all her beauty, but with only half the make-up on, was there. And even with my Irish charm, all I could get out of her was "I go down fighting."  Man, that is cool in so many ways. See you go down in 2005, Orli.  I did happen to catch her changing teams making nice nice with one of our own Sandtroopers!  If you can't beat 'em, join 'em?

Ailsa Berk (Amanaman) was putting her Johnette Hancock on POTF figures. Now here is one nice lady. She had nothing but nice things to say about Star Wars and working on the films. From the obvious temperature problems in the costume to the bathroom jokes. Yay British humor - pip, pip! Very nice lady,  look her up if you ever see her at an event.  She is just the right size for someone in the costume puppet work. Still freaks me out that Amanaman was just a girl!

Richard LeParmentier (Admiral Motti), who looked like he just ran into Darth or a bottle of Jack Daniels was working the blue carpet.  I never saw this guy sit down. It freaked me out.  He was just like Motti behind his desk peering out looking for his cue to put in his two cents.  "Whatever it takes to enhance your Star Wars experience" he said to me when I asked to steal his soul in a picture. Way to go Richard. No lack of faith there. Nothing like Celebration 2 stories but it was a great time and well worth the train trip. if you get a chance to hit one of these Wizard Cons in the next few months go for it; they are  100% Shade S.C.A.L.P. Trooper-approved.