 “Hey Troops, Donna from So Cal after C4. Had an awesome time at Celebration IV especially since I had a chance to meet Commander Spice at the Hasbro Panel. Also, if you ever get a chance to catch the stage show Star Wars in 30 minutes, you have got to go. This show will have you laughing out of your seat. Was able to pick up some exclusives for trade. I have an extra Darth Malak and Light up Yoda Mini Bust. Will trade either one for an Emperor Mini Bust. Also I was able to snag 10 of the 12 Medallions from the collector panels. If any fellow troopers out there have an extra Luke or Leia Medallion, I have a Sand People and Stormtrooper Medallion to trade. On store finds, K-mart has gotten the latest wave of Titanium Vehicles with the V-wing. Target and Wal-Mart has gotten in VTAC. Happy Hunting to all!” |
 We all know that Sandblast 2007 is right around the corner but I just couldn't wait to kick off the party so starting June 1st we'll begin our McQuarrie Celebration IV Giveaway! Since my cache of goods has returned from Los Angeles in once piece we will be pulling a winner every two weeks for one Luke Skywalker CIV Exclusive and two weeks after that we'll pull the winner for the CIV Exclusive R2-D2 & C-3PO set. Registered Forum members only, if you are already in the ranks you need to do nothing. United We Find and best of luck to you all! |
 “Bobafred chiming in from southern Cali home of Star Wars Celebration IV in the city of Angels...by retaking thy treasures by way of the force. Along with little Jangofred in tow we got to witness one of the greatest conventions ever put forth, it was the utmost incredible display of our Star Wars fan base community (unbelievable!). I have to give Mr George Lucas & Mr Steve Fan-sweet their props on putting on one of the greatest shows in our vast universe. But lets leave the reporting to the interrogators and let Bobafred do what I do best for our Sandtrooper Community, as we do in good faith... Cause United we find! On a Trooper note I forward to our Sandtrooper Community a convention Promo exclusive by way of CIV. To all of you Troopers who could not make the Star Wars Celebration IV Convention. I bring you an access code for the Hasbro Ralph McQuarrie exclusives via HasbroToyShop.com at a discounted rate. Enter Promo Code: CELEBRATION (enter promo code at check out) for a 10% discount on all Hasbro product/action figures/collectibles.” For more log into the forum for the  |
 It seems our last round of Hasbro questions were lost in the shuffle but Sandtroopers can be very resourceful and have managed to dig the lost set right out of the sand. 3 versions of Quinlan Vos? A McQuarrie box set? Another vehicle request? Take cover and head for the forums and take a look at what they had to say. Do you have a question for the Hasbro Q & A Team? Log-in and leave your question in the forums. United We Find! |
 Hey troopers! It was a successful morning for me as I scored some of the new VTSC figures at the Target by Fox Valley Mall in Aurora. They had all six of the figures there in duplicates, but I chose to pass on the ESB Bespin Luke Skywalker and ROTJ Princess Leia (Endor Gear). I thought the Leia one was pretty good but not worth the $11.99 price, and I definitely passed on the Bespin Luke because it just didn't look right to me. The face looked poor in accuracy and what's up with the sprayed on paint for his fatigues? So those VTSC figures are finally in my area!Stopped at the TRU there by Fox Valley Mall, and I kid you not there must have been about thirty Endor AT-ATs on the highest shelves there. Now if TRU would clearance those I would easily add another one of them to my collection, but because they're still $90 I'm going to have to pass. They had several TAC figures, but nothing I was in need of. And lastly, there were several Sith Infiltrators, V-Wings, Bantha with Tuskens and the Dagobah X-Wing in stock, all of which I passed on. |
 LucasArts has recently announced that they're combining both the original LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Star Wars II into one video game, which they will it LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. In this game you will be able to play Episode I through VI in continuous order. You'll also be able to play several new levels, unlock new hidden secrets, and much more! Check out the new trailer, and then visit to LucasArts' site to learn more about this new game. The game will be available for most gaming platforms in the Fall of 2007. |
 The Official Site has gotten its first major site update in more than two years. One neat little update is the ability to change the background, by choosing four different planets including Coruscant, Naboo, Mustafar and Tatooine. Navigation hasn't changed much, but instead of the links being on the left-hand side of the screen they're now on the top. The overall experience makes it feel as if you're looking at the site from space. Very cool update! Check it out for yourself here, and then cast your vote if you like it or not over in rself the forums. |
 Darth Spice and the rest of the Sandtrooper crew were busy all day long, as they successfully completed several missions today. The first mission was to sit in on the Kotobukiya and Sideshow Collectibles presentations, and learn about the future of their Star Wars products. The second mission was to enjoy the show as a Star Wars fan, to share the excitement with family and friends. Both missions were successful. Before you know it Celebration IV will be over, but that doesn't mean Star Wars is close to being over. Star Wars is forever. |
 Darth Spice had the pleasure of sitting in on the Hasbro presentation this afternoon, and learned a great deal about Hasbro's future with the Star Wars line. We mentioned earlier about the General Grievous fighter and the Katie Johnson astromech droid, but there's much more in store for us. Check out his entire report with lots of photos of Hasbro's slideshow here. |
 Celebration IV isn't just a place for grown-ups to have fun, but it's also a great place for kids to enjoy Star Wars in the most ultimate way. Darth Spice and his young Sith apprentices were all over the Convention Center, buying new Star Wars collectibles, checking out new products that will soon be available, and most importantly meeting all sorts of celebrities. The most shocking of them all was how they met C-3PO himself, Anthony Daniels! Looks like everyone had a great time today, and to think there's still more than two days left. Read the full mission report including several photo galleries here. |
 Just received word from Darth Spice about a couple new items Hasbro will be releasing this year. First up is that General Grievous will have something to fly, as his fighter will become a reality sometime this year. Hopefully it will be a bit more to scale when compared to Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator. The other bit of news is that Hasbro and Lucasfilm will be donating $100,000 to the Make a Wish Foundation in memory of the 501st Legion's founder's daughter, Katie Johnson, and will be making a special astromech droid in her memory known as R2-KT. Katie's astromech will be available at the San Diego Comic-Con and online in late July. It sure is nice knowing that Hasbro will be coming out with another new vehicle and something special for a special cause. |
 ABC News takes a look back to those that starred in the original film, and what they have been up to. From Harrison Ford (Han Solo) to Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) to memories of Sir Alec Guiness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) whom have passed on since the original film premiered. Take a short stroll down memory lane from the film that started it all. |
 This Monday (Memeroial Day), the The History Channel will be airing it's tribute to Star Wars: A New Hope and how it conquered the world. This two hour special that begins at 9:00pm and will be exploring why the emotional impact of the Star Wars Saga remains as relevant as ever. There will be interviews from all walks of life for this special including comments from Filmmakers J.J. Abrams, Kevin Smith and Peter Jackson, journalists Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather, and many more. So as you try to finish off the long extended weekend in style, sit back Monday night and relive it all once again. |
 As the staff sets up camp for CIV and enjoys all things Star Wars, various news outlets over the next few days will be talking about a little film that only opened on 40 screens worldwide, and how it changed the world. Check out CNN's coverage here.I was just a little padawan (actually four years old) when A New Hope was released. I don't remeber much about the film other than all the toys my 8 year old brother was playing with. Eventually I took these over, and remember getting punched a few times for taking them, but looking back now it was so worth it. So weather you are enjoying the festivities in California or just hanging out at home this long Memorial Day weekend, take a second to thank the maker for making all of this possible, and on another note if you support the war or not, pray that our troops over there get home safely. |
 Hey troopers! Darth Spice and Starfox have just finished transmitting their mission report and photos of Day 1 coverage from Celebration IV. After reading Spice's report, it's pretty apparent that the show is turning out to be a big hit, possibly even better than the previous Celebration event. Of course all the main Star Wars vendors were there, but what stood out the most (to me anyway) were the custom Darth Vader helmets. Some of the artwork is absolutely fascinating, and even our very own Starfox must've been extra happy seeing the pink Vader helmets. Keep tuning into Sandtroopers.com for more Celebration IV coverage throughout this Memorial Day weekend. United We Find! |
 The Gentle Giant Busts guide has been updated tonight with two additional busts, which include the bounty hunters Zuckuss and Jango Fett. The latter of the two includes two interchangeable heads, one that has his helmet on and the other doesn't. Very nice pieces to be included in anyone's Star Wars collection. |
 Former Star Wars Fan Club president and Star Wars Insider founder Dan Madsen will be signing autographs at the Pacific Fan Force table in the fan hall. People that stop by the designated signing area will be able to meet Dan Madsen, along with film makers Cristian and Cortney Macht as well as receive a free autographed The Force Among Us promotional poster. Be sure to stop by the Pacific Fan Force area on Sunday May 27th between the hours of 9:30am - 10:30am and on Monday May 28th, between the hours of Noon - 1:00pm. And don’t forget The Force Among Us FREE t shirt day on Thursday May 24th at the Pantry Café and The Force Among Us Q & A panel on Monday May 28th at 2:30 at the Fan Stage. For all the up to date info check out their website. |
| New Vintage 2007: Bossk - Bounty Hunters IG-88 - Bounty Hunters Luke Skywalker - Bespin Fatigues Leia Organa in Combat Poncho Imperial Stormtrooper - Hoth Battle Gear Han Solo - Hoth Outfit New Comic 2-packs: Quinlan Vos & Vilmarh Grahrk Obi-Wan Kenobi & ARC Trooper Luke Skywalker & R2-D2 | New Titanium: V-Wing Plo Koon Jedi Starfighter Clone Trubo Tank B-Wing - New Paint ARC-170 - New Paint Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter Republic Gunship - Ultra X-Wing - Battle Damage - Ultra Jedi Starfighter - Ultra TIE Fighter - Ultra |
| Thanks to one of our readers, General Grievous, we have a new picture of the Fifth wave of TAC figures up for viewing in our forum, that EntertainmentEarth.com |
| “Bobafred chiming in from So Cal with the following DCPI numbers for Star Wars Vintage 087-06-1856 and for the Comic two packs use the following 087-06-1991. These have a official release date of 5/27/07. (yeah right!) If any of you Troops would like a private escorted tour of So. California please fill free to email me your itineraries with what your looking to do. I will set your agenda for a night or more. Please R.S.V.P. your request A.S.A.P. I will schedule my nights of the conventions for troops with or with out a significant other and or kids. Jangofred gets along with infants on up! West Coast climate in and around Los Angeles Convention Center hits 95 to your hi 100's 4-7 days out of your seven day forecast with brisk nights. Celebration IV has crept up on us... So pack your Dewback with due diligence...Bobafred clearing your landing upon your arrival for the hunt!” |
 “The Toys R Us (Gurnee, IL) has the new comic packs in stock but still lacking the basic figures. Target (Gurnee, IL) has an end cap of Order 66 figures marked down to $6.98 & Darth Vader coin albums marked down to $2.98 at the clearance racks. The Target in Waukegan has a few pegwarmers from Wave II and the Sith Infiltrator & V-Wing. No sign of the Vintage figures. That's all for now. United We Find!” |
 The Official Site is back with another update to it's Insider's Guide to Celebration 4, with updated schedules and event information. Looks like they have a lot of great events planned for the weekend, so if you're going to the show, check out more details at the official site. Here is part 2, and in case you missed it, the first part can be found here. Looks like they will have one more segment, and we'll post it here for you when they do. |
 Next week's biggest Star Wars party ever, Celebration IV, not only commemorates the past 30 years of the saga, but looks forward into the exciting future of Star Wars. Fans at the event will finally get a behind the scenes look at the forthcoming CG-animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, produced by Lucasfilm Animation. As announced earlier, Producer Catherine Winder and Director Dave Filoni will be on hand to discuss the making of the series. As an extra treat, attendees will get a chance to take home the first ever keepsake of the animated series, a limited edition poster created just for Celebration that showcases some of the stars of the new show. Check out more details here at the Official Site. |
 I posted a poll in our forums about the new Dark Horse Star Wars comics. Check it out and let us know what you think. Are you a faithful reader? Casual reader? Don't care for them at all? We want to hear from you. |
 Just a reminder that the Celebration 4 Exclusive Grand Moff Tarkin Animated Character Key Cel for attendees will be going up for sale tomorrow at some time. Considering that 200 were posted for sale on Monday for non-attendees and sold out in about 12 minutes, I would keep my eyes focused on Acme Archive's website and be ready at any time! |
 Frank from Kotobukiya emailed us recently to let us know that aside from some killer exclusives being sold at Celebration 4 (the awesome Spirit Yoda ArtFX statue and the very cool R2-D2 Traditional Japanese Kiriko glass), there is going to be a Q & A panel presentation on Saturday, May 26th at 10 am. We have a thread in our forums where you can post questions you'd like to have answered. Even if you can't attend the show, post your questions and ask away! |
 One of the most anticipated games on the next gen consoles is of course The Force Unleashed. The game will be finding it's way to our homes in early 2008. However, we don't have to wait that long to get some more taste of what's to come. At Celebration 4 fans will get the chance to meet two of the stars from the game. Nathalie Cox who plays Juno Eclipse and Sam Witwer who plays the secret apprentice will make an appearance to share their thoughts being apart of this game. Check out the Star Wars.Com to get to know these two important cogs of The Force Unleashed a little more. |
 The Sandwatch Guides get another great addition tonight with the second wave of Hasbro's comic 2-pack sets. Included in this wave are the following: Quinlan Vos & Vilmarh Grahrk, Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Disguise) & R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi (with Sith Torture Mask) & ARC Trooper. It's been a long wait for so many EU fans who have so desperately wanted their very own Quinlan Vos figure, and their wait is finally over. Hasbro not only created the figure, but they did a really good job at doing so. Check out the visual guide of these three great comic 2-packs, and make sure you pick these up to add to your collection. |
 Corgi International Limited today announced that it has notified Lucasfilm Ltd. that the company has withdrawn its offer to secure a new license agreement for Star Wars products starting January 1, 2008. The company's existing license with Lucasfilm Ltd. for Star Wars products expires on December 31, 2007. Lucasfilm Ltd. had previously notified the company that it was not willing to provide a new license on the terms proposed by the company. Corgi believes that it is not in the best interest of its shareholders to accept a new license on the terms proposed by Lucasfilm Ltd. Read the entire press release here. |
| This week Dark Horse gives us a bit of a break from the regular issues... just two collected works are shipping on 5/16. The Knights of the Old Republic Volume 2: Flashpoint TPB, which collects issues 7 through 12, and the 30th Anniversary Volume 3: Darth Maul hardcover, which collects the mini series. The 30th Anniversary hardcovers are really great books for those that have not seen them yet, and I greatly reccomend them to anyone that may have missed out on these stories originally, or to anyone that wants a nice hardcover for the shelf. |
 As many fans know Robot Chicken will be honoring Star Wars with a special show. Well, tonight on Star Wars.Com you get a chance to find out a little on the creators of Robot Chicken. Seth Green and Matthew Senreich met when Green was still on Buffy and Senreich worked for Toy Fare Magazine. Since then these two have made some of the funniest Star Wars skits around like Vader calling the Emperor. Check out the Star Wars.Com to get to know these two creators a little more. |
 We’d like to take the time out to say a Happy Birthday to “The Maker” George Lucas. Without his dream, vision and ultimately the greatest pictures in the history of film we would not have the hobby of Star Wars collecting. We can only appreciate the privilege to pop in any of the six DVD’s and go back a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Happy Sixty-three Mr. Lucas and to many, many more! |
 Fan favorite Warwick Davis a.k.a. Wicket the Ewok has been made the Master of Ceremonies on the Main Stage this coming July at Celebration Europe. Warwick has been well known to Star Wars fans since the beginning of his career starring as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi, and he returned to the star wars franchise with several roles in The Phantom Menace. Over the course of the three days, Davies will be the host in the 2000 seat theatre of the Celebration Europe Main Stage. Events will include an extensive line up of celebrity guest interviews, shows, and question and answer sessions as well as insight into his very extensive career. For more visit the official site for the full story. |
 Coming this fall, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron will debut on Sony's PSP. The game traces a new story line, following Han Solo and a ragtag squadron of rogues and scoundrels, your kind of people. The game will include all new battles and missions that span the galaxy and allows you customization levels never before presented in this format. Do you have what it takes? To see if you do, check out and and get your sabotage, rescue and dogfighting skills ready. |
 “DarthPharaoh here with an interesting tidbit. My wife takes surveys with an online survey place called marketsurveys.com. Today she got an interesting one. It was a Star Wars survey. Much of it was basic, such as "Did you see it in the theater in `77, etc. However, it was also asking questions about if there was a TV show would you be interested in watching it and so on. Lucas surveying about Star Wars...hmmm, is he nervous? Hard to believe from the man who does things his way. The same man who gave us Jar-Jar Binks and Howard the Duck. I say let’s let our voices be heard. Go to marketsurveys.com, sign up and take the Star Wars survey. Let’s fight for a TV show and let "The Maker" know we want our SWTV.” |
 If you have the chance to stop by the Star Wars Shop booth during Celebration 4 you will be rewarded for it. Some of your favorite artists will be there to sign items for fans at no charge. Just who might you be seeing if you stop by the booth? None other than Drew Sturzan, Jan Duursema, John Ostrander, and several others. Do not pass up this chance if you will be at Celebration 4 to get that prized item signed the artist that created it. Check out the Star Wars.Com so you know what booth you MUST hit to get that item signed. |
 The last figure of the three Endor Troopers to be reviewed is the Endor Sergeant. This figure has something a little different though from the rest of the troopers. He seems to resemble a certain production manager from Sideshow. This item was sold as a Sideshow site exclusive so get on the wait list now if you don't want to miss him!! Not sure what to do? Check out the review and summary the great work done by the team of Boba Binks and yours truly. |
| Dan Madsen the former Star Wars Fan Club President and Founder of "Insider" will be a "Special Guest" at Celebration 4. Madsen will be a guest during the presentation of "The Force Among Us" along with directors Cortney and Cristian Macht. Madsen can be seen in the Highlight Reel section of the documentary! One major thing you will want to check out in this film is our very own Sandtrooper team! We are counting down the days to CIV and this is just another reason why. All the info you need can be found in our forums so hit it up and get the scoop! |
 “It’s been a while since my last report. My local NY Southern Tier stores are slow in getting T.A.C. Wave I Figures in large quantities, if at all. I finally finish Wave I, but no sight of Wave II. Most stores are restocking Wave 8 & 9 of 2006 Figures (Wal-Mart mostly). Why? 2nd Wave of Comic Figure Packs has showed up at TRU, I grabbed one set for myself so far. Target does have a large quantity of Order 66 Figure Packs. Also some sad news from myself, I will not be going to the CIV Convention in LA this time. It will be the 1st one I will miss. So if there is a Fellow Sandtrooper out there that could hook me up with the Hasbro CIV Exclusive Action Figures and CIV T-Shirts. I have items listing in the CIV Forum. United We Find and May The Force Be With You All!” |
| You will be able to this holiday season with a special Star Wars twist. Coming this winter will be LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Imagine being a jedi and swinging your wii-mote like a lightsaber, sounds like tons of fun to be had. Also coming to the Wii will be the Lucas Arts carniaval and rides game Thrillville. No pricing available at this time, but to see more info check out Worth Playing so you can know when to get your Wii on. |
| To say the weekend was busy as far as scoring new Star Wars toys is concerned, would be a major understatement. Thanks to my wonderful wife I added three new Galactic Hero sets from the Target in Plainfield on Route 59: Emperor Royal Guard & Imperial Gunner, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Leia in Boushh Disguise & Han Solo in Carbonite. I'm also lucky to have a friend like Darth Berger, who helped snag the new V-Wing and Sith Infiltrator vehicles for me (thanks Jeff!). If you read my latest mission report, you'll know that I scored that 12" POTF2 Speeder Bike with Scout Trooper and lots of other great items. And lastly, I scored two of the newest comic 2-packs last night at the TRU in Joliet: Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise & R2-D2, Quinlan Vos & Vilmarh Grahrk. It was a most successful weekend for me, and I hope it was for you too. |
| New Battlepacks: Bantha with Tusken Raiders – Version 1 Bantha with Tusken Raiders – Version 2 Treachery on Saleucami | Pre-Order May 25 Deadline: Classic Boba Fett Mini Bust Classic Kit Fisto Mini Bust Classic TIE Fighter Pilot Mini Bust |
 The second figure from the new Militaries of Star Wars line is Nik Sant. Sideshow Collectibles did a fantastic job of nailing Nik aka Gramps as his fellow Endor companions would call him. This item was sold as a Sideshow site exclusive so get on the wait list now if you don't want to miss him!! Not sure what to do? Check out the review and summary and stay tuned for the last figure from the set later this week. |
| “Hey Troops, here's my store report for May. TRU (Gurnee, IL) has the Bantha packs in stock, but they barely have figures on the pegs. Wal-Mart (Gurnee, IL) has Wave 2 figures minus the concept Boba Fett. Target (Waukegan, IL) has the Vader/Coin Album marked down to $4.98 while Target (Gurnee, IL) are well stocked with Order 66 figures. No sign of the new comic packs, Sith Infiltrator or V-wing. That's all for now.” |
 As far back as most fans can remember, Dark Horse Comics has been pumping out some truly awesome expanded universe tales. Great writing and artwork has become synonomous with the DH books, and they have even been the creative force behind some of the greatest characters never to be seen on film (Quinlan Vos, anyone?). Set to release at the end of this month (May 30th, to be exact) is the second volume in the Star Wars: Panel to Panel series of trade paperback (or tpb) books. In this all-new companion to the first Star Wars Panel to Panel volume, they've spotlighted not only the stunning work of comics' greatest artists, but also the legion of characters Dark Horse has contributed to Star Wars' Expanded Universe - characters who have not only carried the romance and adventure of the galaxy far, far away far beyond the events in the films, but those who have made the jump from the pages of comic books to television and the silver screen! |
| This past Thursday at the 50th anual San Francisco film festival they honored none other than George Lucas. He received the Irving "Bud" Levin for his vision and impact on cinema. This is sure to be a year of awards for Lucas and the Star Wars family being the 30th Anniversary. Lucas also mentions something interesting about the upcoming Indiana Jones film. Make sure you read the enitre article to see who all else was honored during this prestigious event. |
 “Tamer here reporting in that wave two has finally shown up in my area. I have also seen a glut of old saga figs on the pegs from AT-AT drivers to first run Boba Fett, Endor Luke, etc. Hasbro must be flushing out their final saga figures. I still have yet to see the two new ships, the V-Wing and the Sith Infiltrator, but I have a good trooper on the case. I also want to thank those troopers who so graciously volunteered to look for a few things for the ole tamer at CIV. I am sure going to miss not getting the chance to meet the Troopers. Make sure to toast the Tamer while you guys and gals are enjoying yourselves. United We Find” |
| Why did Star Wars touch so many people 30 years ago? Why does it continue to have an emotional impact on so many people today? Why is it so fun? The History Channel is set to do a Star Wars special on this very topic to unravel the shroud of mystery surrounding our favorite films, set to debut on May 28th 9pm ET/PT. There will be a wide variety of guests on the show to include: Kevin Smith, Peter Jackson, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, politicians Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi, and author Carl Silvio. The show will also look at parallels between the movies and modern politics, juxtaposing film clips with speeches made by George W. Bush and other leading public officials, which should be quite interesting.To unravel the mystery check out Animation Magazine and PR Newswire. |
