Revelations from Celebration Anaheim

Quick Editorial - I really hate the grammatical misuse of the word "reveal". I cringe whenever I hear or read, "...did hear about the big reveal at the show last night?" There is a word for this people, it is revelation. It's not that hard. Okay, enough of my grumpy old man talk.

While I may not be there in person, thanks to the miracle of social media, there is plenty for a virtual attendee to see and hear. Below are my highlights from the first full day of the convention, in no particular order.

TEASER TRAILER #2

What is there to say, really?

BB-8 MAKES AN APPEARANCE

This is incredible. BB-8 is not CGI, but a practical model! This was developed by the small toy robotics company Sphero. Bob Iger chipped in a few bucks to the company to help build BB-8!

BB-8 Appears On Stage


THE NEW BIG 3

I love these shots!

NEW TROOPER ARMOR

In the Celebration program, we get our first full look at the new stormtrooper armor. Sweet!

LANDO COMIC BOOK SERIES

Lando is getting his own comic book series - coming this July!

NEW FACTIONS

So I guess the Empire is not the "Empire" and the Rebel Alliance is not the "Rebels" or the "Alliance. I wonder what has been happening in the GFFA in the past 30 years since Return of the Jedi?!

Looks like the First Order is going for a Nazi look. Chilling!

BATTLEFRONT

I am not much a video game player anymore. The game will give us a first view of Sullust (based on the environment of Iceland no less!). 

But what I am most excited about is that there will be a playable level for the Battle of Jakku. So we will get to see how that crashed Star Destroyer in the second teaser trailer got there! Apparently the battle takes place one year after the Battle of Endor.  I'm looking forward to seeing You Tube videos of people playing that one.

Is that Anakin's lightsaber on top of Luke's?!

MORE PUBLISHING NEWS

Add Battlefront: Twilight Company to the list of publications hitting this fall. This will be written by Alexander Freed. 

Also coming this fall as part of the Journey to The Force Awakens series is the novel Shattered Empire by Greg Rucka.

Alan Dean Foster will be writing the novelization of The Force Awakens, which will be released digitally on the same day as the film and a hardcover coming the following month in January.

CAPTAIN REX RETURNS IN REBELS

I was hoping this would happen. I definitely wasn't expecting it to be this soon! I love the premise - a bunch of grumpy old men who still know how to take care of business. It reminds me of that great action movie RED. 

COOL REBELS CLIPS

Hando is back! 

Kanan and Vader face off.   

Whoa!!!

ROGUE ONE NEWS

The spinoff movies will be named "Anthology" movies. Rogue One takes place before Episode IV and will tell the story of the the Rebels stealing the Death Star plans. Awesome!

YOUTUBE VIDEO LINKS

The Force Awakens Panel Highlights

Entire Day 1 Stream

Entire Day 2 Stream

Entire Day 3 Stream

Entire Day 4 Stream