HOWARD........WHERE TO NEXT? ( SLIGHT SPOILER )

If you have seen Guardians of the Galaxy all the way you know that obscure icon Howard the Duck has made what seems like one off  appearance. What I enjoyed about that appearance was being reminded of that horrible attempt at a film that made me want investigate Howard's origins. Howard was a Marvel creation that was somewhat bastardized by the 1986 film. The cool thing about Howard is the fact that, according to his backstory, he is quite the badass. For the last 28 years I have wondered when Howard would come back, now he's back sort of. I wonder where Marvel will take him, if anywhere.   I hope that Disney doesn't decide to shit all over this foul like George Lucas did back in 86.'' We can only hope!

I'M YOUR DADDY LUKE

I love Star Wars and I always have, in part I love it because there was nothing like it and to this day there is nothing like it. I always wondered if there was a way to create a real lightsaber because I was really down with the idea of having my own lightsaber. I would not use my lightsaber on anything other than plastic bottles and Somali pirate ships.

Apparently I may have my big chance because it seems like scientists may be close to creating my dream device. The following link will take you to an article about the near creation of the lightsaber:

http://www.i4u.com/2013/09/56020/real-lightsaber-created

What I think is amazing about this development, besides the fact that I may now battle Somali pirates, is the fact that it's only been 35 years since this was first conceptualized. I'm almost certain that this type of development will meet with serious political and religious opposition. On the flip side of the equation I am certain that science advocates will welcome this with open arms, just because it means that we can eventually master anything we can think of.

Read the article, make your conclusions and may the force be with you.

MARK HAMILL BACK AGAIN

The rumors of Mark Hamill's comeback are running rampant. I mean that Hamill is likely coming back to reprise his role Luke Skywalker in the new Star Wars saga. I want to come back to something I wrote previously with regards to this very speculation. How will the movie be written? Yes there is an expansive Star Wars universe that goes far beyond the first three films and also the prequels but that universe lives on in print only.

I like Mark Hamill but he is a little beyond past his prime so the big thing is going to be making the Jedi middle aged and kind of in that mold of the old guy that had something long ago. A lot of the speculation centers on making the children of Luke and Han and Leia the focus of the new story. All of this speculation is obviously feeding the machine which is great for future box office numbers. I still wonder how a reunion of the original characters will be received by die hard fans.

Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, and Harrison Ford all look like they have been fighting wars through the galaxy for the last thirty years. In a way all the players look like George Lucas hoped they would when he mentioned this particular set of stories. Other rumors even mention Luke as the center of all three films, I think that would be a mistake. Star Wars has youth appeal combined with the idea of an elderly and sage kind of advisor leading the way to maturity and an eventual confrontation with the villain. I am interested to see where this particular set of trilogies will go especially given the possible participation of original cast members.

Time will tell how this story will be told but one thing is for sure and that's my presence on opening day  because I am still a little dork at heart.

A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY........YOU KNOW

The entertainment world is on fire with the recent news of Harrison Ford's unofficial but done deal return to the role of Han Solo. I am pretty amped to hear that because I am a big Star Wars fan but I wonder how that will play out. The latest installment is due out in 2015 which means Ford will be 71 or 72. I wonder how exactly they plan to pull this story off.

The fact is that Star Wars is a universe full of a million different stories surrounding different characters in the saga. I wonder what exactly they plan on covering and if there is a place for Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. There is a magic element to the original cast getting together again but the true box office appeal is really on Harrison Ford who is himself more of an elder statesman. Role reprisal has proven a reliable source of income for aging stars but it doesn't necessarily mean that it will help the film in the long run.

If they don't bring back the original cast it's fair to say that a story will have to be crafted that will cover the demise of the other characters. I think that doing something like that will really piss off the loyal fan base simply because a lot of people like the continuity of the characters and story after Episode VI. People went to see the latest installment of Rocky because they love the nostalgic value of the series. I am guessing that this latest film will be a huge hit regardless of how the story is presented.

One fair question will be if they decide to go the TRON route with this particular film. In the sequel to TRON Jeff Bridges met with an end designed to give the story legs for either another film or a different medium. The Star Wars saga covers print, animation, video games, and just about everything that a person can get their hands on so the legs are not necessary. The question is will they take Harrison Ford and make him a character that comes in as a sort of mentor? I also wonder how they will approach the Jedi aspect? This is another big question seeing as how in the book continuations the Jedi Order was re-established by Luke Skywalker and let's face it everyone loves the sounds and colors of the lightsaber.

Star Wars is the entertainment world's most lucrative cash register so chances are that staying loyal to the original source material and the original storyline won't really be a priority seeing as how this is now a Disney owned franchise. May the Force be with you JJ Abrams.