Star Wars Insider #209 is now out! It takes you inside Jabba The Hutt, details a few of the most influential gangs in the Galaxy and interviews the Armorer!
The amount of information regarding Star Wars is endless, you can get it from different sources; videos, interviews on tv host shows, social media, etc. Some of them are official and some are not, lots of them very reliable and others not so much. If you are the kind of person that can’t get enough content and want to devour every bit of information related to Star Wars without doubting its credibility, then Star Wars Insider is what you’re looking for.
What is Star Wars Insider? you may ask. Well, Star Wars Insider is the official magazine for Star Wars. Originally named Lucasfilm Fan Club Magazine before the rebrand in 1994. This is where you can get to know the people behind every show, book and movie as well as their work and its evolutionary cycle; from a small idea to the final product.
You can buy each issue individually or a whole year subscription. Prices may vary depending on how you get it. I got it from Pocketmags.com and was able to choose between paying 8 USD per issue or 65 USD for the whole year. A total of 8 issues is released annually.
I’ve read issue #209 and here are some of my favorite sections. Please note that what I did is just a very brief summary, the idea is to promote the magazine and incentivize you to read it.
Launchpad
It’s the first section in the magazine, where we get the latest Star Wars news and updates about games, collectibles, toys, books and fashion.
The Star Wars merchandise catalog is incredibly vast. It doesn’t matter if you need something for your car, a hat, a Christmas gift or even a cool recipe. If you can think of it, then it probably exists.
In this issue, we get to see the upcoming NERF’s EE-3 Blaster, a replica of Rey’s outfit, a stunning 1:7 scale statue of Padmé Amidala at the Battle of Geonosis, Star Wars themed jewelry and a bunch of other cool things.
Knowing every important article that’s going to release in the next months might not be that important to some people. But if you’re a hardcore collector this section is for you. Being able to anticipate the launch of something you want can make the difference between pre-ordering day 1 or having to pay double or triple its price with third-party resellers.
Books & comics allow us to learn very specific details and facts of our favorite moments, items, weapons and characters. Some are very important, a handful of them let us dive into our favorite characters’ lives and others are meant to be read just for fun. Upcoming books include “The Mini Book of Lightsabers”, “The Tiny Book of Legendary Women” and “The Mandalorian Sticker Collection”.
Han Solo & Chewbacca, a new series of comics debuts this month. An apparently simple job goes wrong and our favorite duo will need to play it smart, Jabba does not take failings lightly.
Other new releases include Crimson Reign #3, Halcyon Legacy #3 & Star Wars #22.
Inside Jabba the Hutt
Puppeteers Dave Barclay, Toby Philpott and Mike Edmonds talk about their role in Star Wars, how they got the job, the background of the character and most importantly; the experience of giving life to the massive puppet of Jabba the Hutt. How did they move Jabba’s tongue? Was it a crowded space? Were there other concepts that are too different from the Jabba we know today?
If you are a puppeteer, make-up artist, industrial designer or just someone that loves learning about the creative process of such an impressive character this section is perfect for you!/ima
Crime and Punishment
We all like the Republic, Empire, Jedi and Sith, but criminal organizations are just as important in the Star Wars universe. Wars have been fought against them, corrupt politicians are on their pay bill, and every underground operation that takes place is reported to them.
This section briefly introduces you to some of the most important gangs in Star Wars. The Hutt Cartel, Crimson Dawn, The Pyke syndicate, Ohnaka Gang, the Black Sun, and the Broken Horn Syndicate. As well as the law enforcement counterpart, but focusing more on individual characters rather than organizations. Cobb Vanth, Cara Dune/Greef Karga, Tan Divo and Constable Zuvio are the writer’s choices.
An interview with Emily Swallow aka the Armorer
The Armorer is one of the new characters introduced in The Mandalorian season 1. Her appearances are brief, but she makes an impression almost instantly. She’s wise, imposing, confident and a clear authority figure among the Mandalorians, I can assure you that no one gets to that point by being a pushover.
Emily Swallow discusses the challenges of having to perform a powerful and zen-like character without the possibility of using facial expressions, her acting background and some of the moments she enjoys the most when attending comic-book conventions.
I think she’s one of the best characters in The Mandalorian and I love to read the actors’ experiences and thoughts about their roles. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more of the Armorer in the third season of The Mandalorian.
From Sith Lord to Crime Lord
Darth Maul is one of the more iconic villains in Star Wars. A character that no matter how tenacious, stubborn or resilient is, his destiny is to ultimately fail.
This article explores all the important moments of his life. His early moments as Palpatine’s apprentice, the lowest point in Maul’s existence at the caves in Lotho Minor where the only thing that kept him alive was his hate for Obi-Wan Kenobi, the attack on Mandalore where he would claim the Darksaber in combat, his rise to become the head of Crimson Dawn, the attempt to claim a new apprentice at Malachor and all the events that led to his final confrontation against Obi-Wan Kenobi.
If you want to learn more about these events you should watch Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.
Celebrating the saga
One of the last but not least segments of the magazine. A place where we get to know some of the super passionate fans of the biggest franchise in the world. If you have an enormous collection that you’re very proud of, want to share the drawing that your kid made, or maybe show off your sick cosplay this is the place where you could be featured!
There are a lot more sections in the magazine that include more news,interviews, tops, concept art, quizzes to test your knowledge and advertisement for future issues. This is a very complete product and if it’s within your possibilities you should consider buying it.
