Updates To BB-8 App Yesterday! Including Capt. Phasma and First Order Stormtrooper.

Click pic to get your own BB-8

There's just something about BB-8: With no more than movie-trailer glimpses, its roly-poly form with perilously perched head has the power to mesmerize and delight. It looks like nothing else, and yet seems somehow singularly "Star Wars," with just as much innate personality as its cousin R2-D2. 

Yesterday BB-8 owners gained access to exclusive content through their apps, including dialogue provided by Disney unit Lucasfilm, from “The Force Awakens.” Villainous Captain Phasma (played by “Game of Thrones” star Gwendoline Christie) and a stormtrooper for the evil First Order will be the first new characters given the BB-8 treatment. The release comes on the heels of a content release last week which included R2-D2 and fellow legacy character C-3PO.

Click pic to get your own BB-8

Owners won’t need to worry about shelling out more money for the app updates, either, as they’re included in the original $149.99 price, Blakely said. He added that there are no plans to raise the price on BB-8, even as the company works to satisfy the hot market for the toy during the holiday-shopping season.

Sphero significantly ramped up BB-8 production after legions of fans snapped up the toy during the Force Friday event early in September.

Checkout the epic video below:

Probably going to be the hottest toy for the holidays. Get one here!

If you have a BB-8 and got the update then let us know on our FB group. You can also like our page to stay up-to-date on all things Star Wars. 

Source:  Space.com and Wall Street Journal

New Marvel One-Shot To Explain C3PO's Red Arm!

We're about to find out in a new Marvel One-Shot!

We're about to discover the origin of C3PO's red arm!

From StarWars.com:

Fans of the galaxy’s greatest protocol droid have noticed that in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, C-3PO has a new red arm. In a special one-shot from Marvel, we’ll learn just how and why he got it.

Today, Marvel announced Star Wars Special: C-3P0 #1, a new story from the Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens publishing program coming in December. Reuniting the acclaimed and award-winning writer and artist team of James Robinson and Tony Harris for the first time in nearly two decades, the tale follows “golden rod” on a solo adventure leading up to his appearance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens — and reveals what led to this change in appearance.

“That’s a really exciting part of doing this story,” says Robinson. “I saw a photo of C-3PO with his red arm the other day and I thought ‘Wow, I’m the writer who gets to explain that.’”

You may not be fluent in over six million forms of communication…but this book is a must have in any language.

See full article here.

Get all the latest Star Wars toys here

So, give us your theories on the red arm in the comments section.  You can also sound off on our group and make sure to like our page!  As always, we will keep you updated right here on the Forcestrong Network when we get more info on the release date.

Get all the latest Star Wars toys here.

Fandemonium! What does it all mean?

We, as fans, hold our favorite franchises to the highest regard! We will argue, fight, and if we could, force choke you to death over them.  I KEEL YOU!

For generations there has been Star Wars vs Star Trek, Marvel vs DC, which Dr. was the best, who could take who in a fight, and countless more. We travel hundreds of miles to meet our favorite actor or artist at ComicCons, spend thousands of dollars buying all the newest merch, and proudly display our fandom for all to see in shameless mirror selfies on Instagram.

Click here to get your Chewbacca shirt!

Recently Force Friday showed us this with the majority of our local walmart, target, and several other retailer's shelves being completely blown out by 12:15am Friday morning...

Over the last few years some of these franchises have gained a massive new following thanks to big budget Hollywood films. The MCU has produced some of the highest grossing films and biggest box office openings in Hollywood history. Star Wars episode VII is surrounded by more hype and anticipation than most films to date, and for most of us, we can say that we have been around since before all the hype. But what does all of this mean for us that have been around since the beginning? It means that today is a great day to be a nerd, my friends, a great day indeed.

What say you #Forcestrong?  Sound off on our FB group and make sure you like our page!

ForceFriday is Here! Some Pics From Our Forcestrong Group Members.

One lucky member even won this giant Chewie from his local Target!

THE BIG DAY IS HERE!! FORCEFRIDAY!!

Kylo Ren, Rey, Finn, BB-8, LEGOs, Funko, and much much more -- What did you get?  Post it in comments or on our FB group with the rest of the 25,000+ members.

One member even made the news:

Below are some of the choice picks that have come in so far.  If you see your picture, feel free to comment.

Yes, we have a few Star Wars addicts within our community ;)  Make sure you share your haul with us all.  Post in comments or in our FB group.  Thanks for being a part of the #Forcestrong Network!

(SPOILERS) Ep. VII Leaked Images Reveal Scene - Characters & Names Revealed - Also: SW Rebels in Ep. VII???

It's been a busy week in the world of Star Wars spoilers, revelations & speculations! Without further delay, let's get cracking!

SPOILER!

Earlier in the week, leaked footage made it onto YouTube where it was subsequently removed just as quickly as it arrived.....but not before screenshots were saved! The footage expanded on the scene shown in the trailer where Finn & Rey are running across an open area in the desert and an explosion erupts behind them.

In what appears to be the moments before that explosion, the scene shows a marketplace/bazaar like location where Finn & Rey are hiding from Stormtroopers. In the scene, Rey says "Let go of me!" and Finn replies with "We gotta move!" The images show what appears to be Finn & Rey making a run for it as a one trooper gives chase.

Checkout the slides below (Click to enlarge):

REVELATION!

Back in late July, we posted an article about a new alien species that was revealed to be one of the Resistance's X-Wing pilots. At the time, he was nicknamed Bullhead, on the count of the resemblance to a Bullhead fish. 

You can find that article HERE.

Thanks to the keen eyes of a JediTempleArchive staffer (who is also a Wal-Mart shopper), we now have a name for this pilot as well as the image and identity of a new character. Check them out below!

Bullhead (Real Name: Asty)
Affiliation: Resistance

Sarco Plank

Affiliation: Unknown

SPECULATION!

Thanks to that same staffer who snapped pix of Asty & Sarco Plank, something else was discovered. Something quite interesting if you consider the possibilities...

The case load-out that comes with Asty & Sarco is listed as follows:

2x Asty

2x Sarco Plank

2x Stormtrooper

2x Snowtrooper

2x Kanan Jarrus

2x Ezra Bridger

That's right. Kanan and Ezra are part of the new TFA toy line! According to the source, they are Rebels figures packaged on the new TFA card! Is this just a marketing ploy to resell repackaged figures or is there something deeper? This opens up a whole new possibility (as well as a unique canonical connection) between Rebels and the new trilogy!

If  Kanan & Ezra are a part of the new trilogy, that would mean Ezra would be about the same age as Luke. Rebels takes place 5 years before ANH. Ezra is 14 at this time.  5 years later in ANH, Luke is 18/19 years old. That also means Kanan would be pushing into his 80's......about the same age as Max Von Sydow!

I know people have been hoping/speculating that Von Sydow's character ends up being an old Fett, but what if he ends up being Kanan under an assumed identity? If that's the case, then the new EU has got a lot of explaining to do as to where Kanan & Ezra have been throughout the war between the Rebels and Galactic Empire.

Unfortunately, due to issues with the store manager the staffer was unable to get pictures of all 6 figures in the case.

I guess we'll all find out more about our two Rebels once #ForceFriday arrives!

For the latest on all things Star Wars, follow us via our Facebook page, and join our 25K member strong Facebook group!



Sources: MakingStarWars.net, JediTempleArchives.com

(Spoilers) LEGO Star Wars Shines Light On BB-8's Beeps, Whistles, & More

LEGO Star Wars just came out with a new commercial and in it we hear what BB-8 will actually sound like.  I know we've had trailers and teasers with some noise from the little droid but they only recently decided/revealed his final 'voice'.

From Slashfilm.com: (Spoilers Below)

As you hear in the commercial (via StarWars7News.com), the droid has much more of a whistle sound than the usual beeps and hums that we’ve heard from astromech droids like R2-D2 before. And if you compare the sounds in the commercial to those made during the Celebration appearance earlier this year, there’s a distinct difference. The droid sounds super adorable, and I cant wait to hear how he interacts and shows emotion and expresses himself like R2-D2.
But the question is, why is BB-8 running from Kylo Ren and First Order Stormtroopers in this commercial? Well, we likely know the answer, but if you want to be in the dark for the movie, then don’t read below for fear of spoilers!
Thanks to some of the details revealed on the toys, we know that BB-8 belongs to Resistance pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), not REy (Daisy Ridley) as some had assumed. And early on in the film, Dameron comes into possession of Luke/Anakin’s old lightsaber on Jakku and hides it in BB-8.
Therefore, if Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order Stormtroopers are looking for the lightsaber, it would stand to reason that BB-8 is likely on the run from the bad guys to avoid being captured. Presumably, the droid escapes the bad guys, but ends up getting captured by some kind of scavenger, and that’s how Rey comes into contact with the droid (as we’ve seen in a previously released photo). And that’s how Rey ends up in possession of the lightsaber, though as we’ve seen, Finn (John Boyega) ends up using it at some point.

So what do you think of BB-8?  Do you have anything to add to the 'spoilers'? What do you think of these theories? Sound off in comments or in our FB group.

If you are interested in writing for the Forcestrong Network then contact me. -Travis

Disney To Unwrap 15 Star Wars Toys Ahead of Force Friday

It's a well known fact by now that at the stroke of midnight signifying the end of September 3rd and the beginning of September 4th, toy retailers are going to swing their doors open for countless consumers who would have been waiting all night to get their hands on all the new Star Wars toys from various manufacturers.

What wasn't known until just recently, is that Disney plans to have a GLOBAL UNBOXING EVENT ahead of Force Friday.

This event will take place on September 3rd and be telecast across the world!

UPDATE: Thanks to additional information on StarWars.com, we now know that this will be an 18 hour event. The live stream will be broadcast on the official Star Wars YouTube channel. A YouTube personality will unbox one toy per location.

Schedule posted below:

As you can see above, the first item will be unwrapped in Sydney, Australia, and from there it's a globe-trotting adventure across 13 additional locations including before finaly coming to an end at location 15: LucasFilm Studios in San Francisco, CA.

Funko Toys coming out Sept. 4th!  Forcestrong Original Meme.

The end of the event will signal the beginning of Force Friday when all the toy stores open up their doors to the waiting masses!

Fans are being encouraged to document their experiences and post them online with the hashtag #ForceFriday.

We also encourage you all to post your experiences to our Facebook Page & Facebook Group where we plan on featuring them in a future article! You can use the hashtag #Forcestrong or #ForceFriday. Thanks and share with your friends!



Source: Engadget
Updates: StarWars.com

Jawa Sandcrawler Comes To Life!

What's cooler than a Lego Star Wars Jawa Sandcrawler? How about a Lego Star Wars Sandcrawler that actually moves!

That's just what two die hard Star Wars and Lego fanatics did! Jarren Harkema and Calvin Hartley of Grand Rapids, Michigan began their friendship at a Lego Robotics Club. Putting their knowledge and love of Lego & Star Wars together, they custom built a Jawa Sandcrawler.

The official Lego Sandcrawler is dwarfed by this 3 foot, 28 pound, 10,000 piece custom build. Using Lego bricks, Lego Technic pieces and other electrical components, they built a working model that has independently powered tracks and powered ramp, Jawa elevator, droid lift and conveyor belt systems.

Jarren Harkema with the Sandcrawler

They premiered their creation at Brickworld Chicago 2015. Sure the color scheme is off, but it is very cool none the less!

Check out the video below of Jarren & Calvin talking about their experience with this build.

Be sure to stop by our Facebook page and give us a like, and if you'd like to be a part of a fantastic group of Star Wars fans, join our Facebook group as well!

Source: TheBitBag

First Look At 'The Force Awakens' Funkos

Why is 3PO's arm red?  Nice Saber!

From Funko Pop Checklist:

The Force Awakens toys are starting to pop (pun intended) up across the web.  Here's some of our favorites from Funko!  Enjoy the #Forcestrong commentary attached to each pic ;)

Will this be the one offered in the new SW crates?

This is my favorite, by far!  -T

How does Chewie look even younger?

What no last name... ;)

Looking a lot like a Skywalker :)

You mean more Hoth is coming?

Nice gun, hope it comes with sights...

Stay tuned to this blog for more when toys come on the market in September! Until then get all of your favorite from Amazon here.

To discuss further stop by our FB group.  Make sure you like our page also!

First Order TIE Fighter Upgrades Revealed

Let's face it. This year's main attraction at SDCC was Star Wars. This was where Hasbro unveiled the new TIE Fighter toy to attendees. Up until that point, the only glimpse we saw of this craft were quick shots of it flying and shooting in the teaser & trailer. Those who saw the new toy up close definitely noticed some key differences from it's predecessor in Episode VI.

The unveiling also inadvertently revealed some SPOILERS about the redesigned TIE fighter.

For those who were not so fortunate to see it in person, we give you an up close look at the new TIE fighter, and how it differs from the old generation outside of having a new paint job.

We're going to break it down for you one image at a time:

1.  FULL FRONTAL VIEW

As you can see, the ship hasn't changed too much in design, but there are key differences. In addition to the kick ass paint job, you have a more robust design with thicker arms that extend out to the wing panels. It also looks like the First Order has given their fighters more bite....

2.  UNDERBELLY ARMAMENTS

Here we can see that in addition to the standard twin lasers, the TIE fighter has been equipped with a rotating turret with 2 additional lasers...Definitely more bite. 

3.  A "SHOULDER" MOUNTED ROTATING GUN TURRET

I know what you're thinking....How is a pilot supposed to keep track of so many targets in order to utilize all these weapons? The answer lies in the next photo.

4.  BACK-TO-BACK SEATS

That's right my friends. The First Order has converted this fighter into a 2-man craft. They've gone Top Gun on us and made the TIE into the F-14 Tomcat of a galaxy far far away. A Pilot & Navigator/Gunner will occupy the cockpit. Now we know who will be using that shoulder mounted gun. The view must suck though. The only thing they'll see is the targeting screen.

...or maybe not.

5.  REAR VIEW PORT

It looks like the gunner will also serve as a lookout and track any pesky Resistance fighters that manage to come up behind them. Plus that turret will definitely make it a challenge for enemy craft to line up a good laser lock.

I'm sure you've already noticed by now that the TIE shown in the footage screenshot at the top of this article is noticeably without the extra turrets and signature red splash. This leads me to believe that there may be standard and heavy and/or Elite versions of the TIE fighter in the New Order Navy.

Do you like the new design? Head over to our Facebook group to discuss. Don't forget to check out our Facebook page either. The one that started it all!

Photos obtained from imgur.com

Additional source reference: International Business Times

Lego To Release New Star Wars Sets!

Mark your calendars! Lego is launching a midnight release on September 4, 2015 of 7 NEW Star Wars sets based on "The Force Awakens"!

While no images are available yet, we do have a listing of the sets thanks to French site Hothbricks. The prices are listed in Euros, however it's currently unknown whether the US prices will be a direct conversion or a different price-set altogether.

UPDATE 06/11/15: Leaked image of set 75104 has been uncovered & posted below!

1. 75099 - Rey's Speeder - 193 pcs. €29.99 
2. 75100 - First Order Snowspeeder - 444 pcs. €54.99 
3. 75101 - First Order Special Forces TIE - 517 pcs. €76.99 
4. 75102 - Poe's X-Wing - 717 pcs. €99.99 
5. 75103 - First Order Transporter - 792 pcs. €114.99 
6. 75104 - Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle - 1,004 pcs. €129.99 (Leaked image below!)
7. 75105 - Millennium Falcom - 1,332 pcs. €164.99
   
   

Here is the leaked image of Kylo Ren's Command Shuttle!

These will undoubtedly sell FAST, so keep an eye out for them on Amazon!

Join us for discussions about this and much more on our Facebook group!

Incom T-70 X-Wing Takes Flight

Olivier C. has done it again!

After putting the finishing touches on his X-Wing, he mounted it onto his quad-copter frame and took to the skies. Olivier uploaded the video onto YouTube on June 1st.

Check out the final result below (including a low level fly-by reminiscent of the lake run in the  movie trailer) and be sure to comment on our Facebook group!

Budget Lightsaber Build

Times are tough for a lot of people, and everyone has a budget. Some tighter than others.

If you or your child have always wanted a lightsaber, but lacked the funds for a custom build, then this may be your chance! You don't need to buy a Master Replica or Hasbro Force FX saber, I'm about to show you how you can build a lightsaber that looks very cool for around $50 give or take, plus shipping costs for material. Even with shipping, it'll cost you under $75. Oh, and you can duel with it too.

I didn't just come up with this on my own. I was browsing Youtube on saber tutorials and I came across a video that showed how easy it was to make a saber. So easy in fact,  that a 5 year old shows us how to build one (with minor help from his dad) As long as you don't mind that it has no sound, it looks very cool. Perfect for Halloween or cosplay. I've posted the video at the bottom.

Along with a list of material, and build instructions, I'm also going to show you where you can find the parts, all of which is mentioned at the end of the video as well.

You'll need thick walled Polycarbonate tubing, 1" in diameter. Translucent tubing works best as it spreads the light better.

                              

 40" Red, Blue or Green tubes $12.99 

OR

  40" Translucent white tubes (best for colors other than RBG) $12.49

If you go with the white tube, you will need the following:

Assorted 3/4" color disks $5.44

1" Clear Blade tip: $3.50. If you can't find clear ones, you can purchase the white tips and just remove the reflective material from the inside to allow the light to show.

The tubing and tips can be found at The Custom Saber Shop, HERE.
The 3/4" color disks can be purchased on Amazon.

You'll also need a LED mini Flashlight.

The best option for this build is the Ultrafire Cree 7W 300LM Mini LED because:

1. It is 1" in diameter, so it will match the blade diameter.
2. The switch is on the bottom, so the flashlight can be encased in a holder and still be powered on.
3. It has an adjustable light zoom, so you can adjust the setting to best illuminate the blade.
4. It is super bright.
5. It's cheap. $6.38 on Amazon

For the handle/grip, you can get yourself a 1" diameter motorcycle/bike grip, but IT MUST HAVE a rubber or open ended/unscrewable tip. This will be the priciest part of the build. I would look to find something within the $20 or less range. You can find a wide selection of options on eBay.

Last but not least, you'll need some masking tape.


TIME TO BUILD!!!!

Color Blade Build:

1. Line up the flashlight and tube. Secure together with masking tape. Cut the bottom end of the motorcycle/bike handle/grip and slide the flashlight & blade through it. It will be a tight fit, so you may need to moisten the handle with a bit of soap and water or lotion. 
2. Install blade tip. 

Translucent White Blade Build:

1. Unscrew top of flashlight, place color disk of your choice inside & screw top back on. You do not need to remove the clear flashlight lense.
2. Line up the flashlight and tube. Secure together with masking tape. Cut the bottom end of the motorcycle/bike handle/grip and slide the flashlight & blade through it. It will be a tight fit, so you may need to moisten the handle with a bit of soap and water or lotion. 
3. Install blade tip. 

Here is a video of what it will look like. Note: They use thin walled tubing for the video, which is great for looks, but not so much for dueling. Thick walled takes more of a beating.

Looks cool, right?

Hit us up on our Facebook page with comments or your own build ideas!

Too Much Is Never Enough, Or Is It?

Buried With Exclusives

By Guest Writer Mandalore The Wise

For years we have asked for more. Artists and authors answered. Fan made movies popped up all over the web. Die-hard fans created their own storylines when they weren't satisfied with what the authors were writing. The Mickey Mouse Marketing Ears of Disney heard the call, the collective cry of “give us more” and they have answered – AND IT WILL BE CANON.

The animated Clone Wars was pushed off to Netflix, so it wouldn't compete with the new Rebels series. Marvel announced they would be releasing 3 new series. All the current novels were tagged as “Legends” and new novels are hitting the shelves. Exclusive action figures are popping up all over, and I’m not even talking about the ones from the various conventions. Target, Wal-Mart and Walgreens are getting figures you can’t find anywhere else. I spent countless hours on the phone and driving around just to get my hands on a Prototype Armor Boba Fett, just to find them all over the shelves about a month later when they got their next shipment. Oh well, it was an adventure and learning experience.

At first, I was in awe. I was excited for the cartoon and the comics. I created an event on my calendar so I wouldn't miss out on Star Wars #1. It had been years since I had set foot inside a real comic shop. This was going to be like reliving my childhood. The day finally came. I stepped through the doors and breathed in the geekdom! The smell of graphic novels and comics – Oh how I have missed thee. I walked up to the counter and there is was… Comic of the week… Star Wars #1. I reached for it. Then I looked past it. On the wall, there were rows of different covers. Wait. Shenanigans I say! I asked my fellow geek working behind the counter if there was any difference in the story itself. “Nope, just the cover.”

Ok, deep breathe. How many covers can there be? How many do I need? Logically, I knew the answer but the geek in me wanted them all. So I picked up a few different covers, paid and headed home. When I got home, I surfed the web and found over 50 covers. My head swam with variants and exclusives and incentives….

I started looking through my comic collection from the mid 90’s and found a few comics that had a couple different covers. A couple, nothing remotely close to 50. Then Darth Vader #1 and Princess Leia #1 hit the stands also coming in a multitude of different cover options. Star Wars #2 also has multiple covers. When will the lunacy stop! Then I made a realization. It won’t.

Disney answered our collective cry and we are paying for it, literally. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying all the new content. I am looking forward to reading the new novels. I will continue to buy the comics, only 1 cover. I will fight the urge to be lured into hunting for the exclusives, knowing I will lose some of the battles and will continue to expand my overall collection.

Gone are the days of having to brave the lines at a Wizard World for an exclusive. Now you just have to head to Walgreens...  Let us know what you think on our FB group. 

Rare Star Wars Figures Bring In Thousands!

Check your mom's attic...  See if you have any of these stashed away.

The Guardian reports:

Craig Stevens, 45, former chairman of the Star Wars UK fan club, made headlines last month when a collector paid £18,000 at auction for his pristine Boba Fett figure in its perfect, unpunched packaging. He has now sold a further 15 rare figures for £24,650.

A figure of the IG-88 droid that had its original £1.40 price sticker on the box sold for £4,200. A Han Solo figure in Bespin outfit from The Empire Strikes Back film fetched £2,000.

 Stevens, who is married and lives in Croydon, south London, said: “That was a great result from the auction – £24,000 was the hammer price, which was a great return on my original investment of a few pounds in the 1990s.”

Read the full article here.  See all the pictures here.

Send in pictures of your collections to our group.

Exclusive #ForceStrong Magnetic Calendar

I'm giving 5 of these magnetic calendars away through St. Patrick's Day.  To have your name entered in the drawing you must sign up for email updates from the page.  Top right of the homepage. Winner will receive a #ForceStrong Prize Pack including this calendar and a ForceStrong wrist band!

New Edition of the LEGO Star Wars Character Encylopedia Will Include an Exclusive Fett Minifigure

According to Comicbook.com, DK Publishing has announced a new edition of their Star Wars LEGO reference book, titled "LEGO Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded" which is due out this April. This edition will include an additional 72 pages of material covering new characters added to the LEGO Star Wars line since the last published edition.

As a bonus, the book will also include an exclusive LEGO Prototype Armor Boba Fett minifig.

UPDATE: 04/05/2015 - Target is now taking pre-orders at 29% off the retail price! CLICK HERE to reserve your copy!

Check out additional photos below and let us know what you think on our Facebook page.