Chewbacca comic book mini-series answers nearly 40 year old question about original Star Wars movie

Marvel wrapped up the first year of its new run of original Star Wars comics by answering a question that has been on fans' minds ever since the original movie debuted in 1977.  In the closing sequence of the film why didn't Chewbacca get a medal along with his buddies Luke Skywalker and Han Solo?

Come on even George Lucas got a medal!

Well in the concluding edition of a recent five issue Chewbacca themed comic book mini-series story arc from Marvel that hit store shelves on December 30, 2015 that nagging question has finally been answered. This story by writer Gerry Duggan and artist Phil Noto involves Chewie heading back to his home world of Kashyyyk shortly after the events that transpired in A New Hope, but his transportation has some technical difficulties in route that leads to him crash landing on an Imperial occupied planet Andelm IV.  He then becomes embroiled in an adventure to help a teenage girl named Zarro save her friends and family from being enslaved in a gangster's mining racket that provides military supplies to the Empire.  In CHEWBACCA #5 this duo ultimately saves the day and as Zarro remarks in her goodbye to the Wookiee as he prepares to head home that she wished she had some acknowledgment or recognition for her heroic actions that saved the planet's inhabitants from a life of slavery.  In his Wookiee howls, growls and barks, Chewbacca communicates that displaying medals goes against the warrior nature of his species. He then hands Zarro a gift he pulls from his spaceship just before he departs for Kashyyyk...his medal, like the one seen worn by Luke and Han at the end of Star Wars, that he also was given following the ceremony celebrating the destruction of the Death Star.

So there you have it!  A new bit of Star Wars canon was just added to the saga acknowledging that Chewbacca was respected for his contributions in rescuing Princess Leia and destroying the Death Star but because Wookiees have a cultural aversion to being presented with medals he was provided with his privately at the conclusion of the ceremony.  So for all those fans who were distressed that the Wookiee had been dissed by his human counterparts don't be dismayed because it appears according to Chewbacca that medals are for sissies not real warriors so he really didn't want one in the first place.  So in a touching conclusion to Marvel's Chewbacca comic book mini-series a courageous teenage girl gets to enjoy and cherish a Medal of Bravery that will always remind her of a very special Wookiee who befriended her. 

Toys-R-Us MAY THE FOURTH Star Wars Weekend Event - Free LEGO Mini Wookiee Gunship Giveaway on May 3

Swing by your local Toys-R-Us on Sunday, May 3, 2015 to build and take home a FREE Mini Wookiee Gunship LEGO toy set as the retailer celebrates the Star Wars MAY THE FOURTH Weekend.  May the Fourth used as a pun of the May the Force lines scripted in the Star Wars movies has evolved into an unofficial "Star Wars Day" where both fans and brands have lots of fun celebrating the franchise.  Since May the Fourth falls on a Monday this year, Toys-R-Us is celebrating a day early when it is easier for parents to bring their children to stores on a weekend to enjoy an event.

From Noon - 2pm on Sunday May 3, children 5 years of age and older who visit a participating Toys-R-Us will have the opportunity to build a mini LEGO Star Wars space ship and take it home with them for FREE.  Supplies of the LEGO toy kits at each store are limited to about 100 people first come, first served and even though the event is promoted for two hours if you get there and they are out then you are out of luck.  Two years ago we went up to our local Toys R Us around 1pm and it wasn't very crowded allowing my kids to have a great time putting together a Star Wars space ship and taking it home with them.  So based upon the good time we had in 2013, we went back last year and it was a pretty miserable experience.  We arrived at 12:15 and got in a long line for the event eventually approaching the build table at 12:30.  We were next in line to start building when a store employee said they were all out and the event was over.  So we watched them start taking the event display down and left empty handed a half hour into what was billed as a 2 hour event.  Even though we had a bad experience last year, we're going to go back this year to try it again because my kids love LEGOs & Star Wars plus I'm sure they would like these Wookiee Gun Ships; and when someone is giving away something for free you only have so much room to complain.  This year we're going to go a half hour before the event starts to get in line.  So my tip to you is if you go - go early!

New Chewbacca Action Figure is Hyper Jump Beyond the GI Joes & Barbie Toys of my Youth

Being a Star Wars fanatic, I'm always coming across interesting things related to the Sci-Fi franchise through the blogs and social media accounts that I follow.  The newest item to catch my attention and make me go WOW! is the 1/6th scale Chewbacca action figure being produced by Hong Kong-based HOT TOYS and distributed in the United States by California-based Sideshow Collectibles.  When first observing pictures of this Chewbacca action figure I thought it was a piece of artwork or Star Wars promotional material, but no it is a very detailed toy!  This action figure isn't anything like the GI Joes I had or the Barbie dolls my sister played with when we were kids, this toy looks like it could be the actual Chewbacca if a fictional character could be real.

Hot Toys recently acquired a license to produce Star Wars 1/6 scale collectible action figures and they've gone all out to make one of the best toy reproductions ever of one of the Star Wars universe's most beloved characters.  Chewbacca is over a foot tall ( 14 inches / 36 cm) covered in fabric that provides the illusion the Wookiee is covered in fur and features 30 points of articulation so that the figure can be posed to replicate poses from almost any scene in Star Wars.  I've never seen a toy that has done a nice job attempting to replicate Chewbacca's fur until now and from these preview images it appears that Hot Toys has done exceptional work.  The action figure also comes with some excellent replica accessories to compliment it including Chewie's cross bow, satchel and the head set he wears while co-piloting the Millennium Falcon.

Chewbacca's not flying solo though as his infamous smuggler partner Han is also getting his own figure as Hot Toys kicks off its new Star Wars line.  Han Solo is a little shorter than his Wookiee compadre, keeping these toys movie accurate, at a foot tall (12 inches / 30 cm) and is dressed in his outfit from the original Star Wars movie A New Hope complete with the laser pistol that he shot first with at that friendly chap named Greedo in that well known neighborhood cafe on Tatooine.

There is nothing "cheap" about these toys, including the price tag. Both figures will be available in April 2015 but can be pre-ordered now on the Sideshow Collectibles website with Chewie being priced at $254.99 and Han at $229.99...or both can be purchased together as a package deal for $479.99.  At this price and level of detail these action figures really are toys for adults that would be especially great for decorating a home office, game room, or man cave with. While these aren't cheap to purchase they are definitely unique pieces that would be excellent for any Star Wars fan to show off and enjoy. 

For more information about these very movie accurate and articulate posable toys visit Sideshow Collectibles website.