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| In this Issue: Autumn Ewok Roast |
Issue #12 October 2006 |
| Heart of the Alliance contacts: President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: P.R. Officer: |
Upcoming Events (HotA Calendar) Autumn Ewok Roast - Saturday, October 14, 10AM - 8PM - Macken Park Shelter House 3, North Kansas City By Bart (GandalfBMG) Yub Yub! Hot off the heels of the 3rd annual late-spring "Bantha BBQ", Heart of the Alliance Kansas City FanForce is pleased to invite you to the first annual Autumn Ewok Roast. Come join Kansas City's premiere Star Wars fan group to roast some marshmallows and grill some Ewok fingers, and party like you just blew up a Death Star. We'll also have games and Star Wars themed fun, more fun than you can shake a spear at. It will be held Saturday, October 14, 10 AM - 8 PM, at Shelter
House 3, Macken Park, North Kansas City, MO. [top] By Bart (GandalfBMG) The last two weeks have been a busy time for HotA. On September 23 and 24 we helped the new Vintage Stock location in Liberty celebrate their belayed grand opening and fall sale, and on September 30 we took part in the first Free State FreeCon comic and toy convention in Lawrence. In addition to great deals, shoppers at Vintage Stock got to meet HotA and have their picture taken with many of their favorite characters like Princess Leia, Boba Fett, and Chewbacca, as well as some non-Star Wars folks like our Stargate Command officer and Silent Bob. Check out the pictures here and if you’re in them, email us to be sent a copy. Our favorite artist, Darth Artist, was also a big hit drawing for the kids and kids at heart. We helped kick off the first Free State FreeCon on September 30 with more characters, and also raising money for the American Cancer Society with help from Holtze Executive Villiage, Vintage Stock, Cinemark, McDonalds, TGI Fridays, and Darryl Woods (Darth Artist). We hope you all were able to stop by and see us and help out a great cause while trying to win these great prizes. [top] By Bart (GandalfBMG) If you've been to a HotA event over the past year or so, chances are you've seen Darryl Woods at work. He's drawn caricatures at events, and provided art for everything from bowling t-shirts to fan fiction to charity raffle prizes. Darryl has been known to many as the "artist for the alliance", but now he's working toward a new title: LucasFilm artist. "I`m not an official Lucasfilm artist just yet," said Woods, "I did get the go ahead from Troy Alders to do my artwork, especially my caracatures, under the star wars banner." Part of this means the opportunity to draw cartoons and caricatures at LucasFilm's huge Star Wars event, Celebration IV, next spring in Los Angeles. "The benefits are outstanding. Everyone and their grandmother knows about the Star Wars empire," remarks Woods, "and to be known to be associated with such a entertainment powerhouse puts you on a high level with other craftsman. LucasFilm is so big and powerful its just like telling people you're associated with Disney, Pixar and other giants of the industry." Woods received this opportunity after attending the 2006 San Diego ComicCon and showing his artwork to Troy Alders of LucasFilm. Though he was there to show his contemporary work, he had brought his cartoons by accident and Alders liked them so much he offered him the chance to draw at Celebration IV. Star Wars captured Woods’ imagination young and has been inspiring his artwork for years. “I remember the moment that I went to the old Midland theatre to see The Empire Strikes Back,” Woods reminisces, “and as soon as I saw the Imperial walkers at the start of the movie, I couldn’t wait to get home and draw them.” And Star Wars continues to capture the imaginations of children today, and that fits just fine with how he strives to touch the lives of younglings. He made the day of one little girl while drawing at a showing of the Spongebob Squarepants Movie. He remembers that the girl was late for the movie, but he told her that when she came out, he’d have something for her. “I had drawn up something really nice for her and incorporated her name,” he said, “When she came out of the theatre she made a bee-line over to me and when I gave her the drawing.” The girl was moved to tears by the gift, “Her mother told me that she had sickle cell and she was having a bad time with it at the time”. Woods definitely seems most at home drawing for children, “the kids make
me feel like a rock star sometimes.” [top] By Sarah (GsWookie) ‘Tis the season! That’s right; it’s just around the corner! Bobbing for apples, making sticky popcorn balls and caramel apples, carving jack o’lanterns, stuffing scarecrows, spooky hayrides, haunted houses, plenty of pranks and mischief and of course free candy! It’s Halloween! It’s a time of year when kids and adults alike can be someone, or something, else for a day. Some people choose the “dark side” and dress up as characters such as Darth Maul, Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader, pirates, ghosts, goblins, President Bush… others choose the “light side” and dress up at princesses, puppy dogs, fairies, and Jedi. Whichever side you choose, the dressing up is the fun part. Heart of the Alliance, Kansas City’s Star Wars FanForce group has many members who participate in costuming, we have Darth Vader’s, Stormtroopers, Emperors, Obi-wans, Lukes, Princess Leias, and Slave Leia too! It doesn’t stop there though. Our members love all sorts of sci-fi and fantasy and have the costumes to prove it. Nazgul, Indiana Jones, Stargate, Nox, Ghostbusters, Satyr, Renaissance and even a “Silent Bob” just to name a few. Most of these costumes are hand-made, and the level of time, money, and commitment it takes to complete these costumes will astound you. It’s not just a run to the local Wal-Mart to pick out the most popular costume of the season; it’s a year-round commitment for our folks. Different material and accessories come out at different times of year. Have you tried to buy wool in 100 degree Kansas City heat? Or maybe a pair of boots in May, when the summer sandals are coming out? It’s virtually impossible to complete these costumes on a budget within a few months. Our members go to garage sales, flea markets and any little stand on the side of the road to find costumes and props. Maybe that old chest up in your Grandma’s attic has some brooches that would work for a cloak clasp, or maybe you stopped to get gas and found a twisted vine-cane for sale at a vendor on the side of the road, a little paint and sand paper and you’ve got yourself an Emperor’s cane! There’s always that niggling feeling in the back of your head that asks, “What can I use that for?” Yep, that’s costuming! One of the most important things to know about costuming is that it’s ok to ask for help! There’s always someone who has an idea, or knows someone who knows someone that has done it before or read something somewhere that could help you. I know from personal experience that sewing IS in fact like riding a bike… even if you haven’t done it for years it all comes back to you with a little practice. One of our members who recently won 2nd place at the Chicago Stargate Convention for her Nox costume, said that she like dying the material, but that the wig and the ‘debris’ in the hair was the hardest part of the whole costume. I too, have had quite the costuming experience, recently winning the new Star Wars Lego game and one of the newly released Original Trilogy movies in the costume contest on StarWars.com. My Princess Leia costume only came in 9th, but I was pleased to be chosen out of so many. My costume would have never been finished without the help of a genius husband and a doting aunt who helped to hand-stitch the collar on the night before the Star Wars Day at the K event. I really think the ancient Celts who began All Hallows Eve or “Samhain” would be proud to know that our group has carried on their tradition and taken pride in the bargains we find and time we’ve spent to make our costumes so realistic and detailed. So if you don’t have a costume, but are interested in doing one, ask someone in our group! We can point you in the right direction. If you do have a costume and plan on being out on Halloween pranking and treating, please don’t fork this girl’s yard, ok? Have a Happy and Safe Halloween everybody! [top] |
| New Members (Since September 14) Lord Sith |