WHAT WE DO

A glittering enhancement of Episode 23 of The Modern Way – because sometimes you need to look on jumbo-retro-removable-helmet Vader figures with your own eyes. 

There are hundreds of high res images, a whole bunch of video and even Michael Jackson crops up (twice).

Dan, Jez, Craig and Pete go for gold in an episode of The Modern Way covering a whole array of shiny new Star Wars collectibles from the last few months. 

The team discuss their own recent purchases and what nuggets they know about Disney's future plans for TV shows and movies, before digging in to review all the new releases and announcements from Hasbro, Hot Toys, Lego, Gentle Giant and Jazwares. 

Whether you are a Black Series die-hard or a Hot Toys dabbler, there's lots to admire in this latest round-up, but it's two ostentatious Vader pieces from Iron Studios and Lladro that come close to stealing the show.  

So, join four collectors as they discuss over 50 new items and discover what might be the next centrepiece to your collection. This is the Modern Way.

Stuart, Craig, Jez and Pete return from the shenanigans of this year's Star Wars Celebration in London and relive some of their stand out moments.

From Craig's double panel presentation on Sunday, to the Craft Beer show event, he was truly a busy boy. Whilst Jez, with his alter ego 'The Running Stormtrooper', tells the tale of his Celebration running 100km whilst raising money for two children's charities. And what a tale – exceeding fundraising expectations and ending his Celebration in a way he never would have dreamt of.

The team also discuss swag, panels, cosplay, guests, evening entertainment, marriage proposals and everything in-between.

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Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 is upon us, and the team at Generation Skywalker are getting very excited.

So excited in fact that they've done a guide to things they wouldn't want to miss, from panels and art to evening entertainment and running in a booth, we've got it covered here.

Listen in, enjoy the show, and we'll see you in London in just a few days.

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Here are our Top 10 Vader moments based on a good old fashioned debate and our subsequent votes.

Do you agree? Or are you most  displeased?

Let us know.  

Few movie villains have appeared in as many classic scenes as Darth Vader, but which of his countless moments across the films, TV shows, comics and novels do the Generation Skywalker team consider to be his best?

Join Stu, Craig, Dan and Pete as they debate their picks here or (if you can do without hearing what happened to the Imperial nurse who fell  in love with the Dark Lord) head to the video on YouTube or TikTok to watch our final Top 10. 

With #Cantina2 on the horizon as the must-attend event at this year's Star Wars Celebration, Stuart and Jez sit down with Martin Keeler, film director/producer/writer Jed Shepherd and Mark Hamilton from rock band Ash to talk about the event that the three of them are putting together.

We look at the success of the first Cantina in 2016 and some of what to expect this time around, but this roundtable is more than that with tales from Mark of playing the wrap party of Episode 1 and a wonderful collecting tale of contacting Toymaster shops and clearing up left over stock. Jed pitches a Star Wars TV show, discusses 'Slashed' and tells us all about Chris Martin's curd joke. There is so much on here to enjoy, from Martin's Zuveum to the mystery Porg at #Cantina1.

Get your tickets for #Cantina2, this is an event not to be missed.

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Vintage Collecting 101

As well as a full review of collecting in 2022 and a look forward into 2023, this packed episode of Those Old Fossils has three exclusives.

The first being a brilliant real-time talk through the fascinating Toltoys auction which took place in New Zealand, thanks to David Phillips. Then we have Peter interviewing Chuck Lang regarding the imminent Morphy auction and finally we give one more exclusive which is so hot we won't even write it here!

The perfect vintage collecting episode to listen to before the Morphy auction, on your way to Echo Live or simply because you need that vintage collecting fix in your life, with the entire Generation Skywalker crew.

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The 100th edition and do we have an absolute epic show to bring you.

Leaning on our slogan – All eras. All passions. All Star Wars – Generation Skywalker has reached out to the furthest corners of the galaxy to bring you 100 stories from 100 Star Wars fans.

From cosplayers to toy collectors, authors to childhood memories... every tale has its own charm and needs to be heard, and we're delighted to be able to give these stories that platform.

It's our longest show to date, so whether you dip in and out or listen in one sitting, we're sure you'll agree that this one will warm the cockles.

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Do you agree with our hits and misses from Hasbro, Hot Toys and Lego in 2022?

Do you want to see what we've all been adding to our collections?

Do you want the perfect video companion to our latest modern collection round table show?

You are in the right place.

The new year is upon us, but first it’s time to put 2022 to bed with a look back at the best and worst of the key Star Wars toylines from the last 12 months.  

Join Stu, Dan, Jez, Craig and new boy, Pete, as they run down their hits and misses from The Vintage Collection, Black Series, Hot Toys and Lego, and discuss where they’re at in their own modern collecting  journeys.

For Stu, it's been a busy year picking up bargains and being unable to  resist the lure of new Hot Toy releases – Dan’s new Vader focus has  informed his modern collecting, though he proves there’s plenty of room  for new characters alongside his growing collection of OT sixth scale –  Jez remains on the look-out for new TVC carded figures to add to his  'one of every’ logo run – Craig is still convinced there’s some solid  logic to his ad-hoc modern purchases – and we get to delve into Pete’s love of Lego and The Vintage Collection as the boys start their campaign to get him to buy his first Hot Toy.  

With so much new Star Wars output to look forward to in 2023, the team  also offer up their hopes for the latest line-up of TV shows, fan  events, books and collectible releases. 

Regardless of passions, tastes  and opinion – we are all in for a busy Star Wars year.

The Committee has reconvened to decide the Top 10 toys that Kenner should have made between 1977 and 1979.

Listen  in as Stu, Craig, Jez and guests Marc Hockley and Peter Lee debate  their choices. Will anyone big up Biggs? Does Porkins squeeze into the  rankings? Who on the team will toast Uncle and Owen and Beru?

Enjoy the discussion then watch the the Top 10 video on YouTube and TikTok.

We've not done a 'This Morning' style sofa show before, so have a look and see how the format suits us.

It's a good way to get a closer look at these beautiful pre-production pieces, but there's also a blog here if you'd like to go even deeper.

If ever there were Star Wars items Craig and Mark dreamed of turning up, it would be these.   

Listen in on this special one-off sofa chat as they discuss the  pre-production find of their lives – from stumbling on an auction  listing that seemed too good to be true and building a war chest, to  some tense phone bidding and ultimately taking delivery of some of the most amazing original Star Wars art of the vintage era.  

It's a candid conversation that explores how connected they are to these items on more levels than just childhood nostalgia, and an opportunity for you to hear about the artwork in more detail.

This represents a landmark discovery for the hobby and a very personal  achievement for two incredibly passionate collectors. Some things are  meant to be.  

The Emperor, his Dignitary and his Royal Guard

Why do we spend time putting these epic videos together?

So you can take a tour of collections like Daryl Whitlow's Emperors and  Chris Moorehead's Royal Guards, have a look at treasures from The Star Wars Collectors Archive with Ron Salvatore and get into lots of  nitty-gritty detail with the Variant Villians. 

Not to mention all the weird and wonderful finds from the GenSky team. 

Skip to the bits you want or sit back and watch the whole show. It's all  good.

The Emperor, his Dignitary and his Royal Guard

Join the Generation Skywalker team, Daryl Whitlow, Chris Moorehead, Ron Salvatore, Mark Andrews, Mark Baker, Jamie Acott and Will Mellish for a deep dive into our latest three figures.

Ron journeys into the realm of the 'Bald Emperor' prototype and throne room, Jez gets Daryl up at 7am to learn all about his passion for The Emperor and chats with Chris about his fantastic ERG collection – you won't want to miss either interview.

The Variant Villains give us the down-low on variants and Stu, Craig and Dan offer up a mix of Beyond the Toys treasures.

It's a Sith hot feast of greatness, covering Imperial badness.

The comprehensive modern Star Wars collecting podcast you can watch while you listen. 

We've sourced, collated and edited together every image related to our chat. 

All you have to do is press play.

It’s time to hang out, chat modern Star Wars, and let Stu, Dan and Craig  be your guides through all the hottest news and announcements from  Hasbro, Hot Toys, Lego, Regal Robot, Gentle Giant and many more.  

We discuss the latest developments at Hasbro Pulse and what that might mean to independent retailers, catch up with the highlights from D23 and Hasbro Pulse Con and have a little reminisce about Toys R Us, in light of their recent online relaunch in the UK.  

Things take festive turn with a look at some of the best Star Wars holiday offerings for this year and some recommendations of the best Star Wars advent calendars for you to get ordering before December.  

From high-end replicas, to pocket money novelties – there’s something for every modern collector.

The Top 10 on-screen, one-to-one relationships in the Star Wars galaxy – according the Generation Skywalker Committee.

Join Stu, Craig, Jez and guests Marc Hockley and Peter Lee as they discuss  the best on-screen, one-to-one relationships in the Star Wars galaxy. 

In this new format show, you can watch the Top 10 on YouTube and  TikTok, but here on the full podcast you can hear us discuss Star Wars  duos in a committee! 

Find out which pairings were considered and rejected, who's arguments swung the voting and hear Jez make his passionate case for Frog Lady  and her husband. 

Do you agree with our choices? 

Who would you have liked to have seen included? 

Fancy joining the committee? 

Get in touch and let us know.

Darth Vader with Bill McBride

This enhanced version of our vintage Vader special is packed full of images and footage of Bill's epic collection, as well as photos and clips of all the other rare and interesting items we discuss.

Click play for a vintage Vader visual treat.

Darth Vader with Bill McBride

Universally recognised as the Darth Vader collector, this lifelong Star Wars fan holds the Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Darth Vader Collection in the World’.

We would be honoured if you’d join us for an extra special look at all aspects of Bill's life as a Star Wars fan and a variety of his collecting highlights.

Bill shares some incredible collecting stories and covers all aspects of his Vader Vault from his mushroom tipped double telescoping lightsaber, to his treasured Ralph McQuarrie party favours, and his 1978 Darth Vader beer to his 1999 Japanese Motorcycle Jacket. (The less said about the condoms and Mr. Potato Head, the better.)

The show also includes two sections from the Variant Villains who open our minds to the plethora of differences in figures, capes and sabers. And Jez, Dan, Craig and Stu also cover a variety of  other Darth Vader items to ensure that the greatest film villain in the Galaxy is truly honoured.

Listen to the chat, see the items, watch the footage. 

As our love and knowledge of modern grows, so too does the richness of our enhanced podcasts. 

With almost 500 separate images and clips to accompany our latest roundtable show, there's plenty here to inspire your collecting.

Fresh from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022, Craig sits with Stu, Mark and Jez to discuss our collective experiences of past Celebrations and highlights of the one just gone.  

Themed around the latest output from Disney, vintage and modern collectibles, social events and swag – it's a jam-packed show that takes in the key live panels, The Mandalorian Experience exhibition, Collecting Track, the Generation Skywalker-sponsored Hop Wars craft beer event and all the action from the show floor and beyond.  

What was the first post-pandemic Celebrations actually like? What new Star Wars playing cards do Theory 11 have up their sleeves? And what are everyone’s plans for London 2023?  

Star Wars events don’t come any bigger. Post show round-ups don’t come any richer.13

A visually enhanced tour through some of Jon's stories, projects and outstanding Palitoy collection.

A podcast episode that needs to be seen to be believed.

Generation Skywalker is all about passion, and fans and collectors don’t come more driven than our latest guest – Jon Aves.  

In this interview, Jon takes us through some of his memorable Star Wars experiences, from trekking across the desert visiting the film sets of Tunisia, to meeting cast and crew to collect autographs on a very special quad poster in an incredibly short space of time.  

But it's his stand-out Palitoy collection that really deserves your attention.  

Quality like this doesn’t come without a huge amount of discipline, patience and tenacity, so sit back and marvel at some great collecting tales and guided tour of some world-class carded action figures and a truly outstanding array of unused boxed ships and playsets.

The watch-along version of our latest vintage roundtable with hundreds of images that bring to life our collector stories, auction reports and round-ups from the vintage Star Wars collecting hobby.

Those Old Fossils is back after a bit of a break, with a renewed focus and exciting plans for future shows.  

Join us to find out what Jez has in store with his new figure-focused section, then settle in for more collecting stories from the team, a round-up of recent highlights from three major auctions and a look at the Palitoy Facebook Group hashtag that's got everyone posting.  

Plus, there’s an exciting announcement about the next event we’ll be attending, that you really won’t want to miss.

After spending 31 days looking at a whole variety of topics in relation to Attack of the Clones, the Generation Skywalker boys reassemble one last time in its anniversary month to discuss what they've learnt, what they've learnt to love and what they've learnt to tolerate. 

Have their feelings for Attack of the Clones changed?  

You'll be surprised!

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Welcome to a pilot show for a new format where each show will have a topic, a Top 10 countdown and the discussion prior to the vote.

In this episode, Craig, Jez and Stuart debate the most memorable moments from Attack of the Clones, with some very differing views.  

This Top 10 highlights that the Generation Skywalker boys like their Star Wars dark.

Don't agree with the countdown?  Head over to the We Are Generation Skywalker Facebook group and join in the debate.

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Shows where we discuss lots of toys are always worth a watch on our YouTube channel. 

This one is no exception.

Despite being the first theatrically released Star Wars movie not to have a dedicated toy line, Hasbro went all out for Attack of the Clones.

33/4 figures led with innovative action features and were loaded with accessories. The ships, vehicles and creatures were packed full of play value and the Geonosis Arena playset was one of the best in the company’s history.  

Launched at a time when background characters received as much love as the heroes, the team take a look at some of the hits and misses from Hasbro and beyond – starting with the very first sneak peak figures and bringing us right up to date with the latest announcements from Hot Toys.

Our fun and insightful look at the costumes of Episode II,  supported by some great behind the scenes footage and reference imagery.

We’ve looked at ‘art’, we’ve listened to ‘sound’, and now, as we move towards the end of our special Attack of the Clones month, we are turning our attention to another standout element of the movie – 'costumes'.  

Stu, Craig and Dan explore the work of Trisha Biggar and Ian McCaig and their teams, as they appraise a number of key looks from both an ‘in-universe and 'real world' perspective.  

It’s not every show where we get to talk 'antique lace', ‘the male gaze’ and ‘cosplay’ – so join us as we explore the costumes of a selection of key players and background characters, and of course, have a good rifle through Padme’s eclectic wardrobe.

George Lucas and Skywalker Sound live by the rule ‘sound is half the picture’. 

Join us as we look, well… listen to the wonderful work of Ben Burtt, Matt Wood and the masters at Skywalker Sound for a show that takes you deep into the incredible sounds of the Attack of the Clones.   

Discover how dolphins, vintage aircraft and mating penguins all played their part in creating the soundscape of the galaxy, as Jez leads an exploration that will change your perception of the movie forever.

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 Echo Base Live returned to Redditch at the start April and Generation Skywalker were there to capture what went on at the biggest and best Echo show yet.  

Join us, as we discuss everything from what we spotted on the dealer tables and what we bought, to the guests, cosplay, swag, fundraising and other activities.  

It was a great event, but you don’t have to just take our word for it as we have Mark Baker, Richard and Seth, Chris Lawrence, Dan Adey, Nick Dykes, Adam Pemberton, Phil Parker, Lee Gregory and Michael Havens all giving their views on the show too. 

How much did we end up raising for the Echo charity? Do we think the £38,000 carded Palitoy VCJ was worth the money? What did Femi think to Mark’s Rancor impression? Listen and find out.

 The 10th Echo Base Live Star Wars show comes to Redditch on April 2nd 2022 and what better way to celebrate, than a special look back at past events and a peek at what to expect this time around?

We hear about Echo Live's origins along with some personal highlights from Adam Pemberton, and Wayne Totty also drops by to discuss how the event has evolved, the tremendous charity work Echo Base does and which guests will be in attendance.

Plus trader Tom Scaife pops in to tease a few items he'll have for sale,  as well as discussing former events including his first show where he rocked up two hours late to set up! 

We also catch up with Echo's resident DJ Trev, who will be providing the soundtrack for the event and talk to Andy Preston about why he loves Echo Live so much.

All this, plus our own views on the show and what we are each looking forward to on the day.

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Our most detailed and live action-y enhanced podcast to date.  

A highly recommended watch for anyone wanting to re-live the show and look deeper into its themes and influences.  (Although if you click the link and it goes nowhere, Disney's legal team clearly didn't agree.)

Now that the dust, sand and spice has settled, the Generation Skywalker syndicate takes an in-depth, spoilery look at all seven episodes of the recent The Book of Boba Fett TV series. 

We chart the highs and lows, shine a light on the main references to the wider Star Wars saga and painstakingly try to capture the bulk of the nods the show constantly makes to other classic movies. 

With the benefit of few week’s distance and repeated viewings, the team also bring their personal stand-out moments to the table, as well as their own interpretations of some of the many themes the series explores. 

It all makes for a great podcast.  

And an even better video! 

Dan's interview with Lee Ward peppered with lots of spicy Hot Toys pics and clips.

Lee Ward is a collector and independent retailer of Hot Toys. On this show he sits down with Dan to discuss his Star Wars collecting journey, from seeing The Empire Strikes Back in a Weybridge cinema in the early eighties, through to performing Instagram Hot Toys unboxings with comedian Keith Lemon. 

He discusses the genesis of his store The Good, The Bad and The Robots and how Paddy McGuinness, as well as many other celebrities came to be his customers. 

As well as selling Hot Toys, he collects furiously and admins several Hot Toy groups on Facebook. Join us as we discuss the trials and tribulations of Hot Toy collecting, from sequel troubles to the dreaded customs charges. 

 Our latest Those Old Fossils covers such a broad spread, that we have illustrated it all here so you can see what we are talking about.   

Letraset counter top displays? Yep.   

Wallace Berrie medals? Sure. 

Huffy Speeder Bikes?  You bet!

It’s the first Those Old Fossils of 2022 and the team have assembled to review their most exciting purchases of last year. 

From vintage  jewellery displays to Clipper mailers, there are some fascinating items and great stories brought to the table for discussion, before Dan takes us on a deep analytical dive through the results of January’s C&T  Auction.  

As vintage gets harder to find and more expensive across the board, our main topic explores the idea of community and ‘networking’ as the team share old tales, past examples and tips for new collectors. 

As Boba says: 'You can only get so far without a tribe.'  

We round off with a look at what’s on everyone’s wants lists – from the  common, to the do-able, to some la la land items the lads have their eyes on.

If you couldn't be at December 2021's Farthest From, this is probably the next best thing.

Many thanks to Jason Smith for letting us use his photos, this enhanced version of the podcast wouldn't have been the same without them.

Two years since the last Farthest From had taken place, December 2021 finally saw the return of the much loved event and Generation Skywalker were in town to capture everything that went on. 

Now, a month after the event, the team look back at what was an amazing return to the vintage Star Wars collecting gathering.  

Not only do we get the thoughts and memories of the Generation Skywalker team, but we bring back a host of interviews recorded at the event. David Tree, Steve Davies, Rob Marsh, Peter Lee, Chris Mann, Mark Newbold, Marc Hockley, Wayne Totty, Jason Smith, Jon Aves, Lee Bullock, Drew Tegg, Darren Hayman, Andrew Norton and Andrew Karnecki all stop by to discuss their experience of the weekend.

Who even attempts to illustrate a two-hour overview of a whole year of modern releases, with photos, screengrabs and videos plus items from their own collections?

We do.

To kick off this year's run of Modern Way episodes, we are looking back at 2021 and forward to 2022.

Dan tots up all the figure releases from The Vintage Collection, Black Series and Hot Toys, before guiding us through what else has been announced in recent weeks, whilst the team are on hand to offer up their top picks from the whole bunch.

And of course, we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't examine the failure of the Haslab Rancor project. What went wrong? What could have been done better? What effect this will have on future Haslab Star Wars projects?

All this is topped and tailed with some personal collecting highs and lows from 2021 and plans and hopes for the new Star Wars-packed year.

From the vintage mini rigs and the POTF2 Cruisemissile Trooper, to all the Jedi Star Fighters, the Galactic Heroes line and every single version of the Millennium Falcon – here’s our overview of some of the cherished vehicles and toy ranges Mark Boudreaux had a hand in during his incredible career as a designer at Kenner/Hasbro.

Collector Chuck Lang talks about his role as expert advisor for 'The Morphy Find' – a collection of over 300 pristine vintage Star Wars action figures – and reveals how one man's gifts to his children and four decades of safe storage, led to a history-making sale.

Is your Hoth Leia missing a blaster? Don't worry, she didn't have one in  the movie either! Join Craig for a look at just how movie accurate the  accessories given to vintage Star Wars figures really were.

Craig goes against convention and arranges his display of vintage figures 'from a certain point of view'.

Jez takes the team back to 2002 for another watch of the original trailers for Attack of the Clones.

A wild find for Jez leads to closer look at the phenomenon of European action figure 4-packs.

Discover the wacky world of vintage 'lianhuanhua' comics – they are Star Wars, but not as you know it.

A random eBay find of unused concept art prompts Craig to look  into its history in the context of other vintage colour-in posters.

In 2020, a garage crammed with bin bags full of vintage toys were left to an elderly couple in their neighbour's will. Mark runs through the find and the resulting auction.

A quick history of tiki culture, Disney's long association with the movement and why its crossover with Star Wars is something to  celebrate.

Dan runs down everything you need to know about collecting Star Wars SteelBooks in under 20 minutes.