Your Sunday Linc: Boba Fett Screen Test, Trying Not to Hate Joffrey, Sam Jackson is a BAMF, Highest Grossing Franchises of All Time

Ah, Summer. The weather is warm, the pool is cool, and the genetically-altered girl is slaying Reavers like it's a trip down the Slip-N-Slide.

A Slip-N-Slide hosed down with the blood of crazy mutant cannibals.

Without further ado, but with plenty more forced puns, here's what I've got for you on this sunny summer Sunday:

1. Boba Fett Screen Test from 1978

Star Wars' official YouTube page has posted an incredible video of the original screen test for Boba Fett. Sound designer Ben Burtt walks us through the concept of Boba's armor, from the (functioning!) jetpack to the range finder to the flamethrower (and even some never-before-seen but nonetheless badass boot blades). It's a really incredible look at creation of the flesh-and-blood incarnation of the character that first appeared in the dreaded Holiday Special.

Frankly, I would have loved to have seen Boba don the Star Wars towel in Empire.

2. Must...Control...Hatred: GQ Interviews The Worst Teenager in Westeros

It speaks volumes to young Jack Gleeson's acting ability that everyone who has ever watched Game of Thrones immediately wants to put his head on a pike and display on their lawns. The grandson of Honeymooer's star Jackie Gleeson (source: my own wishes), the young king sat down with GQ to discuss some of his influences, the nature of villains versus heroes, and being scared by Hexus from Ferngully (which makes me really like him despite how much I want to see his character launched into a fire pit)



That last bit of him saying "My God, it's sunny outside!" as both a good guy and a bad guy is one of the reasons that, as much as I wish such horrible bodily harm on Joffrey, that Jack Gleeson deserves to be in the acting game for a long long time.

3. Sam Jackson is a BAMF

British chat show host Graham Norton, who previously hosted a mini Fresh Prince reunion, was speaking with guest Samuel L. Jackson about the origins of his infamous purple lightsaber. Now, any Star Wars fan knows that Samuel L. (or Sammy L as I wouldn't dare call him) knows that he personally asked George Lucas to give him the amethyst blade, but his recounting of the story is absolutely fantastic. Also, hel-LO Sandra Bullock with a lightsaber! Check it all out below:


4. There Can Be Only One....and It's Not Highlander: The Highest Grossing Franchises of All Time

The folks over at BuzzFeed have compiled an incredible list of the highest grossing movie franchises of all time. James Bond, Star Wars, and Harry Potter take the top three spots, with the Bourne series holding up the rear just beneath Rambo (because, honestly, who wouldn't take garbled speech over memory loss?) Did your favorite franchise make the cut?

Well that should be enough to beat the heat for now. 'Til next time!

- Joe

Your Saturday Linc: Episode VII and Rebels, Joe Hogan Vlog, Old Doctor Who Episodes

Happy Summer everyone! As we enter the season of beaches, barbecues, and bikinis, what better way than lathering on some sunscreen, grabbing your tablet, and hopping into the pool to read about what's been happening on the Web!

"Ahh this is the life."
"Shouldn't you be guarding the deflector shield's rear entrance?"
"Theeeee life."

1. Episode VII Casting Confirmed And Star Wars: Rebels Plot Updates

It's been a pretty good week for Bleeding Cool News. As it turns out, their report on leaked casting calls for Episode VII were proven to be 100% accurate and confirmed by Lucasfilm. I mean, I don't know how secret casting calls are supposed to be since they're meant to be distributed out to agents and actors, but it's really cool that we're getting a first look at the characters that we'll see in Episode VII and possibly beyond. So far we've seen calls for:

"Late-teen female, independent, good sense of humour, fit." - This is possibly our leading lady. Perhaps a Skywalker?

"Young twenty-something male, witty and smart, fit but not traditionally good looking." - I don't know what "not traditionally good-looking" means, but I'm willing to put my face into contention. Possibly a Solo?

"A late twentysomething male, fit, handsome and confident." - Our late-teen female's love interest, perhaps?

"Seventy-something male, with strong opinions and tough demeanour. Also doesn't need to be particularly fit." -- Looks like gramps here won't be seeing much action. Could this be an Admiral Pellaeon-type older Imperial officer?

"A second young female, also late teens, tough, smart and fit." -- A rom-com-esque best friend of the leading lady?

"Forty something male, fit, military type." -- The bad guy? An Imperial officer? Or maybe a Crix Madine   type of individual.

"Thirtysomething male, intellectual. Apparently doesn’t need to be fit." -- Because Force-forbid we have a strong, good-looking geek on screen.

If we know one thing...most of these people are going to be fit, hopefully because of all the "faster, more intense" action that they will be partaking in. More to come as we get closer, inch by frustrating inch, to 2015.

Bleeding Cool has also managed to dig up some new plot details for the upcoming successor to the Clone Wars series, Star Wars: Rebels. According to BCN:

"Not only is the show about the formation of the Rebel Alliance, taking place in the narrative space between Episodes III and IV, the title also riffs on the main characters. I’ve learned that most of them are teenagers. Rebellious teenagers? Well, that’s the reference, at least."

From whiny Luke Skywalker to his emo father, Anakin, Star Wars has always been about a youth's journey of self-discovery that has galactic-wide consequences. Imagine if some 19-year-old had the ability to alter the course of the universe....and then slowly try to control the shuddering. Don't worry, here's an image of a TIE pilot drawn by Dave Filoni:

Because nothing says calm and soothing than the faceplate of an Imperial fighter pilot.

2. How Do I Art? Joe Hogan's Vlog on Art, the Industry, and New Projects

Missing Linc guest-blogger and all around art warlock Joe Hogan has released the first in his series of vlogs dedicated to helping amateur artists find their way through the painted, photoshopped jungle of the art industry.

Because who wouldn't trust a face like this?

He even dishes on new projects, like his upcoming second motion comic "Panic Over Muunilinst" and his collaborative wrap-up to the Clone Wars, entitled "Clone Wars: Resolutions" (which yours truly will have a hand in penning). Head on over to his Deviant Art page or his You Tube page, or just click the link above to catch up with the latest "Cup'a Joe"!

3. BBC Cannot Confirm Recovery of Classic Doctor Who Episodes

Just an update on the recent reports of the discovery of around 90 episodes of classic Doctor Who episodes, many from the William Hartnell and Patrick Troughton eras. Radio Times spoke with the BBC and asked them whether or not they could confirm the rumors. The BBC, stoic as ever, had this to say:

“There are always rumours and speculation about Doctor Who missing episodes being discovered - however we cannot confirm any new finds,” a statement says.

Because this is exactly what I think of when I think of an old, skeptical British institution

So I guess we might not be getting a special Christmas present from "the beeb" anytime soon. But there's plenty of new and exciting stuff to come with the 50th Anniversary Special, the departure of Matt Smith at Christmas, and the reveal of the Twelfth Doctor.

And that's all for now! Now go enjoy that big shiny yellow thing in the sky. Or two, if you're on Tatooine.

A hero took this picture.

'Til next time,

- Joe

Your Morning Linc: Disney To Shut Down LucasArts? Plus, I Join A Podcast and Discover A New Fandom

Good morning one and all! Got some late breaking news last night that needs to be shared:

1. Disney To Shut Down LucasArts?

In the wake of the cancellation of the Clone Wars and the disbanding of the Lucasfilm Animation team, rumors are quickly spreading that the next division on the chopping block is none other than LucasArts. Games Industry International is reporting that hiring has been frozen and the slate of games has been reduced solely to Star Wars 1313, though the fate of that game (like that of the rumored First Assault) is in question.

"Legend says they dropped The Clone Wars team down there..."

LucasArts brought in $150 million in revenue (with operating income of $90 million) in 2012 due to titles such The Old Republic MMORPG and Lego Star Wars III and division heads have adamantly denied the claim. But an ex-employee has been quoted as stating that the company suffers from "no stomach for a truly original product and a slender means to produce their previous cash cows - Indy and Star Wars".

More on this as it develops. I remind everyone to be patient and wait for official confirmation of anything before storming the castles at the Disney theme parks.

2. The Missing Linc On the Positively Nerdy Podcast Panel

A podcast 2 + Years in the Making

So someone thought it was a good idea to let me speak on a podcast. Last night I was invited by my friend Ryan Porter onto his podcast, Positively Nerdy, to discuss a very interesting topic: At what point does Anakin Skywalker become Darth Vader? Joining me was Star Wars artist Joe Hogan and Hughes the Force producer Ruark Dreher. Joe and I met both Ruark and Ryan at Celebration V in Orlando way back in 2010. Being able to debate about Anakin's turn to the dark side felt like we were back at Miller's Ale House on International Drive. When the podcast is released you can bet that I will post it here. I'm looking forward to many more Star Wars chats to come!

3. The BBC Might Just Control My Life: I Finally Discover Sherlock

Well, it was inevitable. Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat and writer Mark Gatiss teamed up in 2010 to give their take on the famous resident of 221B Baker Street. The result was Sherlock, and it is marvelous.

Much like Holmes' fashion sense.

Benedict Cumberbatch (possibly the most British name ever?) does a phenomenal job playing the great detective. He can rattle off deductions with impressive speed and keeps the character mysterious and intriguing. He is, as always, supported by his friend Dr. John Watson played by Martin Freeman, a former army doctor who does his best to keep up with Holmes and remind him to be human every so often.

And not a dwarf song to be heard.

The interplay between the two is great, as one definitely relies on the other throughout the series. Supporting characters such as Holmes' brother Mycroft (Gatiss), who is a high-ranking intelligence official, the doting landlady Mrs. Hudson (Linda Jean), the masterfully played Moriarty (Andrew Scott), and the seductive Irene Adler (Lara Pulver) quickly become favorites as well.

On Netflix, each episode is about an hour and half long (three episodes per season, so far), but they fly by. Holmes uses modern day technology to unravel the clues, sometimes even sending Watson off to a crime scene only to Skype back the details. And a really cool part of the show is watching Holmes deduce something from seemingly mundane pieces of information. Words and symbols literally appear to the viewer and you can begin to see the inner-workings of the mind of a genius like Sherlock. Check out the trailer for Season 1 below (with Muse's "Uprising" playing in the background!)

The show is definitely worth a look for anyone who enjoys mystery and suspense with some great characters and humor thrown in. 

Update: Benedict Cumberbatch also did the voice and motion capture for Smaug and the Necromancer in his pal Martin Freeman's movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and will reprise both roles in the sequel. He will also portray John Harrison, the main antagonist in Star Trek: Into Darkness

Enjoy the rest of your day, guys!

-Joe