Our friends at JediNews reach out to us regarding exclusive news they’ve received regarding potential 6″ Black Series figures for Rogue One’s Force Friday launch on September 30. Click on over for their exclusive report.

Star Wars fan sites unite for an exclusive patch only available at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim.

Star Wars Action News, Jedi Business, Jedi Temple Archives, Yakface and Jedi News have combined forces to create a unique piece of Star Wars memorabilia for Star Wars Celebration Anaheim! Together they have created the Star Wars Celebration Collecting Track Patch Set! Click on through for details.

Available exclusively in the Star Wars Celebration Anaheim Collector’s Social Room, each site has sponsored and will give away one wedge of this set. Collect all six patches and you can form BB-8 — the new, rolling droid featured in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Each of the five sites site will hand out one their patch during the Fan Site Meet and Greet held in the Celebration Collecting Social Room (210D).

The sixth piece–the top featuring BB-8’s dome–is an exclusive wedge to the Collector’s Social Room and will be given away at random times during panels, podcasts, signings and other events in the Collector’s Social Room. Be sure to attend those events to get the patch!

A small number of top wedges will also be given away through the official Star Wars Celebration Anaheim Collecting Track Twitter Account. Follow @C6CollectTrack for more information.

Patch Giveaway Schedule:

Thursday 12-1
Jedi Business

Thursday 1-2
Jedi Temple Archives

Saturday 12-1
Star Wars Action News

Saturday 1:30-2:30
Yakface

Sunday 12-1
Jedi News

Various time throughout Celebration
Collector’s Lounge

Our friends at JediNews have posted some great details for new LEGO sets due in summer 2015. These sets again look to run the gamut of source material from the Prequels to the Original Trilogy to Star Wars Rebels. Head on over to check them out, especially that Imperial Assault Carrier!

The official Celebration Europe II Exclusive T-Shirt has been revealed! Similar in design to the Celebration VI shirt featuring Yoda, this shirt features the unmistakeable silhouette of Luke Skywalker – perfect for the 30th Annversary of Return of the Jedi.

Thanks to our friends at JediNews for the tip.

We’ve teamed up with Dan Curto and several other fan sites to bring your a special report detailing the new Build-A-Droid Astromechs available now at Hollywood Studios Star Wars Weekends. Read Dan’s summary of this unique, and possibly frustrating, collection, check out our exclusive photo gallery and be sure to visit our affiliate sites to see detailed photos of each of the currently available parts.

Introduction

Hasbro’s Star Wars action figure line has a long history of including “bonus” pack-ins with each figure: Freeze Frames, 3-D dioramas, Commtech Chips, Force Files, display stands, mini-hologram figures, collector coins, weapons lockers, and most recently…battle cards and battle dice. But the greatest pack-in ever was the 2008’s Droid Factory “Build-A-Droid” concept which was part of 2008’s The Legacy Collection (in 2009, “The” was dropped from the name). Collectors could essentially get an extra droid figure if they collected all the parts in a wave. Although this was a challenge for carded completists (since the pack-in changed over time in subsequent releases), a total of 21 different droids (if you count the 2 Walmart-exclusive sets and both versions of U-3PO) could be assembled that might never have been made available in another format.

Since then, the basic bodies have been reused a few times for repaints: a new K-3PO was part of a Hoth multipack, and there have been 6 astromech droids released that use the same design. Celebration V Attendees may also recall another protocol droid was shown, but that droid still has not yet been made available.

After three years, Hasbro finally brings the Droid Factory concept back in a major way, exclusively at Walt Disney Worlds’s Hollywood Studios theme park during “Star Wars Weekends.” As part of the newly-renovated Star Tours attraction, fans can find a Droid Factory station inside the Tatooine Traders store (the store you enter upon leaving the ride) where you can literally build your own droid, complete on a custom card. With 71 different colored parts to choose from, there are thousands of different droids that can be created!

Cardbacks
The cardbacks include the generic starfield that the Star Tours figures have used for years, but there is also a place to add the name of your droid. This is done with an alphanumeric sticker sheet, which has multiple numbers and letters for extra creativity. The figure can then be protected by an attached clear plastic clamshell case, which can be reopened. There are single cards available for $11.95 (roughly $2 per piece) or double-figure cards for $18.95 (roughly $1.60 per part). This is not only a great way for kids to have some fun, but also for collectors to protect their creations.

Astromech Parts
Thanks to help from some friends in Florida, I was able to acquire 52 unique parts (along with duplicates) last weekend…with 5 more yesterday that are on the way to me. Here’s a quick rundown…
The astromech droids are available with different heads (R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 units), different bodies (R2 and R7…the bodies all have the same “inner circuitry” underneath the dome), but only one type of legs (in multiple colors). There are also several different hats planned for this line, but as this point, only Mickey Mouse ears are available (in 4 different colors: black, red, green, & blue). At the present time, not all parts are yet available. The R6, R8, and R9 heads are due this August (no doubt timed forCelebration VI), as well as several hats (a baseball cap with Yoda ears, Goofy’s hat, Indiana Jones’ fedora, and Jack Sparrow’s pirate hat). Since the previous “Build-A-Lightsaber” and “Build-A-Potato Head” stations were around for several years, it’s likely that the “Build-A-Droid” station will continue as well…plus, I have to think that something will be made available for Celebration VI, although nothing is confirmed at this time.

Exclusive Gallery
For your viewing pleasure, here is an exclusive gallery of the Yellow droids that were assembled during the first weekend they were available. Since some parts are not available, substitutions were made…but that’s part of the fun! And for longtime collectors, here is a comparison gallery of previously-released B-A-Ds, next to their Disney counterparts. As you can see, there is a unique deco for each of the new droid parts, so completists will definitely want to track them down and get them all!

Rumor has it, the Droid Factory concept is coming back to the action figure line at some point in 2013. So with any luck, we will see these droid parts made available again, although most likely with different deco.

I’ll be heading down to Disney World for Star Wars Weekends #4 (not to mention Celebration VI), and hopefully I won’t hear “these aren’t the droid parts you’re looking for.”

A special thanks to Dan for sharing in this multi-site event and stay tuned for more special joint-venture reports in the future.

Additional Disney Droid Factory coverage:
(direct links will be updated at articles are posted).

Galactic Hunter

Jedi News

Jedi Temple Archives

Sandtroopers

Star Wars Action News

YodasNews

Our friends at Rebelscum have received an image captured from Toy News magazine that confirms rumors and speculation of a Republic Atatck Shuttle for the Clone Wars line. As the Turbo Tank and AT-TE before it, the vehicle will incorporate playset-style features for additional play value. Look for this to be on display at Toy Fair next month (if not leaked on the various fan sites sooner).

Check out the article and be sure to share your thoughts in the forums!

Update: Our friends across the pond at Jedi News have posted a scan from Toys ‘n’ Playthings which again proclaims the imminent arrival of the Clone Wars Republic Attack Shuttle. The article also confirms other new products set to be revealed in a couple weeks at Toy Fair. Check it out.

At the event:
• Meet Boba Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch who will be signing FREE autographs for the first 100 people
• WIN one of just 30 Qui-Gon Jinn & Eopie Figures which will ONLY be available at this Event
• FREE Build-a-Droid Figure for the first 100 people to spend £40 or more on any Hasbro Star Wars products
• FREE Exclusive Jedi News Event Badges
• Meet the 501st UK Garrison and have your photo taken with a Stormtrooper

Head on over for the full details!