The Rancho Obi-Wan Virtual Gala looks like a blast! Star Wars celebrities, Scavenger Hunt, Trivia, Cosplay contest and, of course, the Auction. All happening live Nov 20-21, 2020, for only $30. Special guest Steve Sansweet joins us to share the excitement, and then we ask the famous Star Wars collector what he is excited to collect this holiday season. The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special is now streaming on Disney+, and we share our thoughts, plus a special Press Conference with C-3PO actor Antho...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 310
It's a Dancing with the Stars extravaganza on the Neverland Clubhouse! Here you leave today, and venture into adventure, excitement and nostalgia. This is the Disney podcast where two sisters, Kelly and Courtney, take you to different park lands to share Disney adventures, stories, news and so much more. First the sisters take you to Fantasyland to celebrate Courtney’s Birthday (Sunday Nov. 15th) Courtney answers questions like what is your favorite birthday present? How do you like celebrating ...
Nov 15, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 2
How many of you in Star Wars fandom feel like you’re being heard and considered no matter what your background or condition is? We make it a goal here for everyone to be heard which is why we’re excited for the newest addition to the Skywalking Network - Resilience Squadron ! In this episode, we will be speaking with Greg Norman and Jack Vasvary about this new podcast, born out of a ForceFest Panel. Greg and Jack share stories of their own disabilities and challenges faced as disabled fans. We c...
Nov 12, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 309
This episode is a smorgasbord of comments and thoughts from you and us about The Mandalorian S2E1: The Marshal. Din (F105 Music) joins us as we give our thoughts, go over Easter Eggs and debate if Dank Farrick is the new “I have Spoken!” We recorded this episode live, so we have several Skywalkers weighing in with their thoughts, as well as great comments from our Facebook Group discussion. And yes there are plenty of spoilers ahead! The last several episodes lead up to Halloween because we want...
Nov 05, 2020•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 308
It’s a Halloween Holiday Special!! Will we be doing most of this in Wookiee grunts and growls? No. Will there be a 7-minute erotic interlude from Diahnn Carrol? Most likely not! Will we be singing about a day of peace and a day of harmony? Nope! But we will be going over some of the most compelling Halloween questions from our childhoods and beyond. We recorded this episode live on Facebook and YouTube, which means we have plenty of your responses as well! So let’s find out those deep, compellin...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 49 min•Ep. 307
Do you remember The Jedi Master’s Quizbook (1982), by Rusty Miller? At 11 years old, this boy penned a New York Times Bestseller! Rusty, who now goes by Matt, will take us back 38 years and tell us how an 11-year-old had the foresight to publish this book, the envy of all Star Wars -loving kids. Our good friend Chris Alexander just had a book birthday! Star Wars Origami 2 is now available for sale , and we speak with Chris about his 20-year journey to get both Star Wars Origami and Star Wars Ori...
Oct 22, 2020•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 306
In honor of Halloween, Max and Kevin discuss Max’s work on the 1988 Tim Burton film, Beetlejuice . So many in-depth behind the scenes stories about the numerous practical effects that went into the making of this film. Stories you won’t hear anywhere else! Questions are answered such as, when Adam and Barbara ran outside and were attacked by those giant sandworms, what planet was that supposed to be? What cast member from the original Night of the Living Dead makes a cameo? ...And who is this Ki...
Oct 19, 2020•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 3
Let’s visit the Death Valley set of Star Wars in 1977! Special guests Alan Fernandes (Bantha-riding Tusken Raider) and Miki Herman (Star Wars Production Crew Member) reflect back on these shooting days. Alan worked at Marine World wrestling with tigers and befriending Banthas (Well, the Bantha was really Mardji the elephant!) Miki shares her experiences as a crew member of the Lucasfilm production team. MULAN ON DIGITAL GIVEAWAY We have 2 Digital Codes to give away for Disney’s live action MULAN...
Oct 15, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 305
Welcome to the Neverland Clubhouse! Here you leave today, and venture into adventure, excitement and nostalgia. This is the Disney podcast where two sisters, Kelly and Courtney, take you to different park lands to share Disney adventures, stories, news and so much more. First the sisters whisk you off to Fantasyland to introduce themselves to all of you! They answer important questions like, Which Disney villain would you be and why? On a bad day, who is more like a princess and who is more like...
Oct 13, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 1
We bring HalloweenTime to You! It’s HalloweenTime! We can’t go to the Disney Parks to celebrate, so we’ll bring the season to you. This week we’ll share the truly chilling Haunted mazes found at Hong Kong Disneyland. They took the horror mazes found at Knotts Scary Farm and Universal Horror Nights and Disneyfied them. It makes us deeply jealous that we don’t have these in the US. We also talk about our favorite scary Disney attractions, and reminisce about a certain terrifying dragon in her lair...
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 304
Two sisters (and best friends!) share their love for all things Disney through adventures, Disney news, hot topics, history and more. Let Courtney and Kelly be your Guides through Disney Fandom! Coming to your favorite pod catchers on October 13th. Neverland Clubhouse is part of the Skywalking Network. Look for it monthly!
Oct 05, 2020•2 min
In the summer of ‘81, Disneyland featured a band that mashed up KISS and Star Wars that sang about “Jailbait”! It was called HALYX, formed by Disney Record execs to play at the Space Stage in Tomorrowland and hopefully capture a bone fide record deal. On this episode, we speak with Matthew Serrano , the director of the documentary, Live From the Space Stage: A Halyx Story . You can watch the documentary on YouTube. This fascinating piece of Disney history lives on in the DeFunctland YouTube Chan...
Oct 01, 2020•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 303
Classic Marvel Star Wars Comics #26 “DOOM Mission!” is the finale of a 2-part storyline involving Luke and Leia exploring shady business surrounding the planet Yavin and discovering a hidden Imperial base run by Baron Tagge. You're in for a treat with this rousing issue featuring death-defying action, Leia gaining strength through a good cry and Luke using the Force as a guide. Richard and Sarah discuss the comic and find FTOOM! Fast Facts (classic comic things that appear now in Star Wars books...
Sep 24, 2020•1 hr 1 min
The trailer we’ve all been waiting for, the first look at The Mandalorian S2 , was released on 9/15! We ask the hard-hitting questions like ‘is Baby Yoda wearing booties in the snow?’ Let’s break it down. Courtney and Kelly Turckel have been hard at work on a super secret project, and now it’s time for that Super Secret Project Announcement!! Listen in for details on the NEW Neverland Clubhouse!! We also talk about watching The Empire Strikes Back at the new Rose Bowl Drive-In Theater. What a fu...
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 302
Welcome back to the Max EFX Podcast. In this 2nd episode we honor convention season! Kevin and Max look back at their adventures at sci-fi conventions from the 1970's to today. They discuss the con going fandom and their cosplaying experiences. What was it like when there was only ONE Darth Vader and Boba Fett on the show floor? What was available in the dealer room at these early cons. Join us for a fun discussion on fandom where no podcast has gone before! Join the Max EFX Facebook Group! List...
Sep 14, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 2
Today, Laura Sirikul ( @lsirikul of Nerdist / Nerds of Color / The Hollywood Reporter) joins us to discuss her Mulan fandom. She grew up reading the ballad of Mulan as a kid and explains how important it was seeing a Disney character that looked like her. Laura also shares stories of when she visited the live-action Mulan set in New Zealand and attended the world premiere in Hollywood! We will also discuss Mulan vs. the live action Mulan, but will issue a spoiler-warning before we go into that p...
Sep 10, 2020•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 301
It’s a 300th Episode Celebration! Not only is this week an episode milestone, but it’s also a virtual convention milestone - the successful completion of ForceFest: Celebrating The Saga. This first Star Wars fan virtual convention was a huge success. 100+ panelists, 60 live panels, 30 volunteers and 7 organizers (including yours truly) planned and pulled off this convention on GetVokl.com, and we passed our Make-A-Wish fundraising goal of $3000!! It was incredible. And you can still watch every ...
Sep 03, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 300
We go back to 1987 with Dan Madsen! Over Memorial Day weekend in 1987, Star Wars was celebrating its 10th Anniversary. To commemorate such a milestone, Starlog Magazine held a convention in Los Angeles called, “ Starlog Salutes Star Wars– A 10th Anniversary Tribute to George Lucas and the Galaxy Far, Far Away Which He Created!” We prefer the title – Star Wars Celebration 0 . Only a few thousand fans attended, as opposed to the tens of thousands that attend these past Celebrations. I was there an...
Aug 26, 2020•1 hr 59 min•Ep. 299
Classic Marvel Star Wars Comics #25 “Siege At Yavin” is the first of a 2-part storyline involving Luke and Leia exploring some shady business surrounding the planet Yavin, near the Rebel base. Richard and Sarah discuss the comic and find FTOOM! Fast Facts - names and planets that show up later in Star Wars books, comics and films. It's fascinating the amount of material that's pulled from these original comics. Title:"SIEGE AT YAVIN" Release Date: April 24, 1979 Writer: Archi Goodwin Artwork:Car...
Aug 13, 2020•1 hr 16 min
If you miss Galaxy’s Edge, then this is the episode for you - we speak with author Cole Horton about the making of his new book, Galaxy’s Edge: A Traveler’s Guide to Batuu ! You know it’s a party when Cole shows up! We are excited that artist, business owner and professor, Fernando del Rosario will be joining us at ForceFest. We’ll check in with him and see what he has in store for the convention, and talk about his superhero-inspired art! In Things We Want To Share, let’s get down to business. ...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 298
This year, San Diego Comic-Con decided to pivot the popular convention to a virtual space, and created Comic-Con@Home. We covered the event, watched panels, bought merchandise - so now it's time to break it all down. Eric Onkenhout (correspondent, Skywalking Network) joins us to share panels we watched, reactions and suggestions for next year. How is Walt Disney World handling crowds amidst a pandemic? Skywalker Tati Perez shares her experiences at The Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios a...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 297
Welcome to the premiere of The Max EFX Podcast! Here we will journey through the career of Special Effects Artist, Max Cervantes. He shares stories from working on Star Trek TV and films, Beetlejuice, films by Roger Corman, the Star Wars Pepsi commercial, Waterworld, and so many more. Max also discusses the many roles he's played in the Star Trek Universe. Get to know Max Cervantes and moderator, Kevin Toft, as they discuss how Max became intertwined in the Effects business. It all started with ...
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 1
Classic Marvel Star Wars Comics #24 “Silent Drifting” is a stand-alone story featuring the early days of General Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi. This is the first time the SWEU delved into the Galactic Republic! But with a name like "Silent Drifting," is the story good? Chris Alexander ( Star Wars Origami ) joins us on our journey through this classic Marvel Star Wars comic from 1979. Show Notes: Title:"SILENT DRIFTING" Release Date: MARCH 27, 1979 Writer:Mary Jo Duffy Artwork:Carmine Infantino, Bob Wiace...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 21 min
A deep dive into the special effects industry with behind-the-scenes stories, how to create effects and how to get started. Hosted by Special EFX Artist Max Cervantes (Filmography includes Star Trek: TNG, DS9, Voyager, etc. / Beetlejuice / Masters of the Universe and more) and Kevin Toft, video game graphic designer. The Max EFX also explores past, present, and future Science Fiction and Fantasy fandoms.
Jul 21, 2020•2 min
ForceFest: Celebrating The Saga is coming August. 28-30th, and this week we welcome two members of our planning committee to discuss their backgrounds and more details on this virtual convention. Tyler Bucks ( Chatter Squadron / Star Wars HUB ) and Frank D. Rich ( Star Wars Autograph News ). We are working together to fill the void Star Wars Celebration left when they announced it would not be happening this year. We want to provide a space and place where creators can share and talk about what ...
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 296
It’s a Summer Movie Celebration! Take a trip back in time and think of your favorite summer movies and movie memories. Kai Charles ( Fangirls Going Rogue ) and Mike Celestino ( Laughing Place / Who’s The Bossk ) join us to share stories of films like E.T., Jurassic Park, Jaws, Wonder Woman, Independence Day, Star Wars, The Phantom Menace and more. Virtual Star Wars Celebration is now, officially, ForceFest: Celebrating The Saga! It will take place August 28-30, 2020 on GetVokl.com. We share a fe...
Jul 09, 2020•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 295
Issue #23 “Flight into Fury” is the final comic in a 6-part story arc featuring our favorite Star Wars heroes, and villains you’ve never heard of. But, like the cover, it does feature a terrifying appearance of Darth Vader! (Not quite as terrifying as Rogue One, but for an 8-year-old it’s scary). Title:"FLIGHT INTO FURY!" Release Date: February 20, 1979 Writer:Archie Goodwin Artwork:Carmine Infantino, Bob Wiacek and Carl Gafford Cover Art:Carmine Infantino / Bob Wiacek Synopsis: As Simon Greysha...
Jul 02, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Star Wars Celebration has been cancelled, but that won’t stop us from having a Star Wars Virtual Celebration #SWVC2020! We’ve been knee-deep in planning this event - guests and collaborators are excited, and we wanted to share our mission statement: SWVC 2020 celebrates different voices in fandom that aren’t always heard or can’t always attend Star Wars Celebration. This is an opportunity to have discussions that open our minds to different perspectives. If you’re interested, please sign up here...
Jun 25, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 294
We continue the 40th anniversary celebration of The Empire Strikes Back with Kim Simmons who was a Kenner photographer during the vintage era. All those Kenner Star Wars toy packaging you remember? He had a HUGE hand in them! Kim is producing a book which will showcase the Empire Strikes Back toy line photography in all its glory - please check out his Kickstarter here - The Man Who Shot Luke Skywalker. Now sit back and enjoy some fantastic stories. Also on this episode, we delve into the newest...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 293
Classic Marvel Star Wars Comics #22 "To The Last Gladiator" centers on The Big Game - in which Han Solo and Chewbacca must fight a battle to the death with dozens of opponents, all floating in an anti-gravity arena full of hidden dangers. This battle takes place for the pleasure of the spectators gathered on The Wheel - a floating casino in space. Title:"TO THE LAST GLADIATOR" Release Date:JANUARY 23, 1979 Writer:Archie Goodwin Artwork:Carmine Infantino and Bob Wiacek Cover Art:Carmine Infantino...
Jun 10, 2020•57 min
