A Star Wars Guide to the World Wide Web: Fan Sites

Attention all Star Wars fans! In 1977, Star Wars burst onto the scene and changed the nature of not only science fiction and fantasy but cinema itself. Since that time, Star Wars has become a franchise empire, captivating billions. Who can forget that first time we saw Darth Vader enter the corridor of Princess Leia's ship? And who didn't enjoy Han Solo's wisecracks or the epic space battles? And, admit it, haven't you wanted to wield a lightsaber?

Here are some great websites for you, Star Wars fan, to check out as you surf the World Wide Web:

Star Wars: The Official Site

You might as well start with the official Star Wars website. It features a guide to the feature films, information on the Star Wars universe that takes you "beyond the movies," a kids' section, a list of blogs, polls, forums, and a guide to Star Wars games. And, of course, there's an online gift shop. Most of the site is free (other than the shop, of course), but there's the opportunity to join the Star Wars "Hyperspace" Fan Club for $39.95 a year. It provides exclusive webstrips, products, discounts, and so forth.

TheForce.Net

This is an awesome site for anyone remotely interested in Star Wars. You can find news items pertaining to the Star Wars universe of products, movies, TV plans, etc. as well as forums, humor, etc. In addition (and this is probably the best part of the entire site), there are fan films and fan fiction.

The fan films, in particular, are well worth your time. It's amazing how much a desktop computer with the right software can do. Digital moviemaking technology has indeed made the film industry more accessible to amateurs, and the Star Wars fan films at TheForce.net are great examples of that. Some of the fan films, such as Revelations by Panicstruck Productions, have garnered the attention of Hollywood and the media. Check some of them out. You won't be disappointed.

Star Wars Galaxies

This costs money, but it allows you to live out your Star Wars fantasy in an immersive multiplayer universe. The software costs about $30 at your local software retailer and then there's a subscription fee of approximately $15 a month. Star Wars Galaxies is different from some massive multiplayer games in that it's much more than just a first-person shooter. You design your own character - race, gender, occupation, etc. - and enter the Star Wars universe, living on Coruscant or Tatooine or any number of other worlds. Yes, you can even be a Jedi - but it takes an awful lot of work.

Lego Star Wars Homepage

It's amazing how fascinating and addictive this combination has been: Legos and Star Wars! But, my kids are great examples of this fad. My daughter especially loves to play Lego Star Wars on GameCube. There are actually two Lego Star Wars video games - one based on the original trilogy and one based on the recent one.

Legos are an eternal fascination with folks. Even when we grow up, many of us stay kids at heart. And Star Wars has combined with Legos surprisingly well. There are some fun and games, a gallery, and a create-a-comic feature.

There are many other sites out there, of course, but these should keep you busy for a while. Good luck, and may the force be with you!