Our first full calendar year was an amazing ride, taking Fantha Tracks from a successful launch in late October 2017 to one of the best known Star Wars news sites in the galaxy. Here, Fantha Trackers give us their top moments from 2018.
Brian Cameron
My top moment of the year without a doubt was when I traveled to Finse way back at the start of the year with Mark, Matt and Richard from Fantha Tracks. Finse, Norway is the real world location used for the planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. It was a surreal moment, seeing the iconic hotel that the cast and crew stayed in, speaking with members of the crew who worked on the film, travelling out to Solo Rock by husky dog. You were literally in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing bar the hotel, some ski lodges, and the railway. One of the best holidays I have had, and it was Star Wars on top. You can read about the trip here, and check out some of the footage shot on Fantha Tracks TV.
My second top moment, is perhaps something of an oddity but I think reflective of the support we have had at Fantha Tracks from you the readership. We launched on October 31st 2017 not 100% sure how successful the site would be, but determined to have fun doing it. The success of the site, driven by YOU the readers, has been beyond our wildest dreams. So much so that over the late summer as our readership exploded you destroyed our server with hits. We were forced to move host, to a stronger, faster, more dedicated service. Making such a move, whilst keeping the site live to the readership was a challenge, and I tend to take charge of the technical aspects of the site – and at the rate that Mark, Richard and the rest of the team add content – it gets complicated.
It took a number of weeks of intense behind the scenes work, and a nervous 4.00am push of the button but we made the move seamlessly (almost). So we are in great shape to keep bringing you the best in Star Wars news reporting and content in 2019 – and we have a lot of plans to make this new server really work!!!
My final top moment came at Farthest From at the start of this month. Dave Tree always puts on a fantastic show, and it’s an honour that Fantha Tracks is now part of the weekend of Star Wars goodness that his vintage toy show brings. We had a wonderful guest in Ross Sambridge, the body of Snoke on the set of The Last Jedi, and Gus Lopez joined us for a presentation of his experience as a collector. Being able to sit down and have a fantastic Christmas dinner with so many friends from around Star Wars fandom is always a delightful way to bring some kind of closure to the Star Wars year.
My most lasting moment working on Fantha Tracks over the past year was a very poignant moment, the passing of a Star Wars creative great in Gary Kurtz. Fantha Tracks were in the unfortunate position to bring the news to the fandom through a statement issued by his family. It was heartbreaking to bring that news, and it really struck me deeply, but it was also wonderful to see the comments, memories and well-wishes to his family that swept through fandom. He is a gentleman who will be sorely missed, and an integral part of the legacy of Star Wars.
Johanna Nybelius
Here are my top three moments this year:
First of all it was the release of Solo. I loved the film. I had been very skeptical about the whole premise of the film, but it delivered. I loved the Legends Han Solo backstory, and the film was so full of ideas and characters that could have stepped right out from books. Not to mention all the Easter eggs for old EU lovers like me.
My second favorite Star Wars moment was trying out the second edition of Fantasy Flight Games X-wing Miniature Game. I was not happy when I heard about the reboot of the game, having spent quite some money on things that I wouldn’t be able to use. The game really needed the reboot though. For me, who is not a competitive player, the new quickbuild format brought some needed fun and variation to the game, without having to spend hours to study the current popular playlists in the game.
The third favorite moment was the announcement of Star Wars Celebration. Chicago was a big surprise, but it will be fun to experience a Celebration in a new location. As a costumer, I’m also looking forward to being in a place where it’s not hot and humid.
My favorite Fantha moment was simply when I was asked to join the team this year. It felt like a great honour to be part of such a great site!
Mark Newbold
2018 was another banner year for Star Wars, one that saw a slew of announcements, projects on film, TV and paper and all in a year with no Celebration! 2019 is set to be the busiest year yet for content, but it has a long way to go to match my first choice for 2018 – Solo: A Star Wars Story.
What a triumph that film was, sticking the landing on a film that would have been SOOO easy to get wrong. Well, I guess they did get it wrong the first time, then changed course, corrected and made what is for me the film of the year. As a Han Solo fan first and foremost and someone who’s always been the most interested in the seedy underside of the galaxy, this film made me positively beam, and took me from Leicester Square to Pinewood Studios and back to the Prince Charles Cinema just off Leicester Square to see it one more time on the silver screen on 27th December, the 41st anniversary of A New Hope landing in the UK.
As a part of the Fantha Tracks team I wouldn’t even know where to begin with highlights. Star Wars Fan Fun Day, running the Star Wars Zone at London Film and Comic Con, a trio of fantastic Farthest From and Fantha Days (the fourth of which was my favourite this past month, enormous fun) but if I had to pick a moment that will absolutely stay with me my whole life, it’s standing on that glacier from The Empire Strikes Back, taking in the view where the trenches were dug and the AT-AT’s strode across the plains to drive the Rebellion off Hoth. Magical, to be where they filmed what will almost certainly always be my favourite Star Wars adventure, and a journey taken and spent with friends.
Back to Solo and the double hit of seeing Solo at the Empire Leicester Square and the buzz we had when talking about it outside of the cinema, and the pure unfiltered joy we had when seeing it at Pinewood Cinema.
I’ve done three New York Comic Cons, but this years event was the most fun I’ve had doing an international convention. Fun from top to bottom, we had a major blast covering the show, catching up with friends old and new and making some marvelous memories. We interviewed Greg Hildebrandt, Mark Von Ohlen at the Topps offices, got sound bites from Bobby Moynihan and Kevin Smith, audio from panels, daily recaps…I can’t wait to do the event again.
Finally it’s the constant laughs and never-ending conversations we have as a team, be it in individual threads, the Super Secret all encompassing group or the Midlands Team (regular food-related meet ups across the year). It doesn’t matter if we’re in Preston or Union City, Fantha Tracks have a great time doing everything.
Clair Henry
I can’t quite believe it’s been a over a year since I joined the Fantha Tracks team!
After the excitement of December 2017 I really didn’t think it would get much better but it did and not in the way I imagined! To single out exact highlight is too tough so….
I think for me this year of Star Wars has overwhelmingly been about friendships. I have had an amazing time doing the things I would have done anyway but each time I have been joined by or met an amazing bunch of people and boy have we had so much fun !
Number 1, my Midland Fantha team of Carl, Mark and Paul have been there for me throughout the year. We meet up regularly to discuss all things Star Wars and sample the delights of eateries in and around Birmingham! It’s something that I so look forward to and ensure my calendar is clear, although Carl does fuel my Leia obsession with items that I didn’t know I needed until I have them!
Number 2. Now, I know that a lot of people have said that social media in particular Twitter has been a toxic experience for them this year however I do believe that I perhaps tip this trend. I have had a fantastic time and an overwhelmingly positive one at that. Live tweets from the Fantha tracks account with @geekchic9 while watching Star Wars has been such great fun. @LoweryNeil and @heartofalderaan and their positive tweets have been a joy to see and interact with.
Number 3 Unexpected friendships have come through chance meetings at conventions, one of which came through a chance conversation at MCM that allowed me to show off and be proud of my local area and show Mary Franklin the ropes around Coventry and Leamington! I look forward to catching up again in Chicago and have a beer and pizza! Again though a chance meeting at London Film and Comic Con, I met Vicky and although we’ve yet to catch up again since July we have kept in touch regularly and I can’t wait to have a proper chin wag again soon. Also that weekend meeting up with artists Marsha Parkin and JAKe and having an absolute hoot promoting all things Star Wars!
That leaves me with my favourite memory and well the Fantha Team they’re like the gift that keeps on giving from Zuvio encounters, to the banter that is literally 24 hours a day with memes and gifs, to the meet ups at all sorts of places including shopping centres (who knew so many things Star Wars happens at shopping centres), castles, music venues and football clubs! I have had a great time and I am so looking forward to what 2019 is ready to throw at me. The probability that the vast majority of the Fantha track team will be in Chicago next year is so awesome I’m bursting with excitement!
Bring it on guys!
Carl Bayliss
Top 3 moments of the year, eh? It’s not that easy to pick just three things from our first calendar year, but as that’s the brief here goes (in no particular order).
My first pick is Star Wars Fan Fun Day in Burnley, preceded by Dinner with the Stars the night before. This is one of our favourite fan-run events and this year saw us have a great contingent of Fantha’s present with our own table to help raise funds for the chosen charities but also promote the site and what we’re doing. The sun shone down on Burnley and we all had a great time (even Dave Tree, braving the 30 degree heat in a Porg costume).
Next up was going to see A New Hope with a live orchestra in Birmingham. A small team of Fantha Trackers were dispatched and got some great behind-the-scenes coverage and interviews with some of the musicians and the orchestra conductor. Then the actual concert/screening was amazing. To hear the music we all know and love recreated live, along with a crystal clear picture on a 60ft screen was amazing, and I for one am hoping we get to see the rest of the saga given the same treatment, especially with the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back only 17 months away.
My third pick is the release of the massively underrated Solo: A Star Wars Story. I really enjoyed this film, and although many people had gripes with the way Disney handled the production and marketing of a film that many people said they ‘didn’t need’, I think the end product is a fun adventure and gives us the (new) back story of the loveable rogue Han and some other great nods to the old canon too. The fact that many people still haven’t seen this film is frankly ridiculous, so I’d urge you to put aside your objections and see it at the first opportunity.
My favourite Fantha Tracks memory of the year isn’t one specific thing, but the great interaction within the team whenever a group of us get together. The team all have their own strengths and everyone is willing to pitch in and support others, making this one of the best years I can remember in my 40-something as a Star Wars fan.
Paul Naylor
I run my own media business, primarily helping to publish magazines and books, and in April this year I ventured over to Los Angeles with a good friend of mine who collaborates with me on various projects. We were only in the states for three days but the client – a stuntman whose memoirs we are working on – and his mate were more than happy to tag along and take in a few Star Wars sights with us.
Denny’s had a promotion on fo
r Solo, so naturally we breakfasted there a lot. Other highlights included the must-see Mann’s Chinese Theatre and its concrete foot and handprints of the stars. It was amazing to see in person the R2-D2 and C-3PO footprints that were so beautifully captured on film for the Making of Star Wars. And I believe I was the first Fantha to see Mark Hamill’s star on the boulevard.
Equally magical was a couple of hours spent at the nearby Scum and Villainy Cantina – the Star Wars themed bar. This is a must. Go along and enjoy the great cocktails and immersive ambiance. You won’t be disappointed. 
A few weeks later – and back on home soil – it was time for an annual pilgrimage to Burnley for Star Wars Fan Fun Day. This has fast become a favourite event for me, and Dinner with the Stars the night before is another fab occasion too.
We shared a table with Kiran Shah. The diminutive actor is clocking up an impressive catalogue of Star Wars appearances. The charity auction was hosted by Rusty Goffe, but it was Guy Henry who stole the night with his generosity during the bidding. Who’d have thought that Grand Moff Tarkin would turn out to be such a good ‘Guy’?
And then the following day was a wonderful celebration of all things Star Wars, with fellow Fantha Dave Tree donning his Porg costume and plenty of opportunities to chat with actors from many of our most cherished movies.
Towards the end of 2018 I popped down to London with my kids and met up with fellow Fantha Clair Henry and her family to see Star Wars: A New Hope Live at The Royal Albert Hall.
This was a superb evening, with the original Star Wars on a massive screen supported by the London Symphony Orchestra. What an absolute treat. If The Empire Strikes Back gets the same treatment then count me in!
Megan Cullinan
It’s certainly hard to believe 2018 is coming to a close. But I think I say that every year, ha ha! Thinking back on this year, there were some pretty epic Star Wars moments for me.
In April, I flew down to Florida with my sister to run in my first ever Disney 5K and OF COURSE it was the Star Wars Dark Side 5K! This was my main motivation when I started
running in the summer of 2017. I was able to meet up with other Star Wars fans that I had met through Twitter and we had a blast running through Epcot, which was overrun with Star Wars characters and backdrops. And I received a super cool medal at the finish line!
In that same month, I drove up to Chicago to see John Williams conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It was brilliant! It didn’t matter that I am terrified of heights and was basically at the top of the orchestra hall,
because there was John Williams below me, gloriously conducting Star Wars.
Lastly, in June I was back in Chicago and this time watching “A New Hope” while the CSO played the soundtrack LIVE! If you get a chance to experience this with a Star Wars movie, DO IT! It is a truly immersive experience. I loved every minute of it!
And my favorite Fantha Tracks moment? Being messaged by Clair asking if I’d like to join the team and finally submitting my first article about the Dark Side 5K! I am very lucky to be part of an amazing team of people who love Star Wars.
