at-at

Steampunk AT-AT is a labor of 'Star Wars' love

When is an AT-AT not an AT-AT? When it's Captain Bayley's Infernal Mechano-Perambulator. The captain (also known as Mark), created a steampunk AT-AT out of a vintage toy. It's the details that amaze.

You could get lost in the depths of this steamy tribute to the famous "Star Wars" machine. There's a smoke stack blowing out fluffy clouds of fake smoke. The finish is done in a weathered-copper look. By golly, is that a lightsaber-esque unicorn horn on top of the nose? Mossy plant life hanging from the mouth makes this AT-AT look a lot friendlier than the killing machines from the movies.… Read more

AT-AT Walker walker assists young surgery patient

Stephanie Kaloi's 4-year-old son recently went through surgery and came home with his knees immobilized and a walker to help him get around. That's a big damper on the normally active life of any young kid. After sending out an Instagram of the walker, a friend suggested that it looked a bit like an AT-AT. Soon, a pint-sized "Star Wars" AT-AT Walker walker was born.

Comic artist Ben Dewey volunteered his skills to translate the movie machine into a form that would fit on the walker. The walker now has AT-AT legs and a head and a control panel featuring the leader of the Imperial forces, Darth Vader himself. I guess this makes the tyke a Sith Lord-in-training.… Read more

Official AT-AT dog costume turns Fido into furry war machine

Fan-made AT-AT walker dog costumes have been around for years. George Lucas' minions have taken notice of the inordinate demand for dressing mutts up like heavily armored Imperial Army land vehicles.

That brings us to the officially licensed "Star Wars" AT-AT pet costume. It comes in two parts with a bodysuit and a headpiece. Sizes range from small (for Sith Shih Tzus) to extra large (for Wookie Wolfhounds).… Read more

Wear a Wampa skin: 'Star Wars' outfits for the ladies

Some people watch the Wampa cave scene from "Star Wars" and think, "Look out! Wampa attack!" Others watch it and think, "I could make a dress out of that!"

Nerd Alert Designs falls into the latter camp. The geeky Etsy store is full of custom dresses with "Star Wars" themes.

One of the most impressive of the lot is the $130 Wampa dress crafted of fake white fur with a bomber-style horned hat and clawed boot covers. A little touch of blood on the chest really makes it pop.… Read more

AT-AT bed the stuff 'Star Wars' dreams are made of

With Father's Day fast approaching, the kids in the Dutilly family have an extra big reason to show dad some love. Derek Dutilly built his young son an AT-AT bed.

The massive plywood and Masonite bed is decked out with PVC head cannons and entry/exit stairs with secret compartments for storing lightsabers, Jedi robes, and "Star Wars" Legos.

The bed is sized to allow the lucky kid to disappear to sleep inside the AT-AT body, but a window near the front lets the parents check in on their snoozing little Jedi. … Read more

'Star Wars' AT-AT cat condo: May the fur be with you

You have marathoned all of the "Star Wars" movies (even the prequels) until your eyes fell out. Your dog is named Princess Leia and your cat is named Mr. Lucas. You own a double-telescoping Luke Skywalker action figure.

You have everything! Except an AT-AT Walker cat condo, that is. Reddit user BillyAppletini wins the "best friend in the galaxy" award for building his "Star Wars" fan buddy the CAT-AT, a massive Walker-shaped cat condo.… Read more

Crave 61: Romancing the dark side (podcast)

This week, Donald and Eric consider the future of space, the dark side of romance, and the proper way to dispose of AT-AT excrement. Also, the Keyboard Cat toy plays us out, and in Geek News, Eric confesses his deep hatred of Orcs.

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'AT-AT for America' tripped up by Lucasfilm

In "Star Wars," after the destruction of Alderaan, Obi-wan Kenobi collapses in a seat and solemnly says, "I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened."

Something slightly terrible has happened: Lucasfilm has cut short a grassroots movement to build a full-scale, fully functional AT-AT vehicle from "The Empire Strikes Back." Michael Koehler, the 38-year-old social-media consultant behind the idea, shared the unfortunate news on the AT-AT for America blog:

"Long story short, I … Read more

'Star Wars' fan gathers support for life-size AT-AT

In the classic "Star Wars" sequel "The Empire Strikes Back," a group of massive Imperial AT-ATs (All Terrain Armored Transports) led by General Veers slowly stomped across the ice plains of Hoth to destroy pesky Rebel scum. The vehicle was enormous (at least 15 to 20 meters tall), clunky, and walked on four legs like an elephant.

Now, Michael Koehler, a 38-year-old social-media consultant who lives in Oklahoma City, is aiming to bring this mechanical monstrosity to life in a campaign called "AT-AT for America." The name couldn't be any more viral.

His … Read more

Crave 39: Don't think, just AT-AT (podcast)

On the anniversary of Russia's triumphant manned space flight, Donald and Eric scheme to put America back on top by building a life-size, fully functioning Imperial AT-AT. Less ambitious projects are also covered, including a Lego Ghostbusters car, a 360 video capture lens for the iPhone, and a digital film roll to give analog cameras new life.

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