Every journey has a beginning……

Bantha Tracking is an audio journey through the earliest official Star Wars fan publications.

Each episode brings an original issue of the Official Star Wars Fan Club Newsletter, Bantha Tracks to life, presenting an audio edition and hosts exploring its articles, news, interviews, rumours and behind-the-scenes stories in discussion.

Beginning this episode with the very first Official Star Wars Fan Club Newsletter from 1978, we’ll follow the publication issue by issue as it evolves into Bantha Tracks and beyond, experiencing Star Wars as fans did at the time—waiting for the next film, discovering new characters, and learning the latest news directly from Lucasfilm.

Whether you’re a lifelong Star Wars fan, a collector of vintage memorabilia, or simply fascinated by the history of the franchise, Bantha Tracking offers a unique opportunity to rediscover these rare publications as they were originally read—and now, heard—one issue at a time.

Join Dan, Jez and some bloke called Alan as we begin the trail with Newsletter Volume 1, Number 1

Continuing our recent focus on vintage Star Wars figures whose characters have appeared in The Mandalorian, the Generation Skywalker team turns its attention to one of the most unusual and memorable releases in the Kenner line — Amanaman.

With The Mandalorian and Grogu now in cinemas and members of Amanaman’s species making an appearance in the film, there has never been a better time to revisit this bizarre figure.

This month, Palitoy Pete, Martin, and Dan are joined by Mark Mulcaster from Fantha Tracks to discuss The Mandalorian and Grogu, sharing their thoughts on the film before taking a deep dive into the history of Amanaman, his place in the vintage line, and why this strange denizen of Jabba’s Palace remains one of the most distinctive and sought-after figures among collectors.

Mark Andrew fron Variant Villans drops in and this time with Amanaman focus collector Ed Newborn to discuss the figure.

And Ron Salvatore from the SWCA returns to the show to share his insights into the character and the figure’s place within the wider history of Star Wars collecting.

From the latest Star Wars film to one of most iconic oddities in Kenner's line, this episode is packed with discussion, vintage collecting passion and AMANAMANAMAMAMAN

Things go completely off the rails for a very special one-off episode of The Committee… because for the first time ever, we’re stepping away from Star Wars!

The team assembled for a day out to see The Mandalorian & Grogu, and after several hours of enthusiastic “refreshments,” the Committee somehow decided it was a good idea to record a live debate from Dan’s back garden to determine the official Generation Skywalker Top 10 80’s Movies.

Joining the chaos are special guests Jon Aves, Wendy Williams, and Dan’s wife Emma, as we battle through questionable choices, passionate arguments, nostalgia overload, and varying levels of intoxication to decide which films truly deserve a place on the list.

From sci-fi classics and action legends to cult favourites and guilty pleasures, no movie is safe. Will your favourites make the cut? Will the rankings make any sense? Will anyone still be coherent by the end? There’s only one way to find out.

Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and enjoy the first… and possibly last… non-Star Wars episode of The Committee!

On this episode of Generation Skywalker’s The Modern Way, Stuart and Dan dive into the latest wave of Star Wars toy and collectible announcements

We kick things off with a look at the newest promotional tie-ins as The Mandalorian and Grogu marketing machine kicks into hyperspace., including Burger King giveaways, Robinsons squash and Walkers Crisps collaborations that are bringing Star Wars to supermarkets and fast-food counters everywhere.

Then we break down the latest announcements from Hasbro, including the eye-watering $600 Ultimate Grogu animatronic, plus new reveals from Hot Toys and LEGO. We also revisit the May the 4th Geeki Tikis preorders and discuss which collectibles are must-haves — and which might be better left in carbonite.

If you’re into collecting the modern Star Wars lines, this is the episode for you.

In the latest episode of Those Old Fossils, Palitoy Pete, Martin, and Dan turn their attention to one of the most memorable droids in the vintage Kenner line – the ever-popular R5-D4.

Following last month’s focus on Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight, the team continue celebrating characters who have appeared in The Mandalorian series, once again tying our figure focus to the excitement surrounding the upcoming release of The Mandalorian and Grogu, arriving in cinemas in less than a week.

The episode opens with a look at the recent Vectis and C&T auctions, as the team discuss standout lots, surprising results, and notable sales, before turning their attention to the upcoming Oberon auction and sharing the items they’ll be watching most closely. The discussion also touches on GENERATION SKYWALKER’S Vintage Figure of the Year competition, which has been running across Facebook and Instagram since late March, and concludes on 22nd May, with the team reviewing recent results and predicting the remaining matchups.

Ron Salvatore from the Star Wars Collectors Archive (SWCA) joins the main discussion once again, bringing his trademark insight and expertise as the group explore the history, appeal, and collecting nuances of this classic Kenner release. https://theswca.com/

Elsewhere in the episode, Mark Andrews from Variant Villains has bought alongside R5-D4 focus collector Nick Eppinga, taking a deeper look at the figure’s variations — including the ever-fascinating “Red Bar” version. https://www.variantvillain.com/characters/sw/r5-d4/

Despite originally appearing only briefly in A New Hope, R5-D4 has become one of the most recognisable and beloved droids in the vintage line.

Packed with collecting insight, nostalgia, hobby chat, and passionate discussion, this episode is another deep dive into the vintage galaxy far, far away.

Join us as we celebrate the little red astromech whose bad motivator changed Star Wars history forever.

It’s May the 4th, and Generation Skywalker is throwing our second ever Geeki Tiki Party!

We’re joined by special guest Brandon Giraldez, founder of Beeline Creative—the masterminds behind Geeki Tiki—as we celebrate not only Star Wars Day, but also the 10th anniversary of Geeki Tiki. Brandon arrives with a punch bowl full of surprises, revealing a wave of brand-new Star Wars Geeki Tiki mugs exclusively on Generation Skywalker you won’t want to miss.

The team also unveils the official Generation Skywalker Top 10 Star Wars Geeki Tikis, following on from last week’s committee episode- Will Brandon agree with our choices?

We also revisit our very first Tiki Party from December 2022 to see if any of our original mug pitches have made their way into development… and of course, we couldn’t resist pitching Brandon a few brand-new ideas while we had him!

And no tiki celebration would be complete without raising a glass to Craig—the man who first introduced Generation Skywalker to the wonderful world of Geeki Tiki in our early days.

So grab your favourite Tiki mug, pour yourself something tropical, and join us for a Star Wars Day celebration like no other.

Cheers—and May the 4th be with you!

*******EPISODE UPDATE******** Earlier this week, we dropped this show as a Mystery committee… now the secret’s out 👀 It’s true title:

THE COMMITTEE: TOP 10 GEEKI TIKIS

Things get seriously tropical as the team debates Generation Skywalker’s TOP 10 Star Wars Geeki Tikis 🍹

But there’s a twist… this is just the warm-up. These picks are all leading to our tiki party on May 4th, where we’ll present our final list to Brandon Giraldez, owner of @beelinecreative — the masterminds behind the iconic Geeki Tikis themselves 👀

Expect strong opinions, bold choices, and a few controversial takes as we try to lock in the ultimate top 10 before facing the man who made them!

Plus, we throwing in a classic segment from an early episode of The Modern Way, where Craig first shared the history of Tiki as well as Geeki Tikis themselves to the crew- and set this whole thing in motion 🌊

So get warmed up for our Tiki Party episode dropping May 4th, featuring new exclusive product reveals from Brandon you won’t hear about anywhere else.

In this episode of Those Old Fossils, Dan, Jez, Palitoy Pete, and Martin Woodgate turn their attention to one of the most iconic figures in the entire vintage Kenner range – the legendary Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight.

The team take a deep dive into the history, design, and collecting appeal of this classic figure, exploring everything from production details and accessories to the subtle variations that continue to fascinate collectors decades later. As always, no rock is left unturned in the pursuit of vintage Star Wars knowledge.

We are once again joined by Ron Salvatore from the Star Wars Collectors Archive (SWCA) and Mark Andrews from Variant Villains, who both share their expert insight and deep knowledge of the figure. Together, they help unpack the nuances, myths, and facts surrounding this enduring favourite from the Kenner line.

The team also look back at the most recent Echo Base Live event, sharing their experiences, highlights, and what made this year’s gathering so memorable for collectors.

In addition, the discussion turns to the ongoing “Vintage Action Figure of the Year” tournament, currently running across Instagram and Facebook, as the community continues to vote and debate their favourite figures from the vintage line.

Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting your journey into vintage Star Wars toys, this episode is packed with insight, nostalgia, and passionate discussion from a team who live and breathe the hobby.

Join us as we celebrate one of the most iconic figures ever released in the vintage galaxy far, far away.