The Official Star Wars Site brings us this exclusive collectibles report...

Spruce up your lapels with the Star Wars: Clone Wars Boxed Pin Set from Pin USA, available only on a soon-to-be-announced super-secret online retailer that even Yoda doesn't know about.

This collectible Clone Wars animated series pin box set, exclusively made for this online retailer, contains 6 die-struck brass pins with high-quality enamel coating featuring Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin, Asajj Ventress, Durge and a Clone Wars logo. The entire pin set is stored in a quality, collectible box.

With over 20 years of experience in the retail and wholesale markets, Pin USA has a respected reputation as an industry leader in the collectible market. Pin USA is also known for its 25th Anniversary and Episode II series of pin sets.

Click here for a look as these exclusive Star Wars collectibles!

The Official Star Wars Site updates with news of a new Clone Wars era novel heading our way...

A battle-scarred Jedi returns from the frontlines with a surprising message for the Jedi Council -- Count Dooku wants to sue for peace. Dispatched to find out the truth behind this new development is the greatest Master of the Jedi order, Yoda.

This Del Rey novel, as yet untitled, is scheduled for release as a paperback in December, 2004.

If you haven't already, now's the time to get cracking on a Star Wars fan film for entry into the third ever Star Wars Fan Film Awards. The June 15th deadline is still months away, but it's never too early to start thinking about telling your story and winning the big prize.

The finalists will be seen on the Official Star Wars Fan Film site hosted by AtomFilms. There will be an assortment of great prizes -- including $2,000 cash and the now-familiar golden droid trophy. Winners will be named at a special ceremony at Comic-Con International in San Diego, California on the evening of Thursday July 22, 2004. Last year, at the premiere of the Fan Film Awards ceremony at Comic-Con, some 2,000 fans filled the auditorium to cheer on the winners.

The top prize, the George Lucas Selects Award, will be selected by George Lucas himself. Other awards and prizes will be announced in coming months. Be sure to read the official contest rules and submission information so that you can get your mini-epic underway. For further details, including contest rules and other helpful information, see the AtomFilms Official Star Wars Fan Films site.

The Register features an article about the distribution of Jedi in the UK, as recorded by the 2001 census:

Well, we have just found out something moderately interesting about the UK distribution of Jedi: there are more Luke Skywalkers in Brighton than anywhere else.

Of the 247817 people recorded in London-sur-Mer, 6,480 have the force, representing 2.6 per cent of the population.

Shamefully, Easington (Durham) could muster just 152 knights, or 0.2 per cent of locals, and takes the Jedi wooden spoon in 376th place. The national total was a healthy 390,000, leaving no doubt that Blighty is well protected against Death Star attack for the foreseeable future.

Hit the link above to read the rest of the article, and you can check out the full regional breakdown of Jedi's in the UK at National Statistics Online by clicking here. Source: TF.N.

'A New Hope' and 'The Empire Strikes Back' have made it into the Top 10 of Empire Magazine's 100 Greatest Movies of All Time at No 2 and No 4. Two other Star Wars movies made it into the Top 100 - 'Return of the Jedi' at No 23 and 'Attack of the Clones' at No 51 - but 'The Phantom Menace' misses out. See below for the full Top 10.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. Star Wars: A New Hope
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
4. The Empire Strikes Back
5. The Shawshank Redemption
6. The Godfather
7. Pulp Fiction
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
9. Fight Club
10. Jaws

15. Raiders of the Lost Ark
23. Return of the Jedi
51. Attack of the Clones

Thanks to TF.N for the alert.

PC Gamer also had a story on Republic Commando and had several new details to release:

"the game has more in common with HALO than Ghost Recon"

You play in permanent first person view, with your HUD projected onto the inside of your helmet.

"You move through the game alongside three subordinate clonetroopers, assigning them orders along the way."

"Because your troopers are clones, they can't be killed... Instead of dying your clones just plotz on the ground and await healing from a squadmate."

"You're the only one that can be killed (in which case you'll need to restart at the last save checkpoint, as there's no save-anywhere function."

This game isn't going to be the gritty Star Wars shooter we were expecting, nor is it going to be the Ghost Recon of Star Wars. It's shaping up to be a HALO type game with invincible teammates. PC Gamer is skeptical. We'll see what becomes of this game. Thanks to TF.N for this news.

The Official Star Wars Site has announced that continuing the series of online chats for Hyperspace members is one of the foremost authors of the Star Wars expanded universe, Timothy Zahn. His trilogy of novels -- Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command were incredibly successful, reviving a dormant Star Wars fan base with brand new adventures set in the galaxy far, far away.

His contributions to the Star Wars galaxy include such memorable characters as Mara Jade, Grand Admiral Thrawn, General Garm Bel Iblis, and Talon Karrde.

Now Zahn returns to Star Wars fiction with Survivor's Quest, a new hardcover novel due out on February 3 from Del Rey Books.

Timothy Zahn is scheduled to be online on Tuesday, February 3 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific time (5:30 p.m. Eastern time).

Please note that list minute schedule changes may happen, and that although hundreds of questions are often submitted, not all can be answered.

LucasArts has announced that there is a new trailer available for  their upcoming multiplayer combat game called Battlefront. The trailer shows clips from Endor, Yavin, and Naboo which are just three of the ten planets that you will be able to visit. There is also a brief glimpse of a new Republic trooper. Be sure to go here to see the latest trailer!