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Ashley Eckstein Expands Empowering Female Fashion Empire from Star Wars to Marvel Super Hero

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Think back a few years ago. It was difficult for female fans of Star Wars to find any clothes designed specifically for them. There were definitely female fans, but the merchandise largely overlooked that market. There’s where Ashley Eckstein stepped in. With her experience doing voice artist work for Star Wars Clone Wars animated series, she parlayed her closeness to her fans into a fashion empire with Her Universe.

In big news announced today, Eckstein’s line has arranged a deal with Marvel Entertainment and Disney Consumer Products to create a fashionable collection of empowering Super Hero apparel for the ever-growing female fan base of Marvel comics, films and television series. The Marvel by Her Universe line of “geek couture” is premiering with an action-packed assortment of Captain America fashion items along with fan favorite Marvel characters on fashion tops, tanks, dresses, cardigans, hoodies, skirts, leggings and more that will inspire fangirls of all ages to channel their inner Super Hero.

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Along with Spider-Man and Avenger characters like Loki, Thor and Iron Man, there are also strong female characters such as Black Widow, Elektra, She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel being spotlighted in their own comics and Marvel’s new “Characters and Creators” initiative which aims to speak directly to an audience of women and girls, the Marvel by Her Universe line will celebrate this effort by creating fashion forward products exclusively for the female Marvel fan.

“At Marvel we actively seek innovative opportunities to leverage our iconic characters in the marketplace and expand our storytelling to a larger audience,” said Paul Gitter, senior vice president, licensing, Marvel at Disney Consumer Products. “This collaboration with Her Universe presents our brand in exciting new ways at retail while reinforcing Marvel’s values of empowerment and strength amongst our female demographic.”
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Fourth of July Entertainment and Fun Scheduled at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World resort guests are invited to enjoy the red, white, and blue this Independence Day during a special tribute to the stars and stripes at Walt Disney World Resort. The two-day patriotic event will give you two chances to catch the best entertainment… Read More »Fourth of July Entertainment and Fun Scheduled at Walt Disney World

Celebrity Spotting: Jessica Alba Celebrates Daughter’s Birthday at Disneyland

What better place to take your daughter on her birthday than Disneyland, right? That’s exactly what Jessica Alba thought for her daughter Honor’s sixth birthday. Husband Cash Warren and younger daughter Haven joined the celebration as they posed for a photo with the statue of… Read More »Celebrity Spotting: Jessica Alba Celebrates Daughter’s Birthday at Disneyland

Disney sells record 40.9 billion in licensed merchandise in 2013

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With properties like Marvel Superheroes, Disney Princesses, Pixar’s Cars, and Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars” the Walt Disney Company rang up a record 40.9 billion in global retail sales in 2013

The sales topped 2012′s $39.4 billion, $37.5 billion, in 2011, and $28.6 billion in 2010, according to Disney Consumer Products. Those kinds of numbers have long made the company the world’s top licensor.

Disney isn’t likely to give up that title anytime soon. …

It’s ramping up several major product pushes around “Cinderella,” the animated films “Inside Out” and “Big Hero 6,” Marvel’s “The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Star Wars: Rebels” and “Star Wars: Episode VII” coming out through the end of 2015.

Let’s not forget that little juggernaut “Frozen” either.

The question is what should Disney do with that windfall of profits? Could they invest in more animation? What about the theme parks? or how about something really ambitious? What project would you have Disney focus on next?

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Your Pro or Home Cooking Skills Are Wanted

I’ve watched the first two seasons on ABC’s cooking competition show The Taste. It is a unique concept that they definitely improved upon in the second season. Auditions for season 3 are now underway. You don’t have to be a professional chef, you just have… Read More »Your Pro or Home Cooking Skills Are Wanted

Disney’s ToonTown MMO Reborn in Fan Project

In 2012 fans of Disney’s Virtual Magic Kingdom were teased with the idea of resurrecting that much beloved MMO. Instead, they got VMKRevisited, a flash recreation of the environment, but no game-play. Alas, VMK was only the first Disney themed MMO to close. Disney eventually… Read More »Disney’s ToonTown MMO Reborn in Fan Project

New International Trailer for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

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Welcome to a whole new galaxy and meet its new guardians. The new international trailer for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has tons of new footage and focuses a bit less on the comedy and more on the adventure.

In a recent Facebook post director James Gunn wrote about the 3D and IMAX 3D versions and why GoTG will be a must-see in 3D:

“Just got out of working on the Guardians cut for IMAX 3D and I’m unbelievably excited about it. Guardians of the Galaxy has been planned as a 3D film from its very inception. Yes, if you see the film in 2D, you’ll get a full experience. But the 3D experience promises a little something extra. Unlike many directors, I’ve been actively involved with converting every shot to 3D, making sure it works perfectly for the story and the film, making sure it’s spectacular and immersive without being silly, distracting, or overly showy. 3D conversion was once far inferior to shooting in 3D, but over the past couple years new technology has allowed us incredible control over the 3D effects, making it equal to or in some cases greater than shooting in 3D.

As an EXTRA benefit for those who see the film in IMAX 3D, we will be changing aspect ratios throughout the film in a way that makes the experience even fuller and more encompassing. I’ve personally chosen all the places where the changes occur and, again, I love how it’s coming along. The changing aspect ratios in this case are actually a part of the storytelling.”

Below the jump we also have a new TV spot that ran during the NBA Finals. Check out the new footage here too:

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Matterhorn Celebrates 55th Anniversary

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The Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland has always been a sentimental favorite of mine; in part because my Grandfather Vic Greene was the Art Director for the attraction and for his involvement in the story of how Imagineering got the instructions to build it.

There was a little hill of land in between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland that the Skyway used to get some height to go over the back of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Walt wanted to do something with this land, but he didn’t know what, he asked my grandfather to start thinking of an attraction for the hill. The story as told in the book “How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life” and in my family went like this:

Walt was traveling to Switzerland to film “Third Man on the Mountain” and fell in love with the Matterhorn. In a moment of inspiration, he grabbed a postcard of the mountain from a souvenir stand and sent it back to Vic Greene with the message, “Vic. Build This. Walt” on the back. Vic, of course, immediately set to work on designing what was to become a first of its kind landmark attraction.

Another fun family story is the invention of the Matterhorn’s first of its kind switchback queue. Vic Greene and his team of Imagineers developed a system that would have the entrance to the switchback part of the queue be lower than the exit. When you stood at the entrance, the exit would appear closer to you in an optical illusion. The idea was to make your wait seem less cumbersome by visually shortening the queue.

A version of this story was documented in “Disneyland: Inside Story” by Randy Bright, and it has been told in my family for years. Before the attraction was set to officially open, testing was done using sandbags. When Walt wanted to see a real human on the ride, Vic Greene was selected as the first human to test ride in a bobsled on a steel tube coaster. Since water hadn’t been added to the splash down pools at the end of the ride, Imagineering had set up bales of hay to slow the cars down. Unfortunately the bobsled car hit the hay and stopped so suddenly, Vic nearly got whiplash. Still he survived and the ride was deemed complete.

Below the jump are a few more fun facts from the 55 year history of The Matterhorn.

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