New York Pro: 6 Weeks Out

Guest posing at last weekend's 2007 NPC Northern Colorado show in Boulder, CO was Branch Warren, my fraking favourite bodybuilder and at only 5'7" and an off-season weight of around 270 lbs, one of the ultimate mass monsters in the sport.

Branch is currently prepping for the New York Pro championships on May 12th. At his last show, the Arnold Classic in March, he placed 7th, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification for this year's Olympia (only the top 6 qualified, the top five in New York will also qualify). Branch hasn't placed too highly in his last few competitions. Back in 2005 he took home back-to-back first place trophies (at the Charlotte and Europa Super Shows), but since then, although he's gained a good 20+ lbs of muscle, he hasn't been able to dial it in quite as well. This guy is all fraking muscle however, check out the following quick clip:

Later this summer Branch will turn promoter when he hosts The NPC Branch Warren Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Championships in Houston, TX. Until then however he's got the New York Pro to win, and if his current 6-week out conditioning is anything to go by, he's got grown men running scared!

Countdown to Celebration: Exclusive Figures

As expected, Hasbro's action figure exclusive(s) for Celebration IV here in LA (and July's Celebration Europe at the ExCeL exhibition center in London) are 3¾" versions of concept artist Ralph McQuarrie's original illustrations of those iconic bickering droids C-3PO and R2-D2.

McQuarrie concept figures accompany each wave of the new 30th Anniversary figures (with versions of the Stormtrooper, Boba Fett and Chewbacca already previewed). This signature series will continue throughout the year with Darth, Luke and Han amongst others already rumoured. R2 and 3PO's conspicuous absence from the rumour list made them highly likely candidates for this year's convention exclusive.

Limited to one set per convention day pass purchased (which means if you've purchased a 4-day pass you’re lucky enough to be able to buy 4 sets – one to keep MIB, one to open, and 2 to ebay - sadly I only have a day pass) these figures will quickly become hot commodities!!!

May the Force be with you!