The Ript Zone, 132 S.
Wayne St., is every pop culture fanatic's dream shop. Inside the store, bright walls are lined with iconic movie posters; shelves are stocked with Funko pops and collectibles from sports helmets to Beanie Babies; the glass storefront case houses booster cards, playing packs and rare collectible cards that entice customers to keep coming back for more.
The downtown Milledgeville shop also features Star Wars franchise memorabilia, including autographed posters, branded tie-in products and Star Wars Unlimited starter packs. On May 4, fans across the galaxy celebrated the beloved Star Wars franchise.
Star Wars isn’t just a movie franchise; it’s often a lifestyle for fans who yearn to build upon a collection of memorabilia that includes props, costumes and posters. In 2008, Luke Skywalker's lightsaber, used in the first two Star Wars films, sold for $240,000. While the annual amount of money spent on Star Wars memorabilia varies, Hasbro, a master toy licensee for Star Wars, has reported its yearly earnings from the franchise often range from $125 million to nearly $500 million for official merchandising.
CJ Hill owns The Ript Zone, which opened in 2022. Recently, Hill discussed the Star Wars franchise.
Q: What was your introduction to Star Wars?
CJ: Back when it first came out (1977), I got to see the original movie in theaters on release. Yes, I am that old.
Q: What were your initial thoughts about the first movie?
CJ: Being that I was 7 or 8 when it came out, as a kid, it was just like, “Wow.” You know, it was cool because of the lasers and lightsabers. You just saw nothing like it back then.
Q: What do you think has made Star Wars such a timeless and influential franchise?
CJ: I think it's just the storyline and the way it was done that became ingrained in our minds.
It was so far ahead of its time when it first came out. Nowadays, with CGI and all that stuff, people might say, 'Oh, that's not really good,' but back then, you never saw anything like it.
Q: How has the storytelling evolved from the original trilogy?
CJ: This is where I start to go on the fence.
My opinion is that they've watered it down too much. I would rather see them stick to the original story, going back a little further or a little further into the future. I remember reading a few books as a teenager about how Luke dabbled in the dark side, and I would love to see movies that bring that out versus all these little offshoots. I love the solo format like 'The Book of Boba Fett' because it tells stories of our original characters. I also understand that they've built it now to gear toward a new generation to capture a whole new audience. As an original Star Wars fan, I want to see more stories with the originals, but as a fan of the whole franchise, there's only a little bit I don't like. The franchise has kept itself alive.
Q: What would you tell someone who may not already be into the series?
What sets Star Wars apart from other sci-fi franchises?
CJ: They might just not be a sci-fi junkie, you know? You just gotta really try to get into the stories. The stories are absolutely fantastic, and if you like a good storyline, it's a great watch.
Q: Who is your favorite Star Wars character, and why are they special to you?
CJ: That's tough. I like Han Solo just because of his character. He's the rebel, you know. He's the smuggler, and I've just always loved his character.
Q: In terms of merchandise, how has it evolved over time?
CJ: I would just say more. It's saturated the market. They've made so much of it. It's kind of a shame. They rehash old characters and just give them a different cardboard back.
Q: What memorabilia has best retained its value?
CJ: The original stuff from the '70s and '80s is very collectible. When they started reprinting that stuff, even if you find the right pieces from the '90s or early 2000s, you may have a little value there, but all of your old stuff definitely has some value to it, even out of the package. People still really seek that stuff out. If you can't afford the Darth Vader still in the package, you probably could afford one that's in a slightly different condition or year. There are just different scales of collecting.
Q: A lot of people talk about the order in which they watch the movies. Do you have any opinion on that?
CJ: Some people jump around or watch the first new movie, while old-school fans want you to watch it from Episode IV. I would say if you're new to it, watch it from Episode I all the way through because then you get the full storyline in order.
Q: In your opinion, what are your thoughts on how Disney has handled Star Wars?
CJ: I think some of the movies have gotten better because I really wasn't a fan when they did Episode I. Since you asked about my favorite character, my least favorite is Jar Jar Binks. I think Disney has actually done a decent job on most of it when it comes to filming and storyline. But again, they've played a huge part in the oversaturation.
Q: How do you feel about the Star Wars fan base? Do you feel it's widespread or a close-knit community?
CJ: It's widespread, definitely widespread. It's really just something to enjoy, to be honest. They have brought it to all new generations now. So, it's definitely becoming a huge franchise.