Darth Vader

While there's never a shortage of Star Wars inspired art, The Vader Project kinda hangs in a class of its own. DKE Toys launched the project over four years ago, commissioning 100 of the world's most notable street artists — like Tokidoki, Paul Frank, Frank Kozik, and Dalek — to reinterpret Darth's iconic black helmet. The results are humorous, smart, but mostly just plain out of the ordinary.

For the first time ever, these helmets are going to be made available for purchase (via auction) with bidding on most starting at $1,500. If you don't have that kind of dough to spend, there are two last chances to see the collection as a whole: this month during the Los Angeles Preview Exhibition, and at Freeman's Auction House in July. And for the rest of us? Well, there's always the Vader Project catalog ($40).

Peter Mayhew stood alongside a Stormtrooper and Darth Vader during yesterday's 30th anniversary celebration of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in LA.

• 38 reasons why Iron Man is way cooler than Darth Vader — io9
• Beautiful video test pattern made of stained glass — Dvice
• I need this Pac-Man cutting board ASAP — Unplggd
• Lady Gaga finally makes her way to the ice rink — Lemondrop
• Two words: Ewok karaoke — Urlesque
• Apple closing Lala's doors on May 31 — Gizmodo

Actor Mark Hamill poses with his old costars Darth Vader and C-3PO at the Tribute to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back during the 18th annual Adventure Film Festival in Paris, France, earlier today.