Get to Know Your MI501st :: July, 2011

Richard Clarke
Legion ID: 1440
Joined August, 2006

Rich Clarke (TK 1440) was inspired to join the 501st Legion back in 1998 while attending the Motor City Comic Con at the old Novi Center. "I saw real live Stormtroopers for the first time and they were having such a good time. I said to myself that looks like fun and a few years later I became a member of the 501st ".

When asked what has been his favorite event since joining the Legion, his reply is, "Well, it is kind of hard to nail down just one event but I would say Star Wars in Concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills has to be my favorite."

Rich is widely known by his nick name "Tall TK". One look at Rich in his Stormtrooper, or TK armor as we in the Legion call it, and you will see why everyone calls him "Tall TK". We all know the famous line from Star Wars when Princess Leia asks Luke, "Aren’t you a little "short" to be a Stormtrooper". Well, Rich is quite the opposite in his armor. He towers over most troopers and has been known to look Darth Vader in the eyes. "How I got my nick name was a happy accident" say Rich. "I was in my Stormtrooper costume for the first time before I even joined the Legion at Motor City Comic Con in 2007, Jon "Blasty" Leopold ask me to sign a signup sheet and it said Tall TK with a question mark by it because they did not know who I was, and that is how I got my nick name."

When not imposing the will of the galactic empire, Rich enjoys spending time as part of the Anime club of Michigan located in Royal Oak and as a camera man for the City of Royal Oak covering civic events.

Since joining the 501st Legion in August of 2006 he has completed 24 events. He has also crossed paths with Star Wars celebrities the like of Jeremy Bullock (Original Boba Fett), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Julian Glover (General Veers).

View Richard's profile...