Famiglia Rancore. (Vintage Rancor Monster, Vintage Rancor Keeper)
Let me make this perfectly clear: the vintage Rancor Monster and his chubby buddy the vintage Rancor Keeper flat out R-O-C-K.
Famiglia Rancore.
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Posts from the 'Return of the Jedi' Category
Yak Face Abides.
Yak Face Abides. (Vintage Yak Face, Vintage Jawas)
Pump thy fist and behold the Yak Face! He’s number one with a bullet on the list of legendary toys made in the likeness of entirely unknown Star Wars characters. I mean you could be a serious fan of the original Star Wars trilogy and not be aware of this guy. Did he carouse on Jabba’s barge, adding to the discord of Jabba’s final throwdown? Hair yes. Had he missed the whole shebang would anyone have noticed? Not a chance. Still the Vintage Yak Face action figure, riding the substantial rumors of his scarcity, fetches one of the highest price tags among vintage Star Wars action figures. Well done, Ace.
Buying Notes for vintage Yak Face
Check out the current vintage Yak Face listings here.
Welcome to the top draw among Kenner’s Last 17 action figures. Hope you brought your wallet!
It’s a drag that Yak Face requires such a hefty buy in, but I’d have to say it’s worthwhile to have one in your collection. Nice thing is that bidding on a vintage Yak Face is a fairly straight forward affair.
First you don’t have to sift through a ton of nonsense in order to find him. It’s not like they were making Yak Face dixie cups and toothbrushes.
Second, Yak Face rarely saw heavy play among the kids of the 80s so when you do find him he tends to be in good condition. Still check for paint wear as his design does involve a good deal of paint (not much on the head but plenty on the hands).
And of course you’ll be sure to see that his weapon is included. There have been repro version of this staff spotted, but it’s the same weapon that was issued with some other plentiful ROTJ figures so in all likelihood it should be the real thing.
So best of luck. And please feel free to add any further thoughts in the comments section.
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Scourge of the Jedi.
Scourge of the Jedi (Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Princess Leia in Boussh Disguise)
I will say this: it’s good to be back.
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Switching to Plan B.
Switching to Plan B.
(Vintage B-Wing Fighter, Vintage B-Wing Pilot, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot)
The B-Wing Fighter at rest looks pretty nice. But with the wings spread out the ship transforms completely and easily becomes one of the coolest vintage Star Wars vehicles out there. I’ll need to spend some time on a worthy shot that captures all that in-flight glory. Until then I’m afraid you’re stuck on the tarmac.
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Can’t Fake the Fur.
Can't Fake the Fur. (Vintage Romba, Vintage AT-ST)
Ewoks can be the source of some serious controversy. Some are quick to point out that their small size and cuddly mojo were simply a ploy to sell tons of toys. I’m more of the mind that (cuteness be damned) they basically saved Return of the Jedi from a relatively thin script and a main cast that was quickly running out of steam. That’s right, I’m taking a stand. Ewoks rock.
If you’re a keen observer, let me save you the trouble of getting cross over the Romba label. Yes, this is actually Paploo with Romba’s headgear and spear. Sometimes Ewoks will do that just to mess with you.
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Squid Head.
Squid Head. (Vintage Squid Head)
The Squid Head action figure arrived in the later days of the vintage Star Wars action figure line and in my opinion hit a high-water mark for Kenner. A generously detailed sculpt, not one but two over-the-top capes, all finished off with an armored girdle thingy and a righteous blaster. Did I mention the stylie white boots! Pretty much a star achiever from start to finish. Unfortunately the original card sports a weird illustration (or touched up photo) of Squid Head and leaves a little to be desired. But hey in this life we can’t have everything. Or can we?
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So Quietly Among Them.
So Quietly Among Them.
(Vintage Weequay, Vintage Lando Calrissian Skiff Guard Disguise, Vintage Barada)
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I, Jedi.
I, Jedi. (Vintage Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight)
The Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight figure tends to cause a major stir among collectors. Why? If you’re not already immersed, let me introduce you to the concept of variants.
Thirty years ago, when the original line of Star Wars action figures was first in production, the toys were made by different factories in a range of countries. In the end the action figures would (mostly) bear the Kenner logo sure enough, but the roads that led to that final package were many. So the toys had variations, some to a greater or lesser extent than others.
The Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight figure is a great example on the plus side. Just to name the biggest issues with this guy… sometimes he was packaged with a blue light saber, sometimes green (less common)… his cape sometimes had a snap (less common), sometimes no snap… and to my eyes the biggest variation of all… sometimes Luke’s head was molded in flesh-colored plastic with eyes and hair painted on and sometimes his head was molded in hair-colored plastic with the whole face painted on. I believe the flesh-colored mold (shown above) is far less common and it’s definitely my favorite.
Anyway, that’s your introduction to variants. Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight is just one of over 90 vintage figures so you can imagine that this study never ends. To those hungry for more I’ll wish you good luck.
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Gold Leader.
Gold Leader. (Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilots)
Buying Notes on the Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot
Check out the current vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot listings here.
Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot was a toy sold by Kenner from 1978 to about 1985. So there were (and still are) great numbers in circulation, and a fair number of these are still in excellent shape. But keep a few things in mind when tracking one down on eBay.
The Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot action figure probably had more paint applied to it in the production process than any other vintage Star Wars action figure. Face color, facial features, helmet details, vest, chest panel, hands, leg straps, boots. The guy has paint details everywhere. Be sure to see plenty of photos showing that the paint all looks good.
This was an action figure in the true sense of the word. Luke Skwyalker X-Wing Pilot was played with extensively by little kids in the 70s and 80s. If the seller hasn’t already declared that the joints are tight in the auction description, you definitely want to ask before bidding.
Lastly, the figure’s weapon is the Han Solo pistol type of Kenner blaster. Don’t forget: repro accessories suck. Make certain that it’s authentic if possible. You can check out the Imperial Gunnery for some excellent reference on the topic.
Feel free to add any more thoughts on this in the comments section and drop me a line if you get into trouble!
Check out the current vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot listings here.
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This is Amanaman.
This is Amanaman. (Vintage Amanaman)
Confound that Amanaman! Of all the trippy creatures born of the Star Wars universe, this guy has to take top prize. Supersized leech? Tempura with an attitude? Tricky to try and ID the inspiration behind Amanaman. Whatever the case, and despite the fact that actually seeing him on screen in the Return of the Jedi is nearly impossible without hitting ‘pause’, his twisted legend endures. A rare and truly awesome vintage action figure.
Buying Notes for Vintage Amanaman
Check out the current vintage Amanaman listings here.
Hunting down the vintage Amanaman is pretty straight forward affair. It’s just a figure and a staff, and one can predict with almost 100% certainty that any existing example that turns up on eBay will be in virtually mint condition. It’s true. Neither the figure itself or his staff were actually played with by anyone, ever. The downside is of course that as a member of the ‘Last 17′ crowd, he can be a bit pricey. Be patient. With a little luck and some determination you should be able to snag one for about 50 bucks.
Now there is one twist: Amanaman was originally packaged with a coin by Kenner. If that’s important to you it may add another $25 your total to make it happen. My advice would be to start with just the figure and add the coin later. If you’re unfamiliar with the Power of the Force coins try buying a more common and inexpensive one first. If you find it’s something to your liking then loop back around and get the coin for ol’ Amanaman.
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