Stone Cold Storm. (Vintage AT-AT Driver, Vintage Imperial Stormtroopers in Hoth Battle Gear)
Stone Cold Storm.
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Posts from the 'starwars' Category
Walrus Man.
Walrus Man. (Vintage Walrus Man, Vintage Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi)
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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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On Hiatus.
On Hiatus. (Vintage Imperial Shuttle)
Alright kids, in case you haven’t already noticed, I’m taking a short break from the action figure photos while I get settled in a new house. Fear not, by early May I should be back in full swing. Cheers!
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Threepio.
Threepio. (Vintage Stormtroopers, Vintage C-3PO)
The 3.75″ Stormtrooper was the very first Star Wars action figure that I laid eyes on back in early Spring of 1978. A river of spectacular Star Wars toys would come and go for me over the following years, but it’s most noteably the Stormtrooper that still gives me goosebumps to this day.
Buying Notes on the Vintage Stormtrooper
Check out the current vintage Stormtrooper listings here.
The vintage Stormtrooper is among the most iconic of the vintage Kenner figures. The good news is they’re plentiful and you can pull a gorgeous, like-new one off the auction table for not much dough. Certainly no more than $15 delivered. But you’ve got to be a bit careful as you go.
First it’s common to see reproduction accessories. The vintage Stormie came with a beautiful little imperial blaster that helped him shoot up jawas and rebels alike. But small and fun often equals small and lost. Enter the repro accessory makers and with them a lot of confusion on how to keep things straight. How to tell? Thanks to the good guys over at Imperial Gunnery, this is a nut easily cracked. Check out their awesome guide first before you buy something your unsure of.
Second, take a good look at the photos to spot yellowing. The vintage figures molded in white plastic are the ones most prone to a change in color due to plastic degradation. Some are yellowing and some aren’t, just keep a keen eye on what the seller is showing you and ask for more or better photos if its unclear.
And lastly be sure to inquire on whether or not the figure has loose joints or not. Stormtroopers saw a lot of play in their day and the limbs became loose quickly. If this is important to you (it’s important to me) drop the seller a line through the eBay message system before bidding.
Feel free to add any thoughts in the comments and drop me a line if you run into any trouble!
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The Gathering Storm.
The Gathering Storm. (Vintage Han Solo (Hoth Outfit), Vintage Rebel Soldiers (Hoth Battle Gear), Vintage Turret/Probot Playset)
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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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Rebel Suits Redux.
Rebel Suits Redux. (Vintage Han Solo Bespin Outfit, Vintage Luke Skywalker Bespin Fatigues)
The Bespin Luke Skywalker was probably the last action figure acquired for my childhood collection that I was really nuts about. The Bespin Han Solo clearly wasn’t bad, but he just couldn’t compete with the be-hooded Han Solo (Hoth Battle Gear) which was many times more awesome.
Puzzle #01: Here’s a challenge for all you super-sleuths. Can you identify exactly what these two are standing in front of? I’ll give you a clue: it was made by Kenner between 1977 and 1985. I will send a rad Star Wars toy to the first person to post the correct answer in the comments.
Those of you keeping score will already know that this photo is the re-think of an earlier shot that to me has always felt a little bit below-grade.
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Death from Above.
Death from Above. (Vintage TIE Fighter Pilot, Vintage Battle Damaged TIE Fighter)
2023 edit: This is one of the earlier shots where I started to get lucky with the tiny lights. The TIE Fighter Pilot is seated inside his cockpit and the photo is actually taken through what is probably a scratched plastic windshield. These were results that urged me forward for sure.
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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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