Driven to Destruction, Pt. 2. (Vintage AT-AT, Vintage AT-AT Drivers)
Voila! As promised, the AT-AT head exterior in all its glory. And of course I’ll own up straight away – the background on this one’s a fake. Sometimes I can’t resist the temptation.
This is fourth in the now burgeoning AT-AT Marathon of Summer 2012! When will it end!?
Driven to Destruction, Pt. 1. (Vintage AT-AT, Vintage AT-AT Drivers)
This is one of two shots necessary to give the vintage AT-AT’s cockpit/head the attention that it deserves. Let’s call this one the interior shot. I’ll post the one focused more on exterior tomorrow.
Third photo in the AT-AT series.
The Trouble Below. (Vintage AT-AT, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot)
This is second in a series dedicated to capturing the immense pleasure that is the vintage AT-AT. And this time it’s all about the feet.
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.
On Board for Anything (Vintage AT-AT, Vintage Imperial Stormtroopers in Hoth Battle Gear)
The vintage AT-AT is so huge and so wonderful a toy, it would be impossible to capture its essence all in one photo. Better to capture details in the macro (like the personnel bay door on the AT-AT’s lee side shown above) and work up to something that’s greater than the sum of its parts. I think what I’m trying to say is this is the first in a series of vintage AT-AT shots. Enjoy!
Vintage AT-AT Driver.
Vintage Lobot.
In the sometimes-treacherous waters of nostalgia, nothing beats going home. And not like the ‘Honey I’m home!’ home. I’m talking about the ‘Back to that place you left long ago when you finally found you had the wings to fly the coupe’ home.
And that, my friends, is exactly where you find me for a long week’s stay. Back home at my parents’ house to enjoy some family time and celebrate my dad’s birthday.
I’m lucky that my parents are both still alive, still married to each other, and still living in the house where I was raised. This is of course the same house that from 1977 to 1983 was ground zero of my love affair with Star Wars action figures.
So its an auspicious experience for me to come back now to the exact places that I played with my Star Wars toys decades ago. Here I was a kid; lazy and… well, really just lazy. Nothing to do but create 4″ plastic adventures all the live-long summer days.
So what I’m driving at is this: these pictures in their own way document the earliest origins of this blog.
The first image is from the basement of my parents’ house, the ideal spot to escape the punishing temperatures of a Milwaukee heat wave. It was also a place where I could set up my toy dominion wherever and however I wanted, without fear of competing interests from siblings or parents. This was my subterranean paradise.
The second image is from a neighborhood creek. On a typical summer day my pals and I would be there from about 9am to 5pm racing action figures down the water current on makeshift rafts of sticks and reeds. We took it for granted that everyone had it that good.
My only regret is not planning this a little better. Had I sparked the idea earlier I’d have brought a larger array of vintage figures with me. Lobot and the AT-AT Driver just happened to be in my bag only as backup distractions for my 2-year old daughter in the event of a mid-flight meltdown. I’m happy to say it never came to that. She’s growing up.
The Lando System Revisited.
(Vintage Lobot, Vintage Bespin Security Guards, Vintage Lando Calrissian)
“Lando’s not a sytem (baby), he’s a man.”
This is a quick re-boot of an older shot that never quite tripped my trigger. This one’s an improvement but still not quite the elusive champ I’m after. For Cloud City action figures, ‘At the Gates of Bespin‘ (the one with the duo of Twin-Pod Cloud Cars) is still my runaway favorite.
Hunting Solo. (Vintage IG-88)
A bounty hunter like IG-88 is truly as bad as they come. Heart of cold steel and wires. Never tires, never sleeps. And he has tiny little crab claws for hands (the better to clench his two blasters before he puts you away for keeps). Face it: you just don’t want to mess with this guy.
But mess with him we did.
There’s a surprising amount of love for IG-88 out there. People loved playing with him when they were kids, and they love him now. A rail-thin robot with no dialogue has captured the hearts of millions and even stars in his own awesome music video. Go figure!
Did you dig IG-88 as a kid? What was your favorite Star Wars action figure you played with back then? (I know, I know – you still play with action figures. We’ll get to that later!)
Check out the current listings here.
Happily, picking up a loose IG-88 is a snap thanks to eBay. On any given day there’s several dozen to choose from either in an auction or with a Buy It Now button. Let me offer a few tips though to make sure you’ve got your bases covered.
First of all, IG-88 comes with two guns not one. One is the standard-issue Stormtrooper rifle, and the other is a long-barreled sniper type affair with one handle (not two like the vintage Snowtrooper). See this if you’re unsure. Also, the vintage IG-88 came in two different colors of plastic molds. One color is a light grey plastic and the other is very similar but with a metallic sparkle mixed in with the plastic. The metallic I think is a nicer look so I’d recommend aiming for that one first. It’s rare that IG-88 saw a lot of aggressive play by kids in the ’80s, so you almost never have to worry about loose limbs. Just to be on the safe side, drop a note to the seller to inquire. You don’t want a figure that can’t stand or hold up his rifle!
How much should you expect to pay? Luckily large supply and cool demand is still where we’re at with vintage IG. I’d say you could have him delivered for well under $10. Just be patient and you’re bound to find a killer deal. As always, be careful not to buy anything that’s labeled ‘vintage collection’ or ‘original trilogy’. These are remakes from the past 10 years and they will seriously disappoint anyone with a pining for that good ol’ Kenner goodness. Best of luck and drop me a line if you get stuck.
Rebels on Ice.
(Vintage Snowspeeder, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot,
Vintage R2-D2, Vintage Han Solo (in Hoth Battle Gear))
The vintage Snowspeeder easily makes it among my top three vehicles that Kenner made for its 1977-1985 vintage line of Star Wars toys.
The Snowspeeder picks up points over it’s hottest competition (Millennium Falcon and the X-Wing Fighter) in its winning light & sound action. When you press the secret button beneath the Snowspeeder’s chassis, the long front cannons pulse with what appears to be moving light bursts, advancing from base to tip. And the accompanying sound is spot on with its own gyrating rhythm.
It’s a charming truth that the instructions included with the long-ago Kenner Star Wars toys boasted in large, bold, all-caps type this motto: WE REALLY DO CARE. And you know something? Judging by their Snowspeeder’s awesome design and construction, I really believe they did.
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.
The Snow Patrol.
(Vintage Han Solo (Hoth Battle Gear), Vintage Tauntauns, Vintage Luke Skywalker (Hoth Battle Gear))
Empire Strikes Back toys are always quick to creep up on my photo radar. They were the last toys that I really collected and played with as a kid back in the early ’80s.
What was the last bunch of toys you collected before rock ‘n roll and boys/girls took over?
Metal on Metal. (Vintage C-3PO, Vintage Rebel Commander)