Posts from the 'The Empire Strikes Back' Category

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Boba Fett, Pt. 2

Boba Fett, Pt. 2 (Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Slave 1)

Boba Fett, Pt. 2 (Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Slave 1)

It’s been on my mind for a while to capture a dramatic shot of the vintage Boba Fett behind the wheel of his Slave 1. The photo posted earlier this week is exactly that (and it’s one of my recent favorites as well) but it really doesn’t tell the story of how well Boba Fett and his cockpit work together.

Turns out getting that done isn’t so easy.

With the awkward angle of the Boba Fett figure while he’s sitting in the pilot’s seat (and the dark-tinted plastic he’s behind while sitting there) the challenges abound for both composition and lighting. I shot a bunch of different angles but it really came down to this one. It’s not my favorite work but it has something to offer just the same.

Has anyone else seen a good shot of the vintage Fett fully loaded inside his Slave 1 cockpit?

Maybe this should be a submission challenge for anyone inclined to take it on. Lord knows someone out there must have the chops to come up with something better. Hmmm… yes…

j j j
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Boba Fett, Pt. 1

Boba Fett. (Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Slave 1)

Boba Fett. (Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Slave 1)

This struck me as an interesting profile of the vintage Boba Fett action figure. Unusual because his trademark body suit and armor is completely obscured. It’s all about the helmet which, let’s face it – even at 3 3/4″ scale – is completely badass.

j j j
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Snowspeeder Deconstructed.

Snowspeeder Deconstructed. (Vintage Snowspeeder)

Snowspeeder Deconstructed. (Vintage Snowspeeder)

A few weeks back I had some spare time on a Friday morning so I decided to have a go at taking apart my vintage Snowspeeder in order that I might fix the electronics inside. I mean, it’s winter after all. Every self-respecting Snowspeeder owner should be able to shoot laser beams if the occasion calls for it.

As is often the case with taking apart old toys, the exercise turned out to be much more about cleaning than actually fixing. After I finished removing the dust and grime I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the parts looked. Clean, yes, but more than that the disassembled lot of parts almost seemed to come alive. Decades-old secrets finally revealed.

So it goes without saying: if you collect this stuff and have ever thought about getting under the hood to see what’s inside, I say go for it. It’s a rewarding experience on many levels. And specifically if you want to pull apart your vintage Snowspeeder to fix the lights and sounds, chances are all you need to do is get down to the tiny motor and assist it in turning a few times while you hold down the button. Once it’s freed up a bit you’ll be amazed how quickly it returns to its original action.

Oh, one last thing. After I took this photo I noticed that one part did not make it into the frame. Are you Star Wars geek enough to know which part it is? Be the first to name it in the comments below and you just might win a cool prize. (One guess per person please.)

Buying Notes on the Vintage Snowspeeder

Check out the current vintage Snowspeeder listings here.

If you’re a collector of loose Kenner vehicles from the vintage Star Wars run and you don’t own the vintage Snowspeeder yet, it’s time to turn that ship around. Ounce for ounce, this is my favorite vehicle for the whole ’78 to ’85 period.

For overall look the Snowspeeder’s got it where it counts. Add on the awesome lights and sound and you can see why we’ve got gold medal material. The harpoon and cool kickstand are icing on the cake.

Ready to climb aboard? Just keep in mind this checklist before going off half cocked on eBay:

1. The Snowspeeder’s lights and sounds are integral to your enjoyment factor. Make sure they both work before bidding. Sure you could take it apart and horse around with fixing the electronics, but that’s something to avoid unless you’ve really got the feel for it.

2. This vehicle has a ton of stickers applied to it. Something like 27 to be exact. Try to get a good feel that they’re all there and not peeling up. For this reason you might want to focus on the Snowspeeders that have clearly been kept over the years with their original box. I’ve seen a strong correlation between a present original box and nice looking stickers.

3. The rear harpoon with its black tether are a MUST. Make sure its there!

Best of luck, and if you have any other thoughts feel free to add them in the comments below.

Check out the current vintage Snowspeeder listings here.

j j j

Darth Vader.

Darth Vader. (Vintage Darth Vader, Vintage Stormtroopers, Vintage Death Squad Commanders)

Darth Vader. (Vintage Darth Vader, Vintage Stormtroopers, Vintage Death Squad Commanders)

Buying Notes on Vintage Darth Vader

Check out the current vintage Darth Vader listings here.

A nice vintage Darth Vader action figure is pretty much the alpha and omega of any collection. This is true for the beginner and advanced collector alike. A classic toy reaching back to 1978, the vintage Darth Vader has spun countless revisions and imitations but really has never been improved upon.

So I can’t blame you for thinking about picking one up. But because this item is so popular, it can be rough seas acquiring a good (and authentic) example for a reasonable price. Let’s go over some of the main points to consider before pulling the trigger on a vintage Darth Vader.

Once you’re on board at eBay the first thing you’ll notice is that the key words “Darth Vader” are used and abused ad nauseum to get your attention to buy other stuff. Don’t be discouraged and whatever you do don’t be distracted or tricked into buying something else. Your eyes will quickly learn to ignore all of the nonsense and aim strictly for the vintage gold. The links I’ve provided already do it to some extent, but you may also want to play around with the search engine’s advanced function on eBay to filter out the unhelpful stuff. Be especially aware of the new Hasbro toys labelled as “Vintage Collection”, “Original Trilogy”, etc. Their packaging is cleverly retro and aims to steer the newcomer off course.

Important to keep in mind with the vintage Darth Vader is that you’ve got two accessories to contend with: the vinyl cape and the light saber. Both were easily lost and/or damaged by their original owners so it’s common to see reproductions in the marketplace being passed off as original. There are excellent resources to read through at the Imperial Gunnery forum that will help you avoid pitfalls. Read them carefully. Go here for the light saber and here for the cape. This is also a good time to correlate a seller’s claims of authenticity with their feedback score. Have they sold a ton of toys? Do they score 100% with their buyers? If not, you can think twice about believing their claims. Don’t forget to double check the photos closely. Does the cape look torn anywhere? Do the arm-holes look distressed or sharp? How about that saber tip. Does it look straight and strong or does it like a toddler might have chomped on it for a snack once or twice?

As much as any other vintage figure, Darth Vader was a character that saw heavy play at the hands of us grubby kids in the 70s and 80s. If it’s not mentioned in the auction be sure to ask the seller in a message if the figure’s limbs and head are loose or stiff. Let the loose limbed Vaders go to the diorama builders. You want the guy that’s as close to package fresh as possible. The vintage Darth Vader had very little paint applied by Kenner so not much to worry about there. And chances are if you’re buying a figure with loose limbs there won’t be paint loss.

Feel free to add any thoughts in the comments and drop me a line if you run into any trouble!

Check out the current Darth Vader listings here.

j j j

Well-Armed for the Rebellion.

Well Armed for the Rebellion. (Vintage FX-7)

Well Armed for the Rebellion. (Vintage FX-7)


It’s a rare case among vintage Star Wars action figures that a character was packaged without a weapon. I believe it came down to Anakin Skywalker, Han Solo in Carbonite, and of course all the droids.

This droid, the venerable FX-7 from the Empire Strikes Back, was no exception. What he lacked in terms of a cool blaster he more than made up for with 8 robo-arms that you could either have fastened to his side or popped out for droid-at-work mode. Also featured was a telescoping head just in case FX needed to get the jump on any creeping-up creeps.

j j j
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I Want My MTV-7.

I Want My MTV-7. (Vintage MTV-7 Mini Rig, Vintage AT-AT Driver)

I Want My MTV-7. (Vintage MTV-7 Mini Rig, Vintage AT-AT Driver)


I debated long and hard about whether to go with this photo or an alternate photo that includes the MTV-7’s steam-rolling wheels in all their glory. On the one hand, by coming in a little tighter like this, the mini rig’s body details really come through with alarming immediacy. On the other hand, without the awesome wheels the MTV-7 loses a significant part of its charm.

Obviously this one took the cake in the end.

j j j
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With Signs & Wonders

With Signs & Wonders.<br>(Vintage R2-D2, Vintage Luke Skywalker Bespin Fatigues, Vintage Yoda the Jedi Master)

With Signs & Wonders.
(Vintage R2-D2, Vintage Luke Skywalker Bespin Fatigues, Vintage Yoda the Jedi Master)

I think it was actually late in 1981 before I went full tilt collecting Empire Strikes Back action figures. Teaming in my basement playroom were various Hoth rebel guys, a gnarly snowtrooper, bounty hunters (that looked cool but who I couldn’t really place in the storyline), a Bespin Guard or two… not to mention a Snowspeeder, a Twin-Pod Cloud Car, a couple of awesome mini rigs… plus the gigantic and epic Millenium Falcon. It was an embarassment of riches.

But for all that blasting, menacing, and soaring there was one quiet little action figure that I held in highest esteem. Smaller even than the tiny Jawa figure from 1978, it was Yoda that managed to keep my (limited) attention.

j j j
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Easily Frightened.

Easily Frightened. (Vintage Landspeeder, Vintage Sand People)

Easily Frightened. (Vintage Landspeeder, Vintage Sand People)

Nothing says summer like a day out soaking up rays with your local Sand People!

Outtake from a 2009 photo shoot.

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Gas Miners United.

Gas Miners United. (Vintage Ugnaughts)

Gas Miners United. (Vintage Ugnaughts)

I have a few problems with the Empire Strikes Back. But the cantankerous band of get-the-job-done Ugnaughts isn’t one of them. And the vintage Ugnaught action figure has been a favorite since I was a kid, particularly because I somehow associated the figure’s hairstyle with George Washington’s hairstyle as seen on a one dollar bill. Apparently George Washington’s hair was so alluring to me that the only way my dad could trick me into letting him cut my hair was if he said “OK kid, you want the George Washington?”. Of course I’d agree but invariably I would end up looking more like Jay Baruchel on a bad day.

j j j
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Rebel Forces FTW.

Rebel Forces FTW. (Vintage Snowspeeder, Vintage Tauntaun, Vintage Rebel Soldier, Vintage Princess Leia Hoth Outfit, Vintage Han Solo Bespin Outfit, Vintage 2-1B, Vintage Rebel Commander, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot, Vintage Luke Skywalker Hoth Battle Gear, Vintage R5-D4, Vintage Chewbacca, Vintage C-3PO)

Rebel Forces FTW.
(Vintage Snowspeeder, Vintage Tauntaun, Vintage Rebel Soldier, Vintage Princess Leia Hoth Outfit, Vintage Han Solo Bespin Outfit, Vintage 2-1B, Vintage Rebel Commander, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot, Vintage Luke Skywalker Hoth Battle Gear, Vintage R5-D4, Vintage Chewbacca, Vintage C-3PO)

When a big box padded with white styrofoam comes into the house it can mean only one thing: Hoth diorama! And yes, I’ll own up to it straight away unless it’s not already completely obvious: unlike most of the shots presented on this site, what you’re looking at is not just one photo but a composite of several.

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!
 

Buying Notes on the Vintage Snowspeeder

Check out the current vintage Snowspeeder listings here.

If you’re a collector of loose Kenner vehicles from the vintage Star Wars run and you don’t own the vintage Snowspeeder yet, it’s time to turn that ship around. Ounce for ounce, this is my favorite vehicle for the whole ’78 to ’85 period.

For overall look the Snowspeeder’s got it where it counts. Add on the awesome lights and sound and you can see why we’ve got gold medal material. The harpoon and cool kickstand are icing on the cake.

Ready to climb aboard? Just keep in mind this checklist before going off half cocked on eBay:

1. The Snowspeeder’s lights and sounds are integral to your enjoyment factor. Make sure they both work before bidding. Sure you could take it apart and horse around with fixing the electronics, but that’s something to avoid unless you’ve really got the feel for it.

2. This vehicle has a ton of stickers applied to it. Something like 27 to be exact. Try to get a good feel that they’re all there and not peeling up. For this reason you might want to focus on the Snowspeeders that have clearly been kept over the years with their original box. I’ve seen a strong correlation between a present original box and nice looking stickers.

3. The rear harpoon with its black tether are a MUST. Make sure its there!

Best of luck, and if you have any other thoughts feel free to add them in the comments below.

j j j