The Early Stages of…

Vintage AT-AT Driver.

Vintage Lobot. 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.

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The Lando System Revisited.

The Lando System Revisited. (Vintage Lobot, Vintage Bespin Security Guards, Vintage Lando Calrissian)

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.

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Hunting Solo.

Hunting Solo.  (Vintage IG-88)

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!)

IG-88 Buying Notes

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.

Check out the current listings here.

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Bringing the Rebel Heat.

Bringing the Rebel Heat. (Vintage Millennium Falcon, Vintage X-Wing Fighters)

Bringing the Rebel Heat.
(Vintage Millennium Falcon, Vintage X-Wing Fighters)

HAPPY THIRTY FIVE YEARS STAR WARS! You’ve managed to keep me fueled with awe, inspiration, and the joys of youth well beyond what you, I, or anyone could’ve expected. Incredible that here in 2012 I find myself handing you down to my children. I expect that they will do the same for their children one day as well. Thanks for all the memories. Keep the fire burning.

(This shot’s one I’ve been thinking about for a while. Finally had time to put it all together today. A lot like the Hoth scene I did a while back, this is not one photo but several. Consider it my small tribute to the spectacular effects compositing that made the original Star Wars trilogy so exciting so long ago.)

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Ree is the Magic Number.

Ree is the Magic Number. (Vintage Ree-Yees)

Ree is the Magic Number. (Vintage Ree-Yees)

Kenner released around 100 different action figures between 1977 and 1985. I’d be hard-pressed to name one that has a more compelling sculpt, more attention to detail, and just generally more love poured into it than the diminutive Ree-Yees from Return of the Jedi. It’s ironic considering that the character had about 1.8 seconds of screen time!

Got a favorite character that might not be in the spotlight of popularity? Let me know in the comments.

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Rebels on Ice.

Rebels on Ice. (Vintage Snowspeeder, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot, Vintage R2-D2, Vintage Han Solo (in Hoth Battle Gear))

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.

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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The Take-Down Two.

The Take-Down Two.  (Vintage Admiral Ackbar, Vintage General Lando Calrissian)

The Take-Down Two. (Vintage Admiral Ackbar, Vintage General Lando Calrissian)

Who do you call to lead a merry band of Rebels into battle?

Oh yeah: Admiral Ackbar and General Lando “Lady’s Choice” Calrissian.

That is of course if you want to kick some ass.

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Doing Bib’s Bidding.

Doing Bib's Bidding (Vintage Bib Fortuna)

Doing Bib's Bidding (Vintage Bib Fortuna)

If I haven’t said it before I’ll say it now. The vintage Bib Fortuna action figure is approximately 100% creepier than the actual character from Return of the Jedi. I like that the guys at Kenner decided to give him some extra mojo in the blood-curdling department. No extra charge!

Now before I sign off I’ll come clean. There’s an alterior motive for showcasing Bib today. You got it. I am brazenly and shamelessly plugging some current auctions I have going on over at eBay for three lovely vintage Star Wars action figures still sealed on their original 1983 cards. Presently going cheap!

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Back to Black.

Back to Black. (Vintage Darth Vader, Vintage Darth Vader's Tie Fighter with Custom Paint)

Back to Black. (Vintage Darth Vader, Vintage Darth Vader's Tie Fighter with Custom Paint)

A couple of years ago I found myself on a roll scoring interesting finds from local sellers looking to unload vintage Star Wars toys from their storage. As is always the case in these situations you get some gems and you get stuff that’s seen better days (hey, nothing that’s vintage and Star Wars is junk, right?).

After a few of these encounters I found myself with four Darth Vader’s Tie Fighters from 1978. Three were in overall straight condition and one was just barely limping by, begging for either a noble burial or the breath of new life. Well after a good cleaning the path was clear: I would take the sucker apart and hit it inside and out with some matte black spray enamel.

The results are at least partially seen in the photo above.

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.

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