Archives: 12-back

· 9 Comments

Threepio.

Threepio. (Vintage Stormtroopers, Vintage C-3PO)

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!

Check out the current vintage Stormtrooper listings here.

j j j

Vader!

Vader! (Vintage Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, Vintage Darth Vader)

Vader! (Vintage Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, Vintage Darth Vader)

You’ll have to excuse me, I’ve been on a Darth Vader TIE Fighter tear lately. I’ve been restoring a couple of them and they’re keeping my attention pretty well locked down. I can only say get ready, as this is just the beginning. I’ll likely be tormenting you with TIE fighters well into the next decade.

Anyway, who could blame me? It’s Darth Vader. High priest of the Dark Side and number one administrator of Imperial Smackdownsmanship. If he says build some ships, then brother you build.

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
· 2 Comments

One Step Ahead.

One Step Ahead. (Vintage Princess Leia Organa, Vintage R2-D2)

One Step Ahead. (Vintage Princess Leia Organa, Vintage R2-D2)

This one’s collaborative. Many thanks to r2witco of DBSW for contributing the excellent handcrafted backdrop. West Coast loves Star Wars!

j j j
· 6 Comments

In For A Pound.

In For A Pound. (Vintage Death Squad Commanders, Vintage Dengar)

In For A Pound. (Vintage Death Squad Commanders, Vintage Dengar)

Little bit of an issue with Dengar. For me he’s the poster boy of the barely-seen characters from the Empire Strikes Back that were made into toys for little reason other than snatching dollars from me and my brethren — the Star Wars Action Figure Maniacs.

Even as a snot-nosed 10-year-old kid I knew this vaguely to be true. Sure, I bought Dengar. But I remember being puzzled as to who he actually was. I’d seen the movie, but could not possibly place him in the story. Unfortunately there were quite a few more toys that fit this description, and attempting to fit them all happily within Star Wars playtime was a bit irritating.

But time heals everything. History has smiled on the Bounty Hunters. And Dengar, with his chubby tummy, his fetid wraps, and his junkyard knapsack, is loved.

j j j

Chewbacca Redux.

Chewbacca Redux. (Vintage Chewbacca, Vintage General Lando Calrissian)

Chewbacca Redux. (Vintage Chewbacca, Vintage General Lando Calrissian)

This is an evolving process. And looking back it seems that some early photos from last year were shorted by a lack of experience or imagination on my part. Mea culpa! So of course when the opportunity arises I like to take another shot at the ones that are really crying out for revision.

This is undoubtedly one of those situations. Today Chewie and Lando (an epic pairing) finally get some respect after suffering so long in total darkness. Sorry guys, I’ve been really busy.

j j j
· 2 Comments

Taking Flight.

Taking Flight. (Vintage Snowtroopers ~ Imperial Stormtroopers (Hoth Battle Gear), Vintage Darth Vader, Vintage Darth Vader's Tie Fighter)

Taking Flight. (Vintage Snowtroopers ~ Imperial Stormtroopers (Hoth Battle Gear), Vintage Darth Vader, Vintage Darth Vader's Tie Fighter)

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