Archives: Action Figures

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Leaving Rebel Base.

Leaving Rebel Base. (Vintage X-Wing Fighters, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilots)

Leaving Rebel Base. (Vintage X-Wing Fighters, Vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilots)

Blown away. No other words to describe what it felt like to unwrap my very own X-Wing Fighter(!) – given to me as a gift during Hanukkah, December of ’78.

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 Blue Moods of Max Rebo.

The Blue Moods of Max Rebo. (Vintage Max Rebo, Vintage Sy Snootles, Vintage Droopy McCool)

The Blue Moods of Max Rebo. (Vintage Max Rebo, Vintage Sy Snootles, Vintage Droopy McCool)

It had been a long time since I’d seen the theatrical release version of Return of the Jedi. So I was shocked recently when a video of the original Max Rebo band song was brought to my attention (thanks retrostarwars). The truth of it is that ‘Lapti Nek’ by John Williams, with it’s unapologetic 80’s dance groove, is just face-melting hot. But sadly, after 10 years of Special Editions, this footage had all but faded from memory.

And what about the Special Edition “Jedi Rocks” that replaced ‘Lapti Nek’? Yeah, don’t make me go there. I beg of you, don’t make me go there. At the end of the day, it’s all just further support for that ol’ golden nugget: if it ain’t broke, consider drinking a beer or something.

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Luke and Leia.

Luke and Leia. (Vintage Luke Skywalker Hoth Battle Gear, Vintage Princess Leia Hoth Outfit, Vintage Snowspeeder)

Luke and Leia.
(Vintage Luke Skywalker Hoth Battle Gear, Vintage Princess Leia Hoth Outfit, Vintage Snowspeeder)

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.

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Famiglia Rancore.

Famiglia Rancore. (Vintage Rancor Monster, Vintage Rancor Keeper)

Famiglia Rancore. (Vintage Rancor Monster, Vintage Rancor Keeper)

Let me make this perfectly clear: the vintage Rancor Monster and his chubby buddy the vintage Rancor Keeper flat out R-O-C-K.

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Bespin State of Mind.

Bespin State of Mind. (Vintage Bespin Guards, Vintage Twin-Pod Cloud Car)

Bespin State of Mind. (Vintage Bespin Guards, Vintage Twin-Pod Cloud Car)

The Bespin Guards were the original Star Wars trilogy’s first uniformed crew that left something to be desired. Think about it. Stormtroopers, Jawas, Sandpeople, Death Star personnel (Commanders, TIE fighter pilots, Gunners — the whole bit), Rebel pilots, Rebel Soldiers, Snowtroopers … these characters all had such eye-peeling, imagination-infused costumes. And thanks to those costumes we were utterly convinced that Star Wars was of a reality not at all connected to our own.

Then, in walked the Bespin Guards with relatively sedate blue suits and funny bucket hats. It was almost as if someone said, “Shoot, I’m tired of all these badass never-seen-it-before get ups. Let’s just make this crew look like ticket takers at a Knicks game.” Am I wrong?

All that said, the Bespin Guards actually made for great action figures. Nice sculpt, interesting paint variations, and remarkably sold in both Caucasian and African-American skin tones.

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Yak Face Abides.

Yak Face Abides. (Vintage Yak Face, Vintage Jawas)

Yak Face Abides. (Vintage Yak Face, Vintage Jawas)

Pump thy fist and behold the Yak Face! He’s number one with a bullet on the list of legendary toys made in the likeness of entirely unknown Star Wars characters. I mean you could be a serious fan of the original Star Wars trilogy and not be aware of this guy. Did he carouse on Jabba’s barge, adding to the discord of Jabba’s final throwdown? Hair yes. Had he missed the whole shebang would anyone have noticed? Not a chance. Still the Vintage Yak Face action figure, riding the substantial rumors of his scarcity, fetches one of the highest price tags among vintage Star Wars action figures. Well done, Ace.

Buying Notes for vintage Yak Face

Check out the current vintage Yak Face listings here.

Welcome to the top draw among Kenner’s Last 17 action figures. Hope you brought your wallet!

It’s a drag that Yak Face requires such a hefty buy in, but I’d have to say it’s worthwhile to have one in your collection. Nice thing is that bidding on a vintage Yak Face is a fairly straight forward affair.

First you don’t have to sift through a ton of nonsense in order to find him. It’s not like they were making Yak Face dixie cups and toothbrushes.

Second, Yak Face rarely saw heavy play among the kids of the 80s so when you do find him he tends to be in good condition. Still check for paint wear as his design does involve a good deal of paint (not much on the head but plenty on the hands).

And of course you’ll be sure to see that his weapon is included. There have been repro version of this staff spotted, but it’s the same weapon that was issued with some other plentiful ROTJ figures so in all likelihood it should be the real thing.

So best of luck. And please feel free to add any further thoughts in the comments section.

Check out the current vintage Yak Face listings here.

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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.

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