Pair of Aces. (Vintage Chewbacca, Vintage Han Solo)
Okay, cheating a bit. This one’s an outtake from the archived Koona Chuta, Solo? sessions hammered out last January.
Pair of Aces.
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Archives: vintage
I, Mandalorian.
I, Mandalorian. (Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Death Squad Commanders, Vintage Slave 1)
Two in a row for Boba Fett. I normally like to keep things distributed evenly, but sometimes one can’t help but get lost in the trance of a great action figure.
Also I love that in Star Wars the smugglers, pirates, and bounty hunters all give their ships really colorful names. But you’ve got to hand top prize to Boba Fett for his ship’s utterly convincing "Slave 1" handle.
Mr. Fett, you are one bad motherscratcher!
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Dirty Deeds.
Dirty Deeds. (Vintage Bossk, Vintage Boba Fett, Vintage Dengar)
This photo raises the question: can little plastic guys under 4 inches tall command fear and respect from literally anyone that crosses their path? Not sure about you, but I’d say the answer remarkably is ‘yes’.
See you at Comic Con!
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Imperial Gunner Redux.
Imperial Gunner Redux. (Vintage Imperial Gunner, Vintage Emperor's Royal Guards)
Every so often the urge to do some housekeeping kicks in and I focus on re-shooting an earlier photo that doesn’t quite stack up. This is a good example of that. The version I did of these figures last November started rubbing me the wrong way from day one. This version I can finally say makes me happy.
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Rebel Scum.
Rebel Scum. (Vintage General Lando Calrissian, Vintage C-3PO, Vintage Leia Organa (Bespin Gown))
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The Wookie Wins.
The Wookie Wins. (Vintage Chewbacca)
The 1977 4″ Chewbacca action figure by Kenner. Best. Toy. Ever.
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Leaving Rebel Base.
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)
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)
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.
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Famiglia Rancore.
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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