“I’m dead!” read the button pinned on me when I entered a hotel suite at the Hilton Arlington in Northern Virginia on a sunny Saturday morning in March 1998. According to the “Rebel Pilot Reunion” article in Star Wars Insider (Issue number 32, Winter 1996), I’d been missing since the Battle of Hoth, presumed to [...]
Episode 393: We've Got the Need, The Need for Theed
Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie have reported many times on the Toy Man Toy Show in St. Louis, MO. Sunday, May 19th, was the most recent show and had Star Wars represented from all era, from 12-Back carded vintage figures to the most modern of Hasbro toys. Listen to find out if you should visit St. Louis for the next Toy Man show on July 14th!
Also on this week’s podcast, Brock reviews Dawn of the Jedi–Into the Void, Jerry continues looking back at Return of the Jedi toys from 30 years ago, Johnathan reviews the new Endor AT-AT, and Steve reports from Star Wars Fun Day in the UK!
With details on how to get the Endor AT-AT for 20% off and a bendy Artoo, it’s all on this week’s Star Wars Action News podcast!
Dak Survives Hoth, Heads to the Star Ladies’ 1998 Convention
“I’m dead!” read the button pinned on me when I entered a hotel suite at the Hilton Arlington in Northern Virginia on a sunny Saturday morning in March 1998. According to the “Rebel Pilot Reunion” article in Star Wars Insider (Issue number 32, Winter 1996), I’d been missing since the Battle of Hoth, presumed to [...]
StarWars.com Weekly Roundup: May 17, 2013
Wondering what’s been happening at StarWars.com? Here’s a quick roundup of what you might have missed this week!
CELEBRATION EUROPE NEWS
Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm and producer of Star Wars: Episode VII, is confirmed to attend Celebration Europe this July. This will be her first Celebration appearance!
STAR WARS: EPISODE VII NEWS
Lucasfilm confirmed that the production [...]
A Star Wars Adventure South of the Equator
Beyond blood ties, families are built around traditions. In my family, it’s tradition to embark on grand adventures together once a year. From driving into the midst of migrating herds in the Serengeti to wandering in the ancient ruins of Ephesus and Pompeii, we’ve created a treasure trove of memories shared through the generations. So [...]
Let’s Hear It for the Home Team
When my colleague Matt Martin asked if I would reach out to fans all over the world and ask them to submit pictures with their local landmarks as part of our May the 4th festivities, I knew the results would be good.
But I had no idea just how good!
My inbox, and then our May the [...]
Pringles’ “The Force For Fun” Contest: Imitating Darth
I never thought I would give direction to Darth Vader. Granted it was for a Pringles commercial contest, but it was still a surreal experience seeing Darth Vader walk onto set for the first time. The entire cast and crew went silent for a moment. Years of childhood memories rushed to our minds. I think [...]
Soldiers of Fortuna.
Soldiers of Fortuna. (Vintage Weequay, Vintage Nikto)
Weequay and Nikto. Two criminally underrated action figures out of the very large array of Kenner toys from 1983′s “Return of the Jedi”. Told you these cats would be back!
In Small Packages.
In Small Packages. (Vintage R2-D2, Vintage Yoda The Jedi Master)
It’s become clear to me that the Star Wars action figures I enjoyed most as a kid were the really little guys. R2-D2, Jawa, Snaggletooth, Yoda, Ugnaught (I never played with the Ewoks — I was too cool for school by ’83). These were the action figures that could be stashed anywhere with total stealth. And any fool knows that when it’s one kid against the Empire, maintaining a low, secret profile is key!
Walking Wookiee Down the Hall.
Walking Wookiee Down The Hall.
(Vintage Stormtroopers, Vintage Chewbacca)
Happy New Year to all the passionate followers of this blog. You know who you are. Messing around with all these wonderful toys is fun, but it’s your involvement and encouraging words that really make it worthwhile. So a profound ‘thanks for coming around’ is definitely in order. With your support I vow to keep at it ’til the wheels come off!
From the bottom of my heart: to all a happy, safe, and prosperous 2013. Cheers everyone!
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!
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