Star Wars

Lando Calrissian: Show me your teeth!

August 27, 2010
Smiling Lando Calrissian

When today’s toy manufacturers launch a new action figure with myriad variations it’s hard not to smile ruefully and picture the board meeting in which that decision was made and to hear the Kerching! of the cash register ringing in one’s head as collectors scramble to add every version to their set. It’s fun, therefore, [...]

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Han Solo: Two heads are better than one!

May 15, 2010
Star Wars Variations: Big and small head Han Solo

Without wanting to seem mono-thematic here at Vintage Action Figures, last week’s look at Indiana Jones made me want to take a closer look at another Harrison Ford action figure – indeed, not one but TWO figures: the big and small head varieties of Han Solo. When in 1978 kids could finally get their hands [...]

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Star Wars Variations: Grey-haired Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi

March 21, 2010
Grey-haired Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi

Back in 1977, the only Obi-Wan Kenobi anybody had ever heard of was played by veteran British actor Alec Guinness in the original Star Wars movie. Ewan McGregor, on the other hand, who would slip on Obi-Wan’s cloak in the prequels, must have been just about old enough to play with the Kenner action figures [...]

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Star Wars variations: I lost my heart to a Star Wars Stormtrooper!

January 5, 2010
Wide stance Stormtrooper

Kenner’s sculpt for the Star Wars Stormtrooper (later renamed Imperial Stormtrooper on the repackaged The Power Of The Force card back) was one of its most accurate action figures. Like many of the vintage Star Wars figures there are, however, minor variations in moldings and even stance – collectors should keen an eye out for [...]

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Star Wars action figure variations: My, what small eyes you have, Chief Chirpa!

December 13, 2009
Chief Chirpa Ewok action figure

Love them or hate them (or even love-to-hate-them by joining those who have formed a Facebook group dedicated to their eradication) the Ewoks are very much part of the Star Wars trilogy and for the action figure collector provide a few harder to find variations to track down. Being the characters that so many – [...]

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