Stan Solo Holiday Special Boba Fett

I'll admit that I'm a sucker for a well-done custom or repainted figure, I've created and featured several on the blog. I'm especially enthusiastic about custom figures that were never made by Kenner in the first place, but look like they "could have been." That is: five points of articulation, vintage-looking capes and accessories, that kind of thing.

So this custom Boba Fett from Stan Solo is right up my alley. I'm a big fan of the Fett cartoon from the Holiday Special and when I found this custom from Stan Solo on Etsy it bounced right into my cart.

The figure sculpt is very similar to - but not an exact copy of - the original Kenner Fett. Notably, the helmet incorporates a "scope" and the backpack is quite detailed and is removable. The figure also has attached "soft goods" - a very cool fabric cape fastened to the left shoulder.

You'll also notice that the weapon is a really well-done replica of the HS rifle. This also appeared as the Mandalorian's "Amban phase-pulse blaster" in the eponymous Disney+ show, of course. It's monochromatic (like all vintage Star Wars weapons) but looks quite accurate.

Mr. Solo has done a fine job on this figure and I'm happy to have one. It's a great representation of the Holiday Special Boba Fett and really carries off the vintage aesthetic. Mine was a bit less expensive than the regular one as it had a "paint error" (some brown paint is missing from the figure's belt) but it's all good by me. Nice to have it in the cabinet. 

"Brown Snake" Yoda with RotJ Cardback plus GW Acrylic Case!

                                                        

So a twofold post for today - a new figure and a review of the case I picked up for it. The figure is straightforward of course, just a variant of the familiar ESB Yoda. The main difference is the accessory, and it gives its name to the variant - "Brown Snake Yoda". This example is a very nice one, correct figure, correct accessories, complete, and with the original cardback. Score!                                            

                                                  

The cardback is actually quite nice, unpunched, intact POP, and not too badly damaged around where the bubble was torn off.

This is a 77-back RotJ card, of course. Near the end of the vintage run.

Let's have a closer look at the case, it's from GW Acrylic. This is a really cool way to display a figure with cardback. 

There's an internal "platform" that positions the loose figure right where it would be if this was a sealed MOC, and a small indentation in the stand to fit a one-inch base. It all fits together quite seamlessly and is really a great display solution. Cost is about $30USD.

Now let's look at the figures! This of course is the "usual" orange snake variant. Note the lighter green skin and light brown cane.

The brown snake variant is most often found with darker green skin and a dark brown cane, and has distinctive "pac-man eyes". According to jeditemplearchives.com these are correct for the brown snake variant, which has been found on all but ESB-32B and -41A, B, and -D cardbacks.

Here are the two together. Quite different looking aren't they! And the snakes are different in ways other than colour. The orange one is pretty stiff while the brown snake is much more rubbery and flexible.

The orange-snake Yoda is from my own childhood collection, but nowadays genuine brown-snake Yodas command a significantly higher market value than orange-snake examples. Accessories for both are also super-expensive, I've seen people asking $60USD or more for just a cane. Best to buy one complete and if you can get a cardback with it like I did, so much the better!

Boba Fett Star Wars Holiday Special Animation Script & Character Model Sheets Package

My friend Mike F, proprietor of 4th Moon Toys in Toronto, runs an annual special "Life Week" sale full of cool goodies both vintage and modern. Being a fan of Star Wars books, especially the oddball ones, I was particularly interested in this book by John Celestri, formerly an animator at Nelvana Studios here in Canada, and an industry artist and creator for over 50 years. The book was offered in a limited edition signed by the author with a bonus autographed print. SOLD!

The book arrived quickly and was all that I'd hoped. It's a pretty slim paperback, magazine sized and perfect bound, with colour covers and a B&W interior, all on high-quality slick paper with heavy card covers. 

It has some awesome character reference pictures done by John for the holiday special animation. They're so good!

The book also includes the full shooting script of the Fett cartoon from the Holiday Special...

...and of course many many renderings of the sinister bounty hunter himself!

As if the book wasn't cool enough, the package included this signed Fett print by Celestri. I put it in a frame and it's hanging upstairs in my house. 

Highly recommended to Fett fans and enthusiasts of the Holiday Special. The tv show was awful for the most part but the Fett cartoon was AWESOME and this book is a great memento of that time in Star Wars history.