Micro Collection Death Star Escape Action Playset

I've been bitten by a new collecting bug, and it's the Micro Collection. I can't say that the small stuff hasn't ever been on my radar (a couple years ago I was able to complete my loose run of diecast ships) but it's never been a focus, until now. I've had a mint loose Death Star Escape set in a storage box for over a decade - or two? - I don't remember where I got it, I always thought it was neat, but it never was a focus. But recently for whatever reason I got the bug to develop that part of my collection, so here we go! 

Let's start with the tableau, replicating the box photo. But first let's get into a bit of Micro history. The Micro Collection was released by Kenner in 1982. These were plastic playsets in approximately 1:60 scale - instead of action figures, you got prepainted diecast metal figures included, in a variety of poses. There were several sets available: Hoth Wampa Cave, Hoth Ion Cannon, Hoth Generator Attack (also collected into the Hoth World mega-set), Hoth Turret Defense, Bespin Control Room, Bespin Gantry, Bespin Freeze Chamber (collected into Bespin World), and Death Star Compactor and Death Star Escape (collected into Death Star World). There were ships as well - the X-Wing Fighter, TIE Fighter, Snowspeeder (J.C. Penney exclusive and also sold in Australia) and Millennium Falcon (Sears exclusive and ditto). But we'll get to most of those in future posts.

Like I said earlier, I've had my loose Death Star Escape for donkey's years. But I decided to pick up a box for it recently, as I want to have all of the playsets in boxes. This box is a real beauty too, and it came with all the goodies, as we'll see in a minute. Here are some tableaux from the box photos:

The Micro Collection boxes are just great, very colourful and distinctive with plenty of pictures and a great mailaway offer. It's kinda too bad there aren't more play photos for my tableaux. 

The box came with all the goodies - instructions, ESB catalog, sticker sheet, and even the original bags for the figures - nice! The instructions are particularly good:

Hey I almost forgot - the box even came with the cardboard insert. Really the complete package.

One last thing - here's the copyright info from the bottom of the set.

So we're off on the Micro Collection and it's gonna be a trip. I've got lots to get to and stuff to talk about (I've just ordered Gus and Duncan's Micro Collection book so look out for a review and some tidbits from that) and I can't wait to get at it!

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.

Millennium Falcon (Kenner ESB version)

Well I've blogged about the Millennium Falcon before, and regular readers (both of you?) will know that it's a toy I never had as a kid, but always wanted. Although somewhat underscale for the 3 3/4" mini-action figures, until the AT-AT came along it was the biggest and most expensive Star Wars vehicle. It's awesome. 

This example was very kindly given to me recently by my late wife's cousin Austin, it was part of his and his brother's childhood collection. Kudos to you guys for keeping the box, Austin, and well done on keeping this thing in one piece. So many Star Wars vehicles got smashed to pieces, blown up with fireworks, etc. and it's great to see that one like this survived.

While the box front carried a new image specific to The Empire Strikes Back, the rest of the package art remained the same as on Star Wars-branded examples.

Gotta set up the tableau right!! The box image is so great, but the eagle-eyed will note I added some "diversity" to the Bespin Guard group. I only had two white Guards in my own collection...

The character mix here is kind of interesting too. Dengar is literally 10 feet away from the people he's supposed to capture, but he's just stood there having a chat with Lobot. 

Meanwhile Lando, Han and Leia are visiting but all have guns in their hands (!) while the Bespin Guards seem unconcerned that these two strangers are packing heat while talking to their boss.

These three discussing the Cloud City Cafeteria's amazing pulled-pork sandwiches maybe...?

Chewbacca working as usual.

Droids hiding in the ship interior. Would've been a good idea for Threepio at least, considering what happened to him in Cloud City.

If you look at the tableau on the box, it's strange... the camera vantage looks low, but you can still clearly see the droids inside the ship. Maybe they tilted the Falcon for the shot, I can't quite figure it out.

Some beauty shots, this ship cleaned up so nicely and looks so good.

Of course, as with most childhood vehicles, some small accessories went missing over the years. The training arm and ball and the hatch struts are 3D printed replacements, unobtrusively marked as such. They look quite good, the struts are kind of translucent but that's OK, makes them less likely to be mistaken for originals. 

Fortunately the old ones were just lost, and not broken off in the hatch holes as often happened.

The space chess table was missing too but I sourced an original one to replace it - they're not hard to find.

Cockpit is all original equipment and looks great! Austin, thank you again for this ship, it's a wonderful piece.

I guess I also should offer an apology for it being over a year since the last post here, but it's been busy. Anyway I will have another post coming up shortly featuring a neat item that's on the way from 4th Moon Toys...