Author Archive



Found on eBay: First Bronze Yoda

Pete Vilmur | April 8, 2009

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No doubt about it — the little Jedi Master has still got it! A recent auction for the ultra-rare 1990 Empire 10th anniversary bronze Yoda fetched just north of $5,000 — not bad for an original investment of $500 in 1990. Just one of 50 produced, it’s not hard to see why this little 9-inch sculpture is so coveted by collectors.

More than a mere hunk of heavy metal, this was the inaugural sculpture of famed Star Wars artist Lawrence Noble, who has gone on to create several more Star Wars bronzes in the years since, including one life-size Yoda that welcomes guests to LFL’s Presidio campus.

Check out details of the auction here.

Found on eBay: Groovy Star Wars Motion Lamp

Pete Vilmur | April 3, 2009

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Perusing eBay this week, we came across one of the ultra-rare vintage Star Wars motion lamps recently highlighted in our “Fad Wars” feature a few days ago. Good timing or savvy salesmanship? Either way, it’s a groovy piece that doesn’t come up too often, so better boogie on over if you want to bliss out with a cool piece of vintage Star Wars psychedelica.

Does Threepio Have a Sole?

Pete Vilmur | April 1, 2009

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According to Hollywood Lost and Found, he does.

While millions of fans have seen the soles of Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO immortalized in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, the original gold protocol droid’s costume didn’t include the gizmo-encrusted soles pressed into the cement in the famous landmark’s forecourt. Apparently, these soles were special-made for the footprint ceremony (which took place August 3, 1977), and currently reside in a private collection.

Check out Hollywood Lost and Found for the full story.

Found on eBay: Star Wars Disco Duds

Pete Vilmur | March 25, 2009

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Ah, the ‘70s. For Star Wars fans, the decade of disco brought us Meco’s Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk, “The Star Wars Holiday Special” kitsch-fest, and the occasional fashion gem, such as customized bell-bottom Star Wars pants.

For vintage fashion aficionados with a far-out bent, a seller in Australia is serving up one groovy pair of custom flared Star Wars pants with rainbow striping, just the thing that would have caught the eye of that calculator-toting closet Star Wars fan in 1978. Collecting guru Steve Sansweet tells us the fabric comes from ‘70s licensee Liberty Trousers, but that the design is 100% dyn-o-mite.

Better boogie if you want to strut these duds — the seller ships worldwide.

Found on eBay: Strong Hans

Pete Vilmur | March 16, 2009

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Ah, the stuff you find on eBay. Anyone who follows these occasional “Found on Ebay” posts know that I’ve got soft spot for fan-made items, especially those made at the height of the original trilogy’s popularity in the 1970s and ’80s. But then, there are exceptions.

Like many fanzines, 1990’s “From a Certain Point of View #5″ serves up an amateur artwork cover — not unusual, since many of these zines were being churned out by young fans with undeveloped artistic skills. But few could make a Wookiee blush like this one — click through to see the entire, uh, artwork.

“Revenge of the Sith”: 1986?

Pete Vilmur | February 27, 2009

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Who woulda thunk the fans would be on to the title of the third chapter in the Star Wars saga nearly 20 years before it was released? Well, a recent eBay find reveals that at least one savvy fan — an Ellen Randolph of California — published an unsanctioned 194-page fanzine novel entitled “Revenge of the Sith” all the way back in 1986, when Return of the Jedi had left theaters but its original title — Revenge of the Jedi — was still likely fresh in many a fan’s mind.

We’ve admittedly not invested ourselves into this hefty chuck-o-fan-fic, but we can glean a bit of the story’s plot from the introduction, which reveals the storyline comes nowhere near prequel territory:

“Nearly twenty years have passed since the Alliance learned the truth kept hidden by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia: they are the twin offspring of the Jedi Knight who became the Dark Lord of the Sith. Condemned as traitors and criminals along with the entire Jedi Order, Luke and Leia fled to the desert world of Tatooine. At the secret Jedi Sanctuary there, training has continued as they prepare for a future in which the Jedi Knights will again take their rightful places in the galaxy…”

Toy Fair 2009: Sakar

Pete Vilmur | February 17, 2009

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A relatively new licensee, Sakar had a lot to show us at Toy Fair this year, including a cool new Darth Vader digital alarm clock, lightsaber flashlights, Clone Wars keyboards, computer speakers, and more. Items not shown in our photo series include text messengers, CD and mp3 players, and digital cameras.

Check out a few pics we snapped at Sakar’s booth, and don’t miss our full coverage of Toy Fair 2009!

Toy Fair 2009: Funko

Pete Vilmur | February 17, 2009

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Lots of Star Wars bobble goodness from Funko at Toy Fair this year. Check out our photo series for a look at some of their current Star Wars and Clone Wars entries…

Toy Fair 2009: Comic Images

Pete Vilmur | February 17, 2009

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Comic Images’ booth at Toy Fair had a couple surprises for 2009, including the plush Jawa with glow-in-the-dark eyes (that vaguely resembles the classic and super-rare 1978 Regal version), plush Maul, and Vader plush backpack. We find the fuzzy Chewbacca slippers strangely irresistible…

Check out a few pics we’ve posted in our Flickr series, and don’t forget to check out the rest of our Toy Fair coverage this year!

Toy Fair 2009: Kotobukiya

Pete Vilmur | February 16, 2009

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Kotobukiya will be expanding their ARTFX Clone Wars series this year with at least one new addition: Commander Fox. This series of ultra-detailed Clone Wars figures look incredible and feature magnetic feet and other accessories for easy display. We’re still looking forward to those lightsaber chopsticks to get released as well.

Check out some pics from Koto’s Toy Fair showroom here, and make sure to check out our continuing photo coverage of Toy Fair here.