The Book of Boba Fett has Closed

For more than 40 years, Boba Fett has been one of the most popular villains from the Star Wars universe. Boba Fett made his animated debut in a nine-minute cartoon nestled in the middle of the wildly unpopular Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), and made his first live performance two years later in The Empire Strikes Back. Kids loved everything about Boba Fett’s armor, from his cool helmet to his missile-firing jetpack, but his most alluring attribute was the mystery surrounding him. Who was this masked bounty hunter who stood side by side with Darth Vader and was able to… (read more)

A Different May the Fourth

They say April showers bring May flowers, and May the Fourth (followed by Revenge of the Fifth) brings Star Wars week. I love May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day. I love seeing Star Wars fans new and old celebrating my favorite films of all time. Some long time fans of the franchise look down on people who celebrate May the 4th, preferring to wait until May 25th (the day the film was released in theaters) to celebrate. Some refer to people who dress up on May the 4th as fair weather fans. Star Wars fans are a funny lot… (read more)

Star Wednesday: McDonald’s X-Wing Fighters

I haven’t written a “Star Wednesday” article in several months because all of my Star Wars collectibles are tucked away in a storage unit. “Out of sight, out of mind,” so to speak. Last weekend, my wife helped put together a fundraising garage sale for the Girl Scouts. While we were dropping off donations, I spied these two miniature X-Wing fighters in a bargain bin, and picked them up. After doing a bit of research, I found that these X-Wings were released in McDonald’s Happy Meals back in 2010. There were eight toys in all: four figures (Anakin, Yoda, Darth… (read more)

My Intergalactic Tubs Runneth Over

“Do you really need that many tubs for your Star Wars stuff?” she asked. I can’t remember which part I hid from her — that I’d already used the ten tubs I had from the last time we moved, that I’d already bought and filled ten more, or that I needed another ten to finish packing — but by the time all the tubs had been filled, there was no hiding the hoard. Until we get settled, there’s a chance my Star Wars collection may remain in storage for a few months. I don’t want my things to get crushed.… (read more)

Star Wednesday: Imperial Troop Transporter / Imperial Cruiser

By 1979, Kenner must have been panicking. Owning the toy rights to the Star Wars franchise was essentially like being able to print their own money. Kids were lining up at toy stores across the country with cash in hand, eager to purchase any and every action figure the company released. We’re not just talking Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader here. Some of the first figures released included Power Droid, a small box with legs whose only line in the movie was the noise “gonk,” and Death Star Droid, a silver robot who had no dialog at all. And while… (read more)

Star Wednesday: Happy Father’s Day Sign

Star Wars is just about the last movie people should associate with Father’s Day. Young Anakin Skywalker didn’t even have a father (unless you count midichlorians). In Revenge of the Sith, Anakin attacked and mortally wounded his pregnant wife, Padme. Later, as Darth Vader, he attempted to kill his children (Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa) on multiple occasions. Leia’s son, Ben Solo (aka Kylo Ren), murdered his own father, Han Solo, in cold blood. Which makes this hand-painted sign from my daughter so much more enjoyable. The least interesting items in my Star Wars collection are the things without… (read more)

Star Wednesday: Scout Walker/AT-ST

Vintage Star Wars AT-ST/Scout Walker from Kenner. Photo by Rob O'Hara

Sometimes it’s hard to believe I didn’t own every single Star Wars toy produced by Kenner as a kid. I suppose it had to do with the finite number of birthdays and Christmases that fell between 1978 and 1985. Truth be told, as early as 1983 I was already beginning to lose interest in the Kenner toys, which narrows that window even further. The AT-ST, which goes by several names, is one of those vintage toys I didn’t own. AT-ST stands for All Terrain Scout Transport, but the original box identified it a Scout Walker. Colloquially, most people know the… (read more)

Solo Adventures with the Family (Spoiler Free)

Susan, the kids, and I made a whirlwind trip to Denver this weekend to attend a wedding. Due to the timing I didn’t expect to be able to see Solo: A Star Wars Story until we got back, which would have broken my streak of seeing every Star Wars film since 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back opening day. Due to a a stroke of luck (or was it the Force?) the house we rented for the weekend was right down the street from an Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, and, somehow, Susan was able to obtain four tickets for a Saturday… (read more)

Star Wednesday: Remote Controlled Speeder Bike Drone

Star Wars Remote Controlled Speeder Bike

About a month ago, I found myself wandering through what remained of my local Toys R Us. The shelves weren’t completely bare, but I certainly wasn’t the first middle-aged nerd to show up in hopes of getting a good bargain. I told my wife I was only there to look, but when I ran across this thing… “look,” I said as it jumped right into my cart! Speeder Bikes, ridden by Imperial Biker Scouts, have always been my favorite vehicles from the Star Wars universe. They’re essentially hovering motorcycles with jet engines — what’s not to like? If (somehow) you… (read more)

Star Wednesday: Chewbacca Bandolier Strap

Kenner was truly a marketing genius, realizing early on that kids buying action figures would also need things to hold, store, and transport action figures. In the late 70s and early 80s, Kenner made several different types and styles of carrying cases for kids. The earliest cases were essentially little vinyl briefcases that held two dozen action figures. Then there were those large plastic sculpted busts of Darth Vader and C-3P0 that opened up and held even more figures. Kenner made lots of different storage cases, some more successful than others. One of the oddest ones they produced was this… (read more)

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