In previous editions of my Toys blog, we’ve already had a look at some of the original Masters of the Universe action figures that I own. Most were bought back in the 1980s. But I never had any of the playsets for this line of toys, so their adventures were a bit limited. Niver had any playsets until recently, that is…
Castle Grayskull was re-released by Mattel a while back, to act as the perfect environment for their re-issued and re-vamped line of Origins figures. The toy itself appears to be an almost exact replica of the one released back in the 80s – though I’m not enough of an expert to confirm. However, it’s close enough to do the job.
By the power of Graskull!I have the power!
I waited quite a while, watching Castle Grayskull’s price online. Eventually, this open but complete version turned up for a good price on eBay, so I snapped it up. It’s in great condition – I suspect it may have only been used for display and then sold on.
The castle looks pretty awesome: that formidable skull-like façade looms out, just like in the cartoon. The playset opens in half to reveal the inner sections, with the mouth drawbridge opening to permit access. This can be done by using a power sword as a key – nice touch.
InsideTurret
Inside, the hybrid of magic and technology that was the hallmark of the original MOTU line is clearly visible – computer consoles and laser guns sit alongside a throne and ancient weapons.
Throne roomHelp on the way!Watch out!Battle for Eternia
It was great fun setting up the figures and recreating a few scenes with them. The action included Skeletor and his band of evil henchmen capturing Castle Grayskull and imprisoning the Sorceress. Then Skeletor was free was to claim the throne, and subdue Eternia under his vile command! But wait…
Here comes He-Man and Battle Cat to save the day! They confront Skeletor in the throne room.
Look out He-Man! There’s a trap door!
Here come Teela and Man-at-Arms via the elevator – but will they be too late?
Look out for Trap Jaw up on the turret!
With reinforcements at hand, a historic battle ensues between good and evil!
Finally, Skeletor and his evil warriors are defeated and Castle Grayskull is returned to normal…
Till next time, that is!
This Castle Grayskull playset may be modern, but it ticks all the right nostalgia boxes. It seems to have all the accessories and features that I remember seeing as a kid (though this includes a limited edition Sorceress figure). Loads of fun and a fantastic way to display my action figures. But where to display them??!!
All good things must come to an end. Even in the case of Star Wars figures, the magic wouldn’t last forever. Wave three of the figures following Return of the Jedi would prove to be the last – in that line at least.
Star Wars toys began to wane in popularity, with no new films on the horizon, and kids were tempted by newer ideas, like bloody Transformers. No, I wasn’t onboard with that at all.
In the UK back in 1985 or thereabouts, these last figures began to show up on Tri-Logo cards, with the film name replicated in three languages. Truth be told, I thought I was getting a bit old for toys at this point, but I was determined to collect them all. Luckily, the prices fell dramatically, I was able to acquire most of them from a local Tesco for £1.59. Most, but not all, as we shall see.
There were stories of bags of these figures being sold (without card) for a pound each. Which is crazy. Because these last figures, which no one bought, are by far the rarest and most expensive now.
If you have a loose Boba Fett figure and you think he’s rare – and therefore worth a fortune – you’re wrong. No matter what the Antiques Roadshow claimed all those years ago. These last 17 are the hard to find figures that collectors want.
First off, let’s take a look at Luke Skywalker (Battle Poncho). The Leia with poncho figure from the previous wave was a genuinely great effort, but this Luke is a disappointment. His helmet is fixed on his head, unlike Leia’s, meaning that removing the poncho does not yield a Luke for later film scenes. Plus, there’s no lightsaber – just a blaster (which he doesn’t even use in this scene). Poor start.
Next up: Han Solo in Carbonite Chamber. Brilliant! I never had Fett’s Slave 1 ship when I was a kid, with the Han in carbonite accessory. Now I had one! People may grumble about Han’s neck here, but I love this figure. Also useable for Sarlaac Pit scenes etc because Han is separate to the carbonite block.
Cool tip: procure a piece of red coloured card/paper. Cut the card to the shape and size of the carbonite block. Place Han inside the block, then the red card behind him. Shine a torch from behind and it looks just like Han is melting out of the carbonite! Try it.
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Lando Calrissian General Pilot is a very cool looking action figure. A good likeness, especially for the time. The soft goods cloak is removable, so he can sit in the Millenium Falcon with Nien Nunb (sold separately, see previous blogs). Be careful though, you DO NOT want to tear this valuable accessory!
The A-Wing Pilot was a strange addition to the range, as far as I was concerned. That was because I didn’t know that Kenner did actually release the A-Wing starfighter. I didn’t know this till the mid 1990s. I don’t know if any ever made it to retail in the UK. Still, another pilot for the ROTJ briefing scene.
R2-D2 with Pop Up Lightsaber: oh dear. What a waste of an opportunity. R2 is my favourite figure of all time, but did we ever need this version? The lightsaber when it pops out is too short and has a bulbous end. This R2 is not the droid I’m looking for. Also, I have to admit here, that I somehow lost my original lightsaber and replaced it with a repro one years later. I was shocked to find that the lightsaber had disappeared after years being safely stored away.
One of the best figures in the entire Kenner range, in my opinion, Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Outfit is just fantastic. I snapped him up as soon as I saw him. A genius idea, a leap forward in toy design, perfect. Luke shows where the line could have gone next, with no new films. For years I wished for a Han Solo in Stormtrooper outfit to accompany Luke, but the line died too soon.
Han Stormtrooper – or Tarkin, or any number of cantina aliens – may have been preferable to Anakin Skywalker. He’s only in one scene. Still, a nice likeness of actor Sebastian Shaw.
Ewoks next. Four, in fact: this wave was chock full of ’em. Technically, Paploo and Lumat were released slightly earlier in the US I believe, but still, this is overkill. Paploo is a nice, accurate sculpt though. I’ve got them in the wrong order in the photo above: Paploo is on the left, but Lumat is on the far right.
Romba and Warok, our last two Ewoks, caused me many, many sleepless nights. They were the only two figures I never got round to buying from the enitre range. By 1986, all of these figures had long since disappeared. I’d buying one a week with pocket money and eventually these two could not be found. Cue recurring dreams of being in a toy shop, swamped with new figures, while I panicked that I hadn’t completed the old set yet. Sad but true. Eventually, years later as a University student, I found Warok and Romba at a car boot sale and bought them for a pound each, happily thanking the previous owner for helping me end my quest. The dreams stopped immediately.
Note: no weapons with the last two Ewoks as they were bought second hand, that’s a spare Wicket spear that Romba is holding.
The Empire representation is a mixed bag in this wave. The Imperial Gunner is a cool looking figure, and a welcome addition to the troops. The Imperial Dignitary, on the other hand, gets a lot of flack for being a boring and seldom seen character in the film. Fair point, but I like the background figures to fill out the scenes, so I don’t mind him. Would’ve been cooler to have Tarkin at last though, or Han Stormtrooper!
Jabba’s henchmen round out the rest of this wave. I’ve always been a big fan of these type of characters, so Barada was very welcome. EV-9D9 is a rare occurence of a minor character with a speaking part actually getting a figure. This toy is very detailed and accurate, with a neat moving jaw to enable her to “talk”.
Amanaman is a ridiculously cool figure, but very strange. He’s very difficult to spot on the old VHS tape version of Jedi, and his bizarre design confused me – was he actually in the movie? Yes, he was – very briefly. Bonkers design, plus that amazing head-hunter staff make this figure a must have.
Finally, the legendary Yak Face. He wasn’t released in the USA, and despite not being that exciting a character, his rarity is immense. Even loose, Yak Face goes for a fair few quid these days – I bought him for £1.59 back in 85. I’ve still got the card. If he was intact on that card, oh boy… £££! Not that I’d sell him. The Tri-logo version never came with the weapon, but I have a spare so included it here.
And there we have it. The final Kenner/Palitoy wave of Star Wars action figures. Not long after these toys disappeared from store shelves, I’d wander onto other interests that would occupy me (right up till current times!), like skateboarding and music. The Star Wars figures were a huge part of my childhood though, and I’m so happy I still have them.
Of course, Star Wars toys weren’t gone forever. The mid 1990s would see the franchise return, and I’d be right there when it did. Really, the magic never ends.
May the Force be with you!
Please note: all figures are original 1980s Kenner versions. All accessories are original, except where noted.
We were on a family day trip, somewhere on the east coast of England. Scarborough or Skegness, I forget which. There was a toy shop kiosk near the beach, as I remember. That was the first time I was aware of a new wave of Star Wars figures from Return of the Jedi.
I can’t remember if I was able to buy one of the new figures that day, in my mind it was late and the shop may have been shut. Instead I have a vague memory of trying to memorise all of the new characters I’d seen on a cardback. With no internet, this was the only way to create a checklist of what was coming down the line.
Which figure was my first purchase from this second wave, I don’t recall. But it’s a great wave filled with classic characters and further evidence of how Kenner (or Palitoy) were creating more and more detailed toys with great accessories.
Princess Leia Organa in Combat Poncho is a really great figure. The helmet and poncho can be removed, meaning that this version of Leia can be used for several scenes. My version of this figure was again purchased at the very end of the line around 1985, to replace the first one that my sister had bought. As such, Leia is complete and in very good condition.
Han Solo in Trench Coat is another cool figure. The trench coat is removable, so again he can be used for a number of scenes from the film.
Although I never owned a B-Wing Fighter at the time, I did own the pilot. I actually have a handful of these pilots I’ve acquired over the years, with the aim of one day recreating the briefing on Home One scene. Maybe it’ll happen.
Prune Face was a great looking but strange figure. An instant favourite, for years I thought he was another character from Jabba’s Palace. It was well into the 1990’s that I found out he was actually a member of the Rebel Alliance. Soft goods cloak is removable and he has a Wild West looking rifle.
Finally we this wave, we got the main Ewok – the one and only Wicket. Or Wicket W. Warrick, to give him his full title. This figure is tiny, but still a good, accurate representation. Teebo helps build out the Ewok tribe, and again looks pretty detailed. Though he’s not keen on holding his ax.
If I remember correctly, I acquired The Emperor as a special mail away offer, so never had the card (he arrived in a little white box). Not too bad detail wise for the time, at last the fans had the big bad guy to re-enact the film with. Can’t believe I’ve still got his walking stick.
The AT-ST Driver is a fairly simple looking figure, but an absolute must-have. I needed one to drive my Scout Walker (though I bought that later) and the more you have, the more enemy troops there are to fight.
The more of Jabba’s goons there are, the better. NIkto was a nice addition to the gang: a brilliantly designed alien with a cool action figure version. Klaatu (Skiff Guard Outfit) was a little less welcome in my opinion, we already had another one of these aliens in the previous wave, and there were lots of others that could’ve been made. I warmed to him though, he’s a classic.
I was also a bit underwhelmed by the Rancor Keeper, as his screen time was minimal and he wasn’t active in any action scenes. That changed when I added the Rancor to my collection! A classic figure that’s easily found but a necessity, I’m sure this guy was another mail away offer.
Finally from this wave, another character with minimal screen time, 8D8 from Jabba’s droid torture chamber. I always liked this figure because he’s a great design: the legs are just so different from other droids.
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Just to round off this wave of figures, I’ll add the wonderful Max Rebo Band. Sold as a set of three, sadly I didn’t keep the box, but the set is complete with microphones etc. Max is somewhat faded on the arms (a common issue) and Sy Snootles’s legs are a bit warped, but good old Droopy McCool still rocks. The cool thing about these guys, was unlike Episode IV, we actually got a band to add to the alien menagerie.
That’s it for Wave 2. Not the rarest figures, this wave. Stick with me, next time I’ll be sharing details of the legendary Last 17 Star Wars figures. Boba Fett? Not very rare at all. Wait till you see Return of the Jedi Wave 3…
Please note: all figures are original 1980s Kenner versions. All accessories are original.
May 2023 saw the 40th anniversary of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. I went to see the film again in the cinema, with my family. As always, there was a tear in my eye watching several scenes in that magnificent movie, particularly at the end. I shouldn’t need to worry about spoilers, surely, but we’ll leave the detail obscure. Jedi may not be considered the best of the Original Trilogy, but it’s a fabulous film that concludes the storyline brilliantly.
I was ten years old in 1983. I’d seen both previous Star Wars episodes in the cinema, but this time I was a little older, and the excitement of a new instalment was building. I can remember much more about that build up, as I ravenously absorbed every picture I could find in any magazine, newspaper or television show for clues about the new movie.
The Marvel UK Star Wars comic had kept me intrigued, but I recall catching tantalising sights of new characters that excited me. Brief glimpses of Bib Fortuna, Admiral Ackbar and Biker Scouts. I couldn’t wait to find out more about them.
Of course the real anticipation was with regard to the action figures. Star Wars fans everywhere could not wait to see what new characters – and old favourites in new guises – we would get.
Some characters began to show up on promotional literature, but the first ROTJ figure I ever had (I think) was Admiral Ackbar. I won Ackbar in a Palitoy drawing competition: third prize (there were probably hundreds of third prize places). He turned up without a card and became an instant favourite.
The first character I bought off a toy shop shelf was General Madine, if I remember correctly. He looked like a cool new character who must have a big role in the new movie, being amongst the first releases. How wrong I was! Never mind, I always was a sucker for troops.
The main heroes now had cool new outfits. Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) came equipped with a blaster and green lightsaber. Green?! All would be revealed… Luke also had a cool removable cloak. But the big news really, as revealed by the name lozenge, was that Luke was a Jedi. At last! A cool figure which I still have complete.
Princes Leia was in “Boushh Disguise”, including a removable helmet which was all very intriguing and looked great. Originally my sister bought all the Leia figures, I finally bought my own right at the end of the line in 1985. This meant that my own Leia Boushh is still in excellent condition.
Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard Disguise) is an absolute classic action figure. Great design, another removable helmet – he was an early purchase in this wave. I still have mine complete.
Nien Nunb, Lando’s co-pilot on the Millenium Falcon, is a great looking figure. The character design for the movie is fabulous, and it carries over well to the toy version. Another lifelong favourite!
Again, I loved the Rebel Commando figure, because I love to build up troops! Over the years I managed to add a few duplicates to my collection, as you can see here in my Ewok Village Playset display.
When the first wave of Jedi figures were released, the card backs tried to hide some of the new major characters: of course, I’m talking about the Ewoks. Logray, the Ewok Medicine Man, and Chief Chirpa were both “blacked out” on the reverse to retain some mystery. I remember my Mum suggesting using an ink eraser to gently rub away the black covering. Believe it or not, it worked – kind of. Two ghostly shapes could eventually be seen, which in retrospect vaguely resembled Ewoks. I still have the card somewhere, so one day I’ll prove it!
Logray and Chief Chirpa are both complete, and I’ve got duplicates of each to fill out that Ewok Village I mentioned earlier.
The only Imperial characters in the first batch of figures were two of the best looking of the whole range: the Biker Scout and Emperor’s Royal Guard. The Biker Scout is just an awesome design, add him to his speeder bike (sold separately, I’ll add photos one day) and you have an iconic 80’s toy from one of the best scenes in the film. Even his blaster is ace (still got the originals).
Likewise, the Royal Guard is amazing, a flamboyant flash of bright red amongst all of the white and black Empire troops. I remember being really disappointed (as many others were) that the Royal Guards didn’t have a bigger role in the movie. Sadly, the figures staff has not survived.
Finally, we get to another of my favourite subsets of Star Wars figures: aliens. Return of the Jedi had a plethora of weird looking creatures in Jabba’s palace. The creature designers really did a wonderful job, letting their imaginations run riot, creating these thugs for the Hutt’s throne room.
First up was Bib Fortuna, with those bewildering tentacles emerging from the back of his head. A great figure, Bib is a really good example of how far the toy moulding had come. Bib has a removable cloak (just leave it on, please) and a redundant staff. Another figure that is unmistakably iconic.
Next, the Gamorrean Guard. Not as clever a design as other Jabba goons to my eyes, but never the less a great figure. I added a couple extra over the years, complete with weapon, to build up the pig palace guard.
Ree-Yees (the name came from his “three eyes”) is another odd looking character. Still, the species design has remained popular enough to show up in later instalments. I still have the gold coloured gun for this guy. It’s very Flash Gordon.
Squid Head is a far better design – I mean, what a brilliant idea! He’s a great figure too, accurate features and lots of soft goods accessories that make him an absolute must-have. Cloak, skirt and separate belt all add to the finished look. I have at least one without all the accoutrements, just for use as a background figure.
Klaatu (now known by his original ILM production name, Wooof – I’m not going into that here!) is an all time classic alien design. The species was used multiple times on ROTJ and other Star Wars episodes/series since. Awesome looking character, nicely rendered with that fur skirt.
Finally, we have Weequay – possibly my favourite of Jabba’s goons in the film. He just looks cool – and mean, with that unique stance/hand position for holding his staff. Great facial detail, too.
There are a lot of memories regarding these wonderful toys, if you’ve read this far, thanks for staying with me. That’s enough info for now, I’ll be back soon with a Part 2 to examine the next wave of Return of the Jedi action figures. For now, enjoy these amazing toys, and May the Force be with you!
Please note: all figures are original 1980s Kenner versions. All accessories are original.
Welcome to the second part of my reminiscences of my old Star Wars figures. This time, we’ll complete the rest of the Empire Strikes Back waves that came out in the early 1980s. A little less words maybe, a few more photos.
Last time we looked at the first wave of Empire figures, plus an early arrival (Boba Fett) and a late comer (Yoda). Whereas the figure selection for the first movie was never exhaustive (we could’ve done with more, to be honest) – the remaining Empire waves would deliver a bundle of key characters as well as some background oddballs, to pad out your playing experience.
The first wave gave us a classic Leia, this time in Hoth Outift. Again, the figure shown here is my excellent condition version, which I bought myself at the end of the line’s run, to replace my sister’s slightly beat-up one.
Next was Han Solo (Bespin Outfit), hands down my favourite Han figure. This guy saw a lot of play. Great sculpt, holds his blaster well, just awesome. The only negatives are that his trousers are too light in colour, and they packed him with the wrong gun.
The Rebel Commander was a welcome addition – you can never have too many troops! Lots of detail, but the blaster he came with is pretty lame. The Medical droid, 21B, was also a very detailed figure. I loved the transparent torso. Sadly, I lost his medical tool/needle thing years ago, so I should replace that.
A couple of Bespin characters next: the Ugnaught, who is exactly the type of minor character I have to own! He comes with a soft goods apron, presumably to add more value a la cloaked Jawa. And lastly, Lobot – a really cool looking guy who I’d have liked to see get more screen time.
Finally, with this wave, we got an Imperial officer! Named Imperial Commander on the card, this late-to-the party figure would have to double up for every Imperial officer in all three films – including Tarkin (don’t get me started on that thorny issue) – despite the black, not olive outift. So better get as many as you can! I have two; there’s a slight difference you’ll see in the pics below: one has no hair (I assume this is a paint app production error, or some one scraped it off – not a genuine variation).
At this point, the biggest toy around – biggest in size literally, but also in impact and desirability – was the AT-AT. I couldn’t believe that a toy would be made of this huge vehicle. Of course Kenner did, and thus I needed at least one, preferably two AT-AT drivers.
Last from this wave, another cool bounty hunter: Dengar. The first mail away figure I ever sent off for (Palitoy waved it’s proof of purchase nonsense this time), he took months to arrive. As in, literally months. Palitoy were swamped with requests, but one magical day, after ages spent in anticipation, a clean white box with Dengar inside arrived in the post. What a wondrous day that was…
Let’s start the next wave with the droids: C-3PO with Removable Limbs and R2-D2 with sensorscope. I wasn’t really expecting these figures as a kid. C-3PO was kind of cool as he came with a bag you could put him in, on Chewbacca’s back – though Chewie could never stand unassisted with the extra weight. R2’s new feature was interesting, though this version could never take the place of the very first R2 figure, my first and most loved Star Wars figure of all.
Luke in Hoth Outfit was a much needed alternate look, ideal to place on your Tauntaun toy. However, he came packed with that weird gun instead of the obviously more preferable (and accurate) blue lightsaber. The black Bespin Guard was an instant troop builder and a nice early nod to diversity. Twin Pod Cloud Car pilot was definitely a cool design, but he’s less “blink and you’ll miss him” and more “was he even in the film”? This figure was a necessity so someone could pilot the vehicle, I guess. I’ve lost his communicator sadly, this extra accessory was actually a good feature.
To finish the Empire figures, the “bad guys” from this wave. AT-AT Commander (or General Veers, if you knew your SW trivia) was another handy addition to the mighty AT-AT toy. And at last, a TIE Fighter Pilot, so stormtroopers could be relieved of their flying duties. You’ll notice here that the TIE Pilot isn’t holding his gun, I just couldn’t get him to grasp it for longer than two seconds. Interesting side note: my TIE Pilot had a nice fruity smell when I first opened him, which remained for years. Must’ve been the paint – anyone else have the same experience? Unfortunately, that smell has long disappeared now.
The last two bounty hunters shown here were two of my favourite action figures in the line so far: 4-LOM and Zuckuss. Both were really detailed and despite limited screen time, they were amazingly cool. Awesome weapons too – two of the best guns in the entire line. This adherence to showcasing the myriad background characters is exactly what I loved about Star Wars figures: I could scene build and create whole little worlds. “Which is 4-LOM and which is Zuckuss?” you may ask. The answer’s on the card name lozenge, that’s all I’m saying.
There we have it: all of the action figures from The Empire Strikes Back. The line was particularly strong at this time, with improvements in the sculpts and some great character choices, not to mention a masterful piece of cinema inspiring it all. This really was a magical time in mine – and many others’ – childhoods.
I was surprised how many of these figures I could actually remember buying, and from which now long-gone small toy shops around the country I found them (there was no Toys’R’Us in those days). I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief nostalgia trip, maybe we’ll meet again soon for the next chapter…
Bonus photos:
Leia and Hoth troops
General Veers – prepare you men for ground assault!
1980: by the time the Star Wars sequel was due to appear in the cinema, I was excited and more than ready for it. We’d waited three years, endured numerous playground rumours (“Luke and Darth Vader will have a lightsaber fight!”), but we knew that it wasn’t going to be called “Star Wars 2“.
It was going to be called “The Empire Strikes Back“. I was seven years old and had no idea what that could mean.
I was the first kid in my class to get to see the movie (I’d been the last for the first film, despite being forced to utilise relentless pester power). Of course, Empire was amazing, though not as good as the first: there was no cantina scene or similar. I do remember my Dad whispering to me “Did you just hear what he said?!” after Vader’s revelation. Mind blown! But let’s concentrate on the toys…
Over the previous couple of years, Star Wars toys had to compete with other toy lines for my attention (Action Man, Dinky and Corgi cars, etc etc) – but by 1980, I was pretty much laser focussed on Star Wars figures as my main priority.
Which Empire figure did I pick up first? It may have been Lando, as I thought he was cool and he was a major new character who hadn’t been created in plastic before. My original Lando is pictured, though I replaced the vinyl cape with a repro version recently. Note he’s not the white eyes/teeth version, which I thought I had as a variation somewhere in my collection, but apparently not when I rummaged through for these photos. So that’s one I may track down in the future.
Or maybe Luke was first, in his Bespin Fatigues. This figure is one of my favourites, in an outfit that became his new standard Rebel uniform. This was probably thanks to the great run of Marvel Star Wars comics between Empire and Jedi, where Luke wore it all the time. As a result, this Luke Skywalker went on many missions, though I sadly lost his yellow lightsaber. One to replace.
My sister bought the original Leia figures. This was cool by me as I was bizarrely self conscious of buying a girl figure. Or maybe it was because I figured out that I could still use my sister’s figures, and use my own money to buy a different character (two for the price of one, ha!). My sister didn’t look after her figures as well as I did mine, so I replaced all of her well worn toys with my own when the line came to an end in 1985 and I could pick them up cheap. Here’s my excellent quality Leia in Bespin Gown.
I was never a big fan of the Han Solo (Hoth Outfit) figure, with his hood up he could be anyone. So I didn’t pick that figure up till much later. Cool holster feature though.
Also pictured are the Hoth Rebel Soldier and the first Bespin guard, complete with snazzy moustache.
Boba Fett? I was never a fan, really. Overrated character who did very little in Empire or Jedi. I just never got the cult of Fett. My lack of enthusiasm probably dates back to when he was offered as a mail away. Palitoy required proofs of purchase for several figures, which I obviously didn’t have – so I couldn’t send off for him. So maybe it’s just sour grapes. Eventually, I warmed to Fett, but if i ever hear one more person say how this figure is really rare, I’ll go space loco.
Fett wasn’t technically a part of this wave, he predated it – but here he is anyway for completeness sake. Also pictured are the Snowtrooper (complete with vinyl “skirt”) and two way cooler bounty hunters: IG-88 and Bossk. Both are nicely sculpted figures with loads of details, and cool accessories.
Yoda
Finally, one figure which I believe was held back from the rest of the first wave to avoid spoilers: Yoda. I picked this guy up as soon as I saw him. He’s tiny, but features some nice accessories to increase value for money. Unfortunately, his gimer stick is long gone and will need to be replaced.
I think that’s enough on this wave (of sorts) for now: this will have to be a two-parter. We’ll reconvene with the rest of the figures from The Empire Strikes Back soon.
Bonus photos:
Luke carrying Yoda in the backpack from the Survival Kit mail away.
Is this a variation? Hoth Rebel Soldiers with different chest insignia.
Original vs replacement Leia Organa (Bespin Gown), showing turtle neck variation.
That title seems like a bit of misnomer, doesn’t it? “The Best of 2021“. Following the unprecedented nonsense of 2020, last year we were all anticipating returning to normal, or as close as possible. Small victories were made during that time, but here we are again: a pandemic that seems to loom ever worse; the threat of lockdown and restrictions still a possibility; working from home if you can; vaccination after vaccination; and the same bumbling charlatans in charge of it all.
Hopefully it will all get better. It can’t get much worse (at least in terms of the virus, the post apocalyptic hell of Brexit is still to be reckoned with).
During 2021, Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub still aimed to entertain and inform. Sometimes we made it, sometimes we ballsed it up. But much of the blog content shone through regardless.
In the spirit of sharing success – and smiling in the face of adversity – here are the blog posts from 2021 that were most successful, in terms of views.
Published back in January 2021, this interview with alt rock band Ryuko at last years Pentre Fest originally appeared on Ever Metal, before it graced the Virtual Hot Tub.
Photos and memories of my vintage Star Wars Millennium Falcon toy, I think this blog is a justified winner! A fantastic toy and something I’m very proud of.
With a lack of events again in 2021, it’s no surprise that other blog subjects rose to prominence. Maybe the escapism of movie and toy reviews appealed to our audience this troublesome year.
We don’t know what will happen in 2022. Fingers crossed, the future looks brighter. But rest assured, Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub will be here for you. If you need a friend, or just some heavy metal reviews and photos of old toys, we’re never far away.
“You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon? It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.”
Was it Christmas 1980 or 1981? Whichever it was, it was the best Christmas present ever. After months and months of making a pretend Millennium Falcon out of cardboard tissue boxes, I was suddenly the owner of an actual Falcon. Han Solo’s super fast, hunk of junk smuggler’s freighter was mine, to recreate all the fun of the films.
The Millennium Falcon was the coolest space ship ever. The ship was a central part of the action in Star Wars, almost a character in itself – unreliable, temperamental, heroic. It was the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy and full of surprises – as was the toy.
We already had an X-Wing for Luke, a TIE fighter and landspeeder to play out our memories of the movie scenes (remember: no VCR in those days, kids!). But the Falcon seemed unattainable – surely Kenner/Palitoy wouldn’t be able to make a ship that big, to fit the figures inside?
And then they did. And I got one for Christmas: it was straight out the box, built up and stickers put on by my Dad, and I was ready to go. I still remember that morning now, after weeks of anticipation, hoping that I’d be lucky enough to be rewarded with this toy on the big day.
Kenner (or Palitoy, the UK manufacturer, in my case) delivered a toy that had all the magic of the film. Yes, you could put figures inside it: Han and Chewie could fit in the cockpit. There was a laser gun turret to shoot enemy fighters. A holo chess table to play (“It’s not wise to upset a Wookiee.”). A remote for lightsaber practice and a hidden smuggling compartment to hide from the Empire. It made a buzzing laser gun sound and had retractable landing gear.
The ship looked fantastic on the outside, lots of random detail just like the model in the film. This Millennium Falcon was a toy, but it appeared so accurate it might have been an actual prop from Industrial Light and Magic. That’s how I felt about it, anyway.
Photos here are of my original Millennium Falcon, still with all parts and in the box, which I gratefully received that Christmas morning. After years of play, it’s still all there: a little beat up, a little dirty – just like the “real” thing. As a kid, I liked to make it look more authentic with a good layer of dust and some discolouration: not sure that was a good idea, now.
But what a toy! Literally hours and hours of play value, recreating scenes or imagining my own sequels. An absolute joy.
It was great fun digging out this old piece of junk. I had a blast taking the photos, hope you enjoy them. And remember: “She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts, kid.”
I can’t remember when I was first aware of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but as a big comic book reader in the 1980s it was kind of inevitable that we’d cross paths. Cleverly playing with some popular comic tropes, Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird created a pop culture phenomenon almost by accident.
I do remember the Ninja Turtles and their creators getting a shout out in the “thank you” list of the “Among the Living” album by thrash metal kings Anthrax. The book seemed quirky and original, it’s popularity boosted with a reputation for genuinely great writing and art.
Leonardo
Raphael
Next came the cartoon, a couple of years later. This was the turtles tidied up for a younger audience and it became a massive hit. I was about 17 at the time (!), but enjoyed watching the cartoon occasionally as a bit of tongue in cheek fun. I was being ironic, honest.
The toys that were made at the time were very cool; for the era they seemed very well designed and super detailed. I was far too old for the action figures, but secretly coveted them from afar.
Eventually I picked up the figure of my favourite turtle, Michaelangelo. He must have been on sale somewhere post turtles craze,’cos this would’ve been in my student days and thus, extremely poor. He was a perfect ironic, “look how wacky I am” student possession.
Sadly, Mikey disappeared – I know not where – and once again, I was completely turtle-less.
Donatello
Michaelangelo
Until a couple of years ago, when taking my daughter on one of her last trips to Toys R Us, before it closed for good. They had on sale re-issued turtles, exactly like the old versions I loved, and they were cheap (ish).
I replaced Michaelangelo there and then, and over the next few days was so eager to complete a collection of all four turtles that I returned to buy others. With a little bit of toy spotting help from my old pal Adam, I was soon in business with a full team of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
At the moment, I only have the full group of Leonardo, Donatello, Michaelangelo and Raphael. It would be great to have Splinter, Shredder and more one day, but I doubt they’ll turn up cheap.
The four turtles are great figures, nicely stylised and featuring great detail. And awesome weapons.
All four are still Mint in Box. How long can I resist the urge to release the guys from their blister pack prisons? Surely one night I’ll have had a little bit too much to drink, and decide to tear that plastic from the backing card…
What do you think readers? Should the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stay in their boxes, or should I open them up?
Carboot sales can be hit and miss, to say the least. Not that I go very often – I’m certainly no bootsale buccaneer, sailing the seas of junk. Every now and again, I pay a visit and keep my fingers crossed for a bargain.
So I was stoked to find something amazing on a recent excursion – something I’ve wanted for nearly forty years.
If you’ve read my previous post about my Smurf figurine collection, you will know that I’ve always wanted a Smurf house as well. I’ve always had a dream of having a tiny Smurf village full of the little blue fellas.
And what do you know? I found this house at a carboot sale recently, complete with seven figures, for a tenner. I didn’t even haggle (not my strongest skill, anyway) – I just parted with the cash and embraced a lifelong ambition – to own a Smurf house.
Now bearing in mind that these houses are currently going for over £30 on Amazon, I think I got a good deal. I could’ve been charged 50p for each Smurf (at least), never mind the house. So I think this is a real bargain.
After all these years, I am finally the proud owner of my very own Smurf house, and I am very happy indeed. This is, without doubt, the greatest carboot sale find ever.
Platinum Al's Virtual Hot Tub 