I’ve been enjoying the nostalgia afforded by Hasbro dipping into the vintage, well, new molds of the vintage line for their Retro Collection series.
Four decades have lapsed between the original 1980 The Empire Strikes Back vintage figures and their modern Retro Collection Wave 2 counter parts. The modern incumbents range might be small and harder to source, but the opportunity to shelf-take these and relive the childhood experience is hard to resist.
Thankfully I completed my vintage collection many Death Stars, I mean moons ago. I don’t have the room to display these nor the location to avoid the toying reach of the sun. The small range of the Retro Collection compliments a modest display, one which doesn’t fill my chills of sun bleaching or yellowing. These newer figures will happily play stunt doubles for the vintage stars.
As a firm loose figure collector, I want to experience the tactility of my collection, however in the case of the Retro Collection Wave 2 I have allowed myself to fall into the well-worn trope ‘one to play, one to display’. Well, honestly speaking, both display, one loose and one carded. My days of play are well behind me…or are they?
Quite content with my display arrangement until I watched a recent production from Tony Roberts of Analog Toys when he broke from his vintage tradition and dived into the realms of The Empire Strikes Back Black Series 6 inch figures. Now I’m predominantly a 3¾ or 1:18 if you prefer, collector. That’s from where my memories hail and I have aimed to keep within those lines across all my vintage and modern collections, not always successfully however.
I’m sometimes envious of 6 inch scale exclusive Star Wars figures and wish Hasbro would remember to cater for the full range in their traditional 3¾ scale, that’s always served the franchise well, even in the lean years but perhaps a tale for another day.
Getting back to the Analog Toys episode mentioned. Tony unveiled his new Dagobah Training Luke Skywalker with his Jedi Master Yoda and blue backpack accessory. When put together, these figures looked great on display and conjured my reminiscence of a more civilised time, childhood, or from a certain point of view, my parents think differently.
Joking aside, childhood lives long in the memories. Scouting shops for particular figures, asking the shop owner for a figure from the shop window display, helping me cut out, collate and post proofs of purchase for ‘Collect them all’ mail away promotions, parents were kinda useful for these experiences.
I imagine we can all recall memories of journeys or lifetime events culminating in the acquisition of a particular vintage figure. I digress, but that’s the power of reminiscence for you, not quite as catchy as Huey Lewis & The News Back to the Future hit.
Although I don’t have time travelling DeLorean on my drive, so let’s not forget the past, but get back to the present. The Analog Toys feature sparked an idea. While I had already acquired the Retro Collection Luke Skywalker and Yoda carded and loose, I remembered that I used to own a 1980’s version of the Dagobah blue backpack. I think the backpack was perhaps part of a mail away offer but alas, had long since been lost to my collection.
Monitoring eBay for a period of time I finally managed to source a replacement vintage original in great condition and for a fair price.
This was followed by a few visits to the local supermarket, and while many trips were miss than hit until an opportunistic wander down the toy section was rewarded with both Luke Skywalker and Yoda.
Later, back at home, the figures were carefully de-carded using a modelling scalpel to cut along the base of the bubble and the card stored safely away.
Next task was to gently fit the 40 year old backpack onto Luke, taking care not to stress either strap or socket. Yoda was fitted into the backpack, with some adjustments to keep his cape in position, and perhaps a little over dressed with his snake. Yoda’s cane and Luke’s lightsaber were fitted before positioning on a wide display stand.
I prefer the smaller diameter stands, however in this case, with the added weight to Luke’s back, I placed Luke’s foot onto one peg, with a little white-tac in the peg-hole and a touch on the flat of his other foot. The stand was then swivelled behind him so he was at the front rather than centre. Positioning him this way provided more support to the rear of the figure and counterbalanced the weight on the figures back.
Whilst this Retro Collection Luke Skywalker does not boast the more movie accurate Dagobah training gear of the 6 inch figure, the 3¾ inch vintage figure only sported him in his Bespin Fatigues. As Kenner producing the vintage backpack as a training accessory for additional play value, this posed no problem for the powerful imagination of an 80’s to 2021’s child at play.
An enjoyable return to some cherished memories resulting in a perfect marriage of something old, new and blue.
Order the Star Wars The Mandalorian The Retro Collection Action Figures from Entertainment Earth