Today we return to our new series focusing on the stories behind some of our most loved toys and collectables. I recently chatted with my dear pal James, about his history and passion behind all things Star Wars related. James and I have been friends for over ten years, but have known of each other for twenty. We first met in the Midnight Madness queue at Toys R Us for the release of merch for Episode III, then met again ten years later in the same queue for Force Friday in 2015. James recently picked me up a near complete set of the new Star Wars Coke bottles and cans whilst on his travels and didn’t ask a penny off me. What a pal! Let’s dive in….
FIRST TOY/COLLECTABLE
First toy was the Palitoy R2-D2. I had received a load of magazines about Star Wars before this, such as the poster magazines, and had even got the two part, treasury sized, Marvel adaptation for Christmas 1977. But 1978 saw the release of the toys. The film was still on staggered release across the UK, so it wasn’t until February/March before I go to see the film, and I remember the figures coming out at roughly the same time. 99p, unthinkable now.
My mum would often come back from the shop and I would ask if she had bought me one, but she would say she couldn’t find one. Eventually, she arrived with an R2-D2, the smallest figure in the collection, but the figure I wanted the most. I loved that little droid from the moment I saw him. My dad was not impressed. He couldn’t understand why I would want something so small that cost so much (!). But I was over the moon. I still have two of this little figure, and I still love R2 as much as I did then.
LATEST PICK-UP
Boba Fett’s Throne Room. Bought for Christmas. When I first saw Jabba’s Palace, I wasn’t impressed – it was small, and I didn’t think you could do much with it, but the Throne Room was a large display piece that could serve as a backdrop to loads of figures and made that first piece have a purpose.
I’ve bought a lot of these playsets since the Blockade Runner corridor, and they really bring displaying figures to the next level.
For the Throne Room, I had placed a message on Echo asking if anyone was selling one. That afternoon I was tagged into a sales post for the one that I bought – the power of Echo!
FAVOURITE PIECE RIGHT NOW
At the risk of repetition – the Throne Room.
I was an on cardback collector, but the Cantina really made me rethink this – that demanded figures. In the interim year between backing and release, I spent a lot of time thinking about which figures I could include. But that is so large that I can only display a portion of it.
But the Throne Room is perfect size for my shelves. But I needed to buy a new shelf, and while I was waiting for that to arrive, I again spent time collating which figures I had that could be displayed, and getting them ready. This had two results. The first was realise just how many figures had been released over the years that will never get another release. Figures such as Hermie Odle, Ephant Mon and Yarna D’al’ Gargan. That range of figure selection will never be seen again. The second was that I fell in love with these figures all over again. The quality of figures in the 30th Anniversary and Legends series was outstanding, and I really enjoyed moving from an on cardback to full display collector. Hasbro have done a phenomenal job with these displays, and I really enjoy displaying the figures in them.
FIRST THING YOU NEEDED A COMPLETE SET OF
I’m an old un, and the first thing I needed a complete set of was the original 12 figures. Kenner/Palitoy made a genius move. 99p for a figure was such a bold move – a kid could buy them all (despite what my dad thought). Some where more easy to find than others, but I did get them all – they remain an important part of my collection.
CURRENT GRAIL PIECE
The Sail Barge. When the UK got 500 of these released, I managed to get one in a basket, but I knew I couldn’t afford it at the time. I had to shut my laptop and walk away for half an hour to make sure I didn’t buy it. I don’t regret doing that, it was a different time and £500 was unthinkable back then.
It remains completely out of my range, but I have managed to see one for real at ‘May the Toys be with You’. It really is as impressive as you think it is!
FAVOURITE TOY AS A CHILD
The Jawa.
I have no idea why, but I really like Jawas – that overtook R2 as my favourite character from the films. I have a lot, and I mean a lot! I still have that original one, with his gun, but with a cloth cape, not the vinyl cape. It still looks amazing, and has pride of place in my droid parade display, in front of his Sandcrawler.
BIGGEST REGRET RIGHT NOW
Although I say above that I don’t regret backing the Barge? Yeah, not backing the Barge.
When the Razor Crest was released it was during Covid and everyone was spending their stimulus money on collectables. Comics and collectables went through the roof. I found I had a really good copy of Clone Wars issue 1 that I managed to sell for a stupid amount of money. I used that money to buy the Crest. Two years earlier, had that comic be worth that much then, I would have done the same to buy a Barge, but it wasn’t worth anywhere near that value in 2018.
WHAT PARTICULAR ITEM HOLDS A SPECIAL CONNECTION
My scratch-built Jabba the Hutt. My brother-in-law made this for me out of Femo (like plasticine, but you fire it and it sets hard). It’s incredible and sits in my Throne Room display. He made it on a stand and I took this to a convention back in the 90s. I had the base signed by guests at the convention. Many of the people who signed that base, such as Dave Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, are no longer with us, but I have a memory of them on the base of my scratch-built Jabba.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Probably something from IB3D, possibly the Millennium Falcon hold. I have a few pieces from him already and they are really nice – he paints his prints really well, and he’s a thoroughly nice guy to boot.
That being said, I’m in the process of getting lights, so that will be the next thing I concentrate on – lighting my Cantina and Throne Room displays – I really want to see the effect of that grill on the figures.
