30 Years ago, they struck back...

Hard to believe it was thirty years ago today that Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back was released. Was it really that long ago?



I remember being excited to see the continuing saga of our heros as they fought the evil empire. My young mind could not imagine the evil the empire was going to unfold upon Luke, Leia, Han, Chewy and our favorite Droids. With a title like the Empire Strikes Back, you know Darth was going to do some damage.

I also remember talking my mother into going that first day. We arrived for a mid morning showing at the Galaxy Theater, sadly the Galaxy is now another cinema, and Empire had already had a couple showings under it's belt that morning. The line was from the ticket office, across the front of the building and around the side for the showing we were to attend. We were practically at the back of the building. I have only been to the back of the theater when we had the chance as kids to exit through the screen side exits and run around to met our parents in the parking lot, so this was a big deal to me at the time. I do not think that to this day I have ever stood in a longer line for a movie, Batman in 1989 was pretty close and I remember the mob in the lobby for the Special Edition of Star Wars ( by the way both viewed at the Galaxy Theater), but never in a line that wrapped around the building.

When the line started to move it seemed that the buzz about the movie grew, people around us were speculating on what was about to happen. For the record, no one was even close. We had no idea about Hoth, Dagobah or Cloud City. I was busy trying to update my mother on where we last left off, it seems that she could not remember Star Wars as well as I could. She was a novice at only one showing. It is also told to me by my dad that he took me to my first showing of Star Wars so it was my mother's turn for Empire. We must have stood in line for close to three hours and I can say it was worth every minute. My mind was blown, and the ending, my mother could not get over how Han was just frozen and not saved and our heros were so uncertain of their future. Oh, and the spoiler, which by now if you haven't seen Empire Strikes Back, you deserve to have someone spoil it for you... Darth Vader is Luke's freaking father. Holy crap! I did not see that coming.

Thirty years ago today we learned that the galaxy far, far away was far form a nice place to live... it was an even more awesome place to live! In honor of this milestone I will be celebrating with a little "Empire Cooks Out" and a viewing of the sequel to set the bar for all sequels, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Oh, and an update from an earlier post, I will be enjoying some Star Wars Cookies thanks to my wife!

MTFBWY

Cantina Time

I have really been thinking about Vintage Star Wars lately and going through my vintage toys as well. There is something about these first figures from the Star Wars Saga that really are special. It doesn't help with posts like the Empire Strikes Back Catalog at Yesterville Toy Room or this awesome collection of R2 Units and Original 12 at Doc Atomic's Attic of Astounding Artifacts. To date these two post are among my favorites of any blog on the whole world wide web. I do not know how many times I have revisited and re-read each.

Well, with that I thought I would wrap up my Cantina Buddies with my friend Snaggletooth here. I remember when these guts came out and was ecstatic to learn their names. Of course these are the names we knew them as, Hammerhead, Walrus Man, Snaggletooth and Greedo. I always felt as a kid that they didn't try with Greedo's name. I realize he is mentioned by name in the movie and the others are not. Plus in fact they really didn't try with the others, I just though he needed a different name back then to match his Cantina counterparts. Weird huh?

He may not be blue, but I dig em!

Another thing while I'm on the subject. Vintage weapons were awesome. Plain, simple awesome. Sure I like the ultra detailed stuff we have today, but back then you lost a blaster you could steal one from a Stormtrooper and whoa la! New blaster goodness! I still do this today, Snaggletooth's Blaster was swiped from my Death Squad Commander (you can tell I'm an old schooler, cause I still call him a Death Squad Commander), which was probably swiped from a trooper long ago. You know I need to find an inexpensive source for vintage weapons so I can arm all my old buddies.



So, I just want to thank the master of the toy room from Yesterville and Ol' Doc from that Attic of Awesome for keeping that Vintage Vibe alive and Snaggletooh would like to raise a blaster in your honor!

May the Force Be With You

Sweet Mother of the Jedi!

Okay these have probably been around the web a few times by now, but I am so getting a set of these...



and a set of these...



if there is a Williams-Sonoma in this town (and I do believe there is) I might be dining on Yoda Hotcakes and Stormtrooper Cookies this freaking weekend! Pass the blue milk!

images from Williams-Sonoma website.

Marvelous Mondays! Finally a Mego Hulk Edition!!!

"Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrgh Hulk loves his puprle pants!"

I can finally say that after years, since at least 1996, my search for a Mego Hulk has come to an end. Hulk has never really been a strong character for me, sort of love hate, but I have always wanted a Mego Hulk.

He is, to me, the quintessential Hulk. I think it was over the years of reading Toy Fare and their Twisted Mego Theater and later Twisted Toy Theater that I built this Hulk up in my mind as being the coolest Hulk ever. He still is. Check him out!

Hulk looks across the kitchen and spies the pantry.

"Hulk say, quick queue the sad, walking away music!"

"Oh, too sad... that Blind Side movie choke Hulk up..."

"Hey, Hulk have Marvel Buddies at new house. Hulk thinks he might like it here!"

I think I might be done for now with my Marvel Mego Team, of course a sweet Captain America and Falcon would always be welcome, who knows...

Hope you enjoyed this Marvelous Monday as much as I have, now Hulk and I are of to raid the pantry. "HULK NEED COOKIES!"

Excelsior!

Happy Zartan Zaturday Everyone!

That's right! Zartan Zaturday! I was informed earlier in the week that the third Saturday (or Zaturday) in May was Zartan's. Also I was to honor said baddy of GI Joe:Real American Hero fame with a post featuring some Zartan love or hate, I guess, but who has time for hate when it comes to toys and Zartan...

I will admit, Zartan was one of those figures that eluded me back in 1984, but from what I have seen the one with the swamp skimmer and the color change was awesome and the one to have. When the 25th Anniversary line was released I had planned on filling in that hole in my collection with the newer Zartan, but again was foiled. He's slippery than a greased pig I tells ya! He's been released three times in the Anniversary line alone, once with the color change feature, once with a miniature of his swamp skimmer and the one I finally laid my hands on from the Cobra Box Set .

Enough about my Zartan woes, here's some Zartan to enjoy on Zartan Zaturday!

Here's the goods: A stand, two masks (such the master of disguise), a knife and a laser pistol! Oh and he is sporting a transparent pink vest, styling!

He can be a friend, Stormshadow...

...or Foe, Duke "Go Joes, or something like that!"

His backpack opens for convenient mask storage!

I was really bummed that this version didn't come with the mask with the the stache, you know he could get into all sorts of trouble with that look and the pink vest! Maybe next year my Zartan collection will expand? Who knows... maybe.

I hope everyone enjoys their Zartan Zaturday and keeps the master of disguise, the sun fearing prankster of fun, and leader of the dreadknocks in mind this fine Zaturday. To keep the Zartan train a rollin' here's a list of blog that are participating in this year's Zartan Zarurday...

A year of Toys
Adventure in Nerdliness
Battlegrip
Branded in the 80's
Dan's Toy Museum
Geek Orthodox
Toyriffic

edit: I forgot one!
Revenge From The Cosmic Ark

and duh, me, chunky B of Eclectorama

Oh, almost forgot Mini Zartan! Go get em Mini Zartan! "Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

I wonder how many we'll have next year for Zartan Zaturday? I guess Zay Zuned Zo Zind Zout!

A special thanks goes out to Bubbashelby of Toyriffic and Reis at Geek Orthodox for including me in on the fun. It's been awhile since I posted about a Joe or Cobra, so for old times sake...

G.I. JOE: 17
COBRA: 15

Yo Joe! Hail Cobra! Zaaaaaaaartaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

Hey Everyone!

It's my old friend Hammerhead and he has been surfing the web to find good ole Star Wars fun! What have you found for us Hammer head?

"Well, I'm glad you asked. I found a little website called igrewupstarwars.com and they are having a contest right now where the prize is a vintage Hammerhead still in the package! They even have a cool video promoting it, all vintage style!"

Wow! that is cool Hammerhead!

"Yep Chunky, all you have to do to enter is send in a photo of you back in the day enjoying some Star Wars stuff!"

Okay, I know nothing of this site, other than it has vintage pictures and this cool contest, I read about it on the Mego Museum boards, just last night and knew that all my buddies in the virtual toy land would want to know about it and enter. So go, enter now and May the Force Be With You!

Happy Star Wars Day Everyone!

Go out and do something Star Wars!



Me? I'm listening to the Motion Picture score while I work and I may let the Wookiee win!

Marvelous Mondays! THE BEST FREAKING THOR THERE IS!

I may still be a little overly excited about finding this figure. This is Thor as he appears in the story where he returns from Ragnarök. I have seen this figure on other sites and blogs, but have failed to find him in the wild. Then lo and behold as I wandered down the "small doll aisle" (that's what it's labeled at the store, my wife gets a kick out that everytime) of the Magic Grocery Store I spied some new Marvel Universe Figures and Forsooth! Thor, the Mighty God of Thunder did appear!

I owe you way better pictures, a little of a hurry this morning, sorry : )

Okay, blah blah blah that's how I found him, what's more important is how cool this figure is. When I returned to the house and freed Thor from his plastic prison I was amazed at the overall feel and look of this figure, this may very well be one of the best Marvel Universe figures, no wait, the best action figures ever! I don't say this lightly, there are very few figures that I think are just plain awesome and could even be considered for this lofty position. I mean, I have to open up a figure and just be blown away. Some of my past favorites that hold this position in my collection are Space Ghost, VOTC Stormtrooper and BTAS Combat Belt Batman. He for sure is better than this one!

I say if you are a Thor fan and you see this guy, pick him up! He is awesome!

Excelsior