Star Wars Vintage Action Figures
star wars vintage action figures
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Vintage 2-1B Droid Complete Star Wars Action Figure $15.99 |
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Vintage Admiral Ackbar Complete Star Wars Action Figure $15.99 |
Star Wars: The Franchise That May Never Disappear by Andrew Wills
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there was the little sci-fi movie that could Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. At the time, though, it was just known as Star Wars, and it created a franchise unlike anything seen before.
In 2005, Forbes magazine estimated that the Star Wars franchise, from the time it began in the late seventies, had generated more than twenty billion dollars in revenue, and with six big screen success stories, at least three spin-off films, five licensed television shows, and thousands of books, comic books, and toys, it’s no surprise. What might be a surprise, though, is that by the time Star Wars creator George Lucas finished the first film, he was over-budget, out of time, and convinced the film would be a flop. Early screenings of the film did little to improve Lucas’ ideas that the film would be any kind of success, but when it was finally released in the summer of 1977, the film earned nearly seven million dollars in its first weekend. It is considered to be the second highest profitable film of all time.
More than Great Films
Ask any Star Wars fan, though, and they’ll tell you it’s not just about the movies, it’s also about the associated merchandise. The initial film was predicted to be a flop, so no merchandise was created to debut with the film’s release. The toy company, Kenner, though had purchased the license to sell associate products By Christmas of 1977, demand was so high, Kenner created an “Early Bird Special” kit. The kit held a certificate fans could send in for four 3 inch figures as soon as they became available. On Christmas morning, thousands of kids got empty cardboard envelopes that held only a display stand, a Star Wars club card, a few stickers, and a certificate they could put their name and address on, mail in, and wait for several months for the first Star Wars toys ever produced to arrive. Months later, lots of kids did get Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, and Chewbacca in the mail, and years later, these four figures are considered to be some of the most valuable action figures on the collectors’ market today.
Explosive Industry Growth
As you can probably imagine, the Star Wars toy and merchandise franchise has grown considerably since the Christmas of 1977. Once Kenner geared up the production machine, it slowed for no one. From additional action figures to vehicles, playsets, and lightsabers, the vintage Star Wars toy market had everything. As Episodes V and VI were released, more toys hit the market. T-shirts, bed sheets, toothbrushes, combs, and watches were all part of the marketing campaign as well.
After the release of Return of the Jedi, though, the Star Wars marketing machine slowed considerably. People seemed to thing the Star Wars market was nearing the end. However, in the late 1990s, a new line of Star Wars action figures was released. Dubbed “The Power of the Force” line, these green carded figures created a whole new generation of collectors, and with the release of the special edition of the original trilogy, and the subsequent release of Star Wars Episode I, the marketing machine kicked back into high gear. From bubble bath to sandals, the Star Wars name can be found on almost anything these days, and with talk of additional television series, DVDs, and even other films, it’s hard to tell when the franchise will ever slow down.
The author, Andrew Wills, is a professional working in Canada and is the Admin of the website content page content-web-site.com Article Directory. This article can also be found at SplitSecondBooks.com, where you will find books on many exciting topics of interest. For more information please go to splitsecondbooks.com today.
Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Star-Wars–The-Franchise-That-May-Never-Disappear/165471
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Vintage 2-1B Droid Complete Star Wars Action Figure $15.99 |
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Vintage Admiral Ackbar Complete Star Wars Action Figure $15.99 |
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Vintage Dengar Complete Star Wars Action Figure $11.00 |
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Vintage Emperor Palpatine Complete Star Wars Figure $15.99 |
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Vintage FX-7 Droid Complete Star Wars Action Figure $12.00 |
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Vintage General Madine Complete Star Wars Action Figure $14.99 |
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Vintage Star Wars Bendems (Lot of5)verry rare $0.99 |
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Vintage Princess Leia Complete Star Wars Action Figure $24.99 |
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Vintage Snowtrooper w/weapon Star Wars Action Figure $25.99 |
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RARE, CARDED 32-BACK ESB Darth Vader! 1980 Vintage Star Wars $139.99 |
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3 Star Wars EWOK LOT: Vintage Collection WICKET & LOGRAY and SAGA CHIEF CHIRPA ! $29.99 |
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STAR WARS VINTAGE COLLECTION (LOT OF 4 FIGURES) PADME Leia slave outfit BOBA R2 $42.00 |
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new 2011 VINTAGE hasbro STAR WARS aotc JANGO FETT bouty hunter VC34 LOOSE $10.99 |
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OPENED new 2010 VINTAGE hasbro STAR WARS esb BOBA FETT VC09 LOOSE free ship $10.99 |
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Star Wars 2011 Vintage Collection VC75 – QUI-GON JINN – Phantom Menace $13.99 |
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Star Wars 2011 Vintage Collection VC76 – OBI-WAN KENOBI – Phantom Menace $13.99 |
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Star Wars 2011 Vintage Collection VC77 – RATTS TYERELL & PIT DROID – Phantom Men $13.99 |
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Star Wars 2011 Vintage Collection VC80 – ANAKIN SKYWALKER – Phantom Menace $13.99 |
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Kenner Star Wars Vintage Zuckuss 4-LOM Action Figure Loose $10.00 |
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Star Wars 2011 Vintage Collection VC81 -BEN QUADINAROS & OTOGA-222 -Phantom Mena $13.99 |
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Star Wars Boba Fett Helmet Tin Lunch Box Carry All $9.94 Star Wars Boba Fett Tin Lunch Box Carry All… |
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Star Wars Boba Fett Ceramic Candy Jar Official quality ceramic candy / cookie jar by Galerie. Hassle free packaging, just open your shipping box and jar is ready. Manufacturer did NOT make display boxes for these, designed to be displayed on store shelves for sale like ornaments…. |
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Star Wars Stormtrooper Ceramic Candy Jar Official quality Stormtrooper candy/cookie jar. Hassle free packing, just open shipping box and its ready. Manufacturer did NOT make display boxes for these, intended to be displayed on the shelf in stores like ornaments…. |
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Star Wars 2.5′ New Millennium Falcon $169.99 Best known as the fastest ship in the STAR WARS galaxy, piloted by Han Solo and Chewbacca, this detailed replica of the Rebel spacecraft packs powerful secrets and special modifications–inside and out. Measuring more than two-and-a-half feet long, the MILLENNIUM FALCON’s uniquely circular style is ready to “blast off” with light-up headlights and loads of electronic vehicle and weapon sounds, inc… |
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Star Wars 3.75 Vintage Figure Vader $9.59 Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you!Collect a pi… |
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Star Wars 3.75 Vintage Figure Jango Fett $7.44 Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you!… |
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The Star Wars Action Figure Archive $24.99 Look no further for the ultimate Star Wars toy guide. Consummate collector Stephen J. Sansweet’s Action Figure Archive is a completist’s bible, with full-color photos and rich details about all the Hasbro/Kenner toys released from 1978 through 1997. Even if you can’t afford (or find) all the action figures, vehicles, and playsets themselves, this book is a joy to browse, with big, well-laid-… |
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Star Wars Super Collector’s Wish Book, Second Edition $29.95 This second edition of the largest Star Wars collectibles reference book ever produced lists over 30,000 items! Individual values are provided for every piece, making appraisals of any size fun and easy. 14,000 color photographs appeal to collectors, dealers, and fans of the Saga. New in this edition is expanded international coverage for vintage collectors, combined with thousands more listing… |
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Star Wars – From Concept to Screen to Collectible $29.95 Nowadays nearly everything linked with the original Star Wars trilogy is valuable, from bottle caps to shoelaces to posters. This beautiful volume, published by Chronicle Books, follows the design and development of these items–and the development of George Lucas from filmmaker into “merchandiser par excellence.” Even casual fans will be delighted by dozens of photos of toys they wanted, toy… |