The Empire hadn’t yet struck back

The Empire hadn’t yet struck back


1979 made for some pretty wild Star Wars toys with the sequel still months away, Kenner started deviating from the first film. I must have been getting into The Black Hole at the time because I missed out on toys like the Imperial Troop Transport. The Remote Controlled Sand Crawler was the feature attraction at a birthday party I got invited to that year, every other guest gave the kid a jawa.

Thrown in at the bottom of this page was mystery man Boba Fett, I got this doll for Christmas that year despite not knowing who he really was.

About The Author

Mantooth
AKA Brian Heiler author of "Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings" and co-editor of "Toy-Ventures Magazine". Co-Host of the "Pod Stallions" podcast. Host of the Brick Mantooth Youtube channel, painter, designer, writer, mental health advocate, toy collector, Mego, and Mego Knock-Off enthusiast. I have large feet, ADHD and I live in Canada. Talk toys, not others.

6 Comments

  • chunky B on August 22, 2007

    I loved that Death Star Playset, great memories of that. Vintage Star Wars Ads are the best…

  • chunky B on August 22, 2007

    Oh I had Maximillion and Vincent 3 3/4 as well, wern’t those great figures.

    I seem to remember a model of Vincent that had extra parts to make him Bob…

  • Swinebread on August 22, 2007

    I saw ’em, but my Parents would’t buy ’em.

  • rob! on August 23, 2007

    man, did i LOVE that 12″ Boba Fett…

  • John III on February 12, 2008

    I had the Droid factory. Loved the crane! You could build an R2-D2 as well.

  • John on April 24, 2008

    Aww the memories.

    For some reason I still had the escape pod long after I lost the rest of the Jawa sand crawler.

    My dad picked up the droid factory on a business trip. You could build a three-legged R2-D2, which at the time was not available as a regular action figure.

    I think the coolest thing about the Millenium Falcon was the little disco ball light-saber training thingy. The coolest thing about the Death Star was the foam “trash” that hid the neat little monster.

    I’m digging the Star Wars Mystery Machine.

    Oh, and I remember the limbo between SW movies rather well. You could mail-order the next movie’s “sneak peek” figure with some POP seals. I received Bossk and Boba Fett this way.

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