We Wished!!!
Friday, February 03, 2006
Some of the most ingrained images from my childhood
Ah, the images of childhood. Yep, that’s right, Star Wars blister card backs. What, this doesn’t make your heart skip a beat? You obviously don’t belong here. To a boy of the 1970s, there was nothing more exhilarating than finding out that the Star Wars card back had changed to display new figures and vehicles. When the familiar 12-figure card back changed to reveal the second wave of Star Wars figures, girlish screams of joy could be heard throughout the land. Below is just a sampling of the many different Star Wars card backs offered between 1978 and the mid 80s. I did not include some of the more redundant cards, but this pictorial pretty much captures the excitement of Star Wars figure collecting. I think this was the only series of figures which included comprehensive pictures of every figure in the collection on the back of the cards; an invaluable pre-internet collectors resource.
We Wished!!!
We Wished!!!
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11 comments:
To this day I laugh when I see those Ewoks blacked out on the back of the early Jedi cards. I mean, if you're going to build anticipation by doing that, don't make the reveal totally lame. I remember thinking, "What coolness could possibly be hidden under those black marks? (hyperventilation/salivation)...Oh, teddy bears (dejection)".
Dude, this is a fantastic post. What a hoot to have all these at a click. I actually do have a big stack of old blister cards still, but mine start somewhere after the first few waves of ESB figs.
I would love to see a production photo from one of the shoots they did when they were up past 60 figures. See them all standing on a terraced yellow display.
I was thinking about finding a pic of a blister card back for the "old better than new" post. I didn't look too hard, but I didn't even find one. Seriously, nice work. This blew me away.
Ha! Look at the Dewback! The first card where he shows up -- it's a total prototype! The head, the body, the way the Stormtroopers legs are faked in the saddle, they're ALL different.
I'm glad they changed it.
Oh, and I'm totally with you on the black blobs thing. When I saw what you'd posted, that was the first specific card I looked for. "Did he get the black blobs?"
I recall seeing the two Ewoks, Weequay and maybe some others at KB one time when I only had cash for one. I went for 4-LOM because I'd missed the sendaway and was afraid I wouldn't see him again. Then the new figs didn't materialize for weeks after that and you gave me grief, which I admit I kinda deserved. The funny thing is, the one I almost bought was Chief Chirpa, just because he was such a big honking secret. As you pointed out later, Weequay would've been the choice.
The earliest card I kept was the "Collect all 41!" one.
Did you note the spelling on Nein Nu-b?
I think the coins were really the only promotion I never sent away for. Actually, I didn't send away for those figure stands or Anakin either. Man those cards bring me back!
Right on, those cards are the coolest! Getting back to the old vs. new, I wholeheartedly agree with Hammerhead. The newer version makes him out to be some sort of intergalactic adventurer while the old one just looks like a drunken freak that spends his days hanging out in the cantina.
My kind of scum, I might add.
I actually had a few more cards that I didn't post just because it felt rudundant. Man those were the days. Remember when proofs of purchase actually meant that you'd be getting something cool? I never realized how many mail-aways they had. I need to go back and count.
I sent away for Boba Fett and Nein Nunb and the Survival Kit (which never arrived). I know Ackbar, 4-LOM and Anakin were sendaways, too, but I was apparently too busy.
Look at that prototype Boba Fett's head! It's a totally different shape!
I LOVE the lack of knowledge on the part of the packagers. You never find that today, not with this property anyhow. The Sandperson is holding his stick like a gun! Ha!
And the backgrounds are hilarious. Why does Leia get the crushed purple foil? Love it.
And how did they get them to stand up in those "walking" poses? No McFarlane around then, huh?
I actually like that prototype of Fett!
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