JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => The Vintage Collection => Collect All 92! => Topic started by: Scott on March 31, 2010, 01:08 PM
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A large contingent of collectors have been buying Star Wars figures since the 70's. Kenner was able to crank out close to 100 Vintage figures for the Original Trilogy. Since the Modern Line made a comeback in 1995, Hasbro has slowly and surely been revisiting each of the Vintage figures to give their take. With the upcoming retro Vintage Collection and many debates on who or what still needs to be updated, we are going to be running a forum feature detailing each Vintage Figure and their Modern counterpart. So join us on a walk down memory lane in the weeks and months ahead. First up is the hairy beast himself, Chewbacca!
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Source Images:
(http://www.jedidefender.com/collect92/han anh.jpg)
(http://www.jedidefender.com/collect92/chewbacca comparison.jpg)
Data
Vintage
Released in 1977 as part of the Early Bird Kit, released carded several times
(http://www.brianstoys.com/store/images/products/Star%20Wars/vintage/ActionFigures/Carded/AFA/Star%20Wars/Vintage_SWAFA_18958321.jpg)
(http://www.jedidefender.com/collect92/chewbacca vintage.jpg)
Modern
Released in 2005 as part of Revenge of the Sith Early Bird Kit at Wal-Mart
(http://www.jedidefender.com/collect92/chewbacca modern.jpg)
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This one as is the case with most of the Original 12 is a no brainer...I'd say this one is way done. Although, the exact Modern counterpart has not been released on a card. The VOTC version was ROTJ style Chewie while the Vintage and the Modern EB version have the more slicked back hair he sported through most of ANH and ESB.
(http://gioco.net/starwars/ultimosettore/images/species/wookie.png)
(http://www.jedidefender.com/gallery/files/gallery/Collectibles/Modern/Original_Trilogy_Collection/Vintage_Original_Trilogy/Chewbacca/v_chew_cardf.jpg)
(http://www.jedidefender.com/gallery/files/gallery/Collectibles/Modern/Original_Trilogy_Collection/Vintage_Original_Trilogy/Chewbacca/v_chew_f.jpg)
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Can we also include a blurb about any vintage variants? ;D
Green Crossbow Chewbacca comes to mind immediately, but there is also "Green Pouch" Chewbacca and "Green Legs" Chewbacca, if you consider those true variants.
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Chewbacca is, to me, at least one of the top 3 action figures in Hasbro's modern line... I consider the two head variants more or less the same figure, so I don't count them separately of each other. Chewie's just super detailed though, and when I reviewed his VOTC figure I couldn't get over the innovative way they designed him for maximum articulation.
He's really not been rivaled by many other figures. Honestly off the top of my head I can only think of one that comes close.
This one's a great way to kick off your feature, Scott. I'd love to see the EB version put out on a basic card, since that's Chewbacca's look for two films.
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I have to concur with Jesse, the 2004 Chewbacca is truly one of the best SW figures ever! I honestly cannot foresee how they can improve him outside of new heads/hands he is darn near perfect. One version not mentioned was the 30th Tin version with the snow deco. The yelling expresion on him is great and has the Bespin ambush yelp look. I hope to see that version re-released with no snow deco to recreate that scene.
(http://www.yakface.com/TGuide2004/ActionFigures/tac/tins/06/lf23.jpg)
Another improvement to this figure was this years great Co-Pilot Chewbacca. What stood out for me was the weathered upgrade on his Bowcaster, I bought two just to arm my main Chewies with that Bowcaster.
I have a lot of great memories with the Vintage Chewie. I lost one in my backyard and found him 10 years later. He turned green as he must have absorbed the color from the grass. Great way to start this series of threads.
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First off, this is a great feature Scott...I look forward to reading each update. I agree with what has already been said, this Chewie (actually, both the EB and VOTC versions) is one of the best figures Hasbro has ever done. I also consider this one "finished", and don't see how it can be improved on. Just keep carding this Chewie until the end of the line, and I'd be just fine with that. I'd also like to see the EB version get released on a vintage card, perhaps to finish out one of the upcoming waves. Other than that, I think with the various paint variations (Hoth, etc.) on this one already, there isn't much more to do with Chewie than continue to get this figure out there on a somewhat regular basis. Definitely a "definitive" figure in my book.
Chewbacca was one of my favorite action figures as a kid, and continues to be today. I say just keep using this definitive wookiee sculpt just as they did in the original line, it doesn't get much better, as Jesse said.
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I´ve got sandstorm Chewie (rotj) and millennium falcon Chewie (BMF) both variations desirable to configure this character
Something I keep in mind for future re uses is the need of a detailed paint job on fingers and nails. This mold would need to be extremeley accurate to profit its sculpt.
In what Chewie evolved was in shape, the application of shades in the paintjob and realistic bandolier.
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I'll echo what others have already stated; this is a great feature. (It's actually dragging me back into a Star Wars message board for the first time in a long while.)
This is particularly interesting to me since my very first Star Wars figure was Chewbacca. He was all alone on a peg at Fay's Drugs in February 1978. My mother and I were shopping for Valentines and when I showed him to her, she had to buy it for me. She'd been terribly disappointed she couldn't find any Star Wars toys for Christmas. ("All they had was this piece of cardboard so I got you Micronauts instead.")
I've been slowly replacing older incarnations of certain figures with what I consider to be "definitive" versions. I've been retiring quite a few figures lately as more and more get upgraded. Chewie is a great example. Nothing could ever replace my Vintage Chewbacca but it's fun to see him succeeded so well. Now if only he had slicked back hair and an open mouth. ;)
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I would love to see the EB Chewie on a neo-vintage card. That figure is like others have said, one of the top 5 figures, if not the top figure, in the entire modern line. I still have my childhood Chewie, and he remains my brother's favorite (he stopped caring about SW in 1983).
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Chewie was definitely a favorite of mine growing up. He dwarfed the other figures and kind of reminded me of a faithful dog for some reason. His unique blaster, while not very faithful to the movie, was also a favorite. I recall wondering why all the guns didn't have a little bar to help them stay in the hand.
The new version is very nice. I love the added articulation and they got the paint down pat. My only complaint here is the crossbow. I just think it seems too big and a bit flimsy.
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Can we also include a blurb about any vintage variants? ;D
Green Crossbow Chewbacca comes to mind immediately, but there is also "Green Pouch" Chewbacca and "Green Legs" Chewbacca, if you consider those true variants.
Probably not, as it wasn't the point of this feature. That, and I don't personally own any of said variants :P
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I have a lot of great memories with the Vintage Chewie. I lost one in my backyard and found him 10 years later. He turned green as he must have absorbed the color from the grass. Great way to start this series of threads.
I too lost my vintage Chewie in the yard. The whole thing didn't turn green but his arms and legs sure did. He was in the grass for at least 2 years.
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I lost my Chewie but never found him again... Green limbs seem to be a combination of the dye and the plastic (vinyl) for the limb of the vintage figure. Similar to why the styrene of a Stormtrooper Yellowed differently than the arms/legs and things.
This is a very cool feature, so hat's off to Scott on handling this. It's a fun trip down memory lane to look at the old vs. the new. I love vintage, always have and was into that long before there was a modern line to nitpick. Then modern came and my focus has been here since... I've dropped vintage almost completely till modern's done and I decide to go back and start filling holes and updating loose figures that I feel aren't 100% mint.
Looking back though, and then to today's "standards", is a very interesting contrast.
Chewbacca's kind of a shock almost... I'm curious about other figures. Han(s) will be interesting, as well as my favorites (army builders) like the Death Squad Commander or Hoth Rebel Soldier, neither of which have a modern counterpart that truly reflects said figure.
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I agree, this is a great feature. Great Idea! I also agree that Chewbacca is one of the best figures Hasbro has released.
This may spark the old argument about who is considered a figure but i hope this is done for more than the "92" figures.
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Will be watching!!! Just have to say this shows how far the toy industry has come.
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Wow, I guess a lot of us lost a Chewie! I put mine down a hole in the sand to fight a spider. There was a storm over night and the sand blew over leaving no trace of the hole or the wookiee. I dug everywhere for days but I never found him!
I have to agree with everyone, these Chewies are great. I love the way the fur is sculpted and hides the articulation so well, especially the torso. I'm with JACK about that Hoth tin figure, I would love a clean version of him too. If I could have any upgrades on Chewie, I wouldn't mind seeing the neck joint on the Cloud City capture make a reappearance, or his bandoleer-pack get that open feature that the Temple of doom Indy had.
Really looking forward to this excellent ongoing feature.
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I agree, the EB KIt Chewie is the best modern counterpart of the Kenner version. At first I thought the VOTC one was, but when this one came along, it was a clear case.
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The only improvement that could be made to the Chewie figure is a non-plastic material for the crossbow strap. Now to see how many vintage cardbacks they're going to try to knock out.
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I love the newer sculpt for Chewbacca. My only problem is I have one helluva time getting the crossbow in his hand.
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(http://theswca.com/images-misc/RALPH4.JPG)
"I bent my Wookiee!"
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Got the EB Chewie and he is awesome!!
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My brother lost Chewie than found him months later, in a bar doing a line of coke with a hooker...his hair was perfect. (Okay, maybe it was a vacant lot by an apartment complex)
We had two at some point, which was good, because the original had loose limbs and a missing weapon.
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My Chewbacca got flushed down the toilet. A couple of months later when we open up the septic tank to get it emptied there he was floating at the top. Just his head and one arm sticking up. He spent the next two weeks emerged in a Coolwhip tub full of bleach. He a little green from the neck down but otherwise okay. The headless Sand Person wasn't as lucky.
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My Chewbacca got flushed down the toilet. A couple of months later when we open up the septic tank to get it emptied there he was floating at the top. Just his head and one arm sticking up. He spent the next two weeks emerged in a Coolwhip tub full of bleach. He a little green from the neck down but otherwise okay. The headless Sand Person wasn't as lucky.
"Chewie crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of smelling foulness I can't even imagine, or maybe I just don't want to."
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My Chewbacca got flushed down the toilet. A couple of months later when we open up the septic tank to get it emptied there he was floating at the top. Just his head and one arm sticking up. He spent the next two weeks emerged in a Coolwhip tub full of bleach. He a little green from the neck down but otherwise okay. The headless Sand Person wasn't as lucky.
And you thought it smelled bad on the outside.
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The vintage version of Chewbacca has a well definition of his fur, without too much volume impression like the votc one.
I remember some marvel star wars comic issues spotted Chewie like the vintage action figure, it happened until rotj, when they chose to depict him in a more furry way. (in the comic pannels)