DARTH VADER

Carded images courtesy CloudCity.com

Source:
  (Star Wars)


Date Stamp: 1977

Carded Availability:
  Star Wars
  The Empire Strikes Back
  Return Of The Jedi
  The Power Of The Force
  Tri-logo

Assortment No. : 38230

Retail: $1.99

Weapons and Accessories: 

  • Red Telescoping Lightsaber
  • Vinyl Cape


  • Point of Interest: 
      This figure first appeared on the Star Wars 12 back card. The photo for this figure’s card back was changed on the Return Of The Jedi 65C back. The original image replaced the new image again on The Power Of The Force and the Tri-logo card backs.

    Comments: Years before any of us knew that Darth Vader was in fact once a young Jedi named Anakin Skywalker, who was the pupil of one Obi-Wan Kenobi and husband of one Padmé Amidala, he was nothing more than the cool dude with the telescoping Lightsaber and trendsetting vinyl cape. The Dark Lord of the Sith still stands as one of the most iconic action figures of all time.

    Major Variations: Though all vintage figures have minor variations, the only major variation in the figure itself is the hard to come by Japanese Takara version, which, though in a similar stance, is an entirely different sculpt. It is easiest to spot by looking at the head, though still difficult to spot for the untrained eye.

    There are two versions of the Lightsaber. The first version (available scarcely on the Star Wars 12 back card only) was made of two pieces and featured a double telescoping action. When weighing out playability versus cost efficiency, the double telescoping version was replaced by the much more common single telescoping Lightsaber. The second version was also shipped in much greater quantities than the first version on the Star Wars 12 back card.

    Text & Photography by D. Martin Myatt.


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