Obtaining the license to produce a 1/6th scale Star Wars line was a tough task, but Sideshow’s determination won the day. After working on this for quite some time, they were finally able to prove to Lucasfilm that what they would produce would be in a league of its own. Where Hasbro’s 12" license is to produce childrens’ toys in large quantities for mass distribution, the Sideshow license is for producing highly detailed limited edition collectible dolls specifically for the detail oriented adult collector. That said, you should expect the average Sideshow price for the exceptional quality we have grown to love from this company.

The line will utilize Sideshow’s amazingly articulate bodies and will sport dead on costumes and accessories. Needless to say, these ain't gonna be like yer pappy’s Hasbro 12” dolls!

Sideshow will be paying close attention to what their audience wants them to produce, and will look into setting up online polls to determine what to make for us. The line will not be exclusive to film characters either, so fans of the Expanded Universe can start saving their nickels right now. Sideshow is currently planning on selling the EU figures exclusively on their website. The Rebelscum team has already nudged our friends at Sideshow to think about a Mara Jade figure, but time will tell whether they make it.

The best part about this announcement is that Sideshow is as excited as we are about these toys, so rest easy. We’re in for a treat!

In addition to the 12” line, Sideshow told us a bit more about the 1/4 scale line:

Following with their exclusives, the 1/4 scale General Grievous will sport a cape exclusively on the Sideshow.com version. That means you won’t find this one at the collector shops.

The Darth Vader shown at SDCC is a vast improvement over the one we saw at Toy Fair this year, now with a thicker body and better detailing. The figure features not only a light up saber, but also a light up chest box and belt! A nice touch since the actual costume in A New Hope had the lights, but it was decided not to use them for the filming. Before you say ‘but wait, I remember the costume having lights’, think back to the Original Trilogy, and you’ll see that the costume was only lit up in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of The Jedi.

Lastly, Sideshow’s 1/1 scale Darth Maul bust was sculpted based on the detailed Lucasfilm photos used for make up continuity during the filming of The Phantom Menace. No detail was overlooked, including the stud earring that Ray Park wore while performing Darth Maul… A detail that made the sculptor go back and double check the film to insure it wasn’t a blemish on the photos!