Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Black Series Darth Vader


I don't have a great deal of Star Wars toys, superheroes more the focus here on the Super-DuperToyBox, but my nephew picked up this 3 3/4" Black Series Darth Vader for my birthday last weekend! Fun! Darth Vader is a complex and iconic sci-fi villain, possibly the most well known and widely licensed in pop culture history. I had a couple of the first Kenner Darth Vader figures released in the '70s as a child, the character my favorite villain of childhood fantasy. I even had a A Star Wars Darth Vader action figure case, which I still own, full of what figures I haven't given away or lost in time. This one came with articulation and accessories far beyond the coveted 3 3/4" classic Kenner, and was fun to pose with the great lightsaber he comes with!



Vader has the same swivel neck as the original Kenner, but gets additional hinge-swivels at the elbows, swivels in the glove & boot tops, waist, and ankles that are hinged as well. has simple T-hips, but the leg articulation helps out there. The cape and apron are real cloth as opposed to the stiff vinyl of the original, and is stiff enough to pose, even if minimally. The details seem faithful to Vader's appearance in The Empire Strikes Back, the card back mentioning Vader's Rebel capture at Cloud City. This is a great little Vader! I was shocked at discovering the staggering dozens of Vader action figures released since 1978- tell me your favorite one, recent or past in the comment box at the below this post!


Vader came also came with an additional left hand, hole in the palm to pop in a blast accessory to reenact the Empire Strikes Back scene in which Solo fires at him when he surprises the guest Rebels in the Bespin City dining room. The Imperial leader deflects the blast with the palm of his hand, and pulls Solo's weapon from his hand across the room into his own in the flash of an eye, disarming the fugitive smuggler and resigning the group to capture. My Marvel Universe Skrulls would be plausible intergalactic foes for Vader, no?


Black Series Darth Vader with my 3 3/4" Marvel Universe Dr. Doom, two characters who share many similarities. One could argue that Vader could overpower Doom with ease using his immense power over the Force, but let's not forget the Latverian's known experience in black magic and tricky demeanor. It's true, Doom is often undone by his ego, but he has overpowered much more powerful beings by shear treachery- Silver Surfer included.


More than twice had I contemplated grabbing a smaller Sith to compliment my 15" Kenner Darth Vader , the first toy I posted about here on the Super-DuperToyBox. Now I can play with him in one of my favorite ways, BIGTOY/littletoy    :D


More Later- Make It FUN!

8 comments:

  1. The only pop culture character my Mother recognizes is Darth Vadar. She doesn't go for anything 'made up'. So any action figures of Star Wars I have come from her. She always asks at the store for the 'evil dark doll'.

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  2. Love that last picture Super-D!

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  3. For a while there I was focusing on collecting Vaders. I have the McQuarrie concept version, which might be my favorite since it's pretty unique.

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  4. Very cool ! Every collection needs a 3 3/4 Vader. I wonder If you'll be tempted to add more from the 3 3/4 SW's line? I was, after picking up my first Vader. Now I have 9 contemporary SW's figs!

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    1. tempting, very tempting! ...those 6" Black Series are more tempting though :D

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  5. Of all the SW figures I have bought I still do not have a Vadar. They are $16 bucks down here. I do not know why I cannot get him.

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