A Certain Point of View: Writing, Film and Stuff

Han Solo's mentor in the smuggling enterprise, Tobias Beckett, is the inspiration for Star Wars: The Black Series' 68th 6-in. scale action figure. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2018 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) At the 115th North American International Toy Fair, which was held in February of 2018 in New York City's Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center, Hasbro unveiled a variety of new products at its showroom. Among these was a "wave" of Star Wars: The Black Series 6-inch scale action figures which depicted characters from Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.  This initial three-figure wave   consisted of: #68 Tobias Beckett   #69 Rebel Trooper #70 Han Solo (Bespin)  Hasbro shipped these figures, along with other Star Wars- themed toys and collectibles, to stores in the summer, and by July of 2018, they were available in brick-and-mortar stores as well as online retailers such as Amazon, shopDis...

A few days ago, writer Harry Turtledove (a novelist who specializes in the alternate history sub-genre of science fiction and is known for his Worldwar series, as well as his novel about Spanish-occupied Britain, Ruled Britannia ) posted this whimsical #70sChristmasList tweet on Twitter: #70sChristmasList Harvest gold refrigerator Avocado stove Betamax Quadraphonic sound system English Leather, or maybe Brut Cargo pants for the guys Hot pants for the women Platform shoes A leisure suit A case of Miller Lite Or of US-brewed (aka ruined) Löwenbräu Inspired by Mr. Turtledove, I've decided to share similar Christmastime wishlists across the decades, starting with the 1970s and ending with the 2010s. The wishlists are not real lists that I handed out to family and friends before the holidays. I mean, sure, Mom (and sometimes my older half-sister) would ask me to write a short list of things I wanted for either Christmas or my birthday, but more often than not my friends, who ...

Photo Credit: PicClick.com Part One: The first TIE Fighter versions: Good but flawed...   Ever since 1978, the year Kenner Toys (now Hasbro) started the Star Wars action figure collection and its assortment of vehicles and playsets, one of the mainstays has always been the Empire's Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter. Unlike the first production version of its Rebel counterparts (the X-Wing and Millennium Falcon ), it has always been proportionate in scale to the 3.75-inch figures, mainly because of its layout -- ball-shaped cockpit connected to two hexagonal solar panels that give the TIE its distinctive H-shape -- is simple and efficient. It could hold one figure -- at first, collectors had no choice but to use either Darth Vader (until he got his own TIE-Advanced X-1 fighter) or a stormtrooper until l...

Photo Credit and © 2018 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  Hi, there, Dear Reader! It's Thursday, March 28, 2019, and it's a nice spring day in my corner of Florida. And, as you can see, it's time for another Star Wars action figure review. In this installment of A Certain Point of View, I'll be talking about the Star Wars Black Series 6-inch scale action figure based on Grand Moff Tarkin, the Governor of the Imperial Outlands and commander of the Galactic Empire's ultimate weapon - the Death Star. Released early last year as part of a consignment that included Death Star Trooper, Han Solo, Jawa, Range Trooper, and Lando Calrissian, Grand Moff Tarkin (Black Series figure #60) marked the debut as a 6-inch figure of the fearsome Imperial villain from Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope. Hasbro intended it as an April release to whet fans' appetite for Solo: A Star Wars Story and related merchandise, but many retailers put this wave of figures on store ...

Photo Credit and © 2017 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  On September 1, 2017 , Hasbro released a "wave" of nine six-inch Black Series Star Wars action figures that included several characters as seen in the then-upcoming Star Wars - Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, as well as a few re-issues ( AT-AT Driver, Snowtrooper, and Kylo Ren ) from The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens. This collection consists of: #49: Maz Kanata #50: Elite Praetorian Guard #51:  Finn (First Order Disguise) #52: General Leia Organa #53: Captain Poe Dameron #31: AT-AT Driver #35: Snowtrooper #45: Kylo Ren These figures were released in various regions of the U.S. as part of Lucasfilm's International Force Friday II event; however, I acquired two figures from this consignment (#49 Maz Kanata and #51 Finn (First Order Disguise) only recently as part of my birthday present from my sweetheart.  Both of these figures portray characters that were introduced in 2015...

Han Solo (from Solo: A Star Wars Story ). Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) In April of 2018 , a month before Lucasfilm's Solo: A Star Wars Story premiered in theaters, Hasbro officially released Star Wars Black Series: Han Solo as part of one of its "waves" of action figure assortments. This figure represents the first sculpt of the young Han Solo as portrayed on film by Alden Ehrenreich; Hasbro has made at least one more variant ( Han Solo - Mimban ) in his Imperial infantry gear, but this one depicts everyone's favorite Corellian orphan-turned-scoundrel as he appears in the latter half of Solo: A Star Wars Story.   Han Solo reinvents himself after leaving behind his old life. Now, Solo is growing increasingly comfortable traveling with law-benders and scoundrels. - Hasbro character description Although Solo: A Star Wars Story was not successful at the box office, it's still part of the overall Star Wars canon. and Han - no matter if h...

© 1999 Beckett Publications In April of 1999, during the media blitz that preceded the premiere of George Lucas's Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace, sports card, and memorabilia-related Beckett Publications published A Movie Fan's Extreme Guide to Collectibles From a Galaxy Far, Far Away, a 256-page guide devoted - naturally - to toys, books, trading cards, posters, comics, and other collectibles from the first four Star Wars films, including the upcoming Episode I. Written by Steve Fritz, Matt Brady, and James Beckett, Collectibles From a Galaxy Far, Far Away gives readers and Star Wars collectors an overview of some of the vast numbers of collectible items in the market, as well as a price guide that reveals how much a 1978 Luke Skywalker 3.75-inch figure in an unopened package was worth in 1999, just to name one of many examples. The book, which is not a licensed publication vetted by Lucasfilm, consists of four main sections, the third of which is divided into...

A carded example of 'Star Wars Unleashed: Boba Fett.' (C) 2003 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) As the hungry Sarlacc holds Boba Fett in its lashing tentacles, you would expect Fett to rage at fate for bringing him to this hideous circumstance. But Fett never allows himself a second of weakness or self-pity. – Boba Fett, Hasbro Star Wars Unleashed collection For almost 25 years (26 if you count the Nelvana Star Wars Holiday Special that aired on CBS in 1978), Boba Fett's armored figure has menaced the Heroes of the Rebellion and captured the imagination of legions of Star Wars fans. Since his introduction in the aforementioned TV special in an animated segment and his "official" film debut in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, Fett has become one of the iconic "bad guys" in the Star Wars mythos. Canny, calculating, and relentless, the man encased in the Mandalorian armor says little but acts decisively. From the moment he wi...

Photo Credit: www.rebelscum.com (C) 2003 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) In 2003, Hasbro, Inc. produced and released a series of die-cast metal-and-plastic replicas of some of the most famous space-faring vessels and land vehicles featured in the first two trilogies of George Lucas's Star Wars saga. Sold as part of Hasbro's Micro-Machines product line and with the Star Wars Saga livery, the 2003 Action Fleet collection consisted of 15 space vessels or multi-vehicle and creatures sets.  The Republic Assault Ship (aka the Acclamator- class transport) is one of the six space vessels and land vehicles that represent the Prequel Trilogy. It is an N-scale metal-and-plastic replica of a Republic military transport vessel that was tasked to carry 16,000 clone troopers and their equipment to trouble spots all over the galaxy during the Clone Wars. Like the Venator- class Republic attack cruiser/Star Destroyer, the Acclamator- class is wedge-shaped, heavily armed, and desig...

Photo Credit: www.rebelscum.com. (C) 1998 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  The boggy, swamp planet Dagobah is the principal planet in the star system of the same name. Although explored, Dagobah remains sparsely populated because of its inhospitable climate and generally unpleasant surroundings. Constantly shrouded in mist and strangled by dense vegetation, the planet is the home to numerous animal life, including dangerous flying predators. The Jedi Master Yoda also makes his home and hideout there and is the only resident of notoriety. – From the package blurb, Star Wars – Power of the Force: Dagobah with Yoda (Complete Galaxy) Twenty years ago, Hasbro, Inc.’s Kenner division released a new assortment of globe-and-figure sets called Complete Galaxy. Sold as part of Kenner’s revived Star Wars: The Power of the Force collection, this assortment consists of four detailed globes based on three planets and one battle station where crucial events of the Galactic Civil Wa...