DARTH VADER Convention Exclusive
Celebration III Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85178
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cape, lightsaber, display base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $15.00
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Welcome to Star Wars Celebration III! Star Wars fans like you have come together from across the world to revel in the wonder, imagination, adventure, and sheer fun of this epic space fantasy. Star Wars has thrilled fans of all ages for nearly three decades, and will continue to captivate future generations with a timeless story of the forces of good triumphing over the powers of the dark side. We also gather at Celebration III in anticipation of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the final film of the saga in which the transformation of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader will be revealed. And remember, never underestimate the power of the dark side. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room.

Commentary: If 2005 will be remembered as anything, it's as the year of Darth Vader. There were a ton of products based on this classic villain, one of which was this exclusive convention figure sold in Indianapolis and online shortly after the show. On paper, it's a really exciting item, but truth be told the only thing that made it exciting was the display stand. Supposedly modeled after Episode III, the Darth Vader figure was simply a repackaged 25th Anniversary Darth Vader-- which means he has extremely limited articulation and isn't good for much of anything other than staying in a package or standing on a base. In short, it's a solid sculpt for an exclusive of this nature but it's a real downer that it wasn't new. The hardcore collectors already had the figure, and the big fans who just wanted something from the show were treated to a figure that hit the clearance racks when it hit in 2002. In short, it wasn't a good action figure. There's no leg articulation, how could it possibly be any fun?

It was, however, a pretty slick display stand. James Earl Jones recorded some dialogue on the figure having to do with the convention, and that was actually pretty cool. The dialogue seemed more appropriate to a freebie given to every attendee than on an exclusive premium product, but what can you do? It's a delightful base and for that reason alone, I'm going to suggest the collectors out there pick this up. It's a rotten toy, but the quasi-Imperial logo backdrop and James Earl Jones dialogue makes this a fun addition to your collection. And it doesn't scream "noooo" or anything from the movies, either.

Collector's Notes: Aside from being an old figure with a new stand, this figure also holds the distinction of going from highly desired to almost undesirable in weeks. Considering what a pain it was to snag a Jorg Sacul, those who missed it at the show could pick it up for $10-$20 on eBay with no problem. Due to mismanagement of the store at the convention, though, a lot of fans waited in line almost a whole day to get the figure only to be turned away. Not because it sold out, but because the store's organization was shall we say, not the best. Ever since, most convention exclusives (Comic-Con and otherwise) tended to peter out shortly after they went on sale. Maybe it's short attention spans. (MORE IMAGES COMING SOON )

Day 657: February 22, 2008