Star Wars is always on the Xmas list for me, usually in the form of one of the many books issued every year, or occasionally a model. This year, I was very pleased to get two of the newest LEGO Star Wars busts, of The Mandalorian and Clone Commander Rex. I love the franchise attention to detail and design with the costumes, probably even more than the spaceships and the endless variety of helmets on display across the many films and series is fascinating.
The Lego sets are marvels of design, taking a simple toy to almost sculptural levels, just using standard parts. It does mean that the classic ‘studs’ are visible on the models, but the shape of the helmet is instantly recognisable. Both helmets are about 6” high, and sit on a stand. I haven’t started the large Clone Commander set, but the Mando helmet took a couple of hours to complete - mainly because I misread the instructions on a couple of steps and had to go back. My only concern now is if it gets knocked off the shelf, nearly 600 tiny parts will scatter!
In a similar vein, I have recently been picking up models from the Deagostini Star Wars Helmet partwork which was published a few years ago. At £9.99 a piece, on a regular basis, the magazine ran to 80 issues, plus specials, so at the time I didn’t bother due to the cost.
Now, having seen the quality and the breadth of the range, I wish I had done, as each helmet comes in a hard plastic display cube and is extremely well made and detailed.
The Rebel pilots helmets caught my eye, along with the stormtroopers, so I picked up a couple of items on eBay. Alas, due to the rarity of some issues, prices vary tremendously and a full set can fetch upwards of £300.
Still, the most I have paid so far has been £18 and the least, for the Bounty Hunter 4-LOM was a fiver.
The Rebel fighter helmets are only visible briefly in Return of the Jedi and it is hard to distinguish which one is which, so having a nice model for reference is a good thing.
The original Kenner line of Star Was figures famously mixed up the names of the two Bounty Hunters who appeared on the bridge of the Executor in Empire Strikes Back, naming the alien Gand Findsman ‘4-LOM’ and the robot battle droid ‘Zuckuss’. Later issues of the Power of the Force figures redressed the matter and got the names correct on the card.
The Gand Bounty Hunter Zuckuss is depicted as a full head, rather than a helmet, but is extremely well sculpted and detailed.
The battered droid 4-LOM with its faceted insectoid eyes, could also be mistaken for an alien and is again represented by a full head bust.
The Lego holds no interest for ma sadly but I appreciate the work you've put in Bill. The part work on the hand is glorious, I can see why you collect them. The detail is superb from the pics. Zuckuss reminds me of a sea potato! How many do you hope to collect?
ReplyDeleteLEGO are legendary! What that franchise has turned into is simply amazing. I recall having a great set of the basic LEGO building blocks in the mid-60s, imported by Samsonite, the luggage giant. SFZ
ReplyDeleteThose are pretty cool Wotan!! When Lego hit the States way back when I was a young un, I was already into scale model trains. At the time, their blocky design had no pull on me. However they've grown up, and their designs and product lines are far superior to past efforts. I've been seeing the work of several Lego builders over the past couple of years pop up in my fb feeds, specifically people who do Star Wars and Harry Potter (with an occasional Titanic thrown in), and I have been totally blown away by what's out there now. As for me, here I am in the later stages of life and this year I've gotten my very first Lego sets: three Harry Potter sets as presents by my family and I gotta tell ya, I've thoroughly enjoyed each one of them. The latest kit - 12 Grimmauld Place - took over five hours of build time - straight build time with only one short break! When finished my back hurt, I was hungry, and I was seeing tiny Lego pieces floating before my eyes like a fata morgana but it was worth it!!
ReplyDeleteLego has come a long way in the last decade alone. Some of the train models alone are amazing, but the breadth and type of parts means you can practically build anything. I was a bit reticent to get back into Lego in 2000, but the Bionicle line lured me in and then I had a chance at applying for a job with the Dacta educational arm of Lego, so I bought a friends System collection and the ball hasn't stopped rolling since. I'm looking forward to introducing my 3 year old grandaughter to Lego next year too! Bill
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