The Year of Joe - May 2020

The year of Joe continues even during a pandemic. This month was a bit light (except for the Thunderbolt) but more on that in a bit.

New Year's Day
New Year's Day Addendum
January
February
March
April


I was out of work for three months and quarantined. So watched my budget. Thankfully started an awesome new job this week with a one mile commute. Well, once we go back to the office.

I managed to sneak out to Tosche Station yesterday to ensure I had some figures for May. Managed to grab Roadblock and then the original three Dreadnoks: Torch, Ripper and Buzzer. And the MOBAT tank.  I've had the MOBAT before. Love that tank. Remember getting it for my birthday in 1983?

And here is the Toys R Us exclusive A10 Thunderbolt with Hawk and Ace. While not a "vintage" plane from 82-87 that I am focused on, a real depiction of the A10 Thunderbolt/Warthog is pretty damn cool. Didn't know this existed until a month ago.

This still in a sealed box but I intend to open it soon.

And if you want to know what the A10 is really like, read these awesome articles from Ben Thompson's BadAssOfTheWeek site.

The A10 Warthog
Kim Campbell - "Killer Chick" A10 Pilot

Fisher Price Adventure People - X-Ray Family

I purchased a lot of Fisher Price Adventure people several years ago. Didn't realize how many of the X-Ray people were included until I discovered the lot and had also purchased one or two more individually. Don't know why these resonate so much, but they are a lot of fun. Would be cool to have more colors as well.

Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Quarantine Movie and Toy Review

First of all, Happy 40th birthday Empire Strikes Back. ESB was released on May 21, 1980. Largely celebrated as the best of the original trilogy and therefore the entire saga, I would have to agree.

So let's go with the rankings.

1. The Empire Strikes Back

2. A New Hope

3. Rogue One

4. Solo

5. Attack of the Clones

6. Revenge of the Sith

7. Phantom Menace
8. Star Wars - The Holiday Special

What I Liked:

1. Hoth  - everything about it. The snow planet, the Tauntauns, the Wampa, the snowspeeders, the AT-ATs, the battle in the snow. You name it. It was awesome.

2. Dagobah - and Yoda. Brilliant. Slimy mudhole and all. It was fantastic.

3. Bespin - for years I thought Bespin was cool but kind of meh. In the past few years, I've come to love the Bespin part of the movie as much as Hoth.

4. Lando - like Bespin, over the years, the complex character known as Lando has become one of my favorites. Was happy to see him in The Rise of Skywalker.

5. The toys - everything. Couldn't wait to get the TaunTaun and Hoth Han. And Hoth Rebel Trooper, and Hoth Rebel Commander and all the rest. Only about two years ago did I buy the Hoth Rebel Transport ship and "carrying case" and I love that too.

What I Didn't Like:

1. 

Exactly. There was nothing not to like, other than maybe expanding the Hoth battle some more. Show some Snowtroopers and Hoth Rebel Troopers throwing down in the trenches.

In honor of the ESB, here are the 40th Anniversary Black Series figures that were just released. This is Wave 1. Wave 2 is on its way. All of these have been released before.

And here are some random 3-3/4 figures that have been released over the years that weren't part of the original Kenner lineup.

The spirit Obi-Wan was a Frito-Lay proof of purchase mail-away offer.

Star Wars - The Holiday Special - Quarantine Movie and Toy Review

Ha! Bet you thought The Empire Strikes Back was next? Nope. Back in good old 1978, somehow, a Star Wars Holiday Special came into being. I remember missing it because we had a family function on that Friday evening. This was also before the days of the average family owning a Beta or VHS VCR.

First - the rankings.

1. A New Hope

2. Rogue One

3. Solo

4. Attack of the Clones

5. Revenge of the Sith

6. Phantom Menace
7. Star Wars - The Holiday Special

What I liked - The introduction of Boba Fett. That's it.

What I Didn't Like - everything else. There is nothing redeeming about this show.

Hasbro released one figure - probably around 2007 - the 30th anniversary coin collection. This is the only redeeming thing to come out of this show. The introduction of Boba Fett

Pulled this off the internet - Pod Stallions facebook page perhaps. These are the figures that could have come out of this abomination.

Star Wars - A New Hope - Quarantine Movie and Toy Review

First - the rankings.

1. A New Hope

2. Rogue One

3. Solo

4. Attack of the Clones

5. Revenge of the Sith

6. Phantom Menace

What I Liked: The one that started it all. I was six. It was amazing. I was seven when the toys came out. Equally amazing. This movie and the franchise impacted me for the rest of my life. 

By the way - I watched the Despecialized Edition, the original cut. It was wonderful. So what did I like?

1. The opening score and that huge Star Destroyer chasing the little blockade runner.

2. Jawas

3. Sandpeople

4. The Cantina -> my Cantina diorama

5. Han Solo and Chewbacca

6. The Trash Compactor

7. Han chasing the Stormtroopers

8. The Battle over Yavin

9. The toys? All of them. Every single one.

What I Didn't Like?

Nothing. 

We've all seen plenty of the original Kenner figures and plenty of the Hasbro figures on this blog and other sites. Here I will just show the figures that weren't part of the original Kenner line. When I first saw Biggs, Tarkin and Slave Leia...I thought, whoa, this can be huge. Hasbro/Kenner isn't just redoing the first 93.

Up until last week, never knew Porkins' helmet came off.