Have you ever thought about how things would have been if Kenner would have continued the
Vintage Star Wars Action Figures line instead
of cancelling it in 1985?
This is THE VINTAGE STUDIO vision of a mythic parallel universe where the line continued into our days...
INTRODUCTION
1985 was the year that brought us the last Action Figure assortment delivery, and with them, bad news came included, the total cancellation of the line.
It was something we saw coming, because of the absence of new Episodes of the series on the near horizon, interest in everything related to Star Wars was plummeting. In addition, children who for nearly a decade grew up playing with these toys, were leaving childhood behind and new interests appeared in their lives.
RETURN OF THE JEDI gave us a sense of closure, and although many questions remained unsolved, ...such as How was the final encounter between Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi? What led to that point? How came to be the separation of the twins ?, Who was the mother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa?... the feeling of having reached the end of the story with the death of Vader was final.
It was time to leave behind the space fairy tale with which we grew up and move on.
So it happened KENNER felt the gradual abandonment of its major customers, to the point of making the decision to store their manufacturing molds and turn the page.
This cancellation took many of us by surprise while we waited many key characters to achieve our idea of a complete collection, such us LEIA SLAVE to put on the throne of Jabba, our Death Star playset desperately needed TARKIN, a REBEL FLEET infantry was also needed to face properly the Empire, not to mention a new DARTH VADER that could remove his helmet.
One of the most exciting aspects of collecting SW KENNER toys was to discover new coming characters in the catalogs included in each vehicle and playset. KENNER did a great job to continually show us all the toys that we could buy and where we could dream of.
So we decided the format of the catalog booklet was the perfect scenario to present our idea of how the KENNER STAR WARS LINE would have evolved if it had not been cancelled.
In fact, the "WHAT IF" series is where our entire project, way back in 2011 started much before we had decided to attempt to make these figures available to you. In the beggining it was called THE VINTAGE REVIVAL PROJECT.
The deep desire to see what and how KENNER would have offered a line follow up was the engine that started the "WHAT IF" SERIES, and the "What If" series was an interesting idea from which some of THE VINTAGE STUDIO figure road map will be compiled.
THIS IS THE ORIGIN OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
The last Catalog Booklet we got from KENNER belong to the RETURN OF THE JEDI era in early 1984. It did not depicted the last 15 Action Figures of the line, we guess Kenner just did not have the time to make a new version with the final assortment because of the cancelation of the line, so it showed the 79 Action Figures collection. In our opinion this catalog booklet format reached its prime with this design.
Last STAR WARS KENNER Catalog Booklet
1984
From here it is where we take the baton....
Althought this was not our first render, while the "WHAT IF" series were taking shape we realized we had a missing link between the last KENNER Booklet and our follow up.
So we decided to make a final homage to the fantastic KENNER job, and finished what they couldnt finish on their times. This is how we feel the final KENNER Catalog Booklet first 2 pages would have been if printed:
POTF LINE LAST KENNER ASSORTMENT CATALOG RENDER BY THE VINTAGE STUDIO May 2016
SECOND PAGE OF THE POTF KENNER CATALOG BOOKLET RENDER.
This is an original KENNER picture scaned from a 79 action figures cardback.
Picture by Mr. Kim Simmons and used with authorization.
THE VINTAGE STUDIO label has been applied only for continuity purposes.
KENNER HOMAGE POTF STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET FIRST 2 PAGES FINAL COMPOSITION
For many this was the end,
for us this is a new beginning....
We started with some of the characters we thought were the most evident missings in the original line surrounded by other more obscure entries in an attempt to create a character mix that resemble the way Kenner used to release its assortments.
After several tests, on January 2016, our first render were presented. Based in the way Fan Community named the last assortment released by Kenner plus the two hard to find Ewoks from the prior assortment, The Last 17, we introduced a new 17 Custom Action Figures assortment intended to create balance with Kenner´s last release and fill the obvious voids.
THE NEXT 17
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series first Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
January 2016
THE FORCE IS BACK
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Second Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
February 2016
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 3 AND 4 FINAL COMPOSITION
Having completed a balanced composition, for the next installments we decided to return to the more modest number of Action Figures Kenner used to release in no movie years. That allowed us to portray more faithfully the display design of the last Kenner catalog.
STAR WARS ACTION FIGURES
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Third Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
March 2016
For our next installment, we decided to take a risk and introduce for the first time a prequels Characther, but not entirelly as a prequel Character, we did it instead from the Original Trilogy point of view, The Hero always mentioned, but never seen, the man behind the armor. We believe this is how Kenner would have dealed with it, maybe as a mail away offer.
MORE HEROES! MORE VILLAINS!
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Fourth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
April 2016
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 5 AND 6 FINAL COMPOSITION
THE GALAXY IS YOURS!
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Fifth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
June 2016
For our next installment, we were lucky to recieve the contribution of Miss Alice Favreau from France. She created a fantastic Ewok Youngling, with 4 Points of articulation, sculpted in classic vintage style. This figure is really nice and deserve a place of honor in the What if Series. We painted the white casted figure and named it MOOKIEE.
THE GREATEST SAGA EVER TOLD IS BACK!
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Sixth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
July 2016
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 7 AND 8 FINAL COMPOSITION
After 7 months of creating custom Action Figures, I though it was time to rest a little of them and to address other corners of the vintage “What if” possibilities.
I always felt we needed a few important playsets and environments that ended unattended at the end of the line.
This month Im presenting you a custom playset environment.
JABBA THE HUTT THRONE ROOM ACTION PLAYSET ENVIRONMENT
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Seventh Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
August 2016
For the next installment, we decided to take the risk again and introduce another important prequels Character, but not entirelly as a prequel Character, we did it instead from the Original Trilogy point of view, The General of the Old Republic, as mentioned in Leia´s message, attempting to imaginate him from the context of the message. We believe this is how Kenner would have dealed with it, maybe as a mail away offer.
THE FIGHT TO RESTORE PEACE TO THE GALAXY CONTINUES...
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Eighth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
September 2016
Once again, we decided to visit the playset realm.
If there is an scene of the movie I wanted to recreate when I was a child, it was without any doubt the streets of the Mos Eisley Space Port.
With the recent release of the Sandtroopers Action Figures, the
Mos-Eisley playset became a must.
MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT PLAYSET - ENVIRONMENT
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Nineth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
October 2016
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 20 AND 21 FINAL COMPOSITION
For the next installment, we decided it was time to introduce definitelly the 4-Pack army Builder concept, and what a better way to do it with our own Sandtrooper 4 - pack. Special thanks to Dan Martin for his cooperation and support. The picture of our Sandtrooper Patrol is from his personal photo collection.
SANDTROOPER PATROL 4 - PACK
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Tenth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
November 2016
When we designed this playset, and most specially, the picture for the catalogue, I swear we had absolutelly no idea of the events of ROGUE ONE. I only thought to introduce a Darth Vader in the scene was the kind of thing Kenner would have done to present this playset. Now we all know that corridor and the Vader´s presence is more than appropiate, achieving the level of epic.
Special thanks to Erick J. Berry and HOLE IN THE GROUND PRODUCTIONS for the casted walls used in this playset/environment.
REBEL CRUISER PLAYSET - ENVIRONMENT
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Eleventh Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
November 2016
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 22 AND 23 FINAL COMPOSITION
I have been wanting to explore the Vehicle realm for a long time.
For starters I always felt we needed a proper AT-ST for the Endor battle.
The one we had from Kenner was the TESB´s Hoth Battle version, that is considerable different from the ROTJ´Endor forest battle version.
This month Im presenting you a custom Empire´s walker vehicle. This time it was on purpose as in a ROGUE ONE scene.
AT - FOST IMPERIAL WALKER VEHICLE
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Twelfth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
December 2016
One of the aspects I found more interesting in the vintage line was the mail away offers. The waiting, the dream, and finally the discovery when a mail away offer arrived were a mix of feelings without precedent in our childhood.
How can I make a proper homage to the Kenner Collection without addressing a mail away. So, I choosed an Action Figure from the next assortment Im working on, one I believe matchs in the way Kenner used to choose characters for its mail away offers. One I feel everyone have been wanting to see from long ago.
FREE LUKE SKYWALKER (JEDI MASTER) MAIL AWAY OFFER
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Thirteenth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
December 2016
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 24 AND 25 FINAL COMPOSITION
For our next installment, the project received the unvaluable contribution of Mr. Jason Tolliver. He created fantastic Ewok warriors, with 4 Points of articulation, sculping over vintage Kenner Ewoks. In this installement please welcome CHUCKA.
BACK TO THE MAGIC
THE VINTAGE STUDIO "WHAT IF" Series Fourteenth Kenner Catalog Booklet Style Render.
April 2017
THE VINTAGE STUDIO STAR WARS LINE CATALOG BOOKLET PAGES 9 AND 10 FINAL COMPOSITION
TO BE CONTINUED...
This page will be updated for as long as we can, please expect the next installments of the "WHAT IF" series next month.
