Revisiting “What-If Kenner Star Wars Kept Going”

Back in 2017 I posted, “Ever wanted more vintage style Kenner Star Wars action figures? Or wondered what else they could have come up with in their 5 P.O.A. [five points of articulation] line? I’ve seen companies like Funko make their line of ReAction Figures of properties from the 70s and 80s and hoping that Hasbro might release some throwback style figures is pointless.”

So much has happened in the five years since I originally posted this on my original Quantum Multiverse blog. The retro market exploded. Stan Solo Creations, The Vintage Studio, and other fan artisans have managed to capture the old Kenner aesthetic. Where these artists have succeeded, the folks at Hasbro seem to have failed. While I am happy to be proven wrong about them releasing throwback figs, I feel a correct about it being pointless. They can re-release the old figures just fine, but when it comes to crafting a new figure in the old style, they drop the ball. They over design, the work is too good. If they would soften the likeness of the subjects a bit more, and embrace the vagueness of the old figure designs, then they might have something.

Since I originally posted the original post, I stopped collecting everything. I focus on 1970s toys, with few exceptions. My Star Wars collecting is all about the pre-ESB stuff. That really keeps my collection in check and doesn’t allow for me to go crazy on the new old-style figures. While I don’t foresee me purchasing anything new from the afore mentioned sites, I am not entirely opposed to it.

These are all hitting a sweet spot with me. I love how they wouldn’t look out of place with my 21 back figures. There is ONE droid figure that never was released from the original that I would love in the Kenner style… CZ-4. You can see this droid both in Mos Eisley and the interior scene in the Jawa Sandcrawler.