Hello and welcome to the new Final Frontier Toys and MrVintageStarWars site! We have launched a new Final Frontier site and I decided to go with this platform so I can have the two sites work in a form of symbiosis.
For the MrVSW fans you have a direct link to the best Vintage Toy Shop anywhere. And for my Final Frontier fans you get to join me in the collecting side of the hobby. Here we can enjoy and learn about our favorite hobby. This site is a work of passion for me and with the merger of the two sites it will reignite that passion by making it part of my everyday work life. Best of both worlds!
Another of the MICRO playsets from the Hoth part of the line. They also did Bespin and Death Star related playsets as well ships.
ESB MICRO Collection Hoth Turret Defense Asst 69960
(Klonopin)
Kenner experimented with a new line, the MICRO Collection, in 1982. It was a line that included full playsets and vehicles with 1+ inch diecast metal, non articulate figures. It bombed. The line never clicked with kids (myself included) because it did not go with your action figures. I actually really like the line now but not as a kid.
ESB MICRO Collection Hoth Generator Attack Asst 93420
Today I have begun posting the shipping cases from Kenner as well as Topps. They are not normally considered part of the normal collecting venue for a few reasons. First they are bulky and difficult to display. Second, they are next to impossible to find. Third, many collectors are completely unaware of their existence hence the reason I have included them in such a significant way on the site.
I want to thank Chris Arbizzani for contributing many of the photos for this section. Cataloged here are many cases that have passed through either Chris’ or my hands, many of which we still have! For those of you who do not know Chris he was a major toy dealer in the 1990s until the early 2000s. He unearthed many, many cases of great stuff during those years that I usually thought of him, respectfully, as Captain Quantity. His ads in Toy Show and Tomarts Action Figure Digest were a common site and I truly thought he would never, ever sell out of B-Wing Pilots in Kenner Bags. Now that I think of it I will try to find one of his old ads to run as a AFN feature in the near future. Anyway thanks to you Chris for getting me to include this section on the site!
A further stupidly overlooked thank you should have been extended to Danny Gutierrez months ago. Danny has been working with me since day one on the this project and it would never have gotten this far without his insight and amazing eye for detail and quality work. He, being a high quality artist, was a natural choice to work with on the photos and content given his tremendous talent in the art and design world and how well we have worked together on projects before. We think alike in some many ways and Danny is a true toy collector as well. Quite a number of the loose figures, vehicles and playsets pictured are from Danny’s collection and the amazing photos on this site (if I do say so) are a result of our combined efforts, often I had an idea and Danny made it happen. Thank you for all your help and to Mary for putting up with this nonsense.
A final thank you to everyone who has proofread and reviewed the site. I truly appreciate your comments and observations and some of them were amazingly lengthy and helpful. Some ideas may see the light of day in the future and many others have already been put to use.
In conclusion, while this is my site posted as a pastime I do welcome anyone’s feedback, contributions, photos, ideas, etc. Please contact me in regards to any thoughts, ideas or areas you may wish to add to the site. That is one of the principle reasons it is here after all. Just go to the Contact Us link to email me directly.
Frank
December 1, 2016
A little diversion from Kenner here we have a Topps Case of the ESB Series 2 Wax Boxes. Beautiful shipping cases, Topps really is a top notch company.
Topps ESB Case New Series
The newest Creature figure the Tauntaun was discontinued the next year and replaced by another with an Open Belly feature.
ESB Tauntaun Case Asst 39820
First of the new vehicles for the epic sequel, The Empire Strikes Back.
ESB Snowspeeder Case Asst 39610
As before Kenner used 48 count cases and had many different offers in the ESB run. Here are a few examples.
ESB Figure Case Asst 39300
ESB Figure Case Survival Kit Offer Asst 39300
ESB Figures Case Asst 69360
ESB Figures Case Display Arena Offer Asst 69570
ESB Figures Case 4-LOM Offer Asst 69570
ESB Figures Case 4-LOM Offer Asst 69590
Another of the very first items rushed to the stores in 1977 to try to fill the shelves for Christmas 1977.
SW Play-Doh Case
One of the very first items rushed to the stores in 1977 to try to fill the desire of kids since the Action Figures would not be ready until Spring 1978.