The Vintage Collection: The Ninety Six - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot
Welcome to another entry in our The Vintage Collection: The Ninety Six column. Hasbro recently committed to collectors that they will be “focusing” on characters in The Vintage Collection that fall under “The Ninety Six” banner. If you’re new to this, it means that there needs a modern counterpart for every classic Kenner figure. Between 2020 and 2021, Hasbro’s made an admirable effort by focusing on these characters. But there is more work to be done, and we’ll figure out where we are step by step. Today we assess (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot.
Just a few notes: We’re right in alignment with Hasbro in our vintage Kenner database with the count. There are 21 figures under the STAR WARS banner, 29 figures under THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK banner, 31 figures under the RETURN OF THE JEDI banner, and 15 figures under THE POWER OF THE FORCE banner. (Sy Snootles, Max Rebo, Droopy McCool, and Blue Snaggletooth bring the number to an even 100 figures.)
Read our assessment, and then please add your thoughts to the comments. Let us know if you agree or disagree. If you’re a customizer, show us your custom definitive figure in the comments as well! Who knows? It might give Hasbro some ideas.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot
Is there a definitive modern counterpart to 1982’s ESB (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot?
2010’s THE VINTAGE COLLECTION (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot (VC11)
Has Hasbro added this character’s card art and action figure into THE VINTAGE COLLECTION? And is it definitive?
Yes. Aside from a much-needed reissue with Photo Real technology, collectors can consider this character done. However, it’s important to note that THE VINTAGE COLLECTION update to the (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot is not a 100% perfect match to the vintage Kenner release.
Does THE VINTAGE COLLECTION release completely satisfy the modern counterpart to 1982’s THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot figure?
Yes (and no). While we feel this character is checked off of our lists, the 2010 release does not entirely match the vintage Kenner release. The 2010 TVC release is based on concept art by Nilo Rodis Jamero, while the classic Kenner figure is based on the stop motion animation model used in the film. The closest any licensee has gotten to this sample is Galoob, who developed a Micro Machines version of the Cloud Car Pilot. (See our (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot entry for more information on this.)
If Hasbro didn’t release the figure yet, do we have a near-definitive or definitive release of this character that can be added to THE VINTAGE COLLECTION as a straight repack, repaint, or with little retooling to update it?
It’s probably safest to assume that the (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot figure is done for THE VINTAGE COLLECTION. It would be wonderful to get a scree-accurate version of the stop motion animation puppet used in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (the one Galoob created). Still, it’s unlikely that Hasbro will revisit this character in a 3.75-inch scale.
What does Hasbro have to do so we can check off “(Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot” from our Vintage Vs. Modern checklists?
Unless Hasbro develops a revised (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot for THE VINTAGE COLLECTION, we should consider this figure completed.
The year and years elapsed (through 2021) since we last had this character in classic Kenner-styled packaging (vintage or modern)?
2010’s TVC (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot. 11 years ago.
1982’s ESB (Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot. 39 years ago.
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Related Links
(Twin Pod) Cloud Car Pilot 3.75-inch Super-Articulated Bespin Cloud Car Pilot Cloud City Hasbro Kenner Nilo Rodis Jamero Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back The Empire Strikes Back The Vintage Collection The Vintage Conversation
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