Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept) - Mini Busts

Though uniquely different from that of the final screen version, this Darth Vader concept piece still holds true to the end result of the timeless helmet and black armor. Often credited with developing the look and feel of the Star Wars trilogy, Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston worked side by side developing this version of Darth Vader. Based on original early drawings from Star Wars: A New Hope, this mini bust shows a fascinating look at the conceptual development for the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Gentle Giant Ltd. is a purveyor of quality high-end collectibles. That is a well known fact. Some pieces are better than others, but for the most part they bring unparalleled craftsmanship and art to the Star Wars collecting community. So you would expect that the next Comic Con exclusive Mini Bust would deliver equally powerful results as their track record has proven, right? Well, we don’t think the exact same sentiments can be applied to the Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept) Mini Bust. This is a frustrating assertion for us to make. The piece is literally stunning for about 75% of it. But where it fails is in the harsh bent over angle of a position the sculptors decided to give him. As a result, it’s hard to make “eye contact” with the piece at most angles. The piece isn’t a failure by any stretch of the imagination, but we wished Gentle Giant Ltd. would have found a more upright posture for the Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept) Mini Bust.

Exclusive to 2010’s San Diego Comic Con, Darth Vader is the second release in a series of exclusive Ralph McQuarrie inspired Mini Busts for this very convention. (Boba Fett (McQuarrie Concept) was the inaugural piece in the collection with additional concept art characters planned for the future.) As we’ve mentioned, the Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept) Mini Bust is very impressive. The painters at Gentle Giant Ltd. used both glossy and flat black paint to decorate this Mini Bust in a color scheme that mirrors the two-dimensional concept art quite well. The detail on Darth Vader’s torso is astounding. Looking more like attire Batman would wear than Darth Vader, his body glove is tight and texture free for the most part. But it’s amazing how much detail “smoothness” can have when it’s done right. The Mini Bust is completed with a flowing cape done up in a pleated style. Three interchangeable heads are included which showcase three unique designs of Darth Vader’s portrait. One even has “pupils” in its visor which is quite creepy honestly.

Limited to 2500 pieces, the Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept) made its rounds after San Diego Comic Con at various online shops as well as Gentle Giant Ltd,’s store. It seems that edition sizes for the Mini Busts line are getting smaller and smaller yet the demand isn’t there no matter how small the edition sizes are. Years ago, an edition size of only 1000 pieces would make collectors foam at the mouth. Now that number seems to be enough to allow everyone who wants one to get one. Times have changed. But thankfully Gentle Giant’s quality hasn’t diminished. The pose of this particular Darth Vader is definitely artistic. Maybe that’s what they were going for here. But it is our belief that designing Mini Busts with poses that are more static and less interpretive result in a much more favorable reception from the Mini Bust buying community. Darth Vader (McQuarrie Concept) is a necessary addition to the Ralph McQuarrie line of Mini Busts. It’s not perfect, but it still looks great.