Sand People - Jumbo Vintage Kenner Figures

The Jumbo Vintage Kenner Figures line by Gentle Giant Ltd. in our opinion is one of the most clever high-end collectibles ever introduced to Star Wars fans. Some people don’t like the multiplied scale, but we find it hard to believe that all who collected the vintage line wouldn’t like to study the amplified details of the action figures we grew up with during our childhood. The Jumbo Vintage Kenner Figures line came in fast and furious and Gentle Giant Ltd. has not been shy at focusing on the “first 12” (also known as “12 backs” to carded collectors) and knocking them out one by one. They accurately released the 1978 Sand People by its original name. Only later carded samples had packaging that designated this character as a Tusken Raider, so it’s very cool to see Gentle Giant Ltd. be consistent and pay homage to these classic characters with painstaking detail and accuracy.

Keep in mind that this line is an enlarged replica of the toy and not a direct interpretation of the character. Gentle Giant is merely copycatting what was already done. And with that comes the “mistakes” and “errors” that the original sculptors made with the lack of technology in the late seventies and early eighties. That of course is what makes the vintage Kenner line so charming. And this charm has remained in the Jumbo line as well. For that we’re extremely thankful. The Sand People figure continues in the same path as the figures released before it. We have to admit that we found a bit of fault with the Sand People figure almost instantly. The coloring of the vinyl cape and the figure itself are off by a few shades. In fact, the cape comes across with a color that could be mistaken as a member of the green family. That is how off the color is from the rest of the figure. If you recall, the vintage Kenner figure had a vinyl cape that matched the plastic of the figure perfectly. Here, that isn’t the case.

Besides this rather glaring oversight, the Sand People Jumbo Vintage Kenner figure has all of the same characteristics of the original 1978 release, just bigger. The vinyl cape, while not the correct color, has the texture and drape that is identical to the vintage figures that used similar material to make their capes. It’s pliable yet retains its shape and it looks fantastic on the Sand People figure. Our favorite part of him of course is his gaderffi stick. Just like the 3.75” figure, you can pose the gaderffi stick horizontally across both hands and it stays in place whether you have his arms down at his side or up in the air to recreate the unforgettable scene of Luke’s attack. When you remove the vinyl cape you’ll witness the awesome details that went into the smaller scaled version. And you will probably notice that his legs are at an awkward angle from this body. (That’s correct by the way.) Interestingly, it doesn’t really hurt the figure and it can still stand upright unaided. It’s still a great figure despite its faults.