TIE Interceptor (Vehicle) - TVC - Vehicles (Exclusive)

It’s truly amazing how classic Kenner packaging can make an already good vehicle look even better. That sentiment pretty much applies to all vehicles in the Star Wars toy line, but it’s especially true when it comes to the vehicles in The Vintage Collection, and in this case specifically the TIE Interceptor. Since its inception in 1984, it has gone through a series of aggressive changes throughout the years. Most notable however is 2009’s LC TIE Interceptor Toys R Us exclusive version of the vehicle which provided us with the first retooling of the cockpit of this vehicle. It is this mold of which The Vintage Collection version is based. (Actually, it’s nearly a carbon copy of it.) In 2009, the cockpit was retooled to accommodate an all-new ejector seat and the interior saw a few more changes as well to make the definitive vehicle for the many TIE pilot action figures we have received throughout the years. Most recently, 2011’s TVC TIE Fighter Pilot (VC65) now has a matching TVC TIE Interceptor vehicle and the pair fit together like two perfect puzzle pieces. Keeping in mind that in 2009’s Legacy Collection we received both pilot and vehicle in the same box for the same price as The Vintage Collection TIE Interceptor without a pack-in pilot, so some may squabble that there isn’t really a deal here. They would actually be right. This is no bargain. But…. and this is a big but. The packaging alone makes up for the loss of the pilot, like it or not. Some disagree, but we feel otherwise here. The Amazon.com exclusive TIE Interceptor is another long-awaited addition to The Vintage Collection and we personally couldn’t be more excited to see it finally available.

Obviously the eye-catching detail here is the box in which the vehicle is packaged. There will be a large population of people who will never see the contents of the box inside, which is tragic by itself, but we can empathize with their decision to keep this intact and preserved. It’s a modern gem and with it comes unwritten rules of when not to open them. On the box are some of our most favorite Hasbro action figures. Most visible are the multiple Emperor’s Royal Guard (VC105) figures that are equally painful and enjoyable to view. This online exclusive action figure from The Vintage Collection was severely under-shipped and to see three of them on this box artwork leaves a bittersweet taste on your tongue. Also shown on the box are two Stormtrooper (VC41) figures as well as Darth Vader, which looks to be 2008’s TLC Darth Vader (BD 8) the most. An interesting yet odd “Tatooine sun” backdrop has been used for the box artwork. It’s not much different that the 1984 box, but it’s a bizarre choice for a vehicle we only saw in space during the Battle of Endor. The vehicle inside of the box is not much different than the one released in the Legacy Collection, save for the color. You may want to jot down some notes for yourself here, but it’s drastically different in color to the 2009 Legacy Collection version. The LC version was much bluer. And interestingly, The Vintage Collection version is much closer in color to the 2007 TAC Elite TIE Interceptor (save for the red stripes running across the wings). It’s more light gray than blue if that makes sense. Clearly no new tooling was added for this particular release, but those who passed on it because of the price in 2009 may have an even more difficult time paying the same exact price minus and action figure this round.

At the time of the release of this TIE Interceptor (Vehicle), The Vintage Collection basic figure line had already come to an end. No more basic figures will be produced under that banner. It’s another bitter pill to swallow. And to see one of the hardest figures to attain for your collection placed on the box artwork concurrently with the first wave of The Black Series 3.75” figures that doesn’t offer us another chance at this highly sought after action figure makes things hard to comprehend. It’s rational to get frustrated over the poor distribution of The Vintage Collection, which is the reason why the final wave that includes the Emperor’s Royal Guard was relegated to an online exclusive, and to feel the pain of not being able to find some of the greatest products has made to date. We hope Hasbro will listen to the cries fans have made for a while now and get these great action figures out to collectors again. We know it seems we are ignoring the TIE Interceptor (Vehicle) in this review. Don’t get us wrong. It’s a great product and it’s a blast to have it in TVC packaging, but why must the action figures in the corresponding basic figure line get treated like second class citizens? Clearly we digress. One last (and very strange) unexplainable detail we have to comment on is the font for the Return Of The Jedi logo. Remember how the Return Of The Jedi logo on the 2004 VOTC and 2006/2007 VTSC action figures looked way off to collectors? For reasons unknown, it seems that Hasbro dug out that same exact font again for the TIE Interceptor (Vehicle) which is a shame because they corrected in with The Vintage Collection basic figures. Anyway, the release of the TIE Interceptor (Vehicle) is still wonderful and we don’t want to take away from that at all. It just is difficult to fully appreciate things when there are distractors making you think of other things instead.