Tag Archives: The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary

JTA continues to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back with our latest card back set: Series 5: The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary.

Celebrating 1981’s The Empire Strikes Back Kenner releases, this series offers the next 9 figures, plus 4 releases from alternate card backs. You can pick up this 13-card set over in our store. And, if you are new to our large format trading cards you can catch up on the entire run (including this series) in our 61-card master set.

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The second round of pre-orders for wave 3 from The Black Series The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary line (this includes Darth Vader, Snowtrooper, Boba Fett, Luke Skywalker (Dagobah), and Chewbacca) are starting to get canceled. JTA reader Erik just informed us that his Dorkside Toys pre-order has been canceled and that BBTS will soon be following suit. If you have this on pre-order let us know in the comments if your pre-orders get canceled too. Entertainment Earth still has several from this wave still available for individual pre-order. Might be worth securing these as a backup just in case. 

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The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Edition Darth Vader is now shipping from Sideshow Collectibles. Hot Toys has re-released a few of their figures in Vintage-style packaging, including their previously released Darth Vader. Click here for the order page. 

2020 has come and gone, and that’s good for many reasons, of course. But it’s bad for others. One reason in particular that it’s not good is because of how Hasbro treated The Vintage Collection for The Empire Strikes Back’s 40th Anniversary. (more….)

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If you’ve been waiting for this one, it’s now available on Disney Movie Insiders. It’s pricey at 1500 points, but this one will be worth it! If you don’t have points, shop for them on eBay!

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Entertainment Earth Exclusive! What better way to honor the 40th anniversary of the Star Wars: Episode V blockbuster The Empire Strikes Back than by toting your gear in this astonishing Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Backpack – Entertainment Earth Exclusive? Made of faux leather, it measures roughly 18-inches tall x 12-inches wide x 5 1/2-inches deep. Features include zipper top and front pockets, a bright-red lining, adjustable straps, a handle, and a ton of printed details of the spec sheets for the X-Wing, TIE fighter, AT-AT, Snowspeeder, and Boba Fett’s Slave I! Don’t miss out on this exclusive, one-of-a-kind backpack. Get your order in right away! Click through for more!

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Let’s finish out our Visual Guides for the last of the Carbonized figures from The Black Series with Darth Vader (Carbonized). Click below to check out our full Visual Guide. You can also head to our review database for a full review of this figure.

Our next Visual Guide update features The Black Series Boba Fett (Carbonized). Click below to check out our full Visual Guide page. We also have a full review of this figure right here.

The Darth Vader (Carbonized) figure is shimmery and shiny and is a gorgeous action figure. Will you add it to your collection? Do you collect the “carbonized” sub-line? (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!

This year’s Celebration Anaheim may have been canceled, but JTA is still celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back with our latest card back set: Series 4: The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary.

This series was initially slated to be our Celebration Anaheim 2020 give-away, so we decided to continue with the set to celebrate 40 years of Empire. You can pick up this 14-card set over in our store. And, if you are new to our large format trading cards you can catch up on the entire run (including this series) in our 48-card master set.

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There’s another 6″ Boba Fett to worry about for your collection! Did you secure The Black Series [Phase III] 6″ Boba Fett (Carbonized) figure? It’s very pretty! (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!

It’s a miracle Hasbro made another vehicle in The Black Series [Phase III] 6″ line, but the only reason this one exists is that it’s a Fan Channel exclusive. They’ll probably never again offer another vehicle at Big Box retail again. That aside, we know 6″ collectors will love the Snowspeeder/Dak Ralter set, but 3.75″ collectors will know immediately that Hasbro went cheap on its design. (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!

Our next The Black Series Visual Guide update features the latest in carbonized technology. Click below to check out the Stormtrooper (Carbonized). Make sure to also check out our full review of this figure over in our review database.

So Hasbro can make a box “vac-metalized” but can’t do the same for the figure inside of it? The Black Series [Phase III] Stormtrooper (Carbonized) figure has a box that’s more silvery and shinier than itself. What’s up with that?! (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!

The Limited Edition The Empire Strikes Back 40th-anniversary screen prints by  Matt Ferguson are now on sale over at Bottleneck Gallery. You have until Sunday, June 21st at 11:59 pm eastern to order either of the timed-release versions, but if you want the variant version you’d better get that now. They are very limited. The edition size for the regular versions will be determined after the sale period ends.  

Each poster is 24×36

• Regular  Version – Timed Release @ $65
• Japanese Version  – Timed Release @ $65
  (Can purchase a matching numbered set for $125)
• Variant Edition –  Edition of  475 @  $85
• Japanese Variant – Edition of 475 @ $85

UPDATE: Both variant editions are sold out

Bottleneck Gallery will have the Limited Edition The Empire Strikes Back 40th-anniversary  screen prints by  Matt Ferguson, with the sale period starting Wednesday, June 17th at 12 pm eastern and ending Sunday, June 21st at 11:59 pm eastern. The edition size will be determined after the sale period ends. There are 4 prints total, two timed edition prints, and 2 variant editions limited to just  475 each. Click below for a look at each print. 

Each poster is 24×36

• Regular  Version – Timed Release @ $65
• Japanese Version  – Timed Release @ $65
  (Can purchase a matching numbered set for $125)
• Variant Edition –  Edition of  475 @  $85
• Japanese Variant – Edition of 475 @ $85

There’s a lack of products celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back for collectors of The Vintage Collection. Since Hasbro is very fond of repacks, how about they re-released 2010’s Star Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] Bespin Cloud Car (which to date has never been offered in The Vintage Collection packaging), and then re-release 2010’s TVC Rebel Armored Snowspeeder (a former TARGET exclusive) or a variation of it again (based on the 2010 Star Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] Luke Skywalker’s Snowspeeder vehicle). We need more vehicles in the line, and these both are worthy candidates to consider for the Fall/holiday season. Imagine a Cloud Car Pilot variant carded pack-in figure (with a different head) and the TBS [P1] Wedge Antilles (Snowspeeder Pilot) with Photo Real and carded pack-in figure and the selling point premiums!

Let’s check out our Visual Guide for the Deluxe The Black Series [Phase III] Imperial Probe Droid. Click below to check out the full guide page. You can also read our full review of this figure right here.

Our last Visual Guide update from wave 2 of The Black Series The Empire Strikes Back 40th anniversary line is the repacked Lando Calrissian. Click below to visit our full Visual Guide. We also have a full review of this figure right here.

We’re not sure if this is a single store markdown or not. And we have NO IDEA how widespread this is. But we have evidence that the Retro Collection is on clearance at this Walmart location for 50% off. Many (most?) of us haven’t even seen this collection of figures enter their brick and mortar locations, let alone on sale. It’s not even the end of May, and this latest find makes us believe that Walmart is over the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back already. Thanks to JTA reader Thomas H. for the report and image.

Let’s continue our Visual Guide updates from wave 2 of The Black Series The Empire Strikes Back 40th anniversary line. Next up is the Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot. Click below for our full Visual Guide page. Make sure you also stop by and read our full review of this figure right here.

They misspelled another name! The 6″ The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Imperial Tie Fighter Pilot is an expected release, although we wonder if it was needed. Do you need another one? (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!

Out of all the 6″ The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary figures, Hasbro got Lando Calrissian close to perfect. There is almost nothing negative to write about this figure. Or is there? (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!

Next up from wave 2 of The Black Series 40th anniversary line is our Visual Guide of Artoo-detoo (R2-D2) (Dagobah). Click below for our full Visual Guide page. You can also get the full breakdown of this figure right here in our complete review.

Hasbro misspelled the name. They designed a new card back and developed a character name that didn’t need to be created. Oh, and the paint operations are terrible. And lastly, the figure is still too small. Find out why The Black Series [The Empire Strikes Back 40] Artoo-detoo (R2-D2) (Dagobah) figure SHOULD have been released as 1982’s ESB ARTOO-DETOO (R2-D2) [Sensorscope] instead if they had to re-release it at all. (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 12!