Collecting Diary 2003-12-08

Variety is the Spice(cake) of Life!

First, a bit of completely unrelated NEWS. Today I purchased a program that will allow me to put my Visual Colletor's Guide online for the first time since I started the first edition of the book!!! I'm going to try hard to have it up by January 1st. Keep your fingers crossed! It's been a long two years of development, and the wait may finally be over soon!

And now on to my newest additions!

Before George Lucas had a firm grasp on what would ultimately appear on the big screen, he hired Ralph McQuarrie to do some drawings of his development ideas. One such drawing was of these Emperor's Shock Troops (Stormtroopers), armed with laser swords! The concept figure comes in two variations; the first with the lightsaber packaged in an upwards direction, and this one with it pointing down (for safety??).

I found my Elan varient! Elan minus ears!! That was a quick find. Now we wait and wonder about which (if either) turns out to be the more rare version.

Today also marks the day I found my very first ULTRA figure! C-3PO with crash-pod.

While watching for the ellusive Star Wars Intimidator hand-held game, I found this 2-in-1 game with DV medallion. Not quite as scary as Intimdator, it'll do until I can find the real one.

Last today, I receievd this watch from the U.K. Manufactured by Zeon, the face of this watch is a 2-part lenticular display... EPII Anakin and Darth Vader's helmet.

I'll finish my entry with one bit of historical trivia. Amazon.com (US) is no longer listing the first edition of my book. It looks like the distribution channels are now sold out, as well as the publisher's warehouse. Nothing left but second editions, and we're still more then a year out before the 3rd edition comes out. I guess this is the Super Collector's Wish Book's 'Dark Year'. =)