Gentle Giant reveals Star Wars Celebration VI exclusive figure, giant Cantina giveaway

With less than two weeks until the opening of Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando, Florida (August 23-26), Gentle Giant, the toy company transmogrifying small Kenner classic action figures into giant-sized collectible figures has announced its exclusive figure for this year’s show: Lando Calrissian. Originally the 3.75 inch figure released during The Empire Strikes Back original run of action figures, this Lando is a whopping 12 inches tall. Why make small-sized figures bigger and not update the original designs? Why not?

The Lando figure will be released at $75, similar in price to previous figures in the Star Wars Classic Vintage Jumbo figure line. The large figures were scanned from the original Kenner figures and reproduced faithfully as a larger collectible. The Lando includes his vinyl cape and blaster, just like the originals, as well as that classic Lando moustache and charismatic smile.

The figure also comes packaged on a 1981-style, The Empire Strikes Back-inspired blister card, featuring original front design, in a re-sealable plastic outer clam shell to help protect and display the figure.

Gentle Giant is offering a special pre-order opportunity here. At that price point you might not want to collect the whole set, but if there was a single figure that is particularly nostalgic for you, this may be the way to enjoy it all over again. And if you really do want to build a complete set, you have another opportunity: At Gentle Giant’s display at Comic-Con this year, they displayed a giant Cantina Playset, inspired by the Sears Roebuck cardboard playsets of the early days of Kenner Star Wars toys. For the next four days you can enter a drawing to win that prototype. All the information is here. Note that they are not giving away any of the figures, just the cardboard backdrop cantina set.

The 2012 Comic-Con exclusive is still available at Gentle Giant’s website for $80–the large boot variety Snaggletooth figure in jumbo form. The original little figure was pretty rare and second only in desirability to a Boba Fett with firing rocket, and only included in a Sears Roebuck Star Wars Cantina Adventure playset. The grail of original collectors, this is another cool figure in the jumbo line.

Unfortunately my favorite figure is already sold out–this Chewbacca figure, but I’m sure a Boba Fett would be fun to get, too.