Every kid who grew up seeing Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back in theaters in their original releases is familiar with the rocket-firing Boba Fett.  First of all, you didn’t watch Star Wars and not at least stare in amazement at your local Woolworth’s or Woolco or Target displays or the Sears Roebuck Christmas “wish book” catalog and drool over the small initial run of action figures.  Then, once your parents caved and bought you even one, there was the little ad for a FREE (!) figure–if you only bought three more–of this mysterious new character with a cameo in the now infamous Star Wars Christmas Special.  Just save those little blue Kenner proofs of purchase.  You wanted to get your four figures fast, because… what if they run out of this Fett guy?  Should I tape these circles to a postcard so they don’t get lost in the envelope?  You wait and wait at the mailbox like the little kid in A Christmas Story.  Finally it arrived, and you have the first discussion with your parents about “bait and switch”.

That’s because the as-advertised, rocket-firing Boba Fett was supposedly not released.  This is flat wrong, and I only wish someone had photos of the kid up the street, Mike, and me playing with his TWO rocket-firing Boba Fetts–launching rockets at each other from across his living room.  Anyway, everyone but the kid up my street, including me, got the kind that didn’t fire.

Now the collectible toy company Gentle Giant is releasing the large-sized “Rocket Firing Boba Fett” as part of their other giant figures based on original Kenner Star Wars figure sculpts.  Digitally scanned from a 3 ¾” Kenner prototype and reproduced to a 12” tall, Gentle Giant claims “no detail has been overlooked.”  It’s injection molded and made of plastic, fully articulated, and yes, with the firing rocket.

Gentle Giant also has classic figure inspired packaging with original photos and art work, including a plus for collectors–a resealable plastic outer clam shell to help protect and display the figure.

Similar in pricing to other Gentle Giant limited edition over-sized figures, the new Boba Fett is in limited release (total numbers to be determined) and retails for $85.  Check out the Gentle Giant website for more information.

Editor