One
of the most brilliant things that George Lucas ever did was to
waive certain director payments to him from the first Star Wars film
in order to secure the licensing rights to Star Wars for himself.
Whether he thought “What the hell?” or what, he is now a very, very,
very rich man because of that decision. Kenner, likewise, had a
decision to make when they got the toy manufacturing rights to the
Star Wars films – what to make? Well, the only things they could get
out in time for Christmas 1977 were some Star Wars board games and
puzzles (everyone and their mother had one of those puzzles). They
couldn’t get the figures out in time, but what they could get out
was an empty box. Yes, an empty box.
That empty box
was known as the Early Bird Certificate Package. Okay, it wasn’t
really empty, but it had no figures. What it had was a certificate
to send away for four figures (Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and R2), a
display stand (which you couldn’t really use until the figures
came), a Star Wars Club membership card, and stickers.
The
certificate insured that you would get the four figures, but they
came after Christmas, in the first few months of the new year. The
first sets included Luke with a double telescoping lightsaber, and
Chewbacca’s bowcaster had a greenish hue. The mail-away came with
all their accessories and feet pegs so they could stand on the
display. There was a recent *kind of* reissue of the Early Bird
package that was a Wal-Mart exclusive. The packaging was identical,
but the figures are the new editions and much more detailed and
realistic.
Why should you get this set? Five reasons:
1. It was the first time you could get any Star Wars figures.
2.
In hindsight, this is now worth a lot of money. How much? Well,
never mind – you couldn’t afford it. Check Ebay if you’re interested.
3. Stickers! Who doesn’t like stickers?
4. A membership card! Finally, you belong!
5. The ultimate Kenner Star Wars collector’s item. If you think you have everything but don’t have this, you…have…nothing!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Early Bird Certificate Package (SW 1977-78)
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1 comment:
Total flashback: I was in 1st grade in '77 and I just remembered one of my classmates brought this to school one day!
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