Your Clones Are Very Impressive

The original Kenner line presented a challenge when it came to categorizing and presenting my collection on my website.  Since the original line was released when I was a kid, I opened my action figures so I could play with them. However,  I did save the card backs.   Since Kenner offered several mail-in promotions requiring sending in Proof of Purchase, many of the early cards have their Proof of Purchase seals cut out of them and/or the fronts were torn while removing the figure.   I thought it would be fun to Photoshop the damaged cards to make them look like they would have looked in their original condition.   I also Photoshopped the loose figure onto the card.  

To complicate matters even more, there are often several variant cards for the same figure.  For example, a Stormtrooper could appear on a Star Wars card, an Empire card or a Jedi card. There can also be variants within each of the movie lines.    

Also, there were the Early Bird figures, other mail-in figures, playset figures where I never had a card and three figures I bought later still on the original card.  

Taking all these factors into account I came up with this organizational system.  

All the images are titled using the following format: 12Back_Stormtrooper_A.jgp

The "12Back" refers the number of figures listed on the back of the card.  This allows the figures to be listed in the order in which they were released.    Then comes the figure name. 

The letter refers to the photo version:



A:  The restored card front with the loose figure Photoshopped onto it.  

 B. The restored card front without the figure.



C.  The restored card back

 

D.  The front of the loose figure

  

E.  The back of the loose figure

  

F.  The original card front

  

 G.  The original card back

 


"Your Clones Are Very Impressive."-  Obi-Wan Kenobi (Episode II)

From a Certain Point of View

Yesterday I announced my new website The Ways of the Force.  Today I thought I would talk about the graphic on the Welcome Page.  The idea was to create a mosaic from the photos of the cards contained in the side.   So, I started with this familiar image:

Then I found this site:  http://www.easymoza.com/ and uploaded the card photos. My welcome page image was created:

I think the site did a nice job at a standard screen size it's hard to tell what the image is made up of so here are a few close up images:  

"So what I told you was true, from a certain point of view"- Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode VI

You Must Learn The Ways of the Force

A long time ago... I began this blog and then went several years without posting. Well, a few months ago, while working on my collection database, I decided to begin a new project. It seemed like a simple idea at first but it soon it expanded into a much larger project. The idea was to take photos of my action figures (as opposed to finding and copying images from the internet) and add them to my database. I have over 1,100 figures so that means over 2,200 photos (fronts and backs) In the process of this task I decided to create a website to serve as a public archive of my entire collection.

I've also used this as an opportunity to begin a project that's been on my radar for a very long time... cataloging my Ephemera and paper items.

So, after months of work and, just in time for Celebration Chicago, I'm proud to introduce:

The Ways of The Force!

https://sites.google.com/site/waysforce/


Here is a sample of a few of the items I've posted.

VINTAGE COLLECTION (VC132) SAELT-MARAE FRONT

VINTAGE COLLECTION (VC132) SAELT-MARAE BACK

Itty Bitty General Leia

AT-AT Driver Lego Keychain

Film Cell Exchange Advertisement 

Halmark Wrapping Paper

TIE Fighter Instructions Page 1

TIE Fighter Instructions Page 2

Hopefully, my fellow collectors will find this site useful. Now, for action figures there are tons of commercial sites that are more complete. This site documents just my collection but, at least for now, the images are there for anyone to easily download and use for cataloging their collections. While my collection is fairly complete, there are some holes. Where I really hope to contribute to the community is the Ephemera part of my collection. I think I have some interesting pieces that I haven't been able to find through internet searches.

I hope you enjoy the site. It is still work in progress so keep checking back.

May the force be with you!


"You must learn the ways of the force if you're to come with me to Alderaan." - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Episode IV)