Slip 'O The Tongue

Back in the late 90s, when Star Wars woke up from its over-a-decade of slumber, I worked at Toys R Us. Being a child of the 80s and growing up collecting the now cherished late 70s early 80s figures, this was a chance to relive my childhood and collect it all again. And I did. Much to the dismay of my rent and utility bills, my Star Wars mania was priority Number One (proper noun). And working at Toys R Us at the time was like a sex addict working in a brothel. It was obscene.

During that time I collected just about anything with the Star Wars name on it. 3-3/4" figures, their respective vehicles and playsets, the 12" figures, Micromachines, board games... you name it, it was coming home with me. The end result was a basement full of shit that was essentially worthless.

Worthless is harsh. That stuff is still worth something, but just like the early 90s comic boom, the market was so saturated with the product, nothing really became a collectors item. So while I had a lot of it, none of it was a gold bar waiting to be unearthed. Most of it was opened anyway because I'm a giant child and wanted to play with everything. So came the decision to finally part with it.

The yard sale, which already had a built in clientele, was the best way to go. I probably could have made more money putting everything up on eBay but that would have taken for-fucking-ever. Not just to get everything photographed and documented on there, but also to have it actually sell. While I was researching prices for everything I realized there are a billion other people like me with that shit on eBay. So the yard sale was quick and easy. And I made a pretty penny anyhow, if I do say so myself.

All that said, I couldn't part with everything. I kept my favorite vehicles and the core cast of 3-3/4" figures. All the various Luke's, Han's and Leia's stayed; all the Ponda Baba's, Momaw Nadon's and Death Star Gunner's went. I also kept the entire Original Trilogy collection of 12" figures. I know they're essentially Star Wars Barbies, but for some oddball reason they mean the most to me. Maybe because I have the entire collection? Its certainly not because of the sculpt of Mark Hamill's face. Yikes.

So after a long run I bid my 90s Star Wars mania adieu. The basement is only so big and I've got to make room for more long boxes. One obsession gives way to another. Such is life.

-Gint