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Continuing my tribute to the Kenner Toys, Star Wars action figures of my youth. I was 8 (just about to turn 9) in May 1980 when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK came out. I was obsessed with the first movie (in the all-consuming way that little kids get into things) but the sequel made an even more profound impact on me, during my peak childhood years. Maybe it was because I was just a little older and better able to understand. Or maybe because I grew up in a region with very cold winters and so much of ESB was set on the snow-planet Hoth. I could relate to that.

If you weren't alive when this was going on, I don't think you can understand what a BIG DEAL the release of each of the original 3 Star Wars movies was. The fact that there was nothing else like it at the time, and even the enjoyable rip offs (like the original Battlestar Galactica) that were cool still didn't measure up. Not to mention the 3 year gap between movies, felt like an eternity to a child. It was also the era when there was no home video yet. You couldn't just watch the movie on BluRay or DVD (or even VHS yet) to tide you over until the next movie came out. You just had to wait and remember! I think this might be why kids in my generation felt such a powerful attachment to the Kenner Star Wars figures. They were our daily reminder and connection to that galaxy. The Empire Strikes Back toyline included some figures that became all-time favorites of mine. In fact I would say, Boba Fett and Bossk, still, to this day, remain two of my favorite figures (and visual designs) in the entire Star Wars saga.

This piece was drawn traditionally with inks on bristol board and colored in Photoshop.

Description

Continuing my tribute to the Kenner Toys, Star Wars action figures of my youth. I was 8 (just about to turn 9) in May 1980 when THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK came out. I was obsessed with the first movie (in the all-consuming way that little kids get into things) but the sequel made an even more profound impact on me, during my peak childhood years. Maybe it was because I was just a little older and better able to understand. Or maybe because I grew up in a region with very cold winters and so much of ESB was set on the snow-planet Hoth. I could relate to that.

If you weren't alive when this was going on, I don't think you can understand what a BIG DEAL the release of each of the original 3 Star Wars movies was. The fact that there was nothing else like it at the time, and even the enjoyable rip offs (like the original Battlestar Galactica) that were cool still didn't measure up. Not to mention the 3 year gap between movies, felt like an eternity to a child. It was also the era when there was no home video yet. You couldn't just watch the movie on BluRay or DVD (or even VHS yet) to tide you over until the next movie came out. You just had to wait and remember! I think this might be why kids in my generation felt such a powerful attachment to the Kenner Star Wars figures. They were our daily reminder and connection to that galaxy. The Empire Strikes Back toyline included some figures that became all-time favorites of mine. In fact I would say, Boba Fett and Bossk, still, to this day, remain two of my favorite figures (and visual designs) in the entire Star Wars saga.

This piece was drawn traditionally with inks on bristol board and colored in Photoshop.