Jerry Hancock, from the Georgia Alliance of Star Wars Collectors (GASWC), sat down with Rich Alot and Derryl DePriest, co-authors of the upcoming Vintage Collection Archive Book, and talked about this exciting project and its importance in documenting the creation of the The Vintage Collection toy line. The Star Wars The Vintage Collection Archive Edition book is a comprehensive historical manuscript and detailed visual archive of one of Hasbro’s most popular lines of 3.75-inch Star Wars action figures, The Vintage Collection. Some of the book’s pages were shown for the first time during this conversation. Additionally, they talked about some of Derryl’s time working on the Vintage Collection at Hasbro when he worked there.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – June 7, 2019 Today, Blue Milk LLC launches Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Archive Edition book on crowd-funding site Kickstarter. Starting from $50 for early bird backers, the Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Archive Edition is a comprehensive historical manuscript and detailed visual archive of one of Hasbro’s most popular lines of 3.75-inch Star Wars action figures, The Vintage Collection (TVC).

Update: thanks to you the collector, the book made its goal in one day!

Written by Derryl DePriest, former Vice President of Global Brand Management and Star Wars brand team leader at Hasbro, the book comprises approximately 300 pages detailing TVC action figures, creatures, vehicles and playsets. Each item in the collection will feature a write-up informed by inside knowledge from the design and marketing team, and will be accompanied by crisp, high-resolution photos. The volume will be printed on premium-quality paper, bound in a deluxe hardcover.

“The Vintage Collection is one of the greatest toy lines of all time, offering an incredible balance between source material accuracy, detail and playability,” according to DePriest. “Our goal with The Vintage Collection Archive Edition is to pay tribute to this amazing series and the team that created it, offering spectacular photography and new insights for the long-time fan while acting as a primer covering the entire series for the newer collector.”

Joining DePriest are co-authors D. Martin Myatt and Rich Alot. The trio will self-publish the book under their newly formed company Blue Milk LLC. Steve Sansweet, Star Wars super-collector and President and CEO of Rancho Obi-Wan, will write the foreword.

“Introduced in 2010 with roots in the legendary 1978 Kenner Star Wars toy line, The Vintage Collection has grown to include hundreds of figures, vehicles, and special sets. Keeping track of everything available is challenging, and The Vintage Collection Archive Edition will be an invaluable resource to fans and collectors alike,” Sansweet says.

The book’s Kickstarter campaign offers a variety of backer rewards for those supporting the project, including a TVC compendium poster by Kim Simmons, Kenner’s principal Star Wars photographer between 1981-2000. In another tie to the original toy line, the poster uses the actual yellow background seen on Star Wars action figure packaging in the ’80s. In addition to the backer rewards, the campaign has stretch goals to unlock more content and chapters.

Book Specs:

• Deluxe hardcover in an 9.25 x 11.5 inch (23.5 x 29.5 cm) format
• Professionally designed layout with easy to use reference guide featuring high-resolution photos and detailed write ups printed on premium quality paper
• Comprehensively covers every The Vintage Collection (TVC) 3.75-inch action figure, creature, vehicle and playset.
• Chapter breaks with full-page width photos inspired by classic Kenner-era packaging
• Additional content unlocked with stretch goals
• Approximately 300 pages
• December 2019 delivery

You can back the Star Wars: The Vintage Collection Archive Edition book on its Kickstarter page now; starting at $50 for Early Bird backers.

Thanks to our friend Rich Alot from over at Rebelscum/Cool Toy Review, we can present to you a few photos from the floor of Hasbro’s ‘Twas the Night Before…Party last night. It goes without saying that Hasbro really is honoring that statement saying that the Black Series is meant for collectors as some of these figures are the best issues that have ever been done.