While the characters of Star Wars are incredibly important, the vehicles of the saga have a special place in the hearts of fans and collectors alike. In the mid- to late-90s there were a number of lines offering up Star Wars vehicles in various scales. Over the years, however, things changed. First we lost Micro Machines, then Action Fleet, then finally the Titanium Series. For a while now, the only stalwart production of Star Wars vehicles has been in the 3 3/4" line—though even the release of these is sporadic. Last month, however, we received word that Hot Wheels and Star Wars would soon be joining forces to release an entirely new range of vehicles. One line will include themed “character cars” (the first of which can be seen here). The second - and far more interesting - line, will contain a series of miniature ships with display stands. This year’s Comic-Con International: San Diego saw a lot of buzz around the former. Unfortunately, the latter line received far less coverage. The internet is a wonderful place however, and thanks to the fine folks at GalacticHunter.com we’re now able to get our first look at this exciting new line.
(Images courtesy of galactichunter.com)
The vehicles aren’t set to ship until Spring 2015, so the range on display at SDCC was understandably limited. Among those vehicles featured were a handful of X-Wings, TIE Fighters, Snowspeeders, an AT-AT, and the Millennium Falcon. The sculpts appear incredibly close to those from the now defunct Titanium Series line, so the glimpse of an entirely new vehicle—the Ghost from the upcoming Star Wars Rebels television series—will be the most exciting reveal for those looking to expand their miniature Star Wars vehicle collections.
Overall, this new line looks incredibly promising. The sculpts appear to be screen-accurate and incredibly well-detailed—something that can be difficult to pull off at this very small scale. The addition of a range of playsets and carry cases for these vehicles is also very exciting. For now, the only downside is the way in which the vehicles are painted. They’re simply too pristine. Compare these with the paintjobs on the Titanium Series vehicles, which always excellently emulated that “used universe” feel of Star Wars by being dirty and battle-damaged. It’s not something that’s worth dwelling on however, as there’s every chance that the paintjobs on display at SDCC are by no means indicative of the final product.
What's your impression of these new vehicles? Be sure to send me your thoughts at relicsoftheforce@gmail.com or tweet them to @Archon_Revuge!
What's your impression of these new vehicles? Be sure to send me your thoughts at relicsoftheforce@gmail.com or tweet them to @Archon_Revuge!
