Funko Nods a Vintage Kenner Star Wars Toy

catina-toys1-1024x768The massive blockbuster Star Wars blasted into theaters on May 25th, 1977 and the hype machine began. Parents and their children began rushing to the department stores for toys, apparel and other film related products. Star Wars toys were flying off the shelves and the toy manufacture Kenner was trying to keep up with the high demands. By Christmas 1978, Sears Wish Book featured a new set of figures from Kenner called the Cantina Adventure Set. This rare package contained creatures from the film’s Cantina Mos Eisley scene. The adventure package included 3.75″ tall figures which included Greedo, Hammerhead, Walrus Man and Snaggletooth. However, something wasn’t right with one of the figures and the legend of the blue Snaggletooth was born.

 

The story goes that Lucasfilm had only sent Kenner a grainy, black-and-white photograph showing only the bottom half of the Snaggletooth character. With so little to go on, the employees did their best with what they had and created a regular 3.75-inch figure with tan skin, a blue suit, and large silver boots. That figure was sent out to Sears department stores in an exclusive play set. Because of the early miscommunication over the appearance, Kenner later changed Snaggletooth to fit how the character appeared in the film. The film version then became the one available to purchase and the blue Snaggletooth faded away.

 

BlueSnaggletooth

 

Nearly 40 years later, this ultra-rare figure can now demand a hefty price on the action figure collecting after market. Even finding this character can claim a victory for the collector because it doesn’t happen often.

Today, not everyone knows the story of the blue Snaggletooth but to those who do a company named Funko has a treat for you.

 

 

WIRED.COM reports:

 

Last summer Funko announced it would be offering a Star Wars themes product subscription. In the early phase of conceptualizing senior product designer Reis O’Brien—suggested Snaggletooth.

“I think I jumped up and down yelling, ‘We have to make a tall blue one!’” O’Brien says.

Not everyone on the design team was familiar with the story of the blue Snaggletooth. However, once everyone knew the story they were quickly on board with a new Funko’s Star Wars line that referenced Kenner toy history.

 

Snaggletooth-Pop-Vinyl-Compare-300x300

 

So how can I try and get the new Funko blue Snaggletooth to add to my collection?

Here is how you may have a chance.

 

Ordering the May installment of Funko’s package comes with and option to add on past boxes and subscribers can possibly receive either a blue or red suited Snaggletooth.

 

Finally, I might be able to have a blue snaggletooth on my shelf in my office for coffee talk. It may not be the expensive vintage Kenner figure but I am sure it would make vintage collector fans like me very happy. You can try your luck at getting the blue Snaggletooth here at Smugglersbounty.com

 

 

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4 thoughts on “Funko Nods a Vintage Kenner Star Wars Toy

  • March 23, 2016 at 3:41 pm
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    Well technically the red Kenner Snaggletooth was also wrong, it was just as inaccurate as the blue one. But they are both equally awesome figures and both are much cooler than the actual Snivvian seen on screen. And it’s great that Funko is showing reverence to both versions. Now I wish I had subscribed to the service so I could have one of these.

  • March 23, 2016 at 5:04 pm
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    Not a fan of the Funko Pop stuff, but my wife has Wicket the Ewok and it is kinda cute. Saw the Snaggletooth in an article yesterday and I think it is quite clever.

    Happy they did that. It’s pretty funny actually.

  • March 24, 2016 at 4:55 am
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    I received the red one today in my smugglers box.

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