Star Wars: Prototypes and Production

The Andor series is unlike any Star Wars show in the galaxy. But is that a good thing? Join host David Quinn as he shares his perspective on the series: where a story’s “slow burn” works, how the show develops and grows its characters to create meaningful connections with fans, and why Andor may be following in Rogue One’s footsteps by quietly building a loyal and ardent following over time. **NOT...

The final episode in The Cincinnati Toy Show series offers two more perspectives on the weekend: a collector from the north and one from the south! Canada’s Jimmy Mac (Jim McCallum) and Georgia’s Tony Johnson traveled to Cincinnati for the annual multi-day event, which was filled with trips to two notable toys shows, meals with friends, a Saturday night room sales, and tours of some impressive Sta...

Did a dealer really have more than 300 carded vintage Star Wars figures for sale at the Cincinnati Toy Show? What happened after room sales that made the night unforgettable? The Cincinnati Toy Show weekend is an annual event in October that reunites collectors and sends them on adventures to toy shows, collectors’ homes and room sales, and to events across the former hometown of Kenner Toys. Join...

What was this year’s Cincinnati Toy Show weekend really like? The annual pilgrimage to the heart of Kenner country offered trips to Xenia’s The Great Ohio Toy Show on Saturday, a room sales event later that night, and the Cincinnati Toy Show Sunday morning. And during that weekend, collectors met for meals, trips to the legendary toy shops and antique malls, and impromptu tours of some jaw-droppin...

The Fall toy show season is officially here. During a rain-soaked weekend, I traveled to the Octoberfest Toy Show in New Castle Delaware. The show has been thriving for decades, and brings the best of what collectors seek: a diverse treasure trove of vintage and modern collectibles, and a family-like atmosphere for shoppers and vendors. Join me, host David Quinn, for a day at the Delaware show. Le...

In 2018, Lucasfilm announced a return to the world of Rogue One, to tell the story of Cassian Andor and the earliest spark of a rebellion. And in the hands of writer and showrunner Tony Gilroy, the Andor series would undergo a transformation into a taut, edge-of-your-seat spy thriller. Join host David Quinn for a look at how Disney brought the concept to the small screen for a two-season, 24-episo...

A Luke Jedi proof sheet, a Boba Fett three-pack sample, Gamorrean Guard and General Grievous hardcopies, a clear-limbed Sandtrooper first shot, and the incredible hand-drawn pitch piece illustrating the iconic vintage-style cardback design we know and love today. These are some of the almost 600 (!!!) Vintage Collection preproduction pieces owned by prototype collector Anthony Pagano. Anthony has...

Let’s celebrate the 100th episode of the Star Wars: Prototypes And Production podcast! Do you remember your first big Star Wars purchase? Or picking up a piece, like a prototype, that changes the course of collecting for you? Have you ever set a goal to complete a run that was likely impossible? And have you ever purchased two sealed POTF Tatooine Skiffs in one week? Join me, host David Quinn, as...

The only carded Rocket Fett prototype in existence. One of the earliest and most iconic Darth Vader pieces ever unearthed. And a year-long purchase of hundreds of pieces, kicking off a world-class Star Wars collection. These are the fascinating stories told in a special podcast panel at the second Annual, an event this August that celebrated the best parts of Star Wars collecting and the community...

Curious to hear what a Star Wars collector event is really like? During the Labor Day weekend of 2019, eighty collectors attended an event in Fishkill New York. Hosted by the Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club, the Annual celebrated the best parts of collecting and our community. But what made the 2019 Annual event so memorable and special? Join me, host David Quinn, for a chronological look b...

Can a collecting event really change lives? For a number of Star Wars fans, The 2019 Annual was the place where long-lasting friendships were born. Where collectors found their places within a passionate and creative community. Where life changed for them, forever. And if you’ve listened to the past few episodes, you’ve heard about the adventures that I and seven other collectors experienced the S...

This episode is a personal favorite of mine. After recording a roundtable collectors discussion with seven friends on the final evening of the Annual 2019 weekend, our epic night was just beginning. It was a raucous adventure, filled with wildly funny moments, and some really memorable ones as well. And it was the perfect ending to one of the best collector trips I’ve experienced as a Star Wars fa...

During the Labor Day weekend of 2019, Star Wars collectors traveled to Fishkill, New York for the exciting inaugural event known as The Annual. The Annual, hosted by the Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club, was a celebration of all things Star Wars, and highlighted the best parts of collecting and the community. On the last night of The Annual, eight friends assembled for an impromptu conversat...

Collector panels, room sales, a boat cruise, and a tour of one of the greatest vintage Star Wars collections in existence! During the Labor Day weekend of 2019, Star Wars collectors traveled to Fishkill, New York for the exciting inaugural event known as The Annual. The Annual, hosted by the Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club, was a celebration of all things Star Wars, and highlighted the best...

Coming to you live from Fishkill, New York! During the Labor Day Weekend of 2019, the Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club hosted a legendary event for members called The Annual. But how did the Empire State Club begin? How did it grow to include hundreds of the most passionate collectors from all over the country and around the world? And how can you become a part of the Empire State Club? Join...

During the Labor Day weekend of 2019, Star Wars collectors descended upon Fishkill, New York for the exciting inaugural event known as The Annual. The Annual, hosted by the Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club, was a celebration of all things Star Wars, and highlighted the best parts of collecting and the community. But what made The Annual so special? Why was it so memorable? And how did it imp...

In 2019, the Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club hosted The Annual, a weekend event in Fishkill, New York that celebrated the best parts of collecting and the community. The Annual offered collector panels, a Hudson River boat cruise, excursions to flea markets and toy shops, late-night diner trips and tours of two of the best Star Wars collections in the galaxy. And one of the creative minds b...

A $20,000 Boba Fett bootleg, an Empire Strikes Back Stormtrooper that sold for $10,000, the continued rise in Revenge of the Jedi proof card values, and the surprising out-performance and under-performance of Power of the Force carded figures! Plus, two Empire Strikes Back carded figures you may currently own that are now worth thousands of dollars! On the heels of Celebration Anaheim, Hake’s Auct...

A record-breaking Rocket Fett, a $40,000 carded Vinyl Cape Jawa...and an $8,700 Chewbacca Bop Bag???? On the heels of Celebration Anaheim, Hake’s Auctions offered an incredible assortment of 200 vintage collectibles for its first Star Wars Special Event Auction in June. Join host David Quinn for a conversation with fellow collector Matt George, as they explore the prices and trends from the most r...

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, in the same room. The first massive gathering of Star Wars fans and collectors in three years. And a mountain of Star Wars-themed swag. This was the unforgettable event that was Celebration Anaheim. Join host David Quinn as he views the Celebration weekend through the lens of the collectors and fans who traveled out to Anaheim for the once-in-a-lifetime event! A sin...

“Will you return to play Obi-Wan again?” That was the question that plagued Ewan McGregor for years, as Lucasfilm began to release Star Wars films in the Disney era. Fans clamored to see McGregor don the Jedi Robes again, and to portray the beloved character from George Lucas’ prequel trilogy. Behind the scenes, Lucasfilm had been working on a standalone Kenobi film, similar to 2016’s Rogue One an...

If you are an Ahsoka fan, this season is the calm before the Togruta storm. 14 years ago, George Lucas and Dave Filoni introduced Ahsoka Tano to the world. And over time, Ahsoka has become one of the most popular Star Wars characters ever. And with her new live-action series helmed by Dave Filoni on the horizon, as well as the excitement surrounding Star Wars Celebration and the new Obi-Wan series...

In The Vintage Collection Archive, authors Rich Alot, D. Martin Myatt, and former Hasbro VP Derryl DePriest crafted the definitive guide for the line: carefully curated and setting a new standard for a Star Wars collector resource. The writing is superb, the commentary by the Hasbro team is insightful, and the images are truly striking. But it’s greatest secret? The behind-the-scenes information t...

Where else can you see: —Displays matching the Kenner packaging photos? —Three-dimensional hand-painted dioramas of the vehicle boxes? —A Hasbro Sail Barge packed with vintage figures?
 —And nearly every Star Wars toy produced between 1977 and 1985? That’s just a snapshot of Tyler Fedigan’s incredible collection room, devoted to the Kenner Star Wars action figure line. Tyler is a fellow Empire Sta...

Ten years ago, a chance encounter between two vintage Star Wars collectors became the spark that ignited one of the greatest regional clubs in the galaxy: The Empire State Star Wars Collectors Club. And since then, the club has become a home to hundreds of collectors, many of whom have impacted our hobby in profound and positive ways. The Empire State Club has hosted both local meetups and larger,...