Foreign Action Figure Releases
In addition to the POTF releases in the U.S. and elsewhere on the familiar cardback with coin, a very different figure packaging was issued in Brazil, Germany, and Europe. In fact, several action figures were available in POTF packaging only as foreign releases.
Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, the original C-3PO, and Hoth Stormtrooper ("Guerreiro Imperial") were available only in Brazil, produced by Glasslite. Also available in the same line by Glasslite were Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Ben Kenobi, and R2 with Pop-Up saber, all of which were also available in U.S. POTF packaging. As two few interesting side notes to the Glasslite action figures, the C-3PO has a much deeper, dull finish, and the dome of the R2-D2 is a gray, muted color as well as having a different color scheme.
Glasslite action figure images are courtesy Rob Godwin and Richard Cox
- Ben Kenobi
A Espada da Forca cresce em sua mao- C-3PO
Com pernas e bracos desmontaveis- Chewbacca
Co-piloto de Solo- Darth Vader
A Espada da Forca cresce em sua mao- Guerreiro Imperial
Soldado de Elite do Imperio
- Han Solo
Combatente estelar mercenario- Luke Skywalker
O cavalheiro Jedi- Princesa Leia
Lider da Rebeliao- R2-D2
Companheiro de C-3POGlasslite Luke Skywalker
courtesy of Rob Godwin
The Glasslite card back and front is totally different from the rest of the POTF series, with the exception of the logo (though it is printed as "O Poder da Forca"). The back of the card shows Luke Bespin holding an Original Luke saber and a Stormtrooper instead of the Original Luke and the Snowtrooper. A generic card front and back is used on all of the figures, with the nameplates being stickers. In addition, the Glasslite figures were introduced not in 1985 but in 1988/89, and no coin was included in the packaging. All of the foreign-only re-releases command a premium, and the Glasslite figures are exceedingly difficult to track down.
Brazil had "O Poder da Forca" and Germany had "Die Kraft der Macht." Action figures were available in German POTF packaging only in three packs. There are three different types of these sets that are known. Firstly is a set with an Endor theme, which came with Chief Chirpa, a Biker Scout, and a speederbike. A second three pack was a set of three different figures on ROTJ card with the German POTF packaging card wrapped around it, while the third style was a Sail Skiff pack that came with a boxed One-Man Sail Skiff and the two different Klaatu figures. Like the Glasslite releases, the German packaging was generic and no coin was included.
German Figure Three Packs
courtesy Ron Salvatore and Rob GodwinThe back of the German three packs vary greatly from the standard U.S. 92 back card. Not all of the available action figures are shown, and some are either missing accessories or wearing them incorrectly.
There was also a trilogo variant of the POTF emblem released in Europe on three different figure sets. These include the Ewok combat set with two stormtroopers, Teebo, and Wicket; the Speeder Bike with two Biker Scouts, Leia in combat poncho, and Wicket; and finally the Hoth Rescue set including the Wampa, TaunTaun, Luke Hoth Gear, and Han Hoth Gear.
It is also interesting to note that the POTF trilogo releases do not sport the artwork common to POTF packaging but instead the diorama style used with all earlier Star Wars toy releases.
Ewok Combat Hoth Rescue courtesy of Rob Godwin
In addition to the Brazillian, German, and Trilogo releases, there was a Japanese POTF series and a Canadian exclusive. The Japanese POTF releases were basically a ROJ carded figure with a coin shrinkwrapped onto the upper right of the card. The Canadian release was a Sears exclusive two pack which included a Luke Stormtrooper and Han Solo in Carbonite. The set probably came in a white mailer box, and included a coin.
POTF Action Figures
Foreign POTF Figures || POTF Action Figures Collage
