| Death Star Droid Painted First Shot | |
| Prototypes pertaining to the first 21 characters from the Star Wars line remain coveted amongst prototype collectors. While all first shots can accurately be described as rare, some require much more diligence to track down in first shot form then others; Death Star Droid being one of those extremely rare examples. Based on The Dark Artist's research, this appears to be the lone painted Death Star Droid painted first shot to surface as of early 2013.
The figure exhibits hand painting and detailing throughout and brush strokes are particularly noticeable in the black painted areas. An errant black paint mark is even present on the inner right arm. The figure completely lacks copyright information and features a different style back screw compared to its production counterpart. Prototypes by their very nature are interesting, but the history behind their origin and use often increases their appeal. This first shot originated from a Kenner Salesman who lived in the Midwest that used this figure in displays at toy fairs. He utilized the prototype along with others to provide an advance look of the product to prospective buyers prior to the toys' arrival at retail. |
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| Description by: | Michael G. Mensinger, The Dark Artist |
| Photo: | The Dark Artist |
| From the collection of: | The Dark Artist |
| Country: | United States |
| Film: | A New Hope |
| Licensee: | Kenner |
| Year: | 1977 |
| Category: | Prototypes / Action Figure Related |