| Rebel Soldier (Hoth Battle Gear) Painted Hardcopy | |
| The sources for action figure hardcopies have dried up in recent years, making them incredibly scarce. They've become so scarce, in fact, that many newer prototype collectors hardly think about them. They content themselves with first shots, for which they pay incredible sums of money. Then they get to work explaining to their friends and family members why they just mortgaged their homes to pay for something that looks and feels just like a common production figure.
Maybe that's why looking at this Rebel Soldier hardcopy featured feels a bit like peering into prototype-collecting history. These days you rarely see its like.
A painted figure like this probably served as a photography or display model, used to demonstrate the finished product to Kenner's base of retailer customers. As the above photo shows, it's not even fully articulated; most of the limbs are either glued or paint-welded to the torso. Interestingly, the head is attached via a thin metal rod rather than the bulkier steel dowels typically found on hardcopies. The base material appears to be Carbalon. |
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| Description by: | Ron Salvatore |
| Photo: | Broc Walker |
| From the collection of: | Broc Walker |
| Country: | United States |
| Film: | Empire Strikes Back |
| Licensee: | Kenner |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Category: | Prototypes / Action Figure Related |
