The other day, my UPS man was asking me about the 32 different R2-D2 figures that sit on the power strip above my desk at work. Yes, I have 32 of them up there, only two of them are actually “R2-D2″, the rest are various R2s, R3s, R4s and R5 units. The majority of them appeared in the Star Wars movies, usually in the background of scenes.  A couple of them are EU (Expanded Universe) units, such as the red, white and blue one in the picture here, but most of them come from the movies.

So, I got to thinking about my love of R2, and while I don’t go as far as some others out there, it does run pretty deep back to my childhood.  There was just something about him and his pluckiness (okay, someone please shoot me for using the word “pluckiness”), but he was Luke’s steadfast companion, and the idea of a computer that just rolls around with you?  Sweet!

As I grew out of childhood, I just thought the concept of these background characters were fascinating, and something that helped breath more life into the Star Wars universe.  Sure, they all looked similar, but you knew there was only one “R2-D2″, none of the rest displayed the personality he did.  The majority of them were just work-a-day droids, toiling away at making the universe that much more livable.

It is fairly obvious I am not the only one who loves the little guys as back in July of 2003, during production of Revenge of the Sith, fan club members (yes, I was at the time so I could watch the production web cams) were allowed to vote on the color scheme of a new droid, R4-G9.  We didn’t know much about what sort of role he would play, just that he was connected to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and we were allowed to vote on what color we wanted him to be.  As I remember it, we had four choices, but it was obvious from the get-go that copper was the only real choice, the others were all a bit odd.

Yes, it is another one of my odd little quirks: I love fictional droids from a series of movies.  Oh well, there certainly could be worse things about me, like I could be 36 and still playing video games on a regular basis… Oh bugger…

I’ve said it before, but I am not big on building posts around YouTube videos, about JL over at Little Lost Robot posted this today, and I had to share. Reasons after the video.

Back when I had my retail store front, we ended up in a never-ending Nerf war. We had Nerf guns hidden behind racks, under the desks, on top of top shelves… we had Nerf weapons everywhere. When we had an exceptionally bad day, someone would scream “NERF WAR!” and we would all dive for the closest weapon and open up on each other. Yes… sometimes with customers in the store.

While we never had anything at the store to quite rival this video, there was the time I get set loose in the Nerf showroom in New York City. I was attending Toy Fair for one of my magazine jobs, and though Nerf wasn’t something I wrote about, Hasbro was giving me the complete tour anyway.  In the Nerf room they had target ranges set up, every imaginable weapon set out, and buckets of spare ammo strewn around the room.  You were encouraged to just pick up guns and start shooting as you toured the room… I did… so did my tour guide… and my mother.  Nothing like a Nerf fight with unlimited ammo.

All that said… I love this video.

I’ve waited 30 years for a better Millennium Falcon toy. The picture to the right shows what’ I’ve been waiting for.

See, the one they released in 1978 was “okay”, but it always seemed lacking. It was stubby looking, the guns on top didn’t sit right, it had no bottom guns… that really bothered me for some reason… but I still loved it, and played with it loads. Now it seems I am finally getting the Millennium Falcon of my dreams! So what if it comes out six days after I turn 37, I still want it! (info from Hasbro)

• Light-up headlights and loads of electronic vehicle and weapon sounds – engine boost, cruise mode, fly-by, firing cannons, and more

• Opening, light-up cockpit can fit up to 4 figures. Vehicle includes Han Solo and Chewbacca and can hold up to 18 figures

• Remove outer panels to access the ship’s interior, then head for the medical bay to treat wounded Rebels

• Secret smuggling compartments to hide from stormtroopers

• Boarding ramp with auto-opening action, deployment sounds and landing lights

• Pivoting gunner station to target Imperial fighters

• Light-up hyperdrive lights and authentic movie phrases and sounds from favorite characters: Han, Luke, Obi-Wan, C-3PO, Chewbacca and R2-D2

• Rotating laser turret fires 2 missiles and makes weapon sounds; ship also features a 3-missile launcher with blasting sounds, and a cannon that launches a “laser” missile

• Missile-firing mini-fighter fits inside an opening docking bay that makes electronic boarding and flight sounds

• Pivoting training probe makes lightsaber and movement sounds – learn the power of the Force

• Illuminated dejarik table with holographic creatures – let the Wookiee win

Okay, fine, I’m just a big kid, I don’t care! It’s 2 & 1/2 feet long, will retail for $150… I have to save up for it and figure out where the heck I am putting a toy that big, I’m open to suggestions!
… but I must have this. Again, I DON’T CARE THAT I WILL BE 37 BY THEN! What’s life without some fun?

I did make myself a promise awhile back that I would stop buying toys, but… then those really cool G.I. Joe toys came out… and there’s been a few other Star Wars toys… and a couple Transformers… -sigh- I can’t help it, I still love toys. I worked in the toy industry for too long not to love them, and I appreciate them for their art and the skill it takes to make them beyond just being collectibles or items for kids to play with. I understand the work that goes into them from befriending so many toy sculptors over the years, and it’s not something you just whip out, they take a year or more of development before they hit the shelves, so I can really appreciate the beauty in them sometimes as art.

Course, that also doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate them as a toy, a tool for fueling fantasies. Sure, kids should be able to develop their own imagination, how else would we ever get fresh ideas, but it is also nice to sometimes to have a toy from something you already love, and play in that persons imaginary sandbox sometimes.

By the way… Hasbro has also confirmed the new version has bottom guns…

SCORE!

Back when I was writing in the 1990’s, it was almost always about toys, more specifically action figures. At the time I was considered one of the leading experts in the industry on action figures of the 1970’s and 1980’s, but I always had a soft spot for G.I. Joe, specifically the 3.75″ line.

I had grown up loving the toy line, which was in response to the ultra successful Star Wars line in the same scale, and was launched in 1982. The overall toy series had it’s ups-and-downs, and seemed to have breathed it’s last in 1998, though there were several unsuccessful attempts to re-launch it, it seemed the line was dead for good.

With 2007 being the 25th anniversary, Hasbro decided to give it a try again with a nostalgia angle and… BAM, huge success. To the right you can see Snake Eyes from the new line, a favorite of almost every collector since his first appearance, and you can see what a great line this is.

Retro packaging with some new flair, superior sculpts, great articulation, an overall homerun of a line update. And it’s made me realize something… I’m still a huge toy geek! I have bought everything in the line so far… in multiples. And the funniest part is that I couldn’t care les what folks say, I love my geekiness, and I embrace it.

I came to this realization last night when I was in Wal-Mart, giddy over them getting a new shipment and I walked out with a cart full. That also made me realize, “Wow… I am that grown up geek they aimed this for! It’s nostalgic, but I have money to blow on it now… WHO CARES!” *throws another stack in his cart*

And I leave you with the theme song you can never get out of your head:

Yo Joe!
He’ll fight for freedom where ever there’s trouble.
GI Joe is there.

It’s GI Joe against Cobra the enemy
Fighting to save the day.
He never gives up.
He’s always there,
Fighting for freedom over land and air

GI Joe- A real American hero
GI Joe is there

GI Joe is the codename for American’s daring, highly trained
special mission force.
It’s purpose, to defend human freedom against Cobra-
a ruthless, terrorist organization determined to rule the world.

He never gives up.
He’ll stay til the fight’s won.
GI Joe will dare.

GI Joe- A real American hero
GI Joe

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=W6ueHzMwxt0[/youtube]