31 Days to a Better Toy Collection: Star Wars Micro Collection Dispaly Cabinets...Maybe -Day 3

There just isn't enough room in the Batcave Toy Room for everything.

The pic above is the back wall in my home office. The office is actually next door to the Toy Room and serves as an auxiliary toy room that allows me more display room.

Imperial Troops Have Entered The Base: Vintage Kenner Rebel Command Center Adventure Set 1981

I had a hunch during the 1981 Christmas Season that Sears would once again have an exclusive Star Wars toy and my hunch was right. Like the Cantina Adventure Set released in 1978 and again in 1979 and the Cloud City Playset released in 1980, Kenner once again produced an exclusive playset including yet to be released action figures for Sears during the Christmas Season. This year the scarce Rebel Command Center Adventure Set was the toy of choice.

Not to be outdone, I once again pursued getting this Echo Base Playset as an early Christmas present. My Dad ordered one for me via Sears 1981 Christmas Wishbook, as the department store did not yet have them in stock. If memory serves we happened to be at Sears one night before the catalog order had come in and they just had stocked the shelves with the playset I was so anxiously awaiting its arrival. I talked my Dad into just buying one right then and there and cancel the catalog order.

The Rebel Command Center Adventure Set included a plastic base recycled from the Ice Planet Hoth Adventure Set that also was originally recycled from the Land of the Jawas Playset. Like this playsets predecessors, this playset came with a cardboard backdrop. This time representing the Rebel's Echo Base on Hoth.

You can see details like Han and Leia running towards the Millennium Falcon during their escape from the ice planet, Snowspeeders, X-Wing Fighters, a Rebel Soldier on a Tauntaun, and a cool ice cave with a laser rifle, backpack and map inside.

Most importantly the set came with 3 Star Wars action figures not yet available anywhere else. The previous Christmas exclusives had come with four figures, but this time around was minus one. However, the playset was of a little bit better quality since it had plastic base complete with an ice cave and action levers that would simulate battle. The three figures this go around were AT-AT Commander, R2-D2 (with sensorscope), and Luke Skywalker (Hoth Battle Gear).
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Unlike the Canadian Cloud City Playset, that came with different figures than the U.S. version, the Canadian Rebel Command Center had figures that were named differently. The Canadian playset version came with the AT-AT Commander and called it General Veers, which is the actual name of the character and the only time any kind of AT-AT Commander is shown this uniform.

Once again I was the envy of all my Star Wars collecting friends to have figures that no one else was able to get. Well, they could have gone to Sears just like me and it was no secret where I bought them. So, why no one else jumped on the band wagon I'll never know.

During my parents famed garage Spring cleaning, the backdrop for this playset ended up in the trash and was rescued by me. However, the box was not as lucky. I recently picked up the box pictured here complete with instructions off eBay for $7.13 and the playset once again has its rightful home.

About the author: John Sholtz is an avid toy collector and the interim editor of the Batcave Toy Room due to the abrupt death of Bruce Wayne. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter at, Facebook, Google+ and Linkedin.

Are You Still Collecting Toys Or Not?

Is the Millennium Falcon the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy? Is Batman really Bruce Wayne? Is The Avengers currently the #1 comic book based  movie of all time? Then yes, I am still collecting toys. I haven't had much time to post about my toy collecting exploits, but here's a look at what I have picked up over the past few months.

I finally completed my Retro Action DC Super Heroes collection, with the exception of the Hal Jordan Green Lantern from wave 1, but here's a look at Shazam, Black Adam, Darkseid, and Martian Manhunter. This was the last release from Mattel for these figures before they cancelled the line that is reminiscent to my beloved Mego's. I am hoping that they will do a Matty Collector exclusive from time to time like they did with Green Arrow.

I picked up the Hoth Ice Planet Adventure Set , the predecessor to the awesome AT-AT that Kenner released the year after this playset was put on the market. It was almost in perfect shape. I still have my original in my possession, but it looks like the Rebels did a number on it and I decided to get one in better condition. The box looks like the day it came off the toy shelf 32 years ago.

I loved the book 'From Alfred to Zowie' as a kid and for $5 bucks with free shipping off eBay it was a no brainer. It's been great reading this book with my oldest daughter. Especially, since she learned her ABCs a few months ago and shares the love of Batman like her Daddy.

I also picked up this Batman bicycle reflector that once sported my Schwinn along with a Superman version as a child. I still have my original Superman reflector, but like the 'From Alfred to Zowie' book, among other toys, they had made their way to the dump when my Dad had cleaned out the garage one day years ago. I picked up the reflector with a couple other Batman items pictured here and for $3.95 it was deal I couldn't pass up.

I have also wanted to post for months now, my Legacy Edition Catman score from the comment of the month from Action Figure Blues that I won back in October. Check out Big Daddy Darth's win of Catwoman from his recent comment of the month win.

I hope that helps give everyone get their toy collecting fix for now. More to come...

About the author: John Sholtz is an avid toy collector and the interim editor of the Batcave Toy Room due to the abrupt death of Bruce Wayne. Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter at, Facebook, Google+ and Linkedin.

I am Here to Put You Back on Schedule!

Lord Vader says, "Get this playset completed already!" Before I force choke you. I had a lot of readers ask to get a look at my Vintage Kenner Death Star playset as well as, tell me they always wanted it as kid, but never had a chance to get one. Well, believe it or not, I am no different.

The mast majority of my Vintage Star Wars Collection is composed of the toys I had as a kid. When I began collecting these toys from a galaxy far, far, away in the fall of 1980, my collection had grown leaps and bounds from September to December and just about had everything from the Star Wars 3 3/4 inch related Star Wars and first wave of The Empire Strikes Back toys, but a couple of items from the original line escaped my grasp. One of those was the Death Star Space Station Playset.

As the second wave of toys from Empire came out, which brought us such toy awesomeness such as the AT-AT, it also pulled the plug on the majority of the original lines toys with some exceptions as the Millennium Falcon, TIE Fighter, and X-Wing Fighter, but we lost great playsets like the Death Star and the Creature Cantina. Like my fellow toy bloggers, I was disappointed to never received this gem of a playset.

Through various part lot purchases on eBay I have been able to construct an almost complete playset. I just need a few more parts to do so.

I need the swing rope. How is Luke supposed to save the princess without this thing?

I need the tractor beam ledge. That old man needs get that tractor beam out of commission.

I also need to get a hold of some repro or original decals, whichever comes first.

So, I hope that suppresses your appetite for a little while gang. Soon as I can dig up those parts, We'll take a detailed look at this armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet. Stay tuned.

So, What Exactly was in Those Bins Full of Toys?

I've been having a great time going through my storage bins of toys and followers have been asking what was in those bins and bins of toys. Well, above is a look at the toys that were in those bins. Most of the bins contained Star Wars vehicles and playsets. Actually, everything I pulled is not in the pictures. I just didn't have room for it all in this photo.

I also put up these vintage Star Wars card backs on eBay this week as part of my purge project. I saved these card backs from my action figures from when I was a kid and many of them had proof of purchase symbols cut out for many of Kenner's free figure offers. The majority of the card backs even still have the blister bubbles still intact.

I am planning for my purge project to run through the month of November. I should be back on a regularly posting schedule by next week. My wheels have been turning with new acquisitions that I have in mind and I am planning to pick up as I continue to re-organize the Batcave Toy Room. Stay tuned.

Vintage Batman's Wayne Foundation Playset By Mego 1977-1979

Batman's Wayne Foundation, the creme de la creme with a show with everything but Yul Brynner. Here is a look at another one of my Batcave playsets. This playset is considered the grand-daddy of them all amongst toy collectors. Mego's Wayne Foundation is very much in comparison to Kenner's Death Star playset simply for the sure size of that thing. Standing 4 feet tall fully assembled this sucker is huge.

Mego's toy catalog described it as four floors of fantastic, crime fighting fun! Over 40" tall, this power packed playset is perfect for use with Mego's Batman heroes and villains.

The Dynamic Duo will love to hop into the kid-powered moving elevator...

Dash to the computer console...Very cool that the Batcomputer predicted that there would eventually be a Green Lantern action figure. (Only took about 30 years)

Plan terrific crime busting adventures...

Complete with furniture, trophy case, and book case with secret compartment.

Only Batman could have designed it. Actually DC Comics designed it for Mego and although it is dubbed the Wayne Foundation, it is basically four floors of all the different areas of the Batcave. In the comics, the Wayne Foundation Building had a Batcave underneath the building, which Batman moved his headquarters there after Robin went to college.

Check out the commercial below before some final product changes, which obviously came afterward. The computer console and chairs were silver rather than blue, and the other furniture had silver trim as well. Giving those items a more metallic look than just blue plastic. There is also what looks to me as clear plastic piece that goes over what I have always referred too as a desk, but to me it appears as it was meant as an actual trophy case.




You can check out the cool proto-type at The Mego Museum HERE.

Cool Batcave Playset From The Toyroom

Most Mego and Batman collectors I would assume own a vintage Mego Batcave. I have owned 3 in my lifetime. Including the one I have now box and all.

I have seen them sell on EBay for as much as $300 or more, but here is a look at a cool custom Batcave from The Toyroom.


Both sections open to reveal the playset. The playset doors double as floor space and the trophy room walls snap on to the sides.


Here you can see Batman at the Bat Computer that comes with interchangeable view screens.


Batcave Trophy Room. Complete with William Shakespeare bust. Nice touch.


Another view of the Batcave Trophy Room


The Batmobile ready for action


Zooming out the secret entrance. Only 14 miles to Gotham City!


The playset folds nicely as a carrying case.

This playest looks awesome. It may be a little pricey at $325, which puts it in line price wise with the vintage Mego version. If you are hungry for original Batman toys you might want to pick one of these up.

For more Batman Toy Collectibles check us out.