Tag Archives: collectibles

AVP: The Alien and Predator legacy

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After the chaos of the first two AVP movies, as well as those iconic original four ALIEN movies and two PREDATOR movies, fans have been left without any news on what to expect next from these two thrilling franchises.

There has been much talk of another entry in the AVP series, and that may well arrive, but it will take a rather different form from the first two. There are many rumours around that suggest the film will be taking place in space, on a derelict space station or similar craft.

This would take the series back to the roots of the Alien movies, and also give us our first real glimpse of Predator action in an off-world setting. This is an idea that had thrilled many fans, and will hopefully see the Alien and Predator franchises regain some of the credibility lost with the first two films.

Until then, there are the original eight movies to enjoy, as well as an ever growing range of Alien and Predator collectibles ^(http://www.indiefilmhouse.com/goto/http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Starstore_Catalogue_ALIEN_MOVIE_COLLECTIBLES_BY_SIDESHOW_8655.html). The leader in this field is Sideshow Collectibles ^(http://www.indiefilmhouse.com/goto/http://starstore.typepad.com/sideshow_collectibles), who continue to offer a fantastic range of officially licensed statues, figures and dioramas featuring the movie monsters that have thrilled audiences for so long in the Alien and Predator films.

Such is the enduring interest in the Alien and Predator films and monsters, there have been countless action figures, comic book series, video games to satiate the fans. These ranges of official merchandise have kept these franchises alive between films, and thanks to DVDs and Blu-ray, they will be enjoyed and debated for many years to come.

There is something primal about the creatures from these films, something enraged and uncontrollable that has proven to be the driving force behind their popularity. They have few weaknesses and are utterly relentless in their pursuit of what they want. That is appealing to movie fans- film villains that are wholly evil and wholly exciting.

Star Wars Vintage Toys: The Coolest Collectibles Available!

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Opinions vary on the “coolest” vintage toy markets, but most fingers point to vintage Transformers, vintage Pez, vintage Star Wars, and vintage Hot Wheels. Out of all of these, Star Wars vintage toys ^(http://www.indiefilmhouse.com/goto/http://www.starwars-vintagetoys.com/) are arguably among the most valuable individually, though with the myriad Pez variations and prototypes on the market, Pez are probably more valuable in sum.

In 1977, Kenner produced an original line of 12 Star Wars toys, and this entire line is highly desirable to Star Wars enthusiasts, each netting over two thousand dollars if still in good condition and in their original packaging. The most expensive Star Wars toy is argued to be Vlix, a short-lived character who appeared in a Braziliam cartoon. Vlix fetches well over six thousand dollars if in good condition.

Contributing to the valuation of these toys is the license exclusivity. As an example, Kenner Canada, located in Toronto, Ontario, was the Canadian licensee for Star Wars figures in Canada for a decade beginning in the late 70′s, but only distributed about 10 percent of the market at that time. That, in addition to the fact that the Canadian lines featured bilingual packaging, adds an interesting twist to those interested in the collectible value of Star Wars figures.

Another interesting collectible item available, but incredibly difficult to find, are toy prototypes. Prototypes and unfinished products are very common in other markets, , but much rarer in the Star Wars market.

While many Star Wars fans are young, and because there has been a rush of new licenses released, these newer figures will likely never attain the valuations that current vintage toys attained. For example, a new release features Star Wars toys that morph from characters like Darth Vader into objects like the Death Star. These Transformers figures ^(http://www.indiefilmhouse.com/goto/http://www.transformersfigures.net/) mashups are hot right now, but supply is also high, removing one of the valuation factors from the equation.

There are also other foreign releases, with the Japanese toy lines being very unique, and therefore, highly desirable and very collectible. European toys are also popular and regularly confused with Canadian releases, due to their bilingual packaging. The easiest way to tell these releases apart is by viewing the address on the package, which will clearly indicate the country of origin.

With Star Wars toys, you have heavy demand for vintage toys, top-quality vintage figures, a killer movie franchise, collectible opportunities, and a rabid fan base. All of these factors lead many professional collectors to believe that Star Wars vintage action figures ^(http://www.indiefilmhouse.com/goto/http://www.starwars-vintagetoys.com/) will retain their value for the long haul.

So dig in your attic, uncover that old Landspeeder or AT-AT Walker, and see if you have a collectible on your hands!