Sideshow ESB/ROTJ Darth Vader

[Pixelpiper]

Thanks for the tip about the screws! I would have completely forgotten about it.

 

[RinzlerTron]

I have been collecting Sideshow figures since about 2005; For this Vader, I would estimate you have about 6 to 8 weeks left maximum to order one directly from Sideshow before they are sold out. I couldn't make a guess about other online stores, but I know one thing: on ebay, the price increase is NOT going to be 'slight'. When this Vader is truly sold out at all regular sources, you can expect to pay $500+ on ebay.

Eh, if it goes to $500, the ANH is on there for like $200, and that's no big deal to me.

 

[Pixelpiper]

I'd be surprised if Vader is sold out before the summer. Very surprised.

 

[RinzlerTron]

I'd be surprised if Vader is sold out before the summer. Very surprised.

really? If that's so, then you've given me hope, because I can't do anything until this dang suit is finished lol.

 

[Indiana]

Hey guys!
I'm brand new here, but there's just a few things I wanted to tell/ask you guys.
First of all, just as a background thing, I'm about to order my last few pieces to finish my ESB Vader replica suit for 501st approval. I actually own the highest accuracy Vader parts possible to own. Therefore, I do know a lot about the ESB Vader, so if you have anything to ask detail wise about this figure, ask away. From what I can tell from the pictures you guys posted, this figure is WAY more ESB than ROTJ. As in, I can only see one thing on the figure that is detailed like ROTJ. And from what I can tell, that one thing that is made after ROTJ is the belt buckle. It looks like the smallest indention on the belt buckle is shaped more like a pill instead of a circle, and the ESB has a circle there instead. Also, many people will argue that the hook on the chest armor is more ROTJ, which is true, but only to a certain extent. There was a hook on the chest armor in ESB, but only in a few scenes. From what I can tell, the helmet on the sideshow figure also even has the indention in the brow like the ESB (maybe not as prominent as it was in ESB, but the dome looks like it is shaped more like ESB).

Now, since I don't own a single sideshow figure, and this will hopefully be my first, here's my question: I can't buy this figure until probably May or June. I've almost finished this costume, but it's costing me $4,000 in total. Therefore, I really don't have the money to buy a $250 figure as well right now, but I can in a few months. Will the probably still be available on Ebay and other sources, or do they go away pretty fast? Like, how long do I have to get this figure before it's gone everywhere (and if there is a slight price increase down the road, that's fine, I'm just curious how long I have to get my hands on one of these).

I'd love to see some pics of your suit, and all the details you discussed. Maybe post them in the statues and props area if you can.

 

[RinzlerTron]

I'd love to see some pics of your suit, and all the details you discussed. Maybe post them in the statues and props area if you can.

Can do! I'm taking the helmet tomorrow to the body shop to have it painted up, and then my chest armor is coming between now and tuesday and I'll have to get it taken to be painted too, I've got my belt boxes, belt buckle, saber hook and lightsaber, my leather gloves, leather suit, cape and robe are coming in march. All of that has already been ordered.

The guy I'm getting my chest box from said he'd be abe to have mine ready to order in a few weeks, and then I'm planning on ordering my shin armor next weekend, and that leaves the boots, cod piece, and leather belt left to buy.
I can post a thread in that section, but it'd be more work in progress thread... I'm hoping to have everything finished up by the beginning of May because I have reservations to stay down in Orlando for Star Wars weekends at the end of May, and although it will be hot as heck, I'd still like to wear it and show it off.

 

[alex5150]

Honestly, I don't know yet. I read an article that sounded authoritative, and directly stated it does work for the Marmit Stormtrooper. Evidently, Marmit sprayed a coat of semigloss varnish on the Troopers which will yellow over time. I looked at the inside of the armor, and there is no shine, and no yellowing; only on the outside is the yellowing present. Therefore I'm sure it's the varnish and not the vinyl itself. I have the armor pieces broken down and ready, but I don't have the UV light purchased yet. I'll try your peroxide idea first on one of the forearm pieces. Thanks~

The other day I cleaned some Marmit armor with hand soap and a kitchen sponge. I used the scrubby side of the sponge and it really cleaned up the armor nice. It didn’t appear to scratch anything either.

Granted the armor I cleaned wasn’t yellowed like he was on a bender in a cigar parlor during weekend leave from duty, but it was faded, dull and kinda blotchy. The armor is much brighter and uniformly white now.

If the varnish sealant thing is the problem, maybe it can be helped by topical cleaning. Even if some has soaked into the vinyl. Two other options could be a Mr. Clean magic eraser and this stuff - Novus Plastic Polish. I have this for my Stormtrooper costume/armor and have used it on a bunch of other stuff too. It cleaned and buffed the hell out of my car’s headlights.

Alex

 

[Indiana]

Can do! I'm taking the helmet tomorrow to the body shop to have it painted up, and then my chest armor is coming between now and tuesday and I'll have to get it taken to be painted too, I've got my belt boxes, belt buckle, saber hook and lightsaber, my leather gloves, leather suit, cape and robe are coming in march. All of that has already been ordered.

The guy I'm getting my chest box from said he'd be abe to have mine ready to order in a few weeks, and then I'm planning on ordering my shin armor next weekend, and that leaves the boots, cod piece, and leather belt left to buy.
I can post a thread in that section, but it'd be more work in progress thread... I'm hoping to have everything finished up by the beginning of May because I have reservations to stay down in Orlando for Star Wars weekends at the end of May, and although it will be hot as heck, I'd still like to wear it and show it off.

Awesome! I can't remember, but you might have to get a few more post before you can start a thread. (I thing it might be 10 posts or something.)

On a similar note, I decided to take a pic of my Vader with the ANH saber (ESB was basically just the ANH with some minor changes), and tucked his cape slightly under his neck like it ESB.




I wanted to capture the low light and slightly grainy look of the cloud city fight.

 

[RinzlerTron]

Awesome! I can't remember, but you might have to get a few more post before you can start a thread. (I thing it might be 10 posts or something.)

On a similar note, I decided to take a pic of my Vader with the ANH saber (ESB was basically just the ANH with some minor changes), and tucked his cape slightly under his neck like it ESB.
View attachment 95032

View attachment 95022

I wanted to capture the low light and slightly grainy look of the cloud city fight.

That looks awesome, and is probably what I will do when (and hopefully if... I really don't want that thing to sell out before May) I get it. The saber that the Vader figure comes with is an actual ESB saber, but it's a stunt saber. The saber you see in ROTJ and in ESB are the exact same saber. For some reason, the shared stunt saber has somehow become what some people think is the ROTJ saber, although in reality, it was used in both ESB and ROTJ and the ESB saber was the actual "hero" saber used in ESB and ROTJ.

 

[Indiana]

That looks awesome, and is probably what I will do when (and hopefully if... I really don't want that thing to sell out before May) I get it. The saber that the Vader figure comes with is an actual ESB saber, but it's a stunt saber. The saber you see in ROTJ and in ESB are the exact same saber. For some reason, the shared stunt saber has somehow become what some people think is the ROTJ saber, although in reality, it was used in both ESB and ROTJ and the ESB saber was the actual "hero" saber used in ESB and ROTJ.

Thanks!
I had read some debate that if the hero saber from ESB was actually used on set for ROTJ. I didn't see any definitive proof that it was, but since there are no seemingly good photos of his saber in ROTJ, it is difficult to discern what was used. Though I know the original one from ESB is in a museum in PA with a ROTJ poster behind it.

 

[Indiana]

I know this isn't exactly the place to show this, but I just wanted to share my custom that I'm displaying with my Vader. My custom Death Star Navy Trooper on one side, Marmit Stormtrooper on the other. It's hard to believe how bad the Hasbro 12" was, while still having just enough good items (helmet and suit only) to make a great custom figure.
View attachment 94846

Nice. What is the belt made out of?

 

[dw316]

How is the grip on the hands? In some photos, I'm looking at the hand that grips the lightsaber and it seems like it's loose for some reason...

 

[Anthrapoid]

Nice. What is the belt made out of?

I made the belt itself from feux leather. The buckle is a cut-out of polished aluminum, and the center buckle ornament is three tiny discs of polished aluminum; (small slightly dome-shaped round metal rivets taken from a WWII German jacket, 1mm, 2mm, and 3mm in diameter, each one squashed flat then glued one on top of the other.) Each utility box I made with three sandwiched layers of hobby plastic, with the middle layer a bit smaller than the other layers; then I made two more aluminum cut-outs for the outer face of the boxes. The aluminum sheet I found is the perfect thickness; about 0.8 mm. Glad you like the results, thanks for the compliment.

 

[Pixelpiper]

How is the grip on the hands? In some photos, I'm looking at the hand that grips the lightsaber and it seems like it's loose for some reason...

There are two hands that can be used as grip, one more open than the other - it's possible the images you're looking at have the more open variant.

 

[dw316]

Thanks pixel. I think the one I saw was the left hand grip, and the lightsaber in the hand didn't seem that secure and was angling down a bit.

 

[mr.fan]

Hey guys what are the chances my waitlist converts for the exclusive? I jumped on it February 9th, a little too late?

 

[Mr. Fusion]

Here's a photo manip I did of Indiana's Sideshow Vader with our custom Luke (before custom hairpiece)

 

[Hollywood]

Does anyone else feel like the Anakin head looks way too small compared to the body when mounted? I think it looks like a tiny peanut.

 

[Asta]

Does anyone else feel like the Anakin head looks way too small compared to the body when mounted? I think it looks like a tiny peanut.

That ties in with the photo stevenmh posted:

I haven't tried the head on the figure, but it looks good as a decapitated prop.

 

[cking]

The normal helmet looks too small on the body so it's no surprise that the Anakin head looks like a peanut. I'm going to use the larger ANH mask and Hasbro dome on my ROTJ figure because the proportions look much better.