A GUIDE TO VINTAGE STAR WARS FIGURES & ACCESSORIES

Mexican S/A Bootlegs

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Mexican 3 3/4″ semi-articulated line of bootleg Star Wars action figures is one of the most famous and known lines in the Mexican collectors’ scene. The figures have in common, that they only have two points of articulation where the arms are snapped over a ball-joint, whereas legs and heads are molded fix to the body. Up to 32 characters were made that way. It’s called a line but actually there is several producers on those. In the beginning those were mostly produced in Kenner-like colours and adapted paint schemes. These are all hand painted and no spray masks were used. The colour is mostly very fragile so that even washing them gently can lead to total loss. In most cases the paint just gets lost by simply chipping of. That’s why a lot of figures are actually repainted in time or touched up.

Some of those characters were produced in non-Kenner like colours and also painted differently from the beginning, some changed from Kenner-like to non-Kenner-like colours in time. Some molds were only used in 80s, most were also used in the 90s and some are in usage till today. And we have some that were only used in the 80s but were copied for collectors’ market after 2000. So, we have different timeframes those were produced and we have fakes and copycats of those. The packages are copied as well as the figures and even more the usage and repaint of old 90s stock is also circulating since a few years. It is a nightmare for collectors nowadays starting to figure out what was produced when, repainted when and sold when for what purpose. I will try now to present you some 80s figures and paint schemes and in addition show examples of later produced figures with the help from Daren Wildes awesome collection of Mexican bootlegs.

Shown above are Mexican 80s versions of Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, the Emperor, Biker Scout and Emperors Royal Guard.

Stormtrooper: This figure was only produced in the 80s (and early 90s). It can come in dull bright white or opaque white.

Darth Vader: This figure was produced mainly in the 80s and 90s, but there seems to be also versions from after 2000. The 80s versions have …paint scheme

Emperor: This figure was produced mainly in the 80s and 90s, but there seems to be also versions from after 2000. The 80s versions are made out of a lighter grey plastic compared to 90s and later versions. Early figures have Kenner-like painted hands and face. 2 or 3 versions like this are known. Other lack paint or are painted way more slobbery at a later stage.

Biker Scout: This figure was only produced in the 80s (and early 90s). It is made out of a opaque white plastic. Early versions have the exact Kenner-like paint scheme. At a later stage paint can differ.

Emperors Royal Guard: 80s version are made out of a duller more opaque and blueish tinted red plastic. The cape was only added to 80s and early 90s versions. The 80s version was also produced in white with white cape.

Shown above are Mexican 80s versions of Klaatu, Bib Fortuna, Ree Yees, Weequay and Klaatu Skiff.

Klaatu:

Bib Fortuna:

Ree Yees: (pics missing)

Weequay:

Klaatu Skiff:

Shown above are Mexican 80s versions of Bossk, Greedo, Boba Fett, Luke X-Wing Pilot and the B-Wing Pilot.

Bossk:

Greedo:

Boba Fett:

Luke X-Wing Pilot: (pics missing)

B-Wing Pilot:

Shown above are Mexican 80s versions of Chief Chirpa, Logray (x2),  Snaggletooth and Ugnaught.

Chief Chirpa: 

Logray: 

Snaggletooth: (missing pics)

Ugnaught: 

Shown above are Mexican 80s versions of Tie Fighter Pilot, Darth Vader, Lando Skiff, C-3PO and Luke Bespin.

Tie Fighter Pilot: 

Darth Vader:  (repeated from above?)

C-3PO:  (More pics to come)

Lando Skiff: 

Shown above are Mexican 80s versions of Yoda (x3)

Yoda:

Explanation

Link to the sites