Product line: ALIEN
Manufacturer: Super7.
Number of figures in set: 1.
Package: Blister mounted on card.
Inclusions: Collector coin.
Released: San Diego Comic Con, 2018.
Price: US$15
This distinct item has a much greater meaning and significance than its presentation mash up of two different movie characters in toy format suggests. It has a history beyond simply being an Alien re-cast in blue and brown colours of a toy Star Wars character.
Importantly, 3.75 inch tall ALIEN ReAction figures owe their original designs to unproduced prototypes made more than forty years ago in 1979 at Kenner Products. The earliest known sample of the ALIEN toy in this abandoned line was made by Kenner art staff. A 3.75 inch tall blue and brown Star Wars Hammerhead action figure produced in 1978 was used as a base for this purpose. It was kit-bashed to create the first 3.75 inch concept toy of the Alien.
The improvised ALIEN figure was then presented to staff at production meetings in 1979 to further discuss the development of a range of 3.75 inch ALIEN toys anticipated to be released in 1980. The project continued well beyond such meetings and was approved for production and several highly detailed prototypes were created but was ultimately cancelled before manufacturing commenced.
This particular blue and brown ALIEN piece made by Super7 celebrates that origin, more than four decades ago. It is cast in the same colour scheme of the base Hammerhead figure from which the original improvised prototype was fashioned and devised.
Hammerhead Prototype Tribute.
Colorway variant based on 1978 Star Wars Hammerhead action figure.
Collectible coin.
An emulation of coins appearing in Kenner’s 1984 Star Wars power of the Force figures.
Additional Notes.
– Super7 emulated vintage Kenner Power Of The Force packaging theme by featuring a collector coin mounted above the figure inside the plastic blister.
– The original 1978 Star Wars Hammerhead Alien figure was based on a creature designed by Ron Cobb. He also created interior and exterior vehicle designs for ALIEN.
– Despite no mention of Star Wars on any of the figure’s packaging and due to its oblique association with Star Wars, this item has become highly sought after.
– Samples of this figure – either loose or in original package – frequently sell for more than four times original retail price of US$15 in the secondary market.
– Images of Kenner’s improvised Hammerhead ALIEN prototype figure appear below.
– More information regarding the original 3.75 inch 1979 Kenner Alien prototype that inspired this particular Super7 variant.
1979 Kenner prototype Alien figure images courtesy of Steve Dwyer.
