Boba Fett Mini-Bust
Every movie has a few memorable characters that seem to transcend those around them and reach cult status. For Star Wars, Darth Vader and Yoda may get plenty of attention but it's the cult of Fett that seems to have the most loyal and understanding (maybe overlooking) fans around. For someone who really does very little in the movies he has an insane amount of popularity, and it seems his reputation is why.
Boba Fett is a clone of his 'father' Jango Fett, and the premier bounty hunter in the Star Wars galaxy. Being the premier bounty hunter is sort of like being Zamfir (the Master of the Pan Flute) - not as impressive as you might think. Boba Fett does have a few things to his credit - he did capture Han Solo (with help) and he does seem to score with one of the chicks at Jabba's Palace (at once placing him above the legions of Star Wars fans who may never score). Of course he seems to die in Return of the Jedi, but lasting for more than one Star Wars movie as a bounty hunter is a record in itself!
Boba Fett does have some things going his way. He's a bad guy, so instantly he gets some attention. He also looks pretty cool with armor and a big rocket on his back. He has also been hyped right from the start, being the secret preview figure for The Empire Strikes Back released in the Kenner action figure line. Even though his first name is just Bob with an 'a', his last name actually sounds mysterious and is easy to sign when endorsing bounty checks. One thing about him is certain, and that is he's very popular with the fans. Think of him as Star Wars crack.
The detail and accuracy that has gone into this bust is obvious from first glance. The look of the character is there, along with the well-worn Mandalorian armor complete with Fett's trademark head ding (the door was closing on him). The armor shows signs of combat, rust and maybe a little neglect here and there, just as you would expect from hand-me-down armor on a hand-me-down clone. The Wookiee scalps are genuine imitation Wookiee hair in several shades, showing that Boba is an equal opportunity scalper. The equipment bags hang over the classic round base that the bust is on, sort of like love handles. The paint work and sculpting is exceptional, including the sawed off blaster rifle used to fell many foes (and probably a few friends).
Gentle Giant is well known for their work scanning actors and props to create hyper-realistic toys and busts. The process is more involved than simply a Rube Goldberg machine where an actor sits on one end and perfect duplicates pop out the other end. The actors or props are scanned by lasers to create a three-dimensional computer model of the item, and this can then be output to a three dimensional printer. Then the artisans at Gentle Giant will go through and tweak the design to create a likeness that is both accurate and approvable. From there the process follows the same basic pattern as other busts where paint masters are created and then they are mass produced and sent out to your local store. To get these out to you they have help from Dark Horse Comics, whose work with Star Wars comics over the last decade is well known in its own right.
Fett is the latest in the line of busts from Gentle Giant that span the various Star Wars movies, including Darth Vader, Yoda from Episode 2 and Zam Wessel. All the busts are scaled the same, so they can be displayed together and look accurate. Not only that, but they will fit right in with the upcoming Matrix and Terminator 3 busts, so Fett vs Neo can be a reality. Woah!
If you want a Fett bust you'll have to fight with the other fans because the run is limited to 7500. This limit was raised but it still may not be enough to satiate Star Wars fans. Along with the numbering on the bottom of the base, the box has the same number and there is a certificate of authenticity, to let you know it isn't some bootleg from the local rapscallions.
Now go look at the pictures!
More Pictures of Boba Fett
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