The Power of the Force

These are pics of my POTF figures:
 

Ah, the POTF figures, what a dilema. On the one hand, these are some of the coolest figures made by Kenner, on the other hand, I don't remember them at all from my childhood so there's no sentimental value. So I was in a situation with some very expensive figures but no desire to pay so much. And I think it's common knowledge in the collecting community that POTF carded figures are the absolute hardest to find with clear bubbles, making them even more expensive and impossible to find. Very difficult situation.

Then, one day, I got very lucky. A seller with MOC POTF, clear bubbles, almost every figure, and for good prices. I completed almost half my POTFs from that one seller, the half that is the MOST difficult to find. I wish I could have bought them all. It was truly a great opportunity.

After a while I made a decision. Frankly, I don't really like YakFace or Anakin. They're kinda boring. And they're almost impossible to find with clear bubbles. So I decided that to save money and for aesthetics I would go for tri-logo's on these two. I hope you don't think less of me. Maybe someday a great deal will come along on POTF versions of these two, but for now I'm happy.

Well, I should say I'm happy with my Anakin. Still haven't found a Yak.

 
  Amanaman 92 - Great shape.  Crystal clear bubble and inner tray, bubble undamaged.  Front of card has some light surface creasing, above and to the left of the hole punch, mostly superficial, some of it does go through to the back, doesn't break the litho.  The back also has some Kenner veining/creasing from the bubble/coin top being pressed on.  Finally, some veining/creasing on the back, bottom right (non-figure side) corner, extremely light.  Biggest figure of the vintage line and makes a great display piece.    Anakin Skywalker Tri-Logo - I guess you could say I settled for the tri-logo version of this figure because I just couldn't afford (let alone find) a high quality POTF carded version with a clear bubble to buy.  I really don't mind, I prefer the bubbles clear and the tri-logo cards are cool.  And this figure doesn't compromise on quality at all.  Bubbles on this particular figure usually range from bad to worse because he is so heavy and blocky, and tri-logo bubbles are so fragile.  This bubble is near perfect, just three tiny white marks on the top right corner, bottom right corner, and bottom center edge, not even creases/dents they are just stresses and only the bottom center one deforms the bubble at all, and just a tiny bit.  The card front is absolutely perfect, no creases, marks, or damage of any kind, very high gloss, look spectacular.  The back shows a tiny bit of stressing on the top right (non-figure side) but not creased.  And there are a couple tiny paper tears just below the hole punch.  None of the damage on this one can be seen unless very closely inspected, displays great.  
         
  A-Wing Pilot 92 - Practically perfect.  The bubble and inner tray are crystal clear and completely undamaged.  Front of card is case-fresh, high gloss, no wear, creases, stresses or damage of any kind at all.  The back is nearly as good, it too is flawless except for a very light superficial Kenner crease from when the bubble and esp. the coin bottom were pressed onto the card.    Barada 92 -  This may be my most perfect figure.  Bubble and inner tray are crystal sparkling clear, no damage whatsoever.  Card is case-fresh and full glossy.  Not a nick or scratch anywhere, not even any corner or edge wear.  Unpunched.  Back again like the front is absolutely flawless.  I don't think a better one exists.  Stunning.  
         
  EV-9D9 92 - Perfect.  Bubble and inner tray crystal sparkling clear, not a mark on it.  Cardback front is flawless, glossy, case-fresh, though punched, which I don't consider a flaw.  Cardback is perfect except for a very light Kenner crease from the top of the bubble being pressed on, very very faint.  Bonus!, none of the arms/limbs have fallen off like on some tri-logos, lol! (inside joke). ` Han Solo in Carbonite 92 - Isn't this just one of the coolest moc figures to look at?  Even better IMO than the tri-logo with the figure on top of the block, I just love the look of the black and yellow combination, and a figure with some real weight to it.  The bubble is crystal clear and suffers from just one tiny dint to the top left corner of the "inner" raised bubble, hard to describe but if you've seen one of these before than you know what I mean.  The card front has kinda a nasty bit of damage to the right center side, like it was pushed on that side but didn't bend, the top lithograph pic wrinkled but the cardboard didn't, can kinda see it in the picture to the right of Han's knees.  Crease is about 2 inches long and looks exactly the same on the back, weird.  It detracts a bit from the appeal of the card, but still displays great.  The back also suffers from a Kenner crease that follow the curve of the coin and top of the bubble, typical superficial veining, why did they press the bubbles on so hard?  Oh, and a tiny tear to the paper on the back from the punch being punched out, takes out a tiny piece of the "R" in "FIGURES".       
         
  Imperial Dignitary 92 - This is one incredible figure, practically flawless.  Bubble is crystal clear and perfectly undamaged, not even any mark or wear on the figures nose or inside of the bubble.  The card front is flawless, case-fresh, high gloss.  On the back of the card the lower left (figure side) corner is a little bent but it shows no creasing at all.  There is also some extremely superficial veining sortof in a circular pattern from where the bubble/coin were pressed onto the card, very hard to see and otherwise the back is perfect.  This was kinda a lame figure as a kid, but it looks awesome now on display.    Imperial Gunner 92 - Probably the best Imperial Gunner we'll ever see.  Bubble is perfect, perfectly clear and flawless.  Card back and front are equally impressive.  Not a mark, crease, nick, or tear can be found anywhere.  Fully glossy, case fresh, unpunched immaculate.  The only possible flaw if it can be called that is a tiny amount of sticker residue on the top left corner, can just barely be seen in pic.  An incredibly hard to find figure with a clear bubble and this condition, really a jewel in my collection.    
         
  Lando Calrissian General 92 - Here's a question: If the outer bubble is perfectly clear but the inner tray is slightly yellow, is it still a clear bubbled figure?  Well, that describes this one, and as long as it's described accurately, I guess it really doesn't matter.  Bubble is also flawless, and the inner tray really just has the slightest tint.  The card is great.  Front just has one thin vein/crease on it just to the left of Lando's head in the pic and it is curved, about 3/4 inch long, curved but mostly vertical.  Unpunched.  The back shows some veining/creasing on the bottom right (non-figure side) in the corner, just superficial, and the usual light Kenner crease from the bubble top being pressed on.  Overall the card bows just slightly esp. toward the bottom, not bad at all.  I always thought Lando was kinda boring, but this figure shows he is really a cool bad-ass, with a shiny cape to boot.   Luke Skywalker Endor 92 - Cool figure, too bad his helmet doesn't come off.  Outer bubble is clear, while inner tray has slight yellow tint, no dings, dents, or damage.  Card front is gorgeous, no creases or marks at all, though it is punched.  Back shows a little bit of scuffing, towards the left (figure side) lower edge, but no creases or other damage.  Fantastic.  
         
  Luke Skywalker Stormtrooper Disguise 92 - This figure is the toughest of all the figures in my collection to find clear bubbled, and this one is crystal clear.  This fact alone makes it perhaps the best figure in my collection.  Good thing because it has a few other flaws that would otherwise make it less desireable.  Basically, it has three creases on it that go through on the front and back.  None of them break either surface of the card, and they are all superficial but still.  The first one starts as a crease across the very top of the plastic bubble, but it keeps going to about the "R" in "WARS".  The second is just above it from the edge of the punch to just over the "R" in "WARS", though on the back it shows to the edge of the card.  The third one looks like it was made by another carded Luke Stormtrooper being pressed against it.  It is curved and above/through Luke's head picture, like where another carded figure would be facing it and exerting pressure.  They are long creases, but to me they don't detract from the incredible beauty of this crystal clear carded figure at all.     R2-D2 with Pop-Up Saber 92 - This is my worst POTF figure, but it has a crystal clear bubble and no major damage so it still displays great, still a candidate for an upgrade though.  Like I said, the bubble is clear and just has a little mark on the top right corner near the front, not a crease or dent, just a minor mark and otherwise perfect.  The card itself has lots of veining on the front and back, none of which breaks through the litho and the card is still nearly perfectly flat.  Superficial creasing/veining all the way down the center from top to bottom and across the top right corner.  Bottom right corner is a little worse, it is definitely bent and esp. shows on the back, doens't look bad from the front.  The back has some more spots of surface veining in addition to what the front has.  Unpunched.  
         
  Romba 92 - Practically flawless.  The bubble and inner tray are crystal clear and flawless.  Front of the card is flawless.  Back of card just has a very light superficial Kenner crease from when the coin bubble was pressed on.  A tiny bit of edge wear on the bottom too.  Cute guy.   Warok 92 - The only figure in this part of my collection that I saw in person before I bought it.  It has a clear bubble which was most important to me.  I thought they were pretty common, but then I tried to find one and... well, you know.  Bubble is perfectly undamaged too.  The entire card just has one notable flaw, the top left corner is creased and it goes through to the back.  It just barely went through the lithograph to the card underneath so you can just barely see some white coming through.  Price sticker residue top center, but the pic makes it look much worse than it is.  Finally, on the back there is also a very faint long line of vein crease from the hole punch to the center-right (non-figure side) edge of the card, the kind you have to tilt into the light to see, very faint and superficial.  Nub nub..  
         
 
  Yak Face Tri-Logo - The last figure in my collection, it took me so long to find because I didn't know whether to go for a POTF version or this tri-logo.  But considering the price and almost impossibility of finding a POTF with a clear bubble, I followed this route, just as I did with Anakin.  Still, considering how long I looked for one of these, I was hoping to find it in better condition.  From a distance it looks great, but up close several flaws are noticeable.  Unpunched and the back is immaculate.  The front would be too, except that at one time there was a large 1.59 price sticker above the bubble that was poorly removed.  At the top right and bottom right corner of where the sticker would be, it pulled up tiny nicks of the cardback to show the white underneath, also a little bit on top left of where sticker once was.  These are really just specs, but what's worse, someone decided to color about half of them in with some black pen.  What a shame.  The bubble looks good, no sharp dents or creases, but it does suffer from some mild deformations on the top-front-right and bottom-front-right corners, almost like it was heated.  If Yak was a favorite figure of mine, the flaws would probably bother me more, but as the last figure to complete my collection, it does just fine.