TODD A. DeMARTINO PRESENTS:
1977-1985 - Star Wars Childhood
I was 7 years old and I quickly became a big fan of Star Wars when the movie premiered in 1977. I started a small collection of Star Wars figures from 1977-1980. 12" Large Action Figures, Die Cast Vehicles, Puzzles and Games.
When The Empire Strikes Back hit the theaters, I was hooked. I had to have every action figure, Vehicle, Playset, Accessories, Comic, etc. I collected and played with the Kenner toys through the summer of 1984. I bought a few of the 1985 Power of the Force figures, then my interest came to an end.
I packed up all of my child hood memories, put them in the attic of the garage and forgot about them. But, only for a few short years.......
1989 - The Collecting Begins
I went to college in Syracuse New York where I majored in Architecture Technology. My first semester, while bartending at a local club, I ran across a "Wanted Star Wars" ad in the campus newspaper. The ad stated "LOOKING FOR STAR WARS TOYS MINT IN ORIGINAL PACKAGE." At that moment, my mind opened up to a great idea.
I will buy EVERY item Kenner ever made in the United States from 1977-1985! Brand new in the package! Never opened! Never played with!
Sounded easy enough so I subscribed to Toy Shop magazine with Next Day UPS shipping and attended every collectible show that I could in the United States! With my $7000 savings account ready to invest, I was sure I could have it ALL..........Boy was I wrong!!!
Almost 20 years later and here I am still actively pursuing my college goal.
2004 - The Book Project
After years of collecting, I have been waiting for a book publisher/collector to come out with a diffinitive book that showcased every item ever made by Kenner and Hasbro. Years of waiting has left me extremely frustrated that I could not have my coffee table style book with nice BIG color photos to help guide me on my collecting adventures. In the beginning there was only the "Official Price Guide to Star Trek and Star Wars Collectibles" and that book was not much help at all. So I thought it was only a matter of time until others, like myself, would get frustrated and come out with THAT diffinitive book. "That" book must have every toy ever distributed by Kenner and Hasbro. "That" book must have virtually every Packaging Variation. "That" book must have High Resolution Crystal Clear photographs in true color with no yellow or blue tint. "That" book must have Large Color Photographs with the stamp size picture a thing of the past. "That" book must be published in a Large Hardcover format so it will feel at home on any coffee table. "That" book must have rare one-of-a-kind items that have never been published in any other publication. Unfortunately, many years have past and THAT book has not been published. Only a few disappointing attempts have left me, along with other collectors, feeling dissatisfied and incomplete. So I, Todd A. DeMartino, will publish THAT book ...
* Every US item ever made by Kenner and Hasbro from 1977 - 2007
* Virtually every Packaging Variation known to date
* High Resolution Photography of almost 6,000 items with over 10,000 images
* Large Color Picture Format (no stamp size pictures here)
* Large 9 1/2" x 12" Hardcover book
* Two Volumes with over 700 pages... scratch that... closer to a 1000 pages within a Slipcase
* Many one of a kind items that have never been published in any other book
www.thesagamuseum.com
Coming to Your Galaxy Winter 2009
|
)
