Rebelscum Forum member Dax shares his prototype collection with us, including the original ideas for the Revenge of the Sith line. Check out what might have been on the toys you collect, including an early name consideration for Episode III.

Here's some modern goodies for all you prototype fans. The following are mock-up items used to present to clients prior to the product entering the final manufacturing phase. Some of the items are close to the finished product, many are quite different. I'm sure if you're a fellow prototype collector and particularly of packaging you'll love this!


Unfortunately one of the worst condition items in the set but still nice to see with the different graphics and slightly different layout used. The back of the card is unprinted.


I actually prefer the look of this packaging compared to the final version. Inside is a cutout of the character to give retailers an idea of how the finished product would look. The item has sides and base but no top.


Very close to the finished item from the front, the only real difference being the bubble that covers the entire front of the card including the peg hook. It does feature a strange cut out just belog the peg hook which I can't work out what it was for.


Now the back is very interesting though as it is a 4 lightsaber attack Grevious (character #9) though it features the character as #44. The figure design is an earlier version showing the action feature operated by the legs, not the head. All the other figures on the back are from an earlier series, not ROTS giving some indication of the stage at which this packaging was designed. The overall layout is not that much different from the final product although it does sport the "Birth of the Empire" title.


Another mock-up with a cardboard cut out illustrating where the toy would sit within the package. Almost identical to the final product except for the bubble design. The final product features a prominant name plate at the top of the bubble. The prototype has a tapering curved top and the name just about the "Force Battlers" logo. The bubble itself is made from an almost satin finished plastic which is a rougher finish. The same type of material I have on a VOTC clam shell prototype from a few years back.


Now here is a totally different mock up for the same line. The first time I saw this I was totally blown away and I really love the design and layout. Almost 80's like in its colours. I'm not sure where the bubble is from, it appears to be from something else with the top cut off to fit the general size. The bubble is taped in place. Ignore the eraser at the bottom, that's just there to prop up the bubble.


Again an early version of the packaging with a number of differences from the final product. Probably the most obvious is the different name of the Federation Droid Fighter but there are many other smaller differences as well.


The Sneak Preview version of Anakin's Starfighter again with numerous small differences and one big one. There's that "Birth of the Empire" logo again which I kinda like better than Revenge of the Sith. Each time I look at this I notice even more differences, such as the wings open on the prototype version but closed on the final release.


These two are probably my favourite items possibly because you get two different versions of the same piece and both are quite different from the final layout and design. I think this design is perhaps more aesthetically pleasing to the adult collector while the final product has more appeal to kids. This version is complete with the clear window included.


Same layout only the "Birth of the Empire" logo substituted. This earlier version has a minor difference from the later version on the back (neither back contains graphics), plus it features the Cyan trim lines that would not be printed in the production version. Just because I like them so much here's another image.


I hope you find these items as exciting and interesting as I did when I first saw them. Hopefully it will also generate some interesting discussion about them as well. Enjoy :)


Thanks to Rebelscum forum member Dax for sharing his collection of packaging mockups with us. Some very cool stuff there. For more info, check out this thread in the Rebelscum forums. Dax also shares some more mockups from the POTF2 and VOTC line in the mini-gallery below.