As mentioned previously, one of my favourite sources of information about what Star Wars toys were available to our colonial cousins were the advertisements placed in imported Marvel comics circa 1979/80.
And in the left hand side of the above advertisement, you will see the an illustration of the Kenner Death Star Space Station.
Now, I must admit that this particular playset never inspired me, and even to my seven year old mind it appeared rather dull. For one of the larger of the playsets, there's not a lot going on. A big laser cannon at the top (which admittedly would no doubt swivel and click, as most fixed Star Wars playset guns did), a lift, a middle area for a lightsabre fight and a platform to swing from, and a working trash compactor.
Not a fantastic amount to fire up a youthful imagination bearing in mind its size, and so I wasn't unduly bothered that I never saw one of the ugly-shaped things for sale anywhere at the time.
So fast forward thirty-three years to an older and hairier Monoid One, fording the raging waters of nostalgia that swirl around the Internet in the alcohol-sodden small hours of the morning.
And I was surprised and delighted to discover another one of those Palitoy variations we talked about last time...
Yes, there it is. The Palitoy Death Star, in all it's hemespherical cardboard glory, and utterly dissimilar to its American cousin in almost every respect. And I never, ever saw one or knew anybody who had one, and can't quite believe I never knew about it until now.
And what a beauty it is. Rather than a dull plastic tower, you got a series of colourful interlocking rooms with so much potential for play. Corridors, control rooms, hangars, platforms, and the ubiquitous laser cannon and trash compactor... need I go on?
Damn, even now I want to get my hands on one and have hours of fun playing with it.
And that, I suppose, is testament to so many things...
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