Star Wars Galaxy Collector and the Expanded Universe

In the third issue of Topps’ Star Wars Galaxy Collector magazine, published in 1998, we get another look at the then-new Star Wars Expanded Universe subline of action figures and vehicles. As talk about my new book continued, the conversation soon turned to the 1996 Shadows of the Empire toys and how those may have been a part of that Expanded Universe line.

Well, even though the Shadows of the Empire toys may not officially be a part of the focus of my new book (Kickstarter page) they clearly had an impact on the creation of the nine figures and three vehicles I’m focusing on. In this Star Wars Galaxy Collector issue Kenner’s Star Wars team leader of the time, Rick Ruskin, stated:

“We started thinking about the Expanded Universe line soon after we launched the Shadows line and saw how successful it was.”

Kinda weird how I’m going the complete opposite of Kenner’s direction almost twenty years ago. If my Universe Expanded book is successful then I plan to create a book about those Kenner Shadows of the Empire toys. It would be awesome to have both books shelved together in my library here at home.

Fingers crossed that these books both become real!

Related articles

• ToyFare’s 1996 “Winter Special” Top 10 Action Figures (battlegrip.com)
• Early Expanded Experimentation (Star Wars fans will want to see this.) (battlegrip.com)
• Star Wars Expanded Universe Profiles (battlegrip.com)