For a great many of us who find ourselves on sites like The Fwoosh, Star Wars has been with us our entire lives, or at least most of our lives in some cases. The characters and events that transpired long ago in a galaxy far, far away have served as a massive source of inspiration and creativity for those who grew up immersed in and transfixed by that universe, and over the years that creativity has manifested itself in myriad ways. Star Wars has become part of our cultural fabric, so it stands to reason that there are artists who take their creativity and inspiration and turn it into a tangible tribute to that universe we all love so much. One such artist goes by the handle “Dead Greedy,” and his “BEASTIE DROIDS” set is one of his latest creations that is inspired by Star Wars, so let’s take a look at this piece!
Dead Greedy’s name is a play on A New Hope’s infamous Greedo, who Han Solo famously dispatched in the cantina before joining Obi-Wan and Luke on their mission to rescue Princess Leia. What he’s done here is take The BEASTIE BOYS’ ubiquitous Licensed to Ill album art and apply it to a Star Wars X-Wing fighter, in the process creating a hybrid of both creations. The figures themselves are a Death Store Droid, an IG-88, and a C-3PO given an ’80s hip hop makeover. C-3PO resembles the BEASTIE Boys in their earliest days, right around when they met producer Rick Rubin; IG-88’s look appears to be based on the License to Ill era; and the Death Star Droid looks like one of the BEASTIE Boys from the “Intergalactic” video. So these are actually covering a lot of ground in terms of design and BEASTIE Boys history.
Dead Greedy creates each set by hand, molding and painting each figure, designing the packaging, and putting it all together for a final product that is playfully clever in execution. The X-Wing on the card taking the place of the plane on the album cover is such a fantastic idea. It’s one of those that seems so obvious that you can’t help but think, “Why didn’t I think of that??” When I saw this at the DKE booth at this past NYCC, my jaw pretty much ht the floor.
Now, despite being based on three original Kenner Star Wars action figures, the figures in this set are not “action figures” per se. There is no articulation (they’re each cast as a solid piece) and each figure is hand-painted, so they’re not really meant to be “played with.” The option is there to open the set and display them as you please, but the appeal here is the entire set as one piece of art — that’s one of the key differences between a designer/art toy and a retail-level toy. This is meant to be displayed and discussed, like any piece of art. It’s not so much meant to be taken into the backyard for sweet adventures, though if you really want to that option is still there.
I haven’t taken any loose pics because I have no plans to open this set. The carded presentation is just too good. What I need to do with this set is find a good spot on the wall to display it.
I understand that this sort of set isn’t for everyone. But, personally, I love the creativity behind it, and I love the creative spirit that went into actually making it. We all love toys here, and if someone else isn’t making something you want to add to your collection, it’s so cool to know that it’s possible to just do it yourself, right down to the packaging.
This set has been selling for quite a bit on eBay, and it will soon make an appearance in the TV sitcom The Goldbergs, which will only bring more attention to it. Fortunately, if you want one, instead of searching eBay, all you have to do is contact Dead Greedy directly or contact DKE Toys — both can set you up with a set for far less than what they’re selling for on eBay.
Hit ’em up if you’re interested!