Lord of the Fries

Posted By: Peter DavidPosted On:

Ariel and I went on a shopping mission today, and quickly discovered that every Toys R Us in the area had sold out of “Darth Tater.” But as fortune would have it, we swung by a KayBee and they had two out on the shelf. We snagged both of them so that, like the good obsessive collectors we are, we can play with one and keep the other mint. But it’s coming evident that the toy was either underproduced or underordered.

If you haven’t gotten the most deliriously goofty “Star Wars” merchandise item ever, do so now if you’re intending to get one at all. I don’t even want to THINK what this’ll be going for on Ebay by next month.

PAD

37 comments on “Lord of the Fries”

  1. ARGH!!! You gotta be kidding me! I haven’t run out to the store lately, cuz I’m being all lazy and stuff. I thought Darth Tater would fly under the radar. Dammit, guess I was wrong. I know there’s other hardcore Star Wars geeks in my town, because I usually pick up SW DVDs around 3 PM or so, and they’re already down 2 copies when I do.

    Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. Thanks for the heads up anyway, PAD. I owe you huge. I’m goin out tomorrow to buy it with my poker winnings, as soon as this hangover wears off. No foolies.

  2. Seriously, I’m so antsy right now, because I want Darth Tater. No joke. And its 4 AM. Shite!

    Dammit, I need a cigarette.

  3. I was awake friday night at midnight so I drove to the Wal-Mart to see what kind of crowd was out for the Star Wars toys. There were only about eight guys. The staff didn’t have anything unpacked, in theory the display where it was all going was layed out. The manager on duty told the staff to take things out of boxes and let people pick what they wanted. After the scarce action figures, the one thing everybody mentioned wanting was Darth Tater. Out of the roughly 4 pallets they had on the floor to put away, he was not there. The staff knew they had him in back but didn’t know where he would be shelved.

    I went back about 12:30 this afternoon and they had their display up and Darth Tater wasn’t on display. There were three clerks working on restocking from boxes they had brought out that morning. After watching them try to figure out where to put some of the ships away, I asked if they had seen Darth Tater yet and they said they had but still didn’t know where to put him away. They offered to get me one out of the box and I pointed out that from what I knew, a lot of the star wars geeks would be looking for him. They called a manager and all agreed that they should put them somewhere and make some money.

    I went back after work to see how ravaged the display was. I noticed that there were two shelves with their labeling tags indicating where the toy should be. None in those spaces although I did see at least one that had been picked up and set down out of place by a customer. Could have sold the rest of the case.

    I also stopped at Target before work and the staff that I knew who were working said they hadn’t seen one sell all morning. There was no sign of him in their display at all.

    What may be the most sought after toy is the Target Exclusive red cast Darth Vader. This Target apparently only got 24 of them.

  5. I got my Darth Tater (tremble with jealousy, you Sith-spud lackers!) about two weeks ago. After striking out at Toys “R” Us and Target, I went to KB — and they had a big ol’ display in the center of the store. Now my Darth Tater stands on my dresser, ready to defend my other stuffed animals. (Actually, considering the fact that these include Skull from PvP, the medium-sized Killer Rabbit from HOLY GRAIL, The Legendary Black Beast of ARRRRRRRR (sic) from HOLY GRAIL,
    Bun-Bun from SLuggy Freelance, and two different versions of Cthulhu, my room is pretty safe from fictional critters.)

    And now the bidding starts for a photo of my room…

  6. Glad to see we’re back to a discussion of the serious and philosophical issues that affect us all! Seriously though, I remember seeing some toy collector on a talk show years ago (I think it was Oprah) who made a point of saying he earmarked about $100-200 for buying toys, specifically action figure, which would then remain in their original packaging and carefully stored in his attic. Bear in mind that this was well before the emergence of Ebay, but I can’t help thinking it was great advice; I just wish I had the storage space to pay attention. Then again, I sold off my comic book collection many years ago for quite a nice sum of money, so maybe we’re only entitled to one collecting windfall per lifetime.

    Still, Darth Tater does sound like the kind of thing that would make me laugh a lot.

  7. Seriously? Everywhere I’ve gone here in the Chicago suburbs they’ve been stocked full. Hëll the wal*mart tent sale had a half pallet display.

    Oh and I got the Lava Vader I’d never sell any of my SW stuff but that $50+ on eBay sure would buy alot more EP III figures.

  8. Yeah, my wife (the lovely Tayna) checked our local (Brockport, NY) Wal-Mart for Darth Tater yesterday and couldn’t find one. I check again this morning and was told that they didn’t get any of them. Maybe so, and maybe they just got squirreled away by someone who plans to sell them on e-bay; gawds know that they seemed to have everything else there. Or am I just getting too cynical?

  9. In the Comics Previews in question it was stated that Darth Tater is not available in Europe. Nevertheless, it wouldn`t be the first time a German wholesaler for comics I know could get it for me. Therefore I asked him to try and crossed fingers.

    Soon afterwards Darth Tater appeared in a catalogue of Forbidden Planet and I ordered two this time. Hopefully, I will get it eventually.

    I just want to mention this: My daughter often sits on my lap while I am Inter-netting and when she saw Darth Tater a while ago here, she was delighted. I am not lying, even two weeks afterwards, her first question was when I started on the net was “Toy? Toy?”

  10. Over at http://www.filmthreat.com there was a column on the new Star Wars film, and on the direction taken since “Episode 1.” The columnist concluded that Lucas was sick and tired of the whole phenomenon and was, consciously or not, trying to drive Star Wars into the ground.

    And I believe it’s the comedy band Hot Waffles that just released a new song that frames this new attitude precisely: “George Lucas Raped My Childhood.”

  11. Hi,

    please a kind fellow PAD.net reader/poster post here the titles and issue numbers of all the Hulk-related comics Peter David wrote which were released after ‘ Hulk : the End ‘ came out.

    I know this was off-topic , but I would appreciate a clear answer to my query.

  13. I went on Amazon.com and preordered the toy right after Peter (or Glenn… I can’t remember now) posted that first promo pic for Darth Tater a couple of months ago.

    Tater arrived in perfect condition about 9 days ago and I never had to leave the house.

    Out of curiosity, I went back on Amazon that same day and they did not have any available. (But said they would email me when they did.)

    In the meantime, I am having a special shelf made for DT (so he can sit prominently on a wall in my study)… To remind me of lost innocence and a time when I did NOT think everything Star Wars related sucked.

  14. Wal-Mart didn’t have it in. I could go check out Toys R Us, but they’re probably all gone.

    I am in mourning.

  15. I looked in Target. None left, and the clerk said I was the seventh person that hour to ask.

    David

  18. Here are some great pictures from Times Square of the midnight crowd waiting for the Episode 3 toys:
    http://x-entertainment.com/articles/0930/

    for rrrrr – Page 2 has a Chewbacca made of Legos.

    Page 3 has someone in a Darth Tater costume (I kid you not!). Last 2 pictures at bottom of page.

    There are also several people in M&M costumes made up as Star Wars characters.

  19. Unfortunety, my local Target did not have any of the three “big” items: The Star Wars Lego Game, Darth Tater, and Darth Vader Hot Pants (his pants are on fire!).
    Oddly, after I read this topic, my science teacher had Tater on his desk. He said he got it at a KB, so…::rushes out to KB::

  21. “It has to be said though: you people will buy any crap!”

    technically, that statement is flawed: you people will buy any ADORABLE crap!

    as for me, I have an excuse. I’m the “Official STSF Potato.”

  22. Totally off topic, but PAD were you at the Big Apple Con yesterday (Sunday)? My friends and I thought we saw you, but then couldn’t find you along the with all the other writers and artists…

  23. Oh man, I want the Lego Star Wars game! It just looks awesome, IMO.

    The game has 56 unlockable characters to play as (you unlock them by collecting lego pieces from destroyed enimies and then trading those pieces in for unlocked characters! How cool is that?!), you can go back through any level you beat with ANY of the characters you’ve unlocked (so you could play as Darth Maul in Episode 2 or 3 or Jango Fett in Episode 1 or have Yoda fight Darth Maul in Episode or..).

    Plus the graphics are completly lego, with lots of funny stuff in it, plus you’ve got some Episode 3 spoiled in here (though I’m not sure if I’ll play those before ep. 3 or not..), plus you have lego podracing, a lego shooter section, and you have a two-player game in there too!

    And for those who don’t like Jar Jar (I like Jar Jar!), you can have him in your “party” (you get two characters for every level. one you control and one the computer or a second player controls) and then you can beat Jar Jar up if you want! Lol. Yes, you can attack your friends in Lego Star Wars!

    Ya Lego Star Wars is definitly cooler then Darth Tarter, imo. Though Darth Tarter is pretty cool!

    DF2506
    ” Call me a geek if you want, but I think Lego Star Wars looks awesome! I’m almost more excited about it then Jade Empire for the X-box. Almost! Though I’m pretty excited for Jade Empire. Oh man. I wish money did grow on trees…”

  24. Ok, so I had to run out to Target at lunch to see if they had DT. Nope.

    However, I was amazed at how much EpIII stuff there was. I felt like pulling aside a manager and saying “hey, where’s the fricken “SPOILER” warning for this display?

    I mean, Gen. Grevious action figure has a “secret” attack feature…which, I guess if you’ve seen the Clone Wars shorts, may not be such a secret to you, but for those (like me) that haven’t, way to go, Hasbro.

    On the other hand, the Lego SW models do rock. There’s a new TIE Fighter that comes with a Darth Vadar (why he’s in a regular TIE and not his own, don’t ask me) and when you press down on his head, his lightsaber lights up.

  25. For those of you who thought that Darth Tator was gratuitous and consumerism gone mad, here in Atlantic Canada they have Star Wars scratch lotto tickets.

    the horror..the whørë

    And yes, Lego Star Wars looks cool (I had to chose between it and Splinter Cell to rent) and I never had a Mr Potato Head. Perhaps this will be my first one.

    On a totally unrelated note, Newsarama did a Jeff Loeb interview where heis very complimentry of Peter’s run with the Supergirl franchise.

  26. I mean ” he is very complimentary of Peter’s run”.

    At least I spelled “gratuitous” correctly.

  27. My mom was at the local Wal-Mart on Saturday when they were unpacking the Star Wars toys. She bought me a Darth Tater because, well, it’s hilarious. After reading this, I’m glad.

    I did go by a Wal-Mart later that day and did a freak out over all of the awesome toys. I wish I was a decade younger so I could enjoy these without guilt. Now I don’t have the funds to buy any. Darth Tater shall be alone…

  28. Sent my lackey to all the Wal-marts in the metro area. An hour later she came home with 4! I am now the Lord of the Fries! Dark Lord of the Swag! King Geek! Oh, who am i kidding? I’m just a nerd. =(

    garbonzo

  29. Peter David: “…We snagged both of them so that, like the good obsessive collectors we are, we can play with one and keep the other mint.”

    NOOO!!! Peter, say it isn’t so! Say you haven’t been won over by the Darkside and have become a speculator!!

  30. James Lynch: “…I got my Darth Tater (tremble with jealousy, you Sith-spud lackers!) about two weeks ago.”

    How’d you manage that? The Darth Tater, like all “Star Wars Episode III” toys, wasn’t supposed to be put out for sale until April 2nd.

  31. Matt wondered, “How’d you manage that? [Getting Darth Tater about two weeks ago.] The Darth Tater, like all “Star Wars Episode III” toys, wasn’t supposed to be put out for sale until April 2nd.”

    Never underestimate the power of the Dark Side. Or the inability of those who work retail to pay attention to the release dates on boxes…

  32. No one’s concerned about Star Wars likenesses being used to promote gambling?!?

    Wow, I thought I was cynical.

  33. Maybe there is some hope. I got my order for Darth Tater back from Forbidden Planet today but together with a note that they expect new stock, only much later.

    I also looked at Amazon UK and found Darth Tater listed. I ordered it and could see on my status page that they expect to deliver it in May.

    Now I am crossing fingers that I will eventually get it.

  34. DARTH TATER was spotlighted on THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART last night.

    — Ken from Chicago (who thinks Darth Tater is a . . . starch . . . ally of the Dark Side)

  35. You all can keep your Darth Taters, but the really true Dark Side of III marketing that no one around here seems to notice….
    Dark Side dark chocolate M&Ms. They’re evil.

    Well, duh.

    Oh, who am I kidding? I’m gonna see if the Toys R Us by my son’s school has one. On a sorta related note, anybody else see the Johnny Lightning Trek ships they put out? Not too bad for four bucks.

    And THAT, my dear friends, is why Stacie, aren’t in a house yet. Too much collectible crap.

  37. I’ve finally joined the Sith!

    We went on a supplemental shopping trip to Target…supplemental because, after ordering our crib, my wife insisted that we “bring something home for the baby.”

    So what started out as just a random shopping trip turned up brand spanking new Darth Taters. We only got one, for our soon-to-be little spud to play with, but I toyed (heh heh) with the idea of getting 1 or 2 extra…one for the collector in me, and 1 for ebay. But then I remembered how much I was annoyed by the prices for them on ebay, and opted just to get my one. And some day, if we manage to not lose all the pieces, we’ll have a neat shelf display version.

Comments are closed.