[windebieste]

Just for now, my investigations regarding the Kenner Alien will briefly depart from the figure itself and focus on the packaging it was originally distributed along with other inclusions you can expect to find in one of these boxes.

A pair of boxes in decent condition, despite a few creases and wrinkles.

The tall blue box is distinct in it's child friendly light blue presention and stores were known to have entire shelves packed with them. Retailers were happy to take Kenner's word that this figure was going to match sales of their earlier 'Star Wars' figures (Which had sold 40 million units in the space of just 8 months in 1978!) and stocked up well on these items when 'ALIEN' was released at the cinema. The attractive box is in marked contrast to the ungainly and drab gun-metal grey figure itself. Kenner made the boxes to be disposed of once purchased so they only had to fullfil the purposes of transport (6 boxes were packed into each packing carton) and display the figure on store shelves. It's the secondary collector market that has since generated the value they now possess.

The boxes are made of light card and feature a pair of clear plastic display windows through which the figure can easily be seen. One window is on the front face of the box and another is found on the top. Inside the box, the figure was originally strapped at the elbows to a folded red dyed corrugated cardboard insert with laddered black ratcheted ties. The rear of the head, dorsal spines and tail were each recessed into penetrations through the corrugated insert card. You can sometimes find opened boxes for sale with the figure still strapped to the cardboard insert, thus keeping the figure protected inside the box in near mint condition regardless of the state the packaging is in. There's a variety of images of the figure and Kenner's 'ALIEN' toy range logo adorning all sides of the box in various configurations.

The left side of the box. The Alien depicted on the packaging is a production prototype and not a serial production run item.

Typically, boxes were sealed across the top by a length of cellotape. The condition and presence of this tape sealing the box will seriously influence the value of the box, effectively making the short length of adhesive plastic strip the most expensive feature the box can possess. It's no joke that the presence of an intact length of original tape sealing the package can easily add over US$1000 to the value of a box.

These 36 year old boxes can commonly demonstrate any type of problems. Tears, buckles, watermarks, bruising, blemishes and other signs of wear and tear are frequently present upon them. Often either or both of the two windows may be missing as the adhesive that holds them in place may have perished either partially or completely. If you are thinking of purchasing one of these boxes make sure that you can see photos of all sides of the box including the bottom, which should also have a length of tape running across it sealing it similarly to the top.

Always make sure you inspect all sides of a box. Damage to the bottom can easily be concealed in photos.

Nonetheless, boxes are typically opened when you do come across one. As a rough ball park figure opened boxes with their sealing tape broken can range in price from about US$400 to US$1000, largely depending upon their condition. Unoponed boxes with the tape still intact are uncommon. Their value can start around the $800 mark and can easily lead upwards of US$1000 and more. Once again, it depends largely on its condition and what vendors expect to get for them. Price can vary greatly and are not hard fixed by any measure. A pristine and/or uncirculated box is a true rare collectible item in regards to this commodity. Expect the asking price on these items to be no less than US$2000. If you want a true collectible sample of the 1979 Kenner Alien, then that item is the Holy Grail you seek.

Once the Alien figure was deemed unworthy of sale to children, many of the action figures were removed from their boxes. The figures themselves were placed in bargain bins to conserve shelf space for more attractive toys that didn't upset parents and their children. The boxes themselves were discarded. They were thrown into dumpsters and were subsequently destroyed. Of course, this wasn't the fate of many boxes; and not all retailers adopted this method of clearing stock, either.

No discussion of the box would be complete without a close up image of Little Jimmy completely enraptured by his new toy! No doubt Kenner Products expected American children across the country to lovingly embrace the action figure just like this.

Individual stores and chains of retailers adopted their own disposal methods and strategies for clearing unwanted stock. Nonetheless, this action on behalf of those retailers that did destroy the boxes has amplified the scarcity of boxed Aliens available today.

In the next instalment of my continuing episodic appreciation, preservation and restoration of ye olde 1979 Kenner Alien action figure, I will explore the all too cool and valuable poster that came with it as an inclusion inside the box when it was new.

-Windebieste