Darth Vader Cape
The Darh Vader Cape was usually released with the following combinations of colour to figure:
Black Vinyl Cape:
There are 18 main variations plus subvariants. Subvariants do exist and may not all be documented. As a result of the fact that these were produced from a vinyl sheet bought from a third party involved, the subvariants may vary heavily depending on the supplier.
Vinyl cape material (PVC) is made out of a heated mass, rolled and milled in several processes to finally get printed or not. That is important to know, because shrinkage can occur to them when heated again, also depending if they were cold milled or heated milled in the last steps and the directions they were milled. Giving exact dimensions of 35+ year old PVC capes is not very helpful for a guide. They were likely die-cut under tension which would also contribute to capes produced in varying sizes from the same source.
So overlaying those to see differences isn’t helpful in most cases. What we have to do is look for overall differences in shapes, forms and die-cuts. For that reason I will refrain on measurements on all vinyl capes but have a scale on all my pictures for reference.
A Darth Vader Cape does not have a given front or back side. But all of those capes have a left and right side determined by the asymmetrical shape of the cape. A front and back side was then assigned to make them comparable in the guide.
In general KADER capes (top row) are a bit more symmetrical compared to the capes from UNITOY (bottom row). The typical bulges on the outer lines are also given for almost every UNITOY cape:
M2 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- dimples/faint, no crosshatch (M2a)
- crosshatch/smooth, long version (M2b)
- crosshatch/smooth, short version (M2b)
M4 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line.
The following versions are known:
- faint lines (dull)/crosshatch (M4a)
- crosshatch/faint lines (dull) (M4a)
- crosshatch/faint lines (M4b)
- rough (dull)/crosshatch (M4c)
- rough (glossy)/crosshatch (M4d)
M5 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line.
The following versions are known:
- faint lines (dull)/crosshatch (M5a)
- crosshatch/faint lines (dull) (M5a)
- crosshatch/faint lines (M5b)
- rough (dull)/crosshatch (M5c)
- rough (glossy)/crosshatch (M5d)
M6 was produced by UNITOY in Hong Kong. It is the earliest cape produced by UNITOY. The armholes are too narrow so that those mostly only survived with splits. The bulgy top and sides of the cape are comparable to other early Unitoy capes on Leia and Ben and give this variant a distinctive look.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/smooth no crosshatch (M6)
M10 was produced by UNITOY in Hong Kong. Because of their more symmetrical shape these capes are harder to distinguish from versions made by KADER. Still the overall shape is more bulgy. The armholes are usually not in line.
The following versions are known:
- faint lines (glossy)/crosshatch (M10a)
- no lines (glossy)/crosshatch (M10b)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
M1 was produced by KADER in Hong Kong. Kader capes can be distinguished by their very round formed collar. The armholes are usually not in line. Early Kader capes came without crosshatch pattern.
The following versions are known:
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (M1a)
- smooth/faint, no crosshatch (damaged cutting tool) (M1a)
- rough/crosshatch (M1b)
- lines/crosshatch (M1c)
The RETRO COLLECTION was introduced in 2019 by HASBRO. The figures are licensed reproductions made to look like the figures from the 70s and 80s. These figures look very similar to the originals at first glance, but on closer inspection you can see clear differences. The capes are also made like look-a-likes.
The cape is much wider and taller then any vintage cape known. Both sides are smooth and therefore no crosshatch pattern is present. It mostly imitates the shape of the M1 version from KADER:
*Coming soon
The R2 cape is handcut (see irregularities to the round top of the collar). The large armholes are very unique and therefore an esay spot. The material is way more rigid then normal capes and like already seen on Lando Capes made out of two self-adhesive foils with structured surface. There is no crosshatch pattern present.
The R2 cape is a recut of the M1 version from KADER:
The R2 cape is handcut (see irregularities to the round top of the collar). The large armholes are very unique and therefore an esay spot. The material is way more rigid then normal capes and like already seen on Lando Capes made out of two self-adhesive foils with structured surface. There is no crosshatch pattern present.
The R2 cape is a recut of the M1 version from KADER:
The R2 cape is handcut (see irregularities to the round top of the collar). The large armholes are very unique and therefore an esay spot. The material is way more rigid then normal capes and like already seen on Lando Capes made out of two self-adhesive foils with structured surface. There is no crosshatch pattern present.
The R2 cape is a recut of the M1 version from KADER:
The R2 cape is handcut (see irregularities to the round top of the collar). The large armholes are very unique and therefore an esay spot. The material is way more rigid then normal capes and like already seen on Lando Capes made out of two self-adhesive foils with structured surface. There is no crosshatch pattern present.
The R2 cape is a recut of the M1 version from KADER:
The R2 cape is handcut (see irregularities to the round top of the collar). The large armholes are very unique and therefore an esay spot. The material is way more rigid then normal capes and like already seen on Lando Capes made out of two self-adhesive foils with structured surface. There is no crosshatch pattern present.
The R2 cape is a recut of the M1 version from KADER:
