25th Anniversary commemorative items
It was 1997 when I created the 501st Squad, an online group dedicated to the Imperial Stormtroopers and those who costume as them. It quickly grew, encompassing all Imperial, bounty hunter, and denizen characters from Star Wars. The Squad became a Legion, and now we are a worldwide family that builds bonds, serves our community, and raises millions for charity.
My logo has always been the namesake of the club I created: Vader’s Fist. A symbol I envisioned from the epic scene in ESB and which made a perfect symbol for the troopers who followed him. This year my logo brandishes 25 stars to mark the club’s silver anniversary. May our colors never fade.
Long Live the Legion
Commemorative Items
3.5″ embroidered patch: $7 each
(orders of five or more): $5 each
(orders of 20 or more): $4 each
11″ embroidered patch: $22 each
3.5″ vinyl sticker: $1 each
(20th anniv. edition shown here)
1.5″ challenge coin: $7 each
(final design will list the “25th Anniversary”)
Order Information
How To Reserve Your Items
* Order sending payment via PayPal to trooper.tk210@gmail.com
* Quick link: PayPal-Trooper.TK210
* Tally up your quantity discounts (GROUP ORDERS save big) and shipping.
* Feel free to email me at trooper.tk210@gmail.com with any questions.
* Orders being taken until March 1st; All items ship by end of March 2022
* All proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation
* Art design by Dave Liew
Shipping Costs:
* TOTAL SHIPPING will not exceed $10 inside the U.S. or $24 outside the U.S.
* 3.5″ patches: add $1 for every five patches inside the U.S. or $3 for every five outside the U.S.
* 11″ patches: $3 per 11″ patch inside the U.S. or $14 per patch outside the U.S.
* (any 11″ patch order can ignore any other shipping costs as they are bundled)
* Stickers: free shipping
* Coins: $3 for every three coins inside the U.S. or $6 for every three coins outside the U.S.
* Need a Quote? Email me at trooper.tk210@gmail.com for a quote on shipping
Want a quote to make it easier? Maybe organize a bulk order to save on shipping? Just email me at trooper.tk210@gmail.com and I’ll get you a quote and answer any questions!
History of the Vader’s Fist Logo
In 1997 my friend Tom and I were so excited at the upcoming re-release of the Star Wars trilogy that we bought two sets of Stormtrooper armor and hit the theaters to relive the magic firsthand. Within weeks we put up the website Detention Block 2551, featuring the adventures of TK210 and TK512, Imperial Stormtroopers misbehaving while off duty. Within no time fans from all over the world contacted us, asking to be added to the website, pictured in their armor with their own TK personas. An idea hatched.
Why not feature an entire website of Stormtroopers? And maybe they belong to some Imperial unit no one had ever heard of before. Better yet, maybe they were the baddest of the bad and reported to none other than Darth Vader himself?
I fell in love with the idea. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. My dad was a World War II pilot, I’d seen his old black-and-white photos of him and his buddies in their goggles and flight jackets. Why not make a kick-ass squadron of Stormtroopers with a zippy name? So I worked out some ideas, tried to come up with something that really captured the imagination.
And that’s where Vader’s Fist was born. To me, nothing was more iconic than the sight of Vader facing Luke in Cloud City, his fist outstretched imploring his son to join him in his reign of evil. Vader’s Fist! Yeah, that’s the stuff!
The 501st Legion was born. And that iconic image remained in my mind. So when I decided to fashion my own personal stamp, my coat of arms as it were, I could think of nothing more perfect. I asked my friend, fellow Legionnaire, and artist extraordinaire Dave Liew if he could bring the image to life. And so he did to spectacular effect.
At the fifteen year mark Dave updated the logo with fifteen stars. And at twenty years it was time to mark two decades of trooping.
It’s been over twenty years now. Dave upgraded the symbol with twenty stars to mark the history. He added the Aurebesh as a nice touch, just subtle enough to not be too obvious. At some point someone asked me if I had a personal coin. I thought about it: that’s a cool idea. Something to share with my fellow Legionnaires, something to remind them of the original concept. Twenty years was long enough to wait.
So we did it, and Dave added a cool flip-side to the coin featuring a Stormtrooper helmet. And one last flourish: I had him add the five principals I hold to be the DNA of the 501st Legion. I call it my Codex Fundator: my Founder’s Code. Simple concepts boiled down to two words each.
1 – Have Fun! Costumers should always remember to have fun – that’s what dress-up time is for
2 – Make Friends – it’s the whole reason for a social club
3 – Help Others – when you’ve had your share of fun take the time to share your time an energy with fellow members or those in need
4 – Be Excellent – keep your armor in the best shape you can afford to, even if it’s not the newest armor. Remember: Vader’s watching
5 – Be Professional – In every action you do in the Legion, imagine your folks are watching. Even though we play ‘dress-up’, we are still adults. Make your Legion proud.