The fact that there has never been an official Darth Vader ceramic cookie jar produced in the last 28 years has confounded fans, collectors, and snackers for an entire generation. R2-D2 and C-3PO were the first to reach this hallowed height of housewares, upsized from a smaller set of clay banks made by Roman Ceramics in 1978. Darth Vader was the third in this series of three banks, but strangely didn't make the trip up along with the droids. Flash forward to the mid-90s, when Star Jars began a series of Star Wars ceramic cookie jars that included Vader in a planned extension of the line. Unfortunately, plans crumbled, and any hope for a Darth Vader cookie jar was scattered like crumbs to the wind.

Now, fans will finally be getting their heavily glazed black clay Vader jar courtesy of Cards Inc. in England, who is releasing an all new line of Star Wars cookie jars this year. Vader is among the first in a series of 14 different jars planned for the line, which also includes cookie jar mainstays R2-D2 and C-3PO. Collectors who own the early Roman Ceramics R2-D2 will be pleased to discover that the Cards Inc. version poses the famous astromech on three legs, a cookie jar first for R2. Also of note is that Darth Vader and Yoda, in addition to being released in the traditional cookie jar bust form, will also be offered as full figures -- another Star Wars first (unless you count the earlier R2).

The 12 busts in the series measure approximately 13"-14" in height and 12" in width, and will come in a full color display box (unlike the Roman versions, which arrived in a plain blue on white box). Fans can also look forward to a Wookiee cookie jar, of course!

Here's a list of what to expect from this exciting line from Cards Inc.

• Darth Vader Bust
• Clone Trooper Bust
• Yoda Bust
• General Grievous Bust
• C-3PO Bust (Gold Plated)
• Stormtrooper Bust
• Clone Trooper Bust
• Clone Trooper (Shock Trooper) Bust Variant
• R2-D2
• Chewbacca Bust
• Boba Fett Bust
• Yoda Full Standing
• Darth Vader Full Standing
• Death Star

StarWarsShop.com has already got a couple of these up for pre-order, so be sure to head on over to check them out now!