Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,034: BoShek

BOSHEK So It's Come To This
The Power of the Jedi Collection Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84664
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Late 2001/Early 2002
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: BoShek is a smuggler and starship technician who flew illegal ships for Tatooine monks. He helped Obi-Wan Kenobi by pointing out Chewbacca in the Mos Eisley cantina, when the Jedi was looking for transportation to Alderaan for himself, Luke Skywalker and the droids.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's old apartment's toy room, in the cantina diorama.  I took this in 2009.

Commentary: I consider BoShek to be the original gag figure, largely because I feel the joke was on me.  I used to write a Q&A column over at Rebelscum in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and fans started writing in - regularly - asking about when BoShek might come out.  My answers were typically some variation on "half past never" or "after Hell freezes over" or what have you, but since I was writing 3 10-question columns per week, I had to post something.  It turns out that back then Hasbro was reading the column regularly, and when BoShek came up at a brand meeting (or so one version of this story goes) they said "Hey, there's this guy on the internet who keeps writing how we'll never make it, we should totally do it to see his head explode."  (I've heard another version of this story that say "I don't know that you came up.")  Regardless, a couple of years of me making fun of BoShek inadvertently created more awareness for a balding, no-line pale man in a black space suit.  The least interesting man in the world has been rendered in plastic over some fairly fantastical alien creatures from one of the most influential scenes of one of the most world-changing movies ever made.   There were never petitions for BoShek, but there were a lot of nasty columns from me to my readers about why anyone would ever want him after the mutton chop joke worse off.  And I have him.  You do realize this is one of many problems I carry around inside my person on a day to day basis.

Complain as I will, even at the time of his release I couldn't deny that this was actually a pretty good action figure.  Hasbro made it do everything it should be able to do, and then some.  I was figuring we'd get an adequate figure who could stand up and maybe have a helmet or a drink, but Hasbro gave him a really ornate space helmet plus a unique gun which fits in a holster on his left hip.  Also, his right hand was posed in such a way that it looks like he can carry around his helmet... or make a rather rude gesture.   This figure was made using the same basic format for the era.  Heck, he doesn't even have that much articulation - the standard six joints were augmented by a swiveling right arm bicep, and that's all you get.   The quality of the sculpt was a little soft as well, especially when compared to the 2002 Cantina alien Djas Puhr which looked spectacular but felt less like a toy and, like much of the 2002 line, more of a collectible. 

While not a figure any kid would ever ask for, BoShek was a neat transitional piece between the end of Power of the Jedi, were you didn't really have to "be careful" with figures and you could just hand them to a kid and count on lightsabers generally not snapping or limbs generally not breaking off because the pegs were too skinny, or painted in place.  Things worked pretty well up until this point, and from here on out Hasbro started to question the "toy" conceit.  Heck, Eeth Koth from the previous wave was described by Hasbro as the future direction for the line with more of a statue pose, an aggressive stance, and a two-piece lightsaber which had a removable (breakable) blade.   History judged the removable blade harshly, the subsequent magnetic features (which I thought were neat) were dropped by 2003, and action features - largely absent from Star Wars figures - began to creep into the line with more spring-loaded rockets and other gimmicks.   Were I to begin collecting Star Wars toys today, I'd probably focus largely on Kenner and Hasbro's offerings from 1995-2002 and of course Kenner's range from 1978-1985.   Even "hard to get" figures were easier to find than the bulk of today's newest releases.

Collector's Notes: Depending on where you shopped, this figure was either fairly common or impossible to find. There was a Toys R Us near me that not only had a ton of these, but kept restocking them.  It was paved over for yet another car dealership after closing around 2006. Back in 2001, Hasbro would sometimes do case mixes with 3-4 new characters at 4-3 units per case - and stuff sold through.  There were few carry-forwards and the realty was that shortpacked Star Wars figures were fairly uncommon if you could wait a couple of months.  You likely could find them.  These mixes helped online stores to sell sets of waves, and it gave fans a bigger chance at actually finding stuff at retail.  This practice was pretty much done away with completely by 2009 as Hasbro produced larger waves and they had a stronger desire to milk existing figures for additional runs.   I don't blame them - Boba Fett and Darth Vader sell - but it kind of stings.   Today BoShek can be had for roughly his original issue price; he was always somewhat cheap on the secondary market.  I saw a bunch of him sealed on the card at Goodwill a few months ago.   Also, this is the last Star Wars Figure of the Day. Thank you for your kind indulgence.  Thank you for having read the column these last few years and please keep enjoying Galactic Hunter and Q&A.  If you'll excuse me, I need to go off and listen to a 50-minute version of "Louie, Louie."

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,034: April 1, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,033: Willrow Hood

WILLROW HOOD The Ice Cream Maker Guy
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 89027 
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD53
Includes: Droid part, ice cream maker, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Late 2009/Early 2010
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Willrow Hood works for the gas mining company on Cloud City. When the Empire seizes control of the city, Hood destroys a computer memory core to prevent the Empire from discoviering information about secret transactions with the Rebels.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's old LA apartment's kitchen.  I took this a few years ago... this is probably from early 2010.

Commentary: There are two Star Wars figures that come to mind as existing largely in spite of any sane company's better judgement because fans raised awareness for it.  Did the fanbase actually want Willrow Hood, aka the Ice Cream Maker Guy?  Or did a couple of fan sites manage to stir the pot with petitions and basically raise awareness of this character to levels where thousands of fans knew who he was, so that it went from too obscure to even be a joke figure to an actual, viable option?   Sometimes gag figures come out at a good time and the marketplace more or less takes care of them, courtesy of their lower production runs as part of a "last wave" of an assortment or just generally being interesting.  Mr. Hood came out near the end of the line, but not close enough to the end to disappear neatly.  Stores were still ordering this wave and most of the other figures did quite well. He sat around for a bit, and was probably the one "new" figure from this wave you were most likely to see hanging around.  There's a big difference between the vocal fans who write about stuff and the silent fans who actually pay money.   He did do better than Leesub Sirln, who I am pretty sure nobody asked for, and slots for all-new, never-before-made-as-a-toy figures are more precious resource today than they were in 2009.  (Do you know how many new, never-before-made-as-a-figure non-exclusive characters we got in 2012? About 10.)

All complaining aside, it's a pretty decent figure and probably one of Hasbro's cheaper releases.  The all-orange suit has very little paint, short of some silver on the arms and black on the boots.  Oh, and his head.   The all-to-familiar speed suit is recreated here with a little bit of a gut, and quite a bit of articulation.  14 points?  That's surprising.  There are more wrinkles on the toy than on the movie's still shots, plus as far as I can tell he didn't have a gun on the big screen.  It adds a slightly more menacing element to the figure, which I feel sort of misses the entire point of it in the first place.  Lando tells people to evacuate, and two seconds later you see a guy running around with an ice cream machine.  Not a gun - an ice cream machine.  That, ultimately, is the entire appeal of this figure, it's basically an internet meme that somehow got made to the tune of dozens of thousands of units.

He does a good job standing, sitting, and most importantly holding his gear.   This is a high-quality execution of a so-so gag, and as such it's noteworthy for Jedi Defender and the sites that banged the drum to bring it into being... heck, even the fans who didn't like it and complained raised awareness of the character and probably helped serve up some units.   There really is no such thing as bad publicity, and when it comes to all-new characters there is very rarely such a thing as a bad Star Wars action figure.

Collector's Notes: Pricing is all over the map for this guy, but he's usually below $10 and if someone lists it on eBay for $1 or $2, he'll sell for that.  If and when I ever get to write a book about this hobby, this guy is going to get special mention because it really is a magnificent symbol.  Not only does it show what can happen when fans get together, but it also shows that the line got so big that, after a point, a character this ridiculous becomes a viable option simply because there really aren't all that many other good figure candidates to fill out a movie-themed Empire Strikes Back wave.  The fact that this figure exists is pretty amazing, but there's one last figure to discuss whose right to exist I call more into question.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,033: March 29, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,032: R7-Series Astromech Droid Yellow

R7-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Yellow Dome with Silver and Red Markings
Star Tours Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.: No. ???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $10-$12
Availability: 2012
Appearances: n/a

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   At this time there are 25 domes and while Hasbro sometimes seems to indicate they are not Hasbro product, they do have Hasbro copyright markings and as such we are classifying them under the Hasbro banner.

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: 100%-derived Expanded Universe astromechs have been increasingly common since 2006, and this R7-Series Astromech Droid is spawned from a design which first hit plastic back in 2008.   The body and dome are similar to Hasbro's R7 droids from that era, but R7 legs were not sold at the Disney theme parks.   As such, it's unique in that the coloration is across the board different than what you would've purchased in 2008, which was a black dome with more of a green-tinted yellowish-marked body.

The yellow/orange dome looks great, and it's pretty unique in the world of droid collecting.  R5-A2 is somewhat similar in color, and unless I'm forgetting one none of the R2 units have come out with this color yet.  (The dome in Yoda's Attack Fighter is sort of close.)   I really like how this one pops, the yellow paint surrounding the triangular red eye is fantastic, and the silver lines just sort of fade into the background.   Star Wars is not generally known for its bright and chipper colors, with few exceptions, so figures like these are more likely to pop on your shelf than, say, another white-armored trooper.  It's unfortunate that the figure is so hard to come by, but I will say it's one I'd probably have shelled out for had I not been able to get one through conventional means, i.e. kicking and screaming and begging and pleading with people who are no doubt scared of the man-child.

Collector's Notes: I checked eBay when I was writing this, and this build was available - bundled with a purple R3 droid - for about $33 shipped.  I consider this to be an overwhelmingly reasonable price.   The heat seems to be leaving the droids a bit on the secondary market, so if you can get one for $20 delivered (or less) it's a pretty good deal.  I know they sell for $12 at Disney World.  I realize this isn't cheap.  But when  you factor in things like a) admission to Disney Hollywood Studios, b) parking at said theme park, and c) travel to that part of Florida, a $10 per figure "convenience fee" is actually not at all bad.   If more droids come out in this line, and I hope they don't, I'd be delighted to get away with only having to pay an average of $22 per robot rather than having to network or worse, actually travel to Florida.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,032: March 28, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,031: Yoda

YODA with Yoda's Jedi Attack Fighter
The Yoda Line Class I Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. A0918 No. A0922
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Jedi Attack Fighter, cane, lightsaber, booster seat, Super Battle Droid, cloth robes
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January 2013
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Yoda pilots an attack fighter to blast Super Battle Droids. The fighter is designed for hyperspace capability, which allows the Jedi Master to fly across the galaxy on solo missions. The craft's compact size and two missile launchers make it an ideal attack ship for Yoda to use in battle against the ever-present Battle Droid army. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: Many people have told me I'm a bad person for finding this Yoda figure to be charming despite its flaws.  Yes, I know the very idea that Yoda needs an attack vehicle goes against most of what we perceive his character to be, but I think it's funny - sort of like that quasi-bandit version from 2003.  He has jointed wrists, hips, elbows, and a moving neck plus cloth robes, a cane, and a lightsaber.  The head communicator gear is non-removable, but it's fitting given most "pilot" figures.  His eyes are a little big, had Hasbro made smaller black dots I think this would be a more widely accepted figure.  Oh, and his cloth robes are a little big, but they tend to be at this scale.

The figure is similar to many Yodas in the marketplace, specifically from Revenge of the Sith as you've got ball-jointed shoulders.  His tiny hands can grip his accessories just fine, but it's hard to get beyond the fact that they really, really are tiny.  He has no problem sitting in his vehicle (thanks to a booster seat) and as such, it meets my criteria for being a good figure.  I don't need it to be great - just make it so it can play well, and I won't complain too much.  It seems durable and I appreciate that the new head makes it unique, although the main reason I like this figure is really because the set as a whole is a lot of fun.  The droid dome, vehicle, and robot victim all come together to make a nice package.

Collector's Notes: The set is most likely being sold at a store near you right now. Go get one!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,031: March 27, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,030: Boss

BOSS Republic Commando Delta Squad
The Saga Collection Shared Exclusive
Item No.: No. 87269
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, backpack, 6 other action figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $33.99-$39.99
Availability: December 2006
Appearances: Star Wars: Republic Commando

Bio:      Known to his men as "Boss," Three-Eight doesn't talk much, except to bark out orders in a voice that carries over the fiercest artillery barrage.  (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: It may not seem fathomable today, but back in 2006 the idea of new and interesting Clone Trooper figures based on video games was exciting, uncharted new ground.  By 2013 we got three versions of Republic Commando Boss, but this was the very first version of the chief of Delta Squad.  Hasbro made the entire team by reusing its Scorch mold, and the item was a shared exclusive between a few online accounts.  As such,  you could grab it basically anywhere that wasn't Walmart, Kmart, Toys R Us, Target, and a long-forgotten chain called Kay-Bee Toys.  They used to be in malls.  Malls were these buildings you could go to and buy things like shoes or books or an Orange Julius while seeing girls that would never, ever give you their phone numbers while you and your buddies for some ungodly reason went to see "Carpool" starring Tom Arnold and underrated character actor David Paymer.  Oh, good times.

Fan complaints are pretty much what drives the internet, and these early Commando figures received their fair share mostly due to the lower-than-anticipated articulation tally.  Scorch had only 10 joints, so his brothers did as well - no knees, no ankles, and the shoulders could only swivel.  Some fans found this abhorrent, others shrugged and went on with their day.  Considering it was about $35 for 7 figures ($5 per figure) I didn't have much reason to complain, a single figure in 2006 was about $6.99 normally and frankly I didn't expect this figure to ever occupy a vehicle anyway.  (Since I got it, it never has sat in a ship.)

With a bright blue visor and orange-striped armor, Boss was a striking release and to this day, still looks awesome standing around holding his gun.  The oversized blaster is modeled after the video game Star Wars: Republic Commando, and his backpack is shared with Sev... minus a piece.  This figure also has more intense mud on his boots plus a black outline around his visor, which I prefer.  The light, white scrapes also seem more pronounced on this earlier release, but the gun's lack of scuffing and the figure's lack of leg joints may give the later version of Boss a slight edge.  I hesitate to declare any of the versions as the big winner, because each has its own unique benefits, which is a nice way of saying Hasbro never did completely top this figure from nearly seven years ago.

Collector's Notes: The set, in the box, is awesome as you get a video game background inserted in a quasi-vintage The Saga Collection box.  It's a beautiful display piece with several unique figures, and may be priced accordingly.  It was as high as $100 over the last few years, but I'm seeing them sell for closer to $60 and I gotta say $60 is pretty good for the entire package.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,030: March 26, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,029: Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI  Geonosis Arena  Battle
Discover the Force/Movie Heroes Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 37822 No. 37826
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, stand, game cards, Jango Fett, Battle Droid
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio:  The Geonosian arena is rocked by an intense battle. On Geonosis, secret factories are churning out hundreds of battle droids and super battle droids for the growing Separatist movement. Obi-Wan Kenobi fights Geonosian warriors and battle droids that overflow into the arena, as Jango Fett takes on the Jedi and clone troopers. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: Another example of how Hasbro has been successfully milking its past legacy is Obi-Wan Kenobi, a reissue of a reissue from 2012.  The mold started its life in late 2003, and saw a rerelease in 2009.  Today we see how the sculpt, which at the time was pretty cool, can be somewhat improved by paint.  For some reason, despite the boasting of "real scan" technology being employed in figure development, the hairstyles of the 3 3/4-inch action figures were pretty weak.  Obi-Wan's hair as a toy looks more like some sort of Classical Greek statue and less like the Scottish actor, who had slightly flatter hair and a different-looking beard.   As the figure was designed for not-fully-realized Outlander Club scene packs, he looks adequate standing around but isn't much good as a toy to play with and have sit in a vehicle.  You know how it is with the lower skirt pieces, and how articulation back then was still pretty experimental.  Chunky knee joints and swivel boots looked OK at the time, but were rendered obsolete just a few weeks later when that first-ever super-articulated Clone Trooper hit shelves.

The detail on his belt and texture on his garments still hold up quite nicely, and the "Force gesture" on his right hand is a nice touch.  This figure is also one of very, very few with a lightsaber hilt sculpted to his belt as the first release of this mold did not include a lightsaber accessory back in 2003, but rather a bar section and a drinking glass.  Here, he has a lightsaber and since he has two on his person when he's armed, it looks weird.   Ball-jointed shoulders make this figure a little livelier than one might hope, but his hands seem a little big relative to his head and as a toy it never really clicked anyway.  The head deco is improved, and the overall figure looks just fine, but it's not really fun to play with and it lacks the detail and range of motion of subsequent releases.  Were it a new mold with the neo-T-crotch design we're going to see more of in a few months I might be excited, but as it is it's pretty ho-hum for 2012 and one of dozens of reasons why the line just didn't have a good year.

Collector's Notes: The set is nifty enough to get on the cheap, but not for this figure.  If you're on the fence, don't buy it.  Unless you use the Amazon link on this page because I get a cut of the sale.  Yeah, I know that was a cheap plug, but why the heck not. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,029: March 25, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,028: Biker Scout

BIKER SCOUT Two of two in this set
30th Anniversary Collection Target Exclusive Battle Pack
Item No.: Asst. 87565 No. 87567 
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: November 2007
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: A scout trooper was a member of the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps specially trained for scouting, reconnaissance, combat survival, and most times, sniping.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This Biker Scout comes from one of the best-ever multipacks, the 2007 Target-exclusive Ultimate Battle of Endor Battle Pack.  For about fifty bones, you got eight action figures, an AT-ST, two Speeder Bikes, and some logs.  For perspective, that was an astosnishingly good price even in 2007, when figures were about $7 so, being generous in our favor counting the 2 Ewoks as a single figure, it'd be about $89 worth of toys.  Granted, a lighter-colored Chewbacca and more Troopers may not be what you wanted, but the set was arguably worth it for these troopers and some of the other stuff in here.  The AT-ST Driver, for example.

The Biker Scout was the apex of this kind of trooper for several years, until it was sort of one-upped in 2012 with a new, slightly more articulated (but worse painted) release.  With 14 points of articulation, it's effectively the same figure-with-blaster that you got on a Saga Collection vintage cardback around 2006 but with different dirt on his armor.  Those gray splotches you see on his chest?  That's what makes this one unique.  The other trooper in the back has different grey splotches.  I know, it's absurd, but I've written 2,000 of these stupid things so you're going to get a few like this.  The unique dirt and "damage" make the figures look a little different, and it's appreciated just from the place of someone who seeks out such differences, but it's hardly essential.

I would advocate getting this figure, or one of his peers, over the new 2012 version that came with the bike for display reasons.  Why?  Better deco.  There's a little more going on here, if you look at the armor and the mask in particular.  The grey with the black really pops nicely, and his gun fits well in his ankle holster or his hand.  He can sort of ride the bike, kinda, but it isn't really a great fit.  Still, it's a decent enough figure to buy even if every figure in this gift set has since been basically lapped by other, similar, better figures with more articulation.  Except the logs.  You can only get the logs here.

Collector's Notes: This set is anywhere from $40 to $100 on eBay, and more on Amazon.  At the lower end, it's a bargain and at the higher end, it still isn't a bad deal.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,028: March 22, 2013