Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,445: Jawa

JAWAS with Ion Blasters
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.:
Asst. 87638 No. 87996
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW08
Includes: Ion Blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: These Tatooine scavengers hunt for lost or abandoned equipment- machinery, droids, or even starfighters that appear unoccupied. Jawas look almost identical to outsiders, but among each others, they can easily identify differences in lineage, health, and other details. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's TV tray.

Commentary: Hasbro has made very few figure two-packs as of late, and this Jawas set may be one of the few "basic figure" sets in the regular animated assortment that we'll ever see. The pictured figure is the "short Jawa," notable in that his smaller blaster is holstered on his right hip and that he has a different hood design which sets him apart from his partner. When the chirping aliens appeared in The Clone Wars a bunch of fans giggled and thought about how much fun it would be if they were toys-- now that we have them, it isn't obvious what we should do with them as their role in the show was pretty limited. I guess they can go fan off Jabba or something.

With 10 points of articulation, this little guy is actually pretty good and along with his partner, this set is easily worth your allowance. It's a shame their role in the TV show is so minor, because their tattered robes with a redesigned, raised garment that doesn't drag on the ground gives these guys a distinctive look from their live-action counterparts. The figure has no problems standing or holding his weapons, but his unique design has no hips so he cannot under any circumstances sit. Well, maybe if you literally cut him in half and stuck him back together again, but nobody wants you to do that. It's a quality product and one well worth picking up if you have the means.

Collector's Notes: While most minor characters from the late 2009-early 2010 Clone Wars line became something of a hot prospect, this set stuck at about $6 on the secondary market-- meaning you can actually afford one if you'd like it. You could do worse! There are no known plans for a reissue, either.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 1,445: December 28, 2010

2 comments:

Unknown said...

hey there, awesome blog, keep up the great work!

Bravo said...

Fun little guys(girls?), I almost wish I'd bought more than one pack. IIRC, in the series, they do appear on Hondo's pirate planet, too, or some place, not just Tatooine.

I'm glad they didn't go with the "light-up" eyes thing with the translucent panel on their hood.