REBEL COMMANDO White VariantThe Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 97568 No. 21487
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: VC26
Includes: Coat, rifle, pistol, bandolier, backpack, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: October 2010
Appearances: Return of the Jedi
Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Fore be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. There is no bio.)
Image: Adam's toy room.
Commentary: Hasbro claims that bizarre bureaucratic issues regarding SKU counts and other nonsense from their internal bean counters prevented things like running changes on troop builders since late 2009, and while I'd love to believe that to be true it doesn't explain the Rebel Commando. This version was released in October 2010, but an unannounced new head sculpt was created and sold in 2011 on a limited basis-- so far, anyway. Could this mean we'll see more? Was this a fluke, a surprise that got past them? Were we being lied to? I honestly have no idea.
The figure itself is an interesting mix of new and old parts. The legs are from Major Panno, a 2009 alien figure. The backpack and helmet are quite similar to previous releases, as are the weapons. The head and torso are new, as is the bandolier-- which features a particularly clever design in which the rank badge is removable with the aforementioned torso accessory, leading to a modular design which will probably never be used since we rarely see these guys without a coat of some sort. Heck, even the long coat used on this figure and its variant is pretty weird, there was no analog for it in the original 1983 line yet here it is in the modern "Vintage Collection." I appreciate variety, but I can't say I entirely understand it.
The coat is made from a colorful camo fabric, and the helmet is re-re-recycled from a 2002 Endor Rebel and at least 7 action figures. To date, no Endor Rebel character (including Luke or Leia) has been given a removable helmet with a chinstrap. Heck, I don't even need it to be removable-- a chinstrap would be nice. The range of motion is pretty good on his arms and legs, however the coat does inhibit movement.
Collector's Notes: While not a pegwarmer per se, this figure did hang around a bit, and Hasbro has said there was some degree of troop builder fatigue in the line. (I disagree, other than the endless Sandtroopers and sub-par EP3 Clones, we aren't getting enough generic guys.) Anyway, you can probably find him right now and odds are he'll be even cheaper if you can wait 1-2 years.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 1,722: January 19, 2012
2 comments:
There is definitely goatee fatigue, since I can't remember ever seeing an actual goatee in the entire original trilogy. Yet Hasbro employees must all be sporting them...
I would have liked a more generic face, too.
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