Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,881: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Red Variant / Captain
Clone Wars Cartoon Network / Tartakovsky Animated Series Action Figures
Item No.: Asst.     85655 No. 85661
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Rifle, display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Early 2005
Appearances: Clone Wars 2003 series

Bio: Through the creative vision of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Cartoon Network, the Clone Wars are brought to life in an exciting new series of short animated chapters. A unique animation style captures the drama of this epic period in galactic history along with its outstanding heroes and adversaries. Noble Jedi warriors lead Clone Troopers into battle against the evil Separatist forces and their droid armies. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda and their comrades struggle against the rising power of the dark side and confront personal challenges against a backdrop of war-torn planets.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.


Commentary: Hasbro didn't really seem to get redeco religion until 2005, when this Clone Trooper was one of many, including some exclusives, that hit around the same time.  A redeco of the white trooper from (I think) the end of 2003, this figure not only adds red markings but also some added black lines.  The shoulder, knee, and elbow pads are all given a light black outline which does wonders to bring out the detail, sadly the white trooper was not given this consideration.  It still has 4 joints and is molded in white plastic painted white, which gives the figures a better color, a richer texture, and a reduced chance of discoloring.   I still wouldn't leave one in the sun.

I didn't open it until it came time to write this review because I was waiting for a more permanent residence, and now it's set up on a little tiered display with his siblings from this line and in plain view of Battle Beasts and Outer Space Men.  It's a nice setup, I suggest getting this line for yourself.  It's a rotten toy, but the jointed shoulders, neck, and waist are just enough to make this figure into a cheap (but good) statue rather than a pricey, under-articulated action figure.  I admit it's a bit of a double-standard, but this particular subset of the line makes no illusions about trying to be a toy.  It's a collectible figure at best, a statue at worst, and a nice display piece any way you look at it.

Collector's Notes:  I had to resort to eBay for these.  If memory serves, I paid close to retail or a little over. The figure is tough to find mostly because of its non-specific name, but it appears in lots that go for next to nothing.  With a little patience, you can get one cheaply.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,881: August 29, 2012