Friday, September 30, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,281: Sergeant Jyn Erso (Rogue One)

SERGRANT JYN ERSO (Eadu)
Rogue One   Basic Figures
Item No.:
Asst. B7072 No. B7275
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Projectile, launcher, blaster, breathing mask
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2016
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: A highly skilled soldier in the Rebel Alliance, Jyn Erso is an impetuous, defiant warrior eager to bring the battle to the Empire.  Jyn has little patience for debated within Alliance High Command and often takes matters into her own hands. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Here we are a year later, and Rogue One launches right now.  It's not a lot different from The Force Awakens other than there's less of it, and smarter case ratios, like doubling up on this one.  The packaging for Jyn Erso is just like the rest, basically The Force Awakens with its difficulty to read and complete and total lack of co-sells.  Each figure exists in a void, with no real information about the movie or the fact that it's a part of a greater collection.   As the packaging in the old days served as a marketing tool for the entire line, it seems a crying shame that giant warning labels, 4 languages of copy, and a giant graphic for an app I'll never download take up valuable real estate that probably won't help foster another generation of collectors.  There's no call to action or anything to make kids ask for that next figure.   In short - I hate it. I hope it works,  but it seems dark and murky and uninviting.

The figure itself?  Yeah, you'll want one.  It's not what I expected, but it's neat.  The vest is a separate rubbery piece which you can slide off, provided you remove her arms and head, so don't do that.   A blaster fits perfectly in either hand, which I should add are swivel-jointed.   That's right - seven points of articulation!  (But, so far, only on this specific figure.)  The breathing gear around her neck can be slid up and sort of fits around her face, which is pretty pale.  The paint job is adequate, but they're also doing more than older figures.  He's got a hat, goggles, lenses, eyes, lips, hair, and more painted - there's so much going on here that it opens the window to get more things wrong.   She has painted bandoliers, fingerless gloves, shoes, and more - the ambition was there. The factory did a pretty good job, too, but it's not perfect and I hope you get a good look at her in person before picking up yours.

Her small blaster is perfect, and the bigger gun is better than the "Combine" weapons last year.  It's basically a big bazooka which she can hold in her hand and fits well over her shoulder.  If you pose her right, she can even hold it and remain standing - that's no small feat!  Especially for such small feet.   I like it in the sense that it works well, and she can hold it while standing.   I'd also be very happy if they removed it to get the cost down to $5.99, but of course I would.  That's what matters to me.

The 6-inch figure had some coloring issues in the skin as well, so this one isn't worse.   If you get in real close you'll see where things aren't painted quite right, but most of it is done quite well and Hasbro is painting more things than we usually see on a costume at this size.   With The Force Awakens I felt a bit more compelled to say "This is great, buy it" but in this case we already know at least two more opportunities to get a Jyn this size are coming - maybe more - so I'd say you could probably wait.   I doubt we'll see this specific outfit again at this size, at least in the near future, so get her if you like the costume.   I'm not sure I love it - I like it - but the next version of Jyn Erso is sort of the action figure of your dreams.  Assuming you dream of 1980, and I do.   I'd say if you see this version of Jyn Erso this week, and you've got a few bucks, snag one.  I don't think I like it as much as the debut Rey last year, but it's not like I think I even saw this outfit prior to the toy anyway.


Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,281: September 30, 2016

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,280: Captain Phasma (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

CAPTAIN PHASMA The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B7758
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: May 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: Clad in a distinctive metallic armor, Captain Phasma commands the First Order's legion of troopers. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: And here's one you won't see - she always seems to go first.  Captain Phasma came out as a basic figure, an Armor Up figure at Toys R Us, part of an Amazon set, and you've probably had your fill of that figure - so here's the new better one.   She has 26 points of articulation which, somehow, became the bare minimum for a super-articulated trooper.  There are no double-jointed elbows or knees but they are the classic ball-ish movement we've all accepted as normal, and they all work quite well.  She stands just fine, was painted well, and can hold her weapon.  It's a good one... but it doesn't so much more than that.

This figure hits the important notes - nice plastic cape, good blaster, decent deco, and Hasbro goes above and beyond the call of duty by ensuring she has a good silver paint job, at least on parts.  Some are molded in silver.  The match is largely good, so you may not immediately notice some are swirly silver and some are cleanly painted.  I'd rather it be consistent, but it still looks pretty good.

This is the go-to 3 3/4-inch Phasma.  I assume you'll see another one some day - maybe even a reissue - but if her outfit doesn't change I assume Hasbro won't or can't do much to improve on it.  It'd be interesting if they did, of course.  As it stands the sculpt doesn't seem to improve too much on previous iterations, it just adds more articulation while keeping that wonderful thigh-plug to store the blaster.  It's good!   It won't surprise you, but it delivers what you've come to expect from this size around this price point.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from a pal.  Be back Friday as we kick off the Rogue One line.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,280: September 28, 2016

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,279: Han Solo (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

HAN SOLO The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B7759
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: May 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: Though Han Solo has seen much in his long, checkered career, nothing compares to the abominable threat of the First Order's latest weapon.  In a foolhardy mission to save the galaxy, Solo races to the heavily fortified Starkiller Base. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This is another weird choice.  Han Solo in his new snow parka - not Hoth Gear, but certainly very blue - and Hasbro did a great job making it.   Why you'd make a super-articulated Han and not have it be in his primary costume that fans saw in the marketing and in the majority of the movie is beyond me, but Hasbro did a pretty good job providing a decent Harrison Ford likeness on a body with excellent hip articulation.   The paint job is acceptable, the eyes and smirk are decorated in a way that says "this whole is stupid, are you dumb kids done yet?" with hair that shows a bit of a struggle to replicate the color in the movie.  It's not greying - it's more snowed-on.  Mr. Ford's new toy looks more like a redhead who got hit with artificial snow.   On the bright side, when looked at under the right lighting and angles, it captures his likeness better than most figures from the past four decades.  That's a tough thing to do.

Articulation is really good - bend-and-swivel wrists let him hold his gun at all sorts of angles, or fish it out of the working holster.   The parka is nicely wrinkly, as are the pants, and so are the gloves.   Everything looks lived-in, but not too much.   He has some visible silver detailing, but on the whole the costume part doesn't need a heck of a lot of paint to look good as much of it is molded in color.   Painted elements are coated evenly and thick enough so that you can't see a lot of bare plastic shining through, and I appreciate that a great deal.   This is a figure capable of assuming some great poses, and in many respects may be one of Hasbro's better overall Han Solo toys.

His blaster is black, painted with silver scuffing via dots and a brown grip. It's gorgeous.  It goes in a brown rubbery holster, as is the style at the time.   While the Leia from this set is an argument to go back to 5-jointed figures permanently, this Han Solo's creation makes me wish we'd see more super-articulated guys.  I guess no mater what nothing will be perfect - but this is one of the better figures from The Force Awakens in any Hasbro scale.   I hope they carry forward with more like this, even the regular Han outfit and hopefully Luke and vested Leia, because they're good.   Maybe you won't be wowed - frankly, I don't think Hasbro is going to do anything to knock your socks off since we've seen thousands of figures and the price point has restrictions - but this is a figure you should buy when you see it.  He seems to be hanging around more lately, which is a shame as it's one of the better ones.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from a pal.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,279: September 27, 2016

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,278: Princess Leia Organa (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B7760
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: May 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: Despite all that she has endured and lost in a lifetime of war, Princess Leia Organa continues to shine as a beacon of hope for the loyal soldiers of the Resistance under her command. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: While not the most memorable outfit she wore in The Force Awakens, this Princess Leia Organa figure retains her rank of royalty and is dressed accordingly.   Sadly, the figure was an exclusive and a late release in the line instead of something you could get at launch.  Seriously, Han, Luke, and Leia would probably have brought more people into the fold faster.   This movie-ending outfit wasn't where Leia did most of her memorable stuff, so I'm hoping we'll get the vested Leia later, but I am guessing it might be a little while.  I hope I'm wrong.

The figure isn't bad, but it's a strong argument for the figure appearing in the main line.  Why do her as a $13 exclusive when her legs and waist are almost completely restricted?  The long plastic gown looks nice, but isn't a great looking toy.  Why include cloth soft goods when their use is completely restricted?   The super-articulated knees and ankles serve no real purpose, nor do the swivel hip joints, nor does the ab joint.  The ball-jointed shoulders, elbows, and swivel wrists are nice - but there's no accessory, either.  Hasbro clearly put a lot of work into a figure that could have been made more cheaply and you wouldn't notice the difference.  Back in the 1990s, fans would refer to a design such as this as a "salt and pepper shaker" figure.

Thankfully, the sculpt is good - the head is nice, the hair is good, the dress is decent enough, but the eyebrow deco doesn't do her any favors and at this size, the face is a little lumpier than it should be.  She looks better on screen than the figure makes her out to be, but the figure does one thing well that most Leia toys can't do.  She can stand!  The gown does wonders to keep her upright.    Since she can't sit, I'm not sure what to say here.  She meets the criteria of what most collectors of this size consider necessary, but the design prevents you from enjoying those benefits - it merely allows you to pay for them.   I hope Hasbro does a super-articulated version of the "General" outfit (or any at all), as this one was decent enough.  I look forward to something even more awesome.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from a pal.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,278: September 22, 2016

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,277: First Order Stormtrooper (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER Super Articulated
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B4056
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: Equipped with sleek armor and powerful weapons, the Stormtroopers enforce the will of the First Order. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: A later release for The Force Awakens, this First Order Stormtrooper adds all the articulation you'd expect with a paint job that would be wonky for the 1990s.   The sculpt and articulation are fantastic, and the paint is as sloppy as it gets.  I've bought a lot of figures, and I can say without a doubt that this has the worst paint job of any trooper figure.   The band on the forehead doesn't quite seem to be placed right above the lenses, there are numerous black smudges and streaks, the white paint on the belt isn't thick enough, and yet people continue to tell me this was the superior figure.  I don't get it.  I would like to agree with those who love it, but really, you're just being apologists.  Maybe you lucked into a good one, but even the best ones are still not as great as they could be.

Another 26 joint wonder, this Stormtrooper can do things like stand, sit, put both hands on his blaster, and plug his two blasters into his thigh - just not at the same time.   The figure has more paint than the 3 3/4-inch counterpart in the main line, as he has a little more detail on the chest armor and the more accurate hands with white on the fingers.  The black horizontal line across the back of the hand doesn't seem to be true to the movie, though, so if anything Hasbro could probably reissues this figure with better paint - and a few fixes - and it'd be the best one.  As it is, it's just OK.

Some of the white plastic already feels to be slightly discolored, but that might depend on the light in your room.   Some more black paint on the helmet would help, as the eyes and mouth should be connected with more black paint.   Hasbro also gave this release black soles on his boots, which the regular cheaper version lacks.  In short, neither version is truly superior.  Each has its pros and cons, and I'd say we should all hope Hasbro has an opportunity to redo it for the next sequel.  

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from a pal.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,277: September 21, 2016

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,276: Rey (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

REY (Jakku)
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B5006
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Staff, backpack, wrapped head
Action Feature: Switch out heads to change her appearance
Retail: $12.96
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: Rey is a resilient survivor, a scavenger toughened by a lifetime of dealing with the cutthroats of the harsh desert world of Jakku.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Since this figure came out at about the same time as The Force Awakens, it would be a while before many fans saw this Rey on store shelves.   I lucked into her more than a few times, but probably not enough to feel she's common - well, OK, I've seen her a few dozen times.  But I get out a lot.   This one is a bit different from the other 3 3/4-inch figures in that she has both heads, gloved hands, and more articulation than you can shake a stick at.  Actually, that's a lie - she has a lot of articulation and a stick at which to shake toward her person.

Once more with 26 joints, Rey fits the typical template for The Black Series, which is either really exciting or really boring.  No new ground has been broken here, she meets the standards with exacting precision and minimal surprises - save for one.  The alternate head is pretty great, it wraps around her torso and the left arm slides through to hold it in place.    The figure is about as good as any other super-articulated figure in the past decade, and the detail on her face is incredible.  The problem is that the macro lens setting shows too much about how they made it great - I had no idea it was halftone red dots that gave her cheeks color with the naked eye.   In person, it's perfect with eyes and eyebrows that seem totes on fleek.  For a figure of this size, this may be one of Hasbro's best face executions.  Is it perfect?  Not necessarily, but it's very close given the materials and printing techniques.

In addition to her head, she has a staff - this time with painted details - and a backpack - also with painted details.  They look better than the normal version to the point where I'm almost irritated that Hasbro bothered to make the normal version.   For $13 we got a near-perfect super-articulated Rey with a really good bonus accessory in the wrapped head, extra deco, and a superior paint job.  For $9, we get a pretty good Rey, with a (frankly) unnecessary bonus accessory, plus deco that's OK.  It's not amazing - it's not as good as this - and the price difference is close enough that I would assume Hasbro should either do what it can to shave off a dollar from the cheap figure, or see if the economy of scale can be used to encheapen the Black Series figures and give them a wider audience.  As soon as we hit $10, $13 isn't a stretch anymore.

As Reys go, this is the best 3 3/4-inch one on the market today.  I hope you bought one - she's got gloves, she's got small boots, and she has desert-friendly capri pants?  It works, it's nice, go get one.  I am no longer at a point where I believe Hasbro will necessarily do more super articulated figures for the next movie in the trilogy, so get her if you see her.   She probably won't have this outfit again, at the very least.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from an awesome toy blogger.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,276: September 20, 2016

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,275: Kylo Ren (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

KYLO REN Ready to Fight the Light
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B4055
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: A dark warrior strong with the Force, Kylo Ren commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unconventional Lightsaber.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When it started to look like the basic line for The Force Awakens would take a step back in articulation, fans were sort of glad to see Walmart got The Black Series again.  It just took months for the new characters to hit, and even longer for Kylo Ren and the non-reissued figures to make the rounds at America's biggest and generally most crowded retail chain.    Being the bad guy, he was also one of the immediately most popular - but with a Stormtrooper and Rey hitting around the same time, there was a lot of success to go around in the wake of one of the biggest movies of all time.   Rightly so - this is more or less the figure you were hoping for prior to seeing the movie.  There's no unmasked alternate head, but you do get the accessories that would make sense for the bad guy.   Or at least, who we're all assuming is the bad guy.

26 points of articulation means he can stand and hold his weapons fairly well, but thick plastic robes under his nice cloth robes means sitting can be difficult.  If and when he gets a vehicle to pilot, this isn't the figure you're going to fit in the cockpit.  Heck, neither are the other ones - none of them are particularly vehicle-friendly.   He has no problems double-gripping his broadsword lightsaber with both bend-and-swivel wrists, so that's a big plus - and the design recalls the original Darth Vader figures with its horizontal lines around the arms and hands.   The sculpted hood around his helmet is a mixed blessing - it looks great, but it removes the option of letting you see just a helmet.  The neck peg doesn't match the regular 3 3/4-inch line, so straight-up swapping may not be in your future.  As is, though, he's pretty fantastic - and the texture on the fabric is next-level stuff for a Hasbro figure of this or any size.

He has a lightsaber hilt and a lightsaber, each of which has some nice painted details.     Obviously the genuine article looks more cobbled together, but you can see some stray parts and wires on this one.  Neither has the attributes to connect to a belt, unfortunately, but other than that the figure looks good.  It seems Hasbro was aiming for the boxed collector or perhaps the shelf fiend, so those seeking a toy aren't going to find it here.  This is a great display piece, and easily your best-possible Kylo Ren for the average adult collector with the average adult collector standards.   He stands, he poses, and he stays put.  You could do worse.   I'd love to see what a Kylo Ren with some toy features might do, though.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from an awesome toy blogger.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,275: September 15, 2016

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,274: Finn (The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch)

FINN Ex-Stormtrooper
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B5007
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: A trained warrior desperate to escape his past, Finn is plunged into adventure as his conscience drives him down a heroic, but dangerous, path.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Sometimes Hasbro delivers the goods that fans didn't want.  With The Black Series it was no surprise that Hasbro focused on the main important characters, but Finn was the last of the main characters to sell.   Most stores sold the other Finn toys by now, but it's not uncommon to find this one hanging out with Poe on markdown.  I have theories as to why this is, but one would hope those reasons might help a wider audience to embrace the figure.   Everybody loves Kylo Ren and Rey, but Poe and Finn don't seem to have quite the love as of yet.  It's a pity, but having multiple Finn figures in this exact outfit can't help things.   Poe benefits from being more or less unique with a good, clear-visor helmet otherwise unavailable without a vehicle.  Finn's main improvement is articulation.

The lovable goofball has 26 points of articulation - the same as Poe with added bend-and-swivel wrists, and he can get more out of them thanks to a lack of straps or other restrictions.   He can stand - and has stood on my desk for months.  He can sit, but it's awkward - the hips splay out so it's obvious Hasbro assumed (correctly) that most people buying this figure would either leave him in the package or just have him standing on a shelf, which is sadly the fate for many collected action figures these days.   All of that articulation, largely wasted.  At least he can double-grip a lightsaber, which no other Finn can do.   The sculpt is basically the same as other Finns, which means he has a top-notch head sculpt and a decent all around costume.  Lots of wrinkles, lots of folds, and a mid-torso ball joint for plus posings.

Deco has been improved!  The blaster has black scoring and burn marks, plus some blue energy markings.  It's a huge improvement.  His shoes have some more dirt, as do his pants.   Even the zipper gets a dot of silver, making this the best 3 3/4-inch Finn your toy display money can buy.  The regular ones are perfectly nice and good for vehicles, but if you want a figure to stand around on a shelf this is probably your best bet.  It's a shame they didn't toss him a lightsaber, but whatever.  You've got lightsabers.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from an awesome toy blogger.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,274: September 14, 2016

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,273: Poe Dameron (The Black Series, 3 3/4-Inch)

POE DAMERON Pilot
The Force Awakens   The Black Series - Walmart Exclusive
Item No.:
Asst. B4054 No. B5008
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.96
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: An ace pilot, Poe Dameron is a leader in the Resistance's fight against the First Order.  He soars into battle behind the controls of a modern X-Wing Fighter.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Walmart's 3 3/4-inch line of exclusive The Black Series figures has been a source of immense frustration.   Waves hit and take a long while to saturate - in which time people lose their damn minds, myself included.   Poe Dameron was one of last Fall's two batches of figures from the then-new movie, and the one (along with Finn) most likely to sit.   Fans were agitated because pulling the highly popular - but unvaried in character - line from mass retail to an exclusive at the highest trafficked store in the country left something to be desired.  Would you ever see these figures???  The answer turned out to be "yes, eventually" which was true of pretty much the entire line to date.  It's not as bonkers as it used to be, but the wait is miserable, long, and if you're outside a city with more than one or two Walmarts, seemingly eternal.

The internet's boyfriend  seems to be challenged in translating himself to plastic.  The skin is never quite right, the expression's not always perfect, and Oscar Isaac's a decent looking dude.  He's peachier and paler than he should be, but the eyes and eyebrows are good on this particular head sculpt. S subtle hint of scruff appears, but it's so faint you might not miss it if they left it out.  I'm glad it's there.  His costume is simply painted, with plenty of orange and white to replicate the Resistance costume form the movie.  He's (as of yet) the only super articulated pilot, and boy howdy did they do a nice job here.

24 points of articulation - for the record, I'm counting a point of articulation as any place two piece of figure are joined and can move - are nothing to sneeze at.  Ball-jointed hips!  Swivel wrists!  This is the kind of figure fans have been wanting, and so far it looks like they aren't getting (immediately, if at all) for Rogue One.     On the bright side, you can find Poe on clearance at a Walmart for around ten bones now if you're lucky.

His accessories are simple.  In addition to the non-removable straps and hoses, he has a removable black helmet with clear lenses and a blaster which fits in his hand or his holster.  It's not gratuitous, nor is it innovative, but it delivers the goods in a way that is consistent with collector expectations.

While Finn has a lot of figures, Poe's are more varied.  Do yourself a favor and get this one, even though you probably already have this outfit in this size.  It's just a nicer figure, with better gear, and it's not like your other ones have elbow joints.  It doesn't amaze - the figures rarely exceed their mandate when toy features are ignored - but at least he looks cool.  Also thank your lucky stars simpler figures exist, he's a hassle to try to cram in an X-wing.  Poe (along with the Rey, Kylo Ren, and Finn from this line) occupies a place on my desk since I got them, which is probably the highest praise I can give a Star Wars toy lately - usually stuff gets shuffled off shortly after purchase so I can make room for the next thing.  These ones are pretty great.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to help from an awesome toy blogger.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,273: September 13, 2016

Friday, September 9, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,273: Maz Kanata (The Force Awakens)

MAZ KANATA Takodana Encounter
The Force Awakens   Home Entertainment Pack
Item No.:
No.  B6815
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, backpack, staff, 2 blasters, 4 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: March 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: The colorful Maz Kanata holds court in an ancient castle on Takodana.  With centuries of experience, she reigns as the most knowledgable smuggler around.  She has an uncanny knack for sensing the shifting tides of fortune in the galaxy.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Toy companies can speak in some very sterile - and strange - terms, so instead of being a "gift set" or "DVD box" this is a "Home Entertainment Pack," as Hasbro refers to movies, cartoons, and the like as "the Entertainment."  It's true!  I've been in the meetings.   The crown jewel of this entertainment pack is the sole new figure, Maz Kanata.   Your friends will say "Katana" because reading is hard.  The set also contains Finn (roughly the same as the single figure), Rey (with a Lightsaber and slightly better deco), and BB-8 (with barely-changed paint masks.)  We might look at these later, I'm still waffling.  The set itself is worth your while just because you'll want a Maz, it's on sale for cheaper at big stores now, and you probably don't have a Maz if you didn't buy this set.   The line for this movie is pretty small so far, so if you have any doubt whatsoever about a character appearing in the sequel buy the toy now.

Maz is a short figure, the stand-in for Yoda and to some extent the more mystical aspects of one Ben Kenobi.   She knows about the Force without telling you how maxi big it is, presumably because she's seen some things, man.  After all, with those glasses and dime eyes she's probably seen quite a lot.   The lenses are clear plastic pieces attached to her head.  They are not adjustable, but they do magnify her eyes a bit.  I'd love it if they moved, but hey, she's small.  You can't get everything  You can come close, though, a her leg joints swing forward cleanly granting her access to just about any modern vehicle without a fight.  She might slide around due to her height, but all five joints move nice and cleanly.   Her deco is above and beyond the call of duty given Hasbro's recent, erm, less-than-collector-friendly output as of late.  She has painted bracelets, necklaces, belts, boots, chains, pouches, the works.  I'm sure you could do a slightly better job as a customizer, but as mass-produced toys out of China go this is one of Hasbro's best works in this size in recent memory.  The textures are great, and she looks better than the rest of the line would have me think Hasbro is currently capable of squirting out.  The skin texture, the careful wipe to get the skin the right shade of orange, it's pretty much all here.

Her own personal accessory is a small silver blaster.  Undecorated, it seems to have the design down pat without the exact coloring.  Paint on weapons has been a luxury fans haven't enjoyed as often as they might like, and while we saw some paint on lightsabers in the 1990s I'm trying to think if we saw many painted blasters before Attack of the Clones.   I'm not thinking of many.   Even after, it's a scarcity - but this set also includes a neat trunk with a weak bending flexible hinge to shut it, and a little latch to keep it closed.  Oh, and a lightsaber hilt to gift to Rey.

The mantra for this feature and much of what I write about Star Wars is "just different enough to make you mad."  If you were all-in since day one for this line, you've got little to no use for Finn, Rey, or BB-8.  However, you're going to really want Maz and her blaster, and probably a spare lightsaber and the trunk.  If you haven't been buying this line, I would recommend the Takodana Encounter as highly as possible at current sale and clearance prices.  If you don't have the figures, it's an attractive buy at $20-$25.   A changing of the guard seems to have directed Hasbro to the future - this would make me scared Hasbro may not revisit Maz without an appearance in the movies.  And we don't know if she's in the next movie yet.   If nothing else, I'd suspect you won't see many Maz toys for a few years so do yourself a favor and buy one before the secondary market prevents you from doing so. 

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,272: September 9, 2016

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,271: Fifth Brother (The Force Awakens)

FIFTH BROTHER Imperial Inquisitor
The Force Awakens   Jungle and Space Figures
Item No.:
Asst. B3445 No.  B6586
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: "Combine" claw,  lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: A towering presence, the Fifth Brother is tasked to hunt the Rebels by Darth Vader himself. A man of few words, he uses his intimidating physicality and brute strength to try and best the Rebel crew and capture the elusive Jedi.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When it comes to television, beggars can't be choosers.   Also, we're going to get into some spoilers real quick because I assume you've watched the show on which this guy is based.   OK?  Good.  The Fifth Brother is based on The Force Awakens concept art, and he seems to have been shellacked with a coat of whatever it was McQuarrie painted his designs with too - the smooth look has a lot of big blocks of color and he feels a lot less like someone who comes from the real world.   Han Solo actually wears pants and a shirt, this guy looks like some armor was stapled to a speed suit.  It's cool - but I don't think Space Nordstrom's carries whatever it is.

The big round hat feels like a holdover from The Clone Wars, and I have to admit I like it.  It's neat, it's distinctive - silly hats make the world a better place.  The Fifth Brother's shoulder armor sports massive silver Empire symbols, which seems a little goofy - but maybe it's a pride thing, patriotism or some such.   He's a big imposing guy, so he looks like he should be on board with whatever his job is that week.  Oh, that job was hunting Jedi - his actual name is something of a mystery but there were implications of rank.  Season one's Inquisitor was the Grand Inquisitor, and he died.   The Fifth Brother and Seventh Sister are his minions, which in drama seems like a bad choice on the part of the writing team.  If our heroes dispatched the main "not Vader" bad guy, these guys aren't necessarily a bigger threat.    It's like if they killed Kylo Ren and then they sent in Hux.  I'm sure Hux has a lot of troops to help him out, but he's probably not the best in a fight. But I digress.

Hasbro decorated the figure with shiny black armor which turned out great, and captured most of the details from the animation model.  It helps the show's models are not nearly as ornate or wonderful as The Clone Wars, as they are generally simpler with less impressive textures.  This isn't a knock at the show - if you watched The Clone Wars in high-def you could see virtual brushstrokes on nearly everything.  Rebels is a lot smoother, so it wasn't too much to ask Hasbro to successfully include a few lights, a few silver things, and that pattern over his belly.  He can stand, sit, and grasp his disc-based double-lightsaber and claw weapon.

The claw weapon is how Hasbro grabbed a few extra pennies (or dollars) for this release - the "Combine!" weapon could connect with Admiral Ackbar's backpack and Tasu Leech's spare pistol to make some sort of a Power Loader-esque harness.   It has some metallic blue and silver deco, and no moving parts.   I dislike it because it looks fun, and isn't - if the claw could grip things, or close, I'd be enjoying it more.  One of my big sore spots right now is that Star Wars figures don't do much of anything interesting these days.   I don't need firing rockets or action features everywhere, but a few would be nice - or just drop non-show, un-Star Wars-y weapons and save me a dollar.  I promise I will make up for it by army building.  (Hey, I outfitted my Imperial Troop Transport.  I'm good for it.)

So, with a good face sculpt that matches the show (despite not showing a lot of emotion) the Fifth Brother is a worthwhile purchase if you see him.   As of right now I'd advise every fan worth his weight in plastic to pick up Star Wars Rebels figures, mostly because they don't seem shy about killing off some and changing the appearance of others.   Hasbro also doesn't keep them in circulation despite being on a weekly show, so kids that wanted Hera, Sabine, and a few others have been out of luck for nearly two years.  I don't believe Hasbro has a good reason to bring back the Fifth Brother, plus the Seventh Sister will be available within the next wave or two.   Get him while (and if) you can, they did a nice job bringing the design to life and I would say Hasbro made it about as good as we can expect in their current style.  The silver, black, and grey on the lightsaber hilt was a very nice touch.   I like it - I just wish the TV show had more toy support overall, especially between movies.  (During movie season, people are too distracted to want the TV stuff it seemed.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,271: September 8, 2016

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,270: Admiral Ackbar (The Force Awakens)

ADMIRAL ACKBAR Space Gear
The Force Awakens   Jungle and Space Figures
Item No.:
Asst. B3445 No.  B6584
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: "Combine" jetpack,  blaster
Action Feature: Head/jaw opens to "talk"
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: A veteran of The Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, Admiral Ackbar has decades of experience in large-scale combat operations. Even so, the Mon Calamari officer has doubts about The Resistance's chances of success against The First Order. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: It's a new figure!  Admiral Ackbar is and always will be one of my favorites - when I was a kid and I found out there was an alien lobster man, I had to have one.  It was just too awesome to fathom.   I hope Admiral Ackbar was as excited to exist as I was to have him, but I feel for the guy.   32 years, and no promotion?   Seriously, the intergalactic military sucks.   The figure looks like the movie, and doesn't really have the kind of articulation you want.  But he does have a wacky jet pack, which every Admiral Ackbar figure needs.

The figure itself is pretty great.  The texture of the vest is top-notch, the skin color is pink and salmony, and the wrinkles on his skin are perfection.  They even put a little wipe on them to bring out the suction cups and other tiny details.  The pants are similarly nicely textured with legs that swing forward until the thick tunic prohibits further movement.  It might fit in a vehicle, but the arms are sculpted out a bit and I don't think most vehicles are going to permit him to fit inside.  At least he can stand and hold his weapon, though - plus the jet pack fits perfectly.

Ackbar has the same shoulder and hip joints that this line has been famous for, and the neck is stuck in place thanks to his collar.  To make up for this, Hasbro added a hinge joint in his mouth so Ackbar can, uh, "talk."    It's a little crude but it works and I love it - things like this add a lot of value to an otherwise plain and ordinary figure.  EV-9D9 had a mouth in the 1980s, R2-D2 had a clicking dome, R5-D5 in 1996 split down the middle and launched a rocket.  Why?  Who cares, it's fun!    I appreciate their putting a little something into these figures to make them genuinely more interesting, mostly because it does something.   Love them or hate them, the slide-out lightsabers of the 1970s are memorable nearly four decades later because it was functionally fun and interesting, just like the head here.


His jetpack seems to be designed for him specifically, and as a stand-alone accessory it's OK.  It's not very Star Warsy, but it does have some blue and grey on it and it fits like a glove.  Expansion ports allow for Tasu Leech's gun or Fifth Brother's claw to connect to it to be some sort of exo-frame thing, which is similarly not very Star Warsy.   I'd say it's sort of a waste ultimately, but it's not like it cost us the opening head gimmick - and that I like.

Overall?  You're going to want it.  The actor Erik Bauersfield voiced the character a few times and this may well be his final turn as the alien commander.  He passed in April of this year at the age of 93.   He was largely unknown (or at least not famous) from his role in the saga, but now you know that he was a talented old-time radio guy and you've got yet another figure to snag of one of his most famous roles.   I love it - even if the blaster is rather uninspired, the rest of the figure is a complete winner.  Get it if you can!

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,270: September 7, 2016

Friday, September 2, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,269: Jyn Erso (The Black Series 6-Inch, SDCC Exclusive)

SERGEANT JYN ERSO Rogue One Debut Figure
The Black Series   San Diego Comic-Con International Exclusive 6-Inch Figure
Item No.:
No. C0201
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Art cards, pistol, scarf
Action Feature: Removable mask
Retail: $27.00
Availability: July 2016
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: A highly skilled soldier in the Rebel Alliance, sergeant Jyn Erso is an impetuous, defiant, warrior eager to bring the battle to the Empire.  Jyn has little patience for debate within Alliance High Command, enough so that she takes matters into her own hands.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability:  Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Hasbro seems to have found a good groove on its The Black Series exclusives for "sneak preview" figures.   Last year we got a Stormtrooper with an art book, this year we get Jyn Erso with 4 oversized art cards.  If you want the figure early?  Here she is!  If you want every package variant?  Here ya go.  If you just want the figure, wait a few weeks, and you'll be covered.   Having seen precious little from the movie - seriously, not much at all - I can pretty much only talk about this figure in the context of the trailer and other figures.  Which, well, let's do that.   Taking design cues from recent big movies and the fashions of the late 1970s and today, Lucasfilm engineered a look that should resonate while we all wait to see how people like the character.  The trailer gives us a character who seems to borrow a grey shirt of the title character in 1977's Annie Hall, an overall fashion sense comparable to Katniss Everdeen with her fingerless gloves and military surplus-adjacent coloring (I was just at an exhibition for the Hunger Games movie last week), plus the scarf.  I'm guessing the design is all intentional and the disparate elements were indeed done to invoke a number of heroes and recent icons in popular culture, because it's not like Star Wars has a lot of women to draw upon.   Just a couple.  And I doubt Kea Moll hair and outfits would mean anything to the young audience they're trying to woo nowadays, so her look makes sense given the stuff I'm assuming they're trying to evoke.   Or it's just in my imagination.



The scarf, OK, I find this strange because I don't understand fashion - but a few years ago scarves suddenly seemed to flare up all over the place.  Sonic had one.  Link had one.  Why?  WHY?   I don't know why she has one either, unless it's chilly, and I don't know the climate on the planet(s) on which she will wear this costume just yet.   As an accessory I quite like it, because it's also a hood and that mixes up how the figure actually looks, rather than seeming to be a garment that exists just to demonstrate whatever new physics a game developer came up with.  It's here, it's grey, it's unpainted, it's OK.  I'm just seeing a lot of scarves in franchises that never had scarves before.  I don't understand it, and it scares me.
Her blaster pistol is small, black, and silver.  It fits in her hands flawlessly, and you can slide it right in her holster which has a tab to "lock" the gun in place.  A+, would approve of again.

I'm mostly impressed by the figure itself, what with boot cuts and bend-and-swivel wrists.   I'm counting 29 points of articulation, granting me a figure that's mostly on par with last year's 6-inch offerings for the last new movie.  The various textures look great, and I am largely pleased with the coloring.  We don't have painted soles on her boots or anything too fancy, but the blue pants don't run in to the brown boots.  The zipper is painted, there's a little badge on her brown and green sculpted vest, and all of the pieces fit together visually and functionally.   Coming up with new 1977-era Star Wars isn't easy and were it not for the scarf, I'd say this is believably something that might be worn on Yavin IV, somewhere out of the range of the camera.

I am not overly familiar with the works of one Felicity Jones, so I'm working off press images and trailers - and I'd say it's OK.  Hasbro clearly got their sculptors doing a good job here, but the hair color, facial expression, and paint remind me a smidgen of The Hunger Games once more - the hair is, clearly, different.  This is clearly not Jennifer Lawrence.  But I'd be willing to bet if you took this figure up to someone who only vaguely knew the property and said "Here's your new Katniss" they'd say "Oh sure, looks good."   I'm not thrilled with the skin plastic, as it's a little too translucent and seems to be very soft on detail.  Compared to recent Marvel Legends or last year's Rey figures, Hasbro can do a bit more to make a face pop - this one seems to recede a bit.  The pink lips don't pop too much, the nose fads in, and the painted eyes and eyebrows look magnificent.  In many respects, it's doll-like - certain features are exaggerated while others aren't.


I like this figure - but I don't love it.   If Hasbro painted the skin on the face, rather than molded it, I bet it'd be fantastic - but as it is, it's just OK.  The outfit is translated nicely, the expression matches the trailers,  and while I could be completely full of nonsense this costume feels amazingly engineered to hit certain points in a pop culture junkie's brain - from numerous eras.      As an added bonus, four photo cards are included.  They're nice, but much like the booklet last year I would ask what purpose they serve.  They're neat, sure, but once you look at them they're too big to fit in trading card sheets and too small to frame.   You can look forward to losing them, or just move on and buy the regular retail release of Jyn Erso and forget they exist.  They're very nice photos, and would make an excellent ad or banner somewhere, but as a physical object don't do much for me.

Collector's Notes: I got this one at the show.  At press time she's quite expensive on eBay but I suspect prices will dip when the regular retail version hits stores in a few weeks.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,269: September 2, 2015