Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,677: First Order Snowtrooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER First of Many
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.:
Asst. B3834 No. B4045
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #12
Includes: Rifle, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: The latest generation of cold weather assault Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers wear advanced insulated armor and helmets that reduce the glare of icy terrain.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When I started writing this column something like 14 years ago, I wanted to do a lot more "whatever happened to" reviews - and now we can, since this First Order Snowtrooper was a 2015 release.  It came out around the same time as the once-impossible-to-find Hux and Asty, which were rerun (you're welcome) before you realized just how low the run really was.   In that wave - and carried forward - was this trooper.  It's a cool trooper!  Hasbro made a bepauldroned version as an exclusive for Toys R Us in 2015, and a caped one for Target in 2019.  You could build an army by being a completist!  The Snowtrooper did start to linger, especially since this version lacks the bells and whistles, and capes, of the other ones.   It's the least desirable of the lot, but it's cheap.

The figure is the same core figure as all three releases, each of which has barely different paint.  It's a white armored soldier with a distinctive helmet and about 26 points of articulation.  Hasbro did a good job with the sculpt thanks to Disney not being stingy with the reference files, and the figure has a pretty good range of movement despite the single-joint style of elbows.  I love the glossy "hard" elements of the uniform on the helmet, shoulders, and chest, while the vinyl kama around the waist just sort of gets in the way.  It's not like this is a really "action"-oriented figure when you take a look at the entire sequel trilogy, and this figure is kind of a good metaphor for the new saga.  It's shiny, it looks like it should turn into something really amazing... and it's fine.  It's probably not going to have the impact on my life that the original gangsta Snowtrooper had back in the day, but maybe it'll influence some kids and a new series of fans when it's time to contemplate raiding what's left of Ralph McQuarrie's sketchbook and swiping frames from other Japanese movies in 2040 when they release Episode X.  Or so I am guessing.
It's a sturdy if stiff trooper with a nifty blaster that's also indicative of its era.  I have little doubt that Disney and Lucasfilm Licensing put their thumbs on the design scale to make the blaster white, so it'd be easier to sell as a toy unlike black blasters.   Toy guns are tough to do these days, even pistol-like phasers from Star Trek Discovery were prototyped and while demand existed, you couldn't sell them in states like California due to gun laws.   And now you've got white blasters on your stormtroopers.   If you're an older fan, this figure is destined to sit on your shelf, possibly in its box, unlikely to be played with and loved like your childhood toys.   Since the free market has brought the price down, go ahead and get this version if you want one of the three First Order Snowtroopers.  It's cheap! Or it was.  I don't know when you'll read this.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.  

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,677: March 31, 2020

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,676: C-3PO (& Chewbacca, The Black Series 6-Inch)

C-3PO & Chewbacca
The Black Series 6-Inch Deluxe Amazon Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.:
No. E8440
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: mn/a
Includes: Wookiee, Droid, limbs, blaster, net bag, wire limb filler
Action Feature: Dismantle droid
Retail: $49.99
Availability: December 2019
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Encountering a Stormtrooper in Cloud City, C-3PO was blasted at point blank range and his limbs were scattered.  Chewbacca gathered the parts of the protocol droid and partially reassembled him.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: We looked at the Wookiee it's Chewbacca & C-3PO droid day!  I haven't written one of these for a while thanks to frontloading the column for Toy Fair and the post-Toy Fair malaise, so now it's time to look at everybody's favorite robot, who filled the role of most hated character in the franchise for a few weeks early in the era of the original trilogy.  C-3PO is great.

We have had several C-3POs so far.  There have been two different flavors of red arm from The Force Awakens, there's an all-gold one from Galaxy's Edge that does double duty as Revenge of the Sith and the non-red-arm parts of the sequel trilogy, and we've also had a 40th Anniversary/Walgreens one that's an all-purpose original trilogy C-3PO.  This one gets more specific, taking the best of that mold (and its remolds) while adding new functionality to make this a C-3PO that is undoubtedly different enough to make you mad.

C-3PO (2019) has removable limbs - you can pull off arms and legs, replacing them with a toupee of wires that allow you to simulate battle damage.  The figure has open hands, a silver leg, and lots of dirty deco on the head and chest.  It's a blast!   The only thing it's missing is a removable back panel, so you can't pretend to have Chewbacca do repairs on him when he's backwards.   Aside from that, he ticks all the major boxes - it's a good C-3PO, he can be carried around in a mesh net bag, making it the 6-inch update to Kenner's 1982 "Removable Limbs" C-3PO.  It's good, and if you only get one C-3PO I'd nudge you toward this one.

BanDai makes a 6-inch scale figure (which I don't have yet and can't size-compare) with the removable back panel and a vac-metal finish - so if you need one for your display get that 1:12 scale BanDai kit.  Or both.  You'll probably get both.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.  

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,676: March 26, 2020

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,675: IG-11 (The Black Series 6-Inch)

IG-11 Old figure, new vest
The Black Series 6-Inch Deluxe Best Buy Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.:
No. E7207
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bandolier vest, rifle, pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: November 2019
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: One of a series of dangerous assassin droids largely outlawed in the galaxy, IG-11 is a hired gun programmed to follow Bounty Hunter's Guild protocols to the letter. (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: At first glance IG-11 is a pretty good figure.  I mean, he's just IG-88 with new bandoliers, right?  Nope!  It's possible the design changed between product development and the airing of the show, but this figure is an old IG-88 figure, with new paint, and one newly-tooled part.  On the TV show IG-11 has different hands and other minor changes.

At a distance it's fine.  If you aren't too picky, it's good enough - he can stand (which the first IG-88 couldn't in its blue box release) and hold his guns thanks to clever peg/hole placement on the forearms and weapons.   If you just need a figure to look good on a shelf or in a box, it seems like this is a good one.   Hasbro made the deco closely match the TV show, with amazing, intricate printing of detail all over.  If you get in real close, you can see the head deco is tiny little dots - and they use this technique on the guns and other areas, too.   It's a masterpiece of toy deco execution, covering a dark grey robot body with silvers, greys, coppers, reds, and other colors to really sell the idea of a droid that has seen a lot of action.
For the nitpickers, or fans of actually matching the show, you're going to have some issues.  On The Mandalorian, the droid has multiple fingers - this figure just has a claw hand.   You can see him grip the weapons in publicity photos and on the show, while this figure has the same claw we've had on all IG-88 toys since the 1980s.  The feet also don't match the digital model, and the vest/bandolier is a little different.  It might not be enough for you to notice without a side-by-side comparison, but much like the AT-ST Raider Hasbro took some shortcuts to get a product out quickly and under budget.  I don't blame them - in their position, you probably would have done the same thing.  Updating tooling is expensive and the bang for your buck isn't always there.

Thankfully, detail on the original droid mold is probably good enough for most fans. The mismatched leg issue was fixed with the Archive Series rerelease of IG-88, so you won't have too many issues getting him to stand up. The elbows bend, there are lots of rotating parts, but you'll note the head isn't a perfect match to IG-11.  Things are moved a bit.   It's different.   Does it matter?  For the collector line that's supposed to be as authentic as it gets, I'm not a big fan of shortcuts - but this is where we are now.  Shorter lead times and lax approvals (which we've had under Lucasfilm for a while) allow for more inaccuracies, and when fans bring them up we'll probably get an eyeroll.   It's good enough, and I'm willing to bet all of us can agree to that.  It's not amazing.  It isn't bad.  But if you have a plain IG-88 already, even though this may be better painted and a little closer to IG-11, I wouldn't necessarily recommend you buy both.  If you've got one, you're probably going to be fine - unless you're crossing your fingers for a third-party upgrade kit, which I assume will be coming sooner or later from somebody.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Best Buy.  

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,675: March 24, 2020

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,674: R6-LE5 (Droid Factory Line Look)

R6-LE5 Not R5-D4
Droid Factory The Rise of Skywalker Boxed Set
Item No.:
  No. 41342
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures, D-O clear base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.   These four new Astromech droids are featured in The Rise of Skywalker.   May the Force be with you... and your Droids!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  If you liked R2-SHP, then R6-LE5 is more of that.  The same color and body are here, but the dome is different - the unique R6 shape has been added to the same, admittedly nice, droid form.  The metallic blue sparkles, and the silver and black with a light dusting of grey do make for a figure that pops in almost any diorama.

The black central eye is augmented by a white circle, a couple of red boxes, and some minimal detailing on the back.  It's pretty simple, but the shape is good enough that you probably won't notice.  The plastic metallic swirl does most of the heavy lifting in terms of bringing this figure to life, which gives it a look that's probably more metallic than if it were actual metal.  Articulation is standard modern Droid Factory fare, with removable legs and dome.  You get about five moving parts in all, with the exposed mechanisms under the dome all matching blue.  We've slid a bit since Hasbro started doing these, silver and other colors under the dome really did add a lot of detail while bringing these to "life" as real fake space appliances.   At least the BB unit cores still have some color... and a few colors of paint for added interior detail.

It'd be great if this figure wasn't nearly identical to another figure in the very same set, but given the asking price it's not exactly terrible - even if you consider D-O a freebie.   If you can find this set, I'd say it's well worth the $30, and if you were buying individual figures some fans split up on eBay this one is particularly nifty given its colors and distinctive dome.  It doesn't do anything your dozens (hundreds) of other droids don't, though, so don't feel too bad if you missed it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Shannon.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,674: March 19, 2020

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,673: BB-8 (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch)

BB-8 with D-O and R2-D2
Galaxy of Adventures   5-Inch Droid 3-Pack
Item No.:
No. E3118
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: BB-8, sometimes spelled and pronounced Beebee-Ate and nicknamed BB, was a BB-series astromech droid who operated approximately thirty years after the Battle of Endor. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: While initially the darling of Disney's reign of Star Wars, the once invincible BB-8 went from being the selling point to toys across all price points to a lesser, former cute character.  Baby Yoda stole his lunch before The Rise of Skywalker hit theaters, but fans moved on pretty quickly - by 2018, new takes on RC droids and playsets and all sorts of goodies.   This 3-pack was a nifty innovation for the final saga sequel, giving you 3 pretty good figures for $15.

BB-8 doesn't do much - but these figures typically don't do a lot.  He has a springy flat base below the round ball, which has been great to serve as a sort of a kickstand to prevent him from rolling off of a flat surface.   The very clean droid has a head with a giant eye to make the figure appear cuter, and he sports a lone ball joint a the base of his dome.  He can look up and down and all around... and that's it.  There are no vehicles in which to mount him, no playsets to make use of the "foot," or anything like that.  It's just a good-sized, decent-looking, and certainly A-OK take on the droid.

Target stores were loaded with this set prior to the movie's release, and the secondary market shows that enthusiasm was softer than retailers predicted.   It's a shame - it's a good set with the three non-speaking droids in good form at a perfectly acceptable price.  The set is undeniably made by people that understand the need for figures to stand up and look good, but the droids got the shallow end of action features.   At clearance prices - as low as $7.50 as I write this - I would recommend this as an impulse buy for you and all your fan buddies.   Even at $15, the set is a good example of Hasbro making something good at a fair price - it's just not the scale you readers tend to demand.  When it comes to toys for the sake of toys, this BB-8 is a good one - but if you're happy with your BB-8 droid pool, you probably won't have much use for one more.

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

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,673: March 17, 2020

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,672: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN & New Hat
The Black Series 6-Inch Action Figure
Item No.:
Asst. E4071 No. E4076
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #90
Includes: Cape, hood - up, hood - down, lightsaber hilt, lt lightsaber
Action Feature: Swap hoods, lightsaber clips in belt
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: As Supreme Leader of the First Order, Kylo Ren wields more power than ever before. Nevertheless,  Ren continues to search for secrets of the Force from the depths of the dark side.  (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: "Is this figure any good?" is basically what I'm always getting at in this column, and it's weird to be in a position where we've been saying "well, it's complicated" for a while now.   This Supreme Leader Kylo Ren is something you would love if you found it on clearance, but probably be annoyed by at full price.  The 2018 The Last Jedi figure's body - used for a basic figure you can get for around $10, in the Galaxy's Edge set, and also a Walmart exclusive Throne Room set all of which are basically the same save for some head changes and other accessories - well... here it is again.  Hasbro may have gotten as much as $120 out of you for those previous three releases, or less if you got the non-Disney Park ones on clearance, but it's still a lot of money.  Seeing the same costume again is kind of a bore, even if we do get a new helmet and updated to the cape and hoods.  The body is the same, the lightsabers are the same, and yet it seemed to sell just fine this time around.  What I say is moot.

First, let me sing the praises of that new cape.  I like it.   Hasbro has struggled with cloth cape hoods for years, particularly in the 3 3/4-inch scale.  By leaving them out of most of the 6-inch line, they've generally not been a problem - Mace Windu got a cloth one, Darth Maul got a plastic one, but it's this Kylo Ren cape and hood that seems to have figured out how to do it right.  The cape itself rests gently over the same black shoulders, but the back of the cape has a couple of posts on it where you can plug in one of two hoods.  A raised hood and lowered hood give you some choice as to how you want him to be displayed, which is good given the "back to one" nature of the movie.  I'd like to see Hasbro consider this kind of cape/cloak hood system for future Jedi, Sith, and other figures where appropriate.   (The revised throne Emperor's plastic hood with cloth robes was also a winner.)  Kudos to Hasbro for deploying a good improvement here.
The lightsabers are nothing new or special.  There's a slot on the belt, you can plug the hilts in there, or Kylo can hold them in his hands.  The deco is fine, there's not a lot going on new here.   They're fine, they fit, that's all I can ask for short of a metal hilt or some new innovation in tiny electronics.

The body has the same 27 points of articulation you got last time, but you get a new reforged helmet - and that's arguably this figure's selling point.   The red lines look cool and are a new sculpt - or at least revised tool - to simulate the work done by Flash Gordon's Ape on Mustafar.   (I don't know the name but I would like to see a figure of them.)   The figure poses great and looks fantastic - if you don't have the previous versions, this is a good one.  If you have the previous  versions and are a completist, well, yeah.  This is our curse, isn't it?  It's fine.  It's not bad.  It' just not new.  It is a good figure.  It is not a bad figure.  It's just now a terribly new figure for when it was released just a few months ago.

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

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,672: March 12, 2020

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,671: R5-2JE (Droid Factory Line Look)

R5-2JE Not R5-D4
Droid Factory The Rise of Skywalker Boxed Set
Item No.:
  No. 41342
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures, D-O clear base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.   These four new Astromech droids are featured in The Rise of Skywalker.   May the Force be with you... and your Droids!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  I'm never quite sure how to rank some of these droids lately. They're not bad, but are they essential?   R5-J2E looks a lot like multiple droids we've already bought, like the famous R5-D4 and the decidedly less-famous R5-D8 (Porkins' droid.)   The background Resistance droid R5-J2E looks a lot like some interpretations of both of those droids - mostly red panels on the body, blue panels on the legs, and some dirt and grime.   I'd say it's significantly more interesting to look at than most existing Hasbro and Disney interpretations of those robots, in part because they added more deco to it.

The same build-a-droid mold is back - no foot wires, but you do get wheels - complete with the newish "restraining bolt body" we last saw with R5-232 [FOTD #2,516].  The restraining bolt adds some nice visual flourish, as does a dusting of dirt on all sides of the droid.   While it lacks the antenna - such has been the curse with all R5 droids at Disney - it's pretty close to the movie design otherwise.  You'll find the unique red patterns on teh shoulders, as well as some extra red around the bottom panels on the front of the figure.  The dirty run-off of soot on the lower body is absent, and the figure is overall cleaner than in the movie design.  The alternating silver-and-white boxes below the dome were also not implemented in the same way, so it's close - but not exact.  R2 units being slightly off-model is a proud tradition in action figures, dating back to the surprisingly accepted 1978 original R2-D2.

Given the confines of what Disney typically does with these figures (especially at the price point) this is a good set.  You don't need another red and white R5 unit - if you're a completist you're drowning in them - but at least those extra red stripes on the dome and one of the panels on top being painted black with a silver ring add some visual flourish.  It certainly gives the idea that these are a mass-produced product in these movies, with variations in design over the decades in service or customizations by the customer.   The current trickle of Disney droids has been slight, but good - under a dozen per year with a $30 four-pack is a good thing.  The $80 1-in-4 variation in the new Disney Rise of the Resistance vehicle boxed set is a real kick in the shorts, though.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Shannon.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,671: March 10, 2020

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,670: The Mandalorian (Carbonized Graphite, The Black Series 6-Inch)

THE MANDALORIAN Carbonized Graphite
The Black Series 6-Inch Action Figure - Target Exclusive
Item No.:
No. E8437
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #94
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: Pistol, rifle, cape, bandolier
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: His body is shielded by beskar armor, his face is hidden behind a T-visored mask, and his past is wrapped in mystery. The Mandalorian is battle-worn and tight-lipped, a formidable bounty hunter in an increasingly dangerous galaxy.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When I saw the "carbonized" pictures show up, I was not sold on the idea.  The Jet Trooper, Second Sister, and Sith Trooper seemed superfluous - but The Mandalorian (Carbonized Graphite) was gorgeous.   The silver paint on the metal helmet really sings, even in dark rooms.  The brown metals sparkle a bit more,

To see how the specific elements of the original figure looked, The Mandalorian [FOTD #2,637] is where you'll want to look.  Articulation is still excellent, but the colors changed quite a bit.   While the salvaged Scarif Trooper-esque shoulder and hand armor seems the same, everything else takes on a dreamy root beer quality that looks even better in person.  The grey body suit is now a rich metallic brown.  The shoes still look undecorated and uninspired - but they're there!  Armor that was previously a dull prison grey now dazzles as a metallic blue, and the metallic armor paint looks even better with the silver  battle damage against it.  While it's not as authentic, it certainly feels like a massive improvement over the standard release.   If you're the kind of person that just collects weird variants, this may be a good sub-line for you.
Accessories are pretty much more of the same, but brighter.  The silver pops more, the brown is more of a copper, and even the cape sparkles a bit.  Due to form fit issues, Hasbro's decision to paint the peg on the rifle means you should not try to put that peg in the figure's back hole - it may scrape the paint.  It's too tight, and painted pieces should not be shoved in holes as there are rarely sufficient tolerances here.
The Black Series decided to drop the "black" from its packaging for a lot of special 2019 releases, and this is probably the very best of them.  The orangey-brown shiny finish shows fingerprints like nobody's business, but the hazy coloring really drives home the "carbonized" and "carbonite" motif.  The silver side panel is a mirrored finish that shows scuffs and grubby hand marks, but it really is a gem.  The packaging and figure really sell the idea of "premium" - and at five bucks more, it better look gorgeous! - making this the only one of these chase figures I would actually recommend chasing down, given a fair price.  It made me appreciate the regular release more with certain elements popping out that just faded in the original figure, so kudos to Team Hasbro for improving on something that was already pretty spectacular.   You should get both releases, just to see what paint can do to improve these figures - and how Hasbro can undoubtedly improve them some more.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.  It came out on Triple Force Friday (October 4, 2020) but I didn't ever see them until January 8, 2020.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,670: March 5, 2020

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,669: Sith Jet Trooper (The Vintage Collection)

SITH JET TROOPER Red with Lines
The Vintage Collection
Item No.:
Asst. E5912 No. E6036
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #159
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: 2 blasters
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: Sith jet troopers were Sith Eternal stormtroopers used for aerial combat. The 105th Battalion was a Sith trooper unit that included Sith jet troopers in its ranks. The troopers drew on a dark and ancient legacy for power.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I popped this figure open shortly before seeing The Rise of Skywalker and said "Well, I'll review it after I see the movie, then I'll have something to say about its function in the movie!"   It turns out that the Sith Jet Trooper is basically like Darth Vader's Security Force - a red Snowtrooper - from the classic Super NES game, Super The Empire Strikes Back.   It also has a squad mark on the chest, which you may have seen in the old The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook or other sources of concept art.   It's basically the same as a Jet Trooper, except it has extra lines in it for some reason.  Much like the movie from which it came, it feels derivative.  Do you like troopers? Here's another one.

This does not mean it's a bad figure - as always, Hasbro tends to do a good job with its figures using the resources at hand to deliver increasingly well-executed products based on movies that this audience probably would gladly swap for a few retro characters.   Bend-and-swivel wrists, the double-jointed neck post, and thigh cuts are all here to give the figure an enhanced range of motion.   If you've liked Hasbro's new way of doing articulation since Rogue One, you'll no doubt appreciate the top-notch engineering here.  Two blasters are included, one of which can fit right in the thigh slot, just like other First Order trooper figures.

The jets on the backpack don't seem to be easily moved, so either my joints are stuck or mine was assembled poorly.  They're going in two different directions - it's silly.  From the front it looks fine, just don't look too closely at them.   Proportions, accessories, sculpting, and detail are all good here.  Assembly imperfections are hard to see before you open the figure, but I am currently wagering most fans aren't dying to troop build this guy and will probably buy a couple and call it quits.  It's good - and I hope fans get as many figures from these new movies as Hasbro deems worthwhile to produce, and/or that Disney wants them to produce.

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

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,669: March 3, 2020