Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,015: Tech M'or (Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, The Vintage Collection)

TECH MO'R (Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F6984
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 7 band members with 2 Kloo Horns, 1 Fanfar, 1 Fizzz, 1 Ommni Box with pedals and stand, 2 drum sticks, 1 drum, 1 Bandfill,
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This 7-piece ensemble of Bith musicians was a common sight at the Mos Eisley Cantina, playing swinging instrumentals for the watering hole’s staggering patrons. (Taken from marketing copy. There is 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: One of the "why didn't they ever make that?" figures from the 1970s Kenner line was the Cantina Band. Hasbro Pulse got an exclusive (now less exlcusive) set of Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes, with nameless band members and tons of instruments. The figures are the same, but for the sake of filling up a column, let's look at them all! Tech M'or was the name given to the Ommni Box player in the 1990s, so that's what I'm going to call this one. It's the same as the Figrin D'an carded figure last year, but with a really nice instrument.

Looking like some sort of junker theremin meets pottery wheel, the Ommni Box is a welcome addition to the line in a seated form. Y'see, we haven't exactly had a lot advancement in Cantina Band Member figures since 1997, when the Official Star Wars Fan Club had an exclusive figure with five instruments that would be the basis for all future Cantina band figures up until 2008ish. For the 30th Anniversary Collection, Disney parks had a set that came with electronic music bases, and Walmart had a set packed with a tin, and all of those versions replaced the plastic vest with a cloth one. This new one has no such vest clamshell, and he has a remarkable range of movement. The hips are the old-style 2016ish-present style, but for whatever reason they're a lot less finicky than other figures. He doesn't have rocker ankles, but I'm still getting decent poses out of him. The fingers on the hands make good use of the bend-and-swivel articulation, and the neck has just enough extra movement to be useful. His mid-torso joint makes more sense here than on some other figures, but it's still ugly - just be glad the arms and instruments block the unsightly joint.

The head sculpt is very good, complete with the mouth that makes you go "Uh... I don't know if I can display this in front of children." (But you can, they don't know what it is.) The eyes shine nicely and thanks to the generous shoulder and elbow movement, you can get him in all sorts of nifty poses. Much like the 1997 figure - which was the first 3 3/4-inch Star Wars figure to sport swivel wrists and bending elbows - this super-articulated update can easily hold just about anything you throw at him. In this case, the figure has zero problems standing, sucking on things, or sitting on the stool of his Ommni Box. Despite the head being a rubber mask, the body is incredibly expressive. You can get a lot of subtle movement out of his arms, legs, and neck, so you can almost see him thinking or otherwise feeling the music. It's funny - I felt the same way about the 1997 one, who I would sometimes hand a lightsaber or blaster because he was uniquely capable of being posed in ways other figures at the time just plain could not. The Ommni Box itself has limited paint, including some cool wires running up and down the sides that remind you of the kind of nonsense you might have seen at a Man or Astro-Man? show in the 1990s. It is an excellent accessory. I dare say that Hasbro could probably have suckered me into paying more for this set if they did a better job showcasing how well the figures worked with the instruments, and/or had a Cantina on which to display them. $90 (plus shipping) almost seems too cheap, especially given modern pricing for carded figures. I'm not sorry I bought this.

I would go as far as to say that this was the ultimate expression of this figure in this scale, and there may be no reason to ever do one again. You should buy this set! Hasbro should consider rereleasing it if they ever make a Cantina playset that's worth a damn, until then just buy the big Space Bar from Orbitdyne if he ever restocks them. Also confidential to Kenner: if you do a The Retro Collection Cantina Band member - or set, with Glyos-style alternate arms - I'm here for it and I will happily throw down a similar amount of money.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. Within a week, it went up for sale at other fan outlets.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,015: March 28, 2023