DARTH MAUL New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0142
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits in two
Retail: $7.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace
Bio: An agile Sith Lord, sinister Darth Maul wielded an intimidating double-bladed lightsaber and the power of the Dark Side. (Taken from the packaging)
Image: Adam's photo lab.
Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!
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Commentary: There are good figures. There are amazing figures. There are figures that by all measures are not very good. But
Darth Maul is on the happy side of good, with a side of being priced well for a modern figure (when compared to older figures at their time of release.) You won't be blown away, but it's a good figure of a popular character a a price that's somewhere between "about right" and "hey have you seen The Vintage Collection-esque figures Spin Master is doing for Batman collectors now that cost less money?" I assume we're probably dealing with the realities of Hasbro having to pay Lucasfilm having to pay Disney, with factories specific to the House of Mouse and able to charge accordingly. This is not a bad figure. This isn't a bad figure for the price - especially if you see it for $7.99. The only thing I don't like about this figure is I have
several Darth Maul figures, in this costume, that are of a similar quality and cost me a similar (or lower) price.
Darth Maul is one of those characters that came back from certain death and keeps reappearing to put out story hooks to use him again. Will we ever see his post-
Solo machinations, pre-
Rebels, on a show? Can we see more of what he did after the Empire caught him during Order 66? He's also one of few characters to be successfully recast, at least as his voice goes, to the point where they may as well dub over
The Phantom Menace again. This is a popular character in a recognizable outfit, so the question isn't "will collectors buy him again?" but rather "are there enough fans out there that just want an $8-$10 Maul?" and the answer is probably going to be "yes." Fans love to hate him, and he should probably be kept in regular rotation as a toy.
This version is good. Obviously he's a little taller than the 3 3/4-inch scale ones, as Epic Hero Series is (for reasons I do not understand) 4-inch scale. The head is ball-jointed, allowing him to look in all directions. The horns are pointy enough, painted well, and on a head with a great facial expression. If you put your fingers on the horns, they feel sufficiently pointy and far pointier than I'd expect. The paint masks for his facial tattoos are also perfectly good, and arguably better than a lot of collector figures. He has a fantastic sneer, and I have no notes. For a kid line, this is a good noggin. For a collector line, it is also a good noggin.
The body is fine. Epic Hero Series seems to be going for limited functionality, so the "skirt" - while nicely sculpted - does get in the way of him seating. It's unlikely they're planning for this specific figure to be used with a vehicle (if they are, $50 says a new figure will be bundled with it) so all you need to be concerned with is "do the hips move enough so he can stay standing" and that's a solid "yes." The arms swivel freely, and there are no wrist joints. I wish there were, mostly because a lot of his personality (and indeed his whole deal) is swinging around a giant double-bladed lightsaber. He can hold it in either hand, and they were smart to make one of the hands posed at an angle so he look like he can fight with it. But this is not a figure that's meant to be expertly posed - you just put him on your table, and he stands. No fuss, no muss, no fighting to find a center of gravity. I'm arguably jealous that the kid line seems to function better than the collector stuff - this figure has been on my desk for weeks without face-planting.
My complaint about this figure - indeed, this is my complaint about all figures - is "where are his buddies?" Maul is cool, but action figure purchases should beget other figure purchases. This Maul has no other
The Phantom Menace figures on the market to join him today, there's no retailer 3-pack with Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan, he is here by himself as either a token anniversary item (happy 25th,
Episode I) or just as a cool character in the attempt to never, ever make weirdo tertiary guys ever again. I like what Hasbro did here. The figure itself doesn't have or need a lot of painted detail, so the sculpted robes and big boots all look superb. The pose is good, the lightsaber is great - but, I should note, the hilt's buttons are not painted. I don't think he's any worse off for it, bur it is worth noting previous figures did have those elements for many of the releases. It splits in half, and that's way more fun.
You don't need a new Maul figure. But if you want one, I can recommend this one highly. While he only has five joints, he makes them count and the general design of the figure is on the happy side of "good." I recommend this line to new fans because they're sturdy, solid figures in the tradition of some of Kenner's finest work. I have no reason to challenge Hasbro to try again, and this would be a great place for a new fan to try out action figures.
Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 3,169: September 5, 2024
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