Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,212: The Mandalorian (Speeder Bike / Epic Hero Series)

THE MANDALORIAN Biker
Epic Hero Series Speeder Bikes
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0372
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Darksaber, rocket, launcher, bike
Action Feature: Bike rolls on wheels, removable launcher, launching rocket
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January 2025
Appearances: The Mandalorian   

Bio: The Mandalorian traversed Tatooine on a speeder bike, a vehicle capable of high-speed travel that requires skill and fast reflexes. (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: When Epic Hero Series became a thing, Marvel's figures had ball-jointed shoulders, knees, elbows, and hip joints. Star Wars had a ball-jointed neck and swivel arms and legs - until now! The biker assortment features greater articulation at the shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips, making this The Mandalorian the best in class for this particular line. This level of articulation has been the norm for Mattel Jurassic World humans and Spin Master's various Batman and DC Comicss lines, and they seem to do pretty well. If Hasbro made a "one size fits all" line with about this level of articulation, I think it would be pretty good - I dare say, good enough - if it meant getting more new characters in the line. If we could live in a world with Gunter or The Stranger or maybe a new Cantina patron with knees and elbows, I think we'd all be a lot happier than not getting them in the $16.99 assortments. As a figure, he's great. He looks well, he poses nicely, the separately molded belt and bandolier stand out a bit more, but mostly it's nice to have a tiny bit more articulation on a toy figure made to be a bike rider. His cape and Darksaber are similar to the other releases, so the main reason to buy this figure is, well, the figure. And the bike. The figure sculpting is nice and crisp, but on a shelf it's going to look pretty similar to the ones you purchased last year.

The bike is pretty neat - but the interaction isn't fantastic. I love what Hasbro did with the vehicle. Clear wheels? Great idea. Removable firing rocket launcher with multiple mounting points? No notes. Great idea. A big peg on the back which serves no obvious purpose? Uh... I'll get back to you there. Presumably a future toy will interact with it, but right now the backpack hole fits. I assume that was not the intent, because why would you have a guy flailing back there? ...maybe I just answered my own question, having Mando drag a guy around might be fun. The rocket fires well, the colors and paint are good, the designers did a good job making a fun toy.

However, there's a problem. Mando is a good figure. The bike is a good bike. Mando is not good at sitting on the bike. I think if Hasbro dropped the foot pedals, this would be a better piece. The 1983 Speeder Bike cheated - you just put the Biker Scout's butt on the seat, hands on the handlebars, and that was it. It worked, it was fast, it was fun. This one requires massaging all the joints just-so to get the butt kind of close to the seat, with hands on the handlebars, and the feet will probably eventually pop off the foot pegs. It just doesn't work as intended - I'm not sure if it wasn't tested with physical product, or if the joints just aren't quite what the prototypes were, or what. The cape gets in the way, too, and there's no on-board weapon storage. If you are happy with 3 parts of his body touching the bike, it gets the job done - but it looks like they were struggling to pull it off in the packaging photos, so what chance do I have?

I'd recommend either element - the figure, or the vehicle - on its own merits, but together they don't hang as well as I would like. A figure that can't fit in the seat, or use the clearly provided foot pegs on the pedals properly, would be the kind of thing that annoyed me to no end as a kid. So if it bothers you, maybe skip this one. If you can settle for a hovering foot or butt or maybe only have one hand on the handlebars, I'd say it's good enough to give a try and I hope there are other vehicles in the works that may not require such a specific seating position tolerance.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,212: February 4, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,211 Bo-Katan Kryze (Single, Epic Hero Series)

BO-KATAN KRYZE 2024 Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0143
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Darksaber, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian   

Bio: A gifted warrior, Bo-Katan Kryze is a legendary Mandalorian who refused to align with the Empire's occupation of Mandalore. (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This figure isn't that old, but Bo-Katan Kryze was dumped at Ross pretty lickety-dang-split last fall. You could get her for $3.99 or less, and as I write this she's pennies above $3.00 on Amazon - it's a real pity, but understandable. Hasbro's excellent Epic Hero Series styling is in a line that's kind of small, kind of scattered, and divided against itself. Walmart had a nearly identical Bo-Katan Kryze [FOTD #3,179] last year as an exclusive, but in a 2-pack with different gear. Which one is better? Probably the cheaper one, which at this time is this single release. The figure itself is the same between releases - only the gear is changed. If this was on-shelf nearer to The Mandalorian airing new episodes, or was part of a line with more momentum than "two waves in a year," perhaps it wouldn't be quite so cheap. As I said, she's pretty good.

For 3 3/4-inch collectors, she's oddly tall. This line was scaled to 4-inches, which means she and her cohorts are - say it with me - just different enough to make you mad. You can't fit her in some existing vehicles, and it's an odd editorial choice to make unless the intent was to make a kid line that collectors wouldn't want. Which is a shame, because the sculpting is still very good, with crisp - but limited - deco. The amror is very nicely designed and you can see some unpainted elements of her costume, like her holsters and knee pads. She still looks good, especially for the price. You get a blaster (not in the 2-pack) and a Darksaber, both of which fit nicely in her hands. Given that the blaster mold was used in another exclusive set, you might not even want to bother with this one for accessory completism - but I did, because it's a small line and one I assume will not be around in a couple of years.

Lady Kryze stands well, sits without a problem, and has a ball-jointed neck. The arms and legs swivel just like old Kenner figures, making her a fairly stable and sturdy companion on your desk or in your kid's toy box. While I would recommend her to anyone looking for a cheap thrill, I must confess I didn't bother to open her until a couple of weeks ago. I did open the 2-pack version though - the figures were close enough to the same where I probably could have left her carded, as one version of her was sufficient. I did want to let you know to check your local stores for her in case she's on clearance, because for under five bucks pretty much any Star Wars figure is worth your money. Given her season 3-specific Mythosaur pauldron, she might scratch an itch that would let you skip a $16.99 The Vintage Collection too. It's a figure that does a good enough job, but it would appear the market disagrees. Their loss - these figures feel like old Kenner figures, and they're sturdy, and adjusted for inflation they're quite a bargain. I would have liked to have seen this line take off and be something kids buy, but Star Wars does not seem to be their favorite thing this year.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,211: January 30, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,210: Clone Trooper (Phase II/Revenge of the Sith, The Retro Collection)

CLONE TROOPER Phase II, Kennerized
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, another 5 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: November 2024
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. 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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This The Retro Collection Clone Trooper is not one of my favorites. Some elements are good, some aren't - I'm curious if I can ever find out who sculpted which figure, even with names redacted, to see if there are any patterns. From an execution and a design perspective, it does not exactly fill me with delight. It's an official "Kenner" figure, so I am interested in it. I would probably not have bought it were it a fan-made design from a seller on Etsy or eBay.

The figure's pose is rather bland. Design decisions are going to vary from person to person, but Hasbro's other "Retro" work showed figures like the Death Trooper tried to be a bit closer to Kenner's 1978 ideal. That figure had a hand that couldn't hold an accessory, generally glossy armor, and a neck that couldn't articulate - just like the first Stormtrooper. The Clone's limbs are a bit stiffer, posed out a bit, with a neck that actually can turn and a smaller helmet. It doesn't feel as much like an old Kenner figure, which usually had large helmets.

With the Clone Trooper Hasbro opted for a jointed head, decided to not paint the elbows, and sculpted the figure to look more like some of its modern simplified figures. It's rounder than I would have expected. He feels a little less "real" having a fair amount of symmetry in he design. A little variation in pose would help, as the figure stands stiffly with a smaller-than-typical helmet for a trooper. The arms and legs feel a hair yellowed upon receipt, and the material lacks the shine of an original Stormtrooper. The proportions of the chest feel a little off - maybe the stomach area is a little too small, or the top part is a little too long - and the boots seem like platform shoes. They did a good job making a figure look like a Clone Trooper, and they did a nice job picking which trooper a hypothetical Kenner would probably make. (Specifically, one that wasn't of any import in Revenge of the Sith as much figure design was done before the final cut of the film.) Red or blue markings would probably cost Kenner more money, so keeping it plain sounds like a move they would admire.

Deco is a little weird - sloppy in parts, especially around the mouth which has entirely too much paint. Details are fuzzy and the chin compartments bleed together in a way that looks unintentional. The mouth, nose, and visor are all very flat, and not textured like the movie helmets or the original Stormtrooper figure. This figure looks a lot more like the Mission Series/Saga Legends figures from just over 10 years ago. It's close, but could probably use a little bit more revision to nail a look that feels like Kenner. Jango Fett was the same way - the silver paint makes it feel much more like a current figure than something your dad bought for you, or his dad bought for him. Gosh we're old.

The Clone blaster is a reasonable recreation of the movie prop, which is good. I guess. It's not bad - the original Kenner Stormtrooper figure's blaster clip is famously on the wrong side of the accessory, and that kind of "wrong" is somewhat charming. Here, it's just a small modern accessory. It's a little big and maybe a little too nice for a Kenner-era accessory. There's nothing wrong with it, and I wish they did something odd with it. But that's just my preference - whoever made it did a fine job. They also gave the pistol grip that familiar grid pattern, and I really like that detail.

Complaints aside, the figure-ness of it is excellent. He holds his blaster (albeit awkwardly), he can stand and sit, he can pilot a lot of ships, and he can stand. These are all things you want a figure to do, and not all figures succeed at it. I wish it had a little more gloss and personality, but that's me. Any designer is going to take their own direction on these things, and while I think it falls short of my expectations, for all I know it was a plan to reuse the body with other clones down the road. (I have seen no sign of this yet. Heck, as I write this no other Retro figures are known to be coming.) I don't think many old-school Kenner fanatics are going to love this one, but that's OK - some of the other figures in the collection will make up for it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,210: January 28, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,209: Grogu (The Armorer's Forge, The Vintage Collection)

GROGU (Armorer's Forge Playset Pack-In Figure)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Pack-In Figure
Item No.: No. G0360
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Carded The Armorer, Forge playset, anvil with alternate heads, Cabinet of Dr. Mon Calimari
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: November 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: This set includes several accessories ideal for play and display, like the Armorer’s forging materials and a selection of her finished helmets – plus a Grogu figure! (Taken from the Hasbro product page copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Does anyone need another Grogu? Probably - after his introduction on the show, I envisioned Hasbro switching the entire line over to support him - to make "The Child" in numerous poses as a collectible, non-articulated figure and sold with dang near everybody - The Client, Mando, etc. - instead of a coin or other gimmick. I still think it would have been a good idea - for a babbling puppet with only one shirt, they've found tons of ways to make him as a toy. This one sports a unique addition to his costume - beskar armor, which goes under his robes.

At about 3/4-inches tall, this is clearly not worthy of being sold as an individually packaged figure, but we've seen a few of them. In this case, he's packed with a $60 playset, which includes a carded figure (let's say a $17 value) alongside a chunk of cave, a Mythosaur skull, some tools, and absolutely no paint. If anything, the figure is a modern collectible - as is the Armorer - while the playset itself feels more like a throwback to something in Kenner's MicroCollection. It's actually kind of amazing, and I'd recommend the entire set to anybody who's all-in on 3 3/4-inch as a scale, just be sure to steal the playset and give it to your Retro figures.

The Grogu figure itself is about as good as the other ones. Tiny black eyes, big green ears with a pink interior, teensy green hands, and a brown unzipped robe gives you a clear view of what's going on underneath. The Armorer built him a plate of armor with a partially visible mudhorn signet, and a tiny bit of chainmail visible just below his head. It's tiny, it's subtle, it's the kind of thing where you might be left asking yourself how many of this character you own... and why. The tiny arms move well given the size, and the head turns - but there are no foot peg holes, and no real way to interact with the playset beyond standing near it.

It's easy to crack jokes, but the figure is impressive - his wrists are jointed. That's a minor miracle. But would we as collectors be any worse off if our dozenth or so Grogu was a non-articulated, painted figure that maybe helped to bring this set's price down a few bucks? I love articulation when it adds to the play value, but as he can't really do much other than stand or turn his head anyway, I don't benefit from the moving parts. It's a well-designed figure and the designers should be proud of their craftsmanship, but as a toy, it offers nothing to give you a better time than you would have with your existing figures.

At $60 it's a little tough to recommend this set, because it feels like the playset part should cap out at around $20, the bonus heads aren't much of an accessory, and the carded figure is worth about $17. For $45-$50, I think it would be a pretty good item. At $60, it's for a certain kind of completist only, or for the Kenner-crazed fanatic who would probably just as easily have paid $60 for a fan-made version of the playset to go with those figures. Grogu doesn't do much other than look cool, and everything about this set looks pretty cool - you just have to get past the fact that the figures feel like 21st century designs while the playset comes from the finest plastic forges that 1982 had to offer.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,209: January 23, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,208: Padmé Amidala (The Retro Collection)

PADME AMIDALA Kennerized
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, cape, another 5 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: November 2024
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. 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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This The Retro Collection Padme Amidala is very good - some parts almost seem to go above and beyond Kenneryness, while some - presumably as a result of digital sculpting - seem a little weird. I think the personality and pose show massive improvements over other "new" figures, but if I have to nitpick (and I do!) the boots seem off. So you should totally get this figure - and she's better than most old-style figures I see these days.

Let's start with her gear. The cape is really neat, with the elements wrapping above (and under) one another giving the figure a distinctive look I just don't see on other figures. The fuzzy white material reminds me a lot of the 1983 Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker cloak, so I would say Hasbro nailed it. It's not as bulky as the one in the movie, which is kind of amazing - when you do soft goods at this size it's incredibly difficult to make things thin and sturdy that hang well.

Her blaster is all new and more or less perfect for the format. Hasbro de-evolved the design to something simple in a light gray color that seems close to some of the older Kenner blasters. I assume if this were an actual Kenner figure, they might have just tossed her a Battle Droid blaster or an existing Squid Head blaster. This looks better than that, so kudos to Hasbro for doing a good job on something new - but I'd be just as happy with a recycled blaster, given how often Kenner did that.

But how about the figure herself? She's good. I feel like a lot of complaints fans had about Hasbro's other "new" Kenner figures were addressed well. She stands tall, but not stiffly - her back has a curve to it and her head sits forward a bit. Each arm is posed differently, with a slightly bent right arm that can hold a blaster and a mostly straight left arm that is not capable of gripping an accessory. Each arm has a silver band and is incredibly skinny - most Leia figures had arms with a little bulk on them. I think this is better than I would have expected, so nicely done Hasbro. Her torso is smooth and tight, and could probably benefit from a wrinkle or two on the front. The back has some, and the front is just a little too pristine - it doesn't look bad at all, but a little more detail would be nice.

Her legs are posed well and proportioned pretty well, again, they're thinner than we usually got in our human figures. (There were so few women it's not like we have much to compare here.) The boot coloring and proportions seem right, but the boot detail seems a little too perfect. I assume these were sculpted digitally because the straps on the back all seem to be lines that are a little too straight, a little too clean. The ones on the front are so subtle, they feel like a modern figure. Kenner was not known for subtlety, as you can see if you have legit old-school Hoth figures from 1980-1982. There were some deep, exaggerated cuts and this figure is certainly not about that sort of thing.

While her hair is a little light on sculpted detail, the paint is good, and the paint is in the right place. Hasbro did a great job with her pose and accessories, with a face that feels Kenner-appropriate and some sculpted elements that are a tiny bit overcooked - but with the cape, you probably won't even care. I doubt Hasbro will make more figures from Attack of the Clones in this format, but I hope they consider it. Three figures from a movie isn't a collection, it's not even a sneak preview wave. (We got four there!)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,208: January 21, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,207: Jabba the Hutt (Throne Room, The Vintage Collection)

JABBA THE HUTT (Jabba the Hutt Action Playset Pack-In Figure)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Pack-In Figure
Item No.: No. F9397
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Carded 8D8, carded Salacious Crumb, throne, bag of rugs, glassware, and other accessories
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Jabba the Hutt was one of the galaxy’s most powerful gangsters, with far-reaching influence in both politics and the criminal underworld. (Taken from the Hasbro Pulse product page copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This is at least the third time that this Jabba the Hutt mold has been released, first at Toys R Us in a big boxed set with a Rancor and some other figures for $129.99ish, and then Jabba the Hutt [FOTD #2,751] returned as a pack-in redeco for the Sail Barge. In 2024 Hasbro double dipped by making this add-on for the Boba Fett's Palace playset, but really, double double dipped as many of the parts and pieces were already in that playset, and Hasbro really overcharged for this particular item.

The set gets you another of the throne - which you probably don't need, with a carded 8D8 and Salacious Crumb which you probably do need, and a smattering of accessories that you may or may not need. If you don't have any Jabba toys or playsets, this is a pretty tidy little package - but $90 for a $17 droid, a $10 (being generous) Salacious Crumb, what is basically a hollow vinyl Jabba body with arms and a head, and some accessories is excessive. The last similar item to this was a Walmart exclusive in 2010 for $30, given inflation $45 would be pretty good and $60 given the extra packaging would probably have been fair. But that's not why you're here.

You want to know if this Jabba is painted any better than the Barge version - and it's a lateral move. First of all, Hasbro retooled its bottom. There were copyright marks in 2019, all of which are covered by a raised square block. It's an odd choice, and an expense - tooling changes aren't free, you know. The figure is otherwise sculpted the same - lots of great wrinkles and folds, those weird little suction cups, and oh so many lumps, warts, scars, and even his tattoo. He's sized nicely, and the joints are all decently done here. It's pretty much the same sculpt used for the 6-inch figure from a decade ago.

The deco is a sideways move - it's very different from the last release! His eyes have more subtle lines in them this time, and are probably overall better - but not necessarily as good as the odd, glassy ones in the 1983 toy. It's different. The mouth paint isn't the greatest, but it and the darkened nostril interiors get the job done and add some shading to a figure that seems decorated to be displayed in dim rooms only. I say this because the eyeliner and the chin contouring - the oddest of odd choices - don't look bad in a very dark room. Under the harsh lights of a photo studio, or realistic photo gallery conditions, it looks like someone wiped some sort of sauce under three of his chins. The previous releases didn't try to enhance his chins, which really does have me wondering if the common fan theory about how most toys aren't made for collectors so much as they are for a specific kind of high-end toy photographer may be true. Overall, I prefer the lack of chin deco we had on the other toys.

The body itself is different - not better, not worse, just different. They didn't use the same paint masks, so the peachy parts of his skin are a bit more solid and even as opposed to the increased encroaching green plastic and black wipe on the other toy. This 2024 Jabba's tattoo on his right arm also benefits from the added paint, giving it a bit more of a presence in a dark room.

For a figure with a jointed head and arms - and that's it - he could stand to be a bit cheaper. We got $20 Jabbas fairly recently, too, but that throne has metal doorknockers in the Myo ornaments as well as cloth throws. None of this adds up to $90, but I'm guessing Hasbro wants to think that it does. At a lower price this would be a mighty impressive package, but if you have versions of these toys at home already you may not also need to get this one. They were opened up for sale at other venues from Hasbro Pulse late last year, so I assume they didn't quite cut it to pre-orders as I thought was implied when it went up for sale in 2023 and took about a year to get it out. The box is very nice, too, but sets like this - even with the new 8D8 and Salacious Crumb - feel more like Hasbro is leaning way too hard on a very scattered "in case you missed it" approach to its toy line. I would feel a lot better about him if we got a few new Jabba goons in the toy line at the same time, but the only ones on the market were reissues of 5-10 year old figures like Yak Face being dumped at Ross for a mere $3.99.

But if you have $90, and you like Jabba, and you want the best eyes this mold has ever had and you can get past the saucy chins, this is definitely the best overall deco this mold has had so far. Just don't try to remember that Hasbro sold a very good carded Jabba the Hutt with the rail and pipe for $10 in 2004.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,207: January 16, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,206: 8D8 (The Vintage Collection)

8D8 (Jabba the Hutt Action Playset Pack-In Figure)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Pack-In Figure
Item No.: No. F9397
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #325
Includes: Carded 8D8, carded Salacious Crumb, a Jabba, throne, bag of rugs, glassware, and other accessories
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Jabba the Hutt was one of the galaxy’s most powerful gangsters, with far-reaching influence in both politics and the criminal underworld. (Taken from the Hasbro Pulse product page copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: With 20th century levels of articulation, you're going to be mad. But with 21st century sculpting and deco with a thin build, Hasbro did a really nice job. This update of 8D8 was long-needed. We got one in 1984, and one in 1997, and now, in 2024, we have the definitive version... and it's kind of an odd one. I think that for the right price, there's no such thing as a bad toy - and at $90 (with Jabba, a throne rereun, and Salacious Crumb) this set is a nice display piece and a bad value. 8D8 has jointed ankles, a jointed waist, a ball-jointed neck, jointed shoulders, and jointed hips. For The Vintage Collection in 2024, that's not really acceptable - we got some limited joints in the pre-2010 era, but a droid with visible joints that don't work really stings. 8 points of articulation, which sort of drags down the gee-wiz factor of the entire set. But if Hasbro sold this guy on cards in stores for $17, he'd probably be hanging there until the next decade. Selling him as an online-exclusive item in a gift set was the right move. (But probably not at $90.)

The 1984 figure had 5 joints and was a chunky little guy with no accessories - and he seemed fine for the time. In 1997 Kenner made a very good update and even included a torture rack with the era-appropriate light-up eye ports. The sculpt and deco were better than 1984, but the deco is even better with the 2024 model incorporating silver claws, weathering, and more droid highlights. If you leave it on the card you'll never realize you got shorted on articulation, and Hasbro did a very nice job with the chest and eyes, with a figure that looks better than the one that was warming pegs on Rite-Aid drugs from 1997-2009. Heck, if 8D8 didn't appear on The Book of Boba Fett, odds are he'd be under $5 forever. Fiction matters, people!

I think Hasbro's sculptor did a bang-up job here - the model looks great with a gaunt face, haunted eyes, and an even-more-skeletal appearance. It's not as tall, and it seems like a fantastic collectible for carded figures. As a toy, it leaves me wanting. The prototype photos had open claw hands - the final silver hands can't open. The waist joint and ankles are nice, but I expected lateral arm movement or elbows this time. I assume it was an impossibility due to the utterly tiny arms, and the lack of any sort of torture rack or accessory in the box with Jabba just makes this figure seem like an inferior follow-up 27 years after the last one. It's a very nicely painted figure, and a very nice sculpt, but the expectations of The Vintage Collection (and its pricing) results in an action figure that fails to meet what I would say are the lowest expectations. If we're going to get Kenner-level articulation, we need Kenner-level pricing. (This is why I'm currently so bullish on 1980s Retro Kenner figures - you get less articulation, but more importantly, you pay for less articulation.)

It feels good, though. The ball-jointed neck of the droid is very expressive, the arms swivel nicely, and the hips kind of jolt into place with a satisfying lock every few degrees. It's not a click... it's like a click, but with a thud. It feels very stable, and the ankles seem to be stiff enough to not topple over. The engineering is very good for what we've got, but with no on-pack accessory it's a carded figure that offers fans very little for their credits.

On the cheap, or if money is no object, this is the very best 8D8 figure money can buy. It's just not very robust. As (arguably) $17 of a $90 set, you're probably going to feel kind of lousy when you finally open it and it's just not all that robust. There's nothing wrong with the figure itself, but "value" counts for a lot and there's not a lot of "value" in the Throne Room combined with this set. If Hasbro ever does a "cheap" assortment for The Vintage Collection with figures like 8D8, R2-D2, or anybody under 3-inches tall or with under 10 joints, I would be singing this figure's praises to the point where you would be annoyed. If we ever get another EV-9D9 - the last one was in 1997 - I anticipate it will either be constructed similarly to 8D8 or part of The Retro Collection.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,206: January 14, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,205: Hera Syndulla (The Ghost, The Vintage Collection)

HERA SYNDULLA (The Ghost Pack-In Figure)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Pack-In Figure
Item No.: No. G0040
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: HAS 003
Includes: The Ghost ship, meiloorun fruit, blaster, Kalikori, 3 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $499.99
Availability: December 2024
Appearances: Star Wars: Rebels

Bio: During the time of the Empire, the Ghost served as a mobile base for General Hera Syndulla's small band of rebels working to aid the people of Lothal and other planets in need. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Well, you can't get this Hera Syndulla because this live-action version of the cartoon version of the character was packed with a HasLab The Ghost which arrived late December 2024. She, and most of the figures in this set, share some tooling with other figures - I would've been fine with straight repacks (or early releases) to not irritate figure completists who don't want to spend $500 ($600 after tax and shipping) to get a complete set. As of my writing this, it looks like eBay sellers are getting $100-$125 for her, which is more or less normal for The Vintage Collection rarities upon release now. For the fans who bought these sets to part out and flip, I assume they're mostly very happy. Even the ship (sans figures) goes for a pretty penny, but will it last? If history is any indication with Razor Crest, probably not, no.

Hera surprised me by being mostly new with few shared parts. I would've assumed they would have kept the legs, or parts of the body, but no - the only parts that carry over with the Disney+ release are the head and the hands. This means that Mary Elizabeth Winstead's face is painted green and appears on this figure, with a gray (rather than brown) flight cap. I think brown looks better, but this is very good, and the sculpt was already excellent. The eyebrows on my sample seem a little weak, but it's a good "real life" translation of the cartoon character plus or minus the fact that her lekku generally are a little wider apart.

The costume is effectively the cartoon suit from the final episodes of the show - the gray around her collar is a big change, and the shoulder armor is absent. It's pretty close to the outfit she had throughout the series, though, but has the little rank badge on her shoulder, the medal on her left shoulder strap, and the gray straps on her orange flight pants. She even has the silver on her boots, and a working blaster holster! Hasbro nailed the costume's translation to this particular look with no real shortcuts. For fans of Mary Elizabeth Winstead asking "Is it caked?" the answer is "no," the proportions of this figure's body are more aligned with the cartoon. I wouldn't have minded if they made her headphones bigger and gave her different goggles too, but such is the mystery of whatever budgets Hasbro deals with.

As the pilot she can fit in her ships - The Ghost has multiple seats and beds for her to use, and the articulation allows her to make good use of them all. The Phantom is scaled-down to roughly mini-rig (with fancy paint) size, with only one very small seat and a scaled-down Chopper. The ship itself does not impress up-close, and it severely limits which figures can fit inside the cockpit, which sort of ruins its "toy" value. But - Hera can squeeze in there, barely. The Retro Collection Hera will not fit, though, and I think Hasbro would have been better off fudging the ship up a bit or even selling it separately in a better toy size. I'm sure I'll sound whiny saying this, but I paid $500 for this thing, and The Ghost ship is about 2/3 empty bulk, The Phantom is almost comically downsized - which I didn't noticed at SDCC 2023 when I saw it in person - and the figures are more than 50% recycled parts. I expected a little more. Knowing that the Cantina is looking to be a little light (I don't need 100 glasses), I don't know how excited I will be to bang the drum for the next The Vintage Collection crowdfund.

As far as accessories go, it isn't above/beyond most normal figures. You get a meiloorun fruit (you got one with Zeb already), a blaster (same as Ahsoka Hera), and a Kalikori - a bit of Twi'lek family history/folk art/artifact action that, were it left out, you may not miss it. It's a nice extra, though, and I appreciate every last thing Hasbro can put in a set like this to add some semblance of value to a toy, even if that amount is maybe fifty cents. Was it worth buying this set for this figure - indeed, any or all of the figures? Heck no, unless you need a complete set. I assume Hera fans will want them all, and with good cause - this is a nice figure! Fans would appreciate it if Hasbro did a "white box" or photo cardback release later, maybe minus the accessories. At the right price, this is a well-crafted figure that delivers the promise of a real-life version of a cartoon character as a higher-end collectible action figure.

Vehicle Commentary: The entire package is probably not really worth the asking price, but you can see where the money went. The packaging (note below) is overkill, and the ship itself is decorated with loads of painted buttons, switches, screens, and panels inside the ship that older fans will most likely never really see nor appreciate. It's too fancy, yet also downsized, which probably is going to leave some fans with a sour taste in their mouths. Hasbro did a Galactic Heroes version of The Ghost for about $40. I feel as if it might be worth it for fans to consider lobbying Hasbro for more "toy" items because perhaps a $100 The Ghost would've scratched the itch, especially if size compromises are unavoidable. The Barge and the Razor Crest felt like the best possible expressions of those vehicles we could get with no wasted space... and the figures were pretty redundant. This set has figures that are different enough that you'll want them, but the vehicle comes up a little short in many places and overdelivers in others.

After three huge HasLab ships and a number of hefty The Vintage Collection releases, space is now becoming a concern. Hopefully Hasbro's next pick has a smaller footprint. A big tall Death Star that's basically a DETOLF but a playset could be fun. Or The Black Series AT-ST. Or just a really big box of unlikely The Retro Collection figures. What would you pay for a legit Vlix or two packed with the entirety of 1985 (and unproduced 1986) Droids cartoon figures? I can't do another ship that's going to require the purchase of new furniture to enjoy it, though.

Packaging Notes: This may be the most overpacked figure of all time. Hera comes on a standard, unpunched cardback. It's packaged in a big brown box with 4 other figures that measures 31x11.5-inches - which for 4 6x9-inch figures is kinda bonkers. The Retro Collection multipacks just stack them tightly. The Vintage Collection Amazon/Pulse sets sort of stack them with the bubbles visible. That box is packaged with 3 other boxes with ship parts in a graphical The Vintage Collection box, which has corner protectors and is in a brown cardboard box, which has additional corner protectors in a bigger, third cardboard box. And you know what? Despite the two outer boxes being perfect, my inner graphical box has dents on it - so it's a lot of extra cost taken on by Hasbro and the consumer that may not have done us any good. At least the carded figures seem to be perfect, but gosh it's a wasteful use of space.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,205: January 9, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,204: Mother Aniseya (The Retro Collection)

MOTHER ANISEYA Figure Debut
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0386
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Another 5 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: October 2024
Appearances: The Acolyte

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. 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!

 Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: As of my writing this, this is the only Mother Aniseya figure we've seen. Will there be another? I don't know - but I doubt it. Hasbro did a good job sculpting a figure that looks like a Kenner design, but Disney did a better job making a costume and make-up job that was designed for higher-definition televisions. If you watched the show, you'll have noticed incredibly ornate fabric patterns, incredible hair, and jewels galore. This level of detail is fundamentally incompatible with old Kenner designs, which is part of what makes it interesting - someone has to be an editor, and very carefully decide what the budget can carry. At $60, this 6-figure set was relatively cheap and given Ms. Aniseya lacks any accessories, you can see that Hasbro decided to put the budget into her hair pieces and paint.

Given the nature of the show, it makes sense. It's rare to hear me say this, but I think this figure would've been best in Vintage - she's the only "flashback" figure in the set, so she's kind of the odd one out as it is. Having said that, it's an interesting choice in that there aren't a lot of other figures like her. Most humans in the Kenner style have been white dudes, and almost all hair is short. Her design is not unlike Bib Fortuna, with long hair in the front and back featuring a hint of flexibility so it doesn't snap. Like Bib and the Emperor, her "gown" legs are split in the middle with no wavy fabric patterns underneath. Her purple gown is incredibly striking, but it lacks the intricate pattens from the show. The angled grid on her blue elements are closer to how Hasbro handled them on the Hoth figures of the 1980s, not quite raising the grid like on the show. But everything is more or less where it should be, with various jewels and ornamentation in the hair. It's clear Hasbro was working from good reference materials, giving us a figure that looks like something we could have had in the early 1980s.

If I was handed this figure with never having seen the show, I'd say "wow, this is cool!" She looks like she could fit in anywhere in Star Wars, and given her witchy tribe, young kids, or younger antagonistic Jedi will never be made in this format, that's handy. It's weird to have a figure like this that won't necessarily belong anywhere, and she's off-model enough that you could believe she could be hanging out with C-3PO or Mon Mothma or the Emperor. That shows that, at their core, the Disney designers more or less nailed the costume. Unfortunately they did such a good job making the face distinctive that she looks very little like her TV counterpart beyond the most superficial elements, like "has eyes." The figure downplays the distinctive make-up, with no chin or forehead ornamentation. The eyes are more defined on the show, but that's not the kind of thing Kenner would try to replicate. It would be great to have those silver markers there given how they stand out, but alas, it was not meant to be. Hasbro did a great job capturing the spirit of the costume and Kenner aesthetics here, which is more or less what I want out of this line. It doesn't have to be perfect - and goodness knows, it isn't - but at least it's different than the rest of this collection.

Given the figure's price, and how unique she is, I'd recommend picking her up even if you don't like the show. The three Aniseya family members seem to be the best in the collection, with distinctive costumes and unique hair - and if they show up at Ross I'm buying another set. Aspiring customizers will probably come up with great ways to improve her head paint, and if they do, I hope they share links with me. Also if you line up all your Kenner or Retro figures, this would probably be the first in the timeline.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,204: January 7, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,203: C1 (Penguin, Holiday Droid Factory)

C1 Penguin Droid
Star Wars Droid Factory 2024 Advent Calendar
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: R2 Gingerbread Droid, BB-8 Snowman, Chopper Penguin, Gonk Gift, D-O Holiday, B2EMO present, R1 Holiday Bell, wreath, Santa hat, drink tray, scarf, tiny top hat
Action Feature: Articulated arms, removable wreath, opening claw arm, removable third leg
Retail: $79.99
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: n/a   

Bio: All different types of astromech droid populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. Open up the Sandcrawler to reveal and build 7 new droids to celebrate along with them for 25 days this season. May the Force be with you... and your droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This R1 (Penguin Droid riffs on the Chopper C1-10P body with the vibes of a rockhopper penguin wearing a scarf. It kind of works, it kind of doesn't, but what matters is that it's distinctive and not particularly holiday-ey. Nothing about it particularly reeks of Christmas, but there are penguin-inspired elements like the splashes of paint around the eyes, the central eye being painted kind of like a beak, and of course the yellow feet. It's not too overt, and the off-kilter scarf splash of red paint certainly evokes the idea of a winter garment without being overtly Earthy.

You've seen this mold many times before but there are some key changes, like the radar dish. Specifically, there is no radar dish on his dome. You do get a green wreath with red berries and a gold bow, and it has indentations to sit on his arms. You'll need to pry off the dome or the arms to get it seated, though. Aside from that, the plastic parts are pretty much the same as several other Disney C1 droids - and that's perfectly fine.

With removable limbs and the usual series of joints, there's a lot to like here and not too many surprises. The bright white and golden yellow colors really pop against the black chassis, and at first glance it seems like it might be out of place in the dark, dusty, and otherwise corroded galaxy from which our toys hail. I wouldn't recommend getting the set solely for this figure, but it's a good figure in a pretty great set. If you're all-in for droid figures, Disney put some good variety into this box and you'd be well-served to pick it up on sale. At full price, it's not bad - but if you've got hundreds of droids and few to no playsets, your need for them may be pretty insignificant by now. I like it enough to say I'd love to also see orca, quail, or other creature-inspired droid recolors. With the pop-out arm and distinctive look, I'm not going to get rid of it or anything.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney as they were offering both a discount code as well as free shipping. At under $70 delivered, it's pretty worthwhile. Try SHIPMAGIC or DISNEY25 codes to see if they still work.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,203: January 2, 2025