Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,165: Boba Fett (Epic Hero Series)

BOBA FETT New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9949 No. G0140
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, fire gauntlet, rocket, rocket-firing backpack
Action Feature: Rocket actually fires spring-loaded projectile
Retail: $12.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: With his customized Mandalorian armor and silent demeanor, Boba Fett was one of the most feared hunters in the Star Wars galaxy. (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: While not essential, Boba Fett is one of those things I would cite as a must-have for toy dorks. As a toy - not a "collectible," but toy - armored Boba Fett figures have been in more or less perpetually short supply for as long as I've been around. Sure, maybe you can find a vehicle or multipack with one, and yes, deluxe The Black Series figures got dumped at Ross, but it is rare that you're going to find normal figures on pegs. In the 1980s, I was young but don't remember seeing him much. In the 1990s, it was rare to see POTF2 Boba Fett, and most later new versions tended to sell pretty quickly because most adult fans happily shelled out $5-$7 for him. I've seen this new one in stores a couple of times, and he seems to be selling pretty quickly - I really do believe there's a big market for a wide swath of not-$17 figures, especially as the last The Book of Boba Fett figure was a $25 deluxe release. He's really good! But even a mostly-excellent figure, at $25, is a hard sell compared to something that's $13. It's a toy, it's durable, it's not super-articulated, and it feels like it came from a timeline where the shift to higher-end, more-expensive collector's items never happened. I'd like to go there and get some cheaper mini-rigs or awesome $30 mid-size vehicles.

I should note, the fire gauntlet is recycled from Paz Vizsla [FOTD #3,123] but otherwise, this figure seems completely new. The blaster is unique, and the jetpack (and projectile) are as well. It's exceptionally rare that we get a figure with an action feature these days, given neither The Retro Collection nor The Vintage Collection employ things with springs very often. This figure does a pretty good job of giving fans the legend they want, with a clean sculpt of a popular character. They appease Disney, by doing the "current version," which may not be the hit as classic - we don't know, they haven't tried it in a while - but it's recognizable and cool. They also nod to the stuff of toy myth by including a ridiculous, massive oversized backpack and did the unthinkable by somehow making it so he can stand unassisted while wearing it. That alone is worth all the points in my book - so few figures can stand well when geared up, it's amazing to me that this one can do it and can shoot off a rocket, too. Yes, it's silly, but it looks perfectly decent for a toy.

The figure itself may not be a hyper-articulated photo-realistic object for collectors to fret over while leaving in a sealed, closed box, but that's OK. You can see it in the nice plastic bubble packaging, and see the armor has sculpted scrapes but is generally clean - no battle damage. There's a visible Mythosaur skull on his shoulder, the gauntlets are red, the boots are black, and he has the pants and other elements from his revised The Book of Boba Fett costume. With the smaller helmet and simpler deco, he looks a lot more like a toy. For those of us who have been here since the 1990s, this is the sort of thing you would've seen in 1995 and said "oh, perfect!" He stands, he sits, he holds his gear, and there's a little flex in his "skirt" so he can sit in the vehicles you probably don't have and as far as I know, aren't being made as of yet.

The Epic Hero Series lines for Star Wars and Marvel are both good starts - the problem is, most fans want a pretty big roster of characters and right now we're getting the cream of the Disney-era crop, plus Darth Vader. Six months and about 12 figures in, with one vehicle, it's not a terrible first-year line-up. I'd love to see Han or a Millennium Falcon or a Princess Leia - or the droids, or so on and so forth - but this particular take on Boba Fett makes for a good toy that I hope adult fans will see as a worthwhile impulse buy. It's not bad. It's not going to knock your socks off, but it's satisfying and feels like a nice, durable toy that should hopefully serve kids well. You may not need this figure, but I certainly need more action figures that are toys first. This is a toy, first and foremost, and with that point of view you're probably going to like it a lot.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,165: August 22, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,101: Boba Fett (Dune Sea, The Retro Collection)

BOBA FETT (Dune Sea)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6874 No. F8564
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Rifle, Gaffi Stick, Robe
Action Feature: Removable cloak
Retail: $11.99
Availability: December 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing 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: It's funny to think that other than Krrsantan (a comic book character), every figure in this wave previously appeared in a small-screen Star Wars series. Heck, Boba Fett (Dune Sea) appeared in (and was sold as a figure from) The Mandalorian already, so it's interesting to see Hasbro take two years put out what a wave of mostly The Mandalorian characters for a The Book of Boba Fett wave. It's not a bad wave at all, and it's really telling that with this Dune Sea version - after a Prototype, regular version, and Morak re-armored version - Boba Fett technically has more figures than Han Solo and Princess Leia in The Retro Collection. Heck, if Hasbro had the desire they could keep it going with Empire Strikes Back deco, white proto armor deco, Holiday Special/Droids cartoon deco, and even proper The Book of Boba Fett revised armor. And he'd sell.

Upon reveal Hasbro seemed to take care to obfuscate the plastic figure under the cloth robes, which feel similar to that of the Jawa. They look nice, but have a giant hood like a lot of the older Jedi figures. It's a good accessory, and Hasbro should be lauded for it. The rifle seems to be an all-new one, and the gaffi stick is basically the same 1978 Kenner one we all know and love. (If you don't know it and love it, go get some Kenner figures.) Much like the bulk of the old line, none of these accessories are painted. it's kind of amazing to have a Kenner Boba Fett figure that has exactly zero elements of the classic 1979 Boba Fett figure.

Boba seems to be all new tooling, but in this era of digital sculpting you can see some shared digital sculpting elements with Boba Fett (Morak) [FOTD #2,935]. The legs are incredibly similar, retaining the holster loop for a blaster that isn't included - but they removed the knee pads. The sleeves seem to share similar wrinkles to the elbows of that figure too, but the hands and gloves are new. The scarf-like neck also shares elements with the Morak figure, but the shoulders have deeper grooves and, of course, no pauldrons. To top him off, his all-new head actually looks a lot like Temuera Morrison... just a little botoxed out. Very subtle traces of scars seem to be left - maybe it's my imagination - but everything got just a little too smoothed out. His expression looks right, and his eyes seem appropriately old-Kenner-esque.

This is not the figure I expected - I was assuming we'd get a new version based on his revised armor, or the white prison suit, not the Tusken garb. (Memo to Hasbro: I would like to buy those other costumes, too.) I was excited to see how he looked under the robe, and I was not disappointed. Hasbro did a nice job with the texture on the torso, but weirdly, the rest of him looks a little smoothed out. (Before Maul was revealed, I was wondering if they would share parts. I'm glad to say they don't.) Whoever did the soft goods really gets how to do them correctly, but I would've loved to see a bend in the elbow or a slightly different posture on the plastic figure. But I'm nitpicking - Hasbro did a job that's consistent with the rest of the line, so if you like those I expect you'll like this too. As a younger fan I was obsessed with the stories and concepts fo the unmade post-The Power of the Force toy line that never came to be, particularly with things like a Bantha (which would still be nice) or Grand Moff Tarkin (which we got in 2019.) A "Boba Fett that survived" figure (TWO of them, at that) would have been a lot of fun back then. I'm a lot older now, but the figure is just so much fun to play with and shows that (at least to me) style and personality go a long way. My The Vintage Collection nomad Boba is in a display case... but this one? We've been having fun. I just wish we could have another wave of thees guys.

Vehicle Notes: I think I'll start doing these for Retro as appropriate. Boba Fett (Dune Sea) can fit in the original and Shadows of the Empire Kenner Slave I pilot seats. He does fit nicely in the Attack of the Clones/OTC model. He is too thicc to fit in the pilot's seat clips of the XL The Clone Wars and The Vintage Collection version - it spits him right out. He fits just fine in the 2012-2015 "Saga Legends/Mission Series" mini version of the Slave I.

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

Unsolicited Wish to Hasbro: I would love to see more figures from this series. For example: the R0 droid drummer, a new or reissued Max Rebo, the Rancor Keeper, a revised Boba Fett with the new costume (and removable helmet?), Cobb Vanth, Lortha Peel, more Tuskens... I could go on. Everything about this show looks like a fun toy. I'd also love a Retro Bantha.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,101: January 23, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,073: Boba Fett (Comic Art Edition, The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT (Comic Art Edition - Marvel )
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Target Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F8070
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #277
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99 $20.99
Availability: September 2023
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Celebrate the Star Wars publishing legacy with this 3.75-inch action figure featuring the color palette from the character’s appearance in the 1970s Star Wars comics!. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Overcharge me twice, shame on me. This Marvel 1980-inspired Boba Fett (Vintage Comic Art) figure is something I wanted - and asked for over the years! We got a pretty good Boba Fett based on Marvel comics back in 2008 [FOTD #1,236] in a 2-pack, with a full-size comic, for a mere $11.87 back when a standard figure was about $6.99. I would say it was a good deal on a good set. This new one took a $12.99 figure and jacked it up to $22.99, an utterly absurd price for a redeco and as of my writing this a month before it goes live, it's sitting around a bit. As it should. It's a great idea, an a good execution, on a gorgeous cardback, but this is a particularly painful example of an exclusive mark-up. The deco, articulation, or accessories are in no way overly superior to a basic figure. Even if a basic figure is $16.99 now, where is that extra $4-$6 coming from?

It's not the accessories, nice as they are. You get a light gray blaster pistol as well as a purple rifle. No paint on either - they look fine. The cloth cape looks good too, and it's also uncolored. His jetpack is molded in a very light baby blue and has minimal white paint applications on it. It's a typical Boba Fett compliment, far fewer accessories than the average 100% new The Vintage Collection figure these days.

The figure itself ain't bad. The torso is green with a tampo, otherwise unadorned. The has some paint on the gloves, the gauntlets, the shoes, and a couple of small bits - but overall, seems to have less paint than an average normal retail Boba Fett. The helmet has a bit more going on, but I don't know if it's more work given we've traded all those yellow marks, silver battle-damage bits, and other elements for some comic-style flat shading. The back of the helmet has no paint.

The choice of mold is also unfortunate - they went with a Return of the Jedi body, which uses a different belt than what's illustrated in the comic book. They did a nice job painting him to match the colors, though. I would rather they have waited for a new The Empire Strikes Back Boba Fett, because this model uses the older, cruddier hip joints too. The arms are fine, and the coloring is gorgeous.

I ordered it online, so not only did they overcharge me by two bucks compared to retail stores, but somehow the bubble got severely smashed despite being packed in a nice big box with packing material. This one left a bad taste in my mouth, somehow, despite being exactly what I wanted to own. Maybe it would've been better as a Retro figure (at $15 or under) or a 6-inch figure (at $27.50 or under), but at $23 I feel like I should have waited for a sale. Five years ago, I think anyone in this hobby or business would see Boba Fett as a thing that would be guaranteed to sell out immediately and rise on the secondary market - and now Hasbro seems to be charging the secondary market prices from the get go. I assume this must be working for the bottom line, but it's off-putting as a fan passing the age most collectors move on to concerns of regular real life. I'd love to see toys priced and treated as toys again, but I think we're probably going to continue to see premium prices from here on out. If money is no object, it's a beautiful figure. Just scan it before you take it to the register - Target's in-aisle scanners have frequently been a couple of bucks off from what the registers say this year, on this and other toy lines, so take care as you make your purchases and check the receipts.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. I was charged $22.99 for my pre-order from December 2022, but in-stock orders seem to be $20.99. Maybe you should wait for exclusives now.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,073: October 17, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,065: Boba Fett (Comic Art Edition, The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT (Comic Art Edition - Death, Lies, and Treachery)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Target Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F8071
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #278
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99 $20.99
Availability: August 2023
Appearances: Boba Fett: Death, Lies, and Treachery

Bio: Survival in the unforgiving desert of Tatooine requires strict training and discipline for the members of a Tusken tribe. Led by a chieftain, each member of the clan must learn to be useful. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I get cranky when figures get marked down between when I ordered them, and when I get them. Boba Fett (Comic Edition) appears to be one of these. Based on the Cam Kennedy art from the various Bar-Kooda/Ry-Kooda comics where Boba Fett fights Herglic whaleians, this figure has no cape but charges you more money than the $12.99 you paid for the mold when it was a Return of the Jedi deco a couple of years ago. I'm a little cranky.

In a scenario where money is no object, it's a pretty good figure - we get a repaint with some extra comic-like black ink on it that, I have to admit, is pretty spiffy. Previous comic figures played mostly with comic-inspired colors, with a few - very few - like Darth Vader from the Comic Packs [FOTD #936] really leaning in to "blue is black" newsprint colors. (I love it. I'd buy a The Black Series Vader in those colors if it was $25 or under.) This Boba Fett might have also better served the large-format figure, especially at $25-$27, mostly so you can really enjoy the shading on his right-hand sides. The belt, chest, helmet, and knee pads have some dark shadows, while the figure has a yellow belt to match his shoulder and knee pads. The gauntlets and helmet match the green chest armor, with a bright blue body that's little more saturated than the Kenner colors. Meanwhile, his jetpack seems to be not entirely unlike the Kenner one with the dark blue on the outside and a core brighter blue color up the middle, except with a green rocket.

Articulation is pretty good for his time, which is unfortunately right before Hasbro gave us newer and better hip joints. You get thigh cuts, but the hips are those bend-and-swivel ones that are pretty hard to pose. The wrists also bend-and-swivel, with rocker ankles and a decent torso joint that fits in with his armor. The helmet pivots nicely, and if it weren't a "last gen" style of articulation you could probably making this a case for the very best version of this character with this deco that could ever exist. It's also available in Marvel and Kenner-inspired colorways, and I wouldn't be shocked to see another one come to pass in the next few months. But for now, you can appreciate the separately-molded hoses on his arms and a look that probably would have been sold as "Night Bounty Boba Fett" were it a recolored Kenner figure in the 1990s. I find myself wishing I lived in the timeline where we got wacky toys of Star Wars at kid toy prices, but serious collectors seem to be buying this figure on-sight and it doesn't seem to be rotting on pegs near me. That's good for the Hasbro and Target bottom line.

It's a great figure for comic fans and I would probably love to get a second one (at a lower price) to try to see if I can get Cam Kennedy to sign if I am ever at a convention where he is also present, but given that he's 78 I'm not hopeful. I dug his art and I like what Hasbro did with this figure, so absolutely get one if you see one for a fair price.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. I was charged $22.99 for my pre-order from December 2022, but in-stock orders seem to be $20.99. Maybe you should wait for exclusives now.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,065: September 19, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,033: Boba Fett (Kenner Flavor, The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT Kenner Flavor
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure, Target Exclusive
Item No.: No. F8069
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #275
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: A white mail-in box in 1979
Bio: With his customized Mandalorian armor, deadly weaponry, and silent demeanor, Boba Fett was one of the most feared hunters in the Star Wars galaxy. (Taken from the Tareget description. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon! 

Click here to buy it at eBay!

Commentary: That sense of shame you feel when you pay for Boba Fett is hard to ignore. I begrudgingly like the figure a lot, despite the colors not quite matching and the price being a complete robbery. Hasbro made a super-articulated version of one of 1979's most infamous action figures. Of course it's going to sell out. If you see it, it pushes the buttons in your brain and asks if you "Want to be 5 years old again?"

It's a Boba Fett TVC 186 [FOTD #2,791] figure from 2021, which was $12.99 at the time. This new release lacks the cape, and has fewer paint applications, yet costs a whopping $10 more. There may not be a Boba Fett tax, but we've absolutely seen Hasbro charge an exclusive tax on items at Amazon, Walmart, Target, GameStop, and elsewhere over the last couple of years. If this one hits clearance, it's really going to sting. The 2021 mold is Hasbro's best for Boba Fett, but we've also seen vast improvements made in Hasbro action figures over the last couple of years. It's pretty inexcusable to charge us that much more, especially with a standard Vintage figure having climbed to $16.99 now, but here I am, paying for it. And the sick thing? The colors are off in at least a few places.

Hasbro got a completely new mold for a Boba Fett exclusive last year, and it cost less than this repaint. This is my main beef. But how is the execution? Close - but off in enough ways where I think you can say it's not quite good enough. If you're charging me $10 more for a repaint from two years ago, I expect as close to perfection as man can achieve. Thanks to Boba Fett having a fair amount of variation in his production runs over the years, maybe there's some interpretation and mixing and matching being done here, because the colors don't look specific to any one of the Kenner Fetts I've got handy. The blue body suit and yellow armor elements match one I have standing on my desk which I got from a neighbor when I was a kid. The visor and red on the mask and gauntlet look a little closer to a different, later release. The red rocket doesn't seem to match any Boba Fett I've ever seen, with the painted tip of the rangefinder not matching the original toy one bit. The blue on his backpack is a very good match, while the visor does not match the brown (or black-ish) colors of the originals. Also the green on the chest and codpiece don't match anything I've got in my stash, but it isn't far off from the tri-logo version.

If you look at the back of the helmet, you'll see some red highlights with a stripe around the top and a red box painted on the back. The back of 1979 Boba Fett's helmet was completely unpainted. Maybe someone over there felt the rangefinder needed "something" to make it look not totally cheap, but if I were them I'd have left off the red on the back of the helmet. Nobody's going to see it other than openers, and those of us who do see it are going to ask why they bothered. If they want to maximize revenue, why spend money to put something there that doesn't belong?

Given the price point and the specificity of this release, I'm nit-pickty. The Wookiee scalps weren't on the original, but I can understand not wanting to retool the figure for this release. In terms of Hasbro making money hand over fist marking it up higher to Target, and then Target charging us more for it, and I assume it will completely sell out, I assume all corporate parties will be very pleased with this figure's performance.Surely someone over there will be asking how to do it with Darth Vader, or even Luke with a yellow opaque lightsaber blade and a lemon head for us beautiful junkies out there. The nostalgia animal will eat itself, and as long as you pick a popular character there's probably little risk of being stuck with unsold product.

If Hasbro were a singular person I would hope they feel some shame for this release only because with less paint, an easy redeco, and something fans line up to buy, charging us secondary market mark-ups at the time of release makes me feel that we could be in for an unpleasant road ahead for collecting toys. Companies tend to charge what they think they can get for an item, and I bought one. You probably did too, if you saw it. If it were a little better - if that rocket were the right color, or the visor better matched the old Kenner toy - I'd probably say "yeah, well, they did it right." I'll pay a premium for perfection, but this ain't it. Instead I'm paying for nostalgic novelty, and the sick thing is you can just get a Kenner-style Boba Fett on Amazon for about the same price - with Bossk thrown in for about the same cost. I admire Hasbro's line of thought here, and I imagine it was hard work getting the blue of the body right. Color matching red is difficult, possibly nearly impossible. I guess the question now is "when will they do it again?" and "will it be the 12-inch Kenner Boba Fett figure colors next time?"

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,037: June 13, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,018: Boba Fett (Tython/Boba Fett's Starship, The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT (Tython, Boba Fett's Starship)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Shared Exclusive Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: No.
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Vehicle, blaster pistol, rifle, gaffi stick, cloth robes
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $199.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: A powerful pursuit craft made famous by Jango Fett in the days of the Republic, this ship was inherited by Boba Fett for his career as a bounty hunter. (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: It is rare - but not unheard-of - for Hasbro to pack a new mold figure with a very expensive vehicle, and I have to admit this one is a little ridiculous. At $199.99, it's worth noting this vehicle sold for $149.99 in 2020, and (without the stand) for about $69.99 a few years before that. And also in Jango colors about 12 years ago, with multiple exclusive figures and a Jedi Starfighter, all for under $100. So the real question is "is it worth it to pay $200 for a Desert Nomad Boba Fett?" And I'd say "probably not unless you're a completist." Costs are going up but this is the kind of thing that will probably make you reconsider any completism you have left, but Boba Fett completists are legion so it's still going to sell a bunch of units.

The vehicle has been offered enough times before that I am feeling a little stupid for having bought it. I don't need a fourth release of it, and at $200 even the improved dirtier deco isn't worth the asking price. It's still the best version of this ship to date, but I feel if Hasbro wanted to charge us $200 they should just make an all-new, bigger one that can actually fit Boba Fett in the pilot's seat without a fight and charge us $250, or $300. I had a hard time getting him in the seat so I gave up - it shouldn't be that hard. Retool it, remove the clip, do something to make me not feel like I wasted $200 on a toy that's not a very good toy. Further - and I know this is an annoying comment - I think they would've been better served to throw one of the armored figures in the box. The Target-exclusive Morak version, but with scuffed-up paint, probably would've been more fun. But that's not the real real question - which I am now changing to is "Is this a good figure?"

It's fine. The figure itself is acceptable for a standard carded release, but for a pack-in with a $50 upcharge I expected more since they probably had the budget to do better. His face doesn't have the scabby skin, but it is eerie how good it looks. They also gave him too-defined eyebrows, when they should have been reduced to match his look on the show. But there are very subtle hints of scars on his face, and at the size of a peanut, I'm not going to say it's bad. The quality of work is good, I just wish they could've replicated his, uh, battle-damage.

He comes with a new gaffi stick, a new rifle, and a tiny pistol. And oh my God, be careful with the pistol. When I opened the box it fell out of the paper wrapping and was rolling around in the box loose - I found it by accident, I didn't even realize it wasn't in the holster when I was opening the box. It also falls out of the holster really easily. I hope Hasbro rereleases this figure on a card later, just so future fans won't have to fret too much about the blaster if they lose this one. But it looks good - all the gear is nice, and the cloak is one of Hasbro's best efforts. It hangs nicely, it looks good. I don't feel like arguing about the color being right nor not, but it certainly seems correct enough that I wouldn't fuss over it. I would've liked it to be a little more tattered, but since it hangs well, I'm just going to say "well done" and move on. Most of the times the hoods just looked awful and whoever is working on these now has certainly improved them over the years.

If Hasbro put this figure out by itself for under $20 you'd probably happily buy it. But they didn't - instead it continues what fans have dubbed the Boba Fett Tax which I don't really think you can argue isn't a thing (outside the kid lines, and Retro Collection, that is.) I think this figure does a good job of giving you that Desert Nomad figure that you want, but he's too wide to easily get in the driver's seat of his ship - and that's a sin as a pack-in figure - and I assume this vehicle is probably going to wind up on clearance somewhere, some day, just because it started at $200 for the fourth release of the mold. If money is no object, or if you missed the ship before, I'd recommend it for those reasons. But if you just want a version of this figure in this outfit, Amazon is selling him for $5 under retail as I write this, and he's bigger. But Hasbro knows 3 3/4-inch fans are picky about size, so you can either wait for a sale, wait for the "Kenner" one (which looks pretty darned great honestly), or pony up the cash to get this one right away just in case it doesn't it markdown later.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. It's worth noting this is the first 3 3/4-inch scale release of the vehicle to be called "Boba Fett's Starship" rather than some variation on "Slave I" and this seems to make some people very upset. Personally I don't care what you call it, as long as it's a decent toy at a decent price. And this is most certainly not that. If Hasbro wants to put out a Vlix on a cardback that says "The Easter Bunny!" on it, I don't care, I'd still want the figure.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,018: April 6, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,002: Boba Fett (Tython, Jedi Ruins, The Black Series)

BOBA FETT (Tython, Jedi Ruin)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Orange The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F5870
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #22 - The Mandalorian
Includes: Helmet, backpack, pistol, rifle
Action Feature: Connecting lightsaber parts
Retail: $31.49
Availability: January 2023
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Once regarded as one of the most fearsome and capable bounty hunters in the galaxy, Boba Fett seemingly met his demise in the Sarlacc pit on Tatooine. A survivor to the core, Fett lived to fight another day. (Taken from the packaging, which occupies a fair amount of space in six languages.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: A good figure with another obnoxious route to getting it! Boba Fett (Tython Ruins) seems to be some new and old parts, with new paint, at a premium price. Pre-orders went up a year ago yesterday - and mine showed up a couple of weeks back. As far as I know Walmart stores haven't received them yet, and may never, as a lot of things tend to be online exclusives. Maybe it'll show up as part of The Mandalorian season three starting to stream in a couple of weeks. As of my writing this it sold out and people are already selling it at a mark-up, which is pretty obnoxious - but I also assume more are out there to be had in the future.

This new release is similar to the also fairly good Boba Fett (Throne Room, The Black Series) [FOTD #2,953] with deco and belt alterations. I like it a lot more, mostly because that was a fantastically fun episode of The Mandalorian. We saw what seemed to be an invincible Boba Fett put his armor back on and just beat the tar out of Stormtroopers. He wasn't quite as tough in The Book of Boba Fett with his fortune and newly-painted armor, so I'll probably just remember him in this scuffed, mismatched, and generally somehow even more Star Wars-y armor. Boba Fett was the platonic ideal of "used universe" apparel, yet somehow this figure takes it a step further. You can see a new Tusken-derived belt with a working holster over his old Tusken pants, and you get some genuinely wonderful battle-damage silver scuffs on the chest, helmet, shoulders, and forearms. His kneepads are molded in yellow without damage markings, which is sensible given you probably will never actually see them.

The helmet pops off and on easily, and has an articulated rangefinder. A replacement green rocket was put in the post-Cobb Vanth jetpack, which is also scuffed quite nicely. Boba has no problems holding his blasters, and with no extraneous accessories to lose I'm pretty happy.

Is it worth $7 over a basic figure - which is $12 over what you paid for a basic Boba Fett just three years ago? Probably not. Inflation is cruel and it's causing a lot of us to make some tough choices. I'm still generally in love with the Mandoverse thanks to the neat armored dudes, the filthy layers of grime, the cool aliens, and the fact that it's the playground I think most of us wanted for years. This is a lot closer to what I wanted my post-pit Boba to be, and now I have it! I'd also like it as a retro figure, but so far Hasbro has been hesitant to do this particular costume as a 3 3/4-inch release. I'm sure it'll come eventually - Hasbro loves Boba Fett repaints now. They didn't a few years ago when people came asking, but such is life. If you can get this Boba Fett for what you consider to be a fair price, I think you'll appreciate the much-improved Temura Morrison likeness with Sarlacc-damage paint on it, the rich brown holster, and of course the almost-metal scuffing on the plastic armor. I can't snark this one, all parties involved did an admirable job and this is likely to be a figure that people will want between now and the time Star Wars is officially uncool again, which is probably going to be around August or September.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,002: February 9, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,985: Boba Fett (Droids, The Black Series)

BOBA FETT Droids XL
The Vintage Collection The Black Series Droids Target Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5301
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Jetpack, rifle, pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $26.49
Availability: May 2022
Appearances: Droids
Bio: With his customized Mandalorian armor, deadly weaponry, and silent demeanor, Boba Fett was one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy. (Taken from the box flapcopy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Boba Fett from Droids brings complicated feelings, and many of you know many of the reasons. None of those reasons are that we're in a Boba glut. For years, Boba Fett (like Deadpool) was generally under produced and fans were left unable to get any version of the bounty hunter unless they were at a store the same day the case got unpacked. Target has offered at least four exclusive Bobas Fett this year alone, even though some of the pre-orders kicked off last year. I am not one to say it's overkill because I think each version offers something interesting, but the fact that this figure came out a couple of months ago and is still available at regular price shows that the fever broke. People are over Boba Fett figures that aren't based on the original movie designs.

This figure is pretty vexing because, as you know, I've been needling Hasbro to make it for years - along with R2-D2, C-3PO, and Vlix, all of which appear on the packaging. I know I'm being silly, as I'm pretty sure the current Hasbro team has no idea who I am after generations of turnover and my descent into irrelevancy, but Vlix is on the friggin' box - and my "I will consider going away if I get an official Vlix" campaigning, it is astonishing to see him put on the box not once, but twice. Does Hasbro know they simply must make a Droids Kenner-style Vlix? I hope so. I've only been waiting since I found out he actually really existed way back at an antique show in 1989. (Brazilian figures were making the rounds, he was on the back.) But I digress, we're here to chew the Fett about Boba.

This mold made its debut in 2013 as an SDCC exclusive, then as a single figure, as a white "prototype" figure, as a black "comic" figure, a 40th anniversary figure, a Carbonized figure, an Archive release, and it's all a little ridiculous just how many Boba Fetts we've had from just this one mold. And it's an acceptable base for what is most likely the only Droids version we'll get, but he could have benefited from some revisions. His belt and holster are a different shape and different colors, he doesn't have any pouches on his thighs or belt in the packaging art, and the helmet has no dent. The colors seem to be a pretty good match otherwise, with a desaturated brown and blue in most low-quality screen grabs from back in the day. There's a little more blue in the shoulder armor and codpiece on the figure than in the toy, but that's OK. I mean, it exists - and sometimes all you can say is that you're happy they bothered to try. When making the transition from 2D cels to 3D plastic, there is room for toyetic license and not everything will translate 1:1. The slight changes in color are fine, and I like the cape with the painted orangey stripes on the back.

If you didn't get this figure a dozen times already, it's neat. The armor on the wrists swivels and so do the wrists. The double-jointed knees are a delight, the backpack plugs in well, and the hands can hold the blasters. He stands acceptably, but those earlier figures have ratcheting joints that can make it harder to find a "sweet spot" to avoid toppling over. The range of movement was pretty good for 2013, but today elbows that can't bend 90 degrees (or more) are kind of dreadful. This is a mold you buy because you love the colors, not the quality of his joints. You can still get a lot of poses out of him, but the mold was a little clunky nine years ago and today you know Hasbro can and has done better. Had they used the Return of the Jedi mold, you might've been able to do a little bit better with how he can be posed. A new belt and that newer mold would have been fantastic, but this is a repaint with an "exclusive tax" upcharge. It's about as good as we're going to get, but I really do feel Hasbro needs to step up the game and include a little something extra - an upgrade, an accessory, anything - when a $20-$25 mold is being sold as a $27-$28 exclusive.

With three 3 3/4-inch "cartoon" Boba Fett releases and one 6-inch release, you might think Hasbro is done forever - but there are still more possibilities. We never got an official Kenner retro Boba Fett, either from the Holiday Special or Droids cartoon colors. That would make a great exclusive for someone, perhaps in a 2-pack with Vlix, for $25-$28, and it'd sell because all right-thinking people just want the Boba Fett and will take a Vlix too. (Do it, Hasbro.) A Holiday Special Boba Fett would be a fun 6-inch toy with a giant dragon, but probably wouldn't be a commercially viable product given it would probably be over $150. A simplified Kenner-style Panna Dragon with a trap-door for Boba Fett would be cheap and fun, but again, not something that will happen because they're not fun.

I'll still buy Droids C-3PO or R2-D2 6-inch figures if they ever make any (or Vlix) but I assume the days of buying $27 repaints are coming to a close for me. There are still good ideas and some are incredibly clever like "Santa" Range Trooper or any given robot repaint, and some are things that tug on your heartstrings if you're an old toy dork - Kenner deco is meaningful. But, such things are fleeting, and as we get older such a thing may be truly wonderful for a day before it goes on the shelf and gets covered by even more toys over time. I love this one because of the Vlix connection and my unending love of 1980s Star Wars animation weirdness, so I'm glad to have it. I hope they consider giving him a couple of friends, but if they don't, at least we got this one very weird, very cool action figure that cannot escape the gravity of being biased to love it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,985: December 13, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,979: Boba Fett (and Bossk, The Retro Collection)

BOBA FETT and Bossk, Amazon Exclusive
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5562
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $17.99
Availability: November 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Two of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, Boba Fett and Bossk have crossed paths over the course of their careers as both collaborators and competitors. Both had undeniable skill, but only one became a legend, (Taken from the figure's outer packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I was planning to sell Boba Fett. From the pictures, I assumed he was the same as 2020 Walmart Exclusive Boba Fett [FOTD #2,692] - and while the figure does seem to be made from the same tools, there are minor changes. Are they worthwhile? Well, probably not - but if you're a little too interested in all things Kenner, yeah, probably.

As stated before, it's more or less the same - you can see the old SKU, E9653, stamped in the foot next to a new "branded" mark for F5562. He stands, sits, and looks around the same as before with five joints - but there is a change, as far as I can tell, in his right hand. The fingers are barely modified to better hold the blaster. And when I say "barely" I mean "this might be my imagination," because there's a sliver of extra plastic coming out and it might just be mold flash. It gets the job done, though - intentional or not, my sample has a better grip than the previous release.

The blasters are seemingly the same, but the paint masks are barely different. This could just be a simple batch variation, or someone sneezed while painting, but the visor is painted better on my 2022 sample. There's some more red overspray on the right gauntlet. The orange color is a bit more faded. The differences are minor to the point where you wouldn't notice without a side-by-side comparison, so it's probably not enough to warrant much significance from fans other than the fact they did tweak the packaging and that's usually sufficient to say "hey, this is worth a look as a separate thing." But if you have the 2020 figures, and are happy with it, you don't also need the 2022 release.

But is he worth it? It's the cheapest way to get a Kenner-style Boba Fett right now, even if Hasbro is probably overcharging us by a buck or two for it. (There definitely seems to be a "store exclusive tax" in recent years.) If you want a Boba Fett, this is as cheap as it gets - and arguably as good as it gets. The details are softer than Kenner's original or Hasbro's rocket-firing variant, but he stands and holds his blaster and looks cool. He gets the job done. At $23.99 (or less) I would emphatically recommend this two-pack as being a great deal, at $27.99 it's still fine. But given single-carded mass-retail newly-designed Kenner figures are $10 or $12, and frequently have two accessories and not just one, let's not kid ourselves. Hasbro knows who its customer is, and that customer probably has the money to spend $28 on reliving their childhoods through plastic. And probably a lot more than that.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Amazon. It was supposed to be released January 1, 2023, but arrived two months early.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,979: November 22, 2022