Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,125: Count Dooku (The Vintage Collection)

COUNT DOOKU It's Been a While
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6878 No. F9973
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #307
Includes: Alternate lightning hand, hilt, full lightsaber
Action Feature: Swap left hand with Force lightning hand, plug lightsaber in belt
Retail: $16.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Once a Jedi trained by Yoda, Count DOoku became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and thirsted for greater power - ultimately leaving the light side and becoming Darth Sidious' disciple, Darth Tyranus. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

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: Not every wave is a delight, as Count Dooku (a new figure and I believe the first new 3 3/4-inch one since 2010) came in a wave with Finn, Cassian Andor, and a Clone Trooper, which is the kind of mix that just feels sort of disrespectful given their low secondary market prices. But we'll get to them later - for now, let's focus on the good. When inspired, Hasbro still makes the very best figures money can buy, even when they could probably have gotten away shipping an old one again with minimal modifications. Since they started rethinking articulation and face deco, we've been getting a parade of excellent "classic" characters from the Pre-Disney era. New sculpts don't disappoint, and Hasbro has found some improvements in fabric and articulation too.

This figure is one of the best. While not a fun toy, anyone looking to add him to a carded figure collection or any sort of diorama display is going to be in love.

If you bought and are not triggered by my invoking Lando Calrissian from 2021 [FOTD #2,870], you may recall that is also a good figure that had one of Hasbro's greatest capes. It's a thin, one-layer affair with lining that makes you go "wow, how'd they do that?" Count Dooku also has the dark brown cape with a nice light tan lining, and it's thin. It hangs well too - it's possible to "pose" it a bit if you fold it just right, giving him a dynamic silhouette that seems to defy physics. A silver string holds it together, and its only shortcomings are a lack of the two round metal bits that hold the costume cape in place. I assume they'll figure out how to pull that off next time, and there's room for improvement around the neck - but at this scale, I think it's safe to say this is dang near perfect.

His accessories are sensible - you get a lightsaber hilt that plugs in his belt, and does so without a fight. The lightsaber fits in his hand easily, and you can swap the right hand for one that shoots out Sith blue Force Lightning. Other than including that "motion blade" from The Black Series Count Dooku [FOTD #2,678], which I would love to see more of at this scale, I can't really ask for much more in the way of gear.

The figure itself is also great, with an excellent tiny portrait that makes the most out of multi-color hair and teensy face paint. While his hair and beard are a smidgen grayer than whiter, at this scale, I think it's fine. His eyes are a little glossy, with subtle forehead wrinkles and a dour expression. We've had so much gradual improvements that I assume most fans will just dismiss it, but compared to the 2010 Count Dooku [FOTD #1,426] it's utterly amazing. Hasbro has come an incredibly long way in human head sculpts for movies that are not the original trilogy, but maybe we'll see some massive improvements as new ones start to ship. I don't know how anyone can look at this figure's head and not go "wow." It's remarkable, and of course, there are lots of reference materials from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings including 3D objects and probably a trove of Gentle Giant head scans. Whoever did the work here, they're awesome, and deserve a pat on the back.

Count Dooku's costume and body are great. Well, they're as great as modern figures can be, with a little hinge on the swivel wrist, rocker ankles, and lots of places to make little subtle movements. The elbows don't quite bend as much as I would like, but that's probably OK given how I will be posing him. He stands well, and while you can swing the legs forward it is worth noting his "skirt" does tend to get in the way a tiny bit. It will bend forward, but I am worried about bending any kind of plastic long-term like that lest it break some day. Cloth doesn't necessarily look better, so for now I would say that this figure was engineered as well as it can be if you want it to have the kind of ball-and-socket hip articulation everybody absolutely loves thees days.

I was very fond of the previous Count Dooku figures Hasbro did, which were generally either priced well and often included fun action figures or cool accessories. Heck, a lot of them were even shining examples of articulation and sculpting in their day - but it has been almost 14 years since the last new examples of the character in this size, so I'm glad to see Hasbro take another at-bat. I'd go as far as to say I'd like to see them try again on a number of prequel figures, but it looks we have to choke down the vegetables that are The Acolyte Jedi first. (Memo to future haters: the show hasn't even aired yet and the costumes are drab and boring. I hope I adore the show, I'll probably like it, but I digress.) If you get a shot at this figure, buy it. Yes, even for $17. It's a good figure and it's worth supporting Hasbro when they turn out exceptional work like this.

Collector's Notes: My copy got two identical upper arms - I'm seeking a replacement, but it's still quite good as a figure even with the defect. I got mine from Entertainment Earth.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,125: April 16, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,678: Count Dooku (The Black Series 6-Inch)

COUNT DOOKU Sith Happened
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E8072
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #107
Includes: Cape, hilt, "swoosh" blade, normal blade
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: Attack of the Clones & Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Count Dooku was a menacing Sith Lord and central figure in the Clone Wars.  Once a Jedi he became disillusioned with the Jedi Order and thirsted for greater power. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I can only assume someone inside Hasbro is planing on reissuing last month's Count Dooku because it's just that good.   The last Sith character from the movies - but certainly not the final Sith costume variant - is one that doesn't have a lot you can do with it.  Other than adding Sith Lightning hands, this figure is pretty much the apex of Count Dooku-ness.  Maybe they can tweak the cape later, but it's pretty much perfect as it is.   I hope you have bought one or will buy it when you see it.

While it doesn't have a separately molded hair piece, the Christopher Lee likeness is excellent.   A portrait was printed over the sculpted face, showing what some of us have known for years - Hasbro does marvelous sculpts that can be marred by off-color skin tones or substandard paint apps. (See: a lot of Attack of the Clones Anakin figures in almost all scales 2002-2004.)   Thanks to the strength of Christopher Lee's face, and recognizable features, his figures turned out very nicely.  This one has a weird "doll" painted hairline on his skin, but aside from that it's as good as they come.  The eyebrows, the beard, the shiny eyes, it's the kind of thing that made you glad Hasbro waited seven years into this line to make him.   You never know when the golden age of a figure line may be, but it seems Hasbro has hit its stride right now - we're getting more interesting accessories, better articulation, and the best likenesses we've seen to date.

Articulation is as good as any figure these days, with decent elbows allowing for double-grip lightsaber duels.     We get swivel joints on the boots.  But you're more interested in the accessories.  The cloth cape has a light brown lining without being too thick, plus it has a sturdy plastic "chain" on his neck.  Aside from the unique stitching over his shoulders in the movies, it's perfect - but you can't have everything.  Cloth or plastic, a cape is going to have some compromises at this scale.

Most interesting, though, is the lightsaber.   Hasbro toyed with changing up the blade a bit in 2001 and the vast majority of the figures played it safe, with some flamboyant (and frankly, beautiful) exceptions in its 7-inch Unleashed line.   Hasbro gave us one of those standard red clear blades here, but you can pop it out of the curved hilt in exchange for a motion-blur blade.  Cast in clear plastic, elements of it are painted red to give it the illusion of movement away from its pure white core.  It doesn't perfectly sell the illusion, but the "swoosh" looks really cool. I bet figure photographers and diorama fans are going to buy extras of this figure just to pilfer the blade for customs.

Dooku's costume has been easy for Hasbro to do right since they seemingly have always had access to good reference, with the main variables being things like his face paint and the overall quality of the cape.  Hasbro did right on both here.   I'd call this an essential purchase, unless you're one of the weirdo fans who still won't touch a prequel figure even if it's good.  (Lookin' at you, Scott.)   Hasbro put in tons of joints and his most of them quite well, so go out of your way to get a Count Dooku.   And hope Hasbro keeps making them because you are going to want it later if you miss it now!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,678: April 2, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,917: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Series 2
Clone Wars Cartoon Network / Tartakovsky Animated Series Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85003 No.     85220
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Late 2003
Appearances: Clone Wars 2003 series

Bio: Through the creative vision of Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Cartoon Network, the Clone Wars are brought to life in an exciting new series of short animated chapters. A unique animation style captures the drama of this epic period in galactic history along with its outstanding heroes and adversaries. Noble Jedi warriors lead Clone Troopers into battle against the evil Separatist forces and their droid armies. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda and their comrades struggle against the rising power of the dark side and confront personal challenges against a backdrop of war-torn planets.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: There's something delightful about Count Dooku, beyond the fact that "dropping a Count Dooku" was synonymous with taking a dump on one of my favorite TV shows, Venture Bros.   This figure is based on the early cartoons and makes a decent display piece-- like his siblings, it's basically a nicely-painted, semi-articulated statue.  On many levels, I think this direction would be a good way to go for this and other collector-driven lines as it emphasizes pose and sculpt over broken promises of playability.  (16 points of articulation doesn't guarantee he can still stand or hold his gun!)  This figure can swing is lightsaber, twist his neck and waist... and not much else.   Given the cheaper figures of his day, the slightly higher price point was tough to swallow at first but if there's one thing I've learned, time is good at correcting the "value" of things.   Despite the high-quality of this figure, made of stiff plastic with a great display stand, it's really cheap on eBay.  Never mind the fact he stands well, or looks good, or is part of a really excellent but small sub-line.  Ah well!  If you've got the scratch, this is worth getting.

Collector's Notes:  Samples on eBay-- loose or carded-- go for as little as $1-$2.  Lots of this line are priced similarly.  Unless you're a cheapskate or a terrible online toy shopper, you can afford this one and probably the entire line for a fraction of what it will cost you to buy a typical Vintage wave these days.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,917: October 18, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,426: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Arena Battle
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena Packs 2010
Item No.: Asst. 97645 No. 97651
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #5 of 6
Includes: Lightsaber, Nicanas Tassau figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: Ocotber 2010
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme from execution. The Jedi brandish their lightsabers against the Geonosian warriors and the massive army of battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. All hope seems lost that any Jedi will survive this battle, then Yoda arrives with an army of clone troopers. Although many Jedi are lost that day, others survive this climactic battle that ushers in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' kitchen.

Commentary: Minor upgrades are inevitable in this line, especially now as Hasbro has stated that a lot of their figures are about as good as they're going to get. You can't get much better than super-articulated, so it makes sense that for now all Hasbro did to make a new Count Dooku was create a new head sculpt. The body is based on the 2005 Evolutions sculpt, which has a cloth element to allow the Sith to sit were he so inclined. (He never had the need to, as the only vehicle that was made for him included a unique figure.) There's not much to say about the body other than it was good before and it's good now, although the head is particularly interesting because it deviates from the earlier designs quite a bit. Since 2002, Hasbro made the Dooku figures with heads that were certainly a little more elongated, or a little more narrow.

My first reaction was that this looked like a guy dressed up as Count Dooku, but after giving it a really good look I think Hasbro nailed it. Aside from the fact the figure has a hard time looking straight ahead-- his head tilts up-- the look is right. The shade of white for the hair and beard may not be perfect, but hair color is hard to nail perfectly. With a tinge more grey he'd be perfect, but this sort of thing is not easy nor is it always financially sensible to do perfectly right when what they did really does look just fine. If you look at his face sculpt, you can tell that the expression and the basic form seem to be way better than anything previously released by Hasbro. His hair seems a smidgen thicker, and his emotions seem a little more subdued-- he's not smiling or being evil, he's just there. It looks great, and we already had an "angry" head on this body with the previous release. This may be the best overall Dooku to date in the movie line, so I would put it at a strong "buy" in spite of the figure with which he is packed.

Collector's Notes: The new Geonosis sets seem to be selling well in my market, save for Anakin and Obi-Wan. People have it figured out. There's no reason to skip this set if you've never bought a Dooku, so go get him if you need to add to your growing army of Sith.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,426: December 1, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,073: Holographic Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Holographic Transmission
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 89605
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD21
Includes: Lightsaber, cape, droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2008
Appearances: Expanded Universe

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Bio: The former Jedi is in league with the Trade Federation and cyborg General Grievous to propel his galaxy-wide revolt. Dooku communicates with his allies via a hologram transmission to coordinate the next steps in his quest to overthrow the Republic. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: If I were to bet on anything, it's that pretty much every major character will get some sort of spirit or holographic rerelease eventually. It took Count Dooku a few years, but here he is in all his blue glory. Repaint waves are now required by law to have a bright blue figure, and Hasbro made this one out of parts from two existing releases. The cape comes from a 2003 screen scene figure, while the rest of him is based on the 2005 Evolutions figure. Particularly notable is the "skirt" piece, which is blue cloth-- something I've been whining about seeing for years, and this is the first time Hasbro tried it. In the past they opted not to because they said it wouldn't look good. I think it looks great, but that's me.

I don't see the need for a soft plastic cape over a cloth one, but it's here to complete the look of the figure, as is a lightsaber. The lightsaber with a holographic figure generally serves no purpose other than to give the poor child who receives this as a gift because their parents or aunts didn't think about how boring it'd be, and of course, now it's in blue. You could do worse, I suppose. This is a character where a holographic figure makes sense, and he pretty much rounds out the list of important Jedi and Sith that really needed such a figure. Until we revisit the purple ones and make them blue, that is.

Collector's Notes: A one-timer, so far he shipped during Wave 3 and that was it. As such he currently only exists with 5D6-RA7 parts. Specifically, the right arm. I don't expect this to be reissued, ever, so you might as well get one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,073: July 24, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,056: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Dark Lord
Saga Basic Figures Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84889
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0227
Includes: Red lightsaber, green lightsaber, cape, holographic Darth Sidious
Action Feature: Slashing Lightsaber Attack
Retail: $4.99
Availability: April 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Count Dooku is a disillusioned former Jedi Knight who lost faith in the Republic and abandoned the Jedi Order. Dooku spent ten years in seclusion honing his Force abilities, and, as a master of the old style of fencing, wields his scimitar-handled lightsaber with consummate grace. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: The fun thing about figures from "new" movies-- like Count Dooku here was-- Hasbro sometimes makes interesting mistakes. They're not really mistakes, but evidence of dropped plot points or deleted scenes. In Dooku's case, these exist as evidence of a dropped longer cut of a lightsaber duel with Anakin Skywalker in which the Count employed two swords. One weapon is his standard plastic grip red blade weapon, the other is a metal grip green blade. The coolest extra with this figure, if you ask me, was the little miniature holographic Darth Sidious, which is a kajillion times better than the free bonus holo figures Hasbro crammed in the basic figures in 2006 because unlike those ones, this Sidious actually functions within the context of the toy line as an accessory. This is important.

The figure itself is good, but by its own days it was merely OK. The likeness is very much that of Christopher Lee, but Hasbro made him appear more noble and less evil than the character would see in its future figures. He can slash his weapon when you squeeze his legs, which may get in the way of you posing it but I didn't find it to be a problem. The figure has the standard six points of articulation plus a jointed right wrist, which is great for dueling and such. Dooku's costume and pose are all just fine and all, unfortunately he's been eclipsed many times over by new figures with neater action features or even more articulation. As such, the first release-- while perfectly good-- is not your best bet. Get the Evolutions one if you can, or the basic carded Revenge of the Sith figure. The costume and lightsaber are basically the same, but the added articulation and slightly improved likeness should win you over.

Collector's Notes: Essentially a one-timer, as numerous new Dookus would be made over the years. This one was pretty great though.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,056: July 1, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,050: Darth Tyranus

DARTH TYRANUS with Geonosian Speeder Bike
Saga Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. 84887 No. 84934
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, bike
Action Feature: Lightsaber swinging action
Retail: $14.99
Availability: Winter 2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: As the battle rages between the secessionist forces and those of the Republic, Darth Tyranus wards off his enemies and escapes on a Geonosian speeder bike, hoping to elude capture long enough to flee the planet. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Hasbro didn't release a lot of figures with the name Darth Tyranus, for whatever reason they opted to go with Count Dooku. Which is arguably cooler, except for the fact that it has been adopted as a term for dropping the bomb per Venture Bros.

This figure does indeed seem that someone took a Count Dooku. Sure, it has knee joints, but the figure is basically worthless without the bike. If you don't have him seated on his vehicle, he looks like... well, look at the picture. This figure was one of the most poseable versions of the character as of its release, but the shorter cape, the iffy 2002-style head sculpt, and the raised-up skirt don't do it many favors. Really, Hasbro probably could have just stuck the figure on the bike permanently. Dooku's sculpt is acceptable, but the sculptors at Hasbro have done so much better that this isn't a particularly essential figure. Heck, the basic carded version with sith lightning from 2003 is probably a lot better. As such, pass on this one unless you totally want to vehicle... which you probably do.

Collector's Notes: This set didn't stick around for long, but that's OK because most people didn't much want it. Between this and its casemate, Anakin and his bike, Dooku is the better product. By a longshot. The Anakin that came with a bike is arguably the worst figure ever made based on the character of Anakin Skywalker.

Day 1,050: June 23, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 937: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Wal-Mart Exclusive Comic Version
30th Anniversary Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87792
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Anakin figure, comic book
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.87
Availability: May 2008
Appearances: Dark Horse comics

Bio: The Separatists have kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine and are fleeing Coruscant with their hostage. Boarding the enemy vessel, Anakin and Obi-Wan battle their way to the Chancellor and are challenged by Count Dooku, who is eager for another lightsaber duel with the two Jedi. Dooku defeats Obi-Wan, but is overpowered by Anakin when the chancellor urges young Skywalker to use the power of the dark side. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Hasbro struck gold with its comic pack line, taking new figures and new comicy versions of old favorites. The problem is that some of them are overwhelmingly dull, like Count Dooku here. He's different than the standard release from the basic 2005 Revenge of the Sith figure, but you might not notice that at first. It's worth noting that his beard is all white, his colors are darker, and his cape liner is much, much more dark and red than the basic carded version. There's not much else to mention here that hasn't been said about the basic figure, showing that Hasbro kind of missed what made comic pack figures interesting. This is, of course, new deco and accessories or wildly distinctive decoration. This figure is a great Count Dooku if you just want one, as it has good articulation and a decent likeness. But for comic fans, there's really nothing special here. Move along.

Collector's Notes: The roll-out for this figure, and his wave of exclusives, was more than a little strange. Depending on where you lived and shopped, it could pop up at any time over several months. For all I know, your local stores may still have these.

Day 937: January 15, 2009

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 528: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU The Clone Wars
Revenge of the Sith Evolutions & 30th Anniversary Collection Commemorative Tin
Item No.: Asst. 85553 No. 85727
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, optional Sith Lightning hands
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99-$29.99
Availability: Fall 2005+
Appearances: Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith

Bio: After thousands of years, the Sith reveal themselves to the Jedi. Witness their evolution with these Sith figures! Darth Maul attacks the Jedi, revealing that the Sith are still a threat to the galaxy. Then Count Dooku, a former Jedi, comes out of hiding as a Sith Lord to attack the Republic. Finally, the Emperor, who should be fighting to save the Republic, is revealed as the most powerful and menacing Sith of all!   (Taken from the figure's Evolutions box.)

Image: Adam's toy shelves.

Commentary: Darth Tyranus, better known as Count Dooku, received a surprisingly large amount of figures given he had one costume over two movies for about a grand total of maybe 40 minutes of screen "life."   From his introduction to his demise, he was seen as a strong man with a firm focus and the ability to destroy those who dare oppose him.  (Well, some of them anyway.)   This figure represents the most articulated of them all, with a soft goods "skirt" and cape allowing him to sit and enhanced articulation which allows him to sit in nearly any pose.  His face is much meaner and more focused than other releases, and he has that full range of motion you'll want in your duel dioramas.  His cape has two colors (a nice touch), and overall, this is probably one of the best-overall versions of the character.  His outfit is simple, but he can do pretty much anything you would want.  The normal basic Revenge of the Sith version is also excellent, and between the two, you could probably cobble together a perfect figure any way you see fit.  They're both good for different reasons, but this one is probably the most fun to play with and has the best cape-- so be sure to get one.  As Hasbro seems to be intent to rerelease it once a year, this should not be a problem.

Collector's Notes: This figure has been available on the market in numerous different ways.  The first release was in the Evolutions set with Darth Maul and Emperor Palpatine in 2005.  In 2006, he was released in a boxed set with Anakin Skywalker, a Clone Trooper, and Jango Fett.  The first release is getting reissued in late 2007/2008 in new packaging.  So if you want it, you have no excuse for missing out on it.

Day 528: October 16, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 415: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Geonosian War Chamber
Saga Screen Scenes Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84997 No. 84980
Number: 1 of 2
Includes: Death Star plans, half of table, other figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: Summer 2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones, Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Count Dooku was a skilled Jedi Master and the Count of Serenno. Later in life, Dooku fell to the dark side of the Force, disgruntled with the corrupt Republic, and became Darth Tyranus, the apprentice Dark Lord of Darth Sidious, replacing Darth Maul and being replaced in turn by Darth Vader. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray. Inset: accessory in Wat Tambor's display stand.

Commentary: There was no shortage of Count Dooku action figures since 2002, and each of them seemed to have one or two interesting facets that you couldn't find elsewhere. This figure's is obvious-- it's the Death Star plans holo. The figure itself has a face that, while Christopher Lee-esque, seems a little too long and a little too... caricatured compared to some later figures. Still, the figure has a hand sculpted so he could hold the Death Star plans in his palm, a cape, and well, aside from standing in the scene, the figure cant' do too much else. The figure's sculpt is on par with other Dooku figures of his day, and he has about 7 points of articulation-- in other words, if you have the Revenge of the Sith release or the Evolutions version (both of which were later reissued) then this one is a step down. Except for the accessory and the other figures in the set, which are the real selling points here.

Collector's Notes: While never released individually, the Death Star accessory was designed to plug in to a small slot on the stand of Wat Tambor. It's all about synergy. Or rather, it was during Attack of the Clones, when Hasbro decided it was a good idea to have toys connect to one another much more frequently than ever before (or ever since). Due to the nature of the plastic in the accessory, over time, it may sag-- as such, you may wish to rotate it or take it off display and lay it on its side from time to time.

Day 415: June 25, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 272: Count Dooku

COUNT DOOKU Sith Lord
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85285
Number: III-13
Includes: Lightsaber, cape, display base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: April 2005-present

Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Count Dooku is the leader of the Separatist movement. A renegade Jedi, Dooku has torn apart the galaxy with his plan to bring down the Republic. He is known as Darth Tyranus, a Dark Lord of the Sith. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: As far as bang-for-the-buck goes, this is probably the best Count Dooku out there. With tons of articulation, hands and a head you can "cut off," and a great sculpt, you might be left wondering if anyone would ever be able to make a better one. (The Evolutions/Tin version, while quite good, is basically on the same playing field.) This figure can be posed in a variety of fight-friendly poses, has an excellent likeness of Christopher Lee, and is cheap. If you only want one Count Dooku figure, this is the one for you-- there's not much else you can ask for out of a figure like this except for a few minor things (like where the "wrist" joint goes-- this figure has it in the sleeve, rather than on the wrist), but man, this is one great figure. The cape is very nice too-- but with only one color, it isn't as good as the later releases. This figure also has the best knee joints in ever, as they're mobile, well hidden, and look superb.

Collector's Notes: As an added bonus, this figure is available in the 2006-style "Greatest Battles" packaging. This figure can still be found in toy stores, but not all toy stores.

Day 272: February 2, 2007