Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,354: Chopper (Imperial Disguise, The Vintage Collection)

CHOPPER (Imperial Disguise)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch basic figure
Item No.: Asst. G2786 No. G2616
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #350
Includes: Alternate radar dish
Action Feature: Arm opens on torso, removable radar dishes, jointed hands, tilting neck
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: With help from his fellow Spectre crew member Sabine Wren, Chopper (C1-10P) could join his team's underccover missions in disguise, painted as an Imperial droid. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Is there any figure as satisfying as the sensible repaint? Chopper (Imperial Disguise) was a figure I expected us to see when the show was still running, because Hasbro loves a repaint. Well, we finally got him about a year ago - they took the basic droid body, removed an accessory, reduced the paint a bit, and gave us something new. The orange dome is now black with red, and looks great. The body is mostly unpainted, which matches the show. Typical Chopper figures have lots of painted panels and cables, while this one keeps it plain.

He has an alternate radar dish, and I'd have been fine if they left it out. I don't know where to store it, and it's going to get lost - but I guess you have an option if you want a tilted dish.

Articulation is really nice. The ankles move, the wheel sort of turns, the third leg pops out, but what's really exciting is the dome. This figure can spin and tilt in any direction, mimicking his ability in the cartoon. Each arm is jointed at the dome, but not at the "wrist" or "eblow" like Disney's exclusive version of the robot. Since a proper Chopper in these colors doesn't exist in Disney's mold, though, it's moot - you're going to want to get this one. It's also worth noting Hasbro's Chopper mold also has a flip-out arm in the body, with a dark grey interior behind it.

Is it perfect? No. Is it as good as you're going to get? Probably. Hasbro left the back of Imperial Chopper's body nearly completely unpainted, and also neglected to paint the cables on the back of his feet. The animation model doesn't seem to have cables, but the live action one does - so maybe that's why they skipped them here. It's too much work for a repaint, even if it's a repaint of a short figure that probably could have stood to not be full price. But if you want 3 3/4-inch scale Chopper in these colors, this is your one option.

Even if you don't like the show, this is a neat figure - the coloring matches the panels and rooms on the first Death Star. If we ever get a Death Star playset again, this would be good hall filler. (I would like a Retro one, too.) I'd recommend getting this one since he's still at (or under) original retail price.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,354: June 16, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,017: Princess Leia Organa (Boushh, The Retro Collection)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA (Boushh, Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6866 No. F7278
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: February 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures. (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!

Commentary: If you're only going to remake six Return of the Jedi action figures, Princess Leia Organa (Boushh) is one of your best choices. And it's a pretty good reissue - if you look at the official photos, the original product photography had badly-painted helmets. They fixed her! While the sculpting is a little soft, at least the paint is mostly where it should be. An original Boushh Leia in good shape with all the parts isn't terribly cheap, so $12 for a reissue seems like a fine deal. But if you're happy with your original 1983 figure, you don't need this one, necessarily. Well, I do. I love these things and she was one of my favorite toys as a kid.

"Figure in disguise" is an utterly great and unappreciated idea. As an adult, you just buy as many figures as you want - but as a kid, this was getting more toy for your money. If you wanted a Princess Leia toy, you get her. If you want a cool bounty hunter to take on adventures, you get that too - and there's no head-swapping weirdness where you have to treat a literal severed head as an accessory. A rubbery helmet (but not as rubbery as the original!) slides right over her head. It's a good fit. The rifle also fits in her right hand, while the left hand is posed to look cool. It's for s how. The limbs all move well, and the head - while tight - turns.

The sculpting gives you the Hasbro generation loss that, to be honest, continues to be baffling - the original figure was sharper, with cleaner lines and a bandolier that had tighter details. You might not notice it with your old person eyes, but the softer details are kind of disappointing. The 1983 original was known for variations, and while I've handled dozens over the years she doesn't match the head sculpts I have handy. The hair looks a little different, the face shape is changed a bit, and I appreciate that it's different than what I've got. The helmet looks a lot like the original - not as sharp, but close - so it's a weird little imposter. Anyone who grew up with the original will immediately know this new Leia is different, but I don't think she's bad. If you can't recreate the head sculpt with the original eyes precisely, doing something a little different that still looks convincingly like an old figure isn't the worst option. It's not like she's cross-eyed or anything... but we'll get to Luke later.

I had no problems getting her in the old vehicles I had on my desk, and of course, she hung out in the Sail Barge for a bit. I assume she'll be good enough for younger Millennials who missed out on the originals, or their kids, or, I guess, their kids' kids. The design holds up really, well, especially in light of Kenner and Hasbro's subsequent redesigns. In 1996 they made her cape removable... and it fell off a lot. Later releases had thermal detonators (neat) and a ponytail too sometimes, but I can't really hate on the simplicity of the 1983 original. The cape was best represented by some fabric hanging off her leg which you can see more of on her back, and while a detonator molded in her hand would be cool it forces kids into a specific play pattern. Or at least, it would for me - if she's holding a bomb, she's got a specific agenda.

The original figure was a real joy, and the remake is possibly as good as Hasbro is going to want to do. How come they can't get the sculpt sharper? I have no idea. One thing that really weirded me out about this figure are her hands. It seems the factory painted her dark brown sleeves, and then painted the fingers, wish washes out even more detail. Most of the original figures seem to have unpainted figures - thick paint changes how the figure looks. Whoever did their paint masks could have done a better job, but none of these retro remakes are perfect replicas of Kenner's old action figures. But they're also the lowest-price non-squat figure Hasbro sells these days, and even though they're probably a dash overpriced given competitive products, it's not like anyone else is selling you remakes of toys from the 1980s for $12. I'd recommend her.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. I should also note that despite there being an assortment listed on the package, Hasbro only produced these in solid-packed character cases for the US market. (If there were assortments overseas, I am unaware of them.)

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,017: April 4, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,897: Migs Mayfeld (Morak, The Black Series)

MIGS MAYFELD (Morak)
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Orange Star Wars: The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1874
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #15 - Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Includes: Blaster, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99
Availability: December 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Mandalorian

Bio: A hot-headed ex-Imperial sharpshooter, Migs Mayfeld was once the leader of a gang of criminals. Mayfeld's skills and old ties help The Mandalorian on his mission to rescue Grogu from Moff Gideon (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!

Commentary: I think this is the first time a stand-up comic whose record is in my bins has been turned into a Star Wars toy. (And I thought the honor would've gone to Brian Posehn.) Migs Mayfeld (Morak) takes the mudtrooper Han Solo body and adapts it to this new character. Hasbro has been expertly retooling and tweaking figures to make the most of existing assets for years, often coming up with very good releases that definitely work as close enough - and this is one of them, with one little problem. The arm.

Bill Burr's head is seen here with a shaved head and a good amount of scruff Weirdly packaged wearing his helmet, the bright-eyed ex-Imperial sniper looks really good. I don't know why Hasbro decided to hide it - the newly-tooled helmet is no slouch either. At first glance this figure looked like a Rogue One-era redeco, but now. It's a Solo redeco, minus a lot of the "redeco" part.

I'm being a little unfair, but this is one of the few times Hasbro could've made a better figure by saving some money. The 2019 Han figure had a lot more accessories for less money, but also a lot of paint applications. This new figure uses that same body, changing up the battle damage a bit and changing the scuffing slightly. Most of it appears in similar positions - no big deal - with minor modifications. The one place it really fell short was the right bicep - you'll notice Mr. Mayfeld has a red armor piece with three yellow squares. The element on the TV show was devoid of such hues, and a plain grey arm would've been more accurate. (Weirdly, Mando does have a red sleeve.) Sticklers for on-screen accuracy should probably hope Hasbro does Mando in this costume and screws it up too - maybe a simple head or arm swap could result in better figures down the road.

There are always going to be concessions when you make a new figure from existing tooling, but the paint job shouldn't be one of them - Hasbro could've got this one right and saved some money at the same time. I still like the figure because of what it is. If I didn't collect Star Wars I'd probably be amused enough by a Bill Burr toy that I'd want to buy it anyway - it's a good likeness and a nice trooper with a blaster that fits in his holster. Maybe we'll see a fixed variant some day. but until then I can only say that this is almost a great figure. The sculptors did a wonderful job on the new head, and it looks great on the old body. The scuffs are nice! The blaster is fine! The helmet fits just fine. They just need to fix the arm.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,897: February 8, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,592: Han Solo (Stormtrooper, The Vintage Collection)

HAN SOLO (Stormtrooper)
The Vintage Collection Action Figures Target Exclusive
Item No.: No. E5153
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #143
Includes: Blaster, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: April 2019
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Han Solo, known only as Han until being given the surname Solo by chief recruitment officer Drawd Munbrin, and also known as Cadet 124-329 when serving as an Imperial cadet, was a human male smuggler who became a leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic and an instrumental figure in the defeat of the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This is a big improvement.  Han Solo (Stormtrooper) gets his first-ever Kenner-branded release as one of the real shining upgrades of exclusives.  The helmet is shiny and the proportions seem better - the forehead band isn't touching the eyes. It's shiny.  It's wider.  Han's head may be a new sculpt - the hair is a separately molded piece glued down, and the face has that wonderful printing tech on it.  This is one of the best Han Solo heads I've seen at the size.  You probably need this figure.

The body is a mishmash of existing parts.  Compared to The Legacy Collection Han Solo - the last movie super-articulated figure from 2009 - there are a bunch of changes.   The stomach dots are now painted.  The grenade on the back of the belt is non-removable.  The hips are the Sandtrooper joints with lateral movements.  The rest of the articulation is par for the course, complete with 2009 copyrights on the shoes. Oh, and that holster? Still trash. You can't get the gun in there despite it being molded in the shape of the gun. I assume it's the paint.  The blaster  has a lot of paint on it though, and that's a big improvement.

Normally I gripe about a $7.99 figure returning as a $12.99 figure.  Hell, I'll still complain about it - but after 10 years of inflation and massive improvements in the Harrison Ford portrait, I'll endorse your spending $13 on this.  It's a premium over inflation, and I'm sure some of that is because Hasbro knows you will pay a premium for black and silver packaging, but it's good. Hasbro knows it's good.  You know it's good.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.   It's in the men's clothing area.  Because Target hates collectors.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,592: June 6, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,546: Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard, The Black Series 6-Inch)

LANDO CALRISSIAN (Skiff Guard)
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E1214
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #76
Includes: Pike, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2018
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Once a smooth-talking smuggler, Lando Calrissian changed from a get-rich-quick schemer to a selfless leader in the fight against the Empire.  When his old friend Han was held captive in the palace of Jabba the Hutt, Lando joined Princess Leia in a mission to rescue him from certain demise.  (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: For the first time in a while, Hasbro decided Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard) doesn't need a blaster.   This one is more in line with my memories of the 1983 original, with a helmet and a nifty bladed weapon.  I saw a guy make replicas of these in the 1990s, and said that the pommel or butt or whatever at the bottom of the staff was cut-up soda bottles from the 1980s.  He sure could make some cool stuff out of old garbage - but I digress.  This is not garbage.  Hasbro seemingly can't make anything worse than "pretty good," with this Lando figure being timed to come out after the costume had a cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story as something Tobias Beckett tossed on when at Kessel.  We saw Lando wear it in Jabba the Hutt's palace in Return of the Jedi.

This recreates his old costume nicely - there's an armored bracelet on the right wrist, a smattering of soot and dirt, yet the pants are white and completely clean.  I don't know about you, but when I wear nice pants in a light color they're the first things to get dirty.  Hasbro has decorated its Siege toys from Transformers similarly - curious applications of grime all around. There are signs of wrinkles and wear, with an exquisitely decorated helmet.  You can slide it down a bit so your audience can see who is wearing it.  With tusks, spikes, and painted rivets, it's great.  I'm sure there's some high-end version that's better, but this is the very best Skiff Lando helmet I've ever owned.

Articulation is pretty impressive, as the flesh neck can rotate at the base where it meets the body and at the skull.  The elbow on one of mine had some excess plastic that had to be removed, as it was hindering movement. I assume that's a one-off, though.  He has no real problems getting both hands on the pike, provided the elbows are clear of that material.  One hand has a trigger finger sculpted for a blaster, so if you get a spare gun you can always give it to him to display on that 6-inch Skiff Hasbro will never make.

The Billy Dee Williams likeness is also excellent.  The face is a little less glossy than previous "hyper real" releases, but the eyes still have a nice shine to them.  Detail is a little soft, but the facial detail is printed on with a newish process that kicked off in 2018.  This is a good one, and another entry to that too-small group of figures that fit in Jabba's throne room.   I hope we see some more soon!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,546: December 27, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,483: Finn (First Order Disguise, The Last Jedi Line Look)

FINN (First Order Disguise) with Captain Phasma
The Last Jedi Deluxe Action Figure 2-Packs
Item No.: Asst. C1242 No. E0624
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, Riot Baton, Cape, Backpack, Rifle, Pike, Phasma figure
Action Feature: Force Link sounds
Retail: $17.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Finn and Rose recruited a codebreaker named DJ to help them break into the Supremacy, but ended up worsening the Resistance's situation when DJ left them behind to be captured by Phasma. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  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!

Commentary:  While not one of the most popular characters as toys go, tastemakers know Finn (First Order Disguise) is a dang fine figure in a pretty great set.   For a figure with five joints, Hasbro made sure it had a great range of motion along with good paint and accessories.  In short, it's better than I would have expected.

This Finn is way more interesting than the single carded Finn [FOTD #2,442] last year - with the same weapon and jacket, to many fans he basically was the same figure from 2015.  (He wasn't, but perception is everything.)  This outfit is new, distinctive, and has a cool weapon - this is the one I wanted.  Too bad it wasn't a launch toy!   The arms and legs are stiff and rotate rather freely, with the soft "skirt" bits easily giving way to the legs swinging forward.  It's great!  This is how figures should be.

The sculpting seems to be from the same digital source as other figures in this costume, like the 6-inch one.   There are differences for articulation, but they're staggeringly similar.  He has no problems standing, and while I kind of wish we had better arm articulation for dueling purposes it's decent.  He can still wave around his weapon, but his hat isn't removable so you can't exactly replicate the climactic anti-climax of the duel. The cap is great, though - there's a tiny First Order symbol and a lot of tiny, difficult-to-see detail in the emblem.  They did a nice job here.  The facial details are crisp, and while it's easy to knock at this size it's also tough to paint good eyebrows on something smaller than a peanut.  I'm pretty impressed.   I'm also biased, but I like it, it's different, and that's about all I can ask for.  Get one if you can!

Exclusive Notes: This item was not produced for the North American - and perhaps Global - market.  The item was effectively rescued from oblivion by Entertainment Earth, a story I am not at liberty to discuss at this time but hey, maybe some day.

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

Force Link Notes: "I'm with the Resistance." "I can disable the shields, but I have to be there."  "You don't know the First Order like I do."  "You want me to blast that bucket off your head?"  Baton sounds.  I believe most of it is from The Force Awakens.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,483: May 21, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,339: Sergeant Jyn Erso (Ground Crew, Rogue One Line Look)

SERGEANT JYN ERSO Imperial Ground Crew Disguise
Rogue One   Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. B7072 No. C1372
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Batons, helmet, rocket, rocket launcher
Action Feature: Working holster, launching rocket
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2017
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: On a mission to infiltrate a heavily guarded military complex, Jyn Erso disguises herself as an Imperial ground crew worker, concealing her identity under coveralls and a blast helmet.  When circumstances demand it, she can turn her marshaling wands into swift and silent combat batons.  (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: Another Jyn Erso!  This one comes in the Imperial Ground Crew [FOTD #2,283] disguise, and as far as I can tell they share the same body.   The neck pegs seem to be the same size, and the hands and shoes are also seemingly identical.   Jyn's boots are brown, the Guard's are black.  Jyn has fingerless brown gloves with painted flesh fingers, while the Ground Crew has black gloves.   Other deco differences are minimal, but you'll notice two on the body.  Jyn's neck is flesh colored as opposed to black, and the backpack on Jyn has two very small red lights painted on the back that my Ground Crew figure lacks.   It's a nifty reuse of parts and pieces.

The disguised Jyn Erso is a fantastic figure - it's just as good as the Ground Crew but has the added bonus of a rocket-firing gun that's too heavy for her plus a wonderful head sculpt with a really nice paint job.  (Warning/guarantee: few action figure heads this small hold up to scrutiny under bright lights and a macro lens.)  The batons are pretty much the same, and the helmet lacks the open eye area we got to see in the movie.  I'd love to have seen that open window, but oh well.  At least you can use this figure as an army builder or infiltrator on the playset some customizer will undoubtedly make for you at some point.

This is a great example of foresight on Hasbro's part, squeezing two figures from a single mold with just a bit of planning.  I think.  If they're different molds, they fooled me so far.   I'd love to see them do the same with an Imperial Officer Cassian Andor some day, but for now I'm going to be very happy Hasbro made Jyn in the disguise.   It seems movie windows are getting shorter and shorter in nearly every brand and license in the Hasbro catalog, so seeing three or four waves of figures and rarely do we get this much variety in costumes of a movie's hero in this short of time.  Seriously - we got four different enough to be interesting costume changes for Jyn!  That's pretty wild.   So far I've only seen her show up online, but if you see her in stores go grab it.  It's cool.  Heck, order it online if you dare, it's cool.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,339: January 31, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,574: Anakin Skywalker (Naboo Pilot)

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Naboo Star Skiff
The Clone Wars Mini Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. 94737 No. 94828
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, helmet, stand, vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $18.99
Availability: July 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Anakin disguises himself as a Naboo pilot to escort Padme on a mission. He conceals his identity while secretly guarding the senator, who takes on the dangerous assignment of spying on a colleague. Sleek and elegant, the Naboo star skiff is covered in gleaming chromium and armed with blaster cannons to discourage threatening encounters. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's kitchen. The blue dot you can see is my work computer in the other room.

Commentary: I initially expected the Anakin Skywalker from this set to be a pre-paint, an example of Hasbro giving us a redeco before the "real" figure. The fact that we still have no Captain Typho has proven me totally wrong so far, as the outfits are pretty similar. Anakin is articulated at the neck, waist, shoulders, elbows, wrists, and hips, making him a good figure and an exceptional figure as pack-in pilots go. He can bend just right to sit in his vehicle, and the sculpt is basically exactly what it should be. The removable helmet is nice, the head sculpt is good, and the coloring ain't bad. There's some great detail in the boots, and the red plastic really looks good as it seems to have this wonderful texture that brings it to life. I like this set, and it's nice to see another "in disguise" figure for a change. It's a great way to satisfy people who want a new figure with Hasbro's desire to keep cranking out the most popular characters in new forms.

Collector's Notes: I like this figure and I like the vehicle as well. These items will be packaged under a new assortment SKU and a new product SKU this August or so as Hasbro resets the line-- it should be the same toy in a smaller package. If you're a fan of the Kenner Mini-Rigs from 1981 or so through 1985, this is a must-buy. The Naboo Star Skiff feels like the best spiritual descendant from the 1980s Kenner-designed mini-vehicles, and if I could find a way to vac-metalize this cheaply I'd arrange for someone to do that. (I hear companies in China and Asia do this with Zoids kits all the time. This ship would be awesome all chromed out, don't you think?) Also, it looks like this item will be repackaged in a new 2011-style box at a lower price.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,574: June 27, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,443: Han Solo (Stormtrooper)

HAN SOLO Death Star Escape
Power of the Force Toys "R" Us Exclusive Cinema Scenes
Item No.: No. 69737
Manufacturer: Kenner
Number: n/a
Includes: Stand, blaster, two more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: Summer 1997
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The Rebel Alliance has infiltrated the Galactic Empire's most powerful battle station, the Death Star! posing as stormtroopers escorting a prisoner, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Chewbacca attempt a daring rescue of the captive Princess Leia. Can they escape the dreaded Death Star, or is the Rebellion about to suffer the loss of its newest heroes? (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' kitchen.

Commentary: Back in 1995, fans heard that Hasbro planned on doing a figure and when the run was done, it would probably be gone forever. How naive we were! The once-valuable Han Solo in Stormtrooper Disguise started life as a mail-in figure for Froot Loops cereal, and this 1997 retail release was actually a reposed figure with a very different pose and an arguably improved head sculpt. Well, the sculpt is pretty much the same, but the kind of plastic was different and that really did improve its overall look. The figure (with his helmet on) matches the other Stormtroopers of the time, but no other figure had his unique pose.

With six points of articulation this figure is nothing to write home about, but in his day the set was actually quite popular-- after all, it was one of the first (if not the very first) retailer-exclusive 3 3/4-inch action figure to hit stores. (Mail-in figures and club exclusives would have hit by this point.) People were excited, and they paid a slight premium for this set too. Even if you weren't thrilled about yet another version of the character in this outfit, you could leave the helmet on and have another Stormtrooper. Oh, to be young again.

Collector's Notes: This was the second and final "POTF2"-style Han Solo Stormtrooper, but it wouldn't be the last version of the figure in this disguise-- we'd see another one as a Wal-Mart exclusive around late 2002, and we'd also see one in a comic pack as that line kicked off. The first-ever individually carded Han Solo Stormtrooper wouldn't be produced by Hasbro until 2009, 32 years after the figure's first appearance in the movies.

Like most figures from the late 1990s, this set is worthless. Odds are your local comic book shop will sell you one for $10 or less, and eBay sellers are currently getting about $2.50 when someone is actually willing to bid. That is not a typo-- this set is worth about three bucks.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,443: December 24, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,118: Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper Comic Pack, Blue Variant)

LUKE SKYWALKER Marvel Star Wars #4
30th Anniversary Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87518
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 6
Includes: Blaster, helmet, comic book, R2-D2 action figure
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $10.99
Availability: April 2007
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Luke, Han, and Chewbacca have rescued Princess Leia - but now they have to escape from the Death Star! After being hunted by stormtroopers and narrowly escaping a crushing end in a garbage masher, the four are reunited with the droids and nearing the safety of the Millennium Falcon. But tragedy looms as they watch Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi face each other in a lightsaber duel to the death! (Taken from Hasbro's press materials.)

Image: Some old analog antenna.

Commentary: When Hasbro first revealed a new Stormtrooper body with a human head on it, it seemed a foregone conclusion that we'd get Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper Disguise, and we did-- in this weird comic book coloring. A movie version of the mold, which was actually retooled in a few places, wouldn't see release until 2009.

This particular figure is essentially the old Vintage Original Trilogy Collection Stormtrooper, but with a retooled neck, a new head, and a helmet. In short, it's basically the comic pack Han Solo but seemingly just a smidgen shorter with a slightly different "shadow" pattern. The fact that it's super articulated isn't enough for some fans, but the real appeal from these Marvel-themed comic packs is that this is essentially a wacky pop-art, urban vinyl, quasi-bootleg redeco of a popular figure. If you had a case of these on your wall, it'd look like some strange toy art installation. As such, there's no real reason for fans of movie figures to get these unless you can really appreciate something weird, as these certainly qualify. I'd almost suggest only buying comic packs like these to new fans, as it's a much smaller sub-collection of product and it has a unique look. Plus you can easily "complete" the set, as very few Marvel sets were made so far. (Although I guess it could go up to 107, plus annuals, plus the ROTJ adaptations, plus the Ewoks/Droids books... so it's up to you.)

Collector's Notes: This figure is back in stores in the red packaging after previously having been released as a 30th Anniversary Collection comic pack. However, it is the other variation, which looks significantly different than this one. Different enough to constitute a new figure. This release has blue "shadows," the second drops all the blue and looks like a normal Stormtrooper with red eyes.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,118: September 25, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,070: Deena Shan

DEENA SHAN with Lt. Jundland
30th Anniversary Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #14
Includes: Hat, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: Late 2007
Appearances: Star Wars: Empire comics

Bio: Deena Shan leaks false information about the Rebels' base to lure Imperial forces into a trap - but at a heaertbreaking cost to her. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor, in front of the Imperial ARC-170.

Commentary: Figures based specifically on original characters from the post-Star Wars, pre-The Empire Strikes Back era are far and few between. In a way it's kind of a shame that one of the few, Deena Shan, is based on a relatively recent introduction to the galaxy. So, what's the deal with Deena? Turns out that this is the first of two (so far) figures based on the character, and this one was developed as a repaint of the Juno Eclipse figure. However, it was released before Juno due to a number of delays which are the kind of thing you really only see in the Hasbro toy line.

Compared to Juno, Deena is paler, with lighter hair, and a grey costume rather than black. The articulation is about as good as you can expect, with 14 joints plus the annoying "skirt" element which restricts leg movement and prevents Ms. Shan from taking a seat in your favorite vehicles, which really renders a lot of that lower leg articulation moot. If you can't move the hips, do knee joints really matter? Not really. As a rare female addition to your Imperial forces, or technically Rebel forces, you may as well pick this set up if you are given the chance. The level of detail is excellent, and it's not like there's a lot of women toys to be made from the military parts of Star Wars. But is it authentic?

Basically. The costume is pretty close to how she looks in the comic, but her hair is different, the bust of the figure is far smaller (hey, I notice these things!), the belt is different, there are no logos or pockets on the sleeves either. Truth be told, the comic character looks a little more like an AT-ST driver costume jumpsuit. So really, this is a pretty poor reproduction of the comic character but it does make for an excellent generic female Imperial officer.

Collector's Notes: Deena has two unique head sculpts. One has a bun on the back of her hair, one does not. As it's fairly pronounced, there's really no missing it. This bun is on later shipments, and is truer to the comic art. While she doesn't look too much like the comic art, it's not like I expect a lot from a repaint. Hasbro apparently needs to cut costs where they can, and the total lack of fan outcry over this piece shows they were smart in deploying those cuts here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,070: July 21, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 875: Basso in Stormtrooper Disguise

BASSO in Disguise
30th Anniversary Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87555
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet, comic, Mouse figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Late 2007
Appearances: Star Wars: Empire comics and the Star Wars radio drama

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room floor.

Bio: Rebels infiltrate an Imperial base on Kalizt IV to free Jorin Sol before he is tortured into revealing the location of the Alliance's fleet. Disguised as stormtroopers, Mouse and Basso enter the facility to carry out their assignments. While Mouse plants explosive charges to destroy the facility, Basso discovers that captured civilians are being used as slaves by the Imperials, and convinces the Rebels to free them. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: It's almost disgusting how many times Hasbro can use the same body to make multiple viable and yet different figures. Basso here is one of many to go incognito as the Empire's "finest" during his tenure as a member of the Rebellion. I'm not sure why he has the fancy markings around his human head, but he does have a fancy pauldron which makes him look a little more interesting. Given he uses a popular Stormtrooper body, it shouldn't surprise you to hear that he has 14 points of articulation and, for the most part, is a worthy addition to your army. His removable helmet basically means you can make him a plain Stormtrooper, which may come in handy if you can get a lot of him on the cheap. Really, Hasbro didn't have to do much work here-- an added accessory and a new head can easily generate a new character, plus I have little doubt we'll see the head again in the future to do one of those Rebel commando figures. They're making the body to use with Luke, after all, a simple head swap could result in multiple additional figures quite easily. But anyway, the point is this Basso is pretty great. He doesn't really bring much new to the table, but he does allow Hasbro to make an Expanded Universe character with limited cost and risk-- after all, who wouldn't like to own more Stormtroopers?

Collector's Notes: A strong seller, but not impossible to find. The figures essentially acted as extra troopers for your forces. The same basic body was used to make Mouse, comic versions of Stormtrooper Luke and Han, and a Clone-inspired Stormtrooper. The body will be used for movie versions of the figures, a Spacetrooper, and some Legacy-based comic figures for an upcoming Entertainment Earth exclusive due in 2009. The body was itself originally the 2004 "vintage" Stormtrooper.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 875: October 21, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 835: Biggs Darklighter (Imperial Pilot)

BIGGS DARKLIGHTER Imperial Pilot
The Legacy Collection Imperial Pilot Legacy
Item No.: Asst. 87874 No. 87650
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet, two clones
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 26, 2008
Appearances: Star Wars: Empire comic book series

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Bio: Biggs Darklighter was a starfighter pilot of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and childhood friend of Luke Skywalker. Darklighter flew a T-65 X-wing starfighter with Red Squadron during the Battle of Yavin as Red Three. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Commentary: From 1977 to 2006, Biggs Darklighter had exactly one action figure. Since 2007, he's had three-- one and a half of which are new sculpts. This one is based on the 2004 TIE Fighter Pilot body, with a few changes. From the waist down, he's essentially that old figure. His arms, head, torso, and helmet are completely new. He's not quite super-articulated as he has no ankles, with the detail on his costume being decent for a toy that's 50% four years old-- oh, and they got a holster on him, too. That's a first for an Imperial Pilot.

The strangest thing about this figure is his helmet. If you read the Empire comics on which it is based, there were notes in the comic indicating that the unusual cut-away helmets were used purely for artistic license so you, the reader, would be able to identify one character from another. (Sensible.) The problem is Hasbro missed the memo, so what you have here is an interpretation more than a replica-- it's like the Marvel-based figures. The artists didn't intend for them to be goofy covers, it was just the limitations and aesthetics of the medium circa 1977 coming in to play. Likewise, the artistic license employed for the comics was brought to the world of toys, which is both good and bad. Good, because it's something different. Bad, because we still don't have a normal super-articulated TIE Fighter Pilot yet.

Ultimately, it's a neat figure. This particular Biggs Darklighter really isn't like anything you have, and the enhanced articulation is always nice to see. Since this is the only TIE Fighter Pilot on the market today, it might be worth getting, despite the big goofy helmet. (You can tell in the picture that the helmet is positively huge when compared to the rest of the head.) I really do feel Hasbro would have been better served with an enclosed helmet, but what do I know, I just buy these things.

Collector's Notes: A new release, and a popular one-- two of the three figures in this set are squarely non-film items, making it a unique little release well worth picking up. It's not yet known how popular it will be in the long run but I expect it to sell well as fans require more pilots to populate their ships. The other figures in the set are a Clone Pilot based on a combination of Attack of the Clones and Clone Wars concepts while the final figure is a super-articulated (save for the ankles) pilot from Revenge of the Sith, now with a removable helmet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 835: August 26, 2008