Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,136: LOM-Series Protocol Droid (Black, Droid Factory)

LOM-SERIES PROTOCOL DROID Black with Silver Head Highlights
Star Tours Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney?
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $12.95
Availability: April 2017
Appearances: n/a

Bio: The LOM-series protocol droid, also known as a LOM-series droid was a model of protocol droid manufactured by Industrial Automaton. They were designed with insectile features to emulate the species they were created to serve, the sentient Gand. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.   

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I do - and don't - miss the Disney bins. Their Black LOM-Series Protocol Droid doesn't really exist, but it looks cool. Disney put parts in bins with glossy black plastic and silver highlights, and you can mix and match them to make something new if you like. And I got something! I just took about seven years to do anything with it, which really just says how we have too many figures coming at me to enjoy, let alone fully absorb and reflect upon. He's been in a box since I got him and opened him - it's kind of sad, actually.

This particular sample looks like the kind of thing Kenner might have made in the 1980s if they rushed the figure out the door. The official Kenner figure is a little off-model, but this one is gleefully wrong in fun ways. A shiny black exterior with limited paint gives you a figure that could be in the Death Star playset that you probably don't have or the Star Destroyer that probably won't get made, but if it did, you'd be ready for it. It looks like a real toy - like something you'd see in a store and go "that looks cool" and pay whatever it would have cost. That era seems long over, but at least we got a lifetime's worth of figures to track down. Seriously, if you aren't already someone with a complete collection, it's going to take you actual years to get everything unless you happen to come into a complete collection auction some day. And you very well might as fans get older and exit this hobby.

My build uses the same arms as C-3PO with a LOM head and torso, but my pal selected the Death Star Droid-style legs. I like it! It's not "wrong" because there's no actual black droid to copy, and all the parts fit together perfectly. I was going to write "seamlessly" but that's not true - you can see the seams where the joints fit together, giving you about 20 points of articulation. I wish the figure had slightly more paint - none of the facial elements other than his eyes got any decoration, but it admittedly doesn't need a lot of embellishment. The big silver eyes pop really nicely, and it looks like the kind of thing that might be walking around off-camera on the original Death Star.

The figure included no accessories, and since you could pick the arms and legs I have no idea what you might actually find should one pop up on eBay. Hopefully it's similar to mine - it looks cool enough on its own to capture the feel of Star Wars without the actual grit, which is more or less how I think most of us saw the Empire much of the time. I'd recommend it at a fair price - which I guess would mean under $40 nowadays. Good luck, these are not common figures.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Hollywood Studios. Thanks Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,136: May 23, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,969: 1-JAC (Disney Droid Factory)

1-JAC Bounty Hunter
Droid Factory Obi-Wan Kenobi Boxed Set
Item No.: No. n/a
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four are featured in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is the way... for you and your Droids! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Sometimes you see a figure and think you know what to expect - and oh, how you are wrong. 1-JAC defies expectations. Since Disney already had a great 4-LOM [FOTD #2,835] two years ago, I thought we would just be getting that droid again with new blasters, new paint, and a bandolier. Simple! But no - Disney made an entirely new mold, and this time, the heads don't really swap easily. The limbs aren't a perfect fit either. I have no answer why Disney would make a completely new figure over just adding accessories to an existing mold, other than it must have been cheaper.

Compared to 4-LOM figures, this figure is about half a head shorter, with a more detail head and a less detailed body. The blasters are molded to the legs, and the hands are new sculpts that can't hold accessories anyway. To go through that level of effort I have to assume someone at Disney said "we don't want droids shooting people" or something like that, which is just a guess on my part. If Hasbro did this, fans would burn them at the stake, but for some reason Disney gets a lot more latitude. Maybe it's because it's a "it's this or nothing," and while it is better than nothing, it is not very good. It's not as good as Hasbro items, and it's not as good as the last Disney product with similar features - but the sculpting on the head is nice, and it looks fine standing in a box. The articulation is nothing special, with some of the softest sculpted detail on droid knees that you've ever seen. It looks almost unfinished - but again, if it's this or nothing, this is is a better choice.

He has no problems sitting, and mine stands without any fuss. It's not like other figures where you have to work to find a "sweet spot," it's pretty easy to center everything and plop him on a table. If you need someone to look cool, this looks cool - the wires on the belly are nicely sculpted and painted, and the compound bug eyes are superb. I love the "facial" greebles, and the bandolier is excellent. It's just the actual droid body seems like it could have used another few weeks under the virtual sculpting knife.

Since I skipped The Black Series one, I'm happy this got made - but it could have been better, and I bet Hasbro doing it as a remold of an older figure would still be better than this. Given how few 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection droids get made, I have to wonder if Disney has unofficially taken over that segment of the line - but nobody really talks it up much so we'll never know if there's a directive there. It's not like we're getting much for Obi-Wan Kenobi anyway, but it is peculiar that The Rise of Skywalker got a better droid line than alien/human/main character line, isn't it? This set is pretty good for the price, but I wouldn't say it's essential. I will say that 1-JAC does look pretty nicely scaled next to the Retro Kenner guys, though.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Greg. Thanks, Greg!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,969: October 18, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,835: 4-LOM (Droid Factory Line Look / Droid Depot)

4-LOM Disney Parks Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney?
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back
Bio: All different types of droids populate the galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. A rusty droid with insectile features, 4-LOM was originally a protocol droid, but logic glitches allowed him to escape his programming and become a bounty hunter. That proved a perfect occupation. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Since Star Wars as a toy line has been around for about 43 action figure-filled years - plus or minus 1986-1994, depending on where you lived - it is not wholly surprising we're seeing reruns. The last 4-LOM figure from this size was from Hasbro in 2010 (and that was a convention exclusive, prior to that was 2007.) That means the last time a kid could walk into a store somewhere in the USA and see this droid may have been born around 2003, or maybe 2004, meaning no kid under 18 has likely had a crack at 4-LOM in a store at a decent price. It's very easy to forget just how much time has passed, and why Disney would want to take its build-a-droid tooling and whip out something kids, fans, and collectors might recognize and want to buy. Also, it's good.

Due to lighting and dubious reference photos, a lot of figures which we previously bought as "definitive" are being revisited on the regular. This figure is more in line with rcent figures from the likes of Sideshow, which is a departure from Hasbro's and Gentle Giant's older takes on the figure. (It's also a bit different than The Black Series figure, which has more silver on its head.) Which is right? Heck if I know anymore. This is the whole "Han's jacket is blue! No brown! No black!" thing, but it's getting spread over more and more characters. I can't tell you if it's true to the movie anymore - but I can tell you that the figure looks good, and is sufficiently different from all of Hasbro's 3 3/4-inch offerings to make it worth your while.

The basic build-a-droid body is more or less black, with less rusty than Hasbro's releases. It's subtle and restrained, so it stands out more - I dare say it looks a lot better. Part of the figure seem slightly glossy, and the big compound eyes look better on this figure than on any Hasbro release in this size. The gold "mesh" over the green looks gorgeous, with tons of tiny, hard-to-properly-paint applications showing just how far we've come since the last time one of these was in stores. (Hasbro more or less nailed it - with clear green, as a bonus - for the 6-inch figure a few years ago.) Disney 4-LOM has no problems sitting or standing. You can pose him, and tear off his limbs.

I was kind of beating myself up for paying around $20 for one of these on eBay, but it's not bad. ($13, + tax, + shipping, + my not going to a theme park.) I would be furious if it were $20 at Target, but $20 delivered to my door seems reasonable for a figure that seems sufficiently different and like a big improvement. This will likely be your go-to 4-LOM, replacing all your Hasbro figures that aren't intentionally done in the incorrect Kenner deco. You don't necessarily need it, but for those of you wanting something new, or shiny, or possibly the very best, I assume the specially painted rust lines, the red swoosh, the glossy plastic, and the obscenely intricate eyes will be enough to push you over the edge. Hasbro's does have better shoulder joints, but I'm also at a point where a good figure is a good figure is a good figure. If it looked this good and had 5 joints, I'd be happy, but to be effectively what would be two joints short of super articulated is good enough for me.

Collector's Notes: I got this from eBay.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,835: July 6, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,817: LOM-Series Protocol Droid (Silver, Droid Factory)

LOM-SERIES PROTOCOL DROID Silver
Star Tours Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney?
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $12.95
Availability: April 2017
Appearances: n/a

Bio: The LOM-series protocol droid was a model of protocol droid manufactured by Industrial Automaton. They were designed with insectile features to emulate the species they were designed to serve, the sentient Gand. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: Nifty! The Silver LOM-series Protocol Droid is a Disney Parks exclusive, made up of any parts you want. Mine has CZ arms, 3PO torso, 3PO legs, and of course the head. It's a pretty neat design, and a silver 4-LOM certainly feels like a "wrong" color Kenner could have done in the old days. Since no LOM torso was manufactured that I know of, you can just use whatever you want.

What I like about this figure is it's convincingly "off-camera." Like Kenner's old Mini-Rigs, you could imagine this guy hanging out in a line behind R2-D2 and C-3PO on the old Droids cartoon, or appearing in the background of Russ Manning's old strips, or being a broken pile of parts in Maz Kanata's castle. Even with wildly mismatched limbs, it would be a convincing fixture in a Hutt's lair. It's a nifty and completely believable design.

Articulation is the same as the rest, with about 20 meaningful points of articulation - and sadly, no blasters. The silver plastic is nice and shiny, but not vac-metalized. It's still rather reflective, so it may fit in well in any bar or Imperial installation too. The joints mostly move nicely, but as with the others the legs aren't anything special. The right shoulder of these arms have an added silver accent, and of course there are some painted wires on the torso. Theres not a lot of paint here, but what's here is deployed where it counts.

If you have the means to get one at or near cost, I'd say it's worth it. It is in no way disappointing, but it's also completely not essential. It's the perfect souvenir figure, but it would be a build you would likely take delight in having found in a store too.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Hollywood Studios. Thanks Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,817: May 24, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,735: Zuckuss (Kenner-Deco 4-LOM, The Black Series 6-Inch)

ZUCKUSS Or, 4-LOM in 1982 Kenner Colors
The Black Series 40th Anniversary 6-Inch Figure Amazon/Hasbro Pulse 2-Pack
Item No.: No. E9925
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio:  When Kenner first produced the 4-LOM and Zuckuss figures, the names somehow got reversed. In this Star Wars 2-pack, the original packaging has been recreated -- switched names and all.   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!


Commentary: As probably the lesser of the least bounty hunters, Zuckuss being done in Kenner colors is nothing new - aside from the 1982 original, Hasbro did it in 2010 with a con exclusive and I would argue they did a better job then.  Much like Boba Fett, Hasbro seemed to want to put too much movie styling in this one.  It's the same great modified C-3PO body with jointed elbows and moving rods - it's impressive.  It can hold a gun!  It has an awesome head!  But it's only sort of, kind of Kenner colors.

The base plastic is good, but there are two details where it goes sideways - and on a figure with so few details, it's kind of an issue.   There's a red swoosh on this 6-inch figure's chest - the original Kenner toy did not have this, but it was in the movie.  The wiring on the belly was a silvery color on the original Kenner toy, and here it seems to be just the wiring.  I suppose it all comes down to personal preference, but when you say "Kenner colors" I want "Kenner colors."  There were no quibbles about the sculpt at all - and I guess depending on when you grew up, this might not look at all odd.

The head is pretty much how I remember it, and I can't really fault that for being on the money.  If you have the means, go ahead and get yourself one - but much like 4-LOM, you'd probably be fine with either version.  They're different, but thanks to the relative obscurity of the characters and their coloring in media both looks seem right. 

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,735: October 9, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,519: 4-LOM (The Black Series 6-Inch)

4-LOM Bounty Hunter
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. C1207
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #67
Includes: Rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: May 2018
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: A rusty droid with insectile features, 4-LOM was originally a protocol droid, but logic glitches allowed him to escape his programming and become a bounty hunter. That proved a perfect occupation for the cold, calculating mechanical bounty hunter.  (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: Historically 4-LOM is an afterthought - but for Hasbro's 6-inch line, the droid bounty hunter is the fourth in the squad of six!  That ain't bad.  (Also the first three are getting reissues.)   This droid has been in short supply since its debut, in part because it was only in one wave and in part because it seems there's a lack of Original Trilogy stuff in general - so people buy it.  It includes a familiar blaster rifle, and the legs incorporate C-3PO bits, but the deco and new elements are great.

The biggest improvement is in the arms, with elbow joints allowing for the pylon to move and not freeze the elbows in place.  The hands can hold up the rifle, and the shoulders can rotate and swing in and out.  The wrists bend and swivel, with a newly sculpted chest and head to boot.   The head is cast in clear green so you might see trances of green light come from the big eyes, and the chest is the chest.  It has the red swipe, and a hint of the rusty paint we've seen on some of the figures from over the years.   It's a little light on rust, though.  It's also excellent.  The figure can't exactly sit, but that hasn't been a priority for this line - especially not in droids, even when you have some like C-3PO that can indeed have a reason to sit in certain vehicles.

Also notable is the smell - this smells a lot like the vintage Kenner Darth Vader I had as a kid. The plastic smell is very distinctive, maybe you'll get flashbacks too.  I like this figure, but it could have used a tiny bit more paint. Other than that, it's great - and greatly improved from C-3PO.  Get yours now, obviously.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,519: September 25, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,466: LOM-Series Protocol Droid (Blue, Droid Factory)

LOM-SERIES PROTOCOL DROID Blue
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney?
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $12.95
Availability: April 2017
Appearances: n/a

Bio: The LOM-series protocol droid was a model of protocol droid manufactured by Industrial Automaton. They were designed with insectile features to emulate the species they were designed to serve, the sentient Gand.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  Nifty! The Blue LOM-series Protocol Droid brings us more of a class of droid that really hasn't been seen much.   I don't know where the blue droid with chest pinstriping idea came from, but it's neat.  I'd like to have had Disney do things like this on other colors, as it offers us something truly different.

The blue finish is - as far as I know - unique to this figure.  If there's another fictional instance of this kind of droid, I've not seen it.  The chest on this sample is a 3PO body, with 3PO arms and Death Star Droid legs.  You can build whatever you want.  The light blue metallic eyes look great, but I wish the "face" had some more detailing.  The bare blue is a little light, a couple of painted details would have made a ton of difference.  Since it has no real specific place in the mythos, it's great.   I could put this to work in that Sail Barge we may or may not get, or in that other playset Hasbro will never make.   It has no gun, but it looks cool and seems like it would fit in off-camera pretty nicely.

You don't need this figure.  You really don't.   It's one of those things that you'll ignore now and will either be worthless in 10 years or will cost more than your shoes.  I don't know which, and that's why I bought it now.  Or rather Shannon did, and I paid him back for it, because Shannon is good people.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Hollywood Studios.   Thanks Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,466: March 26, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,547: 4-LOM (or Kenner's Zuckuss)

4-LOM ...or Zuckuss in Vintage Kenner Colors The Vintage Collection Jedi-Con and Celebration V Exclusive Item No.: No. 19672 Number: #VCP01 Includes: Blaster, Zuckuss figure Action Feature: n/a Retail: $14.99 Availability: August 2010 Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back Bio: Referred to as "The Uncanny One" by his fellow hunters, Zuckuss was renowned for his ability to discover hidden quarry. His tracking skills derived both from his training as a findsman and from his innate Force-sensitivity, which allowed him to sense individuals at range and decipher the motives of his prey. Due to his famed abilities, Zuckuss was highly sought after, and he found employment with the Bounty Hunters' Guild, the Hutt Cartel, TaggeCo, and even the Rebellion for a time. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.) Image: Adam's bathroom. Commentary: Since I grew up heavily interested in the 1970s and 1980s Kenner toys, this 4-LOM and his cohort Zuckuss were a real treat. Along with Gentle Giant's jumbo take on the line, these figures are a wonderful reference to the toys so many of us had in our pockets before the weight of the world crushed our collective spirits. What's particularly neat about this figure is that Hasbro decided to do more than just repaint him. Based on the 2009 Zuckuss figure, this figure has been given a tan paint job with silver eyes. The faded look is right out of 1982, and it's hard to say exactly what inspired the original coloring-- black-and-white photographs? Toyetic license? No idea. What I do know is that I vastly prefer this one to the more accurate version Hasbro sold earlier, but that's just a matter of my weird taste. If Hasbro did a Luke repaint with screaming yellow hair and a lightsaber to match, I'd be willing to overpay for that, too. (Seriously, Hasbro. Do it. Original 12 figures repainted in Kenner colors, an easy $120 boxed set. Throw in Boba Fett in Kenner colors and I'll shell out even more.) While the plastic elements of the figure didn't receive any sculpting tweaks, Hasbro did change the material for his lower robes to more closely mach the thickness of the 1982 figure. While not an exact match, it's much closer to the 1982 figure than the very thin, somewhat transparent dark brown of the 2009 release. Heck, I don't know why I'm even continuing to ramble on this one-- it's the best Zuckus mold in 1982 4-LOM colors. If you aren't already excited, there's something terribly wrong with you. Collector's Notes: The complete set can be had for under $20, so don't overpay for this one either. Due to the weirdness level, I'd say it's worth shelling out for this one if the secondary market eventually warrants it. --Adam Pawlus

Day 1,547: May 19, 2011

Figure of the Day: Day 1,347: Zuckuss (4-LOM in Kenner Colors)

ZUCKUSS ...or 4-LOM in Vintage Kenner Colors The Vintage Collection Jedi-Con and Celebration V Exclusive Item No.: No. 19672 Number: #VCP02 Includes: Blaster, 4-LOM figure Action Feature: n/a Retail: $14.99 Availability: August 2010 Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back Bio: 4-LOM was an ambitious protocol droid who overwrote his own programming to embark on a life of crime. A LOM-series droid, 4-LOM's first assignment was aboard a luxury liner named the Kuari Princess, where he served as a translator between the vessel's wealthy passengers and its computer. He found this work mundane and undemanding, and after the Kuari Princess's computer altered his programming, 4-LOM began to steal from his passengers. Eventually, he left the Kuari Princess for good, becoming an expert thief, information broker, and, after Jabba Desilijic Tiure altered his programming further, a highly successful bounty hunter. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.) Image: Adam Pawlus' bathroom. The exclusive "Kenner deco" or "error" figure stands in front of the standard retail release version with the correct name on the package. Commentary: Did you ever wish you had the 2007 Zuckuss mold in 1982 Kenner 4-LOM colors? Well, now you can buy it! At first I was hard-pressed to think why it would be exciting, but the comparison shows a few niceties-- the exclusive version has a red light on his head, a much cleaner body, some silver, and generally looks very "classic." It seems like an old goofy space toy, which means I automatically love the super-articulated, 14-joint Bounty Hunter robot. He can stand, sit, carry his weapon, and basically be awesome. What more could you possibly hope for? I prefer this version to the 2007 original, just because it looks so gosh darn clean and space-like. It's really pretty wonderful, and his companion 4-LOM is even better. I wish Hasbro just made these standard retail releases because they are so nice, but well, for now, you can probably get them at the convention or online shortly after the show. Packaging Notes: 4-LOM (modern name robot) also appears in the basic Vintage assortments shipping now, and it is very similar to the convention exclusive Zuckuss (classic name robot). Some key differences are as follows: the Exclusive version has no UPC, the bubble is not extended so that it may stand freely, it has foil, and the back says "Original Zuckuss Card" instead of "Original 4-LOM Card." The figure's pose inside the packaging is also significantly different. The carded figure came inside a box which velcros shut, which itself had a slipcase. The packaging for the individual Vintage figure got a little warped on my sample, so pay attention to that if you want pristine packaging inside your packaging. Collector's Notes: The figure was sold at Germany's Jedi-Con long before its US release, but we don't count that. USA! USA! The item was sold at Celebration V and is like there right now if you'd like to wait in a line in Florida... and these are neat enough to warrant it. --Adam Pawlus

Day 1,347: August 12, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 895: 4-LOM

4-LOM Bounty Hunter Clone Wars Deluxe Figures Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87394 Manufacturer: Hasbro Number: #3041 Includes: Blaster rifle, coin Action Feature: n/a Retail: $6.99 Availability: November 2007 Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back Bio: A programming glitch changes 4-LOM from a protocol droid to a thief and a tracker of fugitives. Jabba the Hutt teams him with the bounty hunter Zuckuss, creating a formidable duo that successfully combines intuitive mysticism with emotionless logic. (Taken from the figure's cardback.) Image: Adam's tables. Commentary: It's a little ridiculous when you think about it, but Hasbro went back to the well to re-remake a minor character with incredible articulation after it was a weak seller 10 years earlier. Apparently Bounty Hunters like 4-LOM perform well enough to redo on a regular basis, because we got one, and the 2007 edition certainly sold quite nicely. Hasbro added this weird new joint on the shoulders that allows it to move in all directions, yet remain slightly constrained, no doubt mimicking the lack of mobility in the actual costume. The figure still looks like an ugly variant on C-3PO, with similar styling, a giant bug head, and a revised torso. Oh, and his hands can hold things. The 1997 4-LOM was pretty good, this one blows it away with so much added deco and articulation that, frankly, it's astonishing Hasbro even bothered. From head to toe, this is a great figure. There's really very little they could do to make it more compelling short of casting it in metal or giving it away for free. This is a wonderful release, and a highlight in an otherwise merely acceptable wave packed with mostly retooled versions of previously released figure. It's a gem, if you're a fan of the six hunters you owe it to yourself to get this version. Collector's Notes: This figure has never been rereleased, but it has been retooled. Pieces of it were modified to make K-3PX in the summer of 2008. It's the third 4-LOM figure made in this scale, but only the second one properly named. The 1982 release was mistakenly labeled "Zuckuss." --Adam Pawlus

Day 895: November 18, 2008

Figure of the Day: Day 420: 4-LOM

4-LOM with Blaster Pistol and Blaster Rifle Power of the Force Collection 2 Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69688 Number: n/a Includes: Blaster, rifle Action Feature: n/a Retail: $4.99 Availability: Summer 1997 Appearances: Empire Strikes Back Bio: 4-LOM was a LOM-series protocol droid who operated as a bounty hunter during the Galactic Civil War, and was hired by Darth Vader to find the Millennium Falcon. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.) Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves. Commentary: Back in 1997, a lot of the then-new figures that were coming out were considered to be nothing short of awesome upgrades to their vintage counterparts. 4-LOM here was not only a mighty upgrade, but an example of one of Kenner's finer "modern" figures. He wasn't too beefy, he had two good guns, he had a neat "rust" paint job, and he could do things like, you know, sit. This was an all-around good action figure and for years, most fans were quite pleased with him. With just six points of articulation, this figure was largely considered to be perfect upon release and not just because they got the name right this time. 10 years later, this figure still looks wonderful, although there are a few things that date it like the lack of articulation and the slightly larger guns. Still, I think this is a stellar figure all these years later and in a way it's a little disappointing to know Hasbro is releasing an all-new version later this year rather than basking in what was really an all-around decent release the last time. Collector's Notes: Originally released in 1997, 4-LOM saw the racks of retail again as part of a Diamond exclusive Bounty Hunter gift set in early 2006. The figure wasn't a huge seller during its initial release, so the droid bounty hunter could be picked up fairly cheaply over the years-- although the same could not be said for his partner, Zuckuss, in most markets.

Day 420: June 30, 2007