Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,447: Admiral Ackbar (The Black Series 6-Inch)

ADMIRAL ACKBAR with First Order Officer
The Black Series 6-Inch Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.:    No. C3225
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, second figure, second blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: November 2017
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Ackbar became a Grand Admiral in the New Republic, winning many victories, including the pivotal Battle of Jakku.   He retired to Mon Cala, but was coaxed back into service with the Resistance by Leia Organa. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  The new movie was full of surprises, including a bevy of costume changes when none were necessary.   Admiral Ackbar was in a vest with a light short-sleeved shirt last time, and now he's in this one-color tunic.  The designs are different - meaning he apparently has a few uniforms... or the Resistance issued new ones in the day or two between his appearances.   His The Force Awakens figure was made as a 3 3/4-inch figure, and the 6-inch figure is his only The Last Jedi uniform toy.   Hasbro (and other licenses) have been pretty bad about picking any one line as a "definitive" collector line, which has made it hard to get really excited about any toy format in the current generation.  Some things exist as a big figure, or only as a small.  Or a LEGO man.  Or a Pop! bobble head.   The 3 3/4-inch line was generally close to the Format of Record - most (but not all) figures would be made in that scale eventually.   It appears Lucasfilm, Hasbro, or Disney is no longer interested in telegraphing any one format as the go-to for the collector who wants everybody as part of their collection.

Having said that, it's a good figure.  Why we got him and his generic companion as an exclusive and not as main-line figures is a bit of a head-scratcher, particularly since the bulk of other exclusives are redeco figures with new accessories or plussed-up via soft goods.   Considering that fancy Rey is $35, it's almost unbelievable that you can get not one but two new-to-this-format characters for $40.  Admiral Ackbar has a more or less typical Rebel blaster, complete with silver accents.  He has no holster, and I don't recall him using it in the movie.

The costume itself is more interesting than its cinematic counterpart.  On screen, it's pretty flat and smooth.  The toy has a lot of wrinkles, hints of a belly, and numerous folds giving it a little more dimension.  It's lacking in dynamic color, but that's true of the entire Resistance's wardrobe.  It either feels like leftover pilot garb from the original trilogy or nondescript earthtones.   The 1983 costume was odd and striking - this looks like something I could've bought at Eddie Bauer in the late 1990s.   Of course, the actual execution is superb.  Hasbro knocked the design out of the park, there's just not much to play with here.

Articulation is good, and so are the fishy bits.  Articulated elbows, bend-and-swivel wrists, and everything you might expect from the very best of this line are present.   His opening mouth is really cool, the eyes are big and expressive, and the skin is covered in subtle shading.  The wrinkles and fishy bits are superbly sculpted, complete with painted elements that give hints of his lobster origins.  Little spines and spikes bring a lot of life to this classic creature, and the sculpting and decoration on his dome were really well-done.   While it would be difficult to capture all of the detail and retain this price, Hasbro did a great job of bringing home the important elements.   This is easily one of the best 6-inch scale action figures, and to see it sit on shelves given that it's a decent item at a fair price is a little heartbreaking - especially since we just sat through Ackbar's last adventure.   (original voice actor Erik Bauersfeld passed in 2016, and the character was just blown out in space.)   I'll miss him, but I'd also  like to say that I really hope Hasbro considers producing a Return of the Jedi version of the character since they showed us just what an awesome job they can do.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Toys R Us.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,447: January 17, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,369: Admiral Raddus (Rogue One)

ADMIRAL RADDUS Projectile Firing
Rogue One   Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. B7072 No. C1973
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, projectile, launcher
Action Feature: Launching rocket
Retail: $7.99
Availability: May 2017
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: Admiral Raddus was one of the earliest fleet officers of the rebellion.  When the Galactic Empire invaded, the aquatic world of Mon Cala, Raddus led the Mon Calamari into battle.  (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 don't think any species has had its planet renamed as many times as the Mon Calamari. Admiral Raddus now comes from Mon Cala - previously it was known as Dac, Mon Calamari, or just Calamari.   And Ryloth is Ryloth is Ryloth.   I got the pleasure of seeing Admiral Raddus early when I (and those who showed it to me) didn't know what he was - Admiral Ackbar in black?   Could he be an Imperial stooge?  An Episode VIII-era guy we haven't met yet?  Something from Rebels rendered horribly wrong?  I didn't know - but when I first saw the jacketed Poe Dameron I had no idea that's who it was.  So why ask me?

As a kid who was bonkers about Star Wars and sea life, this is one of my favorite figures in recent memory.  Raddus' good points - cool alien, decent articulation, fun gimmick - is why I collect action figures in the first place. This figure is a lot like the Admiral Ackbar from last year.  The figure has an opening mouth, with a better execution and superior paint job. The jointing is really top-notch, but the neck doesn't seem to turn.  Both the lower and upper head parts seem to move just fine, with arms and legs that swivel about as well as any figure from this line manages.  The legs swing forward, but not at that perfect 90-degree angle you want - which, if you ask me, sort of misses the point of this kind of figure.  If it's a toy figure, it should behave as one - thankfully Hasbro sculpted the hand to grip his nifty oversized blaster pistol. 

The rocket launcher can be held in his hand, serving more as a cane or a tripod than as a fun accessory. Gravity will not allow him to stand with it,  plus launching it is sort of tricky - if you want Raddus to fire the gun himself while it's in his hands, it's a nuisance. It's not fun.  this is one of those things I really would like to have a longer discussion about with someone at Hasbro because I have to assume there's some reason they do this and I'm not a kid so I don't get it.  I'd want the figure to be able to stand with the gun and launch it from his hand, without having to carefully hold the figure, the gun, and then flick the rocket just-so to get it to move.  It's a nice caricature of the smaller blaster, but I just don't dig it since it doesn't feel like it makes Raddus better.   If I could've had a $6 figure without it, I'd much rather have had that.   Or a second, non-firing weapon. Or a stand.  Or a funny helmet.

Raddus himself is worth the effort to get.  I love the light skin fade, giving him a look not entirely unlike a shark.   The eyes aren't quite as fishy as Ackbar, but they're gold and nice. The interior of the mouth is painted nicely, and the hands are a little more human than some other takes - there are no suction cups here.  The figure's body is hollow, which you'll sense immediately.  It feels a little bit cheaper, but also less top-heavy, so I'm all for this decision.  The sculpted detail is on par with other figures - wrinkly, sharp.  The figure has many pockets and easy-to-miss details like ribbed horizontal designs on the back of his knees.  They really did a nice job with the hip joints too - the vest covers them in part, with rounded haunches so he doesn't have strange, squared-off butt chunks when seated.  If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, you may  have missed the ReAction figures.

Hasbro has been stingy, Scrooge-like, with new aliens and droids since the Disney takeover.  Obnoxiously so.   This is why I'm so utterly delighted to have this figure, even if he's just a black take on Admiral Ackbar.  I eagerly await his pale white crew, and anything else they feel like doing from the background of Rogue One.   If you haven't seen Star Wars Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Dictionary you should get it.  You'll scream.  It's so jam-packed with amazing aliens and pilots and droids that you will be furious the Rogue One line basically crapped out at three waves and three figures.   I'm so happy we got Raddus, especially if he represents the last weird alien or Rebel leader from the movie.  I want more - I'll always want more - but I'd be sad if we never got Raddus.  Fan's Choice doesn't exactly seem to be going the way I'd prefer for the last few rounds, what with the non-movie stuff winning, so I'll just hug my movie figures a little bit harder.  I'm happy you're happy, and I hope you're happy with this one if you find one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,369: May 15, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,270: Admiral Ackbar (The Force Awakens)

ADMIRAL ACKBAR Space Gear
The Force Awakens   Jungle and Space Figures
Item No.: Asst. B3445 No.  B6584
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: "Combine" jetpack,  blaster
Action Feature: Head/jaw opens to "talk"
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: A veteran of The Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, Admiral Ackbar has decades of experience in large-scale combat operations. Even so, the Mon Calamari officer has doubts about The Resistance's chances of success against The First Order. (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: It's a new figure!  Admiral Ackbar is and always will be one of my favorites - when I was a kid and I found out there was an alien lobster man, I had to have one.  It was just too awesome to fathom.   I hope Admiral Ackbar was as excited to exist as I was to have him, but I feel for the guy.   32 years, and no promotion?   Seriously, the intergalactic military sucks.   The figure looks like the movie, and doesn't really have the kind of articulation you want.  But he does have a wacky jet pack, which every Admiral Ackbar figure needs.

The figure itself is pretty great.  The texture of the vest is top-notch, the skin color is pink and salmony, and the wrinkles on his skin are perfection.  They even put a little wipe on them to bring out the suction cups and other tiny details.  The pants are similarly nicely textured with legs that swing forward until the thick tunic prohibits further movement.  It might fit in a vehicle, but the arms are sculpted out a bit and I don't think most vehicles are going to permit him to fit inside.  At least he can stand and hold his weapon, though - plus the jet pack fits perfectly.

Ackbar has the same shoulder and hip joints that this line has been famous for, and the neck is stuck in place thanks to his collar.  To make up for this, Hasbro added a hinge joint in his mouth so Ackbar can, uh, "talk."    It's a little crude but it works and I love it - things like this add a lot of value to an otherwise plain and ordinary figure.  EV-9D9 had a mouth in the 1980s, R2-D2 had a clicking dome, R5-D5 in 1996 split down the middle and launched a rocket.  Why?  Who cares, it's fun!    I appreciate their putting a little something into these figures to make them genuinely more interesting, mostly because it does something.   Love them or hate them, the slide-out lightsabers of the 1970s are memorable nearly four decades later because it was functionally fun and interesting, just like the head here.

His jetpack seems to be designed for him specifically, and as a stand-alone accessory it's OK.  It's not very Star Warsy, but it does have some blue and grey on it and it fits like a glove.  Expansion ports allow for Tasu Leech's gun or Fifth Brother's claw to connect to it to be some sort of exo-frame thing, which is similarly not very Star Warsy.   I'd say it's sort of a waste ultimately, but it's not like it cost us the opening head gimmick - and that I like.

Overall?  You're going to want it.  The actor Erik Bauersfield voiced the character a few times and this may well be his final turn as the alien commander.  He passed in April of this year at the age of 93.   He was largely unknown (or at least not famous) from his role in the saga, but now you know that he was a talented old-time radio guy and you've got yet another figure to snag of one of his most famous roles.   I love it - even if the blaster is rather uninspired, the rest of the figure is a complete winner.  Get it if you can!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,270: September 7, 2016

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,749: Rebel Pilot (Mon Calamari)

REBEL PILOT Mon Calamari
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No. 49704
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC91
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi (deleted scene)

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. No specific character information.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: By your request, it's the Rebel Pilot (Mon Calamari) whose entire claim to fame is that he was cut from a movie and basically nobody knew he existed until last year. Hasbro selected a handful of figures to produce as figures, and this one was the one you voted to see here first! The funny thing is that he's the second pilot from the Rebel Pilot scene to get a figure, the first being Sila Kott. (She was dubbed with a male voice in the final cut, and the figure has a male body.) Like most figures from this wave, the Mon Cal Pilot reuses a lot of existing parts. The legs are from the B-Wing/Y-Wing pilot bodies (see: Nunbs, Keyan Farlander, Yong), at least one of the hands seems to be from Admiral Ackbar, while the other is similar but was probably retooled. The torso seems new, the head is new, and the upper arms seem new or potentially based on another figures-- but so far they seem "new" new. You can't see the rings in the shoulder joints, and they're clearly not reused Tycho arms from 2007 either. The gun is a reuse, if you have Jake Farrell you'll recognize it.

He looks great-- the open-headed mouth is perfect, really the only problem I have with it as a collectible figure is that the neck seems small. It's not a huge deal, but Admiral Ackbar has a huge honking neck and this just looks funky to not hve one. The detail is excellent, the green suit with the new hoses and tubes just looks fantastic. The helmet fits like a glove, although the choice of plastic seems like it could have been better. The light grey border surrounding the face looks weird, even though that's how it looks on the cardback. The spots on the skin are quite different than Ackbar's, and it's another fantastic addition to the Mon Calamari Pilot squad. (He's the second.)

As an actual pilot for a toy A-Wing Fighter, he's basically acceptable. He's not compatible with the most recent release from 2008, but he works with the 1997 and 2002 A-Wings if you fidget with them-- his helmet gets in the way of the vehicle's canopy coming down. If you're a long-term collector you should enjoy this, and it's not like your A-Wings need a pilot anyway-- all 3 modern releases have included pilots, after all.

Collector's Notes: I have not seen him at retail yet. Based on last year, I would not assume him to be in subsequent waves, but I don't know how long this wave will be shipping. I got mine online.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,749: February 27, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,416: Admiral Ackbar

ADMIRAL ACKBAR That's a Wrap!
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 97568 No. 21483
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: VC22
Includes: Baton, viewscreen
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: October 2010
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Fore be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' kitchen in front of his cardback.

Commentary: As a kid we all have our favorite figures. Most of mine were from Return of the Jedi, as my well-worn Admiral Ackbar can attest to. He hung out in toy helicopters, borrowed Luke's landspeeder, and generally kicked butt-- plus he had that whole musical bit in the Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi TV special which really struck a chord (ha ha) with me. And then ToyFare magazine gave him a strong second life by playing up what eventually turned into one of his many catchphrases, specifically "It's A Trap!" Even if Star Wars wasn't a big line for Hasbro, odds are this character-- right now-- would sell well courtesy of the novelty of him as a pop culture personality.

The figure is pretty much perfect. Fans will undoubtedly whine about the lack of ankle articulation, but all this character did was stand around and sit, so without a chair most articulation below the waist is pretty much worthless anyway. He has ball-jointed (or equivelent) shoulders, elbows, and knees, a ball neck, plus swivel wrists, hips, and waist. 12 points of articulation is nothing to sneeze at, particularly when the attention to sculpted detail and coloring is this perfect. The yellow stripe is here, the dark red skin is here, and the fishy eyes are about as close as you can probably get without some new technology being invented. He can't sit too well due to his garment covering his upper thighs, but I'm sure you can cram him into a Y-wing if you really wanted to do so.

Thankfully, he has no problems interfacing with his accessories. I'm totally stoked Hasbro included updates to the old Kenner gear, even if it makes no sense-- his bizarre ribbed baton is a strange piece and rather making jokes that would drive this into adult territory, I'm just very happy to see this unique piece of equipment included. Each hand can grip the viewscreen or baton with little problem, and you can use one or both if you're so inclined. The clothing is wrinkly but not too wrinkly, and his face has just the right amount of personality. Hasbro basically Admiral Ackbar, and I don't expect we'll ever see a new sculpt unless Vintage makes a comeback in the far distant future.

Collector's Notes: This was Hasbro/Kenner's third Admiral Ackbar figure. The first was in 1983 and had proportions similar to the 2010 release. The 1997 version had lighter coloring and was severely beefed up, plus had a snap-on wrist cannon or communicator or whatever. This one is arguably the definitive one, bringing Tim Rose's puppet to life in a way that will probably never be trumped as an action figure. Until they can do blinking eyes, in which case I'll be impressed when 2042 comes around. As a new release its fate remains unknown, but I would be severely disappointed if it didn't end up being a huge hit.

Packaging Notes: The back of the packaging shows two figures which are not out now, and not known to be coming in the next two waves-- if you see one in the wild, take note of the Yoda and Wedge Antilles figures which, presumably, are all delayed until 2011. Other figures shown include Wicket, Luke, and R2-D2-- all of which are out now. Also, this is the first wave of Vintage to surfaced with unpunched cardbacks which may result in super-mint figures being something of a desired commodity. Order online or get them out of the back rooms, but good luck chasing down the most perfect of the perfect!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,416: November 17, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,239: Nahdar Vebb

NAHDAR VEBB Jedi Knight
The Clone Wars Mail-In Figure
Item No.: No. 94728
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, package opens to reveal diorama
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99 + 5 UPCs
Availability: Spring 2010
Appearances: Clone Wars animated series

Bio: Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb battles the military leader General Grievous. Vebb has just achieved the rank of Jedi Knight when he joins his former Master, Kit Fisto, on a mission to recapture escaped prisoner Nute Gunray. On the Vassek moon, Vebb and his comrades are lured into General Grievous' stronghold, where the brave yet impetuous Vebb faces the cyborg general in a fierce lightsaber duel. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

Commentary: As soon as the episode aired, fans said to Hasbro "so, are we getting a figure of Nahdar Vebb? They basically said "we weren't planning on it" but this quickly turned to news of a mail-in figure which mirrors a previous Mon Calamari warrior from the 1980s. Just like Admiral Ackbar, Nahdar has a distinctive outfit with a unique color scheme so that the two characters seem way more related than they probably should be. I think it's pretty cool, personally, plus it's another action figure in my "voiced by Tom Kenny" collection. (Right up there with Starscream and Spongebob Squarepants. And if the right people are reading my letters, Kedzie Matthews.) The figure is distinctive in that he's the first and only member of the Mon Cal species to be done up as an animated toy, plus he has a unique and so far exclusive blue lightsaber. The sculpt looks pretty much exactly like the TV show and just based on looks alone, Hasbro gets an A for affort and an A for axecution. But they also get a third A, and this time it's far more appropriate because it's for articulation.

Some of you might be saying "what could possibly be so good that Hasbro gets an A for an animated figure?" Well, take a look at the inset photograph. As arms go, this is Hasbro's best Star Wars figure to date-- in any action figure line. The wrists are actual ball joints. Not similar to ball joints, there's an actual ball that you pop into the wrist, which allows for swiveling and extra movement in holding a lightsaber or "using the Force." It's a wonderful design and one I hope to see continued on every Jedi figure Hasbro decides to try it out on-- it's a wonderfully simple and elegant design, one I tried to get added to some other figure line recently, but I digress. Nobody wants to hear my war stories, but let me assure you these are Hasbro's best wrist joints yet.

Up next: the best shoulder joints yet. If you look in the photo, the top shoulders are uneven, but the second picture is even. That's because both shoulders have a ball joint which can go up or down, and on the other end of that is another joint which allows for movement in and out. Again, a stunning and smart design which looks great, plays well, and might even be cheaper to manufacture than Hasbro's previous shoulder efforts. It could just be that Nahdar's unique tunic allows for these joints to be used more easily than other figures, but it seems this was a real testing ground to try out new things in Star Wars that we don't usually see.

Beyond that the articulation is typical 2010 styling, with a couple of minor exceptions. The elbows are the now-standard ball, the neck is a ball, the waist is a swivel, the hips swivel, and the knees are balls-- but very nicely hidden ball joints. Like, I didn't realize he had knee joints until I got the figure in my hands. The figure can sit just fine despite a "skirt" being in the way-- nice work, Hasbro!-- and there are no ankles. I would have liked ankles, as the lets on my sample aren't both on the ground if you place this figure on an action figure display stand's peg. At least, not without some futzing.

Collector's Notes: This was an advance, loose sample. As such, don't go expecting this in your mailbox this week. Click here to see the Galactic Hunter image gallery. As such I haven't seen the diorama at press time, but let me assure you, it's cardboard.

Picky Notes: This figure gets a place on the short list of "greats." Along with the 2008 animated R2-D2, this is one of the best figures Hasbro has ever engineered. The quality is unusually high, so if you're one of those fans who only wants very well made figures, this should be on your short list. I hope you don't forget to send for yours before the expiration date which, at press time, is June 30, 2010.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,239: March 15, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,197: Mon Calamari Warrior

MON CALAMARI WARRIOR Just Plain Awesome
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 87614
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, horn, shield
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2008
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: The Mon Calamari are under attack by the Quarren, who have joined the Separatist side in the Clone Wars. Aided by Republic forces, Mon Calamari warriors mounted on trained keelkana fight the attacking Quarrens in a roiling undersea battle. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: While I complain here a lot, the truth is I'm really easy to please. This Mon Calamari Warrior was something I saw on TV and immediately wanted, and here we are, just a few years later! How nice. The species had quite a few figures over the years, from Ackbar to Meena Tills, and now this fellow. The figure has pretty much everything he could have used on the show save for a giant eel to ride around on, plus he was lovingly rendered in that realistic style fans seem to prefer these days. (Although the truth is that fans want everything both ways most of the time, so I assume this is basically what the collective fanbase wanted. But it's what I wanted, so screw 'em.) The articulation is pretty great, the sculpt seems in line with the original alien design from Return of the Jedi, and you have an excess of accessories. We get so few undersea races of aliens that this one looks pretty sharp-- it's clean, sports a cloth lower section, and can be posed to look as if he may be swimming. It's a shame the legs weren't created to work with a mount, but they're not going to make a creature for him to ride anyway so who cares? It's great. The subtle sea-themed armor and bright lobstery skin are awesome, if you enjoyed the original Clone Wars micro-series you owe it to yourself to get this figure.

Collector's Notes: Only two cases shipped with this figure, both of which were basically at the same time in August of 2008. It seemed to sell well enough, but it didn't come back and any you see on shelves now are extremely old stock. I'd love to get more, so when you get bored with yours please send it to me and I'll give it a good home. No other Mon Calamari figures are known to be on deck, except for Nahdar Vebb. Which is shaping up to be awesome.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,197: January 14, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,009: Ibtisam

IBTISAM & Nrin Vakil
The Legacy Collection Wal-Mart Exclusive Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 12974 No. 87885
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Nrin, comic book
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: March 2009
Appearances: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron comic books

Bio: Ibtisam and Nrin Vakil seem destined to be enemies: Ibtisam is a Mon Calamari and Vakil is a Quarren - two species that have been foes for centuries. Yet an unlikely friendship evolves on a mission to Malrev. Ibtisam finds herself becoming attached to the stoic Nrin Vakil, while Nrin's initial animosity turns to respect for the courageous Mon Calamari, proving that the bonds of friendship can rise above the blind hostility of the past. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's Darth Vader TIE Fighter Galactic Heroes insert.

Commentary: How many times can you reuse the same body for fundamentally different characters? Ibtisam is #3 of 4 so far-- the others being two Evolutions pilots last year, the next being Marvel's Shira Brie as a Wal-Mart exclusive. The figure retains the same super-articulated body with 14 joints, but adds a new head, a new helmet, and new hands. Obviously Mon Calamari feet should be bigger, but they aren't, nor have they been on other figures in the past. So for argument's sake, we're going to say she's basically fine. The figure retains the blaster holster and all that jazz, so that's useful, and her hands can hold a gun with minimal problems. She can sit, she can stand, and she looks great. Her giant blue head sits on her slender frame at a slightly strange angle, but it still essentially works just fine. The helmet slides right over her head, just like on the Mon Calamari Officer a few years back, so that's pretty great too. She's blue, which is pretty striking, and the coloring is much brighter than on most other action figures in this line. I think she's fantastic, and a great addition to my now quickly growing collection of pilots. Get this set if you see it, don't be a schmuck.

Collector's Notes: This set is newly available. Its distribution has been spotty, so it may or may not be in your neck of the woods. Be patient, but if it's like 2010 or later when you read this, don't get your hopes up.

Day 1,009: April 27, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 267: Mon Calamari Officer

MON CALAMARI Officer
Power of the Jedi Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84644
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: 2000

Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: A peaceful race of amphibians, the Mon Calamari species have adopted the name of their watery homeworld. Unfortunately, they were a target for Imperial enslavement. After striking back and regaining their freedom, the Mon Calamari joined the Alliance and focused all their energies on defeating the Empire. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Another favorite of mine, the Mon Calamari Officer was one of three figures from Power of the Jedi developed in a hurry as a stopgap way to get more Trilogy product in the post-Episode I marketplace. (The others being K-3PO and a Princess Leia Endor figure.) This figure had a few changes made besides the paint, like the newly sculpted helmet, a new blaster, and shoelaces added to his boots. How he ties them, I do not know. But it's a mystery.

By and large, the figure is a 1997 Admiral Ackbar with a few changes-- so it's not as ornate as his fellow figures in this assortment, still being a little beefy and everything. The sculpting is good, the paint is excellent, and as a trooper, this is a real winner. After all, the number of non-human, non-armored troopers of any alien race is pretty small, and to have more lobster people always makes the 4-year-old in me very, very happy. It's a fun figure with only six points of articulation, but he can sit in most vehicles quite easily and is a lot of fun to mess with. The helmet design is especially cool as it fits on snuggly and doesn't really pose any problem-- which is nice, as sometimes, they're a little tough to get on or off.

Collector's Notes: While not the strongest seller of his time, this figure did fairly well and a lot of fans (like myself) snapped up a couple of extras because, hey, how often can you get Admiral Ackbar's teammates? The figure's price range is all over, but you should have little problem getting one for under $10 shipped. And you should get one, he's a cool little figure that Hasbro probably won't revisit with a new sculpt for a while. Which is a pity, as I'd go nuts for an all-new Admiral Ackbar or any other Mon Calamari figure.

Day 267: January 28, 2007