Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,801: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged White Style 4
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85777
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old desk.

Commentary:  You might not be interested in reading about this Clone Trooper but rest assured, I'm not interested in writing about it, either.  Based on the once-legendary perfect rock by which all future figures would be measured, this Entertainment Earth exclusive white trooper has some black spots on it to simulate battle damage.  It's not what I had in mind when I pitched "battle damage" but you can't win 'em all.  (Hasbro would go on to do excellent damage on several clones later in 2005.)  He has a gun, is articulated nicely, and basically looks good.  These sets are pretty cheap and the figures sit adequately, so your main reason for picking him up-- aside completeism-- is to use them as filler for your vehicles.  You're going to need a few dozen clones for your AT-TE, and this is as good of a style as any.  To date, these exclusive damaged clones have never been sold outside the exclusive multi-packs, but (of course) the white and ranking troopers have been released a few times by now.

Collector's Notes: You should be able to get this set for about $30 on eBay, which I would argue is about right.  I appreciate that an army-builder set took the then-best mold and mixed up the deco a bit, and I'd love to see some of that thought applied to Stormtroopers or other troops today.  We've been getting too many plain white ones, and the same white ones at that, reissued time and again since what, 2008 or so?   Just throw some mud on the figure and it's "new," Hasbro.  We'll buy it.  We're not that smart.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,801: May 9, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,750: Damaged Yellow Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged Yellow
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85774
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Many many years ago, I took a lot of pictures of figures to do "later" and this Clone Trooper was one of them. The funny thing is that while I actually take great joy from reviewing new Clone Trooper figures, I can't say I much care to talk about the older ones. (With other characters, it's the opposite-- I love writing about stuff from the 1990s.) This particular yellow clone is the one on the left-- he has some dirt on him, and this version was never sold anywhere but in the Entertainment Earth gift sets. (The yellow trooper debuted here, but would later be sold carded and with relocated yellow rank dots.)

The figure is made of the 2003 super-articulated Clone Trooper, but given new paint. Back then, it was the Rolls Royce of Star Wars figures and for quite some time seemed to be the untoppable high point of the line. The only thing that could make it better would have been more joints, and Hasbro basically finally did that in 2011. (Some may disagree that the new sculpt is better.) I like this figure for what it is, and from when it is, and so far it hasn't been brought back. Because of the black blast markings I'd suggest tracking it down, but if you're anything like me you realize that you have close to 200, if not more, different Clone Troopers and anything that isn't wildly different or totally new is hard to view as anything better than merely OK.

Collector's Notes: Today this set is worth $10 or so on eBay, making it a surprisingly good deal. Of the four sets, the color/dirty configuration was the first to sell out at Entertainment Earth every time.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,750: February 28, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,636: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged White Style 3
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive (and others)
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85777
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Having since been eclipsed in terms of articulation and sculpt quality, the former gold standard for a good Star Wars figure was this Clone Trooper. Painted many, many different ways, this particular version was one of four "battle-damaged" versions. Hasbro really came into its own with fantastic damage deco in late 2005... but this came out in early 2005, and big black burn marks were what were called for early on. A large black spot on the right shin and just next to the right shoulder set this apart from the rest, sharing the same sculpt with numerous other clones. It ages fairly well, but the exclusive clones from these sets were before Hasbro made new discoveries in white plastic-- so it's possible these will discolor over time, like other Vintage white figures from the 1970s and 1980s. As such, don't display them in the sun. For dioramas and the hardcore Clone fan, you already know that this is a great addition to a display. It's unique and there aren't many white damaged clones out there, so this is a wonderful way to mix up your shelves. On the other hand if all you want is the best example of a given character, well, the 2011 Vintage clone is tough to beat!

Collector's Notes: Time seems to be bad for most Star Wars pre-2008-- which is good for you on the secondary market. A recent eBay sale on this very set closed for $0.99 before shipping... which was $12, but still, that's a freaking bargain.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,636: September 21, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,621: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged Green
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85774
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room.

Commentary: This mold got a lot of mileage in early 2005, after the Clone Trooper was a plain white figure in late 2003 and largely absent in 2004. This edition is green, which, depending on who you ask at Hasbro or Lucasfilm, is (or isn't) the correct green as seen on screen. Gentle Giant seems to think the sergeant is actually browner, and Sideshow agrees. So to date, Hasbro hasn't done that more olivey version. Maybe with the new "Vintage" 2011 mold... or not, this could be another "Is Han's Jacket Blue Or Brown?" thing that gets played up for repaints and variations until we're all dead.

With 14 joints, this figure is largely one of the best molds from its era, and was still an exciting figure up until just recently. Heck, in some respects, it's still exciting-- the arms have a much larger range of movement than the 2011 sculpt, but it's also a little bit chunkier. So if you like your clones on the chubby side, this is the one for you. The added green "damage" is unique to this release, and dresses up an otherwise plain figure quite nicely.

Collector's Notes: This figure is a one-timer so far, although the clean green version has been repackaged a few times. Of the four packs, the battle damaged color set from which this very figure hails was always the first to sell through.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,621: August 31, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,485: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged White Style 2
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive (and others)
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85777
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: Back in 2003, fans were still clamoring for more Clone Trooper figures and in early 2005 Entertainment Earth had an exclusive set of clones that basically satisfied demand for the then-hugely-popular super-articulated version of the figure. Rather than crank out all white figures, there were four "rank" figures as well as four "damage" deco jobs, as well as mixes of the two-- this is one of the "damaged" white clones. With a black splotch on his shin and his chest, there's not a lot of damage here, but back in 2005 any sort of damage was a welcome change in our figures. Since the figure's mold (but not deco) is still in circulation, it's no stretch to say that this is some of Hasbro's better work. I don't necessarily think you'll want to pay a premium for battle damage variants given how many hundreds of different Clone Trooper figures have been made since this one hit mailboxes, but hey, it's one more for the armies and for your vehicles if you're so inclined.

Collector's Notes: This deco is exclusive to this set, so shop accordingly.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,485: February 22, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,421: Clone Commander (Damaged)

CLONE TROOPER Damaged Red
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85774
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: What a difference five years makes! In 2005, fans were starving for more Clone Trooper action figures-- as of the end of 2003, Hasbro had only released a handful of the white armored warriors and only one of them had 14 points of articulation. In 2004, there were practically no new Clones, as the entire year's basic retail line was devoted to the original trilogy. (This hasn't happened since.) In early 2005 Hasbro shifted gears hard and fast, giving fans 12 Clones in the Entertainment Earth exclusive gift sets... and then hundreds more in the following years.

This one is based on the 2003 Clone Trooper from the original non-animated Clone Wars line, which was the very first super-articulated Star Wars action figure. He has 14 points of articulation, a distinctive red color indicating his rank as a captain, and some black spots which were what passed for Battle Damage in those days. Later in 2005 we'd see some pretty intricate designs in the Evolution line showing dirt and scrapes, but black blots were what was "normal" before then. He includes the short blaster-- again, something of an oddity at that time-- and this figure was really hot stuff for a while. Over five years later we have been treated to numerous carded versions of the figure with slight variations on deco and materials used, so that's one of the reasons this set isn't a ton of money on the secondary market. It's unique, but there are plenty of lower-cost similar releases to be had on the cheap.

Collector's Notes: The sets of 4 seem to sell for about $30-$35, which isn't bad. To date, the individual Clones with damage have not been sold individually, so if you want this variant, track down the boxed set. The individually carded Saga Legends (2007 with coin) version of the non-damaged figures are also worth snagging due to their plastic being a whiter white and the rank dots being placed more appropriately on the later releases. And yes, I consulted on this project, so I'm biased to like them. This set (and entire run) had multiple production runs and kept selling out, with this set-- "color battle damage"-- always selling through first. People have good taste.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,421: November 24, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,386: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Damaged White Style 1
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive (and others)
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85777
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: If you bought the four unique Clone Trooper army builders from 2005, you may have noticed that the four white "battle damaged" clones each had a unique pattern of "damage." Some said "mold," but blast marks are blast marks. With 14 points of articulation, the sculpt reuses the super-popular 2003 figure which, in a lot of ways, is the common ancestor for nearly every now-modern figure being released in 2010. So back to the damage-- this one has two distinct splotches on the front which, if memory serves, Hasbro said something to the effect that it made more financial sense to do dirt on the front than on the back. (If this memory is correct, I agree with them.) Both markings are on the figure's left-hand side, with one splotch of paint on the chest plate and another on the shin, just above the knee. For whatever reason, Hasbro has continued to use this mold but neglects to put any battle damage of any sort on the figure. Seeing how this clone mold has been in constant circulation since 2007, frankly, I can't see why they don't try this or another form of "damage" on the figures. Even though Saga Legends is the kiddie line, half a penny's worth of black paint could make this mold desirable to adult fans yet again.

But I digress. This is a solid figure, one of four unique patterns, and it's pretty good. If you do dioramas or displays, this set is a must-buy simply because there are no other official "damaged" clones using this mold other than this specific collection. (Also, I had a hand in how it took shape, so yes I am biased. But you would be too, just look at these figures. They're great.)

Collector's Notes: While it's hard to see in the picture (and in person), this figure's plastic was mixed before Hasbro seemed to crack the code to make figures not yellow. As such, it's not uncommon for the figure to have an off-white or slightly yellow torso. The white plastic for the body is different than that of the arms, which, really, has been a problem with these figures since 1978 and the infamous "green limbs" Chewbacca. (For the kids out there, that's a sun-damaged figure and not a variant.)

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,386: October 6, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 326: Dannik Jerriko

DANNIK JERRIKO Cantina Encounter
Post Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85325
Number: 0508
Includes: Hookah pipe, blaster, base, two proboscises
Action Feature: Removable proboscises
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Early 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Dannik Jerriko is a very dangerous Anzati. When he attacks a victim, he uncoils small, trunk-like organs (called proboscises) hidden in his cheeks, inserts them into the victim's nose and ingests the person's blood and brain matter. Even the nastiest creatures in the cantina stay away from Jerriko. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Few figures as insignificant (in terms of screen time and story) as Dannik Jerriko were given quite as royal a treatment, but in 2005, Hasbro gave three brand new Cantina characters the best figures you could hope for. With articulated wrists, knees, shoulders, elbows, neck, waist, hips, this figure has 12 points of articulation-- that's twice what the average figure had from 1995-1999. The figure has two holsters, one for his pipe, and one for his blaster. The figure also has two removable cheek extensions, which are good and bad-- it's a nice touch that Hasbro would include this rarely seen extra from the character's back story, but the problem is that when removed, you get two big holes in his face which aren't exactly the most photogenic. Since the figure can sit or stand well, has articulation most fans would be satisfied with, and just plain looks good for an action figure of this character, this is one you need to own. I'm not quite a big fan of the idea of the "brain vampire" when compared to the hairy cyclops in a blue suit or the tundra goat alien man, but hey, all the figures look good-- so why not add them to your collection?

Collector's Notes: Along with Myo and Feltipern Trevagg, this figure was sold briefly in 2005 before Revenge of the Sith figures started to trickle out. These were in short supply in some markets and very common in others-- today, the figures are going to cost a little more than its original retail price-- but overall, this is OK, it's good enough to warrant a slight premium (unless you can find it for less.) Plus it has great packaging, and to date has not been planned for a reissue. Although if Hasbro ever does feel like rereleasing it with a hole-free head, I'd be all for buying it again.

Day 326: March 28, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 321: Clone Trooper Commander

CLONE TROOPER Commander
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85775
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: After patrolling Kamino, the figure takes a moment away from exploring for a photo shoot on Adam Pawlus' stairs.

Commentary: In 2003, fans (including myself) were screaming for more Clone Trooper figures as Hasbro seemed to be going out of their way to make them hard to get, and a real lack of variety didn't help things. So in 2004, Entertainment Earth came to me and said "we want to do some Clones with Hasbro, what should we do?" So after some harassing of many people, I got what I wanted-- four packs of four, with all ranks, and battle-damaged figures too! This yellow Clone has 14 points of articulation, most of which are basically ball joints, and the ability to carry pretty much any weapon. As far as articulation goes, this is one of the best, so be sure to get it if you see it.

Collector's Notes: After three big shipments, this item was discontinued in Fall 2005. The figure was based on a 2003 Clone Trooper sculpt, except this release has foot holes. (The same mold was also used for a Wal-Mart exclusive carry case that had a plain white Clone with no weapons.) This same body was used yet again for the Utapau Shadow Trooper (which got new paint and a new head), and the Target Clone Trooper (which also got the new paint and new head treatment.)

In addition to this figure, there's a Yellow Clone Commander in the Wal-Mart 2-packs based on a different, less articulated sculpt, and another one in the Clone Wars 3-packs that includes binoculars. And, of course, a battle damaged version of this one.

Day 321: March 23, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 240: Feltipern Trevagg (Gotal)

FELTIPERN TREVAGG Cantina Encounter
Post-Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85323
Number: 0506
Includes: Stand, blaster pistol, glass
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: March 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Feltipern Trevagg is a bounty hunter who tracks Obi-Wan Kenobi to Tatooine after the Clone Wars but loses him. Trevagg stays on the planet and becomes a corrupt tax collector in Mos Eisley. His species is called the Gotal, who can sense emotions and energy waves that many speices can’t, a trait that comes in handy for tracking. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: Look at him, he's perfect. He's got a sneer, he's drinking, and he has that not-so-wide-stance that fans demand. Feltipern Trevagg (or "Gotal") is one of the three infamous (and awesome) 2005 Cantina aliens that Hasbro made with collectors in mind. Along with Myo and Dannik Jerriko, these figures have enhanced articulation, great poses, and they're all drinking or smoking and have guns to boot! The only thing Trevagg is missing, which his compatriots do have, is a holster for his gun. Which, by the way, is a nicely painted reuse of the Bespin Guard's gun.

The figure's sculpt is one of Hasbro's best, and the articulation is excellent. There's 12 points of articulation, but as the knee joints can rotate as well as bend, you might want to count those twice. The face is perfect, the costume is nicely detailed without overdoing the texture, and the paint seems to match the character photography about as perfectly as one can hope for. If you see one, you'd probably want to buy one-- Cantina figures don't come a lot better than this.

Collector's Notes: This hard-to-find alien was available for a very brief time in early 2005. In some areas, he sold out immediately. In others, he didn't sell at all, so depending on how many stores you visit or where you live, your stories on how much you like/dislike the figure and its availability are subject to change. According to eBay, though, the figure is somewhat in demand and will cost you double (or more) its original price if you want to add one to your collection. No plans are known for Hasbro to reissue this one yet, and it probably wouldn't be a bad idea if they wanted to do it.

Day 240: January 1, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 207: Pablo-Jill

PABLO-JILL Geonosis Arena
Post-Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85159
Number: 0501
Includes: Lightsaber, display stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99-$6.99
Availability: Winter 2005
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The heroic Jedi Knight Pablo-Jill is stationed at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He is one of the courageous Jedi who go to Geonosis to help rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi from the evil Separatist forces at the first battle of the Clone Wars. Like all Jedi, he uses a lightsaber for defense and combat, and is skilled in the ways of the Force. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy shelves.

Commentary: In 2002, this figure was tops of many fans' wish lists. In 2005, Pablo Jill made a too-brief appearance at retail, and looked like a figure from 2002. With a "unileg" of sorts-- as in, he's one piece from the waist down-- it seemed obvious this was a figure where Hasbro cut some corners. Sure, his arms are nicely jointed-- you get a swivel elbow, wrists, and shoulders-- but aside from the waist and neck, that's all you get. What we have here is essentially a statue, and given the character had very little time on-screen (and zero dialogue), well, he's a second-class citizen. He's really not capable of a lot of poses, but his freaky design, unusual face, and relative hardness-to-get makes this figure very popular with some collectors. (Mostly ones who don't yet have him.) He's really nothing to shout about, as he didn't live up to the standards of his time. But he's neat enough as alien Jedi go.

Collector's Notes: He might go for a few bucks on eBay, so if you see him for a fair price, odds are you should make a quick decision to buy (or to not buy.) There are no currently known plans for a reissue, and as a short-run figure, it really doesn't seem like Hasbro has a good reason to trot out a new version or a second run of the old one. Were I you, I'd buy it if I saw it-- unless you're reading this in 2011 and a super-articulated version is coming, in which case you should ignore this and just get the new one.

Day 207: November 29, 2006

Figure Of The Day: Day 196: Myo

MYO Cantina Encounter
Post-Original Trilogy Collection Transitional Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85324
Number: 0507
Includes: Blaster, glass, display base
Action Feature: Holster stores blaster pistol
Retail: $5.99
Availability: 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Myo spends a lot of time in the Mos Eisley cantina, hoping to get into a fight. His species, the Abyssin from the planet Byss, are primitive, violent and can re-grow lost limbs. Myo is very fearless and with his one central eye, he can spot trouble as it is about to happen—when he isn’t finding a way to cause it. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's toy shelves, again.

Commentary: In early 2005, fans received quite the assortment of action figures from Hasbro-- some of which were hard to get, and there were only eight new sculpts to be had. One of three new Cantina aliens was the first-ever action figure of Myo, a cyclops-esque alien we all first met in 1977. The figure is stunning. It has that "vintage" pose we all love-- basically standing at attention-- and is loaded with articulation. The figure featured ball joints at the neck and knees with normal joints at the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, and waist. In short, it's just barely perfect-- ball elbows and/or shoulders would have made this one of the best figures Hasbro has ever done. The sculpt is exquisite, the detail in the hands and costume simply shames most of Hasbro's other offerings, especially those based on this particular film. I'd daresay that the figure might be more detailed than the costume used in the film. It's hard to coax a lot of personality out of a figure with a very basic pose and a hard rubber face, but the figure does have a certain sense of mystery about it, unfortunately with but one eye you really can't exploit his eyebrows to get a lot of personality out of him. The figure provides a great base for custom figures (or so it seems), it's a great addition to any alien-filled diorama, and frankly, it's one of Hasbro's best figures. If you don't have one, go get one-- there's no excuse.

Collector's Notes: The figure was a pegwarmer in some markets, and super-rare in others. It's currently one of the harder-to-get Cantina aliens as it has not yet been reissued, but Hasbro seems pretty big on making sure to kill the secondary market for these things. (A mixed blessing depending on who you are.) As it's unlikely that this figure can be improved upon, you best buy one now. This figure makes the previous decade's alien figures look like garbage. Currently, it goes for a fair amount and will probably cost you $10 before shipping. If you found the 2006 Garindan, Hem Dazon, or Greedo figures to your liking then you simply must snag Myo, Feltipern Trevagg, and if you have money left over, Dannik Jerriko.

Day 196: November 18, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 111: Queen Amidala (Celebration Ceremony)

QUEEN AMIDALA Celebration Ceremony
Post-Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85316
Number: 0504
Includes: Globe of Peace, base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Winter 2005
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Queen Amidala and the inhabitants of Naboo celebrate their victory over the invasion of the Trade Federation. The Queen wears a decorative parade gown as the jubilant crowd cheers their freedom. The Gungans present Amidala with a Globe of Peace to thank her for her heroic efforts to protect the inhabitants of Naboo. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

Commentary: Hail to the queen, baby. Since 1999, fans have been clamoring for more new versions of Queen Amidala, and this version took 6 years to hit the market. When fans thought it was too late to expect Episode I figures for a while, Hasbro came through in spades at the top of 2005. This figure has a ball-jointed neck and can't stand worth a damn without a display base, which is probably fine given the figure engages in no actions on screen and really serves no purpose other than to stand there and look good. With jointed elbows and shoulders, her arms can move just a little-- and aside from what I've mentioned thus far, she's basically a statue, but unfortunately, is not a statue. The oft-derided "chess piece" style of figure, where everything under the dress/gown/cloak is just a single piece without individually sculpted legs, is not being used here. Which is too bad, because as a uni-leg figure she'd no doubt be able to stand a little bit better.

The figure itself is an excellent representation of the costume from the end of the first prequel. Her main fault, aside from stability, is her difficulty in holding the Globe of Peace. She tends to drop it a lot, and is unable to "grip" it in any meaningful way. To use Hasbro's own marketing copy, she's not an action figure so much as a "stand there and look good" figure. The likeness is good, as far as we can tell, but it's hard to get past the unique makeup foisted upon the character and really get a good look at the craftsmanship, or lack thereof. I mean, she's got clown paint on. It's hard to be impartial here.

Collector's Notes: The post-OTC lineup included 16 figures which tended to vanish quickly in most markets. 8 of them were brand new, never-before-seen sculpts and of those, 7 were characters totally new to the action figure line. The other 8 were repackaged figures, and the entire series is quite popular with collectors who were paying attention during the pre-Revenge of the Sith months. Today, the young Queen actually goes for a fairly decent price, often commanding a fairly hefty hunk of change. (Unless she's out of the box, then she's just kinda expensive.) The figure was supposedly made in decent numbers, but it seems popularity is everything. Due figure's unique costume, top-notch packaging, and overall lack-of-overexposure, we give this one a high rating. Go buy one if you can!

Day 111: August 25, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 89: Sly Moore

SLY MOORE Post-Original Trilogy Collection
Post-Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85161 No. 85172
Number: 0503
Includes: Shadow cloak, blaster, base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Winter 2005
Appearances: The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones

Bio: Sly Moore is the staff aide for Chancellor Palpatine and is never far from his side. She has a piercing gaze and can only see in the ultraviolet spectrum. Her species, the Umbarans, are rumored to be able to influence and even control the minds of others. It is believed that she is very close to Palpatine and knows his deepest secrets. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: At the beginning of 2005, Hasbro made good by cranking out a couple of waves following the hugely popular Original Trilogy Collection with some fantastic minor characters like Sly Moore. According to the rumor mill, this figure was in development for a 2002 release but got delayed, tweaked, and released in 2005. (I don't necessarily believe it.) Continuing the proud tradition of roles for bald chicks in sci-fi, this figure represents an aide to Palpatine with her own shadowy secrets. (And if you squint right, she looks like a friend of mine's ex.) She has about six useful points of articulation with a ball joint at the neck and ball-ish joints at the elbows. She's capable of moving as much as you could hope for, and then some. To remove the cloak, her head pops right off-- again, very useful. Her sculpt is simple, as is her deco-- a little makeup, some feathers, and an icy gaze compensate for the fact that she's not exactly much of a toy. Also, she has a gun and her arms are visible which, I believe, is not how she's ever seen in the movies. (Taking toyetic license for a better action figure is a good thing, by the way.) In short, it's (as Hasbro once put it) a pretty nice "stand there and look good figure" as opposed to being an action figure.

Collector's Notes: Released alongside such figures as Senator Yarua, Pablo Jill, and another Queen Amidala, Sly Moore was never a big hit, and was a bit of a slow seller. Her figure goes for a smidge more than retail, but it's still very cheap. As no other versions of the character have been made as an action figure, it's easy to advise fans to snag her if they're fans of assistants, political types, or any figures to keep around Palpatine. Good job, Hasbro!

Day 89: August 3, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 56: Clone Trooper (Battle Damage)

CLONE TROOPER Lieutenant
Original Trilogy Collection Clone Trooper Troop Builder Four-Pack Assortment, Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85688 No. 85774
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, collectible poster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99 (part of a four-pack)
Availability: Spring 2005
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, clone troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: After patrolling Kamino, the figure takes a moment away from exploring for a photo shoot on Adam Pawlus' stairs.

Commentary: In 2003, fans (including myself) were screaming for more Clone Trooper figures as Hasbro seemed to be going out of their way to make them hard to get, and a real lack of variety didn't help things. So in 2004, Entertainment Earth came to me and said "we want to do some Clones with Hasbro, what should we do?" So after some harassing of many people, I got what I wanted-- four packs of four, with all ranks, and battle-damaged figures too! This blue Clone has 14 points of articulation, most of which are ball joints, and the ability to carry pretty much any weapon. If you're clone crazy, this blue one is really slick and worth adding to your collection despite it being impossible to see in Attack of the Clones.

Collector's Notes: After three big shipments, this item was discontinued in Fall 2005. The figure was based on a 2003 Clone Trooper sculpt, except this release has foot holes. (The same mold was also used for a Wal-Mart exclusive carry case that had a plain white Clone with no weapons.) This same body was used yet again for the Utapau Shadow Trooper (which got new paint and a new head), and the Target Clone Trooper (which also got the new paint and new head treatment.)

There are only four styles of battle-damage on these multipacks, and if you put the plain white damaged clones next to the colored damaged clones, you can see there's a definite pattern.

Day 56: July 1, 2006