Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,375: Nabrun Leids (The Vintage Collection)

NABRUN LEIDS New and Significantly Jointed
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch HasLab Cantina Pack-In
Item No.: No. G1302
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #HAS011
Includes: 1 tumbler, 2 blasters, 1 alternate hose
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $399.99-$499.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars 

Bio: No one knows what the Morseerian former pilot Nabrun Leids looks like underneath his breath mask, which he must wear in all non-methane environments. He'll fly anyone or anything anywhere - if the price is suitable. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Won't you be, won't you be, won't you be my Nabrun Leids? Right off the bat, I was not remotely excited that this was part of the crowdfund only because The Saga Collection redeco of Nabrun Leids [FOTD #397] was so good. I get some flack for this, but my feeling is if it ain't broke don't remake it. You can get that figure - with Kabe - for under $20. The set was $7 in 2007, and while a little hard to find as a Walmart exclusive it was able to be bought at a fair price. Side-by-side, the old figure is brighter and shinier, but has less gear and significantly less articulation. A lot of us differ philosophically on what "needs" a remake. 2006 Nabrun was a 1998 mold, repainted, and the original sculpt was surprisingly "modern." The HasLab version has more wrinkles and more joints, but if you just need a cool alien in your Cantina either version will do the trick. I don't need everybody to have rocker ankles and swinging wrists, and Hasbro made the 2025 version up to the standards of their higher-priced Deluxe figures. That's good! But necessary? Well, that's up to you.

So with that out of the way, this a most excellent figure that shows Hasbro showing off. The figure's basic form is the same as the previous releases, with a few key differences. The mask straps all join up in the back of the head now. The knees are a little different. The boots are now a dark silver, rather than white. The new figure also has fewer fingers, which is more accurate to the background photography of the costume. Aside from some wrinkles, the sculpts are both very good and you won't notice the differences in the background of a dark bar diorama. But this new figure does provide you with options.

For starters, he has a glass this time. It is designed to fit in his main right hand. The hands can also hold the original figure's massive double-grip blaster, if you so choose. The smaller hands can easily hold his pistols, which look like some sort of vintage ray gun. They're great, and if they're sourced from the movie I don't recognize them. The mask hose is removable, allowing you to swap it out with a bent model. I appreciate Hasbro throwing in extra parts, but honestly I wouldn't miss any of the accessories. The bar itself is loaded with glassware, and I don't remember the blasters (or a need for a bent hose) from the movie. But there's nothing wrong with the old figure, either - it just gives you more options to have the very best.

Articulation is incredible. Each hand has a bend and swivel wrist. Each arm is as good as these figures get, with incredible leg articulation and nothing to block it. You get rocker ankles, smooth knees, and a neck that can tilt as needed. The waist is also perfect, and can pivot at the belt line. I have no notes. Everything here is right where it should be. It's above and beyond the 8 joints we got in 1998 and 2007. If Hasbro ever produces the weird landspeeders from Mos Eisley, I assume this figure will have zero problems fitting in any cockpit we could throw at it. Plus or minus the second arm pair.

There are subtle differences in the flight suit, but what's amazing is how similar they are. The patches behind the wrists are still there. The accordion textures are very similar. The belt is a bit more rounded now, but still fundamentally the same as before. Kenner of old was doing great work right up to the end of their old building, and the new one shows how to functionally improve on that for the modern collector.

When it comes to the heads, I'd say it's a toss-up as to which is better. The new one has a more weathered, more desaturated mask. That looks great! The old one is brighter. The skin textures are a little different, but both have tons of detail. A wipe on Nabrun 2007 brings it out a bit more, but the 2025 figure also looks excellent. The mask looks great on both, and the straps are only barely different. The joined cluster on the back matches the Gentle Giant mini-bust, so it's probably the most authentic take on the alien we'll ever get. I wish you could get one easily and cheaply.

If you don't have a Nabrun Leids, this is the best one. If you just need one to stand around a bar, The Saga Collection release is completely fine. Every collector has different opinions of what they need, or what's necessary, and I'm of two minds about it. When it comes to the Cantina, I need a figure to serve a function. Some sit, some stand. As long as they can do what they did in the movie, I don't need them to be perfect. This figure is perfect, and it is far better at conveying its vague indifference through body language than the previous releases. For that reason, this is probably the best choice to have getting drinks at Chalmun's.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. I hope it shows up in the regular line, for now it's exclusive to a crowdfund that is no longer available outside the likes of eBay.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,375: August 27, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,373: CZ-3 (The Retro Collection)

CZ-3 Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99
Availability: July 2026
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Rediscover the classics with The Star Wars Retro Collection - inspired by the Kenner originals! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: When I first saw CZ-3 I said to myself "Hey, that's pretty good." It is rare that Hasbro makes a figure in Retro that hasn't received a previous Kenner/Hasbro release, but here's one. Disney made a CZ Series Communications Droid (White, Droid Factory) [FOTD #2,381] nearly ten years ago, but all Hasbro has made was 2007's CZ-4 - itself a very nice figure. The white, filthy business droid from Mos Eisley never got a Hasbro or Kenner figure until now. Maybe the other guys were good enough, and maybe not - I don't know you, so you'll have to tell me. I had the Disney guy standing in.

So, how is it?  Great. Wedge felt like a fudged modern sculpt. Captain Antilles was very good, but felt very digital. CZ-3 feels like someone might have caught a glimpse of the previous made-for-Disney droid, since their CZ bin bots have open right hands and gripping left hands - same as this guy. The fronts of the figures are quite similar, but their backs, arms, and head shapes are a little different. The 2026 Kenner figure has almost a pin head, pointier in the back. Speaking of the back, the design is quite different from both Hasbro and Disney CZ molds. The Kenner Retro guy has fewer details, and is honestly quite unimaginative. Kenner usually concocted something neat for the back, but at least I can say the design is pretty original. CZ-3's legs look like those of Kenner C-3PO but feature a lot of changes. For starters, the ribbing behind the knees are smoothed out, like the Disney figure. The raised lines over C-3PO's shins are smoothed out on CZ, and CZ has a single line running up the front of the thigh as opposed to the doubles on C-3PO. (And as we all know, triples is best.) The backs of the legs have changed up designs, and the feet are different too. I think a lot of fans would have been happy with a reuse of C-3PO legs, but Hasbro went and made something that felt the same but looks different. Good for them, I really like that decision.

The deco is different from previous figures as well as the costume from the movie. It's giving me a sense of a designer that probably worked from some reference, and some memory. It's good at capturing the vibes of the design, while getting it a little wrong. That's how Kenner did it, although not on purpose. The grey outline around the chest is pure nonsense, and the unpainted limbs seem very much like a Kenner move. (Heck, it's still a modern Mattel move.) The pointy coverings of the lower arms around the elbow are smoothed out, and the long nose somehow feels even longer - I like it. Hasbro also declined to paint the eyes, instead just sculpting in a dot and letting light do its thing. This was common in 3 3/4-inch Mego figures of the 1970s, go take a look at Mork from Ork or The Motion Picture Spock if you have them handy. I'll wait.

A departure from most Kenner-style droids who aren't Zuckuss or HK-87, this protocol-adjacent droid has one hand that can hold an accessory. I handed him Retro Wedge's blaster, and I was surprised to find out CZ-3's hand has a better grip than Wedge. Or Han. I have no reason for this guy to hold anything, ever, but I guess it's good to know Hasbro can make a good Kenner droid hand if they want. Nicely done.

I have nothing snarky to say here and little to criticize. I will buy another boxed set (or two, or three) for more of this guy. If it hits clearance, I will buy a few. All the joints move well and it feels pretty good. It's not hard ABS (I think) plastic like C-3PO, the Death Star Droid, or FX-7, but the PVC (again, I think) feels just fine. I wish he had a hint more of a slouch to his posture, but Hasbro really delivered the goods here. It's fun putting him in ships and playsets, and it looks cool. I like it, and I'll likely buy another one or two (sets.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,373: August 20, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,370: Captain Antilles (The Retro Collection)

CAPTAIN ANTILLES Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: DL-17 blaster pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99
Availability: July 2026
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Rediscover the classics with The Star Wars Retro Collection - inspired by the Kenner originals! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: The more I go through these figures, I can't help but wonder if the sculpts would be more interesting (read: Kenner authentic) if you assigned them to a sculptor that is mostly working from memory. Accuracy is not necessarily the name of the game for these guys, and Captain Antilles has a figure that's pretty accurate and feels pretty retro. I was expecting a tweaked 2025 Rebel Fleet Trooper [FOTD #3,260] and I'm glad to say Hasbro gave us a new, improved, and refined design. I should note that has more or less the same blue Rebel blaster, which is fine by me.

If a figure makes me smile, it's a good one - and this one did. I noticed some dramatic improvements in how the details were cut, with deeper folds and exaggerated pockets and fabric layers giving it a level of detail that gets closer to the original Kenner figures. I particularly like the boots and pants, and it's worth noting the face - being painted, not molded - does a good job of highlighting the smile lines around the mouth. If the light hits him just right, you'll see tiny bags under his eyes and a weary expression that works well with the faux-Kenner eyes. The personality won me over here, with details like that added shell layer seemingly being added to the CAD file... unlike last time. I assume someone out there is expecting me to be angry about the lack of chin strap. Since the Death Squad Commander didn't have one, I don't much miss that particular detail. Colors are good, and textures more or less match what I would expect from someone who clearly referenced the movie.

He might be a little too good in spots. The five blue dots are painted, a detail Kenner just plain fudged Hoth Luke and the Rebel Commander. I assume Kenner would have sculpted the dots, or ignored them and made up a new badge, but not painted them. I also assume fans would complain if they didn't paint them, so really, nobody is going to be happy here. The position of the coat cuts on the legs more or less line up with the Rebel Commander. I find the pose to be a little uninspired - usually Kenner sneaks in an interesting arm or subtle ankle bend - but I think it passed the "vibes" test. The legs have a hint of a bend at the knee, and the folds in the pants look real good. Pick him up, stick him in that Tantive IV mini-rig you 3D printed, and he delivers the goods. They painted the black stripes on his pants, as we saw on most Han Solo figures from the old days, which makes for a pretty decent deco experience.

Articulation is standard, but well-engineered. The head on my sample moves with just the right amount of resistance, the arms move with no problems, and the legs? Oh ho ho, the legs! He has a squared-off butt, but when he sits everything lines up right. This is a hard detail for some retro figures to get right, so I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. He'll go great in that Kenner Blockade Runner that you don't have because there isn't one.

Nitpicks? Sure. I would have preferred sculpted rank dots, and it would be nice if the sculptor used his hands and a blade rather than/in addition to the computer. The outfit's pockets and creases are a little too perfect. A pal of mine (who I would love to get on the horn again) told me that you can "cheat" the process by taking a blade to the finished digital sculpt to add some imperfections and asymmetry, so that's my unsolicited annoying thing to suggest to Hasbro for next time. Just muck it up a little bit, make a "mistake" or four and the eye will probably buy that somebody sculpted this out of some putty before sending it to the factory. I can't tell if Hasbro did this with his helmet - it's a little "off" in a way that feels very realistic. I like the helmet and this figure a lot more than last year's Rebel Fleet Trooper.

The helmet seems to be a separate mold from the head, and the face is painted. That's probably more work than Kenner would have done, but the results are pretty good. I'd rather have both molded in color, but that's not what Kenner would have done either. By having the mold in plastic, it's likely to show less wear and tear over time thanks to the helmet likely causing a buffer from the nose getting dinged up during play. (But who am I kidding? No child is ever going to play with this figure.)

Captain Antilles and Yavin Leia were the two figures I was preparing to dislike... but I like this one. (I haven't opened Leia as of my writing this.) I admit that, as a kid, I never once thought about wanting this character because Vader can't hold him up and he doesn't do anything other than die. As an adult, I'm glad to have him walking around with my troopers. I appreciate Hasbro expanding the 1977 movie's Kenner cast by a dozen new characters and/or costumes over the past eight years. If you subtract the 35-figure overlap from the Kenner and Retro eras, this line is around 189 different figures. That's a lot of figures.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. I am seeing more of this set in Target stores than any of their previous Retro exclusives, and that's just in the first week of availability. I'd recommend buying at least one at regular price to show 'em we still care.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,370: August 11, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,367: Wedge Antilles (The Retro Collection)

WEDGE ANTILLES Kenner Debut
The Retro Collection Target Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. G2554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: DL-44 blaster pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $64.99
Availability: July 2026
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Rediscover the classics with The Star Wars Retro Collection - inspired by the Kenner originals! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Originality is the art of concealing your source, and something seemed off about Wedge Antilles right away. I don't love this one. It looked familiar - but not like the 1979 X-Wing Luke or the 2020 Snowspeeder Luke [FOTD #2,698]. When I went into my ship room to see how Wedge fit in X-Wings and Y-Wings (just perfectly, even with the bulky helmet) I walked by my 2015 Saga Legends X-Wing Luke [FOTD #2,123], and there it was. Hasbro ripped off their own modern sculpt, rather than ripping off their previous real and faux retro sculpts. It certainly looks as if the sculptor cheated on the assignment for this one.

When I see this figure out of the corner of my eye, it reminds me of 1998 Biggs Darklighter - it's just not a first-gen flavored sculpt but it absolutely is very functional, can use his gear, and fit in old ships perfectly. It is a good toy figure, even if it does not look like a legitimate 1980s toy figure. I think they did a better job capturing the vibes with Snowspeeder Luke. If Wedge's sculpted torso detail was toned down a bit I could buy this 2026 Wedge as something that might have come out around 1984. Having said that, it feels amazing - the legs and arms swing perfectly, and the butt area isn't weirdly squared-off like some retro figures. It isn't a perfect Kenner figure sculpt, but I really do appreciate how it feels in my hands.

Wedge has very short arms, with fingers that more or less stop at the bottom of the torso. The level of vest and chest detail is much higher than any Kenner-era (or previous Retro) pilot figure, with many more vest ribs anything of that era. The torso doesn't really match the limbs stylistically - the level of detail on the boots, pants, arms, and gloves is much lower but generally in line with most of the best of Hasbro's retro modern figures. They're just very short. It's also worth noting that Wedge's helmet fits perfectly on that 2015 Luke - and vice-versa. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this sculptor used the CAD files for Luke as a starting point for Wedge, and just sort of didn't finish refining it.

Wedge retains details Kenner-era pilots lacked. While they did edit out the pockets on his pants, he does have the code tubes and shoulder pockets, same as 2015 Saga Legends Luke. Wedge has the same dube, the same basic straps (pushed up a bit on the legs, but same on the torso), plus the same tube on the lower left of the body. The chest computer has many of the same switches and buttons, just fudged a bit or moved slightly. He even has that often-ignored buckle on the back of his vest, same as 2015 Pilot Luke - the Kenner and Retro ones didn't have that.

Deco is more 1990s and 2000s than 1980s or 1970s. The previous Kenner/Retro pilots had black, not gray, chest computers and straps with white leg straps. The A-Wing and B-Wing pilots eschewed painting the leg straps completely, and if Hasbro's going for a 1980s vibe I wish they did that here too. The head sculpt is good in the "1980s removable helmet pinhead" sense, so no notes there. It was painted well, and sculpted appropriately. Painting the gloves made sense, but all of Hasbro's 1980s Rebel Pilots had bare hands - no gloves. Wedge feels more like a 1990s or 2015 figure, sculpted by someone who was probably on a deadline and painted by someone who didn't look at the previous four Rebel Pilots in this style. I don't think it's asking a lot for someone to look at Google and ask "how did they do this in the olden times?"

Wedge has two sensible accessories. The helmet was painted with an appropriate level of detail, including a yellow visor and some big green stripes on top - this is the right choice. I would have been happy if they cut out the visor, and I find the shape of the helmet odd. X-Wing and Snowspeeder Luke figures had helmets that bent inward toward the neck, while Wedge's flares out. It doesn't match and it looks too big for his head. The blaster is interesting. Cast in Kenner blue, it's a completely new digital sculpt with an appropriate level of detail. The lines on the grip are a little higher, and the cuts on the scope, the barrel, and the greeblies all seem to be a better depth. They're sharper, not as fuzzy or rounded as the scanned-in blasters of previous figures. Having said that, it's a little undercooked. One side of the blaster body is missing detail found in Kenner/Retro blasters, and the grip lines seem unfinished - like they should extend a bit more. I would have liked the area in front of the trigger to be more squared-off like the prop, but that's just a matter of taste really. As a new design, inspired by the old design, it's pretty neat. Nobody's going to be fooled into thinking this is the original.

If this were the first sculpt from the 2019 reboot, I'd grouse "it's a good first attempt, let's see how they do later." Last year's new figures were generally better, although the Rebel Fleet Trooper and Luke grew on me a bit. I'll be curious to see if Wedge does, but as first impressions go I would say a) Hasbro tried too hard, and b) Kenner was not beyond reusing molds when it suited them. In this case I think I would've preferred the Luke body with a new head, or at least this body with the Luke-style of deco.

Packaging Notes: I would say the 2026 packaging is easily the best packaging of The Retro Collection's entire eight year run to date. The front of the cards lack the faux weathering, and now feature a low-tack sticker that you can remove easily and apply to your phone case. I would give the card fronts an A+ in terms of template revisions and execution. Sure, you have the choke warning and yes, now you have the obnoxious 4+ circle for age rating, but that's not going away until they stop making multi-lingual packaging. The back of the packaging is as likely as good as it gets. Over half tof th cardback is hideous, multi-lingual legalese - which I wish they could just leave on the box as the figures are not labeled for individual sale - but you do get a 1979-style 3x2 figure grid showing the wave. That's a plus! I hope they do something similar next year to showcase multiple items. I love an upsell, but if you've bought everything in one set it is a little less useful. Charming, sure.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. It was on shelf, they did not fulfill my pre-order yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,367: July 30, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,330: Greedo (The Vintage Collection)

GREEDO Single-carded release of HasLab figure
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch single figure (pictured) or HasLab pack-in
Item No.: No. G1302 or Asst. F6878 No. G2604
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #393
Includes: Blaster, vest
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2026 (single, Cantina version was September 2025)
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The overzealous Rodian Greedo fancied himself a big-time bounty hunter in Jabba the Hutt’s employ -- despite being a pretty poor shot with a blaster. (Taken from the single-figure packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: As I get older and crankier, "Does this need to be redone?" is a question I ask a bunch. Hasbro has made quite a few very decent Greedo figures and, of course, this one is the best. For the purposes of a figure that'll merely sit at a table, the 1998 mold (rereleased a few times) may be best, but this is your go-to figure for standing. It's like a slightly-better, shrunken-down version of the 2013 The Black Series 6-inch figure [FOTD #2,052] that seems to use the same digital sculpt. That's OK, it's a good sculpt, and I think it may have been used for the Jakks Pacific Big Figs release. Remember those? They were a big deal.

This Greedo's body was also used for the 2025 Kenner-style Greedo [FOTD #3,288], which will probably be my go-to "plays with" version. The Kenner-style colors remind me of how I interacted with the character as a kid, while this vested version reminds me of how it actually looks on a big enough screen. Other than the vest, both figures are functionally identical minus the colors. I'd recommend buying them both, provided you have a need for more aliens. And who doesn't?

The costume seems pretty good, but there are a lot of continuity issues regarding the shoes. Kenner's various figures changed color from release to release, and this one opts with what I assume the style guide demands - gray. And they look fine. I would also have been happy with pink high heels, to match the classic behind-the-scenes reshoot photography. As far as I can tell the costume might be right, but lighting makes the vest look different from shot to shot. It's browner here. It has been a pale yellow, too. The movie scenes look a smidgen more orange or brown depending on the edition, so all I can say is that this one looks perfectly fine and Hasbro could probably do running changes with different vests and fans might buy it. I mean, if I were them, that's what I'd do on a future rerun. And then a Beedo vest version.

The suit and pants seem great, with yellow painted sleeves. The yellow paint is a little thick, and seems like they missed a few spots. The sculpt for the yellow parts on the pants and sleeves isn't very good. I think sculpting deeper cuts on the yellow bands would have helped solve the problem, as was the case on some older figures. The sculpted clothing wrinkles absolutely obliterated the fabric textures on the costume. We might just be seeing the limitation of the materials, and maybe some day we'll see a dual-molded Greedo where half the arm or leg are molded in the yellow plastic color with no paint at all. (I'm not an engineer, I have no idea if it'll hold up to that.) Unless you get really close, you probably won't notice the areas where the paint is less than perfect, or the incredible stitching sculpted in the suit or vest. The belt is also nice, as is the holster. By and large, everybody did a real nice job here.

Articulation is very good, with a head that can do subtle tilts, bending wrists, and a best-in-class waist joint. The peg waist joint allows for tilts in all directions at the belt region, which is a good and sensible thing to do. Heck, Hasbro and Kenner have known for years that there's no better place to put a joint than the belt line but they sometimes forget and it does mar the look of the figure a bit. Here, it couldn't be better - all joints are as integrated as well as current toy wizardry allows.

The head is fine. I would have preferred the eyes be a little more purple, but blue is probably fine for most fans. I'd be curious if this is a Disney style guide issue that fans didn't force, because over the years I have heard from a few fans that develop these products who were very particular about purple eyes.

As this figure has a good range of movement and can stand or sit, or hold his blaster, it's probably the last Greedo you'll ever need to buy. Thanks to the plastic vest being an improvement over the cloth one from roughly 20 years ago, I assume fans of super articulation love this upgrade and I'm glad Hasbro didn't lock it behind a crowdfund. The head sculpt is dynamite, the joints allow for some subtle movements, and the elbow joint cuts are pretty great. I can imagine a few small ways they could improve it later, but if it'll take another 20 years for a complete makeover it may no longer be a concern for me or many of you, either. For now? Get this one, it very well be the last collector-grade 3 3/4-inch Greedo many of us will ever have a chance to buy. It's grim to say this, but I really do wonder who among us will still be interested in this stuff when the 60th rolls around.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. As of my writing this, he's a Fan Channel / Amazon exclusive. I'm hoping they put him into wider release for the anniversary next year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,330: March 24, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,329: Han Solo (1995 Classic Edition 4-Pack)

HAN SOLO Classic Edition 4-Pack
The Power of the Force Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. 69595
Manufacturer: Kenner
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster + 4 trading cards, 3 figures, and accessories
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99 (or $42.66 adjusted for inflation)
Availability: Fall 1995 (I think)
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: To commemorate the rich history of the Star Wars film series, Kenner presents this Classic Edition 4-Pack in a strictly limited release. Four of the most popular characters have been produced from molds cast directly from the original Kenner action figures dating to the late 1970's and early 1980's. This special edition comes as a new era for Star Wars toys is proudly unveiled. Look for the all-new line of Kenner action figures and vehicles that capture all the detail, authenticity, and excitement of the epic Star Wars tradition. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I somehow never got around to looking at the infamous Classic Edition 4-Pack action figures. Rumor has it this "strictly limited edition" was somewhere around 200,000-250,000, which is mind-bendingly insane by modern standards. 200,000 was a big success for the 1990s when it came to collector lines, but that's also why so many 1990s figures are so cheap today. Not only were they bought by adults who took very good care of them, they were made in incredible quantities. If you want something to be valuable, kids need to destroy the bulk of a very large run. This ensures demand existed, and will exist again. But I digress. Han Solo was one of four figures in this set, which fans largely hated upon its release I liked it for what it was - but the original Kenner figures were still affordable sans packaging around the mid-1990s. Not "cheap." Affordable.

If you read the bio, you got a look at one of very few explainers out of Kenner in that era. These were cast from new molds, which were cast from the old toys. There are signs of generation loss, and the shrinkage that happens when you make a mold from an old toy. Modern The Retro Collection figures are 3D scanned and that's easier to scale. What's harder to do is make the right changes to the mold - 2019 Han Solo lacks a lot of the detail that came from copying an original figure with analog techniques in 1995. 1995 Han has sharper, deeper sculpted details than the later reissue, plus details that got completely wiped out with the 2019 edition. 1995 Han has stitching on the back of his vest, and some wrinkles in his white shirt that seem a little more dynamic. The legs are pretty much the same, but the shirt looks a lot more smoothed-out in 2019.

Part of the reason for this is the paint. The Retro Collection and a lot of other lines have significantly thicker layers of paint in the 21st century. It wasn't uncommon to get a toy like a Battle Beasts figure that was cast in black plastic and painted orange, with mint-in-package samples showing through the paint. 1995 Han has much more detail in his shirt and belt buckle, and sure enough, the white paint is paler and thinner. The hair color is much lighter, and the facial details look more like 1990s-style. It's hard to put into words, but the eyes being brown and the very specific details being shaped differently, it's just not the same as a 1978 original small-head Han. It's similar, sure, but nobody is going to mistake one for the other. Kenner also updated the copyright on the leg, so anyone who does mistake this for a real 1970s release deserves what they (don't) get.

Han 1995 comes with a "Kenner blue" blaster that honestly does not match the specific Kenner blue hue of old. It's grayer, less saturated, and of course smaller. It fits his hand perfectly, and he doesn't drop it over time like the 2019 figure and its rereleases. (Hasbro really needs to retool the hand and/or blaster if that ever comes back.) It's not the same as the original, but it's different and interesting. It's like another variant of the original Han, which I find more and more charming as time goes on.

But how does it play? Great. The 1995-style smaller foot peg holes work with modern stands quite nicely, and I am fond of how he and Chewie sit well in the 1995 Millennium Falcon. While smaller than the 1978-1985 releases (or 2019-2024 releases), it feels more like a real toy that came out of a real toy company. Hasbro's 2019-2024 versions have better eye paint, better coloration, and more accurate sizing, but feel like the "toy" vibes got lost as a copy of a copy. You have to be very careful to get Retro Han to hold a blaster. "Classic" Han requires no such negotiations.

If you're a The Retro Collection fanatic looking for a fix, I recommend picking this set up. eBay prices are quite fair (given inflation), and the unique Topps promo cards in the box are a nice bonus. The set has unique details and accessories that clearly define them as a separate thing, and the set hails from an era when anything Star Wars was exciting and for many fans, still a fresh experience. Kenner stopped making Star Wars in 1985, and they were long gone by 1989, so by 1995 people were hungry for anything Kenner (or Galoob, or JusToys, or In Character) put out. Minds were blown by new action figures back then, and fans were just as nitpicky online about sizes or not being as good as the originals as they are today. Don't let that dissuade you - this is an interesting set unto itself. If you want an original, buy an original, this is nifty as a set that had to walk a thin line between "don't infuriate fans with original figures" and "don't anger fans who want exact replicas." Today, I wish they made more sets like this - but I confess, at the time, I wished they focused on new guys and fans just spent $5-$20 to get the genuine article (loose) at comic shops. Han was a valiant effort, and this four-pack would be the last time Hasbro tried to appeal to the OG figure crowd until mail-in Rocket Boba Fett in 2010. Which would be the last time Hasbro appealed to that crowd until 2019.

Wow, that was long. We'll revisit the other guys in this set soon.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Toys R Us a hair under 31 years ago.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,329: March 19, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,323: Princess Leia Organa (The Vintage Collection)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA That white outfit, with both hoods
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F9785
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #316
Includes: Two blasters, two hoods
Action Feature: Hoods unplug in back
Retail: $16.99
Availability: June 2024
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Princess Leia Organa was one of the greatest leaders of the Rebel Alliance, fearless on the battlefield and dedicated to ending the Empire's tyranny. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Princess Leia Organa figure was available for a while - you could get one, if you wanted. As of my writing this, it's funny to note Amazon sellers are asking $45 for her while the similar The Black Series figure from 2025 has been marked down 10%. They're basically the same in terms of complexity, with slightly different changes in assembly, but the resulting figure is functionally similar with the same gear. The 3 3/4-inch audience is far more interested in this character in this outfit, it would seem. My crackpot theory is that 3 3/4-inch fans tend to be more fanatical, and 6-inch fans who aren't also lifers tend to dabble more and not stick around forever. No one group is better or superior, it just seems that 6-inch prices are more likely to drop like a rock. It could be because Hasbro says "this sells for a higher price and we should make more of them" while cutting the little guys short. They don't share numbers, so you have to guess here.

This is a good figure that gets the job done. The job, of course, is giving fans a super-articulated action figure as demanded without really being concerned if that matters or not. Like with Obi-Wan's spirit, she has super-articulated legs hobbled by a long plastic dress. The only joints that really matter below her waist are the ankles, and once you have those in place she stands fairly well. She could also be a chess piece with no knee or hip joints, and you'd never miss it. The arm joints have a good range of movement, with fairly deep elbow cuts. That's great! If you don't have them completely straight or completely bent, the loop inside the arm might be visible. It's probably not a big deal given how most fans will display this figure. If you want to have her arms up like she's removing her hood? Doable. You want both hands on the Imperial blaster like she's firing down the hallway of the detention block? Doable. You want her to stand with her hands crossed just below her belt like in the cardback photo? Well... technically she can do it, but the plastic doesn't hang in a pleasing way. I am not sure cloth would be better here. So what's the solution?

Skip articulation, bring back alternate arms. Hasbro might even be able to make a figure more cheaply given how little paint there is, given there would be fewer parts to assemble in the packaging. Leia can't double-grip a blaster (like on the Blockade Runner, or the Death Star swing scene.) That's no fault of Hasbro, there are limits to what you can do with an arm of this size - but if you sculpt arms specific to a certain pose? That might work better. Give it some thought, Hasbro, especially if you're working on a big Death Star playset some day.

This Leia can't sit, so she's useless for your big Millennium Falcon scene where she goes up to Luke and goes "Yeah, it stinks Ben died, but he was my friend too. Also my whole planet asploded so get over it, putz." But if you need her standing around? This is a very good figure, with a dress that hangs well, and looks good in plastic. The waist has a really nice pivot joint too, right above the belt so it's not unsightly. Given what they were trying to do, the body turned out incredibly well. I'm just being annoying by suggesting alternate arm parts or an alternate lower body - with no articulation - could result in a more useful figures for diorama purposes.

But how's the face? Fine. The separately molded hair looks spectacular, bringing in what looks like clusters of strands wrapped around just-so. It's great. The face printing is also excellent, but at this size it's probably not perfect. Maybe a little more color, or a slight tweak to the eyes, but she's pretty fantastic for a figure with a pea-sized face. This is not a complaint - what we have as far superior to pretty much any other release of the character in this costume at this size. Hasbro's Leia figures have generally turned out better than most other original trilogy characters in recent years, so kudos on a job well done.

Given what we're seeing in Marvel Legends - $60 fancy figures with more parts - I'm wondering if we can get alternate faces or limbs at this size if Hasbro were to (finally) give up the Vintage trade dress. I'd be curious to see what a $25 super-deluxe "The Infinity Collection" figure might look like, for example, or perhaps a new sort of mini-statue figure at this scale. But that's not what this is - it's a super-articulated figure with no mobility below the legs. I'm glad she came out before retail went up to $20, and I assume every one of my complaints is mooted given she sold out and is now an expensive release. It'd be great to see Hasbro reissue her for the normies next year in time for the 50th, but that seems rarer and rarer. As such, I hope you got her, and/or that Hasbro makes an even more impressive version down the road.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,323: February 26, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,314: Sandtrooper (Stormtroopers of the Empire, The Vintage Collection)

SANDTROOPER Re-revised
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Stormtroopers of the Empire Set
Item No.: No. G1281
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blasters x 3
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Stormtroopers specialize in operations across the galaxy, from desert worlds to arctic conditions. Scout troopers patrol for the Empire with speeder bikes. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: As we eye a whopping, exhausting, confusing sixth decade of these action figures I have to wonder what's important. Is it fidelity to the films? Is it more important to deliver what we think we saw? Or is it better to make the best-possible toy? I'm sure some of you are going "yes, everything" and you're part of the problem as we look at this swell Sandtrooper figure from a 3-pack last year. I think it delivers the quintessential ideal of a Sandtrooper, with options. That's good!

In recent years we've seen licensees get more access to some archival materials, resulting in discoveries like some troopers having green lenses. This figure has black ones. What should it be? If you ask me, black is good because that is what people seem to remember seeing on-screen and with their other toys. I don't mind the idea of a variant or chase version, but after five decades I'm not necessarily interested in throwing out my old toys in the name of fidelity to the source material. And it feels about right - as far as I can tell Hasbro opted to make a specific splotched, orange-pauldron'd extra from StarWars.com. Hasbro's is a little less dirty, with lighter dirt on the figure that may look a little closer to the scenery. The helmet doesn't seem to be an exact match, which seems to be a thing Internet toy reviewers are expected to notice and be livid about, but it's close. The black band over the eyes is lower, like the photo. The mouth is more or less what you see.

The configuration is close. You'll notice there's an ammo pouch over the shoulder of the costume, but it was moved to the pauldron for the figure. It's close enough. The backpack is unique in that it uses shoulder straps rather than a peg to connect to the figure. I also need to note that the belt does not match exactly, as the black pouches from the movie are not replicated on the figure. I'm not dumping on Hasbro for this, they're modifying an existing trooper to do double-duty here and did a good job making something that gets the job done. With the abundant articulation and labor to build the figure, plus higher price points, you can't have everything - and I'm starting to wonder if I'd be OK with a slight reduction in articulation if it meant a bigger budget for more new tooling and deco. What would you rather have - a new belt, or rocker ankles and thigh swivels? Maybe there's a compromise to be had someday. If Hasbro made several troopers in various poses, I think I could live without them all needing to be super-articulated $20 (or higher) releases.

The backpack has good decoration with lots of painted bits. Hasbro did a great job matching the detail and painting the various white and gray bits, so I don't have much to complain about there. This would be a great figure to use for your "move along" scene dioramas, or any old desert dwelling scenario. I have many Sandtroopers and I would say this is one of Hasbro's very best - if you are so inclined, go get a set or three. Sure it's basically a tricked-out Stormtrooper with a unique belly region, but that's the best overall figure that we have right now. It's not perfect, but we know that he'll be back some day, because Hasbro will be revising these figures 'til I'm old and gray.

But how about blasters? We have a rifle with no paint. We have a grenade launcher with a painted strap. We also have a classic Stormtrooper blaster with a silver highlight. It's a pity and kind of a waste to give us army-building options in a set that is vaguely conducive to buying multiples. I can't speak for y'alls, but I don't need a ton of Scout Troopers or Snowtrooper Officers - but Sandtroopers? I could use more Sandtroopers. Anyway, it's a good three-pack.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,314: January 27, 2026