Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,863: Kylo Ren (The Black Series / Titanium Series / 40th Anniversary)

KYLO REN 40th Anniversary
The Black Series Titanium Series 3 3/4-inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. C1857 No. C2574
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #03
Includes: 1 stand, hood helmet, unhooded helmet, 2 lightsabers, 4 footpegs
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: August 2017
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: A dark warrior storng in the Force, Kylo Ren commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unconventional lightsaber. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo dump.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I've been meaning to open this one for a while! This Kylo Ren came out millions of years ago, back in 2017. Remember 2017? At that point Disney had spearheaded only two movies - which at the time were largely loved - and Rebels, at which point fans were more or less on board. Hasbro was riding high before overproduced items started to back up at retail, and before fans started to bristle at the idea of lining up all day to buy some toys. We got some neat stuff - these guys were a riff on Titanium Series figures from nearly a decade before, which came in giant Sea Monkeys aquariums, cost about the same, and were also pretty cool. The 2017 ones riffed a bit more on the collectible statue angle.

Kylo Ren was arguably better than the basic figures, as he has ball-jointed shoulders and swivel wrists. The legs and torso are metal, and there's no leg articulation to speak of - you can swivel the waist. What I love about the figure is that he draws inspiration from a moment in the 2015 film that absolutely riveted me the first time I saw it, when Kylo Ren used the Force to freeze a blaster bolt in place while giving Poe Dameron the business. (This has since been swiped in Star Wars Visions.) A bigger The Black Series monument/statue would also replicate this moment, debuting at $50 but dropping to an oh-so-fair $24 these days. But I digress - this little version lacks the bolt and scenery, but you get an awesome weighted figure that stands freely and has a genuinely lovely "swooshing" lightsaber in addition to a normal one. And a second helmeted head, meaning no Adam Driver, a pensive bison who may sneeze in your McFlurry.

The figure part has the cape and general look and feel if 2015, but has some silver paint highlights. I assume this is to remind you he's metal, if the weight wasn't enough to do it. The figure stands nicely but includes four tiny foot pegs you can plug in his base, which features a reversible backdrop.

With the endless products and increasingly tired fans getting pulled in multiple directions it's no shock this - and almost everything from the first few Disney movies - came out in abundance and sat a bit. Which is a pity - it's good! It's a bad toy, but it's an excellent little statue for your desk and you can connect them together to form a bigger diorama. The photo backdrop is nice, but so is the etched foil portrait on the back that reminds me a bit of 1990s Topps foil chase cards. I think it was a mistake to brand these as "The Black Series" - Hasbro branded everything aimed at adults with that name - because these were secretly very nice figures. Compared to the then-$8 plastic guys on shelves, you got some nice extras that would've probably done better if given better packaging and maybe a better display environment. This is also one of the few figures in the format that's not arguably worthless, so clearly the free market agrees with me that it's pretty good. The sculpting is sharp, the pose is nice, and I'd say you should track one down on the cheap if opportunity permits.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,863: October 12, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,845: General Hux (The Black Series 6-Inch)

FIRST ORDER GENERAL HUX 2015 Debut
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. B4598
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #13
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: A young, ruthless officer in the First Order, General Hux has complete confidence his troops, training methods and weapons. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: By the time that First Order General Hux came out, fans stopped caring - the run size was initially pretty low before someone initiated a rerun, making the figure seemingly not-terribly-desirable if you compared the low secondary market prices against the availability. (I never saw this one in an actual store - just Asty, once.) For whatever reason, the new guys from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi - and most of The Rise of Skywalker - failed to strike a chord with the core audience for The Black Series. It even took a while for that audience to warm up to the new scale, as the first waves in 2013 sat around (except Boba Fett) for quite some time. By the time Hux came out people who just saw the movie wanted the then-sold-out Rey and people weren't super interested in Screaming Space Fascist Weasley.

Upon his debut, this was a new sculpt - and when Hasbro did another 6-inch First Order Officer figure, they didn't reuse parts here. It's a pretty impressive release with a coat from his "let's shout from the balcony" scene as well as a hat, and of course he has a partially-painted blaster without a holster. The hat does not appear to want to come off. The costume looks great, with silver trim, glossy black boots and gloves, and an ornate hat that do wonders in completely drowning out the facial details of this figure. The hat's First Order symbol and glossy trim look superb, but also drown out the human face that has some painted hair and eyes... and that's it. The lips are incredibly pale and Hasbro no doubt took note when they did the First Order Officer figure later, as he seems less like the waxy corpse that we got with Hux. This isn't to say Hux is a bad figure - if anything, he's an excellent sculpt that could benefit greatly from a makeover in the Archive collection. You can tell the sculptors did a great job, but the slightly-waxy flesh plastic combined with no make-up or facial details may fall flat with 2021 audiences, much like fans seemed to more or less ignore him completely in 2015.

Articulation is typical for his day, with double-jointed knees, rocker ankles, and perfectly fine hips which are blocked by both a skirt and a coat. On one hand you have to appreciate Hasbro putting in the extra articulation that you paid for, even if it's basically superfluous. On the other hand, Hasbro could probably keep costs down and drop the price of the assortment by taking functionality into account and leaving out joints you can't possibly use - especially since they opted to not reuse parts of this figure for other First Order officers for whatever reason. Even if they didn't cut our costs, they could have put the extra tooling money into deco and an extra 20-30 pennies could do wonders to giving Hux the snarling, twisted performance we got to see on the big screen for the character's memorable debut.

It's great that Hasbro made this guy - even as a year-end wave that initially didn't see much distribution - and made more later so fans who missed him could get it. But also fans didn't really show up for this one. (Check your collection, I can wait.) Heck, mine even stayed in the box until somewhat recently and I like the figure and the character a lot. The coat detail is great, the fine texture on the uniform is superb, and I love the clean silver lines on the sleeve. But - and this is increasingly an issue for me - these tip-top 6-inch collector figures aren't much fun. They stand, and thanks to the ankles they often topple over. There are virtually vehicles or playsets to use with them, unlike other toy lines that practically demand that you interact with them and get some sort of fun results. For fans of the sequel trilogy, this is a must-have figure until/unless a redeco comes out with an improved head. I hope they do it eventually, but I assume that the sequel trilogy - and General Hux - will be swept under the rug like the prequels for a few more years. You kick the sequel movies like the football. Oh! Oh movie jail for the sequels. Movie jail for the sequels for One Thousand Years!!!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,845: August 10, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,836: FN-2187 (Finn Stormtrooper, The Force Awakens)

FN-2187 Finn
The Force Awakens Desert and Snow Figures
Item No.: Asst. B3963 No. B6339
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: "Combine" gun, blaster, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2016
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: After his first taste of combat during a brutal First Order night assault on a Jakku village, stormtooper FN-2187 defects from Kylo Ren's forces, becoming a fugitive.. (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 sat on FN-2187 for quite some time - well, it hung on a peg over my desk since 2016. Which is a shame, it's a good figure and probably should have been the first figure released in the line. It would've been a good Sneak Preview figure, had Hasbro still done those things. It's kind of fun to look at these figures later, with decent quality figures and a few oddball decisions that look even weirder in context.

The body is fundamentally the same as all the 3 3/4-inch First Order stormtroopers, which means it stands well, sits well, has a place to plug a blaster in the thigh, but can't sit. The legs don't swing forward all the way, so it's a rotten vehicle pilot - but if you need someone to stand at a cannon, he's great. The arms have no problems swinging forward, and the ball-jointed head is just the right size so the helmet slips on without too much friction. Having reviewed thousands of these things, it's kind of surprising to know that every figure you buy is something of a coin toss as to if the accessories will fit, or if the legs can be positioned in a way to fit in the vehicles. Kenner pretty much hit them out of the park in the 1970s and most of the 1980s, although I will say there's no question that the sculpting is a lot better on these newer guys.

The Finn head likeness is good, and the blaster is a little loose in the plug - if you knock it, it'll fall out. Thankfully the helmet is more or less perfect, and if you just want a cool figure to stand on your desk - or stay on the card - it's amazing. The big cannon accessory is kind of dopey, and looking back on it, they're especially maddening. We got charged extra for these things. Sometimes less is more, but Hasbro was probably also wise to sell a figure at a higher price point at the time because the mania in 2015 was so high that people would likely have paid $10 just to get something new. That's one of the things I don't much love about the hobby - the prices seem to be somewhat fluid based on hype and availability. It wasn't a great impulse price point at the time, but when you can convince fans to line up at midnight to buy toys, such things really don't matter a whole heck of a lot. It's a great figure. It's no the best toy.

One of my go-to tests for "is this a good toy?" has been "can it pilot an old Kenner Landspeeder?" and in this case, the answer is "barely." I just fit him in the MTV-7 Mini-Rig I keep on my desk, and he can pilot it - but he's leaning back a lot. The figure ticks the boxes of what you need for a good action figure, but I think with better hips it would be superb. As it is, it's just OK - but since it's from the new trilogy, you're probably not going to care about this figure for another ten, maybe fifteen years as the kids who grew up on this trilogy may later decide to collect these things.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,836: July 8, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,722: General Leia Organa (The Black Series 6-Inch)

GENERAL LEIA ORGANA Late, Worth the Wait
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. C3291
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #52
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2017
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  Despite all t hat she has endured and lost in a lifetime of war, General Leia Organa continues to shine as a beacon of hope for the loyal soldiers of the Resistance under her command.  (Taken from Hasbro'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: Why yes it did take me 3 years to open General Leia Organa - and she's great!  For whatever reason, despite this being the main outfit of one of the three most important and merchandisable characters in the new movie, Hasbro/Lucasfilm/etc. decided to drag their feet on making new Luke and Leia sequel series toys.  For two years.  Despite this being the reason people went to see the movie and what they expected out of the original Force Friday.   I'd say this is a pretty good microcosm of how the relaunch went - sometimes it was good, sometimes it was weird, and there are a lot of "what exactly are you doing and why" moments.   But we got some good stuff!  And this Leia is certainly good stuff.

The 6-inch scale figure has the blue Rebel Fleet Trooper-esque suit and a purple vest, with a blaster that looks like her original one.  The boots are great.  The sculpted detail is excellent, with mostly the very best articulation.  This figure was made during Hasbro's bizarre era of putting torso joints on the chest, rather than hiding them in the belt - I would seriously love to know whose idea this was because it makes the figure look less than great while not necessarily improving the range of movement.  But it's not all bad!  The elbows have a pretty deep bend, and they blend in perfectly with her rolled-up sleeves.  The hands hold the blaster just fine.  Her hip joints are some of the very best, allowing her legs to swing forward just as well as your old 3 3/4-inch Kenner figures.

For a 2017 figure, the likeness is great.  I bet Hasbro could rerelease her with better deco - the face printing and skin tones have improved significantly lately - but this original release is good.  The flesh looks human, which is important, as the General is of that species.  The painted eyes and eyebrows look great, much less exaggerated than on her 3 3/4-inch sequel-era figures.  You can see that her face has a few signs of age - but it's flattering.  A tiny bit sunken in spots, but generally bright-eyed and smooth.  It's an idealized Carrie Fisher in toy form. 

If you said to me to describe my perfect ideal of a Leia action figure in 2017, this would be it.  Unhindered articulation, better than average deco, a painted blaster, and excellent molding make this a figure you should go back and buy, unless they announce a better painted reissue.   As we enter a new era where the Disney sequel trilogy seems to be quietly buried under the rug, at least as far as merchandise goes, it's worth noting that there were great, older versions of the classic heroes that are absolutely worth buying. This Leia is one of those.   I would have loved a holster for her blaster, but it's not like her hands don't work.   Get her before she gets expensive when people realize just how nice this one is!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,722: September 3, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,677: First Order Snowtrooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER First of Many
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. B4045
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #12
Includes: Rifle, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: The latest generation of cold weather assault Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers wear advanced insulated armor and helmets that reduce the glare of icy terrain.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When I started writing this column something like 14 years ago, I wanted to do a lot more "whatever happened to" reviews - and now we can, since this First Order Snowtrooper was a 2015 release.  It came out around the same time as the once-impossible-to-find Hux and Asty, which were rerun (you're welcome) before you realized just how low the run really was.   In that wave - and carried forward - was this trooper.  It's a cool trooper!  Hasbro made a bepauldroned version as an exclusive for Toys R Us in 2015, and a caped one for Target in 2019.  You could build an army by being a completist!  The Snowtrooper did start to linger, especially since this version lacks the bells and whistles, and capes, of the other ones.   It's the least desirable of the lot, but it's cheap.

The figure is the same core figure as all three releases, each of which has barely different paint.  It's a white armored soldier with a distinctive helmet and about 26 points of articulation.  Hasbro did a good job with the sculpt thanks to Disney not being stingy with the reference files, and the figure has a pretty good range of movement despite the single-joint style of elbows.  I love the glossy "hard" elements of the uniform on the helmet, shoulders, and chest, while the vinyl kama around the waist just sort of gets in the way.  It's not like this is a really "action"-oriented figure when you take a look at the entire sequel trilogy, and this figure is kind of a good metaphor for the new saga.  It's shiny, it looks like it should turn into something really amazing... and it's fine.  It's probably not going to have the impact on my life that the original gangsta Snowtrooper had back in the day, but maybe it'll influence some kids and a new series of fans when it's time to contemplate raiding what's left of Ralph McQuarrie's sketchbook and swiping frames from other Japanese movies in 2040 when they release Episode X.  Or so I am guessing.

It's a sturdy if stiff trooper with a nifty blaster that's also indicative of its era.  I have little doubt that Disney and Lucasfilm Licensing put their thumbs on the design scale to make the blaster white, so it'd be easier to sell as a toy unlike black blasters.   Toy guns are tough to do these days, even pistol-like phasers from Star Trek Discovery were prototyped and while demand existed, you couldn't sell them in states like California due to gun laws.   And now you've got white blasters on your stormtroopers.   If you're an older fan, this figure is destined to sit on your shelf, possibly in its box, unlikely to be played with and loved like your childhood toys.   Since the free market has brought the price down, go ahead and get this version if you want one of the three First Order Snowtroopers.  It's cheap! Or it was.  I don't know when you'll read this.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,677: March 31, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,499: First Order Flametrooper (The Last Jedi Line Look)

FIRST ORDER FLAMETROOPER Talking Edition
The Last Jedi Force Link Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. C1503  No. E0521
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Thrower, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: June 2018
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Specialized Stormtroopers of the First Order, Flametroopers carry incendiary weapons that can transform any battlefield into an infernal blaze.  (Stolen from the 2015 figure packaging.  This packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Generally speaking I'm pretty fond of trooper figures, especially when new poses come in.  The surprising thing about the Flame Trooper is that he is a big improvement over The Force Awakens Flametrooper [FOTD #2,200].  Both have the same number of joints and appear to be cut from the same cloth, but the 2018 version has some improvements.  (Also I worked to bring these out to Entertainment Earth, so consider this your bias warning.)

First up, the white is glossier and seems almost painted all over - it's s harp.  The whites are brighter and shinier, with a few extra paint applications.  A line in the chest is painted, and the backpack has some red dots that weren't painted before.     The index fingers are white now rather than black, which is more consistent with the prop replicas and merchandise appearances.  A few panel lines and dots were left undecorated, but someone with a fine enough paintbrush or toothpick could probably touch it up pretty nicely.   Hasbro basically fixed a number of details from the 2015 release.

Despite only having 5 joints, they did improve the pose.  The arms are now both posed to hold the blaster with both hands, truer to the movie.  While not super-articulated, it's a heck of a nice improvement and arguably a better way to build an army.  You could probably get a few of each flavor and makes a nice display - the colors may not be a perfect match, though.   Given its status, I'd say it's worth getting.  But of course I'd tell you that.  If a better super-articulated one ever makes the rounds you'll likely want that, but with few unsightly joints and a decent flame-sweeping pose you still may wish to get one or two of this model.

Force Link Notes: "What are my orders?"  "Sir! Resistance fighters!"  "Call in the airstrike!"  And some flaming death noises - these are likely not from the movie.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.   This figure was originally slated to be a part of the first Force Link line for The Last Jedi but when the final wave got axed, this item was dumped in the USA.  It is a de facto USA Entertainment Earth exclusive.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,499: July 17, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,497: Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master, Solo: A Star Wars Story Line Look)

LUKE SKYWALKER Jedi Master
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. E0323  No. E1728
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Bio: Luke Skywalker was a Force-sensitive human male Jedi Master who was instrumental in defeating the Galactic Empire and the Sith during the Galactic Civil War.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Guess who's just different enough to make you mad?  This Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) figure seems to be selling briskly in some markets, but it's a vast irritant to me personally.   The figure is a redo on Luke Skywalker [FOTD #2,403] which wasn't too hard to find, but with a new sound chip.  I would have preferred no changes - but that's not up to me.  Hasbro brought back a popular figure, changing it slightly so completists may feel obliged to buy it - but really, just because a lot of fans want to get a figure of Luke as they may remember him now that he's gone.  

If you read the earlier review, it's the same figure - even the copyright markings are the same.   The green Force Link 2.0 icon is the only genuine change here.  The 5 joints are the same, the awesome textures remain, the articulation is still decent, and it's still our childhood hero before his last stand.  If you have one of the other versions of this figure - and if you're a completist, you may have several - you can enjoy this one's unique Force Link sounds without ever having to open the packaging.  I like it, but if you have another version of this figure you really, truly, do not nee this one as well.

I should emphasize that this is not a bad action figure - it's just more of something you may already have bought in the last 10 months, and that's always a disappointment when something new would be more exciting.

Force Link 2.0 Notes: "I will bring an end to the Jedi order."  "What do you know about the Force?"  "Reach out with your feelings."  "Stay back!"  And wooshing sounds.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,497: July 10, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,481: Kylo Ren (The Black Series Centerpiece)

KYLO REN with display base
The Black Series Centerpiece
Item No.:    No. E0331
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #03
Includes: Blade, base, antenna, flame, bolt, figure, skirt pieces, 6 foot pegs (hidden)
Action Feature: Lights up
Retail: $49.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Bio: In service of Supreme Leader Snoke and the powerful First Order, Kylo Ren and a legion of stormtroopers invade Jakku in search of the star map that will lead them to the last Jedi in the galaxy, Luke Skywalker.   (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  When I first saw the Centerpiece concept (and price point) I rolled my eyes and said "well, this isn't going anywhere good.  Some concepts haven't made it out, but the very best one that I was really excited to see can now be yours with Kylo Ren.   Doing new form factors raises questions like "Why?"  Hasbro has sold collectors no fewer than 6 total The Black Series 6-inch Kylo Ren figures since 2015, and there's lot a lot genuinely new to offer on most - this one took advantage of the form and gave us a movie moment we haven't really seen well-represented.

This time the figure has no articulation, and you have to plug in the flowing robes to make it work.  Once assembled you get some rock and ruins, plus the super-cool blaster bolt Poe Dameron shot at Kylo Ren in the opening scene of The Force Awakens.  Representing the Force is a tough thing to do in toys, but this does a bang-up job showcasing one of the most memorable moments of the new movie generation so far with a bright glowing blue bolt and some red flames... plus a lamp.   This is a toy that really feels like it makes use of the electronics and budget well, as opposed to Luke's weird attack run on Hoth or the not-quite-Rogue One Darth Vader.   The deco is great, and the lights are bright - push the button for 12 seconds of visuals, or hold it in for a few seconds and it stays on until you push it again.    It takes 3 "AAA" batteries and that seems excessive, particularly given that USB or another greener way of doing things would have been nice.

Kylo Ren lacks display options in the figure itself, but the base gives you the choice of putting one or both feet on to give him some distance from the bolt.  If you're hard up for shelf space this is particularly handy.   Space can be at a premium, especially now.   Foot pegs under the base allow you to plug in Stormtroopers to fill out the scene, were you so inclined.  I like having options.

Hasbro's sculptors did an awesome job giving Kylo Ren life with an action-oriented pose showing a quick turn and mastery of the Dark Side to save his neck.   The robe textures are some of the best in this line, and moving away from cloth gives us one of the best Kylo Ren collectibles yet.  He just can't move - what you see is what you get.   It's amazing with amazing detail in the arms, legs, boots, helmet, hood, and everything else - but if you don't love the pose, this is pretty much it.  You could also swap out another The Black Series Kylo Ren if you want, but I like this one here just fine.

While it's pretty stunning and on par with some of the statues we get - except plastic - so as a statue, it's cool and priced well. As an action figure, it's a lousy deal - a $20ish figure, minus articulation, with a $30 base with a couple of LEDs seems nutty.   The final product does look excellent though - so I'd say Hasbro has justified taking your $50 here.   They made something really good here - even though it's expensive.   If you see it on clearance and don't buy it, I pity you.  I'd even say buy it at full price and hopefully Hasbro continues the line with scene-specific takes on things you might want like Boba Fett, or something relating to Han Solo in the Carbon Freeze chamber, or (if you'd let me) a multi-figure set focusing on the Kylo Ren and Rey team-up from The Last Jedi against the Praetorian Guard.  This format has potential for amazing things, if Hasbro keeps it going I bet it could turn around - much like the original 7-inch Unleashed line took a few waves to really kick off.

Packaging Notes: A significant improvement from the 2017 models, this one has a fifth panel box with velcro tabs and a ton of photography showing it off.   It just looks and feels better, like Hasbro took the idea and ran with it.   What we got before was the beta - this is a final release with a stronger pose and movie tie-in as opposed to the off-camera statues we got before.   This is the first Centerpiece toy - and one of very few similar items even when comparing it to the Unleashed 7-inch line - modeled after a specific movie moment.  It's much stronger as a result.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,481: May 14, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,467: Maz Kanata (The Black Series 6-Inch)

MAZ KANATA The One, The Only
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. C3289
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #49
Includes: Rifle, lightsaber hilt, box
Action Feature: Articulated goggles
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2017
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  A thief whose tattered, threadbare clothes and lackadaisical attitude conceal a sharp mind and expert codebreaking skills, DJ believes there's no difference between sides in this new galactic war.  (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:  A great figure that's kind of cheap on the Internet right now, Maz Kanata is based on her The Force Awakens appearance - meaning she's got no jetpack and she's not a hologram.   For some reason Hasbro dragged their feet on a number of cool The Force Awakens figures until a couple years after the movie, and this one came out in time for the sequel.   It's a good figure - but it's also about 4-inches tall.   There's a bit more plastic here, but it's basically about the same kind of product as a 3 3/4-inch super-articulated figure at a significant mark-up because of how these things sell in assortments.  Also she has a killer paint job.

Maz has more color in her socks than many figures have on their whole bodies.   The oranges, yellows, pinks, and browns offset a blue sweater with a brown vest, and a brownish orange belt divides the sea of blue from the high-waisted brown pants.   The movie style was inspired by one of J.J. Abrams' teachers, and it shows - you could see her teaching a class.  The rings and bracelets tell a story, as do the big glasses.   I believe these are the first corrective lenses on a Star Wars action figure to see release in a store, as glasses or monocles are rare in this saga.  (See: Noa, Screed.)

Her metallic skin has numerous wrinkes, and it looks stunning.  The light shines off it and gives it a rich sense of detail, plus her eyes are a little less creepy than they are in the movie.   It's kind of fascinating to see so many rings and special details on a figure like this, because it says a lot about the movie design too.   We've seen numerous aged characters eschew adornments.  Jabba the Hutt wears a tattoo and a smile, and he's about 1,000 years old.  Yoda was 900 and had a brown shirt, brown pants, a jacket, and a necklace with a belt.   Maz clearly has a distinctive sense of style with more color and accessories than we would see on most characters across multiple movies.

Articulation is good, and it needs to be given that you're getting a 4-inch figure at a 6-inch price.  Bend-and-swivel joints are used on the elbows and knees, plus she has rocker ankles.  This is good, but the small feet also show Hasbro's ongoing problems with foot pegs.  The holes are so shallow no stand could use them, and there's no other standardized stand for these action figures.   Thankfully her center of gravity allows her to stand unassisted, but with 24 good points of articulation you can get a lot out of her. I was unable to get her thigh cuts to move, but it could just be my sample combined with a fear of snapping her legs off.

This may be the finest figure in The Black Series in terms of decoration and could even be one of Hasbro's most lavishly decorated action figures.  Most figures tend to be fairly simple affairs with a couple of colors, so this one really did a nice job.  And on top of that you get her blaster, Luke's lightsaber hilt, and a chest that opens.  I wish it had a hinge joint instead of a piece of plastic that bends, but that's how these things go sometimes.   Hasbro did a nice job giving us a weathered-looking wooden box, even going as far as to paint the rivets under the lid.  I am in awe that they bothered, but clearly they got their paint budget's worth out of this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,467: March 28, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,449: First Order Officer (The Black Series 6-Inch)

FIRST ORDER OFFICER with Admiral Ackbar
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: The officers of the First Order military forces show unwavering allegiance to Supreme Leader Snoke, leading his massive armies and fleet in  relentless drive to dominate the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Based on the deco of the First Order Officer uniform, this could be the officer Finn clobbered to steal his outfit.   "DILLON" is the name written on the band of both figures, so seeing as the figures also apparently share engineering it's safe to assume this is the guy Finn beats up.  It works for me.   His hat is removable, the blaster fits in the holster, and he has just over 25 points of articulation.  It's good.  Since I have no idea who it is, I can only assume it's good.

The nameless fellow is sculpted with a hairless head, painted with a spray-on fade.  The hat fits snuggly over the head, with decently painted lips, eyes, and eyebrows.  It's difficult to say if it's good or not, because he's really nobody - this is just the figure you had to buy to get Admiral Ackbar.   If you're army building or doing dioramas - which I assume at this point is an audience of 3 dudes and Hasbro for their convention displays - this is a fantastically useful figure or great fodder for customs.   By virtue of giving the First Order some decent, distinctive villains it seems we're going to have fewer needs for a bad guy buck to modify for other figures.  It's a smart use of a figure that already exists, sharing parts with Finn, and it's nice to have more bad guys to fill out a shelf.   Having said that, I don't blame Hasbro for bundling a non-name character with someone fans want.

The sculpting is perfectly nice, a decent recreation of the movie uniform with a clean, undamaged look.   His glossy boots look great, the holster is useful, and the removable hat adds some personality and potential customization to the figure.   I like how it stands, it poses well, and it has great interaction with his well-painted blaster accessory.  But it's not exciting, it's not a named character - it's a great figure that you probably don't need for your collection.  Get it if you're getting Admiral Ackbar, or if you appreciate a good generic trooper figure.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Toys R Us.   This set sat around.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,449: January 24, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,419: Captain Phasma (6-Inch Value Figure, The Last Jedi Line Look)

CAPTAIN PHASMA Titan Guardians-Esque
The Last Jedi "Dollar Store" 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3946 No. C2715
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: September 2017
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio:  Clad in a distinctive metallic armor, Captain Phasma commands the First Order's legion of troopers. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  And now, the discount version of Captain Phasma!  This 6-inch discount channel action figure has a blaster in her fist, and it doesn't come out.   The cape is on her back, and the silver paint makes her look just as good as a The Black Series action figure at a fraction of the price.  Her bodysuit isn't painted on the back - you won't know, the cape covers it - and a few of her pouches are unpainted.  Oh, so are the soles of her boots.  Other than that?  She's pretty much as good-looking as the $20ish figure.

If you need a cheap Phasma, this is a good one.  She stands well and has articulated shoulders joining a neck and a waist.   It just plain works - she stands and looks cool.  I love the silver finish, and the blaster lacks the black painted detail of the other counterparts.  She's a little taller than other figures in this segment, and by my count is only the 12th figure in the line so far.  (Hit the tags here to see the rest of them.)  While not a little short for a Stormtrooper, she is short compared to the 6-inch The Black Series figure released in 2015.  Like, a full head and change shorter.

This is the kind of figure I would expect a normal kid - and by that, I mean one that doesn't grow up to be me - would get and really enjoy.  Phasma is a simple figure that just plain works.  Her blaster wrist is jointed, too!   The sculpt looks the same as other larger figures, with deco that's pretty close to the other bigger Phasmas.  It's good.  You should get one given the low price and high quality.  I suspect that you won't, but this is a subline I hope goes on forever with 3-5 new figures per year.  My vote for the next entries - Boba Fett, R2-D2, Princess Leia, and Jyn Erso.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walgreens.  This assortment's previous waves hit in the USA at Dollar General, Big Lots, and Family Dollar - I do not know if it will be a de facto exclusive at Walgreens.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,419: October 23, 2017