Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,169: Darth Maul (Movie Version, Epic Hero Series)

DARTH MAUL New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0142
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits in two
Retail: $7.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace
Bio: An agile Sith Lord, sinister Darth Maul wielded an intimidating double-bladed lightsaber and the power of the Dark Side. (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: There are good figures. There are amazing figures. There are figures that by all measures are not very good. But Darth Maul is on the happy side of good, with a side of being priced well for a modern figure (when compared to older figures at their time of release.) You won't be blown away, but it's a good figure of a popular character a a price that's somewhere between "about right" and "hey have you seen The Vintage Collection-esque figures Spin Master is doing for Batman collectors now that cost less money?" I assume we're probably dealing with the realities of Hasbro having to pay Lucasfilm having to pay Disney, with factories specific to the House of Mouse and able to charge accordingly. This is not a bad figure. This isn't a bad figure for the price - especially if you see it for $7.99. The only thing I don't like about this figure is I have several Darth Maul figures, in this costume, that are of a similar quality and cost me a similar (or lower) price.

Darth Maul is one of those characters that came back from certain death and keeps reappearing to put out story hooks to use him again. Will we ever see his post-Solo machinations, pre-Rebels, on a show? Can we see more of what he did after the Empire caught him during Order 66? He's also one of few characters to be successfully recast, at least as his voice goes, to the point where they may as well dub over The Phantom Menace again. This is a popular character in a recognizable outfit, so the question isn't "will collectors buy him again?" but rather "are there enough fans out there that just want an $8-$10 Maul?" and the answer is probably going to be "yes." Fans love to hate him, and he should probably be kept in regular rotation as a toy.

This version is good. Obviously he's a little taller than the 3 3/4-inch scale ones, as Epic Hero Series is (for reasons I do not understand) 4-inch scale. The head is ball-jointed, allowing him to look in all directions. The horns are pointy enough, painted well, and on a head with a great facial expression. If you put your fingers on the horns, they feel sufficiently pointy and far pointier than I'd expect. The paint masks for his facial tattoos are also perfectly good, and arguably better than a lot of collector figures. He has a fantastic sneer, and I have no notes. For a kid line, this is a good noggin. For a collector line, it is also a good noggin.

The body is fine. Epic Hero Series seems to be going for limited functionality, so the "skirt" - while nicely sculpted - does get in the way of him seating. It's unlikely they're planning for this specific figure to be used with a vehicle (if they are, $50 says a new figure will be bundled with it) so all you need to be concerned with is "do the hips move enough so he can stay standing" and that's a solid "yes." The arms swivel freely, and there are no wrist joints. I wish there were, mostly because a lot of his personality (and indeed his whole deal) is swinging around a giant double-bladed lightsaber. He can hold it in either hand, and they were smart to make one of the hands posed at an angle so he look like he can fight with it. But this is not a figure that's meant to be expertly posed - you just put him on your table, and he stands. No fuss, no muss, no fighting to find a center of gravity. I'm arguably jealous that the kid line seems to function better than the collector stuff - this figure has been on my desk for weeks without face-planting.

My complaint about this figure - indeed, this is my complaint about all figures - is "where are his buddies?" Maul is cool, but action figure purchases should beget other figure purchases. This Maul has no other The Phantom Menace figures on the market to join him today, there's no retailer 3-pack with Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan, he is here by himself as either a token anniversary item (happy 25th, Episode I) or just as a cool character in the attempt to never, ever make weirdo tertiary guys ever again. I like what Hasbro did here. The figure itself doesn't have or need a lot of painted detail, so the sculpted robes and big boots all look superb. The pose is good, the lightsaber is great - but, I should note, the hilt's buttons are not painted. I don't think he's any worse off for it, bur it is worth noting previous figures did have those elements for many of the releases. It splits in half, and that's way more fun.

You don't need a new Maul figure. But if you want one, I can recommend this one highly. While he only has five joints, he makes them count and the general design of the figure is on the happy side of "good." I recommend this line to new fans because they're sturdy, solid figures in the tradition of some of Kenner's finest work. I have no reason to challenge Hasbro to try again, and this would be a great place for a new fan to try out action figures.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,169: September 5, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,15: TC-14 (Droid Factory)

TC-14 Disney Edition
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Tray, drink container
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99
Availability: May 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace   

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personalitty and colors. TC-14 is a protocol droid that was in the employ of the Trade Federation on their Profiteer-class droid control ship, Saak'ak. May the Force be with your... and your Droids! (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Given that it's the 25th anniversary of Episode I, it makes since that Disney would make a new TC-14 action figure. The first one came out in 2000, and had an accessory complete with flared base that inspired giggles in the young adult collectors and the fans who tolerated them. Back then, Hasbro made an all-new mold for what could have been a repaint. It had a shiny vac-metal finish and still looks gorgeous 24 years later. This new one hits the "just different enough to make you mad" button.

This one uses the build-a-droid mold you know, but has newly tooled changes and unique deco. When Hasbro made U-3PO, the figure had three sculpted dots on the chest - Disney's silver protocol droid had these as well when it was sold in the bins. The new 2024 TC-14 has a smoothed-out chest, plus a retooled pair of hands to better hold the tray. There are enough details that are changed or sharper that make me think this could be a mostly new mold, which isn't nothing. The "CHINA" and "LFL" on the feet are a little different, the details on the back of the head are sharper, and given it's completely coated in silver paint it's worth noting nothing seems washed-out. If it's not a new mold based on the existing sculpt, at the very least, they went in and remastered it to get a lot more out of it. If this retooled/new tool version has been released previously, let me know in the comments, because it doesn't quite line up with the ones I've got handy. The range of motion is similar, and you can swap parts between this new figure and your older ones. However, I should note the pegs and sockets do not feel exactly the same as before when you connect them.

The big question with any new upgrade is "Do I need it?" and in this case, the answer is a "no but maybe?" Because it doesn't match Disney's unpainted (but molded in silver with blue eyes) build-a-droid, and because it has different parts from Hasbro's hard-to-get silver version of U-3PO, and because Hasbro's own TC-14 was vac metal, to me, it's an easy buy. It looks sufficiently different from figures I have - but if I just wanted one of every character, the existing TC-14 would be good enough for my needs. I am a filthy figure collector, though, so I had to get this one too. For $15, she can hold the tray and look just fine. If she were on store shelves nationwide, or had literally any new-ish figures from the movie to go with her, it would be part of an exciting capsule program. Alas, she may be the only 3 3/4-inch figure from The Phantom Menace you see this year that isn't retro, so your enjoyment of this figure will be relying on your own droid mania or your existing cast of Jedi and dubiously-accented aliens in wacky hats from the end of the 20th century. (I can't imagine we'll ever get new and improved Nute Gunray or Rune Haako figures.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,153: July 11, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,135: Obi-Wan Kenobi (The Retro Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI with a familiar pose
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber with Queen Amidala, Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Battle Droid
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I don't know if anybody will agree with me, but I'm pretty sure this Obi-Wan Kenobi was at least partially inspired by the 2012 Duel on Naboo Battle Packs Obi-Wan Kenobi [FOTD #1,831] figure. It also had 5 points of articulation and was a pretty excellent figure, with a similar (but not identical) pose and one of the best Ewan McGregor likenesses of the entire line. Hasbro is on the lower price point end of the collectible toy spectrum, but they do an amazing job - and seeing what they were doing a decade ago with "kid stuff" continues to impress me to this day. Comparing that figure to this new (old-style) one, you can see a lot of similarities in where the shoulders and legs are cut, with slightly different leg poses that are a bit more dynamic than the rest of Hasbro's "Kenner" figures. This guy has a bit more personality.

This entire grouping was a fascinatingly weird 25th anniversary set, and I can't imagine Hasbro had an easy time picking which six figures got made. I'd love to see another six, mostly due to the lack of the blue shirt Padme or young Anakin. I can't imagine they'll do another set of guys from this movie, so I'll just say that these are about as good as the other remake and new figures. Your old figures are still special, but these are a nice addition to the old figure line if you can get past the "you're not my real dad!"-ness of them. The old Kenner sculptors aren't coming back, the old factory techniques are no longer used, and a lot of Kenner-era fans aren't going to like the prequels anyway. As such, this figure is about as good as it's going to get in the current marketplace.

One of the biggest departures is his Jedi braid, now molded to his torso rather than his head. It's an elegant solution that deprives the head from having a breakable part, and very much seems like the kind of thing Kenner would have done early in the line. The squared-off legs are also similar to a lot of figures we got during The Empire Strikes Back, and the boots are pretty close. The colors seem a little more saturated than most Obi-Wan figures, but I'm fine with that - it's what Kenner tended to do. The deco is simple, with pretty good Kenner-style eyes and generally nicely painted hair, belt, boots, and hands. There's not a lot going on here, so it turns out rather well.

The head doesn't look quite right, but I'd say the same about most of the vintage Kenner heads of old. It's not like Han Solo really looked all that much like Harrison Ford, and it would be a stretch to say that any of the stars really resembled the photographs on the cardbacks. If anything, Obi-Wan excels at being just a smidgen off-model, as it seemed Kenner was fond of doing. To this day I have no idea if they were intentionally trying to dodge likeness rights or not, and while there's probably a book or a doc somewhere that explains it, I haven't seen it yet. But I do know that Obi-Wan's wider arm and leg stance really seems more modern than most figures. It's also more interesting to look at than most modern Retro figures.

As always the sculpted detail is a little botoxed-out, like someone expanded a selection in Photoshop by a pixel or two and filled it in. I would not be stunned if they used the aforementioned 2012 figure's digital model as a starting point, and then refined it until you got what we have here. There are plenty of nice landmarks, wrinkles, and folds, but some of them seem other unfinished or digitally smudged out in a way that seems a smidgen undercooked. Despite this, teh hands are great - both can hold a lightsaber tightly and that's not the kind of thing we got a ton of in the old days.

I have no doubt fans will poo-poo this figure for his soft detail, but it does look like Hasbro is making inroads in trying to capture the harder-to-describe details on old Kenner toys. I would love to see sharper sculpted details, but the more unique poses and slightly off-model face combined with joints that seem to swing smoothly and allow the figure to sit? I have little to complain about in that regard. The figure is good enough, and I would say the only thing I feel is missing is the cloak that we got with Qui-Gon Jinn. I assume it was for budget reasons, and I would say this is a perfectly find retro-style figure for the price. With the original Kenner sculptors well beyond retirement, and few people wanting to replicate an outdated form of sculpting, I can only say that I admire the attempt and it's nice to get something that continues to try to get closer to the old days. I doubt we'll ever pick up a new retro-style figure and say "this is 100% exactly what Kenner would have done" as getting the sculpted detail and body language just-so would result in massive fan arguments regardless of the quality. If you want a vintage-style figure with a sharper sculpt, thankfully, it exists. If you can enjoy this figure for what it is, it's pretty good - but now that we're five years and dozens of figures in, we're never going back to copy the 1982 production values.

Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,135: May 21, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,134: Battle Droid (The Retro Collection)

BATTLE DROID with Non-removable Backpack
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster with Queen Amidala, Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Sometimes a retro figure looks a lot like a regular figure - take the Battle Droid. At first glance, it looks like any of a number of figures put out by Hasbro around the turn of the century, many of which had more articulation. This one stands out with sturdier, thicker limbs, no knee or elbow joints, and a distinctive pose that actually gives him some personality. You also lose a removable backpack, but depending on how you see Kenner figures, that's something that may be a good creative decision.

I'll give away my overall opinion by saying I'm annoyed that this figure is in a $60 gift set, as I'd love to buy another one or two. (Maybe Hasbro can repaint it later.) A lot of fans forget that a lot of old Kenner figures had poses with personality, including bent arms or hands that look like maybe they were posed to push a button on a panel. The Battle Droid keeps both hands able to grip things, but the sculptors made a good decision to twist the right wrist and bend the elbow so he can look like he's gesturing and telling you that you're not authorized to go there. This sets the design apart from a lot of modern figures who just stand there with their arms at their sides, which is never quit as interesting. His pose is mostly upright, but that's typical for this kind of robot - and probably why it looks so much like existing "modern" figures. He's hard to get wrong.

The details are pretty good, a little less intense than Hasbro's other droids but all the major elements are all there. You can see little ridges and joints (that are cosmetic), and the head has some mold seams that I assume weren't intentional, but certainly add to the old-ness of the design. His head now turns at the base of the neck only, so be careful - you don't want to torque the head off the neck. I don't know if this design would hold up to kids playing with it, but hey - that's never going to happen, is it? In the hands of collectors it should be fine.

In the movies and previous figures, we saw Battle Droids with removable backpacks - Kenner never sold a figure with a removable backpack. (Some accessory packs with backpacks did, however, exist.) Hasbro 2024 opted to co-opt the backpack designs of 1979, fusing the backpack to the body with some hand-waving, rounding it off and making for a thicker torso. I think this is the right idea - we saw similar design cues in Dengar and the Rebel Commander, but the connective tissue was refined as time went on. The Battle Droid has tiny antenna and a rounded-off look that seems unfinished, or perhaps made from memory - which is how a lot the Cantina Aliens of 1979 were made. I think going with how the Rebel Commander backpack made it look more like a separate element than part of the body would be a better looking choice, but the weirder choice is certainly more interesting (if intentional.) If you told me the idea was to make something Kenner might have designed before the original Star Wars line, I think I'd believe you - it's wrongness feels a little right.

It's always a little jarring to have Retro figures that have modern touches (hands that can grip the blaster well) and things that seem primitive (backpack), but it works for me. It's different enough from a standard figure that I can say "hey, that's interesting" even if I can't say "hey, that seems worth the ten bucks." Hasbro made freebie Battle Droids as substitutes for CommTech chips in some non-English speaking markets in the 1990s... and this is about that good, with similar articulation. And let's be honest, probably why the entire set is $60, unlike $72 or more like some of the other retro 6-packs we've seen. I like this figure for what it is - quirky, fun, sturdy - but odds are its pose isn't "retro" enough to please purists and anyone who has an MTT full of Battle Droids already doesn't need another one. Recommended for retro enthusiasts... unless this set goes on clearance, in which I say don't buy it at all, just leave it at the store so I can buy more of them.

Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,134: May 16, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,133: Queen Amidala (The Retro Collection)

QUEEN AMIDALA with Better Articulation than the 2000 Figure
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Battle Droid, Jar Jar Binks, Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I had low expectations for Queen Amidala and turned out to be quite impressed. This is probably the most marketed image of the character from the movie's time in theaters 25 years ago, and while we got dolls and toys at Taco Bell, we did not get an action figure until the following year. That Power of the Jedi Queen Amidala (Theed Invasion) [FOTD #3] was more or less a salt shaker with arms, but it was a nice sculpt and a decent looking figure. She couldn't sit, which meant there wasn't a great figure to sit in the throne in the Royal Starship... until now!

Unlike many, many incarnations of the figure, this Queen Amidala can actually sit. The designer of this figure - and if the same person did the others, well, oops - seemed to study the specific elements of actual old figures and incorporate some of them. For example, her left hand can't actually hold anything - much like a lot of Kenner-era Leia figures. The right hand could, but no accessory is included. The legs swing forward really well, and the tabard bends a little - now that's something I don't think Kenner would have done, but the sculpted detail on the leg interiors is something I really dig. You can see rolling fabric, just like the legs on the original mail-away Anakin Skywalker action figure. The eyes and make-up look great, and all of the details are not necessarily beautiful, but mutated. This figure's tabard is all gold, while the previous one was mostly red, and the movie costume was red with gold detailing. Getting it a little bit wrong is trademark Kenner, so I think it worked nicely here.

Sculpted details are pretty good - as usual, the body is a little botoxed with smoothed-out pleats and wrinkles, plus a narrower footprint that can fit in some vehicles. The arms are bowed out a tiny bit in a way I don't quite love, but that's not unusual with modern retro-style figures. The most unusual design element is that she has a collar around her neck, above her shoulders, attached to her tabard. It's sort of like a reverse cape, and is quite clever. I can't name any old figures I've had with quite this sort of bib, though, although figures have had belts or actual cloth aprons. I assume if Kenner did this in the 1970s, it might have been made sort of like a vinyl cape, perhaps Bespin Gown Leia's as it had a printed pattern on it. This solution looks a lot better, and gives the figure a lot more to do than just stand there like a chess piece.

Amidala doesn't quite have the posture of an old-school Kenner figure, nor does she have any sort of real "motion" in her pose like some figures, but she does a better job getting closer to it than a lot of other new guys. Kenner would never have had the hair hanging down the back, or the necktie, but I like thinking that maybe they would have done it this way eventually. She's lighter on sculpted detail with softened sculpted detail compared to a real vintage Kenner figure, but you know what? She's good. If she were an individually sold release I'd recommend picking her up at twelve bucks, and she's my new favorite figure from this set so far. I'd say that I like this figure so much I'd love to see them do a few more, but I can't imagine they'd do an Anakin or C-3PO or Darth Sidious at this point. I can dream, though.

Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,133: May 14, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,132: Qui-Gon Jinn (The Retro Collection)

QUI-GON JINN Just The Way He Was Never Intended!
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, plus Battle Droid, Jar Jar Binks, Queen Amidala, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I feel that there's a sliding scale with retro figures - almost none of these feel like they could have existed in the 1980s due to their posture and texture, but sometimes there are elements that feel right out of 1980. Qui-Gon Jinn absolutely feels that way. I would have loved to live in a world where Hasbro made one with a vinyl cape and telescoping lightsaber (because being from a prequel, it should look older than the 1978 figures.) What we got was a figure with cloth Jedi robes and a non-telescoping lightsaber, which is what we saw around 1983 - but the figure's texture is too smooth for 1983, as Kenner was putting subtle changes on its many figures.

Old Kenner figures were usually pretty on-model or wildly divergent. Luke looked more or less like what you might expect, Leia did the best they could with the engineering of the day, and I don't think there's anyone who can explain what was going on with R2-D2. Qui-Gon Jinn looks like a really high-quality knock-off with hints of the 1980s peppered throughout. The most authentically "old" detail is his left hand, which is a little more like the claw we saw on 1978 Luke. Can you cram an accessory in it? Sure - but it's not a "gripping hand," like the right hand. The robes mostly look like someone copied the reference photos well, except for the belt. In the movie (and most toys) the dark brown belt usually hangs a tiny bit higher, with some of the tan belt hanging below it. Here, the dark brown belt hangs a little low and it immediately struck me as just not looking correct. His boots look more or less like other action figure boots, but have that weird, not-quite-puffy rounded detailing that modern Hasbro Retro figures sport but old Kenner figures did not. You probably won't notice, but it really is one of those subtle "this isn't right" things that fans over 40 will see and are less likely to accept.

The head sculpt has an example of modern toy companies working around old limitations. The hair is a separately molded chunk in the back - old Kenner figures rarely had long hair or ponytails. In the case of Boushh, they just dropped Leia's braid entirely. Qui-Gon has a glued-in piece and while it does look sloppy, "sloppy" is how such a thing would probably look in the 1980s. The eyes don't quite feel right for the era, and the beard looks arguably too good. General Madine may be the most prominent beard in Kenner-dom, and Qui-Gon's looks too realisitc. Not that it needs to look weird, but sometimes weird is right with these old figures. The head also isn't particularly glossy, which hurts the old-ness a bit.

A green lightsaber that's just like Jedi Luke's is what one should expect, but the Jedi Robes - included with Qui-Gon but not Obi-Wan Kenobi - are also arguably too good for a retro figure. The hood sits well on the head, the texture is good, the feel is nice... Hasbro really struggled with cloth Jedi robes with sleeves when we started to get them regularly. This seems refined, which is odd - but also Kenner was pretty good about getting hats and hoods to fit, and most figures could fit in the appropriate vehicles. It makes sense that this would be just fine.

The figure's articulation is good, but I'm not buying the posture. The arms and legs swing forward well, and the long robes cut as leg joints do have a precedent. If you have a Hoth Han Solo or Bespin Princess Leia, their garments hang below the belt and above the knees, so this is more or less how it should look. The legs swing forward with little fuss, and the neck can turn without snapping off his long hair. That's more of a modern innovation, and I can't think of an old Kenner figure from the Star Wars era with long hair over his shoulders. Maybe I'm forgetting somebody. In terms of functionality, I would say it's appropriately retro with the quality-of-life improvements we got when Hasbro said "hey, we can use flexible plastic and the thumbs won't snap on our G.I. Joe figures." This is a good thing, even if it's not necessarily authentic to the era.

You can choose to like this figure for what it is - a licensed figure that looks like it could stand on a shelf with other old figures - or bag on it for not hiring an actual original gangster sculptor, and was probably sculpted digitally, and was spit out of a factory who doesn't grok that Kenner's old figures had good, crisp details - just not as much detail as a modern figure. For about $10, given what I assume to be a limited audience (the Venn Diagram of "People who love Episode I" and "People who love Kenner Action Figures" might be me and about 40 other people in total), it's this or nothing. I don't think someone like Stan Solo was ever going to crank one out, and I don't know that a Super7 or other company that trades in 3 3/4-inch retro figures would (in today's marketplace) come up with something that captures the tough-to-define posture and pose of those original figures. Having said that, I'd rather the original Episode I figures be posed and jointed like this so they could more easily fit in vehicles. It's good for what it is (a modern take on retro) and I can't argue the price.

Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,132: May 9, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,131: Jar Jar Binks (The Retro Collection)

JAR JAR BINKS Just The Way He Was Never Intended!
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, plus Battle Droid, Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: After other recent (and good!) figures of this character, I would not have expected to buy another Gungan. But in The Retro Collection, all things are possible and I got Jar Jar Binks. I would love nothing more than to take a crack at writing a story about him in a post-Empire world, but that's not likely to happen. What is likely to happen is me taking this figure to a bunch of vehicles to see if he'll fit, and thanks to his very long legs it's a mixed bag. He can fit in a Landspeeder or CAP-2 or even (shockingly) the AST-5, but his feet bump into the cannon of the MTV-7 which for some reason still remains on my desk to this day. I don't think that's a failing on anybody's part, he's just a really tall dude.

When translating any new design to the classic Kenner style, it's tough to say if Hasbro did a good job, or not. I think they did a bang-up job of making a good retro-style action figure, but the question we always have to ask is "but when was this figure made?" Is Hasbro tackling the design of a figure that could have came out in 1978 or 1983 or 1985? Usually figures are a pastiche of styles, cribbing details from each era to put something out that's something of an anachronism. For example, Jar Jar's ears being sculpted as big separate pieces is something I don't think you would have seen until 1983 or much later, but the legs having the sculpted "skirt" (and not a cloth one like the 1983 Klaatu figure) is something you could have seen as far back as 1978. The eye are perfectly 1978-ish, but the gripping hand is way better than anything we got in those days. His hands are almost modern, or at least, 1990s-style in terms of how well they grip the Battle Droid blaster. He stands and sits well, like most old figures, and I don't think any modern (read: late Millennial or younger) customer is going to have a problem with it seeming like something really, really old people had as a kid. You know, 40s, 50s, people who have one foot in the grave.

The coloring seems a tiny bit off, and that's where I think Hasbro rightly zagged where Kenner would also have zagged. His skin is molded in dark pink with a light beige for the mouth, nose, and ears - in their position I would have molded in cream and painted pink, but it works well and I don't see any blemishes. Hasbro opted to not include the skin pattern, but most interestingly the colors on Jar Jar figures tend to change a bit. In the movie, his shirt was more of a darker brown, and the vest was often a little darker too. This one has a lighter vest with a lighter brown pants and shirt - it's not as wacky as Walrus Man or Greedo or Hammerhead but it is off-model just enough for me to say "good job." He looks like Jar Jar Binks, but isn't perfect. That's what I want to see here.

Oddly, his hands are pretty much perfect - there's a separately molded trigger finger, which is not the kind of thing you saw from Kenner very much. You might have had fingers wrapped around in a closed loop, but this sort of thing wasn't typical until the 1990s. Also the left hand is interesting in that it's "broken," rotated so it can't hold a weapon and once again looking like something that came out of the 1990s. I can't quite tell what the design decision was here, but it really does seem like a heavily watered-down and somehow better figure than the staff-holding version we got in May of 1999.

Hasbro could've made a $17 (or $25) deluxe Jar Jar Binks in Vintage and it probably would have been great - but this goofball is also really fun. Sure he doesn't have the painted detail we got in 1999, but that's the point. He's a goofy salamander that looks sort of like he might fit in with your old Jabba's Palace or Cantina aliens. I think this is a great way to make me care about some figures I didn't think I would want to buy, and I'd recommend you pick this one up if you liked Kenner toys. Also if anyone out there from Hasbro is reading, consider a wave of Retro dudes for the next Star Wars movie's pre-release line. Don't wait 25 years - off-model figures made from preproduction designs are a blessing in the Kenner line, save authenticity for post-release The Vintage Collection figures.

Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,131: May 7, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,130: Darth Maul (The Retro Collection)

DARTH MAUL Just The Way He Was Never Intended!
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, plus Battle Droid, Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, Jar Jar Binks, and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: A few years ago I was pondering if Kenner-flavored prequel figures would be cool, and now we've got Darth Maul just before the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace He was the first one I'd want to see in this style - but Diamond Select Toys made a Jumbo 12-inch Kenner figure too... and I think they designed it better. Diamond's had sharper detailing, a better head, a vinyl cape, but had a not-so-retro lightsaber with a silver hilt. Hasbro opted to make soft details with very few painted tattoo markings, a different pose, and arms that were, sadly, too big to fit in the Sith Infiltrator vehicle we got about 18 years ago.

If there's one thing that's increasingly clear to me about Retro figures, is that they would be massively popular if these things could be released before the movie or TV show. With rough details, they would be the ultimate "sneak preview" figures. If they're off-model or generally wrong? That's OK.

Maul is a really tough nut to crack for true Kenner styling - after all, what do you emphasize? Do you pretend it's pre-1977 and give him early details like a vinyl cape or telescoping lightsaber? Or do you pretend Kenner never stopped doing Kenner-style figures, and make something that may look more like a 1990s release? This figure doesn't seem to hit any specific era with its massive 1980-style lightsaber hilt with two blades, the pre-1984 clean cut slice in the pants without any flowing fabric detail, and a head that has horns that somehow look better than the 1999 figure and facial tattoos that, I must say, don't do it for me. It's pretty close, but I don't know how Kenner would have done either the face or the make-up. It's just a lot more red and a lot less sharp angles than I expected.

In terms of functionality, it's pretty great - the aforementioned Sith Infiltrator ship from Hasbro has a few quirks and a small cockpit that was designed around jointed knees and smaller arms, so this one can sit in it - but you can't close the cockpit. He can sit, though, so break out the mini-rigs because his range of motion is excellent and he doesn't have any obstructions. They did a good job there, and he can holt the lightsaber better than most real Kenner figures. His pose is also pretty great, with a right hand slightly rotated to give him a slightly more dynamic shelf presence than most modern Hasbro incarnations of Kenner sculpts. I think they got that completely right.

He's also rather tall - Liam Neeson's a big dude and so are his figures, but Ray Park is a little short. Their Retro figures are about the same size. That seems like an OG Kenner move, were there wasn't a massive rift between the shorties and the Wookiees like we get with modern figures.

I'm less enamored with the actual robe sculpting - it seems unfinished, and is missing a certain sense of the weight or detail of an actual old figure. I would love grooves on the face for the tattoos (Klaatu had some real texture), and a chest that has some better layering. I'm not saying I could do any better, but it would be nice to have the lower torso area a smidgen more rounded so the legs swing forward more easily. It's good, but it could be just barely better - or, most fans won't notice and won't care because they will never open this one. But we will. I love how it feels as a toy - all the parts move more or less as expected and it feels like something you believe could have existed in the past.

As a bundle I assume this set is going to be destined for a sale unless the run was particularly low - that's no criticism of the set, I just don't think people going to Target are going to see a weird block box with no visible figures and drop $60 unless they are big believers in the format. I bought it at full price because I want to see more of these, and Hasbro's not making too many figures per year and the prices are generally on the fair side. Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,130: May 2, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,946: Battle Droid (Droid Depot set, The Black Series)

BATTLE DROID Droid Depot Set
The Black Series Galaxy's Edge Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F3400
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Babu Frik, Pit Droid, Battle Droid with blaster and antenna backpacks, K-7R1, and CB-23
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $74.99
Availability: March 2022
Appearances: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace   

Bio: The soulless ranks of the Separatist armies are dominated by tall, thin B1 battle droids controlled by centralized command center. They often suffer programming glitches that manifest as personality quirks. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Battle Droid is the same as the Best Buy carded figure (which I haven't opened yet), and both are almost the same as the 2019 Battle Droid [FOTD #2,579] sold in the main line. For army builders, the slight deco variations are just what you want. For everybody else, this means there are three "just different enough to make you mad" Battle Droids in this line - and counting.

It's worth noting that the 6-inch Battle Droid is one of Hasbro's stronger efforts. I don't care if you hate the prequels, it's a good figure - there are lots of joints, good option parts, and he can crouch down like in the movies. The design is very good and not nearly as spindly as some of the 3 3/4-inch Battle Droids we got after the 1999-2000 Episode I line ended.

What I don't like is that the deco is seemingly the same paint masks, but slightly differing colors. The silver scuffing all seems the same, with added dirt markings in slightly lighter dirt. In a display you could probably see these as slightly different - they're good markings, and the change in brown is at least a change even if it isn't a significant one. Changing up the scuffs and markings make army builders worth re-buying, although in this case all three tan Battle Droids are probably close enough to identical that it may not be worth buying all the flavors.

I would have preferred Hasbro spend a couple of pennies and add red, yellow, or blue shoulders to give us another squad variation. But they didn't. If you bought this set anyway, it's one more to add to your ranks. Or more junk for the drawer if you're trying to keep your displays tight. Or you can display one with the antenna, and one with the backpack. I was hoping they would have updated the damage, but they didn't.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,946: July 28, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,923: Pit Droid (Droid Depot set, The Black Series)

PIT DROID Droid Depot Set
The Black Series Galaxy's Edge Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F3400
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Babu Frik, Pit Droid, Battle Droid with blaster and antenna backpacks, K-7R1, and CB-23
Action Feature: Sort of wads up
Retail: $74.99
Availability: March 2022
Appearances: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and The Phantom Menace
Bio: The cheap and expendable often bolt out to repair still cycling superheated pod racer engines with no regard to their personal safety. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I like droids, especially new ones. With so many repaints - even this set is sort of burdened with a few of them - a fresh face (in the scale) like this Pit Droid is welcome. While he has no accessories of his own, the $75 set does seem expensive. Thanks to recent price increases, a $25 K-2SO-style droid, a $25 Battle Droid, and a mishmash of 3 mini droids for $25... it's not terrible. It's not ideal, as I wouldn't have bought another Battle Droid at this point, but that's how they get you.

I can only assume more repaints of this Pit Droid are coming, and it's a good enough mold to consider buying in more colors. While it can't fold up under a tiny little saucer, it's loaded with articulation like an ab crunch, two elbow joints, ball-jointed elbows, and swivel wrists. This gets it pretty close - it's not perfect, but it's still impressive for the size that you can fold him down quite a bit. At about 4-inches tall he competes with similarly sized The Vintage Collection figures in terms of complexity and size. Who ever thought we'd get rocker ankles on a Pit Droid? I sure didn't, but the DUM-series has them.

Sculpting is good, deco is light - but more or less true to the CG models - and the design hasn't been in this scale before, so he's pretty exciting. A reddish brown robot with a subtle grey ring around the dome is nice, as are the painted antenna. I like what Hasbro did here, and if it were sold separately for $15-$18 or a $25 2-pack I'd say it's arguably worth that. As the most impressive, robust new part of a $75 souvenir set it's a bit ridiculous, but given that most "new" figures lately are reruns of some sort you might be fine shelling out to get something that isn't a photoreal of a figure you've already purchased once or twice. Also there's so little from The Phantom Menace that this is actually kind of lovely. Hopefully Hasbro throws in a tool or two next time, because you will probably want one or two more of these in different colors. Get it if the price for the set doesn't make you wince.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,923: May 10, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,869: Aurra Sing (The Black Series)

AURRA SING 6-Inch Debut
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Yellow Star Wars: The Clone Wars Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1864
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #08 - Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Includes: Rifle, strap, two pistols
Action Feature: Removable strap, working holsters
Retail: $22.99
Availability: October 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and The Clone Wars

Bio: A feared bounty hunter known for her chalk-white skin and built-in comlink antenna, Aurra Sing was an expert sniper and trained assassin who would work for anyone who paid her. (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: This is a good one also. Aurra Sing is a figure that seems to span multiple eras, in several ways. Her double-jointed knees with visible pins make me assume this design may have been started a few years ago and shelved until recently - most newer-sculpted figures have a bend-and-swivel knee design. (I could be wrong.) This one is loaded with articulation, 27 points in all, plus a pair of holsters

Labeled "Babe Fett" on some early concept art, this cameo from The Phantom Menace became a much bigger deal in The Clone Wars and in the various Dark Horse Comics publications in the early 2000s. She wore pretty much the same exact outfit in most of her appearances (although there is a black outfit that got to be a Walmart exclusive once), so if you want to see this as a cartoon version or the movie version, one thing is certain: they're pretty much the same.

The sculpting of the su per-tight orange onesie is good, the various belts and vest hang over it nicely, and all the joints work pretty well. She can stand holding the rifle, she can hold the pistols, and the holsters work well too - this is a well-engineered figure with paint that's about as good as I assume we'll ever get on a Hasbro consumer-level Aurra Sing figure. My only gripe is that the antenna - a separately molded piece - is a teensy bit translucent, so in bright light it looks a lot less like metal. The same is true of the thinner parts of her rifle. It's by no means bad, but you can make an argument for some silver paint if you're a customizer.

There are some figures where you can nitpick details to highlight, but this one pretty much does everything you want... and does it efficiently. Separately molded hair, great eye make-up paint, a few silver painted elements on the vest, she's good. You feel like you basically get your price increased $23 worth here - and I don't doubt we may see revisions in a repaint down the road. I wouldn't wait if you see this one, just go ahead and get her. She's neat. Having said that, I look forward to excuses for figures that are not bounty hunters nor freedom fighters nor government thugs. Alien Space Trucker is also a fine profession.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,869: November 2, 2021