Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,400: Han Solo

HAN SOLO Scoundrel
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85224
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Han Solo became caught up with the Rebel Alliance, courtesy of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, whom he helped rescue from the Death Star. Solo helped Skywalker destroy the Death Star when it attacked the Rebel base at Yavin 4, where they had taken Organa. Solo became an unofficial member of the Rebel Alliance, and fell in love with Organa. He helped destroy the Second Death Star at the Battle of Endor. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old desk.

Commentary: It's rare where I can point to a figure that's six years old and say that Hasbro perfected it and should never bother upgrading it. This Han Solo is one of those figures. Since being released in 2004, Hasbro has never done a basic Star Wars Han Solo again and, to date, never bothered to reissue this one. (A retooled version was released in 2007 and another in 2009, plus other figures based on this design were released-- but this one was perfect and this configuration is a one-time release.) If you only have one Han Solo in your collection, this is it. You simply will not get a better one at press time, and unless Hasbro has something super-special in store that adapts Pre Vizsla's hip joints and a better head sculpt, you probably flat-out can't improve on this one. It's Han Solo, space adventurer, minus any wacky Stormtrooper helmets or iPod headphones.

Han has 14 points of articulation, blue pants with red stripes, and a holster that not only carries his blaster but hangs in a way that doesn't look like it's breaking or ill-fitting. While a separate piece, the holster doesn't prevent him from doing too much sitting, but it does inhibit movement at the hips only slightly-- and this is something it doesn't seem Hasbro is actively aiming to improve right now. This isn't a knock at the team, it's just I don't know how you can have a separately molded belt that hangs down on legs that are expected to bend. (If you can figure it out, NASA has a large cash prize waiting for you.)

The likeness and pose are, in more ways than one, vintage Han Solo. He can replicate the pose of his 1978 figure or any of a number of famous photographs, while the head sculpt is one of Hasbro's better efforts. The torso with its non-removable vest seems nothing short of perfect, and the scale of this figure is also right on the money. Hasbro managed to make a slightly friendlier version of the cocky space pirate, but you can pose him to add a little bit of snark if you'd like. This is the best Han Solo you may ever see in this line, so add it to your shopping list.

Collector's Notes: I actually bought a spare one of these for $1 at a Wal-Mart in 2005. Proof that the mass market has no taste? I think so. There don't seem to be many on eBay but the few I see are about $10. That's fair. Go get one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,400: October 26, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 950: Stormtrooper

STORMTROOPER Vintage Edition
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85272
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Imperial Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Late 2005
Appearances: Star Wars and everything else

Bio: Stormtroopers were the elite shock troopers of the Galactic Empire. Like Imperial-class Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters, stormtroopers served as reminders of the Emperor's power, extensions of his will, and a method of keeping the Empire's thousands of star systems in line through fear. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: In 2004, some fans said this Stormtrooper was the best thing ever, and others saw it as an insult-- even though it was the best articulated Stormtrooper ever (and continues to be), well, I guess there's no pleasing everybody. Its sculpt allowed for it to be the first super-articulated bodied Stormtrooper, however the design did restrict some movement. His legs are basically very... tightly kept together, unable to get much dynamic movement. His arms can be moved in and out, up and down, but his poses tend to keep him looking like he's trying to avoid letting anyone see his armpit stains. They're very close to the torso, which can look a little weird. These guys are perfect for lining up on a Death Star, or manning certain kinds of equipment-- but if dioramas or action scenes are your thing, future figures with less articulation might give you more what you want.

Honestly, I can't complain too much here. He's about the right size, can move quite a bit, and the sculpt is above and beyond our expectations of what we should hope for out of a Stormtrooper figure. There are, however, two key problems I have with it, one of which was really just a flaw of its time and has since been fixed. 1. Holster. Hasbro designed the figure to have a holster to carry his blaster. The sculptors, I presume, in China goofed this up and the fit is extremely awkward. 2. Plastic. This is the one Hasbro has since fixed-- the 2004-2005 shipments of the figure (as in, any and all from the original cardback) have an off-white plastic that almost looks like its yellowing. Later releases in Battle Packs are pure white, or at least seem that way by comparison.

Collector's Notes: The figure was shipped for a while and even showed up at Tuesday Morning stores on closeout. (I got one of mine there.) It was repackaged as a more pure white figure in 2008 in Target's Force Unleashed Kashyyyk Battle Pack. In 2006, it was retooled as a Sandtrooper, and several versions of this figure have been issued since and they're still in circulation. The $7 Sandtroopers may be your best alternative to the "vintage" version, because many are also pure white, without battle damage, and all the gear can be removed. So, keep your eyes peeled for those. Also, in 2007, this figure was retooled to have a human head and removable helmet as part of the basic figure line. Oh, and it was recolored in black too. And they did some comic packs with Basso and Mouse in Stormtrooper disguises based on this mold, as well as Marvel-colored Luke and Han Stormtrooper figures. Movie colored version of Luke and Han are due out any day now, and odds are there are a few other figures based on this original mold too. While Clone Troopers are the most repainted figures, it seems this mold may well be the one with the most unique resculpts and reapaints available.

Day 950: February 3, 2009

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 526: Chewbacca

CHEWBACCA Return of the Jedi
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85269
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Chewbacca (or "Chewie", as he was known by his friends) was a legendary Wookiee from Kashyyyk and co-pilot of Han Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon. He also played a significant role in the Battle of Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars as well as during the Galactic Civil War. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's toy shelves.

Commentary: Considered by many to be the best Chewbacca figure of all time, this 2004 release is pretty gosh darned good. Not only is he super-articulated, but he features multiple waist joints which allow for a number of poses previously unseen (and unthinkable) in Star Wars action figures. Sure, his bowcaster requires minimal assembly, but the end result is a Chewbacca figure that has received precious few complaints. This is no small feat. Sculpting fur is difficult, and as you can see, Hasbro took this into consideration. Fur hangs off his limbs, which helps you see how Hasbro probably intended him to be posed. Unless, of course, he's in zero gravity. The face is good, the fur is good, the only thing I don't know if I really can praise is the deco. As you can see, there are these brown streaks in it. Depending on how it's lit, you might not notice, but I notice these things and it looks like he smeared some brown substance into it. For some reason, Hasbro has no problem getting the dark browns in his fur, but it's the light brown that continues to present a challenge. This if a very tall figure, he has great articulation, and probably qualifies as the definitive Chewbacca. Buy one, buy ten. You'll be glad you did.

Collector's Notes: Fans voted for this figure for the Saga Legends Fan's Choice, but Hasbro opted to use a different mold. This figure is coming soon in a Betrayal at Cloud City Battle Pack. A "snowy" version was sold in a collector tin from 2006-2007, and a retooled version was part of the Early Bird Kit mail-in of 2005. The first release was designed to look like Chewbacca in Return of the Jedi, which is interesting if you consider the packaging. You see, for ROTJ, Kenner often used two different photos for the cardback-- and for this figure, they used the Star Wars one and not the one from Endor. Why? No idea.

Day 526: October 14, 2007

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 519: R2-D2

R2-D2 with Extension Arm
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85270
Number: n/a
Includes: Removable panel, gadget panel, two gadget arms
Action Feature: Removable third leg, light-up eye port, twist dome and sensorscope pops up
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: R2-D2, also known as Artoo for short, was an astromech droid, the most famous unit of the R2 series, and long time friend of Protocol droid C-3PO. Along with his resourcefulness, R2 had many tool-tipped appendages that allowed him to be a great starship mechanic and computer interface specialist. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: On the "Early Bird"/Vintage shelf.

Commentary: This one is not as "vintage" as it should have been. R2-D2 takes the packaging used in 1983 and 1984, but puts an R2-D2 figure on it that never existed in the original line. For accuracy, it should've been a recreation of the Sensorscope figure. While this figure has that feature, it doesn't pop out as much as it did in the films, and the added arms are a nice touch. The sculpt has been reused for many figures since this one, so by now you've no doubt seen it more than once and probably own it four or more times over. The figure's most notable feature is a pop-off panel that can be replaced by an "open" panel in which you can plug a claw or a data arm, both of which are excellent features. For whatever reason, all future releases of this mold had the panel glued shut-- so if you want the awesome arm action feature, you have to buy this one. The figure had the first-ever "wires" coming out of the feet, which was a nice touch, plus brought back the questionably popular metalized dome. Some love it, some hate it, but here it is.

Collector's Notes: Hasbro loves this mold, period. It's been used to make R2-R9, R5-D4, R5-J2, R5-F7. It's also been used to make the Early Bird R2-D2 of 2005, the Hoth R2-D2 from 2006, the upcoming Endor R2-D2 of 2007. It's pretty good, but the metalized dome isn't so hot-- frankly, I wish they'd do away with it, but that's what we get some times.

Day 519: October 7, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 510: Obi-Wan Kenobi

BEN (OBI-WAN) KENOBI Original Trilogy Collection
Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85215
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi, later known as Ben Kenobi, was a dedicated and legendary Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi had a long and tumultuous career that has helped shape the fate of an entire galaxy. He taught both Anakin and Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force, therefore indirectly forging the foundation stone of the New Jedi Order. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: One of the most important things you have to know, as a collector, is that there were 12 figures released in 1978 on 12-backs. Because these figures were released in the first series of figures on these 12-backs, figures like Obi-Wan Kenobi have been elevated to near-mythical status and resulted in special edition figures like this one. As you know, this Obi-Wan Kenobi was released on an original-style cardback that people really dig. The figure itself, well, it's not so great. Yes, the figure has soft goods, and wrists, and over 10 points of articulation-- but under the robe, the figure is clunky and the robe itself is overly baggy and looks more like some sort of mutant pajama thing. The figure's arms on opposite sides of the elbows feel like they were sculpted by separate people. The head has a sort of quasi ball joint, but it's backward-- the head has a ball on the bottom of the neck, rather than a socket, so it's sort of similar to 1980s G.I. Joe figures. So, in short, the figure is by no means the definitive figure it aspires to be, the likeness is basically the same as the 1995 figure, and the lightsaber is also basically the same as that that came with the 1995 figure with new paint. So it doesn't have the flair at the bottom that its cohorts in the Vintage line feature, and it seems like one of the two worst figures in the (so far) two dozen or so modern "vintage" figures, along with C-3PO. So if you're feeling cheap, don't by this one. If you hate bad figures, don't by this one. If you do buy this one, be sure to let Hasbro know that it sucks. A new one would be very nice to see because in 2005, Hasbro cranked out some top-notch Jedi figures with great cloaks and Hasbro could easily beat the living snot out of this figure without so much effort today, so hey Hasbro, let's see a new one please. Because this one sucks.

Collector's Notes: This is one of the vintage figures which has, as of yet, never been rereleased in any form. No boxed sets, no basic cards, nothing. It's also the last "old" non-spirit Obi-Wan Kenobi figure Hasbro has released since 2004. The 2004 Spirit figure was an overall stronger release, despite being made from some very old parts with far less in the way of articulation. If they ever recolor it in "living" colors, you should go get that.

Day 510: September 28, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 278: Boba Fett

BOBA FETT Original Trilogy Collection
Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85271
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, rocket pack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Orphaned at a young age, Boba Fett lived through the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, surviving both, yet never allying outright with either the Galactic Republic, the Separatists, the Galactic Empire, or the Rebel Alliance. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Everybody loves Boba Fett, except people that suck. This particular figure is arguably the best-- while there's some room for improvement, it's still excellent. The deco is superb, the sculpt is great, the articulation is as good as you can get with Boba Fett, and it's really hard to ask for too much more. As a Return of the Jedi version of the bounty hunter, there's a lot to like here-- and most fans bought one for $10 when he first came out. By and large, these fans were happy with their purchases and I have to say this is still one of the finest figures in my collection. The texture on the "cloth" parts are great, and there's actually some cloth on this figure in the form of his cape. At a premium price, this was a good figure. At a soon-to-be-released basic price point, this is an easy buy.

Collector's Notes: Due to fan outcry, Hasbro will be reissuing this figure on a Saga Legends cardback in 2007. This is largely considered to be a very good thing. At this time, there's only one release of the figure-- the first release-- and Hasbro has yet to make variants in the other Boba Fett color schemes (like ESB-specific, or the yellow-gauntlet "Proto" armor.) This is a figure people love, and for good reason.

Day 278: February 8, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 258: Princess Leia (Vintage)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA Vintage Original Trilogy Collection
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85225
Number: n/a
Includes: Imperial blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004

Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Leia Organa was the daughter of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padme Amidala of Naboo, making her the younger twin sister of Luke Skywalker. After her birth she became the adopted daughter of Bail Organa and Queen Breha of Alderaan, making her a Princess of Alderaan. An accomplished Senator, Organa was most famous for her strong leadership during the Galactic Civil War and other subsequent galactic conflicts, making her one of the Galaxy's greatest heroes. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Early Bird Kit display. While cheap, the amusement factor of this display base seemingly knows no end.

Commentary: So far having been released but once, this "Vintage" version of Princess Leia Organa was a rare treat-- rare in that she can actually sit down, which isn't too common on Leia figures these days. As the best articulated version of the princess in this outfit, fans should probably run out and get this one-- there's not a lot of strong detail in the sculpt, but the outfit is fairly simple anyway, so it's not like there's a lot of things Hasbro needs to represent in order to make a great figure. With her added arm articulation, she can aim her weapon or easily sit down at a table or in a vehicle. Really, can you ask for too much more than that? Her face is very toylike, but that seems to be the intent-- to re-imagine the original toy, moreso than making the "Best Leia Evar." She ain't perfect (for example, she has no foot holes for use with foot pegs), but she does make for a very nice action figure. And unlike the 1995 Princess Leia figure, nobody seems to be accusing her of being an action figure of Han in drag. (Which it seemed you could hear quite a bit back then.)

Collector's Notes: So far, this figure hasn't been rereleased, so it's worth tracking down the original. Do take note that she has the "wrong" gun-- it would have been nice to see Leia include her own unique blaster, as the 1978 Vintage figure had done. Only one more new sculpt of Leia in her white gown from the original movie has been made since this figure, and it was basically a tiny statue.

Day 258: January 19, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 133: Lando Calrissian

LANDO CALRISSIAN Vintage Original Trilogy Collection
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85238
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Lando Calrissian a character in the fictional Star Wars universe, was a former smuggler and friend of Han Solo. After losing the Millennium Falcon to Han in a game of sabacc, the same game later won him the job of Baron Administrator of the floating Cloud City and Tibanna gas mine on the gas giant planet of Bespin. He then meets his assistant Lobot. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: On the "Early Bird"/Vintage shelf.

Commentary: Few figures have had as many exciting (and lackluster) turns as Lando Calrissian in this outfit. In late 1995, the first modern version came out, became "rare" overnight and shot up to $40. Then he became common, and nobody cared. In 2001, the Power of the Jedi revamp came out, but the assortment was quite hard to find for a while. This particular version was extremely hot upon release, due to the great articulation, good likeness, and awesome packaging. This quickly changed, proving the collectors going "har har I'll buy that!" isn't enough to support even the best of the best figures, which this figure almost is. As you can see in the picture, he's loaded with articulation, even at the wrist and ankles. Truly, this is a figure that Hasbro put tons of work in to, offering fans anything they could ask for except ball-jointed elbows. The outfit was colored properly, the articulation was there, it had everything except willing collectors and kids. It proves that even the best idea, with the best intentions, and the best execution won't always be a hit. (Of course, you might be able to point to the price.)

Collector's Notes: Of course, even the cloth cape wasn't enough to sway fans to pick up Lando and the figure warmed pegs at stores in some parts of the country through late 2005 and may even still linger in some markets. Seeing how great this figure is, you really have no excuse for not picking one up. It's not a very highly produced figure compared to some others, but its lack of popularity really helped it to choke up stores and make Star Wars look bad. Given how long it lingered after it shipped, he may eventually be lumped in with the Rancor Keeper and Prince Xizor despite not being a second-rate action figure. This is a fine example of "put your money where your mouth is," hopefully all collectors who appreciate good figures bought one because if they didn't, well, it does show what fans will and won't buy. Or what Hasbro made too many of.

Day 133: September 16, 2006

Figure Of The Day: Day 77: Yoda

YODA
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85237
Number: n/a
Includes: Cane, flute, snake
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Primarily The Empire Strikes Back , Return of the Jedi

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars trilogy that changed the universe forever, with The Original Trilogy Collection. This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. The finest recreations of the iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are back with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Original Trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. And, as a tribute to the dedication of Star Wars fans everywhere, we are re-releasing elements of the original packaging that harken back to the creation of Star Wars action figures, which began over 25 years ago with the Original Trilogy. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' "vintage" toy shelf.

Commentary: In 2004, Hasbro generously gifted the world with two Yoda action figures from The Empire Strikes Back. This was the more expensive of the two. With a removable cloth robe, loads of articulation, a good amount of accessories, and the distinction of being perhaps the only Yoda to have individually jointed legs in the modern line. As his cape's a smidge big, and his eyes are a little funny, a lot of fans felt they were being taken to the cleaners as another Yoda figure with less articulation and a plastic cape was going for only $4.99 at around the same time-- and was largely considered one of the best figures in recent memory. For the price and considering competing figures, this is a hard figure to justify buying given the original price, although for packaged collectors, this is a fine addition to any collection as it's a great tribute to a classic figure from days gone by. And Dagobah. Just because it's the most articulated Yoda ever does not mean it's the best.

Collector's Notes: While not especially hard to get, and by some perceived as a rip-off, this figure won't set you back a lot of green (ha ha) on eBay. He can easily be had for his original price, or in a lot of other figures from the Vintage waves at close-to-bargain prices. If the price is right, this should be bought-- go ahead and get one. But for the purposes of dioramas, you can do better as his arms sometimes fall off (and are easily fixed) in the bulk of his robes.

Day 77: July 22, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 24: C-3PO

C-3PO Vintage Original Trilogy Collection
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85236
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004


Bio: C-3PO (also spelled See-Threepio, called Threepio for short) was a protocol droid—a droid specifically designed to interact with organics. Threepio's TranLang III Communicator module combined with his AA-1 VerboBrain allowed him to be "fluent in over six million forms of communication." He was also equipped with "over thirty secondary functions". C-3PO was generally seen with his counterpart, R2-D2, a small, wheeled astromech droid. His main function as a protocol droid was to assist with etiquette, customs, and translation so that meetings of different cultures ran smoothly. In his time, C-3PO loyally served over forty masters. He hated adventure and space travel, as they often resulted in him coming out on the wrong end of a fight, losing parts, and having them reattached. His motto was, "We're doomed!" (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Early Bird Kit display. While cheap, the amusement factor of this display base seemingly knows no end.

Commentary: In the history of the modern toy line, few characters incite as much panic as C-3PO. In 1995, he was the 11th of the first 11 POTF2 figures, being shipped long after the "super rare" Princess Leia figure. Both Leia and C-3PO are tough sells today, and in 2004, when Hasbro made this "vintage" version, he was packed at 1 per case and was a real nightmare to find. While he's not dirt cheap, the hype wore off, and people realized they were sold an inferior sculpt with little articulation and, for the eyes at least, questionable deco. The pose for C-3PO is unique and quite interesting, if you look at his profile as he stands, the figure has a fair amount of personality. It's just so hard to get past a mere 5 points of articulation and oddball dots on his eyes which seem to be painted in the wrong location. The silver leg and dirt deco are excellent, and the sculpt, overall, is quite good. It's just that this figure has had greatness before it (regular OTC C-3PO) and right after it (ROTS C-3PO), and with his higher price and lesser articulation, this one just came around at the wrong time. (We at least hoped for removable limbs.)

Collector's Notes: First released in 2004, recent data indicates he will return in a "DVD Pack" gift set at Wal-Mart in September of 2006. This is not confirmed and comes only from early photographs-- Hasbro has swapped out figures on these gift sets before and will no doubt do so again. Aside from that, this figure was only available in this reproduction Empire Strikes Back packaging, and looks better as a carded collectible than it does as a toy. This isn't to say it isn't a decent toy, but the packaging and the packaged figure is nicer to look at than the figure itself.

Day 24: May 30, 2006