Figure of the Day: Day 113: Garindan

GARINDAN Escape from Mos Eisley
The Saga Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 86800
Number: 034
Includes: Blaster, Commlink, Cloak, Personalized Display Stand, Bonus Holographic Figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2006
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This Mos Eisley-based spy trails the two wanted droids, C-3PO and R2-D2, as they meet up with Luke and Obi-Wan at Docking Bay 94. He uses his comlink to inform the Imperial stormtroopers of the location. His actions enable the stormtroopers to engage the Millennium Falcon's new crew just before they make a daring escape. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: In 1997, Kenner first made Garindan and it was considered fantastic, with its molded commlink, plastic cloak, and reasonably non-muscular build. Today, Hasbro's remake of the alien brings near super-articulation, even better sculpting, a cloth cloak, holsters for accessories, and much, much more. Actually, not so much more. Pretty much exactly just what I wrote there. Since the figure can sit, be posed in a variety of ways, and has amazingly improved detailing, it should be a painless purchase. Of course, there's more to it, as he has little pointy ears under his hood, which is really the area the figure tends to fall apart. Everything on it is nearly perfect, except the hood doesn't always rest on the head perfectly-- although it does so better than most (if not all) other cloth hooded figures, so it shows Hasbro is indeed aiming for big improvements and we'll probably see even better cloth capes with hoods in the coming year.

The figure isn't perfect, but it's getting there. Surely, in another 9 years we'll get a version with knees and ball-jointed elbows, which are really the only two features this figure lacks. His boots have articulation, as do his shoulders, wrists, elbows, waist, and hips. Oh, and he's got the obligatory ball-jointed neck required on pretty much every action figure since the Saga Collection started. It's a fine example of an upgrade, but for the picky people expecting it to be everything, well, it isn't. But it's very, very good and I don't feel it wasn't worth the money, so get one if you see it.

Collector's Notes: Now available pretty much anywhere, this figure is one of many new releases based on the original film-- and naturally, people are snapping it up. Cantina aliens still seem to be quite popular even if they're characters people bought before, so hopefully continued decent sales of figures like Garindan will lead to even more Cantina aliens in the future. Before Garindan (and Momaw Nadon and Hem Dazon) were re-released, the last wave with more than one Cantina alien was early 2005, when Hasbro put out the equally impressive Trevagg, Myo, and Dannik Jerriko figures. Well, the pipe smoker kinda sucked, but the other two where fantastic. Here's hoping for more!

Day 113: August 27, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 112: Captain Fordo

CAPTAIN FORDO The Hunt For Grievous
The Saga Collection Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. 87116
Number: n/a
Includes: Blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: Summer 2006
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Leader of the task force known as The Muunilinst 10, Fordo is known for his aggressive fighting tactics and prefers to employ firepower over finesse. Fordo was once awarded the Chancellor's Service Medal, which he refused and transferred to a fallen member of his task force. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: Almost perfect, but not quite. The second "red ARC Captain" was this figure, Captain Fordo, part of the Hunt for Grievous Battle Pack. Rather than sculpting a new figure, Hasbro took the head of the Super Articulated Clone Trooper (Clone Wars, Entertainment Earth Clone Troop Builders) and the body of the Episode III Clone Commander to make a fairly good quick-and-dirty Fordo. The problem is that while it looks OK in the box, it loses lots of points for authenticity. And when you're making a figure to look like a flat, simple drawing, that's a bad thing.

So, what's good? Well, the figure has an excellent range of articulation, a blaster rifle, and two tiny pistols to call his own. He's colorful, and looks fantastic. The problems are, well, problematic. The shoulder pauldron doesn't fit well without the aid of the infamous clear rubber bands used to hold the figures in the box. The figure has no rangefinder on his head. As it was an Episode III Clone body, the armor isn't at all accurate to the unique armor used by the regular ARC Troopers, and Fordo is little more than a red ARC Trooper with a few other tiny tweaks. Also, the weapons don't match the dueling pistols seen in the cartoon as they're too tiny. This is a good figure. Compared to the red ARC Trooper from 2003, it's a lateral move. But as this figure needs a rangefinder to just be merely OK, it's a bit of a disappointment. It's not that it sucks, it's just that it's obvious this was cobbled together quickly despite fan wishes for a new and improved ARC Captain.

So, in short: it's OK. Not good, just OK. There's significant room for improvements, but for the cost and the packaging, it's an OK value. (The Hunt for Grievous set includes 3 blue ARC Troopers, 1 blue Heavy Gunner Clone Trooper, and Fordo for about $25. As current figures sell for $6.99, that's a decent deal.)

Collector's Notes: Fordo's a fun figure, and his boxed set, The Hunt for Grievous, was hugely popular. Due to Amazon's divorce from Toys "R" Us, lots of backorders were cancelled, and fans were worried that their orders would be dropped. Sure enough, they were. Given the rampant, crazy popularity of the Clone Wars ARC Troopers and anything related to them, this item got a lot of undeserved hype. It's a fun figure with almost a full range of motion, but it's just so unfortunate that fans were treated to this and not a new mold. Of course, the good news for Hasbro is that it seems a lot of fans missed out on this set and an all-new ARC Trooper mold (in blue or red) is something fans would still really want. Although if I can just chime in to any toy developers out there, can we wait for 2008 at this point? I just got a black Stormtrooper and I'm a little clone-d out right now.

Despite the griping, the figure is still lots of fun, and for a kid, would be a delightful item to have. Despite a litany of fan complaints, my only real problem with the figure is the lack of rangefinder. That's a key aspect of the character and without it, it seems incomplete. It's still lots of fun to mess with, but, unfortunately, these sorts of things leave the door wide open to revisit this figure for a third time. None of this matters, though, as the item is presently so popular that most people are worried about getting to see one, and not so much worried about how it looks when they find it. Heck, I hit Toys "R" Us stores daily for a few weeks when I got wind of the fact that my Amazon order might not have come through, so for me, I'm always going to think of the amount of time I spent getting this toy more than I will about the toy itself.

Day 112: August 26, 2006

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

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

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

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

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

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

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

Day 111: August 25, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 110: Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI Final Duel
Power of the Jedi 25th Anniversary Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84485 No. 84671
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: Spring 2002
Appearances: Star Wars


Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi, later known as Ben Kenobi, was a legendary Human Jedi Master trained by Masters Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn, and taught both Anakin and Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. He fought as a High General for the Galactic Republic in the Clone Wars. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves. In the background note an unpainted test shot of Transformers Energon Rodimus, and on the right is part of an alien creature toy packaged with the Fisher Price Adventure People Alpha Star. (The mold is a little different than final production.) I have no idea why my 25th Anniversary sets are with my prototypes, but hey.

Commentary: It doesn't look new, but this figure of Obi-Wan Kenobi is actually a brand new sculpt sold in 2002. He has much less in the way of articulation, and his oddly designed figure can't stand without his display base. (Well, he can, but not well.) The hood of his Jedi robes is a separate piece from his head, leaving it to rest oddly at times. In short, this figure was ALMOST really good. The figure has an excellent sculpt, top-notch painting, and a decent pose, but, unfortunately, the fact that the hood tends to lean away from his head makes it a less than desirable figure and more of a statue than anything else. Packaged, this is a nice item.

Collector's Notes: The 25th Anniversary 2-Packs (and Jorg Sacul) were really the only commemorative toys made for the quarter century mark of the franchise, which is unfortunate. The sets didn't do especially well, mainly because the other items were Luke & Leia and Han & Chewie-- really nothing new, at least not from the character front. During Power of the Jedi, fans wanted huge improvements and new characters, and these figures didn't offer that. There's really no reason for you to pick this one up unless you want a complete set. The Darth Vader figure that Obi-Wan was packaged with was later reused for the Celebration III Darth Vader.

Day 110: August 24, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 109: Bubo

BUBO Jabba's Palace Court Denizens
Saga Collection Ultra Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 84716 No. 84741
Number: n/a; n/a
Includes: Chain
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Buboicullaar (commonly called Bubo) was an intelligent frog-dog in Jabba's court who acted as a spy. He despised Ree-Yees and ate the detonator link to his bomb out of spite. He joined the B'omarr monks and had his brain removed. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: When in doubt, repackage! Bubo came in a pack of 3 Jabba's Palace Court Denizens along with Ghoel and a B'omarr Monk. The B'omarr was a repaint of an older figure, but the others were new, and not too fancy either. Bubo has moving arms and a head and a chain, and that's it. As an oddly shaped figure, by and large, what you see is indeed what you get. This is a great figure for dioramas, but it's not exactly fun as all he can do is stand there, and remind you that it is possible for an alien to have the same basic body type as Slimer from The Real Ghostbusters while having a chain around his neck.

Collector's Notes: As part of the great burst of Jabba's Palace characters in 2004, these were exciting additions to the line, but not overly exciting characters. Collectors tend to want what they don't have, and these figures most certainly qualify as unique and mostly new additions to the line. If you like Jabba's Palace, these should be in your collection.

Day 109: August 23, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 108: R2-D2

R2-D2 Dagobah
Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84715 No. 84781
Number: OTC-04; n/a
Includes: Base
Action Feature: Press button for authentic movie sounds, and lights
Retail: $4.99
Availability: June 2004
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The brave droid R2-D2 has helped the Rebel heroes many times. He goes with Luke Skywalker to the planet Dagobah, where Yoda teaches Luke the ways of a Jedi Knight. Luke tries out his new skills by lifting R2-D2 into the air using only his mind, causing the droid to scream in surprise. When Luke leaves to save his friends from the evil Empire, R2-D2 goes with him, ready to help the Rebels once again. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: As far as evergreen figures go, few are as popular as R2-D2. While essentially the exact same robot in all 6 movies, there have been dozens of unique action figures each with unique "dirt," or action features, or electronics. This one has true-to-film sound effects, a blinking eye, a revised sculpt, and so much dirt you wouldn't believe it. Except you can see it, so you can probably believe it. Fun for kids and adults (and diorama builders), this R2-D2 has pretty much everything you could want short of head articulation and a third leg. For fans of Dagobah, this is a must-buy, as it looks great and has marvelous sound effects. If dirt and noise don't appeal to you, though, this figure really doesn't have a lot to offer.

The display stand, featuring Dagobah's swampy ground, is also notable in that it connects to other, similar bases. The same base is also packaged with Yoda and the Spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi from the OTC line, and all of these stands can connect to one another.

Collector's Notes: This one isn't dirt cheap, but can be had for a fair price. Like most OTC figures, it sold briskly at retail and most fans loved snapping them up for their unique packaging. Due to the nifty cardback, you might want to buy two-- the packaging is just that great.

Day 108: August 22, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 107: Yoda

YODA Jedi Master
Saga Collection Collection 1; Hall of Fame Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84615; Asst. 84715 No. 84795
Number: 0223; n/a
Includes: Base, energy blast, lightsaber, cane, removable stand chunk
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: May 2002-2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The oldest member of the Jedi Council. Yoda is a wise and cautious Jedi Master, When Obi-Wan informs the Council of the Separatists' plans, Yoda assembles the Clone Army to subdue the rebellion. Yoda's unassuming size masks his enormous powers. His skills in The Force are not limited to wisdom and guidance, but are matched by his dexterity and fighting prowess. Nevertheless, his suberb skills are tested when he battles the highly proficient Count Dooku on Geonosis. (Taken from the figure's Hall of Fame cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: There was a huge surge of interest in Star Wars when new movies came out, and Yoda was an instant hit, being scalped and sold for $25 in no time flat. Even some toy stores held Yoda behind the counter due to "rarity" rumors, requiring you ask if you want one, and only one, because they wouldn't sell you two. It's always a good sign for something to be crazy hot, especially if it's well-deserved. This figure was quite possibly the most decked-out Yoda ever, featuring multiple accessories, a display stand that could levitate, and so much more, plus a decent amount of articulation. Not a fantastic amount, mind you, but a decent amount.

This is a great figure for dioramas and displays, and if you own a Republic Gunship, this is an ideal figure for it. It's fun, it's loaded with parts, and it has a great sculpt-- and it's also the very first figure modeled after the all-digital Yoda.

Collector's Notes: As with many figures, this can be had cheaply, in part due to its long shelf life. Lots of them were made, and a lot of them were bought and kept safe from people opening them meaning you can get one yourself. I wouldn't be surprised to see this figure reissued again someday, but if you want one now thankfully it won't break the bank. Its popularity has fallen, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth a look.

Day 107: August 21, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 106: Boss Nass

BOSS NASS with Gungan Staff
Episode I Collection 3
Item No.: Asst. 841105 No. 84119
Number: n/a
Includes: Staff, cloak, CommTech chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: May 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Boss Nass is the leader of the amphibious Gungans who live in the Naboo underwater city of Otoh Gunga. He initially resists the Jedi's pleas for help against the Trade Federation invasion, but later comes to realize that the fate of the Gungans and Naboo are intertwined. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: In 1999, Hasbro released this figure of Boss Nass based on the various renderings seen in publicity materials and, I assume, little else. The figure really looks just like the publicity images, and as such, upon release, most fans thought this figure was fine-- actually, he was considered by many to be one of the better figures developed by Hasbro for the first prequel. With only three quasi-meaningful points of articulation due to his giant robe, this figure looked good and sometimes needed a little help staying together-- note the rubber band in the image to the left.

Flash forward to 2000, Hasbro lets the world know they're redoing this figure from the ground up. Fans were confused, but as you saw in a previous entry, the upgraded Boss Nass (Gungan Sacred Place) was a heck of a nice figure, and looked much better (and bigger) than this release. But I digress. The Episode I Boss Nass is more or less a good artifact, but not much of a collectible or a toy. Since this figure was rendered obsolete in about a year after its release, fans don't have a lot of nice things to say about it and due to its scale, it really doesn't serve a purpose in a diorama if you have the newer, better figure.

Collector's Notes: Today, this figure is largely worthless-- and we mean that in a variety of ways. It's not that it's bad, it's just that it's been outclassed by its successor to the point where this is practically a figure of the 1970s compared to most modern figures. It's an awesome curiosity, and those who collect them all no doubt already have one. But for everyone else? You can skip this particular version of the Gungan boss.

Day 106: August 20, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 105: Zam Wesell

ZAM WESELL Bounty Hunter
Saga Collection Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84655
Number: 0218
Includes: Blaster, face mask, removable arm
Action Feature: Quick-draw action, magnetic arm battle-damage, working holster, removable mask
Retail: $4.99
Availability: April 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Zam Wesell is the dangerous, heavily armed bounty hunter mysteriously hired to eliminate Senator Amidala. Swift to action, Wesell is a refined, unrelenting assasin and an excellent tracker. Her quarry's almost nonexistent survival rate confirms Wesell's eminent reputation and unsurpassed markmanship. Wesell gets more than she bargained for when her assassination attempt is foiled by the Senator's Jedi protectors, who pursue the bounty hunter on a harrowing chase through the Coruscant skyline. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: In early 2002, Hasbro released some sneak preview figures, and just a few short months later released a new, more articulated and action-packed version of Zam Wesell. For this release, Hasbro gave her a magnetic "battle damage" arm that, for the record, is the best magnet Hasbro ever used in one of its toys. It's just strong enough to hold, but not so strong that you can't "slice" off her arm if you wanted to. Unfortunately, it was not a feature Hasbro would continue to use and refine, making this figure an interesting high point as far as magnets go. Her quick-draw attack also worked admirably, allowing her to fire on foes quickly without getting too much in the way of her range of movement.

With over a dozen points of articulation, a fantastic paint job, unique coloring, and a face-change-mask, there's a lot to like in this figure, and seeing how she's easy to get, she's one you should go after. Of course, she still can't fit inside the Zam's Speeder vehicle, because, well, I have no freaking idea what the designers were thinking when they made that thing.

Collector's Notes: Zam makes for a good figure, even if her character didn't offer a whole heck of a lot. There are very few purple figures, and very few female figures, which makes this a figure that, I believe, is a welcome addition to any collection. With so much of Star Wars being black or white with accents, a figure like this actually stands out on a shelf of 400 figures. And that takes some doing.

In 2002, in some markets, Zam was what you might call a slow seller. A Toys "R" Us near Arrowhead Mall in Arizona was stuffed to the brim with Zam Wesells, and little else. It took so long for the figures to move that it appeared the store never restocked, but the sheer number of Zam figures, which never shipped above 1 or 2 per case, showed just how popular Star Wars was, and how popular Zam wasn't. The same store also had a massive supply of Jango Fett (Pilot) figures. But I'll always remember the endless supply of Zam figures, because the glass is half-empty.

Day 105: August 19, 2006