Figure of the Day: Day 156: Wol Cabasshite

WOL CABASSHITE Ghoel
Saga Collection Ultra Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 84716 No. 84741
Number: b/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Ghoel was a Wol Cabasshite who lived in the palace of Jabba the Hutt in 4 ABY. The alien would hang from the rafters and arches and lick people passing below. Not realizing he was a sentient, intelligent creature, Jabba's entourage left him in the palace when leaving for the Great Pit of Carkoon. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: There's a fine line between "figure" and "accessory" and since this guy is a member of a race with a bit of a backstory, we're going with figure. The name on the package and species is Wol Cabasshite, but the proper name of the licky tongue alien is Ghoel. This little guy has no articulation and no accessories, but he does have a little suction cup and can "lick" passers by in a diorama setting. The fact Hasbro made this figure is pretty amazing, given very low recognition and probably even lower fan interest. I was giddy to see this released as it spruces up my Jabba's Palace, and he's very nicely painted. If you like figures that bring a sense of atmosphere to your collection, little Ghoel here does the job nicely.

Collector's Notes: It's cheap-- and comes packaged with a B'Omarr Monk and Bubo. You really ought to buy this one. Click through to see pictures that should help convince you to track one down.

Day 156: October 9, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 155: Even Piell

EVEN PIELL Jedi High Council
Saga Collection Screen Scene Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84997 No. 84981
Number: 1 of 2
Includes: Display stand, additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99-$24.99
Availability: Summer 2003
Appearances: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones

Bio: Even Piell was a Jedi Master and Jedi Council member from the planet Lannik with a well-deserved reputation of being a humorless and fierce warrior. He was present when Qui-Gon Jinn introduced Anakin Skywalker to the Council. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: Once upon a time, Hasbro decided to fulfill about a dozen fan wishes at once with some multi-packs featuring figures like Even Piell. This requested member of the Jedi High Council was an all-new sculpt and had an excellent likeness, plus he was part of the very first of six pieces that would fit together to form the Jedi High Council chamber. Talk about the start of something great! Unfortunately, the figure itself was less than exciting, with no lightsaber or other accessories he really didn't offer much. He was fairly well articulated, with two joints on each arm and a neck joint that work well, and well, other than that, the articulation doesn't seem to have much of a function. The paint job is excellent, the face is dour, the scars are grim, and the texture on the robes is, at worst, excellent. You can't do too much better, except for the hands-- they don't seem to match the head too well. As part of the set, he's a necessary piece-- after all, you want the entire Jedi council, don't you? In and of himself he isn't very exciting and I hold out hope that, some day, we might see one with cloth robes, better articulation, and a weapon. It's not a bad figure-- it's just that Hasbro has made so many more (and better) Jedi figures that this one doesn't exactly hold up. Once you have had super articulation and cloth robes, everything pales by comparison.

Collector's Notes: The original 3-pack with this figure was blown out for less than $10 at numerous stores, meaning that it can be had for a decent enough price on the secondary market. Keep your eyes peeled as the set is a pretty good one overall.

Day 155: October 8, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 154: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPERS Build Your Army
Revenge of the Sith Deluxe Figure Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85570 No. 85182
Number: n/a
Includes: Two more Clones
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The clone army is the main force of the Republic. Their armor has been adapted to integrate with different environments and also designates special divisions. These troops are fierce, loyal and single-minded in battle. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: Based on a modified version of a figure from Clone Wars, but with a retooled head and torso. This Clone Trooper has very limited articulation, with his gun molded to his hand. Basically, it's a posed solider-- if you need figures for your Gunships, armies, or other displays, this is the kind of figure you might want to use. With a ball-jointed head, a wrist joint, questionable arm joints, and a waist joint, it isn't going to be doing much but sitting in a pose pretty much exactly like in the picture. It's exciting, isn't it?

Collector's Notes: This figure in this pose was made available in three of the four configurations of this deluxe 3-pack. It was also repainted and released in green in the fourth. With over 60 (nearly or over 70) Clones having been produced since 2002, a number of them are actually pretty dull. This is one of the duller ones.

Day 154: October 7, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 153: Wookiee Heavy Gunner

WOOKIEE HEAVY GUNNER Blast Attack
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 86720
Number: III-68 (or III-64)
Includes: Bowcaster, grappling hook, grenades, tunic
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Wookiee gunners defend the beaches of Wawaatt Archipelago on the coastal city of Kachirho against an amphibious Separatist assault. They fight bravely until the clone troopers turn against them. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: The "final 12" figures of Revenge of the Sith were largely based on a number of existing molds, and the Wookiee Heavy Gunner is no exception. The base figure is a redeco of the Sneak Preview Wookiee Warrior, with grenades from a Han Solo, a grappling hook from Queen Amidala, and a bowcaster from yet another Wookiee Warrior. The figure itself is huge, and very well articulated-- ball-jointed knees and shoulders allow for a great range of movement, making this a big, heavy, nice-feeling figure. However, he doesn't really make an obvious appearance on-screen and the appearance (or non-appearance) of this figure is up for debate. The figure itself is spectacular for army builders, diorama fans, or someone looking for a figure to represent Chalmun, the Expanded Universe's Wookiee owner of a famous cantina. As one of a huge number of generic Wookiees, it's a welcome addition to any collection.

Collector's Notes: This hard-to-get figure was snapped up quickly by fans in 2005. Also, the carded figure has the number of 64, but the checklist has it as 68. R4-P17 was also offered as III-64 or III-68, as both versions shipped from Hasbro.

Day 153: October 6, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 152: B'Omarr Monk

B'OMARR MONK Internet & Mail-In Exclusive
Power of the Force Collection
Item No.: No. 69718
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.98, give or take
Availability: Summer 1997
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The B'omarr Monks were a mysterious religious order that moved to the planet Tatooine many centuries before the Battle of Yavin. They believed that cutting themselves off from all civilization and distraction was essential to their enlightenment. They built a cavernous monastery on the edge of the Dune Sea, and spent many quiet centuries in meditation. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: The figure itself is a unique one-- after all, the B'Omarr Monk was one of very few figures that required assembly. The bits and pieces have to be attached to the body, and its articulation is a little hard to pin down. It has six spider legs, a claw that can move a little, and what appears to be a zeppelin for a butt. The sculpt is as good as you can hope for out of 1997, if not a little bit better, as the texture and coloring were a little bit ahead of their time. It's a very large figure, but like many, it's all about atmosphere-- this is a figure you get to flesh out a shelf or a diorama, or maybe a playset. It doesn't do much of anything beyond stand there and look good, and the coloring isn't too accurate. The "windex" blue for the brain jar was altered to red for a 2004 release which also added scuffing and battle damage, but used the same mold. This figure is by no means a bad one, it's just that when you get right down to non-humanoid "prop" figures, there is precious little many of them can do, especially when you're dealing with a design such as this one.

Collector's Notes: The figure was first made available as an offer within an offer. The Spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi figure shipped with 5 different coupons, 2 of which were for more mail-in offers. The B'Omarr Monk was one of them. The figure was later offered for sale via StarWars.Hasbro.com, the first of two exclusives for the site. According to the grapevine, this practice stopped when it was decided the Fan Club would be the conduit for online exclusives of this nature. As to the figure itself against later releases, this blue version is arguably inferior and more expensive. As such, you might not want to get the windex brain version seen here.

Day 152: October 5, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 151: Shaak Ti

SHAAK TI Jedi Master
Saga Collection Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84861 No. 84872
Number: 0210
Includes: Lightsaber, blast effect
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: April 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Shaak Ti is a powerful Jedi Master. Her highly refined Jedi skills are extremely useful in the battle against Count Dooku and the super battle droids. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: In 2002, Shaak Ti was really something. She couldn't stand especially well, but look at her! The detail was excellent, and the action pose was a nice change of pace. This statuesque alien Jedi babe was armed to the teeth and despite her limited articulation, was quite popular. With only about 4 useful joints, she is at best, a below average toy-- but a fairly nice sculpture. Stuck in one pose, what you see is basically what you get. Her outfit is exquisitely sculpted, however, her paint isn't what you would call especially great. Her difficulty standing is also a nuisance, but with a little work this figure makes for a darned fine sculpture. If you look at the textures in the robes, and the overall design, there's a lot to like-- but this is a figure for the guy who leaves his figures packaged, or for the guy who keeps figures on his computer. Kids will likely disown this one.

Most collectors while appreciate the figure for what it is, and how it's an artifact of its time. It doesn't do much for me, because it just plain doesn't do much, which is what you can say about a lot of the 2002 Jedi action figures.

Collector's Notes: Initially, this was a rare figure-- I believe it was in the UK there were shortages, recall rumors, and other zaniness usually reserved for North America. The figure became super-common as time went on, and was retooled for a Jedi High Council screen scene in 2004. An all-new sculpt Shaak Ti, which ended up as one of the best prequel figures, was released in 2005.

Day 151: October 4, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 150: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Super Articulated
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85459
Number: III-41
Includes: Blaster, removable antenna
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: May 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Equipped for all terrains and environments, the genetically engineered clone troopers combat the relentless droid armies of the Separatists. They are led into battle by the Jedi, who serve as Generals during the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: This is largely considered to be the best Clone Trooper figure ever, except for one error-- let's get that out of the way. The belt is upside-down. There's a "U" on the belt of this figure, which is the other way on all other Clone figures. The best way to tell if a Clone figure uses this super articulated mold is to look for the U-- it's the most obvious and unique-to-this-figure feature. So keep that in mind when you look at photos of Commander Appo or whatever other new figure is on the way. Oh, Fifth Fleet Security Clone Troopers.

So, how poseable is this guy? He's got ball joints pretty much everywhere-- he can move at 14 points, and in any way you'd probably want. The sculpting is true to the movie, the deco is good, but not without fault. Many fans mistook the "battle damage" for another form of squad markings, and plain white clones basically didn't appear in the movie. So while cool, it's almost an Expanded Universe figure. Of course, none of this matters-- this Clone is as good as they get, so get one.

Collector's Notes: Perfection. A ton were made and distributed but fans still want more, so it might cost you a few bucks to track one down. (Although I found one returned to a Target missing the gun for a buck, so deals are indeed out there.) Most fans hope all new Clones are based on this mold, which should speak volumes for its quality.

Day 150: October 3, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 149: Anakin Skywalker

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Slashing Attack
Revenge of the Sith Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85341
Number: III-28
Includes: Lightsaber, removable hand, removable cloak
Action Feature: Squeeze legs for lightsaber slashing action
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Anakin falls deeper into the dark side of the Force and betrays his Jedi comrades to the evil Sith. On the volcanic planet Mustafar, he meets his destiny in a fierce battle with his former Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: In a movie year, in this day and age, you're going to get a lot of retreads. Thankfully, you could count the number of unique Anakin Skywalker figures from 2005 on one hand, but there were enough variants to keep you busy. This particular one had regular and "sith" eyes, with the one pictured here being the regular one. With loads of articulation above the waist and the "evil" head, this is a great figure to add to your collection as he's not too pale and looks great with or without the cloak. The sculpting is very good, with cloth textures and scars and more that really do add to the character of the figure. The eyes, while cool, are done in a manner that looks a little too much like a toy. Make-up is hard to do on a 3 3/4-inch scale head, as this figure (and most Leias) have shown over the years. It's a good figure, probably the second-best overall version of Anakin from Episode III. If you don't have the Evolutions version, this is the one you want.

Collector's Notes: Most 2005 figures are still dirt cheap unless it's a clone. This is no exception. A rerelease is supposedly coming in a box set and a recard is almost inevitable, so snag one if the price is right but don't mess yourself over trying to track one down. It's good, but not great enough to warrant your expelling any sweat.

Day 149: October 2, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 148: Deluxe Hoth Rebel Soldier

HOTH REBEL SOLIDER Anti-Vehicle Laser Cannon
Power of the Force Deluxe Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69610 No. 69744
Number: n/a
Includes: Anti-Vehicle Laser Cannon, projectile
Action Feature: Exploding action, firing projectile
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Summer 1997
Appearances: Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The Alliance suffered a devastating defeat on Hoth when one of their main bases, Echo Base, was overrun by Darth Vader's forces, but eventually managed to mass a fleet to destroy the second Death Star in the Battle of Endor, where both the Emperor and Vader were killed. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: The top of the toy shelves of Adam Pawlus. Note the end-of-the-line Energon boxes he has yet to bust open.

Commentary: In 1997, Hasbro decided to make the Deluxe Action Figures something special-- of course, they were Kenner back then, and the Hoth Rebel Solider received a much needed upgrade. The standard version of the figure looked like Han in a beard, but this deluxe version had a new sculpt, was a little smaller, was a little more generic, and had a big giant radar laser cannon-- a revised version of the toy from the 1980s that would explode and fire a rocket. It's a quality toy. The figure itself has the standard six points of articulation and, sadly, no handheld weapon. This figure is arguably superior to the 2004 version, and has a slightly less wonky action-oriented pose. It has good paint, feels "expensive" (for lack of a better term), and despite its muted colors is about as perfect as Hasbro has made with modern Hoth Rebels. The quilting patterns, the holstered guns, the weird yellow goggles... this figure has it all.

Collector's Notes: I can say without hyperbole that this is one of the best figures of 1997. Keep in mind it came out at about the same time as the Rebel Fleet Trooper-- which aged very poorly-- and it's shocking to look at this figure 9 years later and say "well, Kenner pretty much nailed it." This is a quality figure and Hoth fans need one or two. I'm not kidding, go buy one of these, they can be had, with shipping from eBay, for less than $10. It's a bargain, and it's a fairly generic offering that I don't expect Hasbro to revisit in the very near future, so do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

Day 148: October 1, 2006