Figure of the Day: Day 313: Darth Maul

DARTH MAUL Sith Apprentice
Power of the Jedi Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84445 No. 84561
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2001
Appearances: Art of... books

Bio: Early in Darth Maul's training as a Sith, he wears special padding as he learns the rigors of hand-to-hand combat and furthers his mastery of the dark side of the Force. An extremely loyal and apt student, Maul longs to seek revenge against the Jedi Order. It will not be long before he is ready to aid his master, Darth Sidious, in his quest for galactic power. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: With Episode I, Hasbro was faced with a challenge-- how do you make new versions of the film's most popular character when he has basically two costumes and dies? Darth Maul was given the royal treatment, with deluxe figures, basic figures, holographic figures, and this concept art-based figure. With extra (and arguably goofy) armor, this figure allows kids to play with Darth Maul in a new scenario, and acts as a harbinger of things to come-- namely this year's McQuarrie collection. Concept art figures have been around for a while, but this one is unique in that it takes elements of the original illustration and combines them with the character from the final film. The figure is pretty fun, but can't stand up without a stand and can't sit down in a vehicle. So basically, if you're buying this figure, you're buying it because it looks cool. And if you don't think it does look cool, you can save yourself a few bucks by buying something else.

Collector's Notes: This figure's one big flaw is the silver paint on his lightsaber-- it's very likely to come off on the figure's hands over time. As such, be careful with it. This figure has never been reissued and I don't expect it to see a new release any time soon.

Day 313: March 15, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 312: Clone Trooper (Sneak Preview)

CLONE TROOPER Sneak Preview
Power of the Jedi Sneak Preview Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84680
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, blaster bolt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: February 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Ten years after the fight to save the Naboo from invasion, the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. under the leadership of a renegade Jedi, thousands of systems threaten to secede from the Galactic Republic. A courageous Jedi Knight, his impulsive and headstrong apprentice, and a queen-turned-senator are drawn into the heart of the conflict... and the beginning of war. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: The face that launched a thousand sales. This is the very first action figure of the Clone Trooper, and it was initially available in fairly limited numbers a few months before its debut in the "moving pictures" at your local theater. This figure captured the all-digital troopers with six points of articulation (which, for the time, sucked) and dirty leg decoration specific to the battles of Geonosis. With limited articulation and very specific deco, there were lots of opportunities to revisit this figure, and Hasbro more or less decided against this. But more on that later. This figure is pretty much good for dioramas, as its dedicated pose doesn't allow it to do much in the way of sitting back or looking normal. This is not a lover, it's a fighter. So if your dioramas need more fighting figures, this is an excellent addition to your collection. The basic Clone doesn't have a lot of room for subtlety in its deco, as it's a white figure with some black on it, basically. This figure manages to meet those expectations quite well.

In 2002, Hasbro released but 3 Clone figures-- this one, a red redeco/retool, and the Pilot. That's it. They were a little more adventurous at the end of 2003, but the manufacturer tended to be really conservative with their Clone releases until Revenge of the Sith, and it turns out that fans would buy pretty much every figure presented to them. So this figure was a great start of a huge collection with no end in sight.

Collector's Notes: Depending on where you shopped, this figure may have been in short supply or on clearance. I bought several at full price, and several at about $1 and change on the Target clearance rack. This mold has never been reissued or redecorated (except for the aforementioned retooling), so if you want one, happy hunting. A lot of fans don't like this figure just because it doesn't have twice the articulation, but it's still very good for what it aspired to be-- a sneak preview into the second-to-last Star Wars film.

Day 312: March 14, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 311: Saesee Tiin

SAESEE TIIN Army of the Republic
Clone Wars Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84769
Number: 0351
Includes: Lightsaber, headgear, gauntlets, shin armor
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 2003
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: The imposing Saesee Tiin was a member of the Jedi Council during the final years the Republic. His master, Omo Bouri, instiled in him a strong sense of comviction, honing the Iktotchi's skill and dedication to the order to the point of near-fanaticism. True to his unswerving commitment, Tiin fought with unrelenting courage and determination in the Clone Wars, bearing the scars of battle in the partial loss of one of the dramatic horns that surround his grim face. During the Clone Wars, he demonstrated his masterful skills as a pilot. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: It's not every day Hasbro designs a figure with battle-damage, the ability to sit, and the foresight to use it as a pilot for a vehicle that would come a lot later. (Of course, as it was using a ship mold from 2002, it's not a stretch.) Saesee Tiin has been given four figures, all of which are pretty excellent. This one is the most fun as far as a plaything goes, as it has gear, can sit in a ship, and just plain looks good. His face has a lot of deco and detail, his costume is just improved enough from the movie one to look tough without looking goofy. The gloved hands were a nice touch, and it's great to see Hasbro gave this figure an entirely new sculpt rather than churning out a variant of an existing product with slightly different limbs. If you're a fan of good figures, this should be on your wish list. And if you bought the bright orange Saesee Tiin's Jedi Starfighter vehicle, consider this action figure a must-buy.

Collector's Notes: What's notable-- and unfortunate-- is that the design on the cartoon Clone Wars was even cooler than what Hasbro came up with for this action figure. In the animated series, he was given some space armor that was a mishmash of this figure and the aesthetics of the Clone Trooper. It's awesome. Gentle Giant is making a Bust-Ups micro bust based on that design, but Hasbro has yet to commit to an action figure based on the design. (But a Transformer? Yes.) This figure can be had fairly cheaply, so you shouldn't have to pay too much more than $10 shipped for it if you're patient and do enough hunting.

Day 311: March 13, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 310: Kren Blista-Vanee (Imperial Dignitary)

KREN BLISTA-VANEE Imperial Dignitary
Saga Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84861 No. 84769
Number: 0341
Includes: Death Star Base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Summer 2000
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Emperor Palpatine surrounded himself with coterie of dignitaries, chosen by the Emperor for their complete subservience to him and their willingness to betray anyone who questioned the Emperor's authority. The Imperial dignitaries were with the Emperor as he arrived on the Death Star II as the Battle of Endor was about to commence. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: In 2003, Hasbro let us know we'd be getting not one-- but two Imperial Dignitaries. Kren-Blista Vanee was the second of two, and was a figure that shared parts with the first Dignitary Janus Greejatus. The figure is basically a statue/chess piece/salt shaker, with articulated arms, wrists, and neck-- anything else is rendered immobile through the large robes. Still, this isn't a figure that's meant for action, or sitting in vehicles, or really doing anything other than standing around for dioramas and publicity stills. The head sculpt is good, the coloring adequate, and the hat is funny. It has all the makings of a good human Star Wars figure, except that it's lacking in "oomph." It is what it is, so if you like how it looks, that's about the extent of joy it can provide you as a plaything.

Collector's Notes: The clearance racks made this one an easy find, and there just aren't that many people who are jazzed about old men in purple dresses with no dialogue and tongue twister names. While this figure hasn't been reissued, it may have come close-- in the 2005 Kmart Imperial Throne Room Battle Pack, it was pictured on the back of the packaging. The other Dignitary was included instead for reasons unknown.

Day 310: March 12, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 309: Darth Maul

DARTH MAUL Final Duel
Power of the Jedi Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84445 No. 84506
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Force File
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Summer 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: This mysterious and highly trained Sith warrior uses his physical and tactical abilities to further the goals of his Master, Sith Lord Darth Sidious. Maul's anger and hatred of the Jedi fuel his powers with the dark side of the Force. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: At one point, the idea of a magnet in a Star Wars figure was just exceedingly exciting-- this Darth Maul, though, was the second Maul to have a magnet and split down the middle. The first was in a two-pack to celebrate the VHS release of Episode I. This one, though, was pretty cool too-- you get half a lightsaber, and if you flick him just right, he splits apart. He has six points of articulation (assuming you can count the waist as a joint), and is decent enough to warrant buying. His head was a little brighter than other Mauls available at the time, and his horns were painted better than any Darth Maul available at the time. So as far as deco and sculpt go, this was a great figure-- it was unfortunate that Hasbro decided to not paint his teeth, as this striking feature is worth decorating if a figure is sculpted with an open mouth. He'd look just a little more menacing that way.

Collector's Notes: When I first saw this figure, my complaint was "what, again?" There are two very similar Darth Maul figures with unique sculpts and the same action feature. Some like this one more, others like the other one more. I like them each for different reasons, but since this is a fairly common figure you should be able to get one on the cheap.

Day 309: March 11, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 308: Ask Aak

ASK AAK Senator
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85497
Number: III-46
Includes: Blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Ask Aak is a Gran, from the outworld of Malastare. Just before the start of the Clone Wars, he suported the Military Creation Act and was part of Chancellor Palpatine's Loyalist Committee. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Does the world need another Gran? I'd say yes. Ask Aak is the second member of the Ree-Yees species, and this is easily a better figure than the 1998 version of the Jabba's Palace drunk. Ask Aak has a ball-jointed neck, and basically just enough articulation to make you both happy and mad. He isn't super-poseable, but he's certainly good enough. With various textures in his sculpt, it's obvious a lot of work went in to the figure's bumpy hands, hairy coat, and nasty, alien feet. A lot of work went into this figure, and it shows-- so pick one up if you have the means. The figure includes a redeco of the 2004 Bossk gun.

Collector's Notes: Since the prequels were lacking in really good creature showcases like Jabba's Palace or the Cantina, you're going to have to settle for Pod Races and the Senate. (And to a lesser extent, the Outlander Club of Episode II.) This nifty figure shows that if the story went in a slightly different direction, we could've had dozens of really cool random alien figures instead of what we got for Revenge of the Sith, which was mostly new versions of characters we already got. Oh well. Either way, it's a nice figure.

Day 308: March 10, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 307: Lt. Dannl Faytonni

LT. DANNL FAYTONNI Coruscant Outlander Club
Saga Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84861 No. 84818
Number: 0329
Includes: Bar table stand, blaster, glass with red drink
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Don't let the uniform fool you, should you find yourself in the depths of the Coruscant entertainment district. Sure, there may be offciials from the upper levels "slumming it" among the barflies at a Coruscant nightclub, but the Republic official or Senate Guard may in fact be a con artist looking to separate you from your pocketbook. Though at first glance, Lt. Dannl Faytonni seems to wear the uniform well, nothing should be taken for granted. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Does the idea of owning toys based on a cameo excite you? Allow me to introduce Lt. Dannl Faytonni, who is Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) outside the robot suit. The figure has an excellent range of articulation, a working holster, and a great sculpt-- and the same body was reused for another figure later, but that's OK as it's a good figure. The main appeal of this figure is the fact that it's Anthony Daniels, and customizers will probably take this figure and a C-3PO and bash together something really cool. For the rest of us, it's just an amusing character that is basically scenery-- and he includes some scenery, too. It's worth snagging if you see one.

Collector's Notes: A wacky cameo with loads of articulation and great accessories? How can you go wrong? You gotta buy one.

Day 307: March 9, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 306: Coruscant Guard

CORUSCANT GUARD Blue & Proud
Power of the Jedi Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84277
Number: n/a
Includes: Rifle, Force File (stand not included)
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Fall 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Protecting the Galactic Senate and the Chancellor, Coruscant guards represent the Senate's supreme authority and the long tradition of its wise and just rule. Each guard is a highly trained soldier ready to serve and protect. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: It's good. The Coruscant Guard is basically a tiny statue, but not a bad one. He's articulated at the shoulders and elbows, and aside from arm movement there's not a lot this guy can do. He has quasi-Kir Kanos armor under his robes, but odds are you'll never actually see it. He can hold his rifle. He can stand there. And that's about it. His robes are pretty good, and this figure is about as good as you can expect from this character design. Later films used a different helmet, and the figures from that costume had much more articulation and cloth robes. Arguably, those are better-- but this one is pretty cool, what with its fancy faux-Greek motif and all.

Collector's Notes: This figure was originally going to be part of the ongoing Episode I line, but obviously that came to a fast end. Packaged Episode I samples exist, so if you're really feeling generous, you might want to go buy one of those. It's worth picking up a couple of these if you have the means.

Day 306: March 8, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 305: Sy Snootles

SY SNOOTLES Max Rebo Band Pairs
Power of the Force Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 69670 No. 84018
Number: n/a
Includes: Joh Yowza figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.86
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: Return of the Jedi: Special Edition

Bio: Sy Snootles was the lead vocalist for the Max Rebo Band while they were playing for Jabba the Hutt. Snootles also had a great relationship with fellow band member Droopy McCool. One of Snootles' most famous songs was "Lapti Nek", also a favorite of Jabba. Her most notable characteristic was an incredibly long lip stalk. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: I'm a huge fan of the Max Rebo Band, so you can imagine my excitement/rage at the announcement of these being a Wal-Mart exclusive in 1998. Sy Snootles was the second of three two-packs, and included the only computer generated aliens to be released from the musical group. Sy Snootles' 1997 makeover had her a little thinner, a little more cartoony, and significantly more animated than her 1983 puppet predecessor-- and the figure reflects this new look quite well. Unfortunately, the new song, lack of a feather on her head, and other minor changes made a lot of fans cry out for a new version of the 1983 figure, and I have to say I agree with them.

For what this figure aspires to be, it's quite good. She has five points of articulation and a pose which makes her look like some sort of singer, rather than a generic boring pose like a lot of figures over the years. Of course, she was made back in 1998, and it's a safe bet that fans are ready for a new version of this figure.

Collector's Notes: In 1998, this Wal-Mart exclusive was either rare or common, depending on your local stores. Today, it can be had for the original price or a little more, meaning that it's something fans actually seem to like. Also, a new Max Rebo Band set is rumored for 2007 as, again, a Wal-Mart exclusive. My fingers are crossed for a three-pack with an all-new 1983-esque Sy Snootles, a redeco of Droopy McCool, and Max Rebo with a retooled organ with the added... uh... speaker thing? Yeah, that. (Basically, what Gentle Giant is doing as a statue, except as action figures.)

Early test shots of this figure showed a microphone, which was ultimately not included because it didn't appear in the movie. Fan-made accessories do exist, though, so you may wish to buy those if you absolutely must have a mic for Sy Snootles.

Day 305: March 7, 2007