Figure of the Day: Day 377: Cloaked Chameleon Droid

CLOAKED CHAMELEON DROID Ambush on Ilum
The Anniversary Collection Target Exclusive Battle Pack
Item No.: No. 87213
Number: n/a
Includes: Removable limbs... and four other figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January 2007
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: So named because of their ability to seamlessly blend in with their surroundings, these modified probe droids launched devastating sabotage and sneak-attack missions across the galaxy. They destroyed the crystal caves on Ilum, and nearly dispatched two Jedi Knights in the process. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room.

Commentary: Nothing gets me more jazzed than more new Clone Wars figures. Sure, they aren't always perfect-- but seeing all-new characters like this Chameleon Droid makes for an exciting shopping trip. It's not every day we get figures inspired by a Star Wars cartoon, so this entry was quite exciting. This particular figure is partially "cloaked," so bits of its legs and body are molded in clear plastic so it can be partially invisible in the snowy Ilum wilds. The figure ships unassembled, so you have to plug the four limbs into the body. There's a fair amount of articulation but not exactly a lot. It's a nice big figure with good deco, and so far, it seems that the joints are strong enough to keep it standing. This is something of a worry for me over time as gravity is not always kind to toys with unique constructions such as these, but I guess we'll know for sure how these hold up in a year or two. You know, when we look at the fully painted version. If you like droids, you need this. If you're an Expanded Universe fan, you should totally get this. The metallic paint looks wonderful, and Hasbro's decision to not paint snowy deco on either Chameleon Droid is very much appreciated.

Collector's Notes: I picked up a few of these on clearance at Target for under five bucks a whack. As I am shameful. The set was quite popular so you might be able to get one cheap now that there's a perception of it being "common" before people realize it kinda dried up. Hop to it. Chop-chop.

Day 377: May 18, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 376: Battle Droid

BATTLE DROID C-3PO with Droid Factory Assembly Line
Saga Deluxe Collection
Item No.: Asst. 84859 No. 84899
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, removable limbs, assembly line, C-3PO figure
Action Feature: Use accessories and magnet in head to "swap" droid heads!
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Departing Tatooine on his first adventure, C-3PO joins Anakin, Padme, and his new counterpart R2-D2 on a rescue mission to save Obi-Wan Kenobi. The worrisome droid gets into trouble while helping them investigate a mysterious droid assembly plant. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV trays.

Commentary: Is it good? Is it bad? Fans argue about this Battle Droid a lot. Originally, it wasn't meant to be a stand-alone figure, but part of a "Droid Factory" deluxe figure set with C-3PO where you could swap all of their parts-- in short, it was a fun toy. It included a crane with magnets on it so you could "remove" and "swap" their heads to result in the robotic chaos you saw at the end of Attack of the Clones. This droid itself was a brand-new mold at the time, with only five points of articulation, but lots of removable parts-- you can pop off his head, arms, legs, and backpack and stick any or all of them on the C-3PO torso. In short, it's a toy first and a collectible second.

If you need ball joints, scores of articulation, and battle-damage, this is not a figure for you. But if you don't, this is a great figure-- at the time, it was also the very best Episode II C-3PO, and technically still is since the only "better" one was this figure modified only slightly. But I digress, we're talking about the Battle Droid here. It's a good figure, will stand up and not topple over due to gravity, has a "blast effect" for its gun, and the gun can plug into its backpack. While the Episode I Battle Droid mold is my favorite, this one ranks in at #2 just because it doesn't feel too rubbery or topple over due to its cruel mistress, gravity. Plus its Droid Factory display base is really cool. This is part of one of the best Deluxe figures Hasbro has ever done, so why not pick it up when you see it next time?

Collector's Notes: Bits and pieces of this figure were reused later, and this figure was also modified for later releases-- for example, only the first release (seen above) had the magnet in his head. After the 2-pack, in 2006, Hasbro re-released the C-3PO with the head and backpack (and gun) of this figure. Later in 2006, Hasbro released two of these figures in a pack, but in "Kashyyyk" deco. In 2007, Hasbro will release the same 2-pack in new colors, like tan, maroon, and in various degrees of battle damage. The original deluxe 2-pack wasn't a strong seller, though, and I picked up a few at a grocery store on clearance for $2 each just because I wanted more Battle Droids. As such, you can assume correctly that I like this figure. On the secondary market, this droid and C-3PO and the whole package is worth about $1-$7, meaning it's worth LESS than original retail. This is disgusting when you consider that the C-3PO from this set with a Battle Droid head and backpack sold for $7 under The Saga Collection and will again sell for $7 under Saga Legends. Fans are much better served by buying older figures from eBay than reissues in times like this.

Day 376: May 17, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 375: Princess Leia Organa (Dark Empire)

PRINCESS LEIA from Dark Empire Comics
Power of the Force Expanded Universe Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69884
Number: n/a
Includes: Cloak, lightsaber, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: Dark Empire

Bio: Six years after the destruction of the second Death Star, the galaxy is thrust into turmoil. A reborn evil threatens to enslave the galaxy, and the Republic's closest friend - Luke Skywalker - may become their greatest enemy... Hoping to free her brother Luke from the evil of the dark side, Jedi Leia prepares to match her power against that of a reborn Emperor. Boarding his colossal warship, Leia is overwhelmed by the oppression of the dark side. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV trays.

Commentary: The Expanded Universe figures were fun. They were original designs fans wanted, and in 1998, had the misfortune of coming out right as retailers said "whoa, we don't want any more of this assortment," thus depriving them of a chance to do well and Kenner/Hasbro said that this was a direct result of these being bad choices or poorly selling figures. Nevermind the fact that many fans never once saw Princess Leia from Dark Empire or any of a number of the comics-and-games-based figures in a normal retail store. (Why do you think the Darktrooper is coming back, after all?) These were really good figures too, with lots of parts and pieces to make them fun, even if some of the design choices were weird. For example, Leia was pregnant during Dark Empire-- does this figure look like she has a baby bump to you? She also doesn't have her "baseball" cap from the series, which was on a pretty memorable cover. She does, however, have a Jedi cloak, an all-new hair style, a fairly generic red lightsaber, and a blaster as well as six points of articulation. It's also worth noting that her hair is flexible, otherwise you wouldn't be able to put on/remove her Jedi cloak. It's a good figure, one of the better releases of her day, but obviously she isn't as awesome in 2007 as she was in 1998. As such, she's worth picking up if you're a fan of the comics, or if you're looking for something different. For all of the fans that demand all figure be super-articulated or you can't be bothered to part with your Lincolns, well, obviously save that vast fortune for your next lunch at KFC.

Collector's Notes: What's not to like? It's the only version of Leia in this outfit on the market today, she has a package with a pop-out diorama, and she looks different than every figure in the Star Wars collection-- this is no small feat. While there are rumors that this figure might find its way to stores again through the Comic Packs, nothing has been confirmed and for now you can probably expect to drop $10-$15 to get this figure if and when you see one for sale.

Day 375: May 16, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 374: R2-D2

R2-D2 Marvel Star Wars #4
30th Anniversary Star Wars Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87518
Number: 6
Includes: Stormtrooper Luke action figure
Action Feature: Twist dome, leg retracts; lightup eye port
Retail: $10.99
Availability: April 2007
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Luke, Han, and Chewbacca have rescued Princess Leia - but now they have to escape from the Death Star! After being hunted by stormtroopers and narrowly escaping a crushing end in a garbage masher, the four are reunited with the droids and nearing the safety of the Millennium Falcon. But tragedy looms as they watch Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi face each other in a lightsaber duel to the death! (Taken from Hasbro's press materials.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' crappy photo studio.

Commentary: Ever since Hasbro released the awesome R4-G9 astromech droid in 2005, fans were saying "hey, when can we get R2-D2 based on this mold?" R4-G9, you see, had a place to plug in a holographic projection, a fully retractable third leg, wheels, and no pop-off panels or anything that might offend the eye. Early in 2006, Hasbro released photos showing such a figure, but instead re-released the "Vintage" R2-D2 with new dirt. So in 2007, we get two versions of R2-D2 based on the R4-G9 mold, and none of them are "normal"-- one is covered in flames, and this one is in comic book-inspired deco.

This one is pretty minimalistic. The dome is basically white. The legs are totally unpainted, with a few bits of color on the feet. There's a few odd bits and pieces painted in blue or metallic black, and the end result is some sort of pop art take on R2-D2. It looks like R2, and it's weird, sure. But due to the vast number of droids in Star Wars, this figure also functions well as a random, generic droid or as a good base for a custom figure-- after all, there's less paint to remove in many places. If you like this style of astromech mold (and odds are you already know if you do), this is a neat figure to buy. Totally worth it. So get one if you see it.

Collector's Notes: Having just been released, I'm actually FOTD-ing this figure just days after I got it and long before I ever saw one in the wilds of retail-- so I have no idea how popular it is yet. However, it comes packaged with a Stormtrooper Luke, so it should be snapped up by the kids if collectors don't buy it. It's a great set for the money, and you're probably only hurting yourself by not buying it. I mean, $11 for a Stormtrooper and a droid. You gotta get it. And hey Hasbro, if you're reading, when can I get my new modern Droids-style animated R2-D2?

Day 374: May 15, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 373: Princess Leia Organa

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA The First Attempt
Power of the Force Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69570 No. 69579
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: September 1995- early 1998
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Princess of Alderaan, Imperial Senator, Cell Leader of Rebel Alliance. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The figure stands on one of two Death Star playsets produced during the 1990s line.

Commentary: Before I started this review, I was going to write that Princess Leia Organa wasn't that bad-- but the lighting for this figure made her look even worse than the figure I hold in my hands. So maybe you guys were right. In 1995, this figure was the stuff of legends.* She made her debut in the awesome but now-defunct Star Wars Galaxy magazine from Topps, and when fans got her in their hands, they were not pleased, and coined names which they deemed clever for this release. "Han in drag." "Monkey faced Leia." And so on. The figure's aesthetics aren't any worse than Han Solo or Luke Skywalker, neither of which do any favors to their respective actors in the face department. Of course, all the insults in the world didn't keep this figure from being a sell-out success for many months, keeping her price high and her availability low. She could have her cape and skirt removed so she could sit, she included two guns (which she has some difficulty holding), but as a toy, she performed admirably. She was also one of the first beacons of fan rage on numerous levels, with fans wishing Kenner would try again-- and they would, setting into effect an endless parade of resculpts every few years for not just Leia, but almost the entire line.

Collector's Notes: She was the 8th figure released, before C-3PO but after everybody else, and as the only figure whose cardback Leia appeared on was Leia, fans immediately became stupid. The asking price online and at collector stores shot up to $20-$40. Fans insisted that Carrie Fisher saw the face and demanded a recall. There were even variants on the figure-- her belt had two or three rings on it. (Three rings pictured.) To top it all off, she was packed at 1 per case in the first two assortments to feature her, making this figure quite popular despite most fans insisting that they hated the figure. It wasn't until the summer of 1998, when Kenner released an all-new sculpt version of the princess, that fans really regained their composure and let this one go. Even if it sucks, it seems, fans need to own the space princess with her Cinnabon hair. (Of course, there have since been multiple other new versions, but it took a while.)

Day 373: May 14, 2007

* - "Yeah, the legend of the dog-faced woman!" Homer Simpson

Figure of the Day: Day 372: Red Leader Garven Dreis

RED LEADER GARVEN DREIS Red Leader's X-Wing Fighter
Saga Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. 32152
Number: n/a
Includes: X-Wing Vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: Fall 2003
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: During the Battle of Yavin, the Empire discovered what a threat the Alliance could be. Armed with stolen technical schematics pinpointing the Death Star's weakness, the Rebellion hurled what little resources they had to stop the Imperial menace. A scant collection of battle-weary starfighters darted into the Death Star's shadow, in a desperate effort to spear the battle station's vulnerable exhaust port. One of these starfighters was piloted by the capable and well-repected Red Leader, Garven Dreis. Flying his X-Wing Fighter, Dreis launched his own heroic attempt at destroying the Death Star -- an attempt that resulted in a deadly confrontation with the evil Darth Vader. (Taken from the toy's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: A few years ago, Hasbro and Toys "R" Us decided it would be a good idea to repaint this one X-Wing mold a few times, starting in 2002 at $25, in 2003 at $30, and in 2006 at $45. This is the 2003 version with Red Leader, whose name is hidden in the fine print on the back of the box-- so I'm gonna call him Red Leader. With six points of articulation, this figure takes the 1999 Y-Wing Fighter Pilot head and sticks it on a slightly repainted 2001 Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot body. That's pretty much all there is to it. The figure looks pretty generic, and could stand to have a resculpt some day. He fits in the ship just fine, but so what? If he's boring outside of the ship, odds are fans will ignore the fact that he exists and ask for a new one. This wasn't one of the better overall pilot bodies (what's with the arms?) but at least it fits in the vehicle without a hitch. If you're buying the Red Leader X-Wing anyway-- and odds are you should-- this is a nice bonus. For the money, this whole set for $30 was a killer deal, but you won't find it in stores for that price today.

Collector's Notes: Fans immediately hated this release, not so much for the figure, but because the ship was the same mold we were just sold in 2002 with an exclusive R2-D2 repaint and some gear for $5 more. Still, I bought it, and it's a little difficult to find one for sale these days. So let that be a lesson to you: always buy your ships before they hit the secondary market exclusively.

Day 372: May 13, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 371: Speeder Bike Pilot

SPEEDER BIKE PILOT Expanded Universe
Power of the Force Expanded Universe
Item No.: Asst. 69760 No. 69772
Number: n/a
Includes: Speederbike
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 1998
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Whipping through the forests of Endor on a Rebel strike mission against the Death Star shield generator, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia battled Imperial scout troopers atop highly maneuverable speeder bikes. Considered ideal reconnaissance vehicles by the Empire and he Rebel Alliance alike, their maneuverability and acceleration is superior to both landspeeders and airspeeders. This particular speeder bike was designed and built based on production sketches found in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Sketchbook; its creator was renown Star Wars artist, Joe Johnston. (Taken from the toy's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: The notion of concept art based-figures is a popular one in 2007, but it's nothing new-- we've been here before in 1998 with figures like this Speeder Bike Pilot. With only six points of articulation, its main purpose was to make this tiny $10 vehicle seem like a better deal. And today, we have figures with fancy packaging that nobody bats an eye on dropping $10 on. Oh, how far we've come. This is a fairly simple figure, especially by modern standards. The sculpting is a little clunky, but as it's meant to look like a simple sketch from 1983, well, it's a pretty decent three-dimensional translation of the concept. Hasbro has really upped the ante with enhancing the designs and making conceptual figures true works of art, but as a fun curiosity and grandfather of the McQuarrie Concept figures of today, you'd be well-served to add this one to your collection. As well as the two other vehicle-and-figure sets. Quality stuff, folks, much more inspired than the mini-rigs and almost as fun.

Collector's Notes: This was a bit of a slow seller-- these came up at retailers for sale as recently as 2005 (at a Phoenix Wal-Mart I frequent) and 2006 (online at Entertainment Earth) for various reasons. As such, it's not exactly a hot item-- but the vehicle is a lot of fun and you should totally get one if you can for like ten bucks.

Day 371: May 12, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 370: Jawas

JAWAS (The tall one)
Power of the Force Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69607
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: Light-up eyes
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 1996
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Jawas were typically short humanoid natives of Tatooine. They were often scavengers, seeking out technology for sale or trade in the deep deserts in their huge sandcrawler transports. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: Ahhh, Jawas. Disgusting creatures, but great toys. In 1996, Hasbro put out this two-pack and it sold extremely well in many markets, as a lot of us bought several of them for what we figured was for the eventual release of a new Sandcrawler. Which, it turns out, was released in 2004. The figures are fairly simple, but it's not like they needed to do too much. You have light-up eyes, you have articulated arms, and you have a uni-leg. It might sound crappy, but keep in mind you got a tall Jawa and a short Jawa in a set together for a mere $4.99. The sculpting is good, you can see lots of texture and ragged bits of their cloaks as well as detail around the faces. Sure, it could be a little better, but for the time this was one of the shining beacons of light in the modern Star Wars action figure line-- after all, they aren't muscular, they aren't beefy, and they don't come with blasters as big as they are. (Plus these shipped in the same case as the "Attack" R5-D4-- so you can guess how awesome these looked just by comparison alone.)

This taller figure is pretty cool because it doesn't look quite like the original vintage figure from 1978. I mean, he's taller, a little baggier, and has a delightful light brown color. His right hand is great for holding weapons, as is his left-- the other short Jawa has one hand to hold things and one to... I guess chop things. This is, to me, the better of the two figures-- but since you'll want a bunch of both anyway, such things don't need to be decided or argued. Just get both and be happy.

Collector's Notes: This mold was reused a few times. In 2004, it was repackaged with the Jawa Sandcrawler vehicle, but without its weapons. Also in 2004, Hasbro rereleased these figures with new, dirty paint applications and a display base-- if you only get one set of Jawas, that Original Trilogy Collection set is easily the best overall. Hasbro has several other modern Jawa figures as well. One came with a Gonk Droid in 1999, another was packaged with a Ronto in 1997, and another still is coming in a few short weeks as a two-pack with the LIN Droid. Jawa lovers, you've got options.

Day 370: May 11, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 369: Commander Thire

COMMANDER THIRE Order 66
30th Anniversary Collection Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 87357 No. 87358
Number: 1 of 6
Includes: Pistols, helmet, blaster (and Emperor Palpatine)
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2007
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Emperor Palpatine is accompanied by the elite shock troopers, led by Commander Thire. The Emperor wields great power and seeks only those who are exceptionally loyal and strong for this elite unit. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: Let's get this out of the way: this is not how Commander Thire looked in the movie. In the movie, he was basically just a regular Shock Trooper, so that's why I'm glad they did something different for the figure that would go by the name Thire. You can go on calling a plain Shock Trooper "Thire" if you want, but for those seeking a little more variety in their clones (hah), this is a great one. Mostly. As you can see in the picture, the helmet doesn't quite fit perfectly-- this was a problem with the Evolutions mold on which this was based. The waistcoat features twin pistols and the gun is the new, thinner variety. In other words, this is basically a redeco of the Star Corps Trooper from those sets in 2005.

The articulation is good, but it's usually an empty gesture when Hasbro makes a figure basically super-articulated but includes an accessory or two (in this case, the waistcoat) that prevents the legs from moving. So if you cut off the coat, you can make use of the hips and knees to their fullest potential-- otherwise, they're blocked by the belt. It's a decent figure, especially with the helmet off, but be aware that those seeking perfection will not find it here. Again: it can't sit, and the helmet doesn't fit perfectly. Just keep that in mind before you spend $10 or whatever it goes for in your neck of the woods.

Collector's Notes: This was one of the less popular sets in the Order 66 2-packs, at least so far. The ones related to the 501st Legion tended to sell out first, with this set and the Obi-Wan/AT-RT set being the two slower sellers-- at least in some stores. Your mileage may vary. As it's a unique figure that looks decent, I still think it's worth getting-- it just isn't as good as it could be.

Day 369: May 10, 2007