Figure of the Day: Day 404: Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI Mustafar Final Duel Playset
Revenge of the Sith Collection
Item No.: No. 85243
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, playset, Darth Vader figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99-$39.99
Availability: Late 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Darth Vader takes on Obi-Wan Kenobi in a final duel on a planet of erupting volcanos! Vader, who was once the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, has turned to the dark side and now fights on the side of evil against his former Master. Vader and Obi-Wan meet in a climactic confrontation and fight to the finish while dodging blasts from a volcano and overcoming dangerous obstacles! Re-create this ultimate battle that decides the fate of the galaxy for the next generation! (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Mustafar playset.

Commentary: This Obi-Wan Kenobi figure is notable for reasons beyond its mere four points of articulation and distressed Jedi robes. Sure, his body from the waist down is one piece, and his head and arms can move-- but that's about it. That's all he needs, however, to be a good display figure. Because the figure's face is painted, not molded, in flesh color it looks a lot different than a regular basic figure. His expression and hair seem a little bit more tired from a fight than a regular release, which is nice, but unfortunately the distressed garments could use more paint to really bring out the tearing and tattered edges. One thing this figure has that few others do is in his sleeves-- as you can see, around the hands, there's some very dark brown to represent his clothes under the outer robes. Usually, they're unpainted or the same color as the outer garment. Score one for a new detail, Hasbro! The figure has no problems holding his lightsaber but doesn't always stand too well. Reduced articulation can be troublesome like that-- if a figure is malformed, you can compensate by repositioning his feet or legs. If that isn't an option, you get to worry that the figure is likely to fall over easily.

This figure is worth getting if you're a collector that has to have every version of Obi-Wan Kenobi. It really doesn't offer much special beyond a few minor details, and can't do much more as a toy than any other action figure. In fact, it can't sit, so it does less. I think it's a nice addition to a playset, but if Hasbro sold this figure on an individual package for $5-$7 I think you would be quite upset with it. (But as part of a $30 playset? A great deal.)

Collector's Notes: This figure was also released in the Wal-Mart "DVD 3-packs" sold in Fall 2005. You got this figure, Anakin from the Battle Arena, and an Episode I Mace Windu with a new lightsaber in a box for $9.96. It was a killer deal-- and a pity it was somewhat hard to find.

Day 404: June 14, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 403: Battle Droid

BATTLE DROID Arena Conflict Accessory Set
Saga Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 32532 No. 32534
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, jetpack, rockets, rifles, pistols, Jango's helmet, lightsabers, Jedi cloak, handcuffs
Action Feature: Lever moves arms
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: A battle droid or killer droid was any droid designed for combat. Many of the best known battle droids were those used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Geonosis Arena playset.

Commentary: As you can see, sometimes the best intentions have, as the kids say, 50% chance of fail. This Battle Droid was a fantastic idea in that it was a popular trooper figure, newly colored, and loaded with extras for a mere $10. Of course, when figures were $5 everywhere, $10 is suddenly a large amount of money. This droid took the 2000 body of the Security Battle Droid and molded the whole thing in red, not just the shoulders. Jointed at the knees, elbows, neck, shoulders, and hips, it pretty much does everything a Battle Droid can be expected to do, except stand up for long periods of time-- the joints are quite soft and even on a display base, this figure will sag, fall over, or just warp as gravity does its deed.

The reason many fans will want this is the accessories. The set's most notable, and odd, accessory is a large rocket pack with two firing projectiles. As it's heavy, it will cause the figure to eventually fall over, but it's fun to play with. The figure also comes with accessories for other figures, but you have to ask yourself-- are two lightsabers, three blasters, a helmet, a backpack, a cloak, and some handcuffs worth $5? Seeing as I bought a Grievous figure with a blaster and four lightsabers for $5, I'd say no-- and other fans seemed to vote with their dollars the same way. It is because of items like this not selling that we have no accessory packs on the market today. Sadly, people don't really want them-- it's easier to sell 5 different Jango Fetts than it is to sell a single figure and additional parts. Sad, but true.

Collector's Notes: This was the last nail in the coffin for accessory sets as we know them-- Hasbro tried to revisit the concept later with many figures and accessories in a set, but that didn't really work out. This item was sent to the dreaded clearance racks, but even then, it's a good item.

Day 403: June 13, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 402: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER with Speeder Bike
Saga Deluxe Figure
Item No.: No. 85694
Number: n/a
Includes: Armor, blaster, helmet, grenade, Speeder Bike vehicle
Action Feature: Grenade-throwing action, removable armor
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2002
Appearances: Concept Art

Bio: Formidable fighters engineered for battle, a number of the Clone Troopers are deployed on speeders, then race into battle against the enemy forces. Daringly flying alongside the AT-TEs, they lob electro grenades into the vehicles to disable them in crippling explosions. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' clone shelf.

Commentary: It's an all new sculpt. It's the first Clone to have a removable helmet. Also, it's the first Clone to have any sort of built-in action figure. This Clone Trooper is a neat item for a variety of reasons, but I have to say the real selling point for me was the removable armor, removable helmet, and bike. It's just a cool package for ten bucks, even though this item never appeared in the movie. We can always use another Clone, and hey, who doesn't like a cheap vehicle? By and large, Clone Troopers are sculpted well so there's really not much to pick at aside from articulation. This one is iffy-- the joints were designed to allow grenade-chucking and sitting on a bike. He doesn't sit on the bike with both hands particularly well (a downer), but can shoot and drive at the same time-- surely, this goes against what the instructor at the Kamino DMV might have taught them. Someone might get a ticket, is all I'm saying.

Collector's Notes: This was a pain to get in many markets, proving that kids like Clones and vehicles, especially when you get them both for ten bucks. This was repainted and retooled in 2003 so you can get more than one bike with Clone and have them be different-- the other release had dirt on his boots, a grey bike, and a newly added firing rocket weapon. This non-movie (but yes-concept art) Clone-with-vehicle set for $10 held a promise of more cheap vehicles with Clones, but unfortunately this was not an avenue Hasbro opted to explore. It's also worth noting the vehicle was engineered to be stored in the back of a Republic Gunship, if you have one-- talk about synergy! The Gunship could also connect to the Gun Pods packaged with the Clone Pilot figures.

Oh, and Hasbro-- if you're paying attention-- please make more toys that connect with other toys, it makes for better playtime and storage when it works out like this release. I bought a lot of Clone Pilots in 2002 and the bike, surely if a hypothetical AT-TE ever got made, there could be an area to park some other small toy (sold separately) in there to encourage people to buy more stuff. That is, if the thought of people buying more Clones to act as drivers for the thing wasn't enough.

Day 402: June 12, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 401: Holographic Princess Leia

HOLOGRAPHIC PRINCESS LEIA
Original Trilogy Collection Comic-Con 2005 Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85694
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: July 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: In the Rebel Alliance's most desperate hour, Princess Leia hides the stolen Death Star plans in R2-D2's memory bank. She instructs the droid to find Obi-Wan Kenobi on the desert planet of Tatooine. It is at Kenobi's home that a holographic Princess Leia pleads with Kenobi to come to the aid of the Rebel Alliance. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray. Darth Maul and Obi-Wan are in the background. The display base on which she stands actually comes with the Holographic Yoda.

Commentary: Take a figure from 1998. Now take away the paint. Now mold it in clear purple. Does this sound like another exciting exclusive yet? The somewhat baffling but oddly neat Holographic Princess Leia is just that-- an old mold being trotted out for one last sale. Don't get me wrong-- it was a good mold, but an odd choice for the holographic treatment as most of us remember Leia as having her hood up. So what you're getting here is a figure that originally cost $6, but was painted nicely and had accessories plus a Freeze Frame. (Except, of course, now it's lacking these perks.) If you think this is a good deal, you're delusional-- but as a collectible/one more plastic person in the collection, it's OK. Personally, I could take or leave the bulk of the holographic figures-- I like weird releases, so I feel obligated to buy these. But they're about as exciting as socks for Christmas, plus Hasbro has made an awful lot of these lately. Four meaningful points of articulation do not a good toy make, but what really made this one sting was the price-- it shouldn't have been a $14 figure, but Hasbro seems intent on proving that there's a sucker born every minute and I am indeed that sucker.

Back in 2005, holographic figures were still something of a novelty-- we had a couple for Episode I as Wal-Mart exclusives, a few rejected ones that never came out, a few mini-clear holographic figures, and that Holographic Emperor. Then came Yoda, Leia, Aayla Secura, and Plo Koon, making 2005 a holo-filled year. 2006 was pretty blue too-- we got Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ki-_Adi-Mundi, Commander Cody-- plus 24 bonus holographic figures (in blue or red). This year, the only known holographic figure on deck is Darth Vader, and that hasn't been confirmed by Hasbro yet. While the novelty is certainly there, a light-up base would be nice, or perhaps just fewer releases. With just one holographic figure for 2007, I'm actually somewhat interested.

Collector's Notes: Early test shots of the figure included a clear blaster-- the final release had no weapons or accessories of any kind. The best thing about this figure being an exclusive is how it was sold-- sensibly. ShopStarWars.com allowed you to pre-order the item before Comic-Con in 2005, and you could just waltz up to the booth whenever you wanted to and claim your figures without being terrified of missing the exclusives. This is a smart move-- it lets the store take my money before I even go to the show, and guarantees that I'll buy it and not be distracted by other items at the show. This is a model of what should be done for all convention exclusives-- let me order the damn thing in advance, I'll pick it up when I have a minute or ten. I've got other stuff to do while I'm there (in my case, this is what we call "work") so help me out already.

Day 401: June 11, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 400: Vilmarh Grahrk

VILMARH "VILLIE" GRAHRK with Quinlan Vos
30th Anniversary Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87517
Number: 05
Includes: Quinlan figure, blaster, removable bandolier, reprint of a comic book
Action Feature: Blaster fits in holster
Retail: $9.99
Availability: April 2007

Appearances: Comics: Tales #3 & #9, Jedi Council: Acts of War, several issues of Republic, and more.

Bio: Quinlan Vos awakens with no memory of who or what he is, and immediately finds himself in peril, in the midst of a fierce blaze and attacked by bounty hunters. He is saved by Vilmarh Grahrk, who helps him escape and explains that bets are being placed on Quinlan's chances of survival. Villie reveals that he has a personal stake in the outcome, but changes his outlook when he sees Quinlan's Jedi skills in action. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Makeshift diorama based on "Bad Business," a story in Star Wars Tales #8. The Pit Droids are from the Gasgano/Pit Droid set and the others are bonus Pit Droids from Europe/Asia in 1999-2000. Debris also from bonus Pit Droid packs. The Hyperdrive is from the Hyperdrive Repair Kit accessory pack, as is the wrench in Villie's hand. The Hyperdrive is held up by two Cantina "tables" from Momaw Nadon and Hem Dazon. Makeup by Max Factor. Mr. Ghrark's wardrobe by Armani.

Commentary: Devaronians aren't common figures in Star Wars-- we got Labria in 1998, a repaint of him in 2007, and now, Vilmarh Grahrk, a figure which I was more than a little surprised to see. Hasbro did a great job with this one, designing it more as a toy than as a collectible. His hands are a little larger, the devilish face was altered and softened a little (horns moved & sharp teeth downplayed), and his toy is a little bit thinner. The sculpt is awesome, with a removable bandolier, and the costume appears nearly identical to how it looked in the comics. Still, the head of the new Labria is just a smidgen better looking than Villie-- which just isn't right given that one came out back when there were only three Star Wars movies and the other has the benefit of much more toymaking experience.

The decision to include Star Wars #19 from Dark Horse was an interesting one-- Villie basically appears in the comic as he does the toy, but Quinlan looks quite different. Plus, there were more interesting stories one could include-- like the Tales story about Quin's meeting with a young Han Solo, and either of the wacky Villie tales. But hey, whatever, it's not like I'm not sitting on all those stories in my comic boxes anyway. (Oh, wait, I do have them sitting next to my toys. Nevermind then.)



The figure's body is nearly perfect, with articulation at the neck, hips, waist, shoulders, elbows, and wrists. (No knees or ankles.) His head seems just a smidge off-- if he had a thicker neck and a meaner looking face, he'd be perfect-- but one has to wonder what the market would be for, essentially, a two-pack with a Jedi Native American that (technically) wasn't in the movies with a yellow streak on his face and a devil man with a gun anyway. Still, the figure is nice-- it's just that he could really use a nice playset to hang out in, or a nifty vehicle, or something. This is a figure that demands to be played with and set up in little displays, and could probably fit nicely in Jabba's Palace. This two-pack is a killer value for $10, considering you get a $3 comic and two 100% newly sculpted action figures. This is one of the year's finest products for the money, but obviously, if you care not for the comics, you won't want this. If you're not someone who has established rules about what you buy-- and honestly, I don't get why some of you guys say "PREQUELZ ONLEE!" or "TRILOGEE OR NOTHING!"-- this is something you should buy on sight. It's good.

Collector's Notes: This figure's partner, Quinlan Vos, was a highly requested figure for many years, but Villie, not so much. The character debuted in March 2000, so it took about seven years to make the transition from paper to plastic-- which is pretty normal for comic characters. It took the "topless" Darth Maul from the comics about a year to hit stores after appearing in the comics, but Dark Empire debuted in 1991, with figures hitting at the end of 1998. With the exception of big media projects like Clone Wars or Shadows of the Empire, so far, it usually takes years for comic characters to make their fairly rare appearances as action figures. At this rate I expect KOTOR comic figures around April of 2012. A variation of Villie was found shortly after the first shipment-- early releases are more pink, later releases are more red. The same figure was used for all shots of this article (and were taken before the variant was found), and are the first, pinker release.

About this character: I decided to do Villie for #400 because he was just such an unlikely candidate for an action figure. He's part villain, part sidekick, and as far as I can tell, I seem to be one of four or five people who tended to be pleased to see him. Most of his appearances were alongside Quinlan Vos in some capacity, but he also had two stand-alone tales of scoundrelness in Tales #3 (his first appearance) and Tales #8. They don't break any new ground, but they're fun little stories that really give you a sense of how much fun the writers are having with the character and his goofy villain persona. To date, there's really not much information on what Villie is up to post-Order 66, so here's hoping he shows up in a comic someday soon.

Day 400: June 10, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 399: Ki-Adi-Mundi

KI-ADI-MUNDI Jedi Master
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85361
Number: III-29
Includes: Stand, Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Ki-Adi-Mundi is a member of the Jedi Council and a Republic General in the Clone Wars. Trained in the Jedi arts by master Yoda himself, Ki-Adi-Mundi leads clone troopers against Separatist forces on the planet Mygeeto. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' back yard.

Commentary: Fourth time is the charm! Ki-Adi-Mundi had a figure for each previous prequel, plus those Jedi Council 3-packs-- all which were basically the same mold with minor modifications. So this version is the first 100% new one since 1999, and man, is it great. The figure is close to super-articulated, but not quite there-- he has 12 joints (no ankles) and the cut elbows rather than ball elbows. The detailing is great, the soft goods are pretty good, the sculpt is wonderful. The one thing I don't much like is there's still a plastic "skirt" piece over the legs that gets in the way of articulation, which seems dumb as the figure has that cloth robe covering that part of the body so you can't even see it.

Collector's Notes: Just a fun aside-- my Ki-Adi-Mundi figures are cursed. My Episode II one had its lightsaber break when the figure fell off a shelf a few years ago, and my Episode III one was fine until the day after I shot this photograph. The lightsaber is fragile, so be sure to take care with this and all other removable blade figures. This figure hasn't been rereleased, except for once-- in a Kay-Bee exclusive multipack sold in 2005. The multipack didn't have any exclusive elements to it, as everything had been available separately in the past. As such, if you want this figure-- and if you like Jedi, you do want this figure-- just get the carded one. It's cheap. (MORE IMAGES)

Day 399: June 9, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 398: R5-J2

R5-J2 Ending Above Endor
The Saga Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87328
Number: 058
Includes: Stand, removable third leg
Action Feature: Twist dome and motivator pops up
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Late 2006-present
Appearances: Return of the Jedi (technically)

Bio: The Empire toils to complete the second Death Star after the humiliating destruction of the first battle station by the ragtag Rebels. One of the droids on the station is R5-J2, who goes about his duties unaware that its service will be very short-lived. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: At first, this droid was named and promoted as R5-A1. And when packaged samples surfaced, we saw Lucasfilm changed the name to R5-J2, leading to much confusion as a few books and other materials identified a black R5-D4 repaint as R5-A1 for many years. Turns out that R5-J2 is painted significantly differently from R5-A1, despite both being black. So they're two different droids-- don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The figure is a redeco of R5-D4, and a good one. You need more Imperial stuff, right? Well, then you need this. It doesn't offer any new play features, but pretty much everything looks cooler in black. As such, even though this isn't a figure you'll find in the movies (or at least, I can't) it's still worth your while to pick up.

Collector's Notes: I have not seen this droid in any official Lucasilm shots and I believe the packaging to be photoshopped-- and it doesn't even properly match the illustration, either. As such, this figure seems to be Expanded Universe within the context of the films. So for sticklers for authenticity, there is still room to do more black R5 units down the road.

Day 398: June 8, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 397: Nabrun Leids

NABRUN LEIDS & Kabe
The Saga Collection Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87351
Number: 072
Includes: Blaster, Kabe figure, knife, stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.76
Availability: February 2007-Present (see below for definition of "present")
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Leids is a smuggler and pilot-for-hire looking for business, legitimate or otherwise, in the Mos Eisley cantina. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray, with the Cantina "bar section" behind him.

Commentary: Before I wrote this entry, I looked at the original Nabrun Leids article I wrote from June 2006, before the version I'm reviewing today was announced. I basically said "it's OK and worth getting because it's not like you have any other options"-- well, now you have an option, and it's better. This Wal-Mart exclusive version is painted much more nicely, and if it had more articulation you might mistake it for a brand new release and not a ten year old repaint. The figure has eight points of articulation (the standard six plus two more arms), a spiffy silver suit, a gun, oh yeah, and a whole extra figure. For the price, it's a bargain-- if you have neither Nabrun Leids nor Kabe, this is a must-buy set. Both figures are improved over previous releases, so it's still probably worth it. I just love the crazy silver suit, I have to say, and the cone head and gas mask are nifty features as well. There's a lot to like here, even though the sculpt is quite old. If you have the chance, and like Cantina aliens, this should be on your short list of things to buy.

Collector's Notes: Depending on where you lived and your luck, this figure (and the whole wave) could be impossible to get. Later shipments came, and sometimes you could get lucky-- keep checking your stores as we've seen these as recently as mid-May 2007.

Day 397: June 7, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 396: Otoga 222 Pit Droid

OTOGA 222 PIT DROID with Ody Mandrell
Episode I Collection 3
Item No.: Asst. 84105 No. 84117
Number: n/a
Includes: Ody Mandrell figure, CommTech Chip stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Summer 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Otoga 222 was a series of cheap repair droids, similar to the DUM pit droids used in podracing repairs. This type of droid performed heavy lifting and other jobs in spaceports and in Podrace hangars. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: I love Pit Droids-- but I don't like the Otoga 222 model. With four points of articulation and as a bonus figure with another, better release, it's a heck of a deal. If you were going to buy Ody anyway, the fact that instead of a grease gun, Hasbro gave you a whole extra figure is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, it isn't fun like the saucer-headed model. The head doesn't have much of a face to speak of, and it's not like we saw these guys doing wacky stupid crap in the movies either. Heck, I don't even remember this model doing much of anything in the comics. Still, the sculpt seems true to reference photos, the paint job was dirty and admirable, and short of an unreasonable demand for more articulation, there's really not much else Hasbro could do to sex this one up. It is what it is-- a droid. Not an exciting droid, but a droid. I wouldn't advise you run out and buy this unless you gotta have them all, love pod racing, or must have every droid ever made.

Collector's Notes: Another, similar droid was released in 2000. This one was packaged with an Anakin figure, was green, and could be taken apart quite easily-- it was more fun and distinctive than this release.

Day 396: June 6, 2007