Figure of the Day: Day 491: Sebulba

SEBULBA Mos Espa Encounter
Episode I Cinema Scene Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 84115 No. 84161
Number: n/a
Includes: Chuba, CommTech Chip, extra figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: Summer 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: While wandering with Anakin Skywalker through the maze of Mos Espa's outdooor marketplace, Jar Jar Binks spots a juicy chuba hanging temptingly from a vendor's cart. Unable to resist, Jar Jar lashes out with his sticky, elastic tongue, and accidentally sends the tasty treat flying into the soup of the galaxy's fiercest podracer - Sebulba. Enraged, the Dug racer leaps from his table and viciously attacks the unfortunate Jar Jar, leaving young Anakin to rescue his Gungan friend. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: In 1999, this Sebulba figure was some seriously exciting stuff-- the Jar Jar and Anakin with which he was boxed, not so much. As the first non-helmeted Sebulba, this figure gave us a look at the horse-like Dug's face, and the figure featured a ball-jointed neck as well as the standard arm and leg articulation. (Although which are truly arms and legs is left up to the academics.) The figure had a fair amount of detail, but like with a lot of figures from this era, he felt a little pale-- he was molded in a creamy color with purple markings to bring some life out of him, which resulted in a coloration which wasn't as rich as I would like. He can stand, he can hold a chuba, and he can look around. And that's about it. At least his face had a nice, menacing expression on it, otherwise this figure might be listed under "dull." Sure, he has a decent skin texture, and yes, his costume looks pretty good. But unlike other figures from 2000 or later, he's a little too bland-- and Hasbro is a great company capable of wonderful things, so with any luck, we'll see a newer, more better-er Sebulba in years to come. (Although of the three, the final release is pretty good-- keep reading for more.)

Collector's Notes: A better Sebulba would be released during Power of the Jedi with more impressive deco, more accessories, and a removable helmet. Get that one first. Then, if you have time, get this one because the set is super-cheap on eBay.

Day 491: September 9, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 490: Jar Jar Binks

JAR JAR BINKS with Kaadu
Episode I Beast Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 84125 No. 84094
Number: n/a
Includes: Boomer staff, Kaadu beast
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: May 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The kaadu are nimble creatures from the planet Naboo. Often used by the amphibious Gungans as steeds, they carry Gungan warriors like Jar Jar Binks into battle against the seemingly unstoppable Trade Federation army. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: With loads of articulation (more or less) and a goofy facial expression, this version of Jar Jar Binks is easily one of the better ones in the past eight years. In addition to the then-traditional six joints, he had knee joints as well as a swivel on one of his arms which made him slightly more mobile. His added articulation and goofy pose helped make this figure a little bit more fun than the rest, and it really does need something to set it apart given that almost all the Episode I-era Jar Jar figures all used the same basic sculpt with a few modifications. The textures aren't anything too fancy, but the coloring on the skin remains impressive and his wide-eyed stare still looks pretty good. The figure has no problem sitting on his Kaadu, a dinosaur-like steed which features leg moving action and has some problems standing on its own because of this.

Collector's Notes: It's cheap (about five bucks or so), and it's fun, so you should get one. Still, Hasbro hasn't made a new Jar Jar Binks from 2002, and hasn't made a new Phantom Menace version since 2001-- so if you want a Jar Jar for your collection, why not this one? You could do worse, and yes, we'll be looking at "worse" in the coming months of this very column.

Day 490: September 8, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 489: LIN Droid

LIN DROID & Jawa
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87278
Number: 3019
Includes: Jawa figure, coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2007
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Bands of Jawas scavenge Tatooine for discarded droids and machinery to repair and resell. One of the droids that the Jawas show to Owen Lars during the sale of C-3PO and R2-D2 is a LIN mining and demolition droid created to lay mines and perform demolition operations. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray. And hey, who made that GONK in the background?

Commentary: Very few figures from 30-year-old movies will eventually get made as a Hasbro action figure, but hey, thankfully they're pretty good about making every last bit of scenery. The LIN Droid has limited articulation, and is based on the Sandcrawler version-- not the Death Star one. There's a clear blueish dome, an articulated arm, and not much else. There's no wheels, and the little sensors don't do much other than look cool. As an accessory of this size, I had to look at it as a figure-- it's just that nice. There's a lot of electronic details to see here, but it can't do much other than stay put and look cool. Of course, the same is true for R1-G4, so why should this little guy be treated any differently? Hasbro could have done more with it, adding wheels and such, but that would probably drive the price up and nobody wants that. As far as bang for your buck goes, he's half of a great set. The removable dome reveals tons of details, so odds are people will use this for future kitbashing projects as it's essentially "new" mechanics to glue to a larger project to make it look cooler. It's neat. (And yes, Galoob did one like ten years ago.)

Collector's Notes: This is a fine release-- an all-new mold packaged with another all-new mold that's a troop builder, if you like Jawas, and I do. It's new and so far, somewhat easy to get.

Day 489: September 7, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 488: Dud Bolt

DUD BOLT & Mars Guo
The Saga Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87086
Number: 051
Includes: Blaster, Headgear, Mars Guo, Display Base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Fall 2006
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: These two prodigiously-snouted racers compete in the same Podrace in which Anakin Skywalker wins his freedom from slavery. Dud Bolt, a shameless toady, is actually paid by the nefarious Sebulba to cause accidents during the race – a job that lands him in a Mos Espa med center. Mars Guo falls victim to Sebulba's own treachery when the cheating Dug pitches a chunk of debris into his engine intake. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: By and large, collectors can't name a lot of the pod racers from the first prequel. While many know Ben Quadrinaros by name, and have asked for a figure of him since 1999, he hasn't yet been produced-- but his rivals, like Dud Bolt, seem to show up every few years to fill that sports quota. The figure has a removable helmet, which is quite snug but you probably want to take it off because the figure was packaged so that his chin strap is functioning as a ball gag. And unless your figures do unspeakable things to one another, odds are it wasn't your intent to have an alien with a ball gag. The figure has more than acceptable articulation for a figure this size, with a grand total of about 7 points. With a decent leather texture to the costume, a nice and wrinkly skin pattern, and a top-notch paint job, this is a fantastic figure. If you want more toys from The Phantom Menace, which you probably do.

Collector's Notes: Along with his companion, the figure recycles weapons from Durge. Still, at least he has weapons. The two-pack was in short supply in 2006, but most fans who wanted one got it.

Day 488: September 6, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 487: Clone Trooper (Clean White)

CLONE TROOPER Revenge of the Sith
30th Anniversary Collection Saga Legends
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87422
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, antenna, generic "Episode III" coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2007
Appearances: Clone Wars, Revenge of the Sith (I think)

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: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: Fans can't get enough of the Clone Trooper army. I have no doubt this is carved into some form of grand obelisk in Rhode Island when Hasbro is figuring out its assortments every year. We're probably pushing 100 flavors of Clone, between all the commanders, styles, variants, and molds, and this one is one of those just-different-enough releases that you're going to want to get. The figure takes the mold from 2005 with 14 points of articulation, and drops the battle damage markings. That's it, otherwise it's the same freaking release. Battle damage can make or break a figure, as I got to see first-hand in 2005 and 2006 when Entertainment Earth sold clones with and without blaster damage. (The damaged ones were way more popular, selling out first.) These clean clones are pretty nice, although clean ROTS clone figures are available in other configurations, like with a quick-draw attack, or the deluxe 3-packs, or with a jetpack. They just aren't super articulated. The somewhat-glossy visor over the eyes is a nice touch, and I hope Hasbro makes these shiny on all future trooper releases-- it just looks really slick in the right light.

Collector's Notes: This is a great example of Hasbro phoning in another must-buy figure. It's a Clone variant most fans want more of, plus it has a coin with it you'll no doubt want to add to your collection. So you might find yourself wanting to buy a few of these, or at the very least, one just for the coin. So far it's been somewhat easy to get thanks to the heavy case packing, but if repaints don't float your boat, you can pass on this one and not miss much of anything. The plain white Clone Trooper saw the most action during Clone Wars episodes 22-25, so I've been sticking mine with Jedi like Foul Moudama. Hey, even giant hairy Jedi need their own clone squads, even if they have to share with their Ithorian homies. With any luck, Hasbro will keep this figure in rotation for a while as the demand for them seems steady as new trooper fans are born every day.

Day 487: September 5, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 486: C-3PO (Ilum)

C-3PO Ambush on Ilum
The Anniversary Collection Target Exclusive Battle Pack
Item No.: No. 87213
Number: n/a
Includes: Removable limbs, four other figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January 2007
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: This uptight protocol droid, sworn to serve and protect Senator Amidala, provided a much needed distraction. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy room next to the R2-D2 figure from the same set.

Commentary: This figure is all sorts of wrong. You see, in the original Clone Wars animated series, C-3PO went to Ilum before he got his shiny gold plating, meaning Hasbro should have used the ever-popular AOTC deco figure in this pack. When you get right down to it, this figure is the same as the 2005 Revenge of the Sith C-3PO except this one has white grime on his feet. There should probably be some on his head and shoulders too, but this is what you get. The figure is based on one of the best C-3PO molds, and has six points of articulation. The waist joint allows him to pivot forward and back a little, which is good for those panic-inspired poses we love so much. If you can get past the fact that the figure's deco is completely wrong, it's a nice figure-- maybe it'd make a nice Hoth C-3PO, if it had the silver leg anyway. So basically, this figure is just inaccurate enough to make you mad, unless there's an episode of Droids I'm forgetting where our two heroes end up on a snow planet.

Collector's Notes: When you get right down to it, this gift set is a "sum of its parts" kind of item. Each figure, by its lonesome, is merely OK. Another R2-D2 and C-3PO with a snow Padme with limited articulation and two Chameleon Droids for $19.99 is a spiffy deal at just $4 per figure, but at $6.99, this C-3PO would be a little disappointing. As such, get the whole set for about $20 or less-- emphasis on "less." I picked up a few of this set for $4.24 each when a local Target was choking on them, and while I'd love to trade 'em away someday, the going rate is about $7-$10 for the whole set, meaning you can get this for an incredibly low price, and you should. For $10, you should stock up and give them away as presents.

Day 486: September 4, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 485: Aurra Sing

AURRA SING Jedi Hunter
The Saga Collection Wal-Mart Wave
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87205
Number: 070
Includes: Lightsaber, pistol, rifle, display base, removable soft goods
Action Feature: Blaster pistol fits into right holster
Retail: $6.76
Availability: Spring 2007
Appearances: The Bounty Hunters: Aurra Sing (Comic)

Bio: Once a promising if headstrong Padawan, Sing now trades in dark professions: pirate, assassin, and bounty hunter. She specializes in hunting down Jedi under the mistaken belief that they abandoned and betrayed her, and she brandishes the lightsabers of her victims as prized trophies. During the Clone Wars, her quest for vengeance once took her to Bespin, where she met a young Boba Fett. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Sometimes Hasbro puts out a repaint, we roll our eyes, and hope the next figure is better-- not so with Aurra Sing. A little paint goes a long way, especially when you aren't afraid to accessorize. Not content to merely repaint the 2001 figure with a little black, Hasbro painted a "hood" on her head, added a cloth scarf, painted on some arm bands & gloves, enhanced the face a little, and generally made you feel like you're getting a new mold. It's not easy to take an old mold and make it feel new again, but hey, there's a good reason we keep coming back for more figures every year. The figure has limited articulation-- technically, only five points, which is very low for the modern line. You get a normal neck, v-crotch legs (that's Ewok style, kiddies), plus two ball-jointed arms. (Well, close enough to ball-jointed, anyway.) The eyes on the figure vary-- so watch for that-- and overall, the figure is a little more "realistic" than she should be. In the comic and in the movie, Aurra had a lot of makeup, virtually taking it to raccoon levels for Tim Truman's The Bounty Hunters: Aurra Sing one-shot in 1999. With the added accessories and display stand, this may be the best bang-for-the-buck individual Aurra Sing money can buy, but if she ever gets a super-articulated release (and she probably will), odds are those of you who are particularly picky will want to wait for a new, better version.

Collector's Notes: Hasbro doesn't do a lot of comic book-style figures, aside from a short burst in 1998, and a couple of token releases during Power of the Jedi. In The Saga Collection basic figure assortment, there were roughly 8 figures from the comics, games, and novels, which helped pave the way for the abundance of non-movie figures we see in 2007. This includes comic book two-packs, an entire Expanded Universe wave, numerous gift sets, and exclusives we probably haven't even seen yet. While Aurra may have made for a particularly exciting comic book two-pack, I'm glad they made the figure in the first place, and who knows-- since she was somewhat hard to get, maybe we'll see her in a new comic two-pack some day.

Day 485: September 3, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 484: Princess Leia (Endor)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA Endor
30th Anniversary Collection Tins
Item No.: Asst. 87154 No. 87205
Number: 6 of 6
Includes: Darth Vader, Scout Trooper, Rebel Endor Trooper
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: Fall 2006
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: After becoming separated from the Rebel strike team she had helped lead to the forest moon of Endor, Leia finds herself surrounded and befriended by the native Ewoks, who later help her team defeat Imperial forces. (Taken from the figure's inner cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Ultarama.

Commentary: As I like to say, a little paint goes a long way. The 2006/2007 version of Princess Leia Organa in her Endor Dress/Bright Tree Village Attire/Hippie Disguise is unique because it takes elements of both 1998 Endor Leia figures and combines them into a single figure. The mold itself was originally used in the Princess Leia Collection 2-packs, a series of action figure sets designed mostly (at least this is what Kenner people told me) by the Kenner Girls division, who also did the first round of Buddies*. The figures had limited soft goods, rooted hair, and a bonus action figure in every set. The weird thing, though, was that the original "PLC" Leia had very dark red all over her face, bloodshot eyes, and essentially looked like-- and I realize this is crass-- she's about to go into rehab. In short, not something you want little boys or little girls to play with. Her costume was very dark brown, her sandals were metallic, and well, the coloring was pretty weird. The basic carded figure from 1998 had great coloring, good deco, and a nice face. Well, this figure applies that conservative, decent deco to the rooted-hair-and-cloth-dress mold, and the end result is pretty good. At first, I saw this and said "wow, how worthless, there's nothing new here" but it turned out I was totally wrong. It's just that this figure plays like the figure designed to be a better toy, and looks like the old figure designed to be more pleasing to collectors. In short, it's a good figure, and even though all she has is six points of articulation, she's probably the best you can get unless Hasbro decides to do an all-new version soon.

Collector's Notes: If you collect significant redecorations in your collection, this makes three versions of Endor Dress Leia you'll want to buy. This figure comes in a tin set with two figures you'll want, and another you might want. The others? A Biker Scout with flip-up helmet, a retooled Endor Rebel Trooper with a bald head and removable helmet, and the 2004 Vintage version of Darth Vader, which is a very nice action figure in that it's the most super-articulated version of the Sith Lord without a removable helmet and with a place for a saber on his belt.

Day 484: September 2, 2007

*- The Buddies were Kenner's answer to Beanie Babies. The line is super-cool if you can bring yourself to buy plush. If you do, track down Max Rebo, the Jawa, and Jabba the Hutt. And then, the rest.

Figure of the Day: Day 483: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER ARMY Army of the Republic
Clone Wars Deluxe Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84845 No. 84987
Number: n/a
Includes: Non-removable rifle, 2 more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones, Clone Wars

Bio: Virtually indistinguishable from one another, Clone Troopers are identical in physical appearance, mental capability, and stamina. Part of a clone army, they are grown in the cloning facilities of Tipoca City, a luminescent city of industry emerging from the raging seas of Kamino. Although clone troopers share the same modified genetic code, their genetic structure has been altered to make them less independent than their genetic host, and their growth has been accelerated to twice the normal rate of a human. Grown and trained specifically for military combat, the Clone Army was mysteriously commissioned ten years earlier. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: It seems about 30% of all figures these days, if you could see their face, would have Jango Fett's head-- and this Clone Trooper would be no exception. If you know, its helmet could come off. The limited articulation helps keep this figure cheap, as you can move it at the neck, waist, wrist, and shoulders. And that's it. If you like its default pose, wonderful-- you're going to love the figure. If not, well, why are you reading this? The figure has white plastic and black paint, so there's no battle damage, there's no grey details, and unless you're a fan of customizing or making a diorama, this figure might not have much to offer you. Of course, I'm Clone crazy, so I have a few of these and I find them great for filling out gunships or flanking Jedi on a shelf. As toys, these figures kinda suck-- sure, I guess you can knock 'em over and pretend they're fighting, but since it can't sit or really be posed, what you're buying is a nice, low-end statue. Not that there's anything wrong with that, the same can be said about many of Hasbro's more popular figures since 2000.

Collector's Notes: For whatever reason, Hasbro has been reluctant to reissue these "army soldier" Clones of limited articulation, which is a real shame as they'd make nice bonus items in other sets as they can't cost too much to make. The prices on these once hard-to-get figures have dropped as other Clones came out and grabbed fan interest, so if you want them odds are you can find them without too much work these days. Back in the day, this figure was fairly easy to get by virtue of it appearing in most of the sets.

Day 483: September 1, 2007