Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,769: Star Tours Jedi Padawan

JEDI PADAWAN Small Boy
Star Tours Jedi Training Academy Set
Item No.: No. 87801
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, 4 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99
Availability: June 2009
Appearances: n/a

Bio: STAR TOURS takes you to the Jedi Training Academy where you train to be a Jedi Knight! You and your fellow Padawans will experience the power of the Force and learn to battle with a lightsaber from a Jedi Master. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' big AT-AT.

Commentary: After thousands of figures, I think I have a sort of Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to Hasbro reusing the same bodies again and again. I should be irritated that this Jedi Padawan was part of a fairly expensive boxed set you could only get at a theme park, but it does have a new head and that's pretty cool. The kid has extremely short hair, dark skin, and reuses the same body we saw on the likes of Ashla in 2003. When you get right down to it, this set has 5 figures but the actual retail value is closer to $20-$25. Anyway.

Despite reusing a 2003 body, the head sculpt is really quite good-- the eye paint is some of Hasbro's best, the sculpt is very lifelike, the hair texture is excellent, but there's a reason for this. We have no concept of what this kid should look like. When it comes to the human face it's quite easy to say "hey, that dude looks wrong" unless we have no frame of reference. Since I have no idea if this is based on a real person or is a mishmash of kids from around Hasbro, I can only say that the paint is crisp, the design is fantastic, and the kid looks happy. Because it's not from any real source, it's basically an action figure of a tourist in Jedi gear, or it could fill out any Jedi training diorama you might have. There's no denying this is a wonderful figure with a fantastic paint job, but it's hard to enthusiastically recommend an anonymous extra when there are hundreds (or a thousand) other great figures of more famous faces you should get first. Still, I wouldn't advise you to skip it-- the overall quality of work is some of Hasbro's best.

Collector's Notes: This figure's price on eBay is odd. Individually, he sells for $10, but the complete set of 5 figures goes for $25ish. So it looks like the sum is cheaper than its parts, which you should keep in mind when getting these. Get it in the set if you can, just remember that you're basically buying yet another spare Darth Vader and four nameless human Jedi characters.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,769: March 26, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,768: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Orange, Unadorned
The Clone Wars Clone Troopers & Droids Battle Pack
Item No.: Asst. 94743 No. 19677
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, grappling hook, display stand, game card, 3 more figures
Action Feature: Firing rocket launcher
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Clone troopers apply all their military training, warrior skills and weaponry to battle the endless army of "Clankers" during the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen.

Commentary: It's kind of amazing that we got to a point when writing about another Clone Trooper is something of a chore. This one is similar to the 2009 release, except the color is a smidgen different and he has an added grappling hook accessory. The entire set is quite good-- you get an orange 212th Battalion figure with a jetpack and two great droids, plus this guy. His range of movement is great-- you get articulated ankles, bend-and-swivel wrists, the works-- but it's still Just Another Clone Trooper, and his value is dependent entirely on your need for an army or how many clones you already have. The range of movement is good, the accessories are fun, and the complete set is, again, worth it. It's just that as a single unit, this figure may not be doing much for you. As filler goes, this figure is about as good as they come, but I wouldn't suggest tracking down the set just for it. (Now the Retail Droid? Absolutely.)

Collector's Notes: As Hasbro withdrew support of Battle Packs, the early wave sets (like this one) sat around for a while and may still be in a retail store near you. At a discounted price, this is a must-buy set. Even at full price it's pretty good-- four figures for $25 or so is, sadly, now quite the deal especially when one of them is an exclusive sculpt to this set.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,767: March 22, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,767: Imperial EVO Trooper

IMPERIAL EVO TROOPER The Force Unleashed: Sith & Imperial Troopers
The Legacy Collection Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 33259 No. 33261
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 pistols, 1 grenade launcher
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: August 2011
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game

Bio: Trained to survive the galaxy's most treacherous weather conditions, EVO troopers have enhanced armor that withstands heat, acid and lightning. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen.

Commentary: The good (or bad) thing about figures like the Imperial EVO Trooper is that Hasbro can easily tweak them and release them for another round at retail. This is the third one. The figure was originally released in 2008 with some dirt on its shins and slightly different deco than this release. Number two had brown camo splotches, and hit in 2010. This one came out in 2011, and is my favorite so far-- I like having a figure with crisp detail and no mud on it. Little silver details are painted, as are the hoses and the red stripe on his helmet. The figure still has a flat, unpainted panel on its chest that looks like it probably could have benefitted from a tampo or extra sculpted detail. The figure has a big, all-black grenade launcher as well as two smaller clone pistols for you to misplace when you move. If you like the design, the figure is on par with most troopers from 2005 on-- you get 14 joints, sitting is sort of tricky, and the detail is pretty good. The armor is a little chunky and may get in the way of some poses, but at this scale it seems Hasbro is still perfecting articulation on this kind of figure. I expect you'll like it if you get it, and this figure was the only straight-up repaint of an existing toy in this particular gift set. It's a good one too.

Collector's Notes: You may be able to find this at a store near you right now. I suggest that you buy it-- some of the Force Unleashed stuff has been getting expensive after it finally disappears from retail.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,767: March 22, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,766: Ric Olie

RIC OLIE Hated Pegwarmer Reborn
Discover the Force Walmart Exclusive Wave
Item No.: Asst. 38601 No. 38603
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #/ of 12
Includes: Blaster, helmet, duster, display stand, card, die
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $8.96
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Naboo pilot Ric Olie battles droid starfighters in the Battle of Naboo. The pilot of Queen Amidala's Royal Starship, Olie leads Bravo Squadron in the attack that destroys the Droid Control Ship and stops the Battle Droid Army. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: It's bizarre to write about remakes of figures that I bought "new" over ten years ago, but here we are again with Ric Olie. Back in 1999-- and 2000, and in some areas, 2001-- he was a figure that tended to sit for a very long time. I think I even saw some in grocery stores in 2002, which is why I was really surprised Hasbro decided to mine this character for another go. According to the data I have now, this figure will not be on a Vintage cardback but the Naboo Pilot may be. (I say "may be" because it wouldn't stun me if Hasbro decided the current distribution was sufficient.) But Ric Olie? This is probably going to be his only appearance this year, and I would probably consider assuming this would be his final action figure appearance period.

Olie turned out well, and this is going to be the definitive figure. He shares tooling with the Naboo Pilot, with really only the head and helmet being different. Olie's goggles are down over his eyes, and his blaster now fits in his holster. As I type this, I do not have the new 2012 Naboo Fighter so I don't know if he'll fit. The quality of the sculpt is excellent, and obviously 14 points of articulation trumps the original's 6. However, 6 was sufficient for the pilot figure, the quality of the sculpt was pretty good, and this wasn't a character anyone was demanding. I'm glad Hasbro made Naboo pilots for 2012 and the Starfighter's reissue, but their exclusive status is interesting-- why does Walmart have all the pilots for the non-exclusive vehicles this year?

Ric Olie's duster is a cool accessory, and Hasbro did do a nice job updating him for the modern age of action figure collecting. Still... your old one is probably just fine. I buy these things due to deep emotional scars which can only be healed with plastic. If you're in this boat too, or if you missed the first Ric Olie, go ahead and buy this new one. Ralph Brown thanks you.

Collector's Notes: You may be able to find this at a store near you right now. Surprisingly, this entire wave seems to have been stocked at even the smaller, shall we say awful Walmarts in my area.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,766: March 21, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,765: Spacetrooper

SPACETROOPER Space... uh... trooper
The Legacy Collection Shared Exclusive Expanded Universe Wave
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 99305
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD58
Includes: None, but 2011 Saga Legends release has a gun
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: May 2010
Appearances: Expanded Universe

Bio: Spacetroopers are high-ranking Imperial commandos who wear powersuit armor designed for space combat. These Zero-G Assault Troopers are considered "walking tanks" because of the extensive weaponry built into their suits. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former bathroom.

Commentary: The 1998 release of this figure became something of a rare item, and the 2010 Spacetrooper wasn't much easier to find. It was rereleased in 2011 with Wioslea's blaster, meaning you can get it, but if you want the BG-J38 build-a-droid part it might mean you need to spend some effort. Slightly taller than the 1998 release, this figure was delayed a bit (coincidence?) and also part of a final wave, just like his ancestor. He's a little bulkier, whiter, and has more painted detail-- oh, and more articulation. In all honesty, the only thing the 1998 has over the 2010 release is the forearm-stored blasters. In 1998, the sculpt was designed so it could be put away. In the 2010 figure, it's permanently out. He can stand, he looks cool, but the funny thing is that this one was one of the few 1998 Expanded Universe figures I had no real associations with, and I still don't. I didn't realize where he came from at first, I discovered him as a background character in the comics but even then, it's not like he struck a chord with me to the point where I am particularly excited about him today.

It's a nice figure. It looks cool, it has a jointed rocket pack, but it's one of those figures that basically goes straight into the storage bins for me. Even though I'm not familiar with all the characters from the comics, novels, and so on, the few books or comics or games I do experience often tell me enough about who they are, and Wookieepedia is good at filling in the rest. This guy is just kinda there-- a cool-looking trooper, but not one with sufficient personality. Another Spacetrooper was made in 2009, but that one was just a normal Stormtrooper with a bunch of space gear. And oddly, I had a stronger connection to that one.

Collector's Notes: This figure may still be available on the 2010-style Saga Legends cardback, and I give kudos to Hasbro to putting him out again. I hope they do that more with other troopers. Today you should be able to score one for $8 or less before shipping.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,765: March 20, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,764: Darth Maul

DARTH MAUL with Spinning Lightsaber Action
Discover the Force Movie Heroes Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 36563 No. 37752
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MH05
Includes: Stand, card, die, lightsaber
Action Feature: Dials on back move hand, arm
Retail: $8.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Darth Maul has undergone years of demanding and brutal training under his master Darth Sidious to become an incredible Sith warrior. He demonstrates his skill by expertly spinning his double-bladed lightsaber. He attacks with precision and ferocity, twirling the twin blades to strike his Jedi opponent. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' boxes.

Commentary: Based on a 2002 Expanded Universe release, this Darth Maul takes the old Sith Training Robes release and actually removes elements. The 2002 release had added red striping on the outfit and a magnet in his hand, plus a few Sith Probes. This? This doesn't have those.

So yeah, it's lacking in stuff. The lightsaber is the basic Maul saber from 1999, but the dials are still on his back. One rotates his right wrist, the other raises and lowers his right arm. As a mechanism, it's pretty cool as it effectively gives you some ability to control his motor skills beyond "hit this button and his arm flails wildly."

Ultimately, I feel this-- and a lot of the Movie Heroes repacks-- are sort of lazy and sort of neat. From the angle of "this is different and therefore notable," it's cool-- new versions of Maul that are genuinely different aren't common. Still, it's just the same ol' 2002 figure, at twice the price, with fewer accessories. For the record, he's got just north of 10 joints and was released just before ball joints started to be a thing. Each knee has two cut joints which allow for some great combat poses, and the overall level of detail is actually quite good. The texture in his robes are great, but it struck me as Hasbro passing off an existing figure as "movie Maul" just to get something on the shelves faster. Soooo.... yeah. Maul Enthusiasts Only, maybe?

Collector's Notes: You could do better. You could do worse. You should be able to get this one at retail with a little effort, as in, "go outside and live in North America."

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,764: March 19, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,763: Clone Trooper (Gearshift)

CLONE TROOPER possibly "Gearshift"
The Clone Wars Legacy of Terror DVD Set
Item No.: Asst. 30411 No. 31677
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #1 of 2
Includes: Stand, game card, blaster, Obi-Wan Kenobi figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: March 2012
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Obi-Wan and clone troopers discover a macabre legacy of terror on Geonosis. The Jedi General and a team of clone troopers enter a Geonosian temple and find an underground hive of undead Geonosian warriors, their menacing queen - and the frightening brain worms she uses to control her zombie army! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo hole.

Commentary: The Clone Trooper and Obi-Wan Kenobi DVD 2-pack was announced at Comic-Con 2011 last July, with an August on-shelf date. Simple, right? Well, sort of-- sometimes exclusives get delayed quite a bit, especially in the last couple of years where a few items ended up in different retailers entirely or were simply quietly canceled. Since this set started showing up in European packaging and in a few Asian auctions, it seemed obvious that it was made-- but where were the US packaged versions? And why weren't they at Walmart like they were supposed to be? We don't know, but we do know that the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains of closeout stores (which share a lot of inventory) got them. Since it just showed up this week, your mileage may vary but I suggest you run out to your stores this weekend to go looking. Due to the high foot traffic in these stores, parents and non-collectors can gobble them up before you even knew you missed them.

Anyway, now this item exists, and as of yesterday we know for a fact you can go buy one. I ran to Marshalls after work and found what seemed to be a case, already beat up a bit, but devoid of any Walmart stickering. (Some previous Ross/Max/Marshalls closeouts had the stickers manually removed.) So for the time being, it's less an exclusive than it was a "dumped" item. Between the two sets there are two significantly different figures, one repack, and one that's just different enough to make you mad. This Clone is the one with the best new tooling, as his helmet was tweaked to include those really cool head lamps seen in many episodes of the show. This mold could be used to refresh several styles of the troopers, but as Hasbro seems to be slowly winding down this line it seems unlikely that we'll see these cool lamps again any time soon. The figure uses the 2008 body type (ankles!) and is similar to the existing 212th Battalion Clone Troopers. Named specifically "Clone Trooper" on his card, it's unknown if it's one of many unnamed troopers or Gearshift, who looks the same, or if it matters. What I do know is that if you want it, it's ten bucks, and for every one you buy for your army you'll get another Obi-Wan Kenobi figure you don't want. (I like Obi-Wan, I just have been "forced" to buy many in the name of my clone army.)

The deco is more or less normal for a clone, so when you get right down to it the main reason to buy this set are the lamps on his helmet. As a trooper fan, I'll buy any clone with a change to its sculpt without a lot of complaining, and I like it. I wish it was sold on a single card so I could get them cheaper, but the rising costs of single figures compared to this two-pack makes that complaint moot. For $10, this is a fun set if you don't have an Obi-Wan Kenobi, or too many Clone Troopers, or the episode "Legacy of Terror" on DVD or Blu-Ray. As a kid item, it's wonderful. (Scary, but wonderful.) I mean, it's ten bucks for two good figures and 30 minutes of entertainment. It's hard to go wrong for that, Hasbro can (and should [and is]) do more of this kind of product-- recent Transformers Prime Cyberverse toys have been spotted with DVDs as well. Back in the 1980s, we had "Listen & Fun" sets which had a goofy audio cassette adventure and a toy, so we've come a long way.

Collector's Notes: Originally announced as a Walmart exclusive, this is one of many sets originally announced as an exclusive to the chain which ended up on clearance at other stores later. Does this mean anything? Probably not, other than the market may have finally achieved a level of Star Wars saturation. Given some years have had north of 200-300 figures (counting Battle Packs), a little reduction or correction is probably a good thing, and given the lack of new Clone Wars product on the shelves these days I would say this is an exciting release. It doesn't take much. So don't shell out for this on eBay, people of March 2012: go check your local T.J. Maxx and Marshalls first.

One last note: the date stamp reads 11851, meaning it was produced on or about July 4, 2011. Knowing how long it takes a container of toys to get from China to the USA, this would've probably put it at a mid-August arrival at a US port, and for all I know this means it was later than Walmart wanted it and they said "nevermind," but this is just speculation. Maybe Walmart just didn't want it any more, period, which is unfortunate given exclusives seemed a little light late last year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,763: March 16, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,762: R4-H5

R4-H5 Wal-Mart Exclusive
30th Anniversary Collection Droid Factory
Item No.: Asst. 12980 No. 87757
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 4 of 6
Includes: Kit Fisto, piece of C-3PX
Action Feature: Removable third leg, rotate dome to raise sensorscope
Retail: $9.99
Availability: May 2008
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: Jedi Master Kit Fisto is equally comfortable in air or water. R4-H5 flies in Fisto's starfighter to help navigate to help navigate and repair the ship. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' boxes.

Commentary: People love Kit Fisto, which means Hasbro made him a couple (yes, two) Jedi Starfighters plus an Astromech Droid named R4-H5. It stands as a pretty great monument to Hasbro's line, you've got several characters who get their own personal squad of vehicles. Captain Kirk only gets the Enterprise, so screw you Kirk!

From 2006-2008, we got an amazing run of vehicles and droids that belong to major and semi-major characters. Fisto's droid came in a Wal-Mart 2-pack with a repaint of Kit which came with a unique robe, and R4 has never been reissued. This was also, I believe, his first full-body appearance as he didn't show up much in the comics or TV shows. Fisto's Starfighter had a built-in droid, so this guy's not exactly necessary unless you want to use this movie-style figure for the animated 2010 Clone Wars vehicle.

Based on the Vintage 2004 R2-D2 body, the figure has a glued-in instrument panel and a rotating dome with a pop-up sensorscope. His third leg is removable-- not retractable-- and he has a wicked cool green and orange paint job. Just in terms of the fact it looks sort of like a pile of vegetables, I can't not love this figure.

Collector's Notes: These 2-packs, and a lot of items from this era, are all pretty cheap. If you can get all 6 C-3PX "Droid Factory" sets for $60 or less, just get the lot of 'em. It's worth it for the droids alone, but hey I'm biased. I love robots.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,762: March 15, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,761: SCUBA Clone Trooper

SCUBA CLONE TROOPER with Republic Assault Submarine
The Clone Wars Class I Vehicles
Item No.: Asst. 36576 No. 37017
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 rockets, stand, submarine, backpack, 2 dart guns, 2 swim fins, figure stand, game card
Action Feature: STAP vehicle has launching rockets
Retail: $17.99
Availability: March 2011
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: An assault submarine glides through the water piloted by a scuba clone trooper. Marine missions require special methods for assault and reconnaisance, as demonstrated by the Republic's "Devilish" OMS (One Man Submersible). The versatile subs can be operated underwater or on the surface of the water. Either way, scuba clone troopers can attack from the sea, firing the sub's torpedo launcher at the enemy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Return of the squared-off t-crotch! Rejoice! The SCUBA Clone Trooper is a fun mix of 1980s and 2010s toymaking techniques. Since he has those squared-off hips, he can actually do things like sit-- this works way better than other figures in the line, and reminds me of the good ol' days in 1995-1997 when most figures were designed with sitting in mind. Today, it's more of an afterthought, and some figures simply don't (or can't) sit. The figure has giant beefy shoulder armor which borders on ridiculous, but maybe they're going for a "floaty" motif. They're pretty big on the TV show too, so let's assume this was intentional. The deco is good-- clean armor, with some red stripes. He has ankle joints, wrist joints, and pretty much all the joints you could want on a Clone figure short of the bend-and-swivel wrists. Nicely done, Hasbro.

The accessories are also exceptional-- and for $18, they should be. In addition to the transformable vehicle, which goes from a sort of a jetski thing to a quasi-submarine thing, you get firing rockets, two undersea clone blasters, swim fins, and a SCUBA pack. The neat thing about the SCUBA gear is how it does and does not work well. Much like the 1980s G.I. Joe Hydro Viper, it has hoses which connect the mask to a backpack so the figure can breathe underwater. Also like the Hydro Viper, getting it to stay put can be tricky. The mask fits over the clone's "face" with tiny little grooves, and if you bump the figure too much it may just pop off. This is an instance where just gluing it in place might not be a bad idea. It looks good, but the white of the mask doesn't quite match the rest of the armor. Still, since the rest has grey and a reddish color which more or less matches 16bit.com's layout, I'm pretty happy with it.

I love aquatic figures and I dig clones, so this all-new sculpt with nice gear and a fun vehicle is pretty cool. I feel that the whole jetski thing has been done to death, but I do appreciate the two modes as it gives the vehicle a little more play value than it had to be. This was a good execution of an idea that could've been done a lot more cheaply, so kudos to Hasbro on a job well done.

Collector's Notes: The companion vehicle in this assortment shipped to online retailers as early as January, but this one didn't hit until about March. I have yet to see it in stores, but you may be able to order it online. As some big box retail stores are phasing out a lot of SKUs that aren't basic figures, you may want to keep your eyes peeled and don't hesitate to buy it if you see it. Much like the previous "mini vehicle with figure" assortment, it wouldn't surprise me if Hasbro didn't plan on doing too many more of these this year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,761: March 14, 2012