Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,103: Luke Skywalker Jedi Knight (The Black Series 6-Inch)

LUKE SKYWALKER Death Star II Outfit
The Black Series 6-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A4301 No. A7270
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #03 (Blue Box)
Includes: Green blade, lightsaber hilt, alternate shirt facade
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2014 (Walgreens), October 2014 (Elsewhere)
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Luke goes to the second Death Star to confront his father, Darth Vader.  Despite giving into his anger, Luke refuses to destroy his father and rejects Emperor Palaptine's attempts to turn Luke to the Dark Side.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Commentary: Lately, the things I expect to like the most tend to not be the things I like the most.  I always assumed super-articulated figures were going to be better for me, and it turns out I was wrong.  I figured from this wave, Darth Vader would be the best - and it turns out Luke Skywalker in his Jedi Knight duds from the second Death Star is the real winner.  The head is good, the articulation while not exceptional is very good, the deco is OK, but there's something about the expression and the poses that just clicks for me.  I was expecting glossy black paint on the boots and/or the glove, and got neither.  Actually, the glove is particularly weird - it has wrinkles on the back of the hand, but if you look at the fingers it also has clearly sculpted fingernails.   It's not something most people are going to notice, but I found it curious.  The belt is a rubbery separated piece with a hook to hang the included Lightsaber hilt, and unlike some other figures I won't name it fits perfectly.

The wrinkles and folds are present, but not too overt.  This Luke 18+ points of articulation depending on how you're inclined to count.  Rocker ankles are joined by bend-and-swivel wrists, plus the legs have double knees, an upper thigh cut joint, and the usual quasi-ball jointed hips.  Other than a teensy bit of restriction on the elbows and shoulders, this is as good as a Luke can get. The hair is nice, the face sculpt is good, the face paint is really good, and along with the 12-inch figure and the so-far Canada Only Saga Legends figure this year, Hasbro seems to have now mostly successfully concluded its apology tour for Luke in this outfit.  Any size you buy, the 2014 versions are all pretty fantastic.

He's a little light in accessories - a saber and a blade are his only weapons.   The saber hilt is a little on the rubbery side, but the sculpt and deco are largely quite good.

Luke has no problems standing or, even more surprisingly, sitting.  This may be one of Hasbro's most perfect action figures, and while I assumed I'd be drooling over Vader it turns out that Luke's relatively simple costume translates perfectly to a stiff-jointed 5 1/2-inch tall action figure.   Oh! And I almost forgot - you can pry off the front of his shirt to swap it out for a "flap open" or "flap closed" look.  Hasbro did some nice jobs here, but this one seems to be the best.  I love that he doesn't fall over, and that he has a pose that looks like Luke did on the big screen.  It's just plain nice, so go get one, if you will.

PS - you'll note that the "flap" is actually a whole front piece to Luke's shirt that pops off.  I believe Hasbro could easily squeeze one or two more figures off this buck - a thin plastic vest similar to what Luke had on in Jabba's Palace could be easily applied here, allowing Hasbro another use of this figure.  Especially if they recolor the right hand.   Get on that, Hasbro, toss in a blaster and a decent Jedi robe and I'll buy one.

Collector's Notes: Walgreens got a window on this wave which also included Concept Armor Boba Fett.  It was sold elsewhere soon after.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,103: October 15, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,102: Shadow Scout (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SHADOW SCOUT Imperial Shadow Squadron
The Black Series 6-Inch Target Exclusive Figure Set
Item No.: No. B0554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pisol, speeder bike, stand, plus Shadow Stormtrooper Commander with Accessories
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: October 2014 (online)
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Shadow Scouts ride Speeder Bike son their covert missions.  Commanders and Troopers in this elite squadron wear specialized cloaking armor that makes them virtually invisible.  Their Speeder Bikes have similar technology, making these troopers very successful at ambushing their targets.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: This Shadow Scout is a quick repaint - the last time we got a black scout trooper with a bike was during the 2007 line as a Comic-Con exclusive, and this is a pretty neat update of that design. The bike deco is more striking than the regular movie version, the helmet paint is less wonky (come back for more on that Friday), and while the idea is sort of dumb, I'm also sort of dumb.  I love it.

It's weird, but ultimately cleaner than the white trooper that has a brown smear between his armor chest plates and an off-center visor paint app.  This one seems nicely centered, and the black plastic figure has a very dark grey body glove. A silver stripe above his eyes makes for a nice accent, as does an Empire symbol over his heart and a little silver line on the opposite man boob. The back of the figure has some lovely grey and silver accents, plus a red marking on the backpack part.  He even has dark grey soles - Hasbro did more than they needed to in order to give us an above-average figure at a price that... well, let's say it's a fair price.  The boxed set is $10 cheaper than a bike with trooper and a sandtrooper would be individually.

My one sticking point on this figure is the teeny tiny blaster, which isn't big enough for the figure's fingers.  Depending on which measurements you use, it's pretty close to the size for the scale - but action figure collectors will note that the 6-inch Scout Pistol is virtually the same real-life size as the 3 3/4-inch one. That ain't right.

It should be bigger and it opens the door for a third-party, larger gun.  It fits nicely in the holster on his ankle, but it basically is worthless for his hands.  I decided to hand him one of the Sandtrooper's rifles (shades of the Battlefront Scout Trooper from years ago) and I think he's much happier as a result.

The bike itself is quite nice - lots of silver highlights, rivets, bolts, and other bits and pieces.  3 Empire symbols bring it to life, and the survival gear in the back is in a black blanket. The clear plastic stand with three adjustable levels remains present, and the brake flaps in the back seem to open much more freely and easily than on the single version.  I prefer this black one in terms of overall quality, no question, even if it isn't true to the movie it seems better made.

If the black trooper and the bike were $50, I'd drag my feet but ultimately cave in and buy it. Considering it had the Shadow Stormtrooper Commander too, it seems like a relative bargain.  Obviously those looking to rid their lives of the menace that could be Hasbro making up unlimited new variations should skip this one, but I found this to be a quality item.   It's a little weird, but so nicely done that I can't help but love it.  It's most tolerable.

Collector's Notes: I haven't seen this one in stores yet, but it was available online for an hour and change last week.  I would anticipate it showing up in stores soon, and it would not stun me if this item was part of some Black Friday discount (heh) and was marked down a few bucks in the process.  Don't panic yet, but do make it a point to track this one down even though it sets the precedent of made-up repaints.  It's still cool.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,102: October 14, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,101: Shadow Stormtrooper Commander (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SHADOW STORMTROOPER COMMANDER Imperial Shadow Squadron
The Black Series 6-Inch Target Exclusive Figure Set
Item No.: No. B0554
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle, grenade launcher, pauldron plus Speeder Bike and Shadow Scout
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: October 2014 (online)
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Shadow Scouts ride Speeder Bike son their covert missions.  Commanders and Troopers in this elite squadron wear specialized cloaking armor that makes them virtually invisible.  Their Speeder Bikes have similar technology, making these troopers very successful at ambushing their targets.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: It's a milestone - a few of them, actually. Shadow Stormtrooper Commander did not exist as a toy before this one - and I'm not entirely sure I remember seeing one in the comics, either.  It's also Target's first exclusive 6-inch The Black Series figure, plus one of the first (if not the first) exclusive Target shipped online before its first brick-and-mortar appearance.  That's how I got mine - with free shipping, how could I not order it?

The black repaint is a safe obligation in most toy lines - you're going to get at least one in any modestly successful outing, especially in Japan.   Optimus Prime became Scourge and Nemesis Prime, Snake Eyes was basically a standard G.I. Joe male body with a new head and no paint (so he was cheaper to make), Cobra Commander has his formal wear, we even saw Cheetor become the likes of Shadow Panther, Ravage, and Tripredacus Agent.  Tomy in Japan redecorated numerous Zoids as night editions for the Guylos faction, and let me tell you, I want those so hard.  Oh well.  These are traditionally lower-run exclusives, so it's always a treat when they can be had with minimal fuss - which is what I'm hoping happens here at retail.  Th set has no "Target Exclusive" sticker, or the usual English/French packaging for sale in Canada as most recent Hasbro exclusives had.

I had incorrectly assumed this figure was a Sandtrooper - but it has no backpack, even though it does have the hole in the back for one, plus the diamond left knee plate.  The deco looks good here - black plastic, deep dark grey gloves and body glove, and some silver in the mouth.  I assume this leaves the door open for a Shadow Stormtrooper with that mold (different knee, torso, helmet) - but hey, this is nice too.   Hasbro does a better job than they have to and they painted the soles of the black boots - I'd have dropped this paint app to save a few pennies, but hey, whatever.  The joints are super nice and tight, and weird little details - like the "eyebrow" stripe, the glossy eyes, and the painted dark, dark grey pauldron - sometimes pop out in low light.  It's a tiny detail, and not something you'd probably notice, but in the right conditions it does bring a little life to what is essentially a detail-sucking plastic singularity.

All three weapons are the same molds as a Sandtrooper's, but they are unpainted and cast in a lighter grey plastic.  Not a light grey plastic - it's still pretty dark, and it contrasts nicely with the deep black plastic armor.   This is one of those figures that your initial reaction will be "that's kinda dumb but cool I guess" and once you get it out of the box you'll go "Oh, this is really nice, I'm glad I bought it."  So if you missed it, you won't know what you missed - and if you got it, I have little doubt you'll enjoy it.  The box doesn't do much to make it look good given the dark Death Star hangar backgorund, so for best results buy one to open in addition to any boxed samples you may need to sit on.   It's a good one.

Collector's Notes: I haven't seen this one in stores yet, but it was available online for an hour and change last week.  I would anticipate it showing up in stores soon, and it would not stun me if this item was part of some Black Friday discount (heh) and was marked down a few bucks in the process.

Don't panic yet, but do make it a point to track this one down even though it sets the precedent of made-up repaints.  It's still cool.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,101: October 13, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,100: Ezra Bridger (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series The Ghost)

 EZRA BRIDGER Secret Exclusive Figure
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series The Ghost Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. B0315
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, Kanan Jarrus figure, Obi-Wan Kenobi figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2014
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Born the day the Galactic Empire was founded, Ezra Bridger has been a lone rebel for his entire life.  That is, until he crosses path with Kanan Jarrus and discovers a mysterious hologram from a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi.  What secret will be revealed? (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: I do not anticipate I will have warm fuzzies for Ezra Bridger after watching the show.  The heroic young scamp isn't my favorite archetype, when I was a kid I was much more interested in the Lukes and Venkmans of the world, people my own age would not have been appealing role models to me.   I hope he turns out well - the character was intended to be the same age as Luke Skywalker, but I was surprised to read on the bio that he's the exact same age.   The fact that his weapon is a slingshot is, well, it's certainly cloying but it wasn't included here.  Instead, he has two hands ready for weapons, but only sports a helmet from an AT-DP pilot.  I absolutely adore the idea of a character that steals enemy hardware for a variety of reasons - because our collector ilk is represented, and because it makes toys interesting.   It's expensive to make new ships - so why not let the good guys steal TIE Fighters and paint on a symbol saying "My other starship is also stolen" on the bumper?  I like this line of thought.

He's wearing a suit that is, to say the least, piecemeal.  Let's say Punky Brewster meets Star Wars.  His right shin seems covered in McQuarrie-inspired Imperial armor, while his left leg seems like normal pants.  His orange suit recalls that of the future Rebel pilots, and the vest with sleeves... I have no idea if I should be reading into this one bit.  But the back of it has a swell bird-like symbol on it, and I'm surprised Hasbro is going through the trouble to make these figures look good from all angles.  We don't get a ton of detail due to the animation style, but it seems the important stuff is all here.  His left wrist has a communicator of some sort, with silver buttons and a brown cuff - it's nice.  It's real nice.

The helmet is a tight squeeze, but it fits.  Actually, it fits Obi-Wan and Kanan more easily, but it will fit over Ezra's ample and wide hair without too much of a fuss.  It looks similar to one of the Snowtrooper concept helmets, plus it has a fair amount of black deco and off-white plastic that should keep it looking good in the long term.

The head sculpt matches the TV show renderings I've seen so far, so I'm going to say it's good because I haven't seen it in motion much.   The dark black hair feels like it has hints of blue, and the face paint is pretty clean.  I couldn't find a bad one in the bunch - the entire case of these looks excellent at the store.   I am expecting this figure to be identical to the Saga Legends single-carded version, but we'll have to wait and see to know for sure.  Regardless, buy this one - you'll want the bonus Obi-Wan, and the Kanan, so just cave in now and call it a day.

Collector's Notes: As far as I can tell this is the first action figure release for Rebels and potentially the first "stealth" action figure exclusive to hit before a formal announcement in quite some time.  Kudos, Hasbro - well done sneaking this one past us.   Please consider more introductions like this - I'll buy any multi-pack of upcoming figures with a bonus exclusive figure without a single complaint if they keep coming out before the basic, non-exclusive versions.   And for the collectors - as this is the note section - keep in mind that Ezra and Kanan will be packaged individually in just a few weeks for about $6 each.  Kanan will also be bundled with the Phantom vehicle at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,100: September 17, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,099: Kanan Jarrus (Star Wars Rebels Mission Series The Ghost)

KANAN JARRUS Secret Exclusive Figure
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series The Ghost Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. B0315
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Ezra Bridger figure, Obi-Wan Kenobi figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2014
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Born the day the Galactic Empire was founded, Ezra Bridger has been a lone rebel for his entire life.  That is, until he crosses path with Kanan Jarrus and discovers a mysterious hologram from a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi.  What secret will be revealed? (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: I suspect that Kanan Jarrus will be identical when released again this year individually in Saga Legends, or in a Target-exclusive bundle with the Phantom vehicle.  For now, this is his retail debut and as such that's a cause for celebration!   It's been quite a while since we had brand-new Star Wars with an all-new cast and an all-new show.  Heck, even the prequels gave us mostly existing characters in younger forms, so this is something of a minor miracle.   I'm quite pleased with the results - seeing a few preview videos and nothing of the actual show, I love this figure.  It's well done for what it needs to be, and I can only assume the details are what I think they are.  Basically, what we have here is a mishmash of tributes of existing things.  His right arm looks like it's wearing stolen and repainted Stormtrooper armor.  The outfit looks a little bit like McQuarrie's Luke/Deak concepts.  His head - and much of his look - reminds me a lot of Rahm Kota, albeit much younger.   This figure just looks like a tribute to the now-excised Expanded Universe, which is kind of nice.  The look and feel is nice to keep around.

The figure's lightsaber is all new, and a single piece accessory - it doesn't pop together like on the cartoon.  There's a blaster sculpted in his holster that is non-removable, and the deco is solid.  Knee pads, boots, bandoliers, and all that jazz are black with grey, brown, more grey, and more brown covering the rest of his person.  The head paint on all the samples I saw looked very clean, moreso than most recent figures we've seen in the various other lines.  I couldn't find a single bad one in the batch, which makes me all happy.   I should also note he has a symbol on his right shoulder, and like much of the art in the show it resembles a bird and also the Rebel symbol that I guess (chronologically speaking) doesn't exist yet.

The joints work, and he stands well.  He passes the Landspeeder Test(TM) for articulation excellence, so I suspect he won't give us many problems with the vehicles which I actually do not have yet but am super eager to try out.  While it doesn't measure up to the collector standards of 2010, it does hold up to basic toy standards and as you know, that's what really matters to me.  It looks good, it stands, it fits in vehicles, and it can hold his accessory.  We're all good here.

Collector's Notes: As far as I can tell this is the first action figure release for Rebels and potentially the first "stealth" action figure exclusive to hit before a formal announcement in quite some time.  Kudos, Hasbro - well done sneaking this one past us.   Please consider more introductions like this - I'll buy any multi-pack of upcoming figures with a bonus exclusive figure without a single complaint if they keep coming out before the basic, non-exclusive versions.   And for the collectors - as this is the note section - keep in mind that Ezra and Kanan will be packaged individually in just a few weeks for about $6 each.  Kanan will also be bundled with the Phantom vehicle at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,098: September 15, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,098: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Star Wars Rebels Secret Exclusive Figure 2014)

OBI-WAN KENOBI Secret Exclusive Figure
Star Wars Rebels Mission Series The Ghost Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. B0315
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Ezra Bridger figure, Kanan Jarrus figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2014
Appearances: Star Wars Rebels

Bio: Born the day the Galactic Empire was founded, Ezra Bridger has been a lone rebel for his entire life.  That is, until he crosses path with Kanan Jarrus and discovers a mysterious hologram from a Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi.  What secret will be revealed? (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: Secrets and Star Wars rarely go together.  It's a pretty safe bet that this item wasn't supposed to be seen until later, but it showed up on fan sites about a week ago and in stores just last week without any mention (that I recall) in any slide show or convention.  This of course means that we once again are growing complacent and Hasbro is probably testing out its infrastructure for leaks before we get to Episode VII - it isn't unreasonable to see Rebels as a dry run for the new movies just like Shadows of the Empire and the Special Editions served that purpose in the 1990s.   This is the time when you can afford to make mistakes.  Secrets are going to get out, like the blacked-out Obi-Wan Kenobi in this set with a black plastic window around the figure.  (I hope this means there's a variant with an actual window coming!)   It's a great idea conceptually - I brought this up a few times when I was nudging them to put an exclusive mystery figure in a boxed set as a bonus surprise.  (Spoiler alert: yes that figure was Vlix.  No it didn't happen.)

This figure is exclusive to the set and may be an exclusive mold.   He's a great holographic figure -  not the first Obi-Wan in this style, and probably not the last.  An Obi-Wan from Rebels is expected in Saga Legends in the next few months, and I assume the "salt shaker" mold will not be used - but if it is? It's pretty good. The articulated head is the only moving part on the figure, which has a wonderful pose and great texture.  The head sculpt is, to say the least, lovely.  You could use this in your The Clone Wars dioramas if you would like, and the figure feels light and hollow - a perfect texture for an ethereal communication figure.  It doesn't do much but look good and be skinny - you'll hate me, of course, for saying I totally dig it.  Hasbro did a real nice job here, and getting the mold as a holographic figure first makes me like it more.   The "prepaint" is a concept more companies need to exploit because, let's face it, we'll buy both if you give us the lesser version as a new mold first.  This creates demand for a "flesh" version, which we will also happily buy - while the reverse is not necessarily the case.

For a small statue, it's delightful - especially if you (like I) had a coupon that was about to expire for 20% off last weekend.  For $20, it's a stretch - a $10 "mission series" pack plus one bonus figure isn't worth $20, but $15-$18?  Yeah, that's pretty good!  Also, because I'm a sucker, I'd pay dang near anything to get some Rebels early and I am quite happy with the set for what it ultimately cost me (for the record, just under $12 - thank you, store credit.)   If you're just super-pumped for the new toy line (and ambivalent about the show itself) this is something you owe it to yourself to run out and get.  I did - I hit up a few stores in between a record store run because all aging collectors will at some point turn their focus back to vinyl.  Vinyl capes, vinyl music, it's just going to happen - but I digress.

Collector's Notes: As far as I can tell this is the first action figure release for Rebels and potentially the first "stealth" action figure exclusive to hit before a formal announcement in quite some time.  Kudos, Hasbro - well done sneaking this one past us.   Please consider more introductions like this - I'll buy any multi-pack of upcoming figures with a bonus exclusive figure without a single complaint if they keep coming out before the basic, non-exclusive versions.   And for the collectors - as this is the note section - keep in mind that Ezra and Kanan will be packaged individually in just a few weeks for about $6 each.  Kanan will also be bundled with the Phantom vehicle at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,098: September 15, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,097: Ree-Yees (The Black Series 2014)

REE-YEES Drunk Thug Redux
The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A6795
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #27
Includes: 2 pistols
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: August 2014
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: One of the lowlife criminals in Jabba the Hutt's palace on Tatooine, Ree-Yees is part of the excited crowd that eagerly watches Luke fight for his life in the rancor pit.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!



Commentary: My Ree-Yees popped apart in seconds after opening him, but that seems to be intentional.  It also popped right back together, just as easily. You see, the figure has a ball-jointed torso - but if you swing his legs forward as if to make him sit, it acts like a lever and *pop* goes the waist.  The belt and lower coat go flying, so be careful - it can be easily popped together, and won't fall apart unless you try to make him sit.  Because many collectors either a) leave figures carded or b) open them, shelf them, and let them collect dust this may not be a problem for you. It may not be as much of a problem as Darth Vader's recent neck woes given that - I assume - most collectors won't expect their action figures to sit as much as they would be likely to want to reposition their heads.  I daresay the Ree-Yees figure is quite good if you can get past the fact that the torso can pop apart if he sits, and that the hands do come off easily.  Below, that's about as far as he can sit without popping apart.

With 12 points of articulation, this is the second recent all-new sculpt after Yoda that confirms Hasbro is indeed reducing articulation on the collector line.  (Which to me raises the question, "why not just put them all into 'Saga Legends/Mission Series' and cut the price in half?")   The figure has no ankles, which is a mixed blessing - he certainly doesn't need them, but I know collectors demand them.   I don't feel ankles are necessary for this figure as he stands just fine without them.  Everything else is more or less normal, with swivel hips, ball-jointed shoulders and elbows, plus rotating wrists.  The sculpt of the outfit is a little more wrinkly than previous incarnations, and for this reason the figure feels almost unnecessary.  The 1983 original was good, and had a giant head.  The 1998 one was good, but had giant guns and a strange action-oriented pose.  This one has a slightly smaller head - I believe it's maybe 10% smaller than it should be - most shots from the film seem to make his ears about as wide as his shoulders.  The sculpted detail is good and the reddish wash over the grey plastic skin really does a nice job bringing out the detail, and doesn't look especially sloppy.  White teeth and black eyes complete the face which is aggressive, dumb, and generally what you want in a thug.

Accessories are smaller versions the same choices we saw on the 1998 Ree-Yees, sadly Hasbro elected not to use the giant rifle of the 1983 figure or the glass he carried in the movie.  He does not include the pike from the promo pictures.  The guns fit nicely into his meaty paws, each of which has a sculpted trigger finger.  They did a nice job here - it's not what I would have picked, but anyone can armchair quarterback this line and they frequently do.  The execution is what's important, and the accessory selection was engineered perfectly.  You can't ask for more than that.

Ree-Yees hasn't been high on many request lists due to the previous ones being pretty good, but here's a new one, and it's pretty good.  The lack of ankles means he completely skipped that super-articulated era of the line and now we're sort of downsizing.   I submit to you - and Hasbro - if we're going to see a reduction in articulation while still being asked to pay $11, why not go all the way and make it a $6 single or $11 2-pack next time?  If we're going to see reduced articulation, I certainly wouldn't mind saving a few dollars.

Collector's Notes: These are available online right now and I got mine at Entertainment Earth.  I have not seen it in stores yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,097: August 21, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,096: Jabba's Skiff Guard (The Black Series 2014)

JABBA'S SKIFF GUARD Character Debut
The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A7262
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #27
Includes: Pike, pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: August 2014
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: This Skiff Guard works for Jabba the Hutt.  Skiff Guards are usually mercenaries or slaves whose duties include defending the skiff from attack and keeping prisoners in line.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Commentary: New characters are like gold - treasure them.   There is a bit of a question as to who Jabba's Skiff Guard is - the original intent was to make Sgt. Doallyn, but recent events say there are two guys with basically the same costume, the second of which is Brock Starsher.   I'm of two minds about this - as an aging fan my knee-jerk reaction is "who cares?"   I'm just happy to have a dude that looks like this at this point, so I'll worry about the details later and just be happy to have him right now.

I am unaware if any name trademarks are a problem at this time, so for all we know the generic name was deployed just as a butt-covering maneuver.  Regardless, it's a figure that more or less is what you are going to want.

With 14 points of articulation, it's a good replica of how this figure appears in behind-the-scenes shots.  There are a lot of characters in the movies that are more famous as trading cards - the character didn't even have a name until about 19 years ago.  There are also seemingly some arguments as to who is who, and what color their outfits are, but for the sake of keeping it simple I'm going to assume the guy in the off-white suit with this helmet is indeed the character we're looking at.  At one point, Bane Malar was confused for Doallyn, which is kind of funny when you think about it.  I'm sure no one involved with the movie's production or with Lucasfilm as a whole gave any of these guys real thought in the decade after Return of the Jedi was out there.

If you collected figures in the mid to late 2000s, this is just like the best of them.   There are lots of wrinkles, ball-jointed ankles, swivel wrists, and 14 more or less unobstructed points of articulation.  The fact that his hips are able to swing forward, allowing him to fit in vehicles, means that the sculptor deserves a gold star and a cookie.  I would offer the painter a juice box, but at least on my sample the brown stripes on the pants are askew a bit.    I guess you can twist the lower leg if you like - so it'll look good on a shelf or diorama, that's for certain.

For those keeping track, this is the first 100% new The Black Series Skiff Guard or denizen of Jabba's Palace character in this series - Vizam was a new sculpt of a figure from over 10 years ago.   We're lucky to get one new Skiff figure a year, so I'm glad that with the hoses and the swell helmet that this figure is about as good as we can expect with modern standards.  It wouldn't surprise me if this figure were sculpted and sat in Hasbro's vault for years before going to production based on the style of the figure - but hey, better late than never.   It's good, buy it, and Hasbro - please - don't make us wait years between new ones if you can help it.   We really dig this stuff!  Obviously, you should buy one if you're into the original trilogy and Jabba's goons.


Collector's Notes: These are available online right now and I got mine at Entertainment Earth.  I have not seen it in stores yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,096: August 20, 2014

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,095: Wedge Antilles (The Black Series 2014)

WEDGE ANTILLES Hoth Redux
The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A5633
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #29
Includes: Helmet, blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: August 2014
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: This Rebel pilot and friend of Luke Skywalker battles Imperial forces who are attaching Echo Base on the ice planet Hoth.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Commentary: A new Wedge Antilles, so soon?  Wonderful!  This one is pretty good too - Hasbro took the 2009 Legacy Luke Skywalker Snowspeeder Pilot body, and gave it a new head and Dak Ralter's accessories from 2010.  It's pretty great - the hands are more or less specific to Luke having a lightsaber or a grappling hook, but at least the deco is nice and again, more or less based on Dak's control chest buttons.

The sculpt is good, but it's nothing you haven't bought before minus the new head.  His helmet fits nicely, and he can hold his weapons.  The unique angles do make them look a little silly in his left hand, the small blaster looks especially ridiculous.  One problem I thin is unique to mine is a big square plastic peg jutting out from the lower leg - I'd cut it off, but it's grey plastic painted orange and that would look worse than leaving it there.  Once the paint goes, it's going to look terrible - did any of you have this problem?

The head sculpt is good - appropriately Wedge-y, and it's molded in flesh color with a painted flight cap.  As a carded figure, it's beautiful and the 14 points of articulation are about normal for this line these days.  Overall I'd say it's good - there's very little messy paint, just a bad dab around the eye I might try to scrape off.  The painted button on the glove is a nice touch.  I won't say this is the best Wedge figure ever... but let's face it, if it isn't, it's a close #2.  Get it if you can, and then get him a Snowspeeder to sit in.  He will fit.

Collector's Notes: These are available online right now and I got mine at Entertainment Earth.  I have not seen it in stores yet.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,095: August 19, 2014