Figure of the Day: Day 304: Covert Ops Clone Trooper

COVERT OPS CLONE TROOPER Exclusive
Revenge of the Sith Fan Club Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85963
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: Fall 2005
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Inspired by the specialized trooper armor seen in Revenge of the Sith, the Covert Ops Clone Trooper figure was created to celebrate the release of the final chapter of the Star Wars saga on DVD and VHS. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Note the bio-- it's amusing because ROTS didn't see a VHS release in the USA. Anyway, the Covert Ops Clone Trooper was a neat figure because it was so polarizing. On one hand, it's a new, original Clone with a freaklishly unique paint deco and it was super-poseable. On the other, it's weird because of the aforementioned freakishness plus a lot of fans tend to get irate at products that are not from the movie or from an established (key word: established) Expanded Universe source. These buggers came from nowhere, and some found that to be undesirable-- which was understandable given at the time this figure was released, we still had no 501st Troopers, no Utapau Troopers, and so on.

This figure uses the III-41 Clone's superposeable body, but gives it different deco and accessories. The antenna (while shown) is not included, and the figure was given a larger rifle in its place. For fans wanting something really weird, this is a delightfully weird purchase-- you should totally buy one or two of these.

Collector's Notes: As a Fan Club exclusive, it cost a lot more at retail because they knew they could get it. The prices go up and down, but it shouldn't be too hard to get the figure for the original going rate, which is about $20 after shipping. Also, I should note once more that the figure does wear the "antenna backpack" in the photo, but this is not included with the figure.

Day 304: March 6, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 303: Bespin Guard

BESPIN GUARD Cloud City Security
Power of the Jedi Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84455 No. 84638
Number: n/a
Includes: Hat, baton, blaster, handcuffs, Force File
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: 2001
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The blue-clad Bespin guards commonly known as "Wing Guards" are the law enforcement officers of Cloud City. Under the supervison of Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian, they protect the floating metropolis from criminals and Imperial forces. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

Commentary: Almost perfect. Hasbro's first true modern Bespin Guard is an awesome feat of toymaker know-how, with one major flaw. The figure has lots of accessories, a fantastic sculpt, great paint, and one baffling design choice-- his coat is open. Nowhere in the movie do I recall seeing his coat open. Is this supposed to represent a Bespin Guard extra getting dressed? Perhaps a Bespin Guard at the bar after a long day's work? I try not to harp on things like this, but this is just a bad decision on the part of Hasbro to make a nearly perfect figure with one big giant flaw staring you in the face. If the figure sucked, it wouldn't matter-- but the figure is really good.

The accessories for this figure are proof that, when they so choose, Hasbro can wow us. The figure has a removable hat, handcuffs that plug into his belt, a baton that plugs on to his belt, a blaster, and a holster. That's like everything you could ask for. (Except a closed jacket.) The accessories are a weird baby blue color, but that's easy to get past when you see all the detaling in the costume, in the face, and in the decoration. This is a high quality item, without a doubt, and one that every collector should pick up as an example of how Hasbro can do many, many things right on a figure.

Were Hasbro so inclined, it would be great to see this figure with a retooled torso and variant heads. I'd buy a few.

Collector's Notes: Along with Ellors Madak and Ketwol, in some areas this figure was a poisonous pegwarmer, sticking around for years after his initial shipments. For an army builder, this is very uncommon. It's not entirely certain why this figure didn't click-- was it the coat? The lack of desired ethnic variants? Bad timing? The lack of a good Cloud City playset? We may never know. Still, it's a very good figure, so go buy a couple. If you can get past authenticity, this is one of Hasbro's finest figures as far as looking good and being fun to play with goes. It's a toy, and it's a collector-quality figure all in one.

Day 303: March 5, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 302: Luke Skywalker

LUKE SKYWALKER with Blaster Rifle and Electrobinoculars
Power of the Force Flashback Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69680 No. 84036
Number: n/a
Includes: Flashback Photo, rifle, hat, binoculars
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: December 1998
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Bored with the mundane life of a moisture farmer on Tatooine, Luke Skywalker dreamed of being a great pilot. He targeted womp rats while racing his T-16 skyhopper through the steep and narrow walls of Beggar's Canyon. Many years earlier, Luke's father also raced over the surface of Tatooine in his podracer. Anakin evntually turned to the dark side and became Darth Vader but was finally redeemed by his son Luke. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Few figures are punch lines, but this Luke Skywalker was a bit of a joke. Released at the end of 1998, there were already "new sculpt" Luke Skywalker figures from the original film with a blast shield helmet, a Purchase of the Droids 3-pack, and a Millennium Falcon gunner station. But this one, in the out-of-context yet completely appropriate words of one Waylon Smithers, "but this one has a new hat!" Fans immediately made the connection and, of course, we all had a good laugh about how stupid this figure was because really, all it had to offer was "a new hat." We all bought one anyway.

Overall, it's a good figure. Not great, but good. The figure had added neck articulation, and could rock his head back to look up (or into his binoculars.) He had wrist and elbow articulation, a first for a Luke figure from the original film. He could even wear his binoculars on his belt, so you wouldn't lose them. If this figure included a Blast Shield Helmet and a lightsaber, fans would probably have declared it one of the best ever-- it even had some dirt on Luke's shirt. The basic sculpt was the same (more or less) that was being offered in the three aforementioned figures, but enhanced articulation and additional accessories do go a long way. Plus, this figure was made from a deleted scene-- a real novelty for a 1998 action figure line based on a movie from 1977. The figure's one mark against it, in my opinion, was the plastic used to make the head was weak and the eye paint was also weak across the board. Were his face just a little bit stronger, this may have gone down as being the finest non-superposeable Luke figure ever. Instead, it's going to go down as Luke "with the new hat."

Collector's Notes: The sculpt was slightly modified and slightly redecorated in 2002, when it was packaged with an all-new sculpt Landspeeder which was sold exclusively at Toys "R" Us. The 2002 deco was better, but this one has the better accessories. Oh which one will you choose?

Day 302: March 4, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 301: Kyle Katarn

KYLE KATARN from Dark Forces Video Game
Power of the Force Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69893
Number: n/a
Includes: Blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: Dark Forces

Bio: It is a period of civil war. The Rebel Alliance struggles to free the galaxy from the clutches of the evil Galactic Empire. Discovering that Imperial forces have begun developing a new type of stormtrooper, the Rebels call on mercenary Kyle Katarn. His mission: seek out and destroy the secret Imperial project called Dark Trooper. A rogue mercenary loyal to no one, Kyle Katarn has accepted a near-impossible mission to destroy the Empire's ability to develop an army of unstoppable stormtroopers known as Dark Troopers. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: If you loved figures based on the games, books, and novels, then 1998's assortment of Expanded Universe figures like Kyle Katarn must've been awesomely exciting for you as it was for me. Kyle wasn't exactly a perfect replica of the character in the game, his packaging illustration is a cut scene from the original Dark Forces with a beard drawn on it. The figure itself fared a little bit better, with a decent set of armor, a unique shirt, interesting armor, and gloves. He had some problems holding his weapons, but the figure looked decent for 1998 and this is the kind of figure collectors should be jumping on, especially with the Dark Trooper about to be reissued. There is nothing striking about this figure's sculpt or appearance beyond the fact that it exists. There are so few game-based figures that the fact that you can buy this is reason enough to do so. It's not so much that it's bland, but it's not like the Pote Snitkin figure released around the same time that had a breathtakingly good sculpt. It's just OK.

Collector's Notes: This figure was actually somewhat hard to get, and quite popular for a variety of reasons. While based on a mishmash of Kyle Katarn's appearances from Dark Forces and Jedi Knight, a lot of fans who played neither game jumped on this figure because we all thought it looked a little bit like George Lucas. (Oh, how foolish and young we were.) The figure also has a pop-up diorama on the packaging of the Imperial Shuttle, which was the only modern Imperial Shuttle which would be available until about 2003. Kyle should set you back $6-$15, depending on where and when you get it.

Day 301: March 3, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 300: 8D8

8D8 with Droid Branding Device
Power of the Force Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69834
Number: n/a
Includes: Torture rack, Freeze Frame
Action Feature: Light-up eyeport
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Summer 1998
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Originally designed to work in smelting factories, 8D8 worked under EV-9D9 in Jabba the Hutt's droid operations center. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: We'll save the snide remarks about how poor a seller 8D8 turned out to be for later, and we'll start off by pointing out that it's an excellent figure. It's wiry and thin, like it should be. He has some dirt and damage on him just like the movie. He has light-up yellow eyes, six points of articulation, and is pretty much everything you could ask for from a figure based on this droid. For 1998, this was an excellent figure-- it's just not one fans really seemed to want, and why Kenner made it a point to be in the first few years of the line is beyond me given that its vintage counterpart is also pretty undesirable. The sculpt is excellent, the deco is good, and the articulation isn't bad. Oh, and it includes a torture rack accessory which is particularly notable as the droid with which it can torture wasn't released for almost a year and a half later.

Collector's Notes: Along with the Rancor Keeper, this is one of the figures you can blame for Expanded Universe's poor distribution in 1998. Most of the blame tends to go to Malakili, as the Rancor-keeping plastic heap of boring had figures from 1997 stick around to cause problems in 1998 and beyond. What's particularly notable about this figure is that along with the Ugnaughts, sometimes you'll still see them in drug stores. I myself saw one in a Rite-Aid not two weeks ago, while killing time for my pizza to be done from Hungry Howie's. As such, this figure is pretty close to worthless-- so remember that when you buy yours.

I really can't emphasize enough how bad a seller this figure is. I won't say "was" because I probably see one or two at retail every year. Sure, it's mostly in drug stores, but that says everything-- those places have high traffic and, in theory, can burn through toys quickly. If a figure stays put on the pegs for nine years, wow. That's a sign of a pegwarmer. People write in to Q&A all the time to complain how their store is "buried" in Heroes & Villains figures, but I guarantee you that they won't be there a decade later. Or, most likely, by the next holiday season. 8D8's longevity in stores is really quite amazing, especially if you consider just how long nine years is in relation to the vintage line. That's like the 1978 Luke Skywalker 12-back figure being found in stores in 1987, which, if you were a fan in 1987, was pretty much unthinkable.

Day 300: March 2, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 299: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPERS Build Your Army
Revenge of the Sith Deluxe Figure Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85570 No. 85182
Number: n/a
Includes: Two more Clones
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The clone army is the main force of the Republic. Their armor has been adapted to integrate with different environments and also designates special divisions. These troops are fierce, loyal and single-minded in battle. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: The toy shelves of Adam Pawlus.

Commentary: Based on a modified version of a figure from Clone Wars, but with a retooled head and torso. This Clone Trooper is sort of, I guess, a sniper. It can lay flat on its stomach, with limited head and arm movement. It's good for dioramas and little else-- if it could stand, it might be a little more fun. The unfortunate thing is every Deluxe Clone Trooper 3-Pack came with one of these, so if you decided to collect all the Clone variants, you're going to end up with a few of this stinker.

The figure has some black markings, and that's about it-- it's a very simple figure, but that's the point when you put three figures in a single package for $10. It isn't a bad sculpt, it's just a weak idea. Of course, you can also flip this one over to play dead, which is arguably more interesting than a crawling-through-muck trooper.

Collector's Notes: This figure in this pose was made available in three of the four configurations of this deluxe 3-pack. The figure was also available with blue "Fifth Fleet Security" markings-- but per the rules of the column, that's a different figure and we'll look at it later.

Day 299: March 1, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 298: C-3PO

C-3PO with Removable Arm
Power of the Force Flashback Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69680 No. 84041
Number: n/a
Includes: Flashback Photo, removable arm
Action Feature: Arm pops off
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Spring 1999
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: C-3PO, the always proper, overly anxious, human-cyborg relations protocol was a key member of the tightly knit Rebel Alliance that fought against Darth Vader and the evil Galactic Empire. But buried in the dust of history is the fact that the droid and Vader actually shared a common bond many years prior, when the evil Lord was a promising young man named Anakin Skywalker. As a gifted mechanical builder, Anakin cobbled together a skeletal-looking protocol droid and named it C-3PO. Many adventures and a gold-coated facelift later, C-3PO would once again cross paths with his equally-rebuilt creator in a less than happy reunion. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Before release, Hasbro referred to this figure as "Shop Worn" and "Desert Worn" C-3PO. The decision to include a classic C-3PO into the assortments-- again-- in 1999 was a bit of a surprise, given Hasbro made a nearly perfect dirty C-3PO in 1998, and a downright excellent clean one in 1998. This one has some amazing dirt sculpting, and top-notch gritty deco. Unfortunately, the head sculpt was one of the worst in the modern line, with a face that looked a little too thin and long and really funky looking eyes. If you can get past the head, the figure is excellent-- sure, it has nothing special in the way of articulation, but it showed Hasbro was willing to try something new when creating grime on an action figure. The removable arm was a nice bonus, so you could simulate Tusken Raider attacks.

Collector's Notes: In early 1999, this figure shipped alongside Aunt Beru and Anakin Skywalker (flesh & blood) which rounded out what may have been one of the most kid unfriendly trios of action figures to ever constitute a single wave. Still, it sold fairly well and I don't recall seeing this one on clearance. The figure has been reissued in 2003 as part of one of the many waves of repackaged figures.

Day 298: February 28, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 297: Aayla Secura

AAYLA SECURA Battle of Geonosis
Saga Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 84861 No. 84928
Number: 0311
Includes: Lightsaber, Force Effect, Display Base
Action Feature: Magnet in hand attracts lightsaber
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Spring 2003
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: An agile and adept Jedi Knight, Aayla Secura wields her blue lightsaber with graceful precision and sensuous form. Many adversaries are lured by the sultry Twi'lek's notable style, but few are a match for her empathic reponses and shrewd parry. Although often more impetuous than her fellow Jedi, Aayla never relinquishes to anger or agression - an indispensible Jedi trait during the galaxy's current state of turmoil. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: With lots of articulation and a huge fan following from Dark Horse Comics' Republic series, what could go wrong with Aayla Secura? Well, my first figure snapped and several joints were so stiff, they would never move. My second Aayla proved slightly more poseable, but just because a figure has 10 points of articulation designed for high kicking and action poses doesn't mean it's any good. Of course, the figure is pretty good-- the sculpt is excellent, and the decoration is great. She looks a little bit meaner, which tied in to her earlier appearances in the comics, and of course her pose is very much an action-oriented one. The texture on the outfit is great, and this release showed a lot of promise for figures that would come later. Due to the paint used, the thin plastic at the joints, and what some consider a less attractive face, this isn't the best Aayla out there you can buy-- but on the cheap, she's pretty good. If you're not a collector who aspires to collect them all, you can skip this one.

Collector's Notes: As a comic book character that made the transition to the movies, fans went nuts over Aayla. Here's some fun trivia: the first sketches and sculpts for this figure were revealed at Celebration II in 2002, where the figure was initially proposed to have her lekku going up-- in other words, she looked more like the mini Unleashed figure. Given that a super-poseable version came out in 2005, this figure isn't exactly in demand these days. She'll probably cost you about $5.

Day 297: February 27, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 296: Jedi Spirits Obi-Wan Kenobi

OBI-WAN KENOBI Jedi Spirits
The Power of the Force Collection Cinema Scenes
Item No.: Asst. 84035 No. 84058
Number: n/a
Includes: Display Base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Yoda-- three individuals with lives intricately intertwined. Before Obi-Wan Kenobi was forced into a life of hiding, before Anakin Skywalker gave in to the dark side and became Darth Vader, even before Yoda was known as the last Jedi Master, a young Anakin was presented to the Jedi Council for permission to train the boy in the ways of the Force. Many years later, the Galactic Republic crumbled and the evil Empire rose in its place. Only after the defeat of the Empire, at the hands of Anakin's son Luke Skywalker, would the three great Jedi be reunited after death as spiritual guides for Luke and the New Republic. (Taken from the figure's box back.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Hey kids, do you want a dead action figure? Obi-Wan Kenobi is here for you. Screwed to the stand (with actual screws), this figure is more of a display piece than a toy. The arms are ridiculously stiff, and you really can't pose him. And he can't hold anything. Actually, this figure can pretty much just stand there and look like a ghost-- if you don't like the idea of a blue statue, you should skip this one. If you need diorama fodder, though, this is a pretty fun set especially for its day. The sculpt is decent, but it's a POTF2-era sculpt, meaning that it isn't as realistic as it could have been, nor was the detail as good as you might expect. The set is good, so if you see it and like the idea, you should buy it. Otherwise, well, save your money for the inevitable all-new Jedi Spirits which will hit the market by 2009, were I a betting man.

Collector's Notes: So far, Obi-Wan Kenobi has had three distinct versions of himself made as a dead action figure. This one is the second. The first used the same basic sculpt as this release, but had different arms and was unpainted. The third was a totally different sculpt, which had a lot more color and articulation on it. The third release (2004 Original Trilogy Collection and 2007 Jedi Training on Dagobah set) should be the best of them-- but this one's good too if you also want an Anakin and a Yoda. Another three-pack of Jedi Spirits, which was unlicensed (or at least, not a Hasbro or Kenner product) was sold in Japan in 1998 and used a different sculpt.

Day 296: February 26, 2007