Figure of the Day: Day 334: Leia Organa (General)

LEIA ORGANA General
Power of the Jedi Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84445 No. 84642
Number: n/a
Includes: Blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Fall 2000
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: A princess on her homeworld of Alderaan, Leia Organa is a strong-willed woman of action. After Alderaan was destroyed by the first Death Star, she became a full-time member of the Rebel Alliance. She is dedicated to putting an end to the Empire's reign of tyrrany. (Taken from the figure's Force File.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Toy Shelves.

Commentary: For whatever reason, Hasbro and Kenner haven't exactly gone out of their way to make figures from parts of Return of the Jedi that weren't in the first 30 minutes. It took years to get out a decent carded Scout Trooper, Ewoks have been largely ignored, and you can forget about a lot of pilots and vehicles-- of course, Hasbro has since made up for a lot of this with unusual releases like General Leia Organa, a figure that's the third stage of evolution for a figure that started life in 1997. Originally, this figure started life as a pack-in to a Speeder Bike. Then, in 1998, Kenner retooled it to be a Toys "R" Us exclusive packed with a collector's coin. In 2000, Hasbro took that 1998 body, put the Hoth Leia head on it, took away the poncho, and blammo-- new figure. It more or less works, but it retained the enormous "crotch piece" for the lower waist that looks really, really awkward and wasn't a problem when it was covered by the poncho. With 6 points of articulation, the figure isn't anything special-- but hey, it's a costume that hasn't been available on an individual card before this release, so kudos to the toymakers for realizing that you can sell the same figure if you add or remove an accessory. It's worth getting for your Endor Bunker dioramas.

Collector's Notes: This figure was a "kitbashed" release and one of three figures made as an initiative to make Power of the Jedi more trilogy-focused than prequel-focused in a hurry as Hasbro decided that, after about a year of Episode I, that the line had to be shelved. The others were the Mon Calamari Officer and K-3PO, both excellent figures in their own right. General Leia can be had for about $5 or so, and goes along well with General Solo, General Madine, and General Calrissian. Boy, they sure have a lot of generals in the Rebellion, don't they?

Day 334: April 5, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 333: Holographic Luke Skywalker

HOLOGRAPHIC LUKE SKYWALKER Jabba's Palace
Saga Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84715 No. 84745
Number: 0411
Includes: Lightsaber, Base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: March 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: As part of the plan to rescue Han Solo, Luke sent the two droids, R2-D2 and C-3PO, to the palace of Jabba the Hutt. R2-D2 played a holographic message to Jabba in which Luke requested an audience with the infamous crimelord and, to prove his sincerity, asked the Hutt to accept the two droids as gifts. While the nervous C-3PO was startled at this news, it was all part of Luke's plan to put everyone in position for the planned rescue attempt. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Toy Shelves.

Commentary: The funny thing about Holographic Luke Skywalker is that it's a repaint, and the mold on which it was based was released in the wave prior to this one. This almost instant release silenced requests for a holographic version before they could start, but it's just odd to go to a store and see regular and holographic figures at the same time. I love the concept, and the figure has excellent articulation-- however, its paint kinda sucks in the head department. There tends to be a lot of stray paint, and the clear plastic doesn't photograph too well. It doesn't look all that great in person, either, but the "translucent" (barely) plastic used for the costume looks great. It's obviously a great attempt, but the head paint brings this figure down a few pegs. The lightsaber is an unnecessary accessory, but since this figure is a straight repaint and doesn't offer much new to fans, it's pretty obvious that Hasbro felt they had to toss in some form of extra to get people to buy this.

Collector's Notes: This wasn't the world's strongest seller, but diorama fans would be well-served to buy this one. Just turn him so he faces Jabba and away from you, and it's a pretty good release. Pay careful attention to the paint on the head, even the hair-- it's the one area where most samples of this figure fall short.

Day 333: April 4, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 332: Bossk

BOSSK Executor Meeting
Saga Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84715 No. 84772
Number: 0418
Includes: Rifle, Base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Spring 2004
Appearances: Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Darth Vader hired six of the galaxy's most elite bounty hunters to track down the Millennium Falcon and her Rebel crew. Bossk was one of the hunters selected by Vader aboard the Executor after the Battle of Hoth. A towering reptilian Trandoshan and skilled predator, Bossk was a fearsome and heavily armed tracker. He was frequently bested by rival bounty hunter Boba Fett, and was betrayed by hunters he hired in the search for the Falcon. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Toy Shelves.

Commentary: In the modern line, it's not often that a figure was made before 1999 that most fans felt never needed an upgrade-- but Bossk was one of these "perfect" figures. During its first release in 1997, it was pretty much exactly what it needed to be-- not too bulky, not awkwardly posed, and most important of all, not missing any major markings. This release from 2004 almost looks identical to the 1997 version, at first, except that the gun is different, Hasbro hid a few extra joints in it (12 in all), and it's not a bad figure. It doesn't have any straps hanging down to block his ability to sit, it doesn't have goofy articulation in places he doesn't need it that make him look all funky, he's just a good solid figure. It's really hard to say if it's a good thing or a bad thing for Hasbro to look at a great figure, and then attempt to redo it-- and it really doesn't look any better. Sure, it has more articulation, but unless you put the two-side-by-side, aside from the weapons, they aren't exactly as screamingly different as, say, new vs. old Dengar or Boba Fett or even Darth Vader.

Collector's Notes: This particular Bossk was never rereleased-- the 1997 version has been repackaged in at least two gift sets, including the 2005 Bounty Hunter Gift Set for Diamond/Previews. As such, if you want this version of Bossk, you'll need to get a carded sample. (That is to say, until Hasbro realizes they still have the mold and drop him in some new Battle Pack.) The best way to tell the 1997 version against the 2004 version at a glance is the mouth or the articulation-- the new version has extra arm and leg joints and an open mouth, while the older one has a closed mouth.

If you only buy one Bossk, this one is arguably the better of them. There's also a Titanium Series release which you might be able to find for pennies on the dollar in the clearance section of your local Wal-Mart or Target still. It wasn't exactly a popular item. But wait, there's more-- despite already releasing two perfectly good Bossk figures, Hasbro's going back to the well for a third brand new sculpt in 2007 with the 30th Anniversary Collection Vintage Line. This one is probably super-duper articulated, I guess. So I guess the new 2007 figure will be even less necessary than the 2004 one, that, or it just speaks volumes on the market for Bossk collectibles.

Day 332: April 3, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 331: Jabba the Hutt

JABBA THE HUTT Jabba's Palace
Saga Collection Ultra Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84716 No. 84740
Number: n/a
Includes: Rail, Pipe, Bowl, Food, Tongue
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2004
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: A loathsome slug of a gangster, Jabba the Hutt was the preeminent crimelord in the Outer Rim Territories. Basing his operations out of Tatooine, the Hutt had his pudgy fingers in a number of lucrative and unsavory rackets. He lived in an opulent if sand-scarred palace out in the Tatooine deserts. After the carbonite-frozen Han Solo was delivered to the Hutt, Han's friends attempted a rescue that seemed to end in failure in the Hutt's audience chamber. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Toy Shelves.

Commentary: As part of the obscenely popular (in theory) Ultra assortment, Jabba the Hutt was a source of much delight and much complaining. The figure was the first-ever Return of the Jedi Jabba figure in the modern line, but it was based largely on a sculpt of the 1999 "Jabba Glob" toy with some modifications. (For example, it's significantly tougher to pop off his head and have goo come out of his mouth.) The figure is one of the better Jabba toys on the market, but it's missing his trademark tattoo which even the vintage Jabba had on his arm (seriously, go look, you'll see it.) This new figure has excellent decoration but didn't quite hit all the marks for some fans. In some cases, the criticism was valid-- like the paint looking a little weird in places, or the fact that the figure was missing his trademark throne. Other criticism was, well, annoying-- OK, we get it, you're mad it wasn't a 100% new sculpt. And no, Jabba's not too short-- a common fan misconception is that Jabba the Hutt is this towering beast. If you look at the movie, most of his height comes from his throne, anyone standing on his level appears taller than he is. Anyway, where was I? Let's move on.

The figure was nicely accessorized-- you could take the included railing and put it on a vintage Jabba throne, or on the modern Jabba's Palace cardboard playset that Hasbro released a few years earlier. With Jabba's mouth being sculpted to accept... erm, items, you could have him smoke on his hookah or insert a special "tongue" accessory so it looked like he was thinking about his next meal. Since the figure was sculpted with more than a little drool (a feature I didn't care for), this is actually quite appropriate.

Collector's Notes: In 2004, Hasbro sold a number of Ultra figures, including repackaged deluxe figures of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jango Fett. The rest of the line was mostly new figure-and-accessory sets, like a Wampa with part of an ice cave, C-3PO with an escape pod, Jabba's Court Denizens, General Rieekan with a big tactical screen, and an Ewok with a combat glider. The original idea was to have each series of figures in early 2004 tie in with the various Ultra figures, and for the most part, they did. Since they were first announced, fans clamored for more of these larger deluxe figures, but sadly Trilogy-based upsized figures haven't been sold in stores ever since.

Until Hasbro releases a new modern Jabba the Hutt, this figure from 2004 should be a required purchase to anyone interested in buying figures from Return of the Jedi. There are surprisingly few to be had on eBay, and at the going rate of about $20 shipped, it isn't a bad item-- but then again, I've got one, so you'll need to make the call on if this giant slug is worth $20, $10, or somewhere in between. Although I have to say, it's totally worth it for about $15.

Day 331: April 2, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 330: Death Star Gunner

DEATH STAR GUNNER Ka-blammo
Power of the Force Collection 1 or 3
Item No.: Asst. 69570 No. 69608
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Pistol, Rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Fall 1996-1997
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Imperial gunners were members of the Imperial Starfighter Corps who manned the various weapons of the Empire's capital ships, military bases, and, most famously, the Death Stars. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' floor.

Commentary: There are two (at least) different versions of the Death Star Gunner in the films. This figure was based off of a design used in the original Star Wars, which was a little more ornate and featured armor on the chest. (The vintage release was based on Return of the Jedi, and the 2006 version tries to bridge the two versions with removable bits and pieces.) This one was pretty good, and many fans considered it to be one of the few very good figures from the early years of the modern line. Sure, it had six measly points of articulation, but it had glossy paint! It had armor! It had two guns! That's all kinds of awesome. With folds in the "cloth" bits and a decent pose, fans ate this one up while it was offered at retail-- and then it vanished. The price never really shot up, but it wasn't a very common figure.

Collector's Notes: This figure has a lot of documented variations, from the color of the cardback to stickers on the packaging and beyond. This sort of thing was really fascinating in 1996 when, in two years, Hasbro barely cracked 30 new modern action figures. Today, you'll be lucky to find any fans that care enough to pay any sort of a premium as far as pricing goes, and as such, you can add this one to your collection fairly cheaply.

Day 330: April 1, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 329: Padme Amidala

PADME AMIDALA Arena Escape
Saga Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84855
Number: 0202
Includes: Chain, blaster, pillar
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: March 2002
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Now a Senator from Naboo, Padme Amidala has grown in bravery and wisdom since her term as Queen. Padme shows her courage and resourcefulness by trying to escape after she is captured on the planet Geonosis and sentenced to death. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: This is not an action figure for kids. This Padme Amidala is a fantasy figure for adults. Her pants are very tight, her top is also very tight, it appears she works out, and her action pose lets her raise a gun and fire. Oh, and you can tie her up with the included chain. This is just a strange release given that in 2002, the big push for the new movie line was to get more kids to buy with the reduced price of $4.99 per figure at most stores. Her sculpt is pretty good-- if a little idealized. It looks more like Natalie Portman than earlier releases in the face at least, but the figure isn't suited to sitting in vehicles or doing much of anything but standing around and pointing her gun at enemies. This was enough, though-- a lot of non-fans and non-collectors picked up this figure in 2002 not because they were curious about new accessories or leaps in toy making, but because she was hot. It was, to say the least, a noble experiment.

Collector's Notes: This figure, and a lot of white plastic figures from 2002-2003, have had a strange discoloration appear on them even if you never opened the figure-- a yellowish or greenish residue starts to appear on packaged or opened figures over time, like this Padme, the electronic beeping R2-D2 from 2002, and the ARC Troopers. This can be wiped off easily, but it appears on figures even if you store them in the dark under the best environmental conditions-- or so I've seen. Your mileage may vary.

Day 329: March 31, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 328: Saelt-Marae (Yak Face)

SAELT-MARAE Yak Face
Power of the Force Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69721
Number: n/a
Includes: Staff, some have a Freeze Frame
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: September 1997- Early 1999
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: One of Jabba the Hutt's top agents, very little is known about the mysterious Saelt-Marae or his specific connection to the crime lord. He could often be found hanging out in Jabba's desert palace. (Taken from the figure's Freeze Frame cardback from 1998.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Within the first three years of the modern Star Wars line, Kenner remade virtually the entire vintage line in those early days, including obscure aliens like Saelt-Marae, better known to you and me as Yak Face. He's been described as a Muppet, as Joe Camel, and as a part of the male anatomy. No matter how you see him, he's a very tall figure with six points of articulation, very good (for its time) decoration, and a vague similarity to the vintage figure. This new version has a bright orange coat, a nice big staff, colorful pants, and big white whiskers. With big hands that can grip the included accessory, this figure does basically everything you'd want it to do-- as in, stand in a diorama and look pretty. He can't sit in any vehicles, but he's sure to make any display just a little bit more visually exciting.

There have been no rumors of a rerelease and next to no fan requests for a reissue or a resculpt, which is a little unusual as new collectors often express a strong desire for older figures to be made widely available once more. It's possible that Revenge of the Sith has shifted the focus of many newcomers away from what a lot of fans loved a decade ago-- seedy aliens, worn-out droids, and various Imperials-- to more of a focus on Clone Troopers and Jedi Knights. As such, I have no expectations that this figure will see another release in the near future.

Collector's Notes: There weren't a lot of variants on this one-- he could come with a Freeze Frame, or not. As such, this figure has been rather unremarkable in the modern line unlike the basically legendary vintage figure made of Yak Face. This figure was a brisk seller in the markets I had the ability to monitor, outselling a number of figures that he shipped with like EV-9D9. Today, there is absolutely no problem getting this figure for its original price, or for even less if you're lucky that day.

Day 328: March 30, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 327: Darth Vader

DARTH VADER First Modern Release
Power of the Force Collection
Item No.: Asst. 69570 No. 69572
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, cape, some have a Freeze Frame
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: Summer 1995-1998
Appearances: Star Wars


Bio: Once known as Anakin Skywalker, expert pilot and hero, Vader studied the ways of the Force under young Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. His impatience with the Jedi training made him susceptible to the dark side, which corrupted him as he gave in to his anger and aggression. Vader was almost killed in a confrontation with Kenobi, and was forced to adopt his current life support systems and fearsome body armor. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: A new line begins here! This Darth Vader figure helped kick off the modern action figure line, and was part of the first wave of seven action figures. (Although eight were on the cardback.) It didn't have the extra waist cape, the first release had a lightsaber as long as Darth Vader was tall, and the figure was muscular to a ridiculous extent. Still, it sold like crazy and when the variations started showing up, fans gobbled them all up. The sculpting is pretty good, the armor bits look like hard armor, the "cloth" bits look like leather (or are reasonably close), and the figure can easily sit down inside a vehicle. In many respects, this is a better toy than most later Darth Vader releases. Still, it's stylized, beefy, and not exactly what you would call authentic to any one particular version of the character on the big screen, so if you're a stickler for authenticity, you should pass on this one.

Collector's Notes: There are many, many variants of this figure as it shipped for 3 whole years. It can have a long lightsaber, or a short lightsaber. It can be on a green cardback, an orange cardback, or a Freeze Frame cardback. It might have a sticker, and it might not. There are at least seven unique packaging variants out there, and that's not counting the "grey" plastic error Vaders that were produced as well. As such, if you want to collect a lot of variants of the same thing, this is a good place to start.

Day 327: March 29, 2007

Figure of the Day: Day 326: Dannik Jerriko

DANNIK JERRIKO Cantina Encounter
Post Original Trilogy Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85172 No. 85325
Number: 0508
Includes: Hookah pipe, blaster, base, two proboscises
Action Feature: Removable proboscises
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Early 2005
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Dannik Jerriko is a very dangerous Anzati. When he attacks a victim, he uncoils small, trunk-like organs (called proboscises) hidden in his cheeks, inserts them into the victim's nose and ingests the person's blood and brain matter. Even the nastiest creatures in the cantina stay away from Jerriko. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary: Few figures as insignificant (in terms of screen time and story) as Dannik Jerriko were given quite as royal a treatment, but in 2005, Hasbro gave three brand new Cantina characters the best figures you could hope for. With articulated wrists, knees, shoulders, elbows, neck, waist, hips, this figure has 12 points of articulation-- that's twice what the average figure had from 1995-1999. The figure has two holsters, one for his pipe, and one for his blaster. The figure also has two removable cheek extensions, which are good and bad-- it's a nice touch that Hasbro would include this rarely seen extra from the character's back story, but the problem is that when removed, you get two big holes in his face which aren't exactly the most photogenic. Since the figure can sit or stand well, has articulation most fans would be satisfied with, and just plain looks good for an action figure of this character, this is one you need to own. I'm not quite a big fan of the idea of the "brain vampire" when compared to the hairy cyclops in a blue suit or the tundra goat alien man, but hey, all the figures look good-- so why not add them to your collection?

Collector's Notes: Along with Myo and Feltipern Trevagg, this figure was sold briefly in 2005 before Revenge of the Sith figures started to trickle out. These were in short supply in some markets and very common in others-- today, the figures are going to cost a little more than its original retail price-- but overall, this is OK, it's good enough to warrant a slight premium (unless you can find it for less.) Plus it has great packaging, and to date has not been planned for a reissue. Although if Hasbro ever does feel like rereleasing it with a hole-free head, I'd be all for buying it again.

Day 326: March 28, 2007