Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,403: Mace Windu

MACE WINDU with Jango Helmet Bomb
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. ? No. ?
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: ?
Includes: Lightsaber, bomb helmet, stand, card, die
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Like the men under his command, the ARC trooper commander faces even the most threatening situation with unfailing courage. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's living room.

Commentary: If you're anything like me, when you initially saw Hasbro was doing another animated Mace Windu you basically shrugged and said "eh, whatever." Not because this was a bad figure, but the 2009 release was just fine, thank you, and it's not like this is a new costume. Well guess what? We're all wrong. This new 2010 version is Hasbro's most fun Jedi action figure to date, and that's no small praise. Hasbro set out to make a figure with the kind of quality that even the surliest of toy critics can't deny is a damned fine effort, even if you don't like the cartoon figures or Mace Windu. The arms and torso are very similar to the 2009 release, if not identical, but the legs, lower torso, and head realy do make this a solid figure.

The character has had a lot of ups (the 2008 mail-in version) and downs (the face of the 2007 release), but there's no denying that this animated version should meet the exacting standards of kids and adult fans. For any figure to be truly successful in my book, it needs to look good, stand, and have the ability to sit in any appropriate vehicles or playsets. This Mace Windu has a cloth robe piece, which means unlike the 2009 version he'll sit just fine in his recently released Toys "R" Us exclusive Jedi Starfighter. His unique structure combines the extremely thin aesthetic of the current TV show with a chunky, almost comic-like boot sculpt which adds a lot to the personality of this figure. If you like posing your toys, the range of motion here is vastly improved by Hasbro's use of what I assume to be some form of magic. The hips can swing out, and the figure itself is super articulated. The sculpt is true to the design on the show, and he has no problems holding his weapons.

But wait! There's more. Hasbro debuted a new type of articulation here, previously unseen in Star Wars or Clone Wars. Mace Windu's ankle joints have been altered to be, in my opinion, vastly improved. The ball joints of old are gone, these new ones allow the ankle to bend forward and backward, as well as rock side to side. There's also a little room to swivel, giving the figure what I believe to be the best (and most useful) range of motion yet. The only thing Hasbro could do to make this figure better would be some newfangled wrist joint, but we're doing just fine here. The hands seem to look great when holding his Jedi weapon, so Hasbro effectively nailed this one. And I didn't even tell you about his bonus accessory yet!

The last piece in this set-- which would have been nice in the recent gift set-- is Jango Fett's helmet. It splits down the middle to reveal a bomb, just like in The Clone Wars cartoon that aired earlier this year. The sculpting is more in line with the animated line, and it's a darned clever idea for an accessory. Sadly, a lot of collectors probably will pass on this figure not realizing it's a new sculpt with additional articulation. In the package, he looks a lot like the 2009 release and not the best-ever Jedi figure out of Hasbro. As such, if you see it, I suggest you buy it or at least insist someone let you play with theirs for about five minutes.

Collector's Notes: I see this figure a lot, because he doesn't stand out as "new" on the pegs. This animated Mace Windu drops the shoulder armor, helmet, and swing mechanism from the previous release and makes something that should be friendlier to collectors and, presumably, kids. If you only buy one more Mace Windu figure ever, this might be the one to get.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,403: October 29, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,402: ARC Trooper Commander

ARC TROOPER COMMANDER ARC Troopers
The Clone Wars Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 94743 No. 19682
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistols, rifle, stand, rangefinder, pauldron, display stand, wrist communicator, game card
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: September 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Like the men under his command, the ARC trooper commander faces even the most threatening situation with unfailing courage. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: The backdrop from his battle pack.

Commentary: Let's get this out of the way: the ARC Trooper Commander is Fordo form the 2003 Clone Wars show. For the uninitiated, Fordo is the baddest-ass Clone to appear in any of the many television projects bearing the Star Wars name and anyone who says otherwise is a damned filthy liar. Hasbro effectively introduced this figure at the summer conventions as Fordo, and this is unofficially Fordo because Fordo doesn't appear on the new cartoon. His deco matches closely, and his two pistols are closely modeled after the character's earlier appearances (note the lack of red dots on his breastplate). His rangefinder has a white tip, he has red armor, and the wrist communicator on his left hand. Since the style of the shows is quite different, it's a great port of a popular character. It's really, really good.

With 14 points of articulation, this figure is essentially a reworked 2008 Captain Rex. The pivoting/swiveling wrists are still here as are ankle joints, but there are two new elements. The kama/wasitcoat/skirt is a new sculpt designed especially to fit "Fordo"'s weapons, and the helmet is also a new sculpt. Unlike other clones, the helmet is not removable (thank you Hasbro) and the rangefinder is both fully articulated and removable. His legs seem to have a full range of motion, but the skirt itself is stiff and may prevent him from sitting in a vehicle. That's OK though-- the figure is so good, you'll want it out on your desk. As repainted and reworked clones go, this one makes me incredibly happy, and he's one of very few characters from that show to transition to the new toy style. Heck, he might be the only one from that show to get a toy without actually appearing on the new show.

The other figures in the set are all different enough to make its purchase worthwhile, but this one just makes me incredibly happy. OK, so I'm easy-- but if you saw those episodes I think you'll agree that this is a must-own figure. This is one of my favorite figures of 2010 because if you look at the holsters and wrist commlink, it's obvious Hasbro really did rework this figure to be as Fordo-y as humanly possible. Having said that, I almost feel ungrateful saying "now how about other 2003 ARC Troopers and Gunners in the animated style? I'd buy 'em." (Seriously though, this is a wonderful figure.) I would very much like Hasbro to see more ARC Trooper gift sets like this one... but with different figures, of course. I'd buy 3-4 a year, easily.

Collector's Notes: Hasbro has made other figures intended to be (or inspired by) Fordo. In 2003, they repainted the standard ARC Trooper figure in red, which was a shorter run and hard to find item. In 2005, they released animated-style figures specifically designed to be Fordo from the show. A red ARC Trooper was made as a Wal-Mart exclusive in 2009, but they called it "Alpha" despite "Alpha" being blue in most of his appearances. Oh, and Target got a red ARC Trooper in this color scheme in 2008 but it didn't have a specific name, it was also merely called "ARC Trooper Commander." The 2006 Fordo figure doesn't really look that close to Fordo except in color, as it's missing the rangefinder and that's sort of an important piece.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,402: October 28, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,401: Nien Nunb

NIEN NUNB B-Wing Pilot
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 93130
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD19
Includes: Blaster, helmet
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2009
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Nien Nunb is a B-Wing pilot who attends the Rebel Alliance briefing prior to the Battle of Endor. Because of his great skills as a pilot and navigator, he is later given the temporary assignment of co-pilot for the Millennium Falcon during this crucial battle. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old desk.

Commentary: I honestly believe that Hasbro and/or Lucas was in error by naming this figure Nien Nunb. The white Sullustian pilot was, in the 1990s, identified in publications as a prototype prop costume for Ten Numb, who wore a red suit on the film. (Unless that was a mistake, heck, maybe it is.) The red suited dude shaking Wedge's hand in the Endor celebration is, supposedly, Ten Numb. Do you see any white-suited Sullustians on screen in Return of the Jedi? I don't. It's Ten, dammit, and I admit I may be totally wrong on this but I digress. Back to the toy.

This was a pretty obvious repaint. Hasbro had a white Ten Numb which was released in 2008, and since there was a red-suited pilot of that species (despite the body being tall), it was an easy repaint. So here it is. Is it cool? Sure. Identity aside, Hasbro did a really nice job on this figure and the B-wing pilot is a pretty cool design, despite being one of the least-valuable action figures from the real Vintage action figure line. (Seriously, want a carded one? It'll cost you less than a nice meal out. $12.50 for a Power of the Force one.) This one is a lot nicer since it's super-articulated, has a really cool blaster, and is an alien. That's a big plus. The coloring is good, his big black eyes practically speak, and that giant helmet is superb. As a thing you keep around on your desk because it looks cool, this is a really nice figure and I somewhat wish I bought more on mega-clearance in 2010.

If you ignore the name and just take it as "cool Rebel pilot toy" or are less nutty about these things, I think you'll love this one. Any toy derived from Return of the Jedi (or the years following) tend to be better than toys that are not. It's science fact, don't dispute it, everybody loves Ewoks and Lumiya and Vlix.

Collector's Notes: These hung around and may still be rotting at a Wal-Mart near you. Don't overpay for it, but do consider getting one. It's certainly nice enough, whatever his name really is.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,401: October 27, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,400: Han Solo

HAN SOLO Scoundrel
Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85213 No. 85224
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 2004
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Han Solo became caught up with the Rebel Alliance, courtesy of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, whom he helped rescue from the Death Star. Solo helped Skywalker destroy the Death Star when it attacked the Rebel base at Yavin 4, where they had taken Organa. Solo became an unofficial member of the Rebel Alliance, and fell in love with Organa. He helped destroy the Second Death Star at the Battle of Endor. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old desk.

Commentary: It's rare where I can point to a figure that's six years old and say that Hasbro perfected it and should never bother upgrading it. This Han Solo is one of those figures. Since being released in 2004, Hasbro has never done a basic Star Wars Han Solo again and, to date, never bothered to reissue this one. (A retooled version was released in 2007 and another in 2009, plus other figures based on this design were released-- but this one was perfect and this configuration is a one-time release.) If you only have one Han Solo in your collection, this is it. You simply will not get a better one at press time, and unless Hasbro has something super-special in store that adapts Pre Vizsla's hip joints and a better head sculpt, you probably flat-out can't improve on this one. It's Han Solo, space adventurer, minus any wacky Stormtrooper helmets or iPod headphones.

Han has 14 points of articulation, blue pants with red stripes, and a holster that not only carries his blaster but hangs in a way that doesn't look like it's breaking or ill-fitting. While a separate piece, the holster doesn't prevent him from doing too much sitting, but it does inhibit movement at the hips only slightly-- and this is something it doesn't seem Hasbro is actively aiming to improve right now. This isn't a knock at the team, it's just I don't know how you can have a separately molded belt that hangs down on legs that are expected to bend. (If you can figure it out, NASA has a large cash prize waiting for you.)

The likeness and pose are, in more ways than one, vintage Han Solo. He can replicate the pose of his 1978 figure or any of a number of famous photographs, while the head sculpt is one of Hasbro's better efforts. The torso with its non-removable vest seems nothing short of perfect, and the scale of this figure is also right on the money. Hasbro managed to make a slightly friendlier version of the cocky space pirate, but you can pose him to add a little bit of snark if you'd like. This is the best Han Solo you may ever see in this line, so add it to your shopping list.

Collector's Notes: I actually bought a spare one of these for $1 at a Wal-Mart in 2005. Proof that the mass market has no taste? I think so. There don't seem to be many on eBay but the few I see are about $10. That's fair. Go get one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,400: October 26, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,399: Nrin Vakil

NRIN VAKIL & Ibtisam
The Legacy Collection Wal-Mart Exclusive Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 12974 No. 87885
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Ibtisam, comic book
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: March 2009
Appearances: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron comic books

Bio: Ibtisam and Nrin Vakil seem destined to be enemies: Ibtisam is a Mon Calamari and Vakil is a Quarren - two species that have been foes for centuries. Yet an unlikely friendship evolves on a mission to Malrev. Ibtisam finds herself becoming attached to the stoic Nrin Vakil, while Nrin's initial animosity turns to respect for the courageous Mon Calamari, proving that the bonds of friendship can rise above the blind hostility of the past. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Galactic Heroes diorama. I really like how it turned out.

Commentary: A great shortcut in storytelling is to put people from warring races together to see what happens. Sure, you sometimes will get a Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story, or something that tends to go down as a classic. But sometimes you get Grease, and Grease sucks. With the Rogue Squadron comic books, we got the pairing of Ibtisam, the Mon Calamari, and Nrin Vakil, the Quarren. They appeared in several stories together, but what really matters here? Toys. And they do make nice ones.

Hasbro took an X-wing Luke body and gave him new arms and a new head. Presto! New figure. That's how you make a pilot. As a bonus it also has a barely-longer torso, so it isn't quite as short as Commander Skywalker. Fully articulated with 14 points, the squid-themed alien is decorated better than any other Quarren, with a lot of extra detail in the face and hands. If you get a good look at him in person, note the exquisitely painted eyes, the carefully decorated tusks, and the slightly darker shade of the wrinkles and folds on his person. Hasbro really did a nice job here, putting a lot of its money into making sure that the new parts looked good-- and they do! He even has a new helmet for his uniquely shaped head, which no other figure has used to date. This figure is excellent, and its only real flaw is poor timing-- in 2008, some fans tired of the Expanded Universe to the point where some items performed below expectations. Also, by this time, the character wasn't as popular, and we've been swimming in pilots. It's a shame it didn't do better, because it's a great example of Hasbro making a lot out of its existing tooling and going the extra mile to make a reused body into something really nice.

Collector's Notes: This set, despite being really nice, did not sell well. It's possible (although decreasingly likely as of now) that you might find one at a local Wal-Mart if you live in the right area. It's worth owning for its retail asking price, especially if you love alien pilots. No other versions of this character exist in action figure form.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,399: October 25, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,398: Shaak Ti

SHAAK TI Arena Battle
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena Packs 2010
Item No.: Asst. 97645 No. 97649
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #4 of 6
Includes: Lightasber blade, hilt, Geonosian figure
Action Feature: Lightsaber hilt plugs into belt
Retail: $12.99
Availability: Ocotber 2010
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme from execution. The Jedi brandish their lightsabers against the Geonosian warriors and the massive army of battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. All hope seems lost that any Jedi will survive this battle, then Yoda arrives with an army of clone troopers. Although many Jedi are lost that day, others survive this climactic battle that ushers in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Geonosis backdrop, which will be thrown away by the time you read this.

Commentary: A retooled version of the 2005 Shaak Ti, this Attack of the Clones version makes two significant changes. One, new arms with ball-jointed elbows. Two, new deco. That's pretty much it, if you have the 2005 figure on a shelf and never play with it there's no real reason to upgrade to this version. Due to the lighting of all the pictures I'm seeing of the Geonosis Arena battle, I'm not entirely certain these colors are any more or less authentic than previous releases, but she does look a little more bright in places. It seems the lower part of her dress is usually represented as being much darker, and part of the fun of "movie magic" is finding out that the color of something you see on the screen isn't necessarily the color of the actual prop for one reason or another. But for the sake of keeping it brief, let's assume this is an acceptable color.

This will probably be your go-to figure for any Jedi Council or Arena scenes, as she can sit well and her arms are capable of being posed, which means she's slightly better than the previous versions. The added arm articulation is a nice improvement, but the cynic in me thinks that Hasbro could have released this with the new deco and no changes and most fans would be exactly as excited as they are for this release. (Which is to say, not particularly from my findings.) If you don't have any Shaak Ti figures, this is the one to get because she is, to date, the best in terms of sculpt and articulation. Unless you buy animated stuff, in which case The Clone Wars release is easily better than any of the movie ones so far.

Collector's Notes: Shaak Ti is packaged with a Geonosian Warrior who, it seems, is merely a repaint of the 2009 Target version of the figure. This set is expected to stick around for a bit but you never know with Target exclusives. This is the first movie version of Shaak Ti since 2005.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,398: October 22, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,397: Clone Trooper Chopper

CLONE TROOPER CHOPPER Clone Troopers from The Hidden Enemy Animated Series Episode
The Clone Wars Target Exclusive Gift Set
Item No.: Asst. 19540 No. 19542
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Stand, blaster, helmet, droid finger necklace
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: October 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: The clone troopers are stunned when they discover that one of them is a traitor to the Republic. When a droid battalion avoids an ambush, Captain Rex and the Jedi start looking for answers and uncover a breach in security. Sergeant Slick and troopers Gus and Chopper all fall under suspicion and are questioned about their actions, as Rex helps the Jedi and Clone Commander Cody search for the traitor. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: Every now and again on The Clone Wars you get to see a trooper that's a little more interesting than his brothers, like Chopper here. Sure, he looks just like any other clone at first, but the dude cuts fingers off droids and puts them on a rope. That's hardcore. This figure is, essentially, the same 2008 Clone Trooper body with a newly decorated bald head. He has all the articulation you love, a removable 2009-style helmet, and a bunch of droid fingers which he keeps as trophies. Totally cool. He has a pistol and looks just a little crazy, which is how I like my potentially traitorous clone troopers.

Collector's Notes: This is the only version of Chopper to date and odds are the only one you're going to see. It wouldn't stun me to see it reissued down the line but, so far, Hasbro has been pretty good about keeping exclusive clones from the cartoon outside the main line. Because this set has three unique and new characters, it's probably worth snagging-- even though my sampling of stores shows that it's the "Hostage Crisis" episode that's selling out first so far. The set comes with Rex in addition to Gus and Sgt. Slick.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,397: October 21, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,396: R2-D2

R2-D2 Arena Battle
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena Packs 2010
Item No.: Asst. 97645 No. 97652
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 6 of 6
Includes: C-3PO figure
Action Feature: Pop-out claw arm, tow cable behind figure, light-up clear eye
Retail: $12.99
Availability: Ocotber 2010
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme from execution. The Jedi brandish their lightsabers against the Geonosian warriors and the massive army of battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. All hope seems lost that any Jedi will survive this battle, then Yoda arrives with an army of clone troopers. Although many Jedi are lost that day, others survive this climactic battle that ushers in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' kitchen.

Commentary: I thought this R2-D2 was the new smaller size, but it turns out it's a heavily modified "vintage" mold as far as I can tell. The removable third leg and original arms are the same as the 2004 release, but the body and dome have seen some reworking. The figure is covered in a light dusting of rust-colored Geonosis dirt, but aside from that looks like most R2-D2s on the market. The head swivels and can "reel in" a hook from the back of the figure which you can tie around C-3PO's head to drag it around. In the front, there's a new panel that opens on the right to reveal a different claw arm than you've expected. In short, this figure feels like a movie version of the 2008 animated-style The Clone Wars R2-D2 action figure, but with fewer accessories.

Two particularly notable details on the head are the lack of a periscope and the heavily changed deco. No longer is it chrome but, like the 2009 Sandcrawler R2-D2, this one has brushed silver. His head doesn't have a red light but rather a blue one, and the central eye is, oddly, clear. At first I thought it might be a light-up mechanism or something, but it's just a botched light-up eye port design. Clear plastic doesn't look good and I really have no idea why Hasbro elected to use it.

R2-D2's body has been heavily modified, with a highly detailed compartment on his back to house the hook and a lightly detailed one on the front. Both have a bunch of silver "stuff" in there which resembles panels, wires, bolts, and what have you which does add a little more oomph to the figure. One detail on the body that bothers me a little is that it seems the two blue designs right under his head are spaced further apart than usual. Just a smidgen-- like a millimeter or two-- but it does give it a slightly different look. Hasbro's track record with Attack of the Clones-specific R2-D2s since 2003 have been wonky, but this one is an improvement. While not perfect, it's quite good, and fun to mess with-- had that central eye been blue or black, I'd probably rate this one much more highly, but it isn't necessarily any better looking than any R2-D2 already on the market, and the animated one has more features. Still, it's nice, and the companion C-3PO figure is also really slick.

Collector's Notes: The 2009 sets sat around for about a year. It's unlikely the 2010 sets will too, but well, history says you don't need rush to get these. An all-new R2-D2 body will be showing up any week now based on Return of the Jedi so you may not want to jump on this one unless you, like me, wanted the new C-3PO really badly.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,396: October 20, 2010

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,395: Senate Commando

SENATE COMMANDO Blue and Awesome
The Clone Wars Target Exclusive Two-Pack
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 87340
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, second figure, game card, stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: October 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: A Senate Commando captain and his elite commando team confront suspicious arrivals to the Senate building. The captain and troopers rush to the platform where Cad Bane has landed without permission. They are prepared for a fight if necessary, but are taken by surprise when Bane springs his trap. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' desk.

Commentary: This Senate Commando figure is new, but reuses a lot of old parts. The body is a reuse of Captain Argyus, which itself is essentially a Clone Trooper with a new head, a new left shoulder, and new forearms. (The mold was notable for having the elbow armor attached to the lower arm.) The helmet is new, but the rest of the figure is recycled. Because of the reused parts, this blue figure has a ton of articulation. Along with the mega-jointed wrists, there's a grand total of 14 points of articulation, which is essentially "standard" for the line now. Since the helmet looks cool and it's very similar to previously released figures, there's not a lot of insight to offer you here. He includes the longer rifle and looks pretty cool. It's a nice design, so don't wait and miss it-- just grab one now. If you don't like it, you can send it to me, I could use a few of these.

Collector's Notes: This is the first generic cartoon Senate Commando. So for those keeping score, there are two different captains and one generic trooper. Hopefully Hasbro will card this one individually later but for now, this is it. It came out as part of Target's massive exclusive onslaught in October 2010, which, if you bought everything, would set you back over $200 easily.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,395: October 19, 2010