Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,708: Todo 360

TODO 360 and Cad Bane
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 26375
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW42
Includes: Hat, two pistols, bag, Cad Bane figure, stand, card, die
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: January 2011
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Cad Bane and Todo 360 sneak inside the Jedi Temple. Bane has a well-deserved reputation as a ruthless bounty hunter. He is hired by Darth Sidious to steal a Jedi holocron. He and his techno-service droid gain access to the building and break into the well-guarded holocron library. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen, on some box. (Spare. No. Expense.)

Commentary: Those with a sense of history may remember that Todo 360 was originally appearing on some online pre-orders when the very first Cad Bane figure came out a couple of years back-- before we really knew who or what a Todo was. It turns out he's basically a robot butler thing, and in the show was yet another source of comic relief as a robot with a less-than-pleasant personality. The action figure captures the look of the robot almost perfectly, but beware: he has one point of articulation. Despite his design being covered in places to hide a joint, Hasbro put only one in-- and that's at his neck, so don't try to bend the other ones or they might snap.

Sold as an accessory to Cad Bane, the figure is actually quite good-- I remember not 20 years ago, Playmates would include a sidekick figure with its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line and they were rarely, if ever, given any paint. Todo's paint job rivals most vintage figures, with painted eyes, a little grime, a tampo on his head, and black feet. Even if Hasbro revisits him later, there's very little room to improve on the paint job, and that's always nice to see. I wouldn't mind a joint or two as his large head may make him topple over if you aren't careful. You might want to lean him up against something, just to be safe. As bonus accessories which basically count as figures go, he's one of my favorites. He's also voiced by Seth Green on the TV show, so that's gotta be worth something. (Green voices Ion Papanoida as well.)

Collector's Notes: This figure is still showing up, so if you see it, why not grab it? I figure since there have been multiple Cad Bane figures, this one is probably going to be the best one to pick up since it included a bonus figure. Both Todo and Cad Bane were also repackaged in a battle pack in late 2011.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,708: December 30, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,707: Geonosian Warrior

GEONOSIAN WARRIOR Republic Commando Delta Squad
The Legacy Collection Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 33259 No. 33260
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Sonic blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99-$49.99
Availability: July 2011
Appearances: Star Wars: Republic Commando video game

Bio: A dirty filthy Geonosian. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen.

Commentary: This Geonosian Warrior continues the proud tradition of fairly decent figures being made based on the Sun Fac mold since 2006. This particular figure has more in common with the 2010 Geonosis Arena 2-pack reissue, as he has knee joints. (Big improvement.) I like this one a lot overall-- the coloring is good, the armor is nice, there's a red jewel on his torso, Hasbro did a nice job making this one stand out. That's actually one problem I have with Geonosians as a whole, there's no real consistent coloring in either the movie or cartoon style-- each one looks fairly unique, so those looking to build an army will need to buy several of a single figure rather than buy a few, here and there, as new versions are made.

His accessory is a sonic blaster similar to others released in the line. With bronze, brown, and green, it stands out nicely. No staff was included this time around, but that's OK-- I can get sticks out in the yard.

With this current articulation structure-- about 14 joints-- he feels sturdier than some of his ancestors. Previous Geonosians lacked key leg joints or were designed without holes in their feet, so getting them to stand up would prove difficult if not impossible. That's not the case here! Since this Geonosian can stand upright, and he's got a stiff set of joints, it seems like he should have no problems standing for the long haul. The only variable, and I haven't had it long enough to confirm this, is that the legs' unique shape may result in bending with heat or gravity over time in ways the joints can't easily help-- so warping could be possible, but the material feels better than other figures. So yeah.... hard to say. My guess is you won't buy this figure on its own merits anyway since it was packaged with a new and improved Delta Squad, but I still like it and would probably support buying it for its own merits.

Collector's Notes: I see this set quite a bit, although it would seem some stores are swimming in them while others... not. It is my assumption that this will be a sought-after set in a few years unless Hasbro releases individually packaged versions of all the Delta Squad members, so go get it now, OK?

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,707: December 29, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,706: Ki-Adi-Mundi

KI-ADI-MUNDI Jedi
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 20803
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW25
Includes: Stand, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Fall 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Ki-Adi-Mundi is part of the massive attack to destroy a Geonosis factory churning out dangerous new battle droids. Damaged by enemy fire, the Jedi's transport crashes short of the designated landing point. As he pushes forward, Ki-Adi-Mundi and his squad enter a cave where they are attacked by Geonosian drones. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen.

Commentary: This Ki-Adi-Mundi probably has had the longest shelf life of any version of the character. Since his introduction about a year ago, he's still fairly easy to get-- the only exception might be the original Phantom Menace release due to its series' unprecedented level of distribution. This one is slightly better though, and I would say it's the best in terms of durability and play. Don't get me wrong, the Revenge of the Sith one is good, but this one's lightsaber is less fragile and I'm delighted by the robe design incorporating soft plastic and cloth, which allows him to sit fairly well. Or it would, if the back part of his robes were softer-- as it is, he can't fit in a Jedi Starfighter with the canopy closed, so I'd say he's merely good and not great.

With 12 points of articulation-- no ankles-- this is one fine figure. The joints integrate nicely into the design, the deco is good, and the features closely resemble the animation model. He's got a very distinctive and kind face on the show, and on the whole Hasbro replicated it here with flying colors. It's possible that if his head were painted its color rather than molded in it, it might look even better-- but as it is? It's very good. It would be nice to see his hands a less pink color, but still, it's a reasonably minor complaint when the overall figure displays nicely, has a good lightsaber, and show signs of Hasbro trying new things in its toy engineering. I might not suggest that you overpay for this one, but if you see it you may as well spring the eight bucks.

Collector's Notes: I see this one fairly regularly, which is nice because it's better than "What do you mean you weren't at the store that one weekend? Well, it's gone forever now." As such you should be able to procure one fairly cheaply.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,706: December 28, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,705: Yoda

YODA with Jedi Mickey
Star Tours Park Exclusive
Item No.: No. 85679
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, display stand, Jedi Mickey
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $20.00
Availability: 2005
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Mickey Mouse teams up with Jedi Master Yoda, another small but powerful fighter against the dark forces in the galaxy. With help from the knowledgeable and understanding Yoda, Mickey takes up his lightsaber and joins forces with the other Jedi Knights in their battles to fight evil wherever it is found. Yoda and Mickey prove that nothing is impossible and as Yoda might say, "Do or do not - there is no try" as long as the Force is with you. Come join Mickey and Yoda on their many adventures throughout the galaxy! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' shelves.

Commentary: This Yoda was one I, at the time, sort of decided not to cover. But it is from the movies and does have a Hasbro logo on the box, so here we are. I don't like this figure. The sculpt is a weird cartoony design which, considering it came from 2005, feels like some lost, alternate, or rejected Clone Wars character model. With a longer face and very little articulation, with a moving neck and arms. And that's it. For those keeping track, that means he's technically inferior to the 1996 version, which had a weird joined single leg-- but at least he could bend at the hips.

The picture pretty much says it all. I'm not proud to have this one but I've got it because it has a Hasbro logo on the box. I'm not entirely convinced it came out of Hasbro, but well... I can't prove that. The lightsaber is a new sculpt, and Mickey looks significantly better than Yoda, and as I don't collect Disney that's upsetting.

Collector's Notes: There are at least three versions of this set, with the bulk of the changes being made to Yoda. The first release had a dark-skinned Yoda with a blue lightsaber. It was followed by a green lightsaber. The final release had Yoda with much lighter skin. And I feel like a tool because I have all three. Versions of the set sell for as little as $5 and as high as $15, I'd say make this a $5 purchase if you get it. In the small canon of Star Tours Hasbro action figures, this is my least favorite item in the collection. And I don't just mean this set-- Yoda specifically is a snooze and a waste of new tooling. This one just makes me angry.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,705: December 27, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,704: Yoda

YODA 2011 Edition
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 97568 No. 30241
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: VC20
Includes: Lightsaber, cloak, lightning, cane
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99-$10.99
Availability: January 2011
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Fore be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' shelves.

Commentary: This Yoda figure's pre-history is more interesting than the final product-- so let's start there. He was originally going to be part of the late-2010 Return of the Jedi wave on a cardback based on the original 1983 package, but fans (well, a few of them) went nuts, Hasbro agreed, and the figure was updated, repackaged, and delayed until early 2011. My initial reaction was "just put the damn thing out," but well, I'm lazy. I'm kind of surprised Hasbro didn't do it both ways to sell more units, which I'm usually not a big fan of but I make an exception for Vintage cardbacks. Also, Hasbro solicited this product to online stores as "Yoda with Hoverchair," and as far as I know they never displayed a sample to the public which showed a chair. My guess is they took it out for costing reasons early in the product's development.

The figure is pretty good. It reminds me of the 2004 Vintage Yoda-- which I didn't like-- and the 2005 Yodas-- which were a mixed bag. When you get right down to it, Yoda is hard to do well at this scale if you incorporate certain kinds of cloth. The cloth may be too thick to hang right on the figure, so no matter what you do he's going to look a little funky. What's worse, though, is if you take off the cloak some samples have a date stamp carved into the front of his thigh, effectively defacing the figure in a very ugly way. (This has happened on numerous recent Hasbro products as of late.) Those are my two big complaints-- the rest of it is pretty good, but I've reviewed nearly two dozen Yodas and that's a figure which I believe stops being interesting after three or four. When scaled down to a small plastic figure, there's not a lot you can do to change up the design.

Yoda has 14 points of articulation, which I believe breaks the previous record of about 10 or so. The face sculpt is good, and the costume is, more or less, great. At this scale the legs look a little funky with knee joints, but you actually get knee joints, which is rare with figures of this size. For my money, my favorite Yodas are the 2004 OTC version (great sculpt) and the 2003 Bandido Clone Wars release and the 2007 Kybuck version-- I give bonus points for being weird. With his cane, lightsaber, and a reflected Sith energy blast this one aspires to be the best but ultimately left me shrugging. Bring in Yoda in tiny Clone armor or something fun!

Collector's Notes: Yoda is somewhat common and, if you ask me, not necessarily worth the upgrade. If you want a new Yoda, get it-- but if you're on the fence? Save your money. You'll be able to get it below cost on eBay soon if you haven't already done so. He's about $5 on eBay... but I'd say just drop $60-$80 on a real, genuine 1980s vintage Yoda. As soft goods go, despite not being wholly accurate, it looked better as a toy.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,704: December 26, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,703: Holiday R2-D2

R2-D2 Holiday Edition 2002
Saga Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: No. ???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: C-3PO, display base, greeting card
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.99
Availability: November 2002
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. are delighted to present, for the first time, this Star Wars Holiday Edition commemorative. Inspired by the artwork of renowned artist Ralph McQuarrie, this specially designed set captures the imaginative vision of McQuarrie's art in collectible 3-3/4" action figure scale. Our gift to you, this piece is a distinctive addition to any Star Wars collection. May the Force be with you, and happy holidays. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' shelves.

Commentary: Ho, ho, ho. From 2002 through about 2005, Hasbro put out a bunch of Holiday Edition figures based on everything from classic Ralph McQuarrie holiday paintings to what I assume was a fantastic deal on red paint back in 2005. This R2-D2 was half of the very first set in the series, which was joined by C-3PO in a Santa outfit. This R2-D2 is modeled on the 2000 R2-B1 mold, painted up like R2-D2, and modified to include antlers-- given the red light under his eye, I assume the intent was to portray R2-D2 as Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

What I find particularly likable about this guy-- minus the novelty-- is how Hasbro sculpted the droid to look like the costume elements were, in short, sort of half-assed. On the left, it looks sort of like an antler was embedded into a small block, which was attached to his head somehow. I have no idea how, but it is. On the other side, it looks like C-3PO took some duck tape and stuck it to his head, which is a kind of a thing I'll always find funny. The dome sculpt itself is missing a ring near the bottom, but other than that it's painfully obvious that this is R2-D2-- and it's also painful to see just how far his sculpt has come in a decade.

With only three points of articulation and a light-up eyeport, there's not much to this figure-- even by the standards of nine years ago. Retractable third legs were the norm since 1995, so its absence is easily noticed. As a display piece-- particularly in the box-- this is a really great figure. I don't suggest that you open this set unless you really, really want to... it looks better in the box. But if you do open it, it looks even better in an X-Wing or Y-Wing fighter's droid socket.

Collector's Notes: The holiday line was plagued with cancelations-- the entire series was developed as a Fan Club exclusive, but only two of the products were released through the club as it repeatedly changed owners since the early 2000s. In other fun, I'm writing this in November-- I work ahead-- during a surprise internet outage. While this set originally sold for about $14, I remember it shooting up to $20 and $30 on eBay-- and unsurprisingly, it dropped and now it's $10 or so.

This piece was one of the first items I saw that showed me just how the Wal-Mart customer juggernaut could absorb a case of product quickly-- I actually saw a case of these on a pallet, and took it upon myself to liberate a set. I went back in a day, and they were gone-- and I didn't see another one until weeks later, in another city, and that felt like a fluke. This time of year, I've even seen an entire pallet of Mr. Potato Heads-- hundreds of units-- sell through overnight.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,703: December 23, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,702: Han Solo

HAN SOLO Death Star
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 91416
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD30
Includes: Blaster, helmet, armor, detonator, bonus droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: October 2009
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: After rescuing Princess Leia, Han battles his way back to the Death Star’s hangar. The stormtrooper disguise came in handy, but now it’s his bold nature and his blaster that will free him from the Empire’s clutches. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former back yard.

Commentary: After 34 years I can honestly say that Han Solo might be the character I've been the least happy with in terms of the head sculpt. Hasbro does a good job getting a figure that looks like "Han Solo," but not "Harrison Ford." The 2004 head was pretty good, and this new head has slightly more exaggerated features-- depending on the angle, you can see that this head does look Ford-esque, but some parts are a smidgen larger or smaller than they should be. The elements are largely there, but as a whole it misses something, and it's possible part of the problem might be the paint or kind of plastic used. Either way, the end result isn't ideal-- although the articulation is.

WIth 14 points of articulation, it's close to perfect-- the belt may get in the way of hip movement, but it's still quite good. With a different head, and maybe a holster, this would be a good normal Han body. The sculpt is essentially the same as the 2004 release, with some tweaks to the legs, but there is one deco problem: the torso's white shirt seems yellower than the arms, which makes little sense given it's painted white and usually if something goes yellow, it would be plastic molded in white. This isn't age either-- this is how it came out of the package, and this photograph was taken in late 2009. (Apparently, I waste no time and plan ahead.)

As part of a collection-- specifically as a part to get all the pieces to build R3-A2 since Han has his torso-- this is an acceptable enough figure. It's not a variant I recall much clamoring for, and the added large Stormtrooper helmet and body armor don't add much to it from my perspective. As a toy, it's an incomplete disguise and while I would like to say "better than nothing," maybe an alternate gun or a MSE droid would have been more appealing from where I sit-- particularly since this wave wasn't exactly easy to get in some markets for the kids. Get it if you can, but don't pay a lot for it.

Collector's Notes: Complete and without the droid piece, it can be had for under five bucks. A complete R3-A2 build-a-droid, which is the robot which came with Han and the rest of this series, sells for about $16. A droid piece can go for $4 or more, so if you can get a carded Han cheap it might be worth your while. There are other versions of the character which look better, but few have this one's range of movement and diverse accessories. Heck, none of them have removable Stormtrooper body armor-- this one is unique in that department.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,702: December 22, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,701: R2-X2

R2-X2 Artoo Redux
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 88884
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD52
Includes: Droid part
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Late 2009/Early 2010
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: R2-X2 is the on-board astromech droid for Red Ten during the Battle of Yavin. The R2 series atromech droid aids the Rebel Alliance X-Wing fighter pilot during the Trench Run to destroy the Galactic Empire's Death Star battle station. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former apartment.

Commentary: What color is R2-X2? If you asked me in 2005, when I asked for him as part of an exclusive gift pack at my day job, I said "black." Lucasfilm and Hasbro agreed, and now there are tons of black R2-X2s, but some fans said he should be green-- and in some stills, damned if he doesn't look green. So now he's green. Based on the R4-G9 mold, the droid has a leg which retracts when you spin his head around, jointed shoulders, and jointed feet. And that's it.

The sculpt is very good and due to it being the bases for most of the astromechs made by Hasbro, this is, by default, the "correct" scale. In 2010 Hasbro introduced a smaller R2-D2 body but, at press time, it has not become the basis for any other characters. This is a solid sculpt, and the holograph projector on the dome-- just down and to the right of his eye-- is hollow, so it could "project" a piece if Hasbro wanted to do so. R4-G9 had a projection of the planet Utapau, but subsequent droids dropped the gimmick entirely. Still... it's a good figure.

Collector's Notes: This is the only carded release of R2-X2, although other toys based on the droid exist-- including a Funko Bobble Head, which was based on this 2009 release. (I know because I nagged Funko to make that one too.) Since I got to ask for the black one, that's my favorite but today, either version could cost you between $10 and $20 depending on the seller.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,701: December 21, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,700: Lumiya

LUMIYA Dark Lady of the Sith
The Legacy Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87970
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #07
Includes: Lightwhip, alternate head, Luke Skywalker figure, comic book
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: September 2009
Appearances: Star Wars Marvel comic books

Bio: Luke Skywalker is defeated in a battle with Lumiya, the Dark Lady of the Sith, who wields her lightwhip with devastating precision. But this confrontation is far from over. Lumiya wants to punish the Jedi who caused her to become more cyborg than human, while Luke tries to persuade his opponent to turn away from the dark side. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former back yard.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now! 

Commentary: There's a short list of figures I tried to see if I could nag someone into making-- as I assume they would never see production-- and Lumiya was on it. While some of you know her as a villain from a recent-ish batch of novels, I grew up with her as one of the last major adversaries from the Empire to confront Luke and the Alliance of Free Planets from Marvel's comic line. Very, very few original characters from Marvel's run made it into the toy line, and most of those which did were existing bodies with new heads. So this one seemed pretty damned unlikely, particularly given she's an entirely new sculpt with an alternate head and a companion Luke figure to boot.

With 12 points of articulation, this is a pretty good figure and a great argument for why it's actually just fine when Hasbro drags their feet-- the longer you wait, generally speaking, the better the figure will look. Were she made in 1998 she's have 6 joints and a crappy accessory, and certainly not have the alternate head. You can choose between an unmasked head, after she lost a duel with Luke, or a partially masked head which is, really, a battle-damaged one. Her first appearance played her up as some security cyborg, and through time it turned out she was a Rebel pilot-- who is actually an Imperial agent-- who went on to fight along with green pirates and pale extra-galactic invaders.

This particular figure bases its design on her increasingly damaged form, right around the One Big Cool Duel around the time of the Nagai invasion. Exposed wires and boards on her torso are accentuated by silver armor, plus a big yellow flexible lightwhip makes for a great accessory. It's a reasonably simple figure, with a scarred eye and some decent overall deco. I like this one a lot, but mostly because I liked those old comic books. It's still a fine figure, but you won't declare this to be some giant amazing incredible release. It's just good, and if you like the character you should enjoy this release. If not... well, I'm going to like this a lot more than you are.

Collector's Notes: Fans of the 1980s Expanded Universe-- before it had the name-- should probably want this one. It seems to sell for roughly the original price, give or take, but I'd be dumb enough to pay more. I really like this set.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,700: December 20, 2011