Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,773: Clone Commander Cody

CLONE COMMANDER CODY Jetpack
The Clone Wars Basic Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37290 No. 37306
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: CW7
Includes: Card, stand, rifle, helmet, big jetpack, little jetpack
Action Feature: Removable helmet
Retail: $8.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: Clone Wars TV series

Bio: Commander Cody takes on battle droids wherever the Clone Wars rage, even in the deep space or orbital battles. He straps on a rocket pack and propulsion pack when the fighting takes place in the vacuum of space. Cody’s flight pack has built-in weapons that swivel to blast battle droids in any direction. (Taken from Hasbro's web site.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' back yard.

Commentary: Good figure, bad accessories. Clone Commander Cody is the second major sculpt of the animated figure and given that it's a Phase II upgrade, it's neat and new enough to be interesting. However, the execution is only partially good-- there are things about this figure which are fantastic. And others which remind me that nobody ever thinks about the end-user, the kids, in a meaningful way.

Let's get this out of the way: the figure reuses the big honking jetpack originally sold with the new Captain Rex sold in late 2011. It's a good accessory, but to be good it requires additional accessories-- it's a part of a three-piece set. Rex had a unique blaster which rests in a holster on the chest, and a second, smaller jetpack which fit in the giant hole on the back of the larger jetpack. This includes neither, so what you have is an item that's obviously incomplete just to look at it. A holster without a gun is a bad idea, and a giant gaping hole in the backpack is probably going to confuse the poor child that gets this one. But as a collector? I get it. I see that they tossed it in to add "value" to the figure, although this extra piece seems to just make it look like something was left out.

Cody includes a smaller jetpack which resembles the one from the movie, but the peg is quite large and the hole in his back is quite small. It's a tight fit-- I wasn't able to get it in there without using boiling water to soften the peg. (And I fully admit, I have the strength of a small girl.) His rifle is pretty good, and the new helmet sculpt is superb. Deco is good, with some scrapes and damage, and the new head design is nice as well. I hesitate to say it's better than the previous release, but it's different and I can appreciate different.

The figure's body has quite a few new parts, some of which really add to the range of movement. Sadly, ball-jointed hips aren't present-- but oddly, rocker-jointed ankles are. So in theory, if you could spread his legs apart, his ankles could rotate in a way to always keep them flat on the ground if you wanted. Much like the large jetpack, it's a nice feature but one that cannot be fully appreciated in its present configuration. Cody has 14 joints, but lacks the bend-and-swivel wrists of the earlier Clones in the animated line. I'm going out on a limb and assuming we'll never, ever see them again.

I can't complain about the paint job, in particular a (I think) multi-colored tampo on his chest which I assume is for rank purposes. The movie versions have this bit sculpted, but I guess better it be flat than not included at all. It definitely adds to the look of the figure, which I would give a strong buy to collectors of the animated style. There's nothing wrong with the previous Codys, so if you're satisfied with whichever ones you have, I wouldn't consider this a must-buy upgrade. But it is good, and I do like it, and it's different from other animated Clones... so I'm not sorry I have it.

Collector's Notes: New! He's selling pretty well so far, so you may as well get him if/when you see him. Since he's a major character, I expect to see more of him later-- unless Hasbro axes the animated line, and sometimes I'm beginning to wonder if they're contemplating that.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,773: March 30, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,772: Qui-Gon Jinn

QUI-GON JINN Light-Up Lightsaber Blade!
Discover the Force Movie Heroes
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 36573
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MH18
Includes: Stand, card, die
Action Feature: Light-up lightsaber
Retail: $8.99
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Qui-Gon Jinn battles Darth Maul in a deadly confrontation on Naboo. The Jedi Master first duels the Sith apprentice on Tatooine, barely escaping the confrontation, then faces him again on Naboo. Qui-Gon is up against a relentless enemy who tests his mastery of the lightsaber. Although he's strong in the Force, Qui-Gon battles for his life against this powerful foe. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: Old-school Kenner meets modern Hasbro! This Gui-Gon Jinn is an interesting synthesis of new and old design techniques to the point where I'm honestly not sure what to make of it. His shoulders and hips are classic joints like the 1970s figures, and he has no waist joint. If you remove the lower part of his robe-- easily done, as it's a belt tabbed in the back-- he can sit in pretty much any legit 1980s Kenner vehicle unless his lightsaber gets in the way. On the other hand, he has ball-jointed knees and a ball-jointed left elbow, plus a jointed wrist and a ball-jointed neck plus the best Liam Neeson head sculpt yet. It's so real, he could practically speak "I've got full-blown AIDS." (Did you watch "Life's Too Short?" The improv bit? With Ricky Gervais? It was funny. Anyway.) The pose is also similar to the old Kenner figures, and I get a kick out of that.

The other nifty thing-- and shortcoming-- is the figure's action feature, a swell light-up lightsaber which is activated by his belt. If you push the buckle, it lights up until you let go-- so fighting with lit-up sabers is difficult. My big complaint, though, is that the battery isn't replaceable. I don't know what this means for corrosion over the coming decades, which we as collectors are sort of worried about at times. There's a battery in this guy, and it ain't coming out. I don't like this. I love the feature and how it works, but I want to be able to replace the battery and it's my guess that I won't be able to buy a new one in 10+ years when the battery runs down or leaks or something. And I have to literally crack the figure open if I want to remove the battery. I know this may be a ridiculous thing to Hasbro, but seriously, consider your audience: a lot of people, maybe not the biggest market, are buying these and will hold on to them for years or decades. Is it safe to have a permanently-installed battery? (I'm not calling them out, I honestly don't know.)

I have zero understanding of why Hasbro put in the expense of giving him ball-jointed knees, but they did and there you go. I think this may be the best toy figure of Qui-Gon to date since he can actually sit and has a cool fun toy feature. Sure, his shoulders are a little broad, but if you can get beyond that this may be the best, funnest Qui-Gon Jinn figure Hasbro has ever and will ever make. Get it if you dare, fun lovers!

Collector's Notes: A relatively new release, this figure is a little tough to come by in the wilds of retail. Wave 1 of Movie Heroes may be in the way at a store near you.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,772: March 29, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,771: Colonel Dyer

COLONEL DYER Figure Debut!
The Legacy Collection Battle for Endor Battle Pack
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 91805
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: Fall 2009
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Rebels and Ewoks attack stormtroopers during the Battle of Endor. The Rebel strike team arrives on Endor's moon to demolish the shield generator protecting the Death Star. The Rebels are captured but a surprise attack by the Ewoks freese them, and a desperate battle ensues. Through the combined forces of the Endorian natives and Rebels, the generator is destroyed. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old apartment.

Commentary: The Moff Jerjerrod body has been brought back to bring you Colonel Dyer. This is the only version of this character, which I believe is currently the closest release to the vintage "Imperial Officer" action figure-- he's got gloves, he's wearing black, that's pretty much all I'm asking for in terms of requirements here. (Nevermind the fact that the original officer was an Empire Strikes Back release.) Between this figure and Warok, I would consider the Battle for Endor Battle Pack a required purchase for anyone looking to get modern updates of the original 96+ Kenner action figures. (92 + Yak Face + 3 R2s & C-3POs +...)

Anyway. Hasbro is pretty good at making the most out of an old mold, as Dyer is basically a figure you already bought with a couple of tweaks. The torso is similar, the head is new, and of course he's wearing black-- but it's basically Moff Jerjerrod. This means he has no knee or ankle joints, his elbows are cut joints, and he doesn't sit particularly well-- and that's OK. I'm assuming most people are going to be getting this figure for dioramas or shelf displays, and this figure isn't much to play with. He looks cool, but he won't be doing a lot of sitting. His stormtrooper blaster accessory is quite nice, and the coloring of the figure is, obviously, decent-- it's hard to screw up "black uniform." For classic Kenner fans and Imperial loyalists, this is one fine figure-- although the set of Luke, Dyer, and Warok makes zero sense as a group, each individual figure is totally worth your while and I am quite pleased Hasbro cranked them all out together.

Collector's Notes: Despite being tailor-made for the original trilogy collector, this set lingered and was available quite cheaply at certain retail (and deep discount) outlets. If you were lucky, you could probably have scored it for as little as $10-$15, but now it's closer to $20-$25. It's also totally worth it for the best Battle Poncho Luke, the only Warok, and this nifty Imperial Officer figure.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,771: March 28, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,770: Battle Droid

BATTLE DROID Tan Edition
Discover the Force Movie Heroes Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 36563 No. 37751
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #MH04
Includes: Stand, card, die, blaster, firing blaster, projectile
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $8.99
Availability: January 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Battle droids are the perfect soldiers - programmed to fight without hesitation and deployed in vast numbers that overwhelm opponents. Individually, though, their limited cognitive ability makes them vulnerable when they go up against skilled Jedi who can outwit and outmaneuver them. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: The very definition of "just different enough to make you mad," Hasbro decided to try our loyalty with this Battle Droid. Two versions of it-- the first release was tan, the second is red-- were released, and each one had a different Ultimate Battle Game card with different artwork. The figure is based on a removable limbs mold with 5 points of articulation, best known for being part of a 2-pack starting in 2002 with the deluxe C-3PO Droid Factory set. It was doubled up with itself in Saga Legends and was generally known as the cheapo Battle Droid, as the 2010 edition came with two stunning super-articulated versions for a mere $7-$8. This time around, though, we get the worst articulation at the highest price. This figure is not worth $9.

The deco is new-- the tan color is different from previous releases, as are the blast marks and dirty spots. The shoulders are clearly different, and there's a little color throughout. The paint job is quite nice, it's just that Hasbro is now selling you half of a $7 2-pack for $9. That's just wrong. The figure is nifty, but compared to the $10 Vintage edition one peg over, it's insulting. The figure has no real problems standing or sitting, and the standard blaster may plug in to his backpack. What's more, he includes a Clone Wars oversized rocket launcher which fits better in his hands than it does the animated droid. (Good call on that, Hasbro.) For the dozenth-plus take on a 2002 mold, this figure is about as good as they come-- and I sincerely hope they retire this mold for good after this year. Getting two of this mold in a set feels like a steal, but getting one for $9 feels like a ripoff. It's different from your other Battle Droids, though, so if you like armies or need every version you'll want to get this one too. I don't regret tracking this variant down, but that's because I have a problem. If you're a well-adjusted individual you may want to direct your discretionary income and spare time toward other, more meaningful pursuits than "this robot is slightly different than the 50 robots I already bought."

Collector's Notes: According to the date stamps on the cardback, the tan version was produced before the more common red version. Lately, I'm only seeing the tan one at Target stores so you may want to go there first if you intend on picking this one up. I have no doubt the running change was made when someone realized that a red color would set the mold apart from the vintage version, which is significantly better for basically the same price. I'd say this is a figure for collectors (or clearance) only.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,770: March 27, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,769: Star Tours Jedi Padawan

JEDI PADAWAN Small Boy
Star Tours Jedi Training Academy Set
Item No.: No. 87801
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, 4 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $34.99
Availability: June 2009
Appearances: n/a

Bio: STAR TOURS takes you to the Jedi Training Academy where you train to be a Jedi Knight! You and your fellow Padawans will experience the power of the Force and learn to battle with a lightsaber from a Jedi Master. May the Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' big AT-AT.

Commentary: After thousands of figures, I think I have a sort of Stockholm Syndrome when it comes to Hasbro reusing the same bodies again and again. I should be irritated that this Jedi Padawan was part of a fairly expensive boxed set you could only get at a theme park, but it does have a new head and that's pretty cool. The kid has extremely short hair, dark skin, and reuses the same body we saw on the likes of Ashla in 2003. When you get right down to it, this set has 5 figures but the actual retail value is closer to $20-$25. Anyway.

Despite reusing a 2003 body, the head sculpt is really quite good-- the eye paint is some of Hasbro's best, the sculpt is very lifelike, the hair texture is excellent, but there's a reason for this. We have no concept of what this kid should look like. When it comes to the human face it's quite easy to say "hey, that dude looks wrong" unless we have no frame of reference. Since I have no idea if this is based on a real person or is a mishmash of kids from around Hasbro, I can only say that the paint is crisp, the design is fantastic, and the kid looks happy. Because it's not from any real source, it's basically an action figure of a tourist in Jedi gear, or it could fill out any Jedi training diorama you might have. There's no denying this is a wonderful figure with a fantastic paint job, but it's hard to enthusiastically recommend an anonymous extra when there are hundreds (or a thousand) other great figures of more famous faces you should get first. Still, I wouldn't advise you to skip it-- the overall quality of work is some of Hasbro's best.

Collector's Notes: This figure's price on eBay is odd. Individually, he sells for $10, but the complete set of 5 figures goes for $25ish. So it looks like the sum is cheaper than its parts, which you should keep in mind when getting these. Get it in the set if you can, just remember that you're basically buying yet another spare Darth Vader and four nameless human Jedi characters.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,769: March 26, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,768: Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER Orange, Unadorned
The Clone Wars Clone Troopers & Droids Battle Pack
Item No.: Asst. 94743 No. 19677
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, grappling hook, display stand, game card, 3 more figures
Action Feature: Firing rocket launcher
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Clone troopers apply all their military training, warrior skills and weaponry to battle the endless army of "Clankers" during the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen.

Commentary: It's kind of amazing that we got to a point when writing about another Clone Trooper is something of a chore. This one is similar to the 2009 release, except the color is a smidgen different and he has an added grappling hook accessory. The entire set is quite good-- you get an orange 212th Battalion figure with a jetpack and two great droids, plus this guy. His range of movement is great-- you get articulated ankles, bend-and-swivel wrists, the works-- but it's still Just Another Clone Trooper, and his value is dependent entirely on your need for an army or how many clones you already have. The range of movement is good, the accessories are fun, and the complete set is, again, worth it. It's just that as a single unit, this figure may not be doing much for you. As filler goes, this figure is about as good as they come, but I wouldn't suggest tracking down the set just for it. (Now the Retail Droid? Absolutely.)

Collector's Notes: As Hasbro withdrew support of Battle Packs, the early wave sets (like this one) sat around for a while and may still be in a retail store near you. At a discounted price, this is a must-buy set. Even at full price it's pretty good-- four figures for $25 or so is, sadly, now quite the deal especially when one of them is an exclusive sculpt to this set.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,767: March 22, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,767: Imperial EVO Trooper

IMPERIAL EVO TROOPER The Force Unleashed: Sith & Imperial Troopers
The Legacy Collection Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 33259 No. 33261
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 pistols, 1 grenade launcher
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: August 2011
Appearances: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game

Bio: Trained to survive the galaxy's most treacherous weather conditions, EVO troopers have enhanced armor that withstands heat, acid and lightning. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former kitchen.

Commentary: The good (or bad) thing about figures like the Imperial EVO Trooper is that Hasbro can easily tweak them and release them for another round at retail. This is the third one. The figure was originally released in 2008 with some dirt on its shins and slightly different deco than this release. Number two had brown camo splotches, and hit in 2010. This one came out in 2011, and is my favorite so far-- I like having a figure with crisp detail and no mud on it. Little silver details are painted, as are the hoses and the red stripe on his helmet. The figure still has a flat, unpainted panel on its chest that looks like it probably could have benefitted from a tampo or extra sculpted detail. The figure has a big, all-black grenade launcher as well as two smaller clone pistols for you to misplace when you move. If you like the design, the figure is on par with most troopers from 2005 on-- you get 14 joints, sitting is sort of tricky, and the detail is pretty good. The armor is a little chunky and may get in the way of some poses, but at this scale it seems Hasbro is still perfecting articulation on this kind of figure. I expect you'll like it if you get it, and this figure was the only straight-up repaint of an existing toy in this particular gift set. It's a good one too.

Collector's Notes: You may be able to find this at a store near you right now. I suggest that you buy it-- some of the Force Unleashed stuff has been getting expensive after it finally disappears from retail.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,767: March 22, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,766: Ric Olie

RIC OLIE Hated Pegwarmer Reborn
Discover the Force Walmart Exclusive Wave
Item No.: Asst. 38601 No. 38603
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #/ of 12
Includes: Blaster, helmet, duster, display stand, card, die
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $8.96
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Naboo pilot Ric Olie battles droid starfighters in the Battle of Naboo. The pilot of Queen Amidala's Royal Starship, Olie leads Bravo Squadron in the attack that destroys the Droid Control Ship and stops the Battle Droid Army. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' photo area.

Commentary: It's bizarre to write about remakes of figures that I bought "new" over ten years ago, but here we are again with Ric Olie. Back in 1999-- and 2000, and in some areas, 2001-- he was a figure that tended to sit for a very long time. I think I even saw some in grocery stores in 2002, which is why I was really surprised Hasbro decided to mine this character for another go. According to the data I have now, this figure will not be on a Vintage cardback but the Naboo Pilot may be. (I say "may be" because it wouldn't stun me if Hasbro decided the current distribution was sufficient.) But Ric Olie? This is probably going to be his only appearance this year, and I would probably consider assuming this would be his final action figure appearance period.

Olie turned out well, and this is going to be the definitive figure. He shares tooling with the Naboo Pilot, with really only the head and helmet being different. Olie's goggles are down over his eyes, and his blaster now fits in his holster. As I type this, I do not have the new 2012 Naboo Fighter so I don't know if he'll fit. The quality of the sculpt is excellent, and obviously 14 points of articulation trumps the original's 6. However, 6 was sufficient for the pilot figure, the quality of the sculpt was pretty good, and this wasn't a character anyone was demanding. I'm glad Hasbro made Naboo pilots for 2012 and the Starfighter's reissue, but their exclusive status is interesting-- why does Walmart have all the pilots for the non-exclusive vehicles this year?

Ric Olie's duster is a cool accessory, and Hasbro did do a nice job updating him for the modern age of action figure collecting. Still... your old one is probably just fine. I buy these things due to deep emotional scars which can only be healed with plastic. If you're in this boat too, or if you missed the first Ric Olie, go ahead and buy this new one. Ralph Brown thanks you.

Collector's Notes: You may be able to find this at a store near you right now. Surprisingly, this entire wave seems to have been stocked at even the smaller, shall we say awful Walmarts in my area.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,766: March 21, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,765: Spacetrooper

SPACETROOPER Space... uh... trooper
The Legacy Collection Shared Exclusive Expanded Universe Wave
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 99305
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD58
Includes: None, but 2011 Saga Legends release has a gun
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: May 2010
Appearances: Expanded Universe

Bio: Spacetroopers are high-ranking Imperial commandos who wear powersuit armor designed for space combat. These Zero-G Assault Troopers are considered "walking tanks" because of the extensive weaponry built into their suits. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' former bathroom.

Commentary: The 1998 release of this figure became something of a rare item, and the 2010 Spacetrooper wasn't much easier to find. It was rereleased in 2011 with Wioslea's blaster, meaning you can get it, but if you want the BG-J38 build-a-droid part it might mean you need to spend some effort. Slightly taller than the 1998 release, this figure was delayed a bit (coincidence?) and also part of a final wave, just like his ancestor. He's a little bulkier, whiter, and has more painted detail-- oh, and more articulation. In all honesty, the only thing the 1998 has over the 2010 release is the forearm-stored blasters. In 1998, the sculpt was designed so it could be put away. In the 2010 figure, it's permanently out. He can stand, he looks cool, but the funny thing is that this one was one of the few 1998 Expanded Universe figures I had no real associations with, and I still don't. I didn't realize where he came from at first, I discovered him as a background character in the comics but even then, it's not like he struck a chord with me to the point where I am particularly excited about him today.

It's a nice figure. It looks cool, it has a jointed rocket pack, but it's one of those figures that basically goes straight into the storage bins for me. Even though I'm not familiar with all the characters from the comics, novels, and so on, the few books or comics or games I do experience often tell me enough about who they are, and Wookieepedia is good at filling in the rest. This guy is just kinda there-- a cool-looking trooper, but not one with sufficient personality. Another Spacetrooper was made in 2009, but that one was just a normal Stormtrooper with a bunch of space gear. And oddly, I had a stronger connection to that one.

Collector's Notes: This figure may still be available on the 2010-style Saga Legends cardback, and I give kudos to Hasbro to putting him out again. I hope they do that more with other troopers. Today you should be able to score one for $8 or less before shipping.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,765: March 20, 2012