Figure of the Day: Day 1,187: R5-K6

R5-K6 Scramble on Yavin
The Legacy Collection Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 87781
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Antenna, third leg, additional figures and transport vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: Spring 2009
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This astromech droid belongs to "Red Leader" Garven Dreis. Many R5-series droids are used on starfighters for onboard navigation, diagnostics and repair. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: A truly striking design, R5-K6 repaints the 2006 R5-D4 figure in a very red and black color scheme. Hasbro teased us with a cardboard facade of the droid in an exclusive X-Wing fighter a few years ago, so it's really great to finally have the figure along with an improved version of his owner, Red Leader Garven Dreis. As you can see, the figure boasts a vibrant color scheme with black and silver bringing him to life. The design is unlike anything else in the figure line, so if you're a fan for high-quality repaints and/or astromech droids this one is a must-buy figure.

The droid sports a retractable third leg, and if you twist the dome the "bad motivator" pops up just like on R5-D4. Since this is the only release of this droid, it's worth tracking down. Hasbro did a great job here, and with any luck it might se a reissue in the chance that you missed it.

Collector's Notes: This set has come and gone, and collectors have taken notice. Get one ASAP if you want one, or wait for interest to drop eventually as figures tend to do.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,187: December 31, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,186: ARF Trooper

ARF Trooper Clone Trooper
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 89468
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW10
Includes: Rocket, gatling gun, blaster
Action Feature: Firing rocket launcher
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: These Advanced Reconaissance Fighters often operate All-Terrain Recon Transport (AT-RT) walkers on scouting or combat operations. Riding atop these armed vehicles, ARF troopers can swiftly sweep through an area and cut down battle droids in their path. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: It wouldn't shock anyone if the ARF Trooper were just another Clone Trooper with a new head, but Hasbro actually redesigned the hips too. The figure has ball-jointed legs, which is unusual in the animated line. This allows the figure to assume more action poses, which is good for being posed with his giant and heavy gun. It's also good for piloting an AT-RT or other vehicles, and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see this body reused to make (or remake) other clones as we go. It has 14 points of articulation, but the added motion in the hips and wrists makes this one of the best figures in Hasbro's entire line to date. The figure is clean and white, with some special markings on the helmet. Clone fans should make sure to get one (or more) of these for their armies, it's really a nicely made product.

Collector's Notes: The figure has been doing very well so far-- it's assumed it will ship for a while, but who knows? It's been a slow Q4. A similar (if not identical) version will be packed with the AT-RT vehicle any day now.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,186: December 30, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,185: Qui-Gon Jinn

QUI-GON JINN Theed Hangar
Episode I Playset Pack-In
Item No.: Asst. 84055 No. 84713
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Battle Droid, and a whole playset
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: May 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: In their attempt to liberate the Naboo people, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi face their deadliest foe...Darth Maul. While the desperate final battle against the Trade Federation rages on outside, Darth Maul corners the two Jedi inside the Theed hangar. Armed with a double bladed lightsaber, Maul leads Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan into a snare of deadly surprises-collapsing catwalks, secret traps and battle droid ambushes! Maneuvering through the hangar, Qui-Gon Jinn takes out a band of battle droids with his lightsaber and his mighty power kicks before coming face to face with Darth Maul! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's kitchen.

Commentary: Without the playset, this Qui-Gon Jinn isn't particularly exciting. It has loose limbs so you can plug him into his playset, which has a big lightsaber-shaped joystick that allows you to control the figure and have him "fight" things around the hangar. It's a really ornate way to make a deluxe figure with an action feature, using a playset as a disguise for a fairly clever way to bring a single figure to life. Because of this, the figure has very limited articulation. Also, the sculpt is a little less crisp than other figures, and the deco isn't as good as other Qui-Gon Jinn toys. It's a perfectly fine figure, but this is one you get to finish a collection rather than to be your one-and-only Liam Neeson Jedi. The figure is basically OK, but the playset itself is the reason to pick up this figure. It's a nice way to display some of your toys.

Collector's Notes: The figure didn't become a hot commodity, mostly because the entire era was kind of a turkey that way. The packaged playset with both figures can be easily had for less than original retail on eBay. In some cases, for less than the price of an individual figure.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,185: December 29, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,184: Juno Eclipse

JUNO ECLIPSE Space Babe Pilot
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87538
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0815
Includes: Blaster, stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: February 2008
Appearances: The Force Unleashed

Bio: Juno Eclipse is the Imperial captain of the Rogue Shadow. She is appointed by Darth Vader to pilot his Secret Apprentice throughout the galaxy. Haunted by a tragic past, Eclipse continues to serve the Empire loyally while secretly yearning for a new life. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: Reusing tooling is a big part of Hasbro's master plan, and Juno Eclipse was originally created as a 2007 basic figure who, when the game The Force Unleashed got delayed, also got pushed back until February 2008. The game itself saw release in September 2008, meaning that this figure was clearanced out before the game hit stores... and a repaint of this figure hit before the original. How about that?

Juno is based on one of the outfits in the game, but not the one you see the most. It's a fairly standard Imperial uniform, complete with fully removable hat. She is super-articulated with 14 points of movement, but sadly the lower part of her top blocks the movement of her legs slightly. The sculpt is great, although her hair is a little pale-- or maybe it's her skin. Either way, she's just a little pale. It's a great design, and there are so few Imperial figures that it's great that Hasbro made this one. She's a perfectly fine Expanded Universe figure, although her other outfit in the game was slightly cooler and would probably have made for a better figure. Oh well! At least we got this one.

Collector's Notes: A "pre-paint" of this figure was sold as Deena Shan in late 2007. The figure was basically identical except for the grey uniform, and the hair was retooled on later shipments. Juno Eclipse was a rotten seller, some stores had tons of her left over after the line had transitioned to The Legacy Collection. She was a common sight on clearance racks for as little as $1.50. A new version of the figure with a retooled torso and open jacket is coming in 2010 as a Toys "R" Us exclusive, so if you just want a Juno, you may wish to wait for that one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,184: December 28, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,183: R2-D2 (Jawa Capture)

R2-D2 Jawa Capture
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 91414
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: BD29
Includes: Lightning, removable leg
Action Feature: Sensorscope pops out when dome rotates
Retail: $7.99
Availability: October 2009
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Scavenging Jawas find R2-D2 in the Jundland Wastes. They incapacitate the droid and attach a restraining bolt to keep him from escaping. The plucky astromech droid is then place in the cluttered hold of the Jawas' sandcrawler. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: For years, Hasbro has been asked by fans to make R2-D2 with a brushed silver dome to match the entirety of the line. You see, all the astromech droids have these greyish silver domes, but for some reason almost every R2-D2 had heavy flame or damaage markings and/or a shiny metallic vac-metal dome. As such, he stood out against R2-A6 and his many companions, so it's awesome to not only see Hasbro do the Vintage Original Trilogy Collection (2004) mold in a better shade of silver, but to also block up that annoying light-up eyeport. Truly, this is the best R2-D2 has ever looked based on this mold. Truly, this figure is something of a Christmas Miracle, but it came out in October so it was more of a Columbus Day Miracle.

The figure is, basically, the perfect modern R2-D2 in terms of deco and looks. Are there quibbles? Yes. But it's basically the best-ever individually packaged R2-D2 figure created based on the movies, so far. (The cartoon one from 2008 is arguably the best ever, period.) Since it's the same basic VOTC mold, let's point out the changes. First, the "panel" on the body is glued down, and has been resculpted with a Jawa restraining bolt as seen after R2-D2 is captured. The dome is a brushed silver rather than vac metal. The body has a little bit of dirt on it, but it basically clean. The circle at the top of the dome is black, not blue like it should be. This is because the mold for this piece is also the same as the central eye, which is now opaque black rather than translucent blue. The light-up eye port gimmick lost its charm about 10 years ago, so it's nice to see it going away for this fairly top-notch release.

Oh, and the lightning accessory is an awkward fit. Not totally disposable, but not as good as the R3-T7 one in terms of fitting well. This and the new Battle Pack R2-D2 are both good for different reasons, but this one I think is just a little bit neater-- the bolt and the fact that it was individually packaged helped it out a little. Get it if you can!

Collector's Notes: This figure is newish and shipping in a few cases, but its popularity may render it desirable down the road. However, it's more likely we'll see more figures like this, or ones that are close enough. The recently released Resurgence of the Jedi Battle Pack has an R2-D2 with similar deco but based on the R4-G9 mold, for example. The Resurgence R2-D2 and this R2-D2 are virtually identical in deco, except this one has the top of his dome as black, he has more dirt, and a square on the back of his dome is unpainted/silver instead of blue. Either is great, but the restraining bolt makes this release just a little bit better looking. Get either one, you'll be glad you did.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,183: December 25, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,182: Gha Nachkt

GHA NACHKT Ambush on the Vulture's Claw
The Clone Wars Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 87988
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: Fall 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: The Trandoshan trader secretly makes a deal with General Grievous to deliver R2-D2. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: This is one of my favorite figures of the year. No joke. Gha Nachkt is a completely new sculpt, and is essentially a shorter, dumpier, fatter, greasier Bossk. How can you not love that? Voiced in the series by the fantastic Ron Perlman, Gha's figure is packed with personality. He's got a bad eye, a droopy face, really nasty overalls, and a lot of articulation-- even ankle joints. Due to the fact he has legs similar to those of Cotton Hill (i.e., no shins), his legs are pretty stumpy and this gives him a unique perspective given his huge arms and his species' penchant for being, well, huge. The scaley skin is really well-represented, he has no problems standing (but sitting isn't really an easy thing for him to do due to how his hips were designed), and he's a bit of a sad sack. There are so few figures from Hasbro that are fat, or too short, or in some way kinda disgusting that this one is a real joy. The perfectly-sculpted heroes and villains of The Clone Wars have fantastic builds and perfect bodies, so Gha Nachkt is a real breath of fresh air in the same way as Whorm Loathsom's different body type. These cartoony figures really set the line apart from most of the figures in the past decade and a half, and this figure is, to me, the single best argument to collect Hasbro's newish cartoon line. If you buy cartoon figures, you owe it to yourself to get this one.

Collector's Notes: This figure is presently exclusive to this gift set, and was the only new sculpt in it. The IG Droid in the pack is slick, because the paint looks more cartoony than the carded release. We'll look at him later. Overall, I really like this set for what it is-- which is to say, mostly rehash with one really cool new figure.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,182: December 24, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,181: Clone Trooper 212th Battalion

CLONE TROOPER 212th Attack Battalion
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 87939
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #19
Includes: Rocket, launcher, blaster rifle
Action Feature: Rocket launcher fires
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Early 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: The clone troopers of the 212th Attack Battalion are distinguished by the orange markings on their white armor. Led by Clone Commander Cody and Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi, this unit includes a number of elite infantrymen trained for special missions. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: This Clone Trooper uses the same mold as pretty much every one since 2008, although this particular one is historically significant in that it's the first with the "new helmet." This redesigned helmet sculpt has a bit if a hole where his "chin" is, plus a slightly broader forehead. At first it looked really weird, but the truth is that it's truer to the animation designs. The figure itself sports the orange markings of Obi-Wan Kenobi's squad, so it's pretty swell-- add it to your army, get a bunch, etc. He has the same articulation as you're used to, so check out the other FOTDs for the specifics.

Collector's Notes: This figure came and went pretty quickly, but it's assumed we will see it again due to the sheet number of them on the series. If not this one specifically, other members of the battalion should see release eventually. Similar troopers were sold as deluxe figures with jet packs, and another 212th Clone with the original helmet sculpt was shipped in a Target-exclusive Battle Pack in November of 2008. So you can probably make a pretty good 212th Squad at this point.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,181: December 23, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,180: Darth Maul (Trophy Assortment)

DARTH MAUL with Sith Infiltrator
Episode I Trophy Assortment
Item No.: Asst. 84275 No. 84409
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Stand, binoculars, small vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: 2000
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Following orders from his Master Darth Sidious, Darth Maul easily tracks his Jedi prey by traveling in his Sith Infiltrator equipped with a stealth cloaking device. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: In 1999, it seemed obvious that Hasbro was going to need to find a way to do a ton of unique Darth Maul toys. He was the most popular character in the movie, despite having few lines and little to do other than fight or snarl, but we all dug him. This particular figure is molded to look like he did in a scene before he sends off some probe droids. Since all he really did was stand around menacingly, it isn't too surprising that this newly sculpted figure doesn't have a ton of articulation. He has a moving neck, plus joints at the shoulders, hips, elbows (swivel), and waist. His arms are the only really meaningful joints, allowing the figure to hold his binoculars and look through them. That's about all the action this figure is going to give you, which shouldn't be surprising as he ships in something called a Trophy Assortment, of which he was the only memeber.

The sculpt is excellent, but the paint could have been better. The robes have a lot of detail, and Hasbro even sculpted the super-long double-lightsaber hilt to his hip, which you can see on the robes under his outer robes, so you almost can't see them. There's a lot of detail under the larger outer cloak, were Hasbro so inclined they could sell the figure with a different head and minus that cloak and it'd be just fine. The head has a hood sculpted on it, and its paint is a little weak-- the red is too dark, and the detail is pretty middling. The figure itself is almost 100% black, without any gloss on the boots or anything special on the gloves. There is a silver droid caller sculpted to his wrist, and the lightsaber hilt was also decorated.

This isn't a figure to play with so much as it is one to admire on a shelf. It looks really cool with the tiny repainted MicroMachines Sith Infiltrator standing next to him, and I wish this continued. A tiny vehicle with a figure was a great idea, and if Hasbro made more of the stands, which can hold any Star Wars MicroMachines vehicle, I'd have bought a bunch to set up figures with their pilots. It was a really clever and creative idea that just came at the worst possible time at a pretty awful price. When this hit for $12.99, a basic figure cost $6.99, and included a stand and accessory. In short, Kay-Bee charged fans an extra $6 for the MicroMachines vehicle, which was about a $2 value at the time.

Collector's Notes: This figure was a weak seller in its day and was supposed to be the first in a series of "trophy figures," which was actually a really swell idea. This one didn't move, and as such the subsequent figures-- Obi-Wan Kenobi and OOM-9, each new sculpts with repainted MicroMachines vehicles-- never hit stores. Interestingly, the figures were tooled and were never actually produced. None seem to be on eBay at the time of this writing, but online stores that have them are charging $10-$15 for them. Factor in 10 years of inflation, and that's a price drop.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,180: December 22, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,179: 5D6-RA7

5D6-RA7 Imperial Droid
The Legacy Collection Build-a-Droid Figure
Item No.: Asst. 87535
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: n/a
Availability: September 2008
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: 5D6-RA-7, nicknamed Fivedesix by those around him, was an RA-7 protocol droid in service to the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War. Five-D served as an aide to Admiral Conan Antonio Motti's staff. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: As a figure that took a while to make, it's surprising that we got two versions of 5D6-RA7 at all, and it's a pretty awesome figure. It's not quite super articulated because of the bizarre elbow joints which result in some pretty funky movement. It's more droid-like, of course, but it may come off as stiff or scarecrow-ish. When fully assembled, he is jointed at the neck, waist, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. In other words, he's basically decent. The only real ball joint is the torso, and the limited movement of the elbows basically qualifies. The sculpt is excellent, and it's nice to have a figure like this that isn't made with the shiny wrap of vac-metal paint. The detail on the helmet is pretty good, although I did expect more detail in the mouth grill. The black paint deco looks a little weathered, but not too much, giving the figure a quasi-metal finish. If you have the means, it's absolutely worth getting.

Collector's Notes: This figure is a remake of 1998's "Death Star Droid." Same dude, new mold. It came with Wave 3 of the Legacy line, which was a series of repacks and repaints. Oh, and it's "5D6-RA-7" everywhere except for the packaging for the figure. The mold was also used to make MB-RA7 in silver.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,179: December 21, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,178: Qui-Gon Jinn (Holographic)

QUI-GON JINN Figure as Holograph
Episode I Wal-Mart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 84225 No. 84371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Light-up stand
Action Feature: Light-up base
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Fall 1999
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: In the days of the old Republic, a direct communications system was introduced to give those in power a way to quickly relay vital information to where it was needed. As part of a comm-unit communication, this 3-D, visual system uses advanced holoprojectors which enable the user to transmit and receive messages within seconds. (Taken from the figure's package.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: This barely qualifies as a figure. It's the right scale, but Qui-Gon Jinn has no articulation. I don't mean "it doesn't move much," I mean the whole thing is one damn solid piece. This clear blue figure has some painted details on his face, specifically a fleshy color, to better simulate the look of the holographs in the prequels. It's a little off, but it's slightly more accurate than the clear blue and purple figures we've been getting steadily since about 2005. As figures go, this thing is a statue. You can look at it, and that's about all. It's pretty cool to have it with the light-up communicator base as an action feature, but again, it doesn't do much. The base itself is pretty neat as a sort of prop replica, but the ability to spin the figure when you want isn't much of a fun play feature. It was a neat idea, but it's no wonder that this line was abandoned after the first two figures It's a neat curiosity, but hardly worth shelling out a lot for.

Collector's Notes: I picked my first one up at ten bucks. I also picked up more on clearance at $0.50 each. These weren't popular items, and have never been rereleased. Get them cheap if you get them at all. As in, not worth the ten bucks.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,178: December 18, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,177: Battle Damaged Darth Vader

DARTH VADER Battle-Damaged
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87486
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #0812
Includes: Helmet, armor, leg armor, wrist armor, display stand (TAC only)
Action Feature: Removable helmet, holster holds pistols
Retail: $7.99
Availability: February 2008
Appearances: The Force Unleashed

Bio: A fierce battle with the newfound Rebel Alliance aboard the Death Star has pushed Darth Vader to the brink of defeat. Beaten and broken, the Dark Lord of the Sith is the closest he's come to death since Obi-Wan Kenobi defeated him on the burning shores of Mustafar. (Taken from the figure's package.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: This figure is both really cool and really maddening. Battle-Damage Darth Vader is a heck of a neat idea, visually very interesting, and packed with 14 points of articulation and removable armor bits. It's quite a nice toy, plus there's a tattered cape to simulate the whole getting his butt kicked thing. That's also part of the problem, for the most part Darth Vader is presented as this astounding warrior, a nearly unbeatable foe. The game The Force Unleashed allowed you, the player, to wail on him pretty severely, and this toy represents that. It's neat because it's different, and sort of weird in terms of timing. The costume looks like a damage original trilogy (ESB/ROJ) suit, but it takes place right before the original Star Wars, and it seems the armor in the EU never quite matches that. The paint is solid, the exposed wires are a nice touch, but the one thing that bugs me about this one is the lenses in the helmet don't quite match up with the eyes on the figure, which uses the Sebastian Shaw-style head. (This is weird, because the Star Wars-based removable helmet Vader has Hayden's head. And this is before that.)

The figure has great articulation, and while the plastic skirt under the cloth cape does hinder movement somewhat, it's more of a display figure than a Starfighter pilot figure. The various bits of armor mostly stay on just fine, although the "sleeve" piece does fit awkwardly. Vader has no problem hanging on to his lightsaber, and he plus into his stand perfectly. This is one of my favorite figures just because it's such a good take on the character, but again, I do dislike it when he's presented as less than an indestructible monster. Ah well. Still, a great figure, well worth owning in your toy stash. Besides, it's not like there are many unique different Darth Vaders you can do, so this one is a nice, new, and different release... even if it is basically the same kind of thing as the Evolutions figure.

Collector's Notes: This was first released on a 30th Anniversary Collection package in 2008, and later reissued on a blue Legacy Collection package. The 30th Anniversary one has a display stand.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,177: December 17, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,176: Star Corps Clone Trooper

CLONE TROOPER 327th Star Corps
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87535 No. 87824
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #BD29
Includes: Blasters, rifle, helmet, pauldron, all that stuff
Action Feature: Removable helmet, holster holds pistols
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Fall 2008
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The clone troopers in the 327th Star Corps are led by Clone Commander Bly and serve with Jedi General Aayla Secura on several planets in the Outer Rim Territories. This elite corps is distinguished by the yellow markings on their armor. (Taken from the figure's package.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: Hasbro has redone so many figures that in some cases, you can army build just by buying one of each unique release. The Clone Trooper (327th Star Corps) is one of these. Seriously. There's the 2005 Evolutions figure, the 2007 Target Battle Pack with 3 more versions, this one, and the 2009 Gelagrub rider figure, just for starters. That's almost a squad right there. The figure has 14 points of articulation, clean armor, a swivel (but not pivoting) waist, and a helmet that still doesn't quite fit. That's the big bummer about this mold, when he has the pauldron over his shoulders, his chin may stick out a little. Still, it's a decent figure, worth owning, and available in enough slightly different versions that you may as well pick 'em up at some point and build yourself a little squad of traitors.

Collector's Notes: This is the individually carded Legacy figure. Which is a repaint of the 2005 Evoutions figure. The 2008 carded Legacy figure is very, very similar if not identical to the 2007 Target-exclusive Battle Pack version. The carded version has two variants, one pauldron is brownish and the other better matches the stripes of the armor.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,176: December 17, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,175: R5-M2

R5-M2 Hoth Recon Patrol
The Legacy Collection Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 87789
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Antenna, 4 additional figures
Action Feature: Twist dome to raise "bad motivator"
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2008
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: While on a routine patrol, Han and Chewie investigate the source of a strange signal, and discover an Imperial probe droid, which immediately fires upon the pair. When Han returns fire, the droid self-destructs - but not before it tells the Empire where the Rebel's base is located. As the Alliance begins an immediate evacuation of Echo Base, R2-M5 helps coordinate plans and K-3PO provides tactical support to hold back the Imperial forces. (Taken from the figure's package.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: While some may disagree, I think this Battle Pack is one of Hasbro's better offerings, not just because of R5-M2 but the whole set is actually pretty solid. We're here to talk about this droid, though, which is a background design that-- let's face it-- nobody really knew or cared about until pretty much everything else started getting made. Hey, in this new era of toys, repaints are an inevitability and a lot of us dig the astromech redeco thing, so he's a welcome repaint of R5-D4, himself a retooled R2-D2. The figure has mostly blackish or dark blue panels, with some white for the body and a little grey mixed in for good measure. The figure still has the pop-up motivator, and a little red rusty dirt on the bottom for some reason. I never quite figured out why a snow planet droid would have quite this color of dirt, unless he just got off the boat from Geonosis or the Outback or whatever.

If you need more droids in your dioramas-- and you probably do-- this is a fine set to grab. This is the only figure in the Battle Pack previously unproduced, so it's kind of a bummer in that sense, but the other figures are pretty good and the Probot repaint is really slick. So yeah, I'd say get the set for R5 and keep it for the other figures.

Collector's Notes: This is a first-timer, only-timer. R5 repaints were just not done until after the first

non-attack, regular modern R5-D4 was done in 2006, so this is basically one of many new droids based on the design.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,175: December 15, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,174: Wedge Antilles (Dress Uniform)

WEDGE ANTILLES & Borsk Fey'lya
The Legacy Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87747
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Borsk Fey'lya figure
Action Feature: Working holster
Retail: $12.99
Availability: January 2009
Appearances: Rogue Squadron Comic Books

Bio: Wedge Antiles and the rest of Rogue Squadron are enjoying some R&R, but trouble soon ends their break. Acting-Emperor Sate Pestage is captured when the Empire discovers he's made a deal with the Rebel Alliance. Rogue Squadron is tapped to rescue Pestage, but Provisional Council member Borsk Fey'lya is hostile to the plan. (Taken from the figure's package.)

Image: Adam's floor.

Commentary: Hasbro has an allergy to putting Wedge Antilles out at retail on an individual card. He's been packed with carry cases, in pilot packs, tossed with vehicles, and put in this comic pack-- and his one single-carded release was Internet-only. Clearly, he gets no respect, which is why they packed him with the dickish Borsk Fey'lya. Wedge also rarely gets an original sculpt-- every figure so far has recycled several parts from an existing figure, and this one is no exception. The hands and legs are from the Clone Trooper Trainee from 2007, just recolored. Poor Wedge, those legs kind of suck-- there's no ankle joints and they're a little lop-sided when trying to get him to stand up. Given that this is a dress uniform, legs that allow him to stand upright may have been a better idea. His arms have swivel elbows, and his uniform looks a lot like they do in the comic book-- which is to say fairly formal and correctly colored, with a really top-notch head sculpt. (Arguably, the best.)

So if you want a figure that looks good but can't stand up straight, this is it. The Rebel logo on his holster is pretty sweet, so I have a hard time not ultimately liking this one despite its flaws. There's enough good parts to make it worth your while.

Collector's Notes: First released in early 2009, it was pretty tough to get. The set was repackaged in late 2009, and was also pretty tough to get.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,174: December 14, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,173: Joclad Danva

JOCLAD DANVA & Battle Droid
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena
Item No.: Asst. 91751 No. 91757
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #4 of 6
Includes: Lightsaber, Droid, backpack, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2009
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's floor.

Commentary: One of the things that remains both delightful and disturbing is that Hasbro can crank out figures, the names of which many of us don't actually know. If I showed the bulk of you Joclad Danva out of context, it's a pretty safe bet a lot of the people buying him wouldn't know him from any other comic book Jedi. (Don't worry, I'm one of you.)

As an extra in the background of a major battle scene, he doesn't draw a lot of attention to himself or have any lines, plus he reuses the body of a Luke Skywalker figure from the novels. So arguably, he's not entirely authentic to the film, but pretty close-ish. (I believe I heard the actor was taller, too.) When it comes to some of these minor characters, apparently, we're going to have concessions. Which is a shame, as some of the other prequel Jedi bodies probably would have been slightly closer to the right build and outfit, but oh well- this is what we got.

The head sculpt is good, and the 14 points of articulation are certainly decent. The blue lightsaber is nice enough. As this will likely be the only version of this character you ever see as a toy unless he shows up in a big way on TV, well, why not get it while the getting is good?

Collector's Notes: Either Target's roll-out of these is staggered, or they're going to be short. It's too early to tell, but I've not seen many of these yet. As such, I say grab it if you have the means. There are no other Joclad Danva figures to worry about, so you may as well pick up this one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,173: December 11, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,172: IG-86

IG-86 Assassin Droid
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 87859
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #18
Includes: Backpack, two pistols
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2008
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: An IG-86 Assassin Droid lies deactivated in a Trandoshan trader's cargo hold until a buyer can be found for the dangerous droid. But he is accidentally reactivated by a clumsy astromech droid, and the lives of everyone on board the ship are in peril. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's floor.

Commentary: Of all the droid figures, it seems Hasbro has the strongest affinity for droids like IG-86 (and his ancestor/descendants) as of late. This is the very first figure to use this mold, three have so far, and it looks like the designers went to town here. The legs have a ton of articulation including lateral hips, the hands can open and close, plus there's a nice level of grit. The dirt can be a pro or a con, given it didn't look too filthy in the show and a later release with more subdued damage looked more cartoony-- this one is almost realistic. (Not that this is a terrible thing, of course.) Few figures showcase this range of movement, and I would suggest buying some form of this figure just to get a good look at what Hasbro seems to be capable of doing these days. It doesn't hurt that it's a cool design.

Collector's Notes: The first shipments of this figure had grey blasters. Later ones have blue. The mold was also used to make Ziro's Assassin Droid and another IG-86 in the Ambush on the Vulture's Claw Battle Pack in 2009. No doubt, it'll be used to make another figure again. It's also worth noting that IG-88 appeared on the original Droids cartoon series in 1985, so it seems he's a good choice for cartoons given there's little backstory for the design as far as the movies and TV series are concerned. (The books are another, often goofy, matter.)

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,172: December 10, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,171: Holographic Ki-Adi-Mundi

HolographicKI-ADI-MUNDI
The Saga Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 85770 No. 85944
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #027
Includes: Stand, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Spring 2006
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: During the battle of Coruscant, Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi is assigned to lead a strike team to battle the droid armies stationed on Mygeeto. He appears to the Jedi Council via hologram and reports on his progress. He fights bravely until his clone troopers suddenly change and turn on him. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's desk.

Commentary: Hasbro has understood the importance of getting the most out of a mold for quite some time now-- look at Transformers, for years nearly every mold got at least one repaint. Applying this to Star Wars, there are precious few figures you can just slap a new coat of paint on and get some other new figure from it. Thankfully George Lucas pitched in and added characters like Holographic Ki-Adi-Mundi to the movies so Hasbro could get one more squeeze out of the mold, without paint to boot. Hasbro took the 1999 Ki-Adi-Mundi, gave him a newer lightsaber mold, and cast the whole thing in clear blue. He can't sit, and he doesn't have the definition or slight coloring like he does in the movie either. So really, this is a figure that personifies (plasticifies?) the very idea of a cheap repaint.

Really all he can do is stand around since he has six points of articulation and his lower robes block most leg movement. I guess this could also serve as some sort of ice sculpture, too. As line filler it's more interesting than, say, a straight reissue. Still, a reissue might have sold better, given that the audience for a normal figure is slightly larger than that for a frozen blue Jedi-sicle.

Collector's Notes: Some holographic figures enjoyed brief success as collectibles. Most go on eBay and can be bought for a song. Care to wager a guess on this one? I actually segregated the holographic figures in a separate container so they're not mixed in with the painted ones for some reason. It just seems like they should be kept away from the real ones.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,171: December 9, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,170: Goldie R3-S6

R3-S6 "Goldie"
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 87943
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #23
Includes: Removable third leg
Action Feature: Retracting winch arm, pop-up sensorscope, opening panels with arms
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars (2008+ TV series)

Bio: This astromech droid is the replacement for R2-D2, who is lost during a space battle. Anakin considers this new droid, whom he nicknames “Goldie” because of its metallic coloring, to be unreliable and mistake-prone. What Anakin doesn’t know at first is that the droid is also a spy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's ARC-170 on the floor.

Commentary: As a villain, a pest, and an adorable character, R3-S6 has the unenviable task of trying to be many things at once. Ahsoka immediately loves him, Anakin thinks he's a little punk, and the audience quickly sees him as a screw-up and, of course, a spy. Naturally, this was an easy release for the figure line in that he's recognizable and really easy to make. The figure starts with the base R2-D2 from the animated line and adds retooled limbs, as the holes for the rockets are filled in. (This looks better.) All the other original action features are here, including the opening panels with claws and tools, the retractable cable, the removable third leg, and the sensorscope. It's really fantastic to see another droid in the line so soon, but unfortunately he doesn't really work all that well with most of the vehicles in need of droids from a story perspective. (What's this "pretend it's someone else" nonsense?)

Since the figure is based on a recognizable design from the show, odds are fans are going to want to make sure they get this one. The original 2008 animated R2-D2 mold was one of Hasbro's best action figures to date, so it's perfectly sensible that this would also be a great figure. If you don't have any animated Astromech droids, be sure to get this one. Or another one. They're all pretty great. (Yes, all both of them.)

Collector's Notes: For whatever reason, this figure came and went in a hurry and as such is woefully gone from the market. It's not yet commanding premium prices, but who knows what will happen after the kids get the DVDs for the holidays. The director of the series colored him to match a favorite sporting team.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,170: December 8, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,169: Yoda

YODA & Droideka
The Legacy Collection Target Exclusive Geonosis Arena
Item No.: Asst. 91751 No. 91755
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #6 of 6
Includes: Lightsaber, cloak, Droideka, blast effects
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2009
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padmé 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's Geonosis Arena playset.

Commentary: This particular Yoda was not, as we had thought, a reuse of the 2005 figure. Rather, it's a clever rework of the 2007 Yoda with Kybuck figure. Now, he has a new cloak closer in look and feel to the 1980s action figure, and the articulation is good but not exceptional. The feet are not jointed, and this Yoda has an unusual leg design specifically created to stand on the back of a Kybuck. On his own, it's a little strange and may benefit from stands of some sort. The deco is excellent, with the paint on his head bringing a lot of personality to the character. The cloak doesn't get in the way too much, plus it does make Yoda feel nicely retro. Along with Mace Windu, this Yoda is one of the downers in the Geonosis set simply for not bringing much new to the table. Those without a Yoda could do worse, but they could do better too. As such, get this one if you're so inclined, but this is one of those rare instances where Hasbro really should have included a build-a-droid gimmick just to make this one a little more exciting. It's lovely that Hasbro keeps putting in good effort on these reissues, but it's a shame they didn't throw another more exciting Jedi out there instead. (Of course, Yoda will easily sell, so it's not like you can really blame them.)

Collector's Notes: Due to Yoda's not being too great and the Destroyer Droid being arguably inferior to the 2007 release, this is one set you could probably skip unless you're a fiend for Yoda variations.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,169: December 7, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,168: Clone Trooper (Senate Security)

CLONE TROOPER Senate Security
The Clone Wars Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. 87846 No. 87921
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster Rifle, Yoda, additional Clones
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $21.99
Availability: November 2008
Appearances: The Clone Wars TV

Bio: Under the command of Commander Fox, these elite clone troopers guard the security of the planet during the Clone Wars and protect important dignitaries and leaders. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' table.

Commentary: The Clone Trooper (Coruscant Guard) shows how to do a Clone repaint right, and cheap. Of course, the days of 5-figure Battle Packs are now over, but this one included 4 of a new Clone plus a Yoda figure for a mere $22, which, today, sounds like some sort of beautiful dream. This figure was designed to be part of Fox' crew from the end of The Clone Wars movie and, not surprisingly, uses the same Clone body we're all used to, before the helmet revision. It is what it is-- pretty cool, pretty red, and a squad in a box.

Collector's Notes: If you missed this set, you're probably sorry. It was a nice set, and so far this particular clone was only available in this exact set. Thankfully, as of today, its eBay price is still pretty reasonable-- roughly retail, which is still a bargain for what you get.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,168: December 4, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,167: Darth Krayt

DARTH KRAYT & Sigel Dare
The Legacy Collection Comic Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87504 No. 87972
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #08
Includes: Helmet, lightsabers, shoulder armor, Sigel Dare figure with lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.99
Availability: September 2009
Appearances: Star Wars: Legacy comic books

Bio: Darth Krayt is not pleased; Admiral Stazi of the Galactic Alliance Remnant has stolen the Sith Lord's powerful new warship Imperious. Unknown to Stazi, Imperial Knights Sigel Dare and Treis Sinde have sabotaged the ship, hoping to ruin Krayt's plans. Now Dare must warn Stazi before the bombs planted on the ship explode! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's TV tray.

Commentary: As fans tend to like Sith Lords, it's a wonder Hasbro hasn't gone crazier with figures from the Legacy comic series. (Which, I should add, has no real relation to the action figure line called The Legacy Collection.) The big bad wolf of the series is Darth Krayt, first introduced as a mighty armored villain and later revealed to be A'sharad Hett. (The spoiler window is a year, tops.) Fans have been asking for a figure of the character for a while, and now that we have one it's a really mixed bag. For example, he has a removable mask and can store his twin lightsabers on his back-- that's pretty cool. Unfortunately, the helmet is tough to get off, his left hand was not designed to hold a lightsaber (for a character that wields two, this is a flaw), and his tattoos don't quite match up with those of his younger self. Maybe he grew some new skin?

The figure has a lot of detail but is lacking in painted highlights. The entire body is basically a silvery grey, while, while OK, seems off model because in the comics he's depicted wearing this strange, living armor. (You see, his armor is borrowed from the Yuuzhan Vong species, where everything is biotech and can sneeze and stuff.) As such, this looks more like some space samurai than an alien life form suit. The sculpt qualifies as good enough, except for the hand, and overall Hasbro crafted a pretty good figure. Sure, he can't sit, but does that surprise anyone these days? All the ridges and nubs on the armor and skin are nicely done, and if you leave the helmet (and the hand rubber bands) on, the figure will probably serve you well. Mine had the shoulder armor fly off as soon as I opened it, so as a toy figure, this isn't a real high mark. So in other words, it falls short on being a toy and on being a nice collectible figure, so if you get one and leave it in the package you might be the best served here.

Collector's Notes: So far this figure and all the red-carded Comic Packs have been somewhat tough to get. With only two waves released in 2009 and the Fall 2009 waves not showing up for pre-sale anywhere yet, it should come as no surprise that Hasbro is planning to eliminate this assortment in the coming year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,167: December 3, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,166: Hermi Odle

HERMI ODLE Baragwin
The Legacy Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87297
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cloth robes, staff, coin
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: September 2007
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Hermi Odle is an expert at crafting weapons and helps fortify Jabba's palace against attack from the Hutt's many enemies. When Jabba attempts to execute the Rebels at the Pit of Carkoon, Odle defends the sail barge with a stun weapon. However, he accidentally stuns one of Jabba's skiff guards, thus inadvertently helping the Rebels. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's TV tray.

Commentary: Few aliens have been on fan wish lists for as long as Hermi Odle, as the big, ugly Jabba's Palace aliens were not only recognizable, but pretty amazing. He's unusually big, requiring a specially sized blister on his package, plus he's fairly well detailed. It seems that he's not quite as amazingly decorated as Ephant Mon, but Hermi here does have an articulated mouth, cloth garments, ball-jointed shoulders and ankles, it's actually pretty swell given that odds are Hasbro could have just made it a statue and fans would have been happy with that. There's good paint on the wrinkles, the lazy eye looks fantastic, the tongue hanging out is a wonderful detail, really I could go on all day here. The quality is here, the character has never been done as an action figure before (or since), this is really one of those figures you positively must own.

Collector's Notes: This figure didn't stick around for too long, appearing with the Expanded Universe wave rather than with the Return of the Jedi in 2007. Odd, but hey, at least we got one now. If you like Jabba's Palace, this is one of those figure you really owe it to yourself to own. It's still generally pretty cheap, so get it sooner rather than later.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,166: December 2, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,165: Anson Trask (Joker Squad Stormtrooper)

ANSON TRASK Joker Squad
The Legacy Collection Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: No. 87923
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet, 5 more figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: March 2009
Appearances: Legacy Comic Books

Bio: Anson Trask was a Human male stormtrooper in the Galactic Empire during the Second Imperial Civil War. Following in his father's footsteps, he joined the 407th Stormtrooper Division where he was assigned to Joker Squad. Shortly after completing his training, he fought in the Battle of Borosk against forces loyal to former Galactic Emperor Roan Fel. After the battle, Darth Maleval executed Joker Squad's commanding officer, Lieutenant Gil Cassel, and Trask killed the Sith Lord to protect his comrades. Trask and Sergeant Ran Harkas were later sent to Ossus to find a group of Jedi hiding on the planet. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: In a toy room.

Commentary: One of the first members of Joker Squad introduced-- and one of few survivors-- was Anson Trask, a fresh-off-the-space-boat young man with a goofy haircut. Since the comic depiction of Legacy-era Stormtrooper armor varies from issue to issue, as seems to be the style 150 years after Palpatine died. The figure is based on the Vintage Original Trilogy Collection sculpt with the revised neck post. So yeah, if you have one of the Clone-headed troopers or Luke or Han Stormtroopers, this is basically that with a new head and a white blaster holster. Basically, it's another Stormtrooper for your ranks, which is as good a reason to buy this as any. The head sculpt and hairdo match the comics nicely, but he's seemingly lacking in neck.

Collector's Notes: This figure comes with 5 others in the Joker Squad set, which is currently exclusive to Entertainment Earth. The story of the squad appears in Legacy #4 or the second volume of the collected graphic novel.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,165: December 1, 2009