Friday, February 26, 2010

Figure of the Day: Day 1,228: Shadow Stormtrooper

SHADOW STORMTROOPER and Emperor Palpatine 30th Anniversary Collection Wal-Mart Exclusive 

Item No.: Asst. 87576 No. 87578  
Manufacturer: Hasbro  
Number: n/a Includes: Blaster  
Action Feature: n/a  
Retail: $14.99  
Availability: September 2008  

Appearances: The Force Unleashed  

Bio: Among the Emperor's elite shock troopers, the Shadow Troopers utilize advanced cloaking technology to ambush enemies. They can remain completely undetectable until the moment they strike. With keen tactical awareness, the Shadow Troopers can cross Rebel lines undetected and use their stealth skills to gather intelligence that can be used to organize future Imperial attacks. (Taken from the figure's box.) Image: Adam's yard.  

Commentary: Low-hanging fruit. The second figure with the name Shadow Stormtrooper is from the popular video game, and rather than being pretty much entirely black, this one is a dark grey with little flecks of silver and blueish lenses. While some dismissed this and the other figures released around the time as "skittletroopers," I dug the fact that if we were going to get more repaints, at least it was something kind of fun. 

Were these cheaper I don't doubt I'd have bought several more, but I am a sucker for things from the early Empire. The articulation (and mold) are nearly identical to the 2004 "vintage" Stormtrooper, and in the set, you get two of these and the Emperor. For $15, it wasn't a bad deal, and I really enjoyed these despite being funky color Stormtroopers.  

Collector's Notes: This set was rereleased as a Toys "R" Us exclusive early in 2009 in the white-and-blue Legacy Collection packaging, but at a higher price point. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,228: February 26, 2010

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