KUL TESKA SeparatistThe Clone Wars Toys "R" Us Exclusive
Item No.: No. 98392
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Display base, card, die
Action Feature: Rotating gun hand
Retail: $14.99
Availability: July 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes video game
Bio: Kul Teska is a villainous Skakoan scientist working for the Separatists during the Clone Wars. Because his home planet of Skako has an extremely dense atmosphere, he wears a protective suit to survive in low-pressure environments on other worlds. His specially designed armored suit has integrated rocket launchers and concealed shoulder blasters. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's desk.
Commentary: Standing close to 6-inches tall, Kul Teska is a really bizarre figure in the grand scheme of Hasbro's Star Wars toy line. He was a character that online fans didn't really ask for (or recognize), he stands about 2-inches taller than Darth Vader, and he comes in very non-standard packaging. If you collect the animated line (and you should) this is one of very few figures that didn't appear on the TV show, but rather, was born from a video game that may or may not have performed well. (I picked up a copy for under $5, brand new, shortly after this figure came out.) Due to his unusual appearance and size I'd suggest tracking him down. Fact is, non-standard large Star Wars characters that aren't essentially monsters are very uncommon and generally speaking if it doesn't fit in a basic cardback, Hasbro generally won't make it. (There are exceptions for the occasional gift set, of course.) This guy is big, nasty, and looks like an extremely dangerous version of Wat Tambor. With articulated knees and numerous other body parts, it has a good range of movement that should help make you feel like you got your money's worth. For the price and size, this figure is comparable to Hasbro's larger Marvel Legends and Spider-Man toys. While not quite as articulated, it's still quite good and the detail is certainly present. The flip-open shoulder launchers and big gun hand are nice touches, and I'm pretty glad this toy got made-- even if I haven't played the game he came from as of yet.
If you haven't played the game, I'm currently in the midst of it (I waited until it got cheap) and he's a boss character. As of the end of the first meeting, he really isn't much more than a cookie-cutter bad guy but maybe he gets more interesting as the game goes.
Collector's Notes: This figure was sold individually in a window box at Toys "R" Us stores starting in July 2010. At press time, it's still possible to find him there. It's quite rare for Hasbro to make a figure from a new video game in a toy line aimed at the kids, so it's something of a miracle that this one got out to stores.
--Adam Pawlus
Day 1,502: March 17, 2011
I'm intrigued whenever I see him (which is often, as he seems to not be selling and has sat on shelves near me for what seems like years.) But with no familiarity with the character the question that I always had is 'is he in scale with the standard SW action figures?' Because if he is supposed to loom over all others at that scale, I will buy him. But if he's way out of proportion then it's pointless.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on this one, Adam; I saw this guy and thought "what the hell?" But he's too unusual and neat not to get, again, even if he looms over everyone else on the shelf. Sometimes weird is good (and fun).
ReplyDeleteHe's supposed to be big, but not THIS big. Compare the size of this guy's head to the size of Tambor's and it's clear he isn't totally in-scale. That said, I don't know if the scale issue was driven by the character design or by Hasbro's mis-interpretation of it.
ReplyDeleteWell, since we've never really seen another Skakoan besides Wat Tambor, he very well could be in-scale. Wat Tambor could be a Mark Hamil height Skakoan & Kul Teska could be a Peter Meyhew height Skakoan. Anyway, I'm glad I'm reading this column. Until now, I really had no idea what game or line he is from. I just bought him becasue TRU had a "buy 2 figs & get this guy" deal going on. Other than that, I probably would not have paid $14 for him.
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