Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,776: Lando Calrissian

LANDO CALRISSIAN Sandstorm Outfit
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No. 49689
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC89
Includes: Cloth poncho, plastic wrap, goggles, communicator, pike, blaster, Skiff Guard helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: February 2012
Appearances: Return of the Jedi deleted scene

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 Force be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. No specific character information.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' shelves.

Commentary: Fantastic, but short. Also, kinda white. Lando Calrissian is many things, and those aren't two of them-- this figure is an odd example of a misfire mixed with the best execution you'll ever see. Hasbro was clearly switched on when sculpting, designing, and costing out this figure. He has more then enough gear, and is able to appear in his "Skiff Guard" outfit as well as the deleted scene sandstorm costume, but height is something of a shortcoming. He's nearly a full head shorter than the last Lando figure, and that head is pretty pale. I think I have a couple of Lukes darker than this Lando, and that seems just plain odd. With the helmet on, it's not like you'll notice, but I find it pretty frustrating. The darkest Skiff Lando was 1983, and while he was probably a little too dark, I hope any subsequent reissues of this figure go in that direction.

I consider this figure to be essential, despite the height problem, since this is the super-articulated version of this costume. The costume itself looks fantastic, colored closely to the 1983 Skiff Guard Lando figure, which was one of my favorites growing up. If Hasbro ever does reissue this figure, I'd love to see darker skin, longer legs, and maybe a tweaked torso. The sculpt is wonderful, but it just seems Kenner and Hasbro, since 1995, have had a hard time making non-white figures. (And let's be honest, a lot of the whitey figures are pretty pale or translucent too.) The last issue of Skiff Lando was preposterously pale, so here's hoping the next one is exactly like this... but colored better.

Collector's Notes: Probably the best figure of this wave, save for those two issues, he's in stores near your now. Probably. I don't know who lives in your area. If you're reading this years in the future, unless a Skiff Guard Lando came out after this one, make this the one you buy. Height's not everything and it's just got so dang much stuff in the package.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,776: April 4, 2012