Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,820: Wooof (Klaatu)

WOOOF The 1983 Klaatu
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 97568  No. 21485
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: VC24
Includes: Helmet, blaster, staff
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: October 2010
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

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 Fore be with you!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.  There is no bio.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelves.

Commentary:  This Wooof figure is an update of the 1983 Klaatu from Kenner, which also had the dubious distinction of being one of the last figures I ever saw on a retail shelf-- I bought mine on a family trip to San Diego a couple of years after the line died off.  We wound up at a Kay-Bee, it was a dollar, and I got it-- and because of that, the wait since the 1990s for Hasbro to remake him has been a long one.  I've actually  been looking forward to seeing a new version of him for years, and I think Hasbro did a decent job.  It's not perfect, but neither was the original.  The cool green alien now has a removable hat, which I have to admit doesn't really add to the figure.  It's easy to knock around, and while it's sculpted nicely I am surprised they didn't just glue (or mold) it to the head.  As with Giran, the head sculpt is exquisite and covered in horns, warts, bumps, and of course, green paint.  The shiny black eyes look great, bringing the figure to life. 

Compared to his original counterpart, it's remarkable how favorably the original holds up for being 28 years its elder.  The same soft goods "skirt" has been updated, but it seems to fit  better on the original-- the new one has some material hanging off his right hip.  Of course, the new one has 14 points of articulation and a holster, plus some amazing sculpting on his costume with top-notch texture detail.  I can't help but wonder if the 2010 release would have looked better with a plastic skirt, but as that element was a particularly memorable piece of the original it's good they tried to update it.  Overall, this is a figure with a fantastic sculpt and a paint job to match, I appreciate the extra weapons and detail but I could do without the helmet being removable.  I mean, what good will removing it do me, beyond Hasbro being able to point at it and say "we gave you more accessories!" anyway?   The same can be said of the removable bandolier-- it's a nice touch, but unless it helps Hasbro reduce costs in some way, it seems like wasted resources.  I don't want to take it off, but at least there's no subtle, sculpted groove acting as an eyesore underneath it.

If you're looking to update the original "Collect all 92 93 96 whatever" cardback tally, this is an essential figure.  It also looks really cool, and is the only action figure of this character in this outfit since 1983.

Collector's Notes: This figure was one of the nasty pegwarmers in his wave, sticking around for nearly a year unsold.  You might even still be able to find him at a Target near you.   If you can, I would suggest grabbing one-- you won't be disappointed!  On the secondary market, you should have little or no problem getting him for $5-$10.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,820: June 5, 2012