Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,913: Darth Malgus

DARTH MALGUS  Expanded Universe
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 37499 No.  37513  
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #VC96
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, removable cape with wire
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: April 2012
Appearances: The Old Republic

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's photo dump.

Commentary: With few A-grade movie characters left-- OK, technically none-- it's a good thing Hasbro is moving on to the video games.  While I haven't played The Old Republic, nor will I, I have to say that Darth Malgus is one fine looking action figure.  Big and imposing, the game's developers came up with a design that looks like an incomplete, but beefy, Darth Vader.  The articulation is pretty much normal with 14 joints, but check out the sculpt and deco. There's a lot of glossy elements, and some simulated "damage" on the shoulders.  OK, the damage looks crappy, but let's get by that and look at the gauntlets.  Each one has several individually-painted lights and switches, bringing his armor to life while his chest remains relatively simple.  The figure's bald, damaged head recalls Anakin Skywalker, while his breathing apparatus seems similar to Darth Vader.  Heck, even his black armor resembles Vader, and the double cape is a nice touch too.  By default, he has a cloth cape hanging off his back, but he has a hooded robe with some wire in it which you can pose for added Sith menace.

It's a neat and fairly well-executed figure, but difficult to find as is the case with most figures this year.  For $10-$20 it's a nice figure, but not really for $50.

Collector's Notes: While these figures did ship to stores, they sold through very quickly and retailers didn't get all that many.  They're de facto online exclusives for the time being, so if you want one you may be best off buying a case or splitting a case with a buddy, as individual figures have reportedly sold for north of $50 over the summer.  eBay usually has it at $20-$30, which is still obscene but it's not as bad as the reported prices at Celebration VI in Orlando.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,913: October 12, 2012