Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,966: Snaggletooth

SNAGGLETOOTH Villain Set
The Vintage Collection  Target Exclusive Special Action Figures Set
Item No.: Asst. 32976 No. 39752
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Boba Fett, Tusken Raider
Action Feature: Holster
Retail: $14.99, $24.99, $26.99, other (varies)
Availability: July 2012
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Boba Fett, a fearsome, intergalactic bounty hunter, poses a threat to any member of the Rebel Alliance. Sand People, a tribe of desert nomads, survive by robbing innocent travelers like Luke. Snaggletooth is an alien creature seen by Luke and Ben lurking in the cantina.   (Taken from the set's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo hole.

Commentary: Depending on how much you paid for it, this Snaggletooth is either an awesome addition or a shameful cash grab.   So the update of Zutton or Snaggletooth or whatever his name is this week is tough to take on its own merits, despite being a new sculpt and a darned good one.   You get your 14 joints, and this figure probably would be really well-received on a Vintage cardback... if the original 1979 Kenner figure was the same guy.  There's another, similar alien named Zutton which has a different outfit and is slightly shorter-- that's what the 1979 figure is, and he's sorta from the Star Wars Holiday Special. Takeel is from the movie.  So... this is the one you should've got back then.

The figure is on par with Hasbro's better aliens today, with a nice wash over the body, good sculpting, uneven shoulders, and a nice recreation of the rubber mask.  It has a lot of personality, which is sort of a given when you've got a fang sticking out and big, black eyes.  Oh, and giant nostrils.  Seriously, this is a nifty one.  The boots look good, and you've got ankle joints and all that stuff.   Since it's a super-articulated vintage-quality figure, it's tough to review.  It looks right, the sculpting is good, it meets the expectations of a figure in 2012 and exceeds them slightly with some nice texture on the face and he looks good in a diorama.  I feel like I'm writing a fifth-grade book report.   It is what it is, and it's good.  You'd be smart to buy one for your Cantina toybox.

Collector's Notes: I got this set for $15, which was priced right.  The set included a variant Boba Fett (the backpack holds on better, the deco is 3% different) and yet another Tusken Raider.  But it was pretty common from its release around July through... well, now probably.  Don't overpay for this one in the future, it was pretty common and sat around.  Heck, I saw piles of these out at lunch today.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,966: December 26, 2012