Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,181: R5-Series Astromech Droid Black with Silver and Orange


R5-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Black Dome with Orange Markings
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.:
???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the 2012 series and 25 domes in the 2015 batch so far.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  This figure is essential, because it isn't.   If you're like me you love the idea of the Empire having vast troves of troopers and droids you never got to see, and the R5-Series Astromech Droid plays up the idea of another "off-camera" droid.  It's basically R2-Q5's body with a new dome - and there are quite a few changes from previous black R5 droids, including the 2012 Disney one and R5-J2.   The bodies are all totally different, but the dome is notable in that he has very bright silver eyes, orange panels on his "neck" and on the top of his dome, plus a wild silver border on top of his head.  I don't see this much - OK, ever - and it'll be hidden by the hats.  It's cool, though, and it gives our plastic pal a much brighter disposition.

The body of this configuration was retooled from the pre-2015 editions.  The lower holes on the R2 body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore. You'll note that the little boxes in the middle of the body are now painted with silver vents, rather than black with silver outlines.   The black matte plastic body has orange markings, plus a couple of silver boxes for good measure.   It works well with other domes in the collection, of which three.  By and large the paint applications mimic the Hasbro Power of the Jedi R2-Q5.   Other than those vents,  you won't see a difference.

Each leg is new - actually, it's only one leg.   Disney had issues keeping enough matching right and left legs during the 2012 run, so I'm sort of happy that they found a clever solution to the issue.  This pair of legs is black plastic with silver markings where the toe wires used to be present.

The central black foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the 2012 batch had silver markings around the bottom of the foot.

Because it's new enough - for droids, a new dome is enough to get me excited - I like this one.  There's really no reason to skip it unless you're experiencing droid rage.   It's different enough from previous models to be compelling, while also totally fitting in with the army you've built.  Get one, you're worth it.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,181: August 25, 2015

Friday, August 21, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,180: Captain Rex (The Clone Wars - Yoda Series)


CAPTAIN REX Gun Spins!
The Clone Wars Basic Animated Figures (Non-US Yoda Wave)
Item No.:
Asst. 37290 No. A0837
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW04
Includes: 2 pistols, "spinning" gatling gun
Action Feature: Gun spins
Retail: $12.99
Availability: March 2013
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Captain Rex  fights beside Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars.  (Taken from the English section of the figure's multilingual packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  You probably don't have this figure.  In 2012, Hasbro pulled back on Star Wars in a big way - the last wave of Darth Maul-bedecked Movie Heroes never came out in the USA, and none of the 3 3/4-inch Yoda cardback figures got out in the USA.  We had to go to Europe, or do without.  Many were repacks and resculpts, so most people didn't notice or care.  Captain Rex looks a lot like a figure we did get, but it's not.  It's probably a textbook example of "just different enough to make you mad," with unique deco, retooled legs, and a unique weapon.   You won't even realize you skipped it, because when it was announced at Celebration VI amidst a pile of repacks and retools you - and by you I mean me - were probably vocalizing your displeasure at the presentation.  The final batches of Movie Heroes, The Clone Wars, and the first Legacy figures were largely populated by remakes of things we had, with newly tooled versions of figures we already had.   It was a pretty miserable show.

Anyway, this Rex is a redux of this figure.   Hasbro dropped the gorgeous weathering, changed the "kill marks" to black (and also dropped some of them), and changed the blue up a bit.  Some marks on the helmet were also changed, and the rangefinder is now unpainted instead of gunmetal silver.   In terms of looks, this is a step back overall.

The most notable change were that the legs were given knee joints.   The figure has no ankles or wrists, but Hasbro added knees - this is fine evidence that reduced articulation was not only a long time coming, but Hasbro started it in 2012/2013.   It's not new - costs and a supposed non-interest from American retailers were the reason why this wave didn't come out here, but there's probably a lot more to it than that.   It's a nice figure, but if you already had the last one, you probably didn't see a reason to upgrade.

His gun is one of the most interesting things.  It's partially painted with silver and copper markings.  The grip rotates, and another handle is articulated.   While the packaging boasts that it spins, the reality is that you can twist it if you get a good grip on it.  If you try spinning the barrel while the figure is holding it, you'll rip it out of his dainty hands.  It's not bad to look at, but let's be honest - it doesn't really spin.   It is, however, a nice display piece.

So let's say you skipped this one, which is likely, since it never came out here.  Should you get it now?  I'd say only if you're a completist or a die-hard Rex fan.  You've got numerous cheaper alternatives, many of which include spring-loaded rocket launchers or jet packs or weathering or more articulation or a removable helmet.  You've got every reason to not overpay for this one, although if it were here for $10 you'd probably have rolled your eyes without even realizing that it was new.   For the hardcore among us, this is one of the reasons a new movie is a blessing - nobody has a Finn or a Kylo Ren.  It's clearly new.   For fans of the cartoon series, though, these figures will probably get a little more expensive as they realize their collections are incomplete and they get full-time jobs to pursue toy collecting.  They might not get much higher than they are now, but it's one of about a dozen examples of Hasbro not releasing Star Wars action figures in their target market.  We'll get to the others eventually.

Collector's Notes: I ordered a case from Toy Palace to get mine.  Today it's $25-$40.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,180: August 21, 2015

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,179: R2-Series Astromech Droid Grey and White


R2-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Grey Dome with White and Black Markings, a.k.a. R2-Q2
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.:
???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the 2012 series and 25 domes in the 2015 batch so far.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  Back in 2005 I was working at another job and sketched out an idea for a Hasbro exclusive that, as it turned out, I would make happen a few weeks later.  This R2-Series Astromech Droid is a remake of one of the two core figures I had to have, R2-Q2.  I wrote up a proposal with some reference shots and gags about his being a double agent, and now here we are - version 2.0.  It's a sidegrade.   It's not better, it's not worse, but it's different enough to make me glad I bought one.   The droid was supposedly both an Imperial droid and Biggs' droid, or there were two of them.  So now you can have two of them, too.  The deco of the Disney version is largely identical to the 2006 Hasbro release, with the same basic color layout.  The main differences are on the dome, and at first glance you might not even realize there were changes.  The 2006 version has a silver ring on the top panels, the 2015 Disney one is unpainted.  The 2015 Disney one has a glossy big eye, while the previous version was matte.  The holo projectors are all slightly different, with a black tip on the 2015 versions.  The 2006 ones were each a little different.  The glossy eye does add significant life to the design, though, so I have to give a slight edge to the new one.


The body of this configuration was retooled from the pre-2015 editions.  The lower holes on the R2 body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore. The grey is a touch lighter than the last one, with slightly cleaner paint masks.  Since so much relies on black and white boxes with borders, in many respects the new one looks a little bit better.  Everything is placed in basically the same place, with minor changes on how some borders are painted on the black and silver bits on the front.  It's differentish, but not overwhelmingly so.

Each leg is new - actually, it's only one leg.   Disney had issues keeping enough matching right and left legs during the 2012 run, so I'm sort of happy that they found a clever solution to the issue.  This pair of legs is grey plastic with silver markings where the toe wires used to be present.  The sides are black and silver, with added silver paint on each foot - that's new for this release.   It's not bad.  It's not impressive either.

The central black foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the 2012 batch had silver markings around the bottom of the foot.

If you missed the Entertainment Earth exclusive set in 2006, this is a perfect substitution.  It's roughly the same quality and colors, so unless you need every last release (I do) or foot hoses, either one should suit you just fine.  The big question in terms of playability is if you want removable limbs or the retractable third leg.   Either way works for me, but this one has a slightly notable bonus asset.  The top of the dome is black - so the hole for the hat peg is largely invisible.  It looks so much nicer now that it's not an eyesore.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,179: August 20, 2015

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,178: Clone Commander Doom (The Black Seres)

CLONE COMMANDER DOOM The One, The Only
The Black Series   Basic Figure
Item No.:
Asst. A5077 No. A9360
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #13
Includes: Helmet, staff, cape/harness, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Serving Jedi Masters Tiplee and Tiplar, this Clone Trooper Commander leads his unit in an attack against separatist forces in the Battle of Ringo Vinda.   (Taken from the first release's packaging.  The second release had no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!


Commentary:  If Commander Thorn used the  Clone Commander Doom chest, I'd probably let a lot more slide.  Rank markings are actually sculpted on this Marvel homage, making it more than a tiny bit better than his companion.   Deco is all over the map, and the two I have each have unique problems.  One has big bold bright buttons on his forearm, but the also has some alignment problems with the grey stripes on his kama.  Maybe I can pop 'em apart and make a good one, but honestly neither one really hurts the figure.  What matters is you now have the Doctor Doom clone trooper you never knew you needed.

The build is similar to so many that have come before, with a few exceptions.  You do get bend-and-swivel wrists, but for some reason he only has a swivel waist.   The ankles are normal ball ankles, without the rocker motion.  Everything else is on par for a super-articulated clone figure, so it won't upset you if you're a reasonable person.  Due to the level of fancy on the paint job on the show, the figure can't match it.  Some of the grey markings on the chest are left off, as are some of the visually gorgeous wear and tear on the helmet.  Since most people won't compare the two, it won't be a problem - but it's another argument to just make a cheaper figure for six bucks and call it a day.  If my choices are a B/B- for $13 or a C/C+ for $6, just give me the $6 version.

It stands, it sits, and it serves as a great little warning as to the future of the toy line.   Over the past few decades we've had a lot of downtime where Hasbro could play in any movie, book, game, or TV show to bring us new stuff.  Now there's new stuff every year - and synergy.  There are still going to be old and new characters, but Doom's squad?  No figures yet.  Tiplar and Tiplee?  No figures yet.  He's a cool commander, and a great in-joke.  But he could end up being a one-off, depending on how Hasbro pursues The Clone Wars in the coming years.  He feels like a relic from the end of the pre-Disney era, which he really is.   We don't yet know what the next year is going to look like, but we've seen some leaks and previews that show legibility of names aren't a priority.   It's possible finishing squads and bringing the obscure to life may once again be a thing of the past, thanks to the fact you can only make so many figures in a year and Hasbro's resources will be taken up by new movies from now until the child you conceive this weekend turns about 6 years old.

With grey and green limbs and a striking deco, this is a fun figure - but one that could have been improved immensely from more and better paint.  Should Kotobukiya or Gentle Giant make a collectible of him, I bet it'll be gorgeous.  Hasbro's figure is very good - again, the wrist buttons are perfectly done, and the rank badge was well-executed - but his role is to stand around and look cool.  He has no friends, no boss, no mission.  The lack of themed waves is something I'm really beginning to miss.

Collector's Notes: I got this online - you can probably score one for $13-$15.   Depending on where you bought him, him was sold in assortments or via solid-packed cases of 12.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,178: August 19, 2015

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,177: Princess Leia Organa (Boushh, The Black Seres)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA (Boushh)
The Black Series   Basic Figure
Item No.:
Asst. A5077 No. B1059
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #17
Includes: Helmet, staff, cape/harness, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: June 2015
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: No bio due to new multilingual packaging.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!


Commentary:  What color are her shoes supposed to be?   I actually had to look some stuff up about this one.  Princess Leia in her Boushh disguise was one of my favorite figures as a kid.  I was excited when we got a new one in 1996, and again in 2006, and to a lesser extent in 2015 because we got two sizes at once.  And here's the thing - the 6-inch one has brown shoes, the 3 3/4-inch one has dark grey shoes.   So I actually had to do some research - which one was correct?  The Hasbro/Kenner figures are historically tan/brown shoes.  Other companies are usually the darker grey color.   But which is correct?

Star Wars: The Visional Dictionary and Dressing a Galaxy both show brown shoes.  Interestingly, Star Wars Chronicles doesn't show her shoes - it has tons of slave bikini shots, but no shoes of either costume from Jabba's Palace.   As such, it looks like Kenner and Hasbro probably had it right from 1983 until this figure - the darker shoes look fine, but are probably not authentic.  (Neither is Hot Toys'.   But Gentle Giant's Animated Maquette - an Entertainment Earth exclusive, thank you very much - got it right.)  It's so strange, because the two Black Series Boushh Leias seem to come from the same digital sculpts - the arms and heads are from similar sources, with tweaks to the hands and other pieces to best fit the plastic tolerances at that scale.  They should have very similar paint jobs, but the 6-inch one blows away the 3 3/4-inch one despite the similarity in price. 

This is sort of what the battle is at the factory level - is a $13-$15 4-inch figure any good when a $20 6-inch figure blows it away in terms of accessories, articulation, size, and deco?   Unless you're clinging to the past by the last atoms of your fingertips, no - there's a clear winner here.   The little figure has light silver on the face mask, while the big one has a darker grey.  The little one lacks the battle wear of the big one.  The little one doesn't have as much make-up as the big figure - and this is something I've been mentioning for years, you really do need extra deco in women action figure faces at the smaller scale and technology makes that difficult.  Also, little Boushh's thermal detonator is molded to her hand so you don't lose it, and big Boushh Leia's bandolier has painted ammo on it.   It's almost no contest which one is better here.

I appreciate that Hasbro put out the 3 3/4-inch version as a bit of synergy with the first new Han Solo in Carbonite set in nearly nine years.  She's a little pale, her lips are a little dark, but she looks pretty good overall.   I think I like the 2006 one more, thanks to a more dynamic pose, a removable detonator, and of course the lower price tag.   2015 Leia has 14 points of articulation, plus a swell neck joint you probably won't even notice - her neck can tilt up and down like most 6-inch figures.  It's well-disguised and expertly integrated.  I'd also be an absolute putz to not point out how nicely this figure turned out at the scale.  6-inch figures are easier to paint nicely, getting eyeliner straight on a 3 3/4-inch figure is quite the challenge.  Leia's strands of hair were also painted straight, and while her skin is overly pale here the execution on the technical details is nothing if not impressive. Hasbro also designed her to stand and sit, as there's a cut up her tunic that allows her legs to swing forward.  Clearly, the Hasbro engineers did the absolute best they could within the budget and factory constraints put upon this figure.

Personal preferences toward 3 3/4-inch aside, there's no argument that the 6-inch figure is a far better collector figure for the money.  It's not even a close call.   3 3/4-inch Boushh is good for what she is, but so was the version from 9 years ago.   She may also have the daintiest human hands in 3 3/4-inch adult-figure history, and I'd like someone to point me out to the ones I forgot.   If Hasbro got the shoes right, this would be a perfectly nice figure.  Since they didn't, the 2006 one is perfectly good and also cheaper.   This figure's general adequacy shows improvement over the last 10 years, but we get a new Boushh Leia nearly every 10 years and the leap between 1996 and 2006 is huge, while the 2006 and 2015 ones show visible growth but nothing so spectacular.   It really does show that the line at this size has largely peaked, with only the cloth cape and impressive backpack tampos being new elements for this go-round.  I look forward to seeing what 2026 has to offer, my guess is they won't find a way to make a better face sculpt or improve the articulation at this scale by any big leaps or bounds.

Collector's Notes: I got this online - you can probably score one for $13-$15.   Depending on where you bought her, she was sold in assortments or via solid-packed cases of 12.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,177: August 18, 2015

Friday, August 14, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,176: R4-Series Astromech Droid White with Red and Silver


R4-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID White Dome with Red and Silver Markings
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.:
???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: n/a

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the 2012 series and 25 domes in the 2015 batch so far.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  As far as I know, this R4-Series Astromech Droid is an original design for the theme park.   The red and white body is paired to the R5-D4 head, the markings may even remind you of R4-E1 at first glance.  They're quite different - the dome's markings are almost the same template as the MKII Blue R4 droid dome earlier this year.  The same silver markings and "A" pattern are present, as are the other shapes all over it. There's only two real differences in the dome pattern - the top of the blue dome has a border painted around it, while on the red version, it's white.  Also, the red version has an added silver ring around the "neck" base.   It's distinctive, unique, and able to be configured any way you see fit.

The body of this configuration was retooled from the pre-2015 editions.  The lower holes on the R4 body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore.  The black matte plastic body has orange markings, plus a couple of silver boxes for good measure.   It works well with other domes in the collection, of which three.  By and large the paint applications mimic the Hasbro Power of the Jedi R4-Q5

Each leg is new - actually, it's only one leg.   Disney had issues keeping enough matching right and left legs during the 2012 run, so I'm sort of happy that they found a clever solution to the issue.  This pair of legs is white plastic with red markings where the toe wires used to be present.   Extra red panels were added on the feet, where we usually don't see this kind of decoration.  It looks good, and it is distinctive.

The central white foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the 2012 batch had silver markings around the bottom of the foot.

Is it essential?  Not necessarily.  However, the red R4 is arguably more interesting than another red R5 so I'd say yes.  The unique shapes of red on the feet and the distinctive red body panels make this a nice configuration, a good build to go with the dome if you ask me.     The white-and-red R2 dome would also be a great choice.  Heck, maybe better, but I like this one plenty.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,176: August 14, 2015

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,175: R2-Series Astromech Droid Black and Silver (not R2-Q5)


R2-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Black Dome with Orange Markings, a.k.a. R2-Q5
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.:
???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the 2012 series and 25 domes in the 2015 batch so far.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary:  While not identical to any existing figure, the R2-Series Astromech Droid is strikingly similar to 2001's R2-Q5.  The layout and colors are almost identical, but the faded orange is much more vibrant and a couple of other things changed.    The holo projectors on the dome are slightly different, as this build-a-droid version has painted silver interiors on the front one and the one on top of his head - R2-Q5 2001 had silver on the front and back.   Other than that, they're pretty dang close, except the 2001 version is incredibly glossy and therefore more accurate.   Since the 2001 version's feet was pre-sculpted-wires protruding out, each is pretty good but not perfect.  I'd give the 2015 black droid the edge on being gorgeous, but the 2001 release the edge for authenticity.   In other words, there is still room for improvement on the droid who would be R2-Q5.


The body of this configuration was retooled from the pre-2015 editions.  The lower holes on the R2 body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore. You'll note that the little boxes in the middle of the body are now painted with silver vents, rather than black with silver outlines.   The black matte plastic body has orange markings, plus a couple of silver boxes for good measure.   It works well with other domes in the collection, of which three.  By and large the paint applications mimic the Hasbro Power of the Jedi R2-Q5.   Other than those vents,  you won't see a difference.

Each leg is new - actually, it's only one leg.   Disney had issues keeping enough matching right and left legs during the 2012 run, so I'm sort of happy that they found a clever solution to the issue.  This pair of legs is black plastic with silver markings where the toe wires used to be present.

The central black foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the 2012 batch had silver markings around the bottom of the foot.

It's an interesting one.  It's different enough - not glossy, more vibrant - where I could say it could function as a new droid in your displays or dioramas.  It's also R2-Q5ey enough to substitute for the droid had you skipped the 2001 version.   I like it because of the colorful panels, but you may prefer to get it with the R4 or R5 domes to add some variety to a non-completist shelf.  It's $13 worth of neat, but it does sting a little that we used to get a part with each $8 figure a few years ago.   I'd still buy other new ones if Disney makes them, though.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,175: August 13, 2015

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,174: Commander Thorn (The Black Seres)

COMMANDER THORN You've Met Doom, This Is Thor
The Black Series   Basic Figure
Item No.:
Asst. A5077 No. B1061
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #21
Includes: 2 blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: June 2015
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: No bio due to new multilingual packaging.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!


Commentary:  Taking the same mold as Doom, Commander Thorn is the clone that mashes up the Shock Trooper look with Marvel's Thor.   It wasn't a figure you needed or asked for, because it aired after the cartoon line was fundamentally dead - thus adding to the growing, obnoxious rift of two different styles of toys coming from the same media.   Some of the parts were used on Rex recently, so the kama and basic body are familiar.   The shoulder has a Cody-esque antenna and with a different belt, this would have made a great Phase II Cody.

The paint job is a bit sloppy.  The wings rest high on the helmet, certain details are missing - like the pin stripes on the visor - and the white stripes on the helmet breathing tubes don't wrap around all the way.  His thighs are missing the red stripes, his chest is missing the rank marking, and there's no "damage" paint.  He doesn't even have the gatling gun, which was another joke - he's "Thorn" and his gatling gun is "The Hammer."  Get it?   Hasbro didn't, so neither do you.  You do get bend-and-swivel wrists, non-rocker ankles, and the usual gamut of Clone articulation.   14 joints can be yours, with a swivel waist that seems like a bit of a step backward.  Then again, I'd say that The Black Series 3 3/4-inch line as a whole has been one giant step backward for what was an evolving, great line in its previous Vintage, Legacy, 30th Anniversary, and other incarnations.   From 2006 to 2012 we had pretty consistent improvement - or at least a decent status quo - until Hasbro decided that "Black" meant "premium" and that "premium" meant "not."  We did get the premium pricing, though, so I guess at least there's that.

As the only Thorn action figure, you probably know where this is headed.  You don't have options, you probably won't see much of it, so you should buy it if you want a Thorn.  And based on the Netflix-exclusivity of his appearances, odds are not a lot of fans are jumping at the chance to own him either.  This is by no means a terrible figure, but it definitely seems like a figure that went through a series of approvals that were merely shrugs, not bothering to check the reference material or either not understanding (or caring) how the deco could look. I could see the gun being a budget thing.  I can get that the grey flourishes on the visor are tough to do.  But the red on the thighs?  The correct length of the white stripe?  C'mon.   These can be better.   Given the price, an extra gun would have gone a long way, too.   If you have been cured of completism, save your money.

Collector's Notes: I got this online - you can probably score one for $13-$15.  I opened one that had only one wing on his helmet, which I realized after opening it.  So be on the lookout for that, I assume it's not a variant and just an error.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,174: August 12, 2015

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,173: Jon "Dutch" Vander (The Black Seres)


JON "DUTCH" VANDER (Gold Squadron Rebel Pilot)
The Black Series   Basic Figure
Item No.:
Asst. A5077 No. A9110
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #10
Includes: Helmet, Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Jon "Dutch" Vander is a Rebel Y-Wing Pilot in Gold Squadron, which makes the perilous run along the Death Star's trench to reach the battle station's vulnerable exhaust port.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.


Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!


Commentary:  It's sort of amazing which figures haven't been updated by Kenner and Hasbro in the last 20 years since the line's relaunch, but even more amazing are some of the ones they've done more than once.  It was pretty improbable to get this figure once, but to see an updated Jon "Dutch" Vander is kind of ridiculous.   "We want more pilots!" and "We want more Imperial Officers!" is a common refrain from fans, but as we've mentioned before - specifics are far and few between.  The last version of Dutch was in 2003, and I assumed that would be the only version.  He was built on a pretty good body, and it looked more or less like what you saw in the movie.   This new version builds on a 2008 body which (along with Luke's) has provided most of our orange-suit pilots over the last few years.

If you bought the 2013 Biggs, it's basically the exact same tooling with a new human head.  The orange is different, the other greys and helmet deco are different, even the black on the boots isn't quite as glossy.  I daresay I like how Dutch looks more than 2013 Biggs did, but it's not exactly a necessary upgrade and is a pretty good example of how the 3 3/4-inch The Black Series line has been something of a mess since its inception as the remainder of The Legacy Collection MK II.   "Old figure with new head" made up much of the line, selling fans figures they may already have bought at higher prices with lateral improvements.  This figure is by no means bad on paper, as having bending elbows and ball-jointed shoulders is a must for so many fans - but then again, if you have a shelf filled with pilots, their exact poses matter less than if they can stand.  Or fit in the vehicle.   The deco on the helmet is good, and matches some replicas and shots from the movie nicely.  More dirt and grime would be nice, particularly given how little had to be changed for this figure, but such is life.  Hasbro dragged this line out and didn't exactly inject it with life, so now you can buy a figure that probably ate up a slot for a potential new character or more interesting redeco.  It's probably not fair to deride a figure for not being something else, but at this point getting the second version of a lesser figure where new tooling was required is sort of maddening.   We could have had that missing Vintage Bespin Guard, or the Power Droid, or even another Clone.  But no.

So!  He can stand, he can sit, he can hold and wear his accessories.  He can do what a pilot should do.  Hasbro did the best they could using the molds they had handy, and indeed a new mold probably wouldn't have brought much new to the table.  On the other hand, we're being charged close to double what a similar figure from the same mold cost around 2008 and it's not like this was a character that demanded a reissue like the still astonishingly unrereleased Darth Revan or a few video game repacks (Starkillers) that could probably have generated some revenue - particularly the first game's figure with a new head.   But that's just from where I sit.  Seeing a line like this fade away on a whimper feels like it happened by design and figures like this are part of the reason why I've been bagging on it over the last few years.   It's not good enough to be good - at this point, at the very least, the character selection should be interesting or fit a need in the marketplace.   So - recommended if you don't have a Dutch Vander, a worthwhile upgrade if you do (or just want to cram the old one in a vehicle).  But it's not going to look any better when you swap it out on your shelf for the old one.

Collector's Notes: I got this online - you can probably score one for $13-$15.   I've seen it in stores, too.   Two packaging variants exist - the first release had an all-English package with a bio. Subsequent releases were on multi-lingual packaging.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,173: August 11, 2015

Friday, August 7, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,172: R7-Series Astromech Droid White and Blue


R7-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID White Dome with Blue Markings and "Coin Slot"
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.:
???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the 2012 series and 25 domes in the 2015 batch so far.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo dump.

Commentary:  Here's another one!  The R7-Series Astromech Droid is delightfully weird, and seemingly exists to match up with the R2-D2 colored parts.  He shares the same legs, but the torso and dome best match up as a pairing.  I have no idea what the designers were shooting for here, as I am not particularly well-versed with droids from non-visual sources.  Could it be from a book?  Maybe!  I didn't see them all, but I will say it's pretty neat.  The rocket-shaped area between R7's legs is, um, certainly interesting and now perhaps you can't unsee it either.   The head is mostly white, with a dark blue wedge that has a white "coin slot" on top not unlike a bank.  It's strange - we haven't seen anything else like it on one of these droid toys yet.  It's something new - real new, with red and black and silver markings in a pattern we didn't have as a toy before.  I love it.

The body of this configuration was indeed retooled.  The lower holes on the body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore.  The white plastic R7 body has a blue... uh... he's happy to see you.  I guess you could also say it's a giant "A", but... I don't know, man.  I feel I've seen Rainbow Randolph make cookies like this.   The back of the body has a black collar which goes all away around the body, plus a series of blue painted panels.   Parts which you might expect to be painted silver on both the front and back are unpainted, a departure for this kind of droid mold.  Those vents and bars are typically silver.  With added blue and black panels on the bottom of the body near the central third leg, it's certainly very different than the others.

Like the other legs, the new "universal leg" returns here without the wires to make it obvious where the front or the back is.  Silver "toe" panels on the front give it a little personality, but it still lacks the dots and rods on the upper part of the limb and features retooled copyright information to excise any indication of these being Hasbro products.  As such, I say it's debatable if these are Hasbro, Hasbro-compatible, or what.

The central white foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the 2012 batch had silver markings around the bottom of the foot.

As this is an uncommon droid mold with a totally new paint job, you have to get it.  Because the paint job may inspire the giggles, you're only hurting yourself by skipping it.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,172 August 7, 2015

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,171: R2-Series Astromech Droid Silver and Purple (not R4-M6)


R2-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Silver Dome with Purple Markings, a.k.a. R4-M6
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.:
???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the 2012 series and 25 domes in the 2015 batch so far.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo dump.

Commentary:  Disney's unique series of figures yielded new droids previously never before seen in plastic, and a few like this purple R2-Series Astromech Droid that should look familiar - very familiar.  This droid (or one like it) appeared in the original Clone Wars cartoons, briefly.  The coloring was a little different as the central eye had a purple square around it.   However, you'll note that this figure is actually based on Hasbro's previous R4-M6, making this a redux of that one.   The dome is alarmingly similar to that first version, although the contrast is a little different - the purple is a little redder, so the red light on his face blends in more.  Most of the panels are painted similarly, but you'll notice the holographic projector on the top of his dome now has an added purple detail around it - the previous version was silver.   Also, the front projector no longer has black painted inside it.   The panels are all filled in a little more than the least version, but as domes go it's strikingly similar to the original release to the extent that you may ask yourself why you bothered your dear friend Shannon to take time out of his busy schedule to buy this for you.  But you paid him back, of course, because while you're selfish you aren't a monster.


The body of this configuration was retooled from the pre-2015 editions.  The lower holes on the R2 body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore.  The purple plastic body has silver markings, and works with the other purple domes in this collection quite nicely - and there are several.  By and large the paint applications mimic the Hasbro The Saga Collection R4-M6, but there's one significant change - they dropped the purple metallic paint highlights.  Those were largely invisible, so odds are you never noticed them in the first place, but they're gone now.  Rarely do I say that you won't even notice that the manufacturer dropped the paint, but in this case you really won't notice.

Each leg is new - actually, it's only one leg.   Disney had issues keeping enough matching right and left legs during the 2012 run, so I'm sort of happy that they found a clever solution to the issue.  Each foot has been redesigned so it's the same on the front and the back.  It combines elements from both the front and the back of the feet of the first ones, while retaining the wheels and dropping the wires.  As such it isn't perfect, but it's pretty good.  This pair of legs is purple plastic silver highlights and silver markings where the toe wires used to be present.  The silver markings generally correspond to where they were on R4-M6, and the painted purple bits - like on the body - were dropped and not easily noticed.

The central purple foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the 2012 batch had silver markings around the bottom of the foot.   That's about all I got there.

This is a figure which could delight or infuriate - and truth is, I'm not sure which it is for me.  I'm fond of the whole switch-out-parts thing and the fact that there are purple R6 and R9 droids makes this one the least exciting of that group.   Also about six of the droids more or less exist as movie versions already, so this wave may not be the most exciting thing in the world for many of you.  If you don't have R4-M6, get this one - it's a fine replacement.  If you do, I guess you have to ask yourself how complete you need to be or just how much you need thirteen dollars.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,171: August 6, 2015

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,170: Clone Commander Wolffe (The Black Seres)

CLONE COMMANDER WOLFFE Desert Armor
The Black Series   Basic Figure
Item No.:
Asst. A5077 No. A9359
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #12
Includes: 2 blasters, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2015
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Leader of the Wolfpack Squadron, the clone commander wears specialized desert gear on a mission to the sand-swept moon of Oba Diah to find a missing Jedi shuttle.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Commentary:  While scale has always been an issue in this line - R2-D2, Boss Nass, and Wicket come to mind - Clone Commander Wolffe is both great and a bit of a disappointment as another entry into the size wars.   Size matters not, we've been told, but when it comes to Clone Troopers size is kind of an issue.  The idea of a single soldier template means that for mass-production of gear, you really don't have to worry about too much variation on size.   Wolffe is about a head shorter than the Captain Rex we looked at last week from the same wave, which is a crying shame because this newly-sculpted figure is gorgeous.  It's one of Hasbro's absolute best, and the gosh-darned thing is too short.   Depending on how you display your toys you may be able to downplay this issue - carded fans may never notice, for example - but for the openers who shelve these things, this is kind of obnoxious and the kind of thing that normally wouldn't even come up in most licensor approvals.  Who's going to sit there with a ruler when there are Pantone swatches to match?

That's part of what makes this figure so infuriating. It's great!    If it was bad, it'd be easy to write it off because of the height issue.   The sculpting is very good, as he has bend-and-swivel wrists plus classic ball ankles and articulation that's on the happy side of what you could expect over the past few years.  He's got ball-jointed hip joints, too.   As an added bonus, he also has the unthinkable - a soft goods "skirt" that actually looks great thanks to the use of a much thinner material.  And working holsters.  And two blasters.  And a nicely-painted antenna, with a removable backpack that is also decorated nicely.  Little painted markings on the helmet only augment the awesome wolf motif, so what you have here is a well-executed figure with pretty much anything you could ask for except rocker ankle joints.

Given that he's part of a squad from the show that will likely never be completed, he's a fun little one-off and arguably not essential to any collection.  The schism between "animated" and "realistic" has been a source of frustration for many - me included - because there's really no perfect way to organize and display figures from differing series and differing styles.   It's still very good, and with the increasing prices it's nice to see figures like this where you can see how Hasbro used your money to make a product that is, on the whole, superior to their other offerings.  If you're a fan of the cartoon, and realistic figures, this is a good one.  If you find this sort of thing maddening, that's OK - it's not like you're going to see this one on shelves much ever again anyway.

Collector's Notes: I got this online - you can probably score one for $13-$15.   I've seen it in stores, too.

--Adam Pawlus


Day 2,170: August 5, 2015