Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,512: Chewbacca (Vandor-1 Playset, Solo: A Star Wars Story Line Look)

CHEWBACCA Vandor-1
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Playset Pack-In Figure
Item No.: E2807
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster rifle, bandolier, goggles, Vandor-1 Playset
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: Chewbacca, known affectionately to his friends as Chewie, was a male Wookiee warrior, smuggler, and resistance fighter who fought in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, and the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance.  Porgs were an avian species native to the planet Ahch-To, where Jedi Master Luke Skywalker made his exile in the years following the Battle of Endor.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  I really like this Chewbacca.   What I don't like is that it's textbook "just different enough to make you mad," because it's basically the single-carded Chewbacca [FOTD #2,486] from April but with goggles.  If you skipped that release - good, get this playset with the figure instead.  If you already bought it, odds are you want the playset, so now you've got more Wookiee than you need.

It's the same figure with a nice, loose set of goggles and slightly more saturated plastic.   The browns are a little richer, the eyes seem a smidgen sharper, and I think the sound chips are virtually identical roars.   The figure can stand and sit well, and it seems there's no significant change between the two.  If these were from the same tool, I'd believe it - there's really no good reason to own both.

The playset itself is a selling point, too big to fit in my photo studio and surprisingly clever in how it's assembled.  Tabs stack in slots to fit in perfectly, but the instructions don't make it obvious.   The toy shows just how inflation has come in - it's smaller than the Geonosis Arena ($40ish in 2002) and not too far off from the Mustafar Playset (2005, $29.99.)   It has some newly tooled parts - a gate, some supports - but it's not meaty.  It's cool, it looks good, and it's a fine display piece.   It just isn't going to wow you.  I still like it, and if they could either give me a better pack-in figure at the same price, or a lower price with no figure, I'd heartily recommend it to you.  The figure itself isn't bad - it's just not significantly different from what you already may have bought.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,512: August 30, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,511: R2-S8 (Droid Factory Line Look)

R2-S8 Fairly Spectacular
Droid Factory Solo: A Star Wars Story Boxed Set
Item No.:   No. 63488
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures
Action Feature: Breaks down into 5 separate pieces
Retail: $29.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.   These four new Astromech droids are featured in Solo: A Star Wars Story.   May the Force be with you... and your Droids!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  I saw the movies in theaters twice and do not recall seeing R2-s8.  I'm not complaining, I almost wonder if I will be disappointed when I see the source material.  The toy looks like used sneakers.   The white droid has red, black, and dirty wear on it plus a lot of fun surprises.  I think this may have some of the most panels painted compared to any figure yet, plus it has some Aurebesh on the side that doesn't obviously translate to anything that makes sense.

I love that the eye and eye box are dirty and a little cloudy.  I love the little red light painted near the bottom, and the blue rectangles.  I love the black and red striped "caution" marking on the back of the leg that, had they left it out, I might never notice. I love the silver stripe around the legs, and the black box on the back of one of the legs.

Even though I've seen this mold more times than I care to admit, and own all of them, it's wonderful.  The extra red stripes on the dome make a big difference, and as much as I hate to say this I'd probably have paid $30 just for this one robot.  (I paid $40 for the set on eBay.)     Two of the droids in this set are groaners, but two are worth my taking time out of your day to say how nifty they are.   This is probably my favorite Disney-era astromech droid that appeared in one of the movies.   (Favorite toy may well be R3-B0017, as he glows in the dark.)  This is a wonderful little robot and I'm glad I have it.  But R5-PHT, you're still boring.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from eBay.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,511: August 28, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,510: Gamorrean Guard (The Black Series 6-Inch)

GAMORREAN GUARD Target Exclusive
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: No. E2502
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 axes and a pole weapon
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: August 2018
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Burly, pig-like brutes who favored axes and other primitive weapons, Gamorreans were often used as muscle by Hutts and other underworld kingpins. Jabba the Hutt employed a gang of intimidating Gamorreans to guard his palace on Tatooine.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability:  Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Star Wars has boundless potential in its margins.  The 6-inch line has largely done a good job with the major players, but rarely does Hasbro scratch the B- and C-listers of older movies that make collecting fun.   They should do more, because figures often end up like this gem. A Gamorrean Guard is a fantastic big and beefy brute, appearing in an oversized box with lots of deco and bonus accessories.  It's great - for $30 you get your money's worth.  The super-articulated figure has an exceptional range of motion with three nicely-decorated weapons.  In other words, you might want to buy more than one.

27 point sof articulation build him out, allowing him to menace Jedi or debtors or just about anybody.  One axe matches the 1983 Kenner figure, another matches the 1997 figure.  Both have rusty, bloody blades and wooden handles to give them a great sense of realism.  A third pole weapon looks spectacular, but lacks the extra color of the axes.  It's still pretty awesome.  The figure has armored shoulder pauldrons which are fused to the body, plus extra armor bits molded directly to the green ham flesh.  The sculpting is top-notch, but the deco is even better with painted finger and toenails, a pink snout, and glossy lips.

The figure has nicely engineered arms that allow for tons of great poses, possibly giving the figure more of a range of movement than the guys in the rubber suits had.  The elbow cuts are deep so he can hold a weapon over his shoulder, or even double-grip the pole arm.  The rocker ankles are wonderful to have, and it's really something to see the range of movement given to a figure that has, historically, been chunky and difficult to pose in other forms.   I love the soft, fluffy briefs and the belt is no slouch.  The spiky armor bits are lovely, and the textures all over the figure are the kind of thing I can scarcely have imagined five or ten years ago.  There's a grid pattern on the silver part of the hat that knocked my socks off.  The face is perfect.  The bandolier looks like an old worn belt   I don't doubt a figure sold at a higher price could be even better, but this is stunning and would probably compare favorably to any other competitor made in this medium.

I'm glad to have gotten this figure and I hope to get one or two more to go with my Jabba.  I'd love to see more of the goons from Jabba's palace over time, but given the high price and slow rate of release I assume it might be another few years before we get a Bib Fortuna, a Klaatu, a Nikto, or some of the weirder creatures.   If this figure is any indication, Wooof is going to be off the hook - but until then, go ahead and get this preposterously good Gamorrean Guard, what with his opening maw and ability to carry toy food amusingly.   If you have other small toy things to have him hold and put in his mouth, you're in for a treat.  Get this figure, even if you're not a Star Wars completist.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,510: August 23, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,509: Doctor Aphra (The Vintage Collection)

DOCTOR APHRA Fan's Choice Winner
The Vintage Collection Special Action Figure Set - Doctor Aphra Comic Set
Item No.:   No. E1628
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #68
Includes: Blaster pistol, 3 figures, removable panels
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $54.99
Availability: July 2018
Appearances: Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra comics

Bio: In a mission gone wrong, Doctor Aphra finds herself at the hands of the formidable Sith Lord, Darth Vader.  A rare survivor of such meetings, Aphra is recruited by Vader for her skills in reprogramming droids and her apparent lack of remorse for breaking the law to get what she wants.   After a brief checkered partnership with Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra escapes from the control of her dark supervisor and his clandestine agenda.  Free of her obligations to Vader, Aphra ventures out with her assassin droids, 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) and BT-1 (Beetee), and Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan in search of new opportunities, leal and otherwise.   Though unafraid of using whatever means necessary to get what she wants, Doctor Aphra is careful to avoid additional entanglements with Darth Vader, understanding all too well the vast reaches of his unflinching power.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: A Fans' Choice winner, Doctor Aphra is a pleasant surprise.  We don't get a lot of women in the action figure line, and it's worth noting that when none-male-types are up for Hasbro Fan's Choice polls - including Transformers - they tend to win most of the time.   The interest in women in toys is strong, and it's usually best when there's one big toy line instead of "girls" and "boys" splits within a brand.  

26 points of articulation makes this a winner.   Hasbro has really been upping its game with super-articulated figures since The Black Series, especially since Jyn Erso and the like introduced the now popular thigh cut joint.    She doesn't have bend-and-swivel wrists, but given how tiny they are I have no problems with that.  They swivel, and they're jointed at the gloves.  That's good.  I love the articulation range on this one, because I was able to easily get her to ride some toy dinosaurs I just bought.  You see, I like a nicely articulated figure, but what usually matters to me the most is if something is a fun toy.   We've had so many super-articulated toys that can't sit on a toy monster that I'm usually pretty ho-hum on them.  Knees and ankles don't mean much if the figure's hips can't budge enough to sit in a vehicle, so a figure with pretty much a full range of movement is always welcome.  What's more, the removable vest does a good job covering the waist joint under her breast - which is kind of an eyesore.  Remember when they used to just joint the figure at the belt?  Wasn't that great?  Anyway.

Deco is good - the colorful figure has a fun hat with goggles, a sporty haircut, and a nifty circuit pattern tattooed on her arm.  It looks great, and it makes the figure look like she could have inhabited the same early-Empire, pre-Star Wars times of Thall Joben and Jord Dusat.  She's kind of a colorful not-quite-punk character, and her face sculpt is perfect.  The eyes are painted on precisely right, with on-mark lips and eyebrows.  These are hard things to do correctly, so while this figure costs more I'd say it's certainly better-than-average.  She even has a working holster for her blaster, which I should add has a silver barrel.

I don't get to say this much, so take note - Aphra's about as good as it gets.  Hasbro does good 3 3/4-inch work when working from existing stories and reference, rather than brand-new top-secret movie things.  It shows how much they really do care when they have the ability to give us the very best, and I'd say they've done it this time.   Her gloves are painted better than some toys I've bought.  They sculpted stripes on her pants, and painted them too.  I wasn't super pumped over Snoke, so this second new entry in The Vintage Collection has me giddy with the possibilities for the future.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro as a sample, but it was sold at San Diego Comic-Con and also HasbroToyShop.com.  It will be sold on The Vintage Collection packaging later this year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,509: August 21, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,508: 0-0-0 (Triple Zero, The Vintage Collection)

0-0-0 (Triple Zero)
The Vintage Collection Special Action Figure Set - Doctor Aphra Comic Set
Item No.:   No. E1628
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #68
Includes: Blaster pistol, 3 figures, removable panels
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $54.99
Availability: July 2018
Appearances: Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra comics

Bio: In a mission gone wrong, Doctor Aphra finds herself at the hands of the formidable Sith Lord, Darth Vader.  A rare survivor of such meetings, Aphra is recruited by Vader for her skills in reprogramming droids and her apparent lack of remorse for breaking the law to get what she wants.   After a brief checkered partnership with Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra escapes from the control of her dark supervisor and his clandestine agenda.  Free of her obligations to Vader, Aphra ventures out with her assassin droids, 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) and BT-1 (Beetee), and Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan in search of new opportunities, leal and otherwise.   Though unafraid of using whatever means necessary to get what she wants, Doctor Aphra is careful to avoid additional entanglements with Darth Vader, understanding all too well the vast reaches of his unflinching power.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: A simple redeco, 0-0-0 is something fans have been asking for over the last few years.   The last time we saw this mold was in 2010 as C-3PO [FOTD #1,515].   Black protocol droids are nothing new, and some like I-5YQ [FOTD #1,382] had nifty things like a hidden compartment.

The figure is the same as C-3PO, minus colors, for good and for ill.   This time around the removable face mask, back plate, and chest plate are somewhat loose.  The back plate fell off as I was taking it out of the package, and the face flung off on the floor while I was examining it for the first time.   Take care when opening the package and playing with it - it would not surprise me at all if you lose a piece in the carpet.  A fourth panel on the thigh comes off without much fuss, but it doesn't seem to be as loose.  0-0-0 has over 20 points of articulation, can't sit very well, and looks superb.  The eyes aren't as bright and as red as they frequently appeared in the comics, but it's a good representation of the skinny cybernetic psycho.

It's a black repaint - and we've already had dark grey or black protocol droids.  This is a good one, and a new take on this mold, but you might already be covered for the whole black droid thing.  Given the opportunity to buy this set cheaply, it's worth it for Aphra and BT - 0-0-0 is no slouch.   It's just not as exciting as an all-new figure or a droid with new optional parts.   If you do get this figure, take care to not lose those panels.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro as a sample, but it was sold at San Diego Comic-Con and also HasbroToyShop.com.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,508: August 16, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,507: Tobias Beckett (The Black Series 6-Inch)

TOBIAS BECKETT Scoundrel
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E1205
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #68
Includes: 2 blaster pistols
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: Beckett is a survivor, always quietly working out angles to come out ahead.  He's assembled a team of specialized scoundrels to carry out risky but profitable heists.  (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: If you told me that I would some day be getting mega-poseable figures with photo-realistic likenesses for $20 and it might start to feel ho-hum, I'd say you were crazy.  With Tobias Beckett, we get Woody Boyd as an old man with a pretty good - if slightly waxy - likeness and a ton of articulation.   27 points of articulation, working holsters, and twin painted pistols make this a decent figure - but the sculpted snaps and buttons really make it look great.  He stands, he poses, and he has great cut joints in the elbows allowing for a greater range of motion than all but the very best double-jointed elbows.

Deco is good - the costume is amazing with a jacket, suit, rank pins, boots, straps, ammo, and so much going on that it's pretty amazing we're still getting it for about $20.  The face is good, but needs work.  While we get eerily realistic glossy eyes, the mouth is a little dirty and the facial hair doesn't feel quite right.

The problem with collector lines, and Star Wars in particular, is that enthusiasm from fans usually comes from two places - awesome new bad guys, and nostalgia.   The new humans (for good or for ill) are rarely causes to celebrate, even if they're good.  Unless you get in too close, this is one of the better Hasbro heads, with a good costume, great trigger fingers, superb texture, and wonderful articulation.  And yet, it's just another figure.  Without the hazy mists of time, these figures can't become icons.   Tobias Beckett is fine, but it's not his or Hasbro's fault that this is the fourth movie in as many years and fans can barely catch up.   This is a fine product - and if you like the character, you should get the figure. Otherwise, well,  you know the drill.  Hasbro makes good figures in The Black Series, consistent and sturdy.   Nice job to team Hasbro, although my old fartness would have loved an action feature, or something unexpected -  you know, something antithetical to the product.  It's perfect for what it aspires to be, though.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,507: August 14, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,506: BT-1 (Beetee, The Vintage Collection)

BT-1 (Beetee)
The Vintage Collection Special Action Figure Set - Doctor Aphra Comic Set
Item No.:   No. E1628
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #68
Includes: Blaster pistol, 3 figures, removable weapons
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $54.99
Availability: July 2018
Appearances: Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra comics

Bio: In a mission gone wrong, Doctor Aphra finds herself at the hands of the formidable Sith Lord, Darth Vader.  A rare survivor of such meetings, Aphra is recruited by Vader for her skills in reprogramming droids and her apparent lack of remorse for breaking the law to get what she wants.   After a brief checkered partnership with Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra escapes from the control of her dark supervisor and his clandestine agenda.  Free of her obligations to Vader, Aphra ventures out with her assassin droids, 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) and BT-1 (Beetee), and Wookiee bounty hunter Black Krrsantan in search of new opportunities, leal and otherwise.   Though unafraid of using whatever means necessary to get what she wants, Doctor Aphra is careful to avoid additional entanglements with Darth Vader, understanding all too well the vast reaches of his unflinching power..  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Even though "everything is canon," licensed fiction is still licensed fiction - contradictions will happen, events will be ignored.  But what we can't ignore is how awesome the figure for BT-1 turned out.   The idea in the comics was to bring Vader a sidekick with sidekicks of her own - darker versions of R2-D2 and C-3PO - and they succeeded.  Fans like "dark whatever" a lot, so this was really just low-hanging fruit at which we have seen numerous attempts over the years.  Finally!  An evil black astromech!  The killer robot takes advantage of the recently retooled build-a-droid body (seen last as R2-D2 [FOTD #2,430], but with a new head. 

If you've got any of Hasbro's various "Droid Factory" bodies, you know what to expect as far as the body goes.  The ankles are articulated, the central leg is removable, and so is the dome.  The very dark grey - almost black - is similar to several existing robots, as is the orangey copper eye, the opper panel, and the silver other bits and pieces.   The fact that we got a new dome is in and of itself interesting enough to make it worthwhile, but Hasbro kept going and really outdid themselves.   You see, the guns are removable - and there are panels on the sides so you can cover them up, giving you back a closed-in dome with pop-out weapons.  Pretend ones, but still, the idea that they decided to give you some optional parts is a heck of an improvement over nothing.

As of today this figure is only available as a convention exclusive - but various leaks and winks from Hasbro in San Diego make it seem like they would be likely to consider this figure's release again, somewhere, in different packaging.  I'd say it's exciting, mostly because we rarely get new droids with new parts.   Hasbro could've given us a new dome with no removable pieces and we'd have been pretty happy - this is above and beyond that.   I'm happy.  Go get one.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro as a sample, but it was sold at San Diego Comic-Con and also HasbroToyShop.com.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,506: August 9, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,505: Rebel Trooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

REBEL TROOPER Fleeting
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E1210
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #69
Includes: Blaster Pistol< Death Star Plans Data Card, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Star Wars and/or Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Bio: Drawn from many homeworlds and species, Rebel troopers were the Alliance's front-tier soldiers in the war against the Empire.  They defended the Alliance's leaders on countless worlds and during many operations, changing uniforms and tactics to meet each challenge.  (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: We've seen this one for a while, so the release of the Rebel Trooper is one of those "it's about time" things.  We first saw it at Comic-Con a year ago, and Hasbro had a whole display of them at HasCon that made it look like they were ready to go - and then we waited.  The data disk is from Rogue One, but I think the human head might not be - I'm not sure.  The costume continuity was great, and if there were any changes I don't know what they are yet.  Vader had some differences, but his documentation was better.

I like this figure a lot.  The blaster tucks in the holster behind the vest, and he can hold the data disk. Getting the helmet on right is a little tricky, and a little uneven - I assume variant human heads might be in the works for no good reason.   The colors and detailing are consistent with the movies, and the hip joints are some of Hasbro's best.  He can kneel!   Hasbro cut this figure up nicely, with so much articulation to ensure he can assume a variety of combat-ready poses.  Hasbro clearly intends on you buying a lot of these, which you probably can't, because you know how "classic" characters get snapped up and tend to go away quickly.   I hope Hasbro does another run of these.

I love the glossy boots and the shiny helmet - the data card is an excellent bonus with printed circuit board bits and some nice gold markings.   Old guy fans want this - new fans might too.  It's one of the best figures in this line with a lot of flexibility and options to army-build down the road, plus an expertly cut vest hiding the one part of the figure I don't like.  That mid-torso joint is ugly and needs to go.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,505: August 7, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,504: R5-PHT (Droid Factory Line Look)

R5-PHT Just Different Enough to Make You Mad
Droid Factory The Last Jedi Boxed Set
Item No.:   No. 63488
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures
Action Feature: Breaks down into 5 separate pieces
Retail: $29.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.   These four new Astromech droids are featured in Solo: A Star Wars Story.   May the Force be with you... and your Droids!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)
Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  I put off opening these - and buying them - because the set is kind of dull.  Hasbro has made several black R5 droids, and so has Disney within their Droid Factory parts bins - R5-PHT has little new to offer, other than more silver paint and a restraining bolt.  It's otherwise similar - but not identical - to previous releases.

I'm not even going to dignify this with a longer review - it's the same robot with some more silver and a barely-changed dome sculpt.  Wookieepedia says it's an Imperial droid, and I don't remember seeing it in the film in a specific place - so sure, let's go with that.   The set for $30 is reasonable, but if you've also got droid Stockholm Syndrome and have been buying Disney's hassle-of-a-figure-line for the last five years, here, you can buy pretty much the same robot again.   I appreciate there are numerous additional silver details and I would be completely full of crap if I told you I actually wanted this figure.  The others were neat, but this is something that will sit on a shelf until I die or violently exit the hobby in frustration or disgust some day.   But then what would I do with my otherwise wasted life?

Collector's Notes: I got mine from eBay. Because I'm not driving eight hours and paying for parking to buy robot repaints.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,504: August 2, 2018