Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,590: Han Solo (Echo Base, The Vintage Collection)

HAN SOLO (Echo Base, 2019 Rerelease/Redeco)
The Vintage Collection Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. E0370  No. E5185
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #03
Includes: Blaster, mask, torch
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: April 2019
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Han Solo, known only as Han until being given the surname Solo by chief recruitment officer Drawd Munbrin, and also known as Cadet 124-329 when serving as an Imperial cadet, was a human male smuggler who became a leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic and an instrumental figure in the defeat of the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has 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: The last time we saw this figure was in 2010.  Han Solo (Echo Base) looks quite similar for the 2019 refresh, and it's repeatedly amazing to me that we got this one nine years ago.  To put that in perspective, that's like if the 1978 Han Solo figure showed up again in 1987 - when Star Wars as dead as Avatar is right now.   The main, big difference is the figure's head.  Harrison Ford's head has always been tough to get right, and they softened his features here with a high-resolution portrait printed on the exact same head sculpt we got before.  As I've been fond of saying, deco matters - the best sculpt in the world lives or dies by the paint masks.  Hasbro nailed it here, giving one of its better Han heads to one of its least essential outifts.  If there's only one Han Solo figure from the original movies to skip, I'd say it was this one - not because it's bad, but because it doesn't have a lot of places to go in your displays or dioramas.

The figure ticks most of the boxes, with a working holster and cool accessories.  The holster is a separate piece, but it's a little big and loose over his waist and leg.   Just sculpting it right to the body generally gives better results, but at least you've going swivel wrists and ball ankles and a bunch of other joints you will most likely never ever use for this figure in this costume.  It's nice to have the options, though.  Han's Hoth jacket is wide open, once again showing a white lining behind the figure.

For variation hunters and those seeking the very best of every possible release, this is a figure you should have already purchased.  If you missed him the first time, you simply must get this better version.   If you're happy with your 2010 Echo Base Han just keep scrolling - you're basically shelling out a 50% premium for an admittedly very good head upgrade.

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

Day 2,590: May 30, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,589: Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot (The Vintage Collection)

IMPERIAL TIE FIGHTER PILOT (TIE Fighter pack-in)
The Vintage Collection Walmart Exclusive Vehicle
Item No.: No. E2826
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, TIE Fighter, ejector seat
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $79.86
Availability: Fall 2018
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: TIE fighter pilots, also known as Imperial Starfighter Pilots, were an elite class within the military of the Galactic Empire. They piloted the TIE/ln space superiority starfighters, one of the Empire's most recognizable symbols of power.  (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has 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: This one is frustrating.  The Imperial TIE Fighter Pilot (and his vehicle) have been upgraded bit by bit over years to the extent where I think Theseus would be proud.   The TIE Fighter has evolved since 1978, with Kenner (later Hasbro) slowly upgrading the wings, cockpit, interior, windows, laser cannons, and each and every piece to the point where this TIE Fighter may share the wing eject mechanism from the 1978 original, but noting else.   Similarly, this TIE Fighter Pilot builds on the 2004 Saga figure, which has been given upgrades like a removable helmet, blaster holster, ball-jointed shoulders, elbows, and wrists as time went on.  This one changes the formula by leaving the "clone" head unpainted and gluing the helmet down to it.  For whatever reason, Hasbro has elected to not give this figure ankles over the past four decades.

What makes this figure unique are the glued-on helmet on the human head, the distinctive silver stripe on the helmet, and it matches the Decipher CCG "Reserve Pilot" card.  I'm not sure if he got a name later.  So this guy is distinctive and all, so if you need every flavor of Imperial TIE Pilot this should be added to your list.  At $80 it's kind of pricey, especially when compared to the Sail Barge or Skiff or even the recent Rogue One tank.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,589: May 28, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,588: Grand Moff Tarkin (The Retro Collection)

GRAND MOFF TARKIN Vintage-Style Debut
The Retro Collection Board Game Pack-In
Item No.:  No. E6172
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Escape From Death Star Game
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: May 2019
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: After Supreme Chancellor Palpatine transformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire and proclaimed the Jedi as fugitives, Tarkin became the Empire's first Grand Moff, and regional Governor of the Outer Rim. With this responsibility, he was also given oversight of the Death Star which he took command over after removing Orson Krennic from the position once it was operational. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has 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: This is kind of a big deal.  To date, Hasbro (and Kenner) have largely ignored vintage-style figures save for a rocket-firing Boba Fett (a big deal) and a handful of remakes from the 1978 debut series.   Boba Fett is arguably a new entry to the line, but everything else is just a rerun - seeing Grand Moff Tarkin in plastic decades after his proposed inclusion around 1986 is something if a bizarre miracle.

At Toy Fair 2019, Hasbro said that this was one of the most difficult sculpts they've ever had to do, as it is a real challenge to capture the flavor of a figure from 40 years ago.  While that statement of the challenge is true, Hasbro left out that much of Tarkin was "borrowed" from the 1980 Imperial Commander action figure.  The torso and arms are brought over to Tarkin with minor changes, you can see a couple of added folds, a smoothed-out belt buckle, an updated rank badge, and added code cylinders - but the hands are very, very close to the Commander's right down to the glove wrinkles on the back of the hands.  Similarly, the legs are different but there are enough similarities in the wrinkles and general look that I assume Hasbro got their mitts on Gentle Giant's jumbo figure scans and modified them to make Tarkin.  Kenner very rarely cannibalized old sculpts to make new figures in the Star Wars line save for a couple of droids, so this is kind of a cheat.  It's totally a cheat, really.  I don't think most fans are going to make a fuss over it but it's hard to ignore the similarities.

The figure also improves on his ancestors.  Tarkin's legs can swing forward better than the Commander, allowing him to fit in vehicles and sit very nicely.  The blaster, at first glance, isn't different at all - the same patterns and landmarks can be found here as you can find on original blaster pistols.   He has no problems standing, The shoulders seem to be seated oddly on the torso, but presumably that's due to the digital development of this one.  Sometimes it doesn't sit quite perfectly.

With the relative decline of newness in the 3 3/4-inch line, this is certainly a welcome injection of something new, fresh, and interesting.  I fear it may be a little late as the target market for this figure is probably in his late 40s or even early 50s, but I see this and I also now see no reason for Hasbro not to slide Vlix, Gargan, and other sculpted-but-never-released real-deal Kenner action figures from 1983-1986 in the marketplace.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,588: May 23, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,587: Princess Leia Organa (Hoth, The Vintage Collection)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA (Hoth, 2019 Rerelease/Redeco)
The Vintage Collection Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. E0370  No. E5182
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #02
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: April 2019
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Leia Organa, a Force-sensitive human female, was a princess of Alderaan, a member of the Imperial Senate, a leader of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, a member of the Galactic Senate, and general of the Resistance. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has 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: Previously released as "Leia (Hoth Outfit)" in 2010, this figure is now Princess Leia Organa (Hoth) in 2019.   And she was really good in 2010 - I wrote: "There isn't much else you can do with her that would be reasonable at this stage, so hey Hasbro-- good work! Who's next?"    Hasbro used some off-white weathering back then, and a lot more make-up than we usually got.  By dialing back both, they improved the figure dramatically.  The costume now more closely matches the image on the cardback in almost every way, with the only place I could see room for experimentation is more deco on the face.  I think the figure looks fine, but Carrie Fisher had a bit more going on around her eyes - I'd be curious to see if Hasbro could do something with that at 3 3/4-inch scale without looking like Alice Cooper.

It's a big improvement - I didn't even realize how much of an improvement it was until I started on this review.   Obviously if you're happy with what you have, you don't need to upgrade.  If you want the very best, the 2019 Hoth Leia is it until Hasbro decides to pay to tool a new one, or another competitor if Hasbro some day decides they no longer need the 3 3/4-inch slice of the license.

Just don't forget, the core of this release is a figure from 2010 - right before Hasbro started to add in rocker ankles, bend-and-swivel wrists, and lateral hip movement on some of its figures.   More closely matching the 2018 Solo Force Link 2.0 Hoth Leia, her head now has lighter lips, a more complete but thinner line around the eye, improved eyebrows, and a better overall skin tone.   This 2019 figure is a pretty good combination of the best of the 2010 and 2018 figures, with the best of articulation and deco worlds and a face seemingly painted on much straighter.  She can stand, sit, hold her blaster, and be posed very nicely. 

Hasbro's deco has upgraded considerably, no doubt thanks to refinements in manufacturing technology and also having a little more budget.  A reused mold means big savings, and even with inflation that leaves a few extra cents for better paint.  Over the years we've seen dramatic improvement in sculpting, but if deco is just a tiny bit off it ruins the figure.  With improvements this big on an old figure, Hasbro could probably do a few victory laps with its existing molds and get us all to bite a few more times.  Nicely done.

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

Day 2,587: May 21, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,586: Luke Skywalker (Endor, The Vintage Collection)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Endor, 2019 Rerelease/Redeco)
The Vintage Collection Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. E0370  No. E5183
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #23
Includes: Cuffs, hilt, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: April 2019
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Luke Skywalker, a Force-sensitive human male, was a legendary Jedi Master who fought in the Galactic Civil War during the reign of the Galactic Empire. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has 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: Previously released as "Jedi Knight Outfit" and "Endor Capture," this version is Luke Skywalker (Endor) and that's what you look for on eBay.  It's still VC23, but the cardback has been revised and the figure's face is different.  The figure is largely identical to the previous release except for the head, but it's a good one.  While Darth Vader from this wave is a 14-year-old mold, Luke is only about 9.

This is a good one - Luke has bend-and-swivel wrists and those lateral-moving hips, which were a big deal back in 2010.  Luke is skinny with a head that seems a smidgen wide, wearing the outfit you saw on the Death Star at the end of the movie.   He has glossy boots, one black glove, and the right hand as a sort of weak thumb on my sample.  This version has a lightsaber hole on his belt, which some of the 2010 figures had - but not all.   If you didn't get the Luke in 2010, you probably should.  While a new Jedi Knight Luke is coming, it's a Jabba's Palace one - and not this outfit.

The reason this figure is interesting is the head.   The sculpt is a little rounder than I would like, but the deco is better this time.  The eyes have a subtle painted outline, the lips are painted, and the two-tone hair has a bit more contrast this time.  From a distance it looks a little bit better than the 2010 figure, thanks to slightly darker eyebrows and higher-resolution printing on the figure's head.  It's an improvement, although I can't say it's essential if you're already happy with the last one.   It's essential for me though - I can't say no to an improved head.  If the price is right, this is a worthwhile wave.

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

Day 2,586: May 16, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,585: Mace Windu (The Black Series 6-Inch)

MACE WINDU 6-Inch Debut
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E4088
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #82
Includes: Lightsaber, Cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2019
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: A grim Jedi Master with an amethyst-bladed lightsaber, Mace Windu was the champion of the Jedi Order, with little tolerance for the failings of the sentate, the arguments of politicians, or the opinions of rebellious Jedi.  (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:  This Mace Windu figure marks a few important milestones from Hasbro.  It's the first Attack of the Clones Jedi - or possibly just another Revenge of the Sith, but let's not go there.  It's the first cloth cloak we've had in the 6-inch side, and unlike the 3 3/4-inch ones, it's actually pretty good. The hood is sewn down in a pretty perfect place, so you can position it so it's on his head and doesn't look entirely stupid.  It's one of Hasbro's best small-scale robes, and the thickness of the cloth is pretty good too.  Nicely done, Hasbro.

The articulation is nothing special  As usual, "amazing" is now normal so it doesn't register as being special.   You get rocker ankles, bend-and-swivel wrists, and the sculpting does a good job if disguising the joints with boots and robes and all that good stuff.  I had a lot of problems getting him to stand just right, so I would get him a good display stand if you can find one.  I think he's going to fall with time.

The lightsaber blade is removable from the hilt - that's good!  The hilt has no way to attach to the belt.  Six years in, that's a big disappointment when we have the robes and a fantastic Samuel L. Jackson printed portrait on the face.  This is a figure you won't want to miss, and I have to wonder if we'll see a "sneak preview" variant with the wrong lightsaber at some point down the road.  I was hoping they'd paint the soles of his boots a different color like some of the small figures, but I guess that era has passed.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,585: May 14, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,584: Han Solo (Mimban, The Black Series 6-Inch)

HAN SOLO (Mimban)
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E4069
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #78
Includes: Cape, helmet, goggles, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2019
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: After getting kicked out of the Imperial Academy, Han Solo found himself dumped on Mimban as a mudtrooper.  While there, Han met an Imperial prisoner named Chewbacca in an encounter that would change his life. (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:  I am kind of amazed by how good the Solo: A Star Wars story figures mostly were.   None of them (save of the 3 3/4-inch Han heads) seemed particularly off, and this particular Han Solo - most likely just my sample - has a bum elbow.  I can't get the right elbow to bend.  I'm not crazy about that, but assuming it's just mine?  This is a very nice figure. I'm kind of amazed we got this figure given how most movies are ignored a year after their theatrical release, and I'm probably going to try to do some surgery on that elbow to see if it helps.  Hasbro did a great job with this one, and so far it seems to be one of their better overall figures from the new movies.  You get great paint, an awesome costume, a wonderful and almost eerie likeness, plus tons of removable costume elements.  Short of two bending elbows, what else could you ask for?

I like how Hasbro made it so it can do double duty as Han or a generic trooper.  The head looks a lot more like Alden Ehrenreich thanks to the face paint,  which looks darker but not dirtier.   The armor is covered in grime, with painted gloves and beat-up armor.  Articulation is more or less par for the course, and you can even have him pulling down his removable mask.

As accessories go, this one is bonkers.  The figure's armor has hose hook-ups for the face mask. You can put his helmet on, and the goggles can be on the helmet or over the eyes.  The blaster looks great too, but there's no holster or anything special for it.  On top of all of that, the cape can drape over buckles on the shoulders. 

Obviously, get one or two if you have the chance.  It's a nice trooper figure and I don't know if Hasbro will crank out repaints or not.  I hope they give it some thought. 

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,584: May 9, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,583: Dryden Vos (The Black Series 6-Inch)

DRYDEN VOS 6-Inch Debut
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E4070
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #79
Includes: Cape/coat, bladed weapons
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2019
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: The public face of the Crimson Dawn rime syndicate, Dryden Vos is a contradiction: a pitiless enforcer known as a gangster of wealth and taste.  His good manners shouldn't be mistaken for weakness, though: he can change from generous host to ruthless killer in a moment. (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:  As time goes on, we get more and more 6-inch figures without a counterpart in the 3 3/4-inch line. I find this vexing, because I don't have that cool General Leia or a red Stormtrooper in the regular, normal size.  Now I don't have Dryden Vos either - and it's a great figure!

This taller-than-usual figure has Paul Bettany in his fancy suit.  It's a good design, as you get something that looks like an otherworldly suit with a space bola tie.  The cape/jacket wraps around the figure with an ornament hanging in front of the chest, with a small strap that can tuck in under the right breast - but does not stay put. The cloth textures are striking, the pants in particular have tiny sculpted stripes in them and they look great.   I love how the pants fall at the shoes, and the shoes look great too.  There's even a bracelet on the right wrist, a subtle thing you  barely even notice at first.  The hands easily fit in his bladed weapons, and articulation is about as good as we get these days.

What's really notable is the human likeness is fantastic - this looks a lot like our actor, complete with color-change scars and a staple in his head.   The hair might be a little paler than needed, but figures tend to look better with a bit of exaggeration in color.    While mine had a couple of unwanted specs of paint (just like Padme), it otherwise looks great.   Top-to-bottom, this is a fantastic figure - a pity it's from a movie most fans haven't seen for some weird reason.  Assuming you are the kind of fan that likes all the movies, you're going to like this figure.  It'll go great with your Marvel Legends Vision toys.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,583: May 7, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,582: Vice Admiral Holdo (The Black Series 6-Inch)

VICE ADMIRAL HOLDO 6-Inch Debut
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. E4880
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #80
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2019
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: Commanding officer of the Resistance cruiser Ninka, Vice Admiral Holdo has been a trusted ally of General Leia Organa for years.  Holo radiates a quiet confidence with her measured words, but will it be enough to light the encroaching darkness? (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:  I wonder if we got this character because Winter would require royalties to Zahn?  Well, Vice Admiral Holdo held the screen nicely without us getting a lot of time with her.  Played by the fantastic Laura Dern, she of Diane, Ellie Sattler, Ruth Stoops, Susan, and countless other role fame, it was awesome to see Hasbro give us a high-ranking dead character so soon.  It took us 20 years to get Grand Moff Tarkin, and thanks to Lucasfilm and Disney's tight-lipped-ness I assume Hasbro doesn't always know who they are working on are DOA.  Well, lucky for us.

I'm happy to see Hasbro do a Vice Admiral Holdo.  It's a B-.   There are design elements which are perfect, some that are very good attempts, and some that just kind of fall flat.

The bulk of the dress turned out well - the "dickie" is plastic, and has a lot of golds and bunches in it.  Is it weird?  Yes.  If you muck around with it, you can sort of bunch up the cloth parts of her outfit to look al ittle more like the movie. It's difficult to move the cloth to expose those bits of shoulder though, and since that's an important landmark it shows us yet another limitation of soft goods in toys.  The color is even throughout and they did a ncie job with the jewelry and hands.  She can hold her blaster just fine, and the hood on the back of the dress hangs nicely.  I find myself wishing the whole costume was plastic, just because it is such a mixed bag.  It's not awful - but for modern standards, anything less than perfect is usually rounded up to a disappointment because Hasbro will probably never, ever have a reason to revisit this character in this size and in this outfit.

This is a real pity, because of the head.  Hasbro's "Hyper Real" face printing has been largely good and constantly improving.  Captain Rex and D.J. kicked things off nicely, with fantastic versions of young and old Lando Calrissian and wonderful updates to other popular human heads over the last year.   Holdo is a step backward.  In the movie her eyes pop nicely.  They did a good job of making her look like Space Laura Dern, which is what you want.  The toy didn't quite get the dark parts of the eye make-up right, and the whites of the eyes aren't big or exaggerated enough - so the toy comes off as a little dead-eyed.  At least mine does, and so do the pictures I've looked at of the final product.  This is a place for customizers to do a better job, and if there's a running change I'd buy it.  It's a shame, because the sculptors did a nice job with the portrait and hair - but the eyes.  Oh, the eyes.  You deserve better Laura Dern, you really do.   At least the rings were painted amazingly well, which is a bit of a surprise.

I think the meme goes "thanks, I hate it."   It's almost perfect.  This is one of those figures that if you want, I'd have to say you're going to need to repaint her or take it and like it.   It might be the worst face print on the printed faces to date, and the dress comes off as a noble attempt but not quite right.  If Hasbro reissued her with some tweaks, I would be as happy as a large part of my readership would not be.  She's also without most of her friends - Leia's appearances from the movie haven't been made in this scale, nor have her aides.    Now where's my Twin Peaks Returns Diana figure?

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,582: May 2, 2019