Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,712: R5-D23 (Droid Factory Line Look)

R5-D23 D23 Disney Convention Exclusive
Star Wars   Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, wizard hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: July 2017
Appearances: n/a

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.  Living on the planet of Lothal, this Astromech droid serves in the local marketplace of the Capital City.  Join R5-D23 on his adventures throughout the galaxy!   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:  Behold, the first (I think) figure I forgot I owned and almost re-bought!  R5-D23
was sitting about 10 feet away from my desk on some shelving I got from Toys R Us before it closed since 2017.  A lot of droids came in all at once so I put off reviewing some of them until later - much later - and this one was still carded until a few weeks ago.   It wasn't nearly as ornate as R4-D23 [FOTD #2,184] and for some reason, his hat doesn't have the ears.  Aside from that, it's your garden variety convention exclusive redeco.   Yeah, we're going to do some more droids this year.

As with the rest of these guys, you can pop it apart at the dome, legs, and central leg.  You can swap parts with hundreds of other droids from both Hasbro and Disney.  There's a hole in the head, and it can wear hats.  When you pop the head off, you can see sculpted but unpainted silver detail.   The feet are of the latter Disney variety, which is to say they lack the cables over the front of the "toes."

Like the series Rebels from which it is allegedly off-camera, the figure is a bit brighter and shinier, looking more new and like something from the concept art sketchpads.  Silver, blue, and white markings make the figure look like it could be floating around in the backgrounds.  It's not bad, but it doesn't seem like it necessarily is a lost part of your collection, or that it fits in with some toys you already bought unless you're a full-on droid fiend.  (And I hope that you are.)   It looks like it should belong somewhere specific.   There's a nifty white panel with a grey line slashing through it, which almost looks nautical.  The seafaring theme is furthered thanks to various blue seas of paint on the figure's head and  body, and lighter blue filling its three eyes.  This can only mean that the figure is an employee of H. Salt Fish & Chips or Long John Silver's.  There are also very subtle white caps on the figure's legs.

This figure is rather expensive and, I would argue, not as cool as R4-D23 from a couple of years earlier.  I am surprised the prices for the special Disney droids have started climbing, so get them if the price is good - anything orbiting $25 shipped should be considered more than fair given its retail price, taxes, shipping, and the tape and shipping box.  Higher prices than that are entirely up to your preferences, and you could probably use another robot right about now.

Collector's Notes: It's been so long I can't remember who got this for me.  Thanks Max?

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,712: July 30, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,711: C1 Astromech (Color-Changing Droids, Droid Factory Line Look)

C1 ASTROMECH Color-Changing Droids
Star Wars Disney Droid Depot
Item No.: No. ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 droids - RA-7 Protocol Droid, BB Unit, R2 Astromech, C1 Astromech
Action Feature: Pops apart, removable third leg, arms, and radar too.   Torso arm pops out.
Retail: $39.99
Availability: ca. July 2019
Appearances: n/a

Bio: All different types of droids populate the galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.  These droids have the special ability to change color!  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  It's different!  This color-change C1 Astromech is Disney's superior C1-10P "Chopper" [FOTD #2,385] with deco changes and lacking the alternate "wrong" leg.  The deco is closer to the Hasbro Chopper figure, plus an added color-change figure.  You'll like this one.

The figure has a removable central leg, head-arms with 3 joints each, plus each leg has an articulated ankle.   What's more, the arm in the body also swings out - there's a lot going on with this mold.  Disney dropped some deco on the back of the figure, but that isn't something you're likely to miss.  You're unlikely to miss Chopper's crotch rocket either.

The reason you're going to buy this figure is for the color change.  (Unless you missed Chopper last time, in which case this 3 3/4-inch figure is still worthwhile.)   When heated, C1 looks like Chopper on the TV show Star Wars Rebels.   The yellow marks on the dome and body and mismatched leg all look like the show, giving kids another crack at a character that just plain didn't get love at US retailers.

When chilled, the feet and dome turn black.  It recalls the Imperial "disguise" Chopper got on the TV show, but it's not the same pattern or the same colors.  It may serve as "close enough" for young fans, and it's certainly better than nothing.  If you like what you see, I'd say grab it.  It's a neat set and a nice feature, and who the heck knows when you can go to a theme park again to buy yourself one.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Shannon. Thanks Shannon!  There are 2 droid 4-packs and 1 droid playset with a Gonk Droid at this time.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,711: July 28, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,710: Dak Ralter (The Black Series 6-Inch)

DAK RALTER (Snowspeeder)
The Black Series Snowspeeder Pack-In 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: No. E7551
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Helmet, charges, grapple gun, vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $119.99
Availability: July 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio:  During the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker piloted a Snowspeeder and led the Rebel Alliance against the Empire’s ground forces.   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

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 Dak Ralter (Snowspeeder) makes sense in a production context, and seems baffling in the grand scheme of the line.  To date, The Black Series has been a mix of core characters and obligatory releases to promote new Star Wars media.  So  you'll get the dude from the new video game, and you'll get an obscure character if it shares tooling with another major figure.   This is why we have Wedge and Dak, but why we haven't  yet received a second alien for the cantina after Greedo, and it's been seven years.  It's why we have several Stormtrooper repaints, but no Bib Fortuna.   It's why we have most of the main cast of Solo, but not a lot from the comic books.  Right now, we're dealing with a line that is focused on adult fan - not necessarily long-haul collectors, many of which would be pushing 50 or above now if they were old enough to remember seeing the 1977 original in theaters.

What's important is Dak isn't just Luke with new helmet deco.  Hasbro gave us a new head sculpt, new helmet deco, and new accessories - plus a new body part!   (Oh, and a giant Snowspeeder.)   New Dak has traded the lower belt segment for a new piece - this doesn't have Luke's belt with the lightsaber hook.  Instead, you get a plain grey belt with no fancy buckles, and this might be ideal for future releases of other pilots like Zev or Wedge or Hobbie.  The articulation is excellent, just like Snowspeeder Pilot Luke, thanks to sharing so much engineering with him.  The joints aren't nearly as stiff as the previous years' worth of figures, and posing him just feels more natural and like it's much less of a fight.   There are lots of great wrinkles and quilted fabric sculpted elements, which may be true to the movie.  I don't know, because all I ever really saw of Dak are illustrations and his head.   As such, we can say Hasbro did a marvelous job given the reference we know to be available.   For all we know actor John Morton wore British Knights and jams shorts - in which case, Hasbro even improved on the original design.

The helmet and head sculpt are perfectly fine, as are the charges that can fit in loops inside the seating area of the snowspeeder vehicle.  It may well be the most ornate interior I've seen yet, with lots of buttons, painted elements, seat belts, and grips for our pilots. It doesn't seem to have a storage place for the grapple gun, though, and the ship itself could have used some more time in the oven.  The cockpit glass is the same horrible, waxy clear plastic used for The Force Awakens X-Wings, and some of the compartments are tough to open - also there are no instructions.  The fold-out landing gear must be opened in a certain order or one of the two doors will be blocked, there's a blast-off panel, there are air brakes... there's a lot here to enjoy, but no effort was made on-pack or in-pack to explain any of it.

Dak is secured to a plain brown box insert inside, so if you want to display every last figure in a window box, you can't.   Maybe Hasbro will reissue him in a fancy package some day, but for now there's no typical retail-style box for this one.  The figure is absolutely worth getting at a fair price, but you might not love the overall quality of the snowspeeder - the 1980s toys felt sturdier, and this one feels a little more hollow.   It's still super impressive, and I can see why fans had a reaction of "so when do we get an AT-AT?" after getting one.   It looks like Hasbro did a marvelous job delivering an impressive vehicle with pilot for the asking price, but it's still expensive during a period of economic insecurity.  I hope it does well - other than the functionality of the rear landing skid doors and the cockpit glass, I think they nailed this package.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,710: July 23, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,709: Stormtrooper with Blast Accessories (The Black Series 6-Inch)

 STORMTROOPER with Blast Accessories
The Black Series Disney Store Exclusive Introduction 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: No. E2258
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, stand with reversible plate, 3 blasts
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: August 2018
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio:  Stormtroopers are elite shock troops fanatically loyal to the Empire and impossible to sway from the Imperial cause. They wear imposing white armor, which offers a wide range of survival equipment and temperature controls to allow the soldiers to survive in almost any environment.  Stormtroopers wield laster rifles and pistols with great skill, and attack in hordes to overwhelm their enemies.  (Taken from the box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Despite being a great idea, my Stormtrooper with Blast Accessories stayed in a box collecting dust on the floor in my office for almost two whole years.   It's a good idea - Hasbro took a $20 figure that fans want more than one of, added some improved battle damage, including a perfectly adequate stand, and tossed in three blast effects.  It's worth the $5 upcharge.

The figure itself is very similar to the individual boxed and carded figures you've seen before, as well as the various repaints.   What makes this figure unique is that Hasbro dropped the rifle and added deco.  The helmet, shoulder, and chest have some great damage on them, setting this trooper apart from the many other figures squeezed out of this mold over the last seven years.   The articulation is just as good, the white plastic is still great, and the mobility is good enough to keep you happy.  I assume you just want another one to add to your stash, and if you do, it's nice to build your armies with slightly different figures.   It's also not too expensive, despite being long sold-out.

What makes it distinctive are its accessories.  The stand is a grey block with a Star Wars logo that pops out and can be reversed to show a pattern that looks like a wall on an Imperial installation.  Options!  It has two foot pegs, but interestingly also has hooks to connect to other stands.  As of my writing this, there are no other stands - this is it.

The more visible accessories are three fire blasts.  Japanese figure companies have been selling things like this to companies for years, but they're uncommon in Star Wars.  (Notably, Hasbro now includes them with many Transformers.)   These seem like a great fit to plug on the tip of the blaster, but the big explosions are harder to use - if you don't have some  big battle diorama, they do kind of get in the way.  They're nice, with lots of paint and color cast over translucent pieces, but where do they go?

I think sets like this are great.  Keep the figures in circulation, make some changes, add some gear - but maybe other accessories would be more fun instead.  Variant helmets, weapons for other figures, or more fireblasts for blasters - like a stun setting! - could be a lot of fun in the future.  Hasbro did a great job here, it's just that it's a good value and a great idea that's not immediately useful unless you're constructing a battle at home.   The stand is fine, but is ultimately not great - bigger, heavier figures require more support up top, otherwise they sag with time and fall over.  Having said all that, at the right price, I'd strongly recommend getting this to add to your armies - and maybe the fireblasts can be used if you do figure photography.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney's web store. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,709: July 21, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,708: Shadow Stormtrooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SHADOW STORMTROOPER Blue
The Black Series Gamestop Exclusive Gaming Greats 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: No. E9622
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2020
Appearances: The Force Unleashed

Bio:  Star Wars: The Force Unleashed follows Darth Vader's secret apprentice, trained to hunt down and destroy Jedi, while Shadow Stormtroopers use cloaking devices to ambush enemies.   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Hasbro is sure getting the most out of this mold  before the new one comes out!  Shadow Stormtrooper legions attacked you in The Force Unleashed, a game for the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and a few other systems.  It was pretty cool - and it was also previously sold as a 3 3/4-inch figure as a Toys R Us exclusive.  While the figure was released in 2020, the character design is nifty in how dated it is.  

Over the years, you sometimes hear people clamor for things and then it just kind of fizzles out - Indiana Jones toys come to mind, and peoples' alleged fandom for and love of all things Tron.  Some people love it, but more people say they love it.  The movie's sequel received a not-entirely-surprising amount of fanfare and the stylish designs and costumes certainly inspired a whole lot of people - including game developers.   This Stormtrooper seems to draw influence from the late '00s, with a dark body featuring blue outlines and highlights.   It's a great looking figure, but much like faux woodgrain dates things to the 1970s, this is very much of a specific era.

The figure itself is just the same basic Stormtrooper mold, cast in clear, and covered in black, silver, and seemingly sparkly paint.   Out of context this should be a hit with fans of the high-end Kaiju sofubi figure scene or indie designer toys as well as fans of the 2008 The Force Unleashed video game.   The figure itself doesn't feel too Star Wars-y in how it looks, but then again, neither due the bright orange and blue uniforms on Star Tours. I don't know why Hasbro dragged its feet so long to do weird Stormtrooper repaints, but now they're here and they're welcome.   With a $5 premium price you might not want to troop build this one, but it's certainly good enough to warrant grabbing one to add to your growing "Gaming Greats" stash.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from GameStop's web site.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,708: July 16, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,707: Stormtrooper Commander (The Black Series 6-Inch)

STORMTROOPER COMMANDER Blue
The Black Series Gamestop Exclusive Gaming Greats 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7549 No. E9497
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: May 2020
Appearances: The Force Unleashed

Bio:  Star Wars: The Force Unleashed follows Darth Vader's secret apprentice, trained to hunt down and destroy Jedi, while Stormtrooper Commanders lead Imperial troops into battle.   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Fan logic based on nothing keeps coming up.  "Nobody's allowed to make toys of anything not canon!" I keep hearing, which is patently untrue.  Hasbro and Lucasfilm will make what they wish, what makes sense - which doesn't necessarily mean Darth Revan is or isn't canon, and since we got a few figures from The Force Unleashed it only makes sense that we'll get more repainted Stormtroopers from the game like the legendary Stormtrooper Commander, which started life as a pre-order bonus for the game 12 years ago.  You'll be forgiven for not remembering as the figure mostly went out the back door before a subsequent reissue as an SDCC exclusive.  Despite being yet another Stormtrooper or Sandtrooper repaint - and there have been plenty - this one is gorgeous.  I love it.

The figure's shiny white armor is now more of a matte off-white eggshell finish, covered in weathered blue rank marks and some of the best black blast mark battle damage I've seen out of Hasbro.   It's rare Hasbro tarts up the front and back of a figure with battle damage, but if you flip this guy over you'll see scuffs on the helmet, butt, legs, and arm.  

The new-for-2020 blue markings on the 2013 mold look fantastic, with even more weathering and scuffing than in the game - perhaps even too much.   Hasbro could do another version of this figure closer to the game and because this one is a decent departure, I'd still be happy to see it in another flavor.  He has no problem holding his blasters, the holster fits the smaller blaster just fine, and the figure has about 29 points of articulation including a nearly perfect set of neck joints.  You can get a lot of poses out of this mold, which is good, because you probably already bought it a few times with more coming.

It's more expensive than it needs to be, but at least it had more paint and seemingly stiffer, better joints than previous releases of this mold.  If you can get one for $25, you should.   The figure adds nothing new in terms of toy quality, but given the growing line of game-specific figures it's probably worth future-proofing your collection with this guy if and when the Secret Apprentice gets a figure.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from GameStop's web site.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,707: July 14, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,706: Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder, The Black Series 6-Inch)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Snowspeeder)
The Black Series 40th Anniversary 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7549 No. E9052
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Helmet, lightsaber blade, hilt
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: May 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio:  During the Battle of Hoth, Luke Skywalker piloted a Snowspeeder and led the Rebel Alliance against the Empire’s ground forces.   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

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 Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder) is a new and improved figure from Hasbro - and my only complaints about it are that it could have been only slightly more amazing with more accessories.  With the newer shoulder joints and smoother articulation overall, Luke has the same great sculpted detail but fixes a lot of the quibbles we've had on earlier figures.  I see no visible copyright markings.  The orange is uniform, there's no obvious mismatched orange paint vs. orange plastic.  The face is perfect.  The helmet is gorgeous.  The lightsaber hilt can hang on the belt hook.  Just about everything here works perfectly.

I'm not sure if he will fit in the 6-inch scale Snowspeeder coming down the road, mostly because the legs can't swing forward all that much.  It would have been enough to sit in the old Kenner vintage vehicles, though, so maybe it'll be just fine.  I love how the arms have so much ability to move so he can gesture or grab on to controls (in theory), but there's no blaster or grapple gun.  This is odd, because the retro one had a grapple gun and many other releases since the 1990s had some sort of pistol or blaster.  An alternate, un-capped head would have also been cool - so you could recreate his Dagobah landing.

If you get this figure - and you should, it's getting rereleased in a box later this year if you missed the carded release - it's a gem. The helmet has these perfectly printed symbols and scuffs.  The lens is wonderful.  The arms are perfectly textured, and the shoulders can swing forward a bit if you like.  The boots look great, the knees are very well-hidden, the gloved hands hide wrist joints very well, and there are all sorts  of painted buttons, rivets, dials, and switches.

With that great printed face, it seems obvious this Luke got a ton of love.   The earlier 6-inch figures were fine, but Hasbro has broken through "fine" and has now landed on "impressive."   I know it's tough to do things within budget, but seeing new figures like the Hoth Rebel Soldier and this Snowspeeder Luke, it's like we've just had years of advancement.  After years of no advancement.  Kudos, Hasbro - I assume we're going to see more repaints and reissues, but your new stuff doesn't disappoint.   More freshness please.  (Snowspeeder Wedge is also welcome.)

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,706: July 9, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,705: Lando Calrissian (The Black Series 6-Inch, 40th Anniversary Collection)

LANDO CALRISSIAN Redux
The Black Series 40th Anniversary 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7549 No. E8082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Cape, pistol, microphone
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: May 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio:  After losing the Millennium Falcon to Han Solo, Lando Calrissian went semi-respectable as the administrator of Cloud City   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

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 Lando Calrissian is a redeco of a really good 2017 release.  The Lando Calrissian [FOTD #2,379] had the same gear, and the same better-than-average elbow articulation, however the face was just pretty good.  For the time I'd say it was a better example of what Hasbro could do pre-printed faces, and by comparison it's always amazing to see just how much better these things get over the years.

2020 Lando has the same 26 (I think) points of articulation, with the bend-and-swivel wrists, rocker ankles, black belt, and what must be a prototype iWatch on his right wrist.   He has no problems standing, and the cape is pretty much the same as last time too.   So why are you buying it?  The packaging, and the portrait.

While I very much liked the 2017 release of Lando Calrissian, I can't deny that his face has what appears to be an exaggerated pair of eyebrows to go with his mustache.  It's closer to a Groucho interpretation, and usually smaller faces need exaggerated details to show up.  The difference is night and day when you look at the 2020 version with thinner eyebrows, a more muted mustache, and eyes that don't "pop" quite so much.   At first glance it's a radical departure, but after a few moments this is the clear winner.  

This figure is almost good enough for the ages - unfortunately, that 2017 mid-torso joint looked bad then and worse now.  Waist joints at the belt always look great, even if it doesn't give the figure quite the same mobility.  A big cut in the middle of the shirt just looks dreadful.   Hasbro generally doesn't invest in new parts for a redeco wave, though, so you'll have to enjoy the blaster, cape, and torso that you got.  Maybe Hasbro will try again for the 50th anniversary - but for now, this is a worthwhile upgrade.  Even if you just leave it in the packaging, it's good.   Score one if you're so inclined!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,705: July 7, 2020