Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,794: Princess Leia (Bespin Escape, The Vintage Collection)

PRINCESS LEIA (Bespin Escape)
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. F1889
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #187
Includes: Blaster pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Adopted into the House of Organa, the Alderaanian royal family, she was Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, a planet in the Core Worlds known for its dedication to pacifism. The princess was raised as the daughter of Senator Bail Organa and his wife, Queen Breha Organa, making her the heir to the Alderaanian monarchy.(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 first - and previous - Princess Leia (Bespin Escape) hit stores in 2001. (I got mine signed by Carrie Fisher at Celebration II, behind someone named Tommy, who had the single best personalized thing I've ever seen on a signed figure. I'll never forget it.) But this new figure is somewhat surprising as a partial retool. So many elements are new, I assumed it was a redux of the Hoth Leia (2010 & 2020 redeco) but no! She does share parts - or at least digital sculpting elements - but there's a ton of new tooling here. It's not the same figure.

At first glance I just assumed this was the previous figure with a new head, no vest, and a couple of other tweaks. It looks like they went all out, but let's start with the head. We get a much better - if not particularly emotive - Carrie Fisher head with the hair loops from the end of the second (and best) film. The face printing really brings her to life and her skin tone is, unlike the 2010 Hoth Leia, lively. She looks like a tiny plastic person, which is what we want. The eyes glisten, there's a little make-up, and the hair is a separately molded brown piece that just looks perfect on my sample. (I hear some have a gap, mine did not.) Like Target's 6-inch figure in this costume, this Leia is exquisitely good and the head will make you mad Hasbro reissued any existing figure. You're going to want new heads for all your Leia figures now.

The body seems inspired by the 2010 Hoth Leia figure with a lot of changes. The front of the torso seems nearly the same, with a new back featuring more sculpting and wrinkles. The arms were retooled for the gloveless hands and other elements were removed, with the shoulders now seated in the torso better. The lower torso/butt area seems to be a holdover, as are the thighs - but the thighs were retooled to have copyright marks and some other alterations. The lower legs are new, and she now has ankle joints. They're not rockers, but take the ankles you can get here people. Hasbro made almost a completely new figure while making us think this was just a simple retool - it's kind of amazing. They fooled me, this is way better than what I assumed we were getting from the previews.

Articulation is improved from 2010 Hoth Leia, but not by a lot - the new legs mean ankles, and that's an improvement. The leg articulation is good and she was clearly engineered with sitting in mind - which is what your Millennium Falcon wants. The wrists and elbows are nothing special, and the head/neck has that barbell joint that allows for a slightly better and more human range of movement. She's good - she's like a slightly-better 2010 figure, but not as good as the modern ones with thigh cuts. I wish Hasbro engineered a wholly new figure, but this one does the trick.

The blaster has exceptionally good paint weathering, possibly making it the best Stormtrooper blaster deco I've ever seen - but it does seem a bit exaggerated. It's better than the last one - she came with a pair of gold blasters. This Leia has no problems gripping the gun, and I consider it the best one you can get in this size. You've got two total options, and the previous one was very good too. If you see her - a 1-per-case shortpacked figure - you should buy one or two. I think she's amazing.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,794: March 30, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,793: R0-Series Astromech Droid Black with Orange

R0-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Black Dome with Orange Panels
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: No. ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: December 2015
Appearances: This may be meant to represent R0-H2 in The Force Awakens

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.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Maybe eBay? Possibly a theme park if it opens? These may still be in bins if bins are accessible - eBay is your best bet.

Commentary: I am keeping a series of Repaint Mondays going with the R0 Series Astromech Droid dome in black. There was also a white one which I can't remember reviewing (or at least, search isn't letting me find it as I write this.) This is a bin robot - not to be confused with a dustbin robot - so you could have fished parts out of compartments at Disney parks to put one like this together. You could've also done mismatched parts - but why? In 2015, the dome was the only new part, as the droid body and three legs were existing parts in existing deco which had been around for years. Unless I am mistaken, this is the only R0-series droid to have its dome appear in the bins to date.

Since the droid body itself is nothing new, as we looked at it with an R5-Series Astromech Droid Black with Silver and Orange [FOTD #2,181] back in early 2015. The supposedly non-Hasbro build has the no-wire legs so there are no rights or lefts - just get two and you're all set. The central black leg is unpainted, but the bigger legs have marvelous silver panels on the feet and festive orange dots. It's also a perfect match for the R0 domes, which as far as I know didn't exist until the Disney assimilation of Lucasfilm.

It's a new dome - it has a conical shape, cutting the top off so it looks a little like an R6 or an R5 unit, but not really. It's like R2 got smooshes with the same eye-in-a-square , with different silver elements from the R5 dome on the sides and back. There's a string of lined panels around the neck, and a white box under the eye. There are also four painted "pie slices" on the top of te dome. It's nothing too fancy, but it looks good and is a perfect match for this specific body.

It's a nice droid, but you can get the same body with R5 or R2 heads as well. They all look rather similar, and while cool I don't know much about the R0 domes. Are they really old? The naming conventions would make me think they are, but Microsoft also put out the Xbox One after the Xbox and Xbox 360 - so perhaps it's the latest and greatest in the Age of Resistance. I don't know if there's any literature on it, as the online resources have been somewhat unhelpful. Maybe we'll get an answer if he cameos on one of the TV shows somehow.

As the R0 units have virtually no movie appearances , I can only assume this is meant to be Poe Dameron's droid from The Force Awakens - I don't remember seeing the body, but the dome is in there for sure and it's a very close match. I assume we won't ever get a carded specimen, so if you have the means you should probably just grab one and cram it in one of your many X-Wings. Sure it'll be the wrong X-Wing - I can't fix everything. I like this droid, and at this point I can't help but wonder if it's going to be one of the last brand-new The Force Awakens characters we get as a 3 3/4-inch toy a while. I am assuming that the new trilogy is going to have a sort of plastic exile for a while.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Land via may pal Shannon a few years ago. Thank you Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,793: March 29, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,792: The Child (The Vintage Collection)

THE CHILD Single, Ready to Mingle
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. F1900
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #184
Includes: Stand, 3-piece pram egg, frog
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: Grogu, known to many simply as "the Child," was a male Force-sensitive Mandalorian foundling that belonged to the same species as Jedi Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Master Yaddle. (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: After debuting in The Vintage Collection as an accessory for a marvelous plussed-up Mando a few months ago, Hasbro released The Child by himself - with the floating pram, season one deco. While Boba Fett is $12.99 and worth it, this is not. If you just want the figure, you're going to pay whatever Hasbro asks - but it's important to remember that The Black Series Grogu was ten bucks, and the pram isn't that much plastic.

The figure is by no means bad - but this is an $8 figure tops. The tiny 1-inch figure has 3 points of articulation with a different head than his Walmart exclusive version - and seemingly different from the Razor Crest pack-in. He's cute, and his ears are down a little for this release. There's a hint of the white around his eyes. The ball-jointed shoulders are a clever design for the scale, plus he has a foot peg hole for some reason. The robes are wide enough that you'll likely never need to use a display stand with him, but it's nice to have options. I like that the collar and sleeves have the lighter color fabric around them, but there's not much here. It's four pieces of plastic and a tiny bit of paint, making it less complex than a typical 5 POA figure at a substantial mark-up. But he's cute, so you're probably going to pay it twice so you can keep one on the card.

His accessories are fine. The cyclops frog looks like the bigger one... it's just tiny and one of the smallest toy creatures in this entire line. On its own it may not seem impressive, but considering that 20 years ago Hasbro was telling us how they're engineering figures to have hands with fingers spread-out and engineered so they won't snap off, it's amazing to see something this small with fully-realized limbs. As a child, I would assume a figure like this would have a base molded to it and the legs would be part of a large blob - this is really well done. It's a shame it's so small and not very colorful, because clearly some work and engineering went in to making it look good for the size.

The pram, out of the box, is substandard. The 2-part lid doesn't quite fit in the base without warping, and it's possible boiling water or a hair dryer could fix it but I haven't tried it yet (nor should we have to.) Things like this need to fit perfectly, otherwise they can't close. It's a little light on deco - the three squares in the front are unpainted - but you do get some orange marks and some simulated scuffing. It's OK, but I wouldn't call it impressive. For $13 I would expect a better form fit or even an alternate pram that's permanently closed. It's a clever design, but since it can't shut well I won't say it's particularly great. I'm sure this more flexible plastic was used for safety purposes - otherwise this thing could shatter of you dropped it funny.

The figure was previously sold as an accessory, and it's possible that was the best way to get him - as a $5 extra, he's a delight. (And still seems expensive.) At $13, it's far from the best bang for the Baby Yoda buck - those collectible figures are bigger and cheaper. The 6-inch scale figure ain't bad. There's a figure that was a full 6-inches tall with marvelous glassy eyes for $20. Because fans demanded it, I am happy Hasbro produced this release - we would not stop asking for it otherwise. Now we got it. Now we can move on.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,792: March 25, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,791: Boba Fett (The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT 2021 Redesign
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. F1888
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #186
Includes: Blaster, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Fett was one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy during the reign of Emperor Palpatine. He became a legend over the course of his career, which included contracts for both the Empire and the extensive criminal underworld. (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: Something new and almost perfect! It's rare for The Vintage Collection to put out new stuff. So many fans approached Hasbro at conventions in the mid-2010s and said "We want anything on a vintage cardback!" and for nearly four years, that monkey's paw wish has delivered a slate of reissues, parts-swaps, retools, and precious few all-new action figures. We've received precious few all-new sculpts since Rogue One introduced thigh-swivels to the line, so when you get a all-new figure like this Boba Fett it's time for celebration. While not the best toy Boba Fett - arguably, that may be the ForceLink one from 2017 with its simple joints - this is the one all the collectors are going to want. Hasbro took a lot of notes to bring us this gem, and you owe it to yourself to get one. Replace that 2004 Original Trilogy Collection "Vintage" figure, and get this one now.

The figure seems to be a complete redesign, with all the bells and whistles. The last 100% new Boba Fett figure with super-or-better-articulation was around 2008 in the Evolutions pack, at the time the very best (and unmasked) take on the character which served as the basis for most The Vintage Collection rereleases up until last year. This new one adds things like rocker ankles, bend-and-swivel wrists, deeper cut elbows, and thigh cut joints that we've never had on a Boba Fett of this size before. By my count, you've got about 28 joints - 28! While I understand the griping about some figures (cough cough baby Yoda) being this same price, Boba Fett is something of a marvel. In December of 1995 we were reunning around like crazy people to get a pretty good (and the only brown-gloved proto suit) Boba Fett in the entire modern line for $4.99. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $8.60, and this new guy is around $13. Considering you went from 6 joints to 28 with added deco, a painted blaster, and a cloth cape, what's not to love?

While by no means perfect - this style of hip joint isn't great at swinging forward, and the writs gauntlets aren't jointed (but the wrists are) - it's better than you can reasonably expect for a figure at this size. The elbows can bend more than 90 degrees, which means they're taking some design cues from the 6-inch figures. Most Boba Fett figures can't even get to 90 degrees. He has no problems holding his gun, but getting some of the action poses just right may take some work. I was impressed by his center of gravity and didn't have much difficulty getting him to balance, but more impressed by the well-hidden waist joint which actually looks like a natural seam in the costume. Similarly, the other joints also merge nicely with the figure's natural costume design, which was a gift to toy designers looking to hide points of articulation.

It's missing one thing - the chest armor has had two horizontal lines, like an equals sign, on it since day one. The old Kenner toy has them, but this one lacks the grooves or painted representations of them - and may be one of very few Bobas to lack them. I hope there's a deco variant (or a mold variant) to slap them on there, because they were on the digital prototype render.

Deco is no slouch either. The helmet is almost perfect - mine has the tiniest seam at the border of the red on the helmet, but wonderful stripes, damage, and other silver markings. The decals are here, the backpack is colorful, the gloves have two colors on them, the hoses bend better than before, and the wookiee scalps still look great. The cape is nice and doesn't get in the way either. If anything he might be a smidgen more saturated in spots, but I'm OK with that.

He has one blaster, given a but of a dirty, dusty deco and a removable backpack with an unusual, unique peg shape. It's super-tight and fits in well, making it a bit less of an eyesore than the t-slot from 1995 or the falls-off peg from 2008, which leaves it unable to be mounted in the Slave I vehicle. (Unless they retool that again.)

This may well be the best one we get for years. With numerous redesigns from The Book of Boba Fett and The Mandalorian presumably on the horizon, Hasbro wisely invested in a new design they can probably keep selling for quite some time. While the rangefinder isn't jointed, it's otherwise going to be the best overall Boba Fett you can buy on the market today. If every figure from The Vintage Collection were like this - that is, a post-2018 all-new sculpt - I think fans would be a lot happier about buying the same characters again and again. This is a gem. If you only buy one figure this year, this may be the one you should get. Had Hasbro started redesigning their 3 3/4-inch line to this level of quality a few years ago, maybe we wouldn't have gotten (or needed) The Black Series 6-inch line. It's just that good.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,791: March 23, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,790: R6-Series Astromech Droid White with Yellow and Silver

R6-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Yellow Dome 2
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: No. ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: December 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.

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Maybe eBay? Possibly a theme park if it opens? These may still be in bins if bins are accessible - eBay is your best bet.

Commentary: I have a pile of un-reviewed droids, and they're unmarked as to what batches they came from other than "not reviewed." Good thinking on my part - so we're going to try to do Repaint Mondays from here on out to get them done this year. This R6 Series Astromech Droid dome is the second yellow one - there was one in 2012 [FOTD #1,889], and then there was another one in 2015. There are some obvious changes - 2012 is more of an orangey yellow. The 2012 dome has more areas filled in - the big tell is the one on the right of the droid's eye (your right, their left.) The top of the 2015 droid's "pie slices" on top of the head are not completely filled in like the previous release. The back of this droid has a green dot on the dome - this is not the case with the 2012 release. Both droids have three silver nubbins painted on the sides of the domes - the 2012 release is surrounded in white plastic, 2015 is painted yellow.

Since the figures were effectively spare parts in bins, the figure as you see it in these photos is just one configuration - we're identifying them by domes and heads, since there are more domes and heads than bodies. When this dome and the others from its wave were added, no new bodies were found - and unless my memory is failing me, this is part of the last batch of new parts going into those bins. (Which I appreciate, hunting these things down is a hassle for fans without friends willing to serve as a droid mule.)

The dome is sufficiently different, but certainly pushes the "just different enough to make you mad" button. It's white with yellow (again), but with different panels painted you can see some differences. For example, the infrared receptors under the eye are tiny and green now, instead of the fuller red last time. To the average fan, it's just yellow - and that probably wouldn't be enough for anyone going through theme park parts to realize there was even a change without being informed of it prior to a park visit. How annoying is that?

I requested this configuration be built because I wanted the dome to match the body's unique yellow hues. You may want something more exotic, but I like it when the droid looks like it was either meant to go together, or some weird horrible accident. I went for the former. The parts all pop off, so you can rotate the dome, remove the legs, and then lose them because you've got too many things to keep track of these days.

The droid has an optional hat - mine had Oswald the Rabbit - but you can mix and match to your liking if you can ever get back to the theme park. On eBay I've seen a few of this exact configuration go for $25-$30, which isn't bad if you're only planning on getting one robot - shipping, parking, and such considerations are well worth the $10 to me. For one figure. But if you want them all, you might want to consider other options or someone willing to do you a favor, or a big trade. Given this droid doesn't really appear in the films, it's pretty much just for people who are droid completists. There are other R6 droids for you to buy, but at this time all of them have been exclusive to Disney theme parks.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Land via may pal Shannon a few years ago. Thank you Shannon!

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,790: March 22, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,789: Queen Amidala (2021 Redux, The Vintage Collection)

QUEEN AMIDALA (Redeco, 2021 reissue)
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. F1885
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #84 (reissue)
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: Padmé Amidala, also known as Padmé Amidala Naberrie, was a human female senator who represented the people of Naboo during the final years of the Galactic Republic. (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 current era of The Vintage Collection splits its time between repaints - a lot of repaints - and the occasional retool, part-swap, or the even less occasional new release. Queen Amidala is a reissue of a figure from 2012. I was pretty unexcited when I reviewed Queen Amidala [FOTD #1,816] almost nine years ago - and it's pretty much the same figure with new deco. There's not a lot going on here, and the original was just fine. The 2021 version is better and cheaper (when compared to the secondary market), and as Hasbro has selected characters due to things like available tooling and fan interest, it makes sense that we'd see a wide variety of characters that long-time fans have and don't want to buy again.

Gown deco was slightly revised, but the main selling point is the head. Hasbro has done countless really good head sculpts that have been done in by their factory budgeting limits. Sometimes Hasbro would crank out an amazing Anakin sculpt with an off-color skin tone and weird eyes that, in the hands of an artisan, could look excellent. With Padme here, they deployed their fancy printing tech and you can see the dots from the printing around her hairline to give the make-up an added sense of realism. The eyebrows and dots are finer, and the eyes are eerily lifelike. The eyeliner is almost hard to see, but it makes her peepers pop quite nicely. While I am not terribly excited for more reissues, deco like this does show us why Hasbro might want another crack at some of these figures. Sure, it's easy money if the tooling is available, but you also get a nearly perfect likeness on a head the size of a peanut. That's impressive.

The gown was mostly black before, and it's black again. Metallic highlights are a tiny bit sharper and more muted, so you may prefer your original. I like the silver and gold elements a lot, but the figure's sides look more interesting than the front and back. The sleeves are ornate with big patterns painted on them, while the front obfuscates them under the swishing robes of her garments. It's almost a shame she didn't come with some solar-powered base which could spin her around so you could see the design work Trisha Biggar and her team put in on these stunning prequel costumes, but such is life. Also nobody seems to want that.

The first release of this figure was scraping fifty bucks, so I can see why Hasbro thought they should run more. But even if she does look amazing, she's not fun, and in the current era the prequels largely seem unimportant and ignored. As there's no complete program - her wave was something of a grab bag with a TIE Pilot, an Attack of the Clones Anakin, and a Battle Droid, it doesn't seem like a great jumping-on point or a place where buying the full wave seems rewarding. But if you missed her before, and want her now? This is great. I don't assume Hasbro will ever have a need to improve this release because I can't imagine a better head sculpt or deco in the coming decade.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,789: March 18, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,788: Crosshair (The Black Series 6-Inch)

CROSSHAIR 6-Inch Debut
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Dark Red Star Wars: The Bad Batch Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1860
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #02 - Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Includes: Helmet, blaster, sniper rifle, backpack
Action Feature: Blaster fits in holster, helmet covers head, backpack is removable and can store rifle
Retail: $19.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Bio: The Bad Batch, technically known as Clone Force 99 is the result of Kaminoan experiments to create a specialist unit of clone commandos. Crosshair is the time sniper whose sharp vision gives him superior accuracy and, as a result, an air of superiority. (Taken from the 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: They're all clones, but they look different - Crosshair has greying hair for some reason, and he does a good job of basically looking like his animated counterpart. While Hunter seemed light on deco Crosshair is missing, well, the crosshair on his helmet. I want to nitpick the change of his crosshair eye markings on his human head to a scar, and the complete absence of them on his helmet. Also his face and haircut look a lot more like a middle-aged Clint Eastwood type - whereas the animated figure has what could be described as a sort of severe bowl cut. Much of the wear and tear and light grey detail on the animated model were excised from the toy, so it's kind of disappointing. The lack of a painted target on his face makes logical sense - I mean, who would want a target on your face - but it's inconsistent with The Clone Wars interpretation of the character. This figure is excellent, but off-model, so it's irritating.

He can stand, sit, hold his guns, look cool, but sadly does not include the visual component which gives him his name. Were it not visible in the packaging art, I'd probably let it slide - but at least the figure is great otherwise. He shares parts with Hunter, but there are also new shoulder pauldrons, a new backpack, new belts, and a new bandolier. For a Clone, that's an incredible retool - plus he gets the aforementioned Eastwoodization of his previously Morrisonish features. Without reference to the cartoon, this is a gorgeous figure and a great design - it's also possible Hasbro designed this figure prior to the finalization of the animation model.

The figure's deco is good, but not great. The backpack is completely unpainted, and the animation model showed red striping and some scuffing. The pauldrons are missing some grey details, and there's a hole in his left wrist for where Hunter's knife sheath would go. There's no plug or anything, so it just looks like someone left a chunk out. Also like Hunter, there are tons of sculpted scuffs and scrapes on the helmet - someone put a lot of work and love into this sculpt, clearly unsatisfied to do a smooth model. Unfortunately the painters did not follow their lead, or perhaps it was just a budgeting issue. The red looks good, the grey is perfect, the face is totally flawless - for the figure. It's just not as authentic to the design as it could be, and given this is the adult collector line it kind of makes a difference.

If Hasbro never revisits Crosshair, I'd say this is a good enough figure and maybe someone will release a sticker pack - or a paint mask - so fans can fix it at home. Normally I don't care much about a missing paint application or two, but once you mess up a helmet or a face it's hard to ignore. A nearly perfect figure comes up short, even though he has great features like on-board storage for all of his gear and a helmet with an articulated rangefinder. I don't want to pay another $23-$25 for version 2.0, but knowing Hasbro it may prove vital to do so down the road when new fans discover the show and this figure is long discontinued.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,788: March 16, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,787: Hunter (The Black Series 6-Inch)

HUNTER 6-Inch Debut
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Dark Red Star Wars: The Bad Batch Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1859
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #01 - Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Includes: Helmet, knife, pistol, blaster, backpack
Action Feature: Knife fits in sheath, helmet covers head, backpack is removable
Retail: $19.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Bio: The Bad Batch technically known as Clone Force 99 is the result of Kaminoan experiments to create a specialist unit of clone commandos. Hunter, their leader, is a strong and stoic soldier with extraordinarily keen senses that give him an edge when tracking down his targets. (Taken from the 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: Effectively a mutant or part of Star Wars' own Fantastic 4, Billy - er, Hunter is star of an upcoming spin-off series that got its backdoor pilot on the final chunk of episodes of The Clone Wars. The figure shares pats with numerous other releases - the basic "new mold" Clone Trooper feet are obvious, plus other elements are shared with Crosshairs. And, undoubtedly, other figures - you can see parts and pieces here that could be used for Fixer, Boss, Sev, and Scorch too. This mold seems like a gift that's going to keep on giving, provided Hasbro set up the tooling with a lot of retools in mind. It's a good figure with lots of accessories. Hasbro did a bang-up job here, minus the banged-up parts.

When you first pick up this figure, you'll undoubtedly be impressed by the amount of paint on it - and then, after some scrutiny, disappointment will make you realize they missed a bunch of spots. While Asajj Ventress did dang near anything they needed to do, you'll see that Hunter comes close. The face has the marvelous expression, the long hair, the bandanna, even the unique markings on the face and armor. The sculptors did a dynamite job with big shoulder pauldrons, distinctive knees, new chest armor, and so many new elements that you'd wonder why they'd bother recycling anything from existing clones. The figure is loaded with sculpted scrapes and scuffs, adding wear and tear to the knees, shins, and elsewhere. These scuffs are not painted like the animation model - they're just pristine, and that's odd. Had they left the sculpted part flat and pristine as well it wouldn't be much of an issue, but it's something that stands out a little bit here and a lot on Crosshairs. Thankfully the grey clone also has a lot of red detail, some dark grey pieces, and the black body glove.

The figure's sculpting is as good as his brothers, with articulation that's typical for a modern release. The thigh armor doesn't prevent the legs from swinging forward, thanks to their ability to rotate a bit. He could sit in a chair if you had one handy, plus his arms have no problems holding his accessories. The backpack doesn't open to store spare gear, so you may need to designate a spot to store your extra blasters. It really feels like Hasbro's G.I. Joe design philosophy rubbed off when it came to the added accessories and improved articulation.

I love the head sculpt, and it reminds me a lot of Solid Snake from the Metal Gear games too. Now that we know Hasbro is prone to rerun old figures with improved paint, I am hesitant to recommend this - it's very good, but you can see so many parts where a little paint would do wonders to improve it. If in the far future there's never an improved paint job, I'd say buy this figure and love it - because it really is great. I'm just nervous that they'll make a better one later, in some future Archive wave, because you can see the spots for improvement. Fans of the cartoons or the video games will probably really enjoy this, just because it feels so much like some of the more interesting offshoots in the once and possibly future Expanded Universe. And it's interesting to look at. And it's really well-designed. If you see it for retail price, you're going to like it. And if you add some silver into the scuffs, you're going to like it more.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,787: March 15, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,786: Asajj Ventress (The Black Series 6-Inch)

ASAJJ VENTRESS 6-Inch Debut
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Copper Star Wars: The Clone Wars Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1861
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #07 - Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Includes: 2 lightsabers
Action Feature: Lightsabers can join in the middle, hang off her belt, or have their blades removed
Retail: $19.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Bio: An assassin trained in the ways of the dark side by Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress yearned to be considered a true Sith, but such status wasn’t allowed under the Sith’s Rule of Two. (Taken from the 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: Is Asajj Ventress perfect? If not, she's close - Hasbro hasn't done a new "realistic" take on the animated character since 2005, so it's heartening to see them do an excellent job while drawing inspiration from the popular 2008 The Clone Wars costume while secretly recycling Dark Side Rey tooling in the forearms and legs - and I think at least one of the hands, too. If you love The Clone Wars you should be buying this figure and demanding that Hasbro make a matching 3 3/4-inch version for you.

Over the last few years we've had lots of figures in the happy side of good, missing perfection thanks in part to a weird joint or odd deco choice. Ventress just sort of nails it with slightly brighter colors than on TV, but that's OK - when you translate a stylized animation model to realistic proportions, you can make some changes. Her shoulders aren't as pointy and her face is a bit rounder, but that's OK - most people don't have pointy shoulders. The arms are a little stiff, but I haven't had a problem getting her to assume a number of combat stances. Her legs have a good range of motion, and are covered by the metallic purple fabric skirt. Under the skirt, her legs don't match the color pattern seen on early episodes of the show - not a huge deal, but they got it right for her forearms.

The lightsabers can plug in to one another to form a staff, or you can detach the blades and connect them to her belt. It's awesome! The only things you could add to her would be a black cloak or maybe a holographic Count Dooku with which to conspire. As is, it seems like Hasbro gave this figure every advantage she needed to look fantastic.

The head matches her look on the 2008 episodes of the show, with printing on the front and the back. I have no idea if the head is modeled after any specific person or was just cobbled together to look more or less like on the TV show. With a clever use of shared tooling, I think this figure is going to be a big hit. I expect Hasbro will want to make sure she keeps coming back so fans can get her - the kids of 2008 are growing up and probably don't even know what they're missing. This is going to be a gem, and is one of my absolute favorite figures in the scale so far. Get her if you see her.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,786: March 11, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,785: Bo-Katan Kryze (The Black Series 6-Inch)

BO-KATAN KRYZE Mandalorian Debut
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Copper Star Wars: The Mandalorian Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1863
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #10 - Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Includes: Backpack, helmet, blasters
Action Feature: Removable helmet, articulate rangefinder, working holsters
Retail: $19.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Mandalorian

Bio: A gifted warrior, Bo-Katan Kryze is a legendary Mandalorian. She refused to align with the Empire’s occupation of Mandalore. (Taken from the 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: You're going to want to buy Bo-Katan Kryze in her first-ever action figure form, but you're also going to want to get a version 2.0 if Hasbro puts one out. It's good - if this is the only one we ever get, you're probably going to be happy with it. Having said that, the colors are just a bit off with a couple of sculpting changes from the costume on the show that customizers are going to be altering this one. Provided they can find one, of course. I assume the figure may have been developed prior to the finalization of the costume, which means you've got a very good - but not exact - representation of the character from the small screen.

Given her appearance on the second season of the show, it's a real shock to have a figure. With all the secrecy, I would've assumed an animated version would come first. There are countless changes from animation to live action, with different colors and a few changed elements from her animated debut. This figure is pretty darned close to what we saw on TV last year, with 27 points of articulation. Other than the segment of armor covering her bely missing three grooves that you can see in the actual costume, the sculpting seems pretty spot-on. Her shoulder pauldrons look a little more angular on the show, whereas the final figure's are rounded. Everything else seems to be where it should be, with knee pads, gauntlets, and the Nite Owls logos you've come to love and expect. Her hair is a separately molded piece - which means the color shouldn't scrape over time - plus her hips can actually swing forward enough so she can sit in a chair. The range of movement is excellent given she has rubbery holsters hanging over her hips, and I had no problems getting her to stand or interact with her accessories.

Deco could use some work. You can see the scrapes on the helmet don't look particularly natural, and the black "wear" on the blue armor doesn't quite look like the TV show either. The figure completely lacks the lights on the wrist armor, and there's no silver scuffing either. The color is a little more muted in the blue spots, and her belt seems more saturated than the on-screen counterpart. The belt deco also seems a bit off, but it could just be the lighting. I think there's room for improvement on the helmet too, with painted detail not standing out quite as well as what appeared on TV. It's by no means bad - if you didn't compare it to a reference image, you'd probably assume it's nearly perfect.

I don't know why Hasbro has been so hesitant to pack Mandalorians in more cases and at higher ratios, because people want to buy these things. I don't think any of the characters from the new show - or reissues like Boba or Jango since it started - have been available in anything remotely resembling ample supply. It's a thrill to see new ones, and hopefully you can find this one. Hasbro can certainly sell a few more, and it's good enough to track down if you have the means. If you're reading this in the far future and there was a superior redeco, I doubt you'll need this one too - but for the only game in town? It's great.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,785: March 9, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,784: Captain Cardinal (The Black Series 6-Inch)

CAPTAIN CARDINAL (Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Trading Outpost)
The Black Series Galaxy's Edge Trading Outpost Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. E9700
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: August 2020
Appearances: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and some novels
Bio: Served as Armitage Hux's personal guard, as he was among the orphans that Brendol Hux took in to create the First Order from. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Timing is everything. The rapid-pace drop of new films in the sequel trilogy plus the endless barrage of new publishing, theme park attractions, and the declaration of everything being canon to the point where it could well be sarcastic made the debut of a lot of things - like Captain Cardinal kind of underwhelming. Then again, maybe it's me - if we got a red Stormtrooper with a cape in 1992 I'd probably be doing cartwheels. A $5 upcharge for a flimsy cape on a trooper mold I've been sold a dozen times after Hasbro got its investment back is, to say the least, underwhelming in an era where other aspects of the franchise are quite popular. This isn't to say it is a bad figure - it's just a curious choice to release this as part of a theme park line, when I have no idea if the character appeared at the theme park, but I do know I haven't read any of the novels featuring him. It's a curious thing of which to make a figure, but also an exclusive Hasbro helmet for a hundred bucks.

There were no visible improvements on the figure over its source material from 2015. Having been released in an individual box multiple times with varying accessories, pauldrons, or other elements, the First Order Stormtrooper is a proven seller. The articulation here is the same as what you got for The Force Awakens with a pointy mouth from The Last Jedi redesign. It has the vent on the helmet. You can plug the blasters in the thigh slot, which is a cool feature. I even rather like the shade of red they used here.

Cardinal has no problems holding his blaster, and he stands well. The cloth cape is supremely thin, but hangs nicely. The flimsy black sheet has a painted silver stripe, and if you don't look at it too closely you could say it's one of the better ones. At a bit of distance, it hangs nicely and is a decent enough thickness where you can understand why they opted to go this route rather than a more expensive solution, like retooling Phasma's plastic cape. (They could have probably also just sold us a red Phasma.) The figure lacks the shoulder enhancements we saw for The Rise of Skywalker's newer toys, but hey, it's a trooper. It looks cool. Unless you're a fan of the "canon" outside the stuff that appears on the screen, this character probably means nothing to you. It's just a nifty addition to your First Order ranks that will probably be best known as a Target exclusive. It's on-brand, after all, being red and everything.

For the completist or hardcore collector, it's a pretty decent figure. But $25 could also get you The Horrors records, or Walmart's much more interesting 2020 The Clone Wars redeco and retooled exclusives. It's almost a shame that Hasbro has completely dropped the retailer branding on exclusive products in the wake of the death of Toys R Us - a Target logo on the box would arguably make this a much more fun figure, just as a store mascot. Well, there's always hope for more - maybe we can get Red Bumblebee or something to go with Red Wing and presumably some sort of Crimson Guard at some point.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,784: March 8, 2021