Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,981: Axe Woves (The Vintage Collection)

AXE WOVES Target Exclusive
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5566
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #228
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: Removable helmet, holster
Retail: $13.99
Availability: September 2022
Appearances: The Mandalorian
Bio: A skilled warrior, Axe Woves is loyal to Bo-Katan and is a member of a band of Clan Kryze Mandalorians striking back at the Imperial remnant (Stolen from Target. There is no bio on-pack.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Not yet on clearance, but abundant, this Axe Woves is pretty much the most sensible exclusive, distributed well, and sold at what is a pretty fair price. It was $14 and came out about a month before pre-orders for Vintage hit $17.99 - but just after his capsule companions Migs Mayfeld and Koska Reeves were nearly instantly blown out at 75% off. Why the quick clearance? Why isn't a new Mandalorian just selling like hotcakes? I'm not sure, but given that the original Kenner kids are all around 40, maybe the generation of collectors is starting to move on to more adult pastures. (No, not smut.)

At least one other figure uses elements from this mold, the excellent Death Watch Mandalorian [FOTD #2,926] which is the better figure. The bodies are the same, but Death Watch has a non-removable helmet, and Axe Woves' removable helmet seems to have what the kids used to call "fivehead." The dome above the visor is a little high, and it's a little smooshed. It's still a good figure, though.

Like the costume on the show, the figures share a lot of parts and a lot of colors. A lot of the blue armor is blue on both figures, except the area surviving the visor and the chest armor. Other than that, and a blue body glove, they're very much alike. And that's good! It's a mass-produced suit from a mold, so it makes sense that you get the same great ab joint, the superlative holster, and the great arm and leg movement. He stands without too much fuss and other than somewhat stiff ankles, is super easy to pose. Hasbro future-proofed the mold with holes in the jets, so you can pose him on as-of-yet not-existing stands or flame jets. Hopefully we'll see such parts down the road.

Other than the helmet's big blue sea on top, I really like this figure. The face portrait is good, articulation is great, painting is better than average, and it's the kind of figure that makes you say "I don't need the 6-inch one... sure I might buy it, but this is good enough." I'd say get it if you still see it out there at a fair price because it shows a lot of precision work went into it. The painted (not molded) hairline is one of Hasbro's best.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,981: November 29, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,980: Viper Probe Droid (Droid Factory / Disney)

VIPER PROBE DROID Smaller
Droid Factory Obi-Wan Kenobi Boxed Set
Item No.: No. n/a
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures, stand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four are featured in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is the way... for 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: The Viper Probe Droid figure is one of those things that are both awesome and upsetting. Kenner and Hasbro have shown the Probot as this big thing, huge, imposing. There's very little in the movies or reference photos to deny that - in The Empire Strikes Back it's not like you see them right next to a human, and the perspective of any behind-the-scenes photos make him look huge. The same was true of Jabba the Hutt, who is by all accounts not a tall slug without his throne, and Max Rebo, who Kenner (and cartoons) gave legs and feed in addition to the arms that play the keys. Toys are very capable of changing our perspective, and according to most resources a probe droid is about 1.6 meters tall. That means Disney's new, smaller droid is probably the most accurately sized model you can buy as a 3 3/4-inch fan.

This is a good figure, but may disappoint in terms of articulation. It's stunning in terms of sculpt and deco, with great paint wear that's subtle and looks superb - there are other painted elements too, like the shiny black eyes. You don't see the stuff under the eyes that are in various photos - it's just black. I love the sculpted detail arund each eye, and the tiny rivets are a nice touch too. A few subtle red shapes are scattered all over the figure, giving it a bit more visual variety without being distracting. It's a good design and Disney translated it nicely.

In terms of articulation, it's peak "good not great." As a display piece? Perfection. As a toy? It doesn't move the same as previous droid. The antenna don't go in and out. The legs are removable for some reason, but won't swivel on the body despite what appears to look like a sculpting joint. Each arm has two to three points of articulation to bend, though - some are just ornamental, and none of the claws open. It's a good figure for the money, but there's always room for improvement. Back in the 1980s, kids with the Turret and Probot playset had arms that only moved at the body - and that was it, and we liked it dagnabbit. We didn't get a clear stand, we rammed a white pole up the droid's underside and then used the same pole to blow him up.

So assuming this is the right height, it's a pretty good figure and the entire set is an all-around decent value. Now that Hasbro will be charging what I think I can safely say is an absurd $17.99 per The Vintage Collection figure, a Disney 4-pack of Droids for under $50 seems like a steal - especially with new molds. This is a good figure in a good set, so I suggest picking it up if the price is at or around $50. If Hasbro made a similar droid and slapped it on a regular Vintage cardback - even at $18 - I'd say it was a worthwhile purchase.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Greg! Thanks Greg.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,980: November 24, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,979: Boba Fett (and Bossk, The Retro Collection)

BOBA FETT and Bossk, Amazon Exclusive
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5562
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $17.99
Availability: November 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Two of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, Boba Fett and Bossk have crossed paths over the course of their careers as both collaborators and competitors. Both had undeniable skill, but only one became a legend, (Taken from the figure's outer packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I was planning to sell Boba Fett. From the pictures, I assumed he was the same as 2020 Walmart Exclusive Boba Fett [FOTD #2,692] - and while the figure does seem to be made from the same tools, there are minor changes. Are they worthwhile? Well, probably not - but if you're a little too interested in all things Kenner, yeah, probably.

As stated before, it's more or less the same - you can see the old SKU, E9653, stamped in the foot next to a new "branded" mark for F5562. He stands, sits, and looks around the same as before with five joints - but there is a change, as far as I can tell, in his right hand. The fingers are barely modified to better hold the blaster. And when I say "barely" I mean "this might be my imagination," because there's a sliver of extra plastic coming out and it might just be mold flash. It gets the job done, though - intentional or not, my sample has a better grip than the previous release.

The blasters are seemingly the same, but the paint masks are barely different. This could just be a simple batch variation, or someone sneezed while painting, but the visor is painted better on my 2022 sample. There's some more red overspray on the right gauntlet. The orange color is a bit more faded. The differences are minor to the point where you wouldn't notice without a side-by-side comparison, so it's probably not enough to warrant much significance from fans other than the fact they did tweak the packaging and that's usually sufficient to say "hey, this is worth a look as a separate thing." But if you have the 2020 figures, and are happy with it, you don't also need the 2022 release.

But is he worth it? It's the cheapest way to get a Kenner-style Boba Fett right now, even if Hasbro is probably overcharging us by a buck or two for it. (There definitely seems to be a "store exclusive tax" in recent years.) If you want a Boba Fett, this is as cheap as it gets - and arguably as good as it gets. The details are softer than Kenner's original or Hasbro's rocket-firing variant, but he stands and holds his blaster and looks cool. He gets the job done. At $23.99 (or less) I would emphatically recommend this two-pack as being a great deal, at $27.99 it's still fine. But given single-carded mass-retail newly-designed Kenner figures are $10 or $12, and frequently have two accessories and not just one, let's not kid ourselves. Hasbro knows who its customer is, and that customer probably has the money to spend $28 on reliving their childhoods through plastic. And probably a lot more than that.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Amazon. It was supposed to be released January 1, 2023, but arrived two months early.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,979: November 22, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,978: Bossk (and Boba Fett, The Retro Collection)

BOSSK and Boba Fett, Amazon Exclusive
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5562
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $17.99
Availability: November 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Two of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy, Boba Fett and Bossk have crossed paths over the course of their careers as both collaborators and competitors. Both had undeniable skill, but only one became a legend, (Taken from the figure's outer packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I would've skipped Bossk because I have two older, slightly worn ones from when I was a kid. And that would have been a mistake! Sort of. The new reissue from Amazon made some changes - some good, some bad. There are quality-of-life improvements, as well as generation loss. If you have an old, absolutely mint one that you look at and never touch you don't need this one. But they did redesign the gun hand - and that's admirable.

This is an all-new figure that is inspired by the original Bossk. Everything seems to be in the same place, but with minor differences - the little cross on the chest is much sharper now, the ribs in the vest are all at slightly different angles, and the sculpted detail is a bit softer. I assume this is due to scanning, or issues with resolution in digital prototyping that you don't get with wood or wax or other 1970s materials. My old 1980s Bossks are much sharper, with crisper scales and more defined elements in sculpting - but the new one has much crisper painting. Neither is "best" but each have their own unique benefits - not the least of which is that the new one isn't discolored from age yet. The old one in these pictures has faded, unknown to me at the time, and the reddish color is an oil that wipes off, leaving a much paler yellow suit underneath. Time is cruel.

Bossk's joints all still work like always, and I put him in some vehicles and he said "thanks boss." Presumably. The newly retooled fingers on his right hand hold his blaster much more tightly - sometimes the vintage toy would drop it, but the new one is perfect. I hope they do this with lots of reissues going forward, because not being able to hold weapons well was a weakness on some of those old toys. Here, it's just plain fine. No complaints.

Bossk has no problems standing, or sitting, or holding his blaster, so he's a good figure. I assume most fans would be happy to get this brand-new mint sample of a figure rather than deal with eBay for a banged-up loose one, but it's worth noting the original blaster is a bit sharper with pointier details. The new one is rounded off some, looking like a copy made from a copy - so it's visible different. The Kenner blue looks sharp as ever, and it isn't as glossy as my old blaster. It's also a tiny bit smaller, but you wouldn't notice without putting them side by side, and it's a minor difference in size.

But is he worth it? An original Kenner Bossk off the package is about $16-$26 with a blaster, or more, depending on condition. Since this is an official Hasbro/Kenner figure and you get a Boba Fett with it, $28 is pricey. There are $10 Retro figures right now - but they're usually $12. The upcharge is unfortunate, and hopefully temporary, making this a good deal in the sense of "you're not going to get a cheaper Boba Fett and Bossk bundle elsewhere." At $20 I'd say push people out of the way and get one - at $28, it's charming. If you limit yourself only to Kenner toys, I think you will find it likable enough and well-put-together enough to scratch that "but I want an original!" itch in most cases. But not carded cases, because the packaging is an eyesore with the sticker and fake wear on it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Amazon. It was supposed to be released January 1, 2023, but arrived two months early.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,978: November 17, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,977: Bespin Security Guard (Isdam Edian, The Vintage Collection)

BESPIN SECURITY GUARD (Isdam Edian)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F6371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #239
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.78
Availability: October 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

 Bio: Isdam Edian was a human male who worked as a security officer in the Bespin Wing Guard, which was based in Cloud City on the gas giant Bespin. (Stolen from Target. There is no bio on-pack.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Offered for the first time in a new figure format since 1982, the Bespin Security Guard (Isdam Edian) has been demanded by fans for quite some time. Since the line rebooted in 1995, old-school fans wanted an update of the original 96 carded figures, also Blue Snaggletooth, plus the Max Rebo Band, the Dianoga monster, and I could go on - there's a lot of stuff, but not that much considering Hasbro has produced literally thousands of Star Wars action figures. They just seem hesitant to remake the originals. After years of asking, Hasbro delivered the goods. Sort of. Kind of. This is the figure you asked for, but like a smart kid phoning in a term paper, Hasbro isn't living up to their considerable potential.

The head is brand new, and looks excellent for stand-in with a fuzzy photo on a cardback. The sculpted detail looks more or less like the cardback photo - that's admirable! It has that double-jointed neck that gives him a lot of range, plus the hat is a separately sculpted (but not removable) piece. It's superb. This is why the figure is frustrating to me - the mid-torso joint is ugly, and if you're going to make a new torso anyway, why not joint it at the belt region where it won't look as bad? Maybe you couldn't reuse the legs with that style of torso, but I just happen to have a very good solution to that problem.

Reusing Solo: A Star Wars Story Lando's figure's arms was a good idea in that they're incredibly good. You get bend-and-swivel wrists plus elbows with a pretty deep bend. They're not as good as a 2022 figure, but they're the next best thing and largely excellent. But Hasbro cut some corners. It's not a bad figure, but at first glance you can tell that the guard is based on existing molds. It's not obvious, but you've seen those legs used for Bespin Han Solo and General Lando Calrissian before - the lack of rocker ankles and the 2010ish hip joints are a dead giveaway. (As is the old copyright date.)

It's weird to have a long-desired figure finally delivered, with the new parts looking completely excellent and the old parts looking - to me, at least - like old parts. I love the blaster and that it fits in the holster. I'm enamored with the fact that we got an obscure background human figure, because Hasbro seemed almost totally against doing that sort of thing for the better part of a decade. It ticks a box, and if I gave it a letter grade it'd be an A for effort/cleverness and a C for satisfaction. It's good! It could be a bit better, painting over the shirt sleeve sculpt is pretty corny and the legs feel very old-hat on a shelf of 2022 figures. But for some fans it's not about the figures - it's about the packaging, and we definitely got the packaging. (I have high expectations for a $14-$15 super-articulated figure that I've waited decades for them to remake from a 42-year-old movie. Whereas a Kenner-style figure can be the wrong colors but if it can sit down and look vaguely right, I will sing its praises, because it doesn't have to be great to meet expectations.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. As far as I can tell this exclusive figure never arrived in actual stores, and was offered by Entertainment Earth less than a month after Walmart fulfilled my order.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,977: November 15, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,976: Protocol Droid (Holiday Edition, The Black Series)

PROTOCOL DROID (Holiday Edition)
The Black Series Fan Channel Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5304
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Scarf, BD droid
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $27.99
Availability: October 2022
Appearances: n/a
Bio: Celebrate the season with specially designed Star Wars figures from The Black Series! (That's the on-pack 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: I skipped over the first batch, but this came up at work and I like robot toys. The Protocol Droid (Holiday Edition) is a weird design, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why it looked so familiar until it showed up on my desk. Is it an elf? No. Santa? Not really. Wait a minute, I know those socks. Even though I think this is a generally neat toy, it's always hard to buy a collectible figure for the sake of it being a collectible figure, rather than a cool thing from the other cool thing that I watched. Due to manufacturing problems and freight delays, Hasbro completely missed Christmas 2021, and I bring it up because this figure (whose date stamp of 13011) implies it was produced October 28, 2021. This means it may have been sitting in warehouses and boats for a year before it got in anybody's hands. But hey, now it can be yours!

These figures are a gaudy exercise and a monument to holiday consumer excess - but so is toy collecting, so I can't fault game respecting game (and/or synergy.) For those with a droid collection (or those who specialize in holiday figures) this is sort of neat but I do find myself wishing it was 3 3/4-inch scale so it could be cheaper and take up less room. I don't think you can squint and picture this figure in any particular movie or TV show or comic scene, so it basically exists as a holiday decoration, in a box that looks like a can of Diet Coke. It's not your dad's action figures, those hewed closer to TV and the movies.

The 2015 C-3PO mold was given Lando Calrissian's 2018 scarf, and a BD droid sidekick from the Fallen Order game. A droid mostly molded in red with white hands, shoulders, and head is a departure from previous releases of C-3PO - of which there are many - but the $8 upcharge stings a bit. The eyes are painted nicely and if they'd left the green paint apps off completely, this could probably fit in (somehow, somewhere) with your movie stuff. The green stomach and stripes socks sure are weird, but I will say this doesn't look like any other 6-inch scale protocol droid from this mold. (The only options are C-3PO or 0-0-0.) He stands just fine, you can move him around a little, and the arms are pretty stiff. Functionally, this is a very good action figure for the whole open-and-display crowd.

If anything, the figure is helpful as a reminder that I am aging, and new generations of fans see these things differently than I do, and we old-school Kenner kids don't dictate the future of everything. This is a holiday decoration, but growing up I pretty much saw everything as a toy. Collectible, schmollectible - you should play with these things and they should all fit the same scale! But that's not the case - 1:6 scale figures give unmatched realism (and are priced accordingly), and figures like this aren't meant to be a toy. It's a gift, it's a holiday decoration - you probably won't be pretending it will some day go in a big diorama or in a vehicle. You're supposed to put it out for Christmas, and then put it away before you go back to work after the new year. It's another example of Star Wars toys growing up, which is something I have generally never wanted to happen. The scarf doesn't not fit but it's a little nonsensical. The BD droid looks perfectly fine, and really helps cushion the "exclusive tax" we seem to be getting a lot more this year. $28 for one droid would be absurd, but $28 for two? It's a bit easier to swallow than just getting a repaint with no extra stuff in the box.

As a consumer product, as a holiday decoration, it makes a lot of sense. As part of Hasbro's massive ongoing action figure collection output, it's goofy. The various metallic, credit collection, and holiday figures combined with photoreal repaints have certainly made for distinctive - if expensive - elements to a collection that certainly made me reconsider and ultimately torpedo my sense of collecting them all. But one? Or a couple? Sure, why not - I like robots, but this is a very, very silly figure that will most likely end up in the back of the shelves where it will remain until I have to move once again. I don't feel the need to buy a dozen holiday guys to the tune of $250 or more. But I like this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,976: November 10, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,975: R3-T2 (Disney Droid Factory)

R3-T2 Redux and Impruxved
Droid Factory Obi-Wan Kenobi Boxed Set
Item No.: No. n/a
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four are featured in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is the way... for you and your Droids! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I was more than a little surprised to see R3-T2 in this boxed set. If he looks familiar, he should - he was first in an Entertainment Earth Exclusive Droids pack from 2006! The dome wasn't painted correctly, so I'm glad someone got around to giving it another whirl - I have no problems owning a "wrong" droid if it's sufficiently different from the "right" droid. For all intents and purposes, R3-T2 is R2-D2 with a red dome and white panels... and this is that.

The 2006 edition was cleaner, and didn't have as many painted panels - looking back at the old CCG card from Decipher, it would seem this Disney release is more correct. There is red between the white dome panels, there are more blue details on the body, and the extra silver and scuffing never hurt nobody. There's a big silver panel on the back, and plenty of silver highlights and a little orange dome light. It's different enough to be exciting! How often do I get to say that? Even though the old one was perfectly nice, this one is arguably much better. I love the vibrant red dome and the added painted details, plus seeing someone redo an obscure droid for absolutely no good reason other than a background cameo makes me happy. It's completely unnecessary, and that's a big part of what makes me love collecting toys. I could live without ever seeing another figure of the main characters again, but I'll take a fresh coat of paint on a revised and improved original trilogy droid any day.

The build is the same as always - no foot wires, two removable legs, a removable dome, and a removable central third leg. The designers and the factory put out a great toy robot here, and while I am happy with the one requested from Hasbro 17 years ago, I'm even happier with this one. A big part of that happiness is the price - he came in a mold with three newly-molded droids, which makes it way more exciting than a $17 or more individually carded redeco.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Greg! Thanks Greg.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,975: November 8, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,974: R2-SHW (Antoc Merrick's Astromech Droid, The Vintage Collection)

R2-SHW (Antoc Merrick's Astromech Droid)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F7789
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #260
Includes: Scope can be removed
Action Feature: Pop-up scope, retracting third leg
Retail: $16.99
Availability: October 2022
Appearances: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Bio: R2-SHW was an R2 series astromech droid that served in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War against the Galactic Empire. In 0 BBY, it flew in a T-65B X-wing starfighter with General Antoc Merrick, the leader of Blue Squadron, during the Battle of Scarif, in which the Alliance engaged the Empire above the planet Scarif in order to try and steal the plans to the Death Star superweapon. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. There is no on-pack 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: Since this is probably the only version of R2-SHW that we'll ever get, I'll just say I don't find it to be satisfying. Given what you get, what you pay for it, and what its function in an X-Wing is, you won't get your money's worth here. He needs to be bigger, and since they cut the gear it would've been nice to have something - even a booster seat - in the packaging to make up the perceived shortfall. But it's not like Hasbro made a bad figure here - if you leave it carded, it's nice. The packaging looks good and the figure looks good in it, and I increasingly feel like a crazy person for saying things like "this toy isn't as fun to play with as it should be." If you just want a cool droid, this is it - but if you overpaid for an X-Wing a year ago and wanted to complete it, know that it comes up short.

A figure like this has very little that it needs to do. You and I will no doubt depart opinions here, reader, but R2-SHW need only be a plug for an X-Wing's socket. The utterly stunning paint job on Antock Merrick's X-Wing demanded a droid, and if Hasbro gave us the simple 3-jointed R2-D2 mold in these colors and just plopped it in as a freebie (it was a $5.99 mol) I assume most fans would be satisfied - this isn't a figure that needs ankle joints or a third leg, but we get them. And a sensorscope, and an opening datalink arm thing. And wheels. And ankles. It is surplus to requirements, and a great metaphor for where we are now. These are no longer toys, but preemptive answers to hypothetical complaints fans will have that it wasn't even more tricked-out. And the funny thing is, the figure may suffer slightly for it.

Antock Merrick's X-Wing vehicle mold started life in 1998 and was retooled to have a droid socket around 2002. That means it fits the bigger droid bodies better - R2-SHW uses a shorter, smaller droid body so his dome doesn't exactly pop out over the hole like in the picture on his cardback. It sinks in a bit - and it looks a little silly. If you grab an Original Trilogy Collection-era droid, it's a snug fit and the head goes exactly where it should. This little guy needs a booster seat. I still like the paint job - it's distinctive, and can't be easily replicated with Disney parts. The red body has a silver dome, and the panels seem to be a very dark gray color. You get a painted red dot under the glossy black eye, a couple of blue boxes, and no dirt deco of any kind. 

They did a decent job here, and as far as I can tell this is the first any only full-body reference for the previously nameless character made to the public - so I assume it's right. Modelers seemed to guess on the color based on some comments they red somewhere, so we may be looking at a situations where fans influenced the final product. (It's happened before in some other lines when someone's DeviantArt page gets accidentally used for a deco sheet. If you see me in person, ask me about it.) It is hard to not be cynical since Hasbro has now raised exclusive (and shared exclusive) retail price over basic figures. This figure started life in late 2010 as a $10 R2-D2 toy with a drink rack, a lightsaber hilt, removable drinkware, and a drink dispenser. It was a small figure for the price, but the gear made up for it - now Hasbro removed the gear and marked it up 170%. While I am interested in having this specific droid, and they did a good job making a repaint of a character nobody really saw on-screen, but it hurts to be charged more for less figure. This is the kind of thing we used to get as wave filler when it came time for an annual repaint wave, and that sort of thing - at a regular price - was exciting and fun. We just got this mold as the Droids cartoon deco R2-D2 - with a big metal coin! - for $1 less as a Target exclusive. Rogue One fans will no doubt want this, as will droid junkies, but I can't say I feel good about what it costs.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,974: November 3, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,973: NED-B (Disney Droid Factory)

NED-B Load Lifter
Droid Factory Obi-Wan Kenobi Boxed Set
Item No.: No. n/a
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: September 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four are featured in Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi. This is the way... for you and your Droids! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I have to admit that NED-B being a Disney figure (and not Hasbro) was a surprise, but it was also a surprise that this super-articulated take on the lifter was actually smaller than the Retro Collection NED-B [FOTD #2,956]. I believe this is also the first figure in recent memory - as in, this century - where we got a "Kenner" figure prior to the "Vintage" figure. (Although Reva, Vader, and Obi-Wan did all hit roughly the same time as their other counterparts, we're still waiting on the other Inquisitors.)

Hasbro's Kenner-ized NED-B is a pretty good figure, lacking some painted details and scuffs from the TV show but he's generally a sturdy figure that stands up well. And so is Disney's, although the House of Mouse edition has a lot more paint, no hammer, and can be taken apart. There's also additional articulation that will probably make the Disney one the go-to for most collectors who have no love for Kenner. The colors largely match the TV show, with proportions that are a lot closer than the Kenner version. The crotchial region is a lot wider on the toy, but the smaller forearms are a closer match to what we saw on the screen. The head does a better job drawing you to the yellow eyes, and you also get the little painted red light on the chest. While there is room for improvement, I would say this Disney version is probably good enough that you won't need Hasbro to remake it. I'm perfectly happy with the Kenner one, but this is nice too.

The figure's articulation is par for the build-a-protocol-droid course, with bending knees and swiveling ankles and all of that jazz. The wrist swivels are blocked slightly by the forearms, but at least you get hip swivels. The arms move freely, the elbows bend or swivel, and you can pop that head right off. It's not easy to swap his bits with all the other droids, but at least you can play some sort of Ugnaught water polo with his parts once you take him apart.

If you're still collecting 3 3/4-inch super-articulated realistic-style figures from new streaming series - and why shouldn't you? - this is a must-have addition to the collection. I think it was a misstep to not sell it as a single figure, but at least at $50 it's a good set with good companion figures. If you can score it for retail price, he's worth it - four good figures for under $50 has, sadly become a bargain instead of a begrudgingly pricey purchase. If you want to know "Kenner or Disney?" I'd say get whatever you can find first, because as of right now the per-figure price is largely negligible. This would probably give a slight edge to Disney due to articulation and play features, but you really do want that hammer. It's got a lot of personality.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Greg! Thanks Greg.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,973: November 1, 2022