Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,066: Princess Leia Organa (Slave Outfit, Custom)

PRINCESS LEIA ORGANA (Slave Outfit, Custom)
Fan-Produced Custom Figure
Item No.: No. n/a
Manufacturer: n/a
Number: n/a
Includes: Reproduction Nikto/Barada/Yak Face staff
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.00
Availability: ca. April 2022
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Stan Solo Creations custom reproduction action figure. This figure is professionally made in the vintage style. It is scaled to work with the 3-3/4” vintage figures. This figure is injection molded plastic. This is a new loose figure. (Stolen from the Stan Solo Creations web site. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I wanted to burn through my licensed Retro figures before going back to the fan-produced unlicensed product well.  It's a weird avenue, and I have to confess I am not hip to the various controversies going on in the community. Truth is I don't watch it super-closely these days. This figure was called Princess Leia Organa (Slave Outfit) on her fan-made carded release - I keep repeating that, because this is not a licensed action figure. Frankly I'm kind of shocked these are still being churned out and the House of Mouse or the Domicile that Mr. Potato Head Built hasn't brought down the ban-hammer on these - they're pretty great and there's really no reason Hasbro shouldn't be making these exact products. Of course, it's three years later and the market need for Retro Yoda is still woefully unfilled, so what do I know?

It's as good as it gets. Also I found this to be a weirdly satisfying purchase - it's weird to say this after writing over 3,000 reviews here, but there's a big difference between "I bought this to try to complete a set" and "oh, this is actually something I've always wanted, it's great, and I appreciate it." For me, this is the latter, and it's unfortunate that my purchase did not put money into the pockets of the licensors. Well, that's what happens when you make people wait four decades. Eventually they'll just buy something else.

Back in the day, there were very few figures I felt were genuinely "missing" in the Kenner line as a kid - I wasn't able to get The Power of the Force guys as a younger child, but when all was said and done it struck me that we never got a Tarkin, a Wedge, a Slave Leia, the Cantina Band, or a Sandtrooper. (Hint hint, whoever picks future retro figures.) This was a figure that was demanded by a Jabba the Hutt playset's collar, and a Skiff, leaving fans without a really good Leia to play with in those scenarios. Granted, it's a little icky to explain to people why she's wearing what she's wearing, what the implications may be, and all of that. But whatever, it was a cool movie. The figure seems to be a mostly if not completely new sculpt without any obvious "we reused this to make her" parts like on Garindan or some of the others. She has the five points of articulation you expect with cloth elements that I would say place her as being designed with a 1985-or-later design philosophy. The sculpting is simple, the skin is smooth, and everything seems more or less an appropriate color. She even has very subtle lipstick plus nicely Kenner-ish eyes, so they did a good job making something that looks like it would fit in with your old toys.

The only things I didn't like about her - other than price - is that the torso plastic is a little thin, so light can shine through it, and they painted her to not have any underpants. Aside from that, she feels and looks like an almost legit mass-marketed action figure. Her ponytail is a little flexible too, which seems unlike what Kenner would have done back in the 1980s - but I don't know that there's another way to pull it off. The closest analog may be Bib Fortuna's tails, which only have a little give to them.

They're still cranking these guys out (and occasional new ones) but I've slowed my purchases because a) expensive and b) Hasbro seems to be doing a few more these days, like Mon Mothma. I hope they keep going - but if they don't, it's fascinating to see what fans can crank out and the relative quality for an unlicensed toy-like product. I wouldn't recommend her to everybody - but if you don't buy the new Hasbro stuff and just want to fill a hole in your lowecase-v vintage collection, this is a must-buy. If you like the retro format, skip a couple of The Black Series figures and buy this instead.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from one of Stan Solo's US resellers.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,066: September 21, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,065: Boba Fett (Comic Art Edition, The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT (Comic Art Edition - Death, Lies, and Treachery)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Target Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F8071
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #278
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99 $20.99
Availability: August 2023
Appearances: Boba Fett: Death, Lies, and Treachery

Bio: Survival in the unforgiving desert of Tatooine requires strict training and discipline for the members of a Tusken tribe. Led by a chieftain, each member of the clan must learn to be useful. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I get cranky when figures get marked down between when I ordered them, and when I get them. Boba Fett (Comic Edition) appears to be one of these. Based on the Cam Kennedy art from the various Bar-Kooda/Ry-Kooda comics where Boba Fett fights Herglic whaleians, this figure has no cape but charges you more money than the $12.99 you paid for the mold when it was a Return of the Jedi deco a couple of years ago. I'm a little cranky.

In a scenario where money is no object, it's a pretty good figure - we get a repaint with some extra comic-like black ink on it that, I have to admit, is pretty spiffy. Previous comic figures played mostly with comic-inspired colors, with a few - very few - like Darth Vader from the Comic Packs [FOTD #936] really leaning in to "blue is black" newsprint colors. (I love it. I'd buy a The Black Series Vader in those colors if it was $25 or under.) This Boba Fett might have also better served the large-format figure, especially at $25-$27, mostly so you can really enjoy the shading on his right-hand sides. The belt, chest, helmet, and knee pads have some dark shadows, while the figure has a yellow belt to match his shoulder and knee pads. The gauntlets and helmet match the green chest armor, with a bright blue body that's little more saturated than the Kenner colors. Meanwhile, his jetpack seems to be not entirely unlike the Kenner one with the dark blue on the outside and a core brighter blue color up the middle, except with a green rocket.

Articulation is pretty good for his time, which is unfortunately right before Hasbro gave us newer and better hip joints. You get thigh cuts, but the hips are those bend-and-swivel ones that are pretty hard to pose. The wrists also bend-and-swivel, with rocker ankles and a decent torso joint that fits in with his armor. The helmet pivots nicely, and if it weren't a "last gen" style of articulation you could probably making this a case for the very best version of this character with this deco that could ever exist. It's also available in Marvel and Kenner-inspired colorways, and I wouldn't be shocked to see another one come to pass in the next few months. But for now, you can appreciate the separately-molded hoses on his arms and a look that probably would have been sold as "Night Bounty Boba Fett" were it a recolored Kenner figure in the 1990s. I find myself wishing I lived in the timeline where we got wacky toys of Star Wars at kid toy prices, but serious collectors seem to be buying this figure on-sight and it doesn't seem to be rotting on pegs near me. That's good for the Hasbro and Target bottom line.

It's a great figure for comic fans and I would probably love to get a second one (at a lower price) to try to see if I can get Cam Kennedy to sign if I am ever at a convention where he is also present, but given that he's 78 I'm not hopeful. I dug his art and I like what Hasbro did with this figure, so absolutely get one if you see one for a fair price.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. I was charged $22.99 for my pre-order from December 2022, but in-stock orders seem to be $20.99. Maybe you should wait for exclusives now.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,065: September 19, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,064: Tala Durith (Imperial Officer, The Black Series)

TALA DURITH (Imperial Officer)
The Black Series 2023 Closed Box Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7096
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #13 - Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: June 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. (Taken from the packaging. It's still this not-specific.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Commentary: Tala Durtith (Imperial Officer) was released pretty recently, and the free market has spoken. For some reason she's packed two per case - an honor usually reserved for the more popular characters - but she's around $16 on Walmart.com and $21.58 on Amazon as of my writing this just before Labor Day. In short, nobody cares - which was also the feeling I had when she went up for pre-order. I wouldn't necessarily blame the character or the quality of the figure, but at $25 fans may need to have a stronger relationship with the character and I am going to predict that at some point in the next 2-3 years you'll find her for sale for $5-$10 at a collectible toy store near you, if not Amazon or eBay. There was nothing wrong with the costume, there was nothing wrong with the actress, but when fans do not truly love a show, and then you start making figures of lesser characters that look a lot like other figures they've bought in the past, it's not hard for people to go "I don't want to give you my money for this one."

And it is important to point out that Hasbro did a good job. The waist joint cut at the belt? Excellent. The thigh cuts under the "skirt"? Great. The knee joints tucked behind the very, very wide pants? Good job. The articulation offers nothing new, but she is expressive and while the elbows are only able to bend 90 degrees it's still pretty good. She has a working holster and a non-removable (but separately molded) hat above a perfectly printed face of Indira Varma.

Hasbro did a nice job with the body sculpt here and when I look at it, I assume we got it so they can use this body for other figures later. (I'm OK with that for 3 3/4-inch figures, but for $25+ premium figures, not so much.) I assume Dedra Meero (or Tobbi Dala, or Ysanne Isard) will be made using this buck in the future because the textures are excellent. She stands well, she doesn't flip over while I type on my desk, the feet are nice and flat - a problem that's been coming up, round-foots fall over - and the joints move smoothly. It's so odd to have a figure like this where I have no real complaints over how they did it, but at $25 I just don't feel like there's any level of measurable excitement despite a high level of quality for what was delivered. Is it me? Am I depressed? Am I just finally out of touch with this hobby enough that I need to be put on the ice floe and shoved off?

I'm finding my fandom is tied to the figures a lot more than I thought, the 6-inch line and a lack of comics or good guide books left me cold and I skipped all of the exclusives for this show because they started off at $27.50 or higher each - it just wasn't worth it for a variant of an existing mold, and that saved me over $300. Looking on the secondary market, most of those figures that came out last year can be had below retail quite cheaply and I still don't want to give them the money - and Teeka is right up my alley. (I did buy the 3 3/4-inch retro and vintage ones, though.) Tala is just too far removed from the formats that got me collecting in the first place, even though she turned out nicely I have zero connection to this figure. I bought the wave, opened her, wrote this review, and at some point I will probably end up giving her away or selling her at a loss just to get the shelf space back. My complaints may be less for the figure itself than the "system" - I got playsets, ships, stands, and other accoutrements that make even the dullest of 3 3/4-inch figures a valuable addition to a collection. But 6-inch figures, the figure has to exist and be of value in and of itself - so unless there's something intrinsically awesome (or rare) about the figure, it's not going to hold its retail price and fans are going to spend their money or efforts elsewhere.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,064: September 14, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,063: BB-YOU (2023 Pride Collection)

BB-YOU Pride Collection Disney Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $14.99 $9.98
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: n/a
Bio: In celebration of Pride and the company's Pride collection, The Walt Disney Company is giving funds as part of our ongoing commitment to organizations around the world that support LGBTQ+ communities. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!    

Commentary: While other Pride droids have been colorful and pretty distinctive BB-YOU is the one I could've missed and not been upset to have missed. At $15 it's a little pricey - it's on clearance now - and it looks like BB-8 was entered in a coloring contest. You can make out various colors from the Pride flag(s) on it, but it's effectively a normal white BB-8 with some minor changes. It's boring - and I've looked at pages and pages of awesome, colorful flags for all sorts of things. There's no reason for these to be dull when they could just have reissued R2-RNBW and made a lot of people happy with zero effort.

 The same mold has been sold for years, so you can put a hat on him, pop the head off, or split him apart to see a weighted silver ball inside. The head turns too, but that's all there is to it. As of right now BB-8 (and friends) feel like the Ewoks as the 1980s went on - the time for this is over, there will be a day in the future will people want BB-8 again, but people are probably very over it and Grogu may not be far behind given his lack of standout mischief on The Mandalorian last season.

Once you get past the significance of a Pride figure, of which there are many better options unless this particular one has specific significance for you, I'd say spend your money on the Astromech set (also on sale) or something else. I'd still buy a BB droid painted like the heart on the packaging - red on top, violet on the bottom, other colors in between - but I don't want another white BB-series droid with color highlights ever again. I've got plenty. I want something else now.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney at full price, but as I write this it's on clearance. $10 or under is a fair price for it, $5 really would be ideal given how small the BB figures are.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,063: September 12, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,062: The Mandalorian (Prototype, The Retro Collection)

THE MANDALORIAN (Prototype Edition, Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F6981
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Amban Phase-Pulse Rifle, Pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: April 2023
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: This Mandalorian figure is inspired by the colorful prototypes that enable the development team to look past the deco and focus on the sculpt, analyze mold alignment, and adjust for quality. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I would have bought more of The Mandalorian (Prototype Edition) were it not for the price... and that the Kenner blue blasters in mine seem to be pre-stressed. (I hate that.) They really did a bang-up job making them look like the classic accessories, and that's a big selling point. The figure has a new gray cape, and his body parts are in purple, orange, green, blue, yellow, and red like the other figures in this series. Is it essential? No - but Hasbro of the past decade has been striking a real blow against completism with new sub-collections like Carbonized figures, Credit Collection, and other unique deco sub-lines that are going to be thrilling for some and redundant for others. It's nice to have options - they can have a complete set of something without taking up a floor of a house. As far as I know, these prototype figures were made in up to six different colors if you're looking to get a full set of variants. There is no deco or paint, so they must be pretty cheap to make too.

If you like the idea of this thing, you simply must get one - the gimmick of Kenner blue blasters was enough to get me to want more than one, but the price and stressing makes it hard to buy one just to steal his blasters to give the regular figure. The colors are great - it pops nicely and you can see the sculpted detail. The good news is that you can see the ridges, pouches, and boots quite clearly while the bad news is that it does highlight the new Retro figures don't quite have the depth or sharpness of actual real old (ancient) Kenner figures. It also proves that the Mandalorian would look awesome in any of a number of bright colors - I'd have bought an orange "fire armor" one, a purple "night mission" one, or any of a number of weird colors if they were done under the pretense of a silly Batman-esque Kenner-ish "mission suit." But for now, I'll just have to be content with a limb of each color. It looks neat, and stands out among the rows of browns, blacks, and whites that make up most figure costumes.

Because I am a shameless Kenner fanatic, I bought one - but because $90 for the set of 6 is a lot of money, I bought only one. I'd recommend one or two if you can find them at a decent price, mostly because it's a silly twist on a serious hobby. Also, it doesn't take up a lot of room - which matters more and more as this hobby is a stone's throw away from completing yet another decade. It stands, it sits, it more or less holds the blasters just fine - but the cape may get in the way if you don't remove it. At least he's sturdy on a shelf or desk - mine has been here for months and hasn't fallen over, and I can't say the same about most of my super-poseable figures of various scales.

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,062: September 7, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,061: Tuken Chieftan (Tusken Raiders, The Vintage Collection)

TUSKEN CHIEFTAN (Tusken Raiders)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse and ShopDisney Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F8301
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 figures with cloaks, rifles, gaffi staffs
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: August 2023
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett   

Bio: Survival in the unforgiving desert of Tatooine requires strict training and discipline for the members of a Tusken tribe. Led by a chieftain, each member of the clan must learn to be useful. (Taken from marketing copy. There is 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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I'm surprised they debuted the Tusken Chieftan in this set. As a recognizable character and a cool design, this is the very kind of thing I want in my Star Wars action figures. It's familiar, and it's new. It's a recognizable character. It's distinctive. And somehow, it didn't kick off on a cardback in stores.

While mostly new parts, our Chieftan does re-use the arms from Walmart's exclusive Tusken Raider [FOTD #2,860] from 2021 - but since they're under the robes, you'll never see it. He has a new torso, a great new robe with printed dark brown on it, a nice new head with distinctive mask, a unique torso, and startlingly good leg joints. They swing forward without obstruction, and they have those swivel thigh cuts. This is as good as it gets! Well, a Bantha would be better, but this is still great. The sculpted chest with bones looks wonderful, but overall, it could be better. This figure's colors are a little more saturated than what we saw on-screen, and the mask could be improved. The "mouth" has vertical lines on it on the TV show, and it's a bit wider than what we seem to be getting with the figure. There's a black fade at the bottom of the figure's head that seems to mimic some of what we're seeing on the show, but it's too stark. The extra stuff on the shoulders of the costume are missing on the figure too - the painted detail is better than nothing, but there's still room for improvement. The staff, though, is excellent.

I don't know if this is the Chieftan or a Chieftan yet. It's good - certainly better than nothing - but you could see Hasbro reissuing it with one or two more alterations within the next year and people like me will buy it again, begrudgingly. If that does not happen, this is a must-get figure set and just a cool addition to your clans, even if the price isn't a deal. It's OK. It's good enough - but most importantly, right now, it's new and interesting and the kind of reason we are in this hobby in the first place. "Here's a new figure of a guy you remember from that show!" is important in keeping me from completely quitting and selling my collection. The rest of the set isn't as distinctive - but we'll get to them soon enough. $60 is a lot to pay for just one specific character (and some trooper buddies) but I made no complaints when I pulled out my credit card to get this, and I don't think you will either.  

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,061: September 5, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,060: Luke Skywalker (and Grogu, The Black Series)

LUKE SKYWALKER & Grogu
The Black Series The Book of Boba Fett Deluxe Figure
Item No.: No. F8345
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #07
Includes: Yoda hilt, Yoda lightsaber, Luke lightsaber, backpack, frog, wrapped gift, box, clear stands, bolt stand, rock formation, training remote
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $44.99
Availability: July 2023
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett

Bio: To help him hone his skills and understand the ways of the Force, Grogu trains with a new Jedi Master: Luke Skywalker . (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Commentary: There are times that Hasbro can make a good product but miss the landing, like this Luke Skywalker & Grogu set. Before I wrote this review, I felt it was a good set - but expensive. Then I was out at a Walmart and heard some guy pick it up and tell his lady friend about how ridiculous the pricing was and how he won't buy it until it hits half price... and which point I check Amazon and find it's already $10 off and it's still only a month or so old. Hasbro/Disney/Lucasfilm apparently treats these as items where collectors are not concerned about value - the price increases were hard to swallow, but this is a $25 "basic" figure with a $20 upcharge for the tiny Grogu and a couple of extra accessories. There's no doubt that there's more in the box, but you're being charged for two figures and getting one figure with a few accessories.

From a product development perspective, this is a pretty good Luke. It looks like he'll share parts with the upcoming Return of the Jedi remake, but he also has a lot of unique parts. The tunic is specific to The Book of Boba Fett, as are his black boots with their many wrappings. He has a gloved hand, a great hairstyle, an acceptable face, and very little paint. If anything, this seems like a figure that was cheap to make. It doesn't appear they spent a lot of time refining him - he keeps falling over, thanks to the rounded bottoms of his feet. When I type, he just eventually flops forward over and over. Price aside, it's just not a great consumer product if he can't stand without assistance.

Once again Hasbro used a separate plastic wig for this figure, which I assume adds to the cost - they saved money on body paint but didn't pass that along to you. The portrait is pretty good, looking convincingly like "Luke Skywalker" but not quite like "Mark Hamill," if that makes sense. At the right angle, with the right lighting, the sculpt looks perfect. This tells me that the painting process could use some refinement, and maybe we'll get something even better down the road. It's certainly pretty good, and on the happy end of what we've seen in this line, but it hasn't been perfected.

Like many other figures, he has a lightsaber. It looks great, but it can't hang on his belt. He has a lot of other gear for you to lose, including a plug for a backpack, a training backpack, a clear Remote stand, a rocky based with a blast effect, a clear "swoosh," a frog, a Mando Beskar shirt package, Yoda's lightsabers, and some other stuff. It feels like the $45 price point came first, and they kept putting in gear to add value to it until it hit some sort of a point where the budget worked out. If you were buying these as 3-D printed upgrades from some fan, this set would be a decent deal. But $45 doesn't add up here. If you look at Super7's Ultimates! 7-inch action figures, which are $55, you get a heck of a lot more for the money. 2-3 heads, sidekick buddy figures, alternate hands galore, tons of big weapons, and so forth. There's no value here. Heck, the box is mostly empty - all this stuff would fit in a "basic figure" box with room to spare, so people seeing this item at the store are probably going to feel more than a little mislead.

The Black Series increasingly makes impressive-looking figures that just don't show why they're worth the asking price some of the time. Maybe it's the closed packaging, maybe it's the last few years of price increases. $25 felt like it was about as high as you could have a basic figure go before people turn their noses up. The nearly instant markdown of this set on Amazon serves as the free market speaking - this is not a good value. The prices need to be reigned in - even if it means fewer accessories - if this line is to stay off of markdown. Something like Luke and Grogu should be a sure thing, and here it is on sale already. Luke's slightly-off Mark Hamill likeness fits the show, the costume is dead-on, and Grogu (with accessories) is pretty good. We'll review the little guy later, but I can tell you at sale prices this is a worthwhile set to pick up. $35 or so under is worth it.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,060: August 31, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,059: R8 Unit (Purple, 2023 Pride Collection)

R8 UNIT Disney Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Factory
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: Red R2 unit, orange R4 unit, yellow R5 unit, green R6 unit, blue R7 unit, violet R8 unit
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $74.99
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Meet the colorful collection of droids from the Star Wars Pride Collection. Each one of the six detailed R Unit figurines has just rolled off the Droid Factory production line and boasts a different design, creating a special set featuring every color of the rainbow. (Stolen from the marketing copy.) In celebration of Pride and the company's Pride collection, The Walt Disney Company is giving funds as part of our ongoing commitment to organizations around the world that support LGBTQ+ communities. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!   

Commentary: I believe this R8 Unit not only rounds out the Pride Collection set, but is also the first-ever R8-series droid available outside the theme parks too. There have been a handful of them you could put together with parts from bins, but this is the only time you could get a prebuilt one in a box so far. As a post-original trilogy Expanded Universe droid, it's technically not canon, but I guess we haven't seen another R8 droid design so it isn't not not cannon either just yet.

This might be one of the nicest colorways of this boxed set. The light purple body, darker purple head, and bluish purple highlights really stand out nicely. Nothing blends in, and you can see lots of details like a black "eye" with a silver ring to make it dance, red lights on the side of the dome, lots of purple details, silver greeblies, and just a whole heck of a lot more love seems to have been put into this one. It also looks like an Easter egg. But hey, Star Wars can use more color.

This figure reused the R7-style body which is a nice change of pace from the typical R2-D2 body. The two main legs have rolling wheels and jointed ankles, with a removable third leg that has a wheel. The wheels don't do much - he would probably skid across the desk with no wheels about as well as he rolls with them. If this were a carded figure, I'd suggest getting it. Little details like the quasi-checkerboard pattern on top of the dome, the big silver sensor on the "face," and the distinctive colors make this stand out in a collection of hundreds of droids. It's still in stock as of my writing this, so hopefully you got yours by now.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,059: August 29, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,058: Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (The Retro Collection)

BEN (OBI-WAN) KENOBI (Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Shop Disney / Hasbro Pulse Exclusive Set
Item No.: Asst. F7649 No. F7649
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, cape, Jawa, R2-D2, C-3PO, Death Squad Commander, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $69.99
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and eatures original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It took a long time, but Hasbro finally finished re-making the original 12-back Star Wars figures this year! Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi finishes my look through the class of 1978, and he looks a little different than I remember. The original figure had a telescoping lightsaber, a vinyl cape, and either white or gray hair. This one has white hair, and the face feels a smidgen wider.

A lot of details changed, and I think this is one of the lesser figures in the set. You can tell the hair detail seems off with much softer details in the face and robes. The holes in his belt are missing from the 2023 release, but I have to say I rather prefer the hand being a tiny bit less claw-like this time around. The cape - and the figure - are a little browner than the more orange original, which makes the light blue lightsaber pop nicely. Since the cape tends to hug the figure, they just needed to do a good job on the arms and head - and they get a passing grade. If you're getting the set anyway, you get your money's worth with this figure.

If I had to boil the figure down to two words, it would be "generation loss." Much like some other Retro figures, it looks like a copy of a copy. The paint applications are good, the eyes are nice, the pose is decent, but anyone that played with an original as a kid will look at this and feel something is a little bit off. I assumed we would have sculptors who would laser-scan a perfect recreation of the original, or artisans who work at the factory to make sure it's as close to the same (sans copyright marks) as possible. It isn't. But if you don't get too close or squint, I think it's going to do the trick for most fans of these old-style figures. If you just leave them on the card on the wall, or in a box, does it matter? If you're older and your eyesight softened a bit, will you even notice? It's probably good enough if you just want to visit your childhood one more time before you exit the toy aisles for the rest of adulthood and the increasingly wobbly prospects of the toy business. The toy biz hasn't abandoned the end of Generation X just yet but it's probably coming - so get these while you can!

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,058: August 24, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,057: Sun’il Ei’de (Drums, The Vintage Collection)

SUN'IL EI'DE (Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Hasbro Pulse Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F6984
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 7 band members with 2 Kloo Horns, 1 Fanfar, 1 Fizzz, 1 Ommni Box with pedals and stand, 2 drum sticks, 1 drum, 1 Bandfill,
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Star Wars
Bio: This 7-piece ensemble of Bith musicians was a common sight at the Mos Eisley Cantina, playing swinging instrumentals for the watering hole’s staggering patrons. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

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Commentary: We looked at other band members - and we've got more to come - so let's look at Sun’il Ei’de, a name I genuinely did not recognize despite being a fan of band things. Apparently the reason I didn't get the name was he wasn't identified as such until 2011 in a book I didn't buy. That'd do it - over the years it's been kind of a weird riddle with multiple band members and books identifying the seemingly-identical band members in a not-entirely-consistent way. I think the first time I saw the names was in the short story collections in the 1990s, but it's possible the first time I saw any names in 1995 was either Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina or Decipher's customizable card game. But who can remember?

All the figures are the same, and pretty good. Sun'il is listed as playing "drums," a decidedly unoriginal name for something that looks like a tube you hit with sticks. The silver device sits on a black stand, which itself is mounted to a black disc stand so it won't fall over. I don't think it's the best-looking option for a playset display, but it's 2023. It's not like Hasbro has shown any initiative in doing a full Cantina playset this century. Our musician has no problems holding the drum sticks, and thanks to an abundance of excellent articulation he can stand at them with no problems. It's kind of a waste of resources - this figure could have five joints and serve the purpose just fine. Instead it's part of a $90 boxed set of 7 identical figures with unique accessories - good for army-builders and diorama completists, but probably vexing for people who don't want all of that.

For specific figure commentary, read this. The figure seems to be based on a behind-the-scenes photo I found where the "drum" has a circle facing the audience, so the bar hanging off the side is on his right (the listener's left) as they watch the show. Hasbro did a nice job sculpting it, and fan-made accessories are also quite cheap too.

When getting this set I was happy to have a "complete band." But the definition of what that is has changed a lot, so I guess it's this now. It was weird to see revisionism happening in the 1990s, and even weirder now - but it's technically a new character, and a new accessory, and it's something to add to the generally sparse offering of Cantina stuff. I'd still recommend the set, especially if you're not buying much other stuff these days. I'm still hoping we get a new Cantina. I'm not holding my breath, though.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. Within a week, it went up for sale at other fan outlets.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,057: August 22, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,056: Rebel Commando (Endor, The Black Series)

REBEL COMMANDO Deluxe
The Black Series 40th Anniversary Return of the Jedi Deluxe Figure
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F8285
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 blasters, backpack, bandolier, alternate face plate
Action Feature: Swappable face plates
Retail: $33.99
Availability: July 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Commemorate the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging! (Taken from the packaging. It's kind of depressing, they could drop it and show upsells for another 12 figures here.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

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Commentary: This is a tricky one - Hasbro did something that really walks a line of making something hard to recommend. This $34 Rebel Commando is on par with the very good $20 Hoth Rebel Soldier [FOTD #2,704] from 2020. You probably already know exactly where this is going - why is a similar figure this much more expensive? It's an excellent figure - but why is it $9 more than a standard figure and $14 more than a similar product form 3 years ago? Both face plates are great. The articulation is among Hasbro's best - but it doesn't cost more to cut the joints properly. The deco is good, the sculpting is good, and to be honest I'm a little perplexed as to why his boots have a 2020 copyright date. I assume it was an oversight, but there's also been some rumors that Hasbro has a massive amount of unused sculpts banked since back then (some since used) and that would be, to say the least, interesting.

You get two face plates in the set - a clean-shaven younger guy, and a bearded older guy know to some as Nik Sant (from various canon sources) and a lot of fans say "it's Captain Rex!" but I do not know that this has been put in any official source. The body build isn't quite right, and its inclusion here reeks of stoking "teach the controversy" coals. You can see it any way you want - so enjoy having the options here. It is much more difficult to pry these faces off than the Hoth Trooper, which were held in place with a removable hat. You may need to use some sort of small tool or fingernail to get them out, depending on how tight they're in there - but they both look excellent, and it gives you an excuse to buy two of these if you're made of money. The aces are clean with nicely painted eyes and eyebrows, and in the case of Nik Sant, the beard is wonderful. Hasbro didn't disappoint, and the non-removable helmet is good too.

He has a removable bandolier, a backpack, and two blasters. One is your standard issue rebel blaster pistol, and the other is a somewhat familiar rifle. Neither has any paint on it, which feels like a huge miss when you have a deluxe price point like this. Hasbro could have spent a few pennies on some more deco on these excellent sculpts... which I might add look weird in the brownish color they chose. They look good, the details are marvelous, but it left me wanting more. I also wanted a holster, which we didn't get here. We also didn't get a place to store the alternate face plate in the backpack, like we did for the cheaper Hoth trooper. It might be unfair to pick on this figure because Hasbro did something similar, better, and more cheaply, but is it really? I expect a big figure with lots of option parts when we pass $30, and I'm not getting it here. If the helmet were removable to aid with the face plate swapping, at least that would have been something.

But how is the figure's body? Marvelous. Hasbro got it right, mostly because the design is just a dude. Every limb moves freely, without any coats or skirts or weird sleeves to hinder his ability to aim his blasters, or sit, or go into some action pose. The hands move well, the elbows are among the best, the shoulders and head move without a fight. Everything here is good, and his paint job is what it should be. Sure, they missed some spots under the knees, but if they got it perfect it wouldn't be a Hasbro figure. There are a lot of unique textures thanks to the helmet, the pants, the jacket, and the sleeves, but also the boots. You can tell whoever sculpted it did a great job and put long hours into this more or less anonymous trooper that, I assume, could be destined to clearance for no reason other than the high price point. (That's a valid reason.) The little painted silver greeblies and even a distinctively sculpted fly on his pants show someone, somewhere, didn't want to phone this in. Nor should they have. When you pay this much, what you get needs to give you the bare minimum, and then some.

If you see this figure on sale for $25 or less, buy it. Or maybe buy two - it's one of the best figures Hasbro has made in terms of accessory interaction, articulation, and the ability to stand without a fight. I just don't think it makes any sense to charge that much for it - I would have vastly preferred Hasbro make two different Rebels with a different face at $25 a pop, or maybe only gave us one blaster, or... you can see, I'm reaching for reasons this is $34 in the first place. It's not fundamentally that much more deluxe than a basic figure, but the execution is clearly superior. If you are so inclined to spent the money, I don't think you'll be the slightest bit disappointed in this one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,056: August 17, 2023