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!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

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!

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: 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

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,055: R7 Unit (Blue, 2023 Pride Collection)

R7 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: If you're feeling blue, this R7 Unit is just the thing. Granted, you may have blue ones already as there have been quite a few R7 units over the years, very, very few have been sold pre-assembled outside those parts bins at the theme park. Thanks for it being a "newer" droid design, it doesn't have the same body as the R2, R4, R5, and $6. It does, however, seem to borrow the same basic feel in terms of being a color with lighter and darker painted highlights.

Since I assume most of you don't have any R7 droids - to date, they've been available as "bin parts" at Disney theme parks or as build-a-droids in Hasbro figures back in 2008 - this is probably worth your while. The droid model dates way back to the early 1990s, but they weren't exactly massive influence on what we would come to call the "Expanded Universe" by the end of the 1990s. (A term coined by Kenner! Toys shape the franchise, folks.) The three legs are effectively the same parts as Disney's other droids, while the body and dome are distinctive - and also Hasbro creations. There are some light blue highlights on the dome and body, plus some dark blue shadows painted on that almost blend in to the plastic. I really love the light blue panel lines in the dome's grooves, the red light on the face, and the silver highlights. I wish the contrast was a little more intense, but it's still good. It's a droid that doesn't look like any of the other R7 units, and as far as I know, I have them all.

 With subtle light blue on the side of the legs, Disney designers did a nice job making a set that - collectively - read as "PRIDE" while individually fitting in as part of the Star Wars toy universe. These look like they belong in your collection if you're a fan, regardless of who you are as a person. Do you like droids? You'll like these droids. I'd love to see R2-RNBW reissued (so I can get one) or other multi-color robots based on the various flags because let me tell you, they're pretty great. Assuming no groups take offense to it, I hope they keep making more droids colored to match the many flags out there because frankly, they're pretty brilliant designs (and you gotta take inspiration from somewhere.) It's still available as I write this in August. It was even on sale at one point, I assume due to the fact that a $75 figure set is a tough sell when it's not based on a specific on-screen character. But let me assure you, it's a nice set.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,055: August 15, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,054: Grand Inquisitor (The Retro Collection)

GRAND INQUISITOR (Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F4200 No. F5773
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, vinyl cape
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures. (Stolen from the marketing copy. 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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I opened this Grand Inquisitor from The Retro Collection about a year ago and I didn't like it all that much - so he hung out with me on my desk all this time. My opinion of him has improved a tiny bit, but he's still got problems and at under $6 on Amazon the free market has spoken. This is not a desirable figure.

The character's personality and design changed a bunch from Rebels to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the figure reflects that. But, being a retro figure, that's OK - part of their charm were simplified and often incorrect features, as long as the figure itself looks cool. Sure, Hammerhead doesn't match the on-screen Ithorian - but he looks cool. The Grand Inquisitor looks a little odd with a bigger head, a rounder more baby-like face, and a head that says "I was made from concept art" to me. The aliens from Utapau had deep cranial ridges, sharp fangs, and really high foreheads - Grandy here has very smoothed-out ridges and not much of a forehead. (This matches the show.) The eyes and tattoos are all red, and the show has some grays in there. The skin is a pale rosy color - not as ashen as the show - but his expression is good. It definitely reads as being a real, old figure.

The body is pretty good - the major landmarks are there, and some are unpainted or underrepresented. The shoulder armor and gauntlets look great. The boots and pants and belt are fine. Some of the buttons aren't quite as good as the show, but for a Kenner-style figure it doesn't really matter much. The gray parts are a little light, while the black parts are a little glossy. It's striking, but seems a little off. There's decent articulation to be had, although the vinyl cape hurts it a great deal. Unless you want to crease the cape, this figure is unlikely to be sitting any time soon. (Of course given the now-cheap market prices, you can just buy another one.)

His accessories are a cape and a lightsaber. The double lightsaber design is clever - props to them for it - with a round hilt and a double-blade design that borrows from the 1980s Kenner Luke hilts. I can buy that this is what Kenner might have done. The vinyl cape is pretty good in terms of design, but the execution turned out just below what I would hope to get. It was pre-wrinkled in the package and since it can't be removed without cutting off the arms, I don't think you can iron it flat to fix those wrinkles. It's also a little long, so you have to curl it back a bit otherwise he'll fall face-forward. It's a smart design, but a bad practical piece - had it been done in cloth, I think nobody would complain. I also don't know when Hasbro opts for cloth over vinyl, as two figures from this wave went cloth and two didn't. As Hasbro more or less stopped making new vinyl figures about four years in, it's a curious choice.

Because I love Kenner figures, this one is acceptable. The sculpting doesn't have the deep grooves of real Kenner figures, nor does it have a particularly interesting pose - he seems to have copied Bespin Luke's stance, as have most new Hasbro Kenner sculpts. I would love to see slightly bent elbows or maybe some variation in the knees, especially on figures who can't sit well. By no means is this figure awful, but it's probably the worst of the wave. I would recommend grabbing the Fifth Brother first, but given how cheap the Grand Inquisitor is these days, why not just buy one? Five bucks on Amazon is peanuts for something in the "decent" range, and this certainly does meet those standards. At full price - or above retail - I wouldn't run and get one unless you're also a hardcore Kenner fanatic.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,054: August 10, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,053: Krrsantan (SDCC, The Vintage Collection)

KRRSANTAN SDCC and Pulse Exclusive Version
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: No. F6980
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster, regular hands, fists, really open hands, meiloorun, stein, swords, 3 energy effects, rifle,
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: July 2023
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: Santo is just this guy, you know? (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 had no intention of buying this Krrsantan figure - which I had no idea would be at San Diego Comic-Con this year - because of the price. I know I bring it up a lot, but it's a real concern that we're paying $40 for a figure that costs $27, and all you get are a variant face, two swords, a bowcaster, and some energy blaster (with blast effect.) All the alternate hands, rifle, tankard, meiloorun, and knuckleduster blue energy effects are in the standard release. I just happened to be at the Hasbro Vault after I heard they had some items for sale - only two exclusives, off-site, about a half mile away from the convention. Even though I don't have the standard release in hand yet, I can pretty safely say that if money is no object, you'll probably want both, and if you're a sensible person, the standard release should prove sufficient. It is an excellent action figure in the "we now exist in a world where collectors accept nothing less than super-articulation with gear they will never use" paradigm that I guess we shall never escape.

This figure's head is arguably its best selling point - standard issue has a closed mouth, exclusive has a screaming, open mouth that works well with the fruit and the drink in the set. He could use a little more gray, but the hair does have some nice shading to it along with distinctive lip, teeth, and tongue. There's a tiny hint of gloss in his eyes, plus he has really good hair. The sculpting is and he's really expressive - but for the price, I would've liked both heads included in the package. The angry head and knuckle duster energy go together well, and you're getting Expensive Japanese Toy levels of detail and quality, or at least, something very close to it.

In terms of the body, it's great! We haven't had a new 3 3/4-inch movie-style Chewbacca figure since the Original Trilogy Collection, as someone decided that was as good as it gets and we just keep getting head and deco variants. (And the sandstorm one.) This all-new Wookiee technically has less articulation in the body, but overall it has a much better range of movement. The bend-and-swivel wrists don't bend so well, but the mid-torso joint is well-hidden and functions nicely. You get deep cuts on the elbows which work well, great shoulder movement, and decent hips that swing forward well enough considering there's a hairy "skirt" up there. The figure has what I assume are Wookiee Scalps hanging off his belt, plus spiky armor connected to his bandoliers. Also, all six of his hands have knuckle dusters.

The fists are easy to pop out and replace with open hands or very open hands. Sadly the energy bolts aren't great for the fists - those hands are closed and hard to get the energy around - but they work well with the others. The fruit can be held in the very open hands, the accessories are mostly easily held by the regular hands, and everything looks like it fits.

His other gear is also decent - the swords fit in his hands. The bowcaster can sling over his back, or just fit in his hands. The exclusive energy weapon - it looks like something out of Halo and I don't know its name - is the only one that doesn't seem to fit in his fists very well. It looks awesome, it has nice paint, and the energy is a nice touch, but it's just too dang much gear and you're being charged accordingly for it.

When you look at the price differences between standard Vintage ($27.99), 6-inch Black Series ($33.99), Retro (estimated $11.99), and this exclusive Vintage ($39.99) it's extremely hard to know what Hasbro even wants you to buy. No one scale has emerged as the best-for-collectors, a few years ago Hasbro definitely made it seem like The Black Series was the go-to ultimate expression but even the cheaper release of TVC Krrsantan has a ton of stuff in the box - and you're being charged for it. He's only slightly bigger than an average (increasingly expensive) TVC action figure, but I am hard-pressed to complain about any shortcuts. Other than the alternate head, there's not much Hasbro could do to increase the value. If anything, it has too much value - perhaps going the other way and putting the base figure with one accessory on a blister cardback for $27.99 could have been a more compelling and desirable SDCC exclusive than a big bulky deluxe box. People do love that style of packaging, after all, and the only Hasbro Santo figure coming on a cardback should be the retro one.

Because I'm a goofball in the tank for aliens, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett, I like this figure. I feel like I'm an abused partner here, but we get so few all-new characters in this scale that I still treasure getting something that's genuinely new and exciting, instead of "yeah it's a new version of a guy I have 10 of that were all cheaper." At this time, I think it's safe to say this is the most deluxe-packaged figure ever made at this scale in Star Wars. And it's just too dang much - where am I supposed to store all this excess gear? He has extra hands and he still can't hold it all. It's an amazing effort, and I assume unless the run is cut short Hasbro may be stuck with some supply. They did an excellent job and you can see they went to town with whatever budget they had to ensure you got a ton of extra gear. Given that a basic The Vintage Collection was $10-$12 not too long ago, though, nothing about this figure makes me think it's worth $40.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from the Hasbro Vault store in July, 2023. I'm still wincing at what it cost me so don't feed the scalpers.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,053: August 8, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,052: Inquisitor (Fourth Sister, The Black Series)

INQUISITOR (Fourth Sister)
The Black Series 2023 Closed Box Line Look Obi-Wan Kenobi Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7099
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #12 - Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: 2 removable blades, hilt can plug in back
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. Yes, this corporate synopsis is on the packaging in five languages instead of upsells.)

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: The Inquisitor (Fourth Sister) is one of the more fascinating figures in this sector of toys. Thanks to the popularity of Jedi: Fallen Order and Rebels, plus the momentum from Obi-Wan Kenobi, we've got a pretty good chunk of these guys. The premise of the Inquisitors is to make something that looks like a McQuarrie Concept from the 1970s, reinterpreted by space goth vampire teens. Most of the beings are pale with yellow or red in their eyes, but Ms. Fourth is unique in that her skin is orange - and she's a new alien species. Exciting! Well, as exciting as these things get - she came in a wave with Bastilla Shan, Vel Sartha, another Obi-Wan Kenobi, and doubles of Darth Malak and Tala. I assume the game figures will do fine, and the rest... well, we'll see. Hasbro has had an incredible talent for making its newer figures pretty good - most of them have better joints and balance more easily, but they're also heavily weighted to minor characters that don't yet have some sort of weird fan cult. We didn't get a Wedge for 20 years, but Hasbro gave us this nameless lady in about a year. It's also fascinating - and surprisingly progressive - that the case is over 50% women. That's unusual, particularly for a franchise whose attitude toward not-dudes has been "oh, we've got one" per film trilogy until the 2010s.

While I do grouse about Obi-Wan Kenobi - I admit I haven't rewatched it yet, but quoting Ed Wood describes my feelings regarding the show and this action figure. "See, 'The soldier costumes are very realistic.' That's positive!" This figure looks like she could fit right in with the old 1970s designs, and if they ever did her Kenner-style I would be first in line to buy her again. (Especially with a Snowtrooper-esque cape!) She's something new that looks like something old - the red piping recalls Darth Maul's "Sith Apprentice" concept costume/figure, with a standard issue lightsaber she can hold much more easily than that of her Inquisitor buddies. The joints all move smoothly, with the legs being enough on the stiff side to ensure she is less likely to faceplant. Her joints are nicely integrated in the costume, and the ribbing all looks fantastic. Her belt sculpting is so detailed I had to touch it to make sure it wasn't some kind of fabric - it's remarkable. The leathery texture and wrinkles on her "cape" look fantastic, and her boots are no slouch. As a toy figure, even if you've never seen the show, this one looks good.

Her head is good, but not great - the eyes look Sithly, but also a little bloodshot due to the current printing process. Maybe the resolution will get bumped up, but the complexion is just a bit waxier than I think she needed to be - but she has cool head printing too, and the lips are on straight. If you don't get too close, you're going to love it. Clearly someone adored this costume, because the head tails look excellent, the hood is loaded with detail, and she has the body language of a star. It's a remarkably good action figure and like many of the toys from this series, probably would be even more popular if she were released before the show. It's a shame fans can't get a month or two with these toys before the movie comes out to pop your imagination's bubble.

The Black Series is still capable of churning out strong figures from forgettable characters, and while some figures look like someone just took a digital model and carved them up, this one looks like someone was trying to impress the boss. I love how the lightsaber plugs in her back, I'm thrilled to get a new alien species, and while I'm irritable that there is no guide book or trading card to tell me more about her, hopefully that will come some day. I was a 1980s kid - I had to dig up old (frequently apocryphal) guide books and/or wait for something better to come out in the 1990s - and maybe there's some sort of long game where Disney is trying to do for dadgum everything what Lucasfilm did for Boba Fett. I'd actually like to know more about this character, and I also know full well that knowing it probably won't make me like this figure any more than I do right now. Get her if you feel like paying the asking price, but definitely pick one up if you luck into her on sale. Unless there's a 3 3/4-inch version, in which case, maybe just get that. It's not like you've got a ton of room.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,052: August 3, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,051: R6 Unit (Green/Teal, 2023 Pride Collection)

R6 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: While not something you saw on screen until Disney began to mine the non-film source material for convincingly authentic designs, this green R6 Unit makes use of a mold that Disney has been using at its theme parks in some form or another for over a decade now. Maybe it's more teal than green - but it's nice, and the body uses the same basic paint masks as the other "R2" body droids in this set. You'll recognize lighter seafoam green panels, darker metallic panels, and some red, black, and silver bits. While it's meant to look like the Pride Flag, it has the benefit of being ultra-inclusive because fans can look at this and say "hey, I can stick that in a playset or shelf diorama" and it fits without looking out of place. That's a tough achievement.

You can mix-and-match parts with other figures if you like, but I want to keep it as-is. The panels are mostly cleanly painted, coloring in the lines with certain panels popping nicely. I bet the R6 donme would look better with some more color around the big black eye, but we don't always get what we want. There are wheels, the dome swivels, the ankles are articulated, and you can even pop out the third leg. It's weird to say "it doesn't do anything special" as praise, but at least it doesn't fall over, or not fit together. It just works. It delivers the experience you expect at a price that, while higher than some droids, isn't dreadful.

What's funny is after I wrote that sentence and lowered my left hand on the desk next to my keyboard, it was enough to knock the Han Solo (Endor, no trenchcoat) figure right over despite my only lightly touching the desk between sentences. There's something to be said about the stability of three legs, in a charming color, on a character where unusual non-movie color variants make all the sense in the world. My hat goes off to Disney for a set well-done. I lob a lot of complaints at the regime but I think this is a product they basically got right - and I hope that you can get one if you want one. (It's still available as I write this in July.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney. Also happy anniversary, me - I started writing a Star Wars newsletter online on AOL (and later, the rest of the web) on August 1, 1995. Why am I still doing this.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,051: August 1, 2023