Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,073: Boba Fett (Comic Art Edition, The Vintage Collection)

BOBA FETT (Comic Art Edition - Marvel )
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Target Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F8070
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #277
Includes: Pistol, rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $22.99 $20.99
Availability: September 2023
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Celebrate the Star Wars publishing legacy with this 3.75-inch action figure featuring the color palette from the character’s appearance in the 1970s Star Wars comics!. (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: Overcharge me twice, shame on me. This Marvel 1980-inspired Boba Fett (Vintage Comic Art) figure is something I wanted - and asked for over the years! We got a pretty good Boba Fett based on Marvel comics back in 2008 [FOTD #1,236] in a 2-pack, with a full-size comic, for a mere $11.87 back when a standard figure was about $6.99. I would say it was a good deal on a good set. This new one took a $12.99 figure and jacked it up to $22.99, an utterly absurd price for a redeco and as of my writing this a month before it goes live, it's sitting around a bit. As it should. It's a great idea, an a good execution, on a gorgeous cardback, but this is a particularly painful example of an exclusive mark-up. The deco, articulation, or accessories are in no way overly superior to a basic figure. Even if a basic figure is $16.99 now, where is that extra $4-$6 coming from?

It's not the accessories, nice as they are. You get a light gray blaster pistol as well as a purple rifle. No paint on either - they look fine. The cloth cape looks good too, and it's also uncolored. His jetpack is molded in a very light baby blue and has minimal white paint applications on it. It's a typical Boba Fett compliment, far fewer accessories than the average 100% new The Vintage Collection figure these days.

The figure itself ain't bad. The torso is green with a tampo, otherwise unadorned. The has some paint on the gloves, the gauntlets, the shoes, and a couple of small bits - but overall, seems to have less paint than an average normal retail Boba Fett. The helmet has a bit more going on, but I don't know if it's more work given we've traded all those yellow marks, silver battle-damage bits, and other elements for some comic-style flat shading. The back of the helmet has no paint.

The choice of mold is also unfortunate - they went with a Return of the Jedi body, which uses a different belt than what's illustrated in the comic book. They did a nice job painting him to match the colors, though. I would rather they have waited for a new The Empire Strikes Back Boba Fett, because this model uses the older, cruddier hip joints too. The arms are fine, and the coloring is gorgeous.

I ordered it online, so not only did they overcharge me by two bucks compared to retail stores, but somehow the bubble got severely smashed despite being packed in a nice big box with packing material. This one left a bad taste in my mouth, somehow, despite being exactly what I wanted to own. Maybe it would've been better as a Retro figure (at $15 or under) or a 6-inch figure (at $27.50 or under), but at $23 I feel like I should have waited for a sale. Five years ago, I think anyone in this hobby or business would see Boba Fett as a thing that would be guaranteed to sell out immediately and rise on the secondary market - and now Hasbro seems to be charging the secondary market prices from the get go. I assume this must be working for the bottom line, but it's off-putting as a fan passing the age most collectors move on to concerns of regular real life. I'd love to see toys priced and treated as toys again, but I think we're probably going to continue to see premium prices from here on out. If money is no object, it's a beautiful figure. Just scan it before you take it to the register - Target's in-aisle scanners have frequently been a couple of bucks off from what the registers say this year, on this and other toy lines, so take care as you make your purchases and check the receipts.

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 3,073: October 17, 2023