Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,149: RG-G1 (The Vintage Collection)

RG-G1 Escape from Order 66
The Vintage Collection Amazon Exclusive 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0266
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #324
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Removable limbs and dome
Retail: $69.99
Availability: May 2024
Appearances: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Bio: RG-G1 was one of the brave astromech droids who assisted Ahsoka Tano in apprehending Clone Captain Rex when his inhibitor chip was compromised. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It's nice to get something that feels new, even if it isn't. So many new releases are similar to things we already own that it's weird to get a repaint that feels different, and RG-G1 is one of them. The dome is new! I just thought it was an R4 dome on the old body, but it's not. The dark gray body has a black dome and black limbs with black feet, plus a dull gold. It's amazing that between Hasbro and Disney I've got close to a couple dozen of these conehead guys and I'm delighted that I have one that actually feels distinctive.

You've seen so many of these I don't need to tell you that the dome rotates and pops off, and the legs pop off, and you can remove the third leg if you want. You've seen this exact mold (or variations on it) in and out of circulation since 2008 when it was a build-a-droid figure, which makes the price tag of 25% of $69.99 sting a little bit - we got a new dome, but it's still the same toy with no new features or gadgets. Since most people aren't going to open it, that probably doesn't matter - what matters is that it looks good. The pinstriping really pops nicely, those fine lines look superb and the big orange box around the eye really stands out. He even had a big red light on the back of his dome which is what tipped me off to this not being Yet Another R4. You can see new panels, including two big orange ones for his "ears." There's a silver sensor of some sort on the back as well, and I'm impressed that they didn't just reuse an old mold and call it a day. For any cartoon droid coming to live action, I think you've got a license to fudge it and Hasbro didn't. Kudos.

The unique layout and new dome make this one just a bit more exciting and I'm glad to see that they did a good job making it right the first time, or at least, right enough that we're not going to ask for a do-over. I wouldn't necessarily recommend the set at full price, but if it goes on sale it's worth it and from the look of things, they're pretty good figures. I'm still opening them, slowly, so stay tuned for more on these. And get this one if someone broke up the set for some reason.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,149: June 27, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,148: Nalan Cheel (Fanfar, The Vintage Collection)

NALAN CHEEL (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 Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: We haven't looked at one of these guys in almost a year, and a lot has happened! Back then, this was a shared exclusive that didn't sell through so it got opened to other partners, and it took a while but it finally sold through. And now it's expensive on the secondary market - and will no doubt continue to get pricey unless Hasbro reruns it (and maybe they should.) Heck, this set would've been a great stretch goal for the current HasLab Cantina, because Hasbro could tool one figure and sell you (and charge you) for seven. And you'd smile. As I write this - Amazon is sold out, and the cheapest set on eBay is a hair under $200. Sold listings are closer to SRP, though, so if you want one of these sets and can get it for $90 before shipping? You should do it now, before people get their Cantinas in-hand and decide to start filling it out. If history is any indication that won't happen before they get their playsets mailed to them, so you've got a while. But don't wait too long.

Where was I? Right, Nalan Cheel, complete with bandfill. The figure itself is the same as Figrin D'an and all of the others, which certainly saves on tooling costs and gives Hasbro a good incentive to make one really, really good figure. A figure like this needs incredible articulation in order to stand, sit, suck, blow, beat, tinkle, and do whatever else is necessary to these instruments. A figure like this has incredible articulation and would serve as a great basis for numerous customs - but you want him because he can play the bandfill like was was ringing a bell, or whatever. I have no idea how it's supposed to work - but he can easily hold it and look like he was designed to do so. Previous versions also could hold it just fine, but this one can emote thanks to all of the articulation. He can really look like he's swinging - and he can really get his, erm, lips around his instrument. Hasbro made sure the hands look great with lots of sculpted detail too, which is good because you're going to be seeing them a lot.

I hope Hasbro is considering Kenner 1970s-style band members for the 50th anniversary of the movie - it struck me as odd we never got them in the old days, and I was so excited in the 1990 when the Fan Club got one exclusive figure with five instruments. I ordered extras. I like this figure a lot because he can pose, he can stand around and look good, and they did an excellent job bringing him to life with modern standards. I keep forgetting Hasbro made these because I already had a band - but I shouldn't, because they're such a massive improvement.

It's worth noting that the carded Figrin D'an may be cheaper than the box set, so if you come across a bunch of those cheap you could buy the 1990s figures, steal their instruments, and fudge it. But I'd recommend this set - there were no drums in the old days, so this is a more complete experience. Get this set if you can, and I would anticipate there to be a lull in interest between the time the Cantina funds (if it funds) and the release of the playset. As your attorney, I recommend that you set up eBay alerts and keep an eye on prices.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,148: June 25, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,147: Bespin (Silhouette II)

BESPIN (Silhouette II)
Star Wars Classics Walmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. DJK03 No. DJL05
Manufacturer: Mattel
Number: 6/8
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: About $1
Availability: 2016
Appearances: n/a   

Bio: This series of intergalactic Hot Wheels celebrates the many diverse worlds of the STAR WARS universe. Race from the icy reaches of Hoth, to the fiery lava flows of Mustafar. Zoom from the parched desert world of Tatooine, to the lush forest moon of Endor. Collect all eight and speed to a galaxy far, far away! (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: And Wheels Week is over! I got Bespin (Silhouette II) way back when it came out, and it's a perfect $1 collectible car. The axles aren't as janky as the Han Solo Twinduction, but they're not as smooth as many other cars either - that means when it flies out of a launcher on the tracks, it doesn't go terribly far. But sometimes you buy a car because it's gorgeous, and this is. The Silhouette II is an updated version of one of the first year of Hot Wheels cars, and it's been in and out of circulation since the 1960s. The II model has some tweaks and different engines - if you had your druthers, you'd probably want the original, but those aren't as cheap. I saw this one at Bookman's for $2 over Memorial Day weekend,so you can get it without spending real money if you have time to look around.

The futurism of the 1960s, retooled in the 1990s, and painted orange seems like a perfect fit for the Twin-Pod Cloud Car. Obviously, this is only one pod - but it looks sort of close to the concept sketches, what with the dome and the long nose. The chrome engine looks great, there's a nicely detailed interior, and the shiny orange finish looks superb. The cart art is no slouch either - and if you dare open it, you'll be treated to a Star Wars logo over where the trunk isn't. The vehicle has a metal top and a plastic bottom, which means it's not going to win any races.

The reason to get excited about this car - indeed, this entire set - is the great artwork on each car. It's Burger King glass-style simple, with clouds, Cloud City, the Millennium Falcon, and presumably as a gag silhouettes of a Cloud Car to go on a Cloud Car-colored Silhouette. Clever. It's really nicely designed and they didn't mirror-flip the Falcon to make the art fit either.

Walmart did multiple series of these $1 cars since Mattel got the license - themes included Movies/TV Series, in-universe factions, planets, masters & apprentices, and finally, characters. As far as I know they haven't done any more cheap cars nor planned to do them, which is probably smart, because I completely ignored their $4+ products and focused solely on the $1 ones. This may well be the best of them. If you see any version of the Silhouette or Silhouette II on the cheap it's worth a gander, but this Bespin version is a no-brainer. Get it if the price is right.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. If you need another car to chase down, let me recommend the Tusken Raider-themed Tatooine deco on The Vanster. It's also worth noting that there are 51 state cars (plus DC) from around 2009 if you like this sort of "destination car." I don't believe I actually ever saw those - so if you're sitting on any, especially an Arizona-themed Hotbird, fax one my way. I hope Mattel does more of those for real-world destinations, because they'd be wonderful pick-ups in touristy gift shops at Presidential Museum and Libraries, or shops near national parks.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,147: June 21, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,146: Luke Skywalker (RacerVerse)

LUKE SKYWALKER on X-Wing Go-Kart
Hot Wheels Racerverse Basic Car
Item No.: Asst. HKB86 No. HKC07
Manufacturer: Mattel
Number: n/a
Includes: Fake paper orange track
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: 2023
Appearances: Star Wars   

Bio: Luke Skywalker, a Force-sensitive human male, was a legendary Jedi Master who fought in the Galactic Civil War during the reign of the Galactic Empire. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

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: One of the things as you get older - and it most likely will happen to you - is your favorite franchise expands beyond the scope of what brought you to it in the first place. Since Disney took over we saw a hard shift to non-classic stuff (I'll say original trilogy and prequels are left out a bit usually) so I find something like Luke Skywalker exciting, despite being beyond my focus as a toy collector. A $6 Hot Wheels car that looks sort of like a McDonald's or Burger King toy? And I can race it on a track? Sure, why not? It's a small line, and I was getting bored writing about super-articulated figures.

This toy is a toy. It's not a toy pretending to be a collectible, so far Mattel hasn't put out any $30 collector versions for Star Wars - it's just a basic toy you throw at a kid and collectors will ignore. Exciting. Dropping all pretense, they managed to deliver a toy X-Wing with an action figure at a low price point - sure it's non-removable, but it'd fall out if it were. Luke has a helmet with a translucent visor - but no eyes underneath - and a determined look on his mouth. The helmet is painted roughly as well as any typical Hasbro version at this size, with an orange flight suit and two hands molded to some controls stuck on the vehicle. The exaggerated noggin is not unlike a Bobble Head or any of a number of Happy Meal toys, just big enough to show a little detail and sized similarly to that which you see on a typical 3 3/4-inch action figure. It's not movie-perfect, it's not a real actor's likeness, but it's a good toy head.

This feels like something I would've liked to have as a kid - but it's not quite as good as the Blockade Runner in terms of design. Red 5 is brought as an X-Wing with no X.... and really, no wings. To be able to fly through tracks, Mattel truncated the design to have cannons above the engines - so you get two - with pylons that look sort of like vestigial wings. It's a sensible design, and if it were a Tomy toy from 1982 from Japan I'd have paid a ridiculous amount of money to get myself one. Instead it's $6, with a plastic top and a metal bottom with four rolling wheels. There are yellow and red paint stripes, a black block for a fake cockpit, and nothing too out of the ordinary. It seems like a good recreation for its size class, and while I wish R2-D2 was in some way represented maybe that's coming with something else later. It's a fun little design and it looks like the kind of thing a neighborhood kid might get in a Power Wheels car. It's a fun thing to mess with on my desk.

As a Hot Wheels car, it's pretty good - I've been trying out cars on launchers and tracks lately, and it goes about as well as Leia. (Chewbacca is, surprisingly, the big winner of the three I got so far.) If you put him on your launcher he glides perfectly nicely along the orange track for a bit, but not super duper far. I'm not sure if it's materials, weight, design, or something else - I'm not an engineer. But he rolls merrily along and Mattel does a good job making sure their toys actually function as toys, which is always welcome.

I don't yet know if I'm going to buy the prequels, sequels, or spin-offs - but Mattel, I'm in for a few more original trilogy go-karts. I'd love to see a few more of these - and at the rate Mattel is pumping them out, I already know I can't (and won't) collect everything in all the brands. For those who pick and choose these could be really fun pick-ups, so check the store and grab one if you see something that looks interesting. Even if you just play around with it for a day, it's six bucks, and you don't have to worry about losing accessories or anything. It's just a car.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,146: June 20, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,145: Millennium Falcon (Hot Wheels Carships)

MILLENNIUM FALCON Debut Release
Hot Wheels Carships Basic Car
Item No.: Asst. DPV24 No. DPV25
Manufacturer: Mattel
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $4.99
Availability: 2016-2018
Appearances: Star Wars?   

Bio: Earning a legendary status under their ownership, the Millennium Falcon was most famously used by the smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca before, during, and following the Galactic Civil War. (Adapted from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: A few years ago I picked up a lot of cheap die-cast metal Hot Wheels at various dollar stores - I wasn't keen on dropping $5 for a car, but $1 I can do. I kind of wish I got more - the Millennium Falcon sat carded in a box with other cars until a few weeks ago. It's kind of a silly design, but it's an interesting design challenge. We've seen The H-Wing (sadly not yet immortalized as a toy), but that's a real car with space ship flair. This is a space ship scaled down, distorted, given a racing stripe, and slapped on a plastic sled with wheels. And yet, it works.

At the time I couldn't wrap my head around these for $4.99, and I still can't, but at today's market rates of $3 or under it's quite excellent. If you can get them for less than that, I'd recommend it - it's a classic trilogy collectible that works as a toy, it's not pretentious, and nothing about it is "adult." You put it on some orange track and it rolls nicely. It's a real toy that delivers on the promise of car-shaped fun.

Not only did it work, fellow eye-rollers, but Mattel's weird little gambit paid off. Some of its Carships were on the market for two whole years, which is something you just don't see in the action figure world. Some of its Character Cars are still in production ten years later, albeit with some action features or other tweaks added. That's some old-school toymaking, unlike Hasbro's current strategy of "retire things immediately." It would seem successful, as Hot Wheels has thrived on repaints and selling to kids (and scalpers and collectors and fans and adults) for years with a low-cost low-entry line. In the case of the Falcon, there's even a battle-damaged version from a playset. This was just the base carded version I picked up because I figured, why not?

The toy is a simplified and elongated version of Han's ship with added racing stripes on the top and on the side. A Rebel Alliance logo and the red and blue stripes were no doubt added to give it a little more color - it's a pretty blah ship in terms of "pop" - in addition to the six circles on the back and a shiny black canopy. You can see the cannons on top too, giving this toy a look similar to Kenner's 1978 die-cast metal toy. Except this has wheels, and more color - heck the wheels even have a nice blue ring around them. Most collectors didn't seem to be too excited, but it seems like a ton of kids bought these and they came back in new assortments and new packaging - and of course some of the first year's run got blown out, because everybody manufactured entirely too much Star Wars in 2015 and 2016.

I have no fancy tracks, but I picked up a launcher a few years ago and connected it to some $1.25 straight Dollar Tree track - about 20 feet worth. I started goofing around launching cars across my house, and as it was not one of the super-snappy-cause-internal-bleeding launchers that they sell today, not many cars made it beyond the tracks. This one and a handful of others, though, finished the tracks - it was an impressive showing, which makes this a better-than-average car. I don't know how it races, but it certainly is an efficient traveler on minimal launch power.

If your kid has one, ask him to let you see it. The entire series is quite charming and I kind of wish I bought a few more of them back when they were in stores. I find the RacerVerse Go-Karts to provide a better product for the price - especially considering inflation - but this is a solid performer and frankly I'm amazed that Mattel managed to squeeze much more juice out of its toy molds than Hasbro over the past decade. Give their stuff a look if you're feeling some figure ennui right now, it's a cheap thrill and I don't think that you'll be sorry.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from the now-defunct 99 Cents Only chain of stores for 99 cents. You will most likely not see any of these outside of the secondary market.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,145: June 19, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,144: Princess Leia (RacerVerse Blockade Runner Tantive IV)

PRINCESS LEIA on Blockade Runner / Tantive IV Go-Kart
Hot Wheels Racerverse Basic Car
Item No.: Asst. HKB86 No. G0102
Manufacturer: Mattel
Number: n/a
Includes: Fake paper orange track
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: 2023
Appearances: Star Wars   

Bio: Leia Skywalker Organa Solo was a Force-sensitive human Alderaanian female politician, Jedi, and military leader who served in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Imperial Era and the New Republic and Resistance in the subsequent New Republic Era. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

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 collectible paradigm is, mildly, stale. If you're old-school, it took a while to get things like LEGO sets and statues and busts, 6-inch figures and other collectibles weren't even on our radar. Hot Wheels cars seemed like a stretch, but it happened, and after the success of Mario Kart figures-with-vehicles Mattel expanded the lineup to Racerverse with licenses like Marvel, DC, Trolls, soon to include Star Trek and Gremlins and DuckTales. But we're here for Star Wars Princess Leia, which gives you a little kid-size cart thing that recalls Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's Rat Fink as much as it does Mario Kart and a bevy of McDonald's Happy Meal toys. As far as I know there's no video game coming for this, but it sure as heck looks like something you should be able to steer around on Rainbow Road or Cheep Cheep Beach.

Toys have gotten a lot more expensive - if you want to get something for under ten bucks for Star Wars it's downright difficult, so a $6 Leia in a Blockade Runner has some appeal in an era where action figures are creeping up to $20 and even Funko's cheap Pop! Vinyl Figures are around $12. And sure, a typical Hot Wheels or Matchbox car is $1.25 in 2024, so $5.99 isn't nothing - but there are some more complicated cuts and more parts needed to make a tiny figure to go in your tiny vehicle. These cost about the same as the Character Cars, and they make a heck of a lot more sense. $5 for a car with a shape vaguely recalling Leia's character seems high when you can spend $6 on a ship with a tiny Leia figure instead. And perhaps both are expensive when you can just buy any old car for a buck and a quarter on those famous blue cardbacks.

The toy itself is more or less typical Hot Wheels-sized, as you can put it on tracks or a car launcher with no problems. The super-deformed proportions of the vehicle look good and they don't skimp on the greeblies - you can see the many engines, hatches, escape pods, and other odds and ends plus the window up front (without the visible centerfold) to boot. They added red stripes as well as more than one flavor of gray to enhance the ship details, and if some company out of Japan were selling just the squat vehicle with wheels for ten bucks I'd probably happily buy it.

Leia's head as a Spock-esque raised eyebrow and a determined expression on her face, like she's ready to ram someone in the walls. The figure isn't exceedingly detailed, but she does have an oversized noodle not unlike a Funko Pop!, bobble head, or more likely, Rat Fink-adjacent Hot Rod cartoon character of some sort. Her small hands are on a steering wheel, and the figure isn't removable.

As luck would have it I dropped six bucks at the Dollar Tree before getting this on some orange track, to see which of some of my cars really book it. Some cleared the full 22 feet of track, but most petered out after 8-10, and Leia was one of those. It's by no means poor performance, but it's not as impressive as a Sharkcruiser, a Millennium Falcon Carships, or - oddly - Transformers: Robots in Disguise R.E.V.

 While doing some research I was surprised that there aren't many collections being sold of these guys on eBay in 2024, and even more surprised that most of the little karts go for a premium on Amazon or eBay right now. You can find some in stores, but most remain elusive as what you're likely to find are unsold Disney girl characters and Super Mario Shy Guys. You might also find Darth Vader in his TIE Advanced, which is a shame, because it would be way cooler to have him in a Star Destroyer to chase down Leia and the stolen Death Star plans. But hey, this is a neat toy, if expensive, and a welcome diversion from the increasingly dull world of figures with minimal (or no) vehicles or playsets. Given that they're making Uncle Scrooge, Gizmo, and Captain Kirk, I would advise you all to give this line a look - you may not buy any, but at least you can go "Oh I remember Adam talking about that" when today's kids are overpaying on the secondary market for these 20-30 years down the road. These might actually turn into something really good, and this is a worthwhile pick-up if you have a few bucks to burn.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target. She's shipping in current assortments along with other characters like Ahsoka, Darth Vader, and Chewbacca.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,144: June 18, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,143: Han Solo (Twinduction)

HAN SOLO (Twinduction)
Star Wars Classics Walmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. FKD57 No. FKD58
Manufacturer: Mattel
Number: 1/8
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: About $1
Availability: 2018
Appearances: n/a

Bio: Han Solo rose from an impoverished childhood to become captain of the Millennium Falcon, a leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic and an instrumental figure in the Galactic Civil War during the reign of the Galactic Empire.. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It's Wheels Week! Here and at 16bit.com, I'm looking at some Hot Wheels and 1:64-compatible scale toys - they're cheap, why not. Stay tuned for collectible cars and RacerVerse here, while 16bit.com will look at Transformers Spy Changers, cars you can find at the grocery store with LEGO and MEGA-compatible studs, and other goodies. I'm still writing these, so you'll have to come back for more.

This Han Solo Twinduction was something I skipped in 2018 - I picked up all the "cheap" $1 Walmart exclusive cars, but for some reason this series, I didn't get at the time. I just got the series on eBay for about $3 percar shipped, which is arguably cheaper than gas & tax & driving around. A lot of people collect and flip these things, and some cars are pricey - but most of them aren't, and you can find a lot for $1-$4 (plus or minus shipping) at online and brick and mortar shops. The mark-up is probably more of the service of their holding on to it for a few years or the gas to the post office - this is not a piece that's in demand. If you are considering buying it, let me just say to buy it in a lot or small collection because the shipping is going to kill you on eight individual tiny cars. Don't blame the seller, blame math.

I started this week because I wanted an excuse to write about the RacerVerse go-kart toys (come back tomorrow!) and wound up diving lot of unopened toys, and remembered to look into this set. Was it worth my waiting six years to track down and open this car? ...no. I had a few cars as a kid (mostly from the 1983 McDonald's collection, all but one sadly sold at a garage sale) and I have picked up a few odds and ends as an adult. There's a pattern - it's usually when Star Wars collecting is particularly dire (so 2013 and 2024 were upswings) and when Mattel announces an interesting licensed car from TV or a movie that I want to track down. I'm also fascinated with people wo race these things as a sport. There are amazing features and fun things to do with these toys - usually. This one is top-tier "nothing special." I'd go as far as to say it's pretty bad, and you're buying it for the card art.

Mattel has gorgeous card art that is similar to - but not the same pose as - the art on the car itself. It reminds me a lot of collectible fast food glassware, in that it's flat and almost looks like it could have been traced. This one has a dull blue finish, it feels light and has some silver vac metal around the engine. A Star Wars logo sits on the roof of the car, and Han's last name "Solo" is written on Aurebesh on the sides. It's very blah - I don't necessarily expect Spectraflame paint, or metalflake paint, but a little shine goes a long way on these things. This is a car that sold for about $1 and looks like it should have sold for about $1.

As something you leave on the card, it's great. I love the big portrait, and the car art is actually quite nice. The tampos are incredibly crisp, with some nice striping and a Rebel Alliance logo. I am a little surprised that, in 2018, Mattel gave us an old-school Harrison Ford portrait and not something stylized or based specifically on Solo: A Star Wars Story. Maybe they were short on assets given the prequel's production, or the licensees were all given some "pivot to classic" directive because it was easier - and arguably safer - to do. The car itself more or less matches Han's Corellian jeans, complete with bloodstripes on the spokes of the wheels. It's a nice touch. It rolls a little rough, unlike a lot of other cars you can hear a hint of a rattle or a scrape while it moves on your mousepad. It glides along just fine, but there's a difference in the sound - compared to other Hot Wheels, it's not quite as clean of a gliding sound. But you're probably not buying this toy for track, this is a collectible, a souvenir, a way to spend $1 to tell the world "this is a thing I like." (See also: Hot Wheels cars based on states and various highways, and a Matchbox based on the 1986 arrival of Halley's Comet.)

I am not a car guy despite being descended from a Chrysler engineer, but I know what I like when it comes to toys. Functionally this particular Twinduction is a little disappointing but I really do appreciate that they made something that looks sort of like a goofy 1970s retro collectible. You can probably find this one at a second-hand shop of some sort on the cheap, and if you can't, there are a bunch of other licensed cars and go-karts in a store near you right now. Having said that, it is unlikely that a Han Solo may be among them at mass retail.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from eBay. I should also note that this series has a wild Jabba the Hutt-themed Deora II car, where the card art is based on Return of the Jedi while the car art is based on an unflattering angle of the Special Edition digital Jabba. I have no idea why they didn't just go double duty on the card art there - but take a look, it's worth it for the laughs.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,143: June 17, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,142: Luke Skywalker (Epic Hero Series)

LUKE SKYWALKER New Kids Line, Jedi Master
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0102
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Backpack, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2024
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett   

Bio: Luke Skywalker rose from humble beginnings to become on of the greatest Jedi the galaxy had ever known. (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!

Commentary: If we got this Luke Skywalker in the 1990s, I would be giddy. For all intents and purposes, it's a modernized version of the 1983 Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker minus the cape and blaster - instead, you get a lightsaber and a backpack. It could be a bit fancier, but Hasbro didn't cut all the corners in this not-quite-4-inch take of the character that was Mr. Star Wars forever.

This is, of course, not Luke from Return of the Jedi but rather a The Book of Boba Fett version complete with backpack and big belt buckle. And the glove. This line slightly exaggerates his features with larger hands, slightly fluffier hair, and bigger boots - but that's typical action figure stuff. The design choices are really interesting on this one - sure, he's got a ball neck, that's no surprise. 

What struck me were the shoulders being cut on a slight angle so when they swing forward, they also go out a bit - this gives him better dueling poses or, if you prefer, allows him to emote the size of the fish he just caught. His legs swing forward, but a couple of plastic strips hang off his belt and will go forward with them. This might be bad if he spends a lot of time sitting, but with no Luke vehicles in this line as of yet, it might not matter for the average kid. I wish they just integrated these parts on the leg sculpt.

One of the more improbable things is that this Luke figure has a better face - or at least, one I believe more easily - than the digital mask we saw on TV. It's not a dead ringer for Mark Hamill, but the eyes glisten a bit and the eyebrows look good. The hair is nicely sculpted and all the textures look appropriate for a toy action figure. It feels legit - and the clear green lightsaber feels right.

But that's not all! You get a weird little backpack that looks like a bike basket, and it plugs in his back with tiny straps hanging over his shoulders. It's sturdy, but those straps do look a little comically short. It's easy to remove, though, unlike the ribbed locking mechanisms we had from Kenner in the 1980s and The Retro Collection. This is a good execution of the idea and Grogu easily fits inside. It's actually a little loose, so he doesn't quite stay in there if you flop him around. If I were Hasbro I would've put a foot peg in there, but as it is, it's a fine accessory that's appropriate to the episode.

Luke is by no means amazing but he's good. I don't think a kid will get him and be upset - the limbs move, he can hold his accessory, he stands well and he looks good. Hasbro picked a nice, cheap outfit with minimal decoration to help keep costs down too. I doubt you need more Luke figures in your life, but I'd nudge you to consider this one. I'd love to see more original trilogy characters in this style if they're roughly as good as this one, and I hope the line continues to take off so we can maybe get an X-Wing or R2-D2 or Boba Fett of some sort.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,142: June 13, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,141: R3-RNBW (Pride Collection)

R3-RNBW 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
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: n/a   

Bio: The Disney Pride Collection was created by members of and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community. The Walt Disney Company proudly works with nonprofits throughout the year to support the LGBTQIA+ community globally. (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 missed and am still sore about R2-RNBW, but R3-RNBW is excellent It's colorful, it has a ton of paint applications, and it does a good job of capturing a vest with pins that you may see here and there. The crystal-clear dome uses the R3 one with the nubbin next to the eye, and it looks better than pretty much any R3 unit we've ever had. This is clear. It's absurdly good how much better it looks despite being a mold Disney has been kicking around for over a decade. I'm cranky about the higher price and shipping, but they were willing to put a lot more paint and a lot more color on it so I'll stop whining.

As always, the mold has removable legs and a dome you can pop off - but I've never seen so many colors on a single Disney droid. In addition to the rainbow, you get silver highlights in spots. The black feet and white "legs" look great, and the colorful boxes on a black droid may remind you of a lot of retro (and modern) computing things too - surely fans of the RGB light displays popular in keyboards, or the old Apple logo, or maybe even the colorfully painted Robo-Force toys of old will also appreciate this. Last year's Pride droid wasn't quite as awesome - BB-8 with some more color, meh - as this one. The extra paint around the bottom of the body looks great too, ensuring - I assume - it's another action figure that absolutely any robot toy fan is going to like.

The one thing about the figure I don't get - admittedly, as I am not an expert on the revisions of the colors as they're still evolving - is the color running down the "suspenders" of the figure. I'm not used to seeing a white or silver stripe between blue and purple - I don't know if this is a figure-specific choice or holds other significance, and Google failed to inform me of a revision. As far as I know it's not how the flags normally look, so if anyone knows of a designer desk article or just wants to school me on why the color is that way, I'm all ears. Is it artistic license? I don't know.

I really like this figure and recommend it because it's just so dang great-looking. Maybe next year we can get BB-BLAHAJ.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,141: June 11, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,140: Cad Bane (The Retro Collection)

CAD BANE For Some Reason
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6874 No. F8569
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Pair of Blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $11.99
Availability: December 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection features design and detailing inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features 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 Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now! 

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Distribution is everything. I hear fans complain that they don't love Cad Bane from The Retro Collection, but also, it hasn't hit stores after being available for a few months. Secondary market prices are on the higher side, which makes sense as Mr. Bane is a popular character who has appeared on a few series and has a distinctive western look. The figure seems to be digitally sculpted, and it shows - he's a little too symmetrical, a little too stiff, without a nice 'flow' to his body language. Both arms are basically the same, the legs are too straight, and his neck sits too straight. Older figures have the slightest hint of a curve to them, and that combined with a broadness of the shoulders may make you look at this figure and go "that doesn't look right." It's the opposite of the Fifth Brother, where I liked the figure more than the character. Here, I like the character more than the figure.

Old-school elements are all here, but this is one of the few figures that looks like it came from a modern digital fan sculptor more than a real Kenner artisan. The coat is a little chunky, the ammo belts are a little too perfect, the arms are too close to the same, but the colors are good. Hasbro didn't paint all the silver bits, and neither would Kenner on many of its older figures. He can hold both blasters, although they're a little loose given he has no trigger fingers. Kenner also avoided an extended trigger finger. His hat looks the slightest bit too squat, and the face just seems a little too wide. Maybe if they brought in the black around his head a bit closer to the nice red eyes, it would look more "right," but I am struggling to find the words to say why it seems just a tad bit "off."

Kenner did have its own "old west" figure line in Butch and Sundance in 1979, with slightly more dynamic poses and absolutely no dusters. The hats looked good too, and they look somewhat similar to some of Kenner's Adventures of Indiana Jones figures. These all serve as a touchstone for what to expect from that era, and this figure doesn't have the wider stance (nor should it) or the bent gunslinger elbows (which would have been nice.) Cad Bane holds his pistols well enough, and their design looks more or less like something Kenner would have done. And that's what you want.

It's a better toy than a collectible, and I think we all need to appreciate that. He stands with no fights. His legs swing forward fully and you can easily slide him in to a variety of old Kenner vehicles. The neck turns, but is a little constrained by his neck tubes. I assume if Kenner had actually made this figure in the 1980s, the neck wouldn't turn at all. Also, the duster would have been at least partially a vinyl cape like Obi-Wan Kenobi or Darth Vader. This is one of very few figures where I think those otherwise obnoxious vinyl capes would have been good for the look of the figure, but not the functionality. I'm more likely to want to play with this figure as a result, and I think that's a good thing.

When it comes to the look of the figure, I'm always curious who makes the stylistic calls. With the Inquisitors from Obi-Wan Kenobi, the vinyl capes with non-telescoping lightsabers seemed odd - like they were trying to evoke the 1978 figures, but only in part while Obi-Wan himself was more in line with a 1984-era Return of the Jedi design philosophy. Cad Bane seems to mimic some modern retro figures rather than a specific Kenner release - Super7's newer efforts like Vincent Price are a little stiffer and more symmetrical like Cad here - but he still has a feel that might take you back to an era of Saturday morning kid vid or getting a figure after a good report card. If you said the goal was to make him look like a figure with a level of detail no newer than 1979, but based on a pose borrowed from 2022, I'd believe you.

This one is good but lacks the details and hanging coat of previous releases - but he's less finicky and you can actually put him in ships. The light detailing doesn't really work for me with the stiff pose, and a little slouch in his back or some variety in the bends of his elbows would go a long way to making him feel like an authentic original toy. But that's neither here nor there - I would bet Hasbro will never make another retro-style Cad Bane figure ever again, and on its own merits the price point is low enough that I'd recommend it if you're interested in the character or are a junkie for the form factor. I wouldn't make this your first or only Retro purchase, but if you've got a collection going and need to blow some cash? This is a good one to add to the shelf. Or wall. Or storage unit. It may not be perfect, but enjoy this form factor while it still exits. Generation X kids aren't going to be a target market forever.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,140: June 6, 2024