Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,151: Doikk Na'ts (Dorenian Beshniquel, The Vintage Collection)

DOIKK NA'TS (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: Crowdfunding for the Cantina ends next week. Pledge early, don't forget, because we want to put Arleil Schous in there with a Chinese menu in his hand. That's why we're looking at another band member - go support the Cantina and then come back to read about Doikk Na'ts! If you remember the 1990s, there was a Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina [that's an Amazon ad link too] he was a major player in "We Don't Do Weddings: The Band's Tale." This book had short stories about most of the major Cantina band patrons, ranging from the silly to the perfectly fine. This book - and others like it, but definitely this one - is part of what gives the saga the reputation of every minor character having some elaborate backstory. By the end of the 1990s, every corner of those original films was fleshed out by games, RPGs, comics, prose, action figures, you name it. This one came out in 1995, exactly the same time Kenner started making new action figures again.

Taking a cue from real life, Doikk was a bit smarter than his bandmates in that he actually owned his instrument. He could leave and take another gig if he wanted, Firgrin D'an owned everybody else's gear - in the book. Obviously, these guys have yet to get any on-screen stories and are largely absent from the modern publishing game. The figure includes this instrument, which is a simpler reed instrument called the fizzz (or Dorenian Beshniquel) and doesn't look particularly fancy compared to some of the other stuff. It's no ommni box, at any rate - it just looks like a clarinet. Sort of, ay any rate. It has some painted details - not much, but it doesn't need much and it's not like you're going to get up in there to see it anyway. He has no problems holding it thanks to his excellent articulation. It's worth noting that this figure came from that awkward period before Hasbro did ball-and-socket jointed hips, so while they are extremely posable they're also closer to the shoulders. It's kind of hard to get them just-so, but you can, and once you do they're pretty good about staying put. The figure also has a cut joint mid-torso, which I don't care for, as I prefer articulation to be at the belt or below the shirt - you know, so it doesn't mar the design of the figure. Since the shirt is black, and behind his arms, you're probably not going to notice and I assume this could be the final 3 3/4-inch Vintage band member sculpt that we ever get.

Since it's the same figure seven times over, the different accessories make it something of an army builder. If you own a playset, you probably want multiples - but not necessarily. I bought it because I had a hunch we would, some day, be offered a bigger Cantina and apparently that day is now. If you back the HasLab, it ends and cards are charged on July 8. As such, I'd recommend grabbing your wallet and doing so now if you're going to - just so you don't forget, and so I can hopefully get my other wolfman. If you do support the Cantina, I'd also recommend setting up an eBay alert to monitor the band prices and if it's under $100 shipped (or thereabouts) pounce on it. You'll be glad you have it later, the original going rate was $90 so about $100 is pretty darned fair for seven sold-out action figures.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,151: July 4, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,150: Krrsantan (The Retro Collection)

KRRSANTAN Meet the Newbacca
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6874 No. F8568
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Heavy Blaster
Action Feature: Removable armor
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: I'm very slowly opening the 2023 retro Kenner figures like Krrsantan, mostly because I don't have high hopes for a lot more of these. I wrote the bulk of this a couple of months ago. Seeing 2022 figures dumped at Ollie's and Ross, with new old-style Kenner original trilogy figures in generally short supply, the Retro format seems to have the product development deck stacked against it. At least it's interesting while it lasts, however long it lasts. This particular figure seems to riff on the original 1978 Chewbacca, but with some elements that move forward in time a bit. He's a little wider, a little taler, and a lot beefier... and thanks to his removable armor, he may serve as the basis for a lot of custom figures in the future.

Sometimes simple is best, and in this case I think it works. It's worth noting that The Black Series and The Vintage Collection Krrsantan figures based on The Book of Boba Fett were each "deluxe" releases. I would argue there's nothing at all deluxe about the 6-inch one, but at least both The Vintage Collection figures have a lot of gear in the box - not enough to make it worth 50-100% more, but it's something. This one is just a basic figure. I like basic if it means basic prices.

The fur sculpting is a lot like the original Chewbacca, with a wider stance and arms that spread out a little more. He won't easily fit in an original Millennium Falcon cockpit or a standard slot in a Kenner carry case, or an AST-5 or MLC-3. He's barely taller than the original Kenner Chewie, closer in height to Yak Face and about 50% wider. It's very clearly a riff on the 1978 sculpting with this fur pattern, rather than going for a post-Return of the Jedi look like the Ewoks. Love them or hate them, they had a lot more detail and a v-crotch that may or may not have worked better here. He will, however, stand around and look cool. I plopped him near my Jabba's Palace stuff and he looks like he belongs, thanks to a nice angry mouth and knuckle dusters.

This is a figure where we're probably being overcharged a bit, but at least it's fair relative to other figures. Sabine got four accessories and tons of paint. Krrsantan got armor, a blaster, and very little paint. You can see some on his knuckles, nose, eyes, belt, and beard. As I write this he's standing next to Yak Face and Sabine on my desk, and is the simplest by far. I would have liked to have seem slightly better eye paint and improved fur texture, but I can't argue he doesn't match Chewbacca.

He fits in with the general aesthetic of the old Kenner figure line, but much like the Obi-Wan Kenobi line it's plain to see it doesn't match a specific time period. The figure itself feels like 1978, the removable armor feels like 1982's Zuckuss harness (or Dagobah backpack), and the hands seem more modern in that one of them isn't useless. I think it's good to have hands that can hold weapons, but I would have loved one of them to be a fist - like the original Gamorrean Guard - so he could punch other guys with his knuckle dusters. His pose is also pretty basic. It would be nice to have a little flair in his arms or maybe a bit of a bend to his knees, but I can't say I don't appreciate the jointed neck. That's something I wish Kenner did back in the day, and Hasbro achieved Krrsantan as a pretty good figure that does what Retro tends to shine at - the bare minimum. There's no white highlights in the fur, there's no extraneous parts. It's a Wookiee, a blaster, and a shirt. That's all you needed to have fun in the 1980s, and considering he's the only Hasbro Krrsantan under $27.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. At press time I have still not seen him sold at any major retailer brick-and-mortar locations.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,150: July 2, 2024