Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,165: Boba Fett (Epic Hero Series)

BOBA FETT New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9949 No. G0140
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, fire gauntlet, rocket, rocket-firing backpack
Action Feature: Rocket actually fires spring-loaded projectile
Retail: $12.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: The Book of Boba Fett
Bio: With his customized Mandalorian armor and silent demeanor, Boba Fett was one of the most feared hunters in the Star Wars galaxy. (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: While not essential, Boba Fett is one of those things I would cite as a must-have for toy dorks. As a toy - not a "collectible," but toy - armored Boba Fett figures have been in more or less perpetually short supply for as long as I've been around. Sure, maybe you can find a vehicle or multipack with one, and yes, deluxe The Black Series figures got dumped at Ross, but it is rare that you're going to find normal figures on pegs. In the 1980s, I was young but don't remember seeing him much. In the 1990s, it was rare to see POTF2 Boba Fett, and most later new versions tended to sell pretty quickly because most adult fans happily shelled out $5-$7 for him. I've seen this new one in stores a couple of times, and he seems to be selling pretty quickly - I really do believe there's a big market for a wide swath of not-$17 figures, especially as the last The Book of Boba Fett figure was a $25 deluxe release. He's really good! But even a mostly-excellent figure, at $25, is a hard sell compared to something that's $13. It's a toy, it's durable, it's not super-articulated, and it feels like it came from a timeline where the shift to higher-end, more-expensive collector's items never happened. I'd like to go there and get some cheaper mini-rigs or awesome $30 mid-size vehicles.

I should note, the fire gauntlet is recycled from Paz Vizsla [FOTD #3,123] but otherwise, this figure seems completely new. The blaster is unique, and the jetpack (and projectile) are as well. It's exceptionally rare that we get a figure with an action feature these days, given neither The Retro Collection nor The Vintage Collection employ things with springs very often. This figure does a pretty good job of giving fans the legend they want, with a clean sculpt of a popular character. They appease Disney, by doing the "current version," which may not be the hit as classic - we don't know, they haven't tried it in a while - but it's recognizable and cool. They also nod to the stuff of toy myth by including a ridiculous, massive oversized backpack and did the unthinkable by somehow making it so he can stand unassisted while wearing it. That alone is worth all the points in my book - so few figures can stand well when geared up, it's amazing to me that this one can do it and can shoot off a rocket, too. Yes, it's silly, but it looks perfectly decent for a toy.

The figure itself may not be a hyper-articulated photo-realistic object for collectors to fret over while leaving in a sealed, closed box, but that's OK. You can see it in the nice plastic bubble packaging, and see the armor has sculpted scrapes but is generally clean - no battle damage. There's a visible Mythosaur skull on his shoulder, the gauntlets are red, the boots are black, and he has the pants and other elements from his revised The Book of Boba Fett costume. With the smaller helmet and simpler deco, he looks a lot more like a toy. For those of us who have been here since the 1990s, this is the sort of thing you would've seen in 1995 and said "oh, perfect!" He stands, he sits, he holds his gear, and there's a little flex in his "skirt" so he can sit in the vehicles you probably don't have and as far as I know, aren't being made as of yet.

The Epic Hero Series lines for Star Wars and Marvel are both good starts - the problem is, most fans want a pretty big roster of characters and right now we're getting the cream of the Disney-era crop, plus Darth Vader. Six months and about 12 figures in, with one vehicle, it's not a terrible first-year line-up. I'd love to see Han or a Millennium Falcon or a Princess Leia - or the droids, or so on and so forth - but this particular take on Boba Fett makes for a good toy that I hope adult fans will see as a worthwhile impulse buy. It's not bad. It's not going to knock your socks off, but it's satisfying and feels like a nice, durable toy that should hopefully serve kids well. You may not need this figure, but I certainly need more action figures that are toys first. This is a toy, first and foremost, and with that point of view you're probably going to like it a lot.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,165: August 22, 2024