Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,171: Darth Maul (Deluxe, Cyborg, Epic Hero Series)

DARTH MAUL Cyborg Redeco - New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Walmart Exclusive Figure
Item No.: No. F9375
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Armor, Spinny Lightsaber Energy
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits in two
Retail: $19.84
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: The Clone Wars
Bio: Darth Maul wields an intimidating double-bladed lightsaber and the power of the Dark Side. (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I'm not going to beat around the bush here - is it possible Hasbro has been experimenting with price points to see if there's a figure that's too expensive to scalp? This Darth Maul figure is exclusive to Walmart and a wallet-shocking $19.84. One peg over, for the same price, is a two-pack of Bo-Katan and Moff Gideon with bonus weapons for the exact same price. (How people are selling them for $19.90 shipping on eBay, I don't know, I can only assume the seller somehow got them for free.) A normal Maul costs $8 or $10, so you're being charged for a 2-part spinny energy thing and an unpainted piece of clamp-on armor. It's so expensive that I want to believe that the prices were an administrative error, that someone put a wrong number on a spreadsheet because there is no way this is worth more than a typical The Vintage Collection figure and certainly isn't worth as much as 2.5 basic carded figures.

 I'm going to start the review by saying "wait for clearance or a sale." I think this is an incredibly clever figure - it takes some shortcuts that for the price are unacceptable, but in the form factor, are charming in a 1990s Kenner way. I hate what I paid for this figure, but I am delighted by the item, which I am sure is causing some of you to read this and go "so why are you so cranky?" Yeah, that also bothers me, but this is who I am after writing about toys on the internet for 29 years.

The core figure is the same as the basic Darth Maul figure from last week. They molded the limbs in pink and painted the boots and gloves to more closely resemble (but miss the mark on) Order 66 Maul figures [FOTD #2,858]. At this price - here we go again - it should be a whole new mold, the budget is there and a repaint with a new shorter "skirt" piece is insufficient for the asking price. But if this thing were $12.99, the same as other deluxe figures in the line right now? I would chuckle and say "it's probably fun enough to be worth running out to get." Heck, it's possible the pricing hike was intentional to see how popular characters sell for the holidays. Maul is at least a recognizable, and I turn gray saying this, classic part of Star Wars.

The figure's range of motion is identical to the last figure - 5 joints - but he is a little more dynamic thanks to his accessory. Similar to the spinning things we saw for some kid-focused figures in the early to mid 2010s, you get some red Lightsaber energy whooshes that spin fairly well. It's a good accessory, but compared to what you got with Boba Fett or Paz Vizsla, it's pretty slight. The blade snaps in, and you're off to the races.

The figure also includes a snap-on piece of very Kennerian, Savage Oppr-esque armor. It's about as convincing as the Quick Change Batman chests, but it does give the figure some visual heft and I appreciat that because the painted-on triple belt doesn't look terribly convincing. In many respects, the figure is representative of the line as a whole with more recycled parts and fewer new characters, and great head sculpts. It's goofy fun, and it will be interesting to see if we get other characters oddly painted to pretend it's a new and different outfit. It may not draw any new converts to the brand, but I can tell you right now that I'll have more fun playing with and complaining about this figure than almost any collector-level toy in 2024, and that's kind of concerning in a very different way.

Nothing about this seems like a 21st century toy. A retooled skirt with the belt hastily painted on? Painting sleeves and boots and not giving him the specific armor, gloves, or chest at a massive mark-up? For such a major character it's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for them. 

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. I had to say, in front of my wife the first time I saw it, "That's... an absolutely terrible price. This is going to be on clearance before Christmas. Nobody's going to buy this." as I took it to the register so I could write about it and play with it. This is a disease now, right?

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,171: September 12, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,170: Tusken Warrior (The Retro Collection)

TUSKEN WARRIOR 12-back redux
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6874 No. F8566
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Gaffi Stick, Robe
Action Feature: Removable cloak
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 was excited when I heard they were doing The Book of Boba Fett Kenner figures. I was not entirely thrilled when I heard one of them was the Tusken Warrior, if only because I was sitting here hoping for Peli Motto, Cobb Vanth, or the revised Boba Fett. But looking at the wave, I can see where they're coming from. The Ahsoka wave threw a jacket on Ahsoka and gave us six all-new molds, while The Book of Boba Fett delivered four new molds and four "but she's got a new hat!" figures. Of those four retreads, this is the best. It's effectively a remastered version of one of the original 12 Kenner action figures!

If old-school Kenner kids still ran Star Wars, I would assume this is a fan's pet project. I don't know if there's a story behind it because Hasbro really doesn't talk about design or anything when it comes to their lower price points - so I just have to imagine someone saw there was a Vinyl Cape Jawa and a Cloth Cape Jawa and said "hey, why didn't they go back and redo the other vinyl cape figures?" In 2022 we got a new Vader with a cloth cape, and in late 2023 we got this cloth robed Tusken. This is the one I wish they made when I was a kid so we could really play with it, or have them steal vehicles. (And ride that Bantha we never got!) The gaffi stick is pretty much the same as an original. The figure itself i a dark brown color with a slightly tweaked paint job on the head. His gloves are now light tan, while the belt pouches are partially painted this time. As repaints go, it's nice to see something different on a troop builder that's arguably a big improvement.

What really got me was the robe. I have a lot of old figures, including a junker Tusken that made its way to my desk - I've been touching up his metal silver parts and off-and-on looking for a replacement cape. I didn't want a vinyl one, I was hoping to get something, well, like this - I wasn't expecting the shoulder part, but it's distinctive. I wish it didn't block the breathing gear on the neck, but aside from that the color, texture, and range of motion is excellent. You can raise his arms with no problems, it hangs well, and it's frankly better than most of the soft goods robes or cloaks we've seen on "modern" figures. Were this a variant from the old days, I'd have tracked one down because it really is distinctive, like the Blue Snaggletooth or Vinyl Jawa. I'm not saying it's perfect - the softer head details don't look as good as a Kenner original - but it's as good and interesting as we're going to get without Hasbro shelling out for improved tooling. If you have to reuse old tooling to save money, this is how you do it - one recreation of something old, and one new spin on a classic.

There is no reason to get back to army-building at my age, but if I saw these in stores (especially on sale) I'd throw down a few bucks for more. I'd love to see Hasbro do another riff on this figure and package it with a Retro Bantha (I've got fifty bucks, Hasbro. Or more!) Rethinking the vinyl cape is something I never expected to see, and I would love to see Hasbro consider doing the same with other figures like Obi-Wan Kenobi or Lando Calrissian some day. Will it happen? No. But it's funny to see that Hasbro could probably put out versions 1.5 or 2.0 of retro figures and make a compelling case for me to give them more money.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth. The first (and only) sighting I've had outside an online toy store or a brick and mortar store that wasn't supplied by EE Distribution was a Ross in September 2024, nine months after release.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,170: September 10, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,169: Darth Maul (Movie Version, Epic Hero Series)

DARTH MAUL New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0142
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits in two
Retail: $7.99
Availability: July 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace
Bio: An agile Sith Lord, sinister Darth Maul wielded an intimidating double-bladed lightsaber and the power of the Dark Side. (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: There are good figures. There are amazing figures. There are figures that by all measures are not very good. But Darth Maul is on the happy side of good, with a side of being priced well for a modern figure (when compared to older figures at their time of release.) You won't be blown away, but it's a good figure of a popular character a a price that's somewhere between "about right" and "hey have you seen The Vintage Collection-esque figures Spin Master is doing for Batman collectors now that cost less money?" I assume we're probably dealing with the realities of Hasbro having to pay Lucasfilm having to pay Disney, with factories specific to the House of Mouse and able to charge accordingly. This is not a bad figure. This isn't a bad figure for the price - especially if you see it for $7.99. The only thing I don't like about this figure is I have several Darth Maul figures, in this costume, that are of a similar quality and cost me a similar (or lower) price.

Darth Maul is one of those characters that came back from certain death and keeps reappearing to put out story hooks to use him again. Will we ever see his post-Solo machinations, pre-Rebels, on a show? Can we see more of what he did after the Empire caught him during Order 66? He's also one of few characters to be successfully recast, at least as his voice goes, to the point where they may as well dub over The Phantom Menace again. This is a popular character in a recognizable outfit, so the question isn't "will collectors buy him again?" but rather "are there enough fans out there that just want an $8-$10 Maul?" and the answer is probably going to be "yes." Fans love to hate him, and he should probably be kept in regular rotation as a toy.

This version is good. Obviously he's a little taller than the 3 3/4-inch scale ones, as Epic Hero Series is (for reasons I do not understand) 4-inch scale. The head is ball-jointed, allowing him to look in all directions. The horns are pointy enough, painted well, and on a head with a great facial expression. If you put your fingers on the horns, they feel sufficiently pointy and far pointier than I'd expect. The paint masks for his facial tattoos are also perfectly good, and arguably better than a lot of collector figures. He has a fantastic sneer, and I have no notes. For a kid line, this is a good noggin. For a collector line, it is also a good noggin.

The body is fine. Epic Hero Series seems to be going for limited functionality, so the "skirt" - while nicely sculpted - does get in the way of him seating. It's unlikely they're planning for this specific figure to be used with a vehicle (if they are, $50 says a new figure will be bundled with it) so all you need to be concerned with is "do the hips move enough so he can stay standing" and that's a solid "yes." The arms swivel freely, and there are no wrist joints. I wish there were, mostly because a lot of his personality (and indeed his whole deal) is swinging around a giant double-bladed lightsaber. He can hold it in either hand, and they were smart to make one of the hands posed at an angle so he look like he can fight with it. But this is not a figure that's meant to be expertly posed - you just put him on your table, and he stands. No fuss, no muss, no fighting to find a center of gravity. I'm arguably jealous that the kid line seems to function better than the collector stuff - this figure has been on my desk for weeks without face-planting.

My complaint about this figure - indeed, this is my complaint about all figures - is "where are his buddies?" Maul is cool, but action figure purchases should beget other figure purchases. This Maul has no other The Phantom Menace figures on the market to join him today, there's no retailer 3-pack with Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan, he is here by himself as either a token anniversary item (happy 25th, Episode I) or just as a cool character in the attempt to never, ever make weirdo tertiary guys ever again. I like what Hasbro did here. The figure itself doesn't have or need a lot of painted detail, so the sculpted robes and big boots all look superb. The pose is good, the lightsaber is great - but, I should note, the hilt's buttons are not painted. I don't think he's any worse off for it, bur it is worth noting previous figures did have those elements for many of the releases. It splits in half, and that's way more fun.

You don't need a new Maul figure. But if you want one, I can recommend this one highly. While he only has five joints, he makes them count and the general design of the figure is on the happy side of "good." I recommend this line to new fans because they're sturdy, solid figures in the tradition of some of Kenner's finest work. I have no reason to challenge Hasbro to try again, and this would be a great place for a new fan to try out action figures.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,169: September 5, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,168: RD-3 (Droid Factory)

RD-3 White SK-Series Droid with Gray and Yellow Accents
Star Tours Droid Factory Ahsoka Set
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Removable limbs
Retail: $49.99
Availability: January 2024
Appearances: Ahsoka   

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four are featured in Star Wars: Ahsoka. May the Force be with you.... and your Droids! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.
Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I initially passed on this set. When something else came up that I wanted, I got it since I was paying shipping anyway - it's not a bad set, but I don't remember seeing RD-3 on the show, I already have a few Chopper toys, I don't remember C4-R4C, and Hasbro also has a Professor Huyang figure. 20 years ago I would have been - and was - over the moon for any new droid we could get, but a couple hundred later (and some I'm unable to get due to poor distribution/weird production) and I'm actually starting to sour a bit on some of it. This particular figure makes sense - it's a dome we haven't seen too much yet, and they even brought back the cables on his feet. In other words - they did a good job.

The deco is bright and clean, matching the pictures on the interwebs. The figure dome is a little more matte, the actual prop is a little more glossy, but the gray and silver and yellow are all where they seemingly should be. Thanks the the fact that it's a newer droid and we're not all inundated with dozens of them, it's still quite refreshing to have the same body again with a new dome. The features are much smoother, and I'd love to know more about how they designed him at a behind-the-scenes level - why are the parts smoothed out? Is it to be some sort of missing link between R2-D2 and BB-8? Or is this just a budget-friendly way to make a droid? It's a pretty compelling figure either way, and there's a hole for a hat. (Not included.)

You can also tell that there are separately molded panel elements on the dome, but mine don't pop off. You can see where the parts could separate more easily from the inside of the head.

As part of a $50 set, this is effectively a $12.50 droid - not much of a discount over a standard Disney single-carded figure. I would recommend this figure and the set to people who want more droids, not because it's great, but because it's different enough to be interesting and the color choices were good. The sculpting is pretty nice - the dome looks a lot newer and larger than the aging body - but it's not like Hasbro has been cranking out any SK-series droids yet. Give it a look it might be something you'll enjoy. Collector's Notes: I got mine from Disney Store. It's still in stock seven months later, so I assume others also skipped it. It's not a bad set, it's just not exciting after you have some of the molds dozens of times over.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,168: September 3, 2024