Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,190: Jod Na Nawood (The Vintage Collection)

JOD NA NAWOOD
Debut! And probably only release

The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.:
Asst. E7763 No. F9777
Number: #310
Includes: Scarf, blaster
Action Feature: Hilt connects to belt, removable robe
Retail: $16.99
Availability: October 2024
Appearances: Skeleton Crew

Bio: When four kids make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, they get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home, meeting unlikely allies and enemies, will be a grater adventure than they have ever imagined. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

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:
It's good!  I tend to pick up waves by the case, so I didn't know I had Jod Na Nawood coming necessarily. The character comes from Skeleton Crew, featuring what appears to be Gigolo Joe doing a cosplay of Jyn Erso and Hondo Ohnaka. The trailer implies he might be a Jedi, the outfit says he might have pirate friends, and the scarf says he's a big fan of Felicity Jones - and who isn't? He's the only newly-tooled figure in his wave (everybody else is a repaint, a partial, or more or less a repack) so unless the show is a total dud, I assume he's going to wind up being sought after and popular. If they're making the kids, or the ship, I don't know - maybe it'll be a HasLab set someday.

So anyway, Jude Law. He's been a sex robot, an injured astronaut, and now... I guess I don't know yet - but his action figure matches the publicity photo and cardboard standees. This 3 3/4-inch scale figure reminds me of DJ (and others), and is generally excellent. I'd love to know if it was designed from real-life reference material or early sketches, because while it looks like Jude Law it does look a little clean - maybe that's the point. The hair is separately molded, with lightly painted scruff, glossy eyes and lips, subtle forehead wrinkles, and very good eyebrows. It's almost unreal - if you grew up with 20th century Kenner toys, this sort of thing still feels like it's from the distant future. You're paying more, but the level of detail on the corn kernel-sized head really makes me wonder how lifelike these things look as my eyesight deteriorates. I don't have anything really negative to say about the head - maybe it's too good for the customer base who will get it, look at it, and put it back in a box/on a shelf to never examine again.

The cot looks great, with some very interesting painted gold trim, some reddish trim, and excellent textures. I assume they could make a second figure without the coat and swapped arms - maybe that comes later. His gloves look good, and are able to hold his blaster in his hands or the holster. The coat has a few cuts in it that seem to be designed to allow the figure to fit in a vehicle or sit, but no such vehicles are known to be coming for Skeleton Crew. I hope they change that, because the designs are pretty good.

The figures's body is mostly excellent - clearly Hasbro has been putting some thought into the joints. There's a great pivot joint at the waist that lets you rock him in any direction or twist, and it's under the shirt - so it doesn't hinder the look of the costume unlike some figures I know. Also notable, the elbows have an exceptionally good range of movement. How you cut the joints make a big difference, as Hasbro discovered in The Black Series a few years ago. Jod (Jod Na?) can't quite reach his blaster in his belt, but he can hold his hands in front of his eyes like he's crushing your head.

Not only does he stand well (and easily!) but his legs swing forward well, and he has a swell scarf hat. It sits a little high, but it fits well given the scale and material. While Mr. Nawood lacks the breadth of accessories we've seen with other new $17 figures - alternate hands, excessive blasters - I assume this figure's appearance and gear are specifically reduced to ensure we don't know what his full deal is on the show. Figures like Osha Aniseya and Bo-Katan Kryze tend to have more parts and more gear that are immediately more impressive, so Jod Na doesn't exactly overwhelm or impress in terms of quantity - but the quality is good. If you stumbled across this guy after not buying figures in a few years, it would probably inspire you to go buy more from Skeleton Crew because it seems exquisitely made. But the joke is on you - for now, at least, this is it. So go pick him up and cross your fingers that the show is good and Hasbro is game to make more stuff from it.

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

--Adam Pawlus



Day 3,190: November 19, 2024

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