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 2,977: Bespin Security Guard (Isdam Edian, The Vintage Collection)

BESPIN SECURITY GUARD (Isdam Edian)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F6371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #239
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.78
Availability: October 2022
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

 Bio: Isdam Edian was a human male who worked as a security officer in the Bespin Wing Guard, which was based in Cloud City on the gas giant Bespin. (Stolen from Target. There is no bio on-pack.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Offered for the first time in a new figure format since 1982, the Bespin Security Guard (Isdam Edian) has been demanded by fans for quite some time. Since the line rebooted in 1995, old-school fans wanted an update of the original 96 carded figures, also Blue Snaggletooth, plus the Max Rebo Band, the Dianoga monster, and I could go on - there's a lot of stuff, but not that much considering Hasbro has produced literally thousands of Star Wars action figures. They just seem hesitant to remake the originals. After years of asking, Hasbro delivered the goods. Sort of. Kind of. This is the figure you asked for, but like a smart kid phoning in a term paper, Hasbro isn't living up to their considerable potential.

The head is brand new, and looks excellent for stand-in with a fuzzy photo on a cardback. The sculpted detail looks more or less like the cardback photo - that's admirable! It has that double-jointed neck that gives him a lot of range, plus the hat is a separately sculpted (but not removable) piece. It's superb. This is why the figure is frustrating to me - the mid-torso joint is ugly, and if you're going to make a new torso anyway, why not joint it at the belt region where it won't look as bad? Maybe you couldn't reuse the legs with that style of torso, but I just happen to have a very good solution to that problem.

Reusing Solo: A Star Wars Story Lando's figure's arms was a good idea in that they're incredibly good. You get bend-and-swivel wrists plus elbows with a pretty deep bend. They're not as good as a 2022 figure, but they're the next best thing and largely excellent. But Hasbro cut some corners. It's not a bad figure, but at first glance you can tell that the guard is based on existing molds. It's not obvious, but you've seen those legs used for Bespin Han Solo and General Lando Calrissian before - the lack of rocker ankles and the 2010ish hip joints are a dead giveaway. (As is the old copyright date.)

It's weird to have a long-desired figure finally delivered, with the new parts looking completely excellent and the old parts looking - to me, at least - like old parts. I love the blaster and that it fits in the holster. I'm enamored with the fact that we got an obscure background human figure, because Hasbro seemed almost totally against doing that sort of thing for the better part of a decade. It ticks a box, and if I gave it a letter grade it'd be an A for effort/cleverness and a C for satisfaction. It's good! It could be a bit better, painting over the shirt sleeve sculpt is pretty corny and the legs feel very old-hat on a shelf of 2022 figures. But for some fans it's not about the figures - it's about the packaging, and we definitely got the packaging. (I have high expectations for a $14-$15 super-articulated figure that I've waited decades for them to remake from a 42-year-old movie. Whereas a Kenner-style figure can be the wrong colors but if it can sit down and look vaguely right, I will sing its praises, because it doesn't have to be great to meet expectations.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. As far as I can tell this exclusive figure never arrived in actual stores, and was offered by Entertainment Earth less than a month after Walmart fulfilled my order.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,977: November 15, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,894: Lobot (The Vintage Collection)

LOBOT Somehow, Lobot has returned
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F4462
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #223
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.99
Availability: December 2021
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back
Bio: Never far from Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian's side was Lobot, Calrissian's aide and Cloud City's computer liaison officer. (Taken from marketing copy. There is 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!

Commentary: When it comes to the older characters, it's hard to know why Hasbro makes some figures. Over the last few years we've found out that some classic faces are hints - we got a new Emperor pre-order before his appearance in The Rise of Skywalker, and we got new Lando Skiff around the same time the outfit showed up in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Retro faces aren't always here to announce a returning favorite in a movie or streaming series, but it happens often enough that Lobot seems conspicuous. His last new figure was in 2004 and other than possibly showing up in the Lando series in a year or three, we don't know of any excuse for him to appear on anything any time soon.

While Bo-Katan Kryze has the best new articulation I've seen, and the Mythrol has some of the best 2016-2021 style articulation I've seen, Lobot is something in the middle. The hips are somewhere in between - the legs don't quite swing forward without a fight, but look like an evolutionary step closer to what we got with Bo-Katan and Kuiil. It's a ball-and-socket joint, but you have to twist the thigh to get them to swing forward. Functionally, it's decent. It looks great. But the user experience is a bit more fidgety than I would like, making it a good-but-not-great one. (It's not like you're going to play with him much, anyway.)

Arm articulation is good if a little stiff, making this a good example of a designer trying some new things to make a better figure. He can hold a blaster with two hands, pretty much every joint moves well - but the elbows are a little stiff. I really don't like the mid-torso joint (why not have it articulate at the belt so it isn't ugly?) but it does work just fine. I very much liked the fairly stiff 2004 Original Trilogy Collection Lobot, but this one looks more like the performer and is significantly more modern in appearance. The head sculpt is good and the printed face is excellent, with features seemingly slightly more defined than the fair eyebrows and pale lips seen in the movie. This isn't a complaint - when you're dealing with a head this small, things have to be exaggerated or you won't even see that they're there.

So you've got a good figure, with a confusing accessory - Hasbro opted to do the Disney-era Stormtrooper blaster rather than the Original Trilogy version. There are some minor changes, like the extra bit hanging off the side, that lets you know this isn't the correct one from the movie. For all I know it has to do with legal reasons, but given how many incorrect lightsaber hilts we've seen over the years it's probably just an oversight in production. It's also better than no accessory.

Seemingly not essential if you've got a Lobot, this is a really good update of a character that hasn't got a lot of attention over the years. It's his fourth 3 3/4-inch figure, and it's the best - if you feel like getting one, you should. He sits, he stands, he looks good - there's not much more you can ask for here. Maybe in 15-20 years we'll see Hasbro innovate more and come up with another version, but I assume this is going to be the last Lobot most fans will ever need. (Unless he shows up in a new costume, played by a new actor.)

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,894: January 27, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,870: Lando Calrissian (The Vintage Collection)

LANDO CALRISSIAN New Sculpt
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F1890
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #205
Includes: Blaster, cape
Action Feature: n/
Retail: $13.99
Availability: October 2021
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back
Bio: Lando Calrissian was a human male smuggler, gambler, entrepreneur, and card player who became Baron Administrator of Cloud City and, later, a general in the Rebel Alliance. (Taken from marketing copy. There is 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!

Commentary: This is a curious one - it's been over a decade since we got a new Lando Calrissian 3 3/4-inch action figure, and this one takes some notable swings - it's a hit, too. The all-new mold seems to be largely derived from the 6-inch The Black Series figures with very similar articulation and similar if not identical wrinkles in his outfit. The cape is made with a new process, and the hair is a separately molded piece. In short, it's a perfect new figure and shows just why we should be excited when Hasbro finally makes new molds.

The head sculpt looks a lot like Billy Dee Williams, and the printed photoreal face is excellent. The mustache and eyebrows are good and the eyes are excellent - at least, with my eyes they're awesome. The macro lens and the ring light bring any flaw into focus when you blow it up, but that's unfair - this is meant to be seen by people, not cameras. The hair is perfect, a separate piece attached to his head so there's no weird "doll hair" hairline paint issues. Could you ask for more? Sure. But you won't get it, this is probably the head sculpt we'll see for years to come in any newly made figures of any size.

For better or worse, articulation is very close to the 6-inch figure. You get bend-and-swivel wrists, the weird mid-torso cut joint I just can't stand, a fantastic neck joint, old-style non-rocker ankles for his boots, and perfectly good hips and knees. The knees are typical bend-and-swivel joints, unlike the double-jointed knees of the 6-inch figure. The thigh cuts are great, and the hips aren't bad - they're those weird ones with 2 joints where they attach to the pelvis. Everything seems to work fairly well so he can sit in the Millennium Falcon - you can even pop off the head and remove the cape!

The cape itself is interesting in that it's one of the thinnest and most ornate yet - I'm not sure what's even going on here. The blue trim is great and the lining is more detailed than the 6-inch figures. I think I can safely say that for a 3 3/4-inch figure, the level of detail is stunning given how thin it is, which makes it better for a figure of this size. The cape is pre-folded and stitched in a certain pose, which helps him look more like the movie - but it's not perfect. It's a huge improvement and a big step forward, but it doesn't bunch up in the front precisely like the photo - it may be a technical impossibility, but given how they did the string for the neck and the lining, perhaps nothing is impossible anymore. As costs go up, Hasbro can put a bit more money in some elements and give us a fancier, better figure for our money. The blaster has a silver barrel and some weathering, making it one of the best in the scale. The communicator from the 6-inch figure is sadly absent.

So far, this is the figure I see the most often from this wave (and possibly this whole year.) Lando tends to be a slower seller, but he's also one of the very best figures Hasbro has put out this year - it's as close to perfect as we've seen so far and is an absolute upgrade over every previous release. The plastic cape vs. cloth cape argument may go on forever, and you may be happy with the previous releases, but I can't not love this one. The 2004-era Vintage figure was good, at $10 with swivel elbows, but at $14 and 17 years later this one is just so far beyond it I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't welcome an upgrade. Get this one. Get two! Keep one in the Falcon. It would stun me if Hasbro makes a better sculpt in the next 10-20 years, unless they just move the torso joint to the belt. That I could buy. But otherwise, this is likely as good as he's ever going to get and it's excellent.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,870: November 4, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,794: Princess Leia (Bespin Escape, The Vintage Collection)

PRINCESS LEIA (Bespin Escape)
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. F1889
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #187
Includes: Blaster pistol
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: February 2021
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Adopted into the House of Organa, the Alderaanian royal family, she was Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, a planet in the Core Worlds known for its dedication to pacifism. The princess was raised as the daughter of Senator Bail Organa and his wife, Queen Breha Organa, making her the heir to the Alderaanian monarchy.(Stolen from Wookieepedia. 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!

Commentary: The first - and previous - Princess Leia (Bespin Escape) hit stores in 2001. (I got mine signed by Carrie Fisher at Celebration II, behind someone named Tommy, who had the single best personalized thing I've ever seen on a signed figure. I'll never forget it.) But this new figure is somewhat surprising as a partial retool. So many elements are new, I assumed it was a redux of the Hoth Leia (2010 & 2020 redeco) but no! She does share parts - or at least digital sculpting elements - but there's a ton of new tooling here. It's not the same figure.

At first glance I just assumed this was the previous figure with a new head, no vest, and a couple of other tweaks. It looks like they went all out, but let's start with the head. We get a much better - if not particularly emotive - Carrie Fisher head with the hair loops from the end of the second (and best) film. The face printing really brings her to life and her skin tone is, unlike the 2010 Hoth Leia, lively. She looks like a tiny plastic person, which is what we want. The eyes glisten, there's a little make-up, and the hair is a separately molded brown piece that just looks perfect on my sample. (I hear some have a gap, mine did not.) Like Target's 6-inch figure in this costume, this Leia is exquisitely good and the head will make you mad Hasbro reissued any existing figure. You're going to want new heads for all your Leia figures now.

The body seems inspired by the 2010 Hoth Leia figure with a lot of changes. The front of the torso seems nearly the same, with a new back featuring more sculpting and wrinkles. The arms were retooled for the gloveless hands and other elements were removed, with the shoulders now seated in the torso better. The lower torso/butt area seems to be a holdover, as are the thighs - but the thighs were retooled to have copyright marks and some other alterations. The lower legs are new, and she now has ankle joints. They're not rockers, but take the ankles you can get here people. Hasbro made almost a completely new figure while making us think this was just a simple retool - it's kind of amazing. They fooled me, this is way better than what I assumed we were getting from the previews.

Articulation is improved from 2010 Hoth Leia, but not by a lot - the new legs mean ankles, and that's an improvement. The leg articulation is good and she was clearly engineered with sitting in mind - which is what your Millennium Falcon wants. The wrists and elbows are nothing special, and the head/neck has that barbell joint that allows for a slightly better and more human range of movement. She's good - she's like a slightly-better 2010 figure, but not as good as the modern ones with thigh cuts. I wish Hasbro engineered a wholly new figure, but this one does the trick.

The blaster has exceptionally good paint weathering, possibly making it the best Stormtrooper blaster deco I've ever seen - but it does seem a bit exaggerated. It's better than the last one - she came with a pair of gold blasters. This Leia has no problems gripping the gun, and I consider it the best one you can get in this size. You've got two total options, and the previous one was very good too. If you see her - a 1-per-case shortpacked figure - you should buy one or two. I think she's amazing.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,794: March 30, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,705: Lando Calrissian (The Black Series 6-Inch, 40th Anniversary Collection)

LANDO CALRISSIAN Redux
The Black Series 40th Anniversary 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7549 No. E8082
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Cape, pistol, microphone
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: May 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio:  After losing the Millennium Falcon to Han Solo, Lando Calrissian went semi-respectable as the administrator of Cloud City   (Taken from Hasbro's marketing copy.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Lando Calrissian is a redeco of a really good 2017 release.  The Lando Calrissian [FOTD #2,379] had the same gear, and the same better-than-average elbow articulation, however the face was just pretty good.  For the time I'd say it was a better example of what Hasbro could do pre-printed faces, and by comparison it's always amazing to see just how much better these things get over the years.

2020 Lando has the same 26 (I think) points of articulation, with the bend-and-swivel wrists, rocker ankles, black belt, and what must be a prototype iWatch on his right wrist.   He has no problems standing, and the cape is pretty much the same as last time too.   So why are you buying it?  The packaging, and the portrait.

While I very much liked the 2017 release of Lando Calrissian, I can't deny that his face has what appears to be an exaggerated pair of eyebrows to go with his mustache.  It's closer to a Groucho interpretation, and usually smaller faces need exaggerated details to show up.  The difference is night and day when you look at the 2020 version with thinner eyebrows, a more muted mustache, and eyes that don't "pop" quite so much.   At first glance it's a radical departure, but after a few moments this is the clear winner.  

This figure is almost good enough for the ages - unfortunately, that 2017 mid-torso joint looked bad then and worse now.  Waist joints at the belt always look great, even if it doesn't give the figure quite the same mobility.  A big cut in the middle of the shirt just looks dreadful.   Hasbro generally doesn't invest in new parts for a redeco wave, though, so you'll have to enjoy the blaster, cape, and torso that you got.  Maybe Hasbro will try again for the 50th anniversary - but for now, this is a worthwhile upgrade.  Even if you just leave it in the packaging, it's good.   Score one if you're so inclined!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,705: July 7, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,700: Lando Calrissian (The Retro Collection)

LANDO CALRISSIAN The Original, Reproduced
The Retro Collection Walmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. E9646  No. E9656
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Black pistol, grey cape
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.86
Availability: April 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Landonis Balthazar Calrissian, simply known as "Lando," was a human male smuggler, gambler, and card player who became Baron Administrator of Cloud City and, later, a general in the Rebel Alliance. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab. 

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: After the original Kenner line ended, one of my first goals - when I was like six - was to go to flea markets and garage sales, hoping to find Lando Calrissian.  He was one of my favorite characters as a kid, and lucky me, I did indeed find a carded one for about fifty cents, which stayed carded for about fifty seconds.  (Star Wars was completely worthless in the mid 1980s, you see.)   That's not the one in the picture - this is one I got out of another collection in the 1990s, mine was the "bright smile" variant.   Hasbro elected to go with the first release, which lacks the white paint on the face.  When you're doing heads the size of a peanut, you sometimes have to exaggerate features for contrast - here, Lando's dark skin and black painted eyes and facial hair can be hard to see. Especially if you have bad eyes.

The 1980s original has sharper features, which are very apparent on the torso.  You can see the original wrinkles on the shirt and belt buckle pop, with the new 2020 figure looking like a copy of a copy.  Nowhere is the generation loss more apparent than on the face - Lando's smiling face and enlarged cheeks are completely smoothed out, while the 2020 head is also a different shape.   The head sort of skews into the neck this time, with Lando's sculpted teeth being smoothed out completely.  The hair is also a bit lumpier, but it could be my imagination.

Smoothed out features on the 2020 figure aren't the only big change, you'll also notice the 2020 cape is a much lighter grey and the blaster is not only bigger, but blacker.   It's unlikely anyone would mistake the 2020 figure for the 1980 original, loose samples of which are a paltry $20 these days.  While the new 2020 one is fine - if you're just going to mount him on a wall and leave him on the card, the excellent execution of his 5 points of articulation or the slightly-off features of the figure won't matter as much as the cardback - I would nudge you to go to eBay and buy the genuine article.  Or contact the people at Toy Anxiety in Phoenix, very nice folks, they could use the business.

I very much appreciate the different accessories on Lando. Reproductions are a sketchy thing, but if I can look at them and see that they're both good and different I'm all smiles.

While Hasbro's 2020 reissues of Bespin Luke and Hoth Han are softer and different, they're still pretty good.  Lando didn't turn out as nicely, but it's probably good enough given you may be able to find it while hunting COVID supplies in your masks and it's only $10.   I appreciate Hasbro and Lucasfilm getting religion about these kinds of figures, but the bulk of them just aren't the originals.  They're good, but the new releases are literally beyond comparison.  After all, Snowspeeder Luke and Grand Moff Tarkin have no real peers from 40 years ago.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart through my pal Scott "ToyGuru" Neitlich!  Did you see his new Spector Creative YouTube channel yet? Click here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,700: June 18, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,699: Luke Skywalker (Bespin, The Retro Collection)

LUKE SKYWALKER Bespin
The Retro Collection Walmart Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. E9646  No. E9654
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster pistol, yellow lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.86
Availability: April 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

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. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab. 

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Hasbro's Luke Skywalker (Bespin) is a good reissue.   It's a bit different, but aside from one strange change largely is as good as your memory of the original.  The joints aren't nearly as stiff, the lightsaber is nice and bright, the pistol is sculpted a bit differently, but everything else is pretty good.  I even like the head more - it's not as round and has a slightly different facial expression.   The brown Bespin fatigues are a little browner, the boots are a little less saturated, and the lightsaber on his left leg actually adds some detail.  There's an extra protrusion on it.   I kind of like this approach more - augmenting the original figure, rather than an identical (or weirdly changed) rerelease.  Hasbro could've also colored the belt buckle for all I care, just to make it more glaringly obvious that This Is New.

Everything else is where it should be - the wrinkles are all there.  There's an extra line in the flap on a pouch over Luke's butt, which is new, but by and large it's all here and different enough so that you can tell this is not the original - even if you missed the new copyrights on the back of the leg.  Along with the very good  Hoth Han, this is a nice rerelease - it's close enough to the original that you young people will never know the difference.

What's weird - and I mean "what the heck?" weird - is there's a loop painted in next to his belt buckle for no reason. The original toy was filled in black, this one is painted in flesh - like some weird belly button over his junk. Why? I don't know.  It's bizarre.  Had they left this paint application off, they could save a few thousand bucks and the run would look better.  This is the only real blemish on an otherwise fantastic reissue.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart thanks to my pal Scott "ToyGuru" Neitlich!  Did you see his new Spector Creative YouTube channel yet? Click here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,699: June 16, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,697: Han Solo (Bespin, The Vintage Collection)

HAN SOLO Bespin, 2020 reissue
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E9573
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #50 (reissue)
Includes: Pistol, goggles, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: April 2020
Appearances: The Empire Strikes  Back

Bio:  Han Solo became a leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic and an instrumental figure in the defeat of the Galactic Empire during the Galactic Civil War. (Stolen from Wookieepedia. 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!

Commentary: At some point Hasbro decided that The Vintage Collection should be mostly reruns.  This is a mixed bag - the packaging gets an update, and sometimes the deco does.  But with Han Solo (Bespin), the stock photography stayed the same, or at least similar enough to the 2010 original that I would strongly advise buying it packaged and making sure it has the right item numbers.  (See the top of this review.)  There's also a big "4+" in a grey circle on the top left of the cardback - that's how you know it should have the new, updated head deco.

In 2011 the original release of this figure [FOTD #1,844] was as good as a Han can get, thanks to Hasbro forgetting to sculpt a thigh strap for his holster and allowing the figure's legs to swing forward and sit on the Millennium Falcon.   Han has 24 points of articulation and was great for the time - if Hasbro added in thigh cuts to the legs, I would see no reason to ever redo this figure at this size.   It's very good, and there's minimal room for improvement.

The 2020 release soars above the 2011 edition because of the head paint - there's a bit of eyeliner and painted lips that bring Han to life.  On my sample the eyes are bright and shiny, with clean eyebrows.   The hairline isn't perfect, but it's better than the last release.  The figure is otherwise basically the same as last time - it's good enough.  I'd recommend getting it if you can find it at a fair price, and he's joined by a General Lando Calrissian and Bespin Luke with similarly updated heads, and a C-3PO that is similar to the 2010 offering.   Han's good, though.  If you want the best, this is it - for now.


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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,697: June 9, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,695: Luke Skywalker (Bespin, The Black Series 6-Inch, 40th Anniversary Collection)

LUKE SKYWALKER (Bespin Redux)
The Black Series 40th Anniversary 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7549 No. E8076
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Lightsaber blade, lightsaber hilt, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January or April 2020, depending on who you ask
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Along with his companions, Princess Leia Organa and General Han Solo, Luke Skywalker served on the side of the Alliance to Restore the Republic—an organization committed to the downfall of the Galactic Empire. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: It's an upgrade!  If you missed the first version (and even if you didn't) you should probably pick up Luke Skywalker (Bespin), a redecorated and partially retooled update of one of Hasbro's earlier (and for the time, pretty decent) 6-inch action figures.  Articulation was, sadly, not improve but the skin tone, lightsaber blade, and head were.

The reason you want to buy this figure is for the head - and hands.  The slightly less pale figure looks more alive, with a different head sculpt.  The hair is a bit more saturated, while the skin is significantly rosier with the "hyper real" face printing on the new sculpt - which is still pretty good.  And I also realized both the new and the old heads remind me a bit of New Values-era Iggy Pop.  The Jedi trainee has a bit more make-up and a hint of a pout, plus his unmistakable chin.  The face is a bit wider than before, and you can see that the hair is now a separately sculpted piece.  This probably costs a tiny bit more, but it looks better and helps prevent weird doll-like hair paint.  The hair style is very similar, but it's not just a plastic wig from the previous head -but you can see a lot of similarities.

As accessories go, the blaster isn't hugely different and neither is the lightsaber.  You will, however, immediately note that the blade is a much bluer blue - it's a big improvement from the clear, faded stabbing device from last time.   Along with his skin and his outfit, everything looks just a little more alive this time around.   The costume itself isn't terrible different, the lightsaber hook on the belt is painted silver for this outing and it seems like the sweaty paint wipe is more subtle.  Overall, it's better.

Articulation is the same.  It was good then, and it's OK now - we've since seen dramatic improvements in shoulder, neck, and elbow articulation so this feels like it might be a stepping stone on the way to another resculpt with a new torso and new arms later.  You get a very good range of movement with about 27 joints.  That ain't bad, but as any toy dork can tell you, having two joints on an elbow doesn't guarantee optimal motion.  A Xevoz figure has fewer joints, but a greater, unencumbered range of movement.  Luke is still very good for the standards of the first release of this figure's mold, but you know and I know Hasbro could blow it out of the water today.  And maybe they will for the 45th or 50th anniversary, or in a set of duel 2-packs, or something or other later.

If you missed the first release, or just want Hasbro's best, get this one.  It's $20, and it's a great costume.  Also the holster works better for the pistol this time, but the painted lightsaber clip is a smidgen tougher to get set up.  I still like it.

Packaging Notes: I like it!   It doesn't have fake weathering, and it adds a nifty 40th Anniversary ingot in the top left corner - it's obvious this is not a 3 3/4-inch figure, if you know these things at all. The back of the package is also a lot better, showcasing the first wave of this line... with still too dang much text.  It may also interest and not surprise you that this line is a limited engagement, with plans to return to the Archive Series in some form next year. 

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,695: June 2, 2020