Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,100: Pre Vizsla (The Vintage Collection)

PRE VIZSLA The Smaller One
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F6878 No. F7319
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #299
Includes: Darksaber, helmet, rocket pack, 2 blasters
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Bio: Pre Vizsla was governor of Concordia, a moon of Mandalore, during the Clone Wars. Behind closed doors, the led Death Watch, a secret group of commandos seeking control of Mandalore. (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: I'm writing up Pre Vizsla about a month before this goes live, and as I do Amazon's got him in stock for retail price. That's usually a sign that there is too much product in the marketplace - which is a shame, it's a good figure. He's got a lot of stuff in the box (especially compared to the new deluxe Jango Fett), and while I hesitate to say "it's a great price" it's certainly similar in deco and features to a deluxe figure. (Admittedly, the blast effects are replaced by the Darksaber, and I'd say that's a fair trade for an $8 discount.) Fans have wanted a 3 3/4-inch scale version of this character since he appeared in the cartoon, and I would argue he's worth the wait.

Mr. Insurrectionist reuses parts of previously released The Vintage Collection Mando figures, which makes sense - the cartoon did the same to keep animation budgets reasonable. The head, helmet, backpack, and belt are new, as is the deco. He stands well, holds his accessories, and has exceptionally good detail. I like the limited damage on the armor, and the helmet looks really cool. There's not a lot of new sculpting, but everything seems to fit together pretty nicely. I especially like the head - this smaller one looks a smidgen better than the 6-inch scale one. He's just a little more gaunt, and the scruff is a smidgen lighter. Could it be better? Maybe - but it's super impressive to see such scowling, many dark bags under the eyes, the scars, and the distinctive cranky glare of the character. It looks like he could talk to you.

The accessories are good. There are two blasters which fit in his holsters or hands. The helmet is nice and has those distinctive Death Watch markings on the forehead, plus a glossy visor. The Darksaber is particularly nice, with that great white crackle deco on the black blade. The only thing I don't like is the jet pack - the peg is a little loose in the back hole. I would have preferred a more snug, secure fit.

If you're still buying figures from outside the movie(s) of your choice, this is a good one. With an amazing and tiny portrait plus subtle red lights on his jetpack and gauntlet, Hasbro did a good job here. Compared to other basic figures, for a redeco/retool, they did a really nice job. The timing is confusing, but I'm happy that he exists in the size I like best. I hope they do some more figures from his arc, as the slow, slow drip of Maul and other Mando Commandos has been welcome - but when you spread these things out over several years, I don't think Hasbro gets credit for building the group. At least they're going to get credit for making a really good figure and making enough of it so you can get it at retail price.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,100: January 18, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,091: Pre Vizsla (The Black Series)

PRE VIZSLA Paz Vizsla is the other guy
The Black Series 2023 Window Box Line Look The Clone Wars Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F7108
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #17 - Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Includes: 2 blasters, rocket pack, helmet, Darksaber
Action Feature: Removable helmet, holster holds blasters, there's a hook in the backpack for the Darksaber which does indeed have a removable blade
Retail: $24.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Bio: Pre Vizsla was governor of Concordia, a moon of Mandalore, during the Clone Wars. Behind closed doors, he led Death Watch, a secret group of commandos seeking control of Mandalore. (Taken from the The Mandalorian box 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: Better late than never? I was hoping we'd get this revised version of Pre Vizsla in Hasbro's The Clone Wars line, but he never came to be - but now we have one, and by one I mean two. There's a The Vintage Collection one too, and weirdly, Hasbro is releasing a lot of characters in both (or three) formats all at once lately. How strange. Anyway, Pre Vizsla is a live-action version of a cartoon character which means there is wiggle-room in how he looks... and Hasbro wiggles. The figure uses a lot of old parts. Parts of him come from Jango Fett, a 2016 figure. That figure was retooled to various The Clone Wars Mandalorians in 2020, which means Hasbro slapped on a hew head, new helmet, new belt, new backpack, and new deco, and now gets to charge you $25 for it. (I'm being snarky, if I were in their shoes I'd do the exact same thing since the CG model on the cartoon shared a lot of parts with the existing Death Watch figures.)

I don't love the stiff, old-style double-jointed knees or stiff ankles as it makes it hard to pose the figure, the arm joints are pretty good. You don't get the elbow bends of more recent toys, but at least he can hold his blasters or Darksaber well. I had issues getting him to stand - I'm spoiled by Retro figures - so you might want to get him some support before he topples over. The old body parts don't necessarily work as well as the new, which just continue to improve and impress. The sculpting hasn't improved much, but that's not a knock against it - new parts mesh with old nicely, and the older parts looked pretty fantastic. It's not like the head and helmet look eight years newer - Hasbro has done a pretty consistently great job sculpting heads and armor on these figures from the beginning.

Pre's head has a gnarly scar, painted fuzz, and a pretty good photo real face. How they make a real human out of a cartoon look so convincing, I don't know, but good on them. His helmet looks just like the cartoon, complete with two articulated rangefinders. No complaints. The fit is a little tight but not so tight you won't be able to use it.

For fans of the show and of the character, this is an easy buy. $25 for what is basically way better than any custom you could have made for an existing figure is pretty good, and the compliment of accessories is on the better side of what these figures tend to give us lately. Sometimes you get a blaster, sometimes you get a bunch of stuff, and I have no idea why - but this one gives you pretty much everything you could want in a box for the current standard price. If you ever see it on sale I'd highly recommend it, but for fans wanting the absolute best figures, keep in mind the engineering is a little creaky compared to the new hotness. Thankfully the deco and sculpting are as good as ever, and as I assume most of you will be putting these figures boxed (or unboxed) on a shelf and ignoring them, there's no reason you won't love this one too.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,091: December 19, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,500: Pre Vizsla

PRE VIZSLA Mandalorian Warlord
The Clone Wars Basic Figures with Galactic Battle Game
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 97560
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW08
Includes: Cape, blasters, darksaber, jetpack, card, Galactic Battle Game die
Action Feature: Interchangeable Battle-Damage Parts
Retail: $6.99-$8.49
Availability: June 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Pre Vizsla is governor of Concordia, the moon orbiting Mandalore. Vizsla appears to support peace and criticizes the Death Watch, a violent group of Mandalorians who want to return to their warrior past. But when Obi-Wan discovers the Vizsla is actually the leader of the Death Watch, the governor tries to silence the Jedi in a duel — darksaber to lightsaber. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: On a TV tray.

Commentary: Hasbro (and the animators of The Clone Wars) know how to get a lot of use out of a single model. The body of Pre Vizsla has been used to make multiple products, specifically Mandalorian Troopers packaged in three other products and counting! They've got good reason to reuse it, as they're all basically the same body and the sculpt is quite excellent. While some figures lost ankle joints in 2010, Hasbro added hip and wrist articulation so these figures could straddle a bike or better hold a gun with both hands. His holsters can store his blasters, and there's a head under the helmet too. Hasbro did a bang-up job on this one, plus it has a distinctive (and darker than necessary) paint job than the character on the cartoon. The detail is pretty good, and the figure is a little thinner than some other animated toys. It's nice. You should get it.

The accessories are pretty good too, and I was surprised to see how the black lightsaber turned out. Well, that's not true. On the show it's a super-black blade with a white aura around it, and the toy is basically a dark chunk of sunglasses lens with a handle. Nice touch. If you're looking for a decent figure with a lot of nice gear that plays well, this is it. Seriously, you should get one. Now.

Collector's Notes: This figure seemed to ship a lot but remained fairly tough to get-- that's the power of a popular figure in a line with kid appeal. It commands a slight premium over retail on eBay, so if you see it for seven or eight bucks just buy it.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,500: March 15, 2011