Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,129: Jannah (The Black Series)

JANNAH Really, Really Cheap Now
The Black Series 6-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E6055
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #98
Includes: Cape, blaster, quiver, bow, arrow, arrow group
Action Feature: Working holster, arrow fits in bow or quiver
Retail: $19.99 Availability: October 2019 Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: From an oceanic moon, Jannah leads a band of warriors, ready to charge against the forces of the First Order. (Taken from the 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: Looking at a figure like Jannah with the gift of hindsight is peculiar - I had her sitting for almost five years before opening the box. I didn't exactly have a great time with The Rise of Skywalker, so a lot of the 6-inch figures just sort of sat unopened. That's not a knock on their quality - Hasbro did a great job outfitting Jannah with a lot of gear and articulation, plus she has that superior face printing technology from when it was still relatively new. I assume a figure of this quality would be "deluxe" by today's standards, given how much stuff they pack in the box - with paint! - for the price. And now it's worth less than half of what it cost, I assume in part because the sequels left people feeling pretty much done and then The Mandalorian was on. This is an ambitious figure with plenty going on, but since she didn't exactly have a great role in the last movie you can get her on the cheap now.

After opening her, I was impressed by the level of paint and articulation - and noticed that my sample had a missing paint operation. The glove on her right hand should have paint on the forearm, my sample was left undecorated. But she has red sandals, blue pants, silver armor on her torso and left arm, painted goggles, a painted face, plus black, white, gold, and silver bits. And a cape which is oddly clear plastic painted brown, which gives it an incredible texture in most light. It looks a little strange when backlit, I admit, but so did my friend's mom's intestine sculptures. And I assume this is some sort of skin cape.

I don't know that the figure was made after final casting was done - the level of detail is incredible, but the face isn't quite perfect, and the belt and some of the gear is not tilted the same as the publicity shots. It might be nothing, but you may have heard the legends of General Madine's beard. It's a nice sculpt. The hair is big and looks cool. The goggles look like something out of Rogue One and her pants are not unlike what we saw on Rey... but in terms of costuming, it really does feel like the modern era of Lucasfilm had lots of designs and pulled them out at random as needed. This figure would be right at home in a Rogue One shelf if you didn't know her from the final sequel film. The goggles and arm decor could probably have worked just fine in a Partisan stronghold. The elbow cuts are a little weird, but get the job done - plus she has double-jointed knees. This was around the end of when they were doing those, as they would be phased out in most new sculpts around 2020. Also notable, she has a mid-torso joint that's completely hidden by her silver belt and bandolier thing. That is how you hide articulation.

The range of movement is mostly great, the shoulders don't have quite the range of some other figures of this vintage but she can hold her bow and arrow. And blaster! It's really hard to get anything to sling over her back though, as her cape needs to be removed and the head does not want to come off without a fight (or heat.) As such, it's kind of a pain - but you've got options and you don't have to make use of the many, many accessories you got in the box.

There are some pretty unsightly gaps around her bottom and her elbows when those joints swing forward, but other than that? It's a decent action figure. It's by no means perfect, but you got a lot for your money, and I would have preferred a slightly better head. And maybe the belt and stuff being tilted right. But that's sometimes as good as you can get when the figure comes out at roughly the same time as the movie, but I don't recall her (or many of the new movie figures) flying off the shelves. Heck, even her wavemate Cara Dune sat a while until... you know. I'm curious if we'll ever get another Jannah, or if she'll show up in the alleged Rey movie, but if she doesn't you can just be impressed her single arrow can fit through a little plastic tube on the bow and look like she's about to launch it. As I pretty much memory holed The Rise of Skywalker and have been putting off a second viewing since 2019, I am not sure if this figure is going to stay out on display. I'd recommend it as being a decent figure for the asking price, but especially if you're fond of the newer films and the future eras of Star Wars. Just don't pay full retail for this one, the eBay prices are incredibly low.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,129: April 30, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,781: Rey (Dark Side Vision, The Black Series 6-Inch)

REY Dark Side Vision
The Black Series 2020 Line Look Blue Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Packaging
Item No.: Asst. E8908 No. F1307
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #01 - Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: January 2021
Appearances: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: While searching for the Sith wayfinder, Rey envisions her turn to the dark side. Wielding a double-bladed lightsaber, her rage and immense power is frightening. (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!

Commentary: If you liked The Rise of Skywalker, or if you have taste, you can probably agree that Rey (Dark Side Vision) represented a tantalizing taste of a story we didn't get. Hasbro has mentioned on a few occasions that they knew they had to make her as soon as they could once she showed up in the trailer - and that wasn't much different from her appearance in the actual film. The vision was basically just Rey in one of very few significant costume changes, a mix of Palpatine's robes and Kylo Ren's outfit, with a nice hood and some dark make-up. She doesn't look super-evil, but she does look pretty cool. Also this figure has proven to be insanely popular, which makes sense, because Hasbro put a lot of love into this design.

The 6-inch scale figure has two key landmarks that are likely to grab your attention. The hood is black plastic affixed to the figure. You can turn her head inside it, but the hood won't move. It sits on top of her shoulders which have a cloth cape that is one of the better executions of robes, capes, and the like in this scale. Her double-lightsaber is hinged, with hilts designed to look like a warped take on the classic Graflex Skywalker Saber look. You can see Vader's black cap in the design, a mutant version of the Luke/Anakin tip, and some coloring that reminds me of Palpatine. It articulates nicely, and is one of the better (and more fun) accessories in this scale.

The figure herself is excellent. The hands can grip the weapon. She can stand without a hitch. The elbows can bend more than 90 degrees - that's a huge plus. You can see a little ring on her hand, and her outfit is sculpted with horizontal bands all over. This reminds me a lot of the 1977 Darth Vader suit's gloves... and Dark Empire Luke's outfit in the comics, and Kylo Ren's costume. Getting her to stand or posing her is an effortless affair, and she has great knee joints, rocker ankles, and thigh swivels. Anything below the waist is largely worthless thanks to the plastic dress clamshell, but it's nice to see they put the work into it since they were going to charge you the same regardless of the number of joints. There are about 29, by my count.

While this figure doesn't really do much to expand thee galaxy, it's good. The only suggestions for improvement I would make are ridiculous, as the portrait's printed face is wonderful, the articulation is as good as any Hasbro figure on the "better" end of the spectrum, and she just plain looks cool for a cameo costume. If you can see her for $20ish, buy her if you like her costume! This is a lovely figure and I can't see much reason for them to make more figures of this costume. Also, as I write this I do not have Asajj Ventress... I am curious if she will share leg tooling with this Rey. It would be hyperbolic to say that The Rise of Skywalker would all be worth it for this figure, but I would go as far as to say this may well be the best thing to come out of Hasbro's toys for that film. Their offerings since the new line look have been consistently superior.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,781: February 25, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,753: General Hux (Celebrate the Saga)

GENERAL HUX Redux, Redux
Celebrate the Saga The First Order - Unmarked Best Buy Exclusive
Item No.: No. F1415
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #01 - Star Wars: Attack of the Clones
Includes: Mouse droid, pistol, also BB-9E, First Order Stormtrooper Officer, Flame Trooper, Captain Phasma
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: September 2020
Appearances: The Last Jedi

Bio: In the galaxy's unknown regions, former Imperial officers, nobles, and technologists plotted a return to power, building fleets and armies in secret. This movement became the First Order. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This may be the best damn thing I bought this year. And I didn't even want it when I placed the order. Before Hasbro finally broke my completism with the triple-threat of carbonized, holiday, and credit repaints all in a week I was ordering everything - including the Celebrate the Saga packs. It turns out this was a good move, because General Hux and other humans got that fancy hyperreal paint treatment and it was worth it. I'm not saying you should pay $30 for Hux and barely-changed reissues of troopers you already own... but have you seen how well they nailed Domhnall Gleeson's face?

Arguably one of the more interesting (if chaotic) characters in the sequel trilogy, Hux went from screaming space Nazi to decent comic villain to petty turncoat, making his arc arguably more interesting than most of our heroes. While he didn't necessarily grow as a person, you got to see his bluster for what it was, effectively making him a very Starscream-y villain. How appropriate! It would've been interesting to have him stick around as a post-trilogy villain in some future installment because as a true believer and someone who wanted to keep his job and power, he would be worth following. And if you didn't see The Rise of Skywalker yet and this somehow ruined it for you, you're welcome, just go watch the cartoons instead. Any cartoon. You'll be served better.

Anyway, this figure is a redeco of the 2017 The Last Jedi Hux. It was a big improvement in the facial area when compared to the 2015 figure, but this one does it better by giving him better eyes, better eyebrows, great hair, and painted lips. Under a macro lens it may not be perfect, but to my human eyes it's a remarkable advancement given his melon is about the size of a raisin. It amazes me that this is a mass-produced thing and not a bespoke redeco for a crazy person. The sharp cheekbones are perfectly sculpted, the scowl is just perfect, the hair is sharp, and the eyes are piercing. The First Logo symbol on his sleeve is sharp and has some red in it - that's impressive. The silver stripes on his cuffs are clean, the belt buckle is good, and the glossy boots? Also nice. You can slide off his coat if you like, and he has a nice blaster. When the coat is removed, the articulation is perfect - he can sit! Remember sitting? When I was a kid, everybody except Anakin and Amanaman could sit pretty well.

He also has a Mouse Droid, and it turned out well - rolling wheels, the whole bit. You might already have one of these, but now you can have another one. They're small, they're cool.

It's maddening that Hasbro says they're stopping the 5POA line, because they finally got it right. These sets give you a lot for your money - four full-size human figures and sometimes a fifth full-size (or pint-size) droid for $30 with the best-paint ever is a bargain. The last time Hux was sold, he was $8 - and didn't look this good. For an average of six bucks a figure, we can see we were probably overcharged for the last few movies what with their excessive accessories and useless ForceLink chips. This line could've been amazing. Hasbro's still got it, if they want to go for it, they can still impress the daylights out of me which I didn't think was going to be possible in the year where this amazing paint is glossed over and time is spent applying peppermint and cheer to troopers for some reason.

This is one of the best things Hasbro ever made as a 3 3/4-inch release. If I was making a book with the 100 best Star Wars figures of all time (publishers, call my agent) this one would make the cut. And I've reviewed enough of these things to know what constitutes "best."

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Best Buy.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,753: November 19, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,688: Rey (The Vintage Collection)

REY Palpatine, Skywalker, Whatever
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E4056
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #156
Includes: Pistol, lightsaber hilt, lightsaber, staff, bag
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio:  Rey Skywalker was a Force-sensitive human female who, after years of living as a scavenger, became a Jedi during the war between the First Order and the Resistance. Unaware of her lineage as the granddaughter of the Emperor, Rey was the only name she went by prior to assuming the Skywalker surname. (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: Almost great.  This Rey figure is very representative of The Rise of Skywalker as a movie - there are parts of it that are great in the context of Star Wars as a whole, and there are parts of it that are just kind of weird.  There are elements that are unquestionably the result of top-tier craftspersons working at the top of their game, and there are things that are just plain bad.  Packaged collectors have a lot to love here, with a great sculpt and really good paint giving you the best-looking Rey at this scale.   The articulation is really good too, with an improved range of motion in the elbows and shoulders that do a fantastic job hiding the joints in there while keeping the motion as good as or better than previous offerings.

On the other hand, we lose bend-and-swivel wrists - they spin, and that's it.   She has those fantastic thigh-cut joints and enhanced hip joints, but the right one is unable to move thanks to how the holster is glued to it, while the left one can't really move thanks to the outfit draped over the joint being too stiff to allow motion.   This basically renders the hips, knees, and ankles more or less not useful - if she was a statue from the waist on down, I don't think my opinion of the figure would change.   The top half of the figure is oh so right, while the bottom half is just oh so wrong.  Her holster - at least on my sample - doesn't allow you to put the blaster in there, either.  There's nowhere for her lightsaber hilt  to hang on a belt or in a bag.   Hasbro clearly worked hard on ensuring the figure had lots of gear, a fantastic Daisy Ridley portrait, and subtle paint applications to give some slightly-weathered leather appearances, but in the end you really have to ask what purpose these figures serve.

It's my hunch Hasbro saw this movie's 3 3/4-inch line as souvenirs for adult collectors - the joints are there, the deco is good, the packaging is fine, but Rey isn't meant to be played with.  This is a figure for you to look at and admire.   She has no problem holding her accessories, but there are many a quibble.  The lightsaber hilts are very small and a lot blacker than they should be while the blaster seems great, but is missing some key decoration around the middle of the weapon.   I've got no real problems with the staff or the bag, those are fine.

Hasbro should be given all the credit for what they did right here too - the neck, arms, and waist have a fantastic range of motion that easily put that half of the figure in the upper echelons of what Hasbro has done in its thousands of figures.  The deco is crisp, the face paint is astonishing given the size, and I can't believe how well that neck joints works.  I wish the 3 3/4-inch line had a rosier future, because this looks like another great learning experience for Hasbro to build on if we get new toys in the future... and we're not getting many.  This figure and indeed most of the Rise-era TVC figures were in pretty short supply, so hopefully you got while the getting was good.  I wouldn't say she's worth a premium on the secondary market, but she's worth the retail asking price (or a couple extra bucks to ship) if you can find her.  And maybe Hasbro will reissue her a few times, as they have done with many figures from the previous films.  This is one that could be given a few improvements with the parts of her outfit hanging off her waist and could be one of the best things Hasbro ever did - but as is, she's kind of stiff and not a lot of fun as a thing you can play with.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,688: May 7, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,687: Zorii Bliss (The Vintage Collection)

ZORII BLISS Diorama Filler or Scarce Ep9 Selection
The Vintage Collection
Item No.: Asst. E5912 No. E5191
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #157
Includes: Pistols
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio:  Zorii Bliss was a human female native to the frigid planet Kijimi. She was the leader of the Spice Runners of Kijimi. (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: As a toy collector and a toy seller, my biggest complaint about the Disney era of toys is they're not very collectible.  I mean that in the sense of there's no great "collection."  Back in the original Kenner days, the line was small but curated.  If you bought into it, you got at least 6 cool aliens per movie, at least a couple of droids, and they were all in the same scale.  Mercifully Zorii Bliss turned out well in both scales, but the problem is that she doesn't have a lot of figures to pal around with - especially if you started collecting the line in 2019.

Hasbro did a good job slicing the sculpt to work as a good action figure.   If you've been buying these 3 3/4-inch figures since Rogue One, you'll recognize the hips with more motion and thigh cut joints, the bend-and-swivel wrists, and everything else that nets you about 29 points of articulation.  You don't need this much at this scale, but it's here, and it's welcome.  She has no toy ship, but the design of the figure was born to be an action figure.   A mid-torso gold band hides the waist joint, the elbows hide in the bands of the garment, and everything else just fits in with the wrinkles.  This is almost like a movie costume designed by toy people - and for all I know, maybe it was.  

Deco is largely good, but it's more muted than the card art.  The gold isn't quite as shiny, the gold band under the chest is particularly muted.   The burgundy body costume is more brown than red, so a little more saturation would have been nice.  At this scale, though, you probably won't care.   As a fan you also probably won't care, because a) the character is sort of a non-thing and b) the figure may be best used in your Sail Barge, Cantina, or Jabba's Palace.  It's a good classic "Star Wars-y" design that would fit right in with any wretched hive of scum and villainy.   When writing about the then-upcoming prequels, that was sort of all I could hope for - if the movie was weak, at least we would be able to use the toys for something.   And that's what we got here.

She has no problems holding her nicely ornate blasters, molded in black with gold trim.  Like her hands, they're small - and they fit right in the holsters.  There's not much to them, other than Hasbro just made them well.  It's weird but that's a recurring theme here - hey, they nailed it, let's move on.

If you're a classic purist - but allow for some filler - this is a figure you should get.   Women in Star Wars are far and few between, and since we'll probably never get Brea or Senni or Arica or Jess or Bazine Netal, at least you can throw Zorii Bliss in a diorama.  She looks cool, she's well-made, and Hasbro did a nice job here.  More like this, please.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,687: May 5, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,684: Sith Jet Trooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SITH JET TROOPER Red Repaint
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E9320
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #106
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker and/or Battlefront

Bio: In its ultimate push toward galactic conquest, the First Order readies an army of elite soldiers that draw inspiration from a dark and ancient legacy.  (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: I don't know if the Sith Jet Trooper is accurate or not.  How's that for an intro?   As I write this I haven't got the tech to zoom in film frames to check to see if Hasbro's decision to redecorate its white Jet Trooper in red is sufficient or not.   Guide books, Battlefront, and even the photo on the 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection figure match this 6-inch release.  However, the 3 3/4-inch figure itself, and the Pop! Funko figure, and a few others have these nifty grooves in the helmet, shins, thighs, and shoulders.  The 6-inch figure lacks these distinctive elements.  So one of the two is probably wrong - or maybe, there's a tiny chance that there's two versions in the movie and we haven't gone over enough behind-the-scenes material thanks to the secrecy behind these movies.   So maybe this figure is correct - and maybe it isn't.  If nothing else, it's true to Battlefront.

It's a nice figure but not as impressive as some other late 2019 and early 2020 releases.   It doesn't have the extra shoulder movement of the Sith Trooper, but it does have articulated jets on the jet pack as well as extra deco that the 3 3/4-inch figure is missing.   You still get double-jointed knees, rocking ankles, and excellent articulation allowing the figure to grip and aim the blaster easily.  The leg articulation is a bit more restricted, while there is movement it doesn't seem like it would be as good sitting in a vehicle, were a vehicle made for such a purpose.

The figure has no problems standing or being posed in a number of action poses, and I'm impressed by how stable it is.   It's shiny and red, and it looks cool.   The blaster plugs in the thigh without a fuss, and I would say this is a worthwhile purchase if you can find it at a fair price.  It seems to match the portrait on the box, so let's say it's good enough until we find out otherwise.  As time goes on, our access to better stills, or the props themselves at a museum, we and Hasbro start to ask for better improvements on these figures.   For now, as far as I can tell, this is good enough.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,684: April 23, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,679: Zorii Bliss (The Black Series 6-Inch)

ZORII BLISS Removable visor
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E8070
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #103
Includes: 2 blasters, removable visor
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: March 2020
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: It is difficult for scoundrels to remain neutral in the war between the First Order and the Resistance, and Zorii Bliss and the Spice Runners of Kijimi must soon take a side.   (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: After a specter of tariffs, now we get to wonder about raw materials, and factory labor, and bottlenecks at the ports.   Hasbro usually let us know we had a slot situation - that is, they only wanted to make so many SKUs and that they had to pick carefully to make all parties happy - which is why a figure like Zorii Bliss is a curiosity.  Aside from the topic of the Emperor's sex life, The Rise of Skywalker hit with all of the impact of fireworks - a lot of noise, a lot of light, and then it immediately burned out.  And here we are, barely three months later, and so much has happened between Baby Yoda and diseases and the Picard show and the election and everything else that anything from the recent past seems like the oddest of odd choices.  This wave also included Count Dooku and Commander Bly, which tie in to The Clone Wars a little bit, but Zorii Bliss seems like a holdover from a very incomplete movie line.  She's Poe's friend - we didn't get a matching Poe from this movie, at all, just a 3 3/4-inch reissue.  And Hasbro (and/or Disney and/or Lucasfilm) packed her at two per case for some reason.   At least the figure is pretty good.

One of the odder things to get a grip on with 21st century Star Wars was just how much of development was done blindly, based on the whims of the licensor or the hopes of a cool costume resulting in a good toy with excellent sales.   I wish the character had more impact on me, because Hasbro did a nice job on this one.  She has 29 points of articulation, with boot cuts, two great neck joints, bend-and-swivel darned near everything, and just about anything you've ever seen from this line short of double-jointed elbows.  Hasbro instead gave her the deeper cut elbows, which are also very good.  She has zero problems standing, sitting, posing with her guns, and looking the best she can.  This is a shining example of a figure design handed to a creative team that perfectly engineered the figure within the confines of the costume.  The removable black visor giving you a peek at Keri Russell's eyes is a huge plus, but it would have been nice to have an alternate head so you can actually see her face.  It's something - and I appreciate it - but it doesn't feel like enough to make it exciting.  The cynic in me is worried someone might be getting an alternate head Zorii as an exclusive that, ultimately, will not sell well.

Deco is good - this is a figure that doesn't need a lot.  The dark reddish costume has glossy black boots with grey trim, brown belts, and some metallic gold and silver accents.  Her helmet  is wonderfully goofy with a crest on the back potentially packed with weird technology, looking more like a space ship than a head.  It's great!   The matching collar looks good, too.  Thanks to the numerous elements of this figure - like the mid-torso joint - I can't help but wonder if the toy was designed first to ensure that the costume would match it, rather than the other way around.   It syncs up nicely, and turned out well.  The concept artists did pretty well here.

Because I'm old and The Rise of Skywalker was a huge letdown for me as a movie and as a toy line without even the entire main cast represented in any one scale, Zorii is the kind of thing I wish Hasbro put in wave one in 2019.   It's a cool design, we all thought she would be a bigger deal, and you can't deny that the costume looks pretty awesome.   In 2020, we know what the score is - and it isn't a figure that's going to sell based on the merits of the actress or the part, it's just a cool costume.  Maybe you can use it to populate your other incomplete dioramas, because as of today Jabba's Palace only has a Gamorrean Guard to hang out with, the Cantina only has Greedo in it, and for whatever reason Hasbro and Disney have opted to keep the line increasingly superficial with top-level talent toys only.   If you see this figure, you can be assured it's a good one - but given how few other figures she has to hang out with on the shelf, you might not see this as worth the wait in the check-out online or at your favorite big box stores.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,679: April 7, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,677: First Order Snowtrooper (The Black Series 6-Inch)

FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER First of Many
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. B3834 No. B4045
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #12
Includes: Rifle, backpack
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: September 2015
Appearances: The Force Awakens

Bio: The latest generation of cold weather assault Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers wear advanced insulated armor and helmets that reduce the glare of icy terrain.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When I started writing this column something like 14 years ago, I wanted to do a lot more "whatever happened to" reviews - and now we can, since this First Order Snowtrooper was a 2015 release.  It came out around the same time as the once-impossible-to-find Hux and Asty, which were rerun (you're welcome) before you realized just how low the run really was.   In that wave - and carried forward - was this trooper.  It's a cool trooper!  Hasbro made a bepauldroned version as an exclusive for Toys R Us in 2015, and a caped one for Target in 2019.  You could build an army by being a completist!  The Snowtrooper did start to linger, especially since this version lacks the bells and whistles, and capes, of the other ones.   It's the least desirable of the lot, but it's cheap.

The figure is the same core figure as all three releases, each of which has barely different paint.  It's a white armored soldier with a distinctive helmet and about 26 points of articulation.  Hasbro did a good job with the sculpt thanks to Disney not being stingy with the reference files, and the figure has a pretty good range of movement despite the single-joint style of elbows.  I love the glossy "hard" elements of the uniform on the helmet, shoulders, and chest, while the vinyl kama around the waist just sort of gets in the way.  It's not like this is a really "action"-oriented figure when you take a look at the entire sequel trilogy, and this figure is kind of a good metaphor for the new saga.  It's shiny, it looks like it should turn into something really amazing... and it's fine.  It's probably not going to have the impact on my life that the original gangsta Snowtrooper had back in the day, but maybe it'll influence some kids and a new series of fans when it's time to contemplate raiding what's left of Ralph McQuarrie's sketchbook and swiping frames from other Japanese movies in 2040 when they release Episode X.  Or so I am guessing.

It's a sturdy if stiff trooper with a nifty blaster that's also indicative of its era.  I have little doubt that Disney and Lucasfilm Licensing put their thumbs on the design scale to make the blaster white, so it'd be easier to sell as a toy unlike black blasters.   Toy guns are tough to do these days, even pistol-like phasers from Star Trek Discovery were prototyped and while demand existed, you couldn't sell them in states like California due to gun laws.   And now you've got white blasters on your stormtroopers.   If you're an older fan, this figure is destined to sit on your shelf, possibly in its box, unlikely to be played with and loved like your childhood toys.   Since the free market has brought the price down, go ahead and get this version if you want one of the three First Order Snowtroopers.  It's cheap! Or it was.  I don't know when you'll read this.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,677: March 31, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,674: R6-LE5 (Droid Factory Line Look)

R6-LE5 Not R5-D4
Droid Factory The Rise of Skywalker Boxed Set
Item No.:   No. 41342
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droid figures, D-O clear base
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $29.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: All different types of Astromech droids populate the Star Wars galaxy.  Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors.   These four new Astromech droids are featured in The Rise of Skywalker.   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 Amazon now!

Commentary:  If you liked R2-SHP, then R6-LE5 is more of that.  The same color and body are here, but the dome is different - the unique R6 shape has been added to the same, admittedly nice, droid form.  The metallic blue sparkles, and the silver and black with a light dusting of grey do make for a figure that pops in almost any diorama.

The black central eye is augmented by a white circle, a couple of red boxes, and some minimal detailing on the back.  It's pretty simple, but the shape is good enough that you probably won't notice.  The plastic metallic swirl does most of the heavy lifting in terms of bringing this figure to life, which gives it a look that's probably more metallic than if it were actual metal.  Articulation is standard modern Droid Factory fare, with removable legs and dome.  You get about five moving parts in all, with the exposed mechanisms under the dome all matching blue.  We've slid a bit since Hasbro started doing these, silver and other colors under the dome really did add a lot of detail while bringing these to "life" as real fake space appliances.   At least the BB unit cores still have some color... and a few colors of paint for added interior detail.

It'd be great if this figure wasn't nearly identical to another figure in the very same set, but given the asking price it's not exactly terrible - even if you consider D-O a freebie.   If you can find this set, I'd say it's well worth the $30, and if you were buying individual figures some fans split up on eBay this one is particularly nifty given its colors and distinctive dome.  It doesn't do anything your dozens (hundreds) of other droids don't, though, so don't feel too bad if you missed it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Shannon.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,674: March 19, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,673: BB-8 (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch)

BB-8 with D-O and R2-D2
Galaxy of Adventures   5-Inch Droid 3-Pack
Item No.: No. E3118
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: BB-8, sometimes spelled and pronounced Beebee-Ate and nicknamed BB, was a BB-series astromech droid who operated approximately thirty years after the Battle of Endor. (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: While initially the darling of Disney's reign of Star Wars, the once invincible BB-8 went from being the selling point to toys across all price points to a lesser, former cute character.  Baby Yoda stole his lunch before The Rise of Skywalker hit theaters, but fans moved on pretty quickly - by 2018, new takes on RC droids and playsets and all sorts of goodies.   This 3-pack was a nifty innovation for the final saga sequel, giving you 3 pretty good figures for $15.

BB-8 doesn't do much - but these figures typically don't do a lot.  He has a springy flat base below the round ball, which has been great to serve as a sort of a kickstand to prevent him from rolling off of a flat surface.   The very clean droid has a head with a giant eye to make the figure appear cuter, and he sports a lone ball joint a the base of his dome.  He can look up and down and all around... and that's it.  There are no vehicles in which to mount him, no playsets to make use of the "foot," or anything like that.  It's just a good-sized, decent-looking, and certainly A-OK take on the droid.

Target stores were loaded with this set prior to the movie's release, and the secondary market shows that enthusiasm was softer than retailers predicted.   It's a shame - it's a good set with the three non-speaking droids in good form at a perfectly acceptable price.  The set is undeniably made by people that understand the need for figures to stand up and look good, but the droids got the shallow end of action features.   At clearance prices - as low as $7.50 as I write this - I would recommend this as an impulse buy for you and all your fan buddies.   Even at $15, the set is a good example of Hasbro making something good at a fair price - it's just not the scale you readers tend to demand.  When it comes to toys for the sake of toys, this BB-8 is a good one - but if you're happy with your BB-8 droid pool, you probably won't have much use for one more.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,673: March 17, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,672: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren (The Black Series 6-Inch)

SUPREME LEADER KYLO REN & New Hat
The Black Series 6-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E4076
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #90
Includes: Cape, hood - up, hood - down, lightsaber hilt, lt lightsaber
Action Feature: Swap hoods, lightsaber clips in belt
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2019
Appearances: The Rise of Skywalker

Bio: As Supreme Leader of the First Order, Kylo Ren wields more power than ever before. Nevertheless,  Ren continues to search for secrets of the Force from the depths of the dark side.  (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: "Is this figure any good?" is basically what I'm always getting at in this column, and it's weird to be in a position where we've been saying "well, it's complicated" for a while now.   This Supreme Leader Kylo Ren is something you would love if you found it on clearance, but probably be annoyed by at full price.  The 2018 The Last Jedi figure's body - used for a basic figure you can get for around $10, in the Galaxy's Edge set, and also a Walmart exclusive Throne Room set all of which are basically the same save for some head changes and other accessories - well... here it is again.  Hasbro may have gotten as much as $120 out of you for those previous three releases, or less if you got the non-Disney Park ones on clearance, but it's still a lot of money.  Seeing the same costume again is kind of a bore, even if we do get a new helmet and updated to the cape and hoods.  The body is the same, the lightsabers are the same, and yet it seemed to sell just fine this time around.  What I say is moot.

First, let me sing the praises of that new cape.  I like it.   Hasbro has struggled with cloth cape hoods for years, particularly in the 3 3/4-inch scale.  By leaving them out of most of the 6-inch line, they've generally not been a problem - Mace Windu got a cloth one, Darth Maul got a plastic one, but it's this Kylo Ren cape and hood that seems to have figured out how to do it right.  The cape itself rests gently over the same black shoulders, but the back of the cape has a couple of posts on it where you can plug in one of two hoods.  A raised hood and lowered hood give you some choice as to how you want him to be displayed, which is good given the "back to one" nature of the movie.  I'd like to see Hasbro consider this kind of cape/cloak hood system for future Jedi, Sith, and other figures where appropriate.   (The revised throne Emperor's plastic hood with cloth robes was also a winner.)  Kudos to Hasbro for deploying a good improvement here.

The lightsabers are nothing new or special.  There's a slot on the belt, you can plug the hilts in there, or Kylo can hold them in his hands.  The deco is fine, there's not a lot going on new here.   They're fine, they fit, that's all I can ask for short of a metal hilt or some new innovation in tiny electronics.

The body has the same 27 points of articulation you got last time, but you get a new reforged helmet - and that's arguably this figure's selling point.   The red lines look cool and are a new sculpt - or at least revised tool - to simulate the work done by Flash Gordon's Ape on Mustafar.   (I don't know the name but I would like to see a figure of them.)   The figure poses great and looks fantastic - if you don't have the previous versions, this is a good one.  If you have the previous  versions and are a completist, well, yeah.  This is our curse, isn't it?  It's fine.  It's not bad.  It' just not new.  It is a good figure.  It is not a bad figure.  It's just now a terribly new figure for when it was released just a few months ago.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,672: March 12, 2020