Tag Archives: Star Wars

#3585: Fennec Shand

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

FENNEC SHAND

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0064: Fennec Shand actress Ming-Na Wen has been a Disney Princess, a Star Wars Bounty Hunter, and an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., giving her a tri-fecta of Disney franchise appearances!

Star Wars: Retro Collection has somehow steadily become my main go-to line for modern Star Wars collecting, which is, I guess sort of paradoxical, with it being branded “retro” and all.  I don’t know, I just like my Star Wars figures to be more on the basic side, and the death of the 5POA line after Solo really bummed me out, so I like having *something* in that range.  That said, I’m finding myself a little less attached to all things Star Wars, so I wound up skipping pretty much all of the Book of Boba Fett tie-in set from the line.  Admittedly, it was a little bit same-y for a lot of it.  I didn’t want to miss out on Fennec, though, so here she is!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Fennec Shand is one of the seven figures in the Book of Boba Fett assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection.  She kind of hammers home the set’s place as a Mandalorian continuation, since she’s had several appearances there, but hadn’t yet gotten a figure from the specifically Mando assortments.  Thankfully, she kept the same look in Book, so this figure can pull double duty, just like the Black Series and Vintage Collection.  The figure stands just over 3 1/2 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  The movement on the neck is slightly limited by the ponytail, but the way it’s draped, it’s not entirely restricted, which is certainly a plus.  Her sculpt is unique to her, and it’s pretty nice.  It does a good job of threading the needle on keeping a lot of detailing, but also still dialing into the retro Kenner vibe.  She’s clearly meant to be aping one of Kenner’s later figures, especially given the removable helmet set-up.  The underlying head isn’t a perfect match for Ming-Na Wen, but it’s respectable enough to be obvious who it’s supposed to be, and it works well within the style.  Fennec’s paint work is actually pretty solid, with some subtle dark grey detailing mixed in with the molded black color, as well as the proper orange highlights seen in the show.  The application is pretty clean, and the whole thing looks very proper for the line.  Fennec is packed with a removable helmet (which sits very nicely on her head) and her blaster rifle.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I wanted Fennec when these figures were first shown off, but when they actually arrived, it was at the same time as the Ahsoka assortment, which I wanted more.  I’ve also been trying to scale my collection back where I can, so I didn’t want to buy just to buy.  That said, I gave it some thought and realized I still wanted the figure, so I wound up going back for her.  She’s pretty fun, just like the rest of the line.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3575: Morgan Elsbeth

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

MORGAN ELSBETH

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0054:  Morgan Elsbeth, a character of witch-y background, shares her name with Morgan Le Fay, witch of Arthurian legend, befitting Star Wars’ long-seated ties to Arthurian legend.

If you ask me to pick the things that stuck out to me about Morgan Elsbeth’s first appearance in The Mandalorian‘s “Chapter 13: The Jedi,” I don’t know that Morgan herself would have really jumped out at me, but she’s one of the parts that stuck around, getting upgraded to one of the main antagonists of Ahsoka.  She’s gotten action figures of all the main variety out of it, and I’ve opted to cover the Retro-style one, because why not?

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Morgan Elsbeth is the final figure in the Ahsoka show tie-in assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection.  The figure stands just shy of 3 3/4 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  The sculpt is all-new, and it’s not bad.  It’s nothing thrilling, I suppose; Morgan’s outfit is kind of pedestrian as far as Star Wars looks go, but they do their best with it.  Like a proper vintage release, she’s got her skirt from the show sculpted into a pair of awkward legs.  It’s very silly, but it’s very proper to the style, and it helps to sell the idea well.  I do feel like the hands are a little large, and the arms a little skinny, for a proper vintage figure, but it otherwise feels pretty authentic.  Morgan’s color work is kind of bland, but that’s accurate, I suppose.  There’s some red and some off black.  Paint application is kept to a minimum, but what’s there is well applied.  Morgan is packed all on her own, with no accessories of any sort.  That’s unfortunate.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I bought Morgan for one reason and one reason only: I was buying the rest of the set.  It felt silly to just skip her and Ahsoka, so I didn’t.  She’s fine.  Not thrilling.  I get her relevance to the plot, but I do wish we’d gotten someone else instead, since a number of other notable characters didn’t get moved over to this style.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3570: HK-87 Assassin Droid

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

HK-87 ASSASSIN DROID

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0049: The HK-87 Assassin Droid’s design is based in part on an unused concept drawing by Ralph McQuarrie for the character that would eventually become IG-88.

Well, I didn’t *intend* to miss a review yesterday, but the day just wasn’t having any of it.  Have no fear, I’m back and on track once more, and jumping headlong back into the Star Wars side of things.  I’m going back to the Retro Figures well again, this time having just a little bit more Droid-related fun with the HK-87 Assassin Droid!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The HK-87 Assassin Droid is the sixth figure in the Ahsoka tie-in assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection.  This one is specifically meant to be one of the rank and file HKs, seen in both Mandalorian and Ahsoka.  The figure stands about 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  The sculpt is all-new and unique to this release.  It’s a pretty good breakdown of the design seen in the show, filtered through that vintage lens.  The design is the totally stripped down version of the droid, without any of the belts or cloaks they tend to wear in the shows.  It allows for extra customization, I suppose, if you were so inclined.  Beyond that, the details are generally hitting the broader design pieces, and they’re pretty cleanly handled.  His color work again goes for one of the rank and file droids, so he’s got the mix of grey, tan, and red.  It’s again a little broader and stripped down than the show design, but it works, and it sells the idea pretty well.  The HK is packed with a vintage styled-version of the battle droid blaster.  It’s surprising that no cloak or anything is included, but this does match with the more paired down approach of the vintage line.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

The HK design’s a fun one, and it’s one I’ve been wanting in some format, but I was’t sure I wanted to spring for the Black Series version.  This one hit just as I was trying to make the decision, which made the whole thing a lot easier for me.  It’s a basic figure, much like the rest of the line, but he’s fun.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3568: ARC Trooper Captain

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

ARC TROOPER CAPTAIN

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0047: Though there have been numerous figures based on the 2D Clone Wars‘ Captain Fordo, his name as only been used officially one time for a figure.

Have you ever loved something from afar? That’s my relationship with the original Clone Wars and its tie-in figures. I loved them, but the airtimes for the original shorts made them tricky to catch, and the line was pretty majorly scalped at the time. Nevertheless, I still hold a fondness for it. One of my favorite parts remains something I actually *did* get to experience firsthand during the original run, which is Clone Captain Fordo and his original figure. And me being me, that translates to buying more figures on top of the one I already have, right?

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The ARC Trooper Captain was a Walmart-exclusive Star Wars: The Black Series release, released in packaging styled after the original 2D tie-in line, and under the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary banner. He hit in the Spring of 2022, alongside similarly styled Mace Windu and General Grievous figures. The figure stands about 6 1/4 inches tall and has 29 points of articulation. Fordo is largely based on the molds introduced by ARC Trooper Echo. As they’re both ARC Troopers, it’s not the craziest idea, I suppose. If you want to get technical, it leaves a number of inaccuracies on the armor, but the flip side is that he’s based on an animated design to begin with, so there’s a degree of a grey area there. The most glaring things, really, are the ammo pouch being on the wrong side and the permanently affixed backpack. He does get a different helmet, this time using the more proper phase 1 helmet. It’s based on the updated version of the helmet mold, and it’s been modified to include his rangefinder. The paint work on this figure is decent and fairly basic. Most of the line work is pretty clean, but there’s a little waviness on some of the red lines. I was surprised to find that, even though the helmet is glued in place, the underlying head is still molded in flesh tone plastic, rather than just matching the helmet color like other troopers without removable helmets. I assume it’s somehow linked to the mold’s original use, since the other ARCs have all gotten removable helmets. Fordo is packed with two small blaster pistols, a medium rifle, and a long rifle. He’s still saddled by only the one trigger finger, and he doesn’t get Fordo’s usual modified pistols, but it works out alright.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I loathe dealing with exclusives, and Walmart exclusives top that list, so I did no hunting for this guy in-store, even though he’s Fordo and I love Fordo. Instead, I played the waiting game, and it paid off, as I was able to snag a sealed one from All Time through a trade-in. He’s got his flaws, but I’m very forgiving when it comes to Fordo. There’s no denying he’s quite fun.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront

.

 

#3566: Sabine Wren

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

SABINE WREN

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0045:  The vintage Star Wars line featured only three instances of removable helmets: Leia as Boushh, Lando as a Skiff Guard, and Luke in Stormtrooper Disguise.  The Retro Collection has re-released two of those and added two additional figures.

I don’t have a lot in the way of Sabine Wren coverage here on the site, or in general in my collection.  It’s not from a dislike of the character, so much as, I suppose, a contentment with the figures I already have.  I do like to pick up a new figure every once in a while, though, and her appearance on Ahsoka gave us all sorts of new potential venues for figures.  Let’s dive into the retro side of things, I guess.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Sabine Wren is the fifth figure in the Ahsoka-tie-in of Star Wars: The Retro Collection, which hit late last year.  This is Sabine’s third figure at this scale, and the the third with the 5POA set-up.  Also, the second with a removable helmet, for what it’s worth.  The figure stands just shy of 3 3/4 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  She’s got another all-new sculpt, this time more clearly inspired by Kenner’s later run vintage figures.  It captures her updated design from the show quite nicely.  There’s some fun little details, like the lightsaber hilt sculpted onto her belt.  As touched on above, she gets a removable helmet, which works pretty well.  Her head’s a touch smaller to accommodate it, which is in keeping with the style of the older figures, and the helmet’s a touch larger.  It’s a good look, and the helmet stays in place snuggly.  Her paint work is pretty respectably handled.  There’s a good mix of colors and accenting, making for some fun pops of color.  Sabine is packed with two blaster pistols.  They’re in different colors, an exaggeration of the slight tweak in detailing on the blasters in the show.  She’s also got a lightsaber, which continues the Bespin Luke style of saber.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

This figure and Chopper were really the ones that sold me on this whole assortment.  They just jumped out as being rather fun, which was appreciated after I’d kind of lost momentum with the Book of Boba Fett set.  I rather like this one.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3561: Chopper (C1-10P)

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

CHOPPER (C1-10P)

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0040:  There are two characters in Ahsoka whose original actors reprise the roles.  The first was David Tennant as Huyang, and the second was Dave Filloni as Chopper.  You gotta keep those Daves around!

Can you be into Star Wars toys and not just love a good Astromech Droid?  Of course not!  Every good story’s got at least one of those plucky little guys rattling around.  And no one rattles around more than C1-10P, aka Chopper, resident Astromech of the crew of The Ghost.  Chopper has been surprisingly light on toy coverage, but with new appearances in Ahsoka, we get another opportuntiy for cool toys of the feisty droid!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Chopper is figure 4 in the Ahsoka tie-in assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection figures.  Chopper’s had two prior 3 3/4 inch scale figures, both based more specifically on animation.  This one’s…well, he’s not exactly live action, I suppose.  The figure is about 2 inches tall and has 3 points of articulation.  Chopper is clearly taking a page from how Kenner handled R2 and R5 in the vintage line, which makes sense, given the style they’re going for and all.  He’s appropriately shorter and boxier than those two, but very much in keeping with their more simplistic and geometric shaping.  He’s using the classic “tube” body, which is hollow on the inside, much like the original R2, which adds to that authentic feel.  Chopper’s paint is simple and minor, largely relying on molded plastic for the bulk of it, and some small bits of detailing on the head.  The largest bit of detailing is in the form of a decal on the body of the droid, again really hammering home those vintage R2 comparisons.  Chopper’s one accessory is a removable third leg.  While the vintage Astromechs generally didn’t have this feature, the R2 that came with the Droid Factory playset *did* and it was handled in a similar fashion to this one, making it a perfect little extra to include.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

Chopper was the figure I was probably the most looking forward to from this set, and he’s ultimately the one I most enjoyed as well.  There’s just something delightful about just how faithful he is to the vintage aesthetic, and it makes for a figure that’s simple but just so amazingly effective.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3556: General Hera Syndulla

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

GENERAL HERA SYNDULLA

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0035: Hera’s live-action actor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is married to Obi-Wan Kenobi actor Ewan McGregor.

Hera Syndulla’s jump to live action was one of my two favorite things about Ahsoka (the other being Captain Rex’s jump to live action, however brief it may have been), and I’ve been all about the toy coverage for her.  I of course got her Black Series offering, but what’s a Star Wars character without some 3 3/4-inch action?  Since I’m not much of a Vintage Collection guy, it’s Retro Collection for me, I suppose.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

General Hera Syndulla is the third figure in the Ahsoka-tie-in assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection.  This is Hera’s third time getting a smaller-scale 5PoA figure, though this one is specifically based on her live-action appearance, awesome bomber jacket and all.  The figure stands a little shy of 3 3/4 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  Like most of the rest of the set, her sculpt is all-new.  It’s not quite as strong as Marrok, I feel, but that certainly doesn’t make it a bad one.  She’s definitely living up to the vintage Kenner stylings that the line is aiming for, while still maintaining the important design elements from the show.  Obviously, in keeping with proper Kenner style, she doesn’t get a proper Winstead likeness, but at the same time, she doesn’t look unlike her either, which hits that sweet spot.  And, much like Karga and Boba from earlier assortments, her holster is designed with a loop that can actually hold her gun, which is a very fun touch.  Hera’s color work is pretty basic, but pretty on the mark for what it needs to be.  The colors are pitched up a bit to be a bit brighter than on screen, which is right for the style, and the basic paint work is decent, with no notable slop or bleed over.  Hera is packed with a small blaster pistol.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

Hera was one of my top two figures from this set, and I was certainly looking forward to her, even if she was pretty basic.  The final figure is one of those ones that hits pretty much exactly where I expect it to.  She doesn’t blow me away or anything, but I didn’t expect that.  She’s a good, solid, middle of the road figure.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3551: Marrok

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

MARROK

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0030: Marrok is our fourth Inquisitor in the Retro Collection line-up.  Sure, he may be lapsed, but it counts!

Can you be just a pretty face if no one’s actually seen your face?  Because I feel like that’s kind of what Marrok’s deal is.  Not that it’s a bad thing.  This is Star Wars, after all.  Looking cool is, like, thing number one!  I personally really like Marrok’s brand of cool, so, despite his more minor role in Ahsoka, I still am all about the Marrok figures.  I looked at his Black Series figure already, but here’s his representation on the smaller side!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Marrok is the second figure in the Ahsoka-tie-in assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection.  The character had a lot of presence in early marketing for the show, so his inclusion is a pretty sensible one.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  He’s sporting an all-new sculpt, and it’s honestly one of my favorites that this sub-line has put out.  It does a really good job of translating Marrok’s on-screen design into the vintage Kenner style.  It keeps all of the important elements, while also simplifying enough to make him fit in with the rest of the line.  It makes for a very sleek, really fun look, and plays into the whole “black knight” angle so nicely.  Like the larger figure, he’s topped off with a cloth cape piece.  Like the rest of the figure, this piece fits the vintage aesthetic very nicely, and it goes on and off very easily.  Marrok’s color work has been dialed back a bit, going for a more drastically contrasting shade between the undersuit and the armor, which is more of a gunmetal grey finish here.    Marrok is packed with an Inquisitor-style saber, which appears to be the same piece used for Reva in the Kenobi set.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I dug Marrok’s design a lot, and he was definitely nearer the top of my list.  He’s a ton of fun, and I very definitely dig him.  He’s a good design that makes for a very good figure, and he’s just a great example of when Retro Collection just really works.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3546: Ahsoka Tano

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

AHSOKA TANO

STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0029:  This is the fourth time an Ahsoka figure has been justified as a separate release due to the addition of a poncho.

Do you ever feel like you’re seeing double?  Well, okay, like, double, but with a poncho?  Is that a normal thing?  No.  Ah, well.  The point is, hey, here’s this additional Ahsoka figure.  She’s real similar to another one I already looked at.  Wanna read a review of it?  I mean, you’re here, so I assume you probably do.  But, you know what they say about assumptions….they make an Ahsoka out of you and mption?  No, that’s not right.  Ah, well.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Ahsoka Tano is the first figure in the Ahsoka-tie-in assortment of Star Wars: Retro Collection.  I mean, I suppose that tracks.  Gotta have the title character.  She’s based on her poncho-wearing look, which debuted over in The Mandalorian, and made a return for her own show.  The figure is just under 3 3/4 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  This figure’s sculpt is the exact same one as the last Retro Collection Ahsoka because she’s just that one with a poncho as noted before.  It looks as good here as it did the first time around.  The paint work is the same basic layout as the prior release as well.  It seems a touch sharper on my copy than the prior figure, but that could just be a case by case thing.  Ahsoka is packed with the same two lightsabers as the last figure, as well as the poncho, noted many times previously here in this review of the poncho-wearing Ahsoka.  It’s a nice piece, and definitely feels in the style of vintage Kenner figures.  It also does change-up the look pretty sufficiently.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I was pretty content with the first Ahsoka, so I wasn’t sure I needed this one at first, but I wanted the rest of the set, and it didn’t make much sense to skip just one figure.  I wasn’t expecting much, but I actually really like the figure’s general look, and the poncho is a fun extra.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3544: Tech – Mercenary Gear

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , , ,

TECH – MERCENARY GEAR

STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES (HASBRO)

Fun FiQ Fact #0023:  Tech is my favorite member of the Bad Batch‘s titular team (if you’re curious, the order I’d go with is Tech, Echo, Wrecker, Omega, Crosshair, Hunter.  That’s right, Hunter’s my least favorite…he’s bland.)

Bad Batch is a show that I really enjoyed at its start…and then it just sort of fell off for me.  I liked the more “impending doom, on the run” vibe of the earlier episodes, but once they settled into the “mission of the week” set-up, it kind of lost momentum for me.  It’s second season kind of continues that, with the added bonus of also writing out the two characters I most cared about.  But, hey, there’s more Hunter, right?  Okay, in actuality, it’s a good excuse to give us updated versions of the team in their modified Mercenary gear.  I’m not really down for buying the whole team all over again.  But, for Tech, I’ll make an exception.  And, hey, so I did.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Tech – Mercenary Gear is figure 16 in the Bad Batch sub-line of Hasbro’s Star Wars: The Black Series‘s Phase IV incarnation.  As with almost all of the Season 2 merch, this figure is a Walmart-exclusive, and hit in the fall of last year.  The figure is a little over 6 inches tall and he has 29 points of articulation.  Tech is largely built out of the same bank of parts as the first season Tech.  Most of the figures in the set follow suit, since the Mercenary Gear looks are largely just minor re-skins of their earlier looks.  Tech’s sculpt is one of the best the Batch had to offer, so I’m hardly hurt by the re-use.  The one main change-up is actually a fix to the one notable issue I had with the first release: he’s got his goggles!  In the show, whenever Tech takes off his helmet, he’s got goggles on underneath, but the first figure lacked them, which threw off his overall look.  This figure has a modified head sculpt, which now has the goggles permanently affixed.  The helmet, likewise, has been modified to leave a space for the goggles to slot in when he’s wearing it.  It definitely takes a lot of doing to get the helmet on and off, but the end result looks better in both set-ups then the prior release.  The other change-up to this guy is his paint work, which goes for a slightly more colorful look.  It’s not bad; not drastically different, or anything, but it’s a little more vibrant.  Like his prior release, this Tech includes a small blaster, three different tools, and a back pack.

THE ME REMAINDER OF THE EQUATION

I didn’t mind the choice to go exclusive on the Mercenary Gear Batch, since I didn’t really want them….and then I saw that they fixed the goggle issue on Tech, and suddenly I needed one.  Thankfully, Max was there with the assist on this guy, and managed to snag me one after a bit of searching.  He’s fun.  I loved the first figure, and I love this one.  Not sure what to do with two Techs, but there are worse problems to have.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.