Star Wars: The Modern 12 Back Part I

Part I

In the Star Wars collecting community there’s a lot of reverence for the first 12 action figures Kenner released. Initially on cards known as ’12 backs’ due to the card art showing illustrations of these original dozen figures, this selection of characters is at the core of any Star Wars collection, and with good reason – Luke, Han and Leia, Chewie and the Droids and Old Ben Kenobi give you all the good guys; Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper and, bizarrely, an Imperial Death Squad Commander round out the bad guys, whilst a Jawa and Tusken Raider give you all the indigenous life you need. Of course, the Star Wars toy line is now well known for quite how wide and deep it goes; but with these 12 figures you’re one Grand Moff Tarkin short of A New Hope prison break.

When I was starting out with the modern line I latched on to the 12 back figures as a collecting focus, and aimed to get the best present day iterations of each. Earlier this year I more or less completed that goal, and now it’s time to finally give these guys (and gal) a stage…

Tusken Raider

Though they may be easily startled, the Tusken Raiders would still be pretty terrifying to encounter when out in the sticks alone. This figure, from 2012’s Discover the Force line is a solid representation of the Sand People as they appeared in A New Hope, resplendent with flowing robes and a gaffi stick. This one also came with a rifle, but that’s more for shooting at Pod Racers than knocking out errant moisture farmers…

With 14 points of articulation this Tusken Raider, originally released in 2006 as part of the VTSC line, is the finest sample you’re going to find – just as long as you don’t want his swivel hips to straddle a Bantha, that is…

C-3PO

Human-Cyborg relations have rarely looked finer than they do here, with 2006’s Saga Collection C-3PO. Whilst this figure is based on Threepio from Return of the Jedi, coming with an Ewok throne, he’s not a character that changes appearance, save for gaining dust or dirt, through the Original Trilogy. With eight points of articulation this Threepio does all that you need him to do, and the shiny gold finish (with silver lower right leg) bring the character fully to 3.75” life.

I was really interested in getting the Vintage Collection matte gold C-3PO, but the lack of availability and exorbitant secondary market price put me off. It doesn't matter though, as this Threepio is a fantastic release, and fits in with the modern 12 perfectly.

Imperial Navy Commander

The Imperial Navy Commander was a slightly confusing release for the start of the line, coming out ahead of Greedo and Walrus Man, and nearly two decades before Grand Moff Tarkin saw the plastic light of day. However he makes good cannon fodder for the Rebel heroes, or as an officer for Darth Vader to boss around. Every Empire needs its underlings, right?

This version is from 2012, and The Vintage Collection. With 14 points of articulation, a removable helmet and a gun with working holster this guy has some serious build quality for a nameless background character. It commands a fair price on the secondary market, so I think I was lucky to get it when I did.

Han Solo

Captain, scoundrel and coolest guy in the galaxy, Han Solo was a lock for the very first wave of Star Wars figures. The pinhead/big head variations of Han Solo were amongst the first variations to happen in the line, starting a long tradition of collectors searching for every running change/factory screw up they could find. Considering you’re here you probably know all about Han Solo, so there’s not much else to say – except for maybe that he shot first.

This Yavin Ceremony Han Solo is from The Vintage Collection in 2011, and comes with the medal he received at the end of the film. Whilst some collectors prefer earlier versions of the character, this is the definitive Han figure to me. With 14 points of articulation (including some very tidy wrists), a blaster with working holster and an absolutely dead-on appearance, you will not find a better A New Hope Han Solo.

Parts II and III to follow!

VC103: 'Realistic' Clone Wars Obi-Wan Kenobi Review

Knight of the not-as-old Republic!

A Clone Wars Obi-Wan would've been slightly less enthusiastically received by me at 8 years old than a Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker, but only slightly - that's not to take anything away from Sir Alec Guiness' depiction of Old Ben, but more so about the mystery of the man who became Darth Vader. Anyway, whilst the Prequels did whatever they did to the Star Wars franchise, one positive was that by Revenge of the Sith, Ewan McGregor had finally got a handle on how to play Obi Wan Kenobi, which in turn gave the film its more enjoyable moments. Following on from how good the Vintage Collection Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker was, this seemed like an appropriate purchase...

The Packaging

VC103

The packaging follows the standard Vintage Collection template, with the Clone Wars TV series logo in the place of the episode title. The picture is of Clone Wars-armoured Obi Wan Kenobi with a Ewan McGregor likeness in a pretty nifty Geonosis-esque war zone - clones and a Republic Gunship fill the dusty background. I like this; it's more exciting than the Anakin Skywalker card, and even some of the pictures on the movie figure cards. As with all TVC figures it features the Kenner logo in the bottom left, and the back of the card is covered by a boring multi-lingual sticker.

As shown here, he's packed with a lightsaber and a lightsaber hilt. Pretty minimal, but short of a helmet I'm not really sure what else he could've come with.

The Good

General Kenobi & Troops

First and foremost, the sculpt is fantastic. As soon as I pulled it out of the blister I was impressed with the weight of the figure and the sturdiness of the joints (with the exception of the wrists, which I'll come to). Straight away I was able to get Obi-Wan into various Jedi-like poses, and as well as having great joint movement (the shoulder pads share the same under-the-armour trick as the Anakin figure), I was also able to get him to stand in those poses. I don't know if it's the weight of the figure or that it shares some SA Clone Trooper DNA in the legs, but it's really well balanced. 

I'm a fan of the Clone Wars character designs anyway, but I find this figure really visually appealing. It features the best integration of soft goods and sculpted robes I've seen yet with the skirt, which is trimmed and fixed perfectly to allow for full leg movement without billowing. The Republic Jedi crest on the shoulder pad is crisp and brings a nice dash of colour to the armour, which is otherwise splattered with war zone dust (presumably from the same locale as is featured on the cardback). The belt features two pouches and a port for the lightsaber hilt, something that was notably absent on Anakin.

Guardian of Peace and Justice...

The Bad

Easy Now...

When I've seen the figure online I've never been sure if it's boss-eyed or not - since getting it in hand, I've realised it all depends on your point of view, quite literally. The right is on the donk, but viewed from the left or straight on it's really not that noticeable. Since the head sculpt is in general very good (even going as far as to include his forehead bump), I'd say it's not a huge issue. For such an EU figure, I find the dust a bit scene specific, but that doesn't bother me too much - it's more the way it's been kind of slopped on in parts that I'm not as keen on.

As I noticed when I pulled it out of the packet, and again when fixing the lightsaber, the swivel wrists do feel quite weak and as such I'm going to avoid too many two-handed duelling poses. As these are bona-fide collectors pieces rather than simple toys (like there's really a distinction...) I think all but the most heavy handed should be OK; either way, I'm still going to be careful!

Ready for (Clone) War!

The Verdict

If you have a Clone Wars-era display, or any interest in the time frame between Episodes 2 & 3, then this is the Obi-Wan Kenobi for you. I gave the VC92 Anakin Skywalker figure a five star review and this guy's even better - that can only mean he also gets top marks.

*****

Vintage Wednesdays: POTF2 R2 D2 & C-3PO

Well, this seems like a relevant time to return to Vintage Wednesdays, and who more apt to focus on than Luke Skywalker's loyal droids, Artoo Deeto and See-Threepio?

"I don't know what all this trouble is about, but I'm sure it must be your fault."

Despite the background, these shots aren't from my new lightbox - I took them some time ago, and have been storing them up for this very day. Anyway, what do you need to know about these guys?

R2 D2

"Beep!"

Height: .96 meters average
Status: Navigator, T-65 X-Wing Fighter
Classification: Astromech Droid
Affiliation: Rebel Alliance 

I'm pretty sure most Star Wars fans would count R2 as their favourite droid. The ultimate robotic Swiss army knife, it's his mission that sets the whole chain of events of A New Hope into motion and pulls Luke Skywalker into the Civil War. After that he serves as Luke's loyal and trustworthy companion throughout the evacuation of Hoth and both his trips to Dagobah, and he also plays a key role in the rescue of Han Solo. None of us had ever seen such devotion from a droid before (although granted, we'd never seen a droid before either); it's kind of amazing Obi Wan Kenobi forgot all about him. Almost like a huge, unresolved and unnecessary plot hole. Anyway, I digress...

C-3PO

"But, sir, nobody worries about upsetting a droid."

Height: 1.67 meters
Status: Interpreter
Classification: Human-Cyborg Relations Droid
Affiliation: Rebel Alliance 

And, let's face it, Threepio is harder company to have around. Despite being the most annoying character in The Empire Strikes Back, I now realise how that's part of the measure of the heroes of the film that they never leave him behind - Han Solo ensures 'Goldenrod' makes it out of Echo Base on the Falcon, and Chewie carries his destroyed body around Cloud City, despite being insulted for doing so. I think that's why I like C-3PO; he brings out the best in his compatriots. He's a lot more tolerable in Return of the Jedi, and the way he's revered as a God by the Ewoks is a great touch, and a nice little way for Lucas to say 'thanks' to the character for being such a superb heel. I'm not sure about his being created by Anakin - don't get me wrong, I do like how coincidences hang together in stories, but that felt like a stretch too far for me, even if it did yield a superb comic that plugs a gap from ESB.

POTF2

The Power of the Force line was launched in 1995 by Kenner (who had been purchased by Hasbro in 1991), and was quickly dubbed 'POTF2', after the original Power of the Force line from 1985. Despite the beefcake sculpts the series was a massive hit, and continued to run until 2000, and completely reinvigorated interest and sales for the Star Wars merchandising juggernaut. This line is probably the main reason this blog even exists...

Anyway, back on topic. The first I knew about POTF2 was seeing Luke Skywalker in X-wing Fighter Pilot Gear (actually Snowspeeder Gear) in Milton Keynes Woolworths, where I bought it outright. Shortly afterwards I picked up the R2 D2 featured above, and gradually built up a mish-mash collection of various figures that provided hours of fun. Honestly. I played with vintage figures growing up, but these were my Star Wars vintage toys, and they were most excellent. Which I guess brings us nicely to today's hot topic...

THE BLACK SERIES

So, it's finally happened. After decades of the 3 3/4 inch scale toy line, Hasbro is now preparing to launch a six inch, super-articulated, OT-centric and collector focused line, 'The Black Series'. I for one couldn't be happier. Yeah, I have a lot of 3 3/4" figures, and I will keep a lot of them. But look at that figure! It may be a prototype, but if the quality of the mass-produced ones is anywhere near that, it may become my favourite line ever. The launch, in August, consists of Luke, R2-D2, a Sandtrooper and Darth Maul - that's a definite OT three out of four for me.

Coming back to collecting late has had both good points and bad but I'm glad to be here, and now I'm really excited to get in on this line from the ground floor. And what better way to start a collection than with a Luke Skywalker in X-Wing Fighter Pilot Gear?

Thanks for reading!

VC92: ‘Realistic’ Clone Wars Anakin Skywalker Review

Here’s a release that would be pretty much tailored for an eight-year old me. Whilst there have been several iterations of the Clone Wars Anakin, they’ve almost all been in the ‘animated’ style – an acquired taste, to be sure. This is the first figure in Hasbro’s move to release Clone Wars figures in a ‘realistic’ style, more akin to the film-based lines, and was followed by a Clone Wars-style Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. From the concept up (my friends and I used to imagine endlessly what the Clone Wars were like and how Anakin Skywalker was as a Jedi), this figure was a must-buy for the collection…

The Package

The Vintage Collection packaging is a great look for the Star Wars line, and Anakin Skywalker is no different. The Clone Wars logo from the TV series is used, but the image is a photo-realistic portrait of Hayden Christensen in Clone Wars attire against a Coruscant-esque backdrop. The Kenner logo is present on the bottom of the card, and Anakin is packed with his lightsaber and saber hilt on display. As with all European releases, the back of the card is covered by a boring multi-lingual sticker.

The Figure

Anakin Skywalker comes with 14 points of articulation, a lightsaber and a lightsaber hilt. His look is based upon the 2008 Clone Wars film, with the stylish red, blue and brown armour. He wears a four piece soft-goods skirt.

The Light Side

First of all, the figure looks very cool. Anakin’s Clone Wars armour always had a good look to it, and is a refreshing change to the usual Jedi-in-robes look. The facial sculpt resembles Hayden Christensen enough to pass (although it could also be used for Edward Norton), and the lines in the armour and folds in the fabric are very well done. The proportions are spot-on, and despite the small, in-scale, feet, he can balance very well – no stand required!

The joints allow a great deal of posability, which is a massive plus point. The balance is such that the legs can be posed in an action stance whilst still standing up, which is important for an action figure. The ball-jointed shoulders are a good step forward for Hasbro – previously, we’ve seen shoulder pads restrict arm movement, but on Anakin Skywalker, the shoulder pads actually slide under the body armour, leading to a much greater degree of movement. The skirt works really well, matching the colours of the paint apps and actually being quite posable.

The Dark Side

One of the first things I noticed out of the package was that Anakin Skywalker is slightly hunched – it’s not a huge problem in most poses, but it’s there. Another half-criticism is about the points of articulation – swivel hips rather than ball-joints and the lack of upper torso articulation might be a negative to some, but in all honesty the figure has all the articulation it needs, and looks as good as it could.

One definite change I would make would be a hole in the belt to hang the lightsaber hilt from, but that’s it. There’s really not much wrong with this figure.

On Balance

This is a fine toy, and one that’s been a long time coming. Regardless of your opinions of the Clone Wars series, I’m sure that the idea of a Jedi Anakin Skywalker appeals to Star Wars fans young and old, and this time round Hasbro have nailed it. An unreserved five star figure!

*****

Vintage Wednesdays: Ghostbusters

Welcome to the first in what is sure to be an occasional and short lived series: Vintage Wednesdays! This is basically my opportunity to showcase the older figures in my collection, be they pieces I've held on to for years, or more recent (but equally old and interesting) acquisitions. Without further ado, I present... Peter Venkman and Egon Spengler, of The Real Ghostbusters!

Peter Venkman was most kids' favourite Ghostbuster, and who can blame them? Bill Murray blatantly stole all the best lines in the first film (my memory is hazy of the second, mainly because I think I blocked it from my mind out of unbridled childhood fear), and in the cartoon he was like the *slightly* more serious Michelangelo of the group, forever sparring with Slimer and looking for the easy way out. He was cool, man!

My favourite though, was Egon Spengler. Not sure why but between Egon, Leonardo and Ultra Magnus, my favourites were always the hapless, geeky ones of the group (I know Donatello was the scientist of the Turtles, but c'mon, Leonardo was the uptight serious one, right?). Egon built the kit, used the P-K Meter, and generally knew how to get them out of the countless jams they found themselves in. That was cooler to me than sarcastic one-liners; mainly because those probably went over my slow-witted head...

I had all four when I was younger, along with the Ecto-1, and the roleplaying Proton Pack, which provided hours more fun than a hollow blue plastic box should. I would've loved the Firestation, but I was pretty damn spoilt for Ghostbusters stuff, and certainly couldn't want for more.

These two, however, aren't from my childhood collection, which has been long since lost. In 2004, during my ill-fated first attempt at University I picked up these two from a car boot sale, and they've been with me since. Sold as seen, with chipped paint and no accessories, they still stand proudly on my shelf. I've looked into trying to buy a cheap Proton Pack or two to plug the holes in their backs, but according to the 'Bay it'd be cheaper to buy new versions of the figures outright, which seems a tad unnecessary; guess I'll stick to scouting charity shops and car boots until the day they turn up...

Still, Proton Packs or not - they ain't afraid of no ghost!

Peace out!

Vintage Pick-Me-Up

In a first for this blog (and indeed, my life), I present a Mos Espa custom... The repainted vintage Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot figure!

I picked him up cheap in a pretty worn condition with the intention of doing a repaint, after seeing some pretty good repaints online, but as always with these things took a while to get around to it...

This is the original. The colours are nice, but the paint job was badly chipped, and I wanted to dirty it up a bit and improve the accuracy. For one I really wasn't sure if Kenner had given him a black helmet visor or black hair. Confusing either way... Anyway, it's not perfect, but I'm happy with it for a first go.

Things I like:

- Getting a more accurate colour scheme, like the brown belt and the buttons on the control box
- Going for blonde hair!
- Attaching the lightsaber hilt from my RotS Anakin - literally his father's lightsaber
- I now have my own Dagobah landing Luke, without having to pay in excess of £30!

What I learned:

- I went too heavy on the drybrushing
- The flightsuit looks more red than orange. It's not as bad in person, but the shade isn't right

All in all, it was a fun little project, and something that I will probably attempt again, should the right figure come along...