A new Vintage Collection figure! Well, new to the VC anyway. This version of Anakin came out as one of the first 3.75 inch Black Series figures back in 2014. He's the same figure, except for a new photo real head sculpt, and something his Black Series release didn't come with. Anakin is a repacked figure but since his Padawan version from AOTC didn't make it in the 1st VC run, Hasbro makes amends here and gives collectors a shot at getting him on a Kenner style card. The card image is good, with Anakin ready to strike with his lightsaber. It looks like a scene from the film but possibly from a deleted scene. But it's not a computer generated image so A plus is the grade on the card. Anakin has 14 POA (1 ball joint head; 2 ball jointed shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles; 2 swivel wrists and 1 swivel waist and 2 ball socket hips) and can do most action poses. The hips are hidden beneath the skirt so the figure doesn't look too bulky. He comes with an unlit hilt, l...

  I love the Vintage Collection but there are some good figures, well, they need help. The photo real updates to older head sculpts are a nice touch (Endor Han and Bespin Han being prime examples) but other photo real updates still miss the mark (AOTC Anakin who I'll review later). But with modern technology and new hip joints a lot of Star Wars characters need these new updates. But some figures just need a cosmetic change. Han needs a new sculpt, so does Luke and Endor Leia (which got a new head sculpt, not photo real) to keep up with the changes. But some VC figures are good in their own right. Some of these figures also appeared in the 3.75 Black Series line. If you hate Disney characters, well, most of these figures are Disney era. But some, well, need some help. 1. Figure: Finn From: 3.75 inch Black Series (easily capable of being placed in the VC) Needs: New ball joint hips. If there is any figure that needs a hip upgrade, it's Finn. Still has one of the better head s...

  Figures like this are why I love the Vintage Collection. Why? Because only in a scale of 3.75 inch figures can you get a character like this to enhance a vehicle or playset. See, the reason this figure got made was to help populate the very popular Razor Crest HasLab. So, is this figure worth your effort? Read on! Sporting 17 POA (barbell joint upper & lower head, 2 ball socket hips, 2 ball socket elbows, shoulders,  knees, ankles, 1 ball jointed waist, 2 thigh swivels) this guy moves well. This is one of the last all new sculpts to use the ball socket hips as newer figures use true ball jointed hips. Getting him to sit in a chair is effortless, and the hip articulation isn't hindered like it is for Mandalore Maul & Mandalore Ahsoka from the Clone Wars finale. I had no issues with tight joints on my sample either which is always a plus. If that ever happens boil some water and once it boils turn the heat off and dip the figure in for a minute. That should loosen tigh...

  The best part of going to movies is seeing trailers for what is coming soon. Now I don't have a cool movie idea to show, but I do have some neat ideas as my blog moves on. Yes new Kenner reviews are coming, but what else? Read on! 1. Power of the Force Kenner Reviews! This "lost line" will get future Kenner reviews and will only feature figures that made their debut on this unique card, which came with a collector coin. I'll do these figures in film release order, so from Star Wars through ROTJ. I will NOT be doing the animated Ewoks toys but I will be reviewed the animated Droids figures, although not all of them. Mostly the figures from the 1st storyline and a couple that I hope Hasbro makes one day. 2. Kenner Return of the Jedi reviews coming next year! I won't do any ROTJ (unless they are POTF figures) reviews this year, but will next year! I'll include Jabba, the Max Rebo Band and even a Rancor review! These are my favorite Kenner era toys. No vehicle ...

  I talked a lot of trash towards the Disney Trilogy. Poor writing, no story direction, etc. But it happened. Did it get negative attention because it failed to live up to expectations? Yes.  Now I'll admit that however these 3 movies turned out I probably would be disappointed because it didn't live up to expectations. But if the story was good, and more importantly there was a point to the story, I could forgive it. People my age for the most part didn't like the prequels, but it told a story. It wasn't just about Anakin's fall to the dark side but how a galaxy was corrupted into war by a tyrant who installed an Empire. So what should the sequels have been about? Well, that isn't what this post is all about. Well actually just a tiny bit.  This is about the things that Star Wars Trilogies (on film) must have. Then I'll go into what my proposed sequel trilogy will have been like. WHAT A STAR WARS TRILOGY MUST HAVE: 1. A story. Plain and simple. Lucas knew ...

  The final Kenner ESB figure I'll review!  So naturally I save my favorite character for last! If you recalled my Bespin Han review you'll know I bought this figure for a great price. He was in excellent condition and cost $12, with only his lightsaber. Easy buy! I wouldn't say this is the best figure made for ESB, 4-LOM, Zuckuss and Bossk could easily be the best. But this is a good figure, even if the head sculpt is a bit lazy in my opinion. Luke has simple 5 POA, and not a lot of color. He wears a tan uniform with dark tan painted boots and a belt that is all black. I had this as a kid and wondered what the heck that stick is hanging off his left hip. Well, that's Anakin's lightsaber. Yep. It is. Look closely at his left hip. He comes with Han Solo's blaster and a yellow lightsaber. But this time the lightsaber is not part of the figure but a small hand held one that can easily fly out his hand if he battles Vader. Plus it's easily lost. But a way to mak...

  San Diego Comic Con, which is on my bucket list, is being held this weekend. Friday, the Star Wars Hasbro team made their presentation and dropped some big reveals! I'll cover both the Black Series plus the Vintage & Retro Collections! Now for the elephant in the room: Hasbro's commitment to reducing/eliminating plastic on action figure boxes. If you're a Vintage Collection fan (also Marvel Retro, Retro Kenner figures and Retro O-ring GI Joe figures) there will be NO PACKAGING CHANGES!! However, for the Black Series there will be a picture of the figure on the front of the box, so the plastic window will be gone. Now, had Hasbro eliminated plastic bubbles for the VC & fellow Retro lines it would have meant the end of the VC, where the card is as much a selling feature as the toy. This has angered some Black Series fans, as expected. Selfishly I have no problem with the change. Aside from a few 6 inch figures I do get this isn't a big deal, I open those. But I ...

  Since the last 2 Star Wars Black Series HasLabs have failed, I have a couple proposals on some ideas I believe would be successful. I think it's time to ditch the Black Series and stick with the Vintage Collection when it comes to HasLab's. I have 4 proposals that cover the OT and 1 in the  Prequel era.  These will be a combination of playsets and vehicles, in one instance. The rules are simple, 5,000 backers means it is funded, tiers are added to incentivize more purchases. VINTAGE COLLECTION HASLAB PROPOSAL NUMBER ONE: THE SANDCRAWLER As long as I can remember collectors have wanted a modern update of Kenner's Jawa Sandcrawler. Disney shop did one a few years ago, but what fans really want is one that has all the bells and whistles. This needs to be a massive vehicle, possibly larger than the AT-AT at least in height or close enough to that vehicle's height. Inside it needs the space where R2 and 3PO reunite and where the droid who watched over them stood. There ne...

  Comic Packs. Back in the days of the Legacy Collection from 2008-2009 we got a lot of memorable figures. But they got their actual start in the 30th Anniversary line with the Kir Kanos/Carnor Jax Crimson Empire pack in 2007. They came with 2 figures and a reprinted comic book. This line was memorable for the figures we got. Sure we got a few extra Luke Skywalker's, Leia Organa's and a couple Darth Vader figures. But we also got some great Legends figures. The previously mentioned Kir Kanos & Carnor Jax, Marvel Comics 1980's characters Fenn Shysa, Tobbi Dala and the villainess Lumiya. We also got Cade Skywalker, Darth Talon, Deliah Blue, Darth Krayt and various Imperial Knights from the Legacy Comic Series. One of my favorite Comic Packs had Vilmarh "Villie" Grakh and Quinlan Vos who were in the Dark Horse Republic monthly series. Great figures and great varieties! But there is a point to this. Marvel is soon to publish their 100th Star Wars comic book since ...

  I've made several blog posts about the modern Marvel Star Wars comic book run, which I have said has had some of the best stories in the Disney era. But Marvel is really missing out on boosting sales while being devoted to some monthly series that don't exactly have issues flying off shelves. Looking at you Bounty Hunters and Dr Aphra. While I am a fan of the OT era mainly, I do enjoy Prequel era stories as well. Some of these would be good ideas for a miniseries. All of these would be Disney Canon. Some would make great monthly series possibilities. So please, read on! MINI SERIES 1. Rey Skywalker New Jedi Order. It's a lame title and I feel that a Disney Plus series about Rey's New Jedi Order could happen I think anything post Episode 9 would benefit from having comics bring it to life. How does the galaxy look post Exegol? How does Rey find students other than Finn who would also have a big role. This should focus more on Jedi hopefuls than galactic events and gov...

  Fun fact, I didn't have this figure until a few years ago. I found Bespin Han and Bespin Luke and scored them both for a total of $20. Han was complete, Luke wasn't. But anyway, this figure isn't bad. But it isn't great either. But it does improve on the 1978 Han Solo which Kenner had a hard time deciding which size head to use. But this figure represents a problem Kenner had with Han Solo. This is called the Bespin Han Solo despite the fact that it's the outfit he wears for most of the movie. The sculpt is a decent one from head to toe. The head, I'm happy to say is correctly proportioned. But his hair is the wrong color. Han has brown hair. Here Kenner gives him black hair. But if it's the price to pay for getting Han to be improved upon, then okay. Han has the same 5 POA as most other figures made at this time. There is good detail on his jacket, and the paint job while not necessarily film accurate (his boots in the movie were black, here they are pain...

  It's a well known fact I dislike the sequels, which I refer to as the Disney Trilogy. But there is a movement in the fandom to make Mara Jade, who is the most popular Legends character, into existing in the Disney Canon. In Legends, Mara was a personal agent of the Emperor who thought she was the only agent of his until Thrawn informed her differently. We'd learn in Children of the Jedi, another Legends novel that she suspected Roganda Ismaren of being another agent of the Emperor. But she'd marry Luke, give birth to their son, Ben Skywalker and would go on to train Jaina Solo. Sadly, Mara would die by Jacen Solo, earning his title as Darth Caedus. So that's her Legends back story briefly summarized. But putting her into the Disney Canon now just wouldn't fly. The Disney Trilogy is done. Was there a chance to put her in? Yes! Luke's exile would have been more believable if Ben Solo had murdered his wife, cementing his fall to the dark side. I could go on about...

  Let's face it, if you had this action figure as a kid he was the coolest figure in your toy box. If he's still in there, he still is! But, um, take him out and move him around a bit if he is still in a toy box! Billy Dee Williams is known for many roles, but his best known role is portraying Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi. He would come back as Lando to voice him in the Dark Empire audio adaptation and of course to once again pilot the Millennium Falcon in Episode 9. But Back to the figure, Kenner made a running change on Lando after the 1st wave to make him stand out a bit more. I'll cover both versions in this review. As with Bespin Leia, Lando comes with a vinyl cape that sadly does easily tear. In my humble opinion he really doesn't need to wear it, which is why it's rare to find a vintage Lando with his vinyl cape intact. But if you want a cape the Retro Lando has a good one, or you can buy a reproduction off Etsy or eBay...

  I thought about making Lando my 1st main character figure to be reviewed as I get to the end of ESB Kenner reviews. But no, I'm saving him for next week. Instead, I'm going with a version of Leia who is only in a couple scenes, which is the outfit she changes into while at Cloud City for her private time with Han Solo, and Lando's betrayal in handing them to Vader who is waiting for them in a dining room. There are 2 versions of this figure. One with a turtleneck and one without. But both figures come with the same accessories. She comes with a removable vinyl cape with some nice pattern work painted on it. She also comes the same blaster her 1978 Star Wars figure did. Like all Kenner figures she has the same 5 POA (head, 2 arms, 2 legs). At the time, the paint was well done. There isn't much color aside from the head, and on the neck, but that is about it. Whichever version you get the cape is decorated the same. Why the turtleneck and no turtleneck? I have no idea. ...

  Raise your hand if you've ever read a fan fiction for any property out there. Okay if you didn't raise a hand you are probably lying. Star Wars, Star Trek, Twilight, they all have fan fictions on the internet. There used to be some sites that were exclusively to one franchise or another but those have folded. But a simple online search can take you to the sites that have them. But this is a Star Wars blog, so I'll focus on Star Wars fan fiction sites. Back in the late 1990's there were these sites called webrings where fans could share each other's fan fiction stories. The Luke Skywalker/Mara Jade webring was one such site where you could read many fan fics of Luke and Mara. There were Lando/Mara webrings, Han/Leia webrings and even Luke/Callista webrings. But over time those sites closed down and are now internet ghosts. Also gone is the site Fanfix which had the single largest collections of Star Wars fan fiction. Any era you could imagine there was a story. No...

  He's strong in the Force, is obsessed with Luke Skywalker and has an anger management problem. Plus he has a cool helmet. No it isn't Darth Vader but a villain who sadly only appeared in one Legends novel, The New Rebellion (which takes place 17 years after ANH) which isn't a bad one shot novel. But the character Kueller had me interested since there was little known about him, and now over 25 years since his first appearance we still don't know all that much about him. Born as a man named Dolph on the planet Almania, Dolph was one of Luke Skywalker's first students at his Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4. He showed a lot of promise, and was well on his way to becoming a powerful Jedi Knight. However one day he was told his parents had been killed by the brutal Je'har Regime, who had come to power on Almania. But Dolph did not fall to the dark side because his parents were slaughtered. He had pleaded with Chief of State Leia Organa Solo for help from the New Republic. ...

  As we are in what for many will be a 3 day weekend, in the US it's Fourth of July weekend or for everyone else worldwide just another work day. A new novel debuted, new comics are out and the final Kenobi Wednesdays revealed 2 new Black Series figures and 0 VC figures. Yeah.  Fun if you're a Sixer, not so much for the VC. But the VC got the better Darth Vader figure so there's that. Kenobi is over and now the wait for Andor begins. With 12 episodes we get a first from Disney as most live action shows have 6-8 episodes. Bad Batch has season 2 coming up, with new looks for the team. No word yet on Season 3 but expect it once Season 2 streams later on. Back to Andor, the teaser really looked good. Hopefully we see the origins of the Rebellion and the events that lead up to Mon Mothma's declaration as seen on Rebels Season 3. Finally picked up comics. Obi-Wan Kenobi's miniseries is a top seller as my local store sells out. Luckily I have another comic book store in t...