The Best & Worst of 2023 Star Wars Collecting

 Since it's literally the last day of 2023, or if you are my friend Jason, aka Middle Aged Kiwi Man Collecting Star Wars Figures from YouTube and BanthaSkull, it's already the 1st day of 2024 in New Zealand when he's reading this. Happy New Year, Jason! To wrap a bow on 2023, how was it for collectors of the Vintage Collection and Black Series? Well, pretty good actually! While the last 2 years have been mostly lamenting, and fuming, not so much this year! Both of Hasbro's main collector lines were great, but sadly the kid focused Mission Fleet will soon fly up to that big toy box in Heaven, and without any Leia or Rey figures. But you can find Mission Fleet at Ollie's, I  managed to get Vader's TIE, Luke's X-Wing with Luke and Grogu, plus Moff Gideon's Outlander TIE Fighter, all for $15 total. So this post will be my best of 2023, and I'll end it on what I'm looking forward to, and hope we get in 2024, which is another big anniversary year, highlighted by the 25th Anniversary of The Phantom Menace!

THE BEST OF THE 2023 BLACK SERIES

In the photos above, you can see my best 4 figures from this past year, and what can I say?! Darksiders rule! Old Man Maul narrowly takes the top spot over Darth Malgus. Both figures are exceptionally sculpted, Maul fits in with the Rebels figures, despite being a Gaming Greats figure, with a head sculpt that is just perfect! Malgus is the most massive Black Series figure made, he's actually close to the 7 inch scale (full reviews of Old Man Maul and Darth Malgus are coming next year).  R2-D2 is a figure I recently found as my preorder version has yet to arrive, and while I'm figuring out how his accessories are stored, and how to open the flaps so he can use them, it is a massive upgrade over the previous versions. Yes, he gives the SH Figuarts version a run, and will cost you much less. I already reviewed Jedi Luke, it's an amazing figure! 2 other great figures I don't have are Padawan Ahsoka from Clone Wars, and Dok-Ondar from Galaxy's Edge. Thanks to him Hammerhead is coming to the Black Series!

What's coming for 2024: For me, after I get Starkiller, Baylan and Shin (Landspeeder Luke has great custom ideas for Baylan and Shin) I'm done with the line. I have a decent collection, and I'm happy. But, The Phantom Menace versions of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala are coming for TPM's 25th. The upcoming Mandalorian Season 3 Din Djarin figure might be the best version Hasbro has ever made, and there's a way he can properly have the Darksaber stay on his belt! This is Hasbro's best selling line of the 2 collector focused lines. Whenever Skeleton Crew and The Acolyte start streaming expect the new character figures to debut first in this line. But, if this line is going to keep its momentum, the $25 price tag per figure is the maximum point for many collectors, and Hasbro is already having financial issues, if they keep raising the prices on this line, they'll have even more as the public will stop buying Black Series, or just buy fewer.


THE BEST OF THE 2023 VINTAGE COLLECTION

The past 2 40th anniversary celebrations of the OT were not well for the 3.75 inch super articulated scale. The VC didn't come back until 2018, and got only a couple figures for 2020 for ESB: a repacked Boba Fett and new (kinda) Bespin Escape Leia. Well, finally in 2023 the VC got love for ROTJ's 40th Anniversary! A Bunker playset, 2 vehicles (AT-ST and Speeder Bike), a couple repacked older and hard to find figures, plus new Imperial officers and a 4 pack of background characters for your Jabba's (carded as Boba Fett's from BOBF) Palace! Low expectations going into 2023 from me, and Hasbro pleasantly surprised me, and other VC collectors! It wasn't perfect, but it showed us that Hasbro does want this line to work, and since it costs less for a VC figure than a Black Series figure ($18 for VC to $25 for Black Series), this line could gain more new collectors in 2024.

Best Deluxe Figure:

This easily goes to Black Krrsantan. Paz Vizsla is a good figure, but it's the accessories that set Krrsantan apart from both Paz, and Sabine Wren. For $28, there needs to be value, for instance I thought the Deluxe Luke/Grogu Book of Boba Fett pack delivered, but since it is technically a 2 pack I didn't consider it as the best Deluxe Figure, so Krrsantan won out. Easy winner in my book. And it's the mainline version, not the SDCC version.

Best Repack: Kenner Colors Boba Fett (no photo).  Hasbro recreated the 1979 Kenner card image and the Kenner colors on this Target exclusive, that was initially hard to find online and in stores. Once it showed up in stock, it sold quick. I hated the $22 price tag, but enjoyed a nostalgic trip acquiring this figure gave me. He narrowly beat out the Weequay Guard.

Best Multifigure Pack: I picked the Jabba's Denizens 4 pack (no photo), narrowly over the Imperial Officer pack. While it was good to get Piett with the correct rank, and a Death Star briefing room officer in Motti, plus 2 generic background officers, it didn't fulfill the world building element that only the VC can give. With the officers pack, you don't get a lot. With the Jabba 4 pack  you populate the palace, Skiff and Sail Barge. Heck, you even got the guy who literally shot Luke Skywalker! All the Imperial 4 pack gave you, was Piett and Motti. Your scenes are limited, as well as display options with the Officer pack.

Biggest Letdown:

 This is a tie between Endor Han Solo and Light Cruiser Luke. I went into detail on Endor Han's letdown: recycling Alden Han's legs, as Alden is shorter than Harrison Ford so his torso is a bit too tall. That's a fail. Looks good carded, though. With Light Cruiser Luke, it's the hips. Had barbell hips been added to this figure it would have EASILY made my Top 5 of 2023.


VC Honorable Mentions

In the photo above, you can see my Honorable Mentions. Morgan Elsbeth came without any accessories, but I count at least 4 figures coming from that buck: Possessed Morgan, Asajj Ventress, Nightsisters and Dark Side Rey. Sabine Wren is an incredible figure, and a clever re-use of the Bo Katan buck, but her ridiculously large helmet (helmet not pictured) makes her off the list. The head sculpt is excellent, as are the paint apps as Sabine has always been colorful. Ezra's lightsaber hilt can fit on her belt, along with her blasters. Luke Skywalker from BOBF is the best VC Luke Skywalker so far in the VC. And finally, another Mandalorian I have yet to review, but did an older figure of is Pre Vizsla. His removable helmet fits well, isn't too out of scale, and captures his Clone Wars Season 5 appearance almost perfectly. I'll review him sometime soon in 2024.

And now onto my Top 5 of 2023. The rules are simple: I had to acquire the figure from Dec 17, 2022 to Dec 17, 2023, and not necessarily have reviewed the figure. A couple of these figures came in the past 5 weeks, so Hasbro has really finished strong here.


5. Tessek

One of my most eagerly anticipated figures, but sadly only available in a 4 pack. But he was on a single card, and you could probably get this figure by itself for $70, but why not spend $70 to get the other 3 too?! When I did my Top 25 Vintage Collection figures, I put Yakface as Number 1 because he was well sculpted, a weird looking alien,  and a perfect world building figure. Tessek may have some paint issues when it comes to matching his onscreen counterpart, but he is a perfect world building figure.

4. Hera Syndulla

Hera gets the designation of being VC 300, and is an incredibly well sculpted and painted figure. Attention to every detail can clearly be seen on this figure  especially her, well, as Sir-Mix-A-Lot would say: "Baby Got Back!". Hera's backside does get a lot of attention, but if you didn't back The Ghost HasLab, and want Hera, this is the only way to get her. Hera will be my first VC review of 2024.

3. Hunter

While the lack of Bad Batch mains are obvious in the Vintage Collection, Hunter is the reason why collectors want his teammates. Using the new Clonetrooper buck, Hunter has incredible articulation, and even a knife holster, and while he lacks a holster for his pistol, his backpack can hold his blaster rifle. Check out my review of him (you can search it in my blog!), and hopefully Hasbro offers more of Clone Force 99.

2. Darth Vader (ROTJ). 

Now you may have thought this would have been my top choice, or my top repack. But enough changes were made to make this figure "new". A new removable helmet, a new head sculpt, and a new right stump to place over his hand to show Luke's payback from Empire Strikes Back. It's basically the Dark Times Vader, my top figure of 2022, but with enough changes to make it all new. I expect Vader back in my VC Top 5 of 2024 as the upcoming ANH Vader will be based off the Dark Times Vader as this figure is.

1. Grand Admiral Thrawn

I reviewed him a couple weeks ago, and what more can I say?! My 2nd favorite villain behind Vader, one of my favorite Star Wars Legends characters, just behind Mara Jade. While there are some limits to his articulation, especially on his elbows, a problem the new Imperial Officer buck has, but honestly, I don't freaking care! Getting Thrawn, any version, is well worth the wait. And for a line that doesn't offer a lot of villains, when they do, they deliver.


WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2024


1. VC Count Dooku. One of the most anticipated VC figures since Dark Times Darth Vader.

2. Anniversary celebrations. 2024 is not only the 25th Anniversary of The Phantom Menace, but also the 10th anniversary of Star Wars Rebels. Now Rebels is getting major love: The HasLab Ghost with Seasons 3 & 4 versions of the crew (Sabine and Chopper will be offered on the same Mural cards sometime next year), but also mainline VC releases of Lothal Ezra (from Ahsoka), and season 1 versions of Kanan and Zeb. Hopefully, The Phantom Menace gets some VC representation. At the most, new versions of Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. At the very least, a repack of Darth Sidious.

3. Inflation. Not to get into politics, but with prices per figure at all time highs, will we see a price increase again? Many collectors will be facing this difficult decision if Hasbro raises prices. Some sets are coming for both the VC and Black Series that most fans know about, and are already saving for. For me, it's the Black Series C'baoth and Clone Luke pack, hopefully it isn't above $130. If the Black Series increases prices, I don't see people sticking with that line as loyally as they have in the past. The Vintage Collection is also on the fiscal cliff for me and other collectors. The Black Series figures are already reducing articulation by eliminating thigh swivels. What else will get cut from both lines?

4. Will the Vintage Collection have more figures than Black Series? This past year we got over 50 VC figures, including repacks. The Black Series has more, but a once noticeable gap has shrunk. The VC is catching up, and gaining new collectors, which is a good thing for the VC.

5. The inevitable failure of the Epic Heroes Collection Line. 5 POA is back, and focused on kids. Again. Now if these figures were more like the 9 POA Marvel Epic Heroes Collection, these figures would probably do well, and gain collector interest. These figures will be 4 inches tall, slightly taller than the VC, and come with extra accessories. Now if the promised vehicles in this line are any good, I may eat my words about this line failing. I'm not cheering or pushing this line to fail, I think it will because they tried this before. But then again, Hasbro tried 6 inch GI Joe's with Sigma Six, and it bombed. Now, Hasbro's 6 inch GI Joe Classified line is doing well. If the vehicles are good, then this line might have staying power.

6. Vintage Collection Vehicles. Aside from The Ghost, will we get a version of the N1 from Phantom Menace? The Mandalorian N1 sold quite well because it didn't go to brick and mortar stores. This may be the future of VC vehicles. Now, if they'll only make Poe's X-Wing from Episode 7...a black X-Wing would sell like hotcakes. The future of vehicles will be Hasbro Pulse and other online retailers, it appears.


7. According to Yakface, Hasbro will have a preorder event on January 24th, with some possible reveals made before then. Maybe a live stream in a week or 2 would be my guess.


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Happy New Year!