HasLab VC Cantina

 After months of speculation, including a web page that accidentally went live, on June 7th, Hasbro made it official: the new Vintage Collection HasLab is Chalmun's Cantina aka the Mos Eisley Cantina as seen in A New Hope, and some other programs. So how does it measure up? Is it a good value? What's included? And most importantly: why back it? Not only will I answer those questions, along with adding what Hasbro must do when this funds. Because it will. Needless to say, I'm backing this, and will go into why, plus how I'm going to pay for it. 

These pictures show off what you get (picture 1), the "Deluxe" additions (picture 2) and both versions put together (picture 3). If you have a desk or dresser, or a coffee table this will fit. The basic price is $399.99, for the deluxe version it's $499.99. Whether you get the base or deluxe, you get plenty of chairs, tables and cups. Now keep in mind, there are 3 figures included with this, and I'll get into them later. Besides the accessories you get an entrance, including the Droid detector, the bar itself, and the alcoves, up to 6 if you get the deluxe, 3 if you get the base version. The bar is incredibly well detailed, as you'll see in the 2 photos below: 

As you can see in the 2 photos above (the 2nd one maybe not so much) there is a LOT of detail in this. From the piping down to the IG-88 dispenser heads. The 1st image seems to be painted while the 2nd one I don't think is the actual paint job (all pictures are from Hasbro through accounts shared online and social media, so that's where all the pictures are from and they obviously aren't mine). But every bar needs a bartender and patrons, so Hasbro is offering us just that with the initial offering! 

Also included is an external walls and stickers to decorate the outside walls (not pictured). Some stickers include 'Wanted'posters of a couple Cantina patrons, some that I'll get to towards the end of this post. And now onto the included figures! 

BASE FIGURES INCLUDED

1. Wuher

Wuher is the gruff bartender seen in ANH. For the Holiday Special and The Mandalorian, we'll he must have had the days off. Anyway, he comes with a rifle, cup, and a extra hand to point at droids to be kicked out of his bar! He makes sense since as a mainline or fan channel figure he'd never sell. He looks to have all the modern articulation, and is the only bartender figure in the VC until we get EV-9D9 (likely when this funds) or Bea Arthur (Hasbro should have offered her, more on that in a bit). 

2. Tonnika Sisters

These 2 figures have an almost Grail type presence in the Star Wars collecting community for many, many years. And finally, after 47 years they will get their long awaited action figure debut, and I don't count the micro figures as real ones. One of the sisters is taller than the other, just as in ANH, and if you're big into Star Wars Legends, Brea Tonnika could double as Shada D'ukal, the woman who would replace Mara Jade in Talon Karrde's operation after Mara agreed to marry Luke Skywalker. Or have them run a con game on Lando, another Legends story, as Han Solo pulled that one on his buddy. Either way, you get them both! And if you think Hasbro will release these on different cards in the future: it ain't happening! This is the only way to get them, and this is why the Cantina will DEFINITELY get funded at 8,000. And another note, base numbers and deluxe numbers are included in the full count. 

TIERS

There are 3 tiers to hit to get bonus figures. I feel that one of these tiers will definitely fund, while the other 2 I'm not certain will. At 11,000 backers, Greedo (brand new sculpt) is unlocked. At 14,000 Nabrun Leids gets unlocked. At 17,000 backers Arleil Schlous gets unlocked. Don't worry, if you don't know who they are their figures are in the photos below: 

Greedo makes sense, he hasn't been made in a while & he's needed for that infamous scene where HAN SOLO SHOT FIRST!! Also O96ers should take note: Greedo has a new card image, so technically he's not Original 96 versuon of Greedo. Nabrun is a cool looking alien, who got a figure around 2006, while Arliel is a debut figure. Now here is where I think Hasbro messed up with the tiers. While Nabrun and Arliel would peg warm at retail outlets, the only wolf man I'm familiar with is Lak Sivrak, and while he isn't in the Special Editions he would have been perfect for the final tier, in my opinion. If there's one thing collectors want is OT Theatrical characters in figure form, not only Lak but Sebastian Shaw Anakin is a popular figure request. It's cool to have a new wolf man, but sometimes nostalgia can pull in collectors like me who are closer to the original source material. Just my thoughts. The only way these 3 figures will get a mainline release is if all 3 tiers are funded! 

PIPELINE REVEALS 

We're getting Leia, Vader and a repacked R2 in 2024. In 2025, we get the OT original heroes! Luke, Han and Ben Kenobi will be all new sculpts, with Chewbacca getting partial new tooling, new lower body and head sculpt. Not bad! Hopefully the Make The Mains demand new ESB and ROTJ new sculpts for Luke, Han and Leia down the line. Needless to say this is great news! 

And that's not all! Hasbro has declared 2025 to be the "Return To Tattooine"! It appears that Hasbro is going all out to supply the Cantina with enough patrons to fit in, and this is a good thing for the Vintage Collection! In the Razor Crest HasLab, Hasbro promised to put out enough figures to interact with it, and to be fair they did. But the Frog Lady with her eggs is still missing. If all tiers fund, I hope Hasbro gives us enough figures both new and old to round out the Cantina. 

WHAT I THINK HASBRO GOT WRONG

This isn't a perfect HasLab, it's very close to being that. But, there are some things I question about this project. These are in no way going to keep me from supporting it.  

1. Ackmena's absence. We all know who Bea Arthur is, and for years I've wanted an Ackmena figure ever since I saw a bootleg copy of the Star Wars Holiday Special. 

2. No Chalmun. The name of the Cantina is Chalmun's Cantina. Chalmun is a Wookiee, and is sometimes shown wearing a vest. I would have been happy if someone slapped a vest on Krrsantan and modified the head and fur color. 

3. Lak Sivrak should have been the 3rd Tier. Nothing against Arliel, but Lak is the 1st wolf man of Star Wars. While removed for the Special Edition, he nevertheless had a neat story in Legends. Getting a super articulated version would be nice, but I guess I need to dig out my POTF2 version. 

These small issues like I said aren't deal breakers, but as a Star Wars collector I have to find something to complain about! 

MORE FIGURES NEEDED

If Hasbro is going to give us patrons, I have a list of both new, and repacked figures needed. And since some people reading this won't know who I'm talking about, I'm including images of these characters. 

Repacks

1. Ponda Baba

Image from Jedi Temple Archives. Also known as Walrus Man in the Kenner days, his 2017 3.75 Black Series repack was hard to find, at least for me. Repacking him with a photo real head sculpt should be a no brainer, and is definitely happening, in my opinion. He doesn't need the new barbell hips, the swivel hips are fine. 

2. Dr Evazan

Photo from Galactic Figures. Dr Evazan goes with Ponda Baba like Han goes with Chewbacca. They're friends, although he kinda left Ponda after Ben Kenobi cut off his arm didn't he?! I missed out on this originally, and he needs to come back. Like Ponda, only a photo real head sculpt would be needed. 

3. Bom Vimdin 

Photo from Galactic Figures. Last year I had a chance to get this guy, but passed. When I went back, he was gone. Maybe a photo real update is needed, but he's fine as is. 

4. Leesub Sirln

Image from Wookieepedia. Now Leesub hasn't been in the VC, but she got a Legacy Collection figure, so I went with the WP image instead of the figure itself. Plus I was too busy to take a photo of her figure, since I own one. A straight repack of that LC version, with photo real. Which would be nice since she goes for a small mint on eBay. 

"New" Figures

I used the word new in quotation marks because some of these figures have been made before, but it's been a while. 

1. Sandtrooper

Image from Wookieepedia. These guys are a given, especially since they wanted to investigate a little disturbance involving Ben Kenobi. Hopefully the card image is one of them in the Cantina. I used a WP image since I don't have time to customize a Remnant Stormtrooper and slap on an orange pauldron. 

2. Bo Shek

Image from Wookieepedia. You need Bo Shek. He suggests to Ben Kenobi to talk to Chewbacca. Put a new head sculpt on X-Wing Luke's buck and paint the orange part black. He got a figure back in 2001, and an update is badly needed. I'm kinda surprised he hasn't gotten made yet. 

3. Kabe

Image from Wookieepedia. Kabe is a small figure, and would have to be a new sculpt, so it's possible she won't be made. She got a POTF2 figure with her partner, Muftak. 

4. Muftak

Image from Wookieepedia. Muftak is Kabe's partner, and he got a POTF2 figure. His POTF2 sculpt was reused to make a Clone Wars Jedi, and hopefully that sculpt exists. Take off the Jedi robes and Muftak should be easy to do. 

5. Monaw Nadon

Image from Wookieepedia. The man known as Hammerhead, which is one of my favorite Kenner figures should be a lock for the VC in 2025 since a Black Series Sixer version is coming this year. I have doubts that Kabe and Muftak will be made, not Hammerhead. None. He's in the line. 

6. Djas Phur

Image from Wookieepedia. Djas got a figure in 2002, but it badly needs an update, plus he just looks cool doesn't he?! Maybe a Mandalorian buck without armor and a pair of Jango's pistols colored black, with new head and hands, this could work! 

7. Hem Dazon

Image from Wookieepedia. He's the first alien you see in the Cantina in ANH and it's been years since he got a figure. I don't know how he could be kitbashed, but an all new sculpt might be needed, but I still hope he gets a VC figure. 

8. EV-9D9 

Image from Wookieepedia. If you think EV-9D9 appeared in the Cantina in A New Hope, she didn't. She's from ROTJ. But, in Season 3 of The she ran the bar at the time Din Djarin and Bo Katan dropped in for a visit. Disney no doubt wants their media represented in this campaign in some form. Maybe the only way a new EV-9D9 is made is to put her on a Mandalorian card. That way putting her on a ROTJ card should be easy. She needs a new sculpt, and elbows that can bend. That's for you folks reading this who post on BanthaSkull! 

Surprise Figure: Jenny

Image from Wookieepedia. Jenny is Han's "girlfriend" who appeared with him in a deleted scene (she kisses him then slides off his lap during Ben's lightsaber antics). She's shown at another table having drinks, so she's someone with a tiny bit of actual screen time. Take the Jyn Erso buck and add a new head and arms. Now you've got Jenny! The chances of Jenny ever being made are the same chances the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl this season. Not likely. But I can dream, can't I?!

CONCLUSION

How I'm paying for this is by not going to the Fall St Tammany Comic Con in 2025, and to save money I subscribed to Hasbro Pulse Premium so I won't have to pay shipping. Other toy lines I collect also go to the back burner. I'm done with MOTU Origins, and still get McFarlane Toys Super Powers line, but I'm waiting on more villains like Lex Luthor and the Joker. Plus I'm only focusing on OT/PT VC figures going forward anyway. Plus after this year, no more Sixers, unless they're at Ollie's. 

Now this is my message to Vintage Collection collectors: DONT FUCK THIS UP!!! Yeah, I said what I said. We as a community have wanted Hasbro to invest more into the VC. New versions of ANH Mains is a start. We'll get some new and old Cantina aliens, and that is what we want, right? With the price and space, I respect those who don't wish to back. I didn't back Jabba's Sail Barge due to it. But the Razor Crest HasLab I could afford (this one isn't much more than the RC, at least the base version of the Cantina which is what I'm getting), and regret passing on. For me, the Cantina isn't just to display ANH figures. In Legends and Disney Canon, everyone winds up here. Din Djarin can flirt with the Tonnika Sisters. Bo Katan can flirt with Bo Shek, and Talon Karrde could meet Mara Jade for a drink while on recon. It's a dream come true for me, a chance to get figures that will never see the light of day. Plus, if times get tough and I have to sell, it's going to be a good investment. So please, if you can, back this HasLab! For those who can't, I understand and respect your decision. But if you can afford this, please, please, please back this!! We may finally be in a position to grow the Vintage Collection to be on even footing with the Black Series, which is all we as VC collectors have wanted for a long time. The time to step up is NOW! The HasLab campaign ends July 8th, let's get it past 17,000 and have it meet what The Ghost did last year!!

Thanks for reading. I took no photos and they are owned by Hasbro PR, Jedi Temple Archives, Galactic Figures and Wookieepedia. Thanks for reading! Please share this post on your social media accounts so I can get more readers, and please use the hash tag #BackTheBar when posting this!