Darth Vader VC 334 Review

 

Before I get into my review of the figure, I want to focus on the card. If I have a favorite Kenner card, it's this one. It's such a nice card, that I had as a saved search on eBay for VC 93, which was the previous Vader on this card. Thankfully, with this release, you and I don't need to sink a fortune into getting that version. So, bask in the nostalgia and admire the image. Seeing this, I can't wait to get the Star Wars Mains in the next year or two. For carded collectors, this figure, and the ones to come are worth the effort to get, and need to be in a case and proudly displayed on your wall. 

Since the return of Star Wars figures in 1995, Darth Vader has been a figure I always buy. The only Vader figure I don't have is VC 115 Darth Vader Emperor's Wrath. I never found it in a store, and the secondary market prices would require me to donate plasma and get a second job to fund it. This Vader is a minor retool of the Dark Times Darth Vader, who was recently released on a Return of the Jedi card and given a removable helmet. If you've read my blog, you know how much I love both of those figures. Which is why you might be surprised why there is something I'm disappointed about with this figure  

The articulation is solid, as you can see in his breakdancing pose (white background pic). All the articulation is the same. No loose joints and he's well balanced. But in a first, I used two-sised tape to keep it from going to Batman levels. Even eith the weight of the tape, he's incredibly well balanced. I had no trouble posing him. So this is technically a custom Vader. 

The sculpt is amazing, but there is a glaring problem. In ANH, Vader had cloth tabbards over his shoulder armor. While this figure has that, the paint on the cloth is glossy, and doesn't match the flat black the back of the figure has. So, I thought I'd paint the tabbards in flat black acrylic paint and it would solve that problem. WRONG!! So what about flat clear acrylic paint? NO! What's worse is I ruined my loose figure, fortunately this Vader can easily be found in most Wal-Mart stores, so it was easy finding another opener. That opener is the one you see above. In some of my other pictures you'll see the "ruined" Vader in a couple of the group figure shots. You might notice the extra brightness in the photos, but I did my best to reduce the glare so you won't see it. 

Vader somes with a couple swappable hands, a lit lightsaber and an unlit hilt which can fit on his belt, or in his hand as you can see as he steps on Ben's robe after striking him down. Swapping hands is easy, for the choking hand, I used those pictures earlier as getting the hands on close up shots didn't quite work for me. He can hold his lightsaber well, but for a THWG you might need an older lightsaber since it's longer. Lately, this has become a problem with VC Force user's action figures. But that's another topic for another day. 

Now as you can see, displaying this figure is easy. I used one of the photos above for when I reviewed Leia, but took a new photo for the photo with Grand Moff Tarkin, and the only Tarkin I have is the Marvel color version from the Legacy Collection Comic Pack, so that's why he looks like a South American dictator. Vader in the top photo with Leia is my failed tabbard paint job. Which is why I draped the cape over his shoulder in the top picture. 

My disappointment aside, this is still a figure worth getting. He's the version of Vader you need for both Rogue One and A New Hope displays. You don't have to fold back the cape using two-sided tape like I did, but the option is there. I'll be doing the same for my Sixer Darth Vader in the near future. Like I said earlier, your best bet for getting this figure is going to Wal-Mart, but he's available at normal retail price at Entertainment Earth, Hasbro Pulse and Big Bad Toy Store. I recommend buying 2: one to keep carded and one to open. 

So now that I'm done with my Vader review, I thought some coming attraction photos would help. Taking a week off helped me get a few pictures done: 

Ezra and Kanan will be reviewed together, while Zeb gets a single review. My Black Series Last Command 4 pack will be combined with my review of the new Thrawn Trilogy TPB and my custom Joruus C'baoth and Mara Jade 3.75 inch figures. I won't be using my picture of the 4 pack in the review, since I am not happy with it, and I opened it already. 

Thanks for reading! A special thanks to Chris and Nomad at BanthaSkull for allowing me to post this link in the comments section. Please post this blog link on your social media accounts so I can get more readers! 

PS: On this day: September 8, 1966 Star Trek debuted. If it wasn't for Star Trek, Star Wars wouldn't exist. And if it weren't for Star Wars, the Star Trek movies wouldn't exist. I don't know about you, but a world without Star Wars, or Star Trek 2 The Wrath of Khan would suck.