2026 SDCC Vintage Collection Reveals

 It's that time of year again, the San Diego Comic Con has come, and now gone. It's honestly my favorite time of the year, as the SEC also had their media days this week. When it comes to LSU in Lane Kiffin's first season, I am not going to be optimistic. I was last year and they went into the crapper. Literally. But enough LSU football stuff, you're here to get my takes on the reveals from the Vintage Collection, and I have to say, it ain't all bad. I'll give thoughts in the Lagniappe Section about MOTU Origins and plus, where you can find my Star Wars fan fiction that I'm working on. All images are from Hasbro PR and BanthaSkull and are not mine.

VINTAGE COLLECTION VEHICLE REVEALS

1. Kenner Colors Luke's X-Wing 

My first thought was "Why isn't this a Retro Collection vehicle?". I'm all for nostalgia, I mean, that's one of the reasons I love the Star Wars Vintage Collection and MOTU Origins so much. But you also get a maybe new X-Wing Piolet (Hasbro misspelled 'pilot' this way a couple years ago, and many collectors use this to poke fun at any pilot figures. Pikot is my common misspelling of pilot) Luke, on a 420 card. And smoke one if you've got one (but don't drive high, okay?). I understand there was some success with the Kenner Colored Aliens from the cardboard Cantina playset, but Hammerhead was the reason why. This one? Eh. I only hope Hasbro made only 2,000 units of this. And for $140, I doubt it will sell much. It is a Pulse exclusive, however. I personally think this shows Hasbro has some confidence to do something different with the VC, like what they do with the Sixers and their holiday themed figures. But, I still stand by my original take: this should have been the 1978 Kenner X-Wing and made for the Retro Collection. I don't know if Artoo is included or not, but since there's no mention, I guess you can use any of your extras if you end up wanting to buy this. 

2. INT-4

"Now this is podracing!". To use Anakin's quote from the Battle of Naboo in TPM, I am as excited for this release as much as, if not more so, than the figures that were revealed. Kenner made the original INT-4 for their Mini Rig line, and I got one of those a couple years ago, albeit, one that's pretty beat up. If you were one of the hundreds (it's a joke, cupcakes) who saw The Mandalorian and Grogu movie, this vehicle played a role in the opening sequence, which was a great action scene for a Star Wars themed movie. Included is the Imperial Warlord, and my guess is like his Sixer counterpart he'll have the rank badge of a Lieutenant. However, if they chubbied him up, we could get a Warlord Zsinj figure from Legends. I have no idea on the price point for this, but if it's the same as the Speeder Bike, I'll sell some plasma and get this. 

VINTAGE COLLECTION FIGURE REVEALS 

1. Battle Droid Commander

If you ordered the Battle Droids newest 4 pack, you have a droid who can at least boss around the B1's in that set. While there is some better wrist articulation to match the other droids in the 4 pack, and other collectors say these new droids are more durable to stand, I still prefer the 1999 versions. At this stage, I'm a budget collector. So that's the reason why I'm passing on this particular figure. As for the normal B1's from the pack, I'm certain that they will be on single cards soon. 

2. Super Battle Droid 

If the new Droid 4 pack offered 2 of these figures, I would have bought it and called it a day. Some of my 2002-2005 era Super Battle Droids have held up well, but this figure excites me. I'm pre-ordering 2 of these dudes. 

3. Obi-Wan Kenobi 

If there's a dud in the line, it's this figure. But if there's a figure I badly want, it's this figure. He has the weird knees that the ROTS Obi-Wan has, and the too long sleeves that the Jedi Legend Obi-Wan and ROTS Obi-Wan have. The card shows Obi-Wan at the Geonosis Arena, so he should technically come with the lightsaber tossed to him before the battle broke out. Obi-Wan deserves better treatment as a figure since he is a Main. But the reason why I, and other collectors are critical of the recent Obi-Wan figures is we want the Mains to be the absolute best versions of the characters they can be. Despite the flaws, the Obi-Wan I have from AOTC is aged out. And I'll have to learn to dremel a small portion off the sleeves. There needs to be a line between onscreen accuracy and toy practicality, Obi-Wan deserves both. So do the other Mains. With the extra hands, he's still regular price. So that's a plus. I'm pre-ordering out of more obligation than want. 

4. Padme Amidala 

An Arena accurate Padme was needed for the Gunship HasLab, and we have her. I honestly thought she'd come packaged with a new Nexu, the creature that ripped her clothing in the movie. Plus this is a major improvement over the 2002 version, with the quick draw arm. I showed the 3rd image for 2 reasons: the first to show the ripped clothing, the second to admire the cake. Padme has a slightly different hair style to show her hair coming undone during the fight, and I dare say on just looking at the photos an incredible face sculpt. I'm still on the fence about pre-ordering this figure, because I'm happy with the previous version, but that face, that hair, the cake...I'd like to see Hasbro do Huttslayer Leia and Oola, and I feel like if I don't get this, Hasbro won't make those. 

5. Anakin Skywalker 

When Hasbro showed the Microseries Anakin vs Asajj Ventress 2 pack, I knew this was coming. Steve Evans, the Hasbro Star Wars brand manager confirmed it on an Instagram post last week. While I still feel like they haven't quite captured Hayden Christensen's look, this is their best attempt on an AOTC Anakin. Like Obi-Wan, he comes with his standard lightsaber and not the one he was tossed in the Arena. His card also shows him from the Arena, so he should have come with his green lightsaber instead. Hopefully both wrists come with up/down motion (I am still hoping ball joint wrists will soon come to this scale), and I feel a version with the robotic hand may come in the future. I wonder if a head swap can be done with the other Anakin figures, which is why I might get 2. So far, I like what I see. 

DELUXE AND UP 

1. Rotta The Hutt

Let me first say, I have no clue how much this will retail for. There's also a Sixer version that has eye and mouth articulation. With his Poppa Jabba's recent figure, we only got him with head and arm articulation. Rotta will have articulation throughout his entire body, tail included. While I like the newest Jabba, it sucks his tail can't move. Rotta comes with his Arena weapons, and a pair of extra hands. For this scale, he's incredible. But if you're on a budget like I am, the ActionVerse Rotta may be worth settling for. I need to know the price before I consider getting this. Jabba cost a little over $100, but that was with the dais and 2 carded figures. Rotta has no need for a dais, and may even be bigger than Jabba due to hitting the gym. I would like to get this, if the price isn't too expensive, so I'm at a wait and see. The sculpt looks fantastic, though. 

2. Amani Warrior

Honestly, I didn't see this figure coming. I should have, but I didn't. I assumed the deluxe reveal would be the Destroyer Droids because of the Gunship, and I made an ass out of me, didn't I?! As I posted on BanthaSkull when I first saw this image "It's a work of art." Not much more to add. On the plus side, Hasbro can make an Amanaman to add to Jabba's Palace, or the Sail Barge (more on that shortly). Or they can recycle this as the Amani that Lt Janek "Tank" Sunbar (Luke's friend Tank) encountered as a Legends Comic Book inspired 2 pack. Other than the M&G movie, ROTJ and the Legends story, there really isn't much use for this buck, unless they're showing up in new stories. At $27.99 he's the price of a basic Sixer. Make no mistake, he should be deluxe. But pricing the deluxe the same price as a basic Sixer only illustrates the biggest problem the VC faces. A non collecting consumer would grab the basic Sixer over this figure compared on price alone. Until Hasbro lowers the cost (I think $25.99 is a reasonable price for a deluxe VC figure) this is going to continue. I have no love for the Amani, but I'm skipping out because it's just something I don't have a need for in my collection. 

OVERALL REVEAL GRADE: B plus. I always have low expectations for reveals, and I need to remind myself to continue having them. If corrections had been made to Obi-Wan and there hadn't been a gimmick vehicle, this would have been an A. But I'm pleased. A update to a Mini Rig, 3 Mains, and support for the Gunship and building out the Mando and Grogu movie world? It's good. 

LAGNIAPPE SECTION 

1. Part of why I took a blog break is I've been writing a fan fiction. Here's the link: 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/88671766

It's a sequel to my short story "Walkabout" and is inspired by my wish that Mara Jade had appeared in the Dark Empire series. Here, she does. It's part of my fan universe to undo the Sequel Trilogy from existing. If you like some of the new Canon and Legends, I mix elements of both into this story. I plan on having 6 parts, plus an Epilogue. I am editing the 2nd part and should have that up sometime this upcoming week. Which means I'm not making many blog posts, for now, anyway. 

2. Factory Entertainment is not only making 1:18 (aka 3.75 inch) Battlestar Galactica figures, they showed off a 1:18 scale Enterprise Bridge Playset based off the original series of Star Trek! If they make Star Trek figures, I may need to get a 2nd job because it would be worth it!! 

3. MOTU Origins is finally getting Two-Bad! Plus a rebranding as future figures will feature build-a-figure parts to create a Shadowbeast and Masks of Power Demon. Older figures are getting put back into the line, but some newer ones like a Battle Armor Man-At-Arms and Faker Teela debut. WWE Eternia figures are also back, from the 1st wave I like Cody Rhodes as a "Battle Armor He-Man" and Shawn Michaels as Bow from She-Ra. Expect those WWE figures as Wally World exclusives. 

4. I must applaud Hasbro for promising to support previous HasLab's for 2027. While there really isn't much in my opinion left for the Sail Barge and Cantina, there are plenty of missing figures for the Razor Crest, Ghost and the Gunship. The support for the Ghost has been the worst, and I'm at the point where I regret getting it. Unless something changes, that's my current thought about it. Hopefully for the Crest we get Peli and the prison break crew (I'm over Frog Lady), more Jedi and Destroyers for the Gunship, and Rebels Mains off the Mural Cards, plus Old Man Rex, Inquisitors....the Ghost is lagging in support compared to the other projects. With no HasLab this year (Praise God!), Hasbro is using the time to catch up. It's a good use of time. Now, Hasbro, can we please get another HTTE 3 pack with a Mara Jade VC figure? That would be great, mmkay?! 

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

PS: I had originally planned to review Baze Malbus, but I'm not as wild about the figure now. Review will come, along with showcasing other heavy gunner 3.75 inch figures for comparison. But I have no idea yet when I'll post it. I need to retake the photos anyway as I wasn't pleased with them.