VC77 - Ratts Tyerell

(Back to The Vintage Collection Basic Figures)

Reference

Wookieepedia article on Ratts Tyerell

Major Variants
*None Reported

Notes
* Life sized Darth Maul give away sticker on card
* Character Debut sticker on bubble

Roundtable Reviews!
Ratts Tyerell has appeared on wish list polls for a while now.  He is finally realized in plastic form for the Vintage Collection.  Prior to this, he had been rumored for a long time.  Tyerell lacks many of the points of articulation we’ve come to expect these days in larger figures.  Smaller figures often sport fewer points of articulation.  But if I look at recent smaller figures like Wicket and Logray my sense is that Hasbro could have done a bit more with Tyerell.  Elbows would have been a nice addition.

If you’re like me, your pod racers will just be standing on a shelf.  No action poses like Jedi or clones.  No need to sit like a cantina patron.  So the lack of articulation isn’t something that damns the figure, The sculpting and paint applications look the part.  The removable goggles fit easily on the figure and line up naturally.  The DUM-series pit droid sports five points of articulation and while it’s the same Episode 1 line mold, it does add a little more value to the pack.  7 out of 10.

7/10 Bantha Skulls

Photo Archive Update - VC80 Anakin Skywalker

We return from our unintended break to continue adding 2012 wave 1 figures to our archive. This entry is Anakin Skywalker in his padawan duds. Can Hasbro pack a lot of articulation in a small figure? Click here to find out.

VC80 - Anakin Skywalker

(Back to The Vintage Collection Basic Figures)

Reference

Wookieepedia article on Anakin Skywalker

Major Variants
*None Reported

Notes
* Life sized Darth Maul give away sticker on card

Roundtable Reviews!
I try very hard not to let the subject affect the review of a figure.  I don’t always succeed.  A figure of padawan Anakin Skywalker just doesn’t get me excited.  I would have preferred an upgrade to the standard Tatooine Anakin Skywalker from Episode 1.  If this were a super articulated figure of another diminutive character like Rycar Ryjerd I’d be doing back springs and petitioning the board for an 11 Bantha Skull rating.

But alas this figure is what it is, and that’s padawan Anakin Skywalker from the last moments of the film. As a figure it’s decent.  It has the standard 14 points of articulation which is impressive for a figure this small.  The training remote and helmet add an extra dimension of play value.  The detailing is impressive, but at the same time something that feels standard for Jedi costumed figures these days. The only thing I can legitimately knock the figure for is the fact that Hasbro didn’t quite get the hair correct.  It seems more like a perm than the spike doo Jake Lloyd adorned in the waning seconds of The Phantom Menace.  I’m giving this figure an 8 out of 10 due to the objective factors and nothing subjective moves my needle too much in either direction.  As an action figure, it’s a quality item. 8 out of 10. 

8/10 Bantha Skulls

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Photo Archive Update - VC82 Daultay Dofine

The stunted slime sure ticked off Darth Sidious, but will the figure make you happy? You have to check it out for yourself.

VC82 - Daultay Dofine

(Back to The Vintage Collection Basic Figures)

Reference

Wookieepedia article on Daultay Dofine

Major Variants
*None Reported

Notes
* Life sized Darth Maul give away sticker on card
* Character Debut sticker on bubble

Roundtable Reviews!
I don’t know where the light blue comes from.  In the movie and on the card, the costume seems somewhere between black and a deep purple.  Admittedly this could likely be due to environmental lighting.  However, the publicity shots of the costume, which do show some hints of blue, don’t appear this blue. So the color palette is a tad disappointing to me.

Having said that, I like just about everything else about the figure. The quality of the head sculpts makes me want the old Episode 1 line Neimodians to be updated, and I never thought I’d say that.  One thing I’m a sucker for is well executed soft goods on a figure and I find the cloth portions of the Daultay Dofine figure to be well done.  The blending of the soft goods elements and sculpted elements works in this case and adds a sense of richness.  The plastic tabard does have the effect of limiting the movement of the arms. For example, I could not pose Dofine with a two handed grip on the blaster,.  I’m not too concerned about this because getting in a shoot out seems out of character for the Neimodian captain. This is a solid entry.  8 out of 10.

8/10 Bantha Skulls

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Photo Archive Update - VC83 Naboo Royal Guard

Wave 10 gets back on track with the Naboo Royal Guard. Check it out the images here.

VC83 - Naboo Royal Guard

(Back to The Vintage Collection Basic Figures)

Reference

Wookieepedia article on the Naboo Palace Guard

Major Variants
*None Reported

Notes
* Life sized Darth Maul give away sticker on card
* Character Debut sticker on bubble even though this is the second release of the character

Roundtable Reviews!
Another very good figure form 2012’s inaugural wave.  The primary negatives with this figure are all associated with the pelvis region.  First, it looks odd.  The hip joints are obvious and look dated.  Second the hip joints have a rather narrow stance.  This means that although the legs have the requisite articulation for some nifty action poses, the narrow stance limits the possibilities.  There are a couple secondary negatives.  One is that I feel the face sculpt has a somewhat dopey or aloof expression.  Another is that I don’t think Hasbro got the deco of the helmet correct.  The figure has a painted design whereas the coloration on the actual prop helmet is more of a ware pattern.

The positives are very nicely done sculpt.  From the folds in the fabric to the ribbing on the jacket to the intricacies of the boots and gloves it seems a great deal of attention was paid.  The figure also received a dark wash which helps accentuate these details.  On balance, this is a decent figure and a solid 8 out of 10.

8/10 Bantha Skulls

Photo Archive Update - VC81 Ben Quadinaros

The eight fans who actually wanted this figure made are going to be disappointed. Check out this fatally flawed figure here.

VC81 - Ben Quadinaros

(Back to The Vintage Collection Basic Figures)

Reference

Wookieepedia article on Ben Quadinaros

Major Variants
*None Reported

Notes
* Life sized Darth Maul give away sticker on card
* Character Debut sticker on bubble

Roundtable Reviews!
If you think you hate this car now, just wait until you drive it.  There is a reason this miserable figure has so few images in the archive.  It doesn’t stand.  I wasn’t about to spend hours arguing the laws of physics just to flesh out the archive entry.  LFL birthed this lame design with a bulbous upper torso on top of spindly legs terminating in geisha feet.  When Hasbro translated it to plastic, it resulted in a figure that is more difficult to stand than balancing a screwdriver on its head.  Between toppling forward and toppling backward is a nanometer sweet spot where this figure will stay standing.  That is until it’s bothered by the equivalent air pressure generated from blinking your eyes.  This issue could have been mitigated by placing the figure on a stand, but the lack of peg holes in the feet eliminates this possibility. 

Of course the Otoga-222 pit droid is even harder to stand up, but you most likely already knew this as it’s the same one that came packed with Ody Mandrell from the Episode 1 line.

I was tempted to give this figure a zero as it find it completely useless.  I can’t include it in my pod race display since I’m guessing the longest period of uninterrupted standing will measure in seconds. But, the sculpt is nicely done and there was an effort made with the articulation.  5 out of 10.

5/10 Bantha Skulls