Editor’s Note:  This review has been updated with our second look at TVC…

Original Review:  Chris - 01/27/2011 08:28 PM

This review only applies to the running change that started appearing in May of 2011.  With the corrected paint apps to the helmet and midsection, this figure takes one step toward being the definitive Stormtrooper.  It’s not there yet.  Improvements need to be made to the left hand, holster and possibly the arms.  The left hand is the single biggest problem with the figure.  Correcting that alone will make a huge step toward closing this sculpt out.  Until that is done, this figure will fall short of definitive.  Two bantha skulls short to be exact.  8 out of 10.

Updated Review:  Chris - 7/07/2018 07:05 AM

When I reviewed the Black Series re-release of the Vintage Collection Sandtrooper, I wrote:

I’m going to be honest.  I’m getting tired of reviewing descendants of 2004’s VOTC Stormtrooper.

Then Mr. Nomadscout had the wizard idea of doing a second look at the Vintage Collection.  I loved the idea.  Our original photography could use a lot of improvement and it would give us a chance to upgrade the photos to our better contrasting gray background.  What could go wrong?  Then when it came time to take a second look at that aforementioned Vintage Collection Sandtrooper (VC112), Mr. Nomadscout asked if I wanted to do it (more accurately he tried to guilt me into it).  I replied:

I’m going to be honest.  I’m getting tired of reviewing descendants of 2004’s VOTC Stormtrooper.

Shortly thereafter, it came time to take another look at this VC41 Stormtrooper.  Mr. Nomadscout used his universal “fatwa” excuse to get out of doing it.  He said he couldn’t find his.  My aunt fanny.  So now I have to review it.  I’m going to be honest.  I’m getting tired of reviewing descendants of 2004’s VOTC Stormtrooper.  To that point, I’m not going to go into great detail and just state the same thing I’ve been writing for almost a decade now.  That tooling needs to be broken so that it will never see the light of day again. The hands are rigidly sculpted to precisely receive the grip and barrel of 2004’s diminutive E-11 blaster.  The only practical THWG (two-handed weapon grip) is in a left handed pose (because the left hand is sculpted to the angle of the grip).  I don’t want an army of sinistral Stormtroopers.  Those hands undermine what is otherwise a passable army builder.

Now I can imagine someone from Hasbro reading this, and looking at the poses above and saying to themselves, “You, jerk.  It’s pretty good.”

THAT’S JUST IT!  IT’S PRETTY GOOD.  NOT GREAT.  NOT DEFINITIVE.  The Stormtrooper is THE figure that is synonymous with army building.  For many people reading this, it was the first figure they army built.  It deserves better than pretty good.  I deserves better than even a Larry David “pretty…pretty good”.  It deserves great.  This is an army builder that spans five movies at this point.  Hasbro needs to do for the Stormtrooper what it did for Death Star II Luke, and it’s overdue.

Verdict: Re-sculpt (URGENT PRIORITY) 

As I’ve mentioned recently, I sense that Hasbro will be revisiting the original 12-back figures in this run of the Vintage Collection.  That’s not a wink from me to you.  I have no intelligence on this.  I just feel it’s something in the collecting ether.  Naturally, the original 12-backs include the Stormtrooper.  The time is now for the ultimate definitive Stormtrooper:  It should include (but not be limited to) the following:

• Ball joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles.  And yes, I mean a true ball jointed neck and not ball and socket.
• The ankles should be rocker ankles as well.
• Upper thigh swivel.
• Pliable hands sculpted in a universal c-grip with sturdy weapons.  If a new E-11 is sculpted with an enclosed trigger guard, the right hand should have a floating trigger finger.
• A non-removable and correctly scaled helmet.
• A real working holster and not this half holster nonsense.

Hasbro, please get it done and make it ridiculously available for a long time.  People will buy and buy and buy this figure.  I will order multiple solid cases of the figure described.

If you do happen to go out to the secondary market for this figure, make sure you get the second release with the ab dots painted and the “stunt” helmet.  The stunt helmet can be identified by having white space between the lenses and the black band.  All of the Revenge of the Jedi and Return of the Jedi carded releases featured the second release of the figure.  Some of the Empire the Strikes Back carded releases featured the second release, but you’ll have to examine the figure.  The differences can be seen here:

Click for the full sized image

Verdict Guide:
Re-sculpt = The figure is not definitive, and a new version should be developed.
Re-issue = This version is definitive (or close enough), and shows sufficient secondary market demand to warrant a straight repack.
No Action = This release does not require new attention.