The Last 17: Is Romba The Bomba?

 
Kenner Name: Romba

Modern Name: Romba

Vintage Release: POTF 92-Back (1985) [No. 93730]

Does It Exist In The Modern Line: YES

Does It Exist In The Vintage Collection: NO

Does It Exist In The Vintage Collection On Its Debut Card: STUPID QUESTION (SEE ABOVE)

Latest Modern Release: The Thirtieth Anniversary Collection (2007)

Is The Modern Release Good Enough: NO

Review: 30-43 - Romba & Graak


Over the course of the Last 17 series, we're going to have to look at four Ewoks. Romba is the second to last one with only Warok still too go. I don't look forward to these entries as much as the others. Not because I have anything against the Ewoks, but because it's too hard for Hasbro to do much with such small figures. Even if hasbro manages to work in elbows and knees, they tend to not offer much range of motion on there wee little buggers. So the prospect of discussing a new release just isn't as exciting to me, and Romba definitely needs one if he is ever to enter Vintage Collection enshrinement.

One thing that I find interesting when comparing the 1985 Romba with it's 2007 counterpart is that I feel like the vintage Kenner figure nails the expression much better than the modern release. To me it's a little bit of slack-jawed bewilderment:


Kenner really drilled into that in my opinion. Hasbro seemed to go in the direction of a slightly aggressive scowl. Point Cincinnati says I.

Perhaps the coolest part of the modern release is that it comes in a two-pack with the Ewok Graak (maybe). Remember those? Two-packs? They were pretty sweet. The expression might have been noteworthy, but the figure itself does not hold up today by any stretch of the imagination. I know I earlier decried how impractical articulation is on tiny Ewok figures, but it needs to be more than what the 2007 offered. Perhaps the biggest sin is the preposed bent right elbow. It does facilitate poses with the spear, but eliminates much hope for any neutral poses. We could at least get ball jointed elbows (with admittedly limited range) and ball jointed hips today if we want Romba in the Vintage Collection, but of course it should come on a POTF card with coin. Why do POTF cards face such headwind in the modern Vintage Collection?

Say, since Romba carries a knife do you think the name was a tribute to Rambo? An anagram with a single letter transposition seems to be very on-brand for the universe were the fat pilot is named Porkins.

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