Kenner Cloud Car Pilot

The Cloud Car Pilot wasn’t a figure I prioritized getting, but through the usual means of getting figures you don’t intend (lots), I’ve ended up with two. That’s not to say I didn’t want this one, but at the moment I don’t even have a Twin Cloud Car to put them in, and I also hate that mine don’t have their parts, but I guess that just makes incentive for a third down the road…

With that said, he’s just another great figure from the original Kenner Star Wars line. The idea of him doesn’t seem too interesting, but good sculpting and paint details really bring him to life. I also especially like something about his bowl shaped helmet.

I will say I think the bent arm limits him a bit, but it makes more sense when you have the commlink he was included with. I also think his gun looks a bit too boxy, but it’s not bad either. All in all, he compliments my collection of Bespin figures well.

Kenner Dengar

Although the bounty hunters really didn’t do much in the films, they’re interesting characters and Dengar especially has an interesting design. Of the Imperial bounty hunters, I think Dengar might just be my second favorite, although it’s hard to rank that bunch.

This Kenner toy on the other hand, is not my favorite at all. I picked this one up mainly by chance and was surprised by one thing in particular: his height. The original Dengar is really tiny, like, Jawa/Ewok tiny. I have no clue why they would have made him this small, but either way I think it detracts from him.

Otherwise Dengar really isn’t a bad figure, his sculpt is great. His rifle is really cool too, and although it’s not really the Valken-38 he used, it works either way. The height issue really puts him down a notch though, especially when so many of the ESB and ROTJ figures were already so strong.

Vintage Collection Obi-Wan Kenobi (Clone Wars)

The New Trilogy is a part of Star Wars I’ve yet to touch on at this blog. I’m not a big fan of the new movies, but the story is good, and I like the Clone Wars series as well. What I’m trying to say really, is that I like parts of the new movies and I do accept them, they’re just not on par with the old.

When the “online only” wave of TVC figures was announced, I originally targeted only the OT figures. In retrospect, I wish I had thrown in Ashoka as well, but at the time I just didn’t assume her price would shoot so far up. Obi-wan on the other hand, came down in price which made me much more interested in him.

This is a good figure. It takes the good Clone Wars design, but puts it in a more realistic style I can really appreciate. Cartoon aesthetics really kill a lot of action figures for me, like with Clone Wars, but also in a few other Hasbro brands. Obi-wan looks great decked out in his clone armor without the animated style. His articulation is good as well, although I would have preferred ball jointed hips for him as it would have greatly helped his poseability and still have been hidden by his softgoods skirt, but it’s a minor gripe.

Obi-wan is a great figure, and I recommend getting him while these are still affordable. I don’t know if prices will ever skyrocket on him, but this wave was made in smaller numbers than other TVC waves, so once supply dries up you’ll probably see it reflected in the price of this figure. 

TVC Wicket

Thought I’d introduce the Ewoks to the blog, and there’s no better place to start than with good old Wicket! Ewoks are a part of Star Wars I’ve always had a fondness for; they’re cute, and well contained mostly to one part of the story.

The Vintage Collection’s take on Wicket is highly impressive for a figure of this size. He’s got a lot of movement, though not as much as Logray, and comes with a cool extra hood as well. The hood is the green one he wore in the Ewoks cartoon, which was a clever pack-in on Hasbro’s part.

Star Wars toys of today are highly impressive to me most of the time, but for the quality they provide they are priced to match. This is the problem with Wicket here. Sadly, it feels hard sometimes to pay $10 for such a small figure that still doesn’t come with much, even as a collector. Although Wicket is a must have for someone like me, the prices of figures today makes me feel very choosey.

Prices aside, Hasbro’s done a great job with the modern Ewok figures, and I’m just glad they’re making as many as they are.

Kenner R5-D4

R5-D4 didn’t do much in the movie, but he serves a good purpose as an action figure. Of the Kenner guys, you don’t have any astromech besides this guy and R2-D2. Without painting him, R2-D2 could only serve in a collection as himself. R5-D4 on the other hand, is a fairly generic droid that does look mistakable for a few others in the films. As such, he serves an integral part of my collection, as an astromech that’s not R2-D2.

R5 is both a charming figure as well as one that leaves a little to be desired. It would have been nice if some sculpted details could have taken the place of the sticker used for his main body, which is my biggest gripe with the figure. At the same time it does contribute to what makes the figure neat: his simplicity. Another nice touch is the ratcheted joint in his head that clicks when you turn it. I’m not 100% sure why this was done, but it adds a more mechanical feel to the toy I find to be very nice.