Hasbro didn’t roll out quite as many figures for their Star Wars Black Series as they did for Marvel Legends, but that’s expected. While it seems like we’ve gotten quite a lot of figures, it’s taking foreeeever to get them. I feel like kicking the back of the front seat and screaming, “Are we there yet!!” sometimes.
The slow release schedule is exasperated even further with the fact that there are a lot of movies to get through, and now there are more coming. While the “Original Trilogy only” collectors have had to deal with the occasional prequel figure slowing down their deluge, now we’ve got sequel figures, and soon we’ll have … well, whatever Rogue One is. I guess it’s technically a prequel also. Great, things are going to get even more confusing. Soon we’ll have the Solo solo movie, and no doubt eventually we’ll get Willrow Hood: Ice Cream Maker to the Stars: the Unauthorized Biography: It’s a Rocky Road in Cloud City.
I’ve never seen so much gratuitous use of colon since Riki-Oh.
Onward to the figures, though. There’s some new here, along with some previously seen, so let’s tackle it all in one big rambly batch of nonsense.
First off, We’ll start with the fan poll. Jaina Solo won. Jaina Solo is Han Solo’s daughter from a canon that apparently never existed now that Disney has slipped the Expanded Universe a Mickey. She beat out a bunch of other people and Dengar.
Friggin’ Dengar.
You guys suck.
I don’t doubt Dengar’s going to be made anyway, because as the Marvel poll from last year taught us, these things are just illusions of choice anyway and are set up to make you feel good. Dengar’s going to have his figure, he just might have to wait a little bit. Personally, I don’t care. I’m not really beholden to what they tell me is or isn’t canon anymore. I don’t count a large amount of the Prequel Trilogy as canon anyway, so big deal if Jaina is “technically” no longer actually part of things.
I did not know who the Twi’lek was until I read someone mention the name Hera. I’ve been conditioned to assume anybody I don’t immediately recognize is from the Star Wars Rebels cartoon, which I am — pinkie swear — going to watch as soon as possible. She looks great, though, so I’ll be getting her even if I haven’t watched it by the time it comes out.
Sabine is also from Rebels and looks nifty as well.
Finally, Darth Revan is a Sith Lord, which equals immediate purchase. That’s essentially tribal law. If you have the name Darth in front of your name, I will buy you and that is that.
Speaking of badass … I know the Imperial Guards just stood around looking all red and sexy, but, man, did they stand around looking all red and sexy like absolute kings of the world. I need at least a pair of them right off the top to flank my Emperor. And they’re not just nude under there with imperial dingalings showing. They’re duded-up in armor. I have the Star wars Crimson Empire hardcover sitting in a pile of unread books that I really need to get to, even if it’s probably no longer canon either. That will probably make me want even more.
Now on to the movie figures. I need a single-file platoon of Tusken Raiders. That way I only think I have one. You know, because … don’t make me explain it. But, yeah, with this one even his fabric looks like it works well. I have such a huge love for everything about the Sand People. From their masks to their whole creepy-as-hell schtick, it would take an entirely separate article to go into what I love about them. But for now I will just say I am hugely excited for their release.
Speaking of creepy, the Snowtroopers were pretty damn creepy. I always wanted to see more from them. Hoth is getting a nice assortment, with both Han and Luke and now Snowtroopers. Just need a Leia now, although her track record isn’t too good. More on Leia later though.
You might say what good is an AT-AT Driver without an AT-AT. I say plenty good. Worst comeback ever? Sure. But I need a couple of him as well. What can I say, I’m a sucker for Hoth stuff. I need a Probe Droid!!
Leia. What the funstick goes wrong with Leia? This one is better than the last picture making the rounds, but still. I genuinely can’t tell if it’s a good sculpt marred by paint, or if there’s anything in there. The digital sculpt looked decent, so I’m guessing something just went wrong somewhere. I need an A New Hope Leia, so I’ll be getting it, but she looks like someone Alderaaned her face.
Qui-Gon Jinn is Liam Neeson and Liam Neeson is better than you, so therefore I will be getting this figure to go with Obi-Wan. Then I can recreate that time when they were sent to negotiate a peace treaty between two warring Hutt clans and ran across a Hutt courier named Anakin who was the best pilot they had ever seen and blah blah blah what’s a Jake Lloyd personal canon Anakin looks like a young Sebastian Shaw!!
They can do Qui-Gon so well, and then Leia. I just don’t get it …
Moving on.
Moving on to the best, which I have reserved for the last.
Who’s the man, though?
Lando!
Holy crap it has seemed like such a long wait to get Lando, any Lando. I mean, General or Skiff Guard disguise would have been acceptable at this point, but they’re leading off with the iconic becaped Lando. The rest of my toys better watch out because the smoothest-talking con man ever is going to take them for everything they’ve got. Let’s all hope Lando comes through production looking this good because he makes the wait well worth it. Now, Hasbro, please, pretty please, make a Lobot to go with him.
And Bespin Han and Leia. Like … as soon as possible.