Ah, another week, another Star Wars Black Series figure that was originally slated as a Toys R Us exclusive, but now has to move to a new place due to the chain going under. On one hand, it makes me sad because TRU is now kaput, buuuuuuuut, on the other hand… NEW STAR WARS TOYS.
So, this set is a little strange in that there has never really been anything like released in the Black Series line. It is repackaged figure with a new, slightly different deco, but the accessories really take the spotlight, and for the first time, they come in the form of environment pieces. I remember seeing this for the first time a few months ago and hearing rumors that it was exclusive to outlets in Asia, but that has since been debunked, and my pal in Canada was able to secure this for me at his local TRU (where it is still exclusive in CA). At first, I had my friend pick this up for me just so I could feature it here, but I wasn’t really thinking much of it past that, and I did not count on it being anything near an exciting addition to my collection.
However, like it often happens, I ended up liking this set a lot more than I thought I would. Yes, I get a chance to add another of the most iconic army-builder in the SW universe to my collection, but man, these accessories are really nifty. I realize I take a LOT of pictures for this site, so little effects like these are always welcome to help add some depth an imagination to some photos, but even if stuff like this doesn’t normally appeal to you, these are well done. I mean, I have been dying for some muzzle flashes for my SW figures, and now that I have one for Stormtroopers, Han Solo requires one, like, yesterday.
The Stormtrooper is a fine addition, if not overly exciting. YES, you are technically putting most of your purchase toward this central piece, but to me, the figure ultimately takes a back seat in this set. This a ST who has seen a firefight (duh), and while most don’t live to tell after taking damage of this nature, this bloke continues to fight on. The damage and scoring effects are much more convincing than the battle-damaged ST from that four pack awhile ago, but it still could be used (or mistaken) for mud and dirt. I used to HATE scuffed troopers due to to years of being conditioned to the shiny white and unmarked look of most in the OT. But over the years, we have learned that all of these that we see on Death Star, Star Destroyers, and other places have it easy, because there are a lot of dudes running around Scarif, Eadu, and Mimban who are clearly in the shit.
But enough about blasty trooper here, as I said above, the accessories are the cool new parts. Well, mostly. This figure does come with a logo stand that I had less than zero use for when I saw it in the package. Sure, if you are into stands, this one is fine, but it is weird that the foot pegs are at the edges, so a wide stance is all you will get. I like the stand slightly better now that I know you can flip the logo piece and have a grated floor instead. So, that looks more useful and natural, but I am very unlikely to use it on the shelf.
The muzzle flash, and large and small blasts are all awesome, though. I figured these would be fun to use here and there to add some life to pictures or even a display, but I am kind of surprised how well these are done. All are cast in translucent plastic and have paint jobs that give them some since color tone progression between yellow and orange and into red. You can see this a bit on it own, but since these are hollow, if you shine a light under them, the REALLY light up and look awesome. I know it is likely that Hasbro is testing this stuff out to bite on the effects Bandai has been producing for some time now, but I have to admit, I think I like there even better than the Bandai versions. Who’da thought?
Yeah, this is not going to be the most exciting release of the SWB year, but I do suggest giving it a try when/if you find it. If you like dynamic displays or take pictures of toys, these new blast pieces will serve you well. I hope Hasbro continues developing pieces like this, especially the muzzle flashes, because these can add a lot to the SW collection without having to be center stage.
