We first heard about him back at New York Comic Con last fall, but now he’s finally here — Hasbro’s new 6-inch Darth Vader based on his appearance in A New Hope. I was able to snag this set at my local Target over the weekend, so let’s take a quick look at what’s included in this set, and, more importantly, let’s see if this all-new Vader sculpt is worthy of the hype.
This set comes in at a higher price point ($39.99) than the other 40th Anniversary figures because in addition to the new Vader figure, we also get a stand that is inspired by, I believe, two display stands that were released in 1977 and were intended to showcase the original, first wave of Kenner Star Wars figures. I had the stand that was a mail-away offer, so seeing this is definitely bringing back some fond memories of some of the first toys I ever owned.
Packaging is kinda cool. The large outer box has the double duty of showcasing the Vader figure itself and giving details of the display stand included within. And seeing the Black Series Jawa and Tuskin Raider has me all excited. I can’t wait until they’re released.
Now, I don’t have any of the other 40th Anniversary figures yet, so I have no idea if Vader’s card is the same size as the others. It seems small to me, but the overall design is a nice callback to the original figure’s card and blister.
The figure itself is similar to the previous release, mainly due to a similar set of soft goods used, but the sculpt is better from top to bottom. I like the way this cape drapes and hangs off his shoulders.
What you’ll notice immediately are the brownish lenses of his helmet. In certain light in the original movie, his lenses did appear to be brown/maroon, so this is a nice homage to that. It’s a more subtle effect on screen, but I think the more pronounced color looks cool on the figure. And I can’t tell if this was intentional or if it’s just some silver overspray, but there is silver paint on his left “cheek” and on the right side of his mouth-filter-thing. It looks too neatly placed to be accidental, so I’ll be curious to see if others see the same with their figures. In normal light it just creates a neat lighting effect, but it’s still weird.
If you look closely at the movie still, you’ll notice a small black chain around his neck holding the cape in place. The figure has no such chain, just fabric that runs around his neck holding the cape in place. I’ll admit I do wish the figure had a similar black chain, but it’s so easy to miss in the movie that it’s not really that big a deal, or so I keep telling myself.
The details of his costume/suit are all nicely sculpted, making him look like a strong match to what we saw in A New Hope.
His left hand looks to be sculpted in that familiar “I’mma Force-choke you!” gesture we saw in A New Hope. That’s a cool scene-specific detail that makes this figure a fun update. Or he could be referring to the size of some … thing?
His only accessory is his familiar lightsaber. The sculpt packs a lot of detail for something so small, and the blade can be removed so that the “extinguished” saber can hang from his belt.
Most of my Star Wars figures are packed away in anticipation of an upcoming move, so comparison shots will be sparse. The Vader on the right above IS the original Black Series Vader, but its head is a cast of a model and is not the original Hasbro head. And my “Emperor’s Wrath” Vader is packed away, so we can’t get a comparison with that helmet either. Anyhow — there are some elements of the two sculpts that are similar, but the new one looks to me to be superior. The details are crisper, the gloss is more effective, and even his stance is more natural and less “hulking.” And I love that the fabric drapes up over his shoulders like it did in A New Hope.
Height-wise, he’s appropriately tall, towering over the Figuarts Luke above. I know we’ve been waiting for a “definitive” 6-inch Vader, and this one comes darn close, I think. It’s certainly the best attempt yet, I’d say. If he had a black chain around his neck, then he’d be perfect for me (seriously, I don’t know why I’m fixating on that one dumb detail). I’m very curious to see what others think of him.
The stand is cool. It’s a plastic frame and base with a cardboard backdrop that is reversible. I’m not sure I would have bothered with it if it had not come with Vader, but since I have it, I will say that it’s not without its charm, but I’m not sure about its functionality. Even with just 3 figures displayed on it, it feels crowded, so with the intended 12, I think it’s going to be a bit much. But we’ll see.
This Darth Vader set is currently popping up at Target stores, but he should also be available soon at the usual online retailers.