"Vintage" Star Wars Figures

Star Wars toys represent a toy zenith of sorts from my childhood. Sure, I had other toys from my childhood that maybe got more play, and if you ask me "what is the best toy you ever had?" I might not pick a Star Wars toy at first (Cobra Rattler, in case you're wondering.) However, when I look back at all the toys I had when I was little, I get quite a bit nostalgic and maybe even a little euphoric when I think about Star Wars toys.

I didn't really have very many of the larger vehicles. No A-Wings, B-Wings, X- or Y-Wings. No Millennium Falcon, no Imperial Shuttle. I had Darth Vader's TIE Fighter and one Christmas I got my prized AT-AT and an AT-ST. But that was it as far as the more popular vehicles went. I also had a Bespin Cloud Car, but since it didn't really do much in the films I never really used it for much except maybe Princess Leia's personal ship (she let C-3PO ride shotgun.) I DID have quite a few of the Mini-Rig figures, like the CAP-2, MLC-3, INT-4 (which was my personal favorite because it looked like a flying AT-ST cockpit), MVT-7, and PDT-8, but they really gave off more of a Ralph McQuarrie vibe than a Star Wars vibe.

No, the figures where were it was at for me. I loved them. There was a period there for a year or so where I got a new figure every Friday from my dad. Sadly, most of my Star Wars toys (as well as most of my other stuff) didn't survive what I like to call "The Great Garage Sales Purges." But a few did make it, the examples pictured here.

I'm aware that there are endless possibilities for acquiring figures in better condition, replacement weapons and accessories, etc. but for some reason the idea never really appealed to me. I guess part of it is the fact that I can probably buy a better figure (one with elbows and knees and even ankles sometimes) for a cheaper price at retail, and part of it is that I'm not the same seven year old little boy that gleefully ripped open a Biker Scout in 1983 and felt like he'd just been given a million dollars. Yeah, maybe it would be nice to get some newer, cleaner figures that look like I just got them yesterday, but they wouldn't be MINE. They'd be some other kid's. Some jerkwad that kept all his toys in the package and wouldn't let his friends play with them when they came over. Oh, I've bought a couple more AT-AT Drivers to fill out my AT-AT's crew, but they're outranked by the one I got back in '81.

So, here are the last vestiges of my "vintage" Star Wars action figure collection. They live in a zip-loc bag in the cargo hold of my POTF2 Millennium Falcon when I'm not trying to get them to stand up for a picture.

Mighty Muggs Iron Man

*AHEM*

Greatest Iron Man figure EVER!!!

You cannot withstand a blast from my mighty uni-beam!!!

Did someone say Fin Fang Foom??

Superhero Squad Iron Man

Continuing on with the Iron Man theme... I dig the who Galactic/Robot/Superhero Squad thing. I wouldn't say this guy is frawesome (Friggin' awesome), but definitely cool.

Next time...what is possibly the greatest Iron Man figure ever.

EVAR!!!

Marvel Legends: Ultimate Iron Man

So I thought I'd go ahead and make this Iron Man week here at Addicted to Plastic. You've already seen two of the excellent movie figures. Ultimate Iron Man I bought a little over a year ago because I wanted an Iron Man figure and didn't have one.

He's not a bad figure at all. Like the other two Iron Man figures I've already shown, his armor hinders posing a little, but that's not big deal.

I've never read any of the Ultimate Iron Man books, so I don't know if this is how he fires repulsor blasts or not. There's little thingys on his palms, but there's also wrist thingys ala DC's Deadshot. This way looks less gay.

I'm assuming that Ultimate Iron Man takes to the skies just like every other Iron Man, with a sweet dramatic pose.

I like this character's design because he looks totally different, yet still feels all Iron Man-y. I just wish there wasn't so much gray on him. Blah.

And, of course, no Iron Man figure would be complete without a removable helmet.

Not really. I guess that doesn't really matter. In fact, this is the only Iron Man figure I have that has a removable helmet.

Iron Man Mk III

You did go see Iron Man when I told you, right? You are not allowed to read the rest of this unless you have seen Iron Man. Git, dang it!

This figure is the one I was looking forward to the most from the new Iron Man movie line. It actually took me a while to find a gold variant. Target was the only store that had Iron Man figures for a while, and then it was only the Target-Exclusive Silver Centurion variant, which is nice, but isn't Iron Man. At least to me.

My only real gripe is that the armor on the back of the wrist prevents the wrist from being angled fully up, so this is the closest to a "repulsor blast" you can get.

It looks like the figure is molded in a metallic plastic (possibly silver) and has a clear read coat painted over it. Every figure I've seen so far has little red smudges on the gold areas. If you're considering getting one make sure you look it over before buying it. I love this profile:

Past and Present:

Iron Man Mk I

I've been sitting on pictures of these figures for a few weeks, but I thought I'd wait until the Iron Man movie opened to put them up.

First up, if you haven't seen the movie yet, go see it. It is totally awesome. I'd rank it up there with Spider-Man and Batman Begins as one of the best superhero movies ever made. It kicks ass! Robert Downey, Jr.'s casting as Tony Stark is PERFECT! That's it, that's my in-depth super-detailed review. Honestly, don't even look at these lame action figure pictures, go watch Iron Man right now!

Took me forever to find this one. Apparently it was short packed. Boo, to you, Hasbro. I like it because because the suit looks like a conglomeration of parts, which is its origin in the movie, and is also an homage to Iron Man's original armor.

When I tell you that his first appearance in the film is awesome, it would be an understatement. He kicks ass! Here's my take on that "original armor" pose.

And up close and personal. Kick Ass!

Pics of the red and gold Mk. III armor tomorrow. Go see Iron Man immediately. Tonight. Right now, in fact. In case you didn't notice, I think it kicks ass! MAKE SURE YOU STAY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END CREDITS!!! There's a little treat at the end.

NOTE: If this post seemed particularly poorly written and gushy, it was. I geeked all over myself.

Transformers Movie: Evac

For my main thoughts on Evac see my previous post re: Transformers Movie Incinerator. Just substitute the word "Evac" everywhere it says "Incinerator." Well, except for the part where I talk about not having any hands, you can come back here after that...

Back? Good. So, I didn't really care for the Voyager-size Blackout figure. The movie characters, to me at least, look like giant bugs, walking clumps of auto parts, or giant wads of aluminum foil. Part of what appealed to me with G1 Transformers (and most characters from subsequent lines) was the fact that, though they were alien robots, they were very human in their appearance. I think these two figures return to that original aura the Transformers I've come to know had. Or at least they come close.

The toy representation of Blackout's whirling blade weapon thingy didn't really work for Blackout. But it does work for Evac. I don't know why, but it does. Don't argue, just go with it. Evac is love, plain and simple. Pure, plastic love.

Transformers Movie: Incinerator

Okay. I admit it. I have hated the Movie figures. I just don't dig the Bayness of them (thank's teresa!) In fact, of the few Movie toys I do own, none of them actually appeared in the film in the form in which I own them (see First Strike Optimus Prime). But the newest wave of Voyager-size "Allspark Power" figures...I'm really starting to dig these. I also have to admit that if you take a Transformer and give him a sweet alt-mode (like, say, a V-22 Osprey), I can be sucked in.

So, when I walked in to Wal-Mart and saw Incinerator sitting on the shelf I had to put him in the basket. Reading Lamezoid's blog, plus a few others, I noticed a few who were expressing reservations about some of his shortcomings. Namely, the fact that he don't got no hands.

Normally, I'm really put off by Transformers that are missing body parts. Hands, feet, personalities, what have you. But for some reason, maybe it's the sweet alt-mode, maybe its the fact that he has a smirk on his face, I really don't mind it so much on Incinerator. I'm really glad I got him, and that's not something I can say for some of the other Movie toys I own.

A word of caution, though. Be careful when transforming him. There are two pieces you have to transform in the knee area, and one is attached to the other by a very small peg. If you don't do these parts in the correct order, you are going to break that peg. I did on one leg. It isn't something that really affects the figure, or is even noticeable, but it is something to be aware of.

Revoltech Convoy (Optimus Prime)

The only thing I don't like about this figure is that he doesn't have Revoltech shoulder joints, which makes some poses a little hard to pull off.

One shall stand...one shall fall!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Revoltech Megatron

I like Revoltech.

Transformers: Robot Heroes Decepticon Sneak Attack

Continuing on with Hasbro's Robot Heroes G1 themed Transformer figures, this is a Wal-Mart Exclusive 5-pack that retails(ed?) for $9.99, and consists solely of repaints. Cliffjumper is the (inevitable) repaint of the Robot Heroes Bumblebee figure. Optimus Prime is a repaint of his 2-pack incarnation with a slightly brighter paint scheme (I prefer the 2-pack version.) Megatron gets a metallic paint scheme this time around, and looks much better than the 2-pack version. Skywarp is a repaint of the Starscream/Thundercracker figure. You either like Seeker repaints or you don't. I do, I know others don't.

Mirage is a clear version of the 2-pack version and, truth be told, I'd have paid 10 bucks for this figure alone. He's just plain awesome.

Star Wars Darktrooper

I confess, I haven't really been paying much attention to the Star Wars action figure scene, there's just too much out there in peg-warmer territory for me. Except for Stormtroopers and the occasional wacky/off-the-wall figure, I really don't get too excited over Star Wars figures any more, and I don't keep up with what is coming out, when, at all. (Vehicles are another matter, I really, really want the TRU Exclusive Y-Wing, Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, and the Target Exclusive Battle of Hoth AT-ST pack.)

I saw this guy sitting on the pegs at Wal-Mart. I like the Darktrooper design, and I guess this goes back to the days when I used to sit hunched over my old Win 95 PC and wasted time playing Dark Forces. Whatever the reason, I snatched this figure up and ripped him open when I got home. I really have mixed feelings about the figure, though. On the one hand, it is a very striking design; bulky, larger than the av-er-age bear, and sort of gives you the impression of a 'roided out Stormtrooper (and not "'roided out" in a bad way like the figures from the late '90's POTF2 action figures.) On the other hand, it has the same poseability as the Star Wars figures we all grew up with in the 80's. It has a whopping five points of articulation, the neck, the shoulders, and the hips. For this reason, the Darktrooper can hold extremely exciting, striking poses like this one...

...and...well, that's about it. Visions of putting him in sweet, Battlefront II mid-jump poses quickly evaporated. The sad thing is, the thing is big enough to have put some elbow, knee, and ankle joints. It's a nice four inch tall statue and that's about it. Actually, now that I think about it, my old Stormtroopers from the 80's don't have neck joints, so the Darktrooper is one up on them. SCORE!

Star Wars 30th Anniversary Boba Fett

I'm usually not too big on repaints. Not because I don't like them, but because the obsessive compulsive in me would want to get them all (which is why I've avoided the Episode II version Clone Trooper, I'd have to get the blue one, then the red one, then the yellow one, then the green one, it never ends.)

However, I'm a sucker for Boba Fett. Not because he kicked butt in the movies or anything, just because he's one of those guys in the Star Wars Universe that as a kid you like to dream up his back story and imagine him in all sorts of bounty hunting adventures. Pretty much every Boba Fett action figure Hasbro has released up to this point has sucked (not counting the original one my dad got me and stashed in the glove compartment of his Chevy Nova when I was 6), from the 'roided out versions from the 90's to the permanently bent-elbowed version released prior to this figure. However, this one is almost perfect, from the dented armor to the proportions (not bulky, not too tall).

When I first saw pictures of the Animated Debut version, I was kind of "meh" on it. However, I had to snag it when I actually saw it up close. I like the muted color scheme and it really makes this figure stand out, if that makes any sense. Hasbro even changed the Boba Fett's cape a little bit. Where the movie version is tattered and frayed, the Animated Debut is neatly trimmed. Plastic addicts can pick up either one of these without fear of being disappointed.

GI Joe 25th Anniversary Cobra Legions 5-Pack

I really like the Cobra Commander in this set. Not being too keen on GI Joe lore (except for what me and my brother dreamed up when we played with ours as kids), I think if this one as a kind of ceremonial dress, like for when a Cobra Trooper is promoted to the ranks of the Crimson Guard or something. I also like the Cobra Vehicle Driver since he's a little different than your standard blueshirt.

Of the three Storm Shadows released thus far, this is my least favorite version. The Air Trooper is a cool concept, but its a little hard to get around the "gas mask" helmet. I wish Hasbro would just go ahead and release the Cobra Trooper found in the first Cobra 5-pack with the standard black webgear and red Cobra Logo, the one in this pack is just a mediocre substitute.

Star Wars: 41st Elite Troopers

Yoda, Commander Gree, and some of their buddies.

Transformers Robot Heroes

I really dig these figures.

Decepticons

Autobots

And the Chaos Bringer

G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary Wave 1 Single-pack Figures

G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary figures, Single-pack, Wave 1
Pictured (L to R): Flint, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Cobra Commander, Cobra Officer

REVOLTECH EVANGELION

Revoltech Evangelion figures:
Pictured (L to R): Eva Unit 01, Eva Unit 00, Eva Unit 02

Invasion: Japanese Robots from the Collection of Warren Shcwartz

For those of you who live in or will be visiting the Baton Rouge area over the next few months, the LSU Museum of Art will be featuring an exhibit on Japanese toy robots. The toys are from the private collection of Warren Schwartz, a well-known Super Robot toy collector. Over 200 robots from series such as Dougram, Mazinger, Tekkaman, Tetsujin 28 and Ultraman will be on display. The exhibition will last from April 13 to October 7, 2007.

Directions to the museum can be found here. Admission is $8.00 for adults and $4.00 for children ages 5-17. Hours of operation are:
Tue. thru Sat. - 10a to 5p
Thur. - 10a to 8p
Sun. - 1p to 5p

GI Joe 25th Anniversary Figures

Hasbro has announced that this summer they will release 25 figures to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the start of the GI Joe's stuggle with Cobra (i.e. the start of the 3 3/4 inch action figure line.) The new 25th Anniversary line will feature figures with modern articulation but retro-styling. There will be two 5-pack sets, as well as individual figures. Figures that are available in 5-packs and individually will have notable differences between the two.

The first eleven figures which will include:
The Baroness 5-pack only
Cobra Trooper/Officer. Trooper - (5-pack version) Black facemask, black harness, black Dragunov sniper rifle, red Cobra logo; Officer - (Individual) Gray facemask, silver Dragunov, silver Cobra logo, harness with details, darker blue coloring. I'm not sure what the logic is here including the trooper in the 5-pack and the Officer as an individual figure. Seems like they'd figure that the Trooper is an "army builder" and you won't be able to do that without having to buy a 5-pack many times over. That's pretty stupid on Hasbro's part if they don't change it.
Cobra Commander 5-pack - CC's original uniform, with blue helmet and silver face shield. Individual pack - Darker blue uniform and the helmet/face shield is replaced with CC's traditional hood.
Destro 5-pack only
Storm Shadow 5-pack - solid white uniform with balaclava, cobra logo on left breast, black bandolier; Individual pack - white/gray camoflage uniform with balaclava/hood, no cobra logo, bandolier is replaced with rope. Both figures come with the same weapons...bow and arrows, 1 dagger, and a pair of ninjato
Flint - Individual pack only Snake Eyes 5-pack - Figure is all black and has Snake's traditional goggles/facemask appearance. Comes with an Uzi, demolition satchel, dagger in holster (molded on to figure), and a utility belt/harness. Individual - Snake's "visor" appearance. Uzi, dagger/holster, katana, weapons bandolier, and pet wolf Timber
Scarlett 5-pack only
Roadblock 5-pack only, comes with Ma Deuce, tripod, and .50 cal ammo belt. Tripod looks like Roadblock will have to fire from a prone position. That's more realistic, but Roadblock should be standing up, or firing Ma Deuce from the hip.
Gung Ho 5-pack only
Duke 5-pack only.

Hasbro also has a poll up at the website asking which army builder figure you'd like. The choices are Cobra Viper, Cobra Trooper, Crimson Guard, Red Ninjas, Cobra B.A.T.s, or Eels. Vipers currently lead with Troopers in second. I'd like to see Hasbro wake up and move the Cobra Officer to the 5-pack and release the Trooper individually, that we we could get both Troopers and Vipers as army builders.

Not a bad collection. They certainly got most of the "important" figures in the first batch. I know the Joes are popular, but I'd like to see some Cobra army builders. I'd also like to see some Crimson Guards and maybe Tomax/Xamot (though not enough for them to occupy two of the remaining 14 slots. I'd definitely like to see a modern take on Firefly who is probably my all time favorite Joe character. I've never really been a Joe fan (the group, not the toy line) and they got my favorite good guys, Snake Eyes, Gung Ho, and Roadblock. However, I hope they release Barbeque, that was my brother's favorite Joe as a kid. I know this may be asking for a bit much, but here's hoping the release the Rattler/Wild Weasel and Dragonfly/Wild Bill vehicle sets, too.