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Coheteboy checks in tonight with a great review of the latest wave of Star
Wars figures, including General Madine. Take it away, Coheteboy!
It only seemed like a short while ago when Hasbro released the Star Destroyer wave, but the Endor wave is now available at retail. It took long enough to finally get General Crix Madine for the collection, and a resculpt of General Lando was definitely needed. But what I don't understand is how and where Hasbro had the lame-brained idea to release a Han Solo fully decked out in AT-ST gear! This is definitely debatable but I think it's pretty clear that a figure of this was NOT needed.
Anyway, without further ado, let's get to figures #19, 20, and 21of Hasbro's 2004 collection...
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Packaging - Madine & Lando ***; Han ** 1/2
The "Gold Stripe" packaging still works for me but it's still the standard card and bubble. Contents are clearly displayed and good details can be found on the back of the blister card.
So why exactly did Han get a lower score? Well for one, Hasbro decided to use a horrible hack photoshop job as a photo. No most of us know already that this is Hasbro's way to sell figures that never really existed, but they could have done a MUCH better job by using the photostill from the film! This is
photoshopping at its worst as we see Harrison Ford's confused mug superimposed over the AT-ST driver. Of course the chin straps are missing so that's a dead giveaway too.
Sculpting - Madine *** 1/2; Han ***; Lando ** 1/2
There's nothing exceptional about this batch of figures when it comes to sculpt, but Madine is easily the strongest of the trio. The likeness of Madine isn't dead on but it's good enough so that it's not distracting... though after looking at it for awhile, he does start to resemble a bearded John Ritter. The rest of the figure is nicely sculpted in a normal stance (thank you!).
While Han isn't the best sculpt of Harrison's likeness, you can certainly tell that the sculptors did try to capture the half crooked smile of the actor. The body and right arm of this figure are rehashed parts from the previous Imperial Officer but the left arm and legs are all new. I really should have docked Han another half point for having a communicator sculpted right into his left hand! And I had thought that Hasbro learned from their earlier mistakes?
The resculpt of General Lando Calrissian from the end of Return of the Jedi is a mixed bag in the sculpt department. It really is sad when the pimp himself has the worst new sculpt out of the new Star Wars figures. Even the previous Skiff Guard Lando had a horrible sculpt. This one here is brand new but I find it even worse for it looks like Richard Pryor! The Power of the Jedi sculpt of Lando was great... why couldn't they just improve upon that? Another problem is that he's sculpted with his head tilted upwards. What in Lucas' name is he looking at? His legs are also not quite there, as they aren't quite in the normal stance. Hasbro just had to make them as if he's just about to take a step forward. Shame.
Paint - **1/2
Some of you might think I'm being a little too harsh with the scores here, but then again, I usually think some people are a bit generous. For a while I thought I knew how good a Star Wars figure should look. Hasbro has doing this for almost a decade and I've seen some really well applied paint. This year... I dunno. I think Hasbro's paint production has gone down a couple notches. Take a look a the faces here. Do they look like right to you? Madine is half looking up for who knows what reason. Lando looks like a scared puppy. And Han... I'm not even gonna say. It's just pretty
disappointing. There aren't that many colors on each of these figures and I've seen some small spillage around the collars among other places. I don't want to say that I'm expecting too much, because I'm not. I just want the figures to look like it was painted confidently. These really don't look that way to me.
Articulation - Madine *** 1/2; Han ***; Lando ** 1/2
Again, the scores are varied, as the toys are just as inconsistent as the next. You'd think that they'd get it by now.... that if one figure is treated well, the rest should be given the same treatment. Madine has the most impressive set of articulation of the bunch with 12 points. He has the standard neck, shoulders, waist and legs, but there are SIX additional points in both his arms combined. He was given the swivel biceps as well as the articulated elbows and articulated wrists. The only thing that would have helped Madine here would have been ball-jointed shoulders.
Han sports 10 points of articulation and makes use of the cut elbow joints similar to the Imperial Officers. Articulated wrists help the final count.
Lando, surprisingly, is the most disappointing here with only 8 points of articulation. It's also an odd selection of articulation as his right arm is given the super elbow/swivel bicep joints while his left arm remains lame and boring. Why is it that Hasbro went all the way with his right arm but ignored the left? It's things like this that really make it less fun as a collector.
Accessories - Lando *** 1/2; Han ***; Madine **
Where Lando was the most disappointing figure in all the above categories, here is where he shines. Lando again has the removable soft-plastic cape, this time molded to wrap his body a little more snug, and he also has a blaster that fits in a holster. Now here's the
surprise... the holster is ALSO removable! Now that's cool!
Han comes in second place with a removable helmet (AND STRAP) and a standard imperial blaster. Madine comes in last with his: baton. Of course all three figures come with the Star Wars base as well.
Value - ***
At about $5 a figure, it's a good buy. And as much as I complained, these are good toys.
Toynk has them for $13.99, with flat
shipping rates: $5.99 for orders under $50; $4.99 for orders over. They also
have the Predator and Alien set for $12.99 each.
Aisle Sniper also has all three
of them, but at $14.99 a pop. They also sell all three sets in a convenient
bundle package, but at $44.97, you are paying the same exact price as you
would to buy them separately.
Overall - Madine *** 1/2; Lando, Han ***
In the end, as much as I whine, as much as I moan... these three figures will be a part of the collection and I will grow attached to them. They are
after all, good solid action figures from my favorite movie trilogy... but of course, there's so much more that could have been done here. Madine is as good as a boring side character figure could be, I just think the sculpt could have been better.
Lando was a very necessary resculpt but I fear that this sculpt is already in need of a
resculpt. I still have a problem with his head looking up. It just makes no sense at all.
And speaking of not making any sense, there's Han Solo. I actually think this is a really good action figure but... WHY???!!!!! It really just isn't needed. Give us another normal AT-ST Driver and let the customizers make their own Han in the outfit. I'd rather have an awesome new Endor Han with poncho, and let us pretend that he stole an Imperial's helmet. Bah! Did I say that it's a good figure though?
Alright enough out of me. You know you're gonna buy these anyway.
Where to Buy -
Toys'R'Us, Target, and Wal-Mart are the usual suspects. These three were found at both Target and at Wal-Mart.
KEEP SCROLLING DOWN FOR LOTS MORE PICTURES
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Figures from the collection of
Coheteboy.
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