EchoBaseNews.com

New Battle Packs revealed....yikes

2012-02-22T17:28:00.000-08:00

Pictures of a couple interesting new Battle Packs that have been the subject of much anticipation since Toy Fair have finally been revealed. The included figures in both sets are all-new, but their limited articulation and pre-posed sculpts have already made them pretty unpopular among most collectors. Click here to head over to the POTF2.com forums where the pictures first showed up today and see for yourself!

Customs for a Cause Grand Prize Winner announced!

2012-02-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

Forum member freedom410 is the grand prize winner in our Customs for a Cause charity customizing contest. He was selected by our forum members last weekend. So if you haven't already, head into the forums and tell him congrats! He also very selflessly is donating his prize to the Customs for a Cause auctions. So keep a look out for a Stass Allie 8x10 photo signed by Lily Nyamwasa when we start up the auctions in March!

Sponsor Announcement - Man of Action Figures

2012-02-21T03:44:00.002-08:00

Click here for the latest exciting update from Echo Base News sponsor ManofActionFigures.com!

"Who's Left?" 2012 - Revenge of the Sith

2012-02-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

Our special report "Who's Left? 2012" continues this week with Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The final installment in the Prequel Trilogy, it was released in 2005. Seven years later, over seventy-five characters still remain to be made into action figures, including several Jedi, a few Wookiees, over a dozen Galaxies Opera House patrons, and ten versions of Senator Amidala in various outfits from her extensive wardrobe. Here's our list of "Who's Left" from Revenge of the Sith. Click on the links to go to each character's Wookieepedia article and learn a little more about them. Some of them are pretty obscure! This list is unchanged since last year's report.
	Nee Alavar
	Fema Baab
	Cellheim Anujo
	Tundra Dowmeia
	Fang Zar
	Giddean Danu
	Male-Dee
	Bana Breemu
	Veedaz Awmetth
	Ivor Drake
	Sateen Vestswe
	BD 3000
	FA-5
	Sweitt Concorkill
	Romeo Treblanc
	Tannon Praji
	Ottegru Grey
	Onara Kuat
	Gem Sirrom
	Ulfor Bombaasa
	Brookish Boon
	Opula Deget
	Janu Godalhi
	Son Halliikeenovich
	Greeata Jendowanian (image from OfficialPix)
	Koyi Mateil
	Delva Racine
	Rystall Sant
	Duke Teta
	Waks Trode
	Coleman Kcaj
	Lampay Fay
	Zyn Javeb
	Merumeru
	Guanta
	Lachichuk
	Salporin
	Cin Drallig
	J'oopi Shé
	Olana Chion
	Melik Galerha
	Bene
	Whie Malreaux
	Sors Bandeam
	Jeswi Ele
	Shia Letap
	Koffi Arana
	Shadday Potkin
	Ma’kis’shaalas
	Nute Gunray
	Rune Haako
	Rute Gunnay
	Sheltay Retrac
	Corla Metonae
	Motee
	Elle
	GH-7
	Midwife Droid
	Maneeli Tuun
	Queen Apailana
	Eeusu Estornii
	Neb Creip
	Ruwee Naberrie
	Jobal Naberrie
	Sola Naberrie
	Pooja Naberrie
	Ryoo Naberrie
	Barrow Oicunn
	Beru Whitesun Lars
	Padme Amidala – Buns Hairdo
	Padme Amidala - Visiting
	Padme Amidala – Beaded Dress
	Padme Amidala - Delegation
	Padme Amidala – Peacock Dress
	Padme Amidala – Aqua Nightdress
	Padme Amidala – Senatorial
	Padme Amidala – Revelation
	Padme Amidala – Birthing Robe
	Padme Amidala – Funeral
There's still a lot of ground for the Hasbro action figure line to cover from Revenge of the Sith. Firstly, we've still got ten different Padme Amidala outfits from this film that are yet to appear in the line. A few of the most iconic include the Buns Hairdo similar to that of her daughter in Episode IV; the purple Senatorial Outfit from Palpatine's declaration of the new Empire; and of course the Funeral dress from the end of the movie, one of many dead action figures on people's wish lists! Will Hasbro shy away from this concept, or do we have a chance of seeing Padme from this iconic and touching scene some time down the road? There are also several Senators yet to be made, which appeared in the film and/or in the deleted scenes. Some of our favorites include Bana Breemu played by Bai Ling, who we interviewed a couple months ago (click here), Giddean Danu played by Christopher Kirby, who we also interviewed last year (click here), and the Vurk senator Sweitt Concorkill seen in the Chancellor's box at the opera house. And who could forget the Quarren senator Tundra Dowmeia and his mysterious aide Cellheim Anujo, who greeted Chancellor Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker upon their safe return to Coruscant. Any of these characters would make cool action figures. A droid model that we're surprised hasn't shown up in the line yet is the feminine BD 3000 service droid, seen in Bail Organa's offices in the deleted scenes. These droids have also made appearances in The Clone Wars cartoon series. They'd be an excellent choice for the line should the Build-a-Droid concept return someday. Another group of characters from Episode III which deserve some attention in the line are the Galaxies Opera House patrons. A few of the most interesting selections from these scenes include the weird looking Delva Racine, the Ishi Tib senator Waks Trode, and the sexy Twi'lek female Koyi Mateil. Also of interest are Prequel-era cameos made by Rystall and Greeata, two of the dancers from Jabba's Palace in the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi. But frankly, most of us would probably rather see resculpts of them based on their Return of the Jedi appearance first. Now, onto Jedi characters. There are still several great choices that can be made from Revenge of the Sith. Of the highest importance, at least in our opinion, is the last remaining Jedi Council member yet to made into an action figure, the Ongree Coleman Kcaj. Another cool Jedi that deserves an action figure is J'oopi She. We've all seen what impressive sculpting Hasbro can do with the Nikto species, so we're sure this would be a terrific figure if it were released. There's also the fan-favorite Cin Drallig, played by swordmaster Nick Gillard. (We're surprised we haven't seen him in the line yet.) And let's see some younglings too, like Sors Bandeam. No Jedi Temple assault is complete without sweet little younglings! Earlier we mentioned Padme Amidala from her funeral. The funeral scene also has a few interesting characters that could be made. The most notable of course is her family: father Ruwee, mother Jobal, sister Sola, and nieces Ryoo and Pooja. There's also the super creepy looking and very cool background alien Eeusu Estornii. Just imagine an Eeusu Estornii action figure!! One of the most prominent characters that hasn't yet been made based on his Revenge of the Sith appearance is Nute Gunray. We know Neimoidians aren't always the strongest sellers at retail, but Hasbro has got to find a way to bring an Episode III Nute to the line at some point. His partner in crime Rune Haako has also been absent from the line. And last but not least, we need some more Wookiees! Hasbro has promised us a new generic Wookiee Warrior action figure, so hopefully that means some of the specific furry giants from Episode III are on their way, too, such as General Merumeru who led the charge on the beach. Did we miss anything? It is a 2 hour movie with tons of background characters. If you noticed any glaring absences, please send us an email and let us know! We want this to be the most comprehensive list available for collectors (and Hasbro)!

Report by David Delgado.

Rebel Reviews - Class I Republic Assault Submarine with Scuba Clone Trooper

2012-02-20T12:57:00.000-08:00

Even with the limits Hasbro has forced upon The Clone Wars line, there are still four mini-rigs coming out in 2012. The first of which, based on the season four premiere on Mon Calamari. Is this pack really worth all the hype it was given from the leaked pictures? Read on to find out!

The Clone Wars: Republic Assault Submarine/Scuba Clone Trooper

Accessories: 2 scuba blasters, 2 flippers, removable backpack/breathing mask & 2 launchers.

Articulation: ball-socket head, ball-joint shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, swivel wrists, waist & hips.

The Scuba Clone is an all-new Clone sculpt. It's always nice to see different styled Clones released in this line, and not just the load of re-paints. The sculpt is excellent, and stays very true to the show, while also having amazing articulation. I was surprised to find ankles on this figure, especially as Hasbro at Toy Fair showed upcoming figures like Boss, Wolffe etc that appear to completely lack leg articulation. The articulation isn't lacking at all, and just how much articulation this figure has is a surprise.

This mini-rig pack comes with a ton of accessories, and not just for the Scuba Clone. The figure comes with most of them, including flippers for the feet, which don't have to go into, but the feet fit snugly into the flippers by putting the feet inside. In my opinion, the best accessories are the scuba blasters. Great contrasting details in the gun, with the silver and black paint going well. The removable backpack/breathing mask is nice, but I would have preferred it just sculpted on. The submarine comes with two launchers as well. I'm really pleased with all the accessories in this pack, it totally comes with every accessory this pack could have needed.

This is an absolutely amazing pack. Not only is it arguably the best Clone Wars mini-rig Hasbro have released, it's arguably the best mini-rig Hasbro have released in the Star Wars brand as a whole. The kid-features included aren't half bad (for kid-features) and go well with the idea in the show. The Scuba Clone is an outstanding figure. Some have said the helmet is a bit small, but I think it works perfectly with the figure. I can't recommend this pack enough, absolutely amazing, and is probably going to be one of the best Clone Wars items for the year.

Review by Ruari Williamson.

Rebel Reviews - Discover the Force 6/12: Mawhonic

2012-02-17T17:03:00.000-08:00

It's not often, but Wal-Mart tends to get entire waves as exclusive releases. This week, we'll be taking a look at a few of the figures, and today we will look at Mawhonic, one of the Podracers!

Discover the Force 6/12: Mawhonic

Accessories: sniper rifle, flag.
Articulation: ball-socket head, ball-joint shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, swivel wrists, waist & hips.

So, Mawhonic is an all-new sculpt, and a very nice sculpt at that. Mawhonic was the first of his species I have picked up, so I didn't know what to expect. Needless to say, I am fairly happy with the sculpt, except for maybe the figure expression. The face is coloured perfectly to match the character. The articulation is sublime on this figure, with the inclusion of ankles always a bonus. The ankles are hard to see from a front view, but you can clearly see them from a back view of the figure. Unless you're picky and must have ball-joint hips, then the articulation isn't lacking at all.

Mawhonic comes with two accessories, both of which I have complaints about. The first is the sniper rifle, which I have a couple of complaints about. Firstly, I find it unnatural for a podracer to come with a gun, may just be me that thinks that. And it's very hard and annoying to get the figure to hold the rifle, due to that strap that is on the gun, going all the way across. Only good thing going for the rifle is nice detailing. The other accessory is a podracer flag. Nice detailing again, but I feel the plastic is too weak, and that I wanted to, I could just tear the flag up. Just my opinions on these two accessories, but I don't like them. I can't think of an accessory Mawhonic could come with really, maybe the engine of a podracer? Joke.

This figure is definitely good, and arguably the pick of this first wave for some fans (my pick of the bunch is the Gungan) but this is a cool figure. Mawhonic could do with minor tweaks though, like the fact the purple things on his head can fall off easily, but are hard to get back in. The accessories could be improved, such as ditching the strap on the rifle. The detail is really what goes for the figure and the accessories.

Review by Ruari Williamson.

1,000 Research Droids Reviews!

2012-02-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our friends at Jedi Temple Archives for reaching their 1,000th Research Droids Review! This hugely successful column has been a daily destination for fans looking for thorough descriptions of all the latest Star Wars product releases and their pros and cons. I've had the honor of contributing to Research Droids myself a few times over the past year, and it's always a lot of fun working with them. Head on over and check out their 1,000th review, Aurra Sing, and browse through their extensive database.

Follow us on Facebook you must!

2012-02-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

Echo Base News is also Keeping Star Wars Cool on Facebook! Be sure to like us if you haven't already (click here)! There's all kinds of exciting content posted daily, including some of the news that doesn't make it to the front page as well as occasional exclusive giveaways. We're almost to 700 followers! Can we get there by the end of the day and possibly even reach 1,000 by our 4th anniversary on April 6?

Rebel Reviews - Discover the Force 12/12: Yoda

2012-02-15T18:04:00.000-08:00

It's not often, but Wal-Mart tends to get entire waves as exclusive releases. This week, we'll be taking a look at a few of the figures, and today we will look at Yoda. Is it possible that you don't own this mold? Should you rush out to go get it and his chair? Read on!

Discover the Force 12/12: Yoda

Accessories: Council Chair, lightsaber, cloak, Galactic Battle Gear (die, base, game card)

Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, ankles; swivel wrists, hips

I am getting slightly less and less patient when it comes to repacks. Especially this year as they seem to be all over the pegs and I look at repack after repack after repack and less new Clone Wars. This Yoda figure began its life as the Revenge of the Sith III #03 Yoda with Firing Cannon! The sculpt was definitely okay then, but not anymore. Hasbro has graced us with an amazing Yoda in the Vintage Collection, but decided not to repack it in the Discover the Force Collection.

This Yoda has abysmal articulation. He has ball joint shoulders, ankles and head and swivel hips and wrists. The Vintage Yoda is super articulated. (If you haven’t noticed, you’ll be seeing many comparisons between the two tonight.) While the engineering on the Yoda was good in 2005, it’s not up to par to today’s standards. The Vintage Yoda should have been released or no Yoda should have been released.

“But, Chris! This Yoda comes with a Council Chair!” I hear you there. It’s better than the cannon that the Yoda has been coming with in the past few years, because that thing was silly and most collectors wouldn’t use it anyway. You know a but is coming. The Yoda cannot sit in the chair! Ugh! The Vintage Yoda could. The Vintage Yoda has a soft goods cloak and knees. What does this have? The ugliest plastic robe you’ve ever done seen and no legs. So, he could theoretically sit in the chair, but not with his outer robe on. And that’s just not cool.

But let’s look at one other option because I refuse to give figures less than two and a half stars if there is some redeeming quality. No one wants to read a negative review, right? The value is here if you want to get your kids a Star Wars figure. (D’aww.) For about a dollar less, your kid can get a Yoda figure and a council chair instead of a Yoda with small accessories and a somewhat empty bubble. If you don’t have a council chair, this Yoda won’t kill you. Donate it. You’ll feel better about yourself and have a chair. If Hasbro put this as “Council Chair with Yoda!” then I would rate this higher, honestly. But this figure gets a half score because it does have value for collectors and kids but the Yoda is absolutely terrible.

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

2013 line look revealed

2012-02-15T17:43:00.000-08:00

A report from our friends at Yakface has confirmed the green and black Yoda-themed line look for 2013. This confirms their rumor report from back in December. Click here to check out their unofficial reveal. Congrats to Yakface for uncovering this exciting intel!

New York Toy Fair - Image gallery at official site

2012-02-15T12:47:00.000-08:00

While we may not be getting the official presentation, a great gallery of images of MOST items revealed at Toy Fair has been posted at the official Star Wars site. Click here to check it out (and prepare to drool if you haven't yet seen the upcoming Vintage offerings)!

Still absent from all reports so far are images of two new Battle Packs supposedly revealed at the show. One is Bespin themed and the other is Naboo themed. We'll let you know when we learn more!

Also absent from the gallery at the official site is the San Diego Comic Con exclusive Carbon Freezing Chamber action figure six-pack. For a closer look at that, check out the coverage from our friends at Jedi Temple Archives.

Rebel Reviews - Discover the Force 5/12: Gungan Warrior

2012-02-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

It's not often, but Wal-Mart tends to get entire waves as exclusive releases. This week, we'll be taking a look at a few of the figures, and today we will look at the Gungan Warrior. A newly-tooled variation of Jar-Jar's species, but is it worth it to get another Gungan? Read on to find out!

Discover the Force, 5/12: Gungan Warrior

Accessories: staff (2 pieces) & farseein.
Articulation: ball-socket head, ball-joint shoulders, elbows, waist, knees, ankles, swivel forearms & hips.

So, let's get the party on the latest Gungan figure started. The sculpt isn't an entirely new sculpt, and is officially considered a re-tool of the 2009 Gungan in the Legacy Collection. The weird thing is, the design of this figure matches a Gungan Scout, not the Warrior that the figure is titled by. A small detail, and not one I'm bothered about, but there may be someone out there interested to know that. The articulation is great on this figure. These Discover the Force figures are pretty much Vintage in a different packaging. This figure even includes ankles, which is always a bonus. The ankles/feet are quite big though, so you have to adjust this figure to get it to stand up just right. There is nothing lacking in the articulation truthfully. Unless you're really pick and must have hips as well as ankles.

This figure comes with three accessories, two different staff pieces that make a longer staff, called a "cesta". They work quite well together, and there is some nice details on both staff pieces. However, both pieces look quite odd when they're not connected. The other accessory, the farseein, is quite an odd accessory. Even after seeing a picture of it earlier today, I'm still not exactly sure what it's purpose is. Especially as Tunghori's listing isn't too helpful, showing it as in accessory that goes on the head, where the film picture shows it as a binocular-like thing. I'd have liked to see at least one Gungan energy ball included with those figure. Small accessory they would be, but still packing a punch as a kid-feature, and that is what Hasbro goes for these days.

This newly-tooled/re-tooled Gungan is definitely a figure I like, and I think it is the best of the first 12 figures in this line. I actually hadn't bought a generic Gungan before this figure came out, so I can't really say whether it's better over previous releases, just that this is a really good figure and I recommend it. Hopefully soon this release can be re-tooled into a Captain Tarpals figure, another Gungan I would like to add to my collection. My only complaints with this figure are that the head can kind of fall off easily, if you push it back a little bit, and the accessories. I would honestly have rathered a army of energy balls over what this figure does come with, but that's just my opinion.

Review by Ruari Williamson

No Toy Fair presentation slides this year

2012-02-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

This week fan sites have been trying to obtain the Hasbro Star Wars slideshow from the brand presentation at New York Toy Fair, which has been distributed in past years. But this year, we're not having much luck. Echo Base News contacted Hunter PR, and they confirmed that the brand presentations will not be made available this year. It's a disappointing development, since the reports we have heard suggest that they went through the live Star Wars brand presentation very quickly and some information might have been missed. We hope to learn more about what exactly has been revealed at New York Toy Fair and will definitely update soon with complete details!

In the mean time, click here to check out some great event coverage from our friends at Jedi Temple Archives!

The Wampa Pen - Prices

2012-02-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

Prices. Who doesn’t want to complain about them? Nobody. But, this week, I’m going to let the reality speak almost more than I do. (But we know that’s not true, I love to talk.) Read on!

The Vintage Collection - $9-10

The Clone Wars Collection - $8-9

The Deluxe Packs/Class I - $18-22

Vehicles/Class II - $25-32

Wal-Mart Battle Packs - $25

Discover the Force Vehicles - $30

Battle Packs - $22-26

Podracers TRU set - $27

The top line of the prices is obviously Toys ‘R’ Us. I mean, I get that they don’t sell the food or have nearly the volume of Target or Wal-Mart, but wow, some of those disparities are outrageous.

I mean, let’s just think about that for a moment.

Vintage Collection – that’s at least $9 a figure. And there will be, like, almost twenty Phantom Menace carded figures in the Vintage Collection at $9 a pop. Not to mention five Deleted Scenes figures and a whole mess of great things revealed at Toy Fair. Not only do those figures make us all giddy, but they’re going to cost you dearly.

Clone Wars Collection – But I guess this is where the better part of the year comes in, only nine new figures this year at $8! I guess that’s where I get to save money….

Class I packs – Remember when the STAP and the Darth Maul sets were about $10? I don’t necessarily remember that either, but dang, almost a 200% increase in their price. And they’re molds from the 90’s. And another BARC, another Obi-Wan…Man, aren’t you just salivating at the ability to spend all of this money on repacks? And pretty lame ones at that?

Class II – remember when these were new and cost less? Yeah, me too. What’s this recurring theme? Oh, yeah, repacks that cost more than they should. The Podracers used to come with pack-in figures, too.

Wal-Mart Battle Packs – did you notice that most of these figures are like, half-sized? Not to mention the late 90’s/early 2000’s molds in this set? Did you really want to pay about $8 for super old figures? No? Why should you. (Disclaimer: the astromech set is definitely worth the money, but I love Droids.)

Discover the Force vehicles – Remember when the Dewback was $30 but had a new Sandtrooper figure? But then the new release deleted the Sandtrooper and kept the price the same? Or the repainted Vulture Droid for ten dollars more than its last release?

Battle Packs – 3 figures for $22. Remember when they were five figures for $20? Sure, the sculpts are better…usually. Until the frickin’ Rebel Heroes and Geonosis Assault Battle Packs repacked figures that should never have seen the light of day again.

Podracers - more and more repacks! Gosh, these half figures cost more than any Battle Pack full of fullsized figures!!

I don’t want to talk. I want these prices to. And then I want you to reconsider your buying habits until these come down.

Rebel Reviews - Discover the Force 11/12: Tusken Raider

2012-02-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

It's not often, but Wal-Mart tends to get entire waves as exclusive releases. This week, we'll be taking a look at a few of the figures, starting today with the Tusken Raider! Does this repack require rebuying? (Alliteration always excites.) Keep reading!

Discover the Force, 11/12: Tusken Raider

Accessories: gaffi stick, rifle, skirt, Galactic Battle Gear (stand, game card and die)

Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, knees, ankles; swivel waist, wrists and elbows

I’m all for movie years. We’ve technically had nine now: three for the Original Trilogy, three for the Prequels, one for the special releases, one for the Clone Wars and this last one for The Phantom Menace. What have they brought? Well, the 1999 Phantom Menace glut was an overwhelming glut of Darth Maul. (Hm, sound familiar?) The 2002 Saga Collection brought us a line full of statues, but not just from Episode II. The 2005 Episode III glut left us desperate for more OT and PT offerings than our one-trillionth Anakin figure. (Fun fact: Darth Vaders shipped in solid cases of Vader, and they sold through.) The Clone Wars line brought us a new Clone Wars line. The 2005-6 Original Trilogy line celebrated the Special Editions on DVD with a line full of repaints, repacks and rehashes, and very few new figures. Wait, those all sound bad….

Why did I go through all of that history? Well, to show just how bad movie years can be. I was being sarcastic in the opening line. (Sorry.) In the Episode I glut, Hasbro has released a lot of stunning new figures. But, they’ve taken the opportunity to release some stinkers, and taken it to just straight up release some figures that were good, but could use some sort of new sculpt. That would be this Tusken Raider. Why’s that? Read on…

The Raider was first released in the second wave of The Vintage Collection figures, in which excellent sculpts with upgraded (now standard) articulation came in clamshell packaging at a $3-4 markup. His subline was technically known as the “Vintage Saga Collection”, and he came with a mailaway tab to win the George Lucas as Stormtrooper Vintage carded figure. Was he good for the time? Sure. His sculpt was and is pretty good. Nobody would argue that it looks really nice and it stands the test of time. So where does the complaint come in? Mostly at his articulation: it is a bit below standard. He has ankles, which is oddly rare for this time of year in the Clone Wars line, but he still sports cut elbows. I can’t think of many figures off the top of my head recently that still feature them, but they’re not necessarily the end of the world. He can still hold his Gaffi stick over his head. He can still pose with his rifle. What should I really be bummed about?

I still love the material his robe is made out of. It looks good, wild, but not too wild. I don’t have the original to compare it against, but it’s definitely a different color. I just still wonder why Tuskens and Owen wear outfits like this in the middle of the dessert. Isn’t it way too hot for that kind of cloak? Go for this figure if you love Tuskens, you won’t be disappointed. Don’t love Tuskens? Then don’t buy it. (That’d just be a waste.)

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

New York Toy Fair - Fans' Choice Poll winner announced!

2012-02-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

And the winner is....Mara Jade Skywalker! The top three have been announced at New York Toy Fair. Jocasta Nu placed second and the green bunny Jaxxon placed third. We're looking forward to finally receiving the ultimate Mara Jade action figure!

New York Toy Fair - Basic Figures gallery at JTA

2012-02-11T22:23:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Jedi Temple Archives have posted a great gallery of the new reveals at New York Toy Fair. Click through to see the gallery!

Customs for a Cause - Grand prize voting!

2012-02-10T16:09:00.001-08:00

Hey guys, it's time to vote for who you feel deserves to win the grand prize! Click here to place your vote! Voting will be live until the 17th!

Customs for a Cause - Random winners selected!

2012-02-09T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! The two randomized winners have been announced. Were you one of the two randomly selected winners? Click here to find out!! If you weren't selected, have no fear, you still have a chance to win our GRAND PRIZE!!! Voting will begin tomorrow to select our grand prize winner. Good Luck!

The Wampa Pen - Useless Deluxe Packs

2012-02-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

Is there truly such a thing as a "useless toy"? I mean, in general, all toys are. But I will argue: yes, yes, there are useless Deluxe Packs. Namely, Anakin Skywalker and the Republic Attack Shuttle. Why? Well, you'll have to read on to find out.

A repaint should never be a prepaint. Confused? Okay, good. I love confusing my readers. What does that mean? Well, we’ll get there.

A prepaint is an interesting term that I first heard about the Deena Shan in Imperial Disguise figure. The sculpt was intended to come out first as the Juno Eclipse figure from the Force Unleashed line, but that was delayed so this one came out first. They are the same mold, even the same headsculpt. I have also heard the term applied to the Mace Windu Battalion Airborne Trooper before the mold came out in the first wave of the 30^th Anniversary Collection, but I’m not sure if that’s accurately applied.

Is it accurately applied here? I don’t know. And that’s what this article is about. The item I want to discuss is the Anakin Skywalker and Republic Attack Shuttle. The original release was Obi-Wan Kenobi, in his Season 1-3.5 armor with a new headsculpt and the body painted in Republic red. The Obi-Wan Kenobi release was canceled alongside a Boba Fett and Speeder Bike pack, but only this sculpt was brought back to life.

This item was touted as the Republic Attack Shuttle for those who couldn’t afford or fit the bigger one. Most BMF-style (Big Millenium Falcon, of course) vehicles had a corresponding item: the AT-TE had a Battle Pack of Clone Troopers, the Turbo Tank had a Deluxe two-pack of clones with cannons and the Shuttle was supposed to have this. (Yes, it was definitely less applicable but we ate it up anyway.)

Let me just start out with a complaint that I feel applies to both of the packs: Why are they packed with Jedi??? The last two accompaniment packs at least had army building potential, regardless of whether or not you actually wanted to army build them. Putting a Jedi with anything instantly cuts down the need to buy more than one. Because, by raise of hands, who doesn’t have at least one S3 Anakin who wanted one? There were two, one was a terribly overpacked Shadows of the Dark Side release and a Season 3.5-4 Anakin with a new sculpt has been forced on the pegs just a few days ago. If we were to want more than one, we can’t do that. If the point was, “we’ll include Anakin so that it’s obviously 501^st colors!”, that’s pretty dumb, honestly. How many 501^st pilots are there; heck, how many just straight up BLUE pilots are there? (Answer: many.) Instantly more army buildable and more recognizable with the 501^st Legion.

But the 501^st colors are my next complaint. Hasbro, how many vehicles actually have the ability to be painted into different clone squad colors? Many: Y-Wings, Republic Gunships, IFT-X, newly created mini-rigs, etc. Yes, I am saying that this had every right to be painted as a 501^st ship. But, let’s look at the examples. The Y-Wings first release was in its familiar yellow pattern, regardless that it was in Anakin and not the Clone Trooper colors. Gunships have been red for the longest time, minus one or two stray releases. BUT, how many Gunships are available? At least two have been available in the few years the Clone Wars line has existed in generic Republic red. Before receiving 501^st and 41^st Elite colors, the IFT-X came out in Republic red. So why is the first release of this mini-rig a Legion specific blue? I know that people love the Legion, but that cuts my display options down. Do only collectors care? Sure. A kid will just play with this however the heck he wants and I won’t argue that’s wrong. But, can’t we get a bone? I wanted this ship to be used with anybody I wanted, but it just screams 501^st and it will stand out in most displays as “different.” Is that splitting hairs? Maybe, but I feel like this is too weird a release. There’s no problem with basic red, is there? :/

Rebel Reviews - CW9: Chewbacca

2012-02-07T11:41:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you gotta ask yourself: "Does it seem worth it, punk?" This is such a case: Is a mildly repainted Chewbacca worth another $9, considering no change to the sculpt? Well, read on and find out!

CW9: Chewbacca

Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, elbows, waist, knees; swivel wrists, hips

Accessories: bowcaster, firing bowcaster, missile, Trandoshan rifle, Galactic Battle Gear (stand, die and game cards)

f you remember the recently released Chewbacca, you’ll probably remember his dark brown, almost black, colored fur on his face. And the dark splotches on his upper torso. I don’t know if anybody thought that was okay, but I guess Lucasfilm said go ahead, and they did. The new one is a bit dark, too, but it’s a much more appropriate color, thank the Maker. Do they look like different Wookiees? Not without imagination. So, I really can’t decide for you whether or not the color is better. I say it’s much better and I will go ahead and buy it, but I can’t decide for you. Standing next to another, you’ll have a tough time saying that they can be two separate Wookiees. Which is sad, because I’d love more Wookiee figure.I

I feel like, whether you’re Luke Skywalker, cartoon Chewbacca, Pote Snikin, Outlander Club purveyor, and you have an action figure, you should be able to stand in a neutral pose. My Chewbacca just won’t, and that makes me sad. There has to be a bend at the knees or the waist joints for mine. Ankles would have helped TREMENDOUSLY, but they’re not there. At the end of the Shadows of the Dark Side line, Hasbro decided to cut ankles across the board. It makes me sad to say that we have Season 3.5 Ahsoka, Anakin and Obi-Wan, Savage Opress and Chewbacca without ankles, with high doubts that we’ll get a new Savage and Chewie in the near future. Does this really, completely ruin the figure? No, it’s a minor quibble. But as a reviewer, it’s my job to make a mountain out of a mole hill. So I am. His articulation, for the most part, matches the Vintage figure, but he only has one chest joint instead of the two. He is also, obviously, missing ankles.

The rest of the sculpt is tres manifique: it screams animated, but it’s almost as good at the Vintage sculpt. (I said it, let the stoning begin.) His face is great, so Chewbacca. I just really cannot complain about the sculpt for any reason. That’s a great thing, and it makes me happy yet again.

The new release retains all of his original weapons: a bowcaster, an action feature bowcaster and a Trandoshan rifle. The bowcaster is nothing special: it looks good and he can hold it. The firing bowcaster is a pain: a giant ugly green missile plugs into the over sized blaster and you can send it firing a little bit. Exciting times, but kids may like it well enough. Since my last review, though, I’ve changed how I feel about the Trando rifle. It’s just short. It’s somewhere between a real rifle and a blaster; it looks odd in Chewbacca’s hand and it looks awkward for a Clone Trooper to dual wield it. Anyway, I shouldn’t complain. It’s a fun, different and unexpected side accessory. Pretty cool and I don’t see a point in complaining. The bandolier keeps the same fun of not floating around the bottom. It’s frustrating. Is this figure perfect? Minor nitpicks but all collectors would love him.

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

Rebel Reviews - CW3: Savage Opress

2012-02-06T20:47:00.001-08:00

Another Savage Oppress? Does this repack satisfy the "Savage" craving for yet another Sith hopeful?

CW3: Savage Opress

Accessories: axe, missile firing axe, Galactic Battle game pieces

Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, elbows, knees; swivel wrists, waist, hips

Hey, remember when we asked if Hasbro could repack the shirtless Savage instead of the armored one? No? Well, I don't either. Because we didn't want this one again. I have seen this figure at least twenty times but I have never seen the armored Savage, so I'm not sure what Hasbro was thinking. Savage better be shirtless in the Season 4 finale otherwise I'm gonna be even more mad than I am now.

Savage is one honking figure with some big honking accessories. He comes with...base line articulation, without ball joint ankles and a ball joint waist. It's slightly disappointing, but it's rather forgivable because this is only the shirtless version. If it were the full armored this would be a problem. He can stand around fine, intimidate other figures fine and look pretty awesome doing it. His skirt is soft so that he can bend his knees and go into whatever kick butt pose you choose!

His hands are sculpted with gigantic trigger fingers. I'm almost worried to give him his honking axe just because I don't want to break those dang things. Which is sad, because I shouldn't be afraid to break my toys when I play with them. The small, non action feature axe is slightly small. Almost too small, and I prefer the big axe. It comes with fun little handle bars to help him hold it better and not warp his hands half to death.

I'm surprised by his paint job: it looks great! All of my shirtless Mauls have paint smudges, but Savage looks great! He seems to be a little too bright, but it's not too bad.

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

Rebel Reviews - CW2: Clone Trooper

2012-02-03T11:52:00.001-08:00

I love Clone Troopers. But, as per Rebelscum’s last report, it looks like we’re gonna suffer through Clone overload this year. So, should you bother with the Phase II white Clone Trooper?

CW2: Clone Trooper
Articulation: ball joint helmet, shoulders, elbows, knees; swivel wrists, waist, hips

Accessories: blaster, blaster rifle, jetpack

I guess you should be able to guess the answer: yes. A word of warning: if you don’t like the Stone mold, you won’t like this figure. It’s got the same articulation, but it’s in a Phase II decoration. Take that as a warning.

So, that being said, we all know the articulation of the Stone mold. He doesn’t have super articulated wrists, no ankles and a swivel waist. Now, minus my love for Stone, this seems okay for a basic trooper, right? If anybody should get premium articulation it should be a Commander, like the recently reviewed Cody. He stands fine, and looks good standing at attention. One thing I noticed, not sure whether or not this is true, but his stance definitely feels wider than the Stone mold. It looks a lot more natural and they come off as a little less stiff. The same goes for his arms; the Stone mold felt like a lot of jagged edges compared to how natural this figure feels. Is that just my imagination? Sure could be, but as a reviewer I should share it, right?

Also, oddly enough, his helmet is not removable. Seems like it should have been a given when it comes to a Clone Trooper, but his helmet looks fine, so I won’t complain too much. His blaster is new. Remember how the old one was fat and you could barely fit it into a Trooper’s hands without feeling like you were going to bend it? This new one has a slimmer bottom so the Clone Trooper can hold it better. Thank the Maker, ya know? His blaster is not new: it’s the same large rifle that has been coming with Stone molds for a while. I love this rifle. Every single rifle I display is this new mold. He has the same jetpack with firing feature as Denal. It’s a different shade of white and has some interesting purple shades on it that make it feel more like a Hasbro-Universe Mace Windu Squadron backpack than a color that a basic clone trooper would use. I mean, the color is really off. I feel like I pulled it from a different figure and put it on a basic white clone it’s so off. Does that hurt the figure? No, it’s not an integral part of its function.

Bottom line? The figure is good and you’ll want to army build them. Rex, Cody, Fox and Wolffe are coming this year and they’ll need some Clone Troopers to lead.

Notes: The animated Clone Trooper, unlike the realistic one, does NOT have a black bar going around the helmet. This is accurate to the cartoon.

Rebel Reviews - CW7: Commander Cody

2012-02-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

The "new" The Clone Wars line is here! Unfortunately, there aren't very many figures that are actually new, and that sucks since it seems collectors of all ages were really starting to enjoy the quality stuff this line was bringing. Thankfully the new figures we are getting this year are very good for the most part. Commander Cody (now with Phase II armor!) is no exception. Read on and see if you need to add yet another version of Cody to your collection.

CW7: Commander Cody
Accessories: blaster rifle, removable helmet, removable jetpack, big removable jetpack, display stand, Galactic Battle Game card, dice

Articulation: ball-joint neck, shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles; swivel wrists, waist, hips

One of three new figures in the first wave of the underwhelming 2012 The Clone Wars basic figure line, Commander Cody delivers tons of excitement! Now in his Phase II armor which debuted in Season 4 as the show approaches the events of Revenge of the Sith, Cody proves that Hasbro can still make clone trooper figures exciting sometimes. He truly is an excellent figure and actually one of the best animated releases yet. However, he does fall short in a couple areas.

Let's start with all the positives. And there certainly are a lot of positives to appreciate here. The paintjob is stellar. Every little detail of Cody's appearance in the toon has been nailed. There are a couple specific details I'd like to pay special attention to here. Cody's clearly seen some action. There are scrapes and scratches painted against the orange parts of his armor, which effectively add quite a bit of realism. Clone commanders (and most troopers too) should never ever be released in fresh, shiny armor. Also worth noting is the colorful rank badge. Although it isn't a separately sculpted glued on piece like I usually prefer, the crisp details have been applied very well and it looks super. Lastly, the scar across Cody's face looks incredible. Not only has the paint been applied very well, but the deep scar has actually been incorporated as part of the headsculpt so it looks very realistic. It honestly looks like this figure just jumped out of our television screens one Friday evening and into our collections. It's that awesome. There's just one flaw with the paintjob, and that's that the antennae hasn't been painted; it's just orange like the rest of the shoulder armor and not silver as it should be.

Onto accessories. As with most other releases of Cody, the helmet is removable. For this figure, the removable helmet feature looks good, but not quite perfect. It doesn't fit completely well, and when you look at the figure from certain angles a little bit of his chin is sticking out under the helmet and too much of his neck is showing. It's not terrible by any means, but it could be just a tiny bit better. The helmet itself looks fantastic! Cody also includes a blaster rifle, and a removable jetpack that plugs into his back. In addition, he also includes a huge jetpack accessory that was last seen included with CW62: Captain Rex. It's been repainted orange this time. It's huge and it never appeared in the show, and it's a little goofy looking, but kids will have fun with it so it adds a little extra play value. Cody also includes the new Galactic Battle Game card, dice, and display stand. The cards are new and improved for the 2012 line and look way better than they did in the 2010-2011 line. However, the display stand is a weird tan color and not as "Star Warsy" as the silver stands included in the past.

Cody has fourteen points of articulation, so he qualifies as super articulated. Some collectors might be disappointed that he doesn't have ball-joint hips and wrists like previous clone trooper figure releases. I think that as nice as that may have been, he still has enough. Worth noting is his ankle articulation, which is unlike any I recall seeing in any previous figures. The foot has a 360 degree range of poseability. It's neat and allows him to achieve all sorts of action poses (even more with help from the display stand). The figure is based on the new Phase II Clone Trooper which is making its debut in the same wave, but with unique Cody parts such as the removable helmet feature and the left bicep with the antennae.

So what's the verdict? Commander Cody is a very very good figure and worth the newly increased (grrrr) price tag. There are some small tweaks I hope Hasbro will consider making in the future, but for now enjoy Cody as he is. It's figures like Cody that make us all so sad Hasbro's focus has shifted away from The Clone Wars this year in such a drastic way.

Review by David Delgado

*Image from Jedi Temple Archives

New Vintage Collection Figures Revealed!

2012-02-02T13:26:00.001-08:00

Rebelscum has a list that is revealing a TON of new Vintage Collection toys - not to mention a few realistic Clone Wars figures ;) Click through to read the report!

New Clone Wars Figures Revealed!

2012-02-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Rebelscum has posted a report of the remaining figures for the Clone Wars collection! Click through to see who is finishing out the year.

Customizer Spotlight- freedom410

2012-01-31T19:33:00.000-08:00

Well Mike's tribute is already off to a great start! We've got freedom410's first group entry with his Darth Bane trio. Click here to see more of the entries and while your there, post your own for this great contest!

Rebel Reviews - CW1 Anakin Skywalker

2012-01-31T19:09:00.000-08:00

Can I just point a few things out before reviewing the picture? Look at the new image! We thought this better reflected the new Darth Maul packaging. Look for a new logo for Movie Heroes as well. Now, Anakin Skywalker. Did we really need another? Read on!

Accessories: lightsaber, launcher, spinning lightsaber effect projectile

Articulation: ball hinge head; ball-joint shoulders, elbows, knees; swivel forearms, waist, hips

Good to be back! Ah, it felt so weird not writing reviews.

Sometimes I just wonder what Hasbro is doing, and the 2012 Clone Wars launch just makes me wonder even more. Not only do they not send too many figures out, but they only launch a line with three new figures. Three. New. Figures. And, it’s an Anakin, a Cody and a Clone Trooper. Sure, Anakin is in his Season 4 outfit and the two clones are Phase II, but seriously, is that the way that they need to launch this line? I submit that it was not.

Anyway, let’s look at this Anakin. Let’s start with his sculpt: it’s not bad. Have you ever had one of those figures which you liked better, but couldn’t tell why? In my mind, this figure is better than the Shadows of the Dark Side Anakin in Season 3 outfit, but in ways that you wouldn’t expect. I can almost say that the comparison is close to comparing the super articulated clone trooper to the Stone mold: the S3 Anakin mold seemed so stiff. All plastic, and you didn’t even want to bend the knees because he didn’t have ankles anyway. (Seriously, if you pose him differently, post a picture on our Facebook page.) This one seems more limber. I can’t describe why without both figures in front of me, but this figure just has a more natural stance. And you can bend his knees and instead of hard plastic, this one has soft goods. Yay! There’s a step up, huh? Another thing that I really appreciate is that both of his hands have been sculpted with the ability to hold a lightsaber. The Force push hand is cool, but seriously, if that’s our only option I won’t be happy. As if the old one wasn’t limited enough in display options, am I right?

His articulation remains close to the same: ball-joint shoulders, elbows, knees; swivel waist, forearms, hips. His head joint is different, though…it’s comparable to the clone trooper’s original articulated wrists. Seriously, it will not go in every direction that you would think it can – you’ll break it or something. Why would Hasbro do this? For Marvel Legend collectors, it’s the same type of neck articulation that female figures received, and that’s no good. It helps him make looking up poses, but you’ll see the obviously different color neck pin. RAWR. That’s the biggest pet peeve of mine.

Loose ends: His head sculpt is great. It looks a little like Dolph Lundgren at first, but it grew on me. It’s a lot better than the horse-face that the original S3 Anakin was sporting. (Too bad they couldn’t fix the problem between the head and neck matching!) The launching thing is just dumb. Does it work? Sure. Do you care? Doubtful. But don’t worry, I’m sure some kid somewhere would appreciate it, I guess.

Note: The stands are now more tan/beige, depending on whether you ask me or someone who knows more than eight colors. It is not the silver of the Shadows of the Dark Side packaging. Which is super disappointing. Bottom line? Wait for the Deluxe pack, get a somewhat cool vehicle and the Anakin should be similar enough, or better.

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

Customizer Spotlight -JTHOMPSON

2012-01-30T17:31:00.000-08:00

JTHOMPSON is in our spotlight today with his custom RT-KT. Click here to see the rest of the entries, and while you're there, upload your own custom to the contest and help us raise some money for ROAR!

January 30 launch date has arrived!

2012-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

The date we've all been waiting for (with the exception of those of us who have found stuff early, which seems to have been most of us) is here! Today, January 30, is Hasbro's official retail launch date for most of the new 2012 product line centered around the 3D re-release of The Phantom Menace next month. Happy hunting!

P.S. - Don't forget that figures are buy 2, get 1 free at Toys R Us!

RIP Ian Abercrombie

2012-01-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

We are sad to hear about the death of Ian Abercrombie, the voice of Chancellor Palpatine on The Clone Wars. He was 77.

Customs for a Cause prize announcement

2012-01-28T10:01:00.001-08:00

Well, today is the day, folks! Now for the moment you've all been waiting for, prize announcements for our Customs for a Cause contest!

Our grand prize winner will receive a personalized Lily Nyamwasa autographed Stass Allie 8x10 photo and a $50 Andrew's Toyz gift card.

Two randomly selected winners receive $25 Man of Action Figures gift cards.

Well, you've got a couple more days, so lets get those entries in! Good luck!

Rebel Reviews - Naboo Royal Starship Droids (Walmart)

2012-01-25T20:59:00.000-08:00

Our Episode I reviews continue today with the new Walmart exclusive Naboo Royal Starship Droids multipack. It's nice to have all of these droids together in one set, but do they make an essential addition to your collection? Read on and find out!

Naboo Royal Starship Droids (Walmart exclusive)

Accessories: four droid power harnesses, four display stands, four Galactic Battle Game cards, dice, 3D glasses

Yet another new release for the 3D re-release of The Phantom Menace is the Walmart exclusive Naboo Royal Starship Droids multipack. Everyone loves astromech droids, so this is sure to be a very popular set. But are the figures any good?

I don't like that the Build-a-Droid base figure is becoming Hasbro's go-to astromech droid sculpt. I think that the Revenge of the Sith Sneak Preview line's R4-G9 (which has been repainted dozens of times) is still the definitive astromech droid sculpt. So it's unfortunate that Hasbro seems to have completely abandoned it in favor of the Build-a-Droid sculpt. However, their reasons are understandable. It's probably mainly because the Build-a-Droid's detachable mix-and-match parts give it a lot more playability, especially in a multipack like this. And it's still a solid figure. The main issue is the big holes near the bottom of the "torso" (or whatever that area would be called on an astromech droid). It's an eye sore and the only purpose it serves is to plug in additional limbs and create a ridiculous anatomically incorrect droid. Whatever floats kids' boats I guess, but for us collectors it's just unnecessary and takes away from the figure's accuracy/authenticity.

So, onto the figures in this set. The droids included look great with their wide range of cool looking color schemes. My personal favorite has always been the blue and gold R2-B1 (Cambrian Academy and UC Santa Cruz colors FTW). The R2-B1 figure released back in 2007's 30th Anniversary Collection based on the R4-G9 sculpt is definitely a superior figure, but R2-B1 does fit in well with this release and it's no surprise that they used the Build-a-Droid sculpt instead. As with his 2007 release, R2-B1 (and all the other figures in this set) include awesome droid power harness accessories.

R2-N3, the green astromech droid included in this set, has been mistaken as R2-A6 (Ric Olie's astromech droid) since they're pretty much identical. So technically this is the first release of the R2-N3 character seen on the Naboo Royal Starship. The red astromech droid, R2-R9, has been released a couple times in the past, most recently in the 30th Anniversary Commemorative Tin collection and based on the R4-G9 sculpt. So that's the superior figure, but this is still a welcome figure and a cool looking droid. Those darn holes though! Grr.

Last but not least, we've got our first ever release of R2-D2 based on the Build-a-Droid sculpt. It's surprising it took so long, but here he is! It's pretty much your standard Artoo figure, only now with detachable parts and those dumb holes. This is where it's really annoying that the R4-G9 sculpt couldn't have been used to make this set. R2-D2 has only been released with the R4-G9 sculpt and a clean paintjob once in the past, and a lot of collectors missed out on that release. So it would have been nice if this set could have provided collectors with another shot at the figure.

So what's the verdict? Pick this set up and enjoy it if you need the droids; it's probably the last time the three background astromech droids will ever show up in the line. However, if you have the previous releases of these droids based on the R2-G9 sculpt definitely just stick with those and pass on this set unless you want some extra power harnesses. The set is an excellent idea to go with the movie release, and kids will have fun with it; but the execution was wrong for it to appeal to most collectors. Stick with the R4-G9 sculpt please Hasbro! It's still wonderful (even after over seven years)!

Review by David Delgado.

UPDATE: CONFIRED! Multi Troop Transport Droid Carrier

2012-01-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

This year's big vehicle has been revealed in a series of reports by our friends at Jedi Temple Archives this morning! The MTT (Multi Troop Transport) has been confirmed and it looks like our droid armies are about to receive an awesome new addition! Click here to head over to Jedi Temple Archives for the reports!

Update: We now have new information - Yakface has confirmed through the Target DPCI system a cost of $129.99. Jedi Temple Archives has mock-up boxed images as well.

New Vintage figures revealed at UK Toy Fair

2012-01-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

Expanded Universe fans are in for a treat! Galen Marek from The Force Unleashed and Shae Vizla from The Old Republic have been confirmed as 2012 additions to The Vintage Collection by a UK Toy Fair report at Jedi News. Also revealed is an awesome new Nikto Skiff Guard figure. Click here for a closer look!

Rebel Reviews – Podracer Pilots (Toys R Us exclusive)

2012-01-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

Today we continue our look at all this great Episode I stuff hitting stores now (despite the January 30 launch date) for the film's 3D re-release in early February! Available online starting last week (and now sold out) is the Toys R Us exclusive Podracer Pilots multipack. This set contains a wide range of old and new figures, all of which are simple repaints; but it's the inclusion of an exciting new accessory that's really generating buzz around this set. Read on and see if the Podracer Pilots are worth adding to your collection (again).

Podracer Pilots (Toys R Us exclusive)

Accessories: Dud Bolt: blaster rifle, goggles, flag; Gasgano: flag; Mars Guo: blaster pistol, goggles, flag; Clegg Holdfast: blaster pistol, goggles, flag; Teemto Pagalies: goggles, flag; five Galactic Battle Game cards, five display stands, dice

With the upcoming return of The Phantom Menace to theaters in 3D, 2012 is clearly a year full of exciting new Episode I releases. One recent release is the Toys R Us exclusive Podracer Pilots multipack. It contains five small figures, all repainted re-releases which date as far back as the original Episode I line from 1999. Three of the figures are still fine, but the two oldest figures haven't aged very well unfortunately.

Clegg Holdfast from 2009's Legacy Collection is the newest figure in this set, this time coming with an improved paintjob. Clegg is still a decent figure and fits in this set very well; I would argue he fits in this multipack better than he originally fit in the basic figure line. Back in 2009, there were a lot more deserving candidates from the Podracing scenes for basic figure release. Here he is again, and if you passed on him a few years ago this is a great chance to add him to your collection (and for only around $5!).

The Dud Bolt and Mars Guo duo last seen in The Saga Collection in 2006 return to the line in this set as well. Both are still good action figures but they are lacking a little bit in the articulation department. Still, it's a good time to re-release these two bizarre looking alien racers, and it would have been kind of silly for Hasbro to make any modifications. These two characters are as good as they'll ever get in plastic form. Oh, one last thing. Dud Bolt and Mars Guo do have paint differences, but they're very minor. Definitely the least changed of the five figures re-released in this set.

Here's where it starts to go downhill a little bit. Teemto Pagalies was originally released in 2002's Saga Collection. He had an acceptable amount of articulation during the time he was released, but nowadays if the character was released in the basic figure line for the first time I can't help but think Hasbro would give him at least twice as much articulation. Just look at what they managed to do with Ben Quadinaros, and other small figures such as Yoda from Wave 5 of The Vintage Collection. The reason I don't have the same complaints with Dud Bolt and Mars Guo is because of their body types. Dud Bolt has ridiculously small legs so knee articulation is out of the question, and Mars Guo has extremely skinny arms. But Teemto Pagalies definitely has some room for improvement. He does have an improved paint job this time around, but that's about it. The character fits in this set well, but he's not the best repack.

And now we arrive at Gasgano. He's got a very nice paintjob this time around, but simply put, this figure from 1999 stinks in 2012, and it makes me sad that we couldn't get a brand new Gasgano figure. Could you imagine a Gasgano figure loaded with articulation? That would be amazing! Another big flaw with this figure is how easily his arms pop off. What's up with that??

Last but not least, we come to the fantastic new flags! These little plastic flags seem to be the reason most longtime collectors have to pick up this set, and they do look terrific. One little issue here though is that Gasgano and Teemto Pagalies hands are open so they can't properly hold the flags they come with, which is a bummer.

It's a decent set, and I like it because of my soft spot for Episode I. But a couple of the figures are just too old. And I really, really want to see a new Gasgano before the line is over. (Again, just image how awesome a modern Gasgano would be!) If you have all of the figures inside, I recommend skipping it and just printing out the flags Jayson at Yakface made (click here). But if you're missing any of these figures, go ahead and pick up the set and enjoy the plastic flags. They're neat. Just not $26.99 neat.

Review by David Delgado.

CONFIRED! Multi Troop Transport Droid Carrier

2012-01-24T10:57:00.000-08:00

New multi-site customizing contest!

2012-01-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

Echo Base News has teamed up with Yakface and Imperial Shipyards for a joint customizing event. This exciting new contest has been organized in the memory of former EBN staff member and talented customizer Mike Martinez. Click here to enter the forums for all the details!

Republic Attack Dropship revealed

2012-01-23T14:00:00.001-08:00

Sandtroopers shows us the third of four Deluxe packs this year! Click here to check it out!

"Who's Left?" 2012 - Attack of the Clones (Special Guest Commentary)

2012-01-22T14:11:00.000-08:00

Here’s the latest installment in our ongoing special report Who’s Left? 2012 where we’re taking a look at all of the characters that Hasbro hasn’t gotten to yet from the six movies. Earlier this week, we revisited the list we've compiled of over eighty-five unmade characters from Attack of the Clones! Now it’s time to take a look at some of the characters from that list that we’d like to see plastic first. Last year I was joined by Paul Harrison from Jedi Temple Archives, Dan Curto from Rebelscum, Jim Cole from Droids & Ewoks, Jayson Krebsbach from Yakface, and Pat Newell from Imperial Shipyards in this very special report. A year later and with no changes made to our original 2011 list, let's revisit their Episode II commentary. Enjoy!

Cliegg Lars
“Here's a character that wouldn't be a best-seller or anything, although he did have an important role in the saga. It was his voice that was in the trailer telling the tale of Shmi's kidnapping. One possibility would be to include a removable alternate "real leg" and "damaged leg" with hoverchair. The Lars homestead isn't complete without him!” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

“Cliegg Lars is another overdue action figure. If Hasbro decides to make him, he must absolutely come with his hover chair. I love his story of marrying Shmi Skywalker and his desperate attempts to rescue her including his wound of the flesh and it only makes sense that we need him to flesh out the Lars’ Homestead play-set with Beru and Owen. He may not be a candidate for the basic figure line if they decide to do the chair, but no matter how they do it, he should just be made already. It goes without saying that his presence in the line is just as important as many other characters. After all, he’s Darth Vader’s step-father. That should be reason enough, right?” (Paul Harrison, Jedi Temple Archives)

“Probably one of the most important characters from Episode II yet to be made. Shmi's husband, Owen's father, Anakin's step-father and the pioneer of the Lars moisture farm...this guy has no shortage of important connections in the Star Wars saga. It would also be nice for Hasbro to acknowledge a physically handicapped character who uses the Star Wars version of a wheelchair.” (Jim Cole, Droids & Ewoks)

Dorme
“I really would like to see more of Padme’s handmaidens get made in the basic figure line. Dorme, one of the very few that had speaking lines is way overdue in my own estimation. Equally (or almost as) beautiful as Padme and possessing unmatched empathy, it seems that she would be a likely candidate in Hasbro’s infamous “parking lot” of action figures. But with the rare instances of Padme figures in the line, perhaps this figure is too far down the list to consider. But I think she is a more than worthy choice for the basic figure line.” (Paul Harrison, Jedi Temple Archives)

“Another important character from AOTC who still needs an action figure. Easily the most prominent handmaiden of Episode II, Dormé appeared in several scenes and did have quite a few speaking parts. Dormé has several costume options that Hasbro could choose from, plus we have never had a chance to add an AOTC Naboo handmaiden to our collections.” (Jim Cole, Droids & Ewoks)

FA-4
“Droids are cool, and the FA-4 droid would be a great addition to the line. It was the model of the droid seen piloting the starship Dooku fleed from Geonosis in at the end of Attack of the Clones. The droid made another appearance in The Clone Wars, in which it was captured and disassembled by Weequay pirates, and FA-4 droids were also seen working on Coruscaunt in Revenge of the Sith. It’s a unique design that definitely deserves a figure. No hangar is complete without it!” (David Delgado, Echo Base News)

Hermione Bagwa
“Dexter's Diner was a great scene where we got to see a little a little bit of the "normal" world of the Star Wars universe. Since we've already gotten Dexter Jettster the owner and WA-7 the waitress droid, why not finish off the staff?” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

“One of the things that failed the most to me was Episode II’s insistence on trying to create an effective hive of scum and villainy like both A New Hope and Return of the Jedi had through the Coruscant Outlander Nightclub. The whole scene just didn’t do it for me and I am not sure how I feel about Obi-Wan Kenobi drinking on the job. But I digress. I much preferred the Dexter’s Diner scene which included some sexy space vixens of it’s own like Hermione Bagwa. She has the girl next door look yet she is relatable to the hoi polloi because of her simple menial day job that’s wrapped around with a strong work ethic. I love her costume and since they made WA-7 already, it would be nice to get another waitress to accompany her.” (Paul Harrison, Jedi Temple Archives)

Jocasta Nu
“She performed very well in the most recent official Fans’ Choice poll, she was an important part of a scene in the movie, she’s appeared in several episodes of The Clone Wars, and yet she still hasn’t shown up in the line, and Hasbro seems to have no intentions to make the Jedi librarian into an action figure. And who can blame them? Old ladies just don’t do very well at retail. But if they include a lightsaber and perhaps that Dooku bust, and avoid shipping her excessively like they did with Yarna, she’d sell okay and make a great addition to our collections. (and we can FINALLY stop asking for her!)” (David Delgado, Echo Base News)

“Possibly the most fan-requested character from Episode II...for the sole reason that Hasbro has said they'll never make her. She probably wouldn't be the best-selling figure of all time or anything, but since she has appeared in The Clone Wars animated series, there's a lot more recognition that before. I say that Hasbro should make her just to give the fanboys something else to focus on!” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

“I work for Jedi Temple Archives, so need I say more? I don’t often get enraged with Hasbro, but if one thing makes me blow my top, it’s their indifferences to this amazing lady. Runner up in the last Fans’ Choice poll, Jocasta Nu should already be in development. And I even want to see her in The Clone Wars line. I honestly don’t think Hasbro will not make her, but the bigger question is when and I think we all need to voice our opinions louder to make it clear that we’ll support her at retail. Enough is enough, let’s see Jocasta Nu!” (Paul Harrison, Jedi Temple Archives)

“I'm sure we're all chiming in on this one, as she's been seriously lacking her own action figure for way too long. While the only action we ever see from her are her witty responses to Obi-Wan's questions, her robes are some of the most intricate and ornamental of any Jedi I've seen, so of course I'm very curious to see how it translates in 1:18 scale.” (Pat Newell, Imperial Shipyards)

“The Jedi librarian that Hasbro doesn't seem to keen on making any time soon if at all. That's really too bad since there are quite a few fans in her corner asking for a figure. Hopefully with enough fan support the folks at Hasbro will eventually change their minds!” (Jim Cole, Droids & Ewoks)

Kalyn Farnmir
“She just looks cool. As a fellow customizer, I see a lot of potential in her form and accessories, and we need more females in action figure form.” (Pat Newell, Imperial Shipyards)

Khaat Qiyn
“What can I say? I love Jedi! And since apparently my list is becoming a theme, I gotta keep it going! Hasbro, we need more female action figures! Customizers have so many uses for them, and yet we have to recycle the same ones over and over. However, she's an obscure character, yet has a pretty decent backstory.” (Pat Newell, Imperial Shipyards)

Ko Sai
“While we've already gotten a couple of Kaminoans already, this would basically be a generic alien. You could also pack her with a flying aiwha, since the uniform is generic.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

Nyrat Agira
“She's not a very important character in the overall Star Wars saga. There's really no real reason to make her...except she's smoking HOT! We need more hot chicks in Star Wars that don't have lekku.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

Onaconda Farr
“Thanks to Greedo, the Rodians are my favorite alien species in Star Wars. I even created a Rodian Jedi (Badoo Bok) long before there was that curiously-unnamed figure...so you know I'd be all over this one as well. It's always fun to see the original aliens in different roles, and the crowd scenes in the prequels and the TV show quite often use them as background fillers. But Farr was seen several times in the film, and he played a role in the TV show.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

Seboca & Rednax
“I love the aliens in Star Wars, and the Dugs were arguably the most interesting in The Phantom Menace. While Sebulba represented this species very well, there were a few others that were seen onscreen that would make for some cool figures!” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

Sephjet Josall
“They’ve made Nicanas Tassu, and now it would be great to be able to add the other lightsaber thrower to our collections. And we could always use some more generic looking Jedi!” (David Delgado, Echo Base News)

Padme Amidala - Chancellor's Office

Padme Amidala - Naboo Picnic

Padme Amidala - Lake Retreat

Padme Amidala’s various outfits
“I'm going for the Padme' Amidala trifecta for my Episode II selections. Over the years, Hasbro has done an amazing job translating Trisha Biggar's ornate costume work to the 3-3/4" scale - most recently with the Peasant Disguise outfit. Granted, these figures fly in the face as to what most would consider true "action figures", but this is a collector's line after all. I think the above are well deserving, signature looks for our heroine and would look absolutely gorgeous on the retro "Vintage" cardback not to mention on display, joining her other figure renditions.” (Jayson Krebsbach, Yakface)

Padme Amidala – Naboo Picnic
“It's actually very surprising that this one hasn't been made yet, since it was this dress that was seen in the teaser poster. The love story may not be the greatest in the film, but the relationship between Anakin & Padme is important. And it was during this scene where the two started their relationship.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

Padme Amidala – Lake Retreat
“Another outfit we're likely to see at some point. Although not most exciting figure for a boys' toy line perhaps, this is another chance to represent the romance between Anakin & Padme.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

We’d like to once again thank our contributors for their insight! Any of the choices listed above would certainly be welcome additions to the line. We hope you’ve enjoyed this very special report, and come back next weekend when we’ll be taking a look at Revenge of the Sith!

If you’d like your fan site to participate in our Who’s Left? 2012 reports, please contact us! We want as many opinions as possible.

Also, please take a moment to comment on our Facebook page and let us know what you think of Who's Left? and the selection we've made in our lists and commentary.

New Clone Wars images at Sandtroopers

2012-01-22T14:04:00.001-08:00

Sandtroopers brings us an awesome gallery of the second wave in The Clone Wars line and the two Clone Wars deluxe packs that we learned about a bit back. Click here to check it out!

Discover the Force exclusives found at Walmart

2012-01-22T13:57:00.000-08:00

Yakface is reporting that the new Walmart exclusive Dewback and Vulture Droid (part of the Discover the Force line) have been found. They are $29.98 each.

Fun with Podracing flags

2012-01-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

Do you want those cool Podracer flags but don't want to pay for figures you already have in the Podracer Pilots exclusive set? Our friend Jayson over at Yakface has posted illustrated recreations of the neat looking flags included in the set. Download and print your set today to add some Boonta Eve excitement to your collection. Click here to check them out.

Star Wars BOGO coupon available from Hasbro

2012-01-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Jedi Temple Archives have posted details about a buy one, get one free coupon for Star Wars action figures available as part of Hasbro's Annual Fun & Game Event. That's a pretty great deal especially with the (much-ignored) January 2012 retail launch date just around the corner! Click here to check out the JTA report to find out how to get your coupon.

Customizer Spotlight- CHEWIE

2012-01-17T17:37:00.000-08:00

Fellow customizer CHEWIE is in our spotlight today with his two newest entries in our Customs for a Cause contest!! Click here to check out the rest of the entries!! Time is running out, so lets get those entries in!!!

Rebel Reviews - Luke Skywalker's Tauntaun

2012-01-16T18:28:00.001-08:00

Whew. That's a face only a mother could love, eh? So, is Luke Skywalker's Tauntaun worthwhile? It's basically off the shelves, so should you go ahead and go back and find him somehow?

Luke Skywalker's Tauntaun

Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, ankles; swivel hips

Accessories: saddle

Fun fact for this review: Luke Skywalker’s Tauntaun is the only Kenner boxed/carded item I have. So I had to own this guy.

I found this figure at Target for $8 the other day, and I was ecstatic. Was it the great sale? Not necessarily. But I love finding deals. What does that tell you? I was more excited for finding a sale item than this Tauntaun. That being said, was it a good purchase? Quite. Would it be worth it for the original retail price? That’s debatable, but I doubt many people will argue that it was worth $25. Actually, I can’t imagine anybody would, I’ll be honest. The original retail price of this guy was probably $16 according to SDCC, then Target went ahead and beefed the price up to midsized vehicle price line.

The first Tauntauns came in the Vintage line with trapdoors in the back that you could slide figures into. The figures could ride without needing articulated hips. Thankfully, though, the technology has advanced where figures can sit. The Power of the Force II Tauntauns, Luke’s and Han’s, were pretty rare, if I read correctly. (I didn’t collect back then.) Han’s was a lot rarer if I remember right. And then the Saga Collection brought us a multipack with Hans and some other figures. So there are a few. So, why would they make a new one? To blow the old one right out of the water is why!

Being Luke’s Tauntaun, this guy has one broken horn (Han’s, you’ll remember, has both horns.) The sculpt on this guy is EXCELLENT. The fur, the horns, the face is all amazing. The face has this hilarious dope face that makes me laugh everytime I see it. He’s not quite a stoner, but not quite the anguished “dying-Tauntaun-being-mauled-by-a-Wampa” face that Sideshow attempted a bit ago. Check it out. It’s a great diorama but that’s just a gruesome scene. The gear has some great sculpting, too, and it altogether looks great.

Compared to the last one, his face paint is great. The old one just had really dark circles around his eyes and nose, then about the same color around his whole face. This new one is great. Without needing to sculpt a distinct nose, there are three distinct colors on his face. He has a nose/mouth color, a forehead color and his eyes don’t have nearly as much paint as the old one. His hands have a separate color, too.

The saddle is removable, but his reins are not. I don’t know about you guys, but I would have liked it if I could make a “naked” Tauntaun from the wild tundras of Hoth. Big deal? No. Not at all. Would it have been nice? Definitely. The pack has foot-slings on the bottom that I’m sure figures could fit in…but, well, I don’t have any figures on me at the moment. (What an embarrassment.)

His articulation is great. He has articulated hips, and ball joint head, ankles, and shoulders. Would elbows have been nice? Yes. But they’re not really missed as he’s not really gonna hold a lightsaber or anything like that, so I don’t know if I miss it. With only ankles he can achieve great running, standing and at attention poses without you needing to worry. The only thing is that when you find a pose that you like and he stands, well, don’t futz with it much. Otherwise, he will definitely fall. I found a few poses that worked where he can stand but I’m afraid to experiment too much in fear that he’ll only stay on the ground.

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

"Who's Left?" 2012 - Attack of the Clones

2012-01-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

Our special report "Who's Left? 2012" continues this week with Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The second installment in the Prequel Trilogy, it was released back in 2002. Ten years later, we're amazed by how many characters remain to be made into action figures! We found over eighty candidates for future release, including dozens of freaky looking nightclub patrons, seven Jedi from the Geonosis arena battle, and seven versions of Senator Amidala in various outfits from her extensive wardrobe. Here's our list of "Who's Left" from Attack of the Clones. Click on the links to go to each character's Wookieepedia article and learn a little more about them. Some of them are pretty obscure! By the way, the list is unchanged since last year's report.
	Corde
	Theomet Danle
	Seboca
	Bogg Tyrell
	Magaloof
	Acros-Krik
	Nyrat Agira
	Lunae Minx
	Kell Borean
	Lillea Bringbit
	Onyeth Canavar
	Immi Danoo
	Oakie Dokes
	Kalyn Farnmir
	Hayde Gofai
	Ror Ithh
	Tas Kee
	Ame_Llom
	Hat Lo
	Nar Hida
	Sel Maa
	Di Mantid
	Lela Mayn
	Yma Nalle
	Yee Moh
	Seib Nod
	Kar Plaushe
	Artuo Pratuhr
	Dyemma Reel
	Palee Ruda
	Whimper Save
	Cian Shee
	Rosha Vess
	Nic Whoma
	Daro Willits
	Ganwick Trag
	Jynne Celwik
	Wilst_Molan
	Reina March
	Dorme
	Slyther Bushforb
	Lowle Ch’red
	Honka
	Sidewa
	Rednax
	Hermione Bagwa
	Mari Amithest
	J.K. Burtola
	Liam
	Jocasta Nu
	Ko Sai
	COO-2180
	Queen Jamillia
	RIC-920
	Aleena baby
	Cliegg Lars
	Shmi Skywalker Lars
	Denaria Kee
	Rogwa Wodrata
	Tikkes
	Gilramos Libkath/Rune Haako (?)
	Ister Paddie
	Lexi Dio
	Ronet Coorr
	Gume Saam
	Supi
	Onaconda Farr
	Mas Amedda
	Sarrissa Jeng
	Sar Labooda
	Khaat Qiyn
	Bairdon Jace
	Tan Yuster
	Sephjet Josall
	Que-Mars Redath-Gom
	FA-4
	Maxiron Agolerga
	Padme Amidala – Landing Platform (actually Corde)
	Padme Amidala – Chancellor Palpatine’s Office
	Padme Amidala - Packing
	Padme Amidala - Picnic
	Padme Amidala – Lake Retreat
	Padme Amidala - Nightgown
	Padme Amidala – Lars’ Homestead Garage
The most glaring absences from the line are characters with dialogue, such as Jocasta Nu, Dorme, and Queen Jamillia, all of whom have appeared in official fans' choice polls in the past. Jocasta Nu placed second in the 2009 poll, and is a leading contender in the 2011 poll (the results will be announced at New York Toy Fair this year). Cliegg Lars is also another character with lots of screen time that everyone would really like to see made to accompany the Owen Lars and Beru Whitesun figures released in The Legacy Collection back in 2009. His hoverchair probably wouldn't fit on a Vintage Collection card, so maybe he could be included in some kind of multipack? Only time will tell. There are also dozens of character selections remaining from the Outlander nightclub scene, such as Nyrat Agira, Tas Kee, and Lunae Minx. The nightclub isn't a fan-favorite scene and certainly doesn't have the wealth of awesome looking aliens that can be found in similar Original Trilogy scenes such as the Mos Eisley Cantina and Jabba's Palace; but there are still some cool selections that would make interesting action figures to accompany previously released Outlander figures such as Achk-Med Beq, Dannl Faytonni, Ayy Vida, and Elan Sleazebaggano. Four Separatist leaders remain to be made into action figures: Rogwa Wodrata, Tikkes, Denaria Kee, and the Gilramos Libkath/Rune Haako character. Tikkes seems to be the most popular of the four and it's a reasonable guess that he will be the next one we see in the line. Unfortunately, characters like these never sell too well, so it's unclear if we'll ever see all of them. A few cool looking Jedi such as Sarissa Jeng and Que-Mars Redath-Gom still haven't seen plastic, but one Arena Jedi that would be really nice to see in the line is Sephjet Josall, since he was one of the Jedi along with Nicanas Tassu (who was released in a Geonosis Arena two-pack in 2010) who tossed lightsabers to Anakin and Obi-Wan during the battle. Also worth noting are a few really cool droids such as Dooku's pilot droid FA-4, the RIC-920 rickshaw droid from Mos Espa, and the cooking droid COO-2180, all of which would make awesome action figures. FA-4 has also appeared in The Clone Wars, so could even fit into the animated line. Just to clear up a question we received a couple times after last year's report, Palpatine's Chagrian advisor Mas Amedda is still included in our list because he wears a unique outfit in Episode II. So even though we have two Mas Amedda figures already, those figures are from Episode I and Episode III, so we still need an Episode II Mas Amedda figure. And last but not least, there are also still seven unique version of Padme Amidala from Episode II that have yet to be released. The Chancellor's Office, Naboo Picnic, and Naboo Lake Retreat outfits seem to be the three most popular and regularly appear on unofficial wish lists. Did we miss anything? It is a 2 hour movie with tons of background characters. If you noticed any glaring absences, please send us an email and let us know! We want this to be the most comprehensive list available for collectors (and Hasbro)! Report by David Delgado.

Customizer Spotlight- JTHOMPSON

2012-01-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

JTHOMPSON is in our spotlight today with his custom Rav Bralor!! As someone who loves the Republic Commando novels, this was ecspecially awesome to see made!! Click here to check out more pics and see more of our entries!! Dont' forget to get your entries in!! Only 15 days left!!

Episode I Giveaway Winners!

2012-01-15T15:01:00.000-08:00

The giveaway winners for our Episode I giveaway will be revealed inside.. Read on to see if you won!

Facebook Giveaway:

Cindy Cortwright-Tuley wins Anakin

Benji Stein wins Daultay

StarWars Awakening wins Quinlan

Chuck Paskovics wins Ben Quadrinaros

AdennMandalorianJedi wins Darth Maul

From the Forums:

NjJedi wins Queen Amidala

Starwarsgeek wins the Battle Droid

Darth Sidious wins Ratts Tyrell

Freedom410 wins Darth Sidious

wookielover1138 wins the Naboo Soldier

If you won, e-mail us at news@echobasenews.com to claim your prize!

"Who's Left?" 2012 - The Phantom Menace (Special Guest Commentary)

2012-01-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

Here’s the latest installment in our ongoing special report Who’s Left? 2012 where we’re taking a look at all of the characters that Hasbro hasn’t gotten to yet from the six movies. Two weeks ago, we compiled our list of over fifty unmade characters from The Phantom Menace. Now it’s time to take a look at some of the characters from that list that we’d like to see plastic first! Last year I was joined by Paul Harrison from Jedi Temple Archives, Dan Curto from Rebelscum, Jim Cole from Droids & Ewoks, Jayson Krebsbach from Yakface, and Pat Newell from Imperial Shipyards in the following special report, which has been revised for 2012 by removing characters that have since been released as figures. Read on for our insight on some of the best unmade character selections!

Ann & Tann Gella
“These two have been my most wanted from The Phantom Menace for years! Sebulba needs his blue Twi’lek masseuses to help him prepare for that fateful Boonta Eve Podrace, and we can never get enough scantily clad Twi’lek women in the line.” (David Delgado, Echo Base News)

“Whether it's been Oola, Aayla, or a random "hot chick" walking around the Coruscant background, Twi'leks have always been popular background characters. The Gella twins are no exception. Only seen briefly pampering Sebulba before the Boonta Eve podrace, these female aliens wouldn’t exactly fly off the shelves, but since you would need to buy two of them to have a full set, they wouldn't exactly pegwarm, either.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

“Scantily-clad Twi'leks? Need I say more? In case I do, these two have been long requested by fans and with the recent advancements in female body sculpting as evidenced by the 2009 TLC Princess Leia (Jabba's Prisoner), the 2010 SOTDS Walmart Exclusive Oola pack-in figure and various Clone Wars figures, I think these figures now have more potential than ever.” (Jayson Krebsbach, Yakface)

Antidar Williams & Maoi Madakor
“While these characters are not important to the overall saga of Star Wars, they do have a VERY important element to them. They are the first characters seen in the opening sequence of Episode I...which means they are the very first characters seen onscreen in the Star Wars movies! If it were even possible to include them as pack-ins with a Radiant VII starship, that would be all the better.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

Bith Podrace Musician
“The main reason I'm choosing one of these guys is because the very first time I saw Episode I in theatres I thought it was pretty cool to see characters that reminded me so much of one of my favorite scenes from the original Star Wars movie. If Hasbro plans to make any more pod racers to go along with the toy line for Episode I in 3D, it would be nice to have some interesting characters to watch the race! This is also the kind of figure that collectors may buy multiples of, so he may not be as big of a risk as many other obscure characters.” (Jim Cole, Droids & Ewoks)

EG-9 & PK-4
“PK Droids can be seen walking around on the Trade Federation control ship as well as picking up pieces of debris on the battlefield after the Gungans surrender. Also, one specific PK Droid called PK-4 was part of a deleted scene in which he talked with his counterpart EG-9 after the Jedi ambassadors arrived. They’d be fun to buy multiples of. And the best part is, the SP-4 analysis droid shares the same body, so most of it’s been sculpted already and the only new part that would be required is a new headsculpt.” (David Delgado, Echo Base News)

“Variety is the spice of life, and there simply aren't enough varieties of droids out there. Personally, I like new and different, and that's exactly what [EG-9] is. PK-4 would be an excellent pack in, making this a 2-pack, as both are pretty small in size and both were cut from the final movie production. There are plenty of droid collectors out there who would be very interested in these two.” (Pat Newell, Imperial Shipyards)

Grebleips
“For the hardcore fans only...E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was one of my favorite movies as a kid. While there would surely be a number of legal hoops to jump through to make it happen, all you'd need to do is create one sculpt, and make a multipack of 3 of these little guys with a senate pod! An instant classic!” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

“Who doesn't want to see an E.T. action figure in a better quality 3 3/4" scale? From the moment they were seen in the movie, fans laughed at Steven Spielberg's addition to the movie, and he's just too funny not to have. Plus, a new alien species would be awesome to have.” (Pat Newell, Imperial Shipyards)

Kitster & Wald
“Anakin's childhood friends from Tatooine have a small but loyal...and vocal...following. No Mos Espa scene would be complete without these two. Although there are many other characters that are more popular than these guys, they have been in Hasbro's "parking lot" for over 5 years now. Sooner or later, they are bound to be released. Hasbro has also said that they are destined to be released as a 2-pack, which would be a great set.” (Dan Curto, Rebelscum)

R5-X2
“Why do some key figures never get made by Hasbro when they have been made in other lines? Galactic Heroes, 12” figures, Unleashed Battle Packs and LEGO all give us collectible versions of many characters that Hasbro ignores time and again. R5-X2 has been made as a Japanese Remote Control figure exclusive (which eventually was rereleased and became a TARGET exclusive) and I desperately want to see him in the basic figure line (or some other way). What Hasbro needs to do first however is design an R5 unit’s dome as they appear in Episode I and Episode II. They are a different shape than what we see on R5-D4 and I really don’t want and Original Trilogy version of a Prequel Trilogy R5 unit. (Phew!)” (Paul Harrison, Jedi Temple Archives)

“I'm a complete sucker for astromechs and since Hasbro has already primed the pump by giving us R5-X2 in remote controlled form as a 2008 Target Exclusive, it seems like a no-brainer for us to get one in the basic figure line as well. If I remember correctly, this is the only R/C astromech that doesn't have a basic figure counterpart. Get on it Hasbro!” (Jayson Krebsbach, Yakface)

Weazel
“Hey, it's Warwick Davis! Not only is he the actor who played Wicket in Return of the Jedi, he also played a character who sat in Watto's box at the pod race but was not included as one of the figures in Hasbro's "Watto's Box" cinema scene set. It would be a nice move by Hasbro to make a figure of a man who has been a star in other movies (Willow, Harry Potter, Ewoks movies) but for Star Wars spent most of his time hidden in bulky costumes. Weazel is that chance.” (Jim Cole, Droids & Ewoks)

“Warwick Davis is as ingrained in the Star Wars Universe as any other actor out there, though many probably do not realize it. It's only fitting that he get an actual action figure with his own visage prominently portrayed.” (Pat Newell, Imperial Shipyards)

Bravo 3 – Arven Wendik
“Ric Olié is the only Naboo pilot that has ever been made in action figure form, and that figure is horribly outdated. But since we are looking for all new figures here, how about one of the other heroic pilots from Bravo Squadron? I think my favorite from the squadron would have to be Arven Wendik, but really, I would be glad to have any of them.” (Jim Cole, Droids & Ewoks)

We’d like to thank our contributors for their insight! Any of the choices listed above would certainly be welcome additions to the line. We hope you’ve enjoyed this very special report, and come back next tomorrow when we’ll be taking a look at Attack of the Clones!

If you’d like your fan site to participate in our “Who’s Left?” reports, please contact us! We want as many opinions as possible.

Also, please take a moment to comment on our Facebookpage and let us know what you think of our “Who’s Left?” feature, and which characters you'd like to see made from our lists!

Report by David Delgado.

Customizer Spotlight- Freedom410

2012-01-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

Freedom410 is in our spotlight today with his entry in our Customs for a Cause contest. Here is his take on Darth Plagueis. Click here to check out more of his entries.

The Phantom Menace giveaway!

2012-01-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

Don't forget about our Episode 1: The Phantom Menace Vintage Wave giveaway in the forums and the Facebook page!!

Vintage Wave 11 - Deleted Scenes

2012-01-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

Sandtroopers gets the scoop on the Deleted Scenes Vintage Wave (11)! There are two albums: carded without life-sized Darth Maul sticker and this one has the stickers and loose images. The second album includes looks at the Naboo Fighter and a new IFT-X tank.

Sponsor Announcement - Man of Action Figures

2012-01-12T00:58:00.001-08:00

Click here for the latest exciting update from Echo Base News sponsor ManofActionFigures.com!

Rebel Reviews - VC69 Bastila Shan

2012-01-11T18:23:00.001-08:00

Rebel Reviews is taking a short break from Episode I figures to cover Wave 9 - the Bastila/mixed sources wave. Should you try and track down Bastila?

VC69: Bastila Shan
Accessories: double bladed lightsaber, double bladed hilt
Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles; swivel wrists, waist, hips

I’d love to say that Bastila is a perfect figure and she has no problems. I’d love to. But…I just can’t.

Unpopular opinion time: I will always say that Fans’ Choice should support Expanded Universe figures. This view is only expanded by the haterade that the Expanded Universe and Prequel characters are meeting by being released on Vintage cards. I will NEVER say that you’re voting wrong, I just think that eventually even the background of background characters will be made into figures. (Unless you vote for Jocasta, because she needs all the help she can get.) Tangent aside, let’s talk about the figure:

Her sculpt is very good: she has folds where you’d expect them, the detail on her stomach armor is fantastic, too, she even has her shoulder armor sculpted on…just not painted correctly. Her armor hangs to about halfway down her tricep, and it’s sculpted on but not painted. Her shoulder piece is cast in her armor color, so her shoulder joint is not the same color as her sleeve. Her face does look female (but, really, has that been a problem for Hasbro for a while now? I don’t think so), but it doesn’t look like anybody. Her face on her card and a few other sources give her a little bit more of an Asian-inspired color, like Satelle Shan in the Old Republic, but this figure only has a very light, almost pink color. I know that different sources make her face look different, but this figure went ahead and disregarded almost all of them to make her look really…plain. It’s not like she has a terrible face or anything, it just looks basic and I wish they had given her a little bit more emotion in the end. (But, if she is the only Bastila figure ever made, then I won’t complain because she’s plenty neutral and we don’t need any more angry Maces.) In the end, we could have gotten much worse and I can settle with what we have.

People were worried that her lightsaber would have been green and not yellow like the game. It may not be the bright yellow of the game, but it’s not very green, thank the Maker. Compared to her mustardy body suit, the lightsaber sure seems very yellow. And let me tell you, this reviewer has been dying for a yellow lightsaber for the longest time. I can’t tell for sure and I don’t own the game to check, but I remembered (and some art seems to confirm) that the hilt of her saber was smaller and the blades were full-sized. The figure has a regular sized lightsaber hilt and smaller blades. I won’t call this a problem, but like her face, I can settle. This one isn’t as big of a disappointment, though, because I love that we finally have a yellow blade. (I’m holding out for a Zayne Carrick still!)

She has full articulation and almost a full range of motion. Her shoulder armor prevents her shoulder from flying too far back, but that’s really a natural people pose anyway, is it?

Bottom line? Bastila is a good female Jedi figure. Is she a good representation of Bastila? Depends on your sources. Should you pass because of this? Not at all. Buy the figure. You’ll be pleased as punch that you did. I sure am, and I paid $10 for her!

Reviewer's Addendum: This figure, while being plentiful for a long time, disappeared from the shelves after a large shipment. eBay seems to list her around $20 per, which is up to you. I can't justify spending more than retail, but if you're dying for her, it's up to you. Figure in the gas, the Episode I glut and the disappearance of old figures and decide for yourselves.

Review by Chris Wermeskerch

Rebel Reviews – VC76: Obi-Wan Kenobi

2012-01-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

Today we continue our look at Wave 10 of The Vintage Collection with Obi-Wan Kenobi, a repack from 2009's Legacy Collection. How well is this figure aging? Read on to find out. (Not well, I'm afraid.)

VC76: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Accessories: removable cloak, lightsaber, communicator

Articulation: ball jointed neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, knees, and ankles; swivel wrists and hips

Back in 2009's Legacy Collection, we received a much-needed and long-awaited upgrade to Obi-Wan Kenobi in his Jedi Padawan appearance from The Phantom Menace. It was certainly a tremendous improvement over all previous releases of Episode I Obi-Wan, with a good sculpt and fourteen points of articulation. However, despite this figure still being the best version available, there are a couple big problems that are even worse two years later in The Vintage Collection.

Obi-Wan Kenobi seems to just be a straight repack of the 2009 figure. There is definitely a lot to appreciate here. The figure is very poseable with fourteen points of articulation. And the sculpt (from the neck down at least) looks really good, and captures every detail of his Jedi outfit. He also includes most of the essentials for any Jedi action figure: a removable cloak, a lightsaber, and a skirt that incorporates softgoods in order to allow the leg articulation to fully function. He also comes with a Jedi communicator, which is a nice bonus accessory to add a little extra to the bubble.

Now that I've covered all the positives, here are all the problems I have with this figure, especially now that it's being released in the premium Vintage line. Firstly, the likeness flat out sucks. There is no resemblance to Ewan McGregor here whatsoever. There's no other way to express this. It's unfortunate that Hasbro couldn't fix this big issue by creating a new headsculpt before including this figure in its 2012 line-up for The Phantom Menace 3D release. Another problem with this figure is that it doesn't have ball-jointed hips. We're at a point in the line where all figures of main characters, especially Jedi/Sith/troopers, need to have ball-jointed hips. So this figure is not at the same level of quality as most other figures in the line because of this. Again, I wish Hasbro could've made this change. And lastly, a minor gripe of mine is that I wish they had given Obi-Wan an unlit lightsaber hilt for this release like they've been doing for other Jedi figures in The Vintage Collection.

Oh well. It's an outdated figure, and once again I think Episode I Obi-Wan needs an upgrade. It's just unfortunate that it couldn't come to us in 2012, which is shaping up to be the year of The Phantom Menace. If Hasbro would just give this figure ball-jointed hips and a new headsculpt, it would likely be definitive and worthy of a purchase. Unless you like to collect stuff carded, you can easily pass on this re-release.

Review by David Delgado.

"Who's Left?" 2012 Postponed

2012-01-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

The continuation of our special report "Who's Left?" 2012 (which will resume with special guest commentary for Episode I: The Phantom Menace) has been postponed; we've all been so busy here between the holidays, working with new sponsors, bringing in new staff, and now our big Episode I giveaway, etc. Look for the next installment in this exciting and informative series this Friday!

The Wampa Pen - The Episode I Glut

2012-01-05T20:13:00.000-08:00

In my second rush of The Wampa Pen, I talk about my thoughts with the upcoming Episode I glut.

Ugh, I don’t even know where to begin in this glut. I’m not gonna pretend that it doesn’t hurt that Clone Wars is being cut due to the Episode I line, but I’m not going to pretend that I’m not excited for a few Phantom Menace figures. (Even though I’m Clone Wars only, I like to sneak over into the other lines and pick up some that seem to be able to…fit in the Clone Wars.) I mean, I'm all over Aurra, Quinlan, Darth Maul, Jar Jar, Gungan Warrior...

I know I don’t run toy lines, but how many figures do we need of the same character? I know that main characters exist on cards so that kids will always have a chance to get them, but seriously? On January 31^st, I will (hypothetically) be able to buy a Vintage Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Darth Maul; Movie Heroes Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Darth Maul; Discover the Force Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Darth Maul; and Deluxe Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. I’m not an expert in toy-economics, but that seems like overkill on a few figures.

I understand that just because they are on the pegs, I don’t need to buy them. Nobody is holding a gun to my head and telling me to buy each main character at each release. That’s not my concern. My concern is that this is starting to look just like the first, 1999 release, of Episode I figures. If we have too many of one character, who will buy them all? I know that collectors will buy the Vintage carded versions, kids will buy the Discover the Force and Movie Heroes versions…but probably not multiples of each! Kids aren’t going to need or want three Darth Mauls – collectors will. But collectors won’t buy multiples if all but the Vintage carded one suck!

So, I’m torn. Should Hasbro had just picked one mold to spread around? Or should they pack less of each main character?

Or, should they have saved some of that space for other figures? Why are only three Pit Droids available? Where are those two packs? How about Rum Sleg? The Darth Sidious Hologram? A couple of Phantom Menace era Jedi Masters? There are a handful of great Episode I figures that could use a new look at life.

It’s hard for me to say that there are collectors who have put an honest effort in and don’t have Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. The trio has been in a Battle Pack (with two Droids), a Commemorative tin, the Episode I Blu-Ray set, single carded multiple times..the entire Episode I line…they’ve seen plenty of light. I sincerely hope that Hasbro doesn’t overload these figures. If they’re cutting Clone Wars to get these guys out, I don’t want to see it fail.

And, please, Hasbro. What do you expect to sell at these new inflated charges? $9-10 Vintage and $8-9 Clone Wars? These prices won’t sell repacks. What do you guys think?

Next week? The Clone Wars underwhelming release.

Rant by Chris Wermeskerch

Valentine's Day in the Galaxy Far Away

2012-01-05T12:12:00.000-08:00

If you ever want a fool-proof way to make somebody fall in love with you, excluding a Jedi Mind Trick, I'd say this is it! I found this today at a CVS Pharmacy.

Coming soon!

2012-01-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

Yep, there's a pretty exciting giveaway coming up to celebrate The Phantom Menace. Be sure to like us on Facebook and stay tuned for all the details!

Rebel Reviews - VC85: Quinlan Vos

2012-01-05T09:49:00.001-08:00

Today we take a look at Hasbro's third attempt at a "realistic" Quinlan Vos action figure. Is the third time a charm? Read on to find out!

VC85: Quinlan Vos

Accessories: blaster, lightsaber, lightsaber hilt

Articulation: ball joint neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles; swivel waist and wrists

Quinlan Vos is a character with an interesting history. Vos began as a comic book character based on an unnamed background character in The Phantom Menace. After an extensive run in the comics, Quinlan Vos became one of the few characters to move beyond the "Expanded Universe" when he was mentioned by name in Revenge of the Sith and appeared in an episode of The Clone Wars cartoon series. Hasbro has made a couple of lackluster action figures of Quinlan Vos, but the new Vintage Collection Quinlan Vos finally does the character justice.

The biggest problem with previous Quinlan Vos figures was a lack of articulation. The Vintage Collection Quinlan Vos fixes this huge issue. Vos features the usual 14 points of articulation, including ball jointed hips for extra poseability. A cloth "skirt" makes sure all of the added articulation can be used. In addition to improved articulation, Vos has a very detailed sculpt based on the character's Jedi outfit from the comics. Multiple shades of brown paint bring out the details of the body sculpt, and yellow facial tattoos are painted very neatly. The figure includes three accessories: a blaster, a lightsaber, and a lightsaber hilt. The lightsaber hilt can plug into the figure's belt, and the blaster can be placed in a working holster. This Quinlan Vos is a huge improvement over the previous incarnations.

While there is a lot to like about this figure, there is one questionable aspect surrounding the source material. This Quinlan Vos figure does not appear to match the character's appearance in The Phantom Menace. The image on the cardback shows the character in a black and gray outfit, while the figure's outfit is brown. The facial tattoos also look significantly different. The discrepancy in source material does not negatively impact the figure, but it might have been more appropriate if the figure was packaged on an "Expanded Universe" cardback. This Quinlan Vos is as close to perfect as any action figure can get, so I highly recommend picking one up.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

Rebel Reviews - VC83: Naboo Royal Guard

2012-01-05T08:31:00.000-08:00

Today we look at an updated Naboo Royal Guard! Is this upgrade worth getting? Read on to find out!

VC83: Naboo Royal Guard

Accessories: blaster, helmet

Articulation: ball jointed neck, shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles; swivel waist, wrists, and hips

The Naboo guards in The Phantom Menace did not have exciting outfits, nor did they serve a particularly memorable role in the film. Despite the shortcomings of the on-screen characters, Hasbro has done a great job of updating the Naboo Royal Guard for the Vintage Collection. With modern sculpting and articulation, the Naboo Royal Guard is on-par with some of the best figures in the modern line.

With the Naboo Royal Guard, Hasbro managed to take a very dull movie character and create a solid toy. In addition, they made the figure everything a human army builder should be. The Naboo Royal Guard features the typical 14 points of articulation that have come to be expected for modern Star Wars action figures. None of the articulation is impaired by the sculpt, so a variety of "combat" poses can be achieved. The sculpt is fairly detailed and does a good job of recreating the on-screen costume. The paint apps are simple on the figure's body, while the removable helmet features an interesting blue and gold pattern. The Naboo Royal Guard's accessory load is light, with just a helmet and blaster included. While the figure isn't terribly exciting, I couldn't find any significant flaws.

The Naboo Royal Guard does not offer anything revolutionary for the Star Wars line, but it does set the standard for how human army builders should be approached by Hasbro. The head sculpt appears young and generic, unlike the bearded, balding, and aging head sculpts on several recent Rebel figures. The Naboo Royal Guard also has a removable helmet and a working holster, and none of the articulation is hindered by the detailed sculpt. Overall the Naboo Royal Guard is a great action figure that suffers from being based on a boring character. I recommend getting one, but it is not a totally necessary purchase.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

Sponsor Announcement - Man of Action Figures

2012-01-03T22:18:00.000-08:00

Click here for the latest exciting update from Echo Base News sponsor ManofActionFigures.com!

Rebel Reviews - VC84: Queen Amidala

2012-01-03T17:55:00.000-08:00

Today we look at Queen Amidala in yet another new dress from The Phantom Menace. Should you add another costume variation to your collection? Read on to find out!

VC84: Queen Amidala

Accessories: blaster pistol

Articulation: ball joint neck, shoulders, and elbows; swivel wrists and waist

Queen Amidala typically receives one action figure each year, and for a character with a very extensive wardrobe every release is usually appreciated. The most recent Queen Amidala action figure, found in the Phantom Menace-themed wave of the Vintage Collection, knocks out yet another one of the character's many costumes. De

spite providing a new look for the character, the action figure does not offer anything particularly noteworthy.

Previous Queen Amidala figures have been known as "salt shakers", meaning that they have minimal articulation. This figure is no different. Queen Amidala features articulated arms, neck, and waist, but the legs are completely static. This is totally acceptable for an outfit that was not featured in any action scenes on the big screen. The real beauty of the Queen Amidala figure is found in the sculpting and paint applications. The figure features many natural-looking wrinkles on the dress, and the head sculpt has a great likeness of actress Natalie Portman. While the figure is predominantly cast in black plastic, some complex patterns are painted neatly with gold and white. The figure is very detailed and looks nice, which is right on par with other Queen Amidala figures.

I have to point out one drawback on the figure, and it's mostly a nitpick. The arms are sculpted with the sleeves opening/pointing downward, so unless they are posed at the figure's side they look very unnatural. Otherwise, the figure is on the same level as other recent Queen Amidala figures. It looks great, but doesn't do much. Queen Amidala isn't a "must have" figure, but it is still pretty good.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

Customizer Spotlight- w.myles

2012-01-03T16:27:00.000-08:00

Customizer w.myles is in our spotlight today with his repainted dewback as an entry in our "Customs for a Cause" contest! That is a truly incredible repaint!! Click here to check out some more of his work and don't forget to enter our contest! Prizes to be announced soon and its going to a great cause!!

January 30 launch date still in effect

2012-01-03T10:29:00.000-08:00

Last week, several sites reported that Hasbro's January 30 street date for the launch of the 2012 Star Wars line was no longer in effect. Hasbro has sent us a notice confirming that the January 30 retail launch date is still in effect for all countries except the UK. Read on for the official announcement.

From Hasbro and Hunter PR:

"We wanted to take a moment and quickly clarify a discrepancy in the retail launch date of Hasbro's first 2012 items that began popping up online over the holidays. January 30, 2012, is the date for Hasbro's STAR WARS product to go on shelf in all countries except the U.K., which is setting now. If you've posted any other date, or have received questions from your readers, please note that 1/30 is the set date. Thanks!

Also, please keep an eye out in the weeks ahead for an announcement of Hasbro's New York Toy Fair news and activities!"

Customizer Spotlight - darthdaddy

2012-01-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

Forum member darthdaddy is in our spotlight today with his custom Jedi!! Click here to see some more of his fantastic work!! Don't forgot, we've got 1 month left in our "Customs for a Cause" Contest!! Lets get some more entries!!

Rebel Reviews - VC79: Darth Sidious

2012-01-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

Today we look at the guy responsible for all of the bad stuff that happened in the Star Wars movies: Darth Sidious. Should you add yet another version of the character to your collection? Read on to find out!

VC82: Darth Sidious

Accessories: lightsaber, lightsaber hilt

Articulation: ball joint neck, shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles; swivel wrists, waist, and hips

Darth Sidious, a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine, is presented as the chief bad guy in the Star Wars movies. This is the character who engineered the Clone Wars, orchestrated the fall of the Jedi, and transformed the Galactic Republic into the Empire. For a character of such significance, the action figures of Sidious have been very hit-or-miss. The most recent rendition of Darth Sidious, found in the Phantom Menace-themed wave of the Vintage Collection, is definitely one of the better versions of the character.

This particular Darth Sidious figure is based on the character's appearance in The Phantom Menace, so the costume is a very plain black robe. The figure takes cues from a few previous robed characters by combining a soft goods robe with a plastic hood. This combination keeps the robe looking neat while enabling full use of the figure's 14 points of articulation. The robe and hood can both be removed with some effort, revealing a detailed body and a very good head-sculpt of Ian McDiarmid. The accessory loadout is rather light, with just a lightsaber and lightsaber hilt included. I don't count the robe and hood as accessories due to how difficult to remove they are.

Overall, Darth Sidious is a very good figure. It doesn't make the original rendition from 1999 obsolete, but instead acts as an articulated alternative for those who prefer movement over appearance. If I had any issues with Darth Sidious, it would be the low accessory count. Some force lightning attachments or a set of alternate head and hands (based on the character's Original trilogy appearance) would have brought the figure extremely close to perfection. Despite that, Darth Sidious is still one of the best versions of the character and I strongly recommend it.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T15:32:00.000-08:00

From all of us at Echo Base News, have a wonderful New Year! We look forward to another awesome year of bringing you all the latest Star Wars excitement and we've got some big plans for the near future! As always we'd like to thank you, our readers, for all of your support. May the Force be with you in 2012!

"Who's Left?" 2012 - The Phantom Menace

2011-12-31T13:39:00.000-08:00

We're kicking off our special report "Who's Left?" 2012 with Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Read on for our full list of characters from the first Prequel Trilogy film who are still yet to be made into action figures by Hasbro! The first movie of the highly anticipated Prequel Trilogy, The Phantom Menace was released back in 1999 and will be returning to theaters in 3-D on February 10, 2012. Figures from The Phantom Menace seemed to appear a lot less often in the last few years, but there are definitely A LOT on their way in 2012 for the film's return to theaters, as seen in Hasbro's New York Comic Con presentation back in October. This has allowed us to cross off some of the 56 unmade characters we listed back in our 2011 report. After making these updates, here's our list of "Who's Left" from The Phantom Menace. Names of characters that have been or will be released since our 2011 report have been crossed off. Click on the links to go to each character's Wookieepedia article and learn a little more about them. Some of them are pretty obscure!
	Maoi Madakor
	Antidar Williams
	Tey How
	~~Daultay Dofine~~
	PK Droid
	EG-9
	Mik Regrap
	Aldar Beedo
	Ark "Bumpy" Roose
	~~Ben Quadrinaros~~
	Boles Roor
	Ebe E. Endecott
	Elan Mak
	~~Mawhonic~~
	Neva Kee
	Wan Sandage
	Diva Funquita
	Diva Shaliqua
	Chokk
	Weazel
	R5-X2
	Ann & Tann Gella
	Niai Fieso
	Ratts Tyrell's Family
	Jira
	Kitster Banai
	Wald
	Amee
	Seek
	Melee
	Meddun
	Erdan
	Nobot
	Aehrrley Rue
	Teyora Rekab
	Rango Tel
	Sei Taria
	Aks Moe
	Edcel Bar Gane
	Tendau Bendon
	Mot-Not Rab
	Grebleips
	Tikkes
	Pampy
	Toonbuck Toora
	Bail Antilles
	Rayno Vaca
	Yeb Yeb Adem'thorn
	Saché
	Yané
	Eirtaé
	Bravo Two - Porro Dolphe
	Bravo Three - Arven Wendik
	Bravo Four - Riya Kirsch
	Bravo Five - Ellberger
	Gavyn Sykes
Jerus Jannick Daultay Dofine and Ben Quadinaros have been removed from the list since they have been released in The Phantom Menace wave of The Vintage Collection which is hitting stores now. (Click on the links to check out the Rebel Reviews we wrote about their figures.) Mawhonic is being released later in The Vintage Collection and in the Walmart exclusive Discover the Force line. Gavyn Sykes has been removed because the character bears enough of a resemblance to the generic Naboo Pilot being released in the Discover the Force line. R5-X2 is a character that could be removed from the list (from a certain point of view) since the droid was part of 2009's Target exclusive line of 1:18 scale R/C astromech droids released by Hasbro; however, we technically still haven't gotten R5-X2 in the basic figure line, so he remains on the list. Did we miss anything? It is a 2 hour movie with tons of background characters. If you noticed any glaring absences, please send us an email and let us know! We want this to be one of the most comprehensive lists available for collectors (and Hasbro)! Stay tuned as we'll be revisiting last year's special guest commentary from our friends and colleagues from several other fan sites on which "Who's Left?" characters from Episode I they most want to see immortalized in plastic! Report by David Delgado.

Sponsor Announcement - Big Bad Toy Store

2011-12-30T21:42:00.001-08:00

Click here for an exciting update from our sponsor BigBadToyStore.com about the latest Star Wars listings and their year-end sale!

Rebel Reviews – VC82: Daultay Dofine

2011-12-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

Today we examine the latest Nemoidian, Daultay Dofine. Should you add this "stunted slime" to your collection? Read on to find out!

VC82: Daultay Dofine

Accessories: blaster, hat

Articulation: ball jointed head, shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles; swivel wrists, waist, and hips

Typically Nemoidian action figures do not do well at retail, and I am sure Daultay Dofine will be no exception. Despite the Nemoidian track record, I am hoping that Daultay Dofine does extremely well. Hasbro crafted a very high quality toy for arguably one of the most boring characters from the Star Wars films.

There are a lot of nice thing to appreciate about the Daultay Dofine action figure. To start with, the figure has a bunch of articulation. Unlike some figures with extravagant outfits, a mix of plastic and soft goods are incorporated into the figure’s outfit so the articulation is not hindered. The sculpting on Daultay Dofine is very good, with the level of detail on the wrinkled head (which has an absolutely perfect expression) and “fur” robe being especially noteworthy. The weakest part of the figure is the accessory compliment, which consists only of a blaster and a hat. While that is on par with many other figures in the Vintage Collection, it is still disappointing.

I won’t try to embellish Daultay Dofine any more than I have. Dofine is a relatively boring character, and the figure is ultimately no different. Hasbro did make a very solid toy that looks like it walked right out of the movie, but I doubt that will save this Nemoidian from a similar fate as his brethren. I highly recommend this figure to anyone who appreciates the background figures, but I doubt it will appeal to anyone else.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

The Wampa Pen - What makes a true fan?

2011-12-29T20:45:00.000-08:00

Remember that deleted scene in which C-3PO tears the sticker off the Wampa Pen and the Snowtroopers accidentally open the door? That's pretty comparable to what's happening here. Read on for some of my opinions; tonight I focus on "What makes a true fan?"

So, for a new feature, David and I decided that it would be cool to let me write some articles, articulating my thoughts on Star Wars: whether it be the Hasbro collection, fandom, where the franchise is at, etc etc. So, tonight, I will focus on a question: "What makes a true fan?"

What makes a “real” Star Wars fan? I hesitate to post this because of a recent comment made on the Ben Quadinaros review, saying that (warning: bad paraphrase ahead) “real Star Wars fans know the backstory behind Ben getting a figure.” Where is the line drawn between a real Star Wars fan and somebody who is not?

Is a child born in the 90’s less of a Star Wars fan than those who experienced A New Hope in theaters while it was still known as Star Wars? Are Sideshow or Gentle Giant collectors more of fans than those who collect Hasbro? Are collectors in general more fans than someone who doesn’t own a single piece of Star Wars memorabilia? Does owning the Blu-Rays make you more of a Star Wars fan than the person who only owns the VHS copies?

I’m here to argue that there should be no such thing as a “real fan”. Let’s be honest, saying that somebody is a “real” fan is a platform in which to bring one’s self up. Why do we call each other out as less than ourselves for any reason, anyway? (Let me restate this is not an attack, but the real fan talk has seen a rather large surge this year over what it had in the past.) Why can’t we all exist as “real fans” without needing to fill certain criterion?

Some people accept Expanded Universe without question. They think that every single part is SW gold and they will buy anything. When I look at Expanded Universe, I know that it’s all canon to a degree. Does that mean that I like all of it? I don’t like the Flying Rancors, I don’t like the three million troops in the Clone Wars, I don’t like every part of the Yuuzhan Vong War, I don’t like every part of the Clone Wars, even. But does that make me less of a fan? Will you call somebody who has only seen the movies a “fake” fan in the sense that they are not a “real” fan because they don’t know all of the backstory?

Some people like the Clone Wars, some people do not. Without arguing at the level of its continuity, does that mean that people who do not like it are less of fans than those who don’t? How do we know what you have to like and not like to be a real fan?

Let’s face it: there is nothing attractive about a fan base who seems to argue all of the time and can’t agree on many points. There is nothing attractive about a fan base that calls out some of its own members as less of fans. “How can I join a fan base where I have to spend X amount of dollars that I don’t have to become a real fan?” Why are we calling some people less of fans than others?

Star Wars should be a community, not opposing armies. If you like the Legacy Era, why should that preclude you from being friends with somebody whose only focus is on the Rise of the Empire era? The common love for Star Wars should bring us together, not bring separation between us. Just because someone doesn’t like, know or own something should not be a criteria for being a real fan.

Cause you know what? Anybody who likes post-RotJ Expanded Universe does not enjoy the same Star Wars that George Lucas does. (He says that peace began with the death of the Emperor.) Anybody who thinks that Han shot first does not like the same Star Wars that George Lucas does. Isn’t he the truest Star Wars fan? Possibly, possibly not. But I digress.

Instead of dividing ourselves between true and untrue fans, let’s let Star Wars bring us together under an umbrella of geekiness and friendship. Accept those that like Jar Jar. Accept those that enjoy the Holiday Special. Accept those who reject the Dark Empire series and Empatajayos Brand. Accept those that like Anakin Solo’s bunny mentor or whatever. Because we all love Star Wars at the core, we should be able to accept each other.

Article by Chris Wermeskerch.

Rebel Reviews – VC78: Battle Droid

2011-12-29T12:35:00.000-08:00

Today's review covers the new Vintage Collection Battle Droid. The figure is not a 2-pack like previous releases, so should you shell out the cash to get one? Read on to find out!

VC78: Battle Droid

Accessories: antennae, backpack, blaster

Articulation: ball joint head, shoulders, and hips; hinged elbows, knees, and ankles

If you buy this figure expecting a repaint or retool of the 2009 Battle Droid from the Geonosis Arena sets, prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Hasbro went all-out with the new Vintage Collection Battle Droid and created an entirely new figure. While it is hard to review a single-packed Battle Droid after many years of getting them in two-packs, the astounding level of detail and accuracy to the movie helps make up for the lessened value.

While this Battle Droid is a totally new sculpt, no additional points of articulation have been incorporated in the design. This is the biggest disappointment with this figure, since it is still impossible to recreate the two-handed grip that many Battle Droids used to hold their weapons in the films. While the articulation is nothing new, the design of the Battle Droid has undergone massive improvements. A smaller torso and shorter limbs eliminate the lanky appearance present on previous Battle Droid figures. A new head, which is wider than previous releases, is much more accurate to the Battle Droids seen on screen. While the neck might be a bit too short, it collapses into the body and allows the figure to neatly fold up into “transport” mode. Lastly, the backpack has been resculpted and sits higher on the Battle Droid’s back, which is once again more accurate to the movies.

The biggest improvement that I noticed with this new Battle Droid is a stronger plastic. Unlike previous Battle Droid figures, which were made of soft and pliable plastic, this new figure stays standing and is very easy to pose. The only thing holding this figure back from greatness is the price. The high level of detail does not justify the high price. While a lower priced release down the road would be welcomed, getting one or two now would not be a bad thing, as the Battle Droid is a very good release.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

*(Image credit: Bantha Skull)

Sponsor Announcement - Man of Action Figures

2011-12-29T00:28:00.000-08:00

Click here for the latest exciting update from Echo Base News sponsor ManofActionFigures.com!

Sponsor Announcement - Big Bad Toy Store

2011-12-28T16:37:00.000-08:00

Click here for an exciting update from our sponsor BigBadToyStore.com about the latest Star Wars listings and their year-end sale!

Rebel Reviews - VC81: Ben Quadinaros

2011-12-27T08:58:00.001-08:00

Today we take a look at one of the worst characters from the Saga: Ben Quadinaros! Should you bother picking this one up? Read on to find out!

VC81: Ben Quadinaros
Accessories: blaster, pit droid
Articulation: ball jointed shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles; swivel wrists

Where do I begin with Ben Quadinaros? This character was painful to watch in The Phantom Menace film, so the fact that a Ben Quadinaros figure was released seems like a really bad joke. While some obscure characters (like Yarna and the Ice Cream Maker Guy) had cult followings that seemed to justify figures being made, Ben Quadinaros seems to receive nearly universal hate from the Star Wars fan community.

The Ben Quadinaros action figure is a perfect fit for the character. Both are extremely useless, and look totally absurd. Hasbro did a great job of recreating the Dr. Seuse-esque design of Quadinaros, though I am not sure if that is good or bad. While some people clamor for super articulation on every figure, it feels wasted on a character like Quadinaros. The action figure has some ball joints (ankles and hips) that aren’t even included on action-oriented characters, so it almost feels like a slap in the face. The accessory compliment is very fitting, as Quadinaros includes a blaster pistol and a pit droid. While the pit droid is an old sculpt from 1999, it succeeds in making the figure seem like a slightly better value.

While most of my review has been very negative, I will give Hasbro credit on Quadinaros’ face sculpt. Instead of translating one of the character’s goofy expressions from The Phantom Menace, Hasbro sculpted a very angry and devilish expression for the figure. Despite the liberties taken on the face sculpt, the figure is not worth getting. The character is questionable, and the actual figure is not worth $9.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

Entertainment Earth reveals two Deluxe Packs!

2011-12-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

Entertainment Earth reveals two of the four Deluxe Packs due for 2012 - SCUBA Clone and Republic Sub and Anakin Skywalker and Republic Recon Fighter. No images, but watch the link for updates.

Rebel Reviews – VC77: Ratts Tyerell & Pit Droid

2011-12-26T17:13:00.000-08:00

Today we start reviewing the brand new Phantom Menace-themed wave of The Vintage Collection. Is Ratts Tyerell worth the effort to track down a little early? Read on to find out!

VC77: Ratts Tyerell

Accessories: pistol, goggles, pit droid

Articulation: ball joint neck and shoulders; swivel wrists, waist, and hips

Originally planned for a 2009 release in the Legacy Collection, Ratts Tyerell has finally been released as part of the most recent wave of the Vintage Collection. Unlike wave-mate Ben Quadinaros, whose figure received a scathing review, Ratts Tyerell will fare slightly better because the character is not totally absurd looking. Unfortunately the size of the action figure makes it difficult to deliver an unbiased assessment, especially at the nearly ten-dollar price point.

Just to make it clear, Ratts is a very small action figure. Not only is Ratts short, but the arms and legs are also very skinny. Overall, this leads to an action figure that is smaller than the average Ewok or Jawa. The figure’s stature impairs the articulation, which can be seen by the number of swivel joint and lack of ball joints. Ratts Tyerell includes a pit droid, goggles, and a weapon, which is a decent accessory compliment for a small figure.

Overall, Ratts Tyerell is not a terrible figure, but it is pretty far from great. The price and lack of articulation bring down an otherwise decent toy. If Ratts had been released back in 2009 as originally planned, it would have been a much stronger release. Unfortunately it is 2011, and this release in a “premium” toy line at a higher price just doesn’t cut it.

Review by Greg Bridgeman.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas from all of us at Echo Base News!