In an unlikely turn of events, waves 7 and 8 of The Black Series 3 3/4" line began turning up at a number of Farmers stores in New Zealand weekend. Even more fortuitously, this release coincided with the start of their 'Monster Toy Sale' which saw figures reduced by 40% to $11.99 each. I took this excellent opportunity to pick up #09 Captain Rex, #10 Jon "Dutch" Vander, #11 Chewbacca, #13 Commander Doom, #15 Commander Thorn, and #19 Han Solo.
These six figures (like much of The Black Series) represent the ultimate in Star Wars action figures - characters presented in the traditional 3 3/4" scale and featuring the very best in articulation and design.
The three clone commanders are fairly similar in construction, with minor variations in design. Each boasts fourteen points of articulation, and comes with two DC-17 pistols and a pair of working holsters.
Rex is perhaps the most recognisable of this trio, being one of the central characters in The Clone Wars television series. The deco on his figure is exquisite - right down to the weld marks on his custom-made helmet, and the kill counts etched along his arms and legs. Doom and Thorn are a little more obscure, each appearing in only a single episode of The Clone Wars: The Lost Missions (episodes 1 and 7 respectively). Despite being relatively unknown, the pair each have a striking design that'll look great among the rest of my Clone Troopers (currently in storage, but pictured below).
A short while ago, I realised that I hadn't yet added an "ultimate" super-articulated Chewbacca to my collection. This latest release was a great way to fill that gap. Chewie comes with fifteen points of articulation, as well as his trademark bandolier and bowcaster. The weapon takes a little cajoling to fit into his hands - but once it's there, it fits snugly and affords the figure a dynamic and natural pose. The detailing and paint application is near-perfect, making this figure one of the best 3 3/4" versions of Chewie to date.
Han comes with the same articulation, and provides us with with yet another fantastic figure (though I suppose that should be "figures", since it contains Han both pre- and post- carbon freezing chamber). Pre-freeze Han isn't anything too exciting, but does provide an authentic representation of the character and costume from the film. No weapons are included, but he does come with arm restraints and a pair of handcuffs faithful to those seen on-screen. Perhaps the best part of this figure is the actual carbonite block. Prior to this, the only version of post-freeze Han I had was the one that came with the 1996 Power of the Force figure. This was a single piece of coloured plastic with decals for detailing and a completely hollow back side. This latest version is a vast improvement, featuring an exquisite paintjob - right down to the dials on the control panels. The block is also fully enclosed, maximising display possibilities.
Dutch is perhaps the least exciting of this trio - simply being the familiar Rebel pilot's body with a new head sculpt and helmet deco. Nevertheless, he'll make a great addition to the collection of pilots I've been building over the last few years (currently in storage, but pictured below).
Dutch comes with a removable helmet and a blaster pistol. Unfortunately, like his pilot predecessors, he has a lot of trouble keeping hold of his weapon. Some careful placement is needed to make the blaster stay in his hands, and even then it's prone to be dropped at the slightest nudge.
This latest release of Black Series figures is perhaps the best we've seen since the line began, and it's very lucky that many of us were - thanks to Farmers - able to snatch them up for nearly half of their usual retail price. I've got a hunch that this is the last drop of new stock we'll see until merchandise for The Force Awakens begins to hit stores in September. At the very least, that gives us a couple of months to replenish our collecting budgets!
Han comes with the same articulation, and provides us with with yet another fantastic figure (though I suppose that should be "figures", since it contains Han both pre- and post- carbon freezing chamber). Pre-freeze Han isn't anything too exciting, but does provide an authentic representation of the character and costume from the film. No weapons are included, but he does come with arm restraints and a pair of handcuffs faithful to those seen on-screen. Perhaps the best part of this figure is the actual carbonite block. Prior to this, the only version of post-freeze Han I had was the one that came with the 1996 Power of the Force figure. This was a single piece of coloured plastic with decals for detailing and a completely hollow back side. This latest version is a vast improvement, featuring an exquisite paintjob - right down to the dials on the control panels. The block is also fully enclosed, maximising display possibilities.
Dutch is perhaps the least exciting of this trio - simply being the familiar Rebel pilot's body with a new head sculpt and helmet deco. Nevertheless, he'll make a great addition to the collection of pilots I've been building over the last few years (currently in storage, but pictured below).
This latest release of Black Series figures is perhaps the best we've seen since the line began, and it's very lucky that many of us were - thanks to Farmers - able to snatch them up for nearly half of their usual retail price. I've got a hunch that this is the last drop of new stock we'll see until merchandise for The Force Awakens begins to hit stores in September. At the very least, that gives us a couple of months to replenish our collecting budgets!
