The Hunt Is On - Rogue One 3 3/4" Wave 3 Single-Carded Figures Found

Finally getting my hands on Wave 3 of the Rogue One 3 3/4" single-carded figures hasn't been easy. In fact, it's been an inter-state and international endeavour. With no stock showing up at my local Maryland retailers, it was only by chance that I stumbled across Bodhi Rook while on holiday in Florida for $7.99US ($12.15NZ). I purchased Jyn Erso (Imperial Infiltrator) via Amazon.com for $10.42US ($15.82NZ), but the Imperial Death Trooper and Shoretrooper proved even more elusive - and it wasn't until I was all the way back in New Zealand that I eventually tracked them down at a Warehouse store for $17.00NZ each.

The wait was more than worth it, however. Bodhi is the standout figure of the wave. Along with Chirrut, he's one of the most screen-accurate sculpts of the Rogue One line. Even better, the usually ridiculously-oversized additional weapon has been swapped for an actual movie accurate prop - Bodhi's cable backpack. It's great to have an item that can actually be displayed with the figure, and I'm hoping this might bode well for future releases.

Jyn is a great rework of the Imperial Ground Crew figure from wave 1 - now with fingerless gloves and a removable (albeit oddly rubberised) helmet. The Imperial Death Trooper and Shoretrooper are both variants - albeit important ones - of figures from the Wave 1 two-packs. The Death Trooper now comes with his iconic pauldron and ammunition belt, and looks a lot better for it. The original version of this trooper always seemed a little lanky and unencumbered, but the addition of the extra gear balances out his silhouette perfectly. The Shoretrooper, on the other hand, is the basic 'grunt' version of this soldier - losing the command skirt and extra colouring that was found on the earlier incarnation. Each trooper comes with his on-screen blaster, as well as an obligatory larger 'action-feature' weapon (in this case, slightly different variations of a grappling hook rifle - not shown above).

Star Wars Is Everywhere - The National Christmas Center

Located in Paradise, Pennsylvania, the National Christmas Center features a range of stunning exhibitions documenting Christmas past and present, and across a range of cultures. One display is dedicated to toys from Christmases-gone-by - amongst which I spotted a vintage 12-inch stormtrooper.

Have you found Star Wars in the most unlikeliest of places? If you have, be sure to share it with us via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com.

The Hunt Is On - The Force Awakens 3 3/4" Wave 7 Single-Carded Figures Found

Despite it being over two years since the original Force Friday, I'm yet to see a single hint of the seventh and final wave of The Force Awakens figures in Maryland or New Zealand. Fortunately, I've managed to track down the two figures I want from that wave via other channels. After weeks of being listed at a price close to $30.00US, Admiral Ackbar dropped to a much more reasonable $12.95US ($18,62NZ). In addition, MattG (one of the owners and operators of Star Wars New Zealand) recently stumbled across a stash of Tasu Leech figures in an Australian store for only $12.00 a piece and kindly picked one up for me.

Featuring a phenomenally good head sculpt and a bizarre (yet hilariously) articulated mouth, it's a shame that Ackbar didn't turn up back when the Force Awakens frenzy was at its peak. Nevertheless, it's great to finally have him in hand - and he'll go great alongside by growing cadre of Resistance forces. Leech, on the other hand, is far less remarkable (both in plastic, and on-screen), but he was always a figure that I wanted to add to my collection of scum and villainy characters. He's a good sculpt with a decent likeness, but is a fair bit shorter than the ordinary 3 3/4" figure. Maybe Han was being literal when he referred to the members of Kanjiklub as "those little freaks"?

Both figures come with a blaster rifle and the usual 'build-a-weapon' piece. Most satisfyingly, these two acquisitions mean that I've now obtained everything on my Force Awakens wishlist. 

New Star Wars Film Trilogy and Live Action Television Series Announced

Today, StarWars.com announced that Rian Johnson - director of The Last Jedi - will be helming an entirely new trilogy of Star Wars films. The films will not fit into the episodic Skywalker saga, but will instead "introduce new characters from a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored." At the same time, Bob Iger has also announced a new live-action Star Wars television series to premiere on Disney's new streaming service in 2019.

(Image courtesy of StarWars.com)

The news that there will be new Star Wars media beyond Rebels, Rogue One, Solo, and the sequel trilogy shouldn't come as a surprise. It's no secret that Disney bought Lucasfilm with the intention of getting as much as they can out of the Star Wars franchise. That being said, I'd hoped that these announcements might come closer to the release of Episode IX, giving us a little breathing room between this spate of films and the next.

How about you? What are your thoughts on these announcements? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Hunt Is On - Force Link 3 3/4" Starter Set (Toys'R'Us Exclusive) In Stock Next Week

Yakface is reporting that Toys'R'Us will have their exclusive 3 3/4" Force Link Starter Set (containing the otherwise-unavailable First Order Stormtrooper Executioner  and alternate Elite Praetorian Guard design) in stock next week.

This set has been on my hunt list since Force Friday II, so I'll be doing my best to snag one once they hit shelves. As something of a sweetener, Toys'R'Us will also be offering a free Star Wars poster with any Star Wars purchase, and $10 off any combined Star Wars purchase of $50 or more.

Lego 41486 BrickHeadz Captain Phasma

Today's post comes on behalf of my fiancée, who has recently been delving into Lego's new 'BrickHeadz' line. These adorable little sets come in at $9.99US ($14.45NZ) a piece, and are essentially the Lego equivalent of a Funko Pop! figure. So far, the line has included characters from Disney, DC, and Marvel, but on November 1st Lego finally tapped into one of their most lucrative licenses with 41485 Finn and 41486 Captain Phasma - the latter of which my fiancée picked up without a moment's hesitation.

Put simply, Phasma is a phenomenal little set. Promotional images had made me somewhat sceptical about her headsculpt - especially the flat 4 x 1 across the front of what should be a very curved helmet. It seems these concerns were for naught, however, as it all works very well. In fact, there's a staggering amount of detail in her head alone, which might explain her very high part count of 127 pieces - 36 more than Finn. Another excellent touch is her red-trimmed cape, which - despite the blocky medium from which it's built - still seems to give the impression of flowing and falling naturally over her shoulder. 

Her blaster rifle is adorned with a single metalised silver piece, but this raises the question: why was the entire figure not built from bricks of this colour? My only thought is that Lego isn't yet producing the necessary pieces in silver, so ruled it out for cost reasons. Still, while Phasma works well enough in grey, having her rendered entirely in metalised parts would have really made her pop.

All up, this set has us incredibly excited for the future of Star Wars BrickHeadz. With an (albeit exclusive) Boba Fett and Han Solo in carbonite debuting at NYCC this year, and rumours of more sets early next year, there's a good chance Phasma will have some friends in the near-future.

The Last Jedi T-Shirts

Walmart are now stocking a range of The Last Jedi t-shirts for the very tidy price of $7.50US ($10.90NZ) each. There's a variety of designs on offer - but I went for the simple Last Jedi logo, and the Rebel Alliance / Resistance emblem with X-Wings and A-Wings in the foreground.

I'm not completely sold on the golden / glittery print on the latter, but I'm expecting it to weather and wear after a few washes. The former will also go well with the Force Awakens t-shirt I picked up a couple of years ago!

Rogue One 3 3/4" First Order Snowtrooper Officer and Poe Dameron 2-Pack

The 3 3/4" First Order Snowtrooper Officer and Poe Dameron 2-pack very nearly made it onto my Rogue One huntlist.* I usually pick up any costume variant of a main character, and this was collectors' first (and so far, only) chance to get hold of a D'Qar celebration Poe. Unfortunately, the $34.00NZ price tag was far too much to justify, especially when he came packed with a figure that - although a useful army-builder - was already in my collection. Last week, however, I came across the Poe 2-pack at my local Five Below for the ridiculously low price of - you guessed it - $5.00US ($7.19NZ). How could I say no?

While not the most exciting two-pack from the Rogue One line, this set still has its charms. I'd heard a lot of complaints about the paint app on Poe's face - but it seems that Hasbro must have remedied this at some point during production, because this Poe doesn't look bad at all. In fact, it's an incredibly decent likeness given that this is a 3 3/4" 5-points-of-articulation figure. Poe comes with his usual blaster pistol sidearm, and an enormous backpack-cum-missile-launcher. I usually criticise these oversized pack-ins, but I have to admit that this is exactly the kind of accessory I would have thoroughly enjoyed playing with as a kid.

For anyone who didn't pick up the First Order Snowspeeder or the Snap Wexley 2-pack, this pack is also a great way of picking up a pauldroned snowtrooper. For those who already have a version of this figure (like myself), the pauldron can easily be removed and the trooper added to the ranks of ordinary grunts. As with previous iterations, the snowtrooper features some fantastic tooling and a surprisingly intricate paint job (especially on the chest plate). He also comes with a screen-accurate blaster rifle and a removable backpack.

While this 2-pack might not have been worth the original RRP, it was definitely worth picking up on clearance. Poe will look especially good next to the D'Qar Leia I picked up recently!

*While both characters in this set are from The Force Awakens, this set was - somewhat confusingly - released under the 2016 Rogue One line.

Star Wars Is Everywhere - Bootlegs

There's a lot of money to be made in Star Wars products - and for as long as there's been officially-licensed merchandise, there's also been bootlegs. They're not as common here in the US, but I've always found independently-owned New Zealand dollar stores to be a treasure trove of off-brand saga toys.

For the most part, these bootlegs try to circumvent blatant copyright infringement by either featuring a well-known character under a different brand name (like the KSZ "Space Wars" Kylo Ren above) or by coupling Star Wars branding with a completely unrecognisable character - like everyone's favourite Force Awakens character, Jason (pictured above).

Sometimes the placement is a little more subtle, intended to lend legitimacy to an otherwise unfamiliar product - like the Peizhi "Star Pioneer" set above. Other times, manufacturers are far more brazen, combining the Star Wars logo with actual (if horribly disfigured or miscoloured) characters from the franchise - as with the "Jedi Force" pack above and the lightsaber-wielding Ackbar below.

And then, every once in a while, you'll see some Star Wars imagery on a product that defies all logic - like the backpack above. I mean, we all remember the N-1 Naboo Starfighter being Spiderman's preferred mode of transport, right?

Have you come across any interesting Star Wars bootlegs in your local stores? If you have, be sure to share them with us via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com.

Han Solo Anthology Film Title Announced as "Solo: A Star Wars Story"

After a long while of speculation, the official name for the Han Solo anthology film has officially been announced as Solo: A Star Wars Story.

This is exactly the title I was hoping for. Short, sweet, and leaving no doubts about who the star of the show will be. There's also a good chance "Solo" might take on a convenient double-meaning depending on the plot of the film.

Despite some directorial distruptions, Solo is still set for May 25th 2018 release date. What are your thoughts on this title? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Hunt Is On - Force Link 3 3/4" Wave 2 Figures Arrival Imminent?

HasbroToyShop.com have added Wave 2 of the The Last Jedi 'Force Link' figures to their online store, including three characters on my huntlist: DJ (Canto Bight), General Leia Organa, and Luke Skywalker (Jedi Exile). 

(Images courtesy of HasbroToyShop.com)

Despite appearing in the store, most of the wave is currently listed as "Coming Soon..." The one exception to this is Leia, who is listed with a release date of October 20th. If this date is accurate, then it's a safe bet we can expect to see the rest of the wave released at the same time. With a 20% discount code from a previous purchase, I'll be putting my order in as soon as they're available. I'll also be adding another item from my huntlist - the Probe Droid and Darth Vader Deluxe Figure Set that's been out since Force Friday.

What's about you? What are you planning on picking up from Wave 2 of the Force Link line? Be sure to let us know via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com!

The Last Jedi Theatrical Trailer and Poster Released

It's been a long wait (about six months longer than with The Force Awakens), but the first full-length official trailer for Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi has finally arrived - and it's a doozy. You can check it out below!

While April's teaser left me feeling a little underwhelmed, this brand new trailer ticks all of the boxes. Comprised of almost entirely new footage - and backed by a superb tension-building score - this trailer does everything a good trailer should. While it treats us to some beautiful shots and intriguing thematic insights, it gives very little away in terms of plot. I still can't fathom how it all fits together, or in which order the set pieces occur, and that's exactly the way I want it.

I'm especially happy with the general aesthetic of the film as it appears here. A number of the Last Jedi designs we've seen so far (mostly via merchandising) have had me worried that the film was departing from the very familiar, well-worn universe of the original trilogy - the look and feel of which The Force Awakens captured perfectly. My concerns were dispelled by this trailer however. Put simply, The Last Jedi just looks like Star Wars.

For me, the best things about this trailer are seeing more of Luke, and more of Phasma. At the same time, however, I also love the tiny Easter eggs hidden throughout (like the blink-and-you'll-miss-it AT-ATs and AT-STs). There are a million more little things to dissect, but with half of the internet doing that right now, there's little need for me to add to the noise. There's one important thing to remember, however: Namely, that everything is not always as it seems. If we've learned anything in recent years, it's that these trailers are often edited with misdirection in mind. The splicing of two disparate scenes - or the juxtaposition of a line of dialogue with a particular shot - are often done with the specific intention of subverting our expectations. So, too, will it be with this trailer.

The excitements doesn't end there, however. Just before the trailer dropped, StarWars.com gave us our first look at the absolutely gorgeous official poster for The Last Jedi:

This design is leaps-and-bounds ahead of The Force Awaken's Photoshop-esque poster, and marks a return to the classic Drew Struzan style of the prequel and special edition era. It's simple, striking, and makes excellent use of the blood-red theme we've seen throughout the promotional material for The Last Jedi. I'm also particularly happy that it places two of our legacy heroes - Luke and Leia - centre stage.

Along with the trailer and poster release, tickets to the The Last Jedi also went on sale world-wide last night. Be sure to pick up yours if  you haven't already, as cinemas are filling fast!

What are your thoughts on the theatrical trailer and poster for The Last Jedi? Be sure to share them with us via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com.

Funko Pop! #122 Zuckuss Bobblehead

For the most part, I've managed to resist the temptation to branch out into an entire new line of collectibles with Funko's line of Pop! Star Wars characters. There've been a couple of exceptions to this: specifically, the K-2SO I picked up earlier this year, and the Chrome Phasma given to me by my fiancée's brother. Thanks to that same future-brother-in-law, there's now a third addition to my Pop! line-up - an adorable bobblehead Zuckuss!

Unlike K-2 and Phasma, Zuckuss is rendered in the same vinyl as Funko's other non-bobblehead Pop! figures. This gives the figure a surprising amount of heft, making him feel extra nice in the hand. Zuckuss sports his screen-accurate blaster rifle, as well as a couple of breathing tubes that - while slightly restricting the 'bobble' action of the figure - give him a distinguishing feature that's not present on any other Pop! figure.

Best of all, Zuckuss happens to be a Toy Wars exclusive, making him all the more unique!