May 18, 2009
May 04, 2009
May the Fourth Be with You
November 24, 2008
Vader's Medical Staff
Vader's Medical Staff
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
I recently picked up FX-6, which (I think?) completes the droid staff that built mechanical Darth Vader. I love the detail on FX-6, but it is by far the most fragile figure in my collection.
September 12, 2008
Like Father, Like Daughters
Like Father, Like Daughters
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
It melted my heart when Lainey saw that Lucy had Artoo Potatoo, and she scampered up to me and said, "I need R2 too!"
August 15, 2008
Clone Wars R2
Clone Wars R2
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
This is definitely one of my favorite R2s. Lots of features and great deco. Now if they could make one just-like-this in a "realistic" sculpt.
May 08, 2008
Droid Factory Production Has Begun
For an astromech collector, this is a dream come true! Except that it's only available at stupid Wal*Mart. Grr.
Check out how awesome that battle-damaged R2 is!!!
Star Wars News - Droid Factory Production Has Begun With Wal*Mart Exclusive
May 02, 2008
Master and (Battle-Damaged) Apprentice
February 06, 2008
Topless Robot - The 10 Star Wars Toys that Unintentionally Look Like Other Celebrities
December 31, 2007
R2-B1 Smackdown
R2-B1 Smackdown
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
On the left, the original R2-B1 from The Phantom Menace collection. On the right, the newly-minted R2-B1 from the 30th Anniversary collection (based on the R4-G9 sculpt).
December 10, 2007
Star Wars toys that never made it
Star Wars toys that never made it
Awesome:
December 09, 2007
ARC-170 Astromech
ARC-170 Astromech
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
He doesn't have an official name, so I will call him R4-B2 (even though I don't like the recent trend of R4 units with dome heads).
September 30, 2007
R2-KT
September 10, 2007
McQ Boba Fett
McQ Boba Fett
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
This is one of the the most awesome figures yet. Great sculpt, great articulation, great deco, great features.
He even has the fold-down weapons panel on his stomach! And attachable flame that actually stays attached while he stands up! And two heads!
August 21, 2007
July 26, 2007
How To: Arrange Your Action Figures
From Wired:
Avoiding the "domino effect" has always been a tough one for me.
July 24, 2007
R2-KT
(Image from starwars.com)
Hasbro and Lucasfilm are joining forces for a limited-edition action figure in honor of Katie Johnson, a young girl who died of brain cancer. (Her father is the founder of the 501st Legion.)
So, it's an action figure for a good cause. I love the tagline: "The pink Imperial droid with a heart of gold."
July 17, 2007
McQuarrie Concepts
McQuarrie Concept Duel
Originally uploaded by rdeetz
Today's scene was inspired by this iconic painting.
I think it's really cool that Hasbro has started to make figures based on the original artwork of Ralph McQuarrie. For long-time Star Wars fans, these paintings are well known (almost revered) and the figures appear to be very nicely executed.
They actually released the first "McQ" as part of the Saga collection several years ago (after it won a Fan's Choice poll, I believe) but they have really ramped up the collection in 2007:
- Luke Skywalker (Or is it really "Deak Starkiller"?)
- "Starkiller Hero" (The combined Luke/Leia character.)
- R2-D2 & C-3PO
- Han Solo (Love the cape!)
- Chewbacca
- Obi-Wan and Yoda (They picked a pretty tame Yoda version; I kinda wish they would have done the gnome/Santa Claus concept I saw once.)
- Darth Vader (With swappable heads!)
- Stormtrooper
- Snowtrooper
- Boba Fett (I'm glad the final version wasn't so white—too much like the Stormtroopers—but he looks seriously cool.)
- Rebel Trooper
Here is a nice gallery of some of the famous artwork that inspired the movies (and these figures).
The catch is, these figures are popular to a fault. I have yet to see any of the recent wave "in the wild." (Of the list above, only Stormtrooper, Boba Fett, Chewbacca, Luke, and R2/3PO have been released so far.) I got my Luke and the droids online (since they were convention exclusive); I don't plan to buy each one, but I would at least like to see them in person.
July 06, 2007
I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan
(Please don't notice that I used a RotS Obi-Wan here.)
June 25, 2007
My Brush with Fame
Adam over at Galactic Hunter answered my question about the STUPID RUBBER LEGS on the recent wave of Astromech droids. Check it out. (It's about a third of the way down the page.)
Thanks, man. I'll start my complaining today! (Well, officially, at least... I have been complaining quietly for some time...)
June 14, 2007
Comic Pack R2
I recently picked up the "comic pack" version of R2-D2. These figures are included with a comic book (which I don't really care about), and are painted in the style of their comic book representations.
This is a good sculpt (based on the modern R4-G9 astromech sculpt), even those it still uses the stupid rubber legs.
The paint is, well, comic book-y. I don't really know why the comics don't use a closer representation of the regular R2 colors, or why the paint on this figure doesn't really even match what's in the comic. But oh well.
In the end, it's kind of a cool take on R2, and if you want you can pretend it's a completely different droid, like R0-D9 or something. But why won't they just make a regular R2 on this sculpt??? Please???
June 08, 2007
The Transition of Anakin Skywalker
From left: Anakin Skywalker (Battle Damage) ROTS III-50, Darth Vader (Order 66) TAC, Anakin Skywalker (Jedi Spirits) POTF2
June 04, 2007
So would (-o-o-) be a TIE Bomber?
As you might expect, I have been known to buy an action figure or two on eBay. I take my eBay reputation very seriously, so it pleased me when a recent seller gave me this feedback:
(-o-) Impressive........Most Impressive (-o-) A+ RECOMMENDED!!
Maybe I'm just out of step, but I think that was the first time I saw the "Advanced TIE Fighter" emoticon. (-o-)
May 16, 2007
Strong am I with the Force...
... but not that strong.
Every couple of months I get a Star Wars catalog from Brian's Toys. Even though I prefer to do my action figure hunting in person (or eBay as a last resort), I always enjoy the catalog because it gives me a chance to see how figures are priced in the secondary retail market, and because they have lots of pictures of old toys which you can't get in stores anymore. So, bascially, it's Star Wars action figure porn.
Anyway, the part of the catalog that always blows me away is the "carded vintage" section. As an example:
Vintage SW Darth Vader Telescoping Saber
$20,000??? I could almost buy my own ship for that. Even though I consider myself to be a reasonably serious collector, that is completely unjustifiable. Probably the reason it always in the catalog every month, and never sells. :)
May 14, 2007
That's hot
R2-D2 UK Silver Exclusive
Originally uploaded by rdeetz.
Thanks to good ol' eBay I was able to get my hands on this R2 variant. This figure was only available at Woolworth's in the UK as part of a Revenge of the Sith multipack.
I don't why they keep making "silver" R2s (they've done it before), or why I think they look cool. This particular version is the best yet—the VOTC sculpt, with an excellent paint job. (Even though it's all one color...) They did a good job of preserving his light-up eye, and keeping the paint from clogging his joints.
Anyway, it's one more notch in my belt as seek to collect all variations on R2-D2. But, if you're not a serious R2 fan, this one is skippable.
May 04, 2007
Master and Apprentice
Master and Apprentice
Originally uploaded by rdeetz.
From left: Commander Thire, Darth Sidious, Commander Bow, Darth Vader.
April 03, 2007
R2-D2 30th Anniversary Collection
R2-D2 30th Anniversary Collection
Originally uploaded by rdeetz.
A while back I declared this to be the coolest R2-D2 figure ever.
Well, I finally got my hands on one. Did it live up my own hype?
In a nutshell, no. In fact, at first I was quite disappointed.
Pros
- This is the first R2 based on the best-in-class R4-G9 sculpt.
- It is a new version of R2 from one of my favorite moments in Revenge of the Sith.
- When fully assembled and "just sitting there," it looks pretty cool.
Cons
- Despite finally getting an R2 on that awesome sculpt, this version uses the STUPID RUBBER LEGS that have plagued recent astromechs like R4-K5 and R4-M61
- In addition to the legs being rubber, they have a new design for the rockets. Unlike R2-D2 III-07, The sockets are much deeper in the legs, so when the rockets are detached, the leg has an obvious hole (and seems dangerously weak as well).
- When not attached to the "fire," it is basically unusable as a "regular" R2. The paint (that represents the glow of the fire) is too yellow—without context, he looks like he was dipped in mustard.
So, this was definitely not the figure I was hoping for. Which may be the problem—my expectations were probably too high. Ever since they introduced the new astromech sculpt, I have anxiously been waiting for the "definitive" R2. (Preferably, there would be two versions... a "clean" one and a "weathered" one, using the painting technique they used on R4-P17. IMO, that one is finest astromech they have ever done.)
But as I thought it about it more, this figure is not without merit. As a one-note statue, it's quite good. I guess I'll just need to look at it from that certain point of view, and keep my fingers crossed for the future.
[Update 5 April 2007] It looks like another reviewer came to basically the same conclusion that I did.
On a related note: For Celebration IV, they had to go and make this awesomeness the exclusive figure. Sheesh. When I can actually go to a SW Celebration, they have some cheesy talking Vader, and now that they moved it away they make the Best. Exclusive. Ever.
1 I have no idea what on earth possessed Hasbro to replace the usual sturdy plastic legs on this R4 sculpt with rubber ones, but it is not a welcome development. There was nothing wrong that I could find with the original legs, and in my experience (which is considerable when it comes to astromech figures), the main legs are prone to bending and warping. So now the bending and warping will be worse with the rubber legs, not the mention the "look and feel" problems that arise when you have such different materials on the same figure.
March 04, 2007
Astromech Class Photo - March 2007
Astromech Class Photo - March 2007
Originally uploaded by rdeetz.
A few new members of the astromech family have trickled in recently, so I decided to update the class photo. I'm expecting three new additions in the coming months as well (R4-K5, R4-M6, and a new R2-D2).
February 14, 2007
This is pretty much what I have been wanting to do my whole life...
Awesome! Most of the figures are from the POTF2 era, so you could really do it up nicely with some of the more modern ones. But I am very impressed with the attention to detail in the shots, and with the digital effects.
January 31, 2007
New R2-R9
New R2-R9
Originally uploaded by rdeetz.
I just got my hands on this new version of R2-R9. It came in the Episode I-themed 30th Anniversary Collector's Tin.
It's the same sculpt as the OTC Vintage R2-D2, but it doesn't include the removable gadget panel and accessories.
I'm always happy for more astromechs, and droids from the Naboo Royal Starship are always popular. I think it's interesting that R2-R9 has been made twice, but each time only available as part of a "special set"—that is, not a basic carded figure. (The first version of R9 was available only with the Queen's Starship vehicle.)
January 24, 2007
Utinni!
I can't wait for this figure. Will it be as good as this one (which is one of my all-time favorites)?