Red Five

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???

Posted by Roger at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Check out my Star Wars Mashup!

Posted by Roger at 01:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I wish that R2's "hero" scene in Attack of the Clones was better. Really, the only thing he did in the whole movie was save Padme from molten steel in the droid foundry, and that felt really tacked-on. It was like, "whoops, we forgot the R2-saves-the-day moment, better come up with one quick." Plus the fact that it was our introduction to his (controversial) rocket boosters made it all the more suspect.

I have an idea for how to make it better, but I think that post will need to wait for another day.

Posted by Roger at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Roger at 07:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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.

Posted by Roger at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An update on the R2-D2 mailboxes:

R2-D2 Smuggling Death Star Plans From White House

Posted by Roger at 05:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It looks like R2 is popping up on street corners nationwide:

R2-D2 Enlisted As Honorary Collector For America’s Mail

This? Is awesome. Somebody has started a project to map out all R2 mailboxes.

Oh, the URL uspsjedimaster.com could be the most random domain name ever.

Posted by Roger at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is just awesome:

Check out the official site for this gadget, or visit rebelscum.com for a more detailed explanation (including video).

$2500 is pretty expensive, but I'm pleased to see that we continue to get closer and closer to fully-functional astromech droids right here in our own galaxy.

Posted by Roger at 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)