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Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: 212th Battalion Clone Trooper (Droid Factory)

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The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with a series of entries covering the Amazon Exclusive Droid Factory Set of Legacy Collection figures. We continue with the addition of the 212th Battalion Clone Trooper.

PROS: Hasbro is slowly but surely getting the rainbow of clone troopers re-released on the original TVC Clone Trooper (Phase I) body. Surprisingly, this clone features a nice bit of weathering – not too much –  not too little. Addresses and corrects the TVC version which had the awful helmet discoloration issues.

CONS: Helmet is a bit puffy, like he’s wearing a marshmallow for a bucket. Orange seems far too vibrant when compared to the in-film clone.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and judge for yourself whether this figure is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: FA-4 (Droid Factory)

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fa4_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with a series of entries covering the Amazon Exclusive Droid Factory Set of Legacy Collection figures. We continue with the addition of FA-4.

PROS: Making good on their intentions, Hasbro found a way to get this figure into collector’s hands. The sculpt is pretty solid as it doesn’t go overboard with unnecessary “super articulation”. It is a build-a-droid compatible figure so you can use its parts to augment other B.A.D. figures like protocol droids and astromechs. Looks really great displayed alongside your favorite Count Dooku figure.

CONS: Being the only all-new figure in the set made some collectors rankle at “needing” to purchase 5 additional figures to get it. If you have  OCD (obsessive completionist disorder),  you’d be missing out on an official build-a-droid figure (despite it not being advertised as such) if you passed on it.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and judge for yourself whether this figure is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: Black Squadron TIE Pilot (Droid Factory)

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The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with a series of entries covering the Amazon Exclusive Droid Factory Set of Legacy Collection figures. We continue with the addition of the Black Squadron TIE Pilot.

PROS: TIE Pilots have always been one of my favorite Imperial figures and whenever Hasbro finds it necessary, I welcome them being slotted back into the line. This version takes the Evolutions figure from 2009 and changes up the deco slightly and gives it a nice vintage throwback blaster. Fits in any TIE Fighter cockpit you have lying around thanks to ample articulation and a slender body. The overall deco is great with a mix of matte and glossy paint treatments to break up an otherwise solid black figure.

CONS: Only way to obtain this figure was to order a set of figures that you may not have necessarily wanted or needed, making it a relatively spendy figure. Still utilizes those weird legs that sometimes bend at the knee in unnatural ways and no ankle joints – but that’s a minor picking of nits.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and judge for yourself whether this figure is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: Sandtrooper (Droid Factory)

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amazon_sandtrooper_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with a series of entries covering the Amazon Exclusive Droid Factory Set of Legacy Collection figures. We start things off with the Sandtrooper.

PROS: Hasbro takes their previous TVC/Lost Line Sandtrooper and gives it a fresh deco/wash and new rank by way of a black pauldron. Plenty of accessories give you a variety of display and play options and the incorporation of the sentry droid into the backpack is a nice feature — albeit not a new one.

CONS: Only way to obtain this figure was to order a set of figures that you may not have necessarily wanted or needed, making it a relatively spendy figure.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and judge for yourself whether this figure is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: Disney Store Exclusive Talking Stormtrooper

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talkingST_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume today with our first entry for the Disney Store exclusive large scale talking figures. We kick things off with the Stormtrooper.

PROS: Proving that a realistically styled and detailed figures will draw both young and old collectors alike, Disney really hands Hasbro their lunch in producing a desirable figure at a relatively modest price point. The overall sculpt is fantastic (with accurate human proportions) and stable for displaying in various poses thanks to multiple points of articulation. The 20+ high-quality sound effects are pulled right from A New Hope and are very clear with little to no distortion. Batteries (included) are removable to prevent corrosion.

CONS: Not really anything to speak of other than the included holster is functional for no apparent reason and is inaccurately sculpted.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery (and SFX demo) and judge for yourself whether this piece is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: Figma 6″ Indiana Jones

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figmaindy_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with a special entry today (in lieu of a lame April Fool’s Day joke). Here we take a detailed look at the Figma 6″ Indiana Jones figure from Max Factory.

PROS: The Max Factory Figma line is well known for their craftsmanship and attention to detail and that carries through with this figure. Overall, Indy has a great look about him serving as a representation of the character from Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade. (Mercifully, you’ll find no Crystal Skull reference in this figure.) Dr. Jones comes with a nice assortment of accessories, namely all the extra hands, his signature whip, pistol, and a couple film specific treasures like the Golden Idol, Sankara stone, and Holy Grail. What is also great is that you can easily incorporate a few of the mystery relics and accessories that were packed with Hasbro 3-3/4″ Indy line to expand the display options. That brings us to the eyes: Max Factory has incorporated a separate “eye piece” that is accessed behind the face. This allows for a far more accurate paint application of the eye details. For good measure, they include an extra – just in case.

CONS: At $60 (US), this figure doesn’t come cheap when compared to Hasbro’s line, but it makes up for it in quality in articulation, deco and likeness.  Lack of a working holster to stow the pistol was a let down, but a minor quibble. Wrist sockets that receive the pegs for the interchangeable hands seems as though they will “loosen” over time – the result being that the hands may fall off.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and to judge for yourself whether you’ll find the time to love Dr. Jones and add him to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News

Toyguide Update: TBS #15 Merumeru

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TBS15_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with our next entry in the The Black Series 3-3/4″ line. Today, we take a look at the Wookiee warrior, Merumeru (#15).

PROS: Merumeru is a very well done figure despite a few flaws in articulation. The sculpt captures the essence of the character and is enhanced by a quality deco which gives high- and lowlights to the fur. This figure also has some heft to it, but surprisingly, it’s not one of the largest Wookiee figures we’ve been offered over the years. Merumeru boasts a fair amount of accessories – all of which are new – including a great blaster and a two-piece battle staff with a headpiece that has some great detail/decoration which augments its phallic shape.

CONS: Hasbro (in what was surely a cost-saving measure) eliminated the waist joint – the result is a figure that leaves you wanting. The sculpted dreadlocks prohibit any real range of motion for the head.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and to judge for yourself whether this piece is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: 15-pc. Blind Box Trading Figure Assortment

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blind_box_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume today with a unique entry into 2013 “Darth Vader” Collection line of products. Collectors in Japan, courtesy of the Hot Toys/Hasbro partnership, are able to purchase an assortment of blind box “mystery” figures which pull characters from the first waves of Saga Legends and Mission Series sets.

At first look, you may think there is nothing really “new” here but, unlike their carded counterparts in most areas of the world, each of these figures also include a display base/stand similar to what came with the figures in the Saga Collection. The case itself is able to be converted into a shelf display and includes one of each figure.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and to judge for yourself if these are something worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: Mission Series – Mandalore

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MS06_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with our next entry in the Mission Series line as we take a look at the Mandalore set featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul.

PROS:  If you like toys, retro-styled toys specifically, that may be all the justification you need purchase this set. Both Obi-Wan and Maul are designed with 5 POA, which for some warrants an obligatory “junk” or “these are crap” comment. But for me, they serve their purpose well as being a kid targeted, budget conscientious alternative to higher priced figures that require a lot of “futzing”. The sculpts for each figure are decent with Maul taking the spotlight being another all new figure and for representing his “final” look in the Clone Wars series. Obi-Wan is pretty much a retread of the Saga Legends figure but with new arms and a totally different deco overall. Each figure includes only a lightsaber – perfect for dueling one another –  just like we did with our figures as kids back in the day, remember?

CONS: Fans of the Clone Wars figures were disappointed that they didn’t receive a super-articulated Maul in the line and have to settle (at least for now) in having this be the representation for that particular character design.  The paint apps for Maul’s face is shoddy at best with not a lot of care being given to keeping lines tight and the “horns” on his head resemble a crown of misshapen marshmallows. Yeah, yeah. 5 POA sucks. Hasbro’s ruining Star Wars toys.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and to judge for yourself whether this set is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.

Collecting News, Toyguide Updates

Toyguide Update: SL12 Clone Commander Cody

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SL12_cody_preview

The Yakface Toyguide updates resume with our next entry in the 3-3/4″ Saga Legends line. Today we take a look at Clone Commander Cody (SL12).

PROS: Despite this being a kid-targeted figure, with its limited POA and accessories, Hasbro managed to release a perfectly adequate iteration of Cody – complete with all-new parts (save for the legs) and a relatively tight deco application. I find it surprising, and welcome, that they decided to tool up a new torso and include a removable jetpack. He looks great displayed with the 2013 Saga Legends Obi-Wan Kenobi counterpart.

CONS: Again, this figure isn’t for everyone due to its limited five points of articulation and the fact that the orange used for the unit designation doesn’t match the orange colored 212th Battalion Clone Trooper from the Mission Series: Utapau set. There is a slight bit of deflection in regards to the shoulder antenna but it’s nothing a brief soak in hot water won’t remedy.

Head to the toyguide for the full image gallery and to judge for yourself whether this figure is worth adding to your collection.

You can also weigh in with your impressions on the figures we add to our toyguide on facebook and in our forums.