Saturday 7 July 2012

Star Wars Open Day, 2012

CAUTION: Yen's blog contains harsh language and even harsher notions of propriety. Reader discretion is advised.


"Do you know what the two best feelings in the world are? Opening a brand new Star Wars figure, and watching other people fail."


Woo! It's Open Day! Come on over!

All together now...

Following last year's documented 'sit and open then photograph action figures like the OCD geek you are' day, I found myself once again with a surfeit of unopened toys (not to mention more time than is good for me). These aren't the only figures I've bought in the last year, just the ones I didn't open right away for whatever reason. Also, they're all Star Wars figures, this time around. This year's Avengers line just didn't appeal, sadly. Anyhow, in no particular order...

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Click on any of these images to open a larger version in a new window/tab...

Bespin Wing Guard (Sgt. Edian) (The Legacy Collection)
Bespin Wing Guard (Sgt. Edian)
Purcased from: Forbidden Planet, Newcastle

Amazing. You look everywhere for two years for a figure, including ordering one online at an inflated price then cancelling the order when the website dicks about over actually having it in stock... and then you see it in FP for less than standard-retail. Result. When can I tell you, I've got a thing about Bespin. I blame Jedi Outcast.


Bespin Wing Guard (Utris M'Toc) (The Legacy Collection)
Bespin Wing Guard (Utris M'Toc)
Purcased from: Time and Space, Broadstairs

It's basically a re-paint of Sgt. Edian, above, but done well enough that you don't notice at first. Like I said, I love Bespin.


Prince Xizor (Power of the Force 2)
Prince Xizor
Purcased from: Toy Sale, Torquay

The single-carded version of Shadows of the Empire's Xizor, on an Italian PotF2 card. There's a small toy shop near the harbour in Torquay that I checked on the off-chance when I was there last, and it paid off as they had a bunch of 1990's era figures, still at 1990's era prices. Another result. The addition of this chap means I now have all three released versions of the Faleen prince (don't ask me why I didn't get this back in the day, I have no idea).


Super Battle Droid (The Clone Wars)
Super Battle Droid
Purcased from: Wilkinson's, Didcot

Yeah, full-price I wouldn't, but he was in the sale. Nice and stylised, and unlike the SBDs from the movie lines, he actually stands up on his own without the peg-stand.


Aurra Sing (The Clone Wars)
Aurra Sing (Clone Wars)
Purcased from: Toys-UK, Didcot.

A over-hyped character from the Expanded Universe, who's somehow being under-used in the animated show. Either way, I do have a soft spot for Aurra Sing, if only because she's a strong female character who doesn't make a song and dance about being a female character. That's quite a rarity in the genre.


Aurra Sing (Wal-Mart Exlclusive)
Aurra Sing (Phantom Menace)
Purcased from: Asda, Broadstairs

The Wal-Mart/Asda versions of the 2012 Phantom Menace line featured a section with old-school 3D glasses, for the sole purpose of looking at the picture on the back of the card (loosely tied in with the 3D re-release). Oh well. That said, I only got the 'exclusive' version because I couldn't see her on a regular card.


Savage Opress (The Clone Wars)
Savage Opress
Purcased from: Sainsbury's, Didcot

The gap between Darth Maul's brother appearing on The Clone Wars animated show and actually appearing in regular shops in the UK was 18 months. Cynics have suggested that the TV show is a glorified toy advertisment. No-one appears to have told this to Hasbro. No matter, this figure is badass, and worth the wait.


Republic Commando Boss (The Clone Wars)
Republic Commando Boss
Purcased from: Sainsbury's, Didcot

After a brief cameo in season three of The Clone Wars, it looks like Delta Squad from the 2005 LucasArts game are getting another Hasbro outing, this time individually, rather than as a battle-pack. That said, the last run had Scorch released as a single figure, but the rest as pack-exclusives. So, who knows...


Darth Maul (Power of the Jedi)
Darth Maul (Sith Training)
Purcased from: Ebay

I missed this one back in 2001, so had to play the waiting-game to spot a bargain on Ebay. As luck would have it, he turned up at less than the price he retailed at originally. Shirtless-Maul for the win.


Hostage Crisis Battlepack (The Clone Wars)
Hostage Crisis Battlepack
Purcased from: Sainsbury's, Didcot

There's a big blank gap at the back of the packaging here where the US market got an exclusive promo DVD. Due to licensing restrictions, UK sets were sold without this (I've got it anyway, I'm like that).
Hostage Crisis is another one of those ones that isn't really special, per se, but when it's on clearance at under a tenner, it seems silly not to. The Weequay pirate looks good alongside Hondo Onaka from last year, and the Commando Droids will look good anywhere. Just got to figure out where/when I'm going to display Robinino. He'll look nice alongside Cad Bane, I suppose, but he can't stand on his own for shit...

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And because I love you so much, here are the scanned versions of the card-fronts. Again, click-for-big...

2012 Phantom Menace / Saga WalMart Exclusive generic cardPower of the Jedi Deluxe generic cardThe Clone Wars Aurra Sing cardThe Clone Wars Super Battle Droid cardThe Legacy Collection Bespin Wing Guard card2012 Phantom Menace / Saga generic cardPower of the Force 2 Prince Xizor card


You're very welcome. And remember...
Three-and-three-quarter-inches is enough for anybody...


DISCLAIMERS:
• ^^^ That's dry, British humour, and most likely sarcasm or facetiousness.

• This is a personal blog. The views and opinions expressed here represent my own thoughts (at the time of writing) and not those of the people, institutions or organisations that I may or may not be related with unless stated explicitly.

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