As you can see, I haven't posted in a while...

...as a result of 1) a new baby and then 2) a death in the family. You know what I decided after all that? I am wasting my time. Yes, this was a quirky little blog, but the time put into it is not worth the results. I was in it for the personal satisfaction of creating something, but now it feels more like a chore rather than something fun. If I was in it for the money from ads, well, let's just say I've probably made $1.00 in the few months that this blog has run. If I was in it for the readers - hmm, the most hits I've gotten in a day is 22. Not spectacular. Not zero, but not spectacular. What I'm trying to say is, I am going to stop posting now. I will continue posting to my Kegger Physics blog now that I am caught up on stuff, but I'll stop this one. So, if you know anyone who wants to buy the URLs www.afotd.com and www.actionfigureoftheday.com from me, send me a message.

Boba Fett (Droids 1985)

Here we definitely have the coolest of the Droids line. Not only because it was made in the original line, thus not so cartoonish, but it’s freakin’ Boba Fett. Cool in anyone’s book. Boba didn’t get changed at all from his original appearance. Same colors, same weapon (although the weapon is now molded in black). In fact, it is a Stormtrooper rifle, which many, many a Star Wars figure came with.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. C’mon! It’s Boba Fett!

2. Other than the kid figure from Attack of the Clones, this is the youngest version of Boba they ever made a figure of. Of course, he’s in armor, so it’s exactly the same as the others.

3. Boba as you’ve never seen him before: clumsy and inept. Although there was that whole fell-into-the-Sarlacc-Pit thing.

4. Only one of twelve to get the whole line – and the coolest of the bunch.

5. It never hurts to have an extra Boba just in case something happens to your others.

Backstory:

Apparently Boba owed Sise Fromm a favor, so agreed to kill Thall Joben and wreck his chances of winning the Boonta speeder race. Through the help of the droids and a series of unfortunate circumstances, Boba did not succeed, and ended turning Sise in. Go to my other posting for Boba’s full bio.

Thall Joben (Droids 1985)

Another frickin’ mohawk! What is going on here? One day I’m going to meet the people who designed the characters for this series and find out they were all punk rock fans or something. In addition to the Mohawk – and accompanying long hair in back – Thall came with a standard Stormtrooper rifle, molded in black. He also had no sleeve on his left arm, which is in keeping with the cartoon. However, this is never explained, so I’ll chalk it up to another punk rock band influence…or something.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Punk rock mascot.

2. Only one of twelve in the line anyway.

3. The closest Star Wars figure to a Road Warrior reject you’ll ever find.

4. A favorite of red heads.

5. Someone needs to pilot the speeder, the White Witch. What? They never made a vehicle of that? Then screw this.

Backstory:

Thall Joben was a speeder racer and native of Beheboth. One day he and his friend Jord Dusat were taking a speeder for a spin when they found the two droids in the desert (heard that before). Since they needed an astromech droid for their new speeder they became the droids’ new owners. They also went to close to a secret base of the Fromm gang, who tried to kill them. Through a series of events he stole the weapons satellite that the Fromm gang were building, and used it to get back his captured friends (but not before the guidance system was changed, destroying it). Sise Fromm tried to have him killed in the Boonta race, but the assassin he hired, Boba Fett, failed to do so. He later got a job with the Zebulon Dak Speeder Corporation.

Sise Fromm (Droids 1985)

Sise is a rather lackluster figure. He has no accessories other than a purple cloth cape. He is an old character, so he is not even that physically active in the cartoon. One also has to wonder what the penchant for purple in this line of figures was.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Again: only twelve in the line – might as well get them all.

2. Reminds you of the toad you had as a kid.

3. The only crime boss Star Wars figure you’ll ever be able to own. Except for Jabba. Oh, and that Xizor guy. Oh, and a another figure they made from the novels. And later probably someone else.

4. Purple cape! Can anyone say gay pride parade?

5. A good fill-in until you get that Ed Asner figure for your Mary Tyler Moore collection.

Backstory:

Sise Fromm was an annoo-dat (or ret) from the planet Annoo (previously Gelefil). He was also the head of one of the larger crime organizations in the galaxy. He had a son (Tig) who he hoped would take over, but was a klutz. At one point (during the Droids series) his organization constructed an immense weapons satellite (Trigon I) that would have helped him dominate all other gangs. Through a series actions by the droids and their friends, the weapon was destroyed, Boba Fett turned on Sise (his employer), and Sise and his son were jailed and executed.

Kez Iban (Droids 1985)

Another mohawked being on another planet in the Droids line – what a surprise. The figure comes with a satchel and a blaster from the same mold as the original Stormtrooper blasters. It is molded in black however, and not the navy from before. He sports some interesting facial hair and a lovely shade of purple skin. The eyes are rather large and the loincloth is just a touch larger than Tarzan’s.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. Only one of twelve – get the whole line.

2. Where else are you going to get a purple-skinned alien? Not from the movies, that’s where!

3. Mascot to slave laborers.

4. Mascot to guys with interesting soul patches and sideburns (Joe Mauer from the Twins?).

5. Could be mistaken in a dark alley for grey-skinned aliens.

Backstory:

Kez-Iban was the alias used by Mon Julpa, a Gundy and the rightful prince of Tammuz-an. He had his memory erased by enemies of the throne, and sent away. He was helped by Jann Tosh and Jann’s uncle Gundy eventually get back, reclaim the throne, and regain his memory. Another figure based on his prince appearance was prototyped but never released due to the line fizzling out.

Kea Moll (Droids 1985)

Another mohawk? What is with the Droids series and mohawks? I would think if droids could have hair than C-3PO and R2 would have had mohawks during this series too. Kea Moll was the only woman figure produced during the Droids run. She came with a blaster pistol that was ubiquitous during the ESB figure run – Lando had it, Bespin Security figures had it, etc. Even another Droids figure had it. While nice looking on screen, her looks did not translate well to the figure and she looks rather, hmm, how shall I say? Butch. She also has a rather thicker neck and a horrible green sash molded on – but I am no fashion critic.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Why? Eh. She’s only one of twelve in the line, so why not?

2. A bit of a mascot for women who play for the other team, if you get my drift.

3. With two different shades of green, she can be an Irish mascot too.

4. The only Star Wars figure ever produced that had hair that hung down (except for Weequay’s braid).

5. Another punk rocker figure. Although it’s a little hard to swallow now.

Backstory:

Kea Moll was a native to the planet Annoo, and a resistance fighter to the Empire and gangs. When she was tasked with finding a new weapons satellite built by the Fromm gang, she discovered its hiding place, and helped Thall Joben and Jord Dusat escape getting killed at the same time. She eventually helped destroy the satellite, and get the two speeder racers to the Boonta race. She continued following them to gain access to information from manufacturers loyal to the Empire. She later formally joined the Rebellion and helped found the New Republic Intelligence.

Jord Dusat (Droids 1985)

That funky mohawk means it must be Jord Dusat…or one of the other three figures with mohawks in the Droids line. What’s up with that? Like Jann Tosh’s weapon, Kenner again went back to the ESB well for Jord’s accessory – in this case the same gun that came with Zuckuss (now 4-LOM). Also, like all the other figures from Droids, he came with a gold coin and his own card front, but the card back on all of them were the same.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. The closest Star Wars has come to an action figure of Randy from My Name is Earl.

2. With that Mohawk, he is the Star Wars mascot to all punk rockers.

3. His speeder looked suspiciously like a Colonial Viper. Enough reason to get the figure, eh?

4. Only twelve figures in the line, might as well get them all.

5. That blue and purple color scheme? The best figure for the color blind.

Backstory:

Jord Dusat was a speeder racer and designer from Ingo who, along with his friend Thall Joben, found the droids while out testing their speeder. He decided to keep the droids, who had just been dumped by their previous master, since his new speeder required an astromech droid. Jord and the droids became involved with an agent, Kea Moll, and her attempt to find a weapons satellite being built by the Fromm gang to eliminate all the other gangs. The good guys succeeded, and Jord went on to a probable job with the Zebulon Dak Speeder Corporation.

Jann Tosh (Droids 1985)

That open shirt with the ripped chest and abs? it’s He-Man, I mean, Jann Tosh! With his fondness for red vests and headbands, Jann Tosh comes with a blaster rifle just like IG-88’s except molded in black. He also has different colored wristbands, completing his 1980’s “let’s get physical” ensemble.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Hey – Jann isn’t just a girl’s name anymore.

2. That dashing headband, that bulging chest.

3. The only other guy that could pilot the A-Wing, I mean, R-22 Spearhead.

4. The idol to headband-wearing guys everywhere.

5. You actually go for those kind of looks.

Backstory:

Jann Tosh bought the droids from an abusive owner, as well as an alien (who later turns out to be a prince) in disguise. He eventually takes the alien, Kez-Iban, back to his homeworld to reclaim his throne. Jann is then made captain in that world’s space navy. At one point in the show, he is shown piloting an A-Wing fighter, but since those weren’t supposed to exist until after The Empire Strikes Back, this has been retroactively converted (retconned) to an R-22 Spearhead. Along the way he was helped out by the two droids. Afterwards he joined the Rebel Alliance.

C-3PO (Droids 1985)

The Droids version of C-3PO does not come with any accessories (only the break-apart C-3PO did – a bag), and is molded in yellow and brown instead of the golden color the original line figure had. He also has a blue neck and midriff, all in keeping with the colors of the cartoon version. His eyes are also now white with blue irises, a little creepy considering he is a robot.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. Darn it, you just love yellow!

2. Again, only twelve figures in the line, you can get them all.

3. Again, another chance to get a knock-off looking C-3PO, without actually getting a knock-off.

4. Your last chance for a decade to get a Star Wars character from the movies.

5. Your mom thought you’d like it. “Ah, Mom!”

Backstory:

Everyone now knows that R2 and C-3PO were taken by Bail Organa at the end of Revenge of the Sith, and the Droids series takes place between that time and A New Hope. Supposedly the droids get accidentally jettisoned during a ship drill, and go through a series of masters before ending back up with Bail.

R2-D2 (Droids 1985)

As clear an indication as you can get that Kenner did not want to go back to older models : the R2-D2 figure for Droids came with a pop-up lightsaber, the same as the last produced R2 figure in the POTF line. Now, keep in mind, nowhere in the actual Droids show did R2 actually use this feature. Arrgh ! The R2 featured on the card picture is sporting about half a dozen appendages, but they use the one that he doesn’t use.

This version of R2 does not come with any accessories except the aforementioned lightsaber. His dome is also matte grey instead of silver, and his decal is much more simplified to reflect his cartoon persona. All this combines to make it an uglier R2.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:
1. Only twelve figures in the line- might as well get them all.

2. You want an R2 that looks like a knock-off without actually getting a knock-off.

3. That POTF lightsaber-popping R2 is just too damned expensive.

4. The series is called Droids. You should probably get an actual droid figure.

5. The very last R2 figure and still no third leg – buy it and burn it in protest.

Backstory:

Everyone now knows that R2 and C-3PO were taken by Bail Organa at the end of Revenge of the Sith, and the Droids series takes place between that time and A New Hope. Supposedly the droids get accidentally jettisoned during a ship drill, and go through a series of masters before ending back up with Bail.

A-Wing Pilot (Droids 1985)

Yes, you guessed it – this is the exact same figure with the exact same gun with exact same coin (except tinted gold this time) as the POTF line, just on a different card. Those Kenner bastards! Next, you’ll be telling me they re-used molds on playsets…oh, wait. They did. This figure came with the same blaster pistol as the B-Wing pilot (did they have them in the locker room?) and the AT-ST Driver.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. The second coolest of the Droids figures – mainly because it was already produced in the original line and didn’t look so…cartoonish.

2. Gave you hope that your parents would get the vehicle to go with it.

3. A lush, verdant green to accentuate your love for the planet.

4. Practice you’re a-Wing pilot yell right before your crash into the Super Star Destroyer.

5. To every vehicle its pilot.

Backstory:

A-Wing pilots had to be very skilled due to the vehicle’s high speed, feather-touch maneuverability, and weapons systems without the aid of an astromech droid. Because of the initial hand-built nature of the A-Wings, many pilots even added personal touches such as wooden interiors. Some pilots (or their mechanics) also modified the guns to swivel 360 degrees, increasing their surprise against trailing enemy fighters. One of the more prominent A-Wing pilots was Tycho Celchu, an Alderaanian and member of Rogue Squadron.

A-Wing (Droids 1985)

The A-Wing – sleek and fast looking. Streamlined. The best vehicle from the Droids line…mainly because it was in Return of the Jedi. And it was never produced until now. Hey, but now we have it!

The A-Wing only comes in a Droids box, and when you produce a very popular toy in a waning line, it instantly becomes rare and valuable. I hope you got this one while you could. It featured a cockpit for one figure, retractable landing gear, swiveling side-mounted laser cannons, and electronic sound. The color scheme was also painted on and not decals like an X-Wing or TIE Fighter. Overall, a pretty cool ship – just very hard to get a hold of.

Why should you get this vehicle? Five reasons:

1. This was the fastest ship in the fleet – not the Millennium Falcon.

2. Look at this thing – it just sweats cool.

3. You got the A-Wing pilot – now get the real deal.

4. Your only real reason to get something from the Droids line.

5. The coolest ship to play with – and probably easiest to hold.

Backstory:

The RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor was a fast ship – engines with a cockpit. It was a descendant of the Jedi starfighters seen in the prequel movies. However, not having an astromech port made the fighter hard to control at high speeds (unless you’re a Jedi) and control the weapons which could often fire 360 degrees. It also had 2 concussion missile launchers, which held 6 each. They were originally developed by the Alliance and made through Allaicne Underground Engineering, so each was more handbuilt, resulting in a higher maintenance schedule. However, enough of them were made by the Battle of Endor to make a difference and turn the tide of that battle. Later models were made by Incom Corporation.

Early designs of the A-Wing had blue stripes, but these were changed to red for blue screen filming. Also, while the fighter had an “A” shape, the original A-Wing fighter name may have come from the production staff calling the two new ships “ship A” and “ship B” (the B-Wing fighter).

The fortnight of Droids!

Welcome to the fortnight (two weeks for you not in the know) of Droids coverage. I’ll be covering the Droids line of figures and vehicles (the ones I haven’t already). After that we’ll continue with our regular coverage. Enjoy!

Lobot (ESB 1980-82)

While the people who lived in Cloud City seemed to have finer tastes in clothes, Lobot exemplified it. Look at those sleeves! Look at those pantaloons! Look at that headgear! Apparently Lobot didn’t have room for toupee with his cybernetic implant.

Lobot came on both ESB and ROTJ cards with a standard Cloud City figures pistol (Lando and the Bespin Security guys come with the same one). My personal favorite of anything said about this figure was in the Star Wars: The Action Figure Guide: “Lobot is not very tall, and his height has been translated well to the action figure.” Seriously – that is the only thing it says about the figure itself. Basically “right height.” Ha!

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. Disco fans – check out the duds!

2. Hearkens back to the late 70’s/early 80’s time of bulky headgear.

3. If you don’t want two Pilots for the Cloud Car, you can put him in the other pod.

4. Someone needs to make hand gestures to Cloud City people.

5. Mascot to the mute (well, he just didn’t have a speaking part).

Backstory:

Lobot was the son of a slaver, who, after being raided by pirates, ended up at Cloud City stealing for a living. He was caught and sentenced to community service to the city, and also given cyborg enhancement. He became the city’s computer-liason officer, staying on even after his service ended. He basically controlled the city, more than the Administrator.

He secretly helped Lando win Cloud City, since he knew Lando would elevate its status. Lobot was the one who told R2-D2 about the Falcon’s hyperdrive and how to fix it. He continued to administrate over Cloud City despite its changing owners multiple times, but 17 years after the Battle of Yavin he began helping his old boss Lando out with various missions. Usually these missions required some kind of cybernetic liason. He would later return to Cloud City, the last place he is mentioned to be.

Hoth Ice Planet Adventure Set (ESB)

Hot on the heels of my posting of the Rebel Command Center Adventure Set comes the Hoth Ice Planet set! Again, this set uses the same base as the Land of the Jawas set, but a background of a stationary AT-AT – with the same elevator as the Jawas set! It only came in an ESB box, but it included the Radar Laser Cannon (also available as a separate mini-rig). Otherwise, there was nothing exceptional about this set – it didn’t even come with any figures. The background with the “AT-AT” also showed scenes of the Battle of Hoth.

Why should you get this set? Five reasons:

1. Your last chance to get the base…um…your second chance to get this plastic base.

2. You can swap bases with the Rebel Command Center. You know, in case you lose one.

3. “Mom, can I get an AT-AT?” “No Jimmy, but I will get you the Hoth Ice Planet Adventure Set.”

4. The only time – ever – it will be suggested – even remotely – that AT-ATs have elevators.

5. Beats getting just the radar Laser Cannon.

Backstory:

Since I just covered Echo Base with the last set, I’ll do Hoth. Hoth (the planet) is located on the fringe of the Ivax Nebula; the sixth star circling the blue-white Hoth star. The solar system had a large asteroid field, so meteorites are a common occurrence on the planet. The planet was covered mainly in ice, with fissures of occasional water being opened by tidal pulls from neighboring moons. Animal life consisted of tautauns, wampas, and various smaller creatures, many of which fed on what little vegetation (such as lichen) existed.

The planet was most likely named after the Jedi Hoth, who lived long ago and helped defeat the old Sith. The only livable portion (for most species, including humans dressed warmly enough) is in the temperate band near the equator. When the Rebel Alliance established their base there, it had already been used by smugglers and unsuccessful entrepreneurs.

8D8 (ROTJ 1983-84)

8D8 reminds you that it is not human. While most droids had a pleasant voice, or a friendly little “gonk” sound, all we saw of 8D8 was him manning a hot smelter to torture a droid. Oooooookay. No voice, no expression, just a blank stare, empty eyes, and an open “mouth.”

8D8 came on an ROTJ card with no accessories. Of course, the only accessory he is seen with is a droid torture device. Lo and behold, when the figure line was started again in the 1990’s, 8D8 actually came with the device! Much later we get the Bespin torture chair for Han. The figure was a little bulkier than in the character in the movie, but getting a figure as skinny as that (a puppet on-screen) may have been a little difficult.

Why should you own this figure? Five reasons:

1. Who doesn’t love a torturer? What – people who have been tortured. Oh, yeah.

2. The favorite figure of many a sadistic dictator.

3. The closest Star Wars came to a Terminator endoskeleton.

4. Art buffs enjoy 8D8’s similarity to Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.”

5. The shortest name in the Star Wars action figure line!

Backstory:

8D8 was built by the Verpine Roche hive for use in ore extraction facilities. This line was not built to be overly sophisticated, but meant for simple tasks, some which required strength. However, when EV-9D9 came to Jabba’s, she reprogrammed 8D8 for torture on both organic beings and droids. 8D8 still didn’t like her though.

Rebel Command Center Adventure Set (ESB)

Not only was it a set, not only was it a command center, but it was a freakin’ ADVENTURE set! This set was actually another reuse of the Land of the Jawas base, only molded in white, not sand-colored. The base gets used yet again for the Hoth Ice Planet set. The difference in the backgrounds between this and the Jawas set is that this set has a background of the Hoth Rebel hangar, as evidenced by the Millennium Falcon and Hoth-related vehicles.

This set came with three figures (R2-D2 with sensorscope, AT-AT Commander, and Luke in Hoth Gear), which is a clear indication that it is a department store exclusive. It was exclusive to Sears, and it only came in and ESB box.

Why should you own this set? Five reasons:

1. The closest to Echo Base you’ll ever get.

2. When will you ever get the chance to own a real-life “Adventure Set?”

3. You can pretend the sandcrawler tracks in the base are actually for that MLC-3 mini-rig.

4. Pretend the Jawa cave is now a mini-wampa cave.

5. There’s no better place for Chewbacca to use the Vehicle Maintenance Energizer.

Backstory:

The Rebels began scouting for a new location right after their base on Yavin (in the first movie) was discovered. Luke and Han ran across Hoth while escaping some Imperials, and recommended it for a new base. Rebel engineers took 2 years to finish the base, constructed in a cave system near the northern edge of the equator temperate zone.

At its maximum operation, Echo Base about 7850 personnel and 120 droids. The base was guarded with entrenched laser cannons, an ion cannon (capable of orbital shots), and patrolled by snowspeeders and riders on tautaun. The base had to regularly repel wampa attacks.

After the Imperials discovered it, Echo Base was all but abandoned, only be used once in a while by smugglers or erstwhile people looking for bits of information from the cold databanks.

Luke Skywalker (Hoth Battle Gear) (ESB 1980-82)

Now, the fact that this figure is in “Hoth Battle Gear” is actually misleading. If you watch The Empire Strikes Back, Luke is never actually in a battle per se with this gear on. In fact, the most violent he gets is cutting off a wampa’s arm while fleeing from it. Technically, the only battle gear he uses on Hoth is his X-Wing uniform while in the snowspeeder. If you wan to get anal about it.

Luke wears a rather standard Rebel cold weather jacket. Molded onto his figure (and unmovable) are goggles and macrobinoculars. His scarf is molded on open. He comes with a standard Rebel blaster rifle, but, and this is key, he never actually uses that in the movie. What he uses – while in this outfit – is a lightsaber. Yet he doesn’t come with one. Hmm. This figure came in ESB and ROTJ logo packaging.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. You got the wampa, now baby needs someone to swipe at.

2. You also got the tauntaun with open belly. Who else is going in that thing?

3. There is a lot of white Hoth-related stuff, and it all needs to be manned somehow.

4. Recreate the scene where Obi-Wan talks to Luke. Then does…nothing.

5. Someone has to go check out that latest meteorite strike. Dork.

Backstory:

I’ll refer to the previous Luke for the whole backstory. However, I will say that Luke gets put into a bacta tank for his recovery after the wampa attack. The tank was actually made into a playset in the current line (but not the vintage).

Ugnaught (ESB 1980-82)

The Ugnaught was one of those background characters that enjoyed a little foreground action, but not much. The figure reflects this with a tote kit/bag as an accessory, and a removable apron. That’s it. It came on both ESB and ROTJ cards, and the aprons came in light purple, blue, and even green. The apron in the movie, however, was just blue.

Why should you get this figure? Five reasons:

1. He’s so cute – he’s like Babe!

2. Recreate the Wookiee on Ugnaught action!

3. Someone needs to man the Bespin playset, even if it is only made of paper.

4. Yo’ mama’s an Ugnaught! Yeah, that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.

5. No one does carbon freezing like an Ugnaught.

Backstory:

Ugnaughts were either from Umgul or Bespin, but originated on Gentes. When Cloud City was originally built (a looooong time before ESB) many Ugnaughts were recruited to build and maintain it. Many of their descendants still lived on Bespin. When the Empire came many fled, some were enslaved, and some formed a resistance, sabotaging Cloud City until the Rebellion came to free the city.

Ugnaughts are typically dwarf-sized, and live to about 200 years. These are the little guys Chewbacca fought with to get C-3PO’s limbs back.