The Josh's Sideshow Collectibles Reviews

[The Josh]

Plo Koon

INTRODUCTION
Plo Koon was a very imposing Jedi Master and one of the Jedi Councils most respected members. Plo hailed from planet Dorin and was a member of the Kel Dorian race. When he was in oxygen rich environments Plo would have to wear the special eye goggles and face mask to protect him.

Plo was a great fighter joining in many battles during his time on the Jedi Council. He was a master of the Form V Lightsaber combat. He also has the ability to help change the environment he was on which aided him in many fights over the years. Plo was thought to have died during ROTS but there is a picture out there from the Ultimate Missions which shows him leaving his crashed fighter.

Plo like the other figures in this line has the usual Regular and Exclusive. The review of this figure will be the Exclusive Version of Plo from ROTS.

PACKAGING - 10
Plo’s box is as nice as always and has the nice and simple look of the new 30th Anniversary design. As always it’s as collector friendly as anything you can find on the market. This box unlike the last figure to ship in Yavin Luke goes back to the two window pane look we’re all used to. As with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the movie all along the box. You also get a great story on is portion of Plo’s impact on Star Wars.

SCULPTING - 10
This figure much in the same way of Maul is damn perfect as far as the sculpt goes. You go look at a pic of the character from the movie and this figure matches it. The detail is amazing in how you see the little weaves in his protective eye goggles. The sculptor did a great job pulling off the feel of what his Alien skin would look like.

PAINT - 10
The paint on the skin tone is really quite nice and as good as anything in the line. It matches quite well with the pics I can find of Plo on the net. You can see the skin gradation on the piece in how parts of his skin would obviously be darker or lighter. The metal paint applications on his protective pieces also match what you see on screen. The job on the hands is equally as nice and matches perfectly the outstanding job done on Plo’s head.

ARTICULATION - 9
I had no problems getting any of the possible poses I had thought about using with the body. The body articulation again seems to be on the improved side for those that don’t like the buck body. The reason it loses a point for me is the hands do not want to stay on very well when moving him into different poses. This makes posing it a bit more of a pain that it should be.

ACCESSORIES - 10
Plo has one of the coolest accessories yet in a special never used lightsaber. I’ll tell ya more about that in a minute. You get the standard Jedi Communicator and Holoprojector which are cool but as I said they’re standard. You also get his lightsaber both in an ignited and unignited versions. The coolest one though is his twin bladed lightsaber gauntlet. The gauntlet was a concept piece they toyed with using in ROTS but decided against that however doesn’t stop it from being freaking awesome. You also get this in an ignited and unignited versions.

OUTFIT - 10
The outfit is really fantastic. He has the most unique Jedi Robe that Sideshow has done so far. What makes it unique is the style and the double snaps used to make it work. This helps make Plo have the neatest robe of all the Jedi done so far. The rest of his outfit is as nice as any of the rest but he looks best with his Jedi Robe on.

VALUE - 9
Plo was $59 but for what you get and the way the figure looks this is a really good deal. You get a ton of accessory items and even one that was a concept never before seen or used. Plo has no problems matching the value you pay for him. The only thing is the hands should not give you the problems these do.

OVERALL - 9
Plo is pretty much perfect as far as I’m concerned but one thing keeps him from being a ten. The fact his hands fall of as easy as they do when you try to repose him. The detail in the sculpt alone makes this figure what it is and most that have bought him would agree.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 10
Paint - 10
Articulation - 9
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 10
Value - 9
Overall - 9

 

[The Josh]

Leia as Boushh

INTRODUCTION
Princess Leia was born the Daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala. After her birth she was adopted by Bail Organa and his wife making her the Princess of Alderaan. She would go on to be one of the most important people involved during the Galactic Civil War.

Leia would need help though from a very unlikely source to help get Han back from Jabba The Hutt. She would have to wear the outfit of the bounty hunter Boushh. The only reason she was able to get this outfit was because Boushh got caught embezzling funds from the Black Sun contract. This helped get Boussh taken out and when Leia needed the outfit to help her fit in Jabba’s Palace it was there by chance when she needed it most. Because of this she was able to get in and free Han from the Carbonite but not everything went well as she was caught and turned into Jabba’s Slave.

Leia like the other figures in this line has the usual Regular and Exclusive. The review of this figure will be the Exclusive Version of Leia from from ROTJ.

PACKAGING - 10
Leia’s box is as nice as always and has the nice and simple look of the new 30th Anniversary design. As always it’s as collector friendly as anything you can find on the market. Like with pretty much every figure in this line you get the two panels with the figure and accessories. Inside you also get great information on Leia’s impact during ROTJ. As with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the movie all along the box.

SCULPTING - 10
The sculpt on Leia is truly some of Sideshow’s best work on any of the Human figures from this line. It absolutely looks like Carrie Fisher did during ROTJ. The detailing in the face is fantastic as is the job done on her hair.

PAINT - 10
The paint on the skin tone is really quite nice and as good as anything in the line. There aren’t any issues with how natural the skin tone comes across. The lips are well done also as are the eyes which have been an issue with past figures like Anakin. The job done on the helm getting the mix of metal and leather pieces comes off nicely despite the fact it’s an all sculpted piece.

ARTICULATION - 9.5
The only problem I had with getting the pose I wanted on this newly tweaked body was with her right elbow. It was lose and made holding her staff a tad harder than I would like. Other than that the poses I tried before selecting the simple one I went with was as easy as always.

ACCESSORIES - 10
Leia like Plo Koon has a very cool item that really adds to the display of your figure. The helmet of Boushh can be used as just part of the display or can be swapped out and put on the figure. You then get the Electrostaff and Thermal Detonator which are both cool and vital to the figure. The exclusive accessory is the Ubese Blaster Pistol which just adds to the overall figure. That’s not all you also get some little canisters that fit both accessory and outfit sections.

OUTFIT - 10
The outfit is really fantastic. The weathering is perfect and doesn’t come off having that just off the rack appearance. The material the pants are made out of has been changed from the proto but does not hurt the overall look of the figure. This is the most complex outfit that Sideshow has done and they pulled it off in spades.

VALUE - 10
Leia was $59 but for what you get and the way the figure looks this is a really good deal. You get two figures for the price of one with the two heads and the detailing in the outfit is just insane. Leia is worth plunking down your hard earned cash for.

OVERALL - 10
Leia gets a 10 overall despite the elbow problem. Everything else about her is perfect from the sculpt to the amazing work done on her outfit. Then you toss in that you do get two figures for the price with the helm it really is awesome on how this all came out. In the end this figure will rank as one of Sideshow’s best.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 10
Paint - 10
Articulation - 9.5
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 10
Value - 10
Overall - 10

 

[Rook]

My favorite 12" so far has to be the Boussh. Good review, Josh.

 

[The Josh]

Asajj Regular and Exclusive

INTRODUCTION
Asajj Ventress was a Dark Jedi and one of Count Dooku’s most powerful tools during the Galactic Civil War. However, she did not start out her life that way as she was once a Jedi Padawan but only gave into her hate when her Jedi Master was killed. This started her path down the darkside and becoming a real force within the force.

Dooku trained Asajj for quite some time before sending her out into the world to do his will. When she was finally ready to go and battle Anakin Skywalker Dooku gave her a very special set of lightsabers. These lightsabers where the weapons of his former padawan Kamari Vossa and could be joined to form a saber staff.

Asajj would finally lure Anakin to Yavin IV and there she would battle him to become a full fledged member of the Sith. It was not to be however with Anakin wounding her and escaping leaving Asajj to limp back to Dooku. Something quite odd would come from this battle though and it would be the obsession Asajj would develop for Obi-Wan Kenobi. These two would battle each other several times over the course of the Civil War including a meeting on Titavain IV with Quinlan Vos.

Ventress would follow these two back to Coruscant and ambush Anakin. They would battle each other once again with the same result in Anakin getting the better of the two. In this battle Anakin would get the scar down the right side of his face and in return Anakin would electrocute Asajj. She did not die though as was the case from their first encounter.

In her final battle with Kenobi she was mortally wounded by Anakin. In these moments she told both Jedi of the separatists’ plans and how to go about defeating them. With these final words Asajj appeared to die and Kenobi knew she was not evil but mislead by Dooku. In the end Asajj did not despite what the two Jedi thought. Kenobi ordered her body taken away on a medical transport. During the flight Asajj came out of her Sith trance and had the pilots take her far away from the war, Jedi, and Dooku. This was the last heard of this once promising Jedi.

Asajj like the other figures in this line has the usual Regular and Exclusive. The review of this figure will be for BOTH versions of this Expanded Universe character.

PACKAGING - 10 for both
Asajj’s box has the new 30th Anniversary design that we’ve been getting all year. As always it’s as collector friendly as anything you can find on the market. Like with pretty much every figure in this line you get the two panels with the figure and accessories. Inside you also get great information on Asajj’s impact on the Clone Wars. As with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the Clone Wars and the EU Graphic Novels. With the Exclusive you get the cool sticker letting you know which one you received, and with the regular you’re missing the sticker.

SCULPTING - 10 for both
The sculpts on these two heads are very well done considering there is no real person to base them on. The Clone Wars cartoon head has that great sinister look that you saw on screen during the show. The realistic head captures a totally different yet sinister feel to Asajj that you get from reading some of the Expanded Universe stories. Since you get both heads with the exclusive I found it quite easy to switch them out. However, I bought both so I could display the Clone Wars head on my Exclusive and Realistic head with my Regular.

PAINT - 10 for both
The paint on the skin tone is something that should be easy to accomplish and was done quite well. Asajj like the rest of the Aliens has a unique skin design. It’s all white with some black for the eyelids, around the eyes, and lips. Now, there is a little more to the realistic portrait. You have the three things I mentioned on the Clone Wars portrait but you also have the iris if the eyes which really give the head a since of realism and you also have the tattoos along the side of her head/cheeks.

ARTICULATION - 10 for both
Unlike with Leia the first female in this line I had no issues with the body at all. I tried several poses and found them quite easy to accomplish with this update female body Sideshow has out right now. As a matter of fact I found posing Asajj to be one of the most fun figures in this entire line.

ACCESSORIES - 10 for Excluisve 9.5 for regular
You have to give this figure a 10 when it comes to accessories! It comes with two heads and gives you a ton of different choices for posing. The Exclusive as I said comes with BOTH heads while the regular comes with just the Realistic portrait. Both figures come with a set of lit and unlit curved lightsabers which with a magnet can form a saberstaff. Asajj also comes with one extra hand for any poses where she might be using the force and also a robe.

OUTFIT - 9 for both
The outfit is really fantastic. It has some great detailing in it and just really looks quite nice. The belt while more just for looks is one of the nicest and most detailed things about her attire. Where this figure loses a point is the sleeves are a touch too long and her robe isn’t 110% accurate. She wore more of a cloak than a robe from all the resource material I can find.

VALUE - 10 for exclusive 9.5 for regular
Both versions of Asajj are $59. For the exclusive this is a really good deal since you get two figures in one. The regular should be about $5 or so cheaper since you don’t get the extra head and are light on the accessories. Asajj is worth plunking down your hard earned cash for.

OVERALL - 10 for exclusive 9.5 for regular
The exclusive Asajj is total 10! The poses you can do because of the body, lightsabers and having two heads makes this one hell of a fun figure. The regular loses a half point because you just don’t have as many options because of the head. Either way this figure kicks ass and is one of the most fun and coolest figures in this line. Get one or like me and get both!!

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 10
Paint - 10
Articulation - 10
Accessories - 10 for exclusive/9.5 for regular
Outfit - 9
Value - 10 for exclusive/9.5 for regular
Overall - 10 for exclusive/9.5 for regular

 

[The Josh]

Bespin Luke

INTRODUCTION
Sideshow Collectibles Luke Skywalker to be the first figure released in their own 1:6th scale line and over the summer released a Celebration 4 Exclusive Luke. Well, they aren’t done with Luke yet because during San Diego Comic-Con they released Bespin Luke Skywalker. This version of Luke Skywalker comes from the Heroes of the Rebellion line in Sideshows 12-inch Star Wars line and represents Luke from Episode Five: The Empire Strikes Back.

This version of Luke is set during the time when he has taken up being a Commander in the Rebel Alliance. After leaving Hoth is when he really starts to see his life change. He goes to the planet Dagobah to meet a Jedi Master named Yoda. From that point he undergoes a change that sends him down a path to be a Jedi Master himself. Before then though he first battles Darth Vader where he not only loses a hand but gains a father.

PACKAGING - 10
Luke’s box is as nice as always and has the nice and simple look of the new 30th Anniversary design. Sideshow is still keeping the collector in mind with the inner design of the packaging insuring that our figures are in great shape. Unlike the Yavin Luke figure this one goes back to the multi window display. On par with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the movie all along the box. You also get a great story on is portion of Luke’s history.

SCULPTING - 10
This sculpt just plain rocks folks! It’s as good as the Jedi Luke and matches what Hamill looked like during ESB following his accident before filming. You see in the sculpt the muscle tone in his face the way his mouth is shut. Also you get the little moles and other tiny features that are part of Hamill’s face. Also the sculpting on the hands are just great as they have been on all the other figures.\

PAINT - 9.5
The paint on the skin tone is really quite nice and as good as anything in the line. Sideshow did a great job of making this one very good and is as good as any of the other Lukes. However, I do have to take a .5 away because the eyes are a tad off. The paint job on the hair is way better than what happened with Yavin Luke and as good as Jedi Luke.

ARTICULATION - 10
I had no problems getting any of the possible poses I had thought about using. Unlike what some felt with the previous Luke’s this one does not suffer from any arm issues at all. I think most fans will be as pleased as I am with the articulation they find when posing Luke.

ACCESSORIES - 10
This figure has a very cool accessory that gave me fits on how I wanted to pose him, and that to me is a very good thing. You get the multiple hands, ignited/non-ignited Lightsabers, blaster pistol, but those are not the coolest items you get with Luke. You get the stump which is similar to what you get with Mace and ironic that Anakin/Vader took both hands off, but the coolest item of them all is the Tourniquet that Luke wears during the end of ESB. This item is very detailed and one of the most important character exclusive so far in this line. It did as I said already give me fits on if I wanted to pose him with it, and has me thinking that I might have to get a second just to show it off.

OUTFIT - 10
The outfit is really fantastic. Much like the Endor guys his outfit is very nicely done and detailed. The sewing and stitching on the jacket is very nice and the jacket fits the figure quite well. Early looks at the outfit collectors had issues but Sideshow went in and fixed those making it look great. The detailing in the belt also turned out just kicks butt as well.

VALUE - 10
Luke had sold for $55 and that was the price for both the exclusive and regular editions. With how nice this Luke came out I think $55 is a fair price.

OVERALL - 10
This version of Luke is the best so far beating out Jedi Luke in a close race. Yes, it has a small issue with one eye but its nothing you notice when not looking at a magnified picture. This is a figure you should not pass up on especially if you’re a big fan of Empire Strikes Back.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 10
Paint - 9.5
Articulation - 10
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 10
Value - 10
Overall - 10

 

[The Josh]

Princess Leia Review

INTRODUCTION
Princess Leia was born the Daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala. After her birth she was adopted by Bail Organa and his wife making her the Princess of Alderaan. She would go on to be one of the most important people involved during the Galactic Civil War.

At the age of Eighteen Princess Leia became the youngest Senator in the Galactic Empire, and in the years that followed she would twice be elected to office of Chief Of State. While just a member of the senate she would help steal the plans of the Death Star 1. They did get caught by Darth Vader but little did Vader know Leia had received help from a droid by the name of R2-D2.

She would later be later be taken back to the Death Star by Vader where he tortured her to get the information on the hidden Rebel Base. Leia though would not give up the info even though her home world was being threatened with extinction. Leia did give up some information to an old Rebel base but that did not satisfy Tarkin nor Vader. They went ahead and blew up Alderann causing one of the most infamous events of the Empires history. Leia held strong though and did not give in and would go on the help destroy the Empire. Years after the events of ROTJ she would become a full fledged Jedi Knight after her training by Saba Sebatyne.

Leia like the other figures in this line has the usual Regular and Exclusive. The review of this figure will be the Exclusive Version of Leia from from ANH.

PACKAGING - 10
Leia’s box is as nice as always and has the nice and simple look of the new 30th Anniversary design. I love that SS continues to take the collector in mind with these boxes. The box is the same as with the Yavin Luke piece because it only has the one panel inside. Inside you also get great information on Leia’s impact during ANH. As with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the movie all along the box.

SCULPTING - 9
Again Sideshow has managed to nail Carrie Fisher quite well as they did with the Boushh Version. The detailing in the face is fantastic as is the job done on her hair with her cinnamon bun rolls hair do being tricky to pull off. Overall, it’s a great job maybe not as perfect as the Boushh version but it’s a great job.

PAINT - 8
The paint on the skin tone is really quite nice and as good as anything in the line. There aren’t any issues with how natural the skin tone comes across. The lips are well done also as are the eyes which have been an issue with past figures. I think even the paint on the hair looks really good and not too dark or too glossy. I’m taking off two points here because of the distinction in paint color of the hands to the body. It’s pretty noticeable and kind of just makes it look off.

ARTICULATION - 10
I had no issues at all in posing this Leia like I did last time. The outfit being so simple also helped me find poses easier. Actually, this Leia should be pretty fun to pose with how simple the whole figure is.

ACCESSORIES - 10
Leia’s exclusives are simple yet important to the overall piece. They also came out looking so great that’s why I gave them a 10. The detailing on the regular blaster and Stormtrooper blaster just really are equal to anything else out there today. The handcuffs are also done really well and if you want to reinvent the holding scene from ANH this make it possible. The smallest exclusive items is the Death Star Plans which again are central the character at this point and only add a whole nother posing option once we get R2-D2.

OUTFIT - 6
This may be the simplest outfit Sideshow does in this entire Star Wars 1:6th line. There just isn’t much complexity to the look of it. This being said the outfit just doesn’t look as impressive as it should based on how nice the other outfits have turned out so far. The outfit on the Premium Format was more of a cloth type which is the same as the movie. This is just too shiny and doesn’t look right on the figure. Plus where the collar and dress meet there is a odd gap that doesn’t help it out either. A final note that I don’t like about the outfit is that it makes it hard to hold on the stand because of how slick it is.

VALUE - 7.5
Leia was $55 which honestly I think might be a touch too much for this figure. The outfit is simple and just doesn’t come off right, but is made up for how cool the accessory items are. The sculpt and overall paint apps are quite nice as well but in the end I just think this figure costs $5 too much.

OVERALL - 7.5
This version of Leia gets a 7.5. Again, I go back to the outfit and the difference in color of the hands to the rest of the figure. Those just really toss off the overall look of the figure. The sculpt is great as I said and the accessory items rock as well but it just doesn’t all wash out in the end. Leia is a nice figure and I suggest getting it but this might be one you try to get a little cheaper.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 9
Paint - 8
Articulation - 10
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 6
Value - 7.5
Overall - 7.5

 

[The Josh]

ANH Obi-Wan Exclusive

"That wizard's just a crazy old man.
I don't think he exists anymore.
He died about the same time as your father."

- Owen Lars to Luke Skywalker

INTRODUCTION
Sideshow Collectibles second venture into the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi comes from his days as the wandering hermit in A New Hope. During the years following the Clone Wars and leaving Luke with the Lars family Obi-Wan watched the growth of the one who might set things right. While Obi-Wan watched from afar he was trained once again by his former master Qui-Gon Jinn on how to become one with the force. This tool would aide him down the road as he helped the young Skywalker defeat the Empire.

Obi-Wan would make his grand reentrance into the fight against the Sith when a little R2 unit sent his way by Princess Leia. R2’s adventure to Obi-Wan though brought along some friends one of them being the son of Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan saved Luke from a group of Tusken Raiders while he searched for the lost R2 Unit, and after being saved Obi-Wan gave him a very special gift. The gift was none other than Anakin’s Lightsaber which Obi-Wan took with him after their fight on Mustafar.

In order to leave Tatooine and help Princess Leia they had to head to the place full of Scum and Villainy. They found them a ship and a very interesting pilot in the person of Han Solo. They would ride in the Millennium Flacon to Alderaan but would only find themselves being pulled into the Death Star. This would set the stage for the most important action in Obi-Wan’s existence.

On his way back to the Falcon hoping to escape the Death Star Obi-Wan ran into his former pupil. Here Vader and Obi-Wan would have one more final battle. Obi-Wan used this time to help Luke, Han, and Leia escape by giving himself to the force. Vader struck Obi-Wan down but not before being warned that he would be more powerful than Vader could ever imagine.

Trevor Grove the young sculptor of this just awesome piece gets a tip of the cap from me. He did a great job on capturing the likeness and essence of Kenobi from this point in the characters existence. I cannot wait to see what this young mans talent has in store for us.

"You can't win Darth.
If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful
than you can possibly imagine."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader

PACKAGING - 10
Old Bens box is as nice as always and has the nice and simple look of the new 30th Anniversary design. Sideshow continues to keep the collector in mind with the inner design of the packaging insuring that our figures are in great shape. The inside of this figure is the same as most of the other figures in this line with the two panel display. On par with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the movie all along the box. You also get a great story on is portion of Obi-Wan’s history.

SCULPTING - 10
This sculpt just plain rocks folks! Trevor did such an outstanding job with this figure it just makes you shake your head at the talent he has. The sculpt has everything Alec Guiness possessed down the the wrinkles in his old Jedi face. The coolest thing though is you feel the amazing knowledge that a Jedi like Obi-Wan posses. The hands are quite well done and a very nice use of a hand from our friend Legolas Greenleaf.

PAINT - 10
The paint on the skin tone is really quite nice and as good as anything in the line despite my initial fears. This is one time where I don’t think there is any doubt the paint job matches quite well with the Prototype.

ARTICULATION - 10
I had no problems getting any of the possible poses I had thought about using. There are always issues brought up with the buck body but once again I’ve found poses I like that give a feel to the character. I personally had no problem finding a pose that gave the feel and essence of Obi-Wan.

ACCESSORIES - 10
The extra goodies you get with Old Ben are very cool and capture a couple of cool moments relating to the character. You get the multiple hands which allow you go get some great wise Old Ben poses and as I stated you get help from Legolas Greenleaf. As always you get the ignited and unignited Lightsabers which allow you to capture scenes from ANH quite easily. The coolest extra is the little training remote he had Luke use while on the Millennium Flacon and if you’re lucky enough like me you get a second hidden one. The exclusive item if that’s version you ordered is a mini-hologram of Princess Leia giving the SOS message which would be delivered by R2.

OUTFIT - 10
The outfit is remarkably well done. As with the other Jedi the outfit is somewhat simple but just very well done and it captures the feel of the OT quite nicely. His leather belt hands loosely as it should seeing as Obi-wan isn’t trying to look TOO Jedi like. The boots are equal to how nice the same boots came out on the Old Ben Premium Format.

VALUE - 10
Obi-Wan sold for $60 and that was the price for both the exclusive and regular editions. The level of the sculpt and the paint job alone make this figure worth that. Then you toss in the all the other items and it is well beyond worth it.

OVERALL- 10
This figure just might be the best 1:6th figure from the entire Star Wars line. I really do not see any issues at all with this piece no matter how hard I stare at it. Trevor Grove as I stated earlier did some of the most amazing work I’ve seen in capturing the actual likeness of the actor and the feel of the character. Then you toss the paint job which didn’t cause the piece to lose anything and you have a perfect piece.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 10
Paint - 10
Articulation - 10
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 10
Value - 10
Overall - 10

 

[The Josh]

Padme

INTRODUCTION
Sideshow Collectibles back in 2005 ran a fan choice poll for which Expanded Universe character we would like to see made. Among the choices where the likes of Mara Jade, Asajj Ventress, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Quinlan Vos, and Padme Amidala. While Padme isn’t your normal run of the mill Expanded Universe character due to her major role in the meat of the Saga. This particular version of Padme comes from her during her mission to Ilum from the first series of Clone Wars cartoons. However, this piece while taken from the cartoon series is sculpted to look like Natalie Portman as she would have played it in a Star Wars movie.

While traveling on her Naboo Yacht with Jedi Master Yoda the Jedi felt a disturbance in the force coming from the planet Ilum. Once again not listening to the requests of Captain Typho she traveled with Yoda to help rescue Jedi Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee.

"She's not one to follow orders."
< Captain Typho to Obi-Wan Kenobi >

Trevor Grove once again steps up and delivers a very solid piece and a great likeness to Portman. This young sculptor has shown he can capture anyone to the most amazing detail. I cannot wait to see what this young mans talent has in store for us.

PACKAGING - 10
The 30th Anniversary design continues which contains your Padme figure. Like some of the past items in this line you get the simple one containment unit for Padme and her accessories. On par with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the cartoon all along the box. You also get a great story on is portion of Padme’s history.

SCULPTING - 9
The Padme sculpt is the best likeness to Natalie Portman I’ve seen! Once again you have to just shake your head at the talent that Mr. Grove has. While looking at this piece you can really allow yourself to imagine how Portman would have played this part of the story had it been in the movies. Now, having said that this sculpt isn’t quite perfect and there are three reasons why. The first two are the nose is flared a little more than what we see Portman doing in the movies, and her lips have a little Angelina Jolie look to them. While it doesn’t through off the overall look it does allow some to see things that may or may not be there. The final thing that really takes away from this piece is the sculpted gloves. These two gloves are sculpted too long and when on the figure give the appearance of the arms being too long. It just really takes away from the overall look of the figure.

PAINT - 9
The paint on the skin tone shows once again for those that have doubts about Sideshow that they deliver a great product. My issue with the paint comes from how the eyes are painted on this figure. The images we’ve seen of any prototype or images on the Sideshow site the eyes are looking straight ahead. However, on the final figure the eyes are looking more to the left. This really limits how the piece can be posed and comes out of the blue in general.

ARTICULATION - 7
Normally, I have no issues getting the poses I want from my Sideshow figures. This time though is a totally different story. The gloves having no articulation and them making the arms looking too long limit the poses so you can get something natural looking. This to me really hurts the figure especially when you factor in how the eyes are painted.

ACCESSORIES - 6
Most figures in this line you get several great items per figure but not so much with Padme. You get the electro binoculars which is the best item that comes with Padme. You also get a grenade which is quite tiny and could be easily lost, and the final items listed are the gloves which hurt the overall figure.

OUTFIT - 8.5
The outfit overall is nicely done. We saw a different version of this outfit during last years San Diego Comic-Con. Her outfit then was a pleather type outfit and just didn’t look right on the current Sideshow female body. However the final outfit is a cloth type material which came out look so much better and fits the body much better. The cape is also top notch but does have the wrong color string keeping it tied tight. The other issue with the outfit is the belt which just didn’t translate well from cartoon to real life.

VALUE - 7
Padme sold for $55 and was only for sale on the Sideshow site since it was a domestic web exclusive. This is one of those times that while the figure is nice I just don’t think you get enough with her to justify $55. Padme is a figure that should have come in around $50.

OVERALL - 7
This figure isn’t a bad figure I do want to make that clear. If all that it had “wrong” with it where the little nose and lip issues I would have scored it higher. Trevor as I stated earlier did an amazing job with this figure. The things that really hurt this figure are the way the eyes are painted and how the gloves where constructed.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 9
Paint - 9
Articulation - 7
Accessories - 6
Outfit - 8.5
Value - 7
Overall - 7

 

[The Josh]

Commander Praji

INTRODUCTION
Last year Sideshow Collectibles announced their first Imperial figure to the Military Line. No, it wasn’t Tarkin or someone with a little more screen time but that does not hurt Commander Nahdonnis Praji value in your collection. Praji is a nice start to the many Imperial figures that will hopefully join him in the near future.

Praji moved up the Imperial hierarchy and was selected to serve next to Darth Vader upon the Devastator. In his most famous order Praji ordered the search of Tatooine to find C-3PO and R2-D2 who had the plans to the first Death Star. A little known fact on Commander Praji is his family donated the genetic template for the Stormtrooper Program.

Commander Praji like the recent Pamde figure is a Domestic Web Exclusive.

PACKAGING - 10
The 30th Anniversary design continues which contains your Praji figure. Like some of the past items in this line you get the simple one containment unit for Praji and his accessories. Like the rest of the figures you get some shots of Praji and his short time on screen. They also did not short you on the story with Praji.

SCULPT - 8
The Praji sculpt is a very nice sculpt and looking at pics you can tell who it’s meant to be. However, its not a perfect likeness. It looks to me like the nose and lips are what’s messing with this sculpt. The nose appears to be ever so slightly too big compared to the few pics of Mr. Roubicek. The eyes and wrinkles around them are great features of this sculpt and really help make it look like the actor. The sculpting on the hands is again something to note on how well those are done.

PAINT - 9
The only issue with the paint on this figure for me personally is Mr. Roubicek is a touch more pale than this figure is. The skin tone is still great looking but this is my gripe on Praji. The paint apps on my metal looking pockets came out very nice but there have been a few pictures on the net with issues so do check those out. Unlike Padme this eyes on Praji are fantastic and don’t hurt the amount of poses you can go with.

ARTICULATION - 8.5
Again, unlike Padme Praji was easier to pose much like many of the other figures in this line. The Buck body for me has never been an issue with posing and that’s not what hurt this figure. The issue with Praji’s articulation has to do with the gloves and the fact they have NO articulation. The one thing I liked about the recent Medicom Darth Maul was you could pose his hands with the articulation in them. It’s something I think Sideshow should consider using on figures with gloves or Clone figures.

ACCESSORIES - 10
Praji has some very cool goodies! You get not one but two guns with Praji and man are they done just beautifully. His officer’s blaster pistol is very nicely done and of the guns done so far is one of the nicer ones. The Stormtrooper blaster though is the top of the charts in regards to how cool this piece is. The detailing is fantastic but I love the fold out stock on the gun. It gives a very I’m ready for battle look on Praji. He also comes with two hats which you can count as accessories but I’ll talk more about that in the outfit portion of the review.

OUTFIT - 8.5
The outfit is just awesome looking and does have a very professional (Imperial) look. His belt and holster look great! The job done on the holster is much better than some of the recent figures with how it takes to having the blaster put into it unlike Bespin Luke which had some issues. The boots on Praji look excellent in how they give off that leathery look which is really just perfect. Praji comes with two hats one is sculpted and the other that’s all cloth. The sculpted hat is solid addition to the figure but in some pics can look a little large on his head. Something, which I’m glad they corrected on a figure like Indiana Jones with two sculpted heads. The other hat is an all cloth hat which actually I think looking at pics I prefer. I however could not go with it on my figure as the bill was sewn on incorrectly. Which hurts my particular figure but I do have a corrected version coming.

VALUE - 8
Commander Praji sold for $60 and was only for sale on the Sideshow site since it was a domestic web exclusive. This is one of those times that while the figure is really a very nice figure I think Praji is about $5 too much. Because he lacks screen time and real impact on Star Wars fans he should have come in a little lower.

OVERALL- 8
This figure isn’t a bad figure I do want to make that clear. Despite the hat issue which to me was the major issue with Praji I’m glad to have him. Getting the first Imperial figure is great step for this line. He may not have the most screen time which does hurt the value as far as what you’re charged, but its awesome to add him to what’s turning out to be an amazing line.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 8
Paint - 9
Articulation - 8.5
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 8.5
Value - 8
Overall - 8

 

[The Josh]

ANH Han Solo

INTRODUCTION
In 2007 the collectibles industry celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars, and more specifically A New Hope. Sideshow Collectibles was no different in releasing several figures from this film in the Star Wars Saga. This version of Han Solo comes from the Heroes of the Rebellion line in Sideshows 12-inch Star Wars line and represents Luke from Episode Four: A New Hope.

PACKAGING - 10
Han's box is as nice as always and has the nice and simple look of the new 30th Anniversary design. Sideshow is still keeping the collector in mind with the inner design of the packaging insuring that our figures are in great shape. Han like most of the other figures in this line has the two window panes inside. On par with the rest of the boxes you get great shots of the figure and images from the movie all along the box. You also get a great story on is portion of Han's history at this point in the Saga.

SCULPTING - 10
This sculpt is plain and simple Harrison Ford! Trevor Grove the young sculptor who has been granted the chance to do many Sideshow pieces lately did it again. He even did a great job on the wonderful 70's hair that Ford was sporting at the time. The sculpting done on the hands turned out quite nicely especially the gloved hands.

PAINT - 7.5
The paint on the skin tone is pretty good but not quite what we received with Old Ben and the Palpatine/Sidious 2 Pack. It also has a touch of a shine to it which has made it a little hard to take pictures of. The eyebrows and sideburns are also painted a little thick which with the skin tone take away from the likeness.

ARTICULATION - 10
I had no issues getting any of the possible poses I could want with Han. The buck may not be the best body on the market today but with certain figures like Han it can accomplish what it needs to. I do not believe you need the new body for a figure like Han unless you want Saturday Night Fever Han.

ACCESSORIES - 10
Han comes with enough weapons you could start a small scale attack with. You get not 1, or 2, but 3 guns with Han for your posing pleasure. He comes with the stormtrooper blaster you see him running around the Death Star with, the Hanger Bay blaster as they leave Tattoine, and the exclusive “Han shoots first” blaster which he kills Greedo with. All three are very detailed and shows the talent and shows the attention to detail Sideshow puts into their products. If Han gets thirsty he can take a drink from his Cantina beverage or call a droid with the droid caller.

OUTFIT - 9.5
The outfit is really fantastic. As we go along with this line you see just how Sideshow has come with the outfits. The stitching and again attention to detail rival anything we see in this scale. My main gripe is with the shirt as I think it's a touch too thin a material in comparison to what Ford wore in the movie. The detailing in the belt is better than anything we've seen in this line. The belt seems to have none of the issues past belts have had and the leather work is really amazing

VALUE - 8
Han comes in at $65 which is really about $5 more than it should be for a non armored figure. He looks great and comes with a ton of stuff but for me personally he's about $5 too much.

OVERALL - 8
This version of Han Solo is the best ever bar none! The likeness is something that may not be touched by any other sculptor out there and then you toss what the finished piece looks like. He comes with a pretty good set of extras and makes for a heck if a figure overall. If you've been waiting for the right version of Smuggler Han this is the one to get

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 10
Paint - 7.5
Articulation - 10
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 9.5
Value - 8
Overall - 8

 

[The Josh]

ANH Luke Skywalker

INTRODUCTION
As was the case with many other collectibles companies Sideshow Celebrated the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars with figures from A New Hope. We saw announcements for figures like Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, and the latest version of Luke Skywalker. Farmboy Luke is probably the most famous version of the character and us a most welcomed addition to the Sideshow Star Wars line.

PACKAGING - 10
Luke continues the great tradition that this line has for the packaging. These figures are the easiest to open and get them ready to set up and mess with. Luke like most of the other figures in this line has the two window panes inside. As is the case with the rest of the figures in this line you get great shots of the figure and the background story on the inside of the box.

SCULPTING - 8
Trevor Grove who has done many a piece now for Sideshow was given the task to complete this sculpt of a young Mark Hamill. Overall, Trevor did a really good job on this version of Luke Skywalker. However, unlike some of his other sculpts and the other versions of Luke it's more about angles on this figure. The particular angle that I have mine it looks dead on but in many of the shots I took and have seen it is all over the spectrum. It really is a very nice figure though and if you want a definitive A New Hope Luke this is it.

PAINT - 7.5
The paint on the skin tone great! Luke comes from a planet with two suns and this figure has the perfect completion to match that. The eyes are painted nicely with no wandering eye as has been seen on other figures. The hair though while painted nicely as far as not being applied sloppy is just a touch too dark. Hamill's hair is dirty dishwater blond but this is more brownish than it needs to be, and the highlights in the hair in some lights give it a little bit of a greenish hue. Then you toss the very tiny rub on my figures nose. The rub can only be seen if you almost poke your eye out with it or look at some of my HR shots.

ARTICULATION - 10
I had no issues getting any of the possible poses I could want with Luke. For all the bashing the Buck gets I got any of the poses I wanted to try with Luke including some with his rifle. Having said that I am looking forward to the new bodies from Sideshow and the possibilities that come with those new bodies.

ACCESSORIES - 10
The sheer amount of items that Luke comes with totally justifies a 10/10. As is the case with any character that has a Jedi background you get Lightsabers both lit and unlit. The great thing with these Lightsabers is the attention to detail Sideshow puts into them. You really should take the time to look at them especially the look of all the Skywalker Lightsabers. Luke comes with a droid caller so he can get a hold of C-3PO or R2-D2 if he must.

Luke comes with two extras you can set him up to look like he's firing at something. You get the Stormtrooper blaster which we've received a couple times now but looks really good. However, the coolest item to come with Luke is the Long Rifle that that goes great with the hat, poncho, and goggles that come with the Exclusive Version of Farmboy Luke. The final item that comes with Luke is the Electrobinoculars which has an open and closed end for different display options.

OUTFIT - 7.5
The overall look of the outfit for look is really pretty decent. The pants and leggings are just exceptionally well done. The sewing job on the pants and the attention to detail in the leggings show just how far Sideshow has come in this area. The same can be said for the belt and where clips for the lightsaber, droid caller, and his Electrobinoculars. Then you get to the Poncho and Hat which are as good as it gets for items at this scale. They're both very simple but they have the detail that once expanded out to 1:1 would look great.

Now, we get to the tunic. It does not look like the one from the prototype and its quite clear when you compare the in hand figure to the box images. The tunic while no as bad as I feared is still the weakest thing about this figure. Start with the material which on the proto looked similar to a pillow case and I mean that in a good way. A very soft cotton material has gone to something that reminds me of a potato sack type material. The color is also wrong or looks wrong in some lights. The proto is a off white which is more accurate and the production piece is more of a cream colored white in most lights. It doesn't ruin the figure but it does pull back a amazing figure some.

VALUE - 8
Luke comes in at $70 which seems to be new set price for basic Star Wars figures. The price I don't mind if we where getting the new body but I agree with complaints that the Buck body figures should be no more than $60-65. Now, he comes with some awesome extras, the likeness is quite nice, and the overall figure is worth it getting. As I said but because of the body, paint issues, and tunic it brings down the value of what is a nice figure.

OVERALL- 8
This version of Luke Skywalker is the best we've ever seen from A New Hope! Despite the issues this figure has all its pluses override them and make this figure a must have. He comes with a pretty good set of extras and makes for a heck if a figure overall. If you've been waiting for the right version of Farm Boy Luke this is the one to get.

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 8
Paint - 7.5
Articulation - 10
Accessories - 10
Outfit - 7.5
Value - 8
Overall - 8

 

[The Josh]

Aayla Secura Review

INTRODUCTION
Sideshow Collectibles kept the tradition of having a Star Wars 1:6th collectible among their exclusives at San Diego Comic-Con. Following figures like Darth Vader non-armored and the Holographic Sidious on Mechno-Chair we get a female Jedi in Aayla Secura. As always Sideshow gave both attendees and non-attendees a chance to get this figure which is good for those who cannot make it out to San Diego.

PACKAGING - 10
Aayla continues the great tradition that this line has for the packaging. These figures are the easiest to open and get them ready to set up and mess with. Aayla like a few of the other figures in this line only has the one windowpane for her and the extra items. As is the case with the rest of the figures in this line you get great shots of the figure and the background story on the inside of the box.

SCULPTING - 9
Tim Miller who has done several figures in this line like Plo Koon is back it doing a fantastic job of making this figure come to life. While not perfect in other areas that a figure like this should be, the sculpt does not disappoint. It was nice being able to compare the figure and seeing the person who the figure is based on as it gave me a chance to see just how nice this sculpt is. It really brought this cover from Jan Duursema to mind, this thing is that good!

PAINT - 7
The paint on Aayla though is a bit of a let down in that despite not being as blue as she appears in pictures is a shade or so too blue. The problem with that is the body is done that way as well and really makes for an overpowering look to the figure. The paint though is nicely applied but again is just a shade or so too blue.

ARTICULATION - 5.5
Normally, I have very little problems with the buck and have had luck not getting a bad buck (Yes, I know that rhymed). This one though has all kinds of problems, which prevented me from going with a couple of my choices for posing this figure. Aayla suffered from loose joints galore specifically the wrist and ankle. Her elbow joints where also a touch loose so it made posing her a bit of a challenge.

ACCESSORIES - 4
Aayla for her price should come with more items or her price should have been lower. She comes with three hands two of which of course are on the body and an extra force push hand compared to multiple hands you get with a normal figure. The Lightsabers as always are just really cool and Aayla comes with an ignited and unlit version.

OUTFIT - 5.5
Her outfit is not as bad as I first feared when I saw the pics but the outfit in general is one of the weakest in the line. I’m sure it is hard to match the material used on the costumes used in the films but this one is just off the mark and doesn’t sit well on the body. A good example is how the left breast on my figure wants to pop out despite the constant futzing of the figure. The belt is very thin and depending on how much you mess with it I think would break quite easily. The Jedi robe is the nicest part of the figure and I would suggest using it on the figure.

VALUE - 5.5
Aayla comes in at $65 for attendees and $70 for non-attendees. The basics this figure comes with and the issues this figure has makes too expensive. Basically Aayla should be been in the $55-$60 range.

OVERALL- 6
I know with all the low scores how can this be a six. You get this figure on your shelf and messed with and she looks all right. I was glad to see Aayla finally get announced but this figure could have been better. It is not perfect and I think the next time Sideshow does a female Jedi it will be that much better cause of the things said about Aayla. Now, having said all that I’m glad I have her in my Star Wars collection but I’d really welcome her Master Quinlan Vos if we could be so lucky to get that far into the Expanded Universe!

RATINGS RECAP
Packaging - 10
Sculpt - 9
Paint - 7
Articulation - 5.5
Accessories - 4
Outfit - 5.5
Value - 5.5
Overall - 6

 

[The Josh]

Subject 805

INTRODUCTION

The Dead sounds like something straight out of a Zombie movie doesn’t it? Well, that’s a good thing since this line is nothing but the Undead. How did this line get started? As a exclusive figure during the 2005 San Diego Comic Con with a figure known as Patient Zero. Well, its nearly three years later and this line is going very strong and may be one of Sideshow’s most popular lines. It’s also a Sideshow Collectibles Original line as well which allows them to go with all their wild and crazy creations since they have the final say.

I want to take a few lines of this review to talk about the past figures in The Dead line. We’ve gone through seven figures that are now in hand, and one more Subject 1025 The Babysitter who has yet to ship and is the first female too.

Patient Zero — Little is known about Patient Zero. Was he like you or I? Did he have a normal job? Lots of questions but very few answers. He was the first figure released in The Dead line and for me my personal favorite. Zero comes with a arm that has been gnawed off some poor soul, and a newspaper of all the zombie events. Patient Zero was a Comic-Con Exclusive back in 2005 and is limited to 300 pieces world wide.

Subject 5 Security Guard — Security guards are a must and if you’re doing medical tests you need someone to watch over things when nobody’s home. Well, Subject 5 once did that job but sadly he had a run in with something that forever changed his life the living part that is. Subject 5 was released the following year at the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con and comes with Guns N Bullets Magazine, Radio, Flashlight, and Key Ring. Five’s edition size was limited to 1000 pieces world wide.

Subject 57 The Doctor – You’d think a Doctor would be more careful. I guess things are quite so easy when you’re working with the Dead. It also makes you wonder exactly what are they doing behind those closed doors. Subject 57 was the first non Comic-Con released Dead figure. It came in both the regular and exclusive formats with the regular having green scrubs and exclusive in blue scrubs. The Doctor comes the usual medical items like syringe, scalpel, clipboard, and medical files. The edition size of the regular is 1000 pieces while the exclusive is 300 pieces world wide.

Subject 560 Corporate Spokesman – Any company needs a spokesman to make sure their message gets across. However, I think this guy might have gone a little far getting himself turned into whatever they’re selling. Subject 560 came in two types of exclusives which makes him quite unique. The first release came as the 2007 Comic-Con Exclusive and wore a dark blue suit while the other was a 2007 Spooktakular Exclusive and wore a grey suit. The Spokesman’s accessories include a briefcase, handcuffs, Defense Weekly Magazine, and top secret folder w/photos. The edition size of the Comic-Con version was 1250 pieces and the Spooktakular comes in at 300 pieces world wide.

Subject 805 Tactical Containment Unit Operator – Subject 805 title is a puzzling one. Why does a company who has nothing to hide as the Spokesman said need a guy like this? He obviously was some kind of SWAT type character who protected at all cost, and boy did he pay the ultimate cost by being turned into a Zombie.

PACKAGING – 7.5

The Dead has some of the coolest looking packaging that comes from Sideshow Collectibles. You have the simple white design with just a ton of blood including a bloody handprint. Unlike the Star Wars or Lord Of The Rings Lines you get no back story but with Zombies do you really need to know that much? The reason for such a drop though? I hate TWIST TIES! They do not use these on the other lines I buy why in the world are they being used on The Dead? They are a total pain to get off and really are more annoying than their worth. I do like the neck collar they use but on both my 805’s it had come lose which could have led to paint rubbing.

SCULPTING – 10

This guy is sick looking and I mean that in the best way possible. How can you not love the fact he’s missing most of his face and half his left arm. The job done on the missing jaw is just freaking brutal in how awesome it looks! His missing arm next to his missing face is the goriest thing we’ve seen in this line. You see where the bone is almost sticking out of the meat in the arm. His tongue is just freaky in how long it is and amazing it was able to stay attached. This figure has the coolest sculpt of any Dead figure released so far.


PAINT – 9

Now, this was the hardest part for me to review. Exactly what is the right color for a Zombie? Especially when let’s face it Zombies aren’t real or are they? Its not the same color as the prototype but who knows what happened to this guy. His job title gives you the option to believe and based on an email Sideshow sent out something happened to this guy on the job. So for me I’m going to roll with hey before he went down something went way wrong with him. The reason I take a point off is because his hair is green and that too me is harder to believe his hair would turn green too. The paint job on the eyes are really nice as well and give the emotion that this guy knew it was about to get bad before he died. Overall, the paint apps look quite nice and depending on the light he even changes color a little.

ARTICULATION – 10

I know there are a lot of haters when it comes to the Buck body Sideshow has been using for some years now. Zombies however don’t need a lot of great movability and the body here allows you to find any creepy pose you can imagine with 805.

ACCESSORIES - 10

805 comes with a plethora of goodies for your Zombie displaying needs. He comes with his MP-5 Assault Rifle, M-92 Pistol (which still has one sadly unused bullet left), Radio with Headset, Aerial Surveillance Photos, Triage Cards, “Be Ready” Shooting Target, and Map/Blue Print set. The two guns 805 comes with are by far the coolest on any figure I’ve ever received and look insanely real and as I mentioned I love the unused bullet in the Pistol.

OUTFIT – 7.5

The outfit is really very cool but does have a few things which puzzled me. Why is the only part of his outfit that’s torn up the sleeve where he’s missing the arm? He’s lost a of parts and showing very little wear on the overall outfit. I would expect him to be bloodier and more torn up for what I can imagine he went through. Also why doesn’t he have a clip for his radio and no holster for his pistol? As I said the outfit design is cool and does the job for the most part.

VALUE - 8

805 sold for $55 which is really quite fair with all he comes with and the overall coolness of the figure. You get several items with 805 that are essential to the figure and play into the fun of this line. Plus it’s a Zombie and he kicks butt!

OVERALL- 8

If this figure was more beat up, bloodier, and the hair a different color it would be an easy 10. Having said all of that this figure still rocks! How can you not love a Zombie that has half his face and arm blown off? 805 is well worth getting so worth it I actually bought two of him.


RATINGS RECAP
Packaging- 7.5
Sculpt- 10
Paint- 9
Articulation- 10
Accessories- 10
Outfit- 7.5
Value- 8
Overall- 8

 

[The Josh]

Subject 1025

INTRODUCTION

One would think babysitting would be an easy job right? Well, not if you there is a mysterious disease turning your clients into zombies. Sadly for this young lady she picked the wrong night to make a little extra cash. The latest addition to the The Dead line is Subject 1025: The Babysitter.

This is the first female zombie in the The Dead line but she will be followed by two other versions. Later this month we will be getting our hands on the San Diego Comic-Con Version as well as the International Version of this figure.

PACKAGING – 7.5

The Dead has some of the coolest looking packaging that comes from Sideshow Collectibles. You have the simple white design with just a ton of blood including a bloody handprint. The reason I drop the overall score on the packaging for such a great line? I hate TWIST TIES! The Dead and Shaun of the Dead are the only lines using these pains in the butts! I don’t see why they can’t give this line the same love that Lord Of The Rings and Star Wars gets.

SCULPTING – 10

Subject 805 was awesome with how much carnage the “person” went through and they’ve kept it up with Subject 1025. This poor girl is missing the left side of her face. It’s been clearly ripped off with all the muscle and tissue showing as well we some of her teeth which just sets it off. This figure has something totally different though from other figures made by Sideshow. The arms are completely sculpted instead of just the hands. It came off perfectly allowing Sideshow to sculpt cuts and gashes into the arms something they couldn’t do before.


PAINT – 10

In a word perfect. The skin tone is just exceptionally well done and the hair looks great and unlike the Ed exclusive doesn’t take away from the figure. The blood splatter and carnage on the face/arm is well painted and looks totally real. You’ll be hard pressed to find any paint problems with this figure

ARTICULATION – 9

Now the buck may have its issue but with The Dead line it’s really quite perfect. The body allows for really any pose you will want to pull off for this or any zombie. The reason she did not get a perfect score was due to the arms. Now, they look great and I tip my cap to SS for doing them, but they do limit the arm posing with her.

ACCESSORIES - 10

The extra goodies she comes with may not be quite to say what came with Subject 805 but they add to the character. It shows that maybe her ways led her down a path that got her in trouble plus she comes with some school stuff. Subject 1025 comes with a yearbook, textbook, cell phone, cigarettes, detention slip, report card, babysitting list, and a very well done backpack.

OUTFIT – 10

Her outfit looks awesome! Its bloody enough for what happened to her and shows the wear and tear of her battle with what attacked her. The shirt is just soaked in blood especially in the area of where her face has been ripped apart and the tights have enough ripping to get across the battle.

VALUE - 10

1025 sold for $50 which is really quite fair with all he comes with and the overall coolness of the figure. All the stuff she comes with and the fact that she just looks cool makes it just right! She’s also $5 cheaper than 805 which was a dang nice figure in his own right.

OVERALL- 10

I’m quite happy to have this figure in my Dead Collection and look forward to adding her two sisters soon. The paint which is just awesome, sculpting, and price really make her a winner. Sideshow has shown with this line they’re willing to try anything and make them look sick in the best way possible. Get her if you can or at least one version of her!


RATINGS RECAP
Packaging- 7.5
Sculpt- 10
Paint- 10
Articulation- 9
Accessories- 10
Outfit- 10
Value- 10
Overall- 10

 

[The Josh]

Frodo and Sam Reviews

INTRODUCTION

"I will take it. I will take the Ring to Mordor."
-Frodo

Last year Sideshow Collectibles at San Diego Comic-Con had two of the most impressive items at the show. They unveiled their new child bodies which they had worked on with Hot Toys. Because these two giants of the 1:6th market decided to work together we where allowed to finally add two of the most important characters in the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy.

Frodo Baggins lost his parents at the age of seven and upon their death was taken in by his mothers family. At the age of the age of twenty-one he was adopted by his Uncle Bilbo Baggins. During Bilbo’s 111th birthday party the magic ring Biblo had for years is passed on to Frodo upon Biblo leaving the Shire.

When Frodo finds out the ring is really The One Ring Gandalf The Grey urges him to leave the Shire. However, Frodo would not leave the Shire alone. His friend and gardener Samwise Gamgee was eavesdropping and his punishment is to leave with Frodo. These two small Hobbits would meet many folks from Middle Earth and have many adventures on their way to destroying The One Ring.

This review we will be taking a look at both Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee in their Exclusive forms.

"He said, Dont you leave him, Samwise Gamgee. And I dont mean to.."
-Sam

PACKAGING – Frodo & Sam - 10

The Lord Of The Rings line has a great look to them and like the other lines from Sideshow something completely different. You get a great look at the figures with the name The Lord Of The Rings in nice gold lettering. Opening those flaps you get a story on the character on the left and the extras on the right. On the back you get a story about Lord Of The Rings itself.

SCULPTING – Frodo 10 & Sam 10

The job Tim Miller did on these two Hobbits is just mind blowing! His ability to capture both Elijah Wood and Sean Astin shows the talent. When you look at pictures of Elijah you can see where Tim was able to get the unique facial features especially the mouth and cheek areas. This is where many attempts at Mr. Wood have fallen quite short.

The job done on Sam is equally as impressive. While Sean’s facial features are quite as unique as Elijah it’s the weight he gained for the role. Sean was a bit pudgy while filming Lord Of The Rings and this has made him quite hard to sculpt for some reason. Tim however nailed it beautifully.

We also got new hands with the Hobbits due to the size and the brand new bodies. The hands look great! However, they do have one issue as they don’t seem to hold swords as well as hands for the other bodies do.

PAINT – Frodo & Sam - 10

Now, the Hobbits are different than any other figure from Sideshow. Instead of having the skin tone painted on the figures they’ve been casted in type of plastic that has skin color mixed in. This is the route you normally see Hot Toys take and on the Pirates Of The Caribbean this did not come out that well. Those figures the skin tone tended to come out darker than their movie counterparts. The Hobbits though came out perfectly which was a giant relief to me.

These still other parts that are painted as you would normally see on other figures. The paint on the hair is very well done and matches the movie perfectly. The eyes on Sam are quite well done but the eyes on Frodo are quite capturing. You feel that moment just after the Fellowship loses Gandalf and the camera zooms in on Frodo’s eyes.

ARTICULATION – Frodo & Sam – 10

These new Hobbit/Child bodies are amazing. The Buck body for me has never been an issue with posing but these figures are better. What limitations you did have with the Buck are now plain and simply gone. There are several moments of action for these two Hobbits and you will have no problem matching them with these figures. There have been some people on the net who have experienced loose joints but I was fortunate to not have that problem.




ACCESSORIES – Frodo – 8 Sam – 8.5

Frodo comes with some nice goodies. You get his backpack which is quite nicely put together. The stitch work is really well done for a backpack done at this scale. You get the Phial Of Galadriel which is quite important if you want to recreate the scene from Shelob’s Lair. Mr. Baggins of course comes with The One Ring on a chain. One of my issues with this item is that the Ring would have looked much better if it was metal or given a metallic paint job. He comes with two swords one of which is his exclusive item and those swords each have their own scabbards. Sting is the standard sword that comes with Frodo and looks very well done. I would like to have seen a blue tinted version be the exclusive compared to the sword Strider gives him on Weathertop. What good is being out in the woods without a smoking pipe? Well, Frodo has one of those and Sam gets the same pipe so he doesn’t miss out. Frodo comes with two cloaks the Elven Cloak and his green traveling cloak that he wears until leaving Galadriel.

Sam’s goodies are just a touch better compared to Frodo’s. He of course has his backpack in which the stitching is equally as nice compared to Frodo but this backpack has extras. You get frying pans, cooking pot, Ladle, and sausages which just add a nice touch to the figure and give more than what you get with Frodo. Besides the backpack you also get a Haversack so he has even more storage space, and a waterskin so he and Frodo can drink from something along the way. Sam comes with a sword/scabbard as well that was given to him on Weathertop. A must item for any member of the Fellowship is the Elven cloak and Sam of course has his, and like Frodo comes with a second cloak he wears until receiving the Elven Cloak. Sam’s exclusive item is something if he was to get hungry should keep him full with that being Lembas Bread.

OUTFIT – Frodo & Sam - 10

These outfits are amazing! The fact Sideshow could get these to look so amazing at this scale shows the love Sideshow has for Lord Of The Rings. The stitching on these is just superb especially on outfits in this scale where so many have botched it. As is the case with things like the buttons which are perfect on these two Hobbits. The coloring on the outfits also matches what you see on both figures on all their items. The materials used are also very well chosen and I think as close to what you can get so they look to have jumped right off the screen.

VALUE – Frodo & Sam - 10

Both Hobbits come in at $70. These guys just came out great with outstanding outfits, sculpts, paint, and a NEW body. When you take the time to look at just how great these figures came out I think the price is just fine for these two small but mighty Hobbits.

OVERALL- Frodo & Sam - 10

Frod and Sam are two of the best figures to ever come out of Sideshow Collectibles. There is virtually nothing wrong with them and they appear to be universally loved. You get a fair amount of goodies and outfits that are just amazing. Sideshow Collectibles, Tim Miller, and Hot Toys can all take a bow for the job that was put into these figures.


RATINGS RECAP
Packaging- Frodo 10 Sam 10
Sculpt- Frodo 10 Sam 10
Paint- Frodo 10 Sam 10
Articulation- Frodo 10 Sam 10
Accessories- Frodo 8 Sam 8.5
Outfit- Frodo 10 Sam 10
Value- Frodo 10 Sam 10
Overall- Frodo 10 Sam 10