BOB SHARE

This is the story of how Obi-Wan Kenobi became my favorite Star Wars character...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

Ok, so maybe not that long ago, and not very far away at all, I was young, and I liked Luke Skywalker.  Who didnt?  After all, he was the sagas protagonist and the "boy done good," who comes into his own, confronts his fears, and in the process saves his father and the known galaxy.

But then came the Prequel Trilogy, which was to shed some light on the past and in particular, one young Obi-Wan Kenobi as he came into his own.  We all cheered when he cut down Darth Maul but by the time the second movie was done, the only thing I could think of was why the hell would any Jedi think wearing a mullet and a trimmed beard would look cool? It didnt help that young Anakin was annoying and Obi-Wan couldnt stop sounding like he was annoyed with him.  And how the heck was he defeated by an old human Sith Lord when hed previously sliced up perhaps the fiercest villain in the Prequels (Maul)?

Ok I admit, I had a soft spot for him going into the movies because Obi-Wan was played by a dude named Ewan McGregor.   And by having the same name, I felt compelled, probably by the Force, to like him as a character. I sure didnt.  I liked none of them because they were all one (or less) dimensional.  But I did like the Original Trilogy Obi-Wan.  He was everything the old and supposedly wise Jedi in the prequels werent.  Patient, using his power only when absolutely necessary, accepting of his fate and of course, heroic. Everything a favorite character should be. :)

So thats how I came to think of old Obi-Wan as the guy I wouldnt mind being in the Original Trilogy.  Except Id try harder to kick Vaders ass.  Except Id run when I realized I was defeated, only to come back for a rematch.  Except Id take out the Death Star instead of just bringing down its shields.  Except Id show that cocky Han Solo guy I can pilot his piece of junk spaceship. Yeah, Id be more "excepting" of my power than "accepting" of my fate. Har.

Thus, Ive had this figure in packaging since I got him when he was first released and the Rangelord, who is my advisor in all things from the galaxy far, far away, said that this was the ultimate Obi-Wan.  Those word were never spoken more true. So click on for the details!

Like: That he looks a spitting image of the late Sir Alec Guinness.  How cool is that?  A Jedi Knight/Master played by a real life knight.  I think the expression on his face captures the feeling of calm and yet inevitability that Obi-Wan exudes in A New Hope.  The sad eyes, the slight frown, and the hair.  Yup, they even got the hair down perfectly.


Like: The voluminous cloth Jedi cloak. Its a brilliantly rich brown and has got body when worn. And it matches the cloth of the inner robes perfectly to give ol Ben a very real-life feel.  The cloaks even got a hood you can pull over his head.  Having him that way reminds me of his first appearance when he saves Luke from the Sand People.  We hear the strange cry of the krayt dragon and then a mysterious figure in a robe appears over the crest of the rise...

Like: His ball head and swivel neck.  I love it when they give us extra articulation.  I especially love it when it give the figure character--in this case, the neck is not entirely upright but attached at an angle that makes him look stooped over. Its perfect for an old hermit who lives out in the Jundland Wastes.

Like: His right hand.  Its sculpted in a Jedi mind-wipe pose that really adds character to all his other poses.  He really looks like he could kick ass with that lightsaber, even if its in his left hand.

Dislike: That he can only hold stuff in his left hand.  A minor issue, but interchangeable hands wouldve been awesome though probably not need.  At least Obi-Wan here can claim he was "using his left hand" while fighting Vader, thats why the Sith Lord won.  Yeah right, old geezer! :P

Like: His articulation.  Its pretty standard Star Wars, but Im beginning to appreciate this lines great swivel hinge knees and hinged hips.  These never really became loose (especially the knees) and keep the figure stable when put in poses.

I also like how this figure is so well articulated that it seemingly has better moves than the on-screen Obi-Wan.

Dislike: That his grip on the saber is a little loose.  I think this is down to the little rubber bands they use to tie the weapon to his hand in the package.  Somehow the band can be so tight as to warp the shape of the hand. Its not even a major warp, but a slight one is all thats needed to wreck a tight grip.

Like: The attention to detail to the inner robe sleeves and the pants beneath his robes.  The sleeves are nice and wide with folds and wrinkles just like in the movies.  His pants are cast brown, which is a nice touch considering they never show his pant in the movie (I dont think), but youve gotta appreciate the effort in making it a different color from the off white torso.

RATINGS
Aesthetics: 9/10 - Its simply beautiful how movie accurate this figure is.  I imagine Sir Alec himself would be proud if he were still alive to see it.  From the sharply painted eyes to the salt and pepper hair and beard, to the sculpt of the robes and boots, to the voluminous robes and his personalized lightsaber, I cant imagine there ever being a better 3.75" old Obi-Wan.

Poseability: 8/10 - Just look at the guy go! He looks very taichi, which a form of martial arts that focuses on slow but fluid and balance movements.  Old people in Singapore practice that a lot in the mornings.  I suspect in China too.  But its by no means a pushover "oldie" discipline. Someone who is a master can probably do some serious damage.  Its kinda like old Ben Kenobi in the movies using the Force in a passive but powerful manner.

Its the little things that make him so fun to pose, like the pointed hand, the kickass robes both sculpted (like his sleeves) and cloth (robe skirts and cloak).  And despite looking old and feeble and swaddled in cloth, none of his joints are obstructed by sculpt problems.

Fun: 10/10 - Its hard to put Old Ben down once youve got him in your hands.  Whether its a scene from within his hermit hut, a meditative pose, or an action stance, Obi-Wan can do it all.  The figures I have the most fun with are the ones that I can finish shooting and still want to play around with.  Theyre the ones I like to put on display, so that when I see them again after coming home from work, Ill have easy access to em! ;)

Value: 9/10 - Obi-Wan comes with his lightsaber, his robes, a table (complete with glued-on tea set), and a mini Princess Leia hologram.  He also comes with the orange left leg of R2-L3, which I didnt photo but Ill review in a special way soon, hopefully.  Though i cant remember what I paid for him, I did remember getting him at retail.  So going by todays retail prices here in Singapore, hed be the equivalent of US$10.  Thats quite a steal considering all the stuff he comes with and also the quality of the figure itself.
Overall: 9/10 - Yes, I may be biased towards Obi-Wan as a character since hes one of my favorites.  But this figure of him is really up to scratch.  Sometimes when youre partial to a certain character, the toys end up being more disappointing because they dont measure up to how you see them. In this case, he not only matches up to my expectations but also exceeds them.  So I can very safely say that if you were to want an ultimate Obi-Wan Kenobi, this would be it, with re-releases of the same sculpt dependent on the "extras" they come with.

The sneaky bastard.  Who does he think he is, running around the Death Star in his Storm Trooper armor disguise. Hes Han Solo, of course!  Good ol Harrison Ford himself some 33 years back. He just turned 68, so happy birthday, Han!

So does this latest 3.75 inch release of everyones favorite scoundrel do him justice?  It is, after all, the first figure of him with a Storm Trooper utility belt, so its gotta be good, right?


Well, lets find out...




 Like: That he comes with new/unusual accessories.  Removable Storm Trooper helmet and armor?  Sign me up!
Dislike: That the armor is incomplete.  Well, at least to my mind.  No ones gonna think Han ol boy heres a Trooper, not when hes missing the arms, legs, hand and boots to complete the look.  Whats the deal with the incomplete getup???

Like: The Storm Trooper utility belt.  The thing also has a detachable thermal detonator you can peg into a slot on the back. Way cool.  The belt also has a long sheathe/holster, which the blaster he comes with doesnt fit in because its too flat and long.  You could stick the blaster in there, but it doesnt fit right.  I suspect its for a vibro knife or something similar.

Like: The head sculpt!  I actually though he looked a little ragged/saggy in the face, but upon busting him open, he does look pretty much like Han Solo.  This is especially so when you remove his head for the shoulders.
Dislike: Extraordinarily large head, or rather, the exceptionally small body.  Its the narrow shoulders that make the head seem too large.  But its the shoulders which are barely wider than his hips. The skinny arms hes got dont help either.

Dislike: The pose theyve got him in in-package.  He kinda looks like hes strolling through the mall on his way to pick up a low-fat decaf latte after picking out some shoes.  Way too girly...:P

Like: The overall paint apps.  The head, trooper helmet, and pants (with red piping) are especially sharp.  Theres some fudging of the black around his collar and vest, which is probably my only problem with the paint.

Dislike: That he comes with imperial blaster pistol, but no DL-44 Heavy Blaster, Han weapon of choice!

Dislike: The slightly yellowed shirt torso, slightly yellowed helmet. All white plastics yellow with time, but isnt this figure supposed to be from the latest series?  Im just worried that it hasnt even been on the shelf that long and its turning color.  Better plastic next time, perhaps?

RATINGS
Aesthetics: 6/10 - Great head but to small a body, great overall paint but fudging on a major area of the figure (his vest). The head ball-joint is also visible when you swivel his head to the side.  The neck couldve and shouldve been a lot better.
Poseability: 7.5/10 - The only thing missing from this Han are some ball hips to give him sideways leg movement. Most Star Wars figures dont have these and don;t need them, really.  But otherwise he can do what a Han Solo needs to do--balance well in various shooting positions, even if youve got one foot on point with the other planted.



Fun: 7.5/10 - Its hard not to have fun with an iconic Star Wars figure like Han, even if this is not as close to the perfect Han Solo figure I wanted.  Whyd I get him then?  The accessories, for one, because the more stuff that comes with a figure, the more stuff you can do with it.  That the accessories are unique to this figure is a bonus.

Value: 8/10 - I got this guy minus the Build a droid part from the local "flea" market, bundled with an MISB Scanning Crew (Hell yeah!) for just S$22 (US$15.70).  Its a great deal for Star Wars figures here, which hardly ever go on clearance. Its a good thing the new Vintage Series is coming through--I now get to build my Star Wars collection for a better price.


Overall: 7.25 - Han Solo in Storm Trooper "disguise" is worth getting if, like me, you can identify with the Death Star escape Han Solo.  The utility belt he comes with simply smacks of nostalgia/adventure/derring-do all in one.  Also, he nice to have if: a) you dont have a Han Solo and want a decent basic one, or b) you fancy the Trooper helmet and the torso armor.

I was glad to finally get Mr. Freeze out of the latest Batman Legacy line--he was the one Bat-villain I had missed out on when I started collecting DC Universe and could still find some DC Superheroes stuff.  Id seen the regular colored silver/blue/gunmetal-grey version many times but at prices which then seemed a tad too high.  So I waited...

And he finally got re-released in this line...with funky colors.  But that wasnt gonna stop me from snaggin ol Victor "Burger &" Fries here, oh no.  While the unusual Super Powers color scheme puts most off, I think its just about wacky enough to be part of a Bat-villain display, which already has a ton of color--purpli with Joker, Red and Black with Harley Quinn, Brown with Man-BAt, Neon Green with the Riddler--some pink couldnt hurt, right? ;)

Colors aside, there werent any changes for the re-release of Mr. Freeze, who debuted in the 2003 DCSH line.  I have to say the paint apps then were quite something. There was another release at New York ComicCon 2007 that looked like this.  Less icy, more metallic.  So that would make this repaint of that classic sculpt more, um, strawberries and cream?  (Ice cream of course--no less.)

So if youve got your fruit smoothie in hand and youre ready to go, lets take a look at the latest release of one the (n)iciest, fruitiest villains ever, shall we?

Spot the Bat!

Like: Head in pink "glass" bubble.  One of the more endearing qualities of the villain.  The pink used for the plastic here is not a cutesy pink.  Its more of an "emergency siren" pink.  I know, I know, sirens are red.  But his pink looks equally...dangerous...

See him?

Like: The great articulation despite the tons of detail that has gone into the sculpt.  The other benifit of having an armored body is that most of his joints are very well hidden.

Like: The sculpt. The main reason why I picked this figure up.  Theres tons of detail in it, from the bits of ice to the plates and grooves of his armor, pipes, heavy boots, and his belt. The trouble is...

Dislike: ...Lots of the detail has gone unpainted!  The white plastic really does a lot to take away the intricate bits of the armor, while the ice looks, well, like plastic in stead of ice.  The pink is a nice soft matte but the blue is so plasticky looking that youd be forgiven if you thought this was a knockoff figure.

The "reverse pinch clip"

Like: The Freeze Gun-backpack assembly.  The thing is bulky but clips onto his back via a hexagonal reverse pinch clip (yes, I came up with the name) into a hexagonal hole.  It fits nice an tight with a clicks satisfyingly when you put it on.

Dislike: The colors of the gun.  It looks nothing like a Freeze Gun and every bit like a Super Soaker.  The funny thing is that it actually has a hole at the end of the barrel that might have actually allowed water stored in the backpack to be shot out.  The pack even has a big round button to pump water out of the gun.  The trouble is it looks like theyve sealed the caps of the pack--I cant seem to get it open without having to take a tool to it so it looks like no water pistol shenanigans for me there.

Like: That the head swivels along with the torso!  While you cant actually swivel his head manually, a twist of the torso will result in the head following in the corresponding direction.  I know it reduces the poses you can do with him but its a fun feature that I was pleasantly surprised by! :)




RATINGS

Aesthetics: 6/10 - I wanted to like him.  I actually did it the pictures and even in packaging--thats why I ended up buying him.  I still like the wacky color scheme but the lack of paint and the overwhelming plastic look is a big disappointment. On the bright side, since Freeze is largely unpainted, hes a shoo-in for a custom repaint!  If I ever take a brush to him, hell mainly be white withe some light blues and grays...hmm...
Poseability: 8/10 - Freeze is deceptively nubile and thats really do to the well hidden joints.  His leg articulation is especially great--he can easily do the sideways splits and has ankles that can point to beyond parallel to his shins.  Some completely hidden boot top and glove swivels are the cherry on top of this strawberry flavored smoothie!

Fun: 7.5/10 - Just being a Bat-villain boosts his fun rating up quite a bit because lets face it, Mr. Freeze is just a guy with giant Freeze Gun and who cant live outside his bubble.  But its precisely because hes got a big-ass gun connected to a humongous backpack via all sorts of pipes that makes you wanna pick him up and play around with him.

Also, hidden articulation tends to be fun to discover and re-discover after youve put him on the shelf for a while without moving him around.  I find that even though I know where his PoAs are, I take some secret delight in swiveling that glove joint or rotating that boot top.  Lets not also forget his fun head swivel feature.  Its simple and gives you a way of rotating an otherwise untouchable head.  It gives the illusion of Freeze being able to turn his head on his own, and who doesnt love parts that move on their own? ;)
Value: 7/10 - For S$30 (US$24) its a good deal.  With retail prices of DC Universe figures skyrocketing in the past year and a half, Freeze wouldve cost me a good S$15 more if Id seen him in the wild and not got him at one of my regular specialty shops in Vincents Toyrealm at China Square Central.  Freeze has go nice accessories, a great sculpt, and a fun feature.  Its a pity about the paint or lack thereof...

Overall: 7.2/10 - A good toy all round with some flaws - I just really wish he were painted better or cast with less shiny plastic.  I cant argue with the great sculpt, re-used as it is, and its great articulation and poseability.  The detail that went into the armor is there--its just not picked out very well.  The fact that hes had 2 re-paints including this one and the smart re-use of the lower body for Power Armor Lex Luthor is a testament to how solid Mattel and us as fans find this sculpt.

 Funny thing--this version of Freeze has received the most amount of criticism among the DC Universe Legacy figures released so far.  But in these parts, you cant find him in the specialty stores anymore while the Joker and Bats, in all their tail-coated and Bat-snarled glory are still on the pegs.  A freeze in sales?  Not for Victor!  ;)

Mr. Freeze slaps Batmans face in sales!