Review : Death Squad Commander
Star Wars Black Series (Hasbro)
Wave/Series : 40th Anniversary
Released : June 2017
Price : £24.99
In early 2017 Hasbro announced a series of 6" scale Black Series figures to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars, A New Hope. The intention was to replicate the original 12 Kenner figures by releasing the 6" versions on retro Kenner style cards.
The first wave was released March 2017 with a second set of 6 released in June 2017. While the first wave repacked figures, the 2nd wave introduced three figures not released to date in the series - the Tusken Raider, the Jawa and the figure we look at here - the Imperial Death Squad Commander.
When Kenner put out their first twelve 3.75" Star Wars figures in 1978, the Death Squad Commander was one of the more interesting choices. The character didn't play too much of a part in the movie, and was certainly not the 3rd most obvious "bad guy" choice after Darth Vader and the Storm Trooper. When you consider Kenner could have gone with the Tie Fighter Pilot, Sand Trooper (a figure that never made the Kenner Vintage line) or the Death Star Gunner - the Death Squad Commander was a brave choice. When Hasbro decided to replicate the original 12 figures into the new 6" Black Series for the 40th Anniversary the Death Squad Commander, like the Jawa, was a brand new figure they had to create for the release as opposed to the others which were already released or in the works.
The new card backs are sized to accommodate the 6" figures, without being a direct upscale of the ones used on the original 1978 3.75" figures. They utilise the same character image as well as the Star Wars and Kenner logo's. The Death Squad Commanders name is set into a ice blue box with the same colour used as the backing to the blister. While the massive Star Wars Universe database has since categorised this figure as a Death Star Trooper, Hasbro have retained the original Kenner name from 1978 even though it would go on to be renamed in the Kenner line as the Star Destroyer Commander. A neat 40th Anniversary logo sits in the top left corner of the card, the only nod away from the original Kenner cardback.
Round the back of the card is a checklist of the 12 figures that will be released. These are framed in various colours, each colour matching the scheme that will be used on their card. Under the 12 figures is an image of the Legacy pack, the stand that revisits the original Early Bird pack and gives collectors who aren't keeping these on card a display option for loose figures.
A subtle Black Series logo is atop the card and of course being 40 years after Kenner & Lucasfilm, we now find the Disney logo at the base of the card along with the present day safety notices and legal logo's
While the original 1978 Kenner character title has survived, the original paint job hasn't. The trooper was originally presented in a grey officers uniform with the helmet in black. This version is more accurate in a full black uniform with black helmet. Packed into the blister with him is the DH-17 blaster.
Out of the pack and the Commander stands 6" high, in scale with the other Imperial Troops who he will be joining on my display. The uniform is all black but is sculpted to replicate cloth rather than armour, so there are folds and creases across the tunic and down into the baggy legs. All the main uniform is a matt black. The lower arms are elbow length gloves and these are a high gloss black and have a silver buckle painted at the wrist. The same colouring is used on the knee high boots. For some reason the clothing directly above these gloss areas (boots and gloves) also look glossy so in certain lights don't match the rest of the figures clothing?
The figure wears a matt belt adorned with a large silver buckle and silver panels either side. There is also a holster to the figures right hand hip which works to hold the blaster. The only other decor is a perfectly applied Imperial logo on the left shoulder. The cynic in me expected to see some re-working of parts from Director Krennic in the uniform, but I can't find anything that is a direct reuse. I do suspect there will be some parts in here that will be used in the upcoming Tarkin and/or Thrawn figures.
The head is obviously generic and not based on a particular niche actor who played one of the Death Star Troopers. He is cast in a base skin tone with painted eyes and eyebrows. The hair is a short crew cut in brown with some impressive 70's sideburns. The helmet is a softer plastic and the whole thing is cast in gloss black with no other painted detail. Most of the detail on the helmet is sharp, with the circular indents front and back and what looks like microphones either side of the dome before the rear section splays off. On the figure we are reviewing here there are a couple of dings from casting or when it came out of the mold.
The helmet is well engineered to sit onto the head naturally and not look oversized. The chin strap hooks neatly under the figures chin.
The sole accessory is the DH-17 blaster. This is this particular weapons first appearance in the line, but it will be used again soon for the Lando figure. The original Death Squad Commander was packed with an E11 Stormtrooper blaster. This DH-17 blaster is a nicer choice for the figure and is reflective of what the Troopers guarding the Detention Block where Leia was being held were carrying in A New Hope.
The blaster is cast in a deep grey and it holds a lot of sculpted detail from the intricate sights to individual rivets and fastenings. The barrel is painted in silver. The DH-17 fits into the Commanders right hand, with his trigger finger slotting into the trigger. When not in use it sits neatly into the holster.
Articulation is great on the Commander, being a non-armoured figure with little to impeded the joints. The head is ball jointed and can rotate and look up and down - with or without the helmet.
Arms are ball jointed shoulders that move fully out to the side at a right angle and also rotate over the head. The elbows are a 90 degree rotating joint and there is a swivel in the wrist.
There is no torso joint and I understand why as it would have ruined the flow of the tunic. Instead we get a rotating waist, hidden under the belt, and this allows the torso to be rotated - all the way round if you want. The hips are jointed and even under the small skirt of the tunic you can get the Commander to kneel or squat. The knees are double jointed and the ankles on a rocker - the Commander is one of the most stable figures I have had for a while - no floppy joints here.
While I appreciate the initial plan for this figure was accuracy to the original Kenner 12 releases - he is a worthy addition to the Black Series, and gives something different to the Imperials who have been dominated by armoured troopers since the line kicked off 4-years ago. Another huge plus is the Death Star Troopers recent appearance in Rogue One, and that allows these figures to go as much on a Rogue One shelf with Krennic as they are with the Original Trilogy Imperials.
When you consider the arrival of The Black Series Tarkin - these guys are going to be used for flanking him - making army building a plus too, particularly when they are put out on the standard box packaging. Will Hasbro consider an alternative head at this point? I doubt it, but it would be a nice nod to Army Builders. So would be throwing in a Mouse Droid (hope they are listening)...
I love the Death Squad Commander both from a nostalgia point of view, and also as a genuine release in his own right. I score him 4 out of 5..
