Bix Caleen is the 5th Black Series figure in the brand-new Andor series of the Star Wars Galaxy Collection. She follows on from four exclusive figures of Andor from Aldhani, two Imperial Officers, and a Shore Trooper - and she is part of Wave 10 of the Galaxy Collection, released in the Spring of 2023.
Wave 10 is the first full wave in the new plastic-free packaging which means the figure is depicted by an image on the front of the box and via a left-hand spine which shows the figure in a neutral stance as well as confirming the contents.
Bix is a new sculpt and is based on her appearance in the first half of the Andor Disney+ series. The head sculpt is a good likeness to Adria Arjona, with a photo-real decor application enhancing the sculpt. The hair too is a good match with its intricate braiding as well as loose bangs across the fringe. The outfit is an outer sleeve of brown plastic placed over the torso and again over the waist and out into a long skirt section. Beneath this is a base female body which opens up the options for re-use in the future with other characters.
The decor is basic in the main, using a flat colour pallet and no obvious use of washes or weathering effects to enhance the details sculpted into the clothing. There are elements of finer detail with the belt buckle picked out in silver, as are the non-removable tools on her belt. A small badge in crisp black and white sits on her left lapel, partially hidden by the hair - again this is screen accurate.
Articulation is standard for the Black Series with single-joint elbows, knees and rocker ankles. The head is on a swivel joint and jointed again at the base of the neck - this does present as a gap if the neck and head are tilted too far back. A ball-jointed waist sits under the overcoat robes and this adds some much need torso articulation while remaining practically invisible once the figure is posed. The skirt piece limits leg movement, but the ankle rockers do the job in terms of posing Bix and are sturdy enough, with the feet potentially a little oversized to aid in balancing the figure.
There is a single accessory with Bix, the scanner/tablet device we see her using in the earlier episodes. This is cast in quite a bright yellow/orange plastic with a black painted handle and a rather flat green sticker that is meant to be a screen. There is, however, quite a clever design to this device with a removable section that slides out of the base of the device. This has a longer strap piece attached and painted beige that does not appear to have any other purpose. Like many Black Series accessories, the piece would have benefitted from more paint apps to give it a more accurate screen look.
I am impressed with the depth of the Black Series figures from Andor considering the range of characters we meet vs what usually makes it to figure form. Bix Caleen is a great-looking character to round out the Disney+ shelves and is a welcome distraction from the endless Mandalorians we seem to have had from across the two series that have preceded Andor (obviously that is a little unfair but secondary/tertiary characters have been limited for The Mandalorian and Book of Boba Fett). The new packaging will do some damage for Hasbro in terms of the reception it has had from both in-box collectors, and general collectors who can no longer see paint apps in advance or indeed confirm the contents are exactly what they should be. It will take some time for this to become the norm, but for now, I wouldn't let that stop you from adding the likes of Bix Caleen to your display or indeed the other Andor figures from Wave 10 and 11 including Luthen, Mon Mothma, and Vel Sertha.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...