Search this site

Collectors of the McFarlane DC Multiverse figures will know that the McFarlane team are blocked, by Warner Brothers, from including any firearms in the set. That has led to some strange releases such as Red Hood without guns, or a Penguin without an umbrella gun. McFarlane have now confirmed a workaround for collectors with the release of the first McFarlane munitions accessory set. This is badged as outside the DC and Warner Bros. licenses, but of course, is scaled to work perfectly well with all 7-inch scaled figures. The set features 15 weapons in all ranging from handguns to assault rifles and a rocket launcher. It will retail in the US at $14.99 and will ship in July. At the moment it is listed only as a McFarlane Store exclusive. UK collectors, and those in other territories, will have to wait to see if the local distributor - in our case Bandai UK - is able to distribute the item. McFarlane Toys Store Online Exclusive. Includes 15 different weapons. This online exclusive accessory pack is compatible with 7in McFarlane Toys Figures. Featured in McFarlane Toys window box packaging. If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Thor left Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy - or was it the Asgardians of the Galaxy - and it is this journey with Star-Lord and the crew that will carry forward into 2022's Thor: Love & Thunder. This review is written ahead of the movie release and is done so only with the information to hand via the packaging of each figure and the teaser trailer from late April 2022. I will update these reviews once the film has been released. This review may contain minor spoilers but only in the context of any information provided on the package or visually on the figure. The Love & Thunder figures use the standard Legends box with no specific accent colour and rather a strong use of the blue through red scheme we see in the movie logo from the box front. The two side panels carry a mirror image of Groot and this is repeated again on the reverse. Beneath this is the checklist for the Korg BAF and to the side the background text that simply reads... "I AM GROOT" No spoilers there then... Teenage Groot stands just under 6-inch tall, putting him shorter than Star-Lord and Thor and this is accurate in terms of their onscreen heights when we last saw them in Endgame. I am not sure by way of the trailer if Groot has grown since as he appears taller in some of the scenes. Groot is cast in brown plastic throughout with the natural wood texturing built into each of the sculpted body parts. Sadly the paintwork does not bring out the beauty of the sculpt too well and all we get is some random application of green paint in places and only on the front of the figure. The depth of sculpting and the texture of the wood is screaming out for a simple dark brown wash to make Groot pop and take the figure to the next level? This doesn't feel like a big ask considering the cost of Groot and his very simplistic paint job is identical to that of the two Thor figures who include much more painted detail and use of the photo-real deco. I do love the head sculpt on Groot which captures his sulky, yet determined, teenage look so well including the dark black painted and yet very emotive eyes. The top of the head includes the green tinge we see on parts of the body, and this makes more sense as the top of the head features shoots that are sprouting up from the recessed section. Oddly, I also have a large blob of glue on my figure in this same location - a factory error leftover from when these shoots are glued into place. Teenage Grott is of course not a new figure and it uses the body from the figure released in 2018 for Avengers: Infinity War as originally packed in a set alongside Thor and Rocket. The head has been changed on this 2022 release and for the better compared to the older figure. The colouring of Groot overall has gone lighter and the green less obvious when applied. It will be interesting to see come July if indeed Groot has grown taller and if that is the case we do have another case of early release inaccuracy from Marvel - although in this case, Groot will still get away with being an improvement on the prior release for your Infinity War or Endgame display. This new version of Teenage Groot gets a better deal in terms of accessories, and while it doesn't feature the tablet Groot plays games on from the first release, he does not get a weapon. This is a larger rifle weapon similar to that touted by Rocket usually, but not the same as those previously released. It is very detailed in terms of the casting but left in its base grey plastic with no added details. The plastic itself is also very soft and bends and warps much easier than any other weapons we've seen recently with Legends or indeed other Hasbro properties. Groot features an alternative hand for the weapon allowing a trigger finger combination to grip the weapon correctly. These hands too are very soft and pliable. The HUGE win for me with this figure is the inclusion of alternative arm pieces. Despite having other Groot figures over the years, we've never seen this sort of representation of his powers and how his limbs can be stretched and extended. You have two alternatives available to you and these are designed to swap out at the elbows with the forearms and can be interchanged onto either hand. The first is a long vine-like twisted branch, complete with painted green leaves. The second represents a stretching of the hand and fingers into a twisted three sectional branch. Both of these pieces are cast in the same base colour as the figure with the same greenery paint over certain sections. Some of the promo images for Groot showed these parts also being inserted into the shoulder joint. I suspect this is an error as the shoulder joint is certainly not removable on my figure and when force is applied the joint starts to warp so I left well alone after that. These parts can be used on the previous Infinity War Groot, but there is a huge difference in paint finish so they will look a little off. Groot has just 14 points of articulation - this is a good deal less than standard but I can appreciate the choices made considering Groot has such a slim frame. His elbows and knees are single joints with a rotation therefore there is no real need for a bicep or thigh swivel that would have cut through the look of the figure. The head too is really mobile on the tall neck with the joint hidden away in the recess of the head. It is only really at the waist that motion feels sacrificed, The ball joint here only has a rotating motion and any forward or backward motion is blocked by the thin shape of the torso. While he may be lacking in the articulation count, we do get plenty of great poses out of Groot - either with his weapon that can be carried in one or both hands or with the added arm pieces. Groot, from the Thor: Love & Thunder wave, is a bit of a two-sided coin. While I love the updated head and the added accessories, there is part of me that knows this is a relatively simple tweaked re-release with limited paintwork that still costs me the same as the Thor or Valkyrie figures in the same wave. I appreciate releases like Groot then allow investment in the other figures, but there was an opportunity here to at least give Groot a paint wash to take him to the next level. I am also keen to see if Teenage Groot has grown taller by Love & Thunder in which case this release maybe another inaccurate 'early' release based on concepts and previews - but the saving grace is that Groot will still have great value for an Infinity War or Endgame display - particularly with his new weaponry! For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Marvel Legends Database If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports 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...

We are just over a week into NECA's Monster MAYhem event, and over the last few days, we have been furnished with a trio of teaser images for upcoming releases. The Ultimate Creep, from the 1982 Creep Show movie, is a figure we've seen teased back in 2021 but this is a newer image of the figure with the promise of more details shortly. The Toony Terror line will be getting some new additions from cult movie They Live, confirmed by this image of one of the aliens in suit and tie. And from Universal Monsters, we can look forward to a glow-in-the-dark Frankenstein. This image shows us Frankenstein in a faraday cage, but it's not clear if that is part of a bigger set or a custom diorama built to show off the figure. There are also other figures in the background including Wolfman and The Mummy and they too also appear to be coloured in a glow-in-the-dark finish. This does feel like a potential convention exclusive? If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

Super7 have announced another Ultimates 7-inch scale musical-themed action figure, this time in partnership with hip-hop outfit Czarface and their comic-inspired anti-hero who made his debut on the band's 2013 debut self-titled studio album, and who has gone on to feature on all their album covers since. Czarface will feature three different heads, including one with laser eyes. There will also then be the usual raft of hand options, interchangeable missiles, and a soft goods cape. The figure has the usual month-long pre-order window that runs to the 9th of June 2022, and the figure itself has a Spring 2023 release window. US collectors can order via Super7 directly, and International collectors through their usual stockist. Superhero? Supergroup? Super…what? On Earth as we know it, Czarface is a hip-hop juggernaut formed by Esoteric, 7L, Inspectah Deck, and artist Lamour Supreme. On Earth 808, in the war-torn streets of Czarlem specifically, Czarface is a champion to the righteous, menace to the corrupt, and a villain’s worst nightmare. Although Czarface has almost always chosen logic, reason, and language over sheer brutality, he has mastered 67 unarmed fighting systems, ranging from Krav Maga to strong style Puroresu and maintained a deadly grip on 34 weapon-based forms of combat. In crime-fighting and street justice, Czarface is considered a savant in both conflict de-escalation and lethal warfare techniques. Both incarnations of the chrome crusader strive for peace, justice, and equality. Accessories: 3x interchangeable heads 1x Regular head 1x Open mouth head 1x Laser eyes head 9x interchangeable hands 2x Expressive hands 2x Metal fist hands 1x Red fist hand 2x Gripping hands 2x Alternate translucent gripping hands 2x Interchangeable missiles 1x Single missile 1x Double missiles 1x Cape (soft goods) If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

Super7 have revealed an exclusive glow-in-the-dark variant of their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 7-inch Ultimates Foot Soldier figure. The release uses the sculpt and accessories from the 2020 Series 1 release - but with an updated blue outfit with glow-in-the-dark body and accessories. Those accessories include a large selection of alternative hands, pistol. rifle, knife, throwing stars, flail, and a grabber arm. The release is sold exclusively via Super7, but this includes international shipping options with UK collectors having to pay circa £65 for the figure and shipping - and most likely also getting hit with import tax on arrival. There is the usual pre-order window for the release that is open until the 6th of June, and the figure itself ships in Spring 2023. The Foot Soldiers are a glowing example of how the Clan puts its best foot forward! This Super7.com exclusive 7” scale Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ULTIMATES! Foot Soldier figure features a glow-in-the-dark body and comes with interchangeable hands and glow-in-the-dark weapons. Don’t drag your feet, this made-to-order glow-in-the-dark ULTIMATES! Foot Soldier figure will be a big step toward the Ninja Turtles collection of your dreams! Available for pre-order exclusively on Super7.com. Accessories: 10x interchangeable hands 1x Pistol 1x Rifle 1x Knife 2x Throwing stars 1x Flail weapon 1x Grabber arm If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

May the 8th saw this year's Star Wars Fan Fun Day, hosted this year in its new home at Ewood Park, Blackburn. The SWFFD has been running for several years now and is the North-Wests premier event for Star Wars fans combining signing guests, stalls, cosplay & props. While Warwick Davis and family, one of the headline guests for 2022, had to cancel due to filming commitments there were plenty of other Star Wars actors in attendance both at the 'Dinner with the Stars' event the evening prior and on the day. Spencer Wilding, a late addition, was in great form and it was great hearing some of his insights into Rogue One and his roles on other projects like Guardians of the Galaxy and Doctor Who. The Star Wars sequels were represented by Mark Lewis Jones and Amanda Lawrence, while the original trilogy stalwarts such as Dermot Crowley (General Madine), and Greedo (Paul Blake). With Greedo merchandise on the stalls in short supply as fans looked to source merchandise for Paul to sign - not an issue for Sean Crawford (Yakface) who had brought a number of his action figures with him ready to sign. I also thought the printed Kenner card back inspired sheets the SWFFD team had created for use with the guests were inspired. Hunter Toys and Collectors Den were the main stalls for new action figures, while traders such as DNA Toys, Corvus Moon, and Jawa Unique Toys brought a wider range of merchandise including plenty of Vintage figures. I did my usual and procrastinated too long over grabbing the new Omega Black Series figure from Collectors Den - especially when the wife kindly agreed to grab it for me as a gift - alas they had all sold when we got back. A shout out also to the brilliant Cherry Sheriff Art who had a stall full of Dave Kennedy's fantastic artwork - please check him out if you want something quite unique for your collection. I have a few of Dave's pieces already and was sorely tempted by his new Boba Fett prints but I do need to finish the office/display room before knowing how much space I have for artwork. My highlight at any event like SWFFD is the cosplayers. I am in awe of the detail and time put into their costumes and how friendly and happy they all are to pose for photos - a selection of which I have shared below. Thank you to my very better half who comes along to these events and does the photography to such a great standard - check out her Facebook page Jo Holmes Photography for more. We asked permission for all photos on the day. Please get in touch if you want a copy or want the photo removing for any reason. The key groups in attendance were the 501st UK Garrison, 99th Garrison, and the 5th Legion. The 99th Garrison brought with them the 'Shoot the Trooper' attraction allowing you to pick off several Troopers - and a Wampa - with Nerf guns. I apologise, on behalf of my son, to the Death Star Gunner who was hit with a couple of dead-on head-shots. While I loved all of the cosplayers, my favouites included the very relevant Tusken Raider Warrior from Book of Boba Fett, the Salacious Crumb puppet, the Shore Trooper. the Ewok, and the insanely brilliant unmasked Darth Vader (sadly we didn't get a picture of this last one). Well done to Neil and the team for another well-run event, and for moving it even closer to where I live. We look forward to next year's event. If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

Hasbro's Star Wars Day 'May the 4th' live stream saw the team show off 5 new figures for the Star Wars Black Series as well as two new role-play items - the first product from the upcoming Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series. While the reveals were perhaps not as extensive as some may have wanted - it is worth noting, as the team did at the start of the live stream, that Hasbro are attending Star Wars Celebration at the end of the month with a panel planned for the 27th of May. This is the same day Obi-Wan debuts its first two episodes. Some products will certainly have been held back for this event. The first reveals were a trio of figures initially announced as pipeline news. The trio of Princess Leia, Security Droid, and Figrin D'an are all general releases planned for Spring 2023 and are Wave 8 of the Galaxy Collection, there are four other figures in the wave - one of which is likely to be the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi figure, the Wandering Jedi. This new wave is priced at £23.99 as the prices continue to rise. The Return of the Jedi Princess Leia will be as seen in the Ewok Village during the Endor scenes. She comes with a blaster, and Hasbro have also taken some inspiration from the Forces of Destiny shorts and included an Ewok Spear as a 2nd accessory. Leia is joined by the Republic Security Guard as seen in Season 1 of The Mandalorian. And by Figrin D'an of the Model Nodes from A New Hope - and also as seen recently in the Book of Boba Fett. Figrin D'an will include three different flute accessories so is sort of an army builder allowing you to build the Model Nodes as a band with multiple purchases. And what of the other instruments for the Model Nodes I hear you ask? Well, Hasbro have that covered with the Deluxe release of Nanan Cheel who will come with the larger Model Nodes instruments including the bandfill and the drumkit and seat. Nanan Cheel is a Hasbro Pulse exclusive and will ship in Autumn 2022. The price on this Deluxe is an eye-watering £47.99 here in the UK vs just $38.99 (£31.59) in the US. The final reveal is another from The Clone Wars, and a new Phase 2 Clone Trooper - this time from the 187th Battalion, as commanded by Mace Windu. The release is a Walgreens US exclusive, sold by Gamestop in Canada, and available via the Fan Channel in the UK and other territories. He is an Autumn 2022 release. The Black Series Roleplay line will be the first to feature products from the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi with a new Darth Vader roleplay electronic helmet and an Obi-Wan Kenobi lightsaber. Both pieces are Spring 2023 releases. And assuming the packaging is consistent we now the Obi-Wan Kenobi series of the Galaxy Collection will use a blue highlight colour. We ended the live stream with two more pipeline reveals, both from The Mandalorian. At some point in 2023 we can look forward to the HK-87 Assassin Droid and the Season 2 finale Luke Skywalker. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH PRINCESS LEIA (EWOK VILLAGE) FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £23.99/Available: Spring 2023) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH PRINCESS LEIA (EWOK VILLAGE)figure, inspired by the character in STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI movie. After a battle with Imperial scout troopers, Leia encountered a strange, furry being – an Ewok. He took her to his village where she would remain until she and Han led a ground assault on an Imperial shield generator. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring poseable head, arms, and legs, as well as premium deco, in their collection. This STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figure comes with 2 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH FIGRIN D’AN FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £23.99/Available: Spring 2023) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this premium THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH FIGRIN D’AN figure, inspired by the character in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE movie. Figrin D’an was the rocking frontman for the all-Bith band “The Modal Nodes.” His deft playing of the Kloo Horn for the band earned him the nickname “Fiery” Figrin. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring poseable head, arms, and legs, as well as premium deco, in their collection. This STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figure comes with 3 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH NEW REPUBLIC SECURITY DROID FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £23.99/Available: Spring 2023) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this premium THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH NEW REPUBLIC SECURITY DROID figure, inspired by the character in STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN series. The New Republic used these security droids for protection and combat, including aboard high-security correctional transports like the one the Mandalorian boarded in an effort to rescue the prisoner Qin. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring poseable head, arms, and legs, as well as premium deco, in their collection. This STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figure comes with 1 entertainment-inspired accessory. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH NALAN CHEEL FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £47.99/Available: Autumn 2022) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH NALAN CHEEL figure, inspired by the character in STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE movie. Members of “The Modal Nodes,” like Nalan Cheel on the Bandfill, played their recognizable tunes in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring poseable head, arms, and legs, as well as premium deco, in their collection. This STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figure comes with 5 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST exclusively at Hasbro Pulse UK. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH CLONE TROOPER (187TH BATTALION) FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £29.99/Available: Fall 2022) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS Galaxy with this premium THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH CLONE TROOPER (187TH BATTALION)figure, inspired by the character in STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. Far superior to battle droids, clone troopers formed the backbone of the Republic's new military that waged war against the forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure featuring poseable head, arms, and legs, as well as premium deco, in their collection. This STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figure comes with 1 detachable entertainment-inspired accessory. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH VADER PREMIUM ELECTRONIC HELMET (HASBRO/Ages 14 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £131.99 /Available: Spring 2023) Fans and collectors can imagine what it was like for Darth Vader to suit up for galactic action and experience the biggest battles and missions in the STAR WARS saga with the premium roleplay item STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES DARTH VADER PREMIUM ELECTRONIC HELMET. This roleplay item features premium deco, realistic detail, and a STAR WARS: OBI-WAN KENOBI series-inspired design. It also includes iconic ventilation sounds, an updated sculpt, and magnetic multi-piece assembly. This full-scale Darth Vader helmet also comes with a stand for maximum display possibilities. Includes helmet, instructions, and stand. Requires 2 1.5V AAA batteries, not included. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES OBI-WAN KENOBI FORCE FX ELITE LIGHTSABER (HASBRO/Age 14 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £275.99/Available: Spring 2023) Combining advanced LEDs and entertainment-inspired lightsaber sound effects, the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES FX ELITE LIGHTSABERS are the most realistic Force FX Lightsabers yet. The real metal hilt features design and deco based on OBI-WAN KENOBI’s iconic Lightsaber featured in the STAR WARS: OBI-WAN KENOBI series. Use the switch and button on the hilt to activate entertainment-inspired sound effects, progressive ignition, battle clash effect, duel effect, and battle sequence mode. Fans and collectors can proudly display this lightsaber on the included stand, with or without the removable blade, and show off the included display emitter. Requires 3 1.5V AA batteries, not included. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

Star Wars Day 2022 had one last surprise for us when Ewan McGregor was interviewed on the Jimmy Kimmel show (guest hosted by Mike Birbiglia) and revealed the first action figure from his upcoming Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series. The press release soon followed and confirmed this Obi-Wan Kenobi release was subtitled as 'Wandering Jedi' and it would open for pre-orders as of the 11th of May 2022 and ship at some point in Spring 2023. Obi-Wan is likely to be part of Wave 8 of the Galaxy Collection alongside Princess Leia Ewok Village, Figrin D'an and the New Republic Security Droid. There are then three other slots in the wave to be revealed - and its a safe bet that some if not all are also from Obi-Wan Kenobi. The promo shots show Obi-Wan with a lightsaber, while the promo blurb says three accessories are included. The one boxed figure shown by Ewan also has a blaster in the pack as well as an empty space top right - which we assume is a spoiler at this point. STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES OBI-WAN KENOBI (WANDERING JEDI) FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $24.99 /Available: Spring 2023) STAR WARS fans and collectors can imagine scenes from the STAR WARS galaxy with this premium THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH OBI-WAN KENOBI (WANDERING JEDI) figure, inspired by the character in the STAR WARS: OBI-WAN KENOBI series. Obi-Wan Kenobi is set years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where Kenobi faced the corruption of his friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned Sith Lord Darth Vader. It also features the great articulation we have come to expect from Black Series, including the butterfly joints which allow more dynamic posing and articulation. Fans and collectors can display this fully articulated figure, featuring premium deco and poseable head, arms, and legs, in their collection. This STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figure also comes with 3 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/11 at 1:00 PM ET at most major retailers, including Hasbro Pulse. Starwars.com also announced a program of further reveals they are calling Obi-Wan Wednesdays which will see products from the show unveiled via the website and this starts fully on the 25th of May 2022 which is 2-days before the show launches and also 2-days before Hasbro's Star Wars Celebration presentation which we are guessing may include further Obi-Wan releases? You can see the new Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer and a clip of the Jimmy Kimmel interview in the videos below. If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Lucasfilm in 2021, a number of Black Series figures were released by Hasbro on special packaging that paid homage to previous Star Wars figures and releases. One such wave was the Clone Wars wave, and this brought us four figures based on The Clone Wars series and packed onto the Clone Trooper Phase 1 helmet cards as seen in 2008 and part of the 3.75-inch line of figures. Anakin Skywalker, in his Jedi General gear from the show, was one of the four releases and arrived in the Summer of 2021 on the Lucasfilm retro celebratory card. As a 6-inch figure, the cardbacks are larger than they were in 2008 but retained the same shape and styling of the Clone Trooper helmet and inserted the character art and details inside the circular bubble so they run around the packaging just under the figure itself. The rear of the card is turned over mainly to the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary timeline that features on all these badged releases, and the 50th Anniversary logo can be found centrally on the rear of the card as well as to the side of the window on the card front. Anakin utilises the legs and feet from the previously released Revenge of the Sith Anakin and the tweaked Attack of the Clones version. Everything else is new and includes a slightly slimmer profile for Anakin overall. The upper shoulder armour sits on top of a blue/grey tunic and beneath this some darker red robes. The right-hand sports a wrapped long sleeve glove as this is Anakin after his first Dooku encounter, while the left arm is also gloved it is a much simpler design. Anakin's body is pretty much cast in its base colour with limited paintwork applied throughout. We do get a brown painted belt with a couple of gold highlights, while the brown straps on the right glove are painted over the base black plastic - and this finish is not brilliant with the sandy brown smearing into the black of the glove. The final area of decor is on the left of the two rubbery hinged shoulder pauldrons, with a Republic logo decal in burgundy. There is a small piece of soft goods used to finish off the outfit, stitched in as a red underskirt to the blue robes. This does the job well from a look's perspective, but also still allows a wider range of leg articulation vs a full rubberised skirt piece. The head sculpt for Anakin is new and is modeled around his Clone Wars appearance, but realised in a real-world setting with the likeness of Hayden Christiansen. The sculpt is a passing likeness rather than being absolutely nailed-on, but the face print tech around the dark ringed eyes and the scar on the side of the face does enhance the look. The hair is a wilder finish halfway between the short Padawan locks from Attack and the wilder hair seen in Revenge of the Sith. It is part of the head sculpt and is then painted which does mean there are some minor bleeds of paint onto the skin tone around the front, and some unpainted hair sculpt left as a flesh tone around the sides and the ears Anakin comes with a single accessory, his lightsaber, and this too is carried over from the Revenge of the Sith release and has been used numerous other times as Luke's original lightsaber. The hilt is silver with black painted fins, a gold switch, and red controls. It features a short peg near the emitter that can slot into a small hole on Anakin's belt to allow it to be holstered when not in use. The blade is a translucent blue piece that has a good connection with the saber hilt and clicks into place. The end of the blade where the connection is made remains quite slim and will start showing signs of stress after just a couple of changes. The lightsaber fits into either hand, and there is sufficient articulation for two-handed posing. For some reason, both of Anakin's hands do still feature a trigger finger and are obviously designed to hold a blaster rather than a lightsaber. While it is not as noticeable as some figures, the trigger finger does stll look a little out of place sticking up and out from the saber. I would try a bit of heat (hot water) and push it back into place if it bothers you. Jedi General Anakin has 19 points of articulation and benefits from the new upper torso which features butterfly shoulder joints to aid those two-handed lightsaber positions and a dual jointed neck which means we do away with the visible pivot in the neck that the older Anakin figures suffered terribly with. The lower legs are carried in from an older form figure circa 2014 and while they do benefit from double-jointed legs - with visible pins - they also bring with them the terribly weak and un-ratcheted ankles from the other two Anakin figures. Weak ankles are about the worse joint I can get on a figure as it destabilises a lot of stances, and Anakin certainly suffers with his ankles and is prone to falling forward from most poses after a short period of time. He is certainly a figure that needs some work doing to tighten the joint (if you wish to go down that route at your own risk) or a stand - and a waist grip stand at that as a pegged foot stand will still struggle to hold the General in place. After 9-years of the Black Series, this is only our 3rd Anakin Skywalker figure and it's probably about the best of the bunch so far on articulation, even with the weak ankles that all three releases seem to share to a degree. The sculpt and paint are adequate with only a couple of patches of rough paint application, and the team had done a good translation from animated drawn character to put Anakin solidly in a real-world aesthetic. The Clone Wars look is quite unique for Anakin so it is a solid choice for release, and of course, it fits perfectly with the desire to do the iconic packaging. Fans of the retro cards will be delighted, although there is some debate as to whether Anakin - and indeed Obi-Wan and the Clones from the wave - should have got a repack into the wider Galaxy Collection packaging for those invested in collecting that line boxed. For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Star Wars Database If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports 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...

The Hasbro Star Wars 'May the 4th' live stream brought us details of a number of new Vintage Collection releases for the 3.75-inch collectors. It started with the next in the Army Building boxsets, confirmed as being a set of Phase 1 Clone Troopers from Attack of the Clones. The set includes 3 troopers and a blue marked Lieutenant as well as a selection of weaponry. The set is a Hasbro Pulse Exclusive and will be released in the Winter of 2022. Coming as general releases in Spring 2023 are the Vintage Collection figures of Anakin Skywalker as a Padawan, the Mandalorian Super Commando, and the 332nd 'Ahsoka's' Clone Trooper. There are then two Gaming Greats exclusive planned as Autumn 2022 releases. Both are Imperial Troopers with a Stormtrooper Commander from The Force Unleashed and a Heavy Assault Stormtrooper from Jedi: Fallen Order. These are both shared Fan Channel Exclusives. The only other 3.75-inch reveal was in the Retro series where six of the original Retro figures will be repacked as a box-set paying homage to the original Early Bird program and the first boxed figures sent out in 1978. The set includes individually carded figures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, and Chewbacca inside the outer box. This set will be sold first at Disneyland Resort in the US, with a further offering via Hasbro Pulse and Shop Disney. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH 332ND AHSOKA’S CLONE TROOPER FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £16.99/Available: Spring 2023) STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH scale classic figures and vehicles feature original vintage-inspired packaging and Kenner branding. This STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH 332ND AHSOKA’S CLONE TROOPER figure is inspired by the character in STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. Clone troopers represented the future of galactic warfare and formed the backbone of the Republic's new military. Highly poseable with realistic detail, this 3.75-inch-scale figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure and 3 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH ANAKIN SKYWALKER (PADAWAN) FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £16.99/Available: Winter 2022) STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH scale classic figures and vehicles feature original vintage-inspired packaging and Kenner branding. This STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH ANAKIN SKYWALKER (PADAWAN) figure is inspired by the character in STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES movie. Anakin Skywalker had the potential to become one of the most powerful Jedi ever, and was believed by some to be the prophesied Chosen One who would bring balance to the Force. Highly poseable with realistic detail, this 3.75-inch-scale figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure comes with 4 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH MANDALORIAN SUPER COMMANDO FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £16.99/Available: Winter 2022) STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH scale classic figures and vehicles feature original vintage-inspired packaging and Kenner branding. This STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH MANDALORIAN SUPER COMMANDO figure is inspired by the character in STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. A coup topples the pacifist regime of the New Mandalorians led by Maul. His loyal Mandalorians modify their armor to reflect their allegiance as they wear red and black armor, and some even fashion horns atop their helmets. Highly poseable with realistic detail, this 3.75-inch-scale figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure comes with 4 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH PHASE I CLONE TROOPER 4-PACK (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £52.99/Available: Winter 2022) STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH scale classic figures and vehicles feature original vintage-inspired packaging and Kenner branding. This STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH PHASE I CLONE TROOPER 4-PACK is inspired by the characters in STAR WARS entertainment. So symbolic were they of the times, the galaxy-wide conflict that saw their debut took its name from their ranks: the Clone Wars. Highly poseable with realistic detail, these 3.75-inch-scale figures can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes 4 Phase I Clone Trooper figures including 1 lieutenant and 6 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST exclusively at Hasbro Pulse UK. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GAMING GREATS HEAVY ASSAULT STORMTROOPER FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £16.99/Available: Autumn 2022) STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH scale classic figures and vehicles feature original vintage-inspired packaging and Kenner branding. This STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GAMING GREATS HEAVY ASSAULT STORMTROOPER figure is inspired by the character in the STAR WARS JEDI: FALLEN ORDER video game. The game tells an original story about Cal Kestis, a Padawan who survived the events of the STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH movie. Highly poseable with realistic detail, this 3.75-inch-scale figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure and 3 detachable entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GAMING GREATS STORMTROOPER COMMANDER FIGURE (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £16.99/Available: Autumn 2022) STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH scale classic figures and vehicles feature original vintage-inspired packaging and Kenner branding. This STAR WARS: THE VINTAGE COLLECTION 3.75-INCH GAMING GREATS STORMTROOPER COMMANDER figure is inspired by the character in the STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED video game. The game follows Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, trained to hunt down Jedi, while Stormtrooper Commanders lead Imperial troops into battle. Highly poseable with realistic detail, this 3.75-inch-scale figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. Includes figure and 2 detachable entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order 5/5 at 6pm BST at Hasbro Pulse UK and all good collector sites. STAR WARS:RETRO COLLECTION STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE COLLECTIBLE MULTIPACK (HASBRO/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: £109.99/Available: Spring 2022) Inspired by the original 1970s Kenner STAR WARS action figures, this STAR WARS: RETRO COLLECTION STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE COLLECTIBLE MULTIPACK is inspired by the characters in the classic movie, STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE. The multipack features 3.75-inch-scale Retro Collection figures from iconic Star Wars characters like a Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and Han Solo. Fans and collectors can display these figures, with five points of articulation, in their action figure and vehicle collection. Includes 6 figures and 6 entertainment-inspired accessories. Available for pre-order on Hasbro Pulse UK on 26/5. If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

The next figure in Diamond Select's Star Wars line will be Chewbacca and like the previous figures of Darth Maul, Boba Fett, and the Stormtrooper, Chewie will be sold exclusively at Shop Disney. Chewbacca will feature two bandoleers, his bowcaster, and a blaster rifle - allowing you to pose him as a Classic Chewbacca from either the Original Trilogy or the Sequels, or as we find him on Vandor-1 in the Solo movie. He goes immediately into stock and will set you back £26.95 This all-new 8-inch action figure of Chewbacca features 16 points of articulation and authentic movie details. It includes two different bandoliers, the one he wears in the original Star Wars Trilogy and the one from Solo: A Star Wars Story. He also includes two weapons, his famous bowcaster and the blaster he used on Vandor-1! If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports About Me : As a child of the '70s and '80s 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 licenses - 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...

The medal ceremony on Yavin, as seen at the end of A New Hope, is one of the most iconic scenes of the Star Wars saga and over the years we have seen a number of action figures recreating the presentation of the medals and that ending shot of our hereos lined up after defeating the Empire and the first Deathstar. We have already got the Luke Skywalker Yavin Ceremony figure in the Black Series as he was released in 2019. We can now add Princess Leia to that set with this 2022 Galaxy Collection release. Leia in her Yavin Ceremony robes was first released on a POTF2 card back as a Hasbro Pulse exclusive. She then went on to be repacked as the launch figure for the Galaxy Collection A New Hope Series, numbered as 01 and then followed by both Pondo Baba and Dr. Evazan from the same wave. A New Hope has been given an orange colour scheme and this is used on the border that spans three sides of the box and as the accent colour to the Leia artwork on the angled side panel. This artwork has Leia in her ceremony dress and with the Yavin Ceremony backdrop including individual characters in the backdrop such as C-3PO and General Dodonna. As is the usual format, the rear of the box carries a short piece of text to add context to the character, but not necessarily the Yavin Ceremony or her role within it. "Princess Leia Organa was one of the greatest leaders of the Rebel Alliance, fearless on the battlefield and dedicated to ending the Empire's tyrany" I initially expected the Yavin Ceremony Leia to borrow heavily from the A New Hope release Leia, particularly the arms and legs. In actual fact, the arms are new as far as I can tell, and only the upper legs and waist are direct re-uses. The lower legs look new replacing the boots from the first Leia figure with the dress shoes she wears on Yavin. Arms and legs are cast in a base skin tone with the shoes then painted in silver. The torso features a sculpted top to her dress as well as her necklace. This piece is a white base cast with the skin tone painted and then the necklace picked out in silver over the top. The remaining elements of the outfit are then executed in soft goods. There is a silver belt piece around her waist from which the tailored skirt piece flows. This is a similar material to the earlier A New Hope Leia and while it hangs well enough, it doesn't flow like a real garment and it also comes creased from the way it is packed into the box. The upper soft goods are a lighter almost mesh-like material that are wrapped around the upper arms and flow in two pieces down the rear of the figure. Like the skirt, these hang quite straight and there is a little bit of patience needed to have these flowing where you want them. The Leia head sculpt is new, and is a very good likeness to Carrie Fisher and on par with the Empire Strikes Back versions from a few years ago. The photo-real face print adds the final touches in terms of details and goes into more details than perhaps previous Leia figures by recreating the make-up she would be wearing in this scene with a redder blush to her cheeks and darker lining around her eyes. The hairpiece is in two parts, the first piece sculpted as part of the head and potentially a head sculpt ripe for future re-use, although it doesn't seem to be the same as the one used on the upcoming Comics Princess Leia which would be from a similar point in the timeline. Onto this is plugged the larger ornately plaited bun with a single braid that comes down her back and reaches her waist. There is a single brown tone across both hair sections with no added wash or paint apps. There is a single accessory included with Leia, that of the Yavin Ceremony medal. This is the same piece as used with Yavin Luke back in 2019 cast in a softer plastic and shaped at the end to sit around Luke's neck and then drape naturally onto his chest. It is cast in a beige base colour and then has the medal itself painted in gold with the basic shaping of the medal visible in the sculpt on the face of it. This is not something Leia wears herself, although she can if you want to go down that route, but instead, the medal fits into her hands in a presentation pose. I would have liked the medal to sit flat for these poses not bend unnaturally outward as you see in the central image below. I am trying a little heat treatment to see if this will flatten out over time. I can't quite fathom why, but Hasbro have still given Leia a right trigger hand so she can wield any smaller blasters you may have knocking around. I assumed this was because it had been taken off another figure, but it looks much slimmer than the hand used on A New Hope Leia or her Bespin Escape release? While there will be little need for this Leia to do any extensive dynamic action poses she is articulated pretty well under those robes with 16 points of articulation including - courtesy of the early Leia figure - double-jointed knees. The arms are pinless and a single elbow joint and move sufficiently for medal presentation or in more serene stances with her hands clasped for example. Despite the petit feet and slight heels, Leia stands very well once posed although the ankle rockers may take a bit of work to tease into a flat foot position and you need to engage the waist and hip joints to align with the ankles so Leia doesn't appear to be leaning forward. Princess Leia Organa, as seen in the Yavin Ceremony, is a perfectly good Black Series release with a great head sculpt, good articulation and a scene appropriate accessory. Soft goods continue to divide opinion, but they are probably the right choice here and are certainly much improved on earlier examples with the dress acting more or less naturally if not without the folds you would expect. We do now need a Yavin Ceremony Han Solo to complete the set as like Luke before her, she is a figure that needs to work as a larger group otherwise it's difficult to find a place for her on display. I now have Luke and Leia posed as we see below and I can add in Han if and when he gets a release. Don't forget to check out the Star Wars figure lineup at Zavvi if you want to add Princess Leia Yavin, or any others, to your collection. For more News, Reviews and a Checklist of Releases - visit our Star Wars Database If you are reading this via a 3rd party website that is importing our newsfeed, please come and visit us directly and give us a follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube. Check out our direct news feed for more action figure news, reviews, and store reports 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...