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NECA have announced their Pennywise figure from IT Chapter 2 (2019). The new figure has a brand new body to reflect the Chapter 2 look. He will come with four head options, swap out hands and of course, the red balloon. The figure was scheduled for a March 2020 release. It is now due June 2020 (update) IT Chapter 2 - 7" Scale Action Figure - Ultimate Pennywise (2019) From the newly released IT: Chapter Two, the nightmarish clown returns! It’s been 27 years and the Losers Club must find a way to defeat it once and for all. Based on Bill Skarsgård’s portrayal of the shape-shifting creature, this 7" scale figure features an all-new body to showcase #Pennywise’s costume change in the second movie. To recreate the most terrifying scenes from the film, the fully articulated figure has four interchangeable heads, plus interchangeable hands and red balloon. Comes in collector-friendly deluxe window box packaging with opening flap. Shipping Date: Early March 2020

NECA have released images of the boxed packaging for their Ultimate IT Chapter 2 Pennywise. The figure features four head options, swap out hands and his balloon. The body is adjusted for the Chapter 2 look. The figure was scheduled for a March 2020 release, it will now start shipping in June 2020. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, IT, pennywise, neca, ultimate

Review : Xenomorph (Alien Isolation) NECA, Alien Series Wave/Series : Series 6 Released : January 2016 Price : £19.99 Alien Xenomorphs are always a big draw in any release wave, and it seems so far that the demand for this Isolation version of the Alien is outstripping the other two figures - army building being another contributing factor. I therefore would assume this Xeno will be one of those figures that has a very fast rise of price on the secondary market, so if you are reading this around the time of release (Jan 2016) and aren't sure what to do - then have a read, and if you like what you see I would go and pick this figure up ASAP before it vanishes from sale. The Isolation Xeno arrives in the same sized blister pack as the two Amanda Ripley figures, with the Alien Isolation logo header card and name insert. The image of the figure fills a good proportion of the back card along with the paragraph of text that positions the plot of Isolation. Out of the pack, and the position of the Alien is reminiscent of that scene in Aliens when the Xeno's unfurl and unfold themselves from a foetal position. Once out of the box the figure does something similar as you extend the tail and stretch the legs and arms. One of the rear tubes/spikes is packed separately in the box and has to be slotted into position. This piece has always been supplied fitted on previous Xeno's but often falls out - so I guess packing it intentionally as an accessory stops customers thinking the figure is broken? In the simplest of terms, the Isolation Xeno was designed to cross the gap between the 1979 Big Chap and the 1986 Warriors. The head and dome is very much a Big Chap head, where as the rest of the body - particularly the legs - are from the Warrior figure. There are more detailed changes than this, with the extrusions on the Warrior's arms removed, and with some spikes added to the elbow and knee joints on the Isolation Xeno. As with any NECA Xenomorph, the sculpt is immense with all kinds of gruesome detail from the feet all the way to the head. The head is always the crowning glory, and on the Isolation Xeno this is absolutely the case with it's milky white transparent dome which is much better visually than the original NECA Big Chap. Paint wise the Xeno is quite basic in terms of a dark black base colour, and a glossy wash / finish added to both bring out the sculpted detail of the exo-skeleton, but also to add that wet greasy look we see in any of the films. Articulation is good, but in a way is starting to feel dated. Starting at the head, and the Isolation Xeno retains the articulated jaw and the moveable inner jaw which although fiddly to get hold of can be pulled out from the jaw. The head is on a ball joint and can move pretty well to either side. Arms are on ball jointed shoulders, and being quite thin that gives them an almost full range of movement both up and down and out to the side. Elbows are then jointed and the wrists can rotate. Legs are a bit more clunky, with that slightly off hip joint we have seen on Xeno's since series 1. This means the legs don't so much bend but rotate out or in to expand or withdraw the stance. The knees are double jointed, but are quite "weak" in terms of holding the weight of the upper body which is much bulkier than the legs can perhaps support. The tail remains the rubber design over a bendable wire piece and can be positioned almost anywhere around the body. This gives a good variety of poses for the figure, but physics do kick in sadly and any pose other than the tail resting on the floor as a support simply see the figure overbalancing and falling over. NECA have obviously recognised this stability issue with the Xeno model and like the Dog Alien have included a clear stand with the Isolation Xeno. This stand is well enough designed but is perhaps a tad too short to be able to support the tail area and keep him upright, I would have also liked to maybe have seen a joint in the clasp so it can be tilted. All in all I like the design of this new Xeno and it will fit neatly into the Hive display as a whole. Stability continues to be a hurdle that NECA still haven't satisfactorily fixed although each release gets better and the stand is a welcome alternative to a crouching position. I score the Isolation Xenomorph a 4 out of 5. Buy from Amazon UK Buy from Amazon US

NECA revealed their first 7 inch scale Back to the Future figures at New York Toy Fair 2020. NECA have now release promotional images and details for the first lot of figures, with three planned across August and September 2020. Marty McFly from the sequel, Back to the Future Part 2, will come with two head options. He will also be packed with his hoverboard and some soda. Part 2 Marty McFly will be an Ultimate release, sold in a box format with opening front flap to reveal the figure below. He will be released in September 2020. Figures of Marty McFly and Biff Tannen from the first move are also in the works. I've started to track these new releases on our brand new (work in progress) NECA Action Figure Database - just select Back to the Future from the drop-down. “Your kids, Marty. Something’s got to be done about your kids!” Travelling from 1985 to 2015 to preserve his future once again is the Ultimate Marty McFly from Back to the Future Part 2! Standing approximately 7″ tall, the Ultimate Marty McFly is wearing the auto-adjusting jacket and self-lacing sneakers, and includes multiple heads and hands, with future soda and hoverboard accessories! Window box packaging. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, neca, back to the future, time machine, delorean

NECA revealed their first 7 inch scale Back to the Future figures at New York Toy Fair 2020. NECA have now release promotional images and details for the first lot of figures, with three planned across August and September 2020. The Biff Tannen figure is based on his Enchantment Under The Sea Dance outfit. He comes with two head options, as well as his Almanac and case from the sequel, Back to the Future 2. Biff will be an Ultimate release, sold in a box format with opening front flap to reveal the figure below. He will be released in September 2020. Figures of Marty McFly from the same movie and a Marty McFly from Back to the Future II are also in the works. I've started to track these new releases on our brand new (work in progress) NECA Action Figure Database - just select Back to the Future from the drop-down. “So why don’t you make like a tree and get outta here?” The tough but not too bright antagonist of the Back to the Future franchise, Biff Tannen, bullies his way to the NECA Ultimate line! Dressed in his Enchantment Under the Sea Dance outfit, Ultimate Biff features the licensed likeness of Tom Wilson and comes with interchangeable heads, hands, the Gray’s Sports Almanac and Case from Part 2! Window box packaging. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, neca, back to the future, time machine, delorean

NECA revealed their first 7 inch scale Back to the Future figures at New York Toy Fair 2020. NECA have now release promotional images and details for the first lot of figures, with three planned across August and September 2020. The Ultimate Marty McFly, from the first movie, comes with two head options. He is packed with his guitar, skateboard, backpack and video camera. He will be an Ultimate release, sold in a box format with opening front flap to reveal the figure below. Marty will be an August 2020 release. Figures of Biff Tannen from the same movie and a Marty McFly from Back to the Future II are also in the works. I've started to track these new releases on our brand new (work in progress) NECA Action Figure Database - just select Back to the Future from the drop-down. It’s time to hop in the time machine and go back to 1985! NECA is thrilled to present the Ultimate Marty McFly from Back To The Future featuring the official licensed likeness of Michael J. Fox. Sporting his signature vest and denim jacket, Marty is ready to meet Doc Brown at the Twin Pines Mall parking lot with camcorder, backpack, and skateboard in hand. Marty also comes with an alternate sunglasses head and a guitar, primed to blow out the giant speaker in Doc’s lab from the movie’s opening scene. Window box packaging. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, neca, back to the future, time machine, delorean

NECA have confirmed their Back to the Future line will include more than the figures we saw at New York Toy Fair in February 2020. As a build on their Toony Terrors line, NECA will release Toony Classics for Back to the Future. This three figure Series will include Marty with hoverboard and guitar, Biff Tannen with alternative head and Doc Brown who comes with glasses, remote control and Einstein the Dog. Like Toony Terrors, these are 6 inch high and will be released on a blister card. They are scheduled for an August 2020 release. Based on their appearances in Back to the Future: The Animated Series, Marty, Doc, and Biff are making their way to the Toony Classics line, a fun take on beloved characters from film and television! Each standing approximately 6″ tall, Marty includes a hoverboard and guitar with strap, Doc comes with goggles, a remote control and Einstein, and Biff with an alternate head! Figures come in blister card packaging Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, neca, back to the future, time machine, delorean

NECA have confirmed their Back to the Future line will include more than the figures we saw at New York Toy Fair in February 2020. Following a similar vein as the Cinemachines line, NECA will release a 6 inch long die cast DeLorean vehicle in September 2020. To celebrate one of film’s most iconic vehicles, NECA presents the diecast replica of Doc Brown’s Time Machine from Back To The Future. Crafted from diecast metal and plastic, each piece is exceptionally detailed and carefully hand painted. The Time Machine measure over 6″ long and features rolling wheels. Checkout our blog page 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... action figure, news, toys, reviews, action, figure, blog, checklist, collectors, neca, back to the future, time machine, delorean

Review : Trilobite vs The Engineer (Battle Damaged) NECA, Prometheus Wave/Series : Prometheus Deluxe 2-Pack Released : November 2012 £44.99 (retail at time of release) Pros : Trilobite is the star of the set with really well articulated metal armature tentacles Cons : The paint on the burned head is a bit too linear and there are some articulation issues in the legs of the Engineer I personally missed out on the first Prometheus releases, coming into the whole NECA Aliens line a few months later with their Hicks & Hudson releases. Over time I have worked to fill in the gaps in my collection and the latest addition is the Trilobite vs Battle Damaged Engineer 2-pack from 2012. I purchased the set loose, so the packaged images for this review are stock photos. The Prometheus line arguably set the tone for the NECA Aliens packaging being in a clamshell to mirror the Predator line. While other lines from NECA are now moving to window boxes, the Alien (and Predator) lines have remained consistent to the clamshell in the past 6 years. The Trilobite set comes in a wider clamshell to accommodate both figures. The Trilobite is spread to the right taking up two thirds of the window. In the final third is the Engineer. The clamshell sandwiches a thin sheet of glossy paper which serves as the card back and the figure back drop. A second sheet is inserted to fold up on the front window and carries the Prometheus logo and the character name. The set was exclusive to Toys R Us in the United States hence the silver Toys R Us exclusive logo on one of our stock photos. The stick you see in the images between the two figures is not an accessory, it is the feeding tube of the Trilobite which slots into the underside mouth piece. The rear of the packaging carries a brief background text about the Engineer that we encounter in Prometheus and his battle with the Trilobite. We then get a large image of both figures posed in battle. There are smaller triangular images snapshotting further poses above this main image. We will look at the Engineer first, and the first thing that strikes you is the intensely sculpted head in a screaming pose. This is perfectly executed as a sculpt and you can see the full details of the mouth including the teeth and tongue. One side of the head is the milky white skin of the engineer and the other side is horrifically burned. The burned part actually looks and feels like the flesh has been burned away and it is painted a deep charcoal colour and this blends into scorch marks around the ear. While the sculpting is done well, the paint is perhaps a little two neat. There is a very distinct contrast between burned and unburned side infact there is a very straight line down the nose. In the movie this was less pronounced and the burned area a lot less darker. The head is finished off by very detailed and expressive eyes - these are well painted and the burnt side is actually blackened and swollen. The Engineer stands 9 inches tall, significantly taller than the Humans that make up the Prometheus line. The entire body is reused from the single release of the Engineer. The detail across the body sculpt is impressive with intricate sculpting where ever you look. The right of the chest (as you look at him) has been tweaked to include more burned flesh to distort the rib cage area and parts of the shoulder. The single release Engineer for me was always a shade too pale, and this battle damaged version is actually a shade too dark - somewhere between the two is a perfect Engineer as seen in the movie. Granted the battle damaged version has been burned in fire so you would expect some blackening and this s achieved by some distinct washes that have enhanced the recessed parts of the sculpt. When you compare both Engineer versions side by side the battle damaged version stands out as the more visually impressive overall. Moving on to the Trilobite, and this thing is a huge lump of tentacles. The construction is basically a central body from which seven ball jointed legs protrude. Underneath this central mass is the mouth which is surrounded by six leaf like protrusions (that look very similar to the Stanger Things Demogorgon). The central feeding tube slots into the centre of this, and we have a mass of thinner strands surrounding this - all flexible and fully maneuverable. The legs are each a rubber piece over a metal armature. That means they are fully poseable, but do therefore have to have the holes to allow the metal armature to move within the rubber without splitting it. Stretched out end to end and the Trilobite is pushing 17 inches from tip to tip. The body is painted in sandy brown with variations towards the end of each tentacle. The undersize blends to a more pink flesh tone around the mouth and inner tentacles. It is difficult to put a number of points of articulation on the Trilobite as it is predominantly articulated by means of the fully flexible armature. The true joints are at the point each tentacle meets the central mass where a ball joint is present. These can be prone to popping off a little too easily. The Engineer is a little easier to categorise for articulation. He comes with 14 points of articulation which start at the ball jointed head. The arms are ball jointed shoulders with a single rotating elbow joint and rotating wrists. This gives full arm movement out tot he side, above the head and an elbow that actually bends beyond 90 degrees for grappling the Trilobite. The torso also gets a ball joint which has a fair bit of movement within it allowing the upper trunk to be leaned forward, backward and twisted from side to side - again great for action shots. The Engineer articulation fails at the legs sadly. NECA have used a ball jointed hip and then wrapped that in a flexible rubber groin section which is designed to move as the legs move. In reality this works if the legs are going wider to the side, but there is no discernable forward movement without rotating the legs at the hip to an unnatural angle. The knees are then a single joint only and these will not bend to a full 90 degrees. The ankle rockers then allow the feet ot turn and be pivoted to aid standing. While you won't have the Engineer doing the splits or sitting down, there is enough to have him battling the Trilobite and he stands particularly well with no obvious loosening on the joints considering this figure is now 6 years old. Of the pair, the Trilobite is obviously the star and it is a nice variation to an Alien universe collection that is obviously dominated by the Xenomorphs. With the wide ranging articulated arms it is also very fun to pose attacking your Engineer or other Prometheus figures - and of course thanks to the recent release of the "Lost wave" there are now more of them to go after. The Engineer is an improvement on the single release, and I do like the head sculpt a lot more. There are some questions over the paint job, but he certainly looks the part on display particularly when posed being attacked by the Trilobite With any review of a figure that has been out a number of years and that is only available on the secondary market my review score does try to take out price as a consideration. While this set won't bankrupt anyone, it has peaked recently thanks to the Lost Wave release and there doesn't seem to be a shortage of them in the market. Having played and posed with both figures for a while now I am happy to score them a 4 out of 5, with perhaps a few more or tweaked paint apps away from being perfect.

Luke Skywalker in his Bespin fatigues was released in the Spring of 2020 on special Kenner inspired vintage cardbacks to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. This sub-line of the 6 inch Star Wars Black Series started in 2017 with the 40th Anniversary of A New Hope, and the 2020 line continues the design with a number of new characters and figures on these gorgeous vintage cards. Luke is part of Wave 1 which also includes the AT-AT Driver, Han Solo Bespin, Princess Leia Hoth and Yoda. Packaging 4/5 Like the 2017 releases for the 40th Anniversary of A New Hope, these new Empire Strikes Back figures come on a vintage inspired blister card - complete with original Kenner logo. The card art remains the same as the original 1980's Empre releases with the same card image of Luke cautiously entering the corridors of Cloud City. The card uses the same green character name place, the green backing to the figure, and the same red Empire Strikes Back Logo. Even the 4+ safety sign appeared on the original, although this new version has been changed to a circular design rather than plain text. The only new addition is a foil "40th Anniversary" logo in the top right next to the offset punched hole. The card back is also a replication of the 1980's versions, with the other figures from the wave displayed in varying character specific colour boxes. Beneath this is the 40th Anniversary text which is generic to all card backs. There is no character unique text. "Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging" The only downside of a card of this nature is damage, particularly if these are bought from physical stores rather than specialist retailers. Even fresh out of the case there is a slight bend on the card. Paint & Sculpt 4/5 The brand new head sculpt for Luke Bespin is very striking, and arguably the best Mark Hamill likeness delivered in the line - or at the very least on par with the Snowspeeder Luke from the same 40th Anniversary line. The likeness is enhanced by the face print technology with more realism in the eyes, and more natural shading around the face. The hair is also better shaped, and a good match to the Bespin scenes - although Luke's hair was very changeable in these scenes. It may be a touch light, but I can live with that with the darkness added with a darker brown wash through the blonde colouring. The body remains the same as the original 2015 release Luke. This is OK, as the original had good proportions and sculpt detail on the flight suit and boots. The body is predominantly cast in the beige with a dark wash added to weather it, the weathering is a little more subtle this time round. Luke has his belt and holster strapped to his thigh, this has further paint apps with silver buckle and rivets. The flesh tone used on the hands is a match to the face and is darker and brighter than the original washed out flesh tones. What this release is missing is the ability to recreate the most famous scene of the Bespin sequence, the movie and the entire saga. I would have loved to see Hasbro include an alternative bloodies head with matted hair, and given some thought to recreating the cut off hand element. Accessories 4/5 Luke comes with his DL-44 blaster. This is cast in black with painted silver barrel, and brown painted grip. The detail in the cast is OK, but I can't understand what the giant printed 4 means? The blaster fits into Luke's right hand, where a trigger finger can slot into place. When not in use it fits in the working holster where a flexible strap goes over the top and plugs in to the holster to hold it in place. Luke also includes his lightsaber, the same one as the original rather than any of the updated ones from Rey. This is cast in black and painted silver. Added details then include leaving the black fins unpainted, the gold ignition and the red indicator. This too fits in Luke's right hand. Here is my usual issue with blaster and saber wielding figures that we do not get an alternative saber hand. The right hand holds the saber fine, but the trigger finger sticks out and looks odd. When not in use the saber can be hung on a hook on Luke's belt. Like normal, the lightsaber blade is removable and can be clipped in and out of the hilt depending on the look you require. The blade is quite thick and nicely coloured in translucent blue. In comparison with the original release of Bespin Luke, the blaster is practically identical with the same paint apps on the grip and barrel. Interestingly the original Luke blaster has a number 3 on the side compared to the number 4 on the new version? The lightsaber hilt too is the same sculpt, and has only minor paint differences - notably the red light being more prominent on the new version, the gold switch being lighter, and the black fins being more defined. What has changed significantly is the lightsaber blade. It is now a much thicker and darker blue from the original which was almost clear. Articulation 3/5 Luke has a total of 16 points of articulation, the same as the original 2015 release which is obvious considering the body is the same. This does mean a that he is missing the newer butterfly shoulders, which would have helped the two handed saber posing. And it also means the neck still has the visible pivot - although the chin does hide it most of the time. Head : ball joint neck with pivot Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, single rotating elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, double joint knees, ankle rockers With no real obstructions in the outfit, Luke is pretty mobile including being able to kneel and crouch to a degree. He can hold the saber in two hands, even without the butterfly shoulders, but it is a fixed neutral hold and not advancing in attack. I found the right shoulder on my figure stuck and it kept springing back into position. With some heat treatment it is a little better now but it is an issue to watch out for. The waist works well for fighting poses, supported by the wider legstances. The issue with stability does sit in the hips which are looser than I would like and can see Luke sliding into the splits. Summary What we have in this 40th Anniversary release is an existing older figure given an Archive treatment, this time with a new head with much better likeness and paint apps. This really enhances the look of the figure and he now doesn't look as dated when posed with Bespin Han or Leia. I do think there are some opportunities missed. As a minimum I would have liked to see a second dedicated saber holding right hand - an issue I've talked about for a number of saber figures over the past few months. If Hasbro wanted to go all out then an alternative bloodied head and severed hand option would have given fans a real opportunity to recreate THAT scene with Darth Vader. Perhaps that tweak will come in time? Luke Skywalker Bespin is a welcome update with the new head well executed. The articulation is fine and the accessories are good and well painted. The Vintage card is gorgeous and does evoke memories for those of us around in the 1980's buying the original of this figure. I score him a 4 out of 5. See More Star Wars Black Series figures 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, empire strikes back, dagobah, 40th anniversary, hasbro, bespin, luke skywalker

Yoda was released in the Spring of 2020 on special Kenner inspired vintage cardbacks to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. This sub-line of the 6 inch Star Wars Black Series started in 2017 with the 40th Anniversary of A New Hope, and the 2020 line continues the design with a number of new characters and figures on these gorgeous vintage cards. Yoda is part of Wave 1 which also includes the AT-AT Driver, Han Solo Bespin, Princess Leia Hoth and Luke Skywalker Bespin. Packaging 4/5 Like the 2017 releases for the 40th Anniversary of A New Hope, these new Empire Strikes Back figures come on a vintage inspired blister card - complete with original Kenner logo. The card art remains the same as the original 1980's releases with the same card image of Yoda perched on his log, the same yellow name plate and figure backdrop, and the same red Empire Strikes Back Logo. Even the 4+ safety sign appeared on the original, although this new version has been changed to a circular design rather than plain text. The only new addition is a foil "40th Anniversary" logo in the top right next to the offset punched hole. The card back is also a replication of the 1980's versions, with the other figures from the wave displayed in varying character specific colour boxes. Beneath this is the 40th Anniversary text which is generic to all card backs. There is no character unique text. "Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging" The only downside of a card of this nature is damage, particularly if these are bought from physical stores rather than specialist retailers. Even fresh out of the case there is a slight bend on the card. Paint & Sculpt 3/5 Yoda is a re-use fully of the original 2014 figure. Like the Archive version the figure is now treated with the Face Print technology and it makes a big difference to the overall look of the figure with a much better likeness to the original Yoda puppet - most notably the eyes, which were very crude on the original release. There is also a more subtle treatment for Yoda's hair (or what's left of it), which is much more palatable. The rest of the body is covered in a sand coloured robe, now in a much lighter textured fabric than the first release. It is tied at the waist with a plastic tie fashioned a a belt. There is a fully articulated body under the robes - but they won't come off easily without cutting the belt piece. The soft goods hang fine on such a small frame, but they are a little open at the back of the neck and this causes them to slip down the shoulders. It is as though they are missing a tuck and stitch around the back. Yoda has his blissl (flute) around his neck. This has a habit of getting in the way of poses and sticking out at odd angles. You may be better tucking it into his robes as it can't be removed as the strap is too short to go round his ears and over his head and off. He also comes with his snake. This was always an homage to the original Kenner release, making its inclusion on the Vintage card more poignant. Hands and feet are painted well enough, with the nails picked out in a bone colour. Scale wise, Yoda is too big when compared to the other 6 inch figures. He comes up to Luke's waist almost when he should really only reach his mid-thigh area. Accessories 4/5 The snake accessory is removable. It is cast in a soft plastic and in one shape that is designed solely to hang around Yoda's neck. The stripes are well painted, and up close you can even see the snake skin texture which is really impressive at the scale. The cream and pink are a touch lighter than the original release. Yoda has his Gimer walking stick, cast in brown plastic with some level of wood effect built in to the cast. This detail may have been more defined with a darker brown wash over the top. It looks and feels slimmer and less substantial than the original version. It can be hooked over or through either hand to create the walking stick pose. Yoda comes with his lightsaber, something that is not contemporary to Empire. While I appreciate the addition of any accessory - this seems an odd choice for this release. The saber is a re-use of the 2014 version with black hilt that is then painted silver. The paint on this is less than perfect with scratches and splashes. The blade is translucent green and clicks into the hilt for an ignited lightsaber effect. Yoda can hold the saber in either hand, but it does look odd when used with this figure and with the hand poses which are more sculpted to hold the walking stick or for lifting up X-Wings. Articulation 3/5 As a smaller body, Yoda has a lower articulation count of 14 points. This is just about all he needs for the level of posing you would want. As I said lightsaber and fight poses look and feel odd. The joints are sufficient for having Yoda lean on his stick or gesticulate with his hands at Luke. Head : ball joint neck Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulder, double joint elbow, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, single joint knee, ankle rocker The arm do suffer a little bit from the lack of a bicep swivel to offset the inability of the elbows to twist. In fact Yoda may have been better served with a single elbow joint that rotated. Without this rotation there is no way Yoda can get anywhere close to two handed poses of either his saber or his stick. Summary Yoda is a nice inclusion on the Vintage card, particularly with the snake accessory. Once opened however we still have the same figure from 2014, albeit now a little better looking thanks to the face print. There remains issues with articulation and the lack of any rotation at the bicep or elbow, and that means posing can be a little stiff and is definitely restricted. I also don't want to knock the inclusion of any accessory, but the light saber is odd both in the blister for carded collectors and for loose collectors where it will probably go straight into the spares box. Hasbro certainly have not perfected a figure of our favourite Jedi Master, and I score this Vintage carded 40th Anniversary release a 3 out of 5. See More Star Wars Black Series figures 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, empire strikes back, dagobah, 40th anniversary, hasbro, yoda,

Luke Skywalker in his Snowspeeder flight suit from the Battle of Hoth was released in the Spring of 2020 on special Kenner inspired vintage cardbacks to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. This sub-line of the 6 inch Star Wars Black Series started in 2017 with the 40th Anniversary of A New Hope, and the 2020 line continues the design with a number of new characters and figures on these gorgeous vintage cards. Luke Snowspeeder Pilot is part of Wave 2 which also includes the Tie Fighter Pilot, Lando Calrissian, Hoth Rebel Trooper and R2-D2 Dagobah. Packaging 4/5 Snowspeeder Luke comes on the Vintage cardback, complete with Kenner logo and the tramlines border for the figure and the Empire Strikes Back logo. This figure never got a Vintage release by Kenner, so the image on the cardback has been selected by Hasbro and used on this figure and their 3.75 inch retro release. It shows Luke in his Snowspeeder gear without a helmet. The card back is also a replication of the 1980's versions, with the other figures from the wave displayed in varying character specific colour boxes. Beneath this is the 40th Anniversary text which is generic to all card backs. There is no character specific text. "Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging" The only downside of a card of this nature is damage, particularly if these are bought from physical stores rather than specialist retailers. Even fresh out of the case there is a slight bend on the card. Paint & Sculpt 5/5 The figure is absolutely fantastic in hand, much improved on the older X-Wing Luke body, with no obvious re-use of parts. The proportions are much better and the suit is faithful to the one used in Empire with the longer flight jacket, puffy collar and wrapped boots. The majority of the outfit is cast in orange plastic, with paint work applied on top for the vest, chest unit and strapping as needed. Paint is applied neatly and there are plenty of colours around the outfit with blues and silvers on the buttons and indicators, through to brown on the belt and pouches. The helmet is a re-use of the original X-Wing Luke and has the same decor applied mainly as decals. These include the Rebel symbols as well as varying squadron markings. The visor is cast in translucent yellow so the eyes can be seen underneath. Under the helmet is a new Luke sculpt, or rather face. The rest of the head is wrapped in the hood used by Snowspeeder pilots. The likeness is great and the look very solemn for Luke with a very impressive face print application. While I know the hood piece is accurate to the costume, this is not my memory of Luke in this outfit - nor is it the one on the card art. Luke wasn't wearing this hood when he jumped into the Snowspeeder with Dak, nor when he finally arrived on Dagobah. I'd have liked to see a full head sculpt for Luke - either as the main head, or at least as a 2nd version. While Luke X-Wing has a special place in many people's hearts as the first Black Series figure, this comparison shows you how out of proportion it was and how far the line has come over the past 7-years. Accessories 4/5 The helmet is cast in a slightly softer plastic, and comes complete with visor and Rebel decals. It was designed for a slightly slimmer head and is a very very tight fit over Snowspeeder Luke's head - to the point it can be difficult to get it on and off and lined up. Luke can carry the helmet under the arm for an alternative look. Luke comes with his lightsaber, the same one as was packed with X-Wing Luke and other versions of Original Trilogy Luke. The hilt is cast in black plastic and painted silver. There is both red and gold paint applied over details with black left unpainted around the fins - impressive considering the scale. The saber blade is hugely improved on the original, being thicker and a brighter blue. It clips into position well and feels more robust, but the end piece that inserts into the hilt remains very fragile and bends very easily. The saber hilt can fit into either hand, and Luke can also hold it with both hands thanks to the articulation. When not in use it has a loop at the end of the hilt which corresponds to a hook on Luke's belt. There is no inclusion of a blaster for Luke, nor is there the grappling gun he uses to assault the AT-AT, although that is apparently coming with the Snowspeeder vehicle. Articulation 3/5 Luke Skywalker is fully articulated with a total of 19 points of articulation. He includes the newer two part neck joint that dispenses with the ugly pivot on the neck. He also comes with the butterfly shoulders which add more range to the arms for two handed saber posing. Head : ball joint neck, ball joint neck base Body : ball joint waist Arms : ball joint shoulders, butterfly shoulders, single joint rotating elbows, wrist pivot Legs : ball joint hips, thigh swivel, single joint rotating knees, ankle rockers The arms on Luke are fully mobile, but the legs are a little held back by the flight straps and coat. There is a significant issue with the ankle joints and they do not come far enough forward to balance the figure. This can make Luke trickier to pose than some figures and he has a tendency to lean and then fall backwards. You may need a stand to keep him posed on display. All the joints are tight and work fine, with no issues. Summary Luke Skywalker in his Snowspeeder flight suit is a fantastic addition to the Black Series, particularly in light of the arrival of the Snowspeeder itself later in 2020. The card back is consistent with other 40th Anniversary releases, but is not itself a replication of a 1980's card as this figure was never released by Kenner. The helmet is a bit too tight, and the head itself might have been better without the flight hood to allow this figure to double as the one that arrives on Dagobah. With a slight issue with the ankle joints too, I knock off one point and score the Luke Skywalker Snowspeeder Pilot a 4 out of 5. See More Star Wars Black Series figures 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... action figures, reviews, review, articulation, star wars, black series, empire strikes back, hoth, 40th anniversary, hasbro, luke skywalker,