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“My rebel is your terrorist” Director Orson Krennic’s sole release in the Star Wars Black Series had, prior to 2025, been part of the 2016/7 Rogue One releases. Following his extensive role in the 2nd season of Andor, the Hasbro team announced not one but two Krennic releases as part of their Andor Season 2 range of figures. In the mainline, we had a repack of the original Krennic from Rogue One with an updated facial print applied to the existing headsculpt. Alongside this, as a Summer 2025 release, was an exclusive variant of Krennic in the Dress Uniform we see him wearing in Episode 6. The figure was sold in the US via Target, while here in the UK it was a Fan Channel release.  The packaging remains in line with the rest of the Andor releases across Season 1 and Season 2 and utilises a deep red colouring over the matt black box for the text and the side artwork. This release of Krennic is numbered 16 in the Andor Galaxy Collection with the side artwork of Krennic, in the Imperial Dress Uniform and starting straight to camera, connecting to Cassian Andor (Sienar Test Pilot) at one side (15) and the ISB Tactical Agent  (17) at the other.  The rear of the box repeats this same artwork, albeit cropped slightly, and some background text on Krennic, which is different to the standard release and talks more about Krennic’s role within the Andor storyline and the development of the energy program for the first Death Star. The box also features a colour coordinated cardback behind the figure itself, and this continues the theme started on the mainline Krennic release, but now includes a part of the Death Star construction against the starscape. The Imperial Dress Uniform differs in styling rather than colour to the main uniform and that means our new Krennic release is pretty much a new body with the legs moving from the flared Imperial Officer trousers and gloss black boots to a pair of black cast legs wearing standard trousers and a simple pair of laceless shoes or boots. The upper white Admiral’s tunic remains, but is a newly styled piece that now integrates the ceremonial sash and belt, which is painted in white with a thick black border on either side. The tunic also features the rank insignia with a silver base and blue and red squares. Krennic is still carrying the Imperial code cylinders on either side of the tunic. The arms for Krennic appear to be identical to the original release, although the hands are no longer gloved and cast in a skin tone with visible tendons on the back of the hand. The dress tunic also has an adjusted collar with inset black and silver squares. Krennic retains a cape, but this is now soft goods rather than moulded and is fixed into the figure at the shoulders by two secured clasps that stretch back over the figure, keeping the upper segment of the cape in place. It sits poorly around the neck, unable to hold the shape of the collar we see on screen and on the earlier release. The rest of the cape flows relatively naturally and frames the Director well in stances. There is probably a compromise solution here that would have been ideal with an upper collar and clasp in sculpted plastic transitioning to the soft goods from the nape of the neck downwards.  The headsculpt on first glance looks new and significantly better than the mainline release which itself has had a photo-real update. At closer inspection, they are the same head. The ceremonial figure has been given a much more accurate skin tone, more detailing to pick out the lines and features of Ben Mendlsohn in full character, and with a more accurate hair colouration with more depth thanks to additional colouring as a dark wash over the base grey. The head sits on an updated neck peg to allow the newer neck articulation, but in principle could be swapped with the older figure for those wanting to kitbash a combination of the two Krennic’s, although the neck skin tone will not be a match.  from left to right: 2025 Andor release, 2016 Rogue One release, 2025 Dress Uniform release The sole accessory is the same customised DL-29 blaster that dates back to the Rogue One release. This time around it is cast in a darker gun-metal plastic with a painted bottom edge in a wood-tone brown as per the actual prop. Again, like the head, this is a significant improvement on the mainline release. There is no holster, and in actual fact, the blaster was never seen in the scenes in which Krennic was wearing his ceremonial dress. It is included almost as an entrenched notion that all figures need a weapon, and with no consideration of scene replication where a drinking glass, or better still, more expressive hands for him to gesture with, would have been more accurate.  As this is a newer body across the legs and torso, articulation is in the newer format with 15 points in total. The upper body lacks any butterfly shoulders, but the arms can gesture or pose well enough, and the torso joint and the dual-joint neck add some character and mannerisms into some of the posing. Krennic can also wield his blaster in firing positions if his social event turns nasty, with the right hand featuring a trigger finger.  The legs no longer use thigh swivels, with the rotation now in the disguised knees which also bend back to a 90 degree position. The ankle rockers are secure, and Krennic is stable once planted into position. The cape being soft goods does not impeded any movement, so there are more dynamic options available if you are broadening his role in your display from a simple dinner engagement and he can also sit and kneel where required.  Having waited nearly 9 years for an accurate Krennic, two come along at once, and neither of them fulfils the job entirely. The updated Rogue One model has the standard uniform, which has more screen time than the dress uniform, and also has the option to remove the cape. The trade-offs are that the cape is sculpted and fixed, and the older body features pinless articulation. The head sculpt on the old figure is treated pretty poorly when you see the same head decor on the Dress Uniform exclusive, which is far more superior. The Dress Uniform Krennic also gets better treatment to his blaster, slightly enhanced articulation, but is let down by a poorly executed soft goods cape, which is fixed and virtually impossible to seat as it should around the neck.  The figures are priced the same, and availability outside the US is broadly similar. In the US, you will need to hit up Target to find your Dress Uniform version. Completists will go for both figures, while those being more selective in collecting will have to determine which attributes you prefer, and for me, the Dress Uniform Krennic edges it slightly on the headsculpt. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist 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...

“I’ll see you along the road” Cassian Andor in his Sienar Test Pilot gear was released in 2025 as part of Wave 21 of the Galaxy Collection. The Wave included Director Orson Krennic from the same Season 2 content, while the other figures were taken from other areas of the Star Wars Universe, including Moff Gideon  and the Praetorian Guard  from The Mandalorian Season 3, and Anakin Skywalker  and Captain Rex  from the flashback scenes in Ahsoka. Test Pilot Cassian is number 15 in the Andor Galaxy Collection and features the established deep red focus colour on top of the matt black of the Black Series outer packaging. The red colour is used on the key text elements and on the side art where an unhelmeted Cassian is pictured cradling his blaster. The artwork connects directly to the Range Trooper  from the same Sienar Base scenes at the number 14 slot, and onward into the Exclusive Dress Uniform release of Director Krennic in the wider montage for Andor, which now spans both Season 1 and Season 2. The back of the box carries the usual top-line overview for the character, while the cardback inside and behind the figure tray is also colour-coordinated and carries an embedded image of a nebulous starscape.  While we have had Tie Fighter Pilot figures in the Black Series before, this Test Pilot configuration is brand new from the ground up with an undersuit sculpted around the legs, mid-section, and arms in a duller black with fabric folds and creases. Over the flight suit comes the Tie Fighter gear with a gloss black chest unit complete with sculpted but inaccurate unpainted straps and buckles (they should be silver), and crisply painted control panels and switches using a variety of red, grey, blue and white paintwork. The back of the chest section has similar detailing with a larger red and grey vent and two grey, silver and black panels.  Flight straps extend from under the chest piece to the belt, which features a gunmetal silver buckle and panels. The straps then extend under the legs and loop around to repeat the journey back to the rear of the torso on the back of the figure. Boots and gloves are also a glossier finish to the suit, while the suit itself is given a splash of colour at the shoulders and neck with red paint applied, with the left shoulder also sporting a sculpted silver Imperial insignia. Final costume details are included with the code cylinders on the left arm and the control panel on the left wrist.  The unmasked head is not the same as the Season 2 Cassian Andor  released in Wave 19, but they are similar. Diego Luna’s likeness has always been difficult to capture in the 6-inch scale, and this Sienar Pilot version is still not a perfect likeness. We do get a waxy skin tone, which may be deliberate, considering he would be wearing a helmet and in a stressful situation. Over this facial printing colours in the short-cropped beard, mouth and eyes. The hairpiece is its own piece and includes a straggled fringe and an unkempt look on the sides.  The hair is a slight inconvenience to the included helmet, and the fit is extremely tight. The helmet uses the same high gloss finish as the chest unit with twin, softer plastic, corrugated pipes extending out from the front and encircling the helmet to reconnect at the rear. The helmet’s only details are two red decals of the imperial insignia on either side of the helmet above the visor. The visor itself is left the same colour as the rest of the helmet. Although he never put on the helmet in the episode, the helmet is provided as a wearable option and slips over the head snugly as mentioned earlier, and excess use will likely start to have a rubbing effect on the sides of the head. Once engaged, there is no significant visible gap at the neck, although you do get glimpses of the skin tone neck and chin from some angles. This helmet turns the figure from just being a character release into an army-building potential, and while we didn’t see any other Test Pilots, these would work great as an off-screen expanded universe squad for anyone focusing a collection around Imperial Troops. Cassian comes with a blaster and a working holster on the belt to house it. The blaster is one we have seen before around Imperial Troops, particularly in Andor, and was used on the Aldhani Mission Cassian  from Season 1 and the Dark Times Imperial Officer from Ferrix . This SE-14R hand blaster is black in colour with visible detail down the main blaster and the sights, but with zero additional paintwork. It fits into Cassian’s right trigger hand or into the holster. The articulation comes in at the new format, 17 points of pinless articulation, with the legs now missing the thigh swivel and that swivel built into the knees, which can also still bend past 90 degrees despite the single disguised joint. The ankle rockers provide stability when posing, while the hips have sufficient movement for some action stances, and can also get into a seated position for anyone who wants to try and replicate a diorama display in the cockpit of the Tie Fighter.  The arms feature jointed wrists, elbows and shoulders, with the latter inclusive of a butterfly shoulder to broaden the range of the arm movements. Again, there are plenty of options for display, either posing at attention, aiming or firing the blaster, or putting on or taking off the helmet. The main body features a hidden torso joint under the chest section, which gives some minimal ab-crunch options, while the dual joint neck works just as well with the helmet on or off, allowing Cassian to look up and down, side-to-side, and to cock his head.  As the titular character of Andor, and this now stretching two seasons, we would expect there to be multiple versions of Diego Luna in 6-inch form and to date we’ve had four (excluding Rogue One) where two are ‘standard’ versions of Cassian’s clothing, and two are disguises (Aldhani and this Test Pilot). Unlike Aldhani, this figure also comes with a level of army building options for Imperial collectors as it improves on the Tie Fighter Pilot proportions considerably if you look past the red ‘test pilot’ colouring on the upper shoulders and neck.  The likeness to Luna is still not nailed on, but none of the releases to date have been able to capture it fully. The helmet works OK, albeit a little tight, and the figure displays well enough in both configurations with sufficient articulation for displaying it in character, both neutral and in more dynamic stances. The blaster is a little bit sterile, as are most in the series, and there was little else in terms of accessory options we might have wanted to see, save the tiny code cylinder, or the much larger Imperial data droid, which would have pushed this set into Deluxe territory. All in all, a solid release, albeit very specific to the short sequence from Season 2, Episode 1. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist 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...

"No notes, no records, none of you were here, nobody puts this in their calendar.” The first batch of Star Wars Black Series Rogue One releases back in 2016, when the movie came out, pre-dated the face print technology. Almost the entirety of the wave was revisited in 2021 as the Galaxy Collection was launched, adding a more realistic likeness to each of the core characters with the exception of Director Orson Krennic, who was notably absent from this Galaxy Collection Wave, particularly when a slot was given to K-2SO, who had no such need for a facial print upgrade. We have therefore waited some 9 years for Krennic to be revisited, thanks in part to his role in Andor, Season 2.  Director Krennic was released in 2025 as part of Wave 21 of the Galaxy Collection. The Wave included Cassian Andor from the same Season 2 content in his Sienar Test Pilot uniform, while the other figures were taken from other areas of the Star Wars Universe, including Moff Gideon  and the Praetorian Guard  from The Mandalorian Season 3, and Anakin Skywalker  and Captain Rex  from the flashback scenes in Ahsoka.  Krennic is number 13 in the Andor Galaxy Collection with the deep red accent colour sitting alongside the matt black of the Black Series outer packaging. The red colour is used on the key text elements and on the side art where Krennic is pictured adjusting the gloves of his uniform. The artwork connects directly to Dedra Meero  at the number 12 slot, and onward into the Exclusive release of the Range Trooper  in the wider montage for Andor, which now spans both Season 1 and Season 2. The back of the box carries the usual top line overview for the character, while the cardback inside and behind the figure tray is also colour coordinated and carries an embedded image of a space scene, which actually then becomes a scene from the Death Star construction with the next release of Krennic in Dress Uniform Director Krennic is presented in his white Imperial Director uniform with a white cast upper torso and a corresponding lower section in softer plastic, which also features a sculpted belt to bridge the gap. The belt is painted black with a large silver buckle and built in holster, the whites of the torso and the skirt piece are consistent despite the different plastic finish. The only other decor on the tunic are on the Imperial Code Cylinders just next to each shoulder, and on the rank badge, which has a silver base and blue and red painted squares to represent Krennic’s rank as Admiral rather than his role as a Military Director. Krennic’s gloves and boots are gloss black, while his trousers with the flared upper sections are cast in a more matt black. The cape is a cast plastic piece shaped to fit the shoulders of the figure and is entirely removable, giving The Director two variant looks for display. The cape is textured and includes panelling and a small slit at the back, but is devoid of any decor.  The headsculpt is a reasonable likeness to actor Ben Mendelsohn with applied facial print and a two tone application to the hair. The hair is part of the head sculpt, so this colouring is a little messy at the edges with some hair sculpt left as flesh tone and some areas that should be flesh bled into with grey. The head and the figure itself are entirely as they were in 2016, with the only enhancement being the new face print tech. While this might have been acceptable in 2021 when the Rogue One figures were re-booted with the new face print tech, this minor makeover stands out in 2025 as well below par. The particular ‘salt in the wounds’ of this release is a brand new Director Krennic released at the same time in his Dress Uniform that has a far superior decor and likeness, yet appears to be still on the same base head sculpt from 2016. The only other noticeable difference from the 2016 release is the material of the cape, which does feel softer although that has little bearing on the articulation range, considering it's still essentially a fixed cape.  vs Dress Uniform Krennic 2025 and original 2016 release (to right) That articulation is 16 points in total and inclusive of the older double-jointed pinned knees, a thigh swivel, and without any butterfly joints at the shoulders, and inclusive of an older single joint neck peg with very visible joint. The ankle joints of the 2015/6 era figures were an issue on the figures stability, and this carries forward into this release. The ratchets are set quite far apart, and in between ratchets, there is a point where the ankles are very ‘floppy’, and I find Krennic prone to falling forward, particularly when the extra weight of the cape is in play.  Krennic does not need to be all action, and there is enough articulation to have him wielding or firing his weapon or gesticulating to make his point. To that end, some additional hands would have been great, a pointing hand in particular as a replacement for the blaster.  The blaster and its holster are a carryover from the Rogue One figure, and are accurate to his final scenes in Andor inside the ISB facility, although the weapon was not worn earlier in the series when he undertook the initial Ghorman briefing. The blaster is a poorly sculpted grey piece with very soft detail and a misshapen upper sight straight out of the box and that will worsen if holstered due to the shape of the holster compacting the weapon within. There is colour on the grip, but it is so similar to the base plastic that it all merges together. If we are not adding decor to blasters, then keeping them a darker tone always helps and not this light cheap looking grey plastic. Krennic can hold the weapon in his right hand securely, with the left hand also featuring a trigger finger, although this is more extended and makes the grip slightly trickier.  Director Orson Krennic, number 13 in the Andor Series, feels very much like a figure we should have had in 2021 held back for 4-years and now showing his age compared to the current output of the Black Series. The figure depicts the Director well enough, but the likeness is lacking despite the enhanced facial printing, and the articulation is aging. In terms of accessories, the cape does a job, while the blaster is of that 2015/16 era around the Force Awakens releases that lacks any detail and has a cheap look and feel.  The biggest issue with this Krennic is the fact that Hasbro released a superior one (cape aside) at almost the same time. This Dress Uniform version uses the same head but looks so much more realistic, while also updating the neck articulation to remove the hideous pivot, and giving Krennic new legs - albeit these are Dress Uniform and more casual than the booted look. The other Krennic even has the same blaster but with enhanced, darker decor.  As a release, we should recognise that this figure will update our Rogue One Collections and is much improved on the original version. For Andor, and against the newer releases from Andor Season 1 and 2, it sadly looks and feels dated. Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist 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...

"Patience is the key to hunting a Jedi. Their compassion leaves a trail." Hasbro continued to expand its Retro Collection with figures from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series in 2022, releasing six in total and very much dominated by Darth Vader and his Inquisitors.  The Grand Inquisitor arrives on a card inspired by the original Kenner line, complete with tramlines, coloured name plate and backing panel, and with a screenshot of the character on screen. This is all headed up with a logo for Obi-Wan Kenobi, but re-imagined as one of the Kenner headers, paying homage to that of The Empire Strikes Back in particular. The card is finished with some false card wear to the edges and with a large Retro Collection orange sticker. The cardback lacks any imagery, just text about the Retro Collection, and the other figures in the Obi-Wan Kenobi wave. The Grand Inquisitor is converted into a Kenner-style figure while still recognizable with his black Imperial uniform and glossier black armoured chest, shoulders, gauntlets, and boots. Smaller details are picked out in red for the chest plate, and with silver around the Grand Inquisitor's belt. Like some of the earlier figures in the Kenner line, the cape is created as a Vinyl cape that hooks around the two arms and wraps the figure. The cape includes a cutout at the back to still show the detail of the rear of the Inquisitor's chest armour.  Double-bladed light-sabers did not exist when Kenner first released their figures, so Hasbro has taken some of the design principles of the original single Kenner sabers and expanded these into the Grand Inquisitor's twin-blade weapon. The central square, flat grip is recogniseable as the simplistic design used on Luke’s lightsabers from Empire onwards, with the circular central grip built around this and two rounded blades then protruding. All of this is cast in a softer red colour. The blade fits in either hand of the Inquisitor, allowing him to wield the weapon at either side. The articulation overall is also Kenner-esque, 5 points in total with simple rotating joints at the neck, shoulders, and hips.  I am curating a small Disney Era Retro Collection of key characters only, and the Grand Inquisitor was not initially on that list. However, having found him for less than £4 at a Supermarket and seeing him in hand I have caved and added him alongside the likes of Darth Vader (Dark Times), Ahsoka Tano, and The Mandalorian and I am liking what I see with the Grand Inquisitor bringing both recogniseable characteristics alongside my older Kenner figures, but new aspects like the twin lightsaber. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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...

"I am what you made me.” My Star Wars Retro Collection focus has been wavering recently, with my desperation to fill some empty shelves, I have moved to picking up a few of my favourite characters from the Disney+ era in the Retro style, rather than focusing, as I intended, solely on figures from the Original Trilogy and the natural expansion of the original Kenner collection. One figure I had always intended to purchase as an 'adjacency' to that focus was the Obi-Wan Kenobi release of Darth Vader. The ‘Dark Times’ Darth Vader looks to replicate the appearance of Darth Vader during the events of Kenobi, but for me, it also reflects what Hasbro may well have done had they ever revisited Darth Vader and released him for Empire or Return of the Jedi. He arrives on a retro-inspired card, with the Kenobi logo converted to one in keeping with the original 1980s cardbacks, including silver tramlines. The photo is taken from the scenes in Kenobi, with a yellow colouring assigned as the backing of the blister and Vader’s name plate. Hasbro is still applying the Retro Collection sticker, although this is removable, while the cards are still printed with fake card wear as part of the design. Around the back of the card, there is still the miss of not replicating Kenner’s iconic pictorial checklists; instead, the Retro cardbacks are a raft of text, which does include a reference to the other figures in this particular collection, such as Obi-Wan, NED-B, and the Inquisitors.  The original Kenner Vader didn’t follow the robed approach taken with the 1977 Obi-Wan Kenobi, leaving the figure with standard legs wrapped up in a vinyl cape. This Dark Times version by Hasbro does embrace that sculpted robe leg route, bulking up Vader’s lower half and creating a pair of legs that work as his lower skirt & robes as much as they do as his armoured legs.  Gone also is the VInyl robes, replaced with a simple soft goods cape around the neck that has enough material to sit around the shoulders and to wrap around the figure, or out to the side as Vader extends his arms. The figure is cast in black with glossier black used ont he armour. The only colour is the silver on Vader’s belt, the green and red lights on the chest piece and on the helmet, and the lenses of Vader’s helmet, which are picked out in red.  The other enhancement that we saw with Kenner from the 1970s to the 1980s was moving from the pull out lightsabers in the arms to actual lightsaber accessories. Again, the Dark Times Vader shows what this might have looked like back then, with a cast red saber in keeping with the versions we got for Luke back in the 1980s. This fits into either hand. There are the usual five points of articulation, allowing Vader to raise his legs and arms, and to rotate his head. This movement will allow Vader to sit, giving him access to his Tie Fighter or any of the other original Kenner ships or Minirigs.  Dark Times Darth Vader appears to be somewhat maligned by the collecting community, considering his bargain basement prices at the moment. If you do look beyond the Obi-Wan Kenobi branding, what Hasbro has given us is the Darth Vader we were potentially robbed of in the '80s for either Empire or Jedi. There are elements that harken back to the original Kenner figures, like the sculpted ‘robe’ legs. While also featuring evolutions from the original 1977 figures, with the cape moving from vinyl to soft goods, and the saber from the pull-out arm saber to an actual accessory. This evolution of design and execution is very much in keeping with what we saw on other figures like Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knigh,t and I am really happy to add this Vader into my collection, very much within the other Original Trilogy figures. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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 set of MAFEX releases from Medicom are now live, and include figures from the Marvel Comics, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the DC Snyderverse Representing DC movies is a new MAFEX release of Wonder Woman, based on her appearance from the Zack Snyder Justice League. Diana will come with three portraits, along with alternative forearm parts and hands. Accessories include her sword, her shield, the Mother Box, shoulder strapping for her weaponry, and three versions of the Lasso of Truth. Marvel's offerings include a Video Game release of Blue Venom and to match up with Hasbro, a Brown Suited Hugh Jackman Wolverine from Deadpool & Wolverine. Blue Venom includes two head options, extra hands, and four different web effect parts. Wolverine comes with four unmasked expressions, which are accurate to the Deadpool & Wolverine multi-versal scene. He also comes with the usual mix of extended and retracted clawed hands. These are all general releases and they are listed to ship in December 2026. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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...

Hiya Toys' next release in their new Exquisite Super line of figures from the Rocky & Creed series of movies is the Rocky II figure of Rocky in street clothes, along with his dog, Butkus. Rocky will feature tailored clothing including trousers, t-shirt, and zipped jacket. It looks like the hat is sculpted as part of the first head option, while a second head offers an alternative expression with no hat. You also get a series of extra hands. Butkus is also articulated and is wearing his personalised football jersey and also comes with a rope lead. You also get the display stand and peg as featured in most of the Exquisite Super releases. The set is a general release globally and is scheduled to arrive in Q1 (Jan-March) of 2027. From Rocky II (1979), now Rocky joins Hiya Toys EXQUISITE SUPER Series as 1/12 scale action figure. It's the rematch of the century as Rocky takes on Apollo Creed in this powerful follow-up to one of the most acclaimed movies in film history. After club fighter Rocky Balboa goes the distance with the world heavyweight champion, boxing fans clamor for a rematch. But Rocky, having sustained massive injuries in the bout, announces his retirement. Though he tries to make a new life, Rocky realizes he can't escape his true calling and must prepare for the fight of his life! Standing approximately 16CM tall, this EXQUISITE SUPER Series 1/12 scale figure faithfully recreates Rocky's iconic street look from the film. A black cap, dark jacket, and casual trousers perfectly recreate his everyday on-screen attire, while head sculpts masterfully capture the smile and seriousness on his face, enhancing the character’s depth and realism. Beneath this understated appearance, his fighting spirit and boxer's instinct remain ever-present. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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...

Hiya Toys has released the full details of their Exquisite Basic Kong 2.0 figure as seen in Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire. The new 15cm figure includes a battle-scarred Kong along with three head expressions, alternative hands, axe, and a Mechagodzilla head part. The figure is a global, general release except for Japan and it will arrive in Q4 (October to December) of 2026. Legends collide as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash on the big screen in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into fantastic uncharted terrain... unearthing clues to the Titans' very origins and mankind's survival, a conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever. This brand new Kong 2.0 figure stands 16CM tall, crafted with attention to detail, based on original CG data, faithfully reproduces every aspect of Kong's appearance from the Godzilla vs. Kong, showing Kong's unstoppable and majestic stance. The figure is meticulously detailed, with multi-layered paint applications that highlight his intimidating eyes, robust musculature, and battle-scarred chest, reflecting decades of combat. With comprehensive upgraded joints, providing a wide range of motion for recreating various poses, such as quadrupedal stance, or criss-cross stance. Accessories include a translucent battle-ax and 3x pairs of interchangeable hands and brand new battle damaged Mechagodzilla head part, allowing you to recreate iconic scenes. About the head sculpt, in addition to normal face, roaring battle face, and snarling face, enabling you to depict a more dynamic and fierce Kong, capturing the essence of the mighty king! To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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...

For our 2025 Action Figure Advent, we are going to revisit our favourite releases from across 2025. The brief is simple: pick two releases per month from January 2025 through to November, with two additional wildcards to fill in the full 24 slots. The dates will be based around the time these arrived in the UK and when I purchased them. The figures will be taken from the key lines I personally collect, so they will be across Star Wars Black Series, Marvel Legends, Doctor Who, NECA, and a few other outliers. Check back each day to see the newest reveal... or follow us on Facebook , Twitter, or BlueSky to see each day's pick. Day 24 HasLab Ghostbusters Plasma Series Ectomobile Our 24th and final pick of this year's #ActionFigureAdvent was one we held back on making a final decision for until late in December. We wanted to provide opportunities for the Nacelle Star Trek figures to arrive, but in the end, they were delayed. Our final pick did arrive in December, and it is a stunner, despite a few flaws. Topping off our selection for 2025 is the Hasbro Ghostbusters Plasma Series HasLab Ectomobile. Day 23 Star Wars Black Series The Stranger Our final Marvel Legends pick for this year's #ActionFigureAdvent falls on day 23 and its from Thunderbolts*. While I expected the US Agent and Sentry set to be my favourite, yet it was the Yelena Belova and Red Guardian pairing that impressed me the most with their sculpts, articulation and included accessories. Day 22 Star Wars Black Series The Stranger Day 22 is our final Star Wars Black Series pick of the list, and it's from the much-talked-about Disney+ series The Acolyte. The Stranger (Qimir) was a late arrival after his appearance was kept secret until the show aired. His Black Series release is incredibly impressive with multiple layers of robes, a helmeted head as well as an unmasked version, and a lightsaber that can split into two weapons. Day 21 Marvel Legends Daredevil and Punisher I cheated again on Day 21, unable to pick between a pair of Marvel Cinematic figures released in the Autumn of 2025. Daredevil: Born Again not only brought Matt Murdock's Daredevil back to us on the screen and in figure form, but he also brought The Punisher with him. Both are massive improvements on the older 2016 releases, and are highlights in 2025'slimited Cinematic Marvel Legends release list. Day 20 Doctor Who Vortex Edition Master While Character Toys had released an Anthony Ainley Master way back in 2010, it was not in his iconic costume; therefore, he was missing his raised collar and coat tails. 15 years later, this itch was scratched in 2025 with the Vortex Edition release of The Master , complete with his TARDIS as well as iconic accessories, including his own Funery Urn from the TV movie. The Master is our Day 20 pick as we head into the final few days before Christmas. Day 19 Star Wars Black Series Dash Rendar We are into the final stretch, and with less than a week to go, we return to the Star Wars Black Series for our Day 19 pick. It's another from The Shadows of the Empire, and arriving to battle Prince Xizor from Day 7 is the fan favourite Dash Rendar. Day 18 Doctor Who Revenge of the Cybermen Collector Set It was 15 years ago that Character Toys released their first Revenge of the Cybermen set, and the set would soon become highly sought after on the secondary market. In 2025, Character teamed up with B&M to release the set again , albeit with new packaging and some decor improvements to satisfy both new and old collectors. Day 17 Star Wars Black Series Duel on Mustafar One of the biggest releases of 2025 was the SDCC Exclusive Star Wars Black Series set featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi vs Anakin Skywalker as they battle on the lava flats of Mustafar on top of the repulsor platform. The set is an amazing centre piece while the figures are significant enhancements to the older releases. A very worthy pick for Day 17. Day 16 Star Wars Black Series The Jedi games from EA have been a big hit over the past few years, and have expanded Star Wars lore with new characters and storylines. Up to 2026, Black Series figures from the games have been restricted to the key protagonist Cal Kestis, and generic troopers and roids. 2025 saw the Jedi collection expand to more characters with the release of Dagan Gera, Turgle, Skoova Steve and our pick for Day 16, Nightsister Merrin . Day 15 Marvel Legends Fantastic Four Johnny Storm The big Marvel Cinematic Event of 2025 was The Fantastic Four, and we had a full wave of Marvel Legends from the movie to expand our movie collections. All the figures were pretty great, but our pick from the wave, and for Day 15 of our countdown, was the release of Johnny Storm in his F4 uniform. Day 14 Star Wars Black Series Han Solo & Chewbacca With 10 days to go until Christmas Eve, our Day 14 pick is another pairing we just couldn't split, so we've picked the pair of them. From the Star Wars Black Series Wave 22 is the brand new and much improved versions of Han Solo and Chewbacca from A New Hope. Day 13 McFarlane Warhammer 40k Imperial Fists Sergeant We are just over the halfway point, and today is our sole McFarlane pick for the year, and it is from their Warhammer 40k series with the debut in the line of the Imperial Fists, and their Intercessor Sergeant , complete with two head options and a Power Fist. Day 12 Star Wars Black Series Sebulba Our Day 12 pick not only stays with the Star Wars Black Series, but is also from the same wave as Shaak Ti from Day 11. Marking his debut in the Black Series, and just the 6th figure in the Galaxy Collection for The Phantom Menace, Sebulba was a very different release for 2025, thanks to his unique anatomy as a Dug and coming with both his Pod Racing helmet and a Gorg to snack on. In a very interesting coincidence, this pick lands on the exact same day the new Star Wars Galactic Racer trailer was released. Day 11 Star Wars Black Series Shaak Ti 2026 has been a great year for Jedi releases in the Star Wars Black Series, the most visually striking of which was the debut in the line of Shaak Ti from Attack of the Clones. She pips both Barriss Offee and her master, Luminara Unduli, in our Action Figure Advent Countdown at Day 11. Day 10 Marvel Legends Black Suited Spider-Man It was a relatively quiet year for Marvel Legends cinematic releases, with most of the year's releases aligned to the new movie releases for Thunderbolts* and Fantastic Four. We did get a handful of new figures for older movie properties, including this gem, the Black Suited Spider-Man from Spider-Man 3 (2007); our pick for Day 10 of our action figure advent. Day 9 Star Wars Black Series Clone Commander Bacara While Clone Troopers in the Star Wars Black Series are nothing new, it is always great when a new named Clone or Commander is released. In 2025, we welcomed Clone Commander Bacara , as seen in Revenge of the Sith, and he is our pick for Day 9. Bacara brought with him some new Galactic Marine component parts that we are sure we will see again in the future. Day 8 Doctor Who, The Fourteenth Doctor and The Meep While the Doctor Who Vortex Collection launched in 2024, it was in 2025 that it started to find its feet with a mix of both Classic and New Who releases. Our Day 8 pick is the release of The Fourteenth Doctor and The Meep from The Star Beast. Day 7 Star Wars Black Series Prince Xizor It was a welcome surprise when Hasbro announced they would be releasing figures from the 1996 Shadows of the Empire multi-media project, and the first of these, Prince Xizor is our pick for Day 7. The figure translates Xizor to the Black Series 'real-world' setting while still retaining everything we love about the Black Sun Crime Boss Day 6 NECA Ultimate Tour Guide Beetlejuice We stay with NECA for our Day 6 pick, and the very impressive Beetlejuice 'Tour Guide' Ultimate release. This variation of Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice with multiple heads, hands, accessories, and a removable Tour Guide hat is simply lots of fun in replicating the Ghost with the Mosts first scenes from the 1988 classic movie. Day 5 NECA Alien: Romulus Scorched Xenomorph NECA makes their first appearance in our Action Figure Advent for 2025 as our Day 5 pick is the Scorched Xenomorph from Alien: Romulus. The first movie Alien release from NECA for some time, and packed with accessories including the Facehugger, Chestburster, and an abundance of extra hands. Day 4 Marvel Legends Hugh Jackman Wolverine For Day 4 we pick our first Marvel Legends figure of the countdown, Hugh Jackman's Logan in the iconic yellow of the Wolverine costume from Deadpool & Wolverine. Here in the UK, this wave was delayed to early Spring 2025 hence its addition in this countdown. The figure might have been lacking the sleeveless look from the final scenes, but it remains an impressive piece for your Marvel Movie display. Day 3: Lord of the Rings Merry & Pippin from Diamond Select Our Day 3 pick is a slight bend of the rules with the Diamond Select figures of Merry and Pippin , who were released in the 7th and final wave of their Lord of the Rings Series following the demise of Diamond themselves. The collapse of Diamond has left many fans deflated, considering which figures were planned for future releases. But the line did end on a high with everyone's favourite Hobbit duo, and as we were unable to pick which of the two was the better, we bundled them up as a selection. Day 2: Star Wars Black Series Princess Leia Organa For Day 2 we stick with the Star Wars Black Series, and the early 2025 release of Princess Leia Organa as seen in A New Hope. While the Princess had been released previously, her 2025 update was a significant improvement on the older soft goods release and gave collectors a number of different looks for display depending on which part of A New Hope they are recreating. Day 1: Star Wars Black Series Pirate Captain Brutus Our first pick of our Action Figure Advent is the Star Wars Black Series release of Pirate Captain Brutus from Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. Not only was the figure a fantastic replication of the Pirate Chief, but it was also the first Shistavanen to be released in the 6-inch series, expanding the Black Series stock by another key alien species - leading to some fun custom options, including our own Lak Sivrak custom. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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...

“You better watch out, you better not cry…” Hasbro’s Star Wars Black Series Holiday Edition figures made their debut in 2020, repurposing an existing Black Series figure with festive decor and accessories. The debut wave in 2020 was spread across different retailers as exclusives in the US, but sold by Fan Channel retailers here in the UK. It featured solely ‘Troopers’ from the Star Wars Universe, each with a festive finish. These figures have been released in subsequent years and also for other holidays, including Halloween and Valentine's. They are somewhat of an acquired taste for collectors. I have been buying one a year each Christmas and using them as most likely intended, to add a splash of Star Wars fandom into the Christmas decorations.  For our 2025 Christmas figure, I went all the way back to that first wave and the Holiday Range Trooper, who at the time was a Target Exclusive in the US, and available via the Fan Channel elsewhere. Like all the holiday figures with the Christmas theme, the Trooper arrives in the Black Series window box and as was in place at the time, with the slanted side. The box is a white colour, overlaid with grey snowflakes, and the decor then goes on to replicate a Christmas gift with added gift tag decor complete with Imperial logo in bright red.  There is no side artwork as such; the decor simply carries all the way around to the  back with the briefest of background text that reads “Celebrate the season with specially designed Star Wars figures from the Black Series!” The figure itself is sat inside the box on the usual internal plastic tray, and against a further white & grey snowflake backdrop. Each Holiday figure is a repaint of an existing figure, in this case, the Imperial Range Trooper  as released in 2018 for the Solo movie. The holiday edition Range Trooper is painted to look like Santa Claus so the main armour and suit is painted in bright red, with white fur lined shoulders and trim. The belt is painted black, as are the gloves, and the large magnetic boots, which are also given a snowy effect drybrush around the soles and up the sides. The helmet is red on the top to replicate Santa’s hat, while the face plate is white and the lower sections are white with gold eye lenses and black breathing aparatus.  The figure comes with an accessory that seems to be an ‘ice’ weapon of sorts. This is taken from the 2019 SDCC Rise of Skywalker Sith Trooper set, the melee bladed weapon that fits into the hand and tucks under the forearm and extends out as a complex blade design.  Articulation, as per the original figure, is across 16 points in total. These are all pinless and include a relatively wide-ranging set of movements despite the bulk of the armour and the fur-lined skirt and shoulder section. The bulk of the legs ensures the figure is rock solid once positioned, holding a number of stances.  The other inclusion, as is also standard with the Festive Figures, is a smaller companion. For our Range Trooper, he comes with a festive decor version of D-0 as also seen in the Rise of Skywalker line. To match the Santa theme, our D-0 droid is cast in brown with black connections and aerials, and a red painted nose cone. He articulates in so much the lower wheel can be rotated, but that in itself causes issues with stability. The original RoS D-0 droid came with a small plastic stand, while the Festive edition is missing this, making him almost impossible to stand on his own, as the wheel rotates when he is standing and his head keeps hitting the floor. That being said, he looks great when held by the Santa Trooper, while you can also work up some level of support using a touch of Blutac or Museum Putty to hold him in place.  The Santa Claus (Range) Trooper is our third Festive figure, and the three of them look great together when we consider the theme of Wave 1 was very much around the red Santa Claus and the green & red ‘Elves’ theme. Very much a figure that works for Christmas rather than all year round, and as we mentioned earlier, it certainly ticks the box about bringing the Star Wars Universe into your Christmas Decor - lots of fun and great when displayed in groups or lined up with other Christmas decorations. Pictured alongside the Holiday Mandalorian (2022) and Holiday Scout Trooper (2022) Keep Track of all the Star Wars Black Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Star Wars Black Series Collectors Database & Checklist 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...

NECA has dropped a brand new reveal in their Conjuring series with their Ultimate Malthus the Demon figure arriving in 2026. Malthus is the key antagonist of the Annabelle films, where the Annabelle doll is its conduit to torment people. Malthus will come with three different heads, each with their own expression. You can also swap out hands, with three pairs included in total, as well as swapping out lower legs to vary between hoofed and spiked scale feet. As an Ultimate release, the figure will come in the collector box with an opening front cover to reveal the figure within. Malthus is listed as shipping in Quarter 2 (April to June) of 2026. We've added the figure to our extensive NECA Collector Database Summon pure terror into your collection with Malthus the Demon, a new Ultimate action figure by NECA! From The Conjuring Universe, this powerful demonic entity is the main antagonist of the Annabelle films, using the doll as a conduit to torment people and find a human host. Standing over 7 inches tall, this fully articulated figure features intricate sculpted detail and haunting deco that brings his sinister essence to life. Malthus includes three interchangeable heads with different expressions, as well as alternate hands and swappable lower leg designs. A must-have for horror fans, NECA collectors, or anyone brave enough to welcome him into their home! Comes in collector-friendly window box packaging with opening front flap. To manage our storage costs, news article images are archived after 12-months. Accept our apologies if you have reached this news article, and the images are no longer available 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...

"Everybody can relax, I found a car!" The HasLab ECTO-1 project was the first, and currently the only, project for Hasbro’s 6-inch Plasma Series Ghostbusters line. The line itself launched in 2020 with a full wave from the original 1984 movie and a Terror Dog build-a-figure. Since then, we have only had a second wave from Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a repainted Slimed Wave , and a couple of two-packs with the SDCC Louis Tully set and the Afterlife Family that Busts Together set  featuring Spirit Egon. The HasLab project would be, as is stated in the HasLab principles, the biggest and most expensive set in the Plasma Series, bringing collectors a properly scaled ECTO-1 but also with an add on option to be able to convert the Cadillac to the ECTO-1A from Ghostbusters 2.  The HasLab project also expanded the Ghostbusters figure line into Ghostbusters 2 with the release of the grey-suited team and a kitted-up Louis Tully. The set also saw the very long-awaited debut of Slimer as well as the iconic Library Ghost. Backing for the HasLab ECTO-1 began in October 2024, and the sets were shipped and delivered in the UK in December 2025, just in time for Christmas. You could purchase two versions of the project, a base version and a deluxe version. Each version is boxed separately with a larger grey box containing the base version of ECTO-1, Slimer, Louis and the Library Ghost. The deluxe components are then supplied in a smaller red box, so if you purchased the larger set, you get these two bundled together. Either project is then wrapped with an outer sleeve across the middle of the packaging that details the entire contents of the project.  We purchased the Deluxe Set, which of the two options presented the best value for money. We did only back the one set, but over the course of this review (for Ghostbusters) and part 2 (which will cover Ghostbusters 2), we will look at both vehicle options.  The outer boxes are beautifully designed and feature both a base design principle of a rolling tool case, one stacked on top of the other. Across the base decor, we then have a selection of stickers, each paying homage to the original movie and the sequel. For the main box, we have references to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, Ivan Shandor's building, the New York Public Library and even a handwritten list of car parts, along with a parking violation and what looks like a Polaroid of the car. In this Part 1 review, we will focus on the contents that are taken from the original Ghostbusters movie in 1984, so are opening the main box only, Inside the main box we find a large inner cardboard tray that holds the full vehicle, including the roof and light assembly for ECTO-1. Sitting within this larger cardboard lining, we also have the Slimer figure in a plastic tray with a couple of car parts. Where the bonnet of ECTO-1 sits, the gap above is filled with a second, smaller box inside which are three plastic trays containing more car parts & accessories, but also the Library Ghost, the Gurney for the Proton Packs, and Louis Tully - but more on him when we reach Part 2 for GB2. Inside the box, we also find the instruction pack (which covers both versions of the project) and a sticker sheet for ECTO-1. The car itself is in a large plastic bag and comes in a part ready state, including the roof pre-fitted and the freewheeling wheels in situ. The instructions are reasonably clear on how to attach the remaining parts, which include the wiper blades, wing mirrors, components for the roof, and the aerials that sit on the passenger side front and rear drivers side. The rear lights covers need to be fitted, and on ECTO-1, you will be left with one unused socket on the reverse side for which there is a socket cover included in white. When installed, this sits proud of the surface, so it is not very discreet.  "Needs some suspension work and shocks and brakes, brake pads, linings, steering box, transmission, rear end... maybe new rings, also mufflers, a little wiring". Nearly all of these parts fit snugly and securely. The only one I had trouble with was the wing mirror on the passenger (left) side, which wants to pop off at every opportunity. The two large ‘whip’ aerials that fit front and back are made of metal and flexible, finishing with a rounded section at each end. While not a hook as such, this endpoint will allow them to be bent and tucked under the roof constructs to replicate the look from the film. There are also a couple of internal fittings, such as the CB radio for the front of the car’s interior, and a phone for the rear seating.  The roof components include a radar dish, aerial, and the two-pronged ‘cannon’, with each of these sitting into a secure slot. Running from the side of the upper roof section is a blue pipe that is designed to sit in a slot on the car body. Like the Wing Mirror, the fit here is not perfect, and this piece is also popping out indiscriminately. On the other side, a short ladder clips into place and hangs down over the car body. This one will also come off if the vehicle is excessively handled, but more so to protect it and stopping it from being snapped rather than being ill-fitted.  Assembly (which will already be into an hour or so at this point) then moves to sticker application. Hasbro designed this car to be used as ECTO-1 or ECTO-1A with the Deluxe box. That means the stickers would have to be changed if you alternated between the vehicles. More on this later. All of the ECTO-1 stickers are provided in the main box and on a single sheet. There are 11 in total, each being used more than once on the vehicle. The instructions are not a great help at this point, firstly being very small, and secondly being printed in a black & red colouring and not full colour images of the car or stickers. Placements are also hard to work out where parts are overlapping, particularly on the roof. The larger GB stickers are easy to apply to the two front doors and the rear door panel. The same can be said of the number plates, which fit front and back. The rest is predominantly for the roof, and while these are nice touches, they are so small as to be inconsequential to many collectors, depending on your desire for accuracy. They include radiation symbols, warning stickers, and caution notices.  The smaller we go, the harder these are to apply and apply straight. There is a tool included in the shape of a plastic spatula, but that is more useful for removal of stickers than for application. I also found that adhesion is reduced compared to usual stickers with Hasbro trying to make these reusable. That means on anything other than a flat shape, they do start to peel off.  With ECTO-1 finally assembled and stickered up, you will probably be 2-3 hours in, and it is finally time to start exploring your new ride. We start with the bonnet (hood), which is hinged to lift as it would on the full size vehicle to reveal the engine bay underneath. The engine is not super detailed, but this is a nice touch considering the scenes where Ray is working on the car.  Moving around, the Driver’s door opens smoothly and gives access to the front seats, which will accommodate a full-size Plasma Series figure. The steering wheel rotates, and the CB radio we fitted earlier to the roof section has a mic section on a flexible wire. Across the other side, the passenger door opens the same way and can also seat a figure. The full dashboard is sculpted, and component parts picked out like the speedo housing. Once lit using the interior light functions (as we will see later) you can then see the dashboard is also decorated with dials, vents and trim. Behind the passenger seat, the rear door on the passenger side opens with a little more complexity as it hinges open, then out to clear the car body. This makes it a little trickier to operate. In here is access to two further rear seats. One of these is fixed and facing backwards, while directly opposite and further back into the car, there is a second fold-up/down seat that faces forward. Around the rear seating are banks of equipment fitted into the car with painted button and screens and connected by several sections of flexible cable. The opposite rear door on the driver's side is fixed and does not open.  Posed with the Ghostbusters (1984) Slimed figures (not included) inside For marginally easier access to the interior, we can remove the roof module, which is done by opening the rear door first and clipping out the roof and this then frees up the connection at the front above the windscreen. As you do this, ensure the connecting pipes are also freed from the side of the car. With the roof off, you can access the front and rear sights if you want some overhead access to pose your interior passengers. The final opening door is the rear door that hinges to one side and gives rear access to the internal bay area. This is the largest element of internal space and is designed to hold the included gurney onto which the team stow their Proton Packs. This gurney is an individual sculpted piece with hinged wheels and supports that fold down when its out of the car, and fold up when its inserted - the wheels then lining up with grooves in the bed of the interior.  The gurney is cast in grey/silver plastic with a cream bed and has four clips to hold Proton Packs. The Packs are the ones from the figures, but they do have to be stowed without the hose and Proton Emitter. The straps fit around the clips, and then, with the pack leaning back, the rear of the pack should clip into the larger bracket on the gurney. It works, but not as seamlessly as you might like and therefore if you pack up your gear on the gurney and then into the car, they won’t stay in place if you move ECTO-1 around. “You know, it just occurred to me that we really haven't had a successful test of this equipment.” The final significant feature of ECTO-1 is the built-in lights and sound options. These can be powered by three AA batteries which are not included, and will need to be fitted into a battery compartment underneath the car towards the rear. Alternatively, you can plug in a USB lead with a C connection into a connector, again under the rear of the car and to one side. Above this is a switch that will need to be in the right position to reflect if battery or USB power is being used.  With power supplied, you can now activate the lights and sounds by way of two press buttons sat under the front number plate. The left-hand button controls the lights, and each press of the button cycles through the light options that include headlights and rear lights on (2 variations), internal lights on and dimmed, internal lights on full, and strobe lights flashing (also 2 variations). The strobe functions is obviously the most visible with bright blue lights on the main lights and with other strobes and flashing lights around the rest of the car, including light up strobes on the front bumper.  The sound FX is turned on with the corresponding right button under the number plate. Pressing this once starts up the siren that runs for a period of time before slowing down, fading and then turning off. There is also an engine start up noise achieved by holding the button, which has a starter noise and then an engine running effect. If you press the button while the engine noise is already running, you get that and the siren together. Holding the button then turns off the engine noise, and pressing the button a final time turns off the siren. While the lights and sounds are impressive and really bring a level of realism to the model, there is a significant issue with the way Hasbro has designed these to be activated, one that will frustrate collectors who want to display ECTO-1 with a light functionality without having to open cabinets or work around other figures to access the buttons. It was assumed and alluded to that the “always on” functionality provided with the USB lead would allow that USB lead to be smart plug controlled, essentially turning ECTO-1 on and off remotely. This is, however, not possible, as once the power is removed, the light sequence resets to the off position. That means, despite the external power lead, the only way to turn on the lights (or the sounds) is by physically pressing the button.  Shot with lights active against the Diamond Select Ghostbusters Firehouse Diorama "Now, stay close. Stay close. I know; do exactly as I say. Get ready! Ready? GET HER!" With ECTO-1 built, played with and ready to display for an original 1984 Ghostbusters display, let’s take a look at the included figures from that first movie. We start with the Library Ghost, the first spirit the team encounters. For a line that has done hardly any true ‘ghosts’ prior to the HasLab release, the execution of the Library Ghost is impressive. The body is cast in a translucent purple overlaid with painted pink sections to pick out key parts of the Victorian dres,s such as the cuffs, shoulders, and the ornate lace neck section. The skirt uses the same base plastic, starting translucent and then moving to solid pink paint down the ragged, ripped ends of the skirt. There are no legs, and instead the spirit is supported by a flight stand that inserts within the shirt to a socket in the base of the torso. This stand is not left plain, but is also ghostly in terms of its sculpt to give a misty effect. It is very secure once locked in, and puts some of the stands used on the older Diamond Select line for similar ghosts to shame.  The head sculpt is a really harrowing likeness to actor Ruth Hale Oliver as she played Eleanor Twitty in ghost form. The skin tone is pale pink and sallow with a grey hue to the cheeks, darker pink lips, and sunken eyes, all applied using printing tech. The hair is tied back in a bun and painted in grey. Articulation is sacrificed considerably, with only 8 points of articulation, with over half the usual joints lost simply by not having any legs. The waist still swivels, and the neck is a ball joint to provide the trunk motion. Interestingly, the arms do not feature ball joint shoulders, only a shoulder swivel, which means you cannot raise the arms out from the body, only upwards. The elbows are more traditional, as are the wrist swivels, which also feature a small pivot. The hands, the same deathly pink, are shaped with the right reaching out with fingers outstretched, and the left with the index finger extended. This, therefore, allows you to mimic the ‘shush’ position as seen in the movie or to have Eleanor Twitty point menacingly at you.  Spirits of this nature, as seen in many lines such as Star Wars Force Spirits or Holograms, or the Marvel Legends Doctor Strange Astral Projections, are never perfect and are hard to execute, considering the nature of the effects we see on screen. Straight off the bat, the Ghostbusters team seem to have nailed it, and I am super impressed and hope they get the chance to ring us other spectral characters from the movies.  "He's an ugly little spud, isn't he?" And so we reach Slimer, who is finally making his Plasma Series debut after five years. Slimer has appeared in three movies so far, and his appearance varies in each as does his expression within each movie, depending on what he is up to and what he is eating. The figure included with this HasLab project is packed with the ECTO-1 piece and alluded to as being from Ghostbusters 1984. I do think that the figure is modelled on the recent iteration of Slimer from Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Most likely using the design and measurements from that movie rather than trying to access older reference material.  Slimer is a cast green plastic blob, appropriate to his spiritual form, with folded ripples of his body that run down from his mouth and around his expanding middle and rear end. The base green is enhanced with some lighter application of a sickly, almost yellow/green paint. From the body comes two arms in the same green, and these are short and stubby and end in a hand.  The mouth is the biggest feature and is sculpted with crooked bone coloured teeth, and a pink interior with a detailed tongue, gums and tonsils visible. Above this sit the deep-set eyes with a darker tone painted around them and red used on the pupils. The arms use the same colouring and are articulated in just two places at the elbow and the wrist, giving Slimer the ability across these four joints to gesticulate with his hands. The only pity is they do not reach up to his open mouth to simulate him eating. Like the Library Ghost, Slimer is levitated on a fixed ectoplasmic styled stand that appears to be melting or running into a fluid base. The stand piece slots into Slimer’s base and holds really securely. It is perhaps not quite as tall as we would like, and maybe that will need an after market solution.  To date, Slimer has also been released by NECA, Mattel and Diamond Select, and for me, this Hasbro version certainly beats the Diamond (pictured) and Mattel versions, and is on par with the quality of the NECA release. We don’t have the NECA or Mattel versions to hand, sadly, but these are both modelled around the original movies.  vs the Diamond Select Slimer (2016) shown to the right on each image "And now... let's talk seriously. Now, for the entrapment, we're gonna have to ask you for four big ones, four thousand dollars for that.” So there we have it, everything for Ghostbusters (1984) unpacked, built, decorated and on display from the standard box of the HasLab project (Louis Tully aside). And what an impressive centrepiece it is on display, especially for anyone lucky enough to also own the Ghostbusters Firehouse Diorama from Diamond, as the two look awesome together. There are niggles with the car and a couple of loose-fitting parts that frustrate more than anything. The sticker situation feels badly handled by Hasbro, and while you can arguably reuse the stickers, it is unlikely you’d ever get ten uses per sheet. Even after a second application, the adhesion is going, and the edges are starting to show wear. There is enough to kit out the car three times by my reckoning, which means a decision needs to be made early on for those who did buy the ECTO-1A deluxe set on which car you are going to display (unless you were flush enough to buy two). Shot against the Diamond Select Ghostbusters Firehouse Diorama The other frustration is the lighting and sound effects functionality and while the USB lead option is appreciated, we absolutely needed the ability to have the effects turned on and off remotely, either by including a remote control switch or allowing a permanently on mode that we can then activate through a secondary market smart plug or similar.  The figures are great, the Library Ghost in particular showcasing what Hasbro could do if they were ever to tackle figures like the Taxi Ghost or the Scoleri Brothers. Slimer is a long-awaited addition, and looks awesome, but is certainly the more modern interpretation and really needed to sit a little higher on his stand. Value-wise, the base set priced at £324.99 in the UK is not particularly good in terms of value for money compared to the Deluxe package. It includes three figures, which you can value at £75 if we assume the same price as a standard release. That leaves the car costing £250 while applying a similar principle to the Deluxe set, the car costs circa £225, thanks to the four extra figures while the variance between the two sets was just £75.  In Part 2 of this review, we will be exploring the Ghostbusters 2 elements of the Deluxe set, which means converting our car to ECTO-1A and also looking over the GB2 figures and Louis Tully.  Keep Track of all the Ghostbusters Plasma Series figures from Hasbro at our comprehensive Hasbro Collectors Database & Checklist 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...