Star Wars Collecting: The Best and Worst of 2009

It seems that every year I add a new category or split something out but this year I don't think I have to.  However, I am going to pick two best figures, one animated style from the Clone Wars and one film based character.  I thought it was fair to judge the two lines individually since there is such a style difference.

Also of note is the vehicles line.  While Hasbro splits the ships between the Clone Wars and Legacy Collection, I'm not going to for this article.  The vehicles all fit in with both lines of figures anyway.

The biggest news in Star Wars collecting in 2009 was the huge distribution problem that Hasbro suffered with all year.  Their spin is a lack of support by collectors but their bad decisions in 2008 and early 2009 contributed to a backup at retail that collectors, in a bad economy, didn't feel like spending money to bail them out of.

On the bright side, Star Wars: In Concert made the rounds of several cities this year.  The event combined John Williams' music with stills from the movies and commentary provided by C-3PO himself, Anthony Daniels.  And just before the year closed, Celebration V was announced for August 2010 in Orlando, Florida.

For now, here's my take on the year that was 2009.

Best

Best Figure

Best TLC Figure: Jawa with WED Treadwell Droid

This was a tough pick this year because I generally don't like to give top nods to a figure that is mostly a re-pack, but this set had it all.  The Jawa is one of the better sculpts Hasbro has done, he has excellent paint apps and accessories and decent articulation for his size.  The key factor of this pack is the WED Treadwell Droid.  Basically an accessory, this is a unique droid with a lot of detail and articulation and dwarfs many other figures.  Together the value on the pack wasn't really matched by anything else in the 2009 carded line.

Best TCW Figure: Luminara Unduli

There were several very well done figures in the 2009 Clone Wars line but Luminara Unduli rises to the top.  The sculpting on the figure is excellent, she looks very much as she does on screen, and the articulation and paint apps put her over the top.  She's light on accessories, but does include a lightsaber hilt, so she has everything she needs.

Commander Cody (TLC)

Cody is an excellent upgrade to the previous release, even though it uses a few parts from that earlier figure.  I almost picked him as my top figure but the Jawa set was just a little better value.  Still, Cody has near perfect articulation and a lot of paint apps even at a time when others aren't getting this treatment.  His accessories are fine but the upside down belt and shallow peg hole for the lightsaber hilt were disappointing.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Space Suit, TCW)

As with Cody in the TLC line, Obi-Wan almost took the top spot, but since he's "just another" Obi-Wan I felt Luminara should get it.  Still, Obi-Wan has some of the best articulation in the line, a very nice head sculpt and plenty of accessories that work well with the figure.

Aliens (TLC)

There were four alien figures in the TLC line that should be mentioned as they were also in the running for the top spot: Gungan Warrior, Major Panno, Giran and Nikto Gunner.  Each have excellent articulation and paint apps while the accessories add to the fun of each toy.  They all lend themselves to future re-packs/re-paints, with new heads or accessories.

Anakin and ARF Trooper (TCW)

Anakin Skywalker with his space suit is a nice figure based on some previous parts but with added articulation, making him possibly the best Anakin out there right now.  Even though soft goods would have been nice, this is an otherwise excellent figure.  The ARF Trooper probably wouldn't have made the list except for the nicely done new helmet sculpt and the added hip joint articulation making him the best articulated Clone Wars trooper sculpt.  All around nice looking figure with a unique helmet that gives him some character.

Best Figure 12"

Darth Vader

Since Sideshow debuted their first 1:6 scale figure in 2005, fans have been asking for Darth Vader and in 2009 they finally got him.  Based on his appearance in A New Hope, Vader stands an impressive 14" tall and has over 30 points of articulation.  While there were some complaints about the shape of the helmet, overall, Vader was well received.  Of course, now everyone wants the ROTJ version with the removable helmet.

Grand Admiral Thrawn

By himself, Thrawn isn't a spectacular figure; sure, he has a nicely tailored outfit and the head sculpt is nice looking, even his Yasalamir is cool.  No, it's his exclusive command chair that puts Thrawn on the Best list this year.  The exclusive price is a hefty $224.99 but the size and detail on the chair along with the solid Thrawn figure combine to make an excellent set.  With the recent announcement for the 2010 release of a ROTJ Emperor with his chair, I had to reward Sideshow for their innovative and sometimes risky choices.

Best Vehicle or Playset

Corporate Alliance Tank Droid

The Tank Droid is one of the nicest vehicles we've seen in the Starfighter line, not to mention for the Separatist army.  The Tank has a lot of detail including two cockpits for droids, firing missiles and a working center tread.  It's heavy and solidly built and for the price, it almost can't be beat.

AT-ST

If the Tank droid could have been beat it would have been the AT-ST that did it.  The downside to the new AT-ST was the fact it was exclusive to Walmart so distribution was somewhat of an issue.  Otherwise, except for the Millennium Falcon, this may be one of the top 2 or 3 Original Trilogy vehicle re-sculpts we've had.  It's much larger than the previous release, seats two in the cockpit, has opening hatches and firing missiles and the legs are insanely articulated, giving you a ton of play value.  The $44 price tag was high, but the value is certainly there with this ship.

Scramble on Yavin Battle Pack

Battle Packs generally include mostly re-pack figures or small accessories but 2009's Scramble on Yavin set really stood out.  The newly sculpted Rebel Ground Crew figure has plenty of articulation and detail while the generic body lends itself to future updates.  Red Leader is a fine figure and R5-K6 is one of the best looking astromech droids we've seen.  The real winner in the pack, however, is the transport.  A small vehicle with rolling wheels, a cargo compartment and a spot for the driver to stand, the transport really helps to flesh out your dioramas.

Best Other Toys

Uncle Milton

Uncle Milton is in the business of making educational toys and have been doing so since 1946.  In 2009 they added the Star Wars license to their brand and produced several fun items from a frog habitat to Anakin's robotic arm to the Force Trainer.  Probably the most interesting piece is the Force Trainer which allows kids (and adults!) to test their Force power by using their mind to raise a training remote.  Star Wars has borrowed from real-world science for 30 years so it's fun to see science oriented Star Wars toys having a presence on store shelves.

Play-Doh

Vintage collectors may remember some of the fun Play-Doh Star Wars sets from the 80's, but it's been a while since they were seen at retail.  That changed when Play-Doh released several items during the Summer.  There are several packs of Play-Doh along with stamps that include Galactic Heroes figures on the Play-Doh can toppers.  There's also an R2-D2 Playset that includes three cans of Play-Doh and tools and an R2-D2 figure that you can build tools for or use his feet to stamp out characters such as C-3PO and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Best Lego

Republic Drop Ship with AT-OR (10195)

With over 1700 pieces, and a $250 price tag to match, the Drop Ship is one of the more impressive Lego sets we've seen in recent years.  Coupled with the AT-OR and the ability to also lift the AT-TE, this Shop@Home exclusive took the top spot on many fan's wish lists. 

Best Busts and Statues

AT-AT Driver (Gentle Giant)

It seems almost disingenuous for me to pick the AT-AT Driver bust for the Best list this year, but in a year that was mostly bare of Gentle Giant product, this was the standout.  The likeness and paint applications were both well done on this bust and the pose, while not overly dynamic, was fine for this particular character.  His edition size, 2,500, seemed relatively large but the near sellout speaks to the quality of the bust.  Plus, with a rumored General Veers in his Hoth outfit, the AT-AT Driver became popular with collectors that wanted two for an eventual display.  I may be somewhat biased, but can highly recommend this bust!

Best Non-Toy Collectible

ThinkGeek Tauntaun Sleeping Bag

What started off as an April Fool's Day joke in April became one of the coolest licensed products we've ever seen; the Tauntaun Sleeping Bag.  The bag is shaped like a dead Tauntaun, complete with tail, saddle, head-shaped pillow, internal cloth printed to resemble intestines and a lightsaber zipper pull.  Fans fell for it, Lucasfilm licensed it and starting in October, ThinkGeek.com began selling it for about $100.

Best Exclusive

Octuptarra Droid

I moved this to the Exclusive section because I thought it deserved a top nod somewhere, but the price made the comparison in the Vehicle section a mismatch.  The Octuptarra Droid rang in at $35 as a Walmart exclusive but was a very nice value even though it came in a box similar in size to the basic Starfighter line.  The Droid is huge, at full height with the legs extended the Octuptarra Droid stands over 18" tall with a leg span of over 20".  With firing missiles and large "head," which includes a pilot seat, this is another excellent Separatist vehicle.  The box doesn't let on, but the value is definitely there even at full price.

Dewback

Walmart had a lot of exclusives this year and most of them were incredible, including the new Dewback.  Ringing up at $30, the Dewback included a Sandtrooper with upgraded articulation.  The Dewback itself is quite a bit larger than previous versions and is very accurate to his Special Edition appearance.  He adds new points of articulation and a nicely detailed saddle.  Pack-in figures usually don't add much to the value but the all-new Sandtrooper with ball-hinged hips and MG-15 blaster rifle (which is also all new) helps make this set something special.

Best Events

Qui-Gon & Eopie Mail-away

Unlike last year's Captain Rex mail-away program, the 2009 Qui-Gon Jinn and Eopie program was well received.  Originally a beast pack in 1999, Qui-Gon and the Eopie didn't see wide release and barely hit the US, if at all.  For the 10th anniversary of the The Phantom Menace, Hasbro made up for that oversight.  Costing only five UPC codes and $6.99, we were treated to a well designed and painted Eopie beast and the Evolutions version of Qui-Gon Jinn, updated with new desert "dirt" paint apps.  The fast turnaround on cashing our checks and shipping made the promotion even sweeter.

Star Wars: In Concert

Probably the biggest sanctioned even in 2009 was Star Wars: In Concert.  Debuting at London's 02 Arena on April 10, 2009, Star Wars: In Concert moved to the US and began it's world tour on October 1, 2009 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.  Since then dates have been added through at least April 2010.  The Concert features John Williams' score from all six theatrical films, played live and backed by selected stills from the movies. Star Wars: In Concert is narrated by Anthony Daniels and also features a touring exhibit of Star Wars props, costumes and artwork.

Charity Work

The Pennsylvania Star Wars Collecting Society has worked to support the 501st Legion's Garrison Carida by collecting toys for the past several years.  In 2009, PSWCS decided to support a charity on their own and chose Operation Ward 57.  After pitching the fundraiser to them, the club contacted Lucasfilm for their support and, after being approved, the Operation Ward 57 Obi-Wan Kenobi medallion was born.  The medallion has nearly sold through (less than 20 left as of this writing) and raised several thousand dollars for Operation Ward 57.  It was very enjoyable being a part of the development of the medallion and an honor to help brighten the day of a few US soldiers.

Worst

Worst Figure

Luke Skywalker (Death Star II)

Hasbro has been missing the mark on a definitive Jedi Luke Skywalker as he appeared in his duel with Darth Vader at the climax of Return of the Jedi.  Hasbro promised that this year they had a Luke figure that we could all be happy with.  We weren't.  The figure borrowed the arms and legs from the 2007 Jedi Luke figure and upgraded the head and torso.  While the torso had a nice touch, a replaceable panel allowing him to be displayed with either an open or closed tunic flap, the pieces did not fit together well.  The head sculpt is decent but the kudos really end there.  The belt is incorrect as is the lightsaber hilt that's included.  While those last two problems usually don't concern me that much, it just seems to further prove that Hasbro, for whatever reason, can't get this one right.  It's not a bad toy, and Luke is always popular, but after probably a half dozen tries, you'd think they could get at least one right.

Figure/Character Choices

Hasbro made some odd choices in what characters to re-sculpt or kitbash for 2009.  That includes Agen Kolar, Plo Koon, AT-AT Driver, Han Solo w/ Stormtrooper gear and a few others.  Several of them were passed off as new, like Plo Koon, when they really were just tweaked bodies with new heads.  Normally that doesn't bother, but none of them necessarily came off.  The removable breather mask for Plo which won't stay on without glue, the goofy head sculpt and armor with Han and the bad proportions for the AT-AT Driver really just made for a waste of tooling budget.  Choosing some of those characters, Plo Koon sticks out, when Hasbro is already shipping a lot of Saga Legends versions of them makes the choices even more odd.  The only genius to their plan was the Build-a-Droid promotion because I will admit that I was sucked into buying several figures I wouldn't have if I didn't want the extra droid part.  That realization does not make me happy.

Worst Figure 12"

Han & Luke in Stormtrooper Armor

The 2009 San Diego Comic-Con exclusive set of Han and Luke in their Stormtrooper disguises sounded like a decent set on paper, but the price and design choices took it down a notch.  Regular Storm and Clone Troopers run about $89.99 on their own while this set ran $189.99 for pickup in San Diego ($199.99 to get it at home).  Ten dollars isn't a lot but each figure only came with one blaster and a helmet.  The helmets looked nice, but the other downside to the set is that they didn't fit on the heads.  And there was no alternate helmet sculpt available so that you could display them with the helmets on.  While it was a nice attempt to get these alternate outfits for our heroes, the price and and lack of fitting helmets was a letdown.

Worst Vehicle or Playset

Titanium

The Titanium line made this list last year and it's back.  Value was the main factor and it was again this year.  While we were upset at the $6.99 price in 2008, Target stores bumped their Titanium prices to a ridiculous $8.19 making us long for last year's tally.  Joining value this year was Hasbro's cancellation of several ship models that collectors had been looking forward to and then, finally, cancelling the line completely at the end of 2009, citing poor sales.  Walmart all but gave up carrying this line in 2009 and the re-packs and re-paints choked off Target and Toys-R-Us stores making the releases that did ship hard to find.  The line had a nice run and did a wide variety of ships, but in the end, store support, price, and re-paints helped to kill it and that's a shame.

Imperial ARC-170

Originally debuting in 2005 for $30, the ARC-170 is a large ship with a lot of play features.  For 2009, Hasbro needed a vehicle of this size as a placeholder at retail for the Fall release of their new Clone Wars Y-Wing bomber.  Unfortunately that meant that the ARC-170 would have to sell at the Y-Wing's eventual price point, $70.  While the ship was re-painted with Imperial black and white colors, there were no other upgrades or changes to the basic ship.  While people will debate whether the Y-Wing is worth the $70 price tag, it's not been much of a debate that the ARC-170 was not.

Worst Other Toys

MARBS

JAAKS Pacific debuted the new Star Wars line of MARBS at the 2009 International Toy Fair event in February.  Featuring collectible marbles with photos from the Star Wars films, these hit retail at Toys-R-Us and Target stores in early summer.  The $3.99 retail price, per MARB, made this an odd collectible that hasn't sold well at many locations.  Including a display base and collector friendly packaging makes it less likely that kids would play marbles with this release.  The fact that, for $4 per MARB, they're resin and not glass doesn't help.

Worst Lego

Count Dooku's Solar Sailer (7752)

Count Dooku's Solar Sailer made the worst list mostly based on price.  A Toys-R-Us exclusive, the 385 piece set retailed for $59.99 which is a little more than the normal $0.10 per piece price on Lego sets.  While the ship isn't bad, and the new Clone Wars inspired minifigs are nice, Dooku's Solar Sailer looks somewhat incomplete without the actual sail part of the ship.  Overall, 2009 was a decent year for Lego and they seem to have a more consistent amount of product across the various price points, that makes the Solar Sailer stick out.

Worst Busts and Statues

Releases

Gentle Giant was almost absent from the bust and statue game this year.  Including exclusives, GG only shipped five busts in 2009.  They tried to make up for their lack of product by having several PGM sales of older product, but that was overshadowed by store problems, constant delays of regular product and a general lack of enthusiasm from Gentle Giant.

Worst Non-Toy Collectible

Topps Galaxy Series 4

All trading card sets have their own difficult chase cards but the Galaxy Series 4 set had probably the most ridiculous amount I ever recall seeing.  Not only were the sketch cards back, there was a whole different set of them for the Target retail boxes.  Foils, refractors, parallels, Lost Galaxy, printing plates, the "lost" Yoda, Galaxy Evolution Cards...  Pretty terrible.  Not only that but the base card set was plagued with so many incorrect or incomplete back text that Topps had to publish the corrected back information to their website.  With a Galaxy Series 5 on tap for early 2010, we can only hope that Topps learned a lesson and we won't see these problems with the upcoming set.

Worst Exclusive

Droid Factory 2-packs

Last year I gave kudos to Walmart for their Droid Factory 2-packs so it's a letdown that I have to move them to the worst list for 2009.  While we expect re-packs in these types of exclusives, this year's choices seem uninspired with the exception of the Boba Fett which, along with his droid, sported a paint scheme inspired by the "Droids" cartoon series from the 80's.  The Dark Trooper that this years set built was quite nice and, as with last year, the droids were probably the biggest attraction of the set.  The reason the set makes the worst list this year is for price; $17 per 2-pack at Walmart nearly doubled the 2008 prices.  There were only five sets this year but paying out over $90 (with tax) for the Dark Trooper and a handful of droids just wasn't that attractive.

Ralph McQuarrie Concept Art Series Multipacks

By all accounts the 30th Anniversary Collection of action figures in 2007 was a hit.  Part of the success was due to the subset of action figures based on the concept art of Ralph McQuarrie.  A series of action figures were released with basic waves while some were held as exclusives for Celebration IV and San Diego Comic-Con.  Hasbro, at the time, told us that the likelihood of a boxed set was near zero, however, in 2009 Toys-R-Us got two sets which covered all 13 McQuarrie figures.  The unfortunate part is that figures such as Boba Fett and Darth Vader didn't include their alternate head sculpts and even the Stormtrooper was missing his blaster.  In the last Hasbro Q&A session of the year, the missing accessories were brought to Hasbro's attention and their only answer was that they were "baffled" by the missing accessories.  So were we.

Worst Events

Distribution

We have seen distribution problems during other years but 2009 was singularly terrible.  Not only did Hasbro have trouble getting stock to store shelves, Gentle Giant nearly skipped the entire year by only releasing five mini busts, two of them exclusives.  While Hasbro tried to make up for it with a huge push from October through December, GG basically surrendered and substituted for new releases with the hype of long sold out, but desirable, busts being "found" in storage.  Sideshow maintained a relatively even keel but that was little comfort to most.  With Hasbro's toy line being the most prominent, and probably most collected, it was even worse news to hear that both the fan-friendly comic packs and long running Titanium series would both be coming to an end, further reducing product at retail.  With the latest information from the Hasbro Q&A sessions looking bleak, we may be in for more of the same in 2010.