In 2008, the idea of a new video game taking place before the original Star Wars complete with Stormtroopers and Darth Vader seemed like an unrealistic dream - and maybe that's why I like this Stormtrooper Commander (The Black Series 6-Inch) so much.  A GameStop exclusive, this blue-striped figure has excellent deco and holds up nicely, despite being based from a 2013 mold that's about 8 weeks from being replaced.  Read on!

This Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder, The Black Series 6-Inch) is a new mold - and it looks great!  Hasbro's engineering has improved a bunch, the colors are vibrant, the joints are good, the paint is great, and you should just have one.  Read on!

A little paint can go a long way!  The original release of this figure was great, but the printed portrait on Lando Calrissian (The Black Series 6-Inch, 40th Anniversary Collection) looks spectacular.  The improved eyes and mustache look so good, it's almost impossible to believe that it wasn't always meant to be this way.  The awkward torso joint remains.  Read on!

Check out the Rebel Soldier (Hoth, The Black Series 6-Inch, 40th Anniversary Collection) - he has two faces! The second one is a face plate you can store in the backpack.  It's really clever, and I'd like Hasbro to keep doing this sort of spare part storage on future products.  Read on!

GameStop is the new go-to for Star Wars exclusives with its  Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Jango Fett The Black Series Action Figure Only at GameStop.   (Thanks for the heads up, Hasbro PR.)  Pre-orders are live at $24.99 plus tax and shipping - and if you order two, shipping is free.  Click here to check availability.

The complicated name of Artoo-Deetoo (R2-D2, Dagobah, The Black Series 6-Inch, 40th Anniversary Collection) should not be a roadblock to you getting one.  (You've got plenty of other roadblocks.)  The redeco drops a few accessories from the 2013 release, but adds a fantastically filthy paint job to bring out some swampy detail.   Read on!

If you were lucky, you may have found Leia (Hoth, The Retro Collection) at a Walmart where she's currently exclusive.  (Apparently she may be on clearance despite the demand and lack of availability.)  It's a good figure! She can hold her blaster better than my 1980s originals, so nicely done Hasbro.  The head isn't quite as sharp, but it's still very good.  Read on!

Since Disney parks aren't as open as they once were, you may have to go to the secondary market to get your BB Unit (Color-Changing Droids, Droid Factory Line Look).  It's a good one - it's red when hot, black when cold, and opens in the middle.   You can get it in a 4-pack with a Chopper C1 Droid, a R! droid, and an R2 unit.  Read on!

As far as I know, this batch of 5 new figures is the final batch of this collection. (But hey, maybe more are coming!)   Pre-orders go live tomorrow, but Hasbro sent out press images today of Darth Vader (repack of 2020 Wave 1 Black Series figure), Boba Fett (seemingly reissue of the 2019 Archive figure but we'll see when it comes out), Chewbacca (seemingly the Amazon 2-pack figure with a bowcaster on new packaging), Luke Skywalker Dagobah (similar to the 2-pack with Yoda), and Snowtrooper (similar to previously released figure.)

Hasbro also sent along pictures of the Rebel Trooper (Hoth) figure which previously shipped in the 40th Anniversary wave 2.  It is expected to ship with The Black Series 2020 wave 2.  For those of you who don't have the figure, it includes two faces rather than two heads.  The faces are like masks which plug on the hat head, and you can store them inside the backpack so nothing is lost.  It's really clever on Hasbro's part.  If you have not previously bought one, get one - it's one of Hasbro's very best for this line.  (And they've done some good ones!)

All of these releases are due in the fall, but with COVID and everything release dates are subject to change.

The first of a new wave (and it's a good one) is this new Chirrit Imwe 3 3/4-inch action figure.  He's had two releases before with different accessories, but this is a new, super-articulated sculpt due out this year.  Pre-orders go live tomorrow morning!

Coming next year, this Bespin Escape Princess Leia seems to have a new head on the 2010 Hoth body - and a few tweaks.  This is a 3 3/4-inch The Vintage Collection figure. Take a look at the pictures and pre-order her tomorrow!

If you're a collector of the original line, this Lando Calrissian (The Retro Collection) may be of interest!  He has a black blaster, a lighter grey cape, and other smoothed-out changes to the figure's actual sculpt.   While some figures are largely similar to the originals, Lando has enough visible changes to be easily noticed as different.  Read on!

In case you missed him 40 years ago, Hasbro brought back Luke Skywalker (Bespin, The Retro Collection) this year. Will you find them? No.  But you can pretend it's out there somewhere, and that you're not more likely to find it at a garage sale once such things become safe again.   The figure has a couple of minor sculpt differences too.  Read on!

It's not real Kenner, but it's close. The Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder, The Retro Collection)  is just the thing for your Mini-Rigs, assuming you still have some.   The figure has a blue lightsaber - which is kind of a big deal - as well as a grapple gun!  It comes in a board game you don't necessarily want, but you definitely want this figure if you're a fan of real vintage figures.  Read on!

If you missed the first releases, this Han Solo (Bespin, The Vintage Collection) has a slightly better head!  That's an improvement.  The figure doesn't have the thigh cut joints we started seeing in 2016, but it's still pretty great.  Read on!