It's the Shadow Trooper (The Vintage Collection)! It's the Blackhole Stormtrooper I always wanted - they can call it what they want, but this is about as Russ Manning as these things get.  He has extra parts, too!  Read on.

It's Darth Vader (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch)! He's big and chunky, and in that new scale and style that won't match your other toys - it's cool, though.  Provided you aren't overwhelmed in desk figures, this is a good one. Read on!

Millions have been produced over the years, but there was enough demand that Hasbro made more of Darth Vader (The Retro Collection) in a new format for 2019.  The texture and feel is a little different, and there's a slight difference in the chest paint - and of course, the copyright markings are changed.  Read on!

You can find the Luke Skywalker (Yavin, The Vintage Collection)  in stores or order online, as it's a Walmart exclusive! I would recommend getting the figure in store - it's the Luke of Theseus with a new head and a few other changes from previous releases.  It just doesn't s hip well in an unprotected plastic sack.  Read on!

Best Buy scored one of the best exclusives of the year - now on their web site and probably out of stock - with the new Star Wars - The Black Series Heavy Infantry Mandalorian Deluxe Action Figure.  This appears in The Mandalorian streaming series, and since we are not considering product announcements to be spoilers unless it has a specific feature (i.e., decapitation) we're going to go ahead and post it here. 

It's Luke with a new head, but Wedge Antilles (The Black Series 6-Inch)  is pretty good.  You get a great portrait, a blaster, a helmet, and possibly the wrong haircut.  It's hard to know for sure - but you can read on!

The show is on today - I haven't seen it yet - but The Mandalorian (The Black Series 6-Inch) is a figure you can get now! It's armored, you can see some Scarif Trooper armor, and it looks cool.   The coloring looks like something that would fit in with Jabba's entourage, but for now he'll just wander the shelves.  Read on!

Available in a 2-pack at Target with an unmasked head, this Supreme Leader Kylo Ren (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch)  is pretty great.  Complete with lightsaber and cloak, he can slash and cut and fight and do all the crazy things you want him to do.  Read on!

The newish Rey (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch) is probably on a peg in a store near you, which is wrong, it should be in your house.  She's loaded with articulation, the paint job is fantastic, and there are good accessories and a working blaster holster.  And she's only ten bucks.  Read on!

Now available and pretty easy to find, the D-O (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch) comes as part of a pretty good 3-pack.  It's the smallest figure in the set, complete with an articulated neck and hair.  As of now the 3 3/4-inch D-O is exclusive to a Disney parks gift set - so should you get this cheaper and easier to find set instead? Read on!

Today let's look at that under-distributed Maz Kanata Holographic figure sold in a 5-pack that seemed to show up more in Europe than the USA.  It's Maz, but clear blue.  It'll go great with your Mirage, Cobra Commander, and Darth Vader holographic figures... and maybe your clear blue Glyos figures and 90 other clear blue guys.  Read on!

The Amazon-exclusive Emperor Palpatine (with Throne, The Black Series 6-Inch)  is pretty cool. With better paint and more gear than the 2013 release, it also costs about twice as much - but with the alternate heads and hands, it's worth it.  Read on!

Debuting at Disney Stores last year, the Zuckuss (The Black Series 6-Inch)  is around a few more places now - and it's pretty great.  It might also be on clearance if you can find it.  He has a blaster and a nifty "coat" over the plastic body, and of course he's a little bit shorter than some other Black Series releases.  Read on!

The new exclusive figure in the vintage 3-pack, this Vedain (Skiff Pilot, The Vintage Collection)  is pretty cool - and a mix of new parts with old Weequay and Nikto bits.  The end result is something that looks totally new and absolutely worth a look.  Read on!

Surprising probably no one, R2-D2 (Galaxy of Adventures 5-Inch)  is great. It's hefty and sturdy. It has ball-jointed ankles - a first for R2-D2 figures, as far as I know. Also his "bald spot" returns - the circle on top of his dome was left silver rather than painted blue.  Again.  But it's a good figure and the centerpiece of a nice 3-pack - so read on!