| |
|
|
Year Released: 2006
|
|
Retail Price: $14.99
|
|
|
Figure#
|
|
Collection: Expanded Universe
|
|
|
Asst: 87140
|
|
UPC: 53569 15999
|
|
|
Card# 6557470000
|
|
Insert# 6557480100
|
|
|
Exclusive: StarWarsShop.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Figure Includes:
|
|
|
|
|
• Figure Base
|
|
• Blaster Rifle
|
|
|
• Random Hologram Figure
|
|
• Protective Case
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sculpt: |
| The evasive shadow stormtroopers, identified by their signature black armor, served a mysterious agent of Palpatine, code-named Blackhole, during the Galactic Civil War. Blackhole's charge was to retrieve and sift through data gathered by his covert agents, distilling it into information for use by Imperial Intelligence. Per his orders, the stormtroopers under his command had their armor cast in a black stygium-triprismatic polymer that afforded them increased sensor-stealth. The all-black stormtroopers first appeared in the 1979 daily STAR WARS comic strips by Russ Manning. They were also seen as loyal supporters of would-be Sith Lord Carnor Jax in Dark Horse Comics' CRIMSON EMPIRE mini-series. The sculpt is based on the VOTC Stormtrooper from 2004, which was the OT's answer to the overwhelming success of the CLONE WARS line's Super Poseable Clone Trooper. The all-new sculpt accurately depicts the Original Trilogy Troopers' armor, with the best version of the infamous helmet to date: 9.5 out of 10. |
|
|
|
| Paint: |
| The shadow stormtroopers are molded in black, with gray and silver paint decos, and glossy black for the eye lenses of their helmets: 9/10. |
|
|
|
| Articulation: |
| The Stormtrooper has a pop-off ball-jointed head, with ball-jointed shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, and waist. The wrists are planer-cuts. Total points of articulation are fourteen: 9/10. |
|
|
|
| Accessories: |
| The Stormtrooper comes with the smaller version of the POTJ Imperial blaster that fits awkwardly into the slit in the Trooper's holster on its left hip, molded in black with no paint details, and a chrome-plated figure stand: 8/10. |
|
|
|
| Packaging: |
| Variation of The Saga Collection basic card, with a character-specific background image--in this case, a comics-illustration of a Star Destroyer bridge. The insert image is computer-generated promotional art, and has The Saga Collection logo to the right of the character image. The figure's name is just below TSC logo; there is no collection number. Although the figure stand is chrome-plated, this isn't part of Hasbro's "Ultimate Galactic Hunt" promotion. The cardback features a montage of CRIMSON EMPIRE comics images of shadow troopers, with a large image of Shadow Stormtrooper prototype figure. Text explains the character's background, and that the figure was created especially for the "STAR WARS Online Shop." There is no mini hologram figure included. The entire card is encased in one of Hasbro's new protective plastic clamshells: 9/10. |
|
|
|
| Availability: |
| Originally announced last Spring as the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con exclusive, it soon was changed to a StarWarsShop.com-exclusive, available only online. As of this review, they are still available; $14.99 is still a bit too pricey for it, though: 8.5/10. |
|
|
|
| Conclusion: |
| Announced as "First in a potential new series of Expanded Universe action figures," it turns out the EU line will be comics-based two-packs featuring comics reprints. Still, this was an interesting choice for the new EU line, as Stormtroopers are second only to Clone Troopers in popularity with army-builders. While no one was begging for this to be made, it's been a popular subject for customizers. Considering that the CRIMSON EMPIRE-themed two-pack of Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax will be released soon, this is a good figure to accent that set with: 8.8/10. |
|
|
