ToySECT - Action Figure and Toy Review - 008 Tusken Raider (Sand People) The Black Series 6"

And we're back! Here is the new Black Series 6" Tusken Raider (Sand People) action figure from Hasbro. This guy is enjoying two simultaneous releases, one in the 40th Anniversary Collection and the other in the Phase III Black Series (Red Box). But the question is, can you find one? This loose sample is from the Phase III (Red Box) version, because there is no way I'm opening my 40th Anniversary carded one. Solid case packs may be shipping to your favorite online retailer as we speak, but apparently both wave 1 and now wave 2 of the 40th Anniversary Collection are out of print. 

WooHoos! 

Like yesterday's review of Lando (ToySECT 007), this one took me back to JCPennys circa 1978 and their marvelous toy selection featuring mostly Star Wars. Like today, you didn't see the main characters hanging around on the pegs very long back then, but the secondary characters would be there long enough to make you drool. I guess they are all hard to find these days. I'm really excited about having ol' bug eyes here. The Tusken Raiders have always been one of my favorite designs to come out of the original trilogy. Great articulation and tons of weapon choices make this feel like $20 well spent. With a Gaderffii Stick with 3 different options and a rifle you could build a small army of these guys and have them all feel a little different. Once the 6" scale Landspeeder is released in September you can relive the time they beat the crap out of Luke and took his stereo. 

D'ohs!

Apparently they do travel in single files to hide their numbers. Good luck finding one in the wild. Online shopping has made it sometimes easier to obtain certain figures, but if you're like me and want to inspect the product before purchase, you're out of luck. The thrill of the hunt is gone, and just hope your purchase arrives on your doorstep with no crushed bubbles or sloppy paint apps. Some collectors report the goggles being crooked on their samples. I lucked out. My biggest complaint is the plastic skirt they gave him. No riding that Bantha we'll never get. They did the same thing with Ben Kenobi and the Emperor. Cloth skirts would have worked great on these figures THAT ALL SIT in some point in each of their
film appearances. The detailing looks great, put posing is limited. Also, the right ankle joint was stuck in place and I had to dip it in boiling water to loosen it up. How many times have you had a figure snap apart just after opening with no chance of return or replacement?


What If...

If Hasbro would go ahead and produce a 6" scale Bantha, would you buy it? I always wanted one as a kid, and when Kenner released it back in the 90's I bought it, but never took it out of the box. It seemed to display well with it's window packaging, and weirdly satisfied my desire to own one without ever "playing" with it. Like the First Order Tie Fighter, I love the idea of it, but where would I put one?

Finish Him!

Overall, this guy is fantastic! Buy 4 if you can. I'm glad Hasbro put him and the rest of the original crew out for the 40th anniversary. Let's hope we get the same treatment for Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, but with better distribution. 4 out of 5 Bantha tracks for our easily startled friend here. Maybe one day they'll return in greater numbers.