Clone Trooper Lieutenant/Clone Trooper - LC - Comic Packs (10)

Clone troopers display more than "Routine Valor" during a battle on Sarrish. When their Republic gunship crashes near a dangerous gun emplacement, the clones launch an attack to capture the promontory on which the gun is anchored. Although the odds are against them, the troopers don't hesitate to take on the deadly challenge.

Arguably, one of the most interesting and favorite clone flavors in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith was the 212th Attack Battalion. There was something extraordinarily striking about the orange color flashes and Commander Cody's unique armor that really made for a clone branding that stayed at the forefront of your memory. Hasbro has also cashed in on this clone trooper type too, but not as much as you may think. It took them over a year to get out the very first Utapau Clone Trooper (which eventually saw the light of day as 2006's TSC Clone Trooper (SAGA 026) figure) and it hasn't made a return appearance in the toy line until this Comic Packs set. Hasbro did release other 212th Attack Battalion figures, but the basic clone trooper has been getting the shaft or so it seems. But Hasbro has made up for this in a big way because not only do we get a refreshed look at the 212th Attack Battalion Clone Trooper again, but we also look at the first 212th Attack Battalion Clone Trooper Lieutenant. Both are great action figures and wonderful additions to the line. And they appear in the last wave of the retiring Comic Packs line. We are speculating here, but we believe that if Hasbro opened up the red phase of the Legacy Collection with the five set that make up wave 2, we believe the Comic Packs line may have had a longer shelf life. All of the sets in wave 2 are very intriguing and will absolutely appeal to fans of the movies and well as the comic.

Sometimes as collectors we have entitlement issues and expect Hasbro to placate our wishes with instant gratification. It doesn't happen to often, but when it does, it is a feast. Two of the five Comic Packs in wave two of the Legacy Collection contain two more army builders each (which are both very well done) and it is expected when all is said and done that there may not be enough to go around to make everyone happy (but only time will tell). Utapau-based clones are very popular and this should be a very popular set. Clone Trooper is a repaint of the 2005 ROTS Clone Trooper (III 41) figure. It is similarly painted to the 2006's TSC [Utapau] Clone Trooper (SAGA 026) figure, but a different (and more accurate) orange color has been used. Also, the black carbon-scoring has been removed and new weathered patterns have been included instead. The figures till comes with his DC-15 blaster and antenna, but now includes some sort of blaster rifle with a removable dart projectile. There is not an action feature here, but it is removable from the barrel of the rifle. It's hard to say if this is an update to the The Saga Collection figure because the latter has a much better paint job. But you can look at this figure as "another" 212th Attack Battalion member because that is exactly what he is. These troopers had some of the greates action in Revenge Of The Sith, so it's wonderful to see a full comic devoted to them and their battles fighting for freedom against Separatist forces.

The Clone Trooper Lieutenant is a repaint of the Clone Trooper (327th Star Corps) figure from 2005's ROTS Evolutions Clone Trooper to Stormtrooper set. (This same figure has also been recently released as 2008's TLC Clone Trooper (327th Star Corps) (BD 29) in The Legacy Collection.) This time however, Hasbro decided to give him the kama from another Comic Packs figure, the ARC Trooper Alpha from 2007's TAC Obi-Wan Kenobi/ARC Trooper (No. 07) Comic Packs set based on Star Wars: Republic (which has been used a hundred times on other figures too, like 2008's TLC Clone Trooper (BD 16) figure). But the figures from this set look great together. The Clone Trooper Lieutenant is not too exaggerated of a clone and looks just like he was off-screen in Episode III. Sometimes the clones have become "too" Expanded Universe-looking in other Hasbro offerings, like the Order 66 TARGET exclusive sets. (That isn't a knock, we like them too, but you know what we mean.) This isn't true here at all. It is nice to get comic based figures that are from the films. Sometimes some of the character choices have come right out of left field and many fans don't know a thing about them. But the Comic Packs serve a purpose. That is they make EU lovers happy and they introduce new fans to these rich stories that may never read the comics if it weren't for these Hasbro toys. We think it is a shame that the line is dead for now. Hasbro should have redirected their plans a bit to reinvigorate the line by offering new product first and repacks later. Hopefully this is one way that they can learn from their mistakes.