Special Action Figure Set (Hero Set) - TVC - Exclusives

This trio of Freedom Fighters challenges the tyranny and oppression of the sinister Galactic Empire. Luke Skywalker X-wing Pilot (3 ¾") is "battle ready" in orange flight suit and laser pistol. Han Solo (3 ¾"), the macho captain of the Millennium Falcon ship, carries a special laser pistol. Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi (3 ¾"), the last of the Jedi Knights, has a removable cape and a lightsaber.

They’re back. We never thought we would rip the tag line from Poltergeist II to describe one of the latest exclusives in The Vintage Collection, but it perfectly sums up the wariness as well as the excitement of these very nostalgic three-packs. We say wariness because we’re sure many collectors will feel this is a rehash of stuff we already have, but excitement because we have another stab at some of the best figures Hasbro has ever produced and when tied together in a multipack they look even better. Hasbro creates three new sets for TARGET and some have some very long-awaited rereleases of awesome action figures we haven’t been able to purchase in many years, but some other inclusions have us scratching our heads (but none in this set are puzzling). The Special Action Figure Set (Hero Set) couldn’t be described in a better fashion because that’s exactly what it is: special. For this release, collectors will be treated to super-articulated versions of the awesome vintage figures that started it all in one set. Collectors can welcome back Luke X-wing Pilot, Ben Kenobi and Han Solo back into their collections in a new and profound way! Proof that Hasbro got them nearly perfect the first time they were released, these three figures have aged brilliantly, almost with timeless appeal and despite a few small things that can be improved (like that awkward Luke Skywalker portrait), there is a lot to love here. Of course, the packaging is a huge selling point here as it mimics the sterling packaging of long ago. And we all know how cool that is. Tugging at the heartstrings of collectors is always a smart move.

If you think this set is all déjà vu, it kind of is. But it’s also refreshing. All three figures are slightly (SLIGHTLY) altered from their original releases. We wouldn’t dare say that they were intentionally updated in any way however. In fact, as far as Luke X-wing Pilot and Ben Kenobi are concerned, Hasbro took small steps backwards because they used the earliest versions of those two figures. More on that in a moment. Despite the small changes our eyes see in the figures, they are inevitable when figures get “repressed” years after the fact. We’ll try to pinpoint what has been altered, but please know that these are just inherent changes during manufacturing. Luke X-wing Pilot’s helmet looks to be painted differently, the thick red line in the center of the helmet is now thinner and the outer parallel lines are thicker (almost reversed from the 2006 figure). The Rebel insignias on the helmet are also colored in lighter (and brighter red). Also of note, the "once gray" lines on the back of the helmet are now black. And lastly, Hasbro has packed a newish pistol that has a thinner barrel on it. It also doesn’t fit into his hands as well interestingly. Luke also comes without his lit lightsaber. (But the vintage figure didn’t come with a lightsaber so this is fine. These figures are meant to be modern updates to how the original figures came.) Minor variations also exist in the way the silver details have been applied, but again this is just manufacturing differences we’re sure. Luke X-wing Pilot may be the weakest figure in this set, but we have to admit it’s a great figure. We just would have loved to see a new portrait used. That would have been incredible. In fact, we wish Hasbro would get a little more aggressive and make some significant updates to the figures in these sets and make them truly collectible and ultimately exclusive.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is nearly a straight repack of 2008’s TLC Obi-Wan Kenobi (BD 34) figure. What bothers us about this figure however is that Hasbro updated and improved this Obi-Wan Kenobi figure in 2009’s LC Resurgence Of The Jedi Battle Packs set. The paint job was corrected for that release. While some very minor differences exits in the way the hair was painted, we really can’t see too much new or different on the Special Action Figure Set (Hero Set) version. Han Solo also sees little to no differences between his 2004 VOTC release and this version . However, the very “small” things that were changed (intentionally or by default) have improved the aesthetics of the figure. The flesh colored portions including the face and neck are much better matched for this release. And his navy blue pants are painted in a very dark shade this time around. (It nearly looks black). Also, the canister (droid caller?) on the left side does not have the silver details like the 2004 figure. One of the things that excites us the most on the “updated” Han Solo is that his black vest is mildly glossy and not harshly flat black, again, like the 2004 VOTC figure is. We think there is a little bit more personality in the way the face was painted but that could just be our crazy minds. There is also less “highlighting” in the hair on the back of his head and the joints are much tighter. (This is always a great enhancement!) We think the Special Action Figure Set (Hero Set) is ultimately incredible and it’s a perfect set to get if you are new to collecting. And if you have these figures already, consider the fact that differences exist from the originals and some are improvements. We highly recommend this awesome set.