TVC Clone Trooper VC15: A Commentary

The Vintage Collection is nearly exhausting collectors (but it's all good and we're having a blast trying to keep up with all the new products) and specifically, all of the running changes are hard to keep straight. You may have gotten the memo already, but the basic white clone trooper has seen about a bazillion changes already. Click through for all of the details and be sure to check out our updated gallery showcasing the changes in our Research Droids Reviews. It all awaits you so click through!

The very first version of the Clone Trooper (VC15) figure came without the blue hash lines on his "cheeks" and a black line that runs parallel with his visor. This obviously made the Clone Trooper look a little alien to us, but we don't think many of us expected Hasbro to fix it. Amazingly they did! They really seem to let errors go any more. These same samples also came with upside down belts (something we have unfortunately grown way too accustomed to if you ask us). In mid run, the belts were inverted to the correct position. But the changes didn't stop there!

Hasbro determined that the figure's card back was a little too dark and dreary. As a result, they enhanced the "yellow" on the card back to a significantly brighter shade. The samples you are finding in stores now are all sporting this brighter color. (The one in our photo gallery is the older and darker card back and we didn't the updated one available to snap a picture for you.) But the exciting news is that with the lastest third [ROTJ] wave of The Vintage Collection, Hasbro has added those missing details on the Clone Trooper's helmet. It has significantly improved the action figure, but we still are a bit more fond of the 2005 version. That is just one sharp sculpt if you ask us! But hey, at least the new Clone Trooper has been fixed.

With the updated paint job however, we have seen an even higher rate of "yellowing/greening" on the outside of it, something we reported day one in our Research Droids Review of the figure. We have discovered that with some patience, this gross goo rubs off. We used an old cotton rag and notice that the substance was slightly sticky and grimy and even stained the rag. It's weird beyond words. Be sure to check out our updated Research Droids Review on this figure with a ton of new "Editor's Notes" added to weigh in on all of the changes made to this figure. The figure is slowly growing on us over time. But we have to be honest, we are not entirely ecstatic on the announced Utapau Clone Trooper and the rumored 501st Legion Trooper utilize this sculpt. But oh well, we don't think Hasbro would listen to us about this anyway. There is no denying that this is a more enhanced mold. Sigh. Collecting can be so bittersweet

Click HERE to see our updated gallery and review notes. And stick close to JTA as we will soon be looking a few other figures that have also received some cool updates (like Anakin Skywalker and Boba Fett). It's all coming soon!

    Hasbro Homepage
    Search Hasbro

Most Recent Hasbro: