Sideshow Collectibles' latest release is called Luke Skywalker - Rebel Commander - Bespin, the Empire called him a Terrorist and the Rebel Alliance called him a Hero in the Battle of Yavin but I like to call him - Lefty.

Luke (as he appeared in The Empire Strikes Back) has always been my favorite version of the character. Back when I was a kid, my Kenner action figure was always in the middle of my backyard/beach side adventures no matter what the scenario was.

I’m not sure what it is about him at this stage of his Hero’s Journey that appeals so much to me. Perhaps it is his altruistic notions of good and evil and the youthful ideal he represents, then again it might be the fact that those same ideals are shattered at this stage of his journey as he recklessly rushes off to confront (unknowingly) his father.

I do know that the same revelation that shocked Luke in his confrontation with Darth Vader also shocked me as a kid, so much so my father and I debated for years whether he was telling the truth or lying. It would be three years after all before we would know for sure.

For whatever reason he appeals to me; he does - so when I heard that this version of Luke was in the pipeline at Sideshow Collectibles for their 12 inch line I was pretty excited. Sideshow Collectibles has been scoring an A+ as far as I am concerned with the quality of their previous 12 inch pose-able figures.

Sideshow Collectibles has been doing 12 inch, high-detail; highly pose-able figures from Star Wars for almost 2 years now. Each character they do comes in both a Standard version and Exclusive version. Both versions are limited, meaning when the character is gone, it’s gone (Trust me, I begged for them to reissue the Jedi version of Luke I missed. Not happening.) The Exclusive version is also limited (usually less than half the number of the Standard edition run) but will also include an exclusive accessory. In the case of Luke here it is an Auto Tourniquet for his handless limb.Exclusive versions are only available thru Sideshow Collectibles.

Luke comes in what is best described as a book style package with two window boxes that close in on each other. The flap that folds over the side of the box has magnets built in to hold it closed. A little detail that shows how much attention Sideshow puts into this line. If they are putting magnets in the box lid what could they possibly be doing to the figures?

Included in the box are :

• 4 sets of hands - 2 for gripping the Lightsaber, 1 for the pistol and 1 open/casual hand
• 2 Lightsabers - 1 ignited, 1 not
• Sideshow Exclusive Auto Tourniquet (Bacta/Wound Unit for hand)
• Hand Stump (yes a cauterized stump to put on the end of his arm)
• Pistol
• Stand

The weapons that are included in the box are as detailed as the props from the movies. Seriously, look at these.

The hands do pull off and are swappable, so yes... you can make him earn his nickname, Lefty.

Luke features over 40 points of articulation allowing for a full range of motion and pose-ability options. There are joints just about every where a real human body has including little details like a neck that can look up or down to shoulders that slide forward and back.

The head sculpt is a dead on likeness of Mark Hamill and dosen't look too big or too small.

The outfit Luke wears is made completely of cloth and even appears to be made of the same material used in the creation of the costume making for a very sharp looking figure. I have found in the past with other manufacturers this outfit in the 12 inch scale has looked ill fitted. That is not the case here with Sideshow Collectibles version and has nailed the fitted look just right.

Luke’s outfit comes with the following:

• Pants
• Boots
• Tank Top
• Jacket
• Utility belt with Lightsaber hook and holster

Only the boots and utility belt are made of plastic with the Lightsaber hook on the belt being made of metal.

The holster is made of a leather looking material and features a magnet built in so the strap sticks to the holster. Which brings me to my one complaint. The material is so fragile that I ripped the strap right off of the holster trying to put the pistol in the holster the first time. It's easily fixable with some crazy glue or a hot glue gun. So note to future buyers be careful with that holster when putting the pistol in it.

In case you can't tell yet I do really like this figure. Sideshow Collectibles continues the fine tradition they have set for themselves in keeping that Quality bar set real high. If you are a fan of Star Wars and have a favorite "iconic" character from the Saga, you owe it to yourself to pick one up. It will look real sharp added to your collection, I promise.

Now if they could just hurry up and do a Darth Vader and a Yoda, I would be one happy fan boy.

The Luke in this review is the sold-out limited version with the Bacta Unit for his arm (limited to 1980 pcs - get it?)But you can still get your hands on the regular edition.

I have also included a quick video review as I think it's best to see these guys in motion.

Here’s another one of my favorite childhood characters done right in modern toy form.

Here’s another one of my favorite childhood characters done right in modern toy form.

I won’t go into how great of a movie the Empire Strikes Back is, but I will talk a bit about the Bounty Hunters. How is it possible that these creatures who only get seconds of screen time can captivate me for over TWENTY YEARS?

Toys, that’s how. Although Boba Fett, Dengar, Zuckuss, IG-88, Bossk and 4-LOM only appeared briefly in the movie, they have had numerous toys made over the years, and have even been given fleshed-out backstories. That all makes it cool now, but as a kid, I was mesmerized by some of the best designs in the trilogy. (Aside from Dengar – what is with that guy?)

Zuckuss instantly became my favorite character in the movie. That grey metal body with the insectoid head and that gun, oh that glorious large gun! What was his story? Well, come to find out, his name isn’t Zuckuss at all, it’s 4-LOM. Apparently Hasbro made a mistake on the packaging and got these two mixed up. It’s still tough to think of this guy as 4-LOM. To me, 4-LOM is the bounty hunter that you had to mail away for, the one that Ricky Michaud stole from me and gave to some other kids near his house. Of course, I think I stole it from someone else, but I digress….

Hasbro is actually now Rockin’ the star wars line with great representations of their classic figures. This guy is articulated like crazy – a far cry from the vintage figure, or any of the subsequent releases. As far as I am concerned, there is the vintage version and this one. That’s it. The only 2 you need.

4-LOM is very articulated for a droid, with joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, waist, hips, knees and ankles. The only thing lacking is some kind of side motion on the hips to allow the figure to spread his legs out a bit.

Included is his signature gun, which actually has paint detail. Unfortunately, 4-LOM has a hard time holding the gun in any position except for how he holds it in the movie.

Also included is a collector’s coin. You know, for the collectors. They like to collect things, so why not give them a coin?

Star Wars figure collectors will undoubtedly already have Luminara Unduli in their collection. I suppose this review won’t matter to them, because she has likely never been taken out of the package. If you like to actually play with your figures, then you are going to be disappointed.

Luminara Unduli is one of those toys that honestly, I just bought to say I bought a toy that day. Toy nerds will know what I am talking about. This figure was bought during my Star Wars moratorium, and it only served to enforce my opinion that Star Wars figures at that time SUCKED.

First off all – the term action figure barely applies here. Sure, she is in an action pose, but she is essentially stuck in this one pose. The legs and cape are all molded into position. You can move the waist and head a little, and there is arm articulation, but anything besides the default pose looks silly.

To be fair, the sculpt is really detailed and dynamic. If you are just looking for a nice representation of the character, you won’t be disappointed. But if you actually want to play with this thing, forget it.

Included accessories are a lightsaber and a laser deflection bolt. This red translucent piece attaches to the blade of the lightsaber to replicate it deflecting a blaster shot.

Star Wars figure collectors will undoubtedly already have Luminara Unduli in their collection. I suppose this review won’t matter to them, because she has likely never been taken out of the package. If you like to actually play with your figures, then you are going to be disappointed.

Anakin Skywalker Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 Scale, say that 5 times fast. Here is my review of Padme’s baby’s Daddy, Anakin Skywalker.

Consistent with their previous releases, Sideshow Collectibles makes yet another HIGH QUALITY figure. The body of the figure is solid and well articulated, featuring 15 points of articulation with ample rotation and degree of movement. The body is well proportioned without looking bulky.

The costume detail is extraordinary with no expense spared to get all the details in. The tabbard looks like leather, and materials used in the tunic and pants looks just like the film.

The head sculpt is excellent but not quite as life like as the Darth Maul or Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Of course being rash and impulsive leads to lost limbs in the Star Wars Universe and Sideshow Collectibles has got you covered, with not only a removable limb but the cyborg replacement as well. Detail is fantastic however the hand is in a fixed pose but will rotate.

The figure is loaded with accessories; 2 Lightsaber hilts (one ignited, one turned off), gloved arm, cyborg arm, comlink, rebreather, holopad. Pouches open to store all the items, yet another nice touch.

And last but not least, every Jedi gets a cool long flowing robe. Anakin is of course no exception, with vents built in to give you that flowing look and of course the hood features a small thin wire to get the look “just right.”

As always another one well worth picking up, if Padme’s baby’s daddy isn’t your thing be sure to take a look at the line as they continue to make different characters. If there not doing one you like, odds are they will. They are well worth the price of admission.

Next up in my series of Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 scale Star Wars figures is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Video Review included.

Sideshow continues to impress me with another high quality, super pose able figure. The body is identical to the Darth Maul except it’s a wee bit taller. The body has 16 points of articulation and has a nice solid feel to it.

The head sculpt is fantastic and a dead on likeness of Ewan MacGregor. It even has the little strands of grey mixed in the beard and hair.

All of that is fantastic, but where these figures really shine is the accessories and the outfits. No detail is spared and the materials used in the tunic, pants and robes are identical looking to that used in the making of the film. He comes equipped with 2 Lightsabers (one ignited and one not), 2 sets of hands, electrobionoculars and a stand.

It’s a no-brainer if you’re a Star Wars fan and like this scale. If you’re not a fan of the scale these are a good line to try out.

For a complete review and to hear me babble watch the video.

When it came time to review this figure, I couldn’t help myself. I took the AT-AT out into the woods and brought along a speeder bike. I was like a little kid in heaven.

While I don’t pick up each and every star wars figure, I am a sucker for the Star Wars vehicles, particularly the ones I had as kid.

The AT-AT toy has been reissued several times since its first release in 1981. Even back in those days, the AT-AT was an expensive toy, coming in at $47.99. My parents didn’t have a lot of money, but for Christmas 1981 they found a way to get it for me. I remember that Christmas morning, unwrapping the large box. Upon realizing what was inside, I pumped my fist in excitement. I LOVED THAT TOY.

Unfortunately, I don’t remember what happened to it. When the AT-AT release came out in 1997, the price had bumped up to $79.99. Not too bad considering it had been 16 years since the first one came out. Still, for me eighty dollars was a luxury I couldn’t afford in 1997. This version of the toy used the original molds, but added weathering, missile firing cannons, redesigned light up cannons, and a whole electronic sound module. I passed on it, and I regretted it.

Flash forward to 2007 and for Valentines Day, my Wife and kids got me the latest version of the AT-AT. This one is called the Endor AT-AT, and was available as a Toys R Us exclusive. It is essentially the same toy as the 1997 version, but this one has been changed subtly yet again. Ten years later and the cost only went up about Ten dollars.

The first noticeable difference is the paint. This AT-AT has been weathered to look as if it has been walking through the dense jungles of Endor. Dirt and smudges are all over the toy, and it looks really great. Inside the body is a control panel assembly with three buttons on it, as well as a screen image. Pressing the buttons gives you various sound effects, such as laser blasts and AT-AT walking noises. The sounds and screen image have been changed since the 1997 release.

The head of the AT-AT walker features 2 moveable cannons that shoot missiles. The cannons underneath the head move by sliding a lever on the right side. Sliding this lever back and forth activates a light and sound feature that is really awesome. A red glow appears from underneath and a “Pew! Pew!” sound alarms.

Included with the AT-AT are two figures. The AT_AT pilot is a really fine articulated figure, with all of the modern articulation you expect with newer Star Wars figures. He is a repack of The Saga Collection AT-AT Driver (SAGA-009).

When it came time to review this figure, I couldn’t help myself. I took the AT-AT out into the woods and brought along a speeder bike. I was like a little kid in heaven. I hope you like these shots, and I encourage you to go out and get your own AT-AT and recreate Endor in your backyard.

“This is my apprentice, Darth Maul. He will find your missing ship.” Cue the ominous Sith music it's my review of Sideshow Collectibles 1:6 Darth Maul figure. VIDEO REVIEW included.

Sideshow Collectibles has been doing 1:6 scale possible figures from the Star Wars universe for a little over two years now and I have finally gotten around to getting some and bottom line is I am really sorry I waited.

The whole line is in the 1:6 scale, which means the average figure is about 12 inches tall. Unlike other attempts at this scale by other companies in the past, each figure is in scale to one another. So while Obi-Wan may stand at 12 ½ inches, Darth Maul stands at 11 cause the actor who played him was a shorter fellow.

The outfit is made to look EXACTLY like the one worn in the making of the film. The tunic is made of multiple pieces and uses similar (if not identical) material as used in the costumes for the film. The cloak features the same ribbing that was on the film version and also features a wire in the rim of the hood to get the hood to sit “just right” to make sure you get the mysterious look perfect.

The head sculpt is a dead on likeness of Ray Park, the actor who played the part. The eyes even have bloodshot veins in them.

The attention to detail Sideshow’s artists give this line is astonishing. Seriously, Sideshow has thought of everything, from the possibility of the body to the buttons on the lightsaber hilt and includes a bunch of different accessories.

The body of the figure has 30+ points of articulation and is highly possible. The proportions of the body combined with the detailed accessories give the figure a very lifelike/real look. This has always been the downside of 1:6 scale figures in the past for Star Wars, no matter how well made the bodies where the proportions tended towards a football player look instead of that of a Jedi/Sith. My photos do not really show off the flexibility in posing so please check the quick video review below to get all the detail.

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The accessories include:
• Detailed Belt with Lightsaber Clip
• Lightsaber with Duel Ignited Blades
• Lightsaber with Single Ignited Blade
• Lightsaber Hilt
• Electrobinoculars
• 4 Hands (2 lighsaber grip, 1 force gesture, 1 with the droid controller bracelet)

Each figure in the line is limited in production. Sideshow takes preorders makes a few thousand over that and when they are gone they are gone. So if you like what you see on the shelf or up at the Sideshow Collectibles websight, grab it, do not think about it or you will miss your chance.

Well that is about it. Granted it doesn’t light up, fire missiles or feature any die-cast content but is simply the very best pose able Darth Maul figure that has ever been made. If Star Wars is your thing you NEED to give the Sideshow Collectible line a good, long, hard look. Then go buy some.

Luke Skywalker in Echo Base Bacta Tank - While the set seems kind of lame on its own, the cool part of it is that it is designed to work with the FX-7 figure (sold separately).

For some reason I was always fascinated by the scene in Empire Strikes Back when Luke recovers in the Bacta tank. Something about a tube full of organisms that could heal your injuries… It’s one of the many ways that Star Wars really expanded my imagination as a child. George Lucas crafted a world that seemed so real to me as a child and continues to inspire me to this day.

While the set seems kind of lame on its own, the cool part of it is that it is designed to work with the FX-7 figure (sold separately). There is a circular groove in the base that fits the medical droid perfectly.

The set itself is interesting. It comes with the Bacta Tank, Luke and a control panel. The lid can be removed from the tank and Luke can be removed from the lid. Luke actually has moveable arms!

There is a black rubber hose that comes from inside the tank. According to the package, you are actually supposed to fill the tank with water, and then blow into the hose to produce bubbles like in the movie.

The control panel is made out of hard rubber, and features no moving parts.

This is a very cool set, and a toy that I never thought they would make. Good job Hasbro.

One of my favorite Star Wars toys growing up was the FX-7 Medical Droid. Hasbro does an amazing update with this 2001 version.

While I am not actively buying Star Wars figures for myself anymore, every once in a while I pick one up for nostalgia sake. This is especially true when it is a new toy of a character I really loved as a kid.

Take FX-7 for instance. I LOVED this toy when I was little, even though it had almost no screen time.  The original Kenner toy was quite advanced at the time. All of the arms extended, the center arm moved, and the head rotated and for some reason went up and down!

This new version from Hasbro is a nice modern representation of the character. In every way it is a better figure, but I still found myself trying to lift up the head and move the center arm (neither move in this version). This version of the toy is much more accurate and detailed. Each of the arms is articulated in TWO places! Hasbro outdid themselves on this one.

Not only is FX-7 cool in his own right, but he can also be used with the Bacta Chamber set!

Zuckuss is one of those star wars characters that people love, even though he only had seconds of screen time. He appears briefly as one of the bounty hunters on the bridge of Darth Vader’s star destroyer in Empire Strikes back, but he has been given a full back story in the expanded universe.

Zuckuss is one of those star wars characters that people love, even though he only had seconds of screen time. He appears briefly as one of the bounty hunters on the bridge of Darth Vader’s star destroyer in Empire Strikes back, but he has been given a full back story in the expanded universe.

Some of you may be looking at this figure and think – that’s not Zuckuss, that’s 4-LOM! Well, you are wrong. When Kenner made the original action figures, they messed up the names on the packaging, and swapped the names of the figures. I too had grown up thinking one was the other, until the new Star Wars figures came out in the 90s when the error was corrected. All these years, my favorite figure (Zuckuss) was actually a droid named 4-LOM.

In the expanded universe, Zuckuss is an insectiod alien bounty hunter from the planet Gand. He was paired up with the droid 4-LOM by Jabba the Hutt (perhaps in a nod to the action figure mix-up). The two made a formidable pair of bounty hunters.

There have been several toys of Zuckuss made over the years, but this one is probably my favorite.

Zuckuss comes packaged in the standard window box for the Star Wars Saga 12” line. The body is a regular male body, but you really don’t see any of it. The hands, boots, head and outfit are all unique to this figure.

The cape is made out of a cloth backed vinyl, that looks and feels like leather. It has a nice texture and fits the figure well. Over the cape is a rubber harness that attaches around the back. The head is soft vinyl and expertly detailed. It features 2 breathing hoses that wrap around and attach to the back of the figure.

The only accessory included with this figure is a Blaster Rifle. Zuckuss can hold the rifle in one or both hands.

I really love this figure. It was on my desk at work for years, only to be retired when I moved to another space. My only complaint about this figure would be that it is top heavy and prone to falling over. If you have a stand for a 1/6 scale figure, this toy could use it.

Hasbro has stopped making the 12” figures and turned the reins over to Sideshow Collectables. Let’s hope they include Zuckuss in their line up.