Review of Sandtrooper & Dewback
Star Wars Black action figures

Introduction

I don't buy a lot of toys at the local stores these days.  I've given up buying most Marvel Legends, unless the wave holds a particularly interesting BAF. I gave up smaller figures years ago, and while I can still get sucked in to a cool animated line, my willpower has gotten stronger even there. Case in point - I managed to avoid the Coco figures, as much as I loved the movie and as much as I liked the look of the toys.

But there's still one line I pick up - most of the time. I'm no longer a 'completist', but I do still buy any new Star Wars Black 6" figures I happen across on the pegs. It's an excellent line for kids, and the play value is top notch. With the addition of a few vehicles, it's been a highlight in an otherwise bleak toy aisle.

The Solo flick has a bunch of new toys hitting the pegs, although it's not a particularly well planned release. The street date was the 13th, but here it is the 17th and I have yet to see much of anything at any Walmart or Meijers. The local Target is doing a better job though, and I found tonight's goodie there for about $60.

This set includes a Sandtrooper and Dewback. It's technically the fourth in their recent vehicle releases, although I don't know if the Dewback appreciates being considered nothing more than a conveyance. These are also available online, but I'm betting your Target will have them out any day now if they don't already.

Packaging - ***
The graphics on this box are particularly nice, especially considering the rather spartan look most of the Star Wars Black packages have. The artistic rendition of the Sandtrooper and Dewback on the front is a highlight, but there's some nice shots of the actual figure as well. However, this is not a collector friendly package. While you can remove the Trooper figure and his accessories without issue. you'll need to cut the Dewback free of his plastic restraints.

Sculpting - ****
This Black series is done in a 1/12 scale, and the Sandtrooper is just a whisker over 6" tall. The Dewback is 13.5" nose to tail, and while you can argue he's a *smidge* small, it's a fairly minor nit. In hand, the figure looks great riding on his back, and any minor scale problems will be quickly forgotten.

The trooper is a terrific sculpt, but you've grown accustomed to that with this series. The hands work well with the accessories, although they are pretty hard plastic. The sculpt works extremely well with the articulation, even with the body armor. There's some nice detail work on the helmet, and even as a stand alone figure, he's an excellent release. We've gotten a Sandtrooper in this line already, but the aftermarket prices on him have risen, so getting him again in this two pack is a welcome addition.

The Dewback is excellent, with a finely sculpted scaly skin, textured tongue, and detailed harness and saddle. You have to pop the saddle in place when you remove him from the box, but once it's in place, it stays there.

There's something jovial about the expression - it's hard to explain. You can pose him with his mouth completely closed and no teeth showing, but having the teeth and tongue visible is a more interesting look. And thanks to the squint in his eye and the way the upper lip curls upward, he looks like he's pretty pleased with himself.

There could be a little more texture in the scales around his mouth, but this is another of those very minor nits with an otherwise excellent figure.

Paint - ***1/2
The paint work on the trooper is excellent, with an appropriate amount of dirt and sand. The original wasn't this dirty as I recall, making this a nice addition. The pauldron is also a slightly different color, although there may be a variant out there already with this particular one. Like I said, I'm not a completist on this series any more. I also don't think this color is screen accurate, but I'll cut them some slack.

I'm particularly impressed with the work on the helmet. The tiny blue lines, the small breathers, the clean black edges...the overall Black series has improved when it comes to paint and this is a an excellent example.

The Dewback is a bit less detailed, since he's just a big green lizard. But they've added some variation to the skin color to increase the realism, and the detail work that is here, particularly the eyes, is quite good. I love the color and wash they used on the tongue, and the various details on the saddle, packs, and harness are very clean.

My one complaint that holds the overall two pack back from a perfect score his his teeth. The bottom edge along his mouth needs to be cleaner with less slop. But considering the price point and the scale, it's a fairly minor issue, and one you can correct for yourself if you feel the need.

Articulation - ****
Both figures have excellent articulation, with very little restriction from the sculpt.

The Sandtrooper has decent neck movement, and the shoulders, elbows, and wrists will allow you to create very life-like arm poses, including two handed gun poses. The torso turns and leans, and the ball hips, double pin knees, and rotating hinge/rocker ankles can take just about any stance, and the feet can remain flat on the ground. You can get very fluid, natural stances.

His one problem though is getting perfect sitting poses on the Dewback. The hips don't move quite as far forward as I'd like, but with some fiddling you can get something that looks reasonable, even if it wouldn't be the most comfortable in reality. This may also vary from figure to figure, because it varied from one hip to the other just on mine. The right hip worked great, but the left hip was more limited, making the seated pose a little more awkward.

The Dewback has a ton of joints, although his are more restricted by the natural design of his body. He has a ball neck and tail, with rotating hinge joints at all four shoulders and 'knees'. Each paw has a hinge ankle, hinge foot, and even a hinge on the dew claw. Okay, they aren't exactly dew claws, but they aren't exactly 'thumbs' either, and a Dewback with dew claws amuses me.

I didn't mention the jaw, perhaps his most useful joint. The legs can be positioned in various walking stances, and the feet and legs work well. He's not going to get too extreme, but that's not really his gig anyway. I do wish the neck was a bit more mobile, but it's another of those minor whiny nits of mine.

Accessories - ***
I'm counting this as a two pack of figures, so neither the Dewback or the Trooper themselves are an 'accessory'.

The Dewback has his (her?) saddle, but once you've attached it, it remains attached. The trooper comes with the blaster and pack we've seen before, along with a specialized prod.

The pack attaches to his back via a post, and the ammo pack flips over his shoulder. It looks great in place, and he can stand while wearing it easily enough, but the attachment is a little weak. The pack tends to fall off while you're posing him, which can get frustrating.

Fun Factor - ****
Good golly, this is a fun figure!  Plenty of posing potential between the two characters, and they make a fantastic addition to a diorama. Kids will love this set, and you should be buying them the 6" Black series already anyway - forget those wimpy little 4" figures!

Value - ***
Sixty bucks ain't cheap, but you'll spend $20 - $25 on the average Black series figure just to start. The question is simple - is the Dewback worth another $40 on his own?  I say 'most definitely', thanks to the terrific sculpt, paint, and articulation.

Things to Watch Out For -
I'd be a bit careful breaking free the joints on the Trooper, particularly the elbows. Use a little heat to be safe, but once you have them moving freely you should be good to go.

Overall - ****
The entire 6" Black series is well worth your time. Sure, it's had its ups and downs, and the paint work has varied in quality over the years. Things have improved in that area though, and these have become a terrific family of Star Wars characters for both kids and collectors.

This Dewback is one of the highlights of the entire series for me. Getting original trilogy stuff is always great, but getting this particular beast is a huge plus, and doing it with greater accuracy and articulation than is the norm means a big overall score from me.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***
Sculpting - ****
Paint - ***1/2
Articulation - ****
Accessories - ***
Fun Factor - ****
Value - ***
Overall - ****

Where to Buy 
Online options include these site sponsors:

- Entertainment Earth is closer to regular retail at $60.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
While I buy quite a few of the Black series figures, I don't review a lot of them. My last was on the Ackbar/First Order Officer two pack.

If you're looking for a larger Dewback, say, something in a sixth scale, don't forget the terrific version produced by Sideshow. It's not articulated, but it is impressive. Hasbro also did a sixth scale version a long time ago, and they did one in the 4" scale as well (you can see both old school Hasbro releases in the photos in this review).

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

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