Imperial Shocktrooper
Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars
Let's be
honest - not every Sideshow Collectibles Star Wars figure has been a
home run. Occasionally, particularly with humans, they swing and they
miss. But the work they've done on the armored figures, including all
the troopers and Vader, has been excellent.
The latest in the series is the Imperial Shock Trooper, part of their
Militaries of Star Wars line up. Shock troopers are part of the games
and books, elite members of the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps.
Just as with other releases, there's a regular and an exclusive
version. The regular has an edition size of 2500, while there are only
750 of the exclusive version. Both were exactly the same price at $90
each, at least through Sideshow direct.
However, this is one of those cases where you can skip the exclusive
and feel no pain or remorse. Why? Because the special accessory is
simply a white display stand with the Shock Trooper name and logo on
it. Yea, that's what I thought too, and if you're looking to save a few
bucks you can pick up the regular version through other retailers for
closer to eighty dollars.
Packaging - ***1/2
If you've picked up previous Sideshow Star Wars figures, then you know
what you're getting. The wrap around cover with magnetic
closures
works great, and there's decent background text and photos. Of course,
the entire package is collector friendly, allowing you to remove the
figure and accessories without any damage. You can pop them right back
in later for storage or sale, a very useful feature for large figures
like these.
Sculpting - ****
If you're expecting something drastically different from other Sideshow
Clone Troopers, you'll be disappointed. There's some minor differences,
but these are due to the paint.
So why does the sculpt score
better this time around? Because the longer I've had the Troopers, the
more the sculpt has grown on me. There are minor quibbles with the
armor - I still don't think the helmet is perfect - but this is the
best sculpted troopers we've ever gotten in this scale.
The sculpted gripping hands work
great with the guns, and will allow you to pose him in plenty of
threatening ways. He stands great without any support, and fits in
scale-wise with the rest of the series.
Paint - ****
This guy is red, which I'm assuming means he's a captain. I believe
that the Shock Troopers followed the same color ranks as the other
Clone Troopers, although I'm not claiming expertise.
The red paint looks exceptional,
and the damage and wear is very natural and realistic. This trooper has
seen plenty of battle, and his armor is the proof.
Using bright colors with the
Clones was a brilliant marketing move on Lucas' part. It sucks the
gullible collectors (like me) into buying multiples of the same damn
character. And we like it, too!
Articulation - ***1/2
Underneath that cool armor is a Prometheus body. And unlike the first
few figures to use the Pro bodies, this one has far fewer problems with
loose joints. EDIT: Yes, it's actually the 'armored' body, but I tend
to tall all Sideshow's variations 'Pro' now. And they've all had
trouble with loose joints in the past.
The neck is nice and tight, and
allows for plenty of tilt movement, even with the helmet and armor. All
the joints below the waist are tight as well, and he can take and hold
even deep stances.
I did have some trouble with the
shoulders holding the gun up high, especially the heavier long gun. I
didn't end up being a major issue for me, but with more extreme poses
it may become a problem.
Accessories - ***
I sort of understand the exclusive base, since they started this whole
thing with the Utapau Clone Trooper, but it's still pretty
underwhelming. And getting that base does nothing to improve the basic
Accessories score.
But the two guns are both well
done, even if we have seen them before. The folding stock on the
smaller gun tends to come loose, but looks great in the right pose, and
the larger gun can easily be held in both hands.
Speaking of hands, there's an
extra set of fisted hands to go along with the gripping hands he comes
wearing. The hands swap pretty easily, and the wrist pegs are very
sturdy.
Outfit - ***1/2
If we were talking only about the armor here, I'd probably have to give
this guy another half star. I really do like the sharp cut of the white
plastic, and the red coloration on the belt brings out the detailing
even better than usual.
But there's also the under suit,
and while I've grown fonder of the sculpt and armor over time,
I can't say the same for the black pj's. They tend to bunch in weird
ways at the elbows and hips, and the fit isn't as snug as I'd like.
Fun Factor - ***
While the price point on these figures puts them out of the range for
most kids to actually play with them, they are certainly sturdy enough
for the rich kids to have a good time. And for slightly older kids that
are Star Wars fans and are looking for something a little higher end
than a Hasbro figure for their room, these guys can make an excellent
gift.
Value - **
No matter how good this particular figure is, he is pretty much a
repaint. And he's a $90 repaint at that. The economics of the overall
line forces the price point to remain the same, but the reality for the
collector is that you'll feel the pinch with each additional
release.
Things to Watch Out For -
Not a thing!
Overall - ***1/2 One of the most popular displays at last summer's SDCC was Sideshow's unique Troopers.
While some of the customs were a little out there (pink tutu?), I have
to be honest and admit that I'd buy every one of them. Yea, I'm a total
sucker for Trooper variations.
That means guys like this, or the
Utapau trooper, or the Coruscant trooper, or any others that Sideshow
decides to put out are going to end up on my shelf.
But what I'd
really to see the Fett family get some love from Sideshow. Where's
Boba? Or Jango? Hey, I'd be more than happy to buy one or both at this
level of quality. And the price should be fairly reasonable, since they
armor could be re-used for both. It's only a matter of time!
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Yea, it's a five star system and not a four star system like
mine,
but it's the best I've been able to come up with so far. You
can
only rate once from any particular IP. My score converted to
a five star system for comparison: 4.38
Stumble It!
