Star Wars Weekends

StarWars.com keeps the information machine rolling this year with the first official merchandise information pertaining to the Star Wars Big Fig line.  So far the website has exceeded all expectations by getting some information out in a timely manner.  Kudos to them for the job they are doing so far.  (Official Disney Website needs to take note-- Info is GOOOOOOD!)

While some details of the Big Figs for 2009 had been leaked/speculated on, there is some new information that was very interesting.  Today while driving home I got a call from "CHAOS" (a friend of mine) telling me that Pitti-sing (another friend) had just posted up the latest news on the Big Figs.  So I raced home to get a look at the pics online.  Now, if you don't know, I LOVE the Big Figures that Disney produces for this event.  To date I have all of them but one.  I could not make myself purchase the Jar Jar Goofy piece last year.  Anyway your first look at this years group can be seen here at StarWars.com :

http://www.starwars.com/vault/collecting/20090223.html#rss 

Let me start of by saying I am going to be opinionated on this subject, but that I don't assume to be the final word on these.  Iit is sort of like choosing a soda.  I like Coca Cola and others may prefer Pepsi.  Sure I think they are wrong, but as long as they are happy, eh!   This is not a comentary on the artists work as much as it is on the decision to use these characters and how they are depicted.  Even Jar Jar Goofy has his decent attributes!

The best of the new Figs for this year is without a doubt the Donald Duck Frozen in Carbonite.  This piece is outstanding simply because it draws itself from a very specific part of the Star Wars Saga.  It is eye catching and would be a valuable edition to any Star Wars/Disney collection.... especially mine.  Yes, if I can manage only one piece this year, let me please talk the wife into letting me have this one!  (We are running out of room.)

The next best Fig from my certain point of view is the Luke/Mickey in training with Jedi Master Yoda.  This might have been my number one except for the fact that I'm bothered by the look of Mickey's boots and pants.  They are ok, but something just seems off.  What makes this such a great piece, and the other one that I must have is that like the first, it takes you to a specific point in the Saga.  Perhaps the best feature is something we have not seen to date with the Figs, the addition of a true Star Wars character in Master Yoda.  That alone makes this a must have this year.  (Now I just have to figure out how to smuggle it home without the wife knowing!  Where is Han and the Falcon when I need him?)

Sadly my enthusiasm begins to dim with the last two figs.  There had been much talk about the possibility for each of them, and I withheld judgement until I could get a look at them.  First, Leia/Minnie in the Slave outfit.  While this sounded as though it could be interesting, I've got to say that from the picture at least it is a dissapointment.  I do rank it #3 and would still consider it because it again draws a line to a specific time in the Star Wars Saga, but the piece is simply to dark and plain for my taste.  Perhaps seeing it in person might change my mind, and if I do manage to get to Weekends this year, I promise to give it my full consideration, but at first glance, this very capable female character just comes across dull.

Last unfortunately for the second year in a row is poor Goofy.  This year he is Chewbacca and like the Leia Minnie piece, there is just nothing descript about it.  I can say that I never really liked the idea of this piece because it could only be Goofy with a lot of Wookie hair.  Paired maybe with Donald Han in flight suit and maybe you have something, but Chewy/Goofy looks as though he is hitching a cab.  While discussing this with "CHAOS" I decided that each of these pieces would have been more interesting if they showed some action that drew you to a point in the films.  For instance, Chewy/Goofy could have been done sitting at the Dejarik (Chess) table with his arms back behind his head.  Leia/Minnie could have been done as the Bounty Hunter she portrayed in Return of the Jedi with helmet in hand.  She would have been a great compliment for the Donald Carbonite Fig.  But heck that is just my opinion.

In a perfect world I would be able to trade in Jar Jar Goofy and Goofy Chewy for a Stitch Darth Sidious.  Yes as polarizing as Stitch can be, he would have been a great SITH for this collection and I would have paid a premium for him.  Just bad enough to be included without being evil.  (Goofy, for the record I loved your Darth Goofy with the Mickey Boxers Fig!)

Again, it is great that StarWars.com is getting the dates and info out quickly this year.  I hope it keeps going this way and the Disney.com starts to get in the game.  I'm starting to get excited about what is yet to come, and having reservations is looking more and more important.  After all, how am I going to get that Carbonite Donald?