I got Padme 12" Finally - and she's great!

[Tycho]

I haven't opened her, so this thread will be updated later.

But her head is not too big for her body. They did an awesome job for an important and attractive lead character of the Star Wars saga.

They came in to Toys R Us in San Diego, California.

EDIT: see my post below for the bad news!
You will want to know before you buy, ok?

[Ook]

San Diego, huh? My buddy just moved from there. We went to Comic Con while he was still there, though. Did you go? I live up in San Bernardino.

[mini-rock]

I agree Tycho. Padme is great. Yeah so what there's not much posability, and you have to use the clear bands for her to hold the Battledroid blaster, just the look of that figure makes it great.

[Tycho]

I still have to open her, so I don't know what you're talking about Derek. The pic of the figure you posted looks like a man's face, though.

Of course I got to ComicCon, VadersFist!

It's fun to see everyone and talk to Hasbro in person, Dark Horse, Del Rey, DK Books and more, and learn what they are coming up with and out with, next - plus see some of the new figures and vehicles early, etc.

I think it was at Comic Con in 2001 that I held the TIE Bomber about 8 months before it came out at retail. It was worth going there just for that. They were backing up everything they had behind glass, when they guys at Hasbro took it out and let me play with it.

OK, maybe I've had a TIE Bomber of my own for almost a year now, but it was nevertheless a memorable experience!

[Ook]

Hey, did you catch Hamill? I missed him.

[Exhaust Port]

I feel the figure/head is a lot better than the pre-production version but I would like to see a better 12" body that would permit posing.

[Doc Brown]

I found upon opening my 12" padem that pulling her cuffs down over her wrists (like they are in the movie) and bending her legs apart in a wider stance makes her look a lot better. also exposing her neckline helps also. as for the new anakin, not much you can do with him other than replacing the head

[Tycho]

What happened to Derek's complaint post? He'll just love being right.

Because when I was wrong about Padme, I was really wrong!

1) She is a 'Barbie' - no elbow, bicep, or wrist articulation!

2) Her hands cannot hold either of her guns without the clear-band thing (so don't throw those out - you need them more and more for Hasbro products nowadays).

3) Her hair on her head is real, but the twisted braids she has in back are soft-plastic cord (barely ribbed to look like braided hair and bearing more of a resemblance to stale string-liquorish). Way cheap!

4) Her head is the right size, but her face doesn't even look like Natalie Portman's!

5) She is so skinny she'll slip down the drain pipe if she tries to take a shower.

6) Her gun belt is way too loose and isn't punched to close tighter on her, so if you turn her upside down, her waist line is mysteriously approaching her chestline in rapid seconds. That usually takes 50 years for that to normally only begin start happening to women!

7) Her fashion statement with the arm cuffs must be out of style, because my Padme prefers bracelets.

8) There is no excuse for this! None!

I really want to know what Hasbro's directives are on how much must they profit over their costs for the figure, and if they start approaching these costs by the case assortment and not the individual figure.

That is, the Geonosian was a totally all-new sculpt (and seriously rocks - I think!) so did they know they were selling her with it, and put more money in on the Geonosian and rebalance their cost-formula by making Padme suck?

Many here hoped they'd do a ripped-shirt resculpt, but not because this figure would turn out so bad. Now there's a third thru 11th reason for it.

[mini-rock]

I'm just guessing here, but you don't like it...right?

[Tycho]

Having the CHARACTER of Padme is important to me - I like that.

I also don't mind Barbie doll females when they can be so:

Padme in the backless dress from the Lake kissing scene
Padme in black leather from the night by the fireplace
Padme in Tatooine dress # 1
Padme as a Senator
Padme in her wedding dress
Padme in her yellow dress from the meadows and waterfalls

These are all the 12" Padme's I'd want, and they can be Barbie dolls and concentrate on her wardrobe like the Portrait Edition figures.

I'd also like Padme in her Naboo Fighter Pilot's gear in a 12", and of course the Arena Battle outfit, which we basically got here.

But these figures must be able to get into action poses, and especially, they need to be able to hold their weapons and wear their battle equipment accessories!

Remember beautiful braids Padme (Tatooine)? That figure is one of my favorites of her (besides the 2-pack battle dress). That figure is a Barbie. Fine. It's all it needed to be - but Aurra Sing should never have been one!

Compare Padme to her daughter in Hoth Gear and you'll see. Leia was an action collection figure. Meanwhile, with the liquorish hair of Medusa, I don't even think a head swap with a Leia Hoth (outfit change obviously is needed, too) will successfully fix this figure.