Bail Organa is a leading figure

[Jaff]

My most anticipated figure of the new wave was Bail Organa. I couldn't wait to get my hands on a Jimmy Smits politician. When I saw the Imperial Dignitary and Obi-Wan I actually liked these more than Bail, and I was surprised at that. Don't get me wrong Bail is a very nice figure. The outfit detail is great, but he has the normal SAGA problem which means the figure cannot stand without a base. The legs are pretty solid, and it is hard to move them to get his feet into a flat standing position. The stance itself causes the figure to lean forward a bit too much, but he is still cool after you get him standing on a base (he doesn't actually fit nicely onto his own stand).

The real reason why I don't go ga-ga over this figure is the face. Looking at it up close he looks like a sad fat faced Jimmy Smit's want-to-be. I really can't see any features that resemble Jimmy Smits in the sculpt. Sure there's the goatee and brows, but the fig just doesn't hit the mark.

With that said the fig is great. I like it allot, but it could have been one of the best figs of the year had it not been for those two points. I'm glad to have it, and it is the third best fig in this wave. So the recap is as follows:

Obi-Wan Kenobi Outlander Nightclub Encounter (the best in wave)
Imperial Dignitary (2nd best, great in every way)
Bail Organa (3rd very nice, but could have done better)
Padme Amidalla Lars' Homestead (4th, nice sculpt and detail)
Elan Sleazebaggano (5th, dissapointing, really poor face detail)
Ayy Vida (6th, not worthy of being in this wave, a suppreme disappointment)
McQuarrie Concept Stormtrooper (passed on it, just looks terrible)

[Hellboy]

Wow Jaff I'm surprised that you found the likeness to be somewhat off. The first thing I noticed about this Figure was how much he resembled Jimmy Smits.

I love this figure and by my standards he's perfect. I never mark a figure down for not being able to stand on his own because they're meant to be put on stands or the holes in their feet wouldn't be there. I use these on all of my figures so I can get them in a pose I like and find it strange that many people won't invest in a 20 cent stand for a $5 figure. You are right about him leaning forward a bit but with a little manipulation you can get him standing up straight so I can't complain about that either. The Obi-Wan hologram is a great accessory and looks more like a holographic projection than any of the EP1 hologram figures did. I think it's the lines in him making it look more like a transmission than a ghost that helps with the effect. I can't find anything wrong with Bail and the accessory is one of my favorites to date. IMO the likeness is what makes him so good, if Hasbro can get his mug on a figure why is it so hard to get some of the core characters to look like the actors playing them. I was excited for this figure but he turned out better than expected and I highly recommend him.

Grade: A+

[Turbowars]

Man, I thought Hasbro got him right on Maybe you got a error paint app.

[Jaff]

Maybe my paint deco is bad, as for the standing issue I always count against a figure not standing. No figure from the vintage line every had a hard time standing, and if figures released now adays can't stand I would say that it is a negative against the figs.

[RussUAE]

I think I did well for my Bail Organa - paint job seems better than on the photo on the packages.

And he stands perfectly - unlike that twilek nuisance.

All in all one fo the best figures - due largely to the fantastic Obi Wan holgram acessory.

[JediTricks]

Here's what I don't get about this figure, you look at the picture of the actor in costume from the movie right there on the bubble insert and then you look at the figure, and once again there's something clearly not matching up. This time, I think the face sculpt is pretty good, but it's the paint that's not working for me - this figure is pretty darn caucasian whereas Jimmy Smits may not be the darkest Latino actor around, but he's definitely got a darker complexion (same problem with the young Boba Fett figure). We know Hasbro *can* make figures that aren't white guys, look at unmasked Jango figures for a perfect example, so why not make the skin tone match here? And to top that off, once again the subtleties of facial hair are lost on Hasbro's paint team, who simply slaps on this thick coat of black and calls it a day; plus the figure has "slow" eyes, if you know what I mean. So many figures are won or lost at the eyes IMO.

Another thing that bugs me is that they gave him hands that are posed to look like gnarled, arthritic claws. I'm glad the wrists on his frilly shirt are articulated, but since he ain't pulling triggers, I have to wonder what's up with these freaky hands.

As for the accessory, very nice but mine is bent at the saber. This is one item I wish was removable from the stand, but I don't wanna cut mine free to do so.

Grade: 3 out of 5, maybe a 3.5 depending on the type of collector. It's weird, this looked like a real wonder-assortment, but turned into bupkis except for the figure most folks railed against, the Concept Stormie (the figure I have wanted for years and rallied for, and now can't find, natch).

[fishyfett]

JT, I agree with you on that skin color issue. I've been noticing that about Hasbro's paint apps. I mean, come on, they can paint a white or a black character correctly, but when it comes to other races, Hasbro just can't get it right for some reason. But they did Jango's complexion pretty good, so I can't see any damn excuse not to do the same w/ Bail and baby Boba. Temuera Morrison (Jango) is a Maori, an native of New Zealand. Which is comparable to American Indians here in the U.S. But so is Daniel Logan (Boba). If the Star Wars saga plans on including more ethnic characters in its playground, great. Hasbro will just have to make sure they match the skin tone on the actors properly. I know this can be done. Just look at Capt. Typho, the Biker Clone and the Naboo Royal Guard. And please, no more Fu Manchu Bespin Guards. Please, no.

And please don't get me started with the eyes. I've already blasted Lars Padme on that one in the Review section. Ugh!!!!

[CrossWizard]

McQuarrie Concept Stormtrooper (passed on it, just looks terrible)

I agree, I saw it at the local comic book shop for abour $14, and to me it looked like a proto or an unfinished figure. It could've used a lot more paint applications.