Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Figrin D’an And The Modal Nodes) - TAC - Commemorative Tin Collection (Exclusive)

Species: Bith
Homeworld: Clak'Dor VII
Sitting out sick: Doikk Na'ts

During the Clone Wars, the Bith Jazz sensation was at its highest, and Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes rode that wave all the way to the top. Popular even with the clone troopers of the Republic, the Modal Nodes toured constantly. After the war's end, Imperial policies and mismanagement cast the Modal Nodes on hard times. It fell to band leader Figrin D'an to keep the group together, booking gigs at any backwater cantina that would pay their fee.

When the Star Wars toy line was brought to life again in 1995, collectors didn’t know what to do with themselves. While desperate to see modernized versions of characters we grew up with as kids, most of us couldn’t wait to see what Hasbro would do with characters never offered before in the line. There were a ton that Hasbro needed to do for us, but how to prioritize and release them would be quite the task to master. Ever since we saw them on the card board cutout from the Kenner vintage Creature Cantina, collectors everywhere were dying to see the Modal Nodes realized as 3.75” action figures. They weren’t in Kenner’s/Hasbro’s immediate plans, but they did come right on time in 1997 as Fan Club exclusives. Cleverly, Hasbro produced one action figure and included five instruments which allowed us to create most, but not all, of the band. At the time, Hasbro added hinge-jointed elbows and swivel wrists which were quite progressive for the era, and helped make the dreams of so many collectors come true. In a meta-anniversary way, Hasbro not only celebrates the 30 year anniversary of the Star Wars property, but also indirectly celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Cantina Band Member mail-away figure as well.

There are changes this time around however. It goes without saying that these sculpts are dated. But Hasbro weaved new soft-goods jackets and completely repainted Figrin D’an And The Modal Nodes for the Commemorative Tin Collection sub-line. With the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Figrin D’an And The Modal Nodes) Commemorative Tin Collection, Hasbro takes the classic The Power Of The Force “2” figure and honestly upgrades it the best way it can be to create a special Walmart exclusive that should get collectors talking. The enhanced soft-goods aren’t perfect but are nice nonetheless, but the true upgrades can be seen in the repaints of the figures themselves as well as the instruments that accompany them. Instead of releasing one figure with all five instruments like Hasbro did originally, they released the tin with five band members and gave each a unique instrument. Different from the standard four figure tin set, Hasbro has squeezed two band members into the left side of the tin packaging, and three band members on the right side. Interestingly, they all look comfortably packaged despite the unevenness in numbers.

From left to right in the packaging, collectors are treated to (1) Figrin D’an who plays the kloo horn, (2) Nalan Cheel who plays the bandfill, (3) Ickabel G'ont who plays the fizzz, (4) Tech Mo’r who plays the omni box and (5) Tedn Dahai who plays the fanfar. The sixth visible member in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Doikk N'ats, has not been included, although Hasbro could have easily added a sixth Cantina Band Member and used the fizz from Ickabel G'ont to give us the complete band. From a cursory glance, their instruments look nearly identical. (There are a few differences to their respective instruments.) But even with most of the band here there is no denying that they are decent updates to the 1997 mail-away figure. What’s most impressive are the figures’ paint jobs. Hasbro matched the color of the skin almost perfectly. And while we’re not so sure why they felt a final “dirty” wash was necessary, it does help to bring out the texture of their heads and gives them a better feel of realism. Until Hasbro tools an all-new sculpt of a Bith, probably none of us will be completely satisfied, but between the enhancements made in the paint operations (especially those newly glistening instruments), you can’t deny that positive strides have been made to make these previously existing sculpts as best as they could be.