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Q and A of the Day: Day 74 (This One Is Sure To Cause Controversy!)

Posted by Paul | August 19, 2014 at 11:28 AM ET

Welcome to our next Q and A of the Day post! This column will be published daily, weekly, monthly, or just based on how many questions I get emailed – but no more than one a day. Feel free to send in your questions and I will put them in the queue. Click through for Q and A of the Day: Day 74. Topic: Darth Vader (#26): He says this, but you said that....

   

Q: Hey there, Paul... Adam Pawlus said that the head falls off of his Vader figure. It falls off like, all the time. Do you think he just got a bad one or do you feel that the joint could have issues or is he just whinging loudly without a real reason? (Dale)

A: Please let me preface this with my true feelings towards Adam. Because what I have written below may come across like a dig. But it isn’t. Adam Pawlus is someone I respect dearly. He is a big part of the reason why I do what I do here at JTA. He and Adam May were at the forefront of Star Wars reporting and their opinions are ones I have listened to and taken to heart. They have been incredible sources of inspiration to me.

Over the last couple of years, I have found that when it comes to collector-focused figures, Adam seldom gives them good reviews. He does however give Saga Legends and Mission Series figures glowing reviews. His interests clearly have changed and if that’s his bag that’s wonderful. But I have found I do not see eye to eye with his opinions on collector-based figures because perhaps that’s not where his interests lie. Mine however do lie there. Adam has written a glowing review of Star Wars Command. I can't even look at them. That should help illustrate our differences. He RAVES about Star Wars Command. And honestly, that’s great if you’re into such things, but I personally write for the Star Wars collector, not the random ambiguous Star Wars shopper. I speak from a platform that is all about what is the greatest quality and how well made super-articulated action figures are. I never want Hasbro to lose sight of this platform. But it seems to be dissipating at an alarming rate. While readers are quick to peck at me for my strong comments on 5POA, I never get credit when I do my “darndest” to praise the things I don’t really like when they do have merit and warrant this praise.

In my STRONG opinion, Adam is wrong. But that's just my opinion. He will disagree with me. That's fine too. I did read his Figure Of The Day today and honestly I agree with most of it. His “95% great” assessment is 100% correct in my opinion. Conversely, his “5% hate” assessment is 100% incorrect in my opinion. And to “flunk” the figure for one little issue (even if mine did have the same issue it wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me) is quite egregious in my eyes. Do you really throw the baby out with the bathwater? I cannot do that. What’s worse for me is that he didn’t even go into explaining that Hasbro crafted all-new ball-socket joints, that look like little disco balls and each “side” of this geodesic shape acts like a “lock” that keep the head in place. We will NEVER have another Vader with this range of head movement. Sure, the soft-goods cape can be cumbersome at times when posing the figure’s head a certain way (and it does affect how well the head stays on if you don't have it situated correctly, but it’s completely functional and doesn’t fall off when “I look at it the wrong way”. Also, his comment about the cod piece makes me believe that he doens't even know it's completely removable. Did he take it apart to see the glorious visage of a modern 1978 Kenner Darth Vader figure? I hope he realizes this, because it almost made me cry it was so beautiful.

So let me reiterate my thoughts on the gorgeous The Black Series Darth Vader (#26) figure. It is the greatest Darth Vader action figure EVER produced by Hasbro. I cannot see them making a better one. And if you pass on it, it will be the biggest regret in your life as a collector. I hope I cannot be clearer.

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