Concept Stormtrooper (2007)

I was a nervous wreck when I heard about the McQuarrie series way back when. I was already having an issue getting all of the recent regularly released waves (yes, I was a completist) and was not looking forward to the effort it would take to string together an entire assortment of what I was sure would be plucked by the local re-sellers. In those days, Star Wars figures were second only to Hot Wheels for being picked cleaned first thing in the morning at my local Target. I usually hit Target as they were most reliable for putting product out soon after others were reporting it online. Those were the days…

This is the second release of the McQuarrie concept Stormtrooper mold. First available some years earlier as a Fans’ Choice figure, this time it’s repainted in a more detailed color scheme. The original was presented in a fairly stark deco, while this figure adds armor lines and more details for the helmet and shield. While I prefer the look of the white shield from the previous release, the added paint apps are an improvement. The grey rather than black under the armor really help convey the look of McQuarrie’s concept painting.

If you had told me when I first caught a glimpse of pre-production artwork way back in 1987 that I’d someday have action figure versions of all these proto-Star Wars characters, I would not have believed it. I’m still amazed how deep in the well Hasbro has plumbed after all these years.