It's time for another series of updates to Hasbro's The Clone Wars toy line! The second wave of basic figures features characters from The Clone Wars, and we've got a new report breaking down each figure in the wave. Read on for the full review.

Hasbro's The Clone Wars toy line has come a long way since it first debuted back in 2008. While the sculpting of the characters looked as if they stepped right off the screen (first the big screen, then the small screen), the articulation was pretty much based on each character's needs. There is a marked change this year, with increased articulation as well as a limitation of character selection.

You may wonder "what happened to a review of wave 1?" Hasbro has followed the pattern established in 2009 by taking the first wave and bring back select "Greatest Hits" of the main characters from the TV show. This is a practice that has a long tradition with the Star Wars brand...all the way back to when Kenner's toy line changed from Star Wars to The Empire Strikes Back.

As a result, "wave 1" is 7 "Greatest Hits" figures that will not be reviewed here, as there are no major changes to the figures from previous releases.

Galactic Battle Game
For this year's pack-in gimmick, Hasbro has created a new game for kids to play, in order to determine which action figure is "more powerful" than others. Elements of the game include a Battle Card with statistics, a Battle Stand to hold the card (which doubles as a figure stand!), and a Battle Die to choose which skills are being played.

Note that there are 3 different Battle Stands, designed to showcase different skills. The stands are randomly inserted into the package for each figure, which should make carded collecting all variants a challenge!


"Free" Sgt. Bric & Battle Mat Offer:
The Clone Wars line offers a "free" Sgt. Bric figure with Battle Mat. Of course it's not really "free"...you need 5 UPCs, the official certificate, and a check or money order for $6.99 to get your figure and Battle Mat so your figures have someplace to play the Galactic Battle Game!



Here are scans of the different redemption certificates found packed in with Hasbro's 2010 action figures in The Clone Wars line. Note that one includes the Sgt. Bric action figure with the Battle Mat, and one does not. Both offers expire March 31, 2011, and presumably this is just a change to the form...the offer is the same.


CW08: Pre Vizsla:

Starting off the wave is Pre Vizsla, the leader of the Death Watch, the Mandalorian group of mercenaries that is destined to create havoc across the galaxy. The figure itself sets a new standard for The Clone Wars figures, with more articulation than almost any figure in this scale to date, multiple accessories, removable helmet, working holsters, and a soft goods cape. Add in a cool darksaber (a weapon that is sure to have an elaborate backstory), and you've got one of the best figures of the year.

CW09: Mandalorian Police Officer:

Another troop builder in the line is another Mandalorian...this time it's part of the peaceful peacekeepers from the new planet. The figure is a bit of a mix as far as articulation goes, with the typical ball-hinged arms, but the rest of the body is limited. The accessories perfectly match the onscreen appearance, and the visor is a nice touch. The addition of an "action-feature" large-scale weapon

CW10: General Grievous:

One of the main villains in the series, General Grievous really deserved to have a killer action figure....and here it is! Sporting MULTIPLE points of articulation and interchangable parts, the new Grievous figure has just about everything you need to recreate your favorite scenes from th show, including a battle-damaged appearance. However, this figure suffers from the very soft plastic used for the legs, which prevents it from standing up for long periods of time. However, since there is a display base included, this makes up for that right? No, because there aren't actually any holes in the feet to plug into the stand. Another detriment to the figure is that the armor falls off when you play with it. While it's fun to have the shoulder armor and chest armor be removable (as if cut off by a lightsaber), it is frustrating they they don't stay put when you want them to.

CW11: Aurra Sing:

Finally, the last figure in this wave is a great example of how female figures can be done well. The bounty hunter was originally seen in The Phantom Menace, has a long history in the Dark Horse comics, and even appeared in the LucasArts video game Star Wars: Demolition...but she never looked so good before now! This figure is super-articulated, yet doesn't suffer the bulging joints as earlier female figures. The movement is very smooth, and the accessories are fun....dual blasters, working holsters, sniper rifle with removable vest and belts! The design of the holsters is creative in that the blasters fit into the legs more...so the holsters do not stick out too much. The only real drawback is the antenna in her head, which is very thick....from a certain point of view. While something so small would be a challenge to make it work as seen on TV, it's actually a rectangular shape and very flexible.

Stay tuned for more updates later this week on the official Rebelscum.com Facebook page as I head back into the studio for more photos of this second wave from The Clone Wars!