Star Wars The Black Series Skywalker Strikes Review

The Star Wars The Black Series Skywalker Strikes figure is a joyous love letter to Star Wars fans. There, I said it. I could not put this figure down.

It checks all of my boxes. The figure is based on the Luke Skywalker found in the then newly launched Marvel Comics Star Wars wrote by one of my favorite modern comic writers, Jason Aaron. In the first story arch (which, if you’re a Star Wars fan, you REALLY need to read these… here is the first, and if you buy from that link, I think I make $.003 so thank you!) we find a Luke Skywalker coming to grips with his newfound rebel street cred after blowing up the First Death Star. He’s looking for answers because he doesn’t know the first thing about the force yet.

His journey leads him back to Tatooine and eventually, to Ben Kenobi’s journal, and you get to see things from a character now moved on from this plane of existence.

I don’t want to give away too much, but his journey leads him to a direct conflict with a pretty famous bounty hunter and helps set up the incredible Vader Down.

The expanded universe, pre, AND post-Disney have been such a gift to closet introverts like me. You see, I couldn’t get enough of Star Wars. I NEEDED to know what these guys did between the films. It was, no kidding an obsession for me as a kid. As I started getting older, I began finding the comics and the novels and my young sponge-like brain soaked them up. I remembered every nuance and aspect of that universe. As much as I could get, I needed it.

The Skywalker Strikes figure is a fantastic representation of that. Even as a child, I knew Luke didn’t wear that white tunic every day, just like I was willing to bet Han had a few other looks in the closet. This outfit, inspired in part by the Yavin Ceremony scene at the end of Episode IV is a great combination of his RoTJ look and Han’s smuggler look.

Seriously though, go read the series. I don’t care if you don’t use that link to get it. If you don’t want me to make a fraction of a penny, that’s cool. I am pretty petty myself. Just don’t deny yourself that story. It FEELS like you’re reading one of the movies.

Enough fan boying. Even though I’ve pretty much given away the end, if you leave now, you’ll miss all of the cool pictures. Help me tear into the Skywalker Strikes figure and put it through its paces.

What’s in the Skywalker Strikes box?

Star Wars The Black Series Skywalker Strikes — The box artwork is spectacular. It’s pretty much the cover of the trade paperback.

First off, I love this box. It is the only box I have on display in my basement. The Skywalker Strikes box is an action figure work of art as far as boxes go.

You usually don’t get a lot of stuff in a Black Series box. Even the “Deluxe” boxes you pick up. Sure, I think my Jaina Solo had a decent amount of stuff. I also picked up the Amazon Exclusive First Order Trooper I’ll be reviewing soon, and that has a lot of stuff in it.

However, in terms of “cool” stuff, this Skywalker Strikes pack just wins.

Wins what?

Everything.

We get the figure itself.

We get a lightsaber, with removable blade.

Even without Photoshop, it’s a darn impressive figure.

We get a slender blaster that looks a lot like Leia’s SC-X30 blaster. If I recall, it may even be hers. There is also a working holster, which I will take 100x over an overcomplicated Figuarts Han Solo holster.

There is a helmet with the blaster shield down.

For the first time in a Black Series figure (that I am aware of), we get a Jedi Practice Drone, stand and blast effect for Luke’s lightsaber.

Finally, there is the comic inspired Journal of Ben Kenobi and the box Ben kept it in.

Here are a few close ups for you, because I love you guys.

What doesn’t work with the Skywalker Strikes figure?

Right off the bat, I am rarely a fan of the Black Series articulation scheme. There are gaps where his shoulder should be.

His hip/leg joint is really weird. I was hard to line up without a gap and it always felt wonky. I kept picking him back up half way through a shoot because I thought I missed the pose. No, I didn’t miss it, I just couldn’t get it to work.

The Skywalker Strikes figure is the same basic figure (although slightly different headsculpt)as the Yavin Ceremony Luke. This figure doesn’t come with the Yavin medal. The Yavin Luke has a medal, but no lightsaber. Pick your poison, I suppose.

I like the blast effect, but the quality difference is apparent between that and the one found in the Figuarts Luke. The Hasbro one is gummy. On the plus side, the gummy effect has less of a chance of snapping in a drawer than it’s Figuarts counterpart.

I also think they could have implemented a similar drone solution to Bandai, and did away with the cumbersome, just as tall as Luke, stand.

I would have appreciated alternate hands, but its a Black Series figure, so I had no legitimate reason to expect them.

The final negative is that this was a Comic-Con exclusive. This set will cost you almost twice as much as a regular Black Series figure. I picked mine up off of BBTS, but I’ve seen plenty of them in my local Gamestops. Availability for the Skywalker Strikes figure may be an issue for you, depending on access to the internet or places like Gamestop.

What works with the Skywalker Strikes figure?

Anytime I get a good representation of a comic character, I am pretty happy. One of the many reasons I collect Legends. However, I rarely expect to see that in the Black Series line. They pay occasional attention to the EU.

Fortunately, they did this and it would be hard for me to be happier with him. In terms of accessories, detail, and packaging, this guy is a solid distance ahead of his Black Series pack.

The lightsaber looks great, his ode to Han Solo pants are comic accurate, and the Journal of Obi Wan can help add life to your photoshoots.

Should you purchase the Skywalker Strikes figure?

Usually I try to keep my cards close to my chest until the end of the article. However, when rereading this, it is all too apparent my fanboy got the best of me. Unlike I usually do, I won’t try to silence him.

If you’re a Star Wars fan, ESPECIALLY a Luke fan, and you have the cash, pick him up. He’s a very cool representation of one of my favorite characters.

You can get him here:

I will be the first to admit, I took an obnoxious amount of pictures of this guy. More so than anything, that tells me how much I enjoy a figure. Its an adult excuse to play with my toys. I’ll own it.

My point being, here are a few of the pictures I took. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking them.