Star Wars Collection II - Chewbacca And The Bike Scouts
Written: Sep 01 '02 (Updated Oct 30 '07)
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Pros: Great way to build up your Scout stock, stellar Chewbacca figure.
Cons: Stormtroopers would have been a better choice than the Bike Scouts.
The Bottom Line: Who wouldn't love to have another Chewbacca in their collection?
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| Freak369's Full Review: LEGO Star Wars Mini Heroes Collection II |
Keeping with the Star Wars Mini Heroes Collection, the second set in this four set series from Lego features three figures; Chewbacca and two Bike Scouts. I originally ordered this after seeing it advertised at the Lego website without checking the details of the set first. In my rush to complete my order as quickly as possible I neglected to look at the photo closely – I wanted Stormtroopers and ended up with Bike Scouts. After kicking myself several times and asking What are you going to do with ten sets of these you freak? I found a pain free solution – trade them for free standing Stormtroopers!
I ended up keeping five of these sets just to have a stockpile of them. The five I traded netted me ten mint condition Stormtroopers from an online brick vendor that has a real love of the Bike Scouts. I hate to say that this is an essential set after my last comment about trading the sets for Stormtroopers, but if you are a Star Wars fan or a Lego freak – this is a set that I highly suggest.
Bike Scouts
There are two identical Bike Scouts in this set. Each of them are exactly so this section will cover both of them in their entirety. These aren’t the most animated little creatures but they sure do look great. The polar bear white color of the uniform works well with the black stenciled images on the torso of both figures. Both of these figures come with loudhailers and can be positioned in a variety of ways in their hands. If you have other older Star Wars Lego sets, there are attachments that can be placed over the back of the figures so the loudhailer can be carried rather than held. When you are unpacking the set be on the look out for the two neon orange round elements that attach to the end of the loudhailers. I almost pitched these in the trash accidentally and would have completely missed them if I hadn’t taken a quick look at the photo on the front of the box.
The helmets are what complete these figures. As I said earlier, in my excitement I ordered these sets thinking that they were Stormtroopers without checking them out completely. I saw a while uniform and freaked out – the helmet should have been a dead giveaway that these were Bike Scouts instead. The helmets have a built in visor at the top of the helmet so chances are if you are going to display them there will be a constant shadow over a part of the face. Looking at the mask you would think that this is one solid piece but there is a cut out around the eyes that is only detectible when the helmet is removed from the head. The head peg is rather interesting since it features a mouth but no eyes, instead just a very large pair of “sunglasses”.
The stenciling on the Bike Scouts torso is limited but very clean looking. It features a waist pack with two compartments, one on each side of the hip and the white body armor [stenciled] on the upper part of the chest. These two also have black movable hands, which I think give them a great look. If they had white hands you wouldn’t be able to see them and they would look a little wimpy.
Chewbacca
While some people may not think that this is a relevant point of interest, for Lego enthusiasts this is a pretty big deal. Chewbacca is a simply phenomenal figure and not just due to the fact that he’s one of the few figures that has an all inclusive head and torso. There is a torso piece that slips under the massive head overlay but most of this element is unseen.
When I first got my hands on this set I was thoroughly impressed with the glossy look of his coat / fur but it reminded me of freshly poured chocolate. The amount of detail on Chewbacca’s head piece is top notch however his tiny black nose and eyes almost get lost in all this detail. The ammunition belt that is draped over his shoulder runs all the way to his waist and is “nice” but it could have used a little more silver accent to it. As it stands now it gets a little lost in all the fur. If you are feeling daring you can take a metallic silver market [fine point] and add additional accents to the belt but do this knowing that if you make a mistake it’s nearly impossible to correct without repainting the fur.
Chewbacca comes with one accessory – a very nice black crossbow. Since he is brown chances are that the first time someone sees this figure [if you choose to display it] the crossbow might get overlooked. I took a fine line silver metallic marker and added some lines to the top and sides of the crossbow to give it a little more zip but I wouldn’t suggest this for everyone. Once you add these types of details and accents it is almost always irreversible.
Display Stands
Like all the other sets in the Mini Heroes Collection, this comes with three display stands and accompanying information cards. On the back of the cards there is small description of the figure and the reverse side has the design that serves as the backdrop for the figure. These cards slip into the back of the base nicely and once they are inserted they stay in place. The etched Star Wars logo was the icing on the cake in my opinion.
I was really happy when I got this set and saw that you receive two different background cards for the Bike Scouts. Since I was expecting Stormtroopers in the first place – this sort of softened the blow. The first background is dark and has a put the Scout deep in the woods. The other is a bit more open but still forest bound except the moon is visible. Chewbacca’s background is a little nicer than the Scouts in the effect that he’s in the woods as well – but it seems lighter and has a green hue instead of blue.
The Bottom Line
Barring my own mistake in regards to the Scouts, this has become a favorite of mine because of Chewbacca and the detailing to the Scouts. I picked up plastic display boxes for the individual sets and am currently seeking a large glass display case with a lift off lid and wooden base to display all four sets from the Star Wars Mini Heroes Collection. Some people thing it is silly to collect these figures since they are intended as “toys for kids”, everyone has a hobby and this is mine. It is something that my children and I share as a family activity and while it not always an inexpensive venture, it is something that we all love.
Star Wars collectors will love the attention to detail that Lego designers put into these figures as well as the display stands and background cards. Lego fanatics will go crazy for this set since it is part of a small series of sets that feature the most popular figures from assorted Lego releases. These sets are still available at the Lego website so don’t be fooled by online toy vendors that are claiming they are “rare” and “hard to find”. If they are asking more than $4.99 for them, tell them to get stuffed.
The Stats
Set Name: Star Wars Collection II
Mini Heroes Collection
Family Set: Star Wars
Lego Set: 3342
Number of Pieces: 21
Age Recommendation: 5 and older
Ease Of Assembly: Easy
Time Of Assembly: 5 – 10 minutes
Cost: $4.99
As always, thanks for the read!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2002 Freak369
Star Wars Mini Heroes Collection II
Star Wars Mini Heroes Collection III
Star Wars Mini Heroes Collection IIII
Star Wars Mini Jedi Starfighter / Slave I
Star Wars Mini Anakin's Podracer / Sebulba's Podracer
Star Wars Mini X-Wing Fighter / TIE Advanced
Jedi Defense II
Episode I Battle Droid
Jabba's Prize
Technic R2-D2
Droid Escape
Final Duel I
Final Duel II
Anakin's Podracer
Jedi Starfighter
Twin-Pod Cloud Car
Lightsaber Duel
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $4.99
Type of Toy: Blocks
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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