While my collecting focus has certainly narrowed to mostly focusing on Masters of the Universe I'm still collecting other stuff, including Star Wars: The Black Series. I haven't picked up every figure released over the past year but I'm certainly grabbing the ones that strike my fancy and Count Dooku is one I've been looking forward to for a very, very long time. It's still always a bit of a shock to me to think this line is as old as my daughter (she's now 6 and a 1/2 and the original Darth Maul figure arrived in the mail around the week she was born) and we're only now getting a major character like Count Dooku! A few months back I read Cavan Scott's Dooku: Jedi Lost and I was quite impressed with it. Count Dooku of Serenno is a fascinating character who was immensely intriguing in the films (thanks to the always mesmerizing performances of the late and beloved Christopher Lee) but who really has been explored and enhanced as a character in the various other media sources he has appeared in. Dooku has a long history of fantastic action figures and his first appearance in The Black Series is another winner. Let's check out Count Dooku after the break...
The Facts:
Height: 6 1/2 inches
Articulation: Swivel/hinge ankles, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed hips, ball jointed abdomen, butterfly pecs, swivel/ hinge shoulders, swivel/hinge elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, a balljointed neck, and a ball jointed head.
Accessories: Lightsaber hilt and 2 blades.
Non-Scalper Price: $20 dollars
The Positives:
* Count Dooku/ Darth Tyranus is a very striking character and Hasbro has captured that well. His outfit is very simple colorwise, with blacks and browns, but very regal, befitting Dooku's royal lineage. There are not a lot of extraneous details on Dooku's outfit but that makes sense: If you have the natural charisma and piercing stare of Christopher Lee, why do anything to draw your attention elsewhere?
* The portrait is incredible and looks just like Count Dooku. The hair, bear, and eyes are excellent. I was just rearranging my Black Series collection earlier this week and, looking back, it really is amazing how drastically this line has improved over the past few years. Kudos to Hasbro for continuing to push the line forward.
* Dooku's cape drapes very nicely over his shoulders and doesn't impede the articulation of the figure at all. It's made form a fairly nice material and it looks excellent on the figure.
* Rather than Dooku's caper being a separate piece it is actually attached to the figure permanently via a "chain" that is attached to the front of the figure. It keeps the cape on securely and it is always in position. Since Dooku typically has his cape on, this solution works for me and improves the overall aesthetics of the figure.
* Dooku's articulation is excellent, but that should come as no surprise if you've been collecting this line over the past year or two. Besides having all of the expected joints he also has a balljointed head and neck and the "buterfly" hinges, allowing for greater mobility and a better range of motion for lightsaber dueling poses.
* Dooku's uniquely designed fencing lightsaber looks excellent. It features a removable blade, just like most other lightsabers in the line, and the handle is very nicely painted. Dooku can wield the blade very securely, too.
* Hasbro included a very interesting extra with this figure: A lightsaber blade that gives the illusion of movement. Yes, this is actually one separate piece that you can attach to the hilt of the lightsaber. It looks really cool, doesn't it? It makes me think of the cool Force Effects and energy blasts from the Star Wars: Attack of the Clones figures from 2002.
* Dooku's lightsaber gits perfectly into the hole on his belt, allowing him to tote his weapon around concealed below his cloak.
The Negatives:
* I'm still very, very nervous about switching out blades on these figures as the pegs for the lightsaber blade are so small! I really wish Hasbro would just give us an extra hilt rather than have to switch these things out.
Thus far Count Dooku is the Star Wars: The Black Series figure of the year for me. I know there will be some competition, especially with all of the figures from The Empire Strikes Back coming out, but for now Dooku stands at the top of the heap as an Epic Sith who has long been needed in this line. While a Darth Sidious hologram or the Death Star plans hologram would have been welcome additions, the extra lightsaber blade is quite cool. With a fantastic sculpt and near-perfect articulation, this is easily one of the best Count Dooku figures Hasbro has ever released.
If you're a fan of Count Dooku/ Darth Tyranus then also check out my review of the Funko POP! Count Dooku #233.
For more Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III reviews check out the following:
0-0-0 (Triple Zero)
442nd Siege Battalion Clone Trooper, 212th Attack Battalion Utapau Trooper, Coruscant Guard ---(Phase II), and 501st Legion Clone Trooper 4 pack
4-LOM
Admiral Ackbar and First Order Officer
Admiral Piett
Ahsoka Tano
AT-AT Pilot
Battle Droid
Baze Malbus
BT-1 (Beetee)
C-3PO
C-3PO & Babu Frik
C-3PO (Resistance Base)
Cal Kestis
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu)
Captain Phasma
Captain Phasma (Quicksilver Baton)
Captain Poe Dameron
Cara Dune
Chewbacca (Target Exclusive)
Chewbacca (The Force Awakens)
Chewbacca & C-3PO
Chirrut Imwe
Chopper (C1-10P)
Clone Captain Rex (HasCon Exclusive)
Clone Commander Gree
Clone Commander Fox
Clone Commander Obi-Wan Kenobi
Clone Commander Wolffe
Constable Zuvio
Darth Revan
Darth Vader (Emperor's Wrath)
Death Star Trooper
Dengar
Dewback/ Sandtrooper
Director Krennic
DJ (Canto Bight)
Doctor Aphra
Dryden Vos
Elite Praetorian Guard
Elite Praetorian Guard (with Heavy Blade)
Emperor Papatine and Throne
Enfys Nest's Swoop Bike/ Enfys Nest
Ezra Bridger
Finn (First Order Disguise)
Finn (FN-2187)
Finn (Jakku)
First Order Flametrooper
First Order General Hux
First Order Jet Trooper
First Order Snowtrooper
First Order Snowtrooper Officer
First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter
First Order Stormtrooper
First Order Stormtrooper Executioner
First Order Stormtrooper (with Gear)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot
Gamorrean Guard
General Grievous
General Leia Organa
General Veers
Grand Admiral Thrawn (SDCC Exclusive)
Grand Moff Tarkin
Guardians of Evil 4-Pack
Guavian Enforcer
Han Solo (Exogorth Escape)
Han Solo (Mimban)
Han Solo (Solo)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens)
Heavy Battle Droid
Heavy Infantry Mandalorian
Hera Syndulla
IG-11
Imperial AT-ACT Driver
Imperial Death Trooper
Imperial Death Trooper, Captain Cassian Andor, and Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) 3 pack
Imperial Hovertank Pilot
Imperial Jumptrooper
Imperial Patrol Trooper
Imperial Shock Trooper
Imperial Royal Guard
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
Jannah
Jedi Knight Revan
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Kylo Ren
Kylo Ren (SDCC 2016)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi)
Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base)
Kylo Ren (Throne Room)
L3-37
Lando Calrissian (Solo)
Lando Calrissian (The Empire Strikes Back)
Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard)
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker (Death Star Escape)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master)- Ahch-To Island
Luke Skywalker (Skyalker Strikes)
Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ceremony)
Mace Windu
Maz Kanata
Moloch
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Spirit)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Padawan)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (SDCC 2016)
Offworld Jawa
Padme Amidala
Phase 1 Clone Trooper Commander, Phase II Clone Trooper, Imperial Stormtrooper, and First Order ---Stormtrooper Officer four pack
Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron and First Order Riot Control Stormtrooper
Porgs
Princess Leia (Bespin Escape)
Princess Leia Organa
Princess Leia Organa (Hoth)
Purge Stormtrooper
Qi'ra (Corellia)
Qui-Gon Jinn
R2-A3, R5-K6, and R2-F2
Range Trooper
Rebel Trooper
Red Squadron (R2-D2, R5-D8, and R2-X2)
Resistance Tech Rose
Resistance Trooper
Rey & D-O
Rey (Island Journey)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8
Rey (Jedi Training)
Rey (Jedi Training)- Crait
Rey (Starkiller Base)
Rey's Speeder (Jakku)
Rio Durant
Sabine Wren
Sandtrooper Sergeant, Crimson Stormtrooper, Lieutenant OXIXO, and R2-Q5
Scarif Stormtrooper
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader
Second Sister Inquisitor
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Eadu)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha)
Sith Trooper
Snowtrooper
Stormtrooper (Mimban)
Stormtrooper (With Blast Accessories)
Supreme Leader Snoke (Throne Room)
Tobias Beckett
Tusken Raider
Val (Vandor)
Vice Admiral Holdo
Wedge Antilles
X-34 Landspeeder & Luke Skywalker (SDCC Exclusive)
X-Wing Pilot Asty
Yoda (Force Spirit)
Zuckuss
