Star Wars Black Series Count Dooku Review |

Christopher Lee was (and remains) an absolute treasure. His contributions to film and pop culture in general over the course of his long and storied career is something to marvel at, and that is not slipping into hyperbole. I feel fortunate that his stamp was placed on two of my favorite film franchises of all time in The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, and the latter has gotten a new action figure in the form of the Star Wars Black Series Count Dooku.

It seems like it has been forever since we have gotten a new Black Series wave release. Sure, there have been some one-off exclusives here and there, but not a ton since the oddly strange and somewhat lacking Force Friday releases. The newest wave is a good one though, and it offers characters from all over the saga, many of which are getting SWB figures for the first time. It seems odd to say that Count Dooku (or Darth Tyranus if ya nasty) is one of those, as I personally feel like his figure is extremely overdue. Well, having the figure now heals the wounds of waiting, and maybe holding off until now has been a good thing for the stately Count as he is able to take advantage of the more modern upgrades of the line. Sure, he might have been under utilized in Episodes II and III, but he was damned force (wokka wokka) in the Clone Wars, and now you can choose your own adventures with this awesome octogenarian. 

Overall, this figure is most certainly a success, and frankly, I LOVE getting more Prequel characters. Sure, say whatever you want, but I am dying to get all of the main cast and any Jedi Hasbro wants to throw at us, so continue to bring them on. Dooku rounds out the Sith apprentice line-up, and we also have Grievous, so hopefully we will get an Episode III Darth Sidious at some point, too. I think Hasbro did a good job with the likeness via their Photo Real application on the face. It is strong and recognizable, but probably not one of the very best figures they have done, but still very good. The articulation scheme is pretty typical for a SWB and he poses well, though he does have the knew knee joint (dubbed by Robo at SDCC as “Disknees) that is essentially the “elbro” of the legs. I am not sure how I feel about it, to be honest. I mean, it works fairly well, but it doesn’t pose as well as traditional double knees, and I am not sure that aesthetically it looks any better. I mean, it looks different, but still not any more natural than the alternate joint. This figure, like most SWB figures, does feature some pretty strong detents in the joints, so while it does add some strength and stability, I wish they were toned down *just* a bit for more fluid movement. 

This almost feels odd to say, but since Bandai took their crack at a Dooku first, I feel like a comparison can and should be made, but damn, this SWB figure is better than the higher priced import in almost every way for my money. I RARELY say that as I am such a fan of the SHF Star Wars figures, but with this one, there is little competition between the two. I find the likenesses to be pretty even, yet very different, but the body sculpt and articulation scheme of the SWB is much better for me. Sure, Bandai might carry a bit more articulation, but it is all so ugly compared to what they normally do, I just have a hard time reconciling it all. Plus, I find the brown coloring on the outfit to be far too light in the SHF release, so there is that, too. The SFH cape might seem a bit more regal, but even the SWB version seems like it falls a bit more naturally and does not get in the way as much. Sure, I have room on my shelves for both versions, but in this case, Hasbro wins going away.

To keep the comparisons going, I will say I am probably split over the accessories, though. I find both sabers to be quite nice (though the Hasbro figure can hold the curved hilt saber better) and the SWB wins by having a “motion blade” swappable piece. This is a first time in the line thing for that and it actually works very well, especially for action posing and photography. I will get on Hasbro’s case about missing a swappable splayed hand and force lightning, and that is damned shame. Sure, Dooku was probably the best swordsman in the galaxy, but Chris Lee went into total boss mode when he was pitching lightning, so I am disappointed that this figure does not include that. I guess that means that, by default, I will be posing my Bandai version with the old electric feel.

Overall, I am quite pleased with this figure, and I am certainly glad that Dooku has made his long-overdue debut in SWB. Even if you have the Bandai version, this one is definitely worth picking up, especially at the $20 price tag. I got mine for Dorkside Toys, and you certainly still can as well. We are getting more Prequel figures in the next assortment, too, and I hope we continue to see more of them (especially Jedi) as the line moves along (move along, move along) throughout 2020.