Comic-book characters take action as figures

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Thanks to the proliferation of film, comic-book and cartoon characters, companies are bombarding consumers with an incredible selection of action figures. With tongue in cheek, let's take a peek at some of the specimens worthy of a place in Zad's Toy Vault.

'Star Wars' pack

Action figure collectors who also enjoy sequential art can celebrate the 30th anniversary of the cinematic debut of the Skywalker saga with Hasbro's latest series of "Star Wars" comic packs —Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail Organa.

Released over the last year, each pack contains two multiarticulated, 3-inch figures and a full-size reprint of a comic book culled from the archives of Dark Horse Comics or Marvel Entertainment.

The latest are Wal-Mart exclusives that include Boba Fett (regurgitated from the Sarlacc) and a Death Star Droid with comic Star Wars No. 81, Commander Keller and Galactic Marine with Star Wars: Republic No. 79 and a pair of heroes out to protect the future of the Jedi and Republic twinned with a "Revenge of the Sith" comic.

3/4Profile: According to the packaging: "The former Anakin Skywalker, a.k.a. Darth Vader, is unaware that his beloved wife Padme gave birth to twins. And if those children are to remain alive, he must never know they exist. So Obi-Wan secretly brings Leia to Bail Organa and his wife, who will raise her as their daughter. Then he travels to Tatooine, where Owen and Beru Lars become the guardians of their nephew, Luke Skywalker."

Price: $9.99.cq webssories: Each gentleman gets a cloth robe and carries an infant swaddled in molded plastic. Bail holds a pink-blanketed Leia while Obi-Wan holds the blue-blanketed Luke. Also, Bail comes with a blaster, and Obi-Wan has a tethered light saber.

Read all about it: Owners get with the pack the final issue of Dark Horse Comics' adaptation of the "Revenge of the Sith" movie. Fans can also purchase a trade paperback compiling the four-part series ($12.95), starring the illustrative talents of Doug Wheatley.

What it's worth: I am a huge fan of packaging a comic book with action figures, and Hasbro delivers a great set. Besides exposing children to the thrills of reading, they can immediately re-enact parts of the book — really a no-brainer. Additionally, collectors will appreciate the limited availability of the Kenobi/Organa matchup, rumored to only be one set per retail case.

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