A nice surprise showed up at the door today in the form of Funko’s latest Smuggler’s Bounty box. Thanks to the fine folks at Funko for providing the box, the newest addition to the line, The Empire Strikes Back Box contains all sorts of Star Wars goodies! So let’s dive right in to our Smuggler’s Bounty The Empire Strikes Back Box Review.
WARNING! If you have not yet received your box and you want to remain in the dark on the content in the box, then I highly suggest you stop reading here. I am going to spoil the mess out of this box, with pictures of every item that is contained within.
LAST CHANCE! Okay on with the Smuggler’s Bounty The Empire Strikes Back Box Review.
If you are still reading then congratulations, you are in for a nice treat from this box. Just like each box before, the shipping box itself is a total work of art and a collector’s items in and among itself. Since this is an Empire Strikes Back themed box, we get artwork of a Luke Skywalker (Dagobah training) Pop vinyl, in some sort of inverted color scheme.
Now you are probably asking, why is Luke holding a red lightsaber? He didn’t have that in the film. Well you are right, but this three-tone color scheme of red, black and white is the typical color scheme for a Smuggler’s Bounty box. So instead of going with something different, Funko decided to leave well enough alone, and ride with this look.
The Empire Strikes Back Box Review
Of course the first collectibles you are greeted with are the patch and pin that come in every box. The Empire Strikes Back Box contains a Yoda patch which is a must for an Empire box, because it was technically the first movie to feature the character (and the best). The pin also features a must have character from the film, Lando Calrissian. These are excellent additions to the ever growing patch and pin line from Smuggler’s Bounty.
After flipping the box open even further, we are greeted with an ad for the next Smuggler’s Bounty box which is Star Wars Rebels (yay). On the back of the ad, we get a nice information sheet with all sorts of Star Wars facts, and a little information on some of the decisions for the box.
After looking at the Star Wars Rebels ad I realized something was a bit off about this box, aside from the extra large size of the thing. Normally after lifting the ad we are greeted with a cool tee shirt. Was mine missing? Did it not get shipped with this box? Nope, the simple answer is, this box comes with a pair of Imperial socks.
Now this might be a disappointment to some fans, but it comes as a welcome surprise to me. After all, I like showing my love for Star Wars in every way possible. Sporting some cool socks, is just another way to do that. The black socks feature Darth Vader and Stormtrooper heads randomly printed on the sock.
Another nice entry for this box was the inclusion of the first Galactic Plushies. The Wampa is the first (I believe) in this line, which we mentioned a few days ago. The Wampa was another no-brainer inclusion for the box. The question was just how to include him, and Funko has done a tremendous job with that.
The Wampa sits up with no problem, due to the fact that his butt seems round and flat, with his legs dangling out in front. This provides the plushy with the ability to sit up without the need of a stand, or something to lean him against. In all honesty, I am not a fan of these sorts of plush items, so I wasn’t excited about the Galactic Plushies announcement. But after checking out the Wampa, and seeing that he can actually sit up on a shelf on his own, it might be time for me to plop down some money for more of them.
Finally we get to the big daddy of the box, the POP! This isn’t just any Pop either, but a nice big deluxe Pop! We knew we were getting this when the box was first announced, but you just can’t appreciate it until you have it in your hands.
First this thing is sculpted to perfection. Every little thing from the Tauntaun’s horns, down to the design on Han’s jacket are downright awesome. I found myself just staring at this guy for about ten minutes after taking him out of the box. I would sit there and turn him in all directions, looking at the care that went in to designing this thing.
The paint application is also pretty darn good. For the most part, since these items are mass produced, paint application can be hit or miss, but this one is a big hit for me. I couldn’t find any bleed over on any parts, the eyes were perfectly in place.
Like all Funko Star Wars Pops, this one comes with a base and pegs, so that you can make sure your Pop stands without falling. Unlike other Star Wars Pops, this comes with a white base, with the Star Wars logo front and center. The white base is nice, because it replicates the snowy planet of Hoth, where one would find Han riding a Tauntaun around Echo Base.
This guy makes an awesome display piece and one that you just can’t afford to pass up.
If you are a Star Wars fan and collector, then you will most likely love this box. If you are a Funko fan, again this will be a winner for you. This box was packed with some excellent surprises in addition to the Pop that we already knew we were getting. The lack of a tee shirt could have some fans up in arms, but it doesn’t matter that much to me. Change is always good. Don’t forget to sign up for the Star Wars Rebels box, which you can only get at SmugglersBounty.com!
Check out the various images from the box below, and also check out The Outer Rim News Podcast this week, where Austin and I will be doing an in-depth review of the box.
