Today’s unboxing and review features the Funko Pop! Vinyl Wicket With Slingshot figure. This is a Funko 2023 Summer Convention Limited Edition release, for San Diego Comic Con. I try to collect Wicket and Ewok merchandise when I can, so I’m really happy to be able to get my hands on this one!

Check out my unboxing video –

This particular Funko Pop! Vinyl is marked as a ‘ 2023 Summer Convention Limited Edition’ as noted by the purple sticker on the front – in the US, this is a ‘shared retailer exclusive’ for San Diego Comic Con. Here in New Zealand, most US exclusives are available from our regular Funko retailers, sometimes $1 or $2 more than a standard pop vinyl, but totally worth it.

As well as a being a summer convention exclusive, this Pop! Vinyl is also part of the Return Of The Jedi 40th Anniversary collection – and it has other figures from the collection pictured on the back of the box. Interestingly, the recent ROTJ wave already included a regular Wicket Pop! Vinyl, holding a spear – this limited edition variant features Wicket holding a slingshot instead.

As collectors, we often prefer to pick out our Funko Pop! Vinyl figures in store, so we can see the paint job and box condition in person, but for this summer exclusive, we had to buy online. Thankfully, it arrived quickly, in great condition, and with a really nice paint job too!

I love the sculpt and pose for Wicket – slightly leaning to his left, ready to let his slingshot fly towards an Imperial opponent. There is subtle paint weathering to highlight his fur texture, and also on his hood.

While I don’t yet have the standard ROTJ Wicket version yet, I do intend to add both to my collection. Perhaps not all collectors will feel the same way – some may prefer one pose over the other, or just choose to get this exclusive version and feel no need to get the regular one. I do like it when companies choose a variant (like glitter/flocked etc) as an exclusive, rather than a unique character not available in the regular line, as fans who can’t get the exclusive still have the option of the standard version.

Overall, a very cute version of Wicket in battle mode that I’m happy to add to my Funko Pop! Vinyl collection. I like the pose and sculpting, his expression and stance, and the paint job is tidy. Now I really need to hurry up and add more from the Return Of The Jedi wave to my shelf.

May the Force be with you!

The post Funko Pop! Vinyl Wicket SDCC 2023 Summer Convention Exclusive appeared first on Villa Varykino.

An exciting mail call – our LEGO Star Wars May 4th order has arrived! As usual LEGO had a great promotion for Star Wars Day, with special free promo sets – the perfect time to grab some of the new sets that we had seen on display at Star Wars Celebration Europe.

We picked up three LEGO Star Wars sets, which qualified us for two Star Wars Day May 4th special ‘free gift with purchase’ sets. There was also a third Star Wars Day promo, a Death Star coin, but we suspect NZ did not get a lot of stock of that one because it was gone by the time we were able to place our order. We don’t mind – we were most excited about the two promos we did get, as they are actual LEGO sets.

Check out our LEGO Star Wars haul video –

First up, the new LEGO Star Wars Brick Headz Battle Of Endor Heroes (set 40623). This was originally released as a ‘first to market’ item at Star Wars Celebration Europe, where we got to see it in person. As it was not a convention exclusive, we preferred to wait and buy it at home rather than try to get it home in our suitcase. It was great to see the set built up in person at the convention, so we’ve been eagerly awaiting the moment we could get our hands on it.

The set includes five Brick Headz figures, all from Return Of The Jedi – Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, Lando Calrissian, Wicket, and Princess Leia. I have a few LEGO Star Wars Brick Headz figures already, including the classic white dress Princess Leia from A New Hope, so I’m excited to add five more to my collection.

Next up, another new set celebrating Return Of The Jedi – the Endor Speeder Chase scene (set 75353). This set features a Biker Scout on speeder bike racing through the trees on Endor, being followed close behind by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia on another speeder bike. I can’t wait to build this set – so many great little details.

The third set we picked up was from Attack Of The Clones – Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Starfighter (set 75333). I first started collecting Star Wars during the prequel era, so I’m very fond of collectibles that really take me back to that time. As well as Obi-Wan’s Jedi Starfighter, the set includes three mini-figures – Obi-Wan Kenobi, R4-P17, and Taun We.

Those three sets qualified us for two exclusive giveaway sets – the first, and the one we are the most excited about, is Death Star II (set 40591). The box for this is bigger than we were expecting for a free giveaway set!

The Death Star II set includes a little plaque for the 40th Anniversary of Return Of The Jedi, which is a great match for the other two ROTJ sets we picked up.

Our second ‘free gift with purchase’ promo set is the polybag X-Wing Starfighter (set 30654). Not as exciting as the boxed Death Star II set, but hey, you can’t go wrong with a cute little X-Wing Starfighter! While X-Wing Starfighters are seen throughout the Original Trilogy, this polybag also features the ROTJ 40th Anniversary logo.

We are very happy with our LEGO Star Wars haul for May the Fourth – five sets in total, with a focus on Return Of The Jedi – very fitting as we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the film this month. I can’t wait to get stuck in and start building – now I just have to decide which set to build first!

May the Force be with you!

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