Action Figure Review: Shadow Stormtrooper from Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III by Hasbro

 

   GameStop has another Star Wars: The Black Series Gaming Greats exclusive figure and this time it's a Shadow Stormtrooper from The Force Unleashed! The Shadow Stormtroopers (sometimes called Blackhole Stormtroopers) have a long history dating back to the 1970s Marvel Star Wars comics and they've most recently appeared in the new canon in Star Wars Battlefront, but this one is clearly based on their appearance in The Force Unleashed due to the grayish color of the armor and the glowing blue details (I think those ones are technically referred to as Shadow Troopers, not Shadow Stormtroopers, but that's what who this guy is). Hasbro actually released the Imperial Shadow Squadron as a Target exclusive back in 2014 but those are simply fully black Stormtroopers, so this guy is still quite different than the previously released figures. When it comes down to it, the Shadow Stormtrooper is a simple repaint of the 2014 Stormtrooper figure from series 3 of the Black Series but it does have a very color scheme that really does make it stand out from the rest of your 6 inch Stormtrooper garrison. Let's check out this guy after the break...

 The Facts:

Height: 6 1/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/hinge, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed hips, a ball jointed abdomen, swivel/hinge shoulders, swivel biceps, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, a hinged neck, and a ball jointed head.

Accessories:  BlasTech E-11 blaster rifle and DLT-20A.

Non-Scalper Price: $25 dollars

 Comparison:

* The Shadow Stormtrooper is on the left while the standard Stormtrooper is on the right. This guy is the same as the originally released figure sculpt and accessory wise so for all of the details check out that review. Overall, this review is covering a repaint and essentially I'll just be pointing out the unique details and improvements here.

 The Positives:


* While this is the exact same mold as the standard Stormtrooper figure we've seen many, many times, the black and neon blue color scheme is excellent and really makes this guy stand out on the shelf. There's really not another Black Series figure with this color scheme so he's pretty unique. It appears to me that the figure is mostly molded in clear blue plastic with the blackish/ gunmetal colored paint sprayed over it. It gives the guy a rather interesting look, especially in the places where the clear plastic is fully visible.

 * The helmet is the same sculpt but that black and blue looks fantastic. The top of the helmet is more of a gunmetal/ silver rather than black, giving the Stormtrooper an interesting, multicolored appearance.

 * Here's a closer look at the translucent arts. It's really cool to be able to see inside of the figure! Th only thing you're going to see is the figures internal construction but it actually looks really good in person!

* The Shadow Stormtrooper comes with the same two weapons that nearly every other Stormtrooper does: An E-11 blaster and a DLT-20A rifle. I'm glad to say that the E-11 has a paint application on the receiver and the DLT-20A has a nice weathered drybrush effect. Also like on the rest of the Stormtroopers the E-11 can fit in the holster on the trooper's belt.

  * This guy is still quite well articulated and the newer, firmer plastics Hasbro has been using are way better than the plastic on the original releases. Those guys were kind of rubbery but this guy is nice and firm.

The Negatives:

*The shoulder pads are still fairly obtrusive and really need to be reworked. Hopefully this will be fixed on the upcoming "Rogue One" Stormtrooper release.

   I'm giving the Shadow Stormtrooper a Great rating. He's still a very good figure, like the original release, but with the addition of the cool translucent blue body and black paintjob. He's a bit more expensive than your average figure, however. While nearly everyone sells their Black Series figures for around $20 dollars (and sometimes a dollar or so less), GameStop has been jumping up their prices. The first Gaming Greats releases were actually marked in stores at $29.99 (preorders were $24.99) but fortunately these guys are still $24.99. That's pretty high for a repaint and it does hurt this guy a bit. Still, he's pretty unique and well worth tracking down if you love Stormtroopers!


This is the first Shadow Stormtrooper I've reviewed on the site. For more Star Wars: The Black Series Phase III figures 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
Count Dooku
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 Probe Droid
Imperial Shock Trooper 
Imperial Royal Guard 
Inferno Squad Agent
Jaina Solo (Legends)
Jango Fett
Jannah
Jedi Knight Revan
K-2SO
Kanan Jarrus
Knight of Ren (Vicrul)
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)
Zorii Bliss
Zuckuss