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At this past San Diego Comic-Con, Super7, maker of Reaction 3 3/4″ figures, released their follow-up to last year’s Space Wars Headhammer figure. At the mega-convention, Robot “Maria” from the 1927 black and white sci-fi film Metropolis made her debut on a Star Wars: The Power of the Force tribute card.  While the films have no connection to each other, a connection concerning the character of Maria can obviously be made. She was the inspiration George Lucas and company used with creating our favorite protocol droid. To honor this connection, Super7 not only made a 3 3/4″ figure of her on a POTF cardback with coin but they managed to make her in a way that even Hasbro claims to not be able to; she’s vac metalized.

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While coin pack-ins have gone away from action figures today, this coin does a great job fitting in with those from the past. Coins used to be an approximate every ten years event, popping up around 1985’s The Power of the Force/Ewok/Droids line, briefly in The Power of the Force 2’s Millieum Coin sub-series and most recently in 2006 with The 30th Anniversary collection. Maria’s coin features the text on the back: “‘Maria’ is a beautiful robot who urges Metropolis’ workers into a violent revolt”.

This figure captures a vintage Kenner feel due to her vac metallization in a way that modern figures with shiny paint ops have not over the years. A great touch was adding the silver leg!

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The sadness this figure brings is that if Hasbro sticks to their policy of not vac metalizing figures we will never see a proper See-Threepio on a Retro Collection cardback…should that line continue. But you never know as Hasbro does make an exception for their Wal*Mart exclusive Transformers vintage line.

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We highly recommend Maria to vintage collectors as she is a great companion to not only last year’s Headhammer figure but to a Star Wars vintage collection itself.

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We are very thankful our friend Sam Levine for the figure and Super7 goodies. If you are wanting a Maria figure, Super7 currently has a non-vac metalized version on a Kenner Star Wars-inspired cardback on their website for just $15.

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Until the next tribute figure,

May the Figures be with you!