Techtite's Hardcopy Reviews

"Who or what is Aurra Sing?" Good question. As it turns out, she's one of many cameo appearances in Star Wars Episode 1 : The Phantom Menace, that if you blinked, you missed it completely. However, as the third in the series of collector edition books-with-collectible-figure, Aurra Sing : Dawn of the Bounty Hunters is still an intriguing addition to anyone's Star Wars collection.

Since this is, after all, the Hardcopy (book) review section at Techtite.com, let's center on the included book. Hard (not soft) cover, and fully color illustrated, it tells both the fables as well as behind the scenes stories behind all the bounty hunters used in all Star Wars films. Yes, this includes Boba Fett, though it also includes much more. Remember Bossk? ID-88? Well, you will now. You'll see never revealed conceptual photos of these characters, as well as the initial plan to expand their characters; each bounty hunter had a totally different spaceship model, which was never used! The pictures and stories of each, should appeal to all diehard fans.

The biggest draw, however, would have to be the stories of Boba Fett. As one of the most intriguing supporting characters introduced in the original trilogy, Fett has developed a fan base all his own. This book appeals to those fans, and details several stories of Fett, as well as his appearances in comic books, novels, and the films. Some might be amused at early designs for Fett, including a costume suggestion to put him in an all-white armored uniform, similar to the stormtroopers. It also dares to "answer" one of the bigger Sci-Fi fan controversies online: did or didn't Boba Fett die in the Sarlacc pit, in Return of the Jedi? This book takes the stance that he did not, and was in fact saved by a bounty-hunter who he had an alliance with. It even shows one of many fantasy illustrations, of Boba Fett using his many armor gizmos to free himself from the Sarlacc himself. If you read the magazine, Star Wars Insider, you've probably seen some of this before, though it's nice to have it preserved in a stylish, hardcover collectible book.

As for the doll, admittedly, it isn't the best ever included in the series. Both the Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader collectible, and the C3PO collectible (the first two of this book-and-figure collector's edition series), were much better made. However, I sense there were complexities to Aurra that were not involved in the other two figures. For one thing, Aurra has bright red hair in a ponytail, which is more difficult to make than the other two figures. After all, Anakin's balding "hair" could be molded as part of the plastic head itself, and C3PO, of course, is a golden plated droid. The doll is otherwise impressive, so I guess it's just a matter of opinion as to how she compares to the prior two.

In truth, given his fan base, this book/action-figure collection should've been about Boba Fett from the very beginning. This would seem an even better idea, when Boba Fett will be introduced once again in the upcoming Star Wars Episode 2 in theaters. Why include Aurra Sing? Well, few can say for certain. However, there's quite a bit about this character, as well as how they created the single scene she was in (and even how they made the doll based on her likeness!). Let's just say you'll never ask "Who's Aurra Sing?" ever again. On the other hand, you still can't help wonder why Boba Fett wasn't the center attraction, for both the book and the included figure. Suffice to say that he's the reason many will buy it...regardless if there's much more to the purchase than just that.

	Final Rating : Large Crater. Okay, so Aurra Sing isn't Boba Fett. At least he's included too, as well as every single Star Wars bounty hunter ever used. Cool!
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