Now that we're in the far-flung future of Star Wars collectibles, we're getting some nice stuff from some licensees who aren't Hasbro or Gentle Giant. A nifty mid-range collectible, the Commander Cody Bank showed up at our offices recently and by gum, it's neat. It's also significantly cheaper than larger and more fragile releases than other companies.  (It also gives us a chance to talk about someone from the Clone Wars, and banks, without having to cringe at that one Clone Wars episode about bank deregulation.)

While it doesn't have the famous "Order 66" holographic Darth Sidious, the trooper turned out exceptionally well. With some retooling and a lot of new deco, Diamond Select managed to make a colorful collectible that won't break the bank, because it is a bank, and is made of vinyl it's not very breakable. (See what we did there?)

If you've followed Diamond's toys over the years, they're quite clever at taking a design and building some nifty variations on a theme. For example, there's a 3 3/4-inch Delorean from Back to the Future II which was tricked out for a hover mode, and there were some accessory variants on the DST Universal Monsters action figures. In the case of the banks, we're usually treated to new deco, but Cody is a partial resculpt.

Building off the Episode III Clone Bank chassis, we've got a new head, new shoulder armor, a retooled right bicep, and a nifty backpack glued to the back in addition to much more colorful deco. While a couple of scrapes and minor deco markings were left off the bank, it's a clean, colorful, and 8 1/4-inch tall fixture for your desk at work, or home. The rank badge on the chest is painted on, much like the Clone Wars animated figure from Hasbro earlier in the year, and the antenna on his shoulder is protected by some clear plastic pieces during shipping to keep it safe. The comic shop and specialty market release is packaged in a clear plastic bag, with a UPC sticker on the bottom of the bust. There's no packaging to waste to speak of, which is something I think I could stand to see more of. Sure, some items have nice boxes, but I don't want a bank box. I just want a bank.

Like the Revenge of the Sith Clone Trooper bank we looked at a few months ago, this one is jointed only at the neck. The shoulders are separate pieces, but are not movable nor are they removable. The coin slot is tucked between the figure's helmet and backpack, positioned at such an angle that you really don't notice it. I'm not sure if this is a perk or not for bank collectors, but as a fan of things to stick on my desk I really don't see it.

For $20, this is a pretty hefty item. There have been numerous figural bust banks in this line, and upcoming releases seem to be even better. Animated The Clone Wars banks of Anakin Skywalker look particularly cartoony and perfect, and at Celebration VI the Maryland-based toymaker showed off a supremely cool Han Solo in Carbonite. Not a bust, a full-body vinyl bank. I'm really excited for those two. Other cool full-body banks include Yoda, R2-D2, and a Jawa.

...Reviewing this item has made me type and fix "Cody Banks" more than once, which is about par for the course.

--Adam Pawlus

Thanks to Diamond Select Toys! You can purchase this item at our sponsors like Entertainment Earth and BigBadToyStore.com. You may also find them at your local comic book shops and/or Toys R Us.

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