Even though I don't own this figure, the only thing I can see that might make this a special release is, that it is supposed to be a Kirk in his "Where No Man Has Gone Before" uniform. Unless I'm wrong, this would be the first individually carded version of this figure. While the collar is correct, the shirt COLOR appears to be off, and at the least 2 of the accessories are incorrect. This pistol and communicator should be as seen in the Dilithium Collection 2pk Kirk and Spock set. I would say this is probably a must have for the die hard completest collectors out there. However, if you are more of a hobbyist/film fan type collector, you could probably pass this up. There are other version of Kirk with more distinct differences that might interest you.