5-29-2008

Hasbro


AT-TE

The Big H updated their website last night with info on one of the two big toys coming in July; the AT-TE.

The more we see of this the better it looks.  It has everything from articulated legs to Clone Trooper phrases from the Clone Wars series.  It'll hold up to 20 figures, has firing cannons, opening doors and comes with one Clone Trooper action figure.

Look for this about July 26th and according to most sources, look for it to come in around $100.

Entertainment Earth

EE.com looks to be getting another exclusive this October.  Their latest catalog includes a photo and advertisement for a 6 figure set that will be priced at $35.99.  The photo includes some silhouettes of action figures but if it's anything like the Mandalore sets these are just place holders for now.

5-28-2008

Target

Target made some adjustments to the Star Wars section since Sunday and they had the new Force Unleashed Rancor set out yesterday.  It's big, it's beautiful and the Felucian rider is bizarre looking.  I'm probably not going to get it, though, as it's just too big and not from the films.

They also have had the new Mighty Muggs for a couple of days; Yoda, Emperor, Luke, and General Grievous.  I haven't been picking these up but the Yoda is tempting.

Other than those two new items, Target hasn't really stocked any new Star Wars figures in a month or more.

5-24-2008

Hasbro

Are you ready for the huge Clone wars and Legacy Collection push come July 26th?  Sure you are.  And to get you even more ready, Hasbro dropped some info, and hints, in the latest Q&A session.

Per a question from GalacticHunter.com, we can expect some store exclusives on launch date for the new lines. No word yet on what they are but what would a big line launch be without them (besides less stressful)?

Mousedroid.com had an interesting answer to a question about the chances of us seeing a holographic Darth Sidious on the walking mechno chair in the 3.75" line; "Very, very good!"  Nice.

SirStevesGuide.com asked about the upcoming Disturbance at the Lars Homestead battle pack.  Previously Hasbro has confirmed this and said that it will be from the Original Trilogy.  In the current question from SSG, although we have seen a leaked photo showing the domed house, Hasbro confirms that the house is included in the pack.  They also douse our hopes for significantly upgraded, or even new, figures by saying "Collectors should not expect too much from the figures..." Still, Lars homestead house!

Also released with the Q&A this week is an update on the Target Order 66 exclusives;

We have noticed on some boards that some collectors are deciding to wait until the Target-exclusive Order 66 sets go on sale before pouncing. This year, Target has advised us that the Order 66 sets will not go on sale when they come off the checklane endcaps and will extend at regular pricing in the planogram. We think that those fans waiting may be disappointed when the ones they want sell out. If there are certain army builders or characters that collectors had their eyes on, they might not want to wait...

I guess that means I won't be picking up a half dozen army builders at $2 a pop like last year. 

5-22-2008

Millennium Falcon

Hasbro has updated their web site today with more details on the Millennium Falcon that's coming this July.  They confirm a few features, show photos of the Han and Chewie figures that come with it and confirm the July 26th release date.  Head over to Hasbro.com and check it out.


Aayla Secura

Sideshow

Today is the first opportunity for you to order the new 1:6 scale Aayla Secura figure from Sideshow.  This is the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive and at 1:00PM EST, attendees can put in their order for pick-up at the show.

For those of you not attending, tomorrow is your order day, also at 1:00PM.

Hasbro

The newest wave of exclusive Battle Packs have been turning up at Toys-R-Us over the past couple of weeks.  The STAP Attack and Hoth Patrol are both full of existing figures with some moderate re-paints.

The sets aren't terrible, and it's the first time that we've seen the STAP vehicle in about nine years, but unless you're missing any of the figures in the sets they'll probably be a pass for most collectors.

I didn't check the price when I saw them in the store last weekend, but they're listed on the TRU web site at $24.99.  Kind of steep for what they are.

5-20-2008

Millennium Falcon


BMF Millennium Falcon

Wired Magazine has updated with a new photo of the Hasbro Millennium Falcon that will be coming later this year.  GalacticHunter.com scooped the Falcon last month but in their press release, Hasbro said that Wired was scheduled to be the debut for it.

Well, the Wired article has hit the web and included with it is a new shot of the Falcon and one cool thing about it is that it's an angle we haven't really seen yet.

It's a good look at the ship with the top piece on and of the cockpit.  The article is really more of a blurb and it's part of Wired's Playlist.

HasbroToyShop.com

HTS.com is running an up to 50% off sale from now till Monday night, 5/26, at 11:59PM.  There are quite a few items on sale covering most of Hasbro's toy lines, including Star Wars and G.I. Joe.  When checking out it might not hurt to try code SPRREQ8 which may still be good for another 10% off your total.

5-19-2008

Happy Birthday!

Today is Peter Mayhew's 64th birthday...I think that's something like 384 in Wookiee years.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Mr. Peter "Chewbacca" Mayhew!

5-17-2008

Gentle Giant

Jedi News has a new Q&A article with Gentle Giant posted on their web site.  There's some interesting info including a possible reboot of the Bust-Ups Star Wars line for 2009 and new maquettes in support of The Clone Wars coming this fall.

Head over to the article for the full details as well as info on GG's Indiana Jones and Harry Potter lines.

5-16-2008

Sideshow

Darth Vader

The announcement almost all Sideshow collectors have been awaiting was made in last night's newsletter; Darth Vader will be coming to the 1:6 scale line.

No details yet and the teaser video only shows a slight shadow over an Anakin figure's shoulder.  Still, head over and check it out. 

Royal Guard

Ordering day is here for Medicom Real Action Hero collectors as the Royal Guard is now up for pre-order.

He's due in the 4th quarter of 2008 and there seems to be a price bump, he's going for $164.99 plus shipping.

The figure looks well done, however, and the robes look really nice on this figure.  That's one of the harder things to pull off in this scale and Medicom appears to have done well.

Hasbro

Good news for G.I. Joe and Transformers fans, Hasbro has purchased the distribution rights from TV-Loonland for their "Hasbro Classic Library" which includes 80's cartoons of the G1 Transformers and G.I. Joe.  According to the announcement, Hasbro paid approximately $7 million.

According to another report I read, there are about 1,000 episodes of cartoons and also includes  My Little Pony and other Hasbro brands.

Hopefully we'll see a complete run of the classic Joe cartoons out of this.  Sunbow, who produced the original cartoons, had released some episodes via Rhino Entertainment but the series was never completed.

5-15-2008

Hasbro

Signature Series

Hasbro has updated their web site with information about their new Signature Series line of collectibles which will include the FX Lightsabers that were previously made by Master Replicas.


Clone Wars Anakin

The first lightsabers from Hasbro will be released this fall and will kick off with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

Mighty Muggs

Also announced are new Might Muggs that depict our favorite characters from the new Clone Wars cartoon coming this fall.  The newly announced wave will have Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, Captain Rex and Anakin Skywalker.

Action Figures

RebelScum.com has posted a rumor list for 2009 that is said to include "vintage" style action figures.  The list mostly consists of original trilogy characters but, as has been mentioned in some Q&A answers, also has prequel characters.  EU is mentioned as possibilities for the line and, if the rumor is to be believed, will be spread out over six waves.

I've made it no secret that I don't think prequel and EU characters should be included in the vintage line as we've seen it previously, and I also don't think that they'd fit if the line used the vintage Kenner card style as the regular line similar to how Hasbro is using the vintage G.I. Joe cardbacks on their 25th Anniversary line. 

I liked the VOTC/VTSC/VTAC figures as a sub line geared to collectors and don't feel that there are enough OT characters left to make more than, maybe, one more wave.  Even if this new 2009 line were to be the basic line, at the basic price, I'm not in favor.  We'll see how it pans out.

5-10-2008

Hasbro

Another Q&A update yields new info on the 2008/2009 line of figures coming from Hasbro.

First up, Hasbro firmed up their plans for the build-a-droids coming this year.  Plans are for 18 droids before the end of 2009.  That includes 10 astromech and 8 protocol droids.  However, expanding on that info in a second answer, Hasbro has said that not all of the protocol droids will be in the C-3PO style.  Their meaning of "protocol," for the sake of the BaD line, is any droid with two legs, arms, torso and head.  Hasbro also said they'll be looking to both the films and the EU for these figures so I think we can expect some good things.

YakFace.com had Hasbro answer some questions about the new Millennium Falcon that's coming later this year.  New info includes the fact that there is a quad cannon on the bottom of the ship and the back top panel does not come off but houses the electronics.

Clone Wars

StarWars.com has posted the new two minute trailer for Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

This is the trailer that debuted Thursday night on the Turner Networks and played in front of Speed Racer beginning Friday night.  Head over and check it out!

5-9-2008

Topps

As I mentioned the other day, Topps is bringing out a new card set to support the Clone Wars movie and cartoon this Fall.  Now, Topps has updated their web site with the official announcement.

There will be both retail and hobby boxes available with different chase cards.  The set will be 90 basic cards with animation cel chase cards in both sets.

Hobby boxes will have sketch cards and a sequentially numbered parallel set.  Retail boxes will have motion cards and foil cards.

Look for these in stores on July 26, 2008.

Hasbro

Hasbro has posted the Captain Rex redemption certificate on their web page. If you're having trouble finding figures at retail with the offer in them, this is a good solution for you.

There's no mention of the availability date for the figure and I don't recall of the certificate from the action figures had that info or not. But, as reported the other day, Hasbro has said there is a delay in shipping the Rex figures until July.

You have till December 31, 2008 to get your request in.

Sideshow

Sideshow updated their web site with new photos of the San Diego Comic-Con exclusives.

They're also now running their May Fantacular Celebration which runs from May 1 - 31, 2008.  As part of the Celebration, Sideshow is offering $15 discounts on some in-stock Star Wars items including 1:6 scale items, VCD figures, Real Heroes and life-size busts. 

Also, you can receive a gift card worth between $5 and $50 on all in-stock orders, while supplies last.

5-8-2008

Hasbro


Droid Factory

Hasbro updated their web site last night with information on the six Droid Factory sets that will be coming later this year at Wal-Mart stores.  These 2-packs each contain an astromech droid an another hero or villain and, if you collect all six sets, you can build C-3PX.

The astromech droids are all repaints but are new characters except for R2-D2 who comes with Luke Skywalker in his X-Wing outfit.

One thing to note, the Han Solo in Hoth outfit is a variant of the 2007 VTAC figure only now the parka is blue and he has his hood in the up position.  This figure is also set to be repacked with the hood up in his brown parka later in the year in a Battle Pack.

If you recall, at the 2007 Toy Fair, Hasbro initially showed a hood up head sculpt for the Han Solo figure but then went with the hood down for the actual release.  JediDefender.com has a photo of the head from Toy Fair before Hasbro pulled it from display. 

Add in the Han in Hoth outfit, also in his blue parka, from the 2007 Target Ultimate Battle pack "The Battle of Hoth" and you can have all 4 versions of this sculpt.

5-7-2008

Clone Wars

Tomorrow night, May 8th at 7:58PM, the new two minute trailer for Star Wars: The Clone Wars will debut on all of the Tuner networks; TNT, TBS, CNN and Boomerang.

To coincide with the new trailer, ShopStarWars.com is also selling the new movie poster for $19.99.

Make sure to tune in for the new trailer and be ready for the Clone Wars movie on August 15th.

Tomy

Tomy's new line of deformed figures is now available.  Photos of these figures were shown off over a year ago at one of the Asian toy events.  The first wave consists of Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Boba Fett, Yoda, C-3PO and R2-D2.

Like a lot of other Japanese and Asian releases, the figures are blind boxed and there are two chase figures.  Replacing C-3PO is a white version, probably K-3PO or similar, and instead of R2 look for a R2-Q5.

Photos and ordering info at NCSX.com or BigBadToyStore.com.  Other online retailers may be offering these as well.

5-3-2008

Hasbro Captain Rex Delayed

If you mailed away for the Clone Wars preview Captain Rex figure you may be receiving a postcard in the mail letting you know that there will be a delay in shipping.

Originally scheduled for a May release, per the postcard the figures won't be shipping until July.  The postcard also gives you a phone number that you can call if you want to cancel your order and receive a refund.

The phone number is 800-327-8264 and if you want to cancel you need to call before July 1, 2008.  Do nothing and the figures will be mailed to you when they become available. 

The downside to this is that the regular Clone Wars figures are slated for a July 26th release and this "preview" figure now looks to be running into that release date.

5-2-2008

Sideshow


Aayla Secura

Sideshow announced their San Diego Comic-Con exclusives last night and they have two Star Wars items.  First up is an awesome looking 1:6 scale Aayla Secura.

The second is a VCD Shadow Guard from The Force Unleashed. 

Look for Aayla to go on sale for con attendees on May 22nd and non-attendees on May 23rd.  Both days look for them at 1:00PM EST.

The Shadow Guard will go up for pre-order on May 29th and 30th for attendees and non-attendees respectively.  No edition sized announced yet but in the past the con exclusives haven't been overly difficult to pick up.

I think the Aayla figure looks pretty incredible and I will be snagging one.