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10-31-2006Celebration IVDo you have your tickets ordered yet? They went on sale yesterday on Gen Con's web site at $110 for the weekend or $40 per day. No huge rush on ordering the tickets unless you need a hotel room still, in that case, get your order in so you'll get your room code on Thursday morning. Ordered my tickets last night. I'm starting to get excited. HasbroIf you're into collecting variants be on the lookout for a newly packed Clone Commander in the Greatest Battles line. Reports are in that the previously-shipping green Commander has been replaced by the red version. JediDefender.com is reporting that some of their members have found "Mace Windu's Attack Battalion" battle pack at Target (it's exclusive) for $19.99. Better start hitting up your stores! Acme ArchivesDon't forget that tomorrow is the sale date for their exclusive Shaak Ti character key. Looks like a 2:00PM EST sale time. And don't forget that Razor's Edge Collectibles still has their exclusive Asajj Ventress key for sale. According to the graphic on their page the Asajj is down to 30% left in stock. Get your key now before it sells out and you're lurking on eBay. SideshowWant to see the new Asajj Ventress? Head over to Sideshow's web site and take a peek. The figure looks really nice but I don't know if I'll be ordering it or not. A more important question right now is where the hell is Padme? I was away for the weekend so I didn't get this posted in time but today is the last day for the 2006 Spooktacular on Sideshow's site so check it out. 10-28-2006HasbroBattle Packs galore in a new scoop from 4-Inches.de. They have the following listed:
The Battle of Geonosis appears to have the Final Battle Jango Fett while Obi-Wan is from the Clone Wars line. Count Dooku appears to be the Saga-02 #27 figure with the Deluxe SBD and the ROTS #32 Aayla. Dagobah Training has the OTC Yoda and Spirit Obi-Wan, Saga Luke and maybe the POTJ Dagobah Vader. I don't know what R2 it is but there are plenty to choose from including the version that came with the Saga Dagobah X-Wing. Capture of Tantive IV has two POTJ/Saga Rebel Fleet Troopers and 2 CommTech Stormtroopers but I'm not positive on their version. I'm also not positive on the Vader but it could be the 500th or VOTC version. This set is also listed as having a droid and it might be the CommTech torture droid that came with CommTech Vader originally. The set we've all been waiting for, or at least I have, is the Ambush of Ilum. The R2 and C-3PO figures could be from anywhere but the R2 does appear to be a 3-legged version. The C-3PO might be the Endor version in the photo but I'm not positive. The Padme is a toss-up. It looks like it might be new but I'm not sure. It is definitely shown with a soft goods parka. The cool point of this pack is the two Chameleon droids that appear to be included. These would be all new so that makes this a great set even if the Padme doesn't hold up. 10-27-2006HasbroMy Carnor Jax and Kir Kanos figures arrived yesterday and they look great. The packaging is really nice with a nice presentation for both figures and the comic. The bubble is also very sturdy, although tape sealed, and makes a cool collectible. I purchased my set from HasbroToyShop.com using their 25% coupon and free shipping. I could have gotten two and left one packaged but I think I'll break these open later. The rumored Target exclusive Shuttle made a brief appearance on the Target.com web site yesterday and then got pulled. It was listed at $60 and was pictured, again, with Vader and a Royal Guard. The text said that it was an in-store exclusive and wouldn't be available on their web site. Very odd, this item, and I can't wait to see what info pops up next. The collector set containing Darth Tater and Spudtrooper has been found at Wal-Mart in Oklahoma so we should be seeing these pop up elsewhere pretty soon. Reports are in from California of collectors finding the new Unleashed Order 66 Battle Packs as well as the Empire Strikes Back themed Galactic Heroes figures. Hasbro also confirms the Saesee Tiin Jedi Starfighter and TIE Fighter for next year. The TIE is listed as having "vintage styled decoration" so, white? It's still shown with the smaller wings but I was thinking that Hasbro said, at Comic-Con, that they'd be larger. We'll have to wait and see. Remember when it was reported that France would see a Saga carded example of the Target exclusive Clone Trooper? It's now reported that he'll also be released in other TRU stores in Europe including Germany and the UK. Target stocked the new spring loaded lightsabers in their new 30th Anniversary packaging. I didn't pay close attention to them but they are out. TargetAlong with the new lightsabers, Target also had some new prices on clearanced items. The build-a-saber pack was down to $18 and change while the Titanium exclusive Vader was down to $3.74. That's probably the final price on the Vader so if you see one, that actually isn't a bad price. I didn't notice if the Unleashed were marked down again but I bet they were, and probably are in the $9 range now if not at final price. If that lightsaber kit hits about $10 or less I may snag two and see if I can't build something fun with it.  Naboo Starfighter Wizards of the CoastWOTC updates with two new vehicles from the Starhip Battles line. This time we get a peek at the Naboo Starfighter and X-Wing fighter. Not a huge surprise that we'd see these as the X-Wing is a classic and the Naboo Starfighter is destined to be the same. Hopefully next time we'll get some more interesting, and surprise, vehicles! SideshowSideshow's new radio show has more info on the EU Asajj Ventress figure. I haven't listened to it yet but we should see some new photos soon. I'm still waiting to see final pictures of the Padme figure so I can decide if I want to invest in it. Probably not, but still... Mimobot Mimobot Chewbacca StarWarsShop.com has two exclusive USB flash drives from Mimoco. Chewbacca and Darth Vader are both offered in 1GB and 2GB sizes but the price is kind of steep at $80 and $120 respectively. Both are listed as limited editions but Chewbacca is actually listed as having an edition size of 2,500 pieces, total, for the 1, 2 and 4GB sizes. They're kind of cool but I'd rather have a regular flash drive and pay less. Although, as always, if they come out with an AT-AT Driver and/or a Republic Gunship item all bets are off. TomyTomy Japan is releasing a new version of the radio controlled R2-D2. This will be in 30th Anniversary packaging and he'll have a Empire type deco. That means dirty. Head over to RebelScum.com for the announcement and some photos. 10-26-2006Celebration 4We finally have some new details. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, October 30th at about 3:00PM EST. Tickets for 4 days will be $110. Fan Club members will have access on Thursday of the con for free. Hotel blocks will be available for purchase starting on November 2nd. Codes will be emailed out to registered attendees and those codes give them access to the room blocks. HasbroThe official site, StarWars.com, also updates with details on the 2007 greatest hits line of figures. New Web SiteIf you're a toy fan in general you might be interested in a new web site that has just launched, ToyTraderz.com. Their goal is to build a database of information on toy lines other than Star Wars. Just kidding, there will be Star Wars in there, but they're also looking at Aliens, Transformers, Lego, Star Trek and many of our favorite toy lines past and present. 10-24-2006HasbroThird-quarter income numbers are out for Hasbro and it appears they're still doing well. Sales of Star Wars items were at $69 million which is about 46% of what they were last year ($127 million). But, no movie, no DVD release and we're still a year away from the animated TV series so I wouldn't think the numbers were a surprise. It'll be interesting how Star Wars does in the 4th quarter for the Christmas holiday. There are some incredible exclusives on the way as well as some cool troop building figures in the main line. Plus, with the 30th anniversary next year, things should level out I would think. On the topic of Hasbro, a few more pieces of info were confirmed in the latest round of Q&A. About 40% of the 2007 line of figures will be new, never done before characters. The V-Wing is now confirmed and should ship in the $20 starfighter line alongside the Sith Infiltrator next year. 10-23-2006Master ReplicasEverything old is new again. For good or bad, nothing remains sacred in the collectible world of Star Wars. The Riddell mini helmets that came out back in the lat 90's were a really nice collectible that, because of popularity, detail and low distribution, rose to be quite popular. Enter MR. They've reached an agreement with Riddell to purchase their tooling. They're currently planning on updating some of the existing helmets and re-releasing them while developing new items. Right now they're looking to redo the Stormtrooper and X-Wing Pilot helmet for 2007 as well as have newly designed TIE Fighter and Clone Trooper helmets. And, of course, Boba Fett is slated for 2008. Oh, and they're changing the base so if you want the new helmets to match your current Riddell helmets, well, they won't...so I guess you'll have to re-buy the new ones. I guess I should backtrack for a second and say that this info all came out of the fall Toy Fair in New York City. SirStevesGuide.com has photos and coverage of the event. As mentioned earlier in the month, MR is merging with Corgi which is also purchasing Cards, Inc. from England. So, also shown at the fall TF were the Medalionz and other items that were released overseas last year for ROTS. Although MR is saying that they won't market most of the Cards, Inc. stuff under their brand name, I'm guessing they'll still import and make available these items in the US. Guess it makes all the time, effort and cash that I put into my set of Medalionz a waste of time. Crap. Good news for some, though, is that MR will be coming out with a Yoda FX lightsaber. The blade and hilt are in scale with the hilt being just slightly larger than the LE version but it needed to be to get the electronics in it. An ObservationJust as every collector and collection is different, so are the opinions on collecting as an investment. Some people don't collect as an investment at all, others do and some, probably the largest number, are happy knowing that they'll probably at least see some of their items retain their value if not appreciate. I've never collected the Hasbro lines as an investment but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy knowing that there was an increased secondary market price on the the odd figure or vehicle. It's recently become clear that no Hasbro item will remain sacred, everything can and probably will be released again. That means that almost nothing will retain it's increased value. Not a bad thing, but still, a little disappointing. Now, having said that, there have definitely been a few times where I've added items to my collection solely for the potential for increased value down the road. This has mostly been on limited edition type things such as GG busts, overseas exclusives or the odd "under the radar" item from other companies. The Riddell mini helmets and the Padme maquette kind of fall into the under the radar category although I did buy the Padme as part of the full line. Just as Hasbro has demonstrated their willingness to re-release everything so now has Master Replicas. GG has already demonstrated this with their ESB Yoda and ROTS Vader, to an extent, but definitely with their Jango bust. Master Replicas wasn't above this either, I understand, with their new line of CE lightsaber hilts but they're getting in deeper with the Riddell and Cards, Inc. items as one is a long-dead line and the other was an overseas company. It really begs the question; Why collect? Why bother spending the time to hunt down that rare or elusive item when it's released when you're almost guaranteed to find it later, and probably cheaper, either at retail or on the secondary market? Why should I run to Target for the new release of TSC figures when I can wait 12 months till they're released again and can get the first issue on eBay for less than retail? I can only imagine how purchasers of the MR lightsabers felt when they invested several hundreds of dollars in LE and EE versions and then found out that new CE items will soon be available cheaper. Toys-R-UsAdding to their free shipping, TRU is running a new add for free figures with a purchase of $20 in stores. Now might be a good time to pick up those 4-pack tins or snag a Jedi Starfighter and a figure to pilot it. K-MartK-Mart has already leaked a Black Friday sale; buy one, get one on all basic figures. I think they ran something similar last year but neither store I was in had anything of value. I believe I brought home the electronic super deformed Yoda but that's all. Wizards of the Coast Starship Battles Somehow I missed updating on this. WOTC has put up photos and stats on the two ships from the upcoming Starship Battles starter set. The Mon Calamari Star Defender Viscount and Super Star Destroyer Executor. I don't think we have an exact release date on these yet, or at least not one I've seen. I'll have to look that up. Right now they're just saying November. 10-21-2006Toys-R-UsToys-R-Us.com is currently running a free shipping offer on a lot of Star Wars items including larger vehicles like the exclusive X-Wing and Republic Gunship. That's not a bad deal, just as cheap as picking them up in the store. There are a few things listed on the site that have free shipping but are out of stock so you'll have to look through the whole list to see what's available. HasbroRebelScum.com's "Greatest Hits" vote rolls along with a new bracket tournament where voters get to whittle down the top 64 figures to their number 1 favorite. Along the way they also get to pick the greatest hits line of 20-24 figures. Before I get into a rant about the terrible choices people voted in there is some good news. Hasbro had RebelScum's Dan Curto pull several items from the list because they were scheduled for future release. Droopy McCool and Max Rebo were high on the POTF2 poll but will be released in 2008 as an exclusive. The Y-Wing pilot was also pulled as we'll see a Y-Wing exclusive release in 2007 and, apparently, the same figure will be included. While the VOTC Stormtrooper received more votes than any other single figure, he will already be seeing a release in 2007 as part of the 30th Anniversary line in wave 3. However, a major change will be made to this figure, he'll have a removable helmet with a Jango clone head underneath. While I don't care for that, it does open the door for Han and Luke Stormtrooper versions in the future and that's a good thing. Not only did this poll bring about the confirmation by Hasbro that we're getting a "Battle of Felucia" Battle Pack but it'll include Commander Bly and some 327th Star Corps Troopers which were previously released in the 2005 Evolutions packs. I'm betting we'll also see an Aalya figure in the set. Hopefully Aayla, Bly and 3 Star Corps figures. I'm in for a couple of them as I'd like to add some regular Star Corps figures to my collection. Although we've already been told that 2007 will bring us a new Mara Jade, it's further confirmed as a figure that will be included in a comic book 2-pack. It's rumored to be a new figure so hopefully we'll get a better head sculpt and a new outfit. Grand Admiral Thrawn is going to be coming back in 2008 but no word yet if it'll be a repaint or a new figure. SideshowThe Endor Rebel Commando Sergeant is on sale at Sideshow right now for $59.99. This is exclusive to Sideshow's web site and has an edition size of 3,200. I think I'm not surprised that this wasn't a sell out yesterday when it went on sale. I still think it's a steep price especially when it's one of 3 versions available. It's easily the first available figure that people would buy all three versions of and I'm still surprised they didn't offer some type of price break. 10-20-2006Big Bad Toy StoreThe Lucas Family boxed set that used to be exclusive to StarWarsShop.com is now out in the wild and BBTS has it up for sale now. The downside, it's $10 more from BBTS than at SWS.com. BBTS also has the 400% Darth Vader Kubrick in stock for $119.99 if you're interested in picking one up without going to eBay. SideshowJust a reminder, today at 1:00PM EST is the pre-order for the new Rebel Commando Sergeant from Sideshow. HasbroPhotos have shown up from France that show the Target Exclusive Clone Trooper carded on a Saga card with a holo and everything. GalaticHunter.com has photos and some additional info posted on their site. Apparently these have shown up at Toys-R-Us stores over there. Interesting collectible. I'm sure people in the US would love to see this Clone come back on a Saga card for regular prices. 10-18-2006Acme Archives) Shaak Ti Well, is today soon enough for the debut of the new Shaak Ti Character Key? Chris posted it to the RebelScum.com forums and I'm reposting here. It has the new edition size of 1,200 and will go on sale on November 1st. This is an Acme Direct exclusive so that probably means free shipping and a limit of 3. This key is quite a bit different than the one shown in the Insider but I think it looks pretty cool. Shaak Ti was one of my favorite Jedi from the Animated Clone Wars cartoon so I'm really happy to see this key come out. Hasbro) Unleashed AT-AT Driver My order arrived from HasbroToyShop.com and I'm pretty happy with it. I picked up three boosters of the Champions of the Force minis game and the 2" Hoth Unleashed set with the AT-AT Driver, Vader, Probe Droid and Veers. The AT-AT Driver is pretty well done and has a decent paint job. He has articulated arms but that's it. I'm not overly thrilled with the fact that he's permanently attached to the base but it's a good looking figure. Vader is actually pretty cool as is the Probe Droid. One of the nicer sets although the Han/Chewy/Tauntaun set looks nice as well. ) Obi-Wan Kenobi Gentle GiantGG made it official yesterday that an ANH version of Obi-Wan will be coming out next year. He's scheduled for a May 2007 release and looks incredible. I think they nailed the likeness of Sir Alec Guinness both in the face sculpt and the pose. He even has his lightsaber hilt poking out from his robes. No info on an edition size yet but he's a definite for my collection. SideshowDon't forget that this Friday, October 20, will be the day to pre-order your Rebel Commando Sergeant figure. He's going on sale at the normal time, 1:00P.M. EST. 10-17-2006TargetI finally got a chance to stop in Target last night and I found some of the sales that have been reported. The electronic lightsabers are on special this week for $17.99 while there are several items on clearance. Both of the exclusive Unleashed figures are marked down about 30% right now. The Target exclusive lava Darth Vader Titanium figure is 50% off at $7.98 and isn't actually a bad buy for that price. The only other thing I spotted was the build-a-saber set also for 30% off at about $22.99 or so. HasbroWhile at Target I finally found the new Hoth 2" Unleashed figures on the shelves. They had two of the Rebel Soldiers, one Snowtrooper set and a Han and Chewy with Tauntaun. I passed on them as well as the boxed sets which have been out for a while. I do have the AT-AT and Vader set on order and it should be here in a few days. Plenty of Endor 1 wave figures out on the shelves with the Greatest Battles figures. I also found an R2 Hoth figure with red holo but I didn't see any AT-AT Drivers or other figures. The Kir Kanos and Carnor Jax 2-pack is now in stock at Entertainment Earth so if you have a pre-order for it it might be shipping soon. I ordered mine from HasbroToyShop.com using their 25% coupon and it should ship out from them about the end of October. GalacticHunter.com has shown some hi-rez photos of the new Saesee Tiin Jedi Starfighter so it looks as if that's confirmed for next year. It's using the AOTC mold like the Kit Fisto Starfighter. Looks pretty cool with sort of a yellow/red/orange paint scheme. Acme ArchivesRazor's Edge has received their Asajj Ventress Character Keys and are now shipping. If you pre-ordered start looking for you confirmation email any time. If you didn't pre-order you still have time to get this key. Razor's Edge still has about 40% of the keys left. Hopefully we'll hear about the next key, Shaak Ti, this week. That key is supposed to be exclusive to Acme's site. Gentle GiantReports are in that a black and white version of the Boba Fett maquette will be released in November. With an edition size of 500, 250 will be released in Japan with the rest going to the US. )
Hot ToysHot Toys is listing a new item called "Star Wars Chubby." It appears to be similar to a Russian nesting doll and should be coming in early 2007. No pictures of actual product or prices yet but it might be cool if the teaser image means we got a Death Star in this style. Hot Toys and the Asian market has come out with some of the coolest Star Wars toys in the last couple of years. From Kubricks to Vinyl Collectible Dolls to the stuff Medicom is putting out in the Real Action Heroes line. 10-14-2006TargetThere have been a few reports of discount Star Wars items at Target. Markdowns include their exclusive Boba Fett Unleashed figure and the lava Titanium Vader figure. Hit up your local store and see what you can find. Wizards of the Coast) Starship Battles New info on the Starship Battles game was posted on the WotC web site yesterday. There aren't any photos of the minis yet but we do get photos of the box art for the expansion packs. Since this is a separate game from the Rebel Storm (and other) minis game, this set also has a starter pack that includes two exclusive ships, the Executor and the Mon Calimari Star Defender Viscount. The starter set will also have 8 random ships, cards, a map, 20-sided die, rulebook, Fleet Commander cards and damage counters. Each booster will have 7 ships randomly packed. It's a 60 piece set as the other lines have been. The game play for this looks cool. The stat cards have two sides with one side being your ship at full strength and the other having stats for when your ship becomes damaged. Sounds interesting. Hit up the Wizards of the Coast site for a sneak peak at the rulebook and look for them in stores starting in November. 10-13-2006Gentle GiantIn their latest blog entry, GG has released some edition sizes for upcoming busts, maquettes and statues.
Now, I'm sure that Jango is going to be a popular bust just based on the fact that it looks incredible, but 9,000 pieces? I think that may be a little high. However, I may actually pick up one of these but I'm thinking I'll wait till they're released and see if I can't score one for less than retail. If I miss, I'm not going to be overly upset. SideshowThe latest radio show from SS brings word that we should soon see some art for the new EU Asajj Ventress figure that will be coming. Sideshow also now has the VCD TIE Pilot in stock. If you have one of those gift cards from their latest sales now may be the time to use it. LucasfilmLucasfilm has recently won a lawsuit against Shepperton Design Studios. Shepperton had been selling replica Stormtrooper helmets without a license from Lucasfilm. Lucas himself made two appearances this week. The first was for an interview with MTV where he talks about the animated and live-action TV shows and his retirement from the blockbuster movie world. The second appearance was on the Colbert Report on Wednesday night where he again talked about upcoming projects and screened his Greenscreen Challenge entry. Check out the video linked on that page as well. It's about a 45MB download so broadband is a plus. HasbroAs usual the most news comes from Hasbro. RebelScum.com is still cranking out the polls for the 2007 greatest hits wave. Unfortunately, bizarre votes for some of the worst figures ever are still being cast. The 2" Unleashed Battle Packs get up-sized with new 10-pack sets. They'll recreate battles from the Star Wars movies. Shown first, a Hoth battle between Vader and his Snowtroopers and several Hoth Rebel Soldiers. The first of the 30th Anniversary commemorative tin sets have arrived. A fellow PSWCSer found them at the Wilkes Barre Wal-Mart on Tuesday night. They were priced at $26.84. In a separate report on RS.com, a reader spotted them in Tampa Florida. The sets were from Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. The Target computers have given up some more info. Two new Battle Packs; "Ambush at Ilum" and "Battle of Felucia." The Vader with coin folder was listed as were some new 2-packs referred to as "Order 66." R2DToys.com has posted info on these 2-packs and their rumored to be as follows;
Not official yet but it sounds good. I'm guessing repacks and repaints but what versions of the figures they use is also unknown. Locally, Target has stocked heavy on the Endor 1 wave of figures and some more Greatest Battles. Not much else to speak of, however. Acme ArchivesWord from Acme is that the Shaak Ti key shown in the most recent edition of the Insider is not the final art. According to Acme's Chris, they changed the art after the ad in the Insider was sent in. We should see some early photos of the key later this month after Asajj Ventress ships. Speaking of Asajj, word from Razor's Edge is that he key should be arriving in their warehouse by Monday the 16th. They also are currently running a promo where you could score a free Character Key. If you order an Asajj key before they come in stock you are automatically entered. Per Mike from Razor's Edge, one lucky purchaser from each of their 4 bundles will receive a key. They have 1 each Mace, Anakin, Dooku and ARC Trooper Captain key. Head over to the Razor's Edge site and order your Asajj Ventress key today. They still have about 40% of their stock left as of this writing! 10-12-2006Technical DifficultiesI had a couple updates ready to go for today but my home Internet connection shit the bed just as I was going to press. So, they'll have to wait till tomorrow. 10-10-2006Gentle GiantGreat news, GG will be making a Sir Alec Guinness version of Obi-Wan Kenobi! GG hasn't confirmed it yet but the photo looks amazing and will be a definite purchase for me. 10-9-2006 Vader Lego Maquette Gentle GiantHere's an interesting announcement, Gentle Giant has designed two maquettes that mimic the style of a Lego mini figure from the Lego video games. Darth Vader and Stormtrooper will be about 6" tall, have interchangeable heads and run about $65. There hasn't been an edition size set yet but they're scheduled for a March 2007 release date. StarWarsShop.com has pre-orders for both Vader and the Stormtrooper available now. Both the Vader and Stormtrooper photos are digitally rendered and not of actual sculpted pieces so there may be some changes by the time these hit the market. SideshowThe 3-pack of Endor Rebel Soldiers has sold out but the single figure is still available. Due to the lack of a price break, exclusive accessory or special packaging on the 3-pack I'm still surprised that they sold that fast. Guess there are two reasons; Sideshow has a lot of fans and the military line will be popular. I still can't bring myself to lay out $60 each for these figures. 10-8-2006Hasbro's Greatest HitsIn conjunction with Hasbro, RebelScum.com is running a poll to pick a greatest hits wave for 2007. This is going to be a straight repack wave of 20 to 24 figures and any figure produced between 1995 and the end of the TSC line in 2006 is fair game. According to the promotion, the figures will be packed on the same cards as the 30th Anniversary Collection but instead of character specific coins they'll be packed with generic coins representing the movies. The polls on RebelScum are broken out by era; POTF2, EU, EP1, POTJ, Saga, etc. Every regular or deluxe figure released on a card, in a Cinema Scene or with a vehicle will be on the poll for each era. The top 8 characters from each era will then face off against each other in some type of elimination bracket till the final 20-24 figures are picked. According to the info, Hasbro has final say which figures will make the 2007 line. I actually think this is a good idea in the sense that we could get some older figures that were pack-ins, hard to find, or still look good but otherwise wouldn't be redone or repacked without a vote like this. Obviously figures like TC-14, R2-B1 and Sio Bibble come to mind but so do figures like Graxol Kelvyyn and Shakka from the Watto Box Cinema Scene or the Pit Droid pack-in figures from the foreign EP1 line. How about Ephant Mon or Darktrooper? There are plenty more. Unfortunately I see a similar problem with this poll as that of the Toy Fare poll from earlier this year. People won't bother to read and understand the goals of this event or, worse, don't understand the info we've already received about the future Hasbro releases. There's a very good chance that figures will get voted on even though they are already scheduled for a resculpt or re-release. If Hasbro doesn't weed them out, collectors could very well be responsible for a huge peg warming problem next year. If that happens then it's the fault of the voters and not Hasbro...there won't be any fingers to point. A perfect example of this is Admiral Motti. As of this writing he has 69 votes and is in the top 5 of POTF2 figures. He's being released soon in the Imperial Briefing Room multi-pack for $35. There are 7 figures in that set, 4 of which have never been released before making this a great set for people to buy. Broken down each figure is only about $5 which is cheaper than a single carded figure. So, why pick Motti when you're already getting him? Death Star Trooper also has a ton of votes yet Hasbro has already announced a newly sculpted version next year. Why would you want the ridiculous POTF2 version when a new one is almost guaranteed to be better? My opinion, consumers won't bother to become educated about this event before blindly filing votes based on rarity. People have already filed posts on the forums with what characters they've voted for and why and some of the reasons given make no sense. One person voted because they wanted coins for them however, in the instructions, it clearly states: "The coins will not be dedicated to a particular figure and will not have a character likeness on them." Oops. Others voted for the Cantina Band members saying that "...this figure was $10 each 10 years ago, so I bought one. Give it to me for $6.99, 10 years later, and I will buy 5 more." Yeah, or, buy the Wal-Mart 5-pack this fall for $25 ($5 each figure), get updated paint ops and soft goods and a guarantee of 5 different instrument accessories. Oh, and save about $10. Those are just a few examples of why consumers can't be trusted. That Toy Fare poll was a beacon of light, shining it's illumination on the problem of polls like this. That list had nearly half of it tied up with wasted characters, characters that were already coming (Galactic Marine), guaranteed to come soon (Death Star 2 Luke Skywalker), or so lame nobody would buy them (Ice Cream Maker Guy). All we can do now is wait and see how this works out. The POTF2 and EP1 polls are up now so we have a long way to go. Once the list is narrowed down and the brackets eliminate all but the best 20-24 maybe we'll have a list of figures that actually deserve to be released again. Hopefully I won't be disappointed but I have a bad feeling about this. 10-6-2006SideshowThe Endor Soldiers are up for order now on Sideshow's web site. You can order either the bundle of all three or just the Rebel Infantry soldier. HasbroYesterday Hasbro confirmed what we already knew about the first wave of 30th Anniversary figures. Check out the info and check the cool photo of R2 interacting with the Super Battle Droid. New info is out on the Galactic Heroes figures that we can expect to see in the future. Rebelscum.com has photos and a write up on them. Highlights include their new Cinema Scene packaging as well as new 2-packs which will include ESB versions of Luke, Lando and Leia as well as a new Snowtrooper and Rebel Trooper. But, where's my AT-AT Driver?! The Cinema Scenes appear to have repacked figures with new paint decorations in some places. 10-5-2006SideshowDon't forget that the bundled Endor Troopers go on sale today with the release of Sideshow's newsletter. Look for that sometime between 9:00 and 10:00PM EST. Price for each trooper is $59.99 or bundled for $179.97 saving you exactly....nothing. But if you buy the bundle you'll get a $25 gift card with the order. It's a nice gesture, but since the card is only good on in-stock items and many Star Wars figures don't hang around that long, I'm having a hard time getting excited. Eh, I think I'm gonna pass. HOLY CRAP!Corgi is going to merge with Master Replicas with the resulting company using the Corgi name. The other part of the deal is that Cards, Inc. of England, who brought us the cool Medalionz and Crystal Cuts last year, will also be bought up by Corgi. Probably won't make much difference when it comes to the replica lightsabers and such but since Corgi is known for their small, scaled die cast vehicles it makes you wonder if they'd look to produce Star Wars vehicles in some type of format. I'm thinking they won't be able to because Hasbro has that part of the license, but maybe they'd be looking to replace Code 3 in the larger, more detailed market somewhere between Hasbro's toys and MR's Studio Scale models. 10-4-2006Tomart'sThe new issue of Tomart's Action Figure Digest is out. Number 148 has part 4 of the Kenner Legacy article in it. Looks like they're covering the Alien action figures. The articles so far have been pretty good. Some of the writing is a little lacking and the Q&A with a former Kenner employee, Rudy Vap, has had me cringing a couple times. The way it's written the questioner comes off as kind of a dick in places. Still, there are some phenomenal pictures and some new info that I hadn't read before. GI JoeIf you're a fan of 12" Joe, more specifically the flocked Adventure Team Joe, then look for your nearest Hot Topic store this November. Hasbro is putting out a Land Adventurer in a reproduction box and the figure looks great, can't wait for this. 10-3-2006SideshowBoth my Qui-Gon Jinn 1:6 figure and Count Dooku Character Key showed up today. The Keys were numbered 210 and 211 of 1250 which is cool. The Qui-Gon figure actually looks really nice. I like the face and the paint apps are nice. I was worried about the long hair but I think Sideshow nailed it. It looks better than rooted hair ever could but doesn't look as fake as it might. The outfit is top notch as always as are the accessories. I forgot that he came with an extra set of left and right hands which is nice. As with my Mace, they seemed to have fixed the loose hands that kind of plague Anakin and Luke. The exclusive poncho was definitely a must for this figure. It's also well done like the Jedi robes with wire around the outside so you can shape it to look right when it's on. The only bad news, I'm out of room on my bookcase right now so I didn't put him up on display. I need to come up with a display solution for these figures but I don't know what it's going to be. I probably should get a closed cabinet for them but I don't have the space or cash right now. It'll probably be back to the box for the lot of them for a while. If you ordered a TIE Pilot VCD figure from Sideshow look to your inbox for ship notifications. They should be going out pretty quick. HasbroWave 15 of the 3" Titanium vehicles is up for preorder on EntertianmentEarth.com. This is the wave with the rockin' Jedi Starfighter with Hyperdrive ring. There are also two new Battlestar Galactica ships in the wave. I can't wait till December when this is scheduled to be released. I think I'll wait for retail on them, though, as their are only 3 ships I want. New info has popped on a French web site on new items for '07. No confirmations yet but some of it's a little off from what Hasbro has told us recently in the Q&A and Comic-Con. I tend to believe some of it but I'm waiting for better confirmation. Insiders say that the Target Shuttle will NOT be a Black Friday deal but still no word on release date or shelf set. I think Target is due for another reset in about 2 weeks for their Christmas season. Already seeing greeting cards pop up and Halloween isn't even here yet! Speaking of Target, after their sale last week the shelves had some room on them today and new figures dropped. Well, new to Target, anyway. Found the Endor 1 wave with Chirpa, C-3PO, Jerjerrod and Death Star Gunner. Passed them up. There was also a Cody on the shelves. Nothing else much to mention. 10-1-2006Toy Run SuccessI made a rare toy run to Elmira, NY yesterday but I wasn't really in search of anything specific, just had my eye out for three things; WotC Minis, Top Trumps cards and the new AT-AT Driver Unleashed Battle Pack. I didn't find the Top Trumps cards or the Hoth Unleashed Battle Packs but I did spot 3 boxes of Bounty Hunters minis at Waldenbooks in the Arnot Mall. I passed on them as I think ordering up a couple from HasbroToyShop.com using their current coupon (FALL25) will end up being cheaper.  Titanium Ultra Battlestar Galactica One thing that I did find, however, was something I wasn't expecting; the Ultra Titanium Battlestar Galactica! Even better it was in the new Target store and was on clearance for $4.98. I found it on my final pass through the discount end caps. That was a really good find since I hadn't found it anywhere else to this point, the Ultra line has been cancelled by Hasbro and even HTS.com was sold out of it! In my run I hit Toys-R-Us, KB Toys, Waldenbooks, Wal-Mart and Target. Most everything was standard fare with the only surprise being that Ultra ship and the three new 3.75" Battle Packs at TRU (Sith Attack, Jedi vs Darth Sidious and Battle Above the Sarlacc). TRU had all their new exclusives; TIE Fighter, X-Wing and AT-AT. They also had several older exclusives including the Republic Gunship and Millennium Falcon. Overall it was a good run, one that I hadn't made in a while. Now that I'm all caught up with figures and I've found the Galactica I may order the Top Trumps cards and Hoth Unleashed Battle Pack on-line to get them out of the way. Till the repack waves of 3.75" figures start showing up it's going to be pretty quiet. HasbroA couple of interesting questions were asked and answered, sort of, this week. One of note is that Hasbro has said a 3.75" version of the Sith Infiltrator will be coming. It's going into the $20 Starfighter line so look for it to be somewhat undersized. A newly sculpted Death Star Trooper is on the way for 2007, one of the 9 planned waves of figures will be all or mostly EU and the Wal-Mart exclusive wave of TSC figures will be post-holiday with an estimated street date of 2/1/2007...which I found odd. It's unknown yet if Hasbro is playing word games but when asked about the Tonnika sisters the response was, "As for the Tonnika Sisters, I have no comment whatsoever and can give no more information on them except to say that figure(s) are not in development." Does "not in development" mean they're already developed and are going into production? We'll see. The final comment, or non-comment, was on the Target Shuttle. When asked flat out for a street date on the Shuttle all the Hasbro rep had to say was "No comment." That's what they said last time and their decision to completely ignore this item is very odd. Especially since we have a DPCI number and photos. The 30th Anniversary 4-pack Commemorative Tin sets have been found at TRU in California. Priced at $30 I'm passing on these. VariationsThe Greatest Battles C-3PO has been found with another variation. This is a repack of the ROTS-18 figure and the first release came with the same Mustafar lava base as the ROTS figure did. I found a couple at WM last week and the date stamp on them was 61491. A running change was made to include a hallway stand which fit better with the ship corridor card back on the GB figure. The newest variation still includes the hallway stand but now it's colored a tan and dark grey color instead of light grey and dark grey. Right now C-3PO must have the most variants on the market. We were just talking about this on the PSWCS e-mail list last night. The current Endor C-3PO (TSC-42) was originally released with unpainted knee joints. Since they couldn't vac metalize the joints they were originally left plain meaning they were a gold plastic color. A running change was made to paint them with metallic paint. Silver for the right knee and gold for the left. You can still find both on shelves. Let the searching begin! Home | AT-AT Driver | Republic Gunship | Features | Multimedia News Archive | Links | For Sale | About
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