Gai Super Napalm!
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I want to know if "Star Wars Sith Speeder Cockpit Game with Darth Maul" this is FAO exclusive? -Hernan
It is not labeled as such, so as of yet, I'd say no, it isn't. Although it very well might end up being one, at least temporarily.
2 I was just wondering if you could tell me what the business is with the Saelt Marie error packaging. I have started to trade figures in the classifieds at BHC and see other collectors asking for it. Any help would be appreciated -Ron
Basically, some figures in early 1998 were released with "Saelt Marae" misspelled as "Sealt Marie." I'm fairly sure it was only on Collection 1 figures from the very first Freeze Frame assortment, and all of them were later corrected.
Some of you are probably asking "Well, should I care?" If you don't already care, then no. It's a nifty variation, but well, it isn't as nifty as a different logo or a new photograph or a different paint deco.
3 i just picked up an action fleet tie interceptor and it comes with two pilots one of the pilots helmet comes of and their is a guy with a beard under it i was wondering who it was? or was this a mistake of some sort ? -Brimstone247
Actually, it's supposed to be a little George Lucas. No, really.
4
Let the folks who are responsible for Kaiyodo's Toy Tribe figures or maybe some of Sega's Real Model figures handle 'em, and I'm all for it. I haven't been convinced anybody in the USA is capable of making A-1 Anime/Manga based figures yet.
A small selection would be really cool. Do like Vader, Han, Luke, Obi-Wan, and maybe a coupla others, I'd be all over it.
5 Adam, do you know what the future of the Marmit figures has to offer? I heard we are supposed to see the two new sandtroopers and the "Empire" Fett shortly but is there any planned after that? I would expect to see another Fett with the colors and markings from Jedi as they would be reusing the same molds. Any word on Vader or the other "stormtroopers"? I would love to see the AT-AT driver, Biker Scout, and the Snowtrooper at a minimum. These things look incredible and I hope they continue! Finally, WHY AREN'T THEY RELEASED IN THE U.S.? -Brian
As of yet, we only know of the four figure kits that, by now, anyone who knows anything about them knows about. Snowtroopers, Biker Scouts, and Darth Vader have all been rumored, but nothing solid has surfaced as of yet.
Why not in the USA? Heck if I know. Odds are the folk at Hasbro don't want to bring 'em over.
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Well, since the bulk of the images released early are "leaked" (i.e., stolen) from inside Hasbro, odds are they're finally cracking down on stolen goods from within the company... which is both good and bad.
It's good because, well, trade secrets are a big deal. This stuff shouldn't be just showing up elsewhere, as it is Hasbro's property.
This is bad because Hasbro is not keeping us updated on much of anything lately. They're nice folk (those I've met, anyway), but they just don't seem to have a grip on what the collectors want. We want army builders en masse, not a scant few Blue Coruscant Guards here and there and then NONE. (BTW, finally found this guy in a store this weekend. So now with the new guys, I'm all behind again. But I digress.)
While I hate to turn this into yet another rambling tirade, well, geez, don't we get to see anything early anymore? Other than the Biker Scout, Bespin Han (Captured), some art of the Duro, and... well, let's just say very few figures are being shown by Hasbro. I can understand some of the reasoning for this. On the other hand, I'm a fan, and as such, patient I am not.
I would love it if Hasbro could have someone who could help update their site more to our, the goofy OCD-enhanced fanbase's, liking. But let's face it, it's a pretty daunting task, and with all the "restructuring" it's hard to believe that too many people would be wanting to take on web maintainance in addition to their daily duties.
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If ya have to ask, odds are you'll never understand. :)
Some are kinda goofy looking compared to today's selection. Some of today's are just as goofy, just in a different way. But take a look at Amanaman, Barada, Nikto, or the original Klaatu and try and tell me that these aren't cool figures.
Some are very cheesy. Walrus Man, known as Ponda Baba to many and "Buttface" to so many more, is so unusual looking he's cool. Flippers? A wetsuit? Green skin? You either love it or hate it.
Then there's Droids and Ewoks, the two cartoon series. While I would probably crap my pants with joy-- if that's possible-- if these got POTJed, truth be told the originals are pretty great. Kez Iban isn't a bad figure, nor are the Duloks, Tig or Sise Fromm. Of course, R2-D2 & C-3PO are all kinds of suck, but hey, still kinda neat.
For me, they're Star Wars figures. That's the appeal. When I bought my set, there was no alternative line of newfangled figures one could buy, and even if there was... the old ones are special. They just are, trust me on this one. :)
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Rumors abound that Rrrowweworarssarasrrrrrrrr (or however it's spelled) is not the only character being made into a figure that wasn't in the films. Supposedly other books and resources are being considered, and a shirtless Maul-- while ridiculous, stupid, dumb, asinine, retarded, crappy, retarded again, moronic, and yes, even dopey-- is one of them.
I mean, shirtless Maul. Dear God. I don't care if he did appear in a comic, I JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT A NEW MAUL FIGURE.
Anyhoo... to answer your implied question-- or at least the one I tend to read into this question-- is that cool figures like Kir Kanos, Winter, Sedriss, Joruus C'Boath, Talon Karrde, and a much-needed resculpt of Mara Jade are not even rumored to be on tap for the future. Why they didn't capitalize on the whole Mara Jade "model" thing a while back is beyond me.
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While the novels offer a different explaination, to me it makes sense as if "Vader" was just a projection of Luke's emotions. It fits in well with the story and Yoda's dialogue.
I like the classic band better because it looks more "real." The ROJ:SE Sy Snootles looked, as a friend put it, "liquidey." If they changed Max I'd be swearing right now, but thankfully, they left my fave blue elephant as is. And Droopy too. As far as the music and scene goes... well, personally I think the new one is disruptive as far as the film's flow goes, but how much of that is "well, this sucks" and how much is "this is new and different than what I'm used to" is questionable.
Yer Bongo? Well, don't hold your breath...
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Glad you picked one up. Believe it or not, I really like this toy. I also like the old Mini-Rigs and am proud to say I've got a set of 'em, like so many others, except I play with mine dammit.
It's a "cheap" no-frills toy. Hence no guns, backpacks, kung-fu action, etc. It was not in the film, neither were the Sith Attack Speeder or Obi-Wan's Mini-Bongo. I'm not sure about the Gungan Assault Catapult, though... if it is an original design, kudos to Hasbro for making something that seems to fit right in. If it's from the movie, well, I still kinda like it now that I scored one for four bucks. The Jar Jar figure kinda sucks, but still...
FIN I'm listening to a-- I guess-- bootleg copy of Oingo Boingo live at the Whiskey. This thing is great. If you ever get the chance to hear it, by all means, do so. The megathon will most likely continue until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. American T-day, that is. Will it continue after that? Probably not. I might take December off again this year, only this time, I'll actually let you know instead of vanishing for six weeks. See you back here tomorrow for more questions and rude comments.
I'm glad to see their finally releasing Shmi,Sabe & Tattooine Jar Jar (belive it or not) but what about Lott Dodd? He's been on hold for two years, what gives? Will he ever see the light of day? -Michael
When I last spoke to Hasbro, they informed me both Lott Dodd and the Holographic Nute Gunray were not cancelled. That doesn't mean they still can't be canned... but for now, this is good.
2 i'll probably get it anyway, but i recently found the 'making of the magic cd-rom' for episode 1, and wanted to know if it was as good as the ones for the original trilogy? also, do you know of, or heard of, anyone making new x-men action figures based on the cool cartoon that debuted this past weekend? did you see it? it's already much more decent that it's predecessor. -doug
Actually, I had the pleasure of perusing a Mac version (yipee!!!) of the Episode One Insider's Guide a few weeks ago, and I must say, it's a must-buy. Lots of resources, I barely went through everything. The annotated script offers a lot of insights on the film that show that Lucas probably shouldn't have second-guessed himself so much... a lot of the original ideas were fantastic. Don't miss this CD-ROM set, folks.
Toy Biz is making some rather awesome looking figures for the X-Men: Evolution series. (At least I think it's Evolution.) Toad, Logan, Wolvie, Cyclops, and more are on the way, and I gotta say, while I think the concept for the show is lame, I do really dig the figure designs.
3 Adam, I have a couple of questions for you. Awhile back on the 'net when the commtech Greedos were released, I saw a pic of one with yellow pins in his knees to match the stripe in his pants. Now I have only seen the 'normal' green pins on every Greedo that I've come across. I personally love variations involving physical changes on figures, themselves. Was the pic I saw a fluke or a real variation? -ed
Yes? A fluke and a variation are more or less the same thing in Hasbro's book, very few variations are intentional changes to make a new and different collectible/toy. (Battle Droids come to mind.)
So yeah, it's a variant.
4
Check the fishing gear areas of your Wal-Marts and K-Marts. Plano makes some great products that really do a bang-up job without doing a bang up job on your figures.
5 I went to Wizards of the Coast yesterday and asked about the Wookie that was supposed to be exlcusive to them, and the guy gave me three answers, 1) they never got it, 2) it's not out yet, 3) it was cancelled. What's the real answer? -Jack
The WOTC exclusive is supposedly exclusive to a game, not the store. The game is as of yet unavailable. Not canned... so it'll show up soon.
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Unknown. No cancellation notices have surfaced, but to be honest, I'm surprised the Maul actually got made. So... stay tuned.
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I'm stoked.
Hasbro still has a huge problem with availability. Collection 2 figures are hard to get all over in AZ, save for a few random sightings of Chewie or a Tusken. Collection 1 are either available in disgustingly huge quantites, or not at all. So this is still a problem, yeah.
As far as the new guys go... yeah. Biker Scouts. New Jedi. Porkins. Calamari Colonel. I want these.
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C-3PO is from in ANH when his arm pops off. Really.
Maul is supposed to be in a position to resemble the scene where he reveals the second edge of his weapon. It is a toy with a removable blade, yes, pretty much the same way as the 12" figures employ the feature.
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Thankee.
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Keep 'em dry, out of light, and out of moisture. Well, not ALL light, but direct light is bad. Artificial, natural, light is bad. Most collectors I know keep 'em in comic bags with a backer board, which are kept in filing cabinets, cardboard comic boxes, or some other box.
I'd stay away from moth balls, myself... but this is just a gut instinct. Carded protectors and such could have problems as well-- fact is, it's early, and we don't know how these toys were meant to last. Two decades? Three? Forever? It's hard to say. So it's really hard to say where your figures will be in a few years, just as it is difficult to say if they'll be solid or liquid or whatever.
FIN Every now and again people write in and ask "If you weren't writing this column, what would you be doing?" The answer is simple: fighting crime alongside my early 20s hottie of a sidekick. (If you're a hottie that lives in the Tucson area and has an interest in super heroics, don't hesitate to write in.) Some ask "What would you picture yourself doing if you didn't collect Star Wars?" The answer here is also simple: supervillainy and/or politics. I'd like to be the first supervillain elected mayor of New York. I think there's still time to do it, too... More tomorrow.
Many Websites Have Reported That TRU Will Mark Down All Figures To $0.97. Is This True? If So How Long Will The Sale Last And When? -S3000Sean
Last night, my TRU got in a bundle of second wave E1 Collection 2 cases (i.e., Destroyer Droids, Yoda, Nemoidians, and R2-D2) and they were priced at $1.97. (I, of course, bought another Destroyer Droid, and will probably buy one at that price each time I go to the store until they disappear. CommTech Stormtroopers, on the other hand, will be a different issue.)
Some folk say the figures are less than a buck right now, but needless to say, my highly scientific research of checking one store says otherwise. However, we do know that a certain sales event is coming up where they will be reduced to the lower price nationwide...
2 A while ago, Before E1 but after Special Eddition realse, In a antique store (not a scalpers market, mind you) I purchased an Original Jabba in the box for $30 from one dealer, but I also noticed he had a few cheply priced carded figures as well (all his stuff was vintage). The one that struck me the most was a Revenge Of The Jedi on a pretty slick looking card. The figure on it was what appeared to be a Duros, but It had a different name. Could you tell me if this was a bootleg or a proto-type? I would also like to know how many (or what you have seen) different figures were realsed on a Revenge Card. -Bucky
No figures were ever released publically with Revenge of the Jedi logo packaging. While multiple sets of proof cards exist for 50 figures (the 48 available at the end of ESB and 2 templates, one with the first R2-D2 photo), no figures were carded on them and sold. Except...
Customizing has always been a popular hobby, and for longer than you might think. (I bought my first custom figure in 1990-- a Stormtrooper Han. That was a good year.) Custom packaging has been around for quite some time, so what you saw was most likely yet another custom job. "Most likely", by the way, means "unless you found the find of a lifetime, and I say this without exaggeration, it's a custom" in this context.
3 Are the Wicket and R2 from the Leia Collection the same as their previous individually carded versions or are they repaint or resculpt? -torger
Same sculpt, same weapon. Some stitches were painted on the Logray/Wicket Wicket on later releases, but the first releases of both toys are identical.
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Hasbro said this line segment is done for. Typically, this means it's finished, or at the very least, out of production for good.
While there's always a chance for more multipacks, be they two-piece sets or something else... well... don't hold your breath.
5 Adam, I'm collecting Star Wars toys from the hasbro line for a few years now. Like everyone, i noticed the huge improvement they made with figs sculpting. Figs look good on their stands, even better on the new "ultarama" but i'm still not satisfied. Do you think Hasbro (or an other company) would create Dioramas for 3.3/4 figs like a detailed "Falcon lounge" or a "Jedi Counci Room" ? -N.B
I prefer my figs displayed in Newtons, myself.
So far, Hasbro has been pretty reluctant to make collector-friendly display environments. The pop-up dioramas from Expanded Universe and the two display dioramas were great, and Endor & Hoth were pretty well done as well. The Death Stars, while nice, well... big ugly guns. But those can be removed.
I think Hasbro would have to get some sort of mandate from the masses to make a big playset again. I think a Jedi Council set would be awesome, but very few figures will be able to sit should the chairs be made available... meaning yet *another* set of Jedi would need to be made, at least for the currently available and two upcoming Jedi. (See, this is why jointed knees and cloth parts are a good thing.)
A Falcon Lounge... that'd be awesome. I'd be interested in pretty much any playset they'd be willing to make, especially if it came from Bespin somewhere. Torture chamber, a bigger, badder Freeze Chamber, a Gantry, I don't care. I'll hawk a lung or something.
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Hoth, ESB. (How come so many people missed this one?)
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According to Hasbro (when I last chatted with them [which was a few months ago]), the Droids in the movie had some parts reshape or just kinda phase in and out in order to roll up, so the 4" figures would be inaccurate in some respect in order for it to perform the proper function. So they opted to come up with a way to perform the action in the new scale, but if I recall correctly, it doesn't exactly mimic how it happens in the film. I think. My brain is squinting for the anecdote on this one.
I still hope we see a 4" one down the road. Heck, who wouldn't?
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Sure was. Found mine at Wal-Mart.
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Bespin Luke & Bespin Vader come in separate assortments, so not all figures will come with CD-ROMs. Other figures are on tap for the assortment, but I think it's still to early to say if they will or won't come out.
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Basically, if you know the right people, you can get figures early. (Right now, I apparently no longer know the right people.)
Sometimes they're stolen, other times they just show up at a distributor early, other times they may go to a Hasbro VIP or just leak outta the company. In this case, we've already gotten reports of Dagobah Vader showing up in stores. Dunno how solid they are, but they're around.
What's the point to getting them early? Well, bragging rights and that's about it. A lot of people are freaking out over the prospect that a figure might show up early and then vanish (i.e., Trophy Obi-Wan & OOM-9, Holo Amidala & Obi-Wan [which could, of course, show up somewhere eventually]), so to them, there's some benefit. I can tell you, if you've got collecting buddies, it's always fun to be able to show off the latest first. Trust me, it just is. It's not something i'd pay a premium for, but hey, if you've got too much money, who am I to say what you do with it?
FIN Every now and again people write in and ask "If you weren't writing this column, what would you be doing?" The answer is simple: fighting crime alongside my early 20s hottie of a sidekick. (If you're a hottie that lives in the Phoenix or Tucson area and has an interest in super heroics, don't hesitate to write in.) Some ask "What would you picture yourself doing if you didn't collect Star Wars?" The answer here is also simple: supervillainy and/or politics. I'd like to be the first supervillain elected mayor of New York. I think there's still time to do it, too... More tomorrow.
Something that has had me very perplexed is this: ARE THERE ANY FEMALE GUNGANS? I looked and looked and I don't think I saw any FEMALE GUNGANS! What's the deal? Or, is my instinct correct and Jar Jar is A-sexual? lol -Brent
Why do people seemingly randomly pepper their messages with LOL these days? Doesn't that mean something's supposed to be funny? Oh well.
No, none have been shown and so far the mythos hasn't done anything to explain it either way. Plus just because they aren't obviously females doesn't mean that some of the background Gungans might not be... fact is, there are no facts that I've seen yet.
2 time for another Galoob related question. With Galoob basically vaporizing next year, do you know or can you find out how Hasbro plans to fill this obvious gap in its product line up? Will there be, die cast/Action Fleet/MM scale vehicles and figures for the new movies? I mean its great that we get a y-wing here and a skiff there for the 3 3/4" figures, but the Hasbro vehicle line has had less variety than Galoob and a bit too expensive (for me anyway) to start up a good size vehicle collection. And larger scale ships like Jabba's barge, blockade runner, etc. and what ever capital ships that appear in SW2 & 3 will probably never see plastic as Hasbro vehicles, correct?? -Ed
What we have here is a failure to communicate.
The line is gone. Kaput. El Scorcho. There are no plans to release ANY micro toys AT ALL as far as we're told, but, as it should be fairly obvious, we aren't privy to the plans for Episode II. While they did hint earlier that we could eventually see more Micro toys, odds are it would come from internal Hasbro teams, and if this means the folk who brought us Microverse toys... well, you can start not saving your money.
3 Seeing that Boba #300's knees don't bend, I don't think it appears as if he'd fit into the Slave I. Do you have the same take on this? How'd the first POTF2 Boba fit into the Slave I? -Blort
Same as the vintage one, only not as well. Basically, the clip went around his thighs or waist (can't remember which) in POTF2, so he basically stood up in the ship. The new figure, obviously, was not designed with the Slave I in mind. This isn't to say he won't fit, but odds are he won't.
The vintage figure's waist fit into the clip of the original ship, and he, too, just stood up in there. So no, bending knees wouldn't make a difference.
Figures and vehicles at Hasbro are rarely designed concurrently, unless they're packaged together. Especially since most of the POTF2 vehicles were not designed within a coupla decades of their counterpart figures... but of course, there are some good ones.
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I remember reading Maul and Koth were from the same species, if that answers your question...
5 The Bespin Luke and Bespin Darth Vader with CD Rom. What is the CD Rom? -SPENCERKEYSMITH1
Apparently some form of interactive Force File. Personally, I don't have high hopes for them, but ya never know what they can do with the right development teams.
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Try and make something better for the money. Those giant playsets are expensive and the market is probably small... the cardboard ones are like fifteen bucks with a figure and the figure alone sells the thing most of the time.
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Ya hit the nail on the head. They were originally included to give them more play value, but the thing is, early on in the line Hasbro told a lot of people that these were intended to be "collectible" figures aimed at an adult audience like Starting Line-Ups were. So... well, who knows, really?
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Much like the question of the reference of the Jedi in Return of the Jedi, fans argue about this. But most fans believe it's Sidious/Palpatine, and I tend to agree.
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Never, ever trust any release date you read that isn't "available now." Delays happen a LOT, but every now and again, figures show up early. No matter what, fans complain. Yes, fans DO complain about stuff showing up early because not every toy junkie goes to the stores even when they aren't looking for something. So as of now, it could go either way, but odds are you won't see those figures in stores until after the new year. Actually, if tradition holds, maybe December 26...
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Actually, yeah. There are at least two different subspecies of gungans, and I know at least one of 'em got named... I don't have the info handy, but rest assured, yes, your hunch is dead-on.
FIN Got lucky tonight. (No, not in that way. [Unfortunately.]) Scored the Dagobah Darth Vader at Wal-Mart... it is awesome. I mean incredible. So friggin' cool. Translucent parts, eyes that seem to glow, a nicely painted lightsaber, great articulation, and the best dueling pose to date. Hasbro-- good job. REALLY good job. Can't wait to see how the upcoming CD-ROM Bespin Darth Vader figure turns out now. Toy fans, you need this figure. The head freakin' pops off!!! 'tis perfect! Articulation at the neck, elbow, wrists, shoulders, waist, and hips. Removable cape. When I found him, he was the last one on the shelves. Fun fact: the back of the Force File names the figure "Dark Spirit." Leia Organa: General. What can I say other than "not as disappointing as I was expecting"? Even though she's made from 100% recycled figure parts, she turned out pretty well. The traditional six points of articulation, a Leia blaster, and a Rebel Fleet Trooper blaster are included. My only problem is that I found one of her, and she seems to have a pretty lousy paint job. Obi-Wan Kenobi: Jedi Knight. Finally. Comes with an unlit Anakin saber which attatches to his belt as well as his own saber, lit, and with a nicely painted handle. Articulated at the shoulders, biceps (or so), neck, and waist, with hip articulation hindered by a "skirt" piece. The figure is nicely sculpted and nicely painted, although he seems loath to stand up for more than 30 seconds without falling. Be sure to have a stand ready for this one. Another fun fact: the E4 Force File lists him as 1.75 meters, the E1 version has him at 1.79 meters. Qui-Gon Jinn: Mos Espa Disguise. Ummm... hmmm. After first seeing (and playing) with the figure sans soft goods over the summer, I don't particularly like 'im with the poncho. (Especially since he's quite similar to the Eopie's figure, which I was stoked to actually get.) Comes with his traditional saber, as well as a... seemingly non-removable cloak. Six points of articulation, but the shoulders are done so there's more movement like the Spacetrooper or the CommTech Stormtrooper. It's nice... but not so nice that you should bust your hump finding this one. The back of the new packaging is... well, the new generic cardback. The first three figures reviewed came on the "new" back. Shown are...
- Obi-Wan Kenobi (Jedi) [they recolored the lightsaber as green, otherwise it's the same erroneous picture as the last cardback] In other words, the currently available POTJ Anakin, Coruscant Guard, Mas Amedda, Tusken Raider, and the newly released Leia & Qui-Gon don't appear on the card backs for some reason or another. (I want more blue Coruscant Guards. I have been assured by many a military strategist that two does not constitute a legion. Maybe six.) In other news, I got to see the Mooney Suzuki on Wednesday night, and for free!! Great show, folks. Be sure and see 'em when they come to your town. More Monday.
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