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Welcome back... To recap our last 10th Question, and provide as suitable an answer as I could muster, here's where we left off.
I have been trying to find a poster for the LucasArts X-Wing Space combat game. I have the poster for the Tie Fighter space combat game and I think that one and the one from X-Wing would make great accents to my extensive Star Wars collection. I've already checked with LucasArts, eBay and a few other locations. Do you know where I might be able to find one? -Anthony Anthony, it looks like you may have stumped everyone on this question. The one reply I received addressing your poster indicates there may have not been a poster with the X-wing game. I know there wasn't one with mine, but I have the Collector's CD-ROM. If you've had no luck with LucasArts, either it never existed or they just aren't available anymore. Wish I had better news for you, but if I hear anything more on this, I'll be sure to drop a note in the Corrections and Amendments. -Thanks to Jesse James for the assist. On with the show:  1 Besides the fact that Holographic Darth Sidious and Naboo Royal Guard with bonus pit droids are so hard to find, what is the story behind them? Why are they so rare? Were they ever sold at retail, or are they just samples? The first three figs I understand were put together from a scrapped pit droid 3-pack cinema scene. The pit droids with Sidious and Naboo Guard are different though...at least the arms are molded in a slightly different pose. I got my hands on a Naboo Royal Guard and count myself very fortunate...Do I have a prayer of getting Holographic Sidious? -Alan
Like the Battle Droid two-packs, these were designed to offset the lack
of CommTech chips with figures shipping to some overseas markets. As far
as I know they sold at retail, but supply was limited. The reason why
they're so rare, or apparently rare, is a matter of availability. The
popular tale is that they had a shorter than usual production run, and
all that was made is already out there. With the first nine sets (three
versions each) containing Obi-Wan, Maul, and Anakin, starting to show up
again, one has to wonder if more of the Sidious/Royal Guard sets can't
be lurking out there in some warehouse.
As you mentioned, the other part of the story goes, the pit droids came
from a Cinema Scene that was scrapped. While there are three different
decos on the first sets, the pit droids are all the same. The droids in
the second sets (Sidious/Guard) are different, and actually very similar
to those that shipped in the standard Episode I Pit Droid two-pack. My
guess would be the Cinema Scene, had it been produced, would have
offered at least two different molds for the tiny droids, if not more.
I have a few of these sets too, and keep a pretty close eye on things
for the ones I'm missing. If I were you, I'd watch the auction sites,
and a few of the overseas collector/toy sites. Your chances right now
may be slim to none, but there's no telling if or when these might show
up again. When they do, rest assured, they will go fast.
2 I have VHS copies of "The Ewok Adventure" and "Battle for Endor", the two made for TV movies involving the lovable Ewoks. Recently I have been seeing posters for something called "Caravan of Courage, an Ewok Adventure". It seems to be something from Europe or Australia but I can't confirm that. Ever heard of it? Thanks to our resident UK expert, Jeremy, I can say with confidence that the "Ewok Adventure" and "Caravan of Courage" are one and the same. While released only on video in the U.S., both were full length features overseas. "Caravan" was title used for those markets. 3 I was wondering if you knew where to look for the making of series for Star Wars, the movies and the CD-ROM, and also if you know where I could find a Wuher (or any fan club exclusives) at a reasonable price, any help here would be hot! -Kevin Long gone from the video shelves, the only place I would suggest looking for these titles would be at a collectibles or toy show. There's always a chance, with renewed interest, these tapes could be re-released, but I haven't heard of anything so far. As a last ditch effort, you could see if they can be special ordered at your local video store. It's a long shot, but it might pay off eventually. By CD-ROMs are you refering to the Insider's Guides to Star Wars and Episode I? If so, check out the LucasArts As for Wuher, (as I'm sure you already know) keep checking your local Toys "R" Us. If they don't have him already, I'm sure they'll get him soon! 4 Do you know of any good resources to get my hands on original or reproduction accessories for the vintage 3 3/4" line? -Ian Hettenhouse I can't think of any on-line sources off the top of my head, nor after searching the web for twenty minutes, but I do know toy/collectible shows are a great place to track this kind of stuff down. Another place you might look, is at some of the collector shops in your area. Often times these are the guys that have booths at the shows. If they don't carry repro accessories, they might know someone that does. Good luck! 5 I like your idea for a Gotal figure. He'd be my second choice after Hem Dazon. What other two figures do you think need to be done from Jabba's Palace? Personally: I'd like an Ephant Mon and Hermi Odle. What do we need to do to see these figures in plastic? -Scott
Well, with the rebirth of the Deluxe line, and a new focus on more realistic, true to the movie toys, I'd have to think Ephant stands a real good chance at some point down the line, Hermi too. Personally, Klaatu was a real favorite from the vintage line. Not the Skiff Guard version, the one with the fur kilt. I'd really like to see that figure updated, but I'd also like to see the Skiff Master, Yarna d' al' Gargan, Tanus Spijek, J'Quille, Ak-Rev, Rappertunie, Umpass-stay, Velken Tezeri, Taym Dren-garen...
Oh, did you say two?
The best way to show your support for any of these figures is to send your requests to Hasbro. They have, at least had, a customer service email address, send your request there. Be careful to use the character name ONLY, and they should pass that along to the Star Wars team. The other way to show your support, if you see a poll or survey with that character on it, VOTE! Hasbro looks at these things and it can make a difference. Maybe not directly, but Hasbro does want to make toys that both kids
and collectors want to have.
6 With regards to the Deluxe line, why not complete the ROTJ Special Edition Max Rebo band (the Weequay drummer and Rappa..whatever). Also, I never could find the Walmart 2-packs, will someone please reissue (ie the fan club store) so I don't have to pay crazy eBay prices. -Matt Harrington Again, it's all a matter of demand. If Hasbro hears enough buzz about these figures, or sees that they're doing well on fan polls, they will be given consideration. Best we can do is show our support when the chance is there. As for re-issuing the Wal-Mart Rebo two-packs, while they may be expensive on eBay, it could actually be much more costly to put them back into production. I suppose anything is possible, but I wouldn't hold out much hope at this point. 7 I was wondering if you'd tell us a bit about yourself, how long you've been collecting, which character's do you think suck (BoShek?) Are you pro- or anti-Canada... you know the important stuff. Thanks, -Steve
I've been collecting Star Wars toys since the Early Bird set was first offered. My brother and I amassed a pretty decent collection, of course it was all opened and played with, at that age who cares about 'mint in package.' When he switched to Smurfs, I inherited the Star Wars stuff and kept it going through most of high school. During those early years, my collection moved from the top of my dresser, to the closet, and
finally to boxes stuffed in some storage unit. When I went away to college, I took a break from the hobby, but in my last year I started hitting a few of the collector shows and managed to round out all the stuff I'd missed out on. Again, once I had tracked down what I was missing, everything went back into boxes, and into storage.
When the line came out again in '95, I said to myself I'd just collect one of everything and keep it carded. Then I broke down and started opening the figures. Once the figures were opened I thought I should open the ships, then I thought I'd better get a third set in case my kids ever wanted to play with this stuff (I'm an awful sharer). Now I've got armies and fleets of all kinds, I have a storage unit dedicated to "the
collection," I've covered Galoob, Hasbro, Applause, and gone from books to comics to trading cards, and everything in between. In all of this, my divine inspiration has been that shot of Lucas in the Lucasfilm Archives, the one with all the movie props spread out around him... Just look at all those cool 'toys!'
Anyway, I basically love Star Wars toys and get a real kick out of maintaining my collection and finding out what's going on behind the scenes. You asked what characters I think suck, not many. I basically believe any Star Wars figure is a good figure as long as Hasbro keeps making them. When it comes right down to it, everyone has their pet "odd ball" favorite, and I can respect the fact that no matter how insensible a figure may sound, somebody in collectorland is going to love it.
Oh yeah, I love Canada! It's too bad we took the sport of Hockey away from them...
8 I understand that Rebelscum abhors scalpers, hence the whole "Collect to Collect" campaign, but why is it that there are advertisers on the site who sell things for well above the actual cost? I understand that a store such as FAO is more expensive all around, but when a "shop" sells certain, "rare" figures at a HUGE mark-up, isn't THAT scalping? But yet the ad says, "Rebelscum Approved." What am I missing here? -JohnOB
The difference between scalping and charging a high price for a rare or
hard to find item, goes back to how the product is obtained. In order to
get "Rebelscum's seal of approval," we ask for certain assurances that
all items are received through normal channels. Are they buying direct
from Hasbro, another mid level wholesaler, or by way of a collector
selling his collection. The key here is that they are not getting items
out the back door of Target, Wal-Mart, Toys"R" Us, or otherwise depriving
collectors from finding the item themselves at traditional retail. If
they are practicing scalping and we find out, and we have done this
before, we drop them as advertisers. It may not sound like much, but in
a community that doesn't look favorably on that particular practice, it
can hurt. Where cost comes into play is pretty simple. Say I buy a
case of the CommTech figures with R2 and Holo Leia. Basically I've got
one very hot figure (R2), two good sellers (Vader & Stormtrooper), and a
bunch of dogs I probably won't be able to give away. In order to recoup
the cost of that case (and stay in business) I've got to spread that
cost over what I know will sell. It may not sound fair, but to a guy
trying to run a business out of his garage, it's about the only chance
he's got. The bottom line comes down to how you get your toys, not
what you charge for them. Even among the major retailers, different
accounts get different price breaks, and all of them charge a different
price. If a mom and pop toy site has to charge $50 for a rare figure in
order to pay the bills, that's one thing. If Joe from the corner comic
shop runs down to TRU and buys all the Aurra Sing figures and charges
$50 for them, that's something entirely different.
9 Is there any type of hierarchy to who gets first shot at exclusives? And how much influence does the retailer have on the exclusive they want? -RANDY (of Ask Randy)
As near as I can tell, Hasbro tries to be pretty even handed with exclusives. Understandably, they really can't give off the impression they're playing favorites, and the last thing they want is to stick a retailer with a turkey. I do know that some exclusives get shopped around. If Toys"R"Us passes on a particular item one
year, Hasbro might show it to someone else the next. This is one of the main reasons Hasbro likes to keep these items under wraps until orders are placed and delivery has been taken. Nobody wants to get stuck with what the other guy passed on, and if word leaks out, it could taint an otherwise great toy.
I think it's safe to assume some retailers are shown a number of items, from a variety different price points. Because these are perks, it's totally up to them what they choose to offer. Hasbro pretty much lays it out on a table and let's them pick. Larger accounts might be shown more items, where as smaller accounts (by virtue of what they can realistically handle) are not shown as many.
Tenth Question: "This one's for you..."
10
It may be out of left field, but if you have any thoughts on this one, send 'em on in!
Until next time...
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