First, "everybody?" I don't think that many people want the Dignitary.

I think Amanaman has a good shot of showing up some day, because he's a cool, weird looking alien and like I've mentioned before, would make an awesome exclusive. The ewoks... while I want to see more than three lousy ewoks, I seem to be in a minority. We could use more. How am I supposed to do an Endor diorama with three?

6
Hi Adam. I sure miss your monthly newsletter. Will either you or Philip be attending the upcoming ImagineCon in Virgina Beach, Virginia in April?
  -Jeff

While I can't speak for Philip, I will gladly go to a convention that flies me out there. (But if I can somehow weasel my way into the program at San Diego, I'd probably hitchhike to that.)

7
I don't know if you've posted anything on your Q and A about this, so I figure I would ask: How do you feel about the Episode I on DVD issue? Are you going to buy it on VHS?
  -Sean

First, I should say I'm a DVD bigot. I used to be just a widescreen bigot, but I decided to become a DVD one as well. In the past year and a half, I have purchased ONE movie on VHS-- and that's Tim Burton's masterpiece, Ed Wood. (I love that movie.) The main reason for this lack of videotape is because I like to skip around when I buy a movie sometimes after I see it once or twice. There are times I just want to watch the Jesus Quintana scene in The Big Lebowski... but let's face it, the gold is the supplements. I LOVE my Spinal Tap DVD, there's just so much cool stuff on there (it was one of the first discs I bought).

Second, I think Lucas is missing an opportunity to make even more money (so he will, in fact, be richer than anyone on this planet) by delaying the release. Either that or if he announces the DVD after the VHS release, well, he's got some great marketing people because a lot of people are going to buy the DVD even if they have the VHS.

But more importantly, I think it's weird that everyone assumes that he HAS to do DVD. I think it's downright unusual to do VHS and not DVD rather than the other way around... when you're as rich as he is, taking out an ad in a paper or writing letters won't change his mind. And why should it? It's his baby. I'll wait for the DVD, and if I still want to see Episode One when the time comes (or if it's in the box with episodes IV-VI) I'll most likely snag it.

It's because of the Star Wars: Special Edition videos-- of which I have had three BAD sets at the time of purchase, the last of which I just opted not to replace-- that I don't plan on buying any LucasFilm videotape anytime soon. (If my SE letterbox set wasn't totally screwy three times over, my opinions might be different.) Plus I'm just not that interested in any movie at $35, even for the widescreen "limited" edition, which is reportedly 1.5 MILLION copies. This must be some new definition of "limited" of which I was previously unaware. 20,000... that's pretty limited. 5,000 is limited. 1.5 million is pretty big figure which many videos only hope to reach.

(So for me, it's simple. If I can't be sold what I want, then I won't buy something I don't want. I don't want VHS, so I won't buy it. If I can't buy DVD, then I can live without the movie in my collection.)

8
If one was to stop collecting Star Wars figures, what other action figure lines would you recommend to start collecting? What do you collect, and what are your favorites?
  -Pete

Like I told most people who started collecting Star Wars for no good reason, "don't buy these because I like them, buy them because you like them."

That aside, McFarlane has a great line-up this year, the TransFormers brand seems to be the strongest it's been since the movie came out, and of course, Playmates' Simpsons line seems to be quickly gaining the "most favored figure line" status. There's a ton of cool stuff this year, so take $50, go to the toy store, and pick up a bunch of stuff.

But if Star Wars has lost its appeal, and you don't have your eye on something else, this might be a good time to stop buying toys and start saving for something else. A new stereo for your Man or Astro-Man CDs, perhaps. Or some new Man or Astro-Man CDs for your stereo. Or that really spiffy Doors box set with all the studio albums in it.

9
Does any one else think that $100 for the 26 Episode I Pepsi cans is out of line? I find that completely absurd! I saw the offer and figured about $20-30 would be appropriate. The fan club has a lot of nerve asking this much.

Any thoughts????
  -David

I thought collecting the cans in the first place was kinda weird. Personally, I'd value a set like that, in a case like that, maybe around $50. Not that I'd buy it for that, like I said when I started this column, I just plain don't care about the Pepsi cans... I'm a toy junkie. The best way to treat this is simple: if you look at it, and you simply cannot justify spending that much money, then don't. A lot of people might also not buy it, meaning an eventual price drop is probable.

I just looked on eBay, and a set of cans ending in a day missing a couple of the cans is at $12. Heck, a guy is selling the Canadian sets (20 cans) for $8 a set. Even the price of the Destiny cans has dropped pretty significantly... if you want something, don't forget, you can shop around-- the Fan Club has a lot of exclusives, but this is not one of them.

10
Hey Adam, does'nt Hasbro seem to wonder why 1999 was a Bad Year for the line, it's because they gave us rehash after rehash of the same figure, Especially with the Episode 1 Line. they could've given us more POTF figures, why cant they give us what we want!!! Like The Tonnika Sisters, a Jabba the Hutt w/ Dias, Tessek, Amanaman & more Cantina Aliens. Jabba's Denizens too! If they give us characters like that they would'nt have any problems. Also i would'nt mind a Bespin Escape Leia, Gragra, more Podracer Pilots, and a Rebel Technician.
  -Zuckuss02

Because if Hasbro gave us EXACTLY what we want, it probably wouldn't sell very well. I'd be more excited about the line, I'd go out of my way to NOT rip on it, and I probably wouldn't have started collecting two other lines that are starting to be more interesting than Star Wars was for most of 1999, but collector loyalty probably isn't worth as much to a company as overall sales. A small, loyal group can't carry a line these days... but I have my doubts Episode One can carry the Star Wars brand given the combined 2000 product is about as exciting as dry white toast. Now Darth Vader resculpts... like many of you, I STILL have yet to see this figure outside of collector stores, so I do think there's still a market for classic resculpts. I'd rather have new stuff, but if the level of improvement is like the regular Han to the Cantina Han, then I'm all for it.

FIN
Ummm... yeah. A lot of people sent angry notes wondering why I didn't post their questions, which basically boiled down to "Hasbro sucks" for six paragraphs followed by "and why do you think Hasbro sucks?" If you had't guessed, I am the only one here who gets to ramble on for six paragraphs. So please, send questions that require answers, and I'll do my best to answer them.

  
  Adam Pawlus

Questions for March 1, 2000

1
An acquaintance of mine and I somehow got into a "what if " discussion about Star Wars vs. Star Trek. He seems to think the Federation could wipe out the Empire, (Death Star and Fleet) just because the Enterprise has photon torpedoes. I say he's way off. Besides having too much time on our hands, what do you think?
  -BoboFett94

I think you pretty much nailed it with the "too much time" thing.

2
I think it´s a must for Hasbro to continue with the 3pk line, because it´s the best way to create more cantine aliens and Jabba´s palace aliens, why Hasbro don´t make more?
  -will

After 1999's distribution, I think none is better than some I flat out can't get. Sales were weak, retaillers were mad they kept getting old product, collectors were mad they couldn't GET product, and well, many of them just plain sucked. All things considered, they weren't all that great, but they were cheaper than buying 3 individual figures.

3
I think Episode 2 is the most critical movie of all as far as keeping the Star Wars universe running alive and well. If Episode 2 fails to deliver, I worry that the lifespan of new Star Wars products (especially action figures and vehicles), would be similar to the year of 1985 for Kenner. Do you feel the same way?
  -Avery

A successful television series would probably do the trick at keeping the Star Wars toy brand going, but apparently nobody wants to go there right now. The movie CAN do it, but like I said with Episode One, the way the world is right now, no matter HOW GOOD it is, people are going to hate it. And very few movie-based toy lines ever last past a year nowadays... the Trek movie-based lines, the Batman film figures, pretty much anything you can name based on a movie has a very, very short shelf life. As I write this, I'm trying to think of a film based toy line that wasn't retro that saw decent sales... and you know what? I don't think there has been a movie that did well by itself... that is, without a sequel. The Batman lines used to hold out OK for the next film, but now it doesn't look like there will be a traditional Bat-flick any time soon, although the animated lines continue to do pretty well after the original animated series stopped seeing new episodes. Jurassic Park lives on as what seems to be a Wal-Mart exclusive line of repaints, and most of the other lines (Congo, Waterworld, Godzilla) are damned to the clearance bins of Kay-Bees everywhere.

So to answer your question, yes, Episode Two is important to the sales of the line. Hopefully, it will be a much smaller line, I'd rather have fewer toys than lots of toys that look alike. Regardless of the film, the line probably has legs for at least a year after a new movie is introduced. After all, with all the people who actively hate Star Wars (I'm just miffed at most of it these days) who still buy the stuff, how badly can it do if produced in conservative quantities?

4
Is there a POTF or vintage TIE Interceptor? All I've seen are plastic models or Action Fleet.
  -Matthew

Yes, there was a grey plastic Interceptor in the original Return of the Jedi line. I highly reccomend picking one up if you have the means.

There's also a MicroMachine and a few other version... but the Action Fleet one is probably the overall best.

5
In one of the questions you responded to on February 28, you had said that you had wanted more than 3 Ewoks. I know of the two pack of Wicket and Chirpa, who is the third?
  -BikeRebel

Wicket and LOGRAY, yes. The third was a new ewok that was basically a repaint of Wicket with the hood molded on in the Endor Complete Galaxy set.

6
What does Hasbro intend to do with the Action Fleet line now that they have purchased Galoob? Will we see any more classic vehicles or battle packs/mini scenes? Will we see more E1 stuff? Will Hasbro continue Action Fleet production for E2 and E3? The Action Fleet line still has a lot of potential and it would be a shame to see it end.
  -Jason

Potential, yes. Potential sales, not so much.

As far as classic stuff, save for non-film toys, there is virtually no possible vehicles to make. I mean, sure, they COULD do an Action Fleet scale Star Destroyer or Rebel Transport... but I know and you know they wouldn't be very good. As far as continuing the line, well, who knows? There's still quite a bit of product that never saw release for Episode One, and it seems that the micro stuff did pretty poorly, considering how cheap most of it is now. While Episode 2 is too far away to get a definite answer from anybody, I'd say if we did see more of the stuff, it'd be a much smaller line of toys.

7
Do you have any idea when hasbro is planning to release the new style cardbacks and boxes?
  -Vader987

From what I understand, it's going to be some time soon... probably after two or three more waves of the current packages. Then again, they're good at throwing things out (either cancelling them or shipping early), so it's tough to say when they'll actually start sitting at the toy store.

8
I was wondering if there is any difference (sculpt or paint) between the Han Solo from the gunner station and the Han Solo from the Keyboard video game thing. I have the gunner station one, and have seen the other in the store but have never seen the 2 side by side.
  -Tim

I don't have mine handy, but the keyboard version is a bit shorter and has articulated knees. There are some other differences, but I don't have mine around right now... they are different enough to be worth picking up.

9
I am putting together a Hoth Battle scene with POTF figures, and I wanted to do something with Vader landing onplanet. Any idea what kind of craft he would have landed with? I have everything I need for a great scene, and I wanted to make it just right....
  -Don

Honestly? I'd assume it was a standard Imperial Shuttle, since we saw him using one at the end of the Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition. Of course, odds are you don't have one and don't have the $200-300 to blow on one... so either wait for a POTF2 rerelease (HAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAAAA!) or start skipping meals and using lower grade gasoline for a while to scare up a few bucks for the original.

10
I couldn't help but notice the Toy Fair photo with the Flashback Vader shown in the new style packaging.  Does this mean Hasbro may release other figures (I think we all know which ones) on this new packaging, or is it merely a temporary mock-up like the Buff Luke we saw at last year's Toy Fair for the new com-tech packaging?
  -AndyD

While we've heard a few of the older (read: late 1999) figures will be repackaged, it is pretty likely these were just as you said: mock-ups. There's really nothing that Hasbro has done that'd indicate that they would repackage Flashback Vader before CommTech Vader, but well, it is possible (however unlikely) that they'd go ahead and do it. I'm banking on "not."

FIN
Runnin' outta questions... send those puppies in!