So many questions, so little space... Many other
Star Wars collecting sites also submitted questions you need answered, so if you want to know the latest answers from this week's Hasbro
Star Wars Bi-Weekly Q&A Session, here's a handy guide to help you get all the info.
From 4-inches.de: 1) Can you tell us something about the abandoned screen scene assortment from the SAGA 2003-line? Why has it been abandoned? Rumor lists have had listed some further screen scenes, that should have scheduled for a wave 2 and 3: a Coruscant Nightclub scene with should have come out with 3 figures and had an SKU (84982), a Tatooine (or Lars) Homestead scene and a Hoth Wampa Attack scene. Can you tell which concepts and perhaps which figures should have come with these screen scenes and if some figures got a different concept running (which perhaps holds for the wampa). Depending on how far concepts has been developed are there some existing concept arts or maybe pictures of one or another of the sets that we could get?
2) At Celebration IV you displayed a box with wax-sculptured heads of the figures. I identified all but one head. Can you tell us more about this figure? Who is it and when will we see this figure?
3) How do you judge the chances for an Imperial Landing Craft Vehicle from the Tatooine-scene from ANH? If there are chances what would be a realistic time period for such a vehicle? It would be a cool extension for the Imperial Fleet.
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From Action Figs: 1) While the last Jabba we got (Saga Ultra) looked nice, his limited articulation and hard plastic body don't lend him to many alternate poses, so he's a bit boring. What about the idea of doing a new Jabba with an internal skeleton/under-frame for more articulation underneath a rubber skin similar to the Jabba Glob Ep I figure which had a decent look and much more mobility? It seems a shame that action figures of Jabba - who is such a major character - can never be able to move his mouth, arms, and tail at least somewhat like he does in the film. (It could even be released in a special battle pack, or in the $20 vehicles wave, with a full throne and more, even possibly a resculpted sitting Slave Leia.)
2) At Comic-Con, you showed off '08 basic wave 1 and in it was the Octuptarra Droid. However, what was shown actually had the details of the much larger Tri-Droid - another ROTS droid that was an upsized, remodeled version of the smaller Octuptarra Droid - so the feet, guns, and eyes on what you showed are from the wrong design. Will these details be corrected so that it truly is the Octuptarra Droid?
3) In regards to the Indiana Jones line, what types of ideas are being considered? Would it be safe to assume that characters like Mola Ram, the giant Thugee guard, Temple of Doom "wear & tear" Indy with torn shirt and missing sleeve, Henry Jones Sr., Willie Scott, and Short Round are good possibilities? After all, they do all seem like logical choices. Will the Star Wars Battle Pack and Comic 2-Pack concepts be used in the Indiana Jones line? How about Indy role-play accessories?
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Boba's Bounty:1) Has there ever been a thought about maybe doing a mail-in for a set of the current pack in coins?
2) Speaking of mail-in offers....is there any current talk about ANY kind of mail in offer using proof of purchases or the "points" from toys? One of my favorite memories as a kid was saving up those circles and getting the Boba Fett figure, Admiral Ackbar, a figure stand, whatever.
3) The comic book packs seem to be doing well for you, and it has been a great way for us to get expanded universe figures. Will this line continue? Could it also be an opportunity to do a Novel Pack for some characters that were not in comics?
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NEW: From FFURG.com: 1) Now that we've seen the SDCC exclusive Shadow Scout with Speeder Bike, we've wondered why it was decided to do with the older bike style from the POTF2 days rather than the Saga/Clonewars one? Granted, the droopy plastic on the Saga one was pretty bad, but the sculpt was far superior, especially the handlebars, seat, and front section. Couldn't the Saga one be used with a more rigid plastic to give collectors one heck of a figure?
2) Do you think we'd ever see some sort of "design your own figure" from Hasbro where we can go online, pick out several parts (head, body, helmet) and than have it sent to us like Lego does with their own design a set offering? With figure bases as good as Dutch/Biggs, Zev Senesca, the upcoming A-Wing Pilot, or the OTC Tie Pilot, it seems like it could be a really neat online mail-order system where people could order a figure and a head, it'd be sent via baggie in a white mailer (no carding costs), and the buyer could simply pop the head on. It'd be like production level customizing. This could be a way for collectors to finally get all their Rogue Squadron figures that wouldn't sell well in the brick-and-mortar chains.
3) Is there any major difference between using a sculptor or a computer to build the toys?. Is it just the human element adds something unique a computer can't add? As the years go by, will you use less sculptors or have them working with computers more for building a figure?
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From Galactic Hunter: 1) At Dragon*Con 2007 this [past] weekend Heath Hammond from Sideshow Collectibles stated (to the audience) that Sideshow and Hasbro are in talks to produce playsets/environments in the 3 ¾" scale. Can we get any sort of official comment from Hasbro on this?
2) Since the generic figure bases seem to be selling well through HasbroToyShop.com - and are, in fact, sold out at the moment - might this open the door to other niche items for collectors, such as simple accessory packs? Collectors would like to outfit their Clone Troopers with the choicest rifles, pistols, and gear. Lightsabers have been known to break or become lost. Consider it a mitzvah?
3) Love the new Bespin Torture Han Solo figure, and I appreciate the attention to scene-specific details such as his shirt tail being untucked from the pants and the painful grimace on his face. Unfortunately outside of this scenario the figure can't really be used as a normal Bespin Han Solo for other display scenes. Since all the body parts have been created, is it possible to get a new Bespin Han Solo released on the basic card next year or in a Battle Pack, combining the existing VOTC Endor Han Solo legs, head, and belt/holster, along with the Bespin Torture Han Solo's jacket and arms? It would give us the perfect VOTC-quality super articulated Bespin Han Solo at no additional sculpting costs on your part!
4) Waves 4 & 5 are hitting online shops, but there's been no real stocking at big box retail. Is this just summer drought, or are retailers holding stuff back due to the recent safety issues involving that other company?
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From Jedi Defender: 1) Talk popped up during SDCC that the 2008 waves of 30AC basic figures would go back to using stands in pack-ins instead of the coins. Since you’ve already confirmed the first wave of figures for 2008, can you confirm for us that stands will be the 2008 pack-in prize?
2) Any plans to re-release the former TRU Landspeeder? It's been 5 years since the last release, so this iconic ANH vehicle deserves another shot at retail. Maybe the perfect opportunity for an upgraded Uncle Owen as a pack-in?
3) If you decide to give us a super articulated Hoth Rebel in the near future, will you re-use the Hoth hat from the new Vintage Hoth Han or will we get a new Hoth hat that has the chinstrap buckled (like so many other removable helmets do these days)?
PS: 30AC Hoth Han's legs are now perfect for re-use on a SA Hoth Rebel!
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From Jedi Insider: 1) Will the VOTC line continue in 2008?
2) If you had the opportunity to re-design the Death Star playset toy from scratch, what is one thing you would want to incorporate that was not on the original toy?
3) Will the Jango Fett in the "Evolution of the Fetts" set be super-articulated, and will the helmet come off on the figure?
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From JediNews.co.uk: 1) There are still a lot of Padme figures left to do and with only one per year this is going to take quite a while. With the return of the Evolutions line (thank you!!!) how about a Padme Evolutions three pack featuring Padme from the first three films in three new costumes? You could easily show her evolving from Queen to Senator.
2) You've told us that stands will replace coins as the pack-ins for 2008. Can you confirm if these will be the same stands that we're part of the 'The Saga Collection', featuring the name of the film the figure came from along with the figures name or something different altogether?
3) What happens to any surplus figures from promotions such as last year's Ultimate Galactic Hunt George Lucas Stormtrooper figure? Are these available for fans to buy, used for promotional purposes or dare I say destroyed?
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From Jedi Temple Archives: 1) There seems to be a call for accessory packs in the collecting community, but the responses that we've gotten in the Q&A process seem to indicate that they're tough to market. Has any thought been given to trying to incorporate accessories into a more attractive package, like a scene appropriate Screen Pack? For example:
-Clone Trooper accessories in a Kamino training facility pack. This could be the quartermaster station from Attack Of The Clones that dispenses the Clone Trooper helmets
-Imperial accessories in a Death Star alcove pack. Have rifle racks, rifles, blasters, and maybe a mouse droid or two in this set.
This kind of presentation might satisfy both accessory fans and collectors who enjoy the Scene Packs.
2) A collecting news site recently reported that there is a Star Wars Legacy comic 2-pack on the way featuring Imperial Knights Antares Draco & Ganner Kreig? Is this report accurate, and can we expect more Legacy 2-packs in this line in the near future?
3) Hasbro recently confirmed that the blue Obi-Wan Kenobi Jedi Starfighter and green Anakin Skywalker Jedi Starfighter would be making their way into the 2008 assault vehicle line. Will these new renditions have more accurate paint apps? The original, exclusive versions in the Revenge Of The Sith line were almost too white.
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From Sandtroopers.com: 1) Are there any plans to do a Ralph MaQuarrie display similar to the vintage style stand? I think it'd be a great way to showcase this unique line.
2) Have you began to consider revisiting the Shadows of the Empire Line? There are still many army builders that can be made. I would kill to have the green imperial commando, coruscant guard, black sun sentry, the correct swoop rider with the breath mask and pointy hat, and the popular garbage train sentry.
3) Also, any chance that we would ever see an updated Imperial Troop transport. It wouldn't have to have sounds but opening troop holders on the sides would be cool and maybe without the sounds, there could be a deeper prisoner compartment!
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From Sir Steve's Guide: 1) In releasing the new Cantina bar curve sections, several issues have arisen for fans' cantina setups: The first is that the sharp curve of those sections is too close to allow for any future release of the drink dispenser. For that issue, if there ever is a dispenser made, would you consider including a shorter straight section to go between the curves? (Shorter because the current straight seems too long for this purpose, it would break up the look of the curve too much.) The second issue is that there is a mismatch between the look of the curved sections and the previously-released straight sections due to a number of paint and even sculpted detail differences. What about releasing more straight sections with a deco and sculpt to better match up to the curves, as well as add the removable barstool feature they have (perhaps with plugs to make a flat floor)?
2) The Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle collection is growing larger and larger. When counted against the Galoob's Star Wars Micro Machines line (the expansive original, not their die-cast), the math shows that there were 87 Micro Machines covering the OT, EU, and Episode I, if we subtract the reissues like battle-damaged, speederbikes with new characters, etc., there were 72 unique vehicles. Meanwhile, Hasbro's Titanium line has 101 Star Wars vehicles including single packs, exclusives, and 5-packs (but not gold or silver versions) counting up to 2007 wave 4. However, if we subtract reissues like repaints, there are just 48 unique Titanium vehicles - and 19 of those are reissues from the old Galoob Die Cast line. While we are thankful just to have any line of small Star Wars vehicles, one does wonder if 53 repaints out of 101 may have a negative impact. What does Hasbro think about this issue?
3) With the success of the latest Jawa sculpt, might Hasbro consider creating a Jawa/droid-themed multipack or battle pack? One possible suggestion could be 2 or 3 Jawas perhaps with cloth capes, an ANH/Kenner vintage Gonk droid repaint, R1-G4, and perhaps R5-D4 that uses the R4-G9 retractable leg body. Has there been any thought given to creating such a set already?
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NEW: From Star Wars Action News: 1) Hasbro has had some very imaginative and clever ads over the past number of years. Some of my favorites are where you mention the duration of screen time the most obscure figures have. Is there any chance of you putting a gallery of those on the Starwars.hasbro.com site or elsewhere for people who have never seen some of these ads? (Ed note: if you have these images handy but don't want to spend the web design resources, swactionnews.com would be happy to host the gallery for you :-))
2) With the new animated series coming out, many collectors are concerned about continuing support for the OT specifically, and the movies in general. Can you tell us what plans you have currently, if any, to produce figures concurrently for the movies and the new series (two separate figure lines, or one figure line covering all sources, similar to how Saga supported Episode II and others), and without getting too specific, what percentage of figures will be in support of the new Clone Wars series vs. the movie saga (50/50 split, 70% Clone Wars/30% Movies, 100% Cone Wars, etc)
3) With the latest round of Saga Legends voting, were there any results which surprised you or came out of left field? Has this voting created any additional new or resculpted figure or accessory opportunities for the future?
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From SW Collector: 1) In the upcoming EE set of Mandalorians & Clones, there's a female Mando called Rav Bralor based on
this art by Tom Hodges. However, Hodges named the character Vonte Tervho. Any chance we could see a single-carded version eventually, using that name?
2) I love the inclusion of a separate R5 unit along with the non-removable R5 unit with the new Y-Wing. Any chances of seeing this on re-releases of the Jedi Starfighters?
3) Will there be any way to get a complete set of collector's coins without having to buy each figure? Perhaps something through HasbroToyShop.com?
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From TheJawa.com:1) If Hasbro makes an EU figure as part of its comic 2packs, what are the chances that the character will ever appear in the basic line? I've been hoping for a Lumiya figure (with SA, neutral leg pose, whip, swappable helmet and head, and soft goods cape) but as some fans have pointed out, the comic pack figures often cut down on the articulation and other premium features in order to keep costs down.
So while Lumiya is an obvious candidate for the comic packs, my concern is that once such a figure is made there, it would be the last time Hasbro ever visits the character. Just wondering what your thoughts are about this?
2) The Rebel Vanguard figure seems to be built off of the TSC Endor Rebel Trooper. Will we get a running change of the Rebel Vanguard Trooper like we got with the Endor Rebel?
3) Does Hasbro plan to make more video game figures after Darth Nihilus and the Force Unleashed figures? And if so, what games will you be looking at?
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From The Private Universe:1) With the expanded universe comic packs, the McQuarrie concept figures and other non movie figures intermingled in the waves, are there plans for entire waves of expanded universe figures from the numerous novels, games, RPG and comics in the future?
2) The three alien Jedi created for the original Clone Wars have now all been made into action figures. With their success, are we likely to see more generic alien Jedi being released in the future?
3) Given that the McQuarrie sub-line has been such an apparent hit with fans, do you have any plans to expand it to cover the rest of the original trilogy? Or perhaps the prequels - the Darth Maul (Sith Apprentice) from the Power of the Jedi line would make a great re-release to launch figures based on The Phantom Menace (black clad Jedis, Sith Witches etc).
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From Yakface: 1) What was the reasoning behind the substitution of the VOTC Han Solo for R3-A2 and for the Saga Legends Poll?
2) Dear Hasbro, would you consider having a Fans' Choice Poll similar to the figure poll, but for Vehicles? Obviously cost is more of an issue with something like this so the final selection might have to be limited to 1 or 2 repacked/repainted vehicles. (2 vehicles at the $20-25 range or 1 at the $35+ range) The packaging could also reflect that this is a Fans' Choice vehicle similar to the sticker designation you've given some of the Legends Figures. (Sandtrooper & Darktroooper)
3) Dear Hasbro. Would you ever consider making figure of the UZAY Snowtrooper and guard as a tribute to these famous foreign knock offs from back in the 1980s?
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