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 Action Figs: 1) Might the build-a-droid concept be applied to other build-a-whatever ideas such as build-a-beast or a piece of scenery?
2) After six years, you've finally made a highly articulated Jango Fett figure that has a great sculpt and lots of articulation. Trouble is, his jumpsuit is a garish shade of lavender that never appears in the film or any EU source, the one in the film was a far more muted, bluish tone. Was this an error or intentional, and if in error, will it be corrected in future shipments?
3) In the Galactic Heroes line we have gotten an AT-AT Commander and Driver figures, and now several new vehicles and beasts. Might that increase chances of getting a Galactic Heroes AT-AT?
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NEW: From Galactic Hunter: 1) Can we expect more product for The Force Unleashed in the 3¾" line later this year to coincide with the release of the video game in September? You've stated that there won't be any more basic line figures, but is it possible to see more new characters like Proxy and Shaak Ti released in another The Force Unleashed Battle Pack? What about plans for any vehicles, such as the Rogue Shadow. If you're reluctant to divulge specific details before Comic Con, can you at least confirm whether or not you have plans for more NEW The Force Unleashed toys beyond what's already been revealed?
2) Will you ever rerelease the Tri-Droid retooled as the Octuptarra Droid with the different guns, legs and eyes?
3) We've heard rumblings several times of a Death Star Escape themed wave and/or Battle Pack in the Third Quarter. Is there any merit to this? (Obviously Hasbro knows we'd like nicely articulated Han Solo and Luke Skywalker as Stormtroopers, a revised Princess Leia, and some other third-reel goodness.) Are Original Trilogy fans going to be overlooked as The Clone Wars rage?
4) As a follow-up to your revelation of a new Princess Leia - Slave Girl and Sandstorm Princess Leia planned for 2009, can you clarify if these are meant to be one in the same, or two separate figures coming next year? If they are one and the same, can we expect Sandstorm Princess Leia to accurately resemble the Princess Leia - Slave Girl we know once the cloak and goggles are removed?
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From Imperial Shipyards: 1) Dear Hasbro, with the re-emerging interest in the Expanded Universe, do you plan to include troopers that you can army build? I would love SOTE Coruscant Guard and Imperial Commando. Also the Brown Imperial Officer, Yellow and Red Patched Field Stormtroopers and the Imperial Commando from DF II. However, the figure I want most has to be Xandel Carivus' Bodyguard Troops. I will do anything to get these made. I even paid to have customs of them made, but I want official ones, I would gladly sell you my soul to make them!
2) Dear Hasbro, Since quite a few of Dooku's Dark Acolytes have already been made into figures (including Asajj Ventress, Tol Skorr, Sora Bulq and Quinlan Vos) I'm wondering if there is hope for some of the remaining Acolytes like the female Chiss Confederacy General Sev'rance Tann, Zabrak female Kadrian Sey, and possibly more evil looking versions of Bulq and Vos?
3) Are there plans to expand on the novel characters seeing there is a rise in EU, especially in the games and the comics. I know there are a few in the pipeline but it seems many new major characters are sparse.
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From Jedi Defender: 1) Over the past 2 years, you guys have really been going to town on the characters from the ToyFare 2006 Fan Choice Poll. Over half of the “Top 25” finalists from that poll have been made into figures, with a few more rumored for 2009. Sounds like it’s time for a new poll, don’t you think?
2) At Toy Fair, there was little info on the planned “1st Day of Issue" summer launch promotion for Clone Wars and Legacy (all we saw was the example sticker on a cardback). Do you have any more details that you can share on this promotion yet?
3) A few questions on the Deluxe Map Room Indy with Ark set. Why no poles (or even rings for poles) on the Ark? Will there be another Ark released later with the rings and poles? And where’s the Staff of Ra? Will there be a single-carded Map Room Indy released on down the line, with the Staff of Ra included?
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From Jedi Insider: 1) Even though we've seen tons of images and details on the new BMF Falcon, can we get an official confirmation that this is coming, when will it be released, what the SRP will be, and will it be a store exclusive?
2) First seen at Toy Fair, the Droid Factory 2 packs with the Hoth Han Solo figure has the R-3PO who was first released in 2004. Will the new R-3PO figure feature the silver/white highlights that were absent in this toy's previous release?
3) Is there any kind of midnight maddness release event planned for the Clone Wars toys like we've seen with previous movie releases?
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NEW: From JediNews.co.uk: 1) Is there any more information on the “1st Day of Issue” variants that were revealed at Toy Fair and will these be available in the UK? Is the difference between these and regular figures just the “1st Day of Issue” sticker or is there more to it? Finally, on the same subject, is this the equivalent of the foil carded UGH figures from the previous two years?
2) What’s the possibility of releasing replacement weapon/accessory packs for the 3¾” figures since these are the first items that go missing?
3) Have Hasbro thought about setting up an official website that allows collectors to tick off their collection against everything ever released (including variants)? StarWars.com and others have tried this before but it’s not been up-to-date for a while now and doesn’t necessarily include variants – you’re obviously best placed to do this.
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From Jedi Temple Archives: 1) The Hasbro ventures into the EU have begun to get more and more interesting with each passing month. The comic 2-packs have been a great addition to the line. And now we're starting to see forays into figures/vehicles that are derived from reference material such as the Hoth Speederbike patrol battle pack. Could we see more EU exploration that draws from reference art in the near future? I know there's an image of Dooku as a Jedi Master with the much talked about Jedi Master Sypho Dias that drew my eye from THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE FORCE.
2) In our Q&A session a few weeks ago, we asked about the starfighter vehicle assortment in the Clone Wars line. One of the fighters that was mentioned was the Anakin Skywalker modified starfighter. Can you please clarify if this be the blue and white Jedi starfighter from the original Clone Wars line? Or can we expect a yellow and grey decoed version of the Delta 7 Aethersprite Jedi Starfighter like the one that LEGO has already released?
3) The 2008 Commander Gree figure was a huge improvement over the previous version, not just in likeness but in overall sculpt and articulation. Is there any chance we will see more uses of that sculpt in other clones such as the Utapau Clone or a Shock Trooper?
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From MouseDroid.com: 1) I recall a while back in a previous Q&A, that the question of whether an updated Tatooine Landspeeder for the 3&3/4' line being on the cards was asked, & your response was basically that while nothing was being planned in the immediate future, it was a vehicle you do intend to revisit at some stage down the track.
Can you please give us an indication as to how far away down the track you're talking, or is there something on the horizon that you've kept under your collective hats till now & that possibly our patience might hopefully be rewarded sooner than later?
2) Firstly I just like to say that I love the comic packs. They are a great concept. Without them I feel that there are a lot of figures that would probably never be produced.
With that in mind, "The Stark Hyperspace War" (Dark Horse: Star Wars (Republic) #36-39) offers the opertunity for you to produce a teenage version of both Obi-Wan & Quinlan Vos. Would we be likely to see these as park of a comic pack? Issue 38 would be a good choice. Or would you be more likely to do other characters first?
3) My question is in regards to the new Saga Legends SA 501st clone that is shipping as we speak. Previously, it was the Tactical Ops clone that was released - within a very shape specific blister bubble mold on the card.
It was posed with a wide stance inside the bubble which was fine, because it had ball jointed hips. Recently I've discovered that you're packing the new SA 501st figure in the exact same blister bubble mold & this presents an immediate concern. The SA #41 clone figures didn't have ball jointed hips, & packing them in such a bubble mold stretches out the legs which in turn causes them to warp.
Will this new figure continue to be shipped in the Tactical Ops bubble mold, or will the matter be rectified in the near future?
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From Raving Toy Maniac: 1) One of your competitors mentioned that they have a "formula" for character selection when creating a wave of action figures (2 heroes, 1 villain, 1 female, etc). Can you share what Hasbro's "formula" is when creating a Star Wars wave?
2) The Clone Wars figures shown at Australian Toy Fair look really cool - especially the "fully accessorized" R2D2 and "swappable arms" for the General Grievous. Any chance of seeing these improvements carried over to their respective characters in the non-animated line?
3) What is the projected character depth/diversity of the Mighty Muggs line? Just as examples, can we expect a Mighty Muggs Jabba and a Mighty Muggs Salacious Crumb, or will we be lucky to get Mighty Muggs Greedo?
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From Sandtroopers.com: 1) You mentioned previously that there's a good chance that at some point you'll create an action figure based on Lumiya (the Marvel comics version, and hopefully from her second duel with Luke). Obviously, that figure would be a great candidate for a removable helmet, but would Hasbro consider simply providing two swappable heads for the ball-jointed neck instead? While I absolutely love removable helmet/mask figures, my concern here is that we will either end up with a tiny Shira Brie "pin head" (as we saw with the Cody figure) or a woefully oversized helmet (as the case was with the Crimson Empire 2-pack figures). Given the likelihod that Hasbro will only make this particular figure once, it'd be incredibly disappointing to see it not done so that both the masked and unmasked Lumiya look as good as possible. Having two heads would enable the sculptor to not compromise the scale of the head or the mask and sculpt the best look possible. As well, the unmasked Shira coul d retain her ponytail from the scene (which a helmet that fits over her head would not likely be able to hide). And PLEASE Hasbro, no more "comic toon" colors like we saw with Fenn Shysa and Tobi -- these are definitely not appealing to collectors.
2) Will Hasbro ever release a soft goods Jawa, or is that something that would likely only be done for the VotC line when/if that is brought back? And does Hasbro have any other approaches for a possible Jawa "light up" eyes down the road e.g. maybe a highly reflective material that simulates "glow" without the need for say electronics?
3) Will Hasbro look at other more secure ways to attach jetpacks onto figures? I recently saw a complaint about the Evo Boba figure having a loose jetpack that fell off too easily. That also reminded me of the Commander Cody figure which had a tiny peg for Cody's jetpack that meant the pack would fall off if you even looked at it too hard. Instead of just a peg that pushes into the bac k, why not a clip or some other method that offers a better grip? Commander Gree seemed to be a great way to secure it, more of this maybe?
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From Sir Steve's Guide: 1) C-3PO's presence in the saga is constant, he speaks the first and last lines, he facilitates the most important deeds, and while fussy his actions helped lead the Rebellion to victory, all while remaining one of the most recognizable cultural Star Wars touchstones, so surely he's an important enough character. That said, C-3PO figures have seemed a bit held back by the insistence on using a vacuum-metalized finish which limits articulation and fine detail. This despite the fact that 3PO's shiny, clean finish is rarely seen in the films. Is there some way we could get a super-articulated C-3PO figure sporting a shiny but not vac-metalized gold paint finish, while avoiding the dull look of the Saga Ultra C-3PO?
2) Will the Republic Gunship be re-released to coincide with the release of the Clone Wars cartoon? Several are featured in the preview, and some even have new deco.
3) The 3¾" action figure system has always straddled the toy market - on the one hand it's small enough that kids can have plenty of toys in the system without taking up a lot of space, while on the other it's not as big as many popular action figure scales out there so it's seen as "less product". With yet another round of price increases, this scale seems to be heading for a bit of a quandary: how does a $7.99 Star Wars or Indiana Jones figure in this scale compete with a similarly-priced 5" or 6" figure that sports as much detail and articulation and is perceived as being "more toy for the money". Pack-ins can only take it so far - although obviously you are gambling on the Build-A-Figure concept to take it an extra buck farther - so the question becomes, is there any concern that the eight-dollar Star Wars basic figure will be the pricepoint the brand or the scale itself cannot breach, especially in a sagging toy industry fraught with market-erosion from both video games and the internet, all while during an economic recession? Is there any concern with this price increase over the potential loss of collectors, both hardcore and casual (including kids) alike? You say the majority of your cost concerns are found in new tooling, and the greatest hits-style lines have been selling extremely well for you the past few years, yet the greatest hits-style lines like Saga Legends have no significant tooling costs to worry about beyond routine maintenance since it is all re-releases (aside from the pit droid anomalies). In the past we've asked about why the Saga Legends line shouldn't be a cheaper MSRP in relation to the main line and the answer was to support the system, but shouldn't the recent increased income from the high-selling line of purely existing tools help defray the costs and thus help lower pricing on the main line?
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NEW: From Star Wars Action News: 1) At Toy Fair during the Saturday Q&A Derryl said that there are no plans to release a new Millennium Falcon in '08. However, he looked uncomfortable saying that, so everyone just assumed it would be in '09. Now there are pictures out of the new Falcon (and it looks ASTOUNDING, kudos to every single person involved), and it appears it is coming out this summer. If it is indeed coming out this summer, why the outright denial at Toy Fair?
2) The new Target exclusive Aayla Secura Jedi Starfighter has no decal sheets, to the upset of many, yet Hasbro.com says they cannot provide decal sheets for this vehicle. Why was the decision made to release this starfighter without decals?
3) In the recent wave of Titaniums (including Anakin's Pod Racer) there is a Red 5 X-Wing and a Slave I. Are these new sculpts, repaints of older sculpts, or simple repacks of previous popular vehicles?
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From SW Collector: 1) When you were creating the figures based on the Return of the Jedi deleted sandstorm scene, did you get to view some of the actual "lost" footage from the scene, or did you have to go solely off of reference photos in the Lucasfilm archive?
2) What happened to New Jedi Order Luke Skywalker's lightsaber in the Jedi Legacy Evolutions set? All promotional images show him with his RETURN OF THE JEDI green-bladed lightsaber, but somehow the actual figure on the shelves got a green-bladed version of Anakin Skywalker's REVENGE OF THE SITH lightsaber. A green-bladed version of Obi-Wan's ROTS saber would have been closer to the mark.
3) Isn't it about time to retire all of those Darth Maul lightsaber molds with the tubular blades and sculpt a new one with the "flared" blades at the correct length?
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From TheJawa.com:1) Is there any possibility of using the hyperarticulated Gree mold for a future release of the 212th Battalion (orange) Utapau clonetrooper? It's true that this clone was previously released using the #41 RotS mold, but there are those of us who'd love to have that clonetrooper with a removable helmet (since most of the clones in the Utapau debriefing scene were unmasked). Provided that the same hue of orange paint is used, a hyperarticulated Utapau clone would fit in great with our existing TSC Utapau clones!
2) You mentioned in the previous Q&A that there are plans to do a Geonosis Battledroid commander figure in 2009. Any chance that this figure will address the always-asked-about problem of thin legs made of soft plastic that eventually warp if the figure is stood upright for more than five minutes? I know there are quite a few collectors, including myself, who absolutely refuse to buy (army build) any battled roids until Hasbro finds a fix to this problem given that using harder plastic seems to be out of the question. Come on Hasbro, we need a sturdy army of battledroids for our now-massive clone armies to fight... sturdy legged non-warping battledroids.
3) For the figures that are going to contain pieces for the build-a-droid assortments, how are you going to pack these figures in case ratio wise so that fans and collectors can get everything that they want/need to build the droids? For the astromech droids you said it would be 6 figures to a droid, so that would mean 2 of each figure in a 12 figure case. But, for the protocol droids, you said 8 figures per wave would build 2 driods. But how are you going to pack those 8 figures in a 12 figure case? Basically stores are going to end up with 2 and 1/2 droids per case? Do you think that these "extra" figures are going to get left behind and become peg warmers? Especially when it will be the same 4 in every case?? Do you think this is going to cause problems at retail? Or cause problems with the fans?
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NEW: From Yakface: 1) Recently Hasbro held it's Toy Fair in Australia and on display were what we assume are the final packaging mockups for the AT-TE, V-19 Torrent Starfighter and Homing Spider Droid. It is possible for your team to provide our reader "official" images of this packaging?
2) Now that checks and money orders are starting to be cashed for the Clone Wars Captain Rex promotion, when can we expect these to start hitting our door steps in the US and reaching our friends in Canada?
3) You've mentioned in previous QnAs that there will be an ESB wave in the 08/09 Legacy Line. Could a figure or 2 possibly include a mynock or oxygen masks as we haven't had new versions of these accessories since the Saga "Blue card" days?
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From Well of the Souls: 1) Do you have inside info on if there will be a midnight madness sale for Indiana Jones toys on 5/1?
2) I have a question for hasbro regarding the new Indiana Jones line. I was rather impressed with the 3-d cardboard backdrops that were used for 2 starwars scenes a few years ago(jabba's palace and cantina)and i was hoping that these could be redone in an indy format? I think there is much potential for a ravenwood bar with exclusive marion figure or the temple in the opening of raiders where the idol could be enshrined:) My thinking is one it would also touch the nostalgic hearts of my generation that got treated to a cloud city playset or a cantina adventure catalog exclusive. Many play enviroments with the cost of cardboard and ink.I can think of countless play enviroments or even as a premium of some sort.
3) Most (if not all) of the previewed Indy figures seem to have removable hats, which makes the hats seem just a little too large. Are there going to be any Indiana figures with hats sculpted onto the heads to avoid this problem?
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