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.
Don't forget to check
Rebelscum's Q&A Session as well!
From Galactic Hunter: This week has a theme of hypothetical questions. Put on your serious face, though.
1) The Powers That Be come to you (the team) and say, "Your next wave is your last wave (of figures). You have no restrictions on characters or budget." Whom would you make? (We know they'd never do that, but let's pretend it's Project Star Wars on Bravo TV.)
2) You are ordered by Mr. Potato Head (the symbolic leader of Hasbro) to resurrect one dormant segment of the line just because he's capricious like that.
3) There are two (female) figures that are completely verboten. We find a compromise that allows them to be manufactured, but you have to nix two other unique characters. Whom do you choose?
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here for the answers to these questions.
WELCOME: From Han's Hideout: 1) It seems like it’s been a while since someone bugged you about a possible Eopie re-release. Is the Eopie something that can get worked into a Battle Pack (say, with a sled, some junk parts, and a few Pod Racer pilots) or is it one of those “if it’s in the animation we’ll look at it” type of things?
2) Ten years ago (holy cow - 10 years!?!), you guys released a nifty 2-Pack of Coud City’s favorite humanoid-porcine beings - the Ugnaughts. We’re thinking it’s about time for an upgrade... any plans to get some new Ugnaughts out there in 2009?
3) First off, we’d like to pass on some kudos - every little kid I know (and most of the big ones too) LOVE their Galactic Heroes Rancor and Dewback. It is fantastic that you guys were finally able to do these iconic beasties in the line! With that said, are there any plans for more beasties to join the line? We’re loving the Skiff and Snowspeeder sets that were revealed, but we’re hoping you’ve still got a Bantha up your sleeve! \
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here for the answers to these questions.
From Imperial Shipyards: 1) As you probably know, Darth Andeddu has now made several appearances in comics (Republic and Legacy). Any chance he could be under consideration for a future comic pack?
2) Greetings Hasbro. I just wanted to say, you guys are doing a great job with the Star Wars toys. You guys were meant to make them. Anyways, I have a dying question to ask and hope that you can give me a concrete answer. Will we ever see a soft good cloak and articulated Jawa anytime soon? I know you guys will return to the "vintage" line again but what new approach will you take on this awesome line? Are you guys gonna take the same approach as your classic GI-JOE figures? Thanks!
3) You showed us two great looking "Clone Scouts" who reported intell on the Monastery. Are we gonna see both of these figures show up in the animated line? Especially the commander?
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here for the answers to these questions.
From Jedi Insider: 1) In the 30th Anniversery Collection, Hasbro released a few figures from the new video game: The Force Unleashed. Will more TFU figures be in the Legacy Collection? Maybe the new droid, PROXY or Shaak Ti on Felucia or a new version of the Emperor?
2) Will the V-19 Torrent be released with the tigershark deco like the Arc-170 & Republic Gunship?
3) Hi Hasbro! Thanks for all the cool toys and taking the time to answer our questions. Will you please make a new super articulated Yakface in 2009? We as fans are constantly hungry for more aliens, creatures, and characters from Jabba's Palace. Yakface is a great candidate for a new figure due to his unique appearance and the mystique of the vintage toy.
3) What is one figure you just wish you could go back and take another crack at?
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here for the answers to these questions.
From JediNews.co.uk: 1) The female characters don't appear to be all that popular, and I wanted to know if this means that the chances of seeing a character like Jocasta Nu are pretty slim. I mean, she had a speaking part, which is more than can be said for other figures that have been released, but I don't remember ever hearing anything about her being made into a figure.
2) The Force Unleashed 3 Packs are hitting retail in the US. We were told in April, by the UK Office, that these will be coming to the UK as well (exclusive to Asda stores) and we wanted to know when these will be available?
3) Obviously it's important to keep core characters out on the shelf so that children are able to buy them on impulse without having to wait what could amount to years in between some figure re-releases. We've just seen pictures of three re-released Legacy Collection Battle Packs (Clone Attack on Corsucant, Jedi Training on Dagobah and Jedi Vs. Darth Sidious); of these at least two of them have been released twice already making this their third outing. In the UK, earlier versions of these Battle Packs are still available in large numbers and since figures such as Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin are not core characters (or are they?), there are much better candidates for re-release in the hugely popular Battle Pack formats than these (a TFU Battle Pack with repacks to coincide with the games release, Droid Factory Capture, Betrayal at Bespin or the very hard to find Battle on Mygeeto to mention but a few)... so why these three again?
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here for the answers to these questions.
From Jedi Temple Archives: 1) Ever since the inception of the VOTC line, collectors have been pleased to get a series of well-articulated Imperial troopers in both the Vintage and Basic figure lines. We've seen Stormtroopers, Scout Troopers, Snowtroopers, AT-AT Drivers, Death Star Gunners and the like over the past several years. And we were pleasantly surprised by the upcoming Space Trooper, which is probably one of the coolest easter eggs in A NEW HOPE. But we're left to wonder which OT Imperial trooper are we likely to see get this treatment next as a Basic Figure? The AT-ST Driver? The TIE Pilot? The uniformed Imperial Officer?
2) We see a lot of fan chatter about Expanded Universe characters that people would like to see made into figure form. But all too often, some of these characters have only come to life on the pages of novels. The Hasbro Star Wars team seems to have embraced the EU through the comic 2-pack concept, but what about the novels? Are team members chomping at the bit for Dark Horse to adapt some of the novels into comic form in order for some of these characters to take shape as figures? And which novel characters are at the top of the Hasbro Star Wars team's wishlists?
3) We've done a little digging through the history of Hasbro's Fan's Choice Polls. And in the process we've discovered that over time a startling number of the candidates in the polls have been produced. Of the 47 Fan's Choice Poll candidates over the years, 33 of those have been produced or have been confirmed to be on the way in the near future. That's over 70%!
That leaves us wondering about the remaining 30%. Are these remaining Fan's Choice Poll candidates still on the Hasbro Star Wars team's radar screens? And how likely are we to see these remaining Fan's Choice Poll contestants immortalized in plastic?
Bom Vimdim – ANH – Cantina Alien (Fan's Choice Poll # 1)
Ben Quadrinaros – TPM – Pod Racer (Fan's Choice Poll #2 & #5)
Twi'lek Masseuse – TPM (Fan's Choice Poll #3)
Captain Nym – EU – Battle For Naboo Video Game (Fan's Choice Poll #4)
Anakin Solo – EU (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Bastila Shan – EU – KOTOR Video Game (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Corran Horn – EU (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
HK-47 – EU – KOTOR Video Game (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Jacen Solo – EU (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Jaina Solo – EU (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Kyle Katarn – EU (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Nom Anor – EU (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Padme Amidala – AOTC - Naboo Lake retreat (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
Padme Amidala – ROTS – Funeral (Fan's Choice Poll #6)
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From MouseDroid.com:
1) I am a huge fan of The Legacy Collection's Wave 2 - Clone Wars. Every single figure is just fantastic. I cannot remember the last time a Wave was released where I couldn't wait for every figure. Do you have any plans for more Waves based on the Clone Wars Micro-Series or figures as part of an EU Wave?
I would really like to see a Battle Ravaged Anakin from his duel with Asajj Ventress on Yavin, a Battle Ravaged Ki-Adi-Mundi from Hypori, the nervious looking padawan Sha'a Gi and his Master Daakman Barrek, Advanced Recon Commando pilot, the Clone Marines who accompany Saesee Tiin, and Captain Fordo in Phase 2 Armour.
2) I recently purchased the new Homing Spider Droid, and I have to say that it is bigger than I was expecting. Great job. But it has got be wondering, The Separatists have the AAT, Hailfire Droid, along with a series of smaller (but larger) Droids (Dwarf Spider Droid, Crab Droid & Tri-Droid), and now the Homing Spider Droid. The Republic has the AT-TE, the AT-AP, AT-RT, and a few speeder bikes. What I'm trying to get at is, it seems to me that the Republic's ground forces seem to be over powered by the 'Seps'. Are there any plans for other ground assault vehicles for the Republic?
I see that LEGO have a 'Republic Fighter Tank' coming out soon, which I can only assume will be in The Clone Wars, and seems to be about the same size as the AAT. And there is also a Swamp Speeder which was developed for Ep3 and has already had a Titanium version made. Would either of these make good candidates for the "Starfighter-Class Vehicle Assortment"?
3) With the new Legacy collection and the Build A Droid promo inserted into each figure and wave it seems you are onto something great here as it seems we are getting more figures for our money. If this is a huge success, will Hasbro look into maybe a Build A Location OR Build A Vehicle Promo in the near/far future????
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From Raving Toy Maniac:
1) Just recently you admitted to JediDefender.com that in regards to next years ROTJ wave that "yes, there will be a Wooof in the wave". When you say "a" Wooof, did you mean THE Wooof, aka the vintage Palace version of Klaatu, and not some other Klaatu in a different outfit?
2) Given the popularity and scarcity of the Dark Trooper and the Fan's Choice Troop Builders (Covert Ops Trooper, Shadow Trooper, Utapaun Clone Trooper), why weren't these chosen for this year's Saga Legends line? They are cool-looking troop builders, so children will buy them, and the demand of the collectors who voted for their re-release has not nearly been met yet. Can we see these figures rereleased in Saga Legends in 2009?
3) Why can't I find regular Stormtroopers at retail anymore? Why, with the popularity of troop building, can't I find a regular white Stormie?
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NEW: From Sandtroopers.com:
1) Dear Hasbro, now that you have nearly perfected the snowspeeder pilot body via the new evo packs, what are the chances of getting an updated version of Dak Raltir (Luke's gunner)?
2) I know we're going to drive this one in the ground and still not get a definative answer, but how in the world can they justify mass producing decently articulated build a droid parts for pack-ins and not find a way not to include the same articulation across the line?
3) Have you considered the idea of a game pack that would include two figures and an older PC game, similar to what is being done with the comic packs? This could be a great way to get at least a few of those game characters that collectors crave out there. Just think, KOTOR along with Bastila Shan and HK-47, Galactic Battlegrounds with Sev'rance Tann and Echuu Shen-Jon...
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From Sir Steve's Guide:
1) Many folks feel the big Millennium Falcon to be a true masterpiece in Star Wars toys, but speaking with the designer at Comic-Con, one of the things learned was that the original design for the toy was even bigger than what we got before budgetary realities found its current size. Were there arguments about what features could be packed into the final version? Did Lucasfilm have any specific requests of ideas to do or not to do? What features were on the bubble and barely made the cut? What features (beyond voice recordings, as we know Leia and Lando didn't make the final results there, along with about 40 more minutes of "vital" Falcon dialogue that was originally considered), if any, didn't make the final cut?
2) Understanding that schedules are subject to change on these sorts of things, could Hasbro give us an idea of how many waves and figures are scheduled for the '09 line, and roughly how many figures are from each source?
3) Will we be getting any Battle Droid variants in the Clone Wars line, like Commander, Security, Pilot, etc.? Would it matter if the design didn't show up right away in the cartoon? After all, we know what the markings of a Commander droid look like already. And what about a Clone Wars Battle Droid figure that can hold its rifle 2-handed?
4) On August 1st, we got a few answers that didn't seem quite complete, and are sacrificing one of our precious question slots to get clarifications for these 3 little bits & pieces that we previously asked about:
A) what points of articulation are on the upcoming A New Hope Obi-Wan Kenobi;
B) will the Titanium Series Cylon Heavy Raider that Hasbro previously announced be released before the license expires; and
C) when you said to us that the Tonnikas were the only figures that you couldn't touch, but told another site that the Holiday Special was something you "couldn't approach", did that mean the Tonnikas answer was incomplete or are we misunderstanding what you mean on the Holiday Special? Thanks!
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NEW: From Star Wars Action News:
1) The Force Unleashed is generating a lot of buzz, perhaps even greater than the Clone Wars movie. While there have been some absolutely fantastic TFU toys released by Hasbro it seems like there are some opportunities for more, such as the Bull Rancor, the newly designed Shaak Ti, the Rogue Shadow, and even the Cloud City Ugnaughts. Any plans to make more TFU in the future, or has that ship long since sailed?
2) Why use the inferior Sarlaac Pit Boba Fett sculpt (with the much hated action feature) for the new figure of Jodo Kast? The paint application is so amazing on that figure, it's a shame it's tarnished with that body when there are so many better Fett bodies to choose from.
3) The GameStop TFU promotional exclusive Stormtrooper Commander's US release does not appear to have gone very smoothly. Most stores we contacted did not know such a promotion was taking place less than a week before the release, and supply does not seem to come close to meeting demand.
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From SW Collector:
1) The Walmart BAD 2-packs of owner/droid figures was a really cool concept that you executed well. Was it successful enough that you might revisit it sometime? There are lots of good combinations still out there: Wedge and his red & white domed R2 from the Battle of Yavin, Saesee Tinn and his yellow R4, Grizz Frix and his white and gold R5 from the Battle of Endor, etc.
2) Now that THE FORCE UNLEASHED game has been released (at least, it will be by the time you send your reply), was there anything from the game you wanted to pursue as a toy or action figure, but weren't allowed to because of plot information restrictions? Any possibility of revisiting the game for new action figures in the future? (Hint: Shaak Ti!!!)
3) With the ROTJ cut sandstorm sequence figures making their debut, any chance for figures from the cut Tosche Station sequence from ANH? Or the green-skinned Emperor from the theatrical cut of TESB?
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NEW: From TheJawa.com:
1) Will Hasbro ever release the VTSC Snowtrooper in the Legends repack line, and if so, any chance we could get a more "Whiter" version? Both VTSC and the Hoth Ultimate Battle Pack had snowtroopers which had some form of brown muck (or rust or dung or whatever it was supposed to be) and a discolored helmet which was very unappealing. I'd prefer to see a way more cleaner white snowtrooper to army build with. And of course Hasbro would cut their costs on the reissued figure by not having to paint that muck on. It's win-win!
2) I think BaD is the best idea for a SW pack-in ever. It's really well-thought out and I am grateful that the parts can be mixed-and-matched so that I can customize my own astromechs and protocol droids! I was wondering: since you sell the figure stands on Hasbro Toy Shop which used to be pack-ins too, why not also sell a pack of BaD body parts as well? These don't have to be the same parts that are included in the Legacy waves. I'd actually like to see complete BaD figures for R2-D2, R5-D4, R4-P1, R4-G9, R3PO, K3PO, gold RA-7, and of course C3PO whose pieces I can then mix in with the Legacy parts and make a new R2 or R5-D4 etc. The customization aspect is actually more appealing to me than just building the actual character. Heck, I bought Yarna and Bane recently and left the figures in the packaging while I played with the BaD pieces first! BaD is the new "LEGO"(tm) of Star Wars, fun for kids and adults alike!
3) Since we have a release of Cade Skywalker... Is there any chance on the rest of the crew of the mynock being released?
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From The Private Universe:
1) Characters from Star Wars comics, books, concepts and games have been included in the standard line of single figures, figure sets and comic packs the last couple of years. I for one have enjoyed these figures far more than more Clone Troopers. Have the sales of these EU figures been good enough to continue their production and maybe give them their own collection series to stand next to the others?
2) Last Q&A you mentioned a Prequel Beru may be coming next year and Cliegg Lars maybe a little further out, but you failed to mention a Prequel Owen. Would it be safe to assume he would come out at the same time as Beru?
3) In regards to your recent tone with the Indiana Jones line, many of us Indy collectors are worried this may be the end. Worst Case scenario (And I mean WORST CASE!!!) if you do discontinue the Indiana Jones line with retailers, what would be the chances of you offering say 4 to 6 figures per year exclusively on-line? You could put ads in Star Wars and Indiana Jones magazines and comic books to let even the casual fans know they are out there, plus there is word of mouth which is probably the greatest and cheapest marketing tool out there! I know you said in a previous Q&A that using on-line companies like Entertainment Earth and others wouldn't work, but what if it was sold through HasbroToyShop.com. I know that Hasbro just came out with a Cloverfield monster as a internet exclusive and that thing was huge and cost $100! There are a LOT more Indiana Jones fans than Cloverfield fans! There are plenty of great figures to be made, and some would be simple retools (Ex: using the Toht sculpt for Walter Donovan, just throw in a new head). PLEASE consider this... There are many of us hardcore Indy fans that are worried this is the end of the line!!!
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From Yakface:
1) Dear Hasbro, I recently acquired the Yaddle and Even Piell Jedi 2- pack from the Legacy Collection, but I noticed a few errors with the packaging. In each instance that Master Piell is referenced, he is referred to as "Evan". This error appears on the insert nameplate, under the UPC, on the card back within the figure's descriptive copy and on all the figure cardbacks from wave 3. Can we expect this typographical error to be corrected or will it just be something collectors have to accept?
2) It has been confirmed in a recent QnA (with TheJawa.com) that the "beak" from the Sarlacc Pit Environment/Playset is removable for the option for recreating the that scene before the special edition CGI was added. Is there an image you can share of what that section of the Sarlacc looks like without the beak?
3) In a previous QnA with us (June 2008) you confirmed that the V-Wing Pilot is planned for a second "Imperial Pilots" Evolutions Set in Spring 2009. Now that that figure is locked down, what can be said of the other 2 pilots in the set? Will it be similar to the current Imperial Pilot Set with a repainted E2 Clone Pilot and new TIE Pilot?
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From Yoda's News:
1) How come HasbroToyShop (who make Star Wars toys) always seem be out of stock of mostly new items on your site? Also how come the stores get so little cases anymore? Back in the good old days I would walk in to any of my stores and there would 15-25 cases sitting there and it seems ebay has tons of them, is it something Hasbro is cutting back on or the stores are just not ordering as much?
2) I would like to thank Hasbro for making the big MF and the Clone Walker. Though I question the mid-summer release of such large items, they are both prime examples of what 21st century toys can be. The question is what is up with landing gear on the BMF and the legs on the Clone Walker? Both are subject to failure at the slightest touch.
The BMF to a lesser extent but it still happens. The walker is aweful and you can't even touch the action buttons without the whole thing collapsing. How did this ever get past quality control? I know many parents who bought these for their kids who returned it for this reason. Are you concerned with this affecting the overall success of the bigger toys and what are you doing about this? Maybe you could issue special fittings for people to mail away for that will hold the legs on better. Is there a way to get replacement landing gear for the BMF? These 2 potentially great toys could self destruct because of seemingly "cheap" designs and/or sloppy production though we know the retail prices are not.
3) Any plans to release the Naboo Fighter again? This awesome ship has not been released since the Episode 1 line!
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INDIANA JONES Questions
From Action Figs:
1) With the Indy line, when Hasbro says that that Mutt Williams in jacket is very popular with the kids, how is that determined, is that based on what retailers order? Because both basic Mutt Williams figures seem to be the by far the most over-abundant figures left on the Indy pegs usually, sometimes in the dozens. While empirical and anecdotal evidence is not fully scientific, when consistent enough it does paint a very particular picture to collectors, in this case that Mutt Williams is a major pegwarmer doing his best to choke the line to death, even with his snazzy jacket. Obviously there is disparity between Hasbro's take and collectors' take on this, and if collectors are right, then Hasbro's focus on Mutt would bury the line up to its neck in quicksand, so any thoughts where that disparity comes from?
2) Might Hasbro look into extending the range of motion on the ball-hinged elbows and knees? The current range is only around 90 degrees, while in the movies the elbows are often seen very closed holding weapons close to the chest or face, so the joint often should go around 135-150 degrees to represent that. With the inclusion of ball-hinged wrists and ankles, and now even hips on a few nifty Jedi, the amount of expression that these figures can produce is bordering on truly realistic, so isn't it time that the elbows and knees go there too?
3) With the '09 Indiana Jones figures, you say that their future is the hands of how the line does over the upcoming holiday season. Assuming that the '09 line does not make it to retail, what would become of those figures, would they become exclusives perhaps through HasbroToyShop, or not produced at all? That has come up with canceled Star Wars items too, where the question is the same: if those molds were not to be run at all, how would not running the molds make a return on the investments of whatever finished but unused tooling exists? Wouldn't making part of its money back on a smaller run of product be more help defray those already-spent tooling costs better than ensuring no possible return on the toolings' costs?
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From Cool Toy Review:
1) Is the German Mechanic figure shown in the second Raiders of the Lost Ark wave scheduled for January going to include any accessories (wrench, removable hat and shirt etc...)?
Also, would it be possible to see a picture of the stands that will be included in this wave as well as Mola Ram without his head dress?
2) What is your internal "doomsday date" to determine the future of the Indiana Jones line at retail? Or, what specific date in the coming months is the "point of no return" for Indy's future? Will there be enough time to "rescue" the line to produce and distribute post-Temple Of Doom/Wave 4 if the Indy line indeed starts to sell at a faster pace?
3) Would you consider continuing the line as online exclusives with a higher per-figure price if it is not feasible to continue the line at stores like Wal-Mart and Target? In order to get figures like Oxley, Mac, Donovan, and Marcus collectors would be willing to pay more.
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From Indiana Jones Collectors:
1) Is there any plan in the future for a deluxe 12" Indiana Jones with more accessories and better detail that's in the $50-$60 dollar range such as the 12" 100th Luke Skywalker from the Power of the Jedi line or the 12" Anakin/Darth Vader from the Revenge of the Sith line or is that being held aside for Sideshow?
2) Recently images have appeared online for the Akator Playset that now features two additional bonus figures (Mutt and Spalko). Is this an exclusive or will it see a full release to all stores?
3) Will we see a vehicle, deluxe set, or exclusive of Henry and Indiana Jones with the motorcycle and sidecar as in The Last Crusade?
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From Toy News International:
1) Will there be any kind of exclusives released with the upcoming Crystal Skull DVD?
2) It's been said that the longevity of this line would be based on sales. If by chance the level of sales for this line was not enough for retailers to continue to carry it, would there be any chance of Hasbro continuing the lime in some sort of limited release through someplace like the HasbroToyShop in the future?
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