Got Questions?

Questions for December 23, 2003
Q&A Archive

Allow me to be the first on the Rebelscum team to wish everyone a happy holiday! I'll be in Chicago next week visiting family so no updates until after the first of the year, but please keep those questions coming. Thanks to all that wrote in, I'll look forward to hearing from the rest of you soon.

On with the show:

1
Since Sly Morre seems to be a possibility for figurization next year, it has me wondering if perhaps she's loaned her likeness to the Clone Wars' own Asajj Ventress, (the non-cartoon version)? Cuz they look the same really and with that Real Scan stuff all the kids are into well... it just seems that this may be the case. The fact that Ayy Vida & Shakka of " Watto's Box " fame have the SAME HEAD kinda sheds a bit of err... proof or something on this too. Do ya think? -Fraggle

At this point it's just too early to say for sure. To my knowledge Sly Moore is still just a rumor, and as such anything is possible. Being released roughly within a year of each other, I tend to think sharing head sculpts will not be the case, but stranger things have been known to happen. While the two may share some similar attributes, pale skin and a bald dome, the sculpt on Asajj really isn't even close to what is should be for Sly anyway. I'd be surprised if it was the same, but it's far too early to know at this point.


2
I was just wondering if you know anything about Hasbro bringing back the Star Wars Micro Machines line at some point. Recently, with the release of the Clone Wars cartoon and the new range of MM's, do you see any chance of this happening in the near future? -Adam

There is a chance we could see that line return in 2005, but it will depend heavily on how well MicroMachines perform in the meantime. If the brand is doing well, there's a very good chance Hasbro will revive the Star Wars end of it, if not chances are less likely. With Andy Espenshade heading up the new MM line, and his experience leading the Star Wars brand for the last few years, I'm sure Star Wars MicroMachines would be in excellent hands, but we'll just have to wait and see if all the cards fall into place.


3
I was just wondering if Hasbro has ever made a Lightsaber that is spring loaded. I know all of the ones released as part of the Saga line are not and it is funny to see parents looking at them and following the instructions and wonder why the blade is not popping out. I understand the reasons for Hasbro not making one, but I had this strange feeling that their Darth Maul saber was spring loaded. Could you please help? -Troy

No, I don't think Hasbro has ever made a spring-loaded lightsaber. Rubies Episode I sabers did feature a locking mechanism that held the blade in place when it was retracted; basically so you could hang it from your belt without tripping over the extended blade. The same basic principle was applied to Hasbro's non-electronic sabers, but nothing they've made has ever 'popped out,' it's probably too much of a safety issue.


4
Where's the rest of my Hoth Trooper ('04 Evacuation)? He's so short. He only comes to the shoulder of the old green-card Hoth trooper. Also, have you noticed R-3po's legs are shorter than K-3po's? Is Hasbro cutting back?

Well, I'm sure there was a little height variance between the ranks of the Rebel Defenders on Hoth, but I see where you're coming from. Off the cuff I'd say whoever sculpted this figure was more concerned with detail than making sure it fit in with other figures in the line. It certainly looks nice, though quite a bit shorter that it should be. In fact the new Hoth Luke, which comes in the same wave dwarfs the Trooper, and that's saying quite a bit considering (as we all know) Luke is barely tall enough to pass as a Stormtrooper… It's certainly one for Hasbro to explain.

Hadn't noticed that with R-3PO, but I'll take your word for it. So is Hasbro cutting back? While I'm sure they save some money using less plastic in their figures, I can't image it being enough to justify risking their reputation with their fans and collectors. Considering other new figures are 'normal' height, I think both instances here are merely oversights, not a new trend. At least let's hope not…


5
I recently purchased the Saga Deluxe Yoda with Super Battle Droid. The back of the packaging says to push Yoda towards the Super Battle Droid to "Force-push" him off. The description shows a picture that suggests that the springboard on the base is supposed to flip open, throwing the droid off of the base. However, this doesn't seem to be working for me. The springboard doesn't pop open as suggested. The only way it'll open is if I do it manually. Am I doing something wrong, or is my purchase defective?

It's not overtly obvious, and the description doesn't provide much help, but the lever does activate the springboard. What you need to do is run the concealed end of the lever across the front (inside) of the base. There is a trigger inside that will release the hinge and pop the SBD off his feet. I've tried it myself, it takes some practice and a little finesse, but yours should be able to do the same. Let me know if that doesn't work out.


6
I have recently acquired a small Opee Sea Killer figure and was trying to find some info on where it may have originally come from. It's about 3" long, hard plastic and is larger than the one in the E1 Battle Bag Sea Creatures assortment. It is completely molded in orange plastic with painted yellow eyes and white teeth. In its open mouth is a small hole that looks like an artifact from the mold process. The two front fins rotate independently. The only markings on the piece are '©Lucasfilm Ltd. Applause/China'. I had initially done some searches for applause figures but that only gives me the action figures (either vinyl or PVC). Any ideas?

Try searching happy meal toys. Well maybe not "Happy Meal Toys" but it sounds like what you have is one of the food premiums from the Episode I campaign. I believe KFC was giving out something like that, but I recall it had a Gungan sub attached to it. That maybe what the hole in the mouth was for originally, though it sounds like the one you have is missing that part. Applause did produce the toys for those offers so this would make the most sense. Hope that helps.


7
Any idea where I might find the Don Post life-size Boba Fett statue? I've been searching eBay and the web for months and have come up with nothing. If you could point me in a new direction or have any ideas I would appreciate it. -Phil Rivera

Try picking up one of the collector/toy magazines and looking up an ad for Tally-Ho Studios. Last time I checked, they had the life-sized Boba Fett available, but it was not cheap. Other than that I really wouldn't know where to send you, that piece (for good reason) is one of the hardest life-size to track down; I'm afraid eBay won't help. Good luck!


8
Earlier this year I had heard rumored that Target would be getting a second assortment of deluxe figure accessory packs similar to the Hoth Soldier and Death Star Trooper Packs from last year. From what I recall, a Battle of Yavin set was planned to include a Rebel Technician and I believe the watchtower turret from Episode IV. What happened to these and what other figures were tentatively planned for this assortment? -Dave

Apparently, Target decided to pass on the second wave, and with good reason. The first assortment didn't necessarily sell out; tons of them eventually made it to the clearance aisle and in some stores it got to the point where they couldn't give them away. A very nice idea, but not the best execution. Having been saddled with an item that didn't perform well, I'm sure Target saw the writing on the wall and passed on the follow-up wave. As of last summer a few Hasbro employees implied there could be other ways of releasing some of the figures and accessories (most likely the TRU 4-packs) but so far nothing has shown up with those themes. Other figures rumored to be in the second wave were a Gungan Warrior and Gamorrean Guard. At one point all three showed up on eBay in prototype form, but that appears to be as far as they got.


9
Is Hasbro planning to release a Poggle the Lesser figure besides the one in the War Room set? I'm not to high on the idea of spending $20 on the half set just for one figure. I'm not holding my breath because I know they are shifting away from Ep. II and toward the Saga.

Also any more news on the "Clone Wars" DVD? Last I heard it was Christmas this year. Any idea of the layout? Will it be in the chapter format or in one non-stop mini-movie? The non-stop format is more wishful thinking than anything.

What is the next wave scheduled to hit and when is it to hit. All I've been seeing for a few weeks is the Clone Wars Wave 2 (Obi-Wan, Mace) and the Padmé Secret Ceremony Wave. Speaking of, just I start to lose faith in Hasbro when they release a figure as bad as the lastest Emperor, they spend the time to do a figure like Padmé. The entire figure is very well done. I was extremely impressed they produced the detail of the garter belt. If only they spent that much time on all of their figures, imagine the possibilities. -Dave

No word at all on a single carded Poggle the Lesser, rumor or otherwise. I'd suggest, if you want this figure, coughing up the cash for the Screen Scene and enjoying all the little extra accessories that come with it. As we move further away from Episode II, it becomes less likely side characters like Poggle will be released, and unless he plays a role in Episode III, this may be your only chance.

No word on the Clone Wars DVD yet, but the Christmas rumor has been sufficiently laid to rest. We probably won't see any kind of DVD release until after the second part airs in the spring, at which time it will include all the episodes, or chapters. As far as a format for the DVD, I'm sure you'll be able to view it by individual chapter, not so sure it will be edited into one sixty-minute feature. As cool as it would be to see the whole story unfold without interruption, it remains to be seen if Cartoon Network feels the same way.

The most recent waves to hit have been the Clone Wars wave 3 (Kit, Saesee, and Clone Trooper), Hoth Luke wave (with R-3PO and Hoth Trooper), and the Jedi Luke wave (with R2-D2 and R1-G4). Reports have been sporadic, but as time goes by we should see them showing up in more areas. After that, the next wave to ship looks to be the Jabba's Palace assortment featuring Lando Skiff, Luke Hologram, J'Quille, and Shawda Ubb (Rappertunie). Several sites have advertised this wave for February with the 'Battle of Yavin' wave to follow in March.

Yeah, there are times when you do wish for a more consistent level of quality from Hasbro, the latest Emperor figure and the new Hoth Trooper leave a lot to be desired, but over all they are doing very good work. It's a real shame when a figure comes that lowers the standard, but I guess that's the way it goes.

10
In response to the claim that Lucasfilm has stated that we are getting the original SW trilogy on DVD next year and the fact that there has been an online petition with thousands of signatures requesting the untouched versions of SW to be released on DVD (not the special editions). What odds do we have, however slim they may be, that when Lucasfilm says we're getting the "original trilogy on DVD" do you think it's at all possible they mean the true originals not the special editions? Knowing they'll sell like hotcakes anyway, they can take the extra time to fine tune and finish up their "extra special editions" for DVD release some time after Ep. 3 is done; I don't find it too hard to believe. Lucas is a true businessman who knows how to make tons of money. By advertising and releasing the originals next year, he'd easily earn an extra 100 million bucks. Just wondering if I'm the only one who thinks this? -Andy

I'm sure you're not the only one to come up with this thought; question is what does Lucas want? Does he want his "unfinished / abandoned" films out there, or does he want what he considers the finished versions? Unfortunately for fans of the original films, I get the feeling he'll side on what he considers the finished versions. Whether that means the Special Editions as we saw them in theaters, or a new Ultimate Edition remains to be seen, but I can't see him making the release due out at the end of 2004 anything less than the Special Editions. That being said, it would be much harder to try and market the original versions with the new and improved Special Editions already out there. The best move would be to start with the originals, followed by the Special Editions or better, or to offer it all in one comprehensive box set. I'm sure for a lot of fans, myself included, they'll never be satisfied until the original theatrical versions are released, but at this point it doesn't look like Lucas is leaning that way.


Until next time...