Questions for May 20, 2004
Q&A Archive

As promised, another twenty questions for your reading pleasure. Thanks again to all who wrote, I may be a little late next week, but I’ve got another round in the works. Keep those cards and letters comin’!

On with the show:

1
Are there any plans to do any more mini LEGO sets? These were really cool and there are still several ships and vehicles that they could do. -jdelmo13

While it’s not a resounding affirmative, LEGO’s Jake McKee teases us a bit saying “anything is a possibility…” Honestly, if the line were through I would think LEGO would come right out and say so. Considering the sets are simple and reach a more convenient price point I imagine we’ll see more mini vehicles offered in next year’s line up.


2
I recently purchased the vintage Death Star Space Station playset on eBay. I was hard on this one as a kid and I thought that Hasbro wouldn’t release it again. I kept my Hoth and Ewok Village sets in good shape. They work well with the new figures. What are the chances of Hasbro re-tooling and re-issuing these awesome playsets to us, the fans? -Erik from Pittsburgh

Sorry say it, but I’m guessing the chances are slim to none. Playsets have not done well at retail in the modern line, and didn’t do all that well in the vintage line either if memory serves. They are a nice add on item to the basic figure line, a lot of collectors like them to complete scenes, but many collectors just as easily take a pass on them. There have been rumors throughout the recent line that this or that vintage playset was coming, but they never seem to develop. Based on size and price point, I seriously doubt retail is much interested in dedicating the shelf space required to offer them when they could just as easily offer something more popular. There have been rumors Hasbro will re-release a couple of the Power of the Force II playsets (Endor Attack and Hoth Ice Battle), but nothing new (or older) has been mentioned and it remains to be seen if this indeed will happen.


3
It seems to me that the reason stores seem to "drop" certain Hasbro exclusives is because the majority of these exclusives are repaints or repacks and collector's who already have the previous version of the figure don't see any point in spending $30+ for a ship just to get a repainted X-Wing pilot etc!

Of course the marketing departments of these stores probably doesn't know if the figure is a repaint or repack and therefore they're skeptical about carrying certain SW items beyond a certain price range. Perhaps if Hasbro released something UNIQUE as a store exclusive it would sell well (much like the 1st Y-Wing etc) instead of the ridiculous new TRU X-Wing. I believe this is the 3rd variation of this sculpt we've seen? It almost seems like an insult to us collectors because I get the idea that Hasbro must think that, "If it says STAR WARS on it they'll buy it".

Has Rebelscum ever had a Probe Droid poll asking if collectors are tired of repacks? 'Cuz I sure the heck am.

Sorry but I needed to vent.

It’s hard to say exactly why a retailer would pick up an exclusive just to turn around and drop it, but your point about ‘over doing’ certain items clearly doesn’t help. Track record is everything; while an exclusive toy might be a nice thing for Hasbro to offer one of their retail partners, if it doesn’t perform well it doesn’t do anyone any favors. If Hasbro creates a reputation for Star Wars exclusives that causes retail to re-think picking them up, future offerings may be more difficult to place. I cringe lately when I walk into a Toys ‘R’ Us and see stacks of the Red Leader X-Wings just sitting there; with very little going for it, this can’t be a good sign. To make matters worse, now we’ve got the OTC X-Wing coming up to compete with it. If TRU ends up sitting on this for too long, who knows what’s they’ll say to next year’s exclusive. Bottom line; Hasbro has to start making these exclusives something special; they have to start putting more thought into them, improving upon previous versions, and making sure what they’re offering is worth buying.

We've danced around the repacks issue in the Probe Droid, and I wouldn't have any problem running one, but I think the results are pretty obvious.


4
Regarding the recent Bust-Up poll - From what I’ve heard these will be sold in sealed boxed. You will not know what is in the box until you buy it and open it. That makes it impossible to buy only the ones you want. It also means unless you buy them by the case you won’t be able to buy a complete set without buying duplicates. Please tell me I’m wrong. -Darth Ray

I wish I could tell you you’re wrong, but it does look to be that way. I’d guess Gentle Giant is banking on these becoming trading pieces; the problem I see is at $5 a pop it’s not exactly what I’d call consumer friendly. Five dollars for what’s essentially only half an action figure, and you don’t even know what you’re going to end up with…? Kids may get into this trading stuff, collectors not so much. Where collectors would easily part with the money for this type of thing, I’m pretty sure they’d want to know what it is they’re buying first. As for kids, I question whether or not they have an extra five dollars to plunk down on these after they’re finished buying everything else they’re into these days. Some how I see other things being more of a priority, maybe if the Bust-Ups were more in the two to three dollar range they would sound better, as is they’ll have a hard time competing with the upcoming miniatures game. I guess we’ll see how it goes, I honestly think Gentle Giant has something here, I just don’t think the way they’ve chosen to market it will do the line any favors.


5
In your opinion, do you think we'll see all 92 vintage figures (96 if you count Yak Face, C-3PO w/removable limbs, and the two other R2s) in the OTC line? Also, do you think the OTC line will end when Episode III comes out? -Dan

Assuming you mean the OTC Vintage line, I absolutely do not think Hasbro would recreate all 92 (or 96, depending on your point of view) figures from the original Kenner line. In fact, according to what I’ve heard, we won’t get anything past the twelve figures announced so far. Hasbro could come close if they were planning to do this with the Basic Figure line, but I would’ve expected to see more evidence of this at Toy Fair, and more new figures announced by now. As you mentioned, Episode III will hit theaters next May, the toys should start to hit next April, if this is indeed the plan Hasbro needs to get cracking on the rest of the Kenner figures that have yet to be updated. If Hasbro stays true to form, the OTC line will end once we get into Episode III. Hasbro admitted trying to run two lines around the time of Episode I was a mistake, I can’t see them making that same mistake again.


6
I noticed on your site the link to Lee's toy figures about the OTC figures. I clicked the link and it brought up all kinds of pics of the OTC line. And it also says they are now hitting stores and are available now. So, since Hasbro is now putting things on the OTC packaging, does this mean that the eagerly UNanticipated Hall of Fame line is now defunct since their cards were all on the saga packaging? -Bryan K. Day

From the looks of it, the Hall of Fame line has now been absorbed by the OTC line. Many, if not all, of the Classic Trilogy figures from that short-lived line will be re-re-released on OTC packaging. While some HOF cases may continue to show up after the OTC line appears, no new HOF assortments are planned. Hard to say for sure at this point, but once we’re beyond OTC, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hasbro bring the ‘Hall of Fame’ line back, kept under control it’s a pretty good way to keep core characters on the shelf – especially if it opens up opportunities for more new characters in the standard Basic line.


7
Will we ever see Ephant Mon on retail again? Will we ever see Kitik Keed'kak on retail shelves? Any word on upcoming characters from the cantina or Jabba's court?

While Kitik has been rumored as part of an exclusive scene pack possibly going to K-Mart, there’s been no word regarding Ephant Mon’s return. I would think the OTC line would be an excellent chance to dust the big guy off for re-release, but… Surprisingly there are no new cantina figures announced for 2004. I would have thought with the DVD release and the impact the cantina scenes had on fans all those years ago Hasbro would have had something special planned, but I guess not. As for more of Jabba’s goons, nothing has been announced beyond what’s out this year. I imagine one day we’ll see more characters from these classic Star Wars scenes, but unfortunately it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer.


8
I was just wondering if you could give me the exact list of the Clone Wars Chef Boyardee promotional cans and boxes. I had heard of a can with Grievous on it, but never saw any sign of one. I have relatives that work for grocery stores and even had them look for it, and even they didn’t see one.

As far as we know, a complete listing can be found here in our Jedi Archives. So far nothing has shown up with Grievous on it, and we haven’t heard of one out there; it’s possible this was a rumor only. If it does turn up, I’m sure Anne and here pesky analysis droids will be sure to catalog it.


9
I like the idea of the new Star Wars figures on vintage cardbacks. I also like the star cases they are shipping them in. My concern is if the bubbles they put the figures in are going to have the same attention given to them. Are they going to use plastic that doesn't yellow or are we going to have a great idea go bad in a few years and have problems just like the original vintage line? -Chris

There’s been no mention that Hasbro will be using any different type of bubble on these figures than they do the rest of their figures. Considering we’ve seen this problem with the vintage Kenner figures, as well as with the Hasbro Power of the Force II figure, I think it’s safe to assume we’ll continue to see this problem on all the modern figures – including the new vintage style OTC. Remember, Hasbro makes toys – not collectibles…

10
Will there be more marmits or what? - matt

At this point it doesn’t look good. It’s been some time since the last Marmit figures were announce/rumored, and nothing has come of them. Either the line is on indefinite hold, or they lost whatever license they had. The shame of it is Hasbro’s own 12” line appears to be heading down the drain, with Marmit out of the picture there’s little left for fans of the big action figures.

11
I thought I had read that Gentle Giant was going to be doing a Darth Vader statue like the upcoming Chewbacca one. I emailed Gentle Giant and asked and below is the response I got. I wondered if you had any further information on this as I am sure I saw something on your sight about it in the past. -Joe

Dear Joe,

Thank you for your email.

A character such as Darth Vader is certainly one we plan on making in statue format someday. Unfortunately, we cannot predict when.

All products, promotions, exclusives, and other items related to our products are officially announced first through our website and our collector’s club.

Sincerely,

Gentle Giant Customer Service

Interesting, I’ve gone back through our Toy Fair coverage, and scoped out our archive/checklists, and found no mention of a Vader statue by Gentle Giant. Attakus has both coming up this year; it’s possible you confused the two manufacturers. I’m sure Gentle Giant will do a Vader statue some day, though as their email indicates, it doesn’t look like one is planned at this time.

12
Why is it that online shops charge 100% to 130% more then a normal retail store? I understand they don't have the same buying power as stores like Toys R Us but they also don't have the same overhead costs. An example would be one of the online stores charging $23.99 plus shipping for an Ultra Jabba compared to a normal retailer price of $9.99/11.99. I have often looked at the sites to scope out figures that I've had a hard time finding but always opt to wait until I find it at the stores. Other then a hand full of figures (the same figures most couldn't find) I have found what I was looking for at an un-inflated price by just checking the retail stores diligently. I would gladly pay a little more from the online stores to save me the hassle but not twice plus. Tell your sponsors/online retailers if they want to move product sell at a reasonable price.

One more thing Mr. Mark. Please tell the whining writers of those "I can't find anything right when I want it so yell at the retailers for me" letters to find out when toys come in at their area stores and be tactful about going when they are suppose to come in. It might take a couple trips but generally you'll get what you want within a reasonable amount of time without spending a small fortune at toy shows and online retailers. Mix up what stores you hit and when you hit them. Check early morning or before close. Networking with a few local collectors is also a good idea. That way if you find stuff you can email them with the location and vice versa. Like I said before other then a few figures (damn that TC-13 and Sio Babble!) I have found most of the figures. Make the hunt part of the fun.

Depending on the store and their individual situation, overhead could be more substantial than that of the big box chains. Let’s face it; most of these on-line shops are just selling toys, many of them specializing in only a certain type of toy. On the other hand, most big box retail chains have a much wider variety of products to spread their overhead across. More people come to them for more types of things; this is what’s allowed them to drive the mom and pop store out of business (a very sad fact…), and why Wal-Mart (with their modest toys section) is the largest toy seller in the nation – not Toys ‘R’ Us. No one opens an on-line store out of the goodness of their heart; this is a business just like any other and driven by profit. As I said, I can’t speak to any one case, but I would assume the prices that are being asked for these toys are necessary for these businesses to remain open and profitable. Considering what they are up against, I can’t begrudge any of the on-line guys what they’re charging for their toys. I wish them all the best of luck, but as a consumer I have the final say in what I’m willing to pay for my toys and where best place is for me to buy them.

Well, I can certainly understand the frustration and the anxiety surrounding the hobby, but I have to agree; the hunt is all part of the fun. In most cases everything is revealed within time, and many times if you wait long enough you can get what you need on clearance. When all else fails there’s always eBay, which isn’t so bad either if you keep a cool head.

13
I just visited my local Toys R Us and discovered Darth Sidious and Jedi Luke from the Star Wars Unleashed lines on revamped cards. I don't recall hearing about this anywhere and was quite surprised to see them. My question is will there be other hard to find Unleashed figures with new cards released in the future? It sure would be swell to find Darth Vader or Princess Leia hangin' on the pegs don't ya think:)

I’m not sure about Vader, but Slave Leia is currently shipping with AOTC Obi-Wan. What the future will hold is anyone’s guess; the line on its own has been difficult to pick up at retail. If Hasbro wanted they could probably re-card several others (like Mace Windu or Darth Tyranus) but I’d hope they would spread them out between new waves of figures. We’ll have to wait and see…

14
Now that the Star Wars Insider was taken over by IDG Entertainment do I have to subscribe to Hyperspace just so I can keep receiving the Star Wars Insider? $39.95 seems a little steep for 6 issues ($8.00 each issue) when all I want is the magazine. Or do they have a package for those fans who have no use for hyperspace & just want the subscription? -Dan

While I thought I had read otherwise, according to the official site you cannot subscribe to the magazine alone. The $40 membership includes both the print magazine and a subscription to Hyperspace, there doesn’t seem to be an ‘either or’ option. If you absolutely don’t want to spend that kind of cash for services you don’t think you’ll use, I assume the Insider will still be available at newsstands following its initial release to Fan Club members. I wish I had better news for you, but it seems if fans want to continue to receive the Insider in the comfort of their own mailbox, they’re going to have to dig a little deeper for it.

15
Hay Mark, What is the difference between the gungan warrior that came with the fambaa and the potj aside from the color, and which one do you think will be released with the theed 4 pack? Speaking about toys r us 4 packs don't you think an episode 1 (naboo royal starship) based pack with r2b1, the red r2, potj r2d2 and a new painted one (there are plenty of colors to chose from) would be a great idea. It would give Hasbro a chance to get some of the more difficult figures to find out to the public again. Do you think the General Rieekan looks just like democrat presidential candidate John Kerry?

Though the two figures clearly share some of the same parts, it looks like the head and torso are the major differences. While the arms look to have been tweaked a bit, the legs are a dead match. Not to say that Hasbro cut corners on this figure, but their work was clearly based on the Hasbro Direct version that originally shipped with the Fambaa. As for which will come in the TRU set; as much as I’d like to see some kind of re-deco on either of these figures, my feeling is we won’t. I want to think they’ll go with the better POTJ mold, but we are dealing with Hasbro Direct… Frankly, it’s anyone’s guess at this point.

A Naboo Escape set could be cool, but I don’t see Hasbro filling it with just droids. I think the best we could hope for in this set would be one droid and three other figures; probably a Queen, Panaka, and Qui-Gon… maybe a Jar Jar. R2-B1 would be a good choice, I’m sure a lot of collectors would like another crack at him, but those that already have this figure would probably hope for something new, and honestly something new would probably be best for this set.

Rieekan look like Kerry, nah.

16
My boy loves the Playskool Star Wars line. I noticed that the Star Wars Shop shows some new figures including two-packs coming out in August. Any chance there will be more playsets or ships, or is it just figures? -John

I heard this nearly a year ago and the plan could have easily changed (most likely did), but at one time Hasbro was thinking of starting with the figures then gradually working in more sets and vehicles. At this point I’m happy with the figures alone, my son can’t wait, and should vehicles come later all the better. The figures going to retail (and not an exclusive as originally planned) is a good sign. If they do well, I would assume anything is possible.

17
Ok we have Stormtrooper, Sandtrooper and Rebel soldier army builder sets. Is there any chance Hasbro is working on putting out a Clone Trooper (using the SA mold) set? This seems like an obvious moneymaker and a way to keep collectors happy.

No sign at all. Keep in mind these were all originally planned as Fan Club sets prior to Piazo’s reign. There hasn’t been any serious talk of new sets since the last couple showed up. As much as a welcome site this might be, there hasn’t been any mention of it, and I don’t see much hope at this point.

18
A question that's sure to annoy a few readers. In parts of Episode 2, Anakin's costume looks red to me. I realize it gets darker as the movie goes on, and the various Anakin 3 & 3/4" figures all reflect the darker, brown costume. Oddly, the 12" figure looks red.

Since Hasbro's supposedly making two versions of Han in Hoth (I've never seen the brown one), any chance they'll make a "red" Anakin? I've tried customizing my own with bad results. I'm hoping the upcoming Jedi Council Screen Scene (or whatever they're calling them now) will have a "red" Anakin, but I'm not holding my breath. I would think they'd jump at the chance to make another Anakin variation - and yes, I realize I may be the only person on earth who cares. - Stephen

I think the variations you’re seeing in the costume are more a result of lighting changes in the individual scenes than a deliberate costume change. As for Hasbro picking up on this as they did with the blue coat/brown coat Han Hoth; I don’t see much chance of that. Then again, if a controversy arises among fans, like the Han coat debate, I guess we could see something in roughly ten years time…

19
I was wondering if you could tell me if the Droid and Ewok TV shows have been or are going to be released on video or DVD. I've never seen the shows so I want to see them. -Chris Bergquist

A few episodes were released on video a couple years ago, a cassette for Droids, and a cassette for Ewoks. Lately there’s been word that Lucasfilm will eventually release the two series on DVD, but I don’t recall any details having been announced yet. Stay tooned…

20
Way back in 1991...when I got back into Star Wars collecting...I saw two real rarities at a Toy Show. They were carded samples of two of the second series Ewoks from the Ewoks cartoon shows. I remember they were for sale for $1200 each. Way back then...I didn't have that kind of money...but now, I wish I had gotten them somehow. How many carded versions are known to exist from the second series Ewok & Droids lines?

Based on an article I just read that stated there were roughly fifty rocket firing Boba Fetts in existence, of which only a handful have surfaced, I’d say it’s impossible to know exactly how many carded samples of the cancelled Ewoks/Droids figures could be out there. In addition, even trying to track down those that are known to exist is not an easy task. As far as I know there is no catalog or registry keeping track of these figures, and no way to say with any certainty how many have been found. Bottom line is they are among the rarest of figures and to a collector interested in having these in their collection, worth every penny of the asking price if found.


Until next time...


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