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) What are the chances we could get a Comic Pack set of Siri Tachi in "Zora" disguise and Obi-Wan in "Bakleeda" disguise from Jedi Quest? It gets you a new character and a core character which helps sell it, but in a new look which adds action figure credibility and is spawned right from the series.
2) A while back, we asked about the possibilities of pre-orders on the HasbroToyShop website, your response was enthusiastic and passed along to the HTS team, but since then there has been no change to that matter. Since that time, gas prices have soared to nearly double, making it far more difficult for collectors to hit their local retailers day in and day out to find the newest Star Wars figures. With this in mind, might we see a preorder system on HTS any time soon? If not, why not?
3) At Toy Fair in both New York and now Australia, from the Padme Amidala Legacy Evolutions set, the Revenge of the Sith Padme figure is shown without her japor-snippet necklace that she wore in the film with this costume, Anakin even makes a point of it in the movie, making it a fairly integeral aspect to this character and an odd item not to include. Will this be a separate accessory included with the final product?
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WELCOME! From Cool Toy Review: 1) Do you plan to complete the vintage line of Indiana Jones figures? Meaning, can we hope for modern versions of Toht, German Mechanic, Marion in dress, Indy in German uniform, and Belloq in white suit?
2) With all the attention on recent releases of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles DVDs, will there be any characters from this TV series in action figure form?
3) At Toy Fair, it was hinted at the possibility of another playset...the Well of the Souls...which sounds like a great idea, BTW... Would you consider making is as a series of smaller playset environments like the current deluxe line so that they can be placed together to create the larger scene?
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From Galactic Hunter: 1) Any chance of seeing Mara Jade from the Comic 2-Pack re-released on a basic card some day with a repainted black bodysuit instead of the comic-based blue color scheme? She'd be a great candidate for a future re-deco wave, and well deserving of basic card status. (And... could you retool her head a bit? The Comic 2-Pack head's hair prevents too much articulation, and it can't even be pushed all the way down onto the peg.)
2) Ackmena (as performed by Bea Arthur, legend, thespian, poet, American Treasure, and former U.S. Marine) does LFL own the rights to this character from the 1978 Star Wars: Holiday Special? (No, we're not asking you to make her, just asking if you have the right to do so in any event?) She was a U.S. Marine for Dorothy Zbornak's sake!
3) O.K. Let's imagine a glorious future. The Clone Wars is a massive hit (which is likely). How big would the Juggernaut/Rolling Slab/Turbo Tank vehicle be? Cost? What say you?
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From Jedi Defender: 1) What is the status of the Target exclusive Battle Rancor from The Force Unleashed? At Toy Fair, we heard Mid-April, but April’s over and we haven’t seen them yet. Has it been delayed until the game’s release or is it just a bit late?
2) Are you guys ready to talk about the TRU exclusive “Disturbance at the Lars Homestead” Battle Pack yet? If so, what can we expect - an Original Trilogy set, a Prequel Era set, or an EU themed set?
3) Do you have any pics of the second version of the Rebel Pilot Legacy set yet (the one with the Red B-Wing Pilot)? We’re all interested to see how the Red B-Wing pilot and the rest of the set turned out!
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From Jedi Insider: 1) Any chance of getting an Episode 1 Senate Guard figure using the Revenge Of the Sith Senate Guard/Royal Guard body?
2) With the upcoming "Droid Factory" line coming out soon, are there any plans to expand this idea beyond just Protocol and Astromech droids? Any chance of bringing back the actual "Droid Factory" playset in some shape or form in the future?
3) When will official images of the BMF Falcon, be released for all to see?
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From JediNews.co.uk: 1) Who designs the packaging for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones products? Is this done in-house by Hasbro or by an outside agency that works with you and LucasFilm? What’s the process that this goes through?
2) A while ago we brought up the fact that we were fast approaching another milestone figure (like 500th Vader or 300th Boba Fett), probably figure number 1,000. You said that something was in the works and would reveal soon – that was many months ago and we wondered if this had been lost in the mix or was still happening. Can you bring us up-to-date with this news and if there are pictures to show can you please reveal?
3) How do you feel that some retailers here in the UK have already broken the 1st May release date for the Indiana Jones product line (Adventure Heroes, 3¾”Figures and LEGO)? How far do you go to force the release dates and what lengths will you do to try and ensure the 26th July date is met for the Clone Wars?
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From Jedi Temple Archives: 1) Now that Cade Skywalker is going to have two basic figure releases is there any chance to see Ben Skywalker or any of the Solo children as basic figures?
2) The response to the electronic features on the AT-TE at Toy Fair seem to have been very positive. I also noticed that there were a good number of buttons for electronic features on the recently leaked images of the pending Millenium Falcon (very nice, I must say). Are we trending back somewhat toward electronic features? Has the technology improved enough to make electronic features more viable? Does the improved state of LED lights and sound chips make onboard electronics more feasible? Also, is this something that would probably be limited to larger vehicles? And could we eventually see some like say....a Target exclusive Gold 5 Y-Wing that says "STAY ON TARGET" at some point in the not-too-distant future?
3) Why did Hasbro decide to make their Clone Wars figure line incompatible with the rest of the 3.75" figure line? When it comes to play-patterns and the ability for Hasbro to reuse body-parts/components from previously released figures, this move seems like a huge gamble. Has Hasbro thought of the possibility that many collectors will pass on the figures in this line (like they did for the previous cartoon Clone Wars-inspired line) because they do not conform with the other line that has been running since 1995?
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From MouseDroid.com: 1) How many Astro Droids and Protocol Droids do you predict we will see in the Droid Factory series in the 2008-09 line up? Who comes up with the design? Does Lucasfilm have a huge file that the developed during the preproduction of the prequels, that you can reference, or do you get to make the designs yourself and then Lucasfilm approves them. If the latter is the case, would you like to see your designs end up in the television shows?
2) Are there any plans to retool the Imperial Officer, Death Star Trooper, or AT-AT Driver? so they do not have those awkward looking swivel elbows? Or are these figures on a long term list to get the whole "SA treatment" sometime in the near future?
3) Yoda is one of the few smaller characters that you seem to be able to do as a single carded figure, and not as a 2-Pack. However, due to his less active role in the series (and lack of costume changes) it seems that accessories are a way to make him seem more appealing. Having said that, what are the chances of us ever see a Yoda with the Holographic Communication Table he uses on Kashyyyk to communicate with the Jedi Council
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From Raving Toy Maniac: 1) Will there be a price increase for the Star Wars figures like the recent one for GI Joe figures?
2) Are there any plans of releasing blank Mighty Muggs through the Hasbro site?
3) Which versions of Han Solo and Chewie come with the Millennium Falcon?
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From Sandtroopers.com: 1) There are a couple of versions and characters of the Force Unleashed characters we don't have: PROXY, Shaak Ti, Juno Eclipse as a rebel and a few Stormtrooper variants. Can you confirm how many figures from TFU we are getting in 2008-09? Other than the ones we know about, of course.
2) Originally we were told that TAC '08 would begin shipping in March. But in early January, we started seeing these hit the shelves. Your explanation was that they were ready early so you shipped them early (and I'm sure most of us didn't mind that). Now my question is this: if the Clone Wars toys are ready early, will you ship them prior to the July 26th date? And if not, do you have anything coming out between then and now to hold us over? That's still almost 3 months away, and it's been at least a month since we've gotten anything new!
3) The Basic Figures this year look great! But there is a lack of Original Trilogy in it, other than Legacy Wave 1, an ANH Wave, the Hoth BP and some Droid Factory figures. Is this due to some shifting that we have heard about?
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From Sir Steve's Guide: 1) Are there folks today at Hasbro who were working on the Star Wars line back when it was reborn in 1995? Was there any clue behind-the-scenes back then that the Star Wars toy line would garner such a huge adult collector following? Were adult collectors considered at all on any level back then when forging the line's beginnings? What do you folks think of the extensive adult collector enthusiasm for the line today, 13 years later?
2) With a wave pushed out of this year making way for another repaint wave, does this give Episode I fans a chance to buy some figures in 2008? There's the oft-requested Holographic Nute Gunray, or perhaps a different color variation to the Post-OTC Queen's Handmaiden (Rabe) figure. This could compliment nicely next year's Ep 1 wave that you've already confirmed, so, what do you say?
3) With The Force Unleashed videogame being pushed back to mid-September, will TFU product be re-released to coincide with the game's release?
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From SW Collector: 1) With the last of the 30th Anniversary Collection line seeing release soon and the new Clone Wars and Legacy Collections not due for release until July, what plans does Hasbro have to keep their "Star Wars" toys in the public's eye admidst the glitter of high-profile movie-based toy lines such as "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," and "The Dark Knight"?
2) The Legacy Collection's upcoming "Return of the Jedi" Darth Vader figure with three-piece removable helmet seems like the Holy Grail of Vader figures for most collectors. This would really mean the only definitive Vader left to make is a film-accurate "Revenge of the Sith" Vader in armor, with the film-specific shoulder armor. Any chance of seeing him in The Legacy Collection, too?
3) Other toy lines in the past have gone off on tangents with "alternate universe" versions of characters, such as Vikings, Samurai, Pirates, and Ancient Egyptians. In your designers' giddiest flights of fantasy, what sort of "alternate reality" would the "Star Wars" characters best lend themselves to? (And, no, the "Infinities" versions don't count, since we're actually going to get some of those in the Comic Packs.)
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From TheJawa.com:1) Will Hasbro be fixing the holster on the SA Stormtrooper mold so that his rifle will be able to fit easily in it? And is there a way to adjust the holster so that the Stormtrooper could actually sit in a vehicle without the holster getting in the way?
2) Will the tooling that is being used to make the comic pack Grand Admiral Thrawn also be reused for a future Imperial Officer in the basic line? And if so, will the "skirt" part be made of softer plastic so that he can actually sit down (for those of us who are already thinking of swapping heads from the Death Star briefing figures onto a new SA body -- hopefully the neck pegs are compatible).
3) The VotC Chewbacca remains the absolute best version of Chewbacca ever made and probably for a good long time. But is it possible that Hasbro might someday make an even more premium Chewbacca figure that actually uses real "hair" as opposed to sculpted plastic? You've already done this in smaller ways with the PotF2 Leia figures - and for that matter, would an ANH Princess Leia with real hair buns be another possibility?
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From Well of the Souls: 1) Though probably not the most 'exciting' concept for an action figure around, will we see a 'Professor Indy' any time soon?
2) What are the chances of you releasing a Dietrich figure in the next wave of Raiders of the Lost Ark figures? For those of you that dont know the name, he was the German Crnl that melted with Toht and Belloq when the Ark was opened.
3) Now that you've got that fantastic horse mold, is there any chance of seeing it used for packs from the closing scene in Last Crusade or in the Star Wars line for Ewok/Marauder mounts (c'mon, who wouldn't want Chukha-Trok with a horse?) or in GI Joe (there was that one cartoon where the Joes were riding horses through the deserts of Kentucky to catch Cobra's bullet train)?
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From Yakface: 1) You've repeatedly stated that "SW playsets" are a hard sell especially for kids and are cost prohibitive to develop and/or retool. How do you square that with the release of the new small playsets/envirorama being released in the deluxe INDY line. (i.e. Indiana Jones with Temple Pitfall & Indiana Jones with Temple Trap). Could a "playset" or "enviroama" of this size be possible for the SW line? It seems like it could be a perfect compromise as product this size is small enough to hang on pegs leaving shelf space for vehicles, Evolutions, Battle Packs etc. Plus, if you included a unique figure (i.e. paint variant), it could help move the product as well.
2) You confirmed/revealed for our friends at Galactic Hunter that SA versions of Luke and Han in Stormtrooper Disguise will be released in the EIV themed wave. Will these be simple head swap creations and will Luke be released on the smaller 2007 TAC #30 Imperial Stormtrooper body, you know because he is "a little short for a Stormtrooper"?
3) With Hasbro's "official" acknowledgment of the existence of the BMF (Big Millennium Falcon) can you answer a couple questions regarding it. Does it have the quad cannon on its underside? Is the panel on the rear of the ship (above the engines) removable like the vintage mold? Does it have a handle on the bottom to aide in the recreation of those epic space battles? Can the escape pod/shuttle be plugged/docked in between the Falcon's freight mandibles (forked forward section)?
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From Yoda's News: 1) The best figure(s) of 2007 have to be Romba and Graak in my opinion, so good I couldn't find one in stores until the re-release this spring. I'm very excited for Leektar and Nippet as well, and am wondering what other ewok plans you have for 2008? Plans for color variants? 2009? Any plans for an ewok catapult? A female ewok? Please please keep the ewoks and ewok accessories coming!
2) Thank you, thank you, thank you for making the Super articulated version of the 501st Legion Trooper a reality. This sculpt is truly the best clone sculpt available. And an even bigger thanks for putting him 3 per case so he wasn’t a pain in the butt to track down at retail. I know that you guys get many sarcastic comments from other collectors out there about releasing clones with “every color under the sun,” but I just want you to know that I personally appreciate and applaud your efforts.
With that said, in a previous Q&A you mentioned that the Grey Coruscant Clone Trooper in SA sculpt (hint: with antenna) would be a good suggestion for a future repaint wave or Saga Legends type of release. And then, in a subsequent Q&A, you mentioned that you will be doing a re-deco wave in 2008 to fill in the void for a planned wave that has been delayed. Dare I hope, dream, offer up my first born child to the gods in trade that I might finally see said Grey Coruscant Clone Trooper in the SA sculpt (again: with antenna) in this so-called re-deco wave??? Please, please, please???
3) Will we be getting anymore Galactic Heroes Key chains? And can you confirm that there are only 6 made so far, with those six being Han Solo (Bespin), Luke Skywalker, Yoda, Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Darth Tater ( Mr. Potato Head )? And If there will be more made, any lists or images you can share with us?
4) (Indy Question) The image of the Grail Knight revealed at Hasbrotoyshop.com looks fantastic. Does he sport plastic or cloth robes?
5) We want to know if the Force Unleashed wave and Wave 5 Legends with the Fan's Choice clones still ship out to retail until the Clone Wars toys start to hit?
6) Target seems to have gotten a good dose of exclusives so far, any reason why they seem to nab up so many while other chains and stores have gotten fewer? Did they simply just ask for more?
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