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 Hasbro's
Star Wars Q&A Session, here's a handy guide to help you get all the info.
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Rebelscum's Q&A Session as well!
From Echo Base News: 1) The recent "Umbara" arc on the Clone Wars series has provided many interesting characters and designs. Can we expect to see any 501st Clone Troopers, Umbarans or a General Krell figure based on this arc in the Clone Wars line?
2) Some collectors are very excited about the retooled cockpit on the upcoming Trade Federation AAT vehicle. Are any pictures of that cockpit available?
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From Imperial Shipyards: 1) Throughout the Star Wars: The Clone Wars line, there has been a distinct lack of Separatist characters being made into figures other than Droids and high-profile characters like Grievous, Ventriss, or Dooku. Will we be seeing some new Separatist leaders in the TCW line at some point? That's not just counting generals like Osi Sobeck and Wat Tambor - how about a Lux Bonteri figure, possibly in his season 4 gear?
2) We know your priority is to "stick with characters kids know well", but, seeing as the Old Republic boasts SOOO many figures that are bound to sell well, can we expect to see you abandon this temporarily in favor of the TOR figures, in the upcoming Vintage or following regular figure lines, as to present more characters from the game? The "Fan's Choice" poll here at the 'Yards resulted in multiple TOR characters on the list, so it's quite apparent we would like to see a good deal of new stuff from The Old Republic. And if so, any hints on what characters might see 3 and 3/4 life?
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From Jedi Defender: 1) Is the book really closed on the 2003/2005 Clone Wars Microseries? Because if you could see your way into sneaking Tarr Seirr or Sha'a Gi into some sort of upcoming Jedi-themed sets, that'd be swell! Come one, no one has to know they are from the Microseries, that'll be our little secret. They can just be "Cerean Jedi Knight" and "Human Jedi Padawan" and only we'll know who they really are. (Well, us and everyone who reads this - but that's all.)
2) Wow, just 19 total Clone Wars figures for 2012? You showed 14 figures in the NYCC slides, does that really mean there are just 5 more figures being added into the mix in Fall 2012? Can you re-check those numbers and be sure you didn't mean 19 new figures PLUS an additional amount of repacked figures? Did the new sculpts in the Movie Heroes cannibalize tooling dollars from Clone Wars or something? Or has the Clone Wars market slowed down that dramaitcally that the line is being cut by around 50%?
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From Jedi Insider: 1) With a big push for Episode I products coming this year due to the release of the 3D version in theaters, what is the chances we could see a new Sith Infiltrator released. Arguably the coolest vehicle to appear in E1, it seems like the perfect candidate for getting the large vehicle treatment in 2012?
2) When will we be seeing Clone Wars figures of Tarkin and Ackbar?
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From JediNews.co.uk: 1) The Discover the Force 3D line packaging states that there are 17 products in total but as yet we've only seen 16 of them (12 figures, 2 Battle Packs, Dewback and Vulture Droid). Please can you tell us what the 17th item is and if we'll see it on shelf on the 30th January?
2) With the Prototype White Boba Fett mail-away coming to an end in the early part of next year, can you tell us if they'll be something to replace it - either another mail-away, competition or sweepstake?
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From Jedi Temple Archives: 1) The ARC Trooper Commander (or Captain Fordo as Tartakovsky fans like to refer to him as) in The Vintage Collection is absolutely one of the most incredible action figures you have produced to date. We hope the obvious success of this figure has shown you how much we as collectors (and no doubt the kiddies) still want characters from the original Clone Wars micro-series as action figures, even if those who bought it may not be aware that a figure like that is originally from that first beloved micro-series. The release of this figure has jogged our memory about another character in the Tartakovsky Clone Wars. Quite a while back during a Q&A session more than a year ago, a fan site asked what are some of the top characters employees at HASBRO want to see realized in the basic figure line. One of the notable standout characters you selected was the Nelvaan Warrior (also from the original Clone Wars micro-series) in realistic style. Hardcore collectors (and we would bet everyone else) still want this character desperately made into an action figure. It seems like the Nelvaan Warrior is one of the few last NEEDED characters to “complete” the cast for collectors from the original Clone Wars micro-series. Since Captain Fordo was so successful, would you be able to somehow work this in a similar way into the basic figure line even despite some direction by Lucasfilm, Ltd. to avoid characters from this series? (You could call him “Blue Man” or “Wolf-like Warrior” or something silly like that to get around this direction, couldn’t you?)
2) After the official launch of The Vintage Collection in the summer of 2010, fan sites (including JTA) started asking Hasbro pretty much immediately if some of your “greatest hits of all time” could be released as carried forward figures in the new “classic” The Vintage Collection packaging. Hasbro showed a great deal of interest in this idea, but it got left somewhere on the back burner (or pushed to the side completely) and we’d like to know if we could play a part in helping to revive the idea at your headquarters. You have so many wonderful figures that desperately need rerelease in The Vintage Collection format. And with all of the incessant peg-warmers you decide to carry forward in the line (Sandtrooper, Clone Trooper, 212th Battalion Clone Trooper and Yoda are just a few) we think now is the time to go this route and get fresh “new” product on the shelves. When you release of wave of only 3-6 new figures, instead of carrying forward a Clone Trooper, Stormtrooper, Luke Skywalker or even Darth Vader, how about squeezing in The Legacy Collection’s Zuckuss, AT-AT Driver or Paploo by slapping them on a new TVC card back? You’d make collectors extremely happy and you would have three new figures out in the wild instead of peg-warmers to offer the general buying public more variety. Since The Vintage Collection is not getting any easier to find at retail, if we do have to resort to online orders, at least we’ll be getting 12 new figures instead of 3 new ones and 9 carry forward figures. Let us know if you need a complete list of figures we’d love to see repackaged in The Vintage Collection because there are a ton we’d love to see this get “vintage” treatment.
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From Lichtgeschwindigkeit.de: 1) With the new Logray and Rebel Soldier in hand,will you make sure that future figures have deeper pegholes please ? The actual ones are far from what a stand or vehicle-peg need so they just fall over.I noticed this problem several times now, would you please take a look at this issue?
2) It was nice to hear that Aurra Sing will come later in 2012 on a TVC card. It seems that she has a lot of cool accessories. Will the case and the lightsaber handles ship with the TVC version as well?
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From Raving Toy Maniac: 1) Any chance we will see the Luke w/Bacta Tank re-offered in the near future, maybe as a multi-figure Battle Pack similar to your "Birth of Darth Vader" Battle Pack?
2) The pop-out dioramas that were part of the packaging in the 2009-2010 vehicles were very popular and well-received with both kids and collectors, so it was a disappointment when newer vehicles ceased to include these dioramas. Are there any plans to start including these great cardboard backdrops again?
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From Sandtroopers.com: 1) How soon until we see a Republic Gunship with lights and deploying AT-RT as seen in the most recent Clone Wars story arc?
2) Why should I pay $25 dollars for a Taun Taun in "vintage" packaging when I can buy the Search for Skywalker pack that comes with 2 additional figures plus the aforementioned Taun Taun for the same price? It seems if you were stuck on the $25 dollar price point, you would have waited a year and included the retooled vintage collection Hoth Luke?
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From Sir Steve's Guide: 1) At the SDCC panel, Hasbro talked about the new Battle Droid and even a new ROTJ Speeder Bike in the works. Both these items are ones that previous iterations have suffered significant wilting on, their plastics were too soft to support their long, thin designs for any real amount of time. Dave Vennemeyer, during the Convention, mentioned on the Battle Droid that he slightly thickened up the legs to accommodate the transformation scheme and to add a little more articulation, but he did not not specifically say it was to counter the wilting. The wilting, we've been told by Hasbro, is softer materials being used by the factories, and that team Hasbro Star Wars has been talking to them for some time about addressing the soft plastics issue. So, with the new Battle Droid and Speeder Bike, is something going to be done to avoid that frustrating wilting?
2) While we were pleased to see the return of Titanium Series at NYCC 2011, it was not as exciting to see that all of the 3-packs shown contained only previously released vehicles, and of those, it appeared to be all straight repacks without even new paint schemes, much less any new toolings. Is Hasbro planning to release any new tools or any "new" repaints as well, and can we expect to see some new ships from more recent seasons of The Clone Wars (and if so, which ones)? Will Titanium Series continue in 3-packs only, or return to single packs?
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From Snowtrooper.ca: 1) With the upcoming 3D release of TPM and news of a retooled N-1 Naboo Starfighter has any thought been given to other TPM vehicles like: Gian Speeder with removable windshield and medium blaster cannon so one could switch between the transport and assault versions, brown Trade Federation Vulture Droid repaint or a re-release of the sand/yellow (2000) Trade Federation AAT which did not come to Canada?
2) Is there any plan to try to get as many of the more popular Original Trilogy characters that were never produced by Kenner back in the day onto vintage cards before TVC ends? I know that just repacking a previously released figure can be disasterous (for example, 4-LOM is still pegwarming like crazy) so why not make small improvements to the figure in order to entice collectors to buy it again? For example, updating the Tusken Raider with SA elbows, Biggs and Garindan with SA knees and ankles, or Tatooine Luke with taller, more proportional legs (i.e. stop using those VotC legs). Indeed, since Hasbro is incorporating electronics into some figures, what about FX-7 or 2-1B with working lights and whirring sounds on vintage card? That would be amazing!
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From Star Wars Action News: 1) Thank you for seeing fit to include the 2009 Aayla Secura in the 2012 Clone Wars line-up. Her figure has been very difficult to find since it was first released so many of us will welcome a second chance to track her down in stores next year. That said, is there any chance you might take this opportunity to improve her facial paint aps please? The sample shown at events in the year of her release (and even afterwards) was a gorgeous figure with a great likeness, but the version that actually hit retail was very different and left something to be desired. I would think you'd agree she bears far less resemblance to the character from the show than the prototype and is, well, somewhat less pretty. It looks so different I can't help wondering if it was even the same face sculpt? If so, it is amazing what a difference paint aps can make. Any chance we will see a fix with this release please?
2) The reveal of the new Seripas figure at comic Con in July was greeted by delight in my household. Bravo for creating a fantastic figure and one we can't wait to pick up. The mech suit turned out great and even the tiny little preposed sitting pilot figurine looks fantastic. Bonus points for making him removable, but in his compact, seated pose he's not really suited to play or display outside of his armour (in truth, his pose is somewhat reminiscent of someone experiencing a digestive crisis). Understanding this was a necessary and reasonable compromise and that the main event here is really the robotic suit, is there any chance we might see a resculpted standing Seripas mini figurine in the future, perhaps packed as an accessory with another figure like Sugi, much like Todo 360 was included with the most recent Cad Bane?
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From SWCollector.com: 1) What is the status of any upcoming Jedi spirit figures? Yoda is way overdue and we could also use a new Obi-Wan as well as a Qui-Gon based on his appearance in season 3 of The Clone Wars. Also on the topic of Jedi ghosts, do you plan on ever making a new Anakin that is sculpted to look like the original actor Sebastian Shaw? It would be nice to finally have an update to this classic Kenner figure. If you are considering a Shaw Anakin, please think about including an alternate grey cloak so he can also be displayed in his Kenner colors?
2) I'm wondering if you have a ballpark figure for how many cantina and Jabba's palace characters still need to be made before you can consider those two collections complete? Also on that topic, do you think that there is still enough demand for background aliens from the original trilogy to even allow you to complete Jabba's palace and the cantina? I'm guessing that you may not do every background human from those scenes or multiples of the same alien species, and that is understandable, but there are still quite a few upgrades yet to do (Ree-Yees, Yak Face, Vintage Nikto, Labria, etc.) as well as many never before made characters like Wam Lufba, a Jabba's palace Ishi Tib, Arleil Schous and Ket Maliss. Hopefully quite a few of these guys are on the radar and more besides!
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From Yakface.com: 1) At NYCC, you debuted the kid friendly “Movie Heroes” assortment of figures and in it you premiered the new Jar Jar figure. Will this be the same Jar Jar that will be re-carded and de-accessorized (for $1 more) in the Vintage line? Since the Vintage Jar Jar was mysteriously absent from the Hasbro booth at NYCC, can we get a nice high res sneak peek at the proposed Vintage carded version?
2) When are you going to finally put out Grand Moff Tarkin from A New Hope on a Vintage Card? That figure has been rumored to be on a vintage collection cardback for years since the vintage collection line started and we still haven’t gotten it yet. When can we expect to see its release and what accessories will he include? Will he be released in the 2012 Movie Heroes assortment as well? And since we’ve waited so long, how about an image of the carded figure????
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From Yoda's News: 1) In November's Q&A, you stated that there will be nineteen figures in "total" coming in 2012. I'm pretty sure that I know what "total" means, but I really want to make sure by asking this: does this mean that every basic figure we see is going to be one of those nineteen figures, or will there be a chance that we will also see "filler" figures from previous waves (from 2011), such as Commander Colt, or season three Ahsoka Tano?
2) Is there any chance that we will see any more action figure ships from Episode II. There are a lot of possible ships that could be made such as Count Dooku's solar sailor. Also, I'm wondering if we will see any of the beasts in the arena scene of Episode II released in figure packs.
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