I scored one of these this afternoon.  I like the new deco on the speeder.  And the Geonosian adds some variety to the Seperatist ranks.  Couldn't find the Rebel pack though, which was thoroughly predictable.

I really think the sculpted-on jackets/vests these days are a BIG step back aesthetically.  That now means paint aps, and paint aps usually screw up any good sculpting that was done because they're never perfect.

I miss removable vests and separately sculpted jacket pieces.  That stuff gave not just visual depth, but it was actual physically separate so there was just a higher quality there.  People have overlooked that on these two figures, a lot.  It's as big a step backward as not including thigh-straps on holsters and things.

Some folks disagree, but to me you're paying more and the figures are getting more and more corners cut.  Hasbro shouldn't be doing that.

I miss the seperate vests, too.  It was a great feature on some of the older figures.

But I think the tooling costs for this new Rebel Fleet Trooper were already running to the high side.  There's a significant number of accessories:  helmet, hat, blaster, range finder & ammo strap.  Plus there's all of the articulation.  So in this case it appears that Hasbro made a tradeoff.  Sculpt the vest on and get more value elsewhere.

It's tough to top IKEA's Billy bookcases for storage and value.  I've got a few and they're pretty good.  But you really do need to fasten them to the wall for stability.

I've seen reports of literally like 5 or 6 different things popping up at Target that I really want in the past week.

I saw quite a few new items at Target over the past few days:  Republic Attack Shuttle, new electronic lightsabers, smaller SW Transformers, Blu Ray commemorative packs, the R/C Republic Fighter Tank, the Rapid Strike Vehicles and yes, the new battle packs. 

Frankly, I am unimpressed with the new battle packs.  I only saw the Geonosis set with Obi-Wan, ARF Trooper & Geonosian plus the Ahsoka, Anakin & Cad Bane in Clone disguise.  Meh.

Something that I've seen numerous times at conventions is dealers getting in line for exclusives along with attendees.  Brians Toys expressly comes to mind here.  Some conventions and companies have explicit conditions about whether or not they allow people with exhibitor badges to purchase exclusives.  In the case of SDCC and Hasbro, they may not have any such conditions.

In the case of BBTS, I get the feeling that they had people buying a number of exclusives for their store at the show.  Is it fair?  Far from it.

Quote from: Nicklab on August  1, 2011, 05:58 PM

If they really want to do this, they'd better get moving.  The last couple of things I've seen Temeura Morrison in, he's looked a little haggard.

I just noticed him in Couples Retreat which was running throughout the weekend on HBO and he didn't look too bad in that. How old is that movie, 2 years old?

True.  I just remember seeing him in the STARZ series SPARTACUS - GODS OF THE ARENA and he looked pretty beat up then.  I guess some of that may have been the character.

I'm almost definitely attending.  Hasbro's Star Wars team being there sealed the deal for me.  I've passed on this show the past few years but that's been due much more to scheduling conflicts than anything else.  It's nice to have a show of this magnitude that's local.

And yes, the show begins on Thursday, October 13th, and runs through Sunday, October 16th.

I honestly think they're following the model that lines like Power Rangers established.  What else could their reasoning be?