Yeah, I've seen those discussions ongoing over at Spawn.com.  My feeling is that they have to already be into production for NHL5 since the release should only be 4-8 weeks away (8 if they release at the end of July).  I expect they may have begun shipping to the warehouse already so I think he will be in NHL5.  Add to that it's a retro figure in the sense that he's in his Canadiens uniform, so no sense cancelling that.  

The later series (7?) being cancelled makes more sense though.  No real need for a new Colorado jersey version since he retired.  In certain respects I would like to see that cancelled and have him replaced with Lalime or Gigeure.  Lalime is my personal pick but it's hard to argue with Gigeure given his playoff performance.  

I'd also like to see them dump the Cujo fig.  I like Cujo and don't think he sucks like lots of people do.  But I have four versions of him already: NHLPA, repaint, Team Canada and home Detroit.  I guess the away and third jersey would make sense for the new figure (new sculpt?) but I'd really rather see both Lalime and Gigeure get figures this year.  I'm probably one of Cujo's bigger fans and have thought of him as an exceptional goalie from the time he was with the blues, but worth six individual uniform variations?  Not likely.  Time will tell I suppose.  

So will they be on C2 cards?  If so, that makes them a bit of a pain for the variant, every card type of collector.  Will the C2 Luke and Vader then sell for more?  Or will they just list them as C2?

Hey, wait a second, do they even designate C1 and C2 on cards anymore?  Doesn't look like it.  

Still, won't find me dissappointed to have another Luke and Vader.  At least they work as trade bait.  

Not sure where you are but where I am the competition is intense.  I admit to being a newbie relative to sportspicks, so in a sense, I am part of the problem you and other older collectors face.  I'm in Winnipeg and at least one of our Walmarts received nearly 50 cases of NHL4.  I've seen yelling, shoving matches and at least one fist fight.  It's just kooky.  Football is far worse up here as the number of cases received is very small in comparison.  At least with hockey, there's enough to go around, but not many guys are very cool about sharing.  One guy even had his wife and kid stand between him and the cases and the rest of us with her blocking us as he grabbed variants.  

I remember passing on a repaint Cujo and Roy because I had both NHLPA versions and didn't want to drop the money on duplicates  I know I've passed up early football variants too.  Oh well, live and learn.  

If you're just after the regs, the Spawn store is probably the way to go.  I never heard if they clarified but do those cases have the complete set including both Roy and Messier?  Is so that's pretty nice.  Roy will be the tough one for me.  I need the reg and the variant and would like to get one or the other for my wife's office (big Habs fan).  I'd also like to grab one for a buddy's kid who is a huge Patrick Roy fan (he's only 6).  I just hope our Walmarts don't underorder because of the summer delivery date.

R2-B1.  I love astromechs.  Still need a loose one as the carded one I received was in incredible shape.  It would be a shame to open that up.  

Heh, I'd love to compare paint jobs.  I often get to do it at my leisure, simply because no one else is buying all the damn Shaak Ti and Nikto Jedi figures clogging the pegs at TRU.  If I want anything new, I'm at the mercy of my trading partners or ebay seller.  Being picky just isn't an option.  New figures are so rare that I'm so damn excited to find one on the pegs, the only thing on my mind is making sure somebody doesn't bump into me and make me drop the card.  That and making sure the cashier doesn't beat the crap out of them or fold them to make them all fit in the bag.  

About sweatshops:
One problem I always have with these types of discussions is that some people (not saying anyone here) always tries to put a North American perspective on the conditions and wages.  Got news for those folks, the average salary in China does not equate to $5 us an hour or whatever minimum wage may be.  The comparison needs to be made between wages and working conditions in the country under consideration.  As North Americans, we have the luxury of our society and having those expectations for working conditions.  That crappy jobs exist does not mean that people are exploited.  It may well be true, but are you prepared to pay $20 US for each 3 3/4" figure?  

My considerations for people in those factories is that they are not placed in dangerous conditions.  If it is indeed a fire trap or they are beaten, then it is an issue.  If they work long, hard hours at a locally competitive wage, then I have no problem with it.  

Happy B-Day Wayne.  

Ah, 30, those were the good old days.

Yeah, to scale is too much to ask for, but too scale or thereabouts with the skiff would be nice.  I don't need it to be big enough to hold 50 figures, but big enough to slap a Jabba and a few others onto.  

No electronics, roughly four times the size of the skiff (3x length?).  Removable canopy, opening windows so you can re-enact the battle.  Place to attach Leia's cannon.  I'd pay $150-200.  They should be able to do it for four times the price of the skiff though.  The shuttle price was absurd because of FAO.