Good topic as always Mosnab...  

Basic Figures:

Loved the news here...  3 awesome waves left before E3 (at least) and all pretty solid figures.

3 Cantina Aliens in a year alone is enough to go apecrap really.  3 in a wave?  WOW!  Can't ask fr much more than that, plus one of them just happened to be one of my most wanted Cantina Aliens (Dannik Jerricho).  Great choice IMO.  I'll be happy to get Myo too since he's one of my favrite in weirdness factor.

The other 2 prequal sets weren't high on my list, but Yarua's great wookie fodder (much needed for customizers) and Pablo's looking like he MAY be poseable in a neutral fashion and action pose.  I can't argue with that in the slightest.  I'm not as big on the final figure f the wave, or the Naboo wave, but I'll not turn my nose to them either.

The other thing about basic figures I liked hearing was the "Super Articulation" word uttered about army builders, and that this trend WOULD continue to some extent.  I think it should to a great extent, but at least to some extent.  That was definitely a high point for me personally.

VOTC Figures:

AWESOME!  Simply perfect Stormtrooper and Boba Fett.  OK, perfect's perhaps a bit overboard, but they're really great.  I loved the looks of Chewbacca as well.  Awesome.

3PO and R2-D2 are disappointing to say the least.  Very upsetting that these two are this mediocre when compared to the rest of this line.  Even LUke's growing n me, and Obi-Wan is superior to 3PO and R2 which, to me, is surprising.  Obi was a disappointment, but 3PO and R2 took the cake really.  

Also, speaking of VOTC disappointments, the way Matt was treated when he mentioned VOTC reshipments (and the way he was treated in general by the one schmuck) is sad.  Very bad business etiquette, which SDCC is basically the equivalent of a public Toy Fair at this point.  I'm disappointed in the company overall due to the behavior of an individual.  

I hope LandoScoundrel's and Scott's opinion that they're just not "tipping their hand", so to speak is the truth and that the guy Matt talked to was merely a simple ******bag among the more "cool" folks.  We'll see I guess.

The idea that there's smeone looking out for "us" is there in my mind too, I just hate hearing what I heard this past weekend.  

Unleashed:

I have to say I'm indifferent, but yet I'm goinog to break and buy an IG-88 and Bossk if I can find them.  Both just look that great.  I'm not into separate lines like this, but I'll definitely bite on these two if they're not a royal pain to find, such as this Leia supposedly is.

Looks like Unleashed's getting a beefed up distribution too from what we've heard.  All good news I suppose.

Galactic Heroes:

This is a great concept, and I hope it diverts SOME of Hasbro's obvious "Kids are the line" attitudes towards this line instead.  That's my only opinion on it other than I'm sure it's a cute line for someone with kids that are budding Jedi.

Myself, I have no kids, and I have no kids in my life that wuld be into Star Wars and want these.  Since I've narrowed my collecting habits down dramatically I won't be buying these at all, save for perhaps a Bossk figure should it come out or Tarkin (My only character focuses).

Cute though if youo're into them.

12":  

Sucks?  What more can you say?  

Hasbro can't do this line justice ever.  THey never will I don't believe.  It's not even VAGUELY close to being on-par with even G.I. Joe or even knock-off military companies like Soldiers of the world.

I'd not give a care if this line went the way of the do-do actually.  I think it'd divert more in the business year budget towards the basic line.  If that were the case, I'd actually be campaigning for 12" to be a cancelled line all together.  

There's the old saying, "If anything is worth doing, it's worth doing right", and that saying is apparantly one the 12" designers at Hasbro just never got.  Even the "better" figures are still lame.

I'd only buy, at this point, a nice Imperial soldier type figure (any type), or a Rebel Hoth or Fleet, or Endor Trooper.  And those would all probably get customized intoo something actually GOOD by myself, using a new Dragon body, and sewing new clothes for him (or fixing Hasbro's).

Otherwise, let it die...  Hasbro does nothing to give it true life.

"High-End Collectibles":  

General crap like MR, Code3, Sideshow's new 1:4 statues, etc...

Not my cup of tea in general.  I find Code 3 to be a company lacking the quality they say justifies their pricetag.  I'll judge new stuff as it arrives, but I just can't fathom how they're improving, as they claim they have top-notch stuff already.

MR's just too expensive for me.  God knows if I were rich I'd own 2 or 3 of that AT-AT if I could, I'd love to own some of the blasters (STrmtrooper and Fleet Trooper specifically), and I'd likely pick up other items as well.   Unfortunately that stuff's too big, too expensive, and just too beyond me at this point.

I mean, I've owned cars that cost less than the AT-AT.  That makes ya think on this stuff.

I loved those blinds debuted, but damned if they're not outrgeously priced too.  

Lucasfilm Overall:

I like the movie title...  I like that Lucas gave us that.

I'm disappointed with Lucas's incessant changing of the classic trilogy however, and despite how hyped I am for E3, I'm somewhat let down with Star Wars at the moment.  For every cool thing there's at least a single craptastic uncool thing that comes down the pike.  

Lucas is the monster Southpark made fun of in an episode about he and Speilberg changing their previous blockbuster films.  I wish he'd be catering the NEW trilogy to the old rather than vice versa.

We'll see...  My biggest fear is the Stormtrooper voice change in the classic trilogy.  If that's nt changed, I'm much MUCH more relieved.  That's me though...  Everyone has their personal beef on this issue.  Some it's the Boba voice, some it's the Sebastian Shaw replacement...

We'll see I guess.

Episode 3 News:

Tons of goodies overall, but the packaging shown between our style guides here at JD.com and Hasbro's packaging debut shown at the Con all were sparks of goodness I thought.

As a non-packaged collector I'm probably a little looser with my opinion on that though.  I think it looks good enough...  I'm not sold on the card style's change though.  I think I like the more squared packaging of previous lines better.

Still, I'm looking forward to a change, and hopefully Matt's suggestion to the Hasbro reps to reuse the OTC packaging later is heeded.  It's sound, SOLID advice.

JD.com Coverage:

Top notch I feel.  I again want to thank Jared (Tydirium) and our own Matt Colman for their hard work.  I think these two really busted ass over yonder, and they made a great showing for JD.com.

Also thanks to Scott, Chris, Dave, Brad, and Jeff because they were right there, Johnny-on-the-spot with news for our readers.  Top-notch work by them all.

And with that, I think SDCC was overall great.

With very minor issues like the guy Matt ran into, things were really a bright spot in a rather dull year.  I'm pretty happy and excited about Star Wars.  I just hope things continue to go up, and that there was some serious bluffing by some Hasbro reps there.

Here's to '04 I guess!  And bring on '05 and beyond already!

Well, some updated news...

A chap named "LaughingGravy2" at Ground Pounder's actually worked 21st's booth this year for them.  He does so routinely, and it makes sense he'd done it again this year but everyone forgot.

Anyway, he came back...  And he's being a bit of a pr!ck about his time there, and he's tootally being condescending at GP's site.  

Apparantly volunteering at a toy booth makes you an industry expert in his eyes because he's trashing EVERYONE at GP's site right now for their "Cry baby behavior".  I dunno what his deal is but you'd think 21st cut his checks for him.

Either way, he DID have good information.

The "marching" figures at 21st's booth were ACTUALLY a mock-up of a set of 12 troops and 4 officers in a set using existing figure parts that 21st is going to market as $100 troopo builder sets (about $6.25 a figure then).  Sounds sorta neat, if not pricey.

It would reuse parts I guess?  That's the word from the con anyway.

Also, the 2.5 ton truck's supposedly (take with salt) around the corner.  We've heard this now for how long?  I'd love it to be because I want 2 or 3 of the Dodge, but I dunno how true that actually is.

Apparantly 21st is expressing anger with their consumers through LaughingGravy.  That or he's just really a bitter person.  He's really tearing into pretty much everyone at GP's site, and even Aferguson whoo's a mod and a pretty good guy (level-headed fellow).

I guess anyone with a criticism is now getting an earful over there from LG.  To each their own, but if we all were as complacent we'd still have the small pilots/drivers and craptacular angle-cut articulation of the 1st series, ya know?

It's just like with Hasbro.

Irregardless, that's some news...

Also, BBI had an exclusive figure that NOBODY reported on till the Con was over.  Showing the seemingly biased attitude a lot have towards 21st Century, and against BBI.  Totally crappy that NOBODY said anything about this great little Army figure till today.

It's a 1:18 Army Infantryman in a new camo pattern the U.S. is using?  I'm not personally familiar.  I'll try post images later.

We'll see...  I hope GP's site calms down because LG needs to get a grip, take some pills, and they need to get that site in order.  It has no updates, it has no structure.  There's nothing for 1:18 military collectors beyond that message board anymore.

I really REALLY hope that's the truth Lando.  The Stormie issue's my biggest gripe with all the changes.  I can buy Temura Morrison doing Fett's voice persnally.  It seems almost logical, though I feel his old voice was more sinister.

The McDiarmad footage is needed IMO and sounded good.

Sebastian Shaw's replacement's fine (we have a ghost and basic version of him to remember him by as well as removable helmet Vader), and whatever "reason" Lucas gives to it being a Young Anakin's prbably passable IMO.

The Strmie thing really would bug this military fanatic about the Star Wars trilogy though.  It would disevow SO much EU it's not even funny.  It would really make one look at the EU as a complete joke played on the fans who enjoy it IMO.

I hope it comes with a list of questions and "unrelenting attitude" action.  

Soft-goods pink sweater should be a running variation as well.  Just my opinion.

I have HS, buttttttttttt, because the people who renewed my subscription iwth Insider suck tremendously, they can't seem to help me get a goddamn passcode for HS.

Pissin' me off to no end at this point.  Especially now that I'd like to keep up on my silver figure collection, and yet they're denying me that ability.  

Some random additional thoughts to you guys' random additional thoughts...

-Lando mentioned them blowing smoke on the VOTC, and while I'm not as confident as he is, part of me is in total agreement with him.  I can't possibly see a logic as to "why" with their attitude.  I wonder if it isn't just them saying that to make people THINK the VOTC will never see the light of day again and they'll buy them up rather than skip them hoping for a re-release.

Perhaps they know their market better than they let on?

-Scott's point about the Cantina aliens (or someone) mixed into the center of OTC would've alleviated some oof the "pain" we're inevitably feeling with the rampant repacks.  Still, I'm even going to nab SOME of the repacks so it isn't like they're not appealing on some level (I was all set for a huge break till I saw the Gammorrean and Tusken).

-About kids vs. collectors...  I don't know how much is BS.  I stick by the notion that they are a factor, just not nearly the one Hasbro makes them out to be.  I often wonder just how much research they do?  Besides focus groups which aren't accurate anyway, I just don't see what they're out there pounding the pavement doing...  I think what data they use is maybe even outdated.

Oh well...

Things are what they are right now.  I'm really only disappointed about Comic-Con on one aspect (even with th e crappy Cantina set).  The aspect of that ONE ******* (By the way, you can say "ass" Lando   ) and how he talked to Matt and basically treated collectors like crap inadvertantly.  I found that disrespectful and a plain black mark on the company overall because it's his job to actually be cordial at those shows.

In the end, despite their data, it is the collectors who carry the line's momentum every NON-Movie year, which outweigh the movie ones by a long-shot.

Maybe it's the guy that designed the Fleet Trooper?  Perhaps he's bitter?

From what I can tell that's all just kitbashes.  

Someone at Gp's said some of them were early prototypes.  The guy that went to SDCC said that I guess?  They did say they were going to do 1st series infnantry with the new articulation, so perhaps it's just a cheap thing they're gonna do, but not do new heads?  That sucks if that's the case though.  The figures need removable helmets I think.

Hasbro...  

Thanks for caring guys!  Your consumers mean a lot to you I see.  

I'm not surprised...  Personally.  I'm dismayed, and I find the way they answered you disrespectful Matt.  Too bad you had to deal with that...

To everyone out there who makes assinine remarks like "we should thank them for what they actually DO instead of complaining....  blah blah blah", I say you can see right there the respect your given from a company some folks think can do no wrong.  A big corporate "F-You!" to the only die-hard loyal collecting fanatics they have besides G.I. Joe collectors.

Nice Hasbro...  Real nice.