For those keeping track - as always, I kindly thank you for using our referral codes when ordering.

BBTS
Set of 6 = $59.99 plus shipping
Case of 12 (2x each) = $114.99 plus shipping

EE
Set of 6 = $59.99 plus shipping
Case of 12 (2x each) = $119.99 with FREE shipping

So worried about my squad right now.  The guys are in a terrible goaltending free fall giving up ten goals the past two games with a critical game in PHX tomorrow.   

If we can win that, we're staring at a tough schedule to finish out the year...  really, really hoping we can hang onto that #7 slot because I'd rather take my chances in Cali versus pulling the 8-seed and heading to slaughter in STL. 

I saw an interview recently too where the director said Rhino is only in the film for like two minutes. Why even bother at that point?

To set up the gajilliony-dollar Sinister Six films/franchise that they announced, of course.

More and more it's looking like this is my least anticipated summer superhero flick.  Might not even catch it in theaters at this point (full disclosure - I ended up waiting for Netflix for the first one too).

Here's what I took away from the novels Justin and Jesse wrote:

it's just simple math that If you put out product that turns faster and sells more volume, you can afford higher input costs.

Your idea I think revolves, a lot, around the idea the line will turn anything around quickly.  I think the line's not suited for that right now.

I think Justin has a valid point.  If you look back at the history of the line, there have been plenty of times (aka times when sales were good) where Hasbro has shown willingness to put more $ into a case knowing the sales would be there to recoup the costs.  That is how we were able to get stuff like Hermi Odle, a Kybuck, Ewok 2-packs, Ephant Mon, etc.   Or sometimes they lowered the prices knowing increased volume would make up for it ($4.50 ROTS figures in 2005)

But, I think that Jesse is right in that Justin's proposal only works if you get the increased sales to offset the higher input cost.  And right now, with the low sales we're seeing (and you can take your pick for the reason - price, availability, figure selection, case pack, etc), Hasbro's not interested in taking the risk of putting more $ cost into a case and potentially not seeing a sales increase to recoup it because Star Wars is in the tank right now.

Somewhere amidst all the turmoil of the past two years (TPM flop, cancelled 3D releases, Disney/LFL changes), Hasbro made a decision to just ride out 2013/2014 with as little cost as possible.  Just put the line on life support and wait for the LFL/Disney stuff to settle and Episode 7 to get here.  So, here comes 3.75" collector cases with cheaper manufacturing raw material costs (smaller cardbacks, crappy plastic bubbles), less accessories, less paint masks, etc.  And that's not even mentioning the $6 Legends or $10 Mission Series cost cutting moves. 

I have no idea if that choice was right or wrong, because I have zero ideas of all the other factors involved in the decision.  Did the Hasbro money guys cut their budget?  Did Disney have some say in the direction they chose?  Or did the 6" line cannibalized the 3.75" budget to some degree?

Don't pay that

It's definitely not worth paying double for Fett, or any 5poa figure for that matter. 

Don't do it. 

Don't fall into peer pressure, Rob.  Go buy that $14 figure!  Do it!

That Snowtrooper looked like a $5 figure to me at first. Weird.

We are getting a new snowtrooper in both lines - there is a new 5POA one in the Legends line and this SA Snowtrooper Commander in the Black Series.

I wanted a poseable (hyper poseable) Dagobah Training Luke since the day we got the OTC figure, honestly.  I hated the limited use of that figure from Day 1.  I wanted a Luke that can do it all, and he and this Yoda fill that role perfectly to me.

I like the OTC one for the handstanding arms/stand, I thought that was a great way to do it at the time.  But this new SA arms version, while looking a bit funky is appreciated.  Like you said, if I wanted a static pose arms version, I've already got that.

I'm hoping to stay within the Gundam Wing realm on these, but I'm already tempted by the original RX-78-2 Gundam and the GM Sniper II (0080 War in the Pocket).

Well, it's 6 months later and I have managed to stay Gundam Wing only on these, BUT.... with each new figure I get, I love this line more and more.

I saw a few more at Toy Fair and man I'm tempted by that 0080 GM Sniper II and the new Vifam that is coming out.