For those who also visit GH, forgive me because there is a thread going over there on this same topic.  I think we had a thread going here about what everyone collected, but I think it is buried in Watto's somewhere...so I thought I'd start one here in the "Other Toy Lines" forum.  If I shouldn't have done that, feel free to delete .

I was just curious, since it is a new year and there have been changes to many lines (or some disappearing), what you are collecting (or would like to collect).  Although I have been tempted by a number of lines, for the most part it all comes back to Star Wars for me.  With the focus on the OT this year, and with some great OTC and Vintage OTC stuff coming up later on...I haven't had the budget for much else (and I'm not sure if I will).  Plus, my wife isn't too keen on the idea of me collecting another line besides Star Wars.  That said....

Collecting For Sure

Star Wars 3 3/4" - Basic, Ultra, possibly ships (maybe the retooled Falcon later this year)
Star Wars Unleashed - OT characters only for now, these things take up a lot of space so I can't have so many anyways.
Star Wars Playskool - If they ever bring it back 

Lines I'm Interested In, but Not Sure About Yet

I like these lines, but mainly because of budget, I'm not sure if I will be able to collect

Lord of the Rings - I have always been interested in this line, but haven't been able to collect it the way I had hoped.  I only have a couple of figures, but I would like to pick up some of the upcoming (or current) versions of some of the main characters.  It depends on a few things I guess.

Marvel Legends - I have just been collecting the X-figures...but again because of my toy budget, I may have to give them up.  I'd really like to pick up figures such as Juggernaut, Brown Wolvie, Iceman, Phoenix, Apocalypse, and Storm if I was able to though.

Batman/Justice League - I've always been a big Batman fan, and I really liked the Super Friends growing up...as well as the current Justice League show on Cartoon Network.  I'm probably a little late on the Justice League figures, because I'd only want the main, non-variant versions...and those are a little past now I think.  I picked up the 6" Mattel Zipline Batman a couple of weeks ago, and thought about getting more from this line...but Mattel isn't the best with lines (obviously), and I'm not sure where this line will be headed once the animated "The Batman" line hits.  I might take a look at that one too.

Lines That Are Gone....or Close

Simpsons - I've always liked this line, but again (broken record) just never got into it.  Now it sounds like it might be on the way out?

Masters of the Universe - The figures in this line were/are great, but the packing ratios and Mattel's practices in general look to have killed the line.  The only figure I really wanted to get was Roboto, and that wave never showed anywhere near me.

Other "Cool" Lines

I think these lines are great, but know that I either can't afford or just won't be able to collect them (too far behind in some cases):

The Muppets
Kubricks/MiniMates (these are great little toys though, wish I could afford to collect them)
DC Direct Stuff
upcoming Sesame Street
McFarlane SportsPicks (although I'd like to pick up a Kevin Garnett somewhere maybe...probably ebay I guess since it is older)

Anyways, sorry it got so long...what are your collecting plans (or hopes) for 2004?  Best of luck to all of you that you are able to collect (and find) everything you are looking for!

You know, this has always been a favorite of mine too.  One of those classics from the 80s that I watched over and over back then.  Star Wars (of course), Indy Jones, Goonies, Teen Wolf, Karate Kid...those were some of my childhood classics, and I still like them today .  I will admit though, Teen Wolf and Karate Kid both seem a little more cheezy to me now .

I really hope that these recently sighted prototypes are a sign that this line might be coming back.  Even if we aren't able to get a lot of vehicles right off the bat, the figures would be great too.  It seems like all the prototypes seen so far have been ANH figures, but that might not mean anything in particular.  The R2 and 3PO are different than the other releases though, so it might be a good sign.  Hopefully we will hear some news on this sometime soon...thanks for the links/pics guys!

It sounds like most of you are going the preorder route, along with the fact that Entertainment Earth seems to be the popular choice.  I have never ordered from them before, but I don't think I have heard anything but good things about them.  I also have never ordered a "case" before, which kind of scares me because we usually don't put that large of amounts on our credit cards if we don't have to.  In the past I have ordered/preordered through Kebco (because of the single figures), but although I am patient...my recent orders have been really, really slow.  But, I have gotten pretty much everything...eventually.  I keep holding off to see if we find out that these won't be as limited as we have heard, but from what I have been reading, it is really just pointing to one shipment, although unclear how big of a shipment it is.  I just get this feeling that they might be tough to find regardless of how many, since they might only be coming once.  Figs such as Vader, Fett, Yoda, and the Stormtroopers especially.  Actually, with the lineup of characters, they could all be popular buys for casual fans and collectors alike.  Thanks for all the opinions everyone, I might have to bite the bullet and order a case (if the wifey doesn't care )

Welcome Ook!  Glad to have you in the forums here.

I've just been trying to keep up with what is coming out in the future, and what was shown at Toy Fair (via TheGD and LOTRGuide).  There is still a part of me who would like to get a few more of the main characters, not a huge collection, but just a handful.  With what you collectors know that is upcoming, or what you have seen, who would be the best ones to pick up and/or wait to come out?  I kind of like when they do super-poseable versions (as long as they have great likenesses), and was leaning towards those.  Here are the characters I'd like to pick up:

Strider/Aragorn - Just about got the Pellenor Aragorn, but wasn't sure if I liked the "screaming" face.  Any better ones available in your opinion?

Gandalf - I have been leaning towards the Gandalf the White version.

Legolas - I have the Rohan Armor version, any ones that are better?

Gimli - From the pics, the ceremony version looks kind of good I thought (and is super-poseable?)

Frodo - not sure, I thought I saw that a super-poseable one was coming up?

Sam - no idea, I hear the boat one is good.

Merry and Pippen - I was thinking the "armor" versions from ROTK, any thoughts?

If any of you have any advice for me, I really appreciate it.  I'm not nearly as up on this line as Star Wars, so I always look to the experts with any questions.  My wife isn't crazy about my collecting budget the way it is (spent over $100 on SW stuff this year already, which is high for us), but if I can pick one up here or there...I'd like to have in mind who I'm looking for.  Thanks for any info everyone.

This encompasses both Star Wars and any other lines/props, etc. that anyone might collect, so I hope that this is the right place for this.  For awhile, i was finally able to have the majority of my stuff displayed (thanks to some new shelving), although my vintage Star Wars stuff is still packed away.  However, space is becoming an issue again, so I have started to look at stuff that might be able to be packed away for now.  Anyways, I was curious how much of your collection(s) you are able to display, and if you can't display it all, how you decide on what gets put away.  I guess one example of things I have been doing, if there has been a superior sculpt/figure offered in the modern lines (POTJ/Saga), I have packed away the same figure's POTF2 counterpart (mostly the buff versions).  I am also considering packing away my small (6 figure) Marvel Legends collection, as well as possibly some Episode I stuff.  I finally this weekend got around to pitching a little bit of my boxes from Star Wars stuff, and flattening out all the rest that I could, to free up some space in our storage tubs for anything I might need to pack away.  The space I have to display stuff just isn't large enough I guess.  I was just wondering what some of you do, or have done.

As far as I could tell, Wave 3 never did show up anywhere around here.  I've never seen any portion of that wave, and to be honest, Wave 2 came and went pretty quickly too.  It is funny, I kind of thought these figures would end up being pegwarmers...but I don't see anything from this line hanging at any of the stores around here anymore.  I didn't really end up collecting the line itself (with the exception of one SA Clone from a friend, and ARC, and the Yoda)...but I was surprised at how well it sold.  Actually, most everything from Star Wars seems to be selling well around here anymore (with the slight exception of the Bail Organa wave at TRU).