Author Topic: C4 Exclusives - McQuarrie C-3PO & R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker  (Read 60765 times)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #135 on: May 3, 2007, 02:44 PM »
Something I keep thinking, in the back of my mind, is that these are all new too...  C3 Vader, TF Vader, and for the most part Jorg Sacul...  All repacks, very little retooling or "effort".  Hasbro's made it pretty clear that to do new toolings they need investment, and investment requires guaranteed production numbers of a certain caliber.  IE: you're not gonna invest in all-new figures exclusive to a con when you only plan on 10,000 of them being made...  You're gonna make enough to profit, "con memories" be damned.  TF Vader's rare because of the show he was at, the place of "con exclusives" at the time (had we had any?), and the fact it was an old figure on a cheap card...  basically.  Cheap to produce, no "risk" other than the costs to start up the machines and crank them out.  Easy to make only 10k and justify it.

Now...  There's probably $10k in a fraction of the molds for the C4 figures.  I think Hasbro will have these in circulation somewhere at some point, or they're both being made in such huge quantities they'll be available during the show (or immediately after).  I'm not in panic mode either on these...  Stranger things have happened, but I have a hard time imagining Hasbro investing in 3 brand new (and rather complex) figures like this and not making a ton of them to offset costs.
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Offline David

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #136 on: May 3, 2007, 07:19 PM »
Im very worried, I really want thesr, but I dont know how the hell I will if theyre as available as Hasbro has made it sound.  :'(
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Offline Artoo

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #137 on: May 3, 2007, 09:59 PM »
Luke looks like the best of the McQuarries IMHO. :)
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Offline David

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #138 on: May 3, 2007, 10:07 PM »
Chewbacca's still the best. Boba wouldve been a very very close second had they included the poncho, but nonetheless he is one of the coolest SW figs in YEARS.
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Offline poddie

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #139 on: May 4, 2007, 04:54 AM »
Morgbug, thank you for your excellent response.  I absolutely agree with almost everything you said.  Almost all of it is, in fact, is in exact agreement with how I feel, just advocating a differant response.  I, too, don't understand why someone would pay all the money and spend all the time to go to the con and then spend 90% of it waiting in lines for merchandise... it just doesn't seem to be what the con should be about.  And maybe that type of thing is part of the reason my response to this issue is so strong.

It seems like Hasbro (and many of the other companies who have been doing this these stupid uber-exclusives for years) is starting to not care about making toys for people who like the product and Star Wars but rather attempting to do whatever they can to seem like the "hot" product, screwing over collectors and kids alike in their path without regard.

I have felt in the past that nearly everything they did was justifiable as a good business/fan/collector decision when looking at it from one viewpoint or another.  But this just reeks of a short-term stunt that is bad for long term customer goodwill.

Another thing is that if these figures were some cool one-off thing I also wouldn't be anywhere near as upset about it.  I would just figure they will probably be re-released at some point in a differant package, but so what.  And if they aren't then at some point they will probably go low enough that I can afford them.  But instead they are a vital portion of a set of figures that I have been looking forward to and have already started collecting, then had the rug ripped out from under me.  So now that entire collection of concept figures feels nearly completely worthless without these so waiting until these MIGHT come down to a reasonable price is much less of an option.  Waiting until they are re-released is a bad option because if it is not this year and in a single pack then the packaging will be totally differant which basically destroys much of the appeal of the sub-line in my opinion.  So it is just frustrating from every angle.

I really wish I could adopt the Buddha-like attitude towards these that you advocate... I know I would be a happier person.

But instead I still find myself really leaning towards just canceling all my orders for the other figs and for the most part getting out.  I would keep the orders for the vintage figs (I love this line too, although I must say many of the figures themselves look a bit less exciting this time, with Han's "special" hat and Luke's strange head, and a complete disinterest in the Leia).  And I would have to order a CZ4 and Animated Boba from eBay (as I KNOW I will never see one in a store).  But most of the rest I could probably do without if I wasn't trying to collect "all of them".  So I could cut my expenses by 90% or so, and feel better that I wasn't supporting what I view to be vile decisions by Hasbro anywhere near as much.  And I wouldn't have to support the scalpers on eBay (though in the case of R2/3PO they may deserve the extra money they will get).

Unfortunately Hasbro would still get my money for their new GI Joe line, and will likely turn that into the same thing if it is as popular as it looks like it will be.  But at least right now those are pretty easy to order and achieve a full set, until Hasbro starts making poor decisions.

Offline Blackwolf13

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #140 on: May 20, 2007, 11:23 PM »
I admire the passion demonstrated on both sides of this issue. I'm pretty ambivalent about it all myself. I'm getting 2 of each only because some friends are going and have promised to hook me up. I know between the number of people from my Fan Force who are going, I'll get them one way or another. That could be why I'm not getting worked up. They're cool figs and I'd want to get them one way or the other. Sadly, money constraints and a new child on the way have conspired to keep me home tending the homefires.

I compare the con exclusive figs to fast food promos. You can (typically) only get them by either going to that place or knowing someone who goes there. For example, I was in college when the Special Editions came out and Taco Bell had the toys. My college town was small and there was no Taco Bell so I had to either drive 35 miles to the nearest Taco Bell or have family and friends here in town hook me up much the way my friends who are going to C4 are. Bottom line: I wanted them enough that I found a way to get them.

For some reason I really can't get pissed about exclusives save for the the fact I can't go myself to get them. 

Offline poddie

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #141 on: May 21, 2007, 03:10 PM »
I admire the passion demonstrated on both sides of this issue. I'm pretty ambivalent about it all myself. I'm getting 2 of each only because some friends are going and have promised to hook me up. I know between the number of people from my Fan Force who are going, I'll get them one way or another. That could be why I'm not getting worked up. They're cool figs and I'd want to get them one way or the other. Sadly, money constraints and a new child on the way have conspired to keep me home tending the homefires.

I compare the con exclusive figs to fast food promos. You can (typically) only get them by either going to that place or knowing someone who goes there. For example, I was in college when the Special Editions came out and Taco Bell had the toys. My college town was small and there was no Taco Bell so I had to either drive 35 miles to the nearest Taco Bell or have family and friends here in town hook me up much the way my friends who are going to C4 are. Bottom line: I wanted them enough that I found a way to get them.

For some reason I really can't get pissed about exclusives save for the the fact I can't go myself to get them. 

The problem with the comparison, of course, is that the Taco Bell toys were (a) in nowhere near as high demand and (b) not an important part of a much larger collection.

I'm pretty sure if Taco Bell had a bunch of toys right now I could get them for a reasonable price on eBay, as there wouldn't be hundreds of thousands (?) of fans eager to complete their collections.  And frankly, if R2/3PO/Luke were not part of a larger collection I would likely just say "oh well, I'll skip them".  But instead they are a hugely important part of a series of 12 figures that I had already been salivating over and preordered for many months with no indication that three of them were to be purposefully withheld from me unless I pay a massive "ransom" to attend a hugely expensive and time consuming convention.

I sure wish I had friends who were going to C4 and could pick them up for me... I hope you all realize how lucky you are.  I will most likely be forced to pay $120 for them on eBay (seems to be the going rate for two of each) IF I decide not to just give Hasbro the finger and stop with the Star Wars collecting over this.  The problem with that is that having seen wave 5 they are desperately calling me (esp Yoda and 3PO)...

Ahhh, I miss the old, fair, Hasbro.  I really just cannot quite describe the loathing I have felt for them over the last two months.

Sorry to keep bringing this up again, but I do try to at least keep it in the related threads.  :)

Offline Blackwolf13

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #142 on: May 21, 2007, 05:32 PM »
Granted, my example is a radical over-simplification, but the principle remains the same. Only selected places are going to have a specific item. I guess what it comes down to is the fact that I don't get being so upset as to drop the hobby. I'm not trying to be snide or poke fun. I honestly don't get it. There have been plenty of exclusives I've missed out on due to either short ordering, scalpers or lack of a local store. FAO is a prime example. They had the Faamba which I wanted nearly as much as I wanted the AT-AT when I was a kid, but price point and the fact that the nearest FAO at the time was at least a 6 hour drive from me. The Wal-Mart snowspeeder is another example. It was gone almost before it hit the shelves. I never did see one in the store. Saw plenty in a local comic shop for twice the shelf price though. Hell, when I worked @ TRU 1 year (which felt like a century. a year in hell I'll never get back, but that's another story), I nearly missed the chrome Artoo.

I'm just trying to be an optimist. Yeah it sucks that the figs are exclusive, but they will turn up. Either on Ebay, trade or online. My money is on them being available thru both SWS and HTS. If you're patient, the secondary market prices will drop dramatically to something that resembles an affordable one. There'll be enough people who horde them for the purpose of scalping them and they'll end up flooding the market with them. Seems to happen with just about every other exclusive.

Offline poddie

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #143 on: May 21, 2007, 07:17 PM »
I can certainly see why people would not understand why I might consider just dropping Star Wars... it's not JUST the exclusives thing. 

It's the large amount of money I'm spending in general... and the competition of the new GI Joes and Doctor Who toys.

It's the inconsistent articulation (oh how I hate swivel elbows).  I really wish Hasbro would concentrate on creating many fewer, high quality figures that are at the top of their game.

It's the incredibly poor distribution model they follow (I still haven't seen anything other than 30AC Obi and R2, and have very little hope of seeing a Concept figure on an actual retail shelf).  Anything I really want I need to preorder months and months ahead of time and pay extra for the privilege.  Packing Concept figures at one per case is silly, and I'm not sure I buy the excuses anymore.  And I can see the coming issues with the Legends assortments... all the ones I want (Ep II clones, Boba Fett, TC-14) are packed one per case while many of the figures that are going to sit are in at two per.  Ep II officers are going to be nearly impossible if you want a set of all four.

It's the constant upgrade cycle (this year's Luke is slightly better than last year's Luke which was slightly better than the last year's Luke...).

But nearly all of the above issues I have with the line are excusable in many ways... I understand this is a line that needs to sell to both collectors and kids, and certain compromises have to be made to make that happen.  I may not always agree that Hasbro has made the best choice but it always seemed like they were trying.

But the exclusives are completely differant.  This is the one area where I feel Hasbro has just crossed the line from making a few poor choices to actively screwing over the consumer.  These are no good for anyone except those who are going to the con to obtain scalping material.  I really feel that Hasbro has completely stabbed in the back all the people who were collecting this line that can't attend C4.  And I feel they seem to have no idea that this is the case.  They refuse to acknowledge that this was a poor decision (even in a wink wink, yeah don't worry won't happen again kind of way).  And if this line is going to turn into a Gentle Giant "let's see just how rare we can make each item" thing I want to jump now before I spend thousands more this year, overpaying for exclusives, only to find that I'm completely disgusted by Hasbro next year.

I already find myself just thinking "what a bunch of jerks" whenever I see all the cool stuff coming down the line (like wave 5).  Every time I have a positive thought about Hasbro it's now countered by my disgust in what they are pulling with these figures.  I keep waiting a bit longer and hoping that the feeling will lessen or go away... maybe it has a bit, but it's still pretty darn strong.

Offline poddie

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #144 on: May 21, 2007, 07:23 PM »
Oh and Hasbro has already told us that we're screwed on the 3PO/R2 unless the con people want to release it again (they don't own the rights to the figures or some such nonsense).

And they "might" make the Luke available online a few months after the con.  So if I wait and wait and wait at the end Hasbro may reward me by finally allowing me to purchase a Luke (if their site actually works and they put them up in enough numbers that I can actually get to it before the hordes buy them out).  I wouldn't mind the waiting so much if I was sure to get them, but there's no way to even know if there is a reasonable possibility of that.

Offline Blackwolf13

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #145 on: May 21, 2007, 08:53 PM »
I see your point. I agree on the articulation. Not a fan of the swivel elbows myself, but I tend to let it go if the overall figure is a good one. But things like the decision to use the Commtech trooper body for the GL in trooper armor still has me baffled. That and the Ambush at Ilum set. Why use the inferior Bartoo sculpt when the new one is light years better?

I suppose my position is that I'm ever the optimist, sometimes to a fault "If I didn't get it this time, I'm sure it'll turn up again." In that regard I've been very lucky. I've managed to get waves 1 & 2 of the TAC. But even as optimistic as I am about getting the McLuke & McDroids, it's still not a done deal. I told my friends to hook me up if it's possible. I was sure to reinfore the notion that they're out there to have a good time and not shop for me & the other 2 or 3 poople in our group who have requested stuff too. I gave them the money for the goods and Force willing, they'll be able to come thru.


Offline Darth Slothus

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #146 on: May 22, 2007, 02:20 AM »
Poddie, do you not have any friends attending the convention?
 I've read alot of negativity from you here on these boards but I missed where you specifically asked someone for help. Did I miss it? Did you ask anyone???

Keep in mind while complaining....

1. it's too early to freak
2. Those folks that are 'so fortunate' (and other comments I read) to attend and get all the figs..blah,blah
    --keep in mind they pay outrageous entry fees to attend and then still have to pay for a fig there!
       Not to mention travel considerations ect. Keep THAT in mind if someone helps your poor, tiring soul
       out here with an exclusive- especially when you don't have to pay an entry fee, travel ect to get it.
       Just think how lucky you would be then.

Please consider those things before anymore further crying :P

DS :'(

Offline JediMAC

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #147 on: May 23, 2007, 05:02 AM »
Did we ever get prices on these damned things yet?  If not, can anyone ascertain anything notable on this pic that Ryan snapped today?

EDIT:  Whoops, that was just the SWS.com booth.  Nevermind!

But do we have prices on the two McExclusives yet?  I haven't been paying attention...
« Last Edit: May 23, 2007, 05:26 AM by JediMAC »

Offline Morgbug

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Re: C4 Exclusive McQuarrie C-3PO, R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker
« Reply #148 on: May 23, 2007, 09:59 AM »
No, no price confirmed yet.  I'm expecting $20 plus $4 for the star case.  Inflation, y'know.
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Offline Gorkoracing

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