Author Topic: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set  (Read 61859 times)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #150 on: July 26, 2011, 02:48 PM »
I thought it was said that he'd be only in the set as well, not on a basic card.

I didn't really care as much about him since the black Rebel Commando was wearing a totally different uniform.  I'd like to have him, but wasn't going to stretch to get it.

I'm kind of hoping they make the Revenge released figure the black guy though for some diversity at least.  I'd buy it for sure, I just wasn't sure I cared I guess.  I do seem to recall Hasbro saying he wasn't going to be out of the boxed set though...  which adds a whole new layer of "WTF?" to that set and those cardbacks.
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Offline JediJman

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #151 on: July 26, 2011, 02:53 PM »
The Black Endor Trooper will be available, but only by HTS.com direct order.  There will be just 12 of them and they will be available sometime between now and midnight.  Good luck everyone!
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #152 on: July 26, 2011, 02:57 PM »
Now and midnight?  Pretty narrow gap don't you think?  Sometime between now and midnight this time next year, and you just need to keep hitting refresh till they surrface, that I believe. :)
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Offline Pete_Fett

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #153 on: July 26, 2011, 03:01 PM »
The whole individually released "Return"/"Revenge" cardback thing has me confused and their lack of clarity was rather frustrating.

My understanding is that in the case assortments you'll be able to score Slave Leia on either a "Return" card or a "Revenge" card, with the "Revenge" version being more "rare". The same goes for Endor Han, the B-Wing pilot and the TIE pilot.

For the Rebel Commando, my understanding was that the "black" version was exclusive to the set, and in the case assortments, it was going to be the "white" version that was packed in there on either a "Return" or "Revenge" cardback.

But here's what makes NO SENSE (to me at least) - we already got the "white" Rebel Commando on "Return" cardbacks.

So why not have this release be exclusively the "black" Rebel Commando on "Return" cardbacks with a few appearing on "Revenge" cardbacks?

The more and more I think about this, the whole "Revenge" thing pisses me off more.

Limit the "Revenge" card backs to the SDCC set and in the case assortments just throw in the Endor Han, Slave Leia, B-Wing Pilot, TIE Pilot and "black" Rebel Commando all on "Return" cardbacks and be done with it.

The chase bullsh*t just smacks to me of desperation to get the Hot Wheels guys interested in snatching up the line to sell on ePay to create some "buzz" about the Vintage line again.

How about just focusing on fixing distribution and getting the product out to the shelves? Being able to find something other than a yellowing helmet white ROTS clonetrooper should create all of the "buzz" the line needs.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #154 on: July 26, 2011, 03:40 PM »
I feel genuinely bad for some who missed out on the Death Star exclusives.  Reiterating some comments I made elsewhere:

I suspect a great deal of the collector animosity is because this years exclusives are being offered in more limited quantities than they had been in recent years. Over the past couple of years there had been an expectation that if a collector could not make it to a summer convention that there would be PLENTY more to go around at HTS afterward. Hasbro seems to have responded to what they may have regarded as an overstock of past summer convention exclusives by limiting their production numbers this year.  In the case of last year's SDCC & C5 exclusives, those were readily available for months following the summer convention season.

Here's where I'm going to get in trouble.  With some of you guys, and not anyone else:  This kind of thing in the long run is GOOD FOR THE LINE.  Lots of people get upset, yes.  Lots of people wind up disappointed, yes.  But this kind of "buzz" serves to stir up interest in Hasbro's Star Wars line. This limited number of exclusives may be an effort do just that.  So in effect this may be something of a marketing ploy on Hasbro's part to make the line hot again in the eyes of collectors.  Will the ammount of interest it stirs up outweigh the damage it can do?  That is very much a calculated risk.

Now, on the matter of the mechanics of the HTS site?  I have seen legitimate concerns and complaints about that site here, at JD.  And I applaud a number of you for your restraint, patience and level-headedness on the subject.  It's frustrating.  But elsewhere, I see histrionics and hysteria that are so over the top that you would think that Hasbro was asking these people for a pound of flesh and a pint of blood.  I understand that a lot of people have invested a lot of their time, effort and money into their collections.  But each one of us has a choice about just how much we are willing to give of ourselves and our hard earned dollars to Hasbro.  And in this case with the Death Star?  I passed and I am not disappointed.
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Offline JediJman

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #155 on: July 26, 2011, 04:29 PM »
I suspect a great deal of the collector animosity is because this years exclusives are being offered in more limited quantities than they had been in recent years. Over the past couple of years there had been an expectation that if a collector could not make it to a summer convention that there would be PLENTY more to go around at HTS afterward. Hasbro seems to have responded to what they may have regarded as an overstock of past summer convention exclusives by limiting their production numbers this year.  In the case of last year's SDCC & C5 exclusives, those were readily available for months following the summer convention season.

Here's where I'm going to get in trouble.  With some of you guys, and not anyone else:  This kind of thing in the long run is GOOD FOR THE LINE.  Lots of people get upset, yes.  Lots of people wind up disappointed, yes.  But this kind of "buzz" serves to stir up interest in Hasbro's Star Wars line. This limited number of exclusives may be an effort do just that.  So in effect this may be something of a marketing ploy on Hasbro's part to make the line hot again in the eyes of collectors.  Will the ammount of interest it stirs up outweigh the damage it can do?  That is very much a calculated risk.

I couldn't disagree more. 

#1 - if you have set an expectation with your consumers that they can get a product via some avenue, then outside of not being able to sell enough product, you should continue to support those avenues.  Most businesses would love to sell another unit of whatever they make - the more you sell, the more you can offset your fixed costs, but Hasbro seems to thrive on making product people want, then not making it readily available.  I don't see that as very smart or sustainable - selling then than you could have while continuously alienating a shrinking consumer base. 

#2 - what is the point of the exclusive?  To create hype?  They've got a lot of attention right now, unfortunately none of it is good.  Do they want to use this to bring people to the show?  Maybe, but isn't the show already pretty much sold out a year in advance?  Doesn't seem like you're getting incremental attendance from this.  And if so, why make it available via HTS at all?  I think more people would be accepting if they just said you know what?  This is only available at the show.  But instead you waste peoples time with 1-2 hours of refreshing an error screen and not getting what they wanted.  Not a great way to build loyalty or interest in your brand.

#3 - I don't see how this buzz creates any renewed interest in buying Star Wars or Hasbro in general.  Consumers have a short memory for things that work well, but a long memory for being wronged.  I'm in line with others on here who have said any goodwill they had for Hasbro has dried up.  The next time I'm on the fence about buying something from them, you can bet I'll be on the side of saving my money.  I am one of the few carded and loose collectors still around based on what I know from others in the MN collector group and others on the site.  And I've been buying up at least 2x of all the vintage figures, with plans to scoop up incremental Revenge figures as well.  Based on the antics today, I'm planning to avoid Revenge stuff like the plague.  I hope they can find 10 other suckers to make up for the product they could have sold to me if they hadn't made this such a complete cluster.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #156 on: July 26, 2011, 04:41 PM »
I'm inclined to disagree with the notion of "buzz" as well.  It didn't work out well in the long run for McFarlane's sportspicks.  Certainly initially it did, but then created animosity amongst the general collecting community, driving a lot of people out of not only going after chase figures but regular stuff as well.  McFarlane did manage to invigorate it a bit with the numbered, different level figures with some quite rare (limited to 50 or 100) but some of those guys are the old school fanatics/completeists that don't really care about cost. 

Now does Hasbro care?  Probably not.  I'm sure the loss of what I spent on Hasbro product in a year from when I was a completeist to now doesn't even register in the remotest of ways.  I used to spend thousands in a year on Hasbro product.  Now, maybe a couple of hundred (maybe ten SW figs, 10-15 MU figs and of course my Indy figs today).  But if you start driving enough of the community away, doesn't that impact?  It has to. 

And yes, I fully acknowledge there are a ton of guys that money doesn't have much meaning too and they'll spend what it takes.  Bless them for they populate Ebay, but that's not necessarily money going into Hasbro's pocket. 
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Offline JediJman

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #157 on: July 26, 2011, 04:47 PM »
Actually, I think Hasbro does notice when collectors stop spending as much.  Maybe not individual collectors, but you are not alone in cutting back.  All those purchases (or lack thereof) do add up.  The problem is that some jerk at Hasbro will blame the collecting community or inflation or some other ridiculous excuse for the decline in sales, when in fact they have people clamoring to buy more of just about everything they produce.   Just like anything, when you bite the hand that feeds you, you stop getting fed.
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Offline Scockery

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #158 on: July 26, 2011, 07:45 PM »
This Death  Star blew up...in fandom's faces.

Hasbro, the more you tighten your exclusives grip, the more collectors will slip through your fingers.


Offline Pete_Fett

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #159 on: July 26, 2011, 08:42 PM »
I'm definitely in the camp of folks (with all due respect to Nick) who fail to see how having situations like this do anything to the line except frustrate the ever dwindling community of collectors you have.
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Offline ruiner

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #160 on: July 26, 2011, 08:44 PM »
You all have valid points.  I WANT to collect the vintage line but it's just too damn difficult.  Retail has nothing and I don't want to buy them by the case online because I don't want to be stuck with a bunch of leftovers.

I am content with the MOTU Classics line - each figure is shipped automatically to my door each month and is lighter on my wallet.

Offline Paul

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #161 on: July 26, 2011, 08:53 PM »
Hey guys, I have one of these sets to give away here on the site.  Don't pay ebay prices until you get a chance to get one FREE.

Offline Phrubruh

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #162 on: July 26, 2011, 09:18 PM »
Since I am an opening I wouldn't have boughten the set anyway. That's $130 that I can put towards a new figure cabinet.
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Offline McMetal

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #163 on: July 26, 2011, 09:47 PM »
Hey guys, I have one of these sets to give away here on the site.  Don't pay ebay prices until you get a chance to get one FREE.

I'm In!  ;D
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Offline Paul

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Re: SDCC "Revenge of the Jedi" Death Star Mega-Box Set
« Reply #164 on: July 26, 2011, 09:54 PM »
Since I am an opening I wouldn't have boughten the set anyway. That's $130 that I can put towards a new figure cabinet.

For my personal collection, I ordered this same set from EE.com and got Walrus Man, Hoth Trooper and random useless prequel/eu fanwank female.

I figured somebody here would want those two missing figures in Jabba's Monkey guy and the Remote Control Car droid.