Author Topic: Toy Fair 2014  (Read 19439 times)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #60 on: February 17, 2014, 07:42 PM »
I think, given their current delving into eras the EU's covered, but wanting to go their own direction, it was kind of expected.

An edict was handed down by LFL to start focusing on the new, rather than the old.  This happened last year, and EU is getting swept up into it I think...  I don't think it means EU is dead, I just think it means it's dead till they decide what they're going to walk over with new films.

So I can't say I didn't expect EU to take a very far back seat...  Especially as 2015 nears.  I think the OT's only going to get much love because of its relative proximity timeline-wise to what the new films are probably going to be about.  The PT seems like something Disney's willing to distance itself from too, at least for the time being.  Hasbro wasn't the only license told to refocus too. 

I think Rebels is the sorbet before the main course...  You never know what may happen though as they get their handle on EU they want to keep, and what they're sure they're going to be writing over.
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #61 on: February 17, 2014, 07:44 PM »
I think, in this context, when Hasbro says "EU" they mean the books, comics, etc - not the Clone Wars. We're getting Rex finally and the 2 new clones in the BS so it seems like they will continue to mine that property, thankfully.

But yeah, the price on some of those older figures (Revan, Malak, etc) is going to skyrocket even moreso.

Overall, I have to say - great Toyfair. My expectations were very minimal so I was happy to be overwhelmed. All the Rebels stuff looked great, the confirmation of the 3 TCW characters upcoming, the 6" reveals were all amazing.

Thanks for all the great photos Jeff, terrific job on the coverage and super fast posting of all the galleries!
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Offline JediJman

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #62 on: February 18, 2014, 12:03 AM »
No offense to Paul, but this is hardly surprising.  Of course they are going to avoid the EU with E7 potentially re-writing that portion of SW history.  They're already rereleasing Bastila Shan, Darth Malgus, the Republic Trooper and Starkiller, so how many more slots can the EU fill before we're right on Top of the next movie?  If E7 re-writes the EU, then of course we wouldn't see any of those "future" characters again.  Even if they did follow the existing EU, I'm guessing they'd go with newer movie renditions of any characters versus falling back on older molds.  Between the movie and Rebels, I'm not expecting to see much of any previous lines.
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #63 on: February 18, 2014, 12:22 AM »
I can see some OT build-up...  like a "remember this!?" kind of a thing going into E7.  That's about it though.  They're really on E7 and new movie mode...  You figure it's like steering an oil tanker...  It takes a while to make a turn, so you know things have to be handed down fast for all the stuff to launch just right at movie premiere time.
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Offline Jayson

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #64 on: February 18, 2014, 12:26 AM »
To the segment of collectors out there claiming this was a bad Toy Fair, I couldn't disagree more. If you take the foreknowledge of the entire list of product scrubbed from Hasbro's database out of the equation, this show had a ton of reveals. I can't say I'm disappointed with anything other than the huge x-wing "sibling maimer" or the Command line and the fact that there was no reveal of The Ghost or female SWR action figures.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2014, 12:43 AM by Jayson »
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #65 on: February 18, 2014, 12:33 AM »
Given what we've been seeing from The Official Site and other news sources regarding the Expanded Universe in general, I'm not surprised at all that there's a pullback on the Expanded Universe across multiple fronts.  I take issue with the article simply because I find Paul's work focuses far more on hyperbole and nerd rage than substance and thoughtful analysis.  I found that to be the case during my tenure on the staff at JTA and that shift in style was a major part of my reasoning for leaving that website.  But that's besides the point.

The EU pullback is actually very logical from a marketing standpoint.  Look at what's happening:
-Dark Horse's comic license is coming to an end.  That's been a major source of EU material over the past decade plus.
-Marvel taking over the comic license and re-launching the direction of Star Wars comics.
-The announcement of the creation of the Lucasfilm Star Wars story group which will be determining what is canon and what is not.  And notably this will have an impact on the post-ROTJ EU, which will likely have a tremendous impact on the story direction of Episode VII and beyond.
-Focusing Star Wars on the REBELS television series launch for fall 2014.

Getting the Star Wars toy line working along with the other arms of Disney/Lucasfilm to this common goal is something of a no-brainer in the modern world of brand management.  It does have the side effect of impacting some fans of a particular niche in Star Wars.  This is an unfortunate casualty of the new world view for Star Wars.  But it' seems clear that Lucasfilm Licensing is looking at the big picture and trying to steer things towards a greater goal.  That means working towards a successful launch for the REBELS animated series and a ramp up towards the release of Episode VII.  This move away from established EU figures et al really seems to have been inevitable given the overall change in direction for Star Wars.
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Offline Jeff

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #66 on: February 18, 2014, 12:54 AM »
Especially as 2015 nears.  I think the OT's only going to get much love because of its relative proximity timeline-wise to what the new films are probably going to be about.  The PT seems like something Disney's willing to distance itself from too, at least for the time being.  Hasbro wasn't the only license told to refocus too.
how many more slots can the EU fill before we're right on Top of the next movie?  If E7 re-writes the EU, then of course we wouldn't see any of those "future" characters again.  Even if they did follow the existing EU, I'm guessing they'd go with newer movie renditions of any characters versus falling back on older molds.  Between the movie and Rebels, I'm not expecting to see much of any previous lines.
But it' seems clear that Lucasfilm Licensing is looking at the big picture and trying to steer things towards a greater goal.  That means working towards a successful launch for the REBELS animated series and a ramp up towards the release of Episode VII.  This move away from established EU figures et al really seems to have been inevitable given the overall change in direction for Star Wars.

You guys have kind of covered it, but basically, it's a numbers game at this point when you talk about ongoing support for existing EU.

You've got Rebels in 2014 and then a new movie every year.  It's not so much, "YOU CAN'T DO EU FIGURES" so much as it's "USE YOUR NEW TOOLING DOLLARS ON STUFF THAT'S OUT NOW".

Disney/LFL would rather Hasbro focus on **** that's happening right NOW (Rebels, Ep 7/8/9, spinoffs, TV shows, etc) versus comics and novels that some dude read 10 years ago or whatever. 

No kid is going to get excited about a human replica chick from a video game that came out in 1996.  Collectors might...  BUT, they might like a bunch of stuff from ESB (2014) and ROTJ (2015) instead...  both of which lead into Ep7. ;)

Despite this... I gave one last pitch for my dream Marvel Comics Star Wars #15 Comic Pack with SpaceScuba Han Solo and Crimson Jack.  It ain't happening.   :'(
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #67 on: February 18, 2014, 01:24 AM »
Lump me as someone bummed though.  Don't get me wrong.  I had high hopes for that Wookiee/Noghri set, or Jan Orrs...  I feel like she's sorely missing in my collection though I have a pretty solid custom formula for her.

But yeah, I've had little hope for, well her at least...  The Noghri/Wookiee comic that was at the least mocked up if not prototyped I had wished we'd see at some point but I just don't see it ever happening now.  I'm dejected over all of it for sure.  But like Jeff said, some comic or novel written eons ago (in terms of striking while the iron is hot anyway) compared to the movie-a-year scenario we're basically coming up on... 

It's going to be pretty crazy and new how marketing works for Star Wars now...  It's a new age when it's not long periods of time between films now.  Kind of weird, exciting, scary (financially anyway).  It's very weird though to think there could be these movie blitzes of crap just pounding collectors.  So many will have to be selective, myself included in that camp.  I'm thinking how I've had to become selective NOW and since 2008-ish is going to help me long-term with staying in the thick of the hobby.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #68 on: February 18, 2014, 01:53 AM »
There are definitely some things from the EU that I'd like to see get explored.  My focus tends to be from some of the Dark Horse comics and video games.  And it still seems like fairly fertile ground from a character standpoint.  But I get this shift in direction.  It's an attempt to keep the Star Wars line CURRENT and moving forward with a sense of anticipation towards the new trilogy.

And then there's the shift in the action figure business.  We've seen a pattern emerge where interest seems to be gravitating away from the 3.75" action figure to collector focused 6" figures and the video game sector.  There have also been some massive failures on some serious movie licensed toy lines.  That's led to action figure lines that are leaner, more cost-concious and more risk averse than they were say, 5 years ago.

For the continued health of the line?  I'm okay with this shift away from the EU.  I understand what's driving it.  It's a compromise that's being made in the interest of benefitting the broader Star Wars merchandise line.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2014, 05:53 AM by Nicklab »
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Online Rob

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #69 on: February 18, 2014, 09:33 AM »
The only EU figure I can't believe they never made that I'd have liked (I'm not into EU) is Jorus C'baoth.

Offline Qui-Gon Jim

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #70 on: February 18, 2014, 12:19 PM »
I think the brand is shaking off EU so that they don't need to worry about any continuity.  Seems like it now extends to merchandise.  I am sure the Mouse House doesn't want Hasbro making Jaina Solo figures when their EP7 negates her existence in some way.

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #71 on: February 18, 2014, 02:49 PM »
To the segment of collectors out there claiming this was a bad Toy Fair, I couldn't disagree more. If you take the foreknowledge of the entire list of product scrubbed from Hasbro's database out of the equation, this show had a ton of reveals. I can't say I'm disappointed with anything other than the huge x-wing "sibling maimer" or the Command line and the fact that there was no reveal of The Ghost or female SWR action figures.

I thought this was much more promising too - I can't say I was blown away, but it wasn't too much of a letdown.  Compared to 2013's Toy Fair event, this was night and day.

Online Rob

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #72 on: February 18, 2014, 03:12 PM »
Not much in terms of quantity, but I thought the quality was there.

Offline Darby

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #73 on: February 18, 2014, 07:06 PM »
Definitely, I thought it was a good showing. I came away optimistic.

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Fair 2014
« Reply #74 on: February 18, 2014, 08:52 PM »
I was downright floored by the coolness of stuff like the AT-DP and early model TIE Advanced...  That stuff shocked me, as I expected turds like the last Class II vehicles.  Undersized, pathetic looking representations of vehicles that were nowhere near to-scale.  $25 for stuff that looks pretty spot-on?  I was a pig in slop.

Nevermind the new TBS 4" we saw...  and even the 6" was neat.

And I'm in the minority but the Hero X-Wing has me at least intrigued enough to give it a chance as a base for a to-scale X-Wing possibly.  Something I've had on my to-do list since I was young.

5POA figures aren't my thing but I'm still getting Chopper and possibly one or two more figures...  Depends on my mood ultimately, and how much I have in Reward Points at K-Mart I think.  :-X
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