I finally resigned myself to opening some of these. Basically, I'll have three categories of what I'm doing with the VOTC figures.
OPENERS
These are just too good to keep in the bubble. The poseability, softgoods and overall detail demand that these figures need some space to breathe. Besides, I need to retire my Cantina Han's!
MOMC
I had given up on being a MOMC collector with the advent of the SAGA/EPISODE II line. However, the VOTC line is packaged SO WELL that I have to keep a set in pristine condition, and these won't be leaving their clamshells anytime soon.
AUTOGRAPH FODDER
This is more of a personal slant on my collection, but where applicable, I like to get the actors to sign the figures. I already got Carrie Fisher to sign a Princess Leia courtesy of a great friend of mine who attended Comic Con. It's too bad that she will probably be THE ONLY actor from the ANH wave that will sign something, since Mark Hammil doesn't sign merchandise, Harrison Ford is among the Holy Grail of Star Wars actors, and Alec Guiness can't sign anything since unfortunately he's pushing up the daisies!
I'm more hopeful that I can get everyone in the ESB and most of the ROTJ waves to sign those figures. But seriously, who do you get to sign a Stormtrooper?!
Be those things as they may, all of the autographed figures are going to have to come out of the clamshells to get signed. At that point, I'll be sealing those right back up.