Hasbro SDCC 2005 QnA

[JesseVader08]

The only exciting news to come from SDCC was the news of clone (and droid) repacks - how sad is that?

New Unleashed = lame
Last 12 repaints = mega lame
Ani and Obi Lava repaints = super lame (price point, ******* lame)

A few days ago, I was in total agreement about the disappointment of repacks and repaints that will end the ROTS line.  But considering that the first 56 figures were all new sculpts, having 12 more repaints (and another 3 variants) isn't bad at all, at least in my view.

I certainly can't argue with the lameness of the price that the come with the exclusive Anakin and Obi-Wan, but I am still looking forward to the figures themselves.  At least there is logic to having "lava reflection" versions of these (compared to the lava Vader).

Simply knowing the potential that 2006 brings us, I can deal with the end of 2005 repaints.

[Jeff]

A few days ago, I was in total agreement about the disappointment of repacks and repaints that will end the ROTS line.  But considering that the first 56 figures were all new sculpts, having 12 more repaints (and another 3 variants) isn't bad at all, at least in my view.

Actually, don't forget the variants we already got - Royal Guard (Red/Blue) and Wookiee (Tan/Brown).

So, we got:
56 new basic figures (#1-56)
5 variants (#6, #23, #33, #34, #43)
12 repaints (#57-68)

73 basic figures from April to October (6 months) is a TON - it doesn't even factor in the deluxe, pack-ins, etc.   

[Brian]

I was just thinking about that too, when I was looking over my purchases for the year.  Just a crazy amount of figures out, repaints or no repaints.  It is nice from one standpoint to have a bunch of new stuff, but I'm more than ready for the pace to slow down a bit next year.  Although it seems like once I get caught up on things, I can't wait for something new, I know it would be a financial relief if the total releases for the year were a little lower.  I'll pick up a few of these "final 12", but probably not all.  The clones in particular I'd like to get, as well as the Shocktrooper repaint.  Other than those clones maybe being harder to find, I guess it is sort of a good thing to put "repaints" that many might not want at the end of a line.  The last waves are always the toughest to find it seems, and if people don't want them...they don't have to worry about them.  Although I do hope that everyone that is looking for them is able to pick up what they want.

[DoctorPadawan]

considering that the first 56 figures were all new sculpts

Just wanted to nitpick a little with this, Jesse. 

-The Super Battle Droid is a slightly modified version of the 2002 Saga Deluxe Yoda with Super Battle Droid

-The Battle Droid is a repaint of the 2002 Saga Battle Droid

The Destroyer Droid is a slightly repainted (with new missles) version of the 2002 Saga Destroyer Droid

-R2-D2 (#48) is a modified version of the 2002 Saga R2-D2 (Coruscant Sentry) which was a modified version of the 1997 POTF2 Power F/X R2-D2

So, technically, we got 52 totally new figures this year in the basic line (which is still a whole hell of a lot to me). 

The last waves are always the toughest to find it seems, and if people don't want them...they don't have to worry about them.  Although I do hope that everyone that is looking for them is able to pick up what they want

This is what worries me (this being the last wave) the most about the final 12 at this point.  While some of them are just plain awful to look at and make me wonder what in the world Hasbro was drinking/smoking/inhaling (namely the Wookiee Warriors and the Neimoidian Warrior), some of them (namely everything that is derived from Mr. Fett's DNA) are really nice, and if a lot of people miss out on them, I can see a big swell in anger toward Hasbro if they aren't reshipped again on TSC cards (themes or not, you just don't release new Clones at the end of a line and then never reship them).

If Hasbro honestly wants to avoid a problem with this, they need to double the production on each and every Clone in the last 12.  That way, retail gets their share, and Hasbro can do a "2 per customer" thing at HasbroToyShop.com to prove the site isn't completely useless (even though I know some will have a problem with the 2 per idea) and to make sure that everyone who wants one will be able to get one (or two as the case may be).

I think one of the most logical moves they could have made is to not split them up into Collection 1 and 2, and instead release the final 12 as a one per case assortment and make enough cases available to EE or somewhere else so collectors could buy their case, get one of every figure, and be done with it, and if they wanted more, there would still be a large number that shipped to retail.

Something else I noticed is that the first 7 of the "final 12" are all Collection 1 figures, and only 5 are Collection 2.  There are 12 figures in a case, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that:

-If all 7 Collection 1 figures are released in a case there are going to be, at least, two figures that are shortpacked.

-If all 5 Collection 2 figures are released in a case, two of those figures will be 3 per case, at least. 

So, if they had to do their 2 Collection assortment thing they have been doing for years, they could make things a lot easier and move one of those Collection 1 figures (why the hell is Cat Miin C1 anyway?) over to C2, and have each figure shipped in an equal amount: 2 per case.  Then again, I really don't think that the Neimoidian Warrior repaint should be packed at anything above 0 per case, but at the most 1 per case.

And given the indication that the repaints of the Clone Commander, Pilot, and the 501st Clone are going to be one per case in this next Collection 1 assortment, I'm still of the belief that this is going to be one massive headache when the figures start shipping.  All I can say is that if I see extras of any of those three figures, I'll be picking them up for people here.

[ruiner]

It's not a big deal that the last 12 are repaints.  The big deal is the fact that the first 50 or so were new molds....and the last 12 (containing some hot figures) are all repaints.

They should have sprinkled in new molds with the old/repaints.

Off the bat, I'm sure everyone (Dressel?) would've loved to see the first Wookie Warrior repainted a few different colors in the beginning vs. the end.

The same with the clones - give us a chance to actually find the 501st - seriously, who didn't see the writing on the wall with these guys?

EVERYONE wants an army of the 501st - they are the ones responsible for the wiping out of the Jedi Temple!!

[JesseVader08]

Just wanted to nitpick a little with this, Jesse. 

-The Super Battle Droid is a slightly modified version of the 2002 Saga Deluxe Yoda with Super Battle Droid

-The Battle Droid is a repaint of the 2002 Saga Battle Droid

The Destroyer Droid is a slightly repainted (with new missles) version of the 2002 Saga Destroyer Droid

-R2-D2 (#48) is a modified version of the 2002 Saga R2-D2 (Coruscant Sentry) which was a modified version of the 1997 POTF2 Power F/X R2-D2

So, technically, we got 52 totally new figures this year in the basic line (which is still a whole hell of a lot to me). 

See, that's what I love about our home here at JD - details.  I love it!  Thanks, Doc - that's some great information there.   

Something else I noticed is that the first 7 of the "final 12" are all Collection 1 figures, and only 5 are Collection 2. 

That still baffles me - 12 figures per case, so doesn't it seem logical to split the Final 12 equally per collection? 

And given the indication that the repaints of the Clone Commander, Pilot, and the 501st Clone are going to be one per case... All I can say is that if I see extras of any of those three figures, I'll be picking them up for people here.

I'll hold you to that.       'Cause I guarantee you we won't be seeing them north of the 49th parallel.   

It's not a big deal that the last 12 are repaints. The big deal is the fact that the first 50 or so were new molds....and the last 12 (containing some hot figures) are all repaints.

Very true - It would be easier to tolerate the repaints (and like you said, popular ones at that) being saved to the end if retailers didn't always flounder in their ordering of the last few waves.

[DoctorPadawan]

I can't recall the last wave of anything Hasbro did in the SW line(s) ever being easy to find.  Let's just have a look back...

POTF2: The final assortment of 1998 (when they finally dropped the three year old case assortment numbers) was supposed to be the Collection 3 Hoth Leia/AT-AT Driver/Pote Snitkin/DSD wave.  Since retail was sitting on mountains of Rancor Keepers that they couldn't get rid of even with those 2 dollar figure prices (does anyone else remember the stickers?), retail said a resounding "NO" to any assortments under that number, lest they get more Rancor Keepers.  As it was, the final wave of Collection 2 (the Darktrooper/Spacetrooper wave) was nearly impossible to find, and the final Collection 1 wave (which was Lobot/Mothma/Prune Face/Boussh Chewie) was hell to find at that time until loads of them showed up in the TRU fire sales of 2000.

Oh, and the actual final wave of Collection 3 at retail was of Ree Yees and the Death Star Trooper.  Remember the fun trying to find those?

POTF2 CommTech: Leia and Admiral Motti.  As Stan Lee would say, "Nuff said."

Episode I:  Last wave of Collection 3 was TC-14 and R2-B1.  Last wave of Collection 2 was Sio Bibble, Battle Amidala, and the Pit Droids.  Last wave of Collection 1 was a bit easier to find with the exception of Swamp Jar Jar, which was one per case.

POTJ: Bo'Shek, Teebo, and R4-M9, if you count that as the final wave (I'm pretty sure the AOTC previews were a case assortment unto themselves).

Clone Wars:  Four words: SUPER ARTICULATED CLONE TROOPER.

Saga: the Endor Generals wave of 2004, which would have been hard to find if they hadn't reissued all three of those figures in the OTC line (thankfully).

OTC: Mostly recards that are difficult to find (like the Sandtrooper), so this one doesn't really count, does it?

ROTS: The last wave will be 12 repaints, several of which are Clones.  It's going to be one big party, only it won't be any fun, and there won't be any pie.

I'll hold you to that. 

Well, Jesse, I guess you're my Short Pack Repaint Buddy.  If I am able to get more than one of each, I will be your hookup.