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Messages - Nicklab

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1
The Vintage Collection / Re: The Future of Star Wars Collecting?
« on: June 18, 2025, 09:57 AM »
Looking ahead to SDCC 2025 as it'snow 5 weeks away, and I'm wondering if Hasbro is going to shift the way they conduct the SDCC panel this year? Last year they were still offering the Pipeline Reveals - and 2 of those that were announced in June of '24 are still yet to be officially revealed. But per Hasbro they decided to taper off the Pipeline Reveals since they seemed to diminish the excitement level for announcements in general.

This is what got revealed for TVC last year at SDCC:
-3 TVC mainline figures [Imperial Jet Trooper, Thrawn (Ahsoka), Ahsoka Tano (Peridea)]
-1 TVC deluxe figure - Cobb Vanth
-1 creature pack - Mando and Blurrg
-1 playset - Armorer's Forge
-8 TVC mainline figures announced as Pipeline Reveals.
-Shortly before SDCC Hasbro announced the Mandalorian Shriek Hawk Training Team multipack

Given the shift in how Hasbro is announcing things? I suspect that there will be more announcements than last year.  It's fair to expect Hasbro to finally reveal the new Han Solo and Chewbacca that were pipelined a year ago.

Yakface also has 4 named characters on their current rumor list, with another 17 entries for mainline figures, 3 slotted for deluxe figures, as well as a couple of multipacks. I think we could see anywhere from 6 - 8 mainline figures announced, a deluxe figure and a multipack announced for TVC. I'm also not ruling out the possibility that Hasbro could make at least a couple of pipeline reveals, but those would be an exception to the shift in the way Hasbro is announcing things.

2
I finally placed a preorder for this.  I missed the first opportunity to order it, and had actually cleared out almost all of my old POTF2 Banthas over the past 18 months.  Glad to secure a preorder finally!

3
There was a limit of 3 per customer on these sets.  I ordered 2 for myself after getting shut out the first time around.

4
I would have like to grab the limit, but today was brutal as preorder days go.  The only thing I ordered multiples of was the Stormtroopers of the Empire 3-pack, and that was just 2 of those.

I had already bought a solid case of the new TVC Snowtroopers.  I kept 2 of those carded and intend to open the other 6.  These 4 will bring my total on the new Snowtroopers to 10, plus 2 of the Commanders.

5
The Vintage Collection / Re: 2025 TVC Darth Vader's TIE Advanced
« on: June 16, 2025, 01:57 PM »
Same thing for me, Rob.  The bot detector didn't like my laptop, but the app worked fine.

6
The Vintage Collection / Re: 2025 TVC Cantina Adventure Set
« on: June 16, 2025, 01:57 PM »
I was just able to order this now.  The only hassle I had was the usual phone number issue, as well as the bot filter while using my laptop.  I switched to the app and it went through.

7
The Vintage Collection / Re: 2025 TVC Darth Vader's TIE Advanced
« on: June 16, 2025, 09:20 AM »
It's odd how vehicle prices have fluctuated over the past couple of years, and the sticker shock that seems to be hitting a number of collectors.

The Mandalorian's N1 Starfighter had a retail price of $131.99.  It was a 2023 release, but I think a good number of collectors benefitted from some sale pricing on this.  And it's Mando's ship!

But then there's the E-Wing.  That was a late 2024 release and priced at $99.99.  Granted, it looks to be smaller than the TIE Advanced, but $40 smaller?

Go further back and we've got some Red 5 X-Wing re-releases as well as the Blue Leader X-Wing.  Merrick's X-Wing was $105.99 for a repaint of an existing vehicle.

It seems like pricing is a little bit all over the place here.

8
The Vintage Collection / Re: 2025 TVC Darth Vader's TIE Advanced
« on: June 14, 2025, 11:08 AM »
The price is definitely a big deterrent.  As for how they got there?  I look at the size of it along with some comparable recent vehicle releases.  The E Wing, the modified N1 Starfighter, and even the most recent X-Wing have all been priced over $100.  So that’s part of the precedent. 

Can Hasbro ever re-purpose some of the design assets of the TIE Advanced X-1 for any future releases?  I thought that *MAYBE* the wings could be the basis for an updated TIE Bomber, but I’m not completely sure.  So if this new Vader TIE is a “one and done” situation?  I can see Hasbro using that to justify the price.  And we’re kind of locked into that price because items rarely go on sale on Hasbro Pulse. 

9
I ordered from the Amazon link. so thanks Jeff!  I'm still waiting on the two that I ordered from Hasbro Pulse when they were initially offered.

It's a great figure!  And the number of accessories is substantial.  But you can only equip the Armored Commando with 4 of them at the most.  After taking the figure out of the blister I put the blaster pistol in the holster, the rifle in the right hand and the shield on the left arm.  The jetpack might be removable, but at least it can stay on the figure.  As for the knife and the electro-baton?  We'll see.

10
The Vintage Collection / Re: 2025 TVC Darth Vader's TIE Advanced
« on: June 13, 2025, 08:36 PM »
I’m happy with the announcement.  I think Vader’s TIE had been overdue for an update.  And this really does look much more like the miniature used to film trench run. 

I expected a Vader pack-in figure, and it’s nice to get a different filmout from ANH instead of the image that dates back to 1978.

As for the price?  Sheesh!!!

11
Jayson dropped a fairly sizable hint about what's likely to be revealed in this YF Facebook post:
"Hasbro’s troops have entered the base! Hasbro Pulse has announced they will be broadcasting their next Star Wars Fanstream this Friday the 13th at 11am ET on YouTube to commemorate Father’s Day. Look for various announcements to go up for preorder soon (next week)."

To me?  That says the Snowtrooper Troop Builder 4-pack is on tap.  As for the whole Father's Day angle?  If there is anything with that theme, I suspect it would be with figures that have already been released, but in some special 2-pack packaging.  And my suspicions that this livestream might reveal the rest of TVC wave 24 have been dashed.  Those are probably being held until SDCC.

12
We're due for a livestream.  The schedule for livestreams this year so far was on the following dates:

-JAN 22nd
-FEB 26th
-MAR 25th
-MAY 4th

Hasbro went a little long between the March and May livestreams, but that seems to be because they had plans for May the Fourth.  SDCC is coming up beginning on July 24th.  So could there be one more livestream coming soon?  It seems possible, unless Hasbro wants to hold everything until their SDCC 2025 panel.

There are still 3 open character slots in the TVC case that includes Ben Kenobi and the Stormtrooper.  Those open entries for that case seem like the most likely TVC items that would get announced.

13
I was kind of expecting an announcement that Bom Vimdim would be released.  Hasbro has been working their way through re-releases of assorted Cantina aliens, and Bom Vimdim was on that list.  I suspect that we'll probably see a Zutton reissue this year as well.

The Gamorrean Guard re-release is one that I can see the TVC collecting community welcoming.  It's basically an army builder. But I think more than a few people are going to be upset with the deluxe pricing.  It does seem a bit questionable given the fact that the Gamorrean Guard was a mainline figure that was available for the standard TVC figure msrp.  Side note - I'd still like to see Hasbro take on some of the newer Gamorreans - like the pit fighters in TM season 2, or Boba Fett's guards.

Bib Fortuna is a questionable choice on Hasbro's part.  He fits the RTT theme, but is still readily available from the original run that was released in 2021/22.  I wish Hasbro would factor the retail market - both dealers and the secondary market - into their decision making process when choosing some of these re-releases.

14
The Vintage Collection / Re: Andor Product Line Wishlist
« on: May 20, 2025, 05:27 PM »
There are at least 2 astromechs from Yavin that I'd like to see in one of the Droid Factory 2-packs.  One had a green body, and the other had a blue body and yellow trim.  There was also a white GNK droid on the apron, too.  As for a 4th droid?  Usually these sets have some sort of humanoid shaped droid.  But I'm struggling to identify one from ANDOR season 2.  I would have thought there would be at least one protocol droid in all of those Senate scenes on Coruscant, but I can't recall seeing one.  Beyond that?  I think the Sienar hangar droid might be an interesting change.

15
The Vintage Collection / Re: Andor Product Line Wishlist
« on: May 18, 2025, 12:32 PM »
I'm going to take on the task of trying to make a list for ANDOR season 2

MAINLINE FIGURES
Range Trooper (Sienar Base)
Sienar hangar droid
Mon Mothma (Coruscant - Blue Senate Cloak)
Bix Calleen (Mina Rau)
Brasso (Mina Rau)
Luthen Rael (Art Dealer)
Wilmon Paak (Partisans - Rhydonium extraction)
Saw Gerrera (Rhydonium heist)
Cassian Andor (Ghorman Massacre)
Syril Karn (Ghorman Massacre)
Captain Kaido (Ghorman Massacre)
Sgt. Bloy (Ghorman Massacre)
Cassian Andor (Senate Extraction)
Erskine Semaj
Sgt. Gharial (ISB Tactical Squad Leader)
ISB Supervisor Heert (ISB Tactical Gear)
Cassian Andor (Coruscant Safe House Mission)
Ruescott Melshi (Coruscant Safe House Mission)
Kleya (Coruscant Safe House)
General Draven
Admiral Raddus
Vel Sartha (Yavin IV)



DELUXE FIGURES
Kleya (Gallery) with Comms Gear
Moroff


SPECIAL ACTION FIGURE 3 or 4-PACKS
GHORMAN FRONT - Carro Rylanz, Enza Rylanz, Dilan, Lezine
PARTISANS - Two Tubes, Pluti, Beezer Fortuna


TROOP BUILDER 4-PACKS
IMPERIAL RIOT TROOPERS (Ghorman)
SENATE GUARDS
ISB TACTICAL AGENTS


VEHICLES
TIE Avenger Prototype with Cassian Andor (Sienar Test Pilot)
Imperial Troop Transport with Transport Driver (Mina-Rau & Ghorman)
U-Wing with Cassian Andor (Mission to Kafrene)

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