The Future of Star Wars Collecting?

[Muftak]

I was in a WalMart with that reset too. They had Omnipresent Lando and Disguised Din Djarin hanging out on the upper 2 pegs that had a $13-and change pricepoint on them, and below that they had Cassian Andor and Vel Sartha on the two pegs below that, which were priced at $15-something.

When I bought the 2 Andor figures they rang up as $13.78 though. Weird to see them prepared ahead of time for the new SKU change, complete with two pricepoints. And it will be bittersweet to see all the Landos go away finally, just like it was with the Jyn Ersos and Snokes last time. There is a Target in my area that has had 12 Landos for over a year now...they disappeared over Christmas and the store was selling Obi-Wan wave figures, but "somehow Lando returned" after the January clearance purge.

[Jeff]

With the onslaught of stuff that has hit the last 6 weeks, I think I am down to just three non-basic figure pre-orders:

2024 TVC Galaxy of Heroes Carded 2-Pack - due 1/1/24
2024 TVC Jabba the Hutt Set w/Salacious Crumb and 8D8 - due 9/15/24
2024 HasLab TVC The Ghost with Hera, Ezra, Kanan, and Zeb - due Fall 2024

After being so overloaded with pre-orders for a long time, it feels so weird to just have a couple outstanding TVC items pre-ordered (two of which won't even be here for a year).  Makes me wonder what they have planned for Spring/Summer 2024 and when they are going to tell us about it?  The Huyang wave is the only thing out there for Summer 2024 so far...

[Rob]

Here's my preorder list... there's more stuff on it than yours by a decent bit... I don't have Ghost listed as a preorder because it's paid up, but yeah, that too...

      - XX.XX - TVC R5-D4:  $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Jabba’s The Hutt Set:  $95.61
      - XX.XX - TVC Grand Admiral Thrawn Rebels (Amazon):  $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Darth Revan (Amazon):  $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Pre Vizla (Amazon):  $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Hera Syndulla (Ahsoka Version):  Pulse $18.05, Amazon:  $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC HK-87 Assassin Droid:  Amazon $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Morgan Elsbeth:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Professor Huyang:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Chopper:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
      - XX.XX - TVC Galaxy of Heroes Revan / HK-47 2-Pack (Pulse):  $42.49
      - XX.XX - TVC Director Krennic:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
      - XX.XX - Retro Collection ROTJ 6-Pack (Pulse):  $77.55

[Jeff]

Here's my preorder list... there's more stuff on it than yours by a decent bit...

I didn't add the basic figures to my list.  I kind of view the basic figures as the bare minimum for the line and use the "other stuff" as an indicator of the health of the line. 

They pipeline revealed a DLX Jango Fett and a 'Random Mix' Clone Trooper 4-pack (of decos we already have - what a dumb decision) so we know those are coming in Spring/Summer.  But nothing for Vehicles or Playsets yet...

[Rob]

Ah, yeah you did say that... makes sense I guess.  I also expect some fresh reveals soon given how much stuff has shipped recently. 

I found Ahoska and the Grand Inquisitor at lunch today... at a Target that still charges $12.99 for TVC, woo hoo.

[Muftak]

I found Ahoska and the Grand Inquisitor at lunch today... at a Target that still charges $12.99 for TVC, woo hoo.

That wave is back on the old Lando-era SKU for some reason, so the $12.99 price is correct.

A couple weeks back I took the 5 Landos that have been hanging on the peg at my local Target all year (really, for over a year) and purchased them to redistribute around a 50 mile radius...then had to disburse 2 more when they came out of the backroom. After a week with an empty peg A Grand Inquisitor showed up...a bona fide new figure! But it is not lost on me that he was the old SKU. I am hoping my actions have gotten the supply line moving again.

[Jeff]

That wave is back on the old Lando-era SKU for some reason

Hasbro is currently running two different assortments for some reason over the past few waves - E7763 and E6878.  They seem to be alternating back and forth with each new wave...

[Jeff]

After being so overloaded with pre-orders for a long time, it feels so weird to just have a couple outstanding TVC items pre-ordered

The list has dwindled even further.  I am down to just 5 pre-order figures (R5-D4, Huyang, Dooku, Clone x2), the Jabba/Crumb/8D8 set, and then The Ghost (if that counts as a pre-order).

Hasbro seems to be playing things closer to the vest.  I thought there would be more reveals as part of SW.com's "Gift the Galaxy" promo thing, but not much for 3.75" stuff there.  There is a pile of stuff that they've pipeline revealed (15 basic figures, DLX Jango, Clone 4-pack).  There is also the new "Epic Heroes" line that was kind of announced/leaked via etailers.  Still no word on when those will go up for pre-order or how that will affect TVC volume in 2024.

[Rob]

Yeah this is the shortest my preorder list has been in years.

There's the Retro BOBF wave floating around out there eventually and I know there are some pipeline reveals that have happened... but as far as preorders?

TVC R5-D4 (Amazon):  $18.73
TVC Jabba’s The Hutt Set (Pulse):  $95.61
TVC Professor Huyang:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
TVC Cassian Andor Photoreal:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
TVC Count Dooku:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
TVC Phase I Clone Trooper:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73
TVC Finn Photoreal:  Pulse $18.05, Amazon $18.73

Plus The Ghost, which is of course paid for.

That's it.

They must have a bunch of reveals in the queue.

[Mister Skeezler]

They must have a bunch of reveals in the queue.

I hope so.

[Nicklab]

As a year end exercise it seems worth breaking down some of the numbers for The Vintage Collection in 2023 so that perhaps we can get a sense of what might come in 2024.

This is what that bore out:

SINGLE CARDED FIGURES - 28 x FIGURES
21 x NEW mainline carded figures
7 x REISSUE carded figures


FIGURE 2-PACKS - 6 FIGURES
3 x 2-packs


RETAILER EXCLUSIVE FIGURES - 7 x FIGURES
3 x Walmart exclusive carded figures
3 x Target exclusive carded figures
1 x Disney / Pulse exclusive figure


EXCLUSIVE MULTI-PACKS - 1 SET - 4 x FIGURES
1 x Entertainment Set w/ 4x carded figures


VEHICLES - 4 x VEHICLES / 4 x PACK-IN FIGURES
3 x pack-in carded figures
1 x pack-in loose figure


PLAYSETS - 2 x PLAYSETS / 2 x PACK-IN FIGURES
2 x pack-in figures


DELUXE FIGURES - 6 x FIGURES
3 x mainline deluxe figures
3 x exclusive deluxe figures ** - all re-purposed from other releases


TROOP BUILDER SETS - 19 x FIGURES
3 x sets of 4 x figures
1 x set of 7 x figures


I have to wonder if the line will deliver about the same number of releases in 2024?

[P-Siddy]

Looks like Steve Evans is back with the Star Wars team.  Hopefully, that will bring some positive news for Star Wars fans.

[Dave]

Sweet.  Hopefully this will bring back a bit more of the magic this line used to have.

[McMetal]

It’s definitely great news, he is definitely a guy who “gets it” as far as the license and collector sensibility.

[Rob]

Oh hell yes.