Sad day for NY baseball fans.  Gary Carter was a great ball player, and he's gone far too young.

My fondest memory of "The Kid"?  I was at a Mets - Expos game around 1988 or so.  We have amazing seats at field level, right behind the backstop.  Gary Carter comes up to the plate, and it's Pasquale Perez on the mound.  Perez throws what may have been the slowest offspeed pitch in the history of Major League Baseball for a strike.  You could literally see Gary Carter SLOWLY following the ball across the plate and into the catcher's mitt.  And even he was laughingand smiling over how slow that pitch was!  At the time I was wondering "why didn't he swing at that pitch?", but in hindsight I can only think of just how much he would've had to change up the timing of his swing to hit a pitch like that.

Good point Nick...I've seen that one debated before...my own personal list is:

Lumat
Sim Aloo
Blue Gonk
Death Squad Commander

I'm OK with the Bespin Guard, Hoth Commander and Endor Troops

I think this list is probably closer to the mark, and Lumat just got confirmed. 

We've certainly been over the Death Squad Commander thing enough.  That being said, I'd be fine with things if Hasbro offered the upcoming Imperial Naval Trooper in a grey/olive uniform running change.

Looks like Hasbro is positioning themselves for the 2013 movie line.  I think they can certainly approach things in a far more focused way than whoever had the license for the 2009 movie.  Especially when you consider how that 2009 line had figures in what, at least 3 different scales?

The Clones and Sandtrooper are definitely head scratchers.  Especially considering how other Clones & Sandtroopers in the TVC line have sold (or haven't sold).  I see these as an exercise in Hasbro trying to get some value out of new tooling, and little else.

As for the rest? 

The Bespin Leia is cool.  It's an improvement on the OTC Bespin Leia, which is now about 8 years old.  If I had my druthers, I would update the Bespin Escape Leia before this one.  Especially with the tie-in to the Carbon Freeze Chamber exclusive - Leia is in the Bespin Escape outfit for that scene!

A new Prunceface is a curiosity, but it fits an overall theme of revisiting a bunch of the characters that were some of the more notable late era POTF2 figures.

The Emporer's Wrath Vader actually looks kind of cool.  This is one instance where I think some electronics could really enhance the figure.

Jar Jar?  He looks okay, I suppose.  I'm surprised that there isn't more lingering hate for Jar Jar, but I think that's been redirected elsewhere given the overall reactions to the prequels.

As for the TOR Republic Trooper?  I think it looks pretty awesome.  Still, the character seems SO derivative of the PT Clones, and notably Commander Cody that you can't help but compare them.  Yet, this does breathe a little bit of new life into the figure line since the character choices are continually being diminished as Hasbro plows through them.

No Nick, it's not you.  They didn't put it out for some reason.  Just individual pics of the toys.  Was a tad bit more tedious.

They've traditionally put out two groupings of images on the FTP site:  a press release gallery, plus the presentation.  Not pleased that it's just been the press release so far.

Got 3 from last year's list:  Post Senate Amidala, Naboo Royal Guard & Mawhonic.  This year's candidates?


1 - Tendau Bendon - Ithorian Senator



2 - PK Droid



3 - Gardulla the Hutt



4 - Tey How



5 - Naboo Security Officer



6 - Maoi Madakor - Captain of the Radiant VII



7 - Antidar Williams - Pilot of the Radiant VII



8 - R5-X2



9 - Elan Mak



10 - Erdan

The Rebel set is definitely very similar in theme to 2011's BATTLE OF ENDOR multi-packs.    And I'm glad to see some of the Battle of Yavin pilots who actually have dialogue getting figures.  I really hope they're legit!

As for the Ewoks?  We've known that Kneesa was in the works for at least a year, but got split off from a possible 2-pack with Wicket.  And updated Teebo would be awesome, too.  And more new Ewoks are certainly welcome in my book since Hasbro has finally gotten around to finishing the Kenner Ewoks.

Based on what we've seen in recent history?  I'm thinking that these are probably TRU exclusives.  I guess we're going to have to wait and see what develops with these.