Maybe it was mentioned earlier and I missed it, but I just saw this review over at dvd.ign.com.  I didn't realize that "The Black Hole" from Disney was being released on DVD, I always enjoyed that movie as a kid.

Also, I wanted to ask some of your opinions on a figure as well.  Of the four or so figures I hope to pick up, one of them is Samwise Gamgee.  Although I have read rumors of another one coming up in the future, it must be aways off, because I haven't seen anything online or at the recent fairs.  Of the ones that have come out, which would you recommend picking up?  The other figures I hope to get (Aragorn, Frodo, Merry), I'm waiting for the upcoming "super poseable" versions (with the exception of Merry, I hope to get the armored version), so I'm waiting on those right now.  If you had to pick one Sam, which would be the best one to get?  I know many people like the orc armor version, but I'm looking for a little less "scene specific" one.  Thanks for any advice you might have.

Nice to see another figure spotlight, it is nice hearing more about these figures.  Boba Fett looks pretty spiffy to me too, and from the sounds of things, should be everything that we were hoping for.  So, with 18 points, is this the most articulated Star Wars figure ever?  At least, in the 3 3/4" line?  I don't remember hearing of any figure having more, and Fett is a good one to "set the bar" with.  The VOTC line continues to impress, at least to me, and I kind of wish we'd get another wave or two of these.  Maybe after the ROTS hype dies down in 2006, Hasbro will go this route and release a few more "vintage style" figures.

Just stopped in at TRU yesterday to check for anything new, and it appears the LOTR section at our TRU here has been narrowed down as well.  The pegs that were used for Trilogy figures are now gone (and replaced with some other stuff), and there are just pegs packed full of old packaging Gollums now (for $8 still).  Maybe this news is true, but it is surprising.  It seems like this line still sells well, and has some life in it (at least until the DVD EE release)...and it seems like Toy Biz has plans for this further into the future with what was shown.

Like many of you said, it is strange (and sad) that Toys R Us, can't even dominate the market in....toys.  Their prices are more often than not higher (sometimes much) than anywhere else on all the toy lines I check out (Star Wars, Spidey/Marvel, and LOTR), they never seem to clearance figures out (still $8 Gollums? come on), and now it appears that some areas are becoming more limited in selection.  Its a shame really that they can't do better.

It has really been nice reading everyone's comments on this, again...great topic Scott.  Its been surprising how many of us seem to feel the same way about collections, or at least think about it from time to time.  I guess I'm fortunate enough that I never really got into any other lines really big outside of Star Wars, so it hasn't been a big financial thing, but at the same time what I do have takes up space/money..and time to go and find it, so it really does make you consider what is important to you.

I think sometimes I even look at my Star Wars collection and see certain items/figures and think "did I really need this?".  I try to be more selective in my buying now, and kind of wish I had always been that way.  Although I like my collection, it does at time seem overwhelming.  I think that is why sometimes I get pretty psyched about "subsets" like the VOTC, because I think "well, its only 12 figures or so, and I could display them on one shelf by themselves and it will look nice".  I guess I'm the type of person that doesn't want my collections overwhelming the room/space they are in, and starting to look jumbled or messy.  But, while I say that, I still like collecting most of the basic line (especially OT stuff), and I'm always ready for more figures too...so I can't complain too much.

Anyways, it has been interesting to see everyone's thoughts and opinions on this topic so far.  I'm kind of glad to see that many of the rest of you have at least thought about it at one time or another.

I just hate the direction sports cards took through the 90's and on into the present.  It used to be such a fun hobby, but then everything totally changed, for the worse.

I agree totally Matt, this is how I felt about it too (and why I quit).  I had so much fun collecting cards in my elementary, junior high and early high school years...but then it got so it wasn't fun.  Too much to keep up with, less cards in each pack, higher price per pack, it just got to be too much.  Part of me would like to get into cards again too, but like I said, probably just one kind...to keep it simple and cheap.  Really thinking about going to a card shop here in town to see if I can shed my baseball card collection.

On the topic of cards...when we were moving a couple months ago, I found my baseball/football/basketball/Marvel card collections, and looked through a few of them.  I sold some "extras" boxes on a garage sale a couple of years ago, but still have quite a few left.  I have sometimes thought about selling much of it off (takes up a lot of room, and I don't actively collect them anymore anyways), and use it to fund Star Wars/current collecting funds.  I'd also want to keep a few, just to have if we ever have kids some day.  Have any of you ever sold off most (or all) of your sports card collections?  It seems to me that most of what I have likely isn't worth much anymore (like it was at the time at least), since the advent of grading has come around.  Are "regular", ungraded sports cards worth anything anymore?  I mainly collected from the 1988-1994ish time I think, for the most part.  Its funny, I was a big K.C. Royals fan as a kid, and of course, Bo Jackson was my favorite player.  I have a huge collection of his cards, that probably aren't worth squat anymore  Do any of you know, are sports cards from back then even worth anything now, if they aren't graded?  Just curious.

I was wondering if anyone else has changed their mind, picked up a different line, etc.?  Recently, I have had to reconsider my collecting (outside of Star Wars), and I'm trying to narrow it down to one other, smaller (than SW) line...because of a variety of reasons (funds, space, stuff to chase down, etc.).  Star Wars is tough enough sometimes to keep up with (financially and with the amount of stuff out there), and I haven't been able to even collect all the Star Wars based lines I'm interested in, just because it gets expensive or they are tough to find.  Anyways, I've been trying to think about what I'm going to cut back (or out) on...and what will be my "secondary" collection outside of Star Wars.

I really enjoy the Lord of the Rings figures, and as I've said before, I could be happy if I picked up four more figures.  I just wanted a "base" group, and I could be happy with that.  To me, since it is small in scope (9 figures total) and "finite" since I'd be done in a month or so if I found everything I needed, I don't necessarily consider that something I am "collecting" anymore, since I'd be done (although the Mrs. disagrees).  The line outside of Star Wars that I enjoy the most would be Spidey/Marvel.  I was hoping to broaden my Marvel Legends collection, but actually might have to end up giving it up.  I think I will focus on Spider-Man (Spidey Classics) if I can't do the entire Marvel universe, since it will be more limited with only 1 "new" bad guy each wave usually...and plus, Spidey is my favorite character, so that would be the way I go.

Anyways, I guess I'm leaning towards collecting Spider-Man stuff secondary to Star Wars, and perhaps finishing out what I want from the Lord of the Rings line.  I really enjoy some other lines (Marvel Legends especially, minimates), and there are some that have been tempting at one time or another (MOTU, Muppets, GI Joe)...but I think at this point, that is the way I would go.