I've had a couple "error" items over the years, most notably a weird version of the POTF2 Death Star Escape Cinema Scene that is supposed to have Luke and Han as Stormtroopers along with Chewbacca. If you recall the Luke and Han came packaged as such that their helmets were already on. So when I opened the sealed set I was surprised to find that the Han figure had a Luke head on it. So basically my set came with two distinct Lukes instead of a normal Luke/Han pairing. I've always found it to be one of the more interesting pieces in my collection and have left everything in the package with the helmets off the figures to show off their oddness.

I also recall picking up a POTF2 Bespin Luke that came with a Chewbacca (Boushh's bounty) Freeze Frame. Didn't realize this until I had opened the Luke for custom fodder purposes. Had I bothered to notice, I think I would have kept the figure on the card.

Matt just hooked me up with some figures from 2003 that I had no luck in finding. He went out of his way to make sure I had the best samples of the figures he had and did a great job of packing the figures up. A great guy to talk to and deal with, definitely one of the best. If you're contemplating dealing with Matt, stop the thinking and start the doing! He's A+ all the way!

Thanks again Matt!

Right now in my neck of the woods in Chicagoland it's quite a bleak situation, here's a rundown of stores that I've seen in the last 2 weeks or so...

Target #1: 6 empty pegs for Saga figs, 2 full of Hoth Han recard wave, 6 full pegs of Clone Wars toon figs. 2 empty pegs for Ultra figs, a 3rd with a couple of Wampas and a Jabba, 2 pegs full of the inexpensive Saga lightsabers. The shelves have about a dozen CW vehicles still at full price and the same amount of CW lightsabers. There's a price sticker for the Saga Cups, but alas they are not in stock.

Target #2: 8 empty pegs for Saga figs, 6 full pegs of Clone Wars toon figs. 3 empty pegs for Ultra figs, a smatteringf of the inexpensive Saga lightsabers. The shelves have a handful of CW lightsabers and in the clearance section Screen Scenes for $13.98

Target #3: 8 empty pegs for Saga figs, 6 full pegs of Clone Wars toon figs. 3 empty pegs for Ultra figs, 2 pegs full of the inexpensive Saga lightsabers. The shelves have about a dozen CW vehicles still at full price and the same amount of CW lightsabers

See a pattern here?  

Wal-Mart: 8 pegs for Saga figs, only fig on the pegs is a Zam Wessell from 02. A couple of pegs for Ultras, nothing there. And about 2 million CW lightsabers. I did find in the clearance section some old POTJ figs for $3 but they weren't worth buying, like I need another Fode&Beed or Padme in Black gown. Someone did, cause the next time I looked they were all gone.

TRU #1: 16 pegs full of Saga Imp Dig #2 and Ack-Mehd Beqs and CW Anakins/Yodas. Several pegs for Ultra figs full of Wampas and Rieekans. Tons of CW Gunships and other vehicles, Jedi 4packs, Screen Scenes and 12" figs. Nothing exciting to me.

TRU #2: 8 pegs for figs, all they had were 5 CW Saesee Tiins, no Clonetroopers in sight. Was told they had emptied out their backroom inventory and that was all that was left. Repeat as above for non-figure related items.

Osco #1: 1 figure peg: 2 CW Yodas and an R-3PO

Osco #2: 1 figure peg: 2 Saga Hoth Troopers, R-3PO, Ack-Mehd, Imp Dig #2

Osco #3: Repeat as #2 minus one Hoth Trooper.

It's a huge drought apparently here, if stores do get figures in its one case at a time and they're likely gone within minutes. It's getting to be quite depressing around here, it's like last year at this time, except this time there's figures I actually want. But who's to blame? Hasbro for pimping Star Wars as a huge seller and then flooding the markets during movie years and thus scaring off the retailers in non-movie years. Or is it the retailers for not seeing a demand now for these items and thus ordering more?

HE DID IT!!!



This man is YOUR World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion.

In a sport that is often contrived and of course pre-determined, never has there been a more exciting moment for me as a fan than this moment as THE BEST wrestler in the business today is finally declared the World Champion!!

Having met the guy myself a couple times, he's always seemed to be a true down to earth kinda guy. Having seen the work ethic he has shown over the years in Japan, Mexico, ECW, WCW, and the WWE, no one is more deserving of being called the Professional Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion more than....

CHRIS BENOIT!!!!!!!

Full results of WrestleMania XX with some notes from me about the show are below....

John Cena defeats the Big Show for the US Title (Quick match so as to not show the faults of either guy)

Booker T/RVD retain the RAW Tag Titles over Dudleyz, La Resistance, and Cade/Jindrak (ugly match which should have been a tables match or something, had almost no heat)

Christian over Chris Jericho due to Stratus-ference (Christian's biggest win ever, Trish's heel turn looks sweet, Jericho showing he isn't like one of those kliq-diqs)

Evolution over Rock-N-Sock Connection when Orton pins Foley (The right call based on all the build-up, even though the only over guy for Evo was Flair )

Torrie/Sable over Stacy/Jackie in what became a lingerie match (We want puppies!!!)

Chavo Guerrero retains the Cruiserweight title in the Cruiserweight Open after pinning Rey Rey at the end. (Poor pacing and set up of the 1 on 1's, right decision for who won though)

Goldberg over Brock Lesnar, afterwards Austin hits stunners on each of them (The crowd hated both men pretty much, though Lesnar got the You Sold Out chants way too much that it slowed the match)

Rikishi/Scotty 2 Hotty over TWGTT, APA, and Bashams to retain Smackdown tag titles. (TWGTT were robbed!!!)

Victoria over Molly Holly to retain Women's title and shave Molly bald (for real too)

Eddy Guerrero retains the WWE Title by pinning Kurt Angle. (Sneakiest world title retain in history, the right decision too)

Undertaker defeats Kane, as Taker returns with Paul Bearer and a modern version of his original gimmick (Old-school reborn rocked!)

CHRIS BENOIT wins the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP by making HHH tap to the Crossface. Oh yeah HBK was around somewhere bleeding like the stuck pig he is. (Greatest thing ever, Benoit is the man, and HHH actually acted like a man by taking the job cleanly)

Eddy Guerrero congratulates Chris Benoit and the show ends with the two World Champs in the ring celebrating.

Best Wrestlemania EVER!!!

The other night in the FFURG chatroom several people and I were discussing what actresses could be good fits to play the role of Mara Jade if sequels to the OT were ever done and they were based on the established EU. It was an interesting discussion and I thought I'd try to get a wider scope of a view on the thought. Got to keep in mind that the actress should be someone who if she isn't a natural redhead would look the part of a redhead like Mara who looks very similar to a typical Irish woman (don't go thinking I'm being stereotypical with that statement, I've got a bit of Irish in me  ).

Some suggestions I heard were:
Monica Belucci, Angelina Jolie,  and Nikki Cox.

The first two didn't seem like they would be a visual match for Mara with a dye job, and Nikki Cox just seems to flighty to me to be in an action role that would be typical for Mara.

My choice was Charlize Theron, she has both the look and the presence to pull the role off and if you have ever seen her as a redhead, all I can say good gawd almighty!  

So what do you think, if we were to be blessed with EU-based Episodes 7 thru 9 what actress could easily fit the role of Mara Jade?

-Toy Fair/Convention figure...  Ugh.    The thought alone is depressing.  I just hope the Fan Club offers it.  I think a 3PO or Stormtrooper makes sense, vac-metalized and all.  What Say Ye?  

I say....
I'm thinking perhaps the Naboo 4pack if it isn't Maul vs. Obiwan/Quigon with someone else to the side, its going to be something like the firefight in the halls of Theed Palace. Perhaps Amidala and a Naboo Guard vs a Battle Droid and Droideka.

And I don't believe the TIE Fighter one bit, we've been hearing about an accurate TIE for years now and every chance Hasbro has had to release one, they've screwed us over! If anything the TIE mentioned is probably the "exclusive" Darth Vader TIE that TRU.com has listed. Don't believe the hype on this one, Hasbro isn't giving us what we want in a TIE anytime soon. Besides wouldn't releasing 2 different TIEs in one year cause confusion in the market between the VOTC TIE and an Accurate TIE?

Quote from: Morgbug on February  3, 2004, 01:29 PM

All my money went to girls, sports and beer.  

Got you further than me.

I have never owned a vintage figure.

Of corse, wont SAGA be considered vintage when Im older like Morgbug or some of the other vets?

Kevin

Never!!! Vintage is Vintage 4 Life!!!  

The Kenner line from 78 to 85 will always be considered the "Vintage" line. The best thing to call what we refer today as the "Modern" line (POTF2 '95 thru Saga '04) could be "Post-Modern".

But ahh yes the memories of the vintage line, when I had no clue what was coming out next, what was the hottest toy, I just knew if it said Star Wars on it I had to have it. My only real fond memories of vintage SW and prices is the clearance stuff I found post 1987. At one mom and pop toy store in Chicago you could find carded ROTJ or baggie ROTJ for 3 for $1. At a TRU I once grabbed 3 Desert Sail Skiff minirigs and 3 Radar Laser Cannon's for a buck a pop. And another time a POTF Imperial Dignitary for $1. And ya know what I did with them all? Opened em up and played with them! Oy!! Good times, good times...  

I can't believe they'd RE-release that thing and not just cast an Imperial Officer in grey and pack in the blue box accessory.

Yeah but that's what we call common sense. You know hasbro doesn't have any of that.  

Well it looks like I was wrong, the community has changed its mind about getting these figures re-released and just hates this whole FC #6 poll. Lets just be careful though, too much complaining over this process and hasbro just may scrap the whole FC concept.