There are definitely some close candidates.

Han Solo
-POTF2 Commtech:  I don't think they're gonna do much better than that one
-POTJ Bespin Capture: Another great one

Luke Skywalker
-POTF2 Flashback:  Pretty much the best Tatooine Luke, I think.  Add in the articulated knees from the Commtech one and he's perfect
-SAGA Bespin Duel:  He's up there!  Add a little more articulation, and maybe sell a clean faced variant, and I don't think you could beat  this Bespin Luke

Chewbacca
-SAGA Cloud City Escape:  Another great sculpt.  All he's missing is the crossbow

R2-D2
-POTF2 CommTech:  I defy anyone to find a better R2-D2

C-3PO
-SAGA Deluxe:  the best EPISODE II rendition I've seen
-POTF2 Millenium Minted Coin:  the best clean version of Threepio.  All he needs is some articulation.

I think the jury's still out on some of the other core characters.

I think the appeal factor is pretty up there for me, when it comes to the Skiff.  I had a hard time getting mine, first of all.  And then, considering how expensive the original  is, in the vintage line.  Those are some of the things that elevate the Skiff for me.

The license runs through 2018.  So, there's plenty of time for Hasbro to take advantage.  I guess the big question is:  will they?

And with new rumors (I state again RUMORS) of a third trilogy, maybe there's a reason for the extension of that licensing.

Well, that's the result of Hasbro getting into the act.  Collectors have been army building for years.  They'll get multiples of Stormtroopers, Endor Rebels, etc, to build battle scenes in their dioramas.

Hasbro has started to cater to this type of collector.  The first army builder set consisted of 4 CommTech style Stormtroopers sold through the Fan Club and other online dealers.  It was pretty plain, in a white mailer box, and included the 4 Stormtroopers with weapons.  The same thing is now being done with a modified version of the POTJ Sandtrooper, POTF2 Endor Rebel Soldier, and the POTJ Rebel Trooper-Tantive IV Defender.

With the Clone Wars line, there are a whole new generation of army builder sets that will be available at retail.  They include multiple versions of the Clone Trooper army set (a plain version, and another with ranked Clone Troopers), a Droid Army set, and a Jedi Knight set.  These are relatively inexpensive (about $10/set), and they're relatively unarticulated.  They're also the first army builders to be packaged on a blister card instead of the white mailer box.  These are geared towards the collector who likes to build dioramas, and have a variety of troops to build those scenes.

Quote from: Nicklab on June 12, 2003, 11:06 AM

The one's outside the city aren't that great.  So, no need to sing the blues, Lando.

the one in Monroe is pretty good, i forget what road its on though.
i want to say 287, but i am unsure.

but hey all wal-marts are about 40-50 minutes away from me... so i know wht its like not having them around.
but as little as i go to them, i'd be pissed if they had no SW items as thats what i'd be going for.

Dimetrodon, I only talk about stuff like that over at the NJSWCC.  You should post there some more.

In some early production photo from AOTC, Count Dooku is pictured with both his red lightsaber, and a green lightsaber.

I think I paid $12 for this at a show.

I think we're only going to see about 40 or so Basic Figures this year.  My list appears to be right around there.  I don't think we're going to break fifty.