The Darth Maul story arc was really able to sum up what it is to be Sith.  While The Clone Wars was really a ruse by which Darth Sidious was able to manipulate forces throughout the galaxy in order to attain power, it was so grand in scope that it wasn't so easy for viewers to grasp the complexity of his schemes.  Darth Maul's plots and machinations were more easy to grasp.  And the conflict between the Sith themselves was very cool to see.

Not seeing the story culminate in animated form is absolutely a big letdown.  I had also stopped reading the Star Wars comics a couple of years ago.  This might be cause to get back into them, but I would really have preferred some sort of DVD/BluRay release to bring the series to a close.

Saw all of the 2nd wave of Mission Series 2-packs today.  I thought that some of the sculpts and paint apps in the first wave looked pretty good.  But these didn't seem that great.  Even the Darth Maul, which I had been kind of looking forward to, was kind of a disappointment.  The paint apps on this second wave just did not impress me in the least.

Amazon now has a listing for The World of Ice and Fire - The Official History of Westeros and The World of A Game of Thrones.  George R.R. Martin has discussed this book before, and it's supposed to be a reference book that encapsulates much of the history of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.  There's no cover art at this time, and the release appears to be October 28th, 2014.  Here's the blurb from the listing:

 

If the past is prologue, then George R. R. Martin’s masterwork—the most inventive and entertaining fantasy saga of our time—warrants one hell of an introduction. At long last, it has arrived with The World of Ice and Fire.

This lavishly illustrated volume is a comprehensive history of the Seven Kingdoms, providing vividly constructed accounts of the epic battles, bitter rivalries, and daring rebellions that lead to the events of A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s Game of Thrones. In a collaboration that’s been years in the making, Martin has teamed with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson, the founders of the renowned fan site Westeros.org—perhaps the only people who know this world almost as well as its visionary creator.

Collected here is all the accumulated knowledge, scholarly speculation, and inherited folk tales of maesters and septons, maegi and singers. It is a chronicle which stretches from the Dawn Age to the Age of Heroes; from the Coming of the First Men to the arrival of Aegon the Conqueror; from Aegon’s establishment of the Iron Throne to Robert’s Rebellion and the fall of the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, which has set into motion the “present-day” struggles of the Starks, Lannisters, Baratheons, and Targaryens. The definitive companion piece to George R. R. Martin’s dazzlingly conceived universe, The World of Ice and Fire is indeed proof that the pen is mightier than a storm of swords.

Looking over the 6" Hobbit line, I've got to say that I'm a little disappointed.  After all, the ONLY Dwarf they've produced is Thorin.  REALLY?!?!  The movies have really started to get you invested in the company of Dwarves, and you only make Thorin so far?

The sculpt looks cool, all things considered.  I think 5POA is with us for the time being, so at least Hasbro is investing in some decent sculpts.  This is definitely a nice advance look at what we'll see at Toy Fair in a few weeks.  Although I don't know that we're going to see a super-extensive line for REBELS.  I think Hasbro may end offering fewer figures over the course of the year like we've seen with some other properties.

I wonder how long til we start seeing these on Chinabay?

Street date of 03/2014?  They'll probably trickle in from Asia in February.

Looks like TRU Express stores still have a fair amount of the Darth Maul packaged vehicles on hand.  I was able to get another Naboo Starfighter as well as the Republic Fighter Tank repaint today at a TRU Express near me.  It might not have been a sweetheart deal like $15, but even at $19.99 it was a decent deal.

This story regarding ToyToni just seems to get worse and worse.  And it makes me so glad that I've never taken the plunge into Vintage carded collecting.

The pessimist in me is not surprised in the least that AFA has disclaimers about their service.  I understand the need to legally protect your business.  But if a grading service won't legally stand behind their professional evaluations of authenticity, then what the hell good are they to anyone at all?