I'm going to hop in and first say that namecalling isn't tolerated so nobody do it...  I don't care how much anyone disagrees here right now.

I'm going to also say though, that there is the walking of a fine line of being terribly offensive with some opinions.  I partly agree and respect opinions on both sides I'm seeing, but I'm also "poor" and buy Star Wars figures, as are many others I know, and I don't know anyone who doesn't manage a balance in the hobby right now...  And no, I don't own a home.  So, I'm going to ask that when we discuss the behaviors of collectors, we try to respect them all and remember that poor, rich, and in-between are all entitled to happiness in life so long as they can manage their lives themselves.

In this world, if you drive and pay for gas you have a right to an opinion on it irregardless of your income level and other spending habits, and we need to remember that.  There's a lot of varying factors around gas prices and this whole situation.  It's a touchy one in the world obviously.  There's no need to "add fuel to the fire" by arguing about the issue and what some people maybe "should" be doing in one's opinion.  Nobody here knows the other person intimately enough to judge them like that, so let us drop it at that please, on both sides.

Thank you, please drive through.

I need loose stormtroopers - anyone want to send me some?

You saw the PM he sent me, he's already got dibs Rob.   

Blasphemer!

I'd read something about a parade in NO here the other day and some guy in a sombrero and playing a guitar...  Well holy **** if it isn't a guy with ties to me in a round-about way, and to Pittsburgh in a direct way.

He's on this local TV show that my buddy works on that just got picked up by a local channel called: Its Alive!.  I forget if I even made a post here at JD about it, but it's basically a late-night horror show on Saturday nights that shows old B-Horror films like the brain that wouldn't die.  Basically anything half-decent in the public domain.

Anyway, my buddy Eric works on that show, and does make-up effects for it as well as acting as "Fritz", who he told me he replaced the show's host's kid who played the character originally.

Well, I guess he and his father had a falling out, and he moved to New Orleans WEEKS before hurricane Katrina (what luck).  So that partly explains why he's so happy to still do the parade.  He didn't lose a lot?  I would assume anyway since I think he wasn't even 100% settled in or had much.

Anyway, here's a story or two where he was quoted.  I saw him on CNN...  Crazy stuff.

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What a nut, and what a disturbingly small world for me.  Here he is marching in the street...  The same streets where the police gunned down 5 or 6 nutwads shooting at contractors trying to save the city.  At what point do you drop the guitar and sombraro?

For me I'd say Target and WM have run neck & neck (and with Target now getting the variant Clones they'll likely be making a comeback against WM for me).  TRU's been the odd duck out this time around, but not terribly so.  I've bought there just not nearly as much...  KM and KB I've bought nothing unless it was nicely priced or exclusive.  They've been rough to stomach during E3's toy run.

The tide between Target and WM shifts.  Recently found the Pilot Obi wave in its entirety at WM and that's cool...  The last things I got at Target were SA Clones though a while back but they were the only ones with anything at that time.  Seems like when one's dry the other isn't...  TRU mixes in there too as I found a lotta stuff there now that I think about it, but ind ribs and drabs.  Never hitting the motherload like I would at other stores.

I wish KM were more competitive as they have often had stuff but at nearly $8 a figure. 

Well everyone reviews differently too...  I know I didn't have any format for a while till I developed something that worked for me so I can see where Mr. Dylan's going with a style there.

His review's different and takes into account the "what if" which isn't always bad.  I sometimes like to touch on that too...  Because sometimes the what if shows an idea that is clearly better.  It's all in how you view the toy though of course, and what points you hit (or avoid).

I think any effort to evaluate a purchase is a good one though.

But I appreciate the nice words DarthSlothus, that was way too kind but it's nice knowing you appreciate the reads.  I like speaking the international language of "nerd" with the masses.    That's what the forums are all about I think and why I enjoy my time here.  I'm just amazed JD wanted me on, haha...  given my usual sunny disposition when they picked me up and all.

I like hearing you're digging the reads.  It's appreciate for sure, so thanks man!

As far as this review...  My only problem with them being a mail-in offer is that it would be aiming at some somewhat old toys.  The OTC one isn't, but the POTF2 sorta is.  That's not to say I WOULDN'T want to see this though either...  I mean, now that they've got one out in stores, I think it would be nice if they said "hey, we've got the mold, we've made back the profit on it via the Target ship, let's try for offering the wings for older cockpits from TIE's for a slight cost + shipping".  A problem there is the variations in the color though and just what that "slight cost" would be.  These aren't little items...

Then again, like the review pointed out, the electronic snack bowls were pretty big too...  I dunno.  I can see it but I can also see it being blamed on cost as to why they wouldn't.

I'd buy a set for $20 though if it made my POTF2 TIE or KB TIE "whole", ya know?

I had a bigger beef with $40 for a 50% rehashed toy, plus a TIE Pilot that was excuseless at this point.  Now, if they'd packed in say a grey color variant of the Imperial Officer then I'd be more into the final price, but not with that POTF2 sculpt pilot.  That boggles my mind.

One of the things that made the figure standout to me was how amazingly superior to the VOTC one it is.  I mean, there's no contest.

Granted, this is like comparing POTF2 Luke Tatooine to the Flashback figure...  Night and day, but a short distance in years apart really.  The VOTC figure, for what anyone paid that bought it, should've been the better figure obviously.

I'm not quite sure where Hasbro's head was on that VOTC...  And I'm sorry to hear about your 3PO's leg breaking Mike, that's weird.  MIne is suprrisingly sturdy or I certainly would've made mention of that.  I can't even say that he's SUPPOSED to have removable limbs but he does.  They definitely aren't made to be in there too tight either.

He's a good figure, and good enough to replace all other current sculpts I think, but short of suping up the articulation, I think Hasbro's hard-pressed to give us a "new" 3PO.

They need one with joints where the metal plating separates utilizing these "sockets" they have.  And a hinge hidden at the knees is very doable I believe then.  Short of that though, I don't see us really needing another 3PO.  Just an articulated one that can make everyone happy.

This week we are taking a close look at C-3PO (ROTS).  The 3PO has become one of the hot figures in the Revenge line overall actually.  I've seen him on April 2nd and never again.  I'm very glad I bought him that day too since he's been really impossible to find for many.

The figure's not too bad either.  It has pop-off limbs/head too which I always appreciate.  I don't quite understand WHY though, or if 3PO had this incorporated in ROTS but it got cut, but it's welcome nonetheless.

The weird thing about the construction of the figure is that at each point of articulation that pops off the figure has a "socket" built into it of a plastic that has flexibility.  This keeps the figure from going all loosey goosey on you when you've posed him a bit too much.  It's a good feature, and it's funny but this design would lend itself well to Hasbro articulating a 3PO at the knees, wrists, and numerous other joints.  The days of a SA 3PO maybe are just around the corner then?

And that's where this figure sort of fails...  Hasbro could've articulated him a bit more and they chose not to.  Still, the figure looks good on the pegs, it's been "hot", and it should replace the MMC 3PO sculpt as the top sculpt to re-release in the future.  I know I'd buy the ROTS sculpt again with a silver shin if it were offered.

At least till that SA C-3PO comes out...    Come on, you know you want one!

So, share your thoughts and all that...