March Madness 2024 - THE FINALS!

#1  BAYLAN SKOLL  VS  #15  PONG KRELL

Quote from: Nicklab on March 25, 2024, 10:22 AM

-The OT generation is aging out as a cohort
-Hasbro has had almost 30 years to cover the OT through the years, and they've covered an exhaustive number of characters.  So who's left?
-What OT characters would be truly new in the 3.75" scale?  And can you rally people behind that character to support them?  To me this is a big one.

I feel like the future of OT deep cut figures is going to be the Pulse exclusive carded multi-packs.  Stuff like the Skiff Guard 3-pack (tied to the Barge) and the Jabba Goons 4-pack (tied to the Jabba playset).  Both those sets delivered all-new OT characters to our collections.

Old man OT collectors can afford a $70-80 hit for a carded 4-pack of stuff that has no chance at basic retail - something like:
- Baniss Keeg/Tzizvvt/Hammerhead/Wuher
- Fozec/Shasa Tiel/Yotts Oren/Gallid

Feels like something like that, where they can charge a little more ($20 each) and control the volume as an open pre-order on Pulse, has a much more realistic chance of getting all-new OT characters made. 

If Hasbro can't find TVC slots for characters that already got BS6" figures like Baze, Bohdi, Luthen, Bix, Dedra, 5th Brother, Tala, etc., then how are they ever going to find a TVC slot for dudes like Fozec or Tzizvvt? 

I agree.  The themed multipacks are an excellent way to target certain segments of the fanbase.  And a Cantina themed set seems more like an inevitable offering, and not just a theoretical exercise.  Especially if the rumors about the Haslab campaign are true.

Side note - I can see the potential for Hasbro to tick off some of the "Make the Mains" characters in support of a Cantina.  After all, you need several of them for that specific scene!

Baylan and Shin it is I suppose.  What incredibly obvious choices.

These days?  I don't think we can take anything for granted.  Which is why I went that route.

That being said?  I think there's certainly the potential where Hasbro is holding these for a reveal at SDCC.  It's one of the big annual, in-person events for Hasbro.  And I can see where Hasbro would want a big applause moment during the panel.

I think the limited presence with OT items in this year's bracket is indicative of a number of things:

-The OT generation is aging out as a cohort
-Hasbro has had almost 30 years to cover the OT through the years, and they've covered an exhaustive number of characters.  So who's left?
-What OT characters would be truly new in the 3.75" scale?  And can you rally people behind that character to support them?  To me this is a big one.

There's also the matter of some of the rules / guidelines that the @SWTVC guys have put in place.  The big one?  Contestants should be ones that demand all new tooling!  That guideline eliminates A LOT of potential characters.  Imperial Officers?  Gone.  Rebel Pilots?  Gone.  Troopers?  Most are gone from contention because they're either potential kitbashes or repaints.

There have also been some movements going on within the TVC focus segment of collecting.  The whole "Make the Mains" movement is a big one.  And it's because a lot of the OT main characters - particularly from A NEW HOPE - have not been made in a long time, and their older renditions look a little rough in comparison with TVC figures released within the past 3 years.

I was really pleased to see a couple of background characters from Jabba's Palace make it into the bracket this year.  But I wasn't exactly eager to get a Fozec.  And while I've had Shasa Tiel on my wishlist forever, that one got eliminated pretty quickly.

I completely agree with one thing that I've seen circulating.  And that we shouldn't have to put Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati in a fan poll because Hasbro should already have them coming.  But I think the state of the line is such that we can't take anything for granted anymore.

No idea why, but R2-D2 is now down to $9.97 this morning...   hooray for Amazon pre-order guarantee so I don't have to do the 'cancel and re-order' thing. 

I ordered a second this morning because hey, why not for less than $10.

2024 VC149 Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2)
Amazon -> https://amzn.to/3PvXZep

#ad #sponsored #thanksforyoursupport

I specifically ordered using your links, Jeff.  Happy to help support the site.

Evidently Walmart had R2-D2 listed for $9.97, and that led Amazon to follow suit.  So the preorder price guarantee kicked in, and Amazon lowered the price.  I know that I appreciate it.

As for the state of R2-D2?  I agree that this release seems to cater specifically to carded collectors.  There's nothing appreciably new here.  I've seen some calls for Hasbro take on updating R2-D2 for The Vintage Collection much in the same way they did with the Black Series.  It could be a worthwhile pursuit since astromech droids can offer some sculpting value for future repaints.  But Hasbro seems to be trying to stretch every asset they have in order to keep their costs low.  As a result I think the BAD astromech body is going to be in circulation for the time being.

I saw the "not a representation" remarks, too.  And for me?  That seemed to rule out a Death Star playset.  I think it might also rule out the GR-75 Rebel Transport, too.

I'm glad to see that Hasbro seems to want to build on the success of previous Haslab campaigns.  I think the big dividing line might be between old media and new media.  Is there anything in the legacy media (pre-sale to Disney) that might be a home run idea?

GEORGE LUCAS ERA

EPISODE I - BMF Naboo Royal Starship - Previously made in 1999

EPISODE II - LAAT/C Republic Gunship Carrier - Never made before - would need an accompanying AT-TE to be a home run

CLONE WARS - The Twilight - Never made before.  Appears in 10* episodes of The Clone Wars

EPISODE III - BMF Turbo Tank - Previously made in 2009

EPISODE IV - Mos Eisley Cantina - A representation - not likely at this time

EPISODE V - Rebel GR-75 Medium Transport - Made in the Kenner era, 1980

EPISODE VI - Imperial Lambda Class Shuttle - Originally made in 1983/84; Reissued in the modern era in 2002/03 and 2006 based on the Kenner tooling


DISNEY ERA

THE BAD BATCH - The Havoc Marauder - Never made before - Eliminated from contention per J

SOLO - Lando's Millennium Falcon - Made in the SOLO line in 2019 in a simplified form

OBI-WAN KENOBI - Inquisitor Shuttle -  Never made before

ANDOR - Luthen Rael's Fondor Haulcraft -  Never made before

ROGUE ONE - BMF U-Wing - Made as a one man fighter in 2016's Rogue One line

THE MANDALORIAN - Mandalorian Gauntlet Assault Craft - Never made before  /  Imperial Landing Craft - Never made before

THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT - Boba Fett's Rancor - Previous Rancors have been made before, not this specific one.  Would Hasbro attempt another Rancor Haslab after the failure of the Black Series Rancor Haslab campaign?

AHSOKA - Ahsoka's T-6 Jedi Shuttle - Never made before in 1:18 scale.  Seen in Tales of the Jedi, Clone Wars and Ahsoka.  Could it also be seen in The Acolyte?

EPISODE VII - First Order Troop Carrier - Never made before

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I don't know what to make of it all.  And there are a lot of factors that work for and against a number of these.

Here's the link for voting for the ELITE EIGHT


#1  BAYLAN SKOLL  VS  #8  BEN (OBI-WAN) KENOBI

#12  ASAJJ VENTRESS  VS  #13  WRECKER

#7  BAZE MALBUS  VS  #15  PONG KRELL

#3  SHIN HATI  VS  #22  ECHO  (THE BAD BATCH)