JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => Power of the Force 2 => Topic started by: JesseVader08 on May 12, 2009, 12:52 PM
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Anybody out there still enjoy their POTF2 collection? Or have you been happy to move onto newer things?
I've been trying to tackle my overflowing Star Wars room and will likely sell my carded collection except for POTF2, OTC and possibly the OT component of POTJ. I seem to keep coming back to POTF2 as something that's important to me because it brought me back into collecting again after enjoying the vintage toys so much as a kid. There's definitely a level of nostalgia that I don't think I'll ever get past.
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I've mentioned before, I wasn't in on the POTF2 from the "ground floor". I was generally aware of it, and my younger brother had some, but I got in a little bit later on (and then backtracked and picked up the ones I missed). I've often said that I bet it was a great time to be collecting. The long break from SW figures, coupled with the nice release schedule where it wasn't nearly a full time job to keep up (as these days) would have made it really a "fun" time to collect I would think. There's a part of me that wishes it was more similar to that these days. Sure, many of the figures are almost laughable in their buffness, but I can remember first seeing the Boba Fett and marveling at the detail compared to the vintage figure.
Overall, I don't think I have many POTF2 figures in my loose displays anymore. Most of them have been replaced with far superior figures at this point, and some just don't fit in at all anymore. There are some that also hold up pretty well, and are maybe - aside from articulation advances - almost superior to newer figures. I haven't ever been too much of a carded collector, outside of the VOTC line and a Han/Chewie focus, but I've often thought about picking up a POTF2 carded set of the first original releases (Han/Chewie/Luke/Leia/Vader/Obi-Wan/Stormtrooper/Yoda/Lando/Fett). Not the entire line, but just a nice set of 12-20 figures. I do think it is an important part of Star Wars collecting history. I guess I'm glad that the buff sculpted 5 POA figures are a thing of the past, but the line's tone in general is still appealing to me. Although I collect most to all of the basic line(s) at this point, there is just something about an OT-focused line with a reasonable amount of releases (not to mention a $5 or less pricepoint) that is really appealing. I still enjoy collecting these days (and really, the product is better than ever), but it seems like the hobby in general was maybe more "fun" in the POTF2 days. I always like reading people's experiences during that time. Nice topic.
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This line holds no nostaglia for me because I didn't get back into Star Wars until 2000 - almost a full year after TPM was released. POTF2 is actually the first that's getting the boot from my carded/boxed collection once I get settled down in the next few years. Mainly because the figures
were are crummy and I just don't care for the design/color of the packaging.
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I've been struggling with this same issue myself. Being a younger collector POTF2 is kind of like my vintage. It is what I played with growing up. I loved those figures as a kid (although even then I remember being frustrated by the lack of articulation.) If it weren't for getting some POTF2 figures for my 11th birthday (I had my party opening weekend of the Special Edition) I doubt I would have ever gotten into Star Wars collecting.
Looking back at the quality of that stuff compared to the product that is out now, it really sucked.
I've been starting to thin my collection and am planning on dumping some of my carded collection. I can't decide if I'd want to get rid of my POTF2 stuff or not. I've had no problems replacing loose figures with newer, better sculpts, but I don't know that I want to just getrid of all of it. I feel the nostalgia for it as well. And while there is a part of me that would like to just get rid of it all, I know there is part of me that would always regret doing so.
I'm finishing college and will be moving out of my parents' house within the next year or so, and have really been reevaluating my collecting habits. I don't want to have to move so much crap with me when I go. So I have been trying to cut back to the stuff I love the most. And honestly some POTF2 might make that cut. It will be interesting to see how much I end up keeping.
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Ever since I re-did my shelves I've got an all new love of the old ugly figures. I'm lining up every version of a given figure and for some reason even the crappiest ones seem cool to me in this context - like the Leia's, Lando's and Luke's in this image:
(http://www.jedidefender.com/rfoster/030109/SW_030109_0056.jpg)
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The Freeze Frame run of POTF still remain to me one of the best balanced OT series in the modern lines. While not the best sculpts by todays standard they are the only Carded Figs I have retained since '95. The 56 figure collection has it all; good pack-in, great character selection, exclusives plus a few rare figs to boot.
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I have to admit, I am a little "tired" of some of my POTF2 guys. The vintage figs are what I played with as a kid, so I'll always love those, but the figs coming out these last two years are really fantastic compared to some of the crap from the mid-90's. On the flip side, we wouldn't have the figs we have today if not for POTF2's success, so its definitely an important part of SW action figure history. I think over time I'll grow to appreciate these more and more.
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I can't say I honestly care about any of my POTF2 figures that have a newer incarnation... POTF2 doesn't hold a nostalgia for me really, despite collecting even before the line was launched (I got into vintage SW probably around 1991 or 92 IIRC). I remember the line coming out gave me customizing inspiration galore as I was doing vintage stuff at the time. The new line gave me a lot of inspiration since a lot of the figures sucked and were he-mannish. It at least was something new though, and the he-man figures dwindled pretty fast and gave way to Ponda Baba and other decent lookign characters.
The POTF2 figures I have that are still out are usually things like ASP-7 that still hold up, or 2-1B. And you know most of that isn't going to get replaced too (Honestly will they make a new ASP-7? Never!).
That said, eveyrthing else has been put into boxes. I think I'm going to move them into storage actually, with other things like my childhood toys and whatnot. There's just no love there for me. My nostalgia rests with my vintage figures.
Actually, I'd say I long for the day I can "retire" a number of these POS guys. Fleet Troopers, Dr. Evazan, etc. They all can toss off just as soon as they get "replaced". I will however hang onto my Endor Rebels and a couple of my Hoth Rebs because they'll add a little decent diversity I think.
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I have a bunch of them...some are displayed, some are not. I like looking at them to see the evolution of figure sculpts and articulation.
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I like looking to see if I can tell the exact moment Hasbro had a lightbulb go on over their heads. I think it was somewhere in the FF series.
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I still collect them... my comic book shop has them
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I got rid of my 95-96 carded figures, and I don't really have too many left of the Freeze Frame figs carded, but I doubt I'll get rid of the loose POTF2 stuff. It's a reminder of a time when collecting these wasn't a bank-breaking chore, something that went away around 1999.
I have a bit of nostaligia for these, but not as much as I do for vintage. And these figures only take up a box or two, so they don't take up THAT much room. The only way to get rid of them would be either donate them or throw them away, so I'll just keep them.
I am glad that Hasbro decided to make the figures with super-articulation these days, though. The 6 POA was kind of stupid, and I remember POTF2 being pretty pricey in its day compared to the competition for what you got.
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I got rid of my 95-96 carded figures, and I don't really have too many left of the Freeze Frame figs carded, but I doubt I'll get rid of the loose POTF2 stuff. It's a reminder of a time when collecting these wasn't a bank-breaking chore, something that went away around 1999.
I have a bit of nostaligia for these, but not as much as I do for vintage. And these figures only take up a box or two, so they don't take up THAT much room. The only way to get rid of them would be either donate them or throw them away, so I'll just keep them.
I am glad that Hasbro decided to make the figures with super-articulation these days, though. The 6 POA was kind of stupid, and I remember POTF2 being pretty pricey in its day compared to the competition for what you got.
That is something that I miss about the POTF2 days, the "simplicity" of it. Not such an overwhelming amount of releases, and it was easier to keep up. Plus, although we all love the background characters, it had to be kind of neat at the beginning to be searching for Luke, Han, Vader, Leia, etc. I've said it before, I wasn't collecting this line from the very beginning - getting in a little bit later - but I have nostalgia for that toy collecting time as well. It just seemed easier (and in some cases, maybe a little more fun) than it is these days. The figures today are worlds better, don't get me wrong, but sometimes I think there is a little too much out there (although no one is forcing me to buy it).
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I agree- with 60 regular figures in a year, plus exclusives, you just can't possibly appreciate it all. There's so much **** these days that it just isn't fun, at all. $17 Droid Factory 2-packs and certain stores that raise their prices on exclusives by ten bucks (if they bother to get them at all) killed any enthusiasm I had left. Kenner made a lot of stuff too, but never 60 new figures in a year for four years in a row.
Not to get off topic (but I will), but I do wish Hasbro would just quit on the Legacy/movie stuff for a couple years and just do the CW stuff. I'd be happy for the break, and I doubt I'm alone.