I wonder how big that Speederbike will be?  Those are small ships, right?  I was sort of hoping to see them sneak something larger into one of these assortments for the Speederbike, and maybe sneak us a resculpted to-scale Bike for the 3.75" figures.  I'd have dug that actually.

Yeah I'd agree that Bacara's a cool character but his figure fell flat...  Knee articulation would've probably turned my frown upside down though, even with the lacking (and limp) arm articulation, but the two combined were a major let down...  Especially given what they proved they were able to do with the #33 Commander, the #6 Trooper (who featured the same damn feature), and of course the #41 Trooper...  There was a bar set they failed to reach so that's a lot of where my conclusion came to.

Had both figures been of #33's overall quality I'd have said a  tie on their greatness and Bacara would've edged out the #33 simply because he was actually in the movie and a cool unique looking guy...  But as figures they'd be equal.

Trick of the camera I think, plus I believe I see the gap for the ankle joint but my screen and eyes aren't the best.

On a Gonk note, if he has the swinging legs, save those clear rubber bands that they use for holding weapons to figure's hands, as they make a great way to hold a Gonk's legs together.  I've yet to have one of those bands break on me too BTW.

I reiterate about articulation that I TRULY hope Hasbro isn't on the decline in this department.  If they are, to me they're looking at the line as a failing property at this stage and aren't wanting to invest too much in it...  Jason and I were just talking about this and it's a sad possible thought.

I'm hoping for some kind of SA figures down the line's life.  I have too many unfulfilled wants (mostly resculpts ironically) with the line for it to truly be on its last leg.  It'd go out with me not being too pleased with how they handled things.

I think a general concensus we could make is the repacks are definitely gonna hate online case sales from what I'm reading...  Which is to be expected I suppose.

I hope Hasbro's not leaning towards cutting the line back from where they had it with REvenge of the Sith...  So many figures in ROTS got articulation galore that weren't even as "important" (for lack of a better term) as these figures that got short-changed.

For instance, Mas Ameda's sporting ball/socket joints all over his arms and equal articulation at his legs to Veers and Derlin...  They could've had some knee joints, but for whatever reason they don't.  Very odd thinking at Hasbro sometimes.

Lando, I hope you're right about the Trooper Evolutions sets...  It's probably my biggest wish for the line, and that they're released in very high numbers.

So if we took those repacks out and replaced them, what is it you'd want then?  Or if you just tweaked them if you like them....

For me, I'd replace Riekean with Saga Luke with a "clean" paintjob, and if the Derlin figure's holster works I'd see if replacing Luke's with Derlin's was possible so he had a functioning holster.

I think even the POTF2 Hoth Leia would've made sense to repack over Riekean...

On R2, if he was dusted with white, and is the VOTC sculpt, I could see him as a figure I'd buy for the "scanning for life on Hoth" scene alone.  Not that I couldn't customize that myself as well, but I'd buy it to save the time/$.

A dusted white 3PO would definitely replace Vader then on my list...  Not that Vader's a bad figure, but given how many Vader's almost every store has around me, I think they'll still have them come time that the Saga Waves are showing up.   A snowy 3PO to stand with R2 then would be fine by me.

I'm surprised at the lack of love for the Gonk.  I'm really happy to see him actually...  He could stand to have some accessories though, I agree.  It'll be his most damaging feature.  The Imperial Astromech came with that holo-death star, and that was cool.  Hasbro sorta cheaps out on droids anymore though.

So I'm just bumping this to see if anyone's heard/seen anything on these yet?

I keep checking Target and Wal-Mart in hopes of scoring at least one of these Lava Lamps.  I can't believe something this seemingly simple has become such a tremendous pain in my ass to track down.  I never even see these on Ebay or anything...  You'd think it hadn't even been released!

Fixed it, but Matt's got one on the new page anyway.

Matt,

The Gonk is on Hoth...  I can't post a cap, but trust me man.  Complete with the top "fueling nozels" thingies.  He's tromping around the hangar floor, but you gotta look close.

To me...  The wave's a mixed bag of collecting emotion...  The characters have me slap-happy to get, as Derlin's been somewhere in the middle on my lists for a figure, and Veers has been at the top.

Like I said though in my first post, the articulation's a let-down.  First, while I think the AT-AT Driver looks nice I'm disappointed that HE is who they decide to go ape**** on with articulation.  He's cool but I was pretty happy with the POTF2 and this figure doesn't look terribly different to me.  It wasn't a figure I wanted resculpted really and so he sorta feels like a "waste" to me in that he got so much attention but yet the 2 figures I was really wanting got short-changed a bit.

I'm ok with the angle-cut elbow joints which is what Derlin definitely has and Veers appears to have.  That's fine, but the lack of knee articulation on both disappoints me.  Ball/socket knees ala the Cantina wave of figures (and tons of ROTS figures) would've been appreciated on Veers since he's basically a generic officer too really...  On Derlin I would've dug the knees because he's an army builder in my book.  I'd dig a head variant (no mustache) on this one actually.

I'm assuming Veers' armor is removable.  It looks it in the picture, but I'm just assuming it is.

The Gonk's really cool to me, and appreciated...

Riekean is the mystery in the set...  He wasn't a $10 to begin with, but without his board he isn't much of a $5 figure either.  Hasbro could pack him with something other than a blaster to make him "worth it" but he's still a boring figure overall.  Vader and R2 I can understand, and just as easily pass on.  If I see VOTC figs hit basic cards though I'm definitely gonna have my hopes (expectations) high for the VOTC Stormtrooper to see its much-deserved re-release to a basic card.

Retire that ******* Cantina Han and Commtech Stormtrooper already and finally put out the GOOD versions of those two figures with the VOTC sculpts. 

Honestly, on the Vader you could make the gripe that the Evolutions figure is vastly superior.  It really is, but just to see something of the VOTC Vader on a regular card gives me simple hope to see VOTC Stormtroopers in droves at some point.

And just like that, Entertainment Earth has pictures of Saga Wave 2 (Hoth Wave) up for your viewing pleasure...



Yes...  Oh yes...  Veers with removable armor, and I'm assuming a hat somewhere.  Oh...  Freaking...  Yes.   

Major Derlin's been one I've wanted for a while too, and he looks pretty sharp.  I love the Gonk Droid tremendously, and was hoping they'd someday put another out on the pegs for us.  I still buy the Commtech one if I see it really cheap just to have for background scenes.  The AT-AT Driver is a figure that I personally never wanted to see redone, as I was perfectly happy with the POTF2 (kind of like the TIE Pilot), and honestly I don't think the new one looks better tremendously other than it's obviously a much more articulated version.  He appears to be reusing parts perhaps?  Or maybe it's my eyes.

On the repack front...

R2 is appearing to be either the VOTC sculpt or the Preview R4's sculpt being utilized?  I'm a bit perplexed that they would re-release such a background character as Riekean, who was also a bit of a pegwarmer...  He's not my favorite figure they've done but he suited his purpose as an old guy that stands there, mostly.

The Vader, is that VOTC sculpt or ROTS?  And I'm disappointed to see the Saga Snowtrooper again which is a pre-posed, under-articulated figure that I've never liked much.  An easy pass for me on most of the repacks, but if that's VOTC Vader I think it's nice to see it out there again...  The R2 has me curious about it too. 

The new figures look fantastic though, but I notice that again the articulation's limited.  No leg articulation besides basic thigh joints.  The Veers I could understand somewhat given all his gear but on Derlin it's a little annoying since he's kinda sparce looking.  The AT-AT Driver's looking like he got the articulation budget for this wave.