JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => 30th Anniversary Collection => Topic started by: Jeff on March 22, 2007, 10:46 AM
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Man, with the amount of crap that's hit the stores in the 2-3 weeks, you'd think there was a movie coming out or something...
- Eight 30AC Basic Figures
- Darth Vader w/Coin Album
- Six Target Order 66 2-packs
- Tantive IV Battle Pack
- Wal-Mart Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack
- Sith Infiltrator
- V-Wing Starfighter
I'm looking at dropping about $300 to grab the stuff I want from this batch, and that's not even counting the non-3.75" Hasbro stuff...
- 30AC Unleashed Battle Packs Wave 1 (Tantive)
- 2007 Wal-Mart Unleashed Wave
- 30AC Galactic Heroes Wave 2 (Clone Wars, Cantina, Maul)
- 30AC Galactic Heroes Wave 3 (RotJ, Cantina)
- Four 2007 3" Titanium Series Wave 2 Ships (six ships if you count BSG)
Add in the GH figure packs I wanted and I'm up to about $350.
That is a LOT of stuff for a month. I mean, sure you'll see tons of Spider-Man and Pirates crap this month since both do have movies coming out, but it's looking like there might be just as much new SW stuff in the aisle too... :-X
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Although its always nice to see/get new stuff, it does seem a little like overload here lately. I haven't found much 30AC quite yet, but I've gotten a few things, and its hard to show my wife the "cutting back" I promised at the beginning of the year :P. Like I've said in the past, I like the new stuff - don't get me wrong - but I'd be ok if Hasbro cut the overall release numbers down just a bit. This is the first year since I've started collecting where I can actually see myself wanting to pick up one of each of the basic figures (not "Legends") released this year. I know I'll be a sucker for the coins, and that might draw me into getting one of everything. Add to that some doubles of the McQuarrie figures and vintage figures, and a few extra army builders here and there - and that alone is pretty expensive. I'm on the fence with the vehicles, and thinking of trying to go OT-only with vehicles and beasts from now on (although the V-Wing is tempting). Add to that the fact that this is a big Spidey year, and I'm probably in trouble. I keep saying that something might have to go, and I keep putting it off, but I really might have to make some tough cuts with my collecting habits (particularly non-SW) this year.
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Gotta agree... this has been an expensive month already... which is my own fault.
Here's what I've bought for myself already this month (and I have to STOP doing this in such abundance) -
BASIC FIGURES
Galactic Marine x 15 (2-3 for customs)
McQuarrier Trooper x 6 (all for customs)
Airborne Trooper x 6 (2 for customs)
Super Battle Droid x 9
Mace Windu x 4 (2 for customs)
Lava Miner x 3 (1 for a custom)
Obi Wan x 1
R2D2 x 2
- That's about $345.00 already with tax (or more since some were bought at Kmart)
BATTLE PACKS
Tantive IV x 8
Treachery on Saelucami x 3
- With tax, that's about $237.00
Then, when I find the V-Wing, I want at least one of those or more, and an Infiltrator - so let's say with tax, that's about $65.00 added on.
And the Order 66 2-pks, which I will be pickier on - probably only get a few of those.
My budget for those will be $40.00.
So... potentially this month is almost $700.00 on Star Wars crap. Holy crap.
:P
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i hear ya on the wife front, it was kinda hard informing her that this is gonna be like '05 all over again. just alot more collector based, so that made her kool with it.
heres my plan of attack:
Figures to get this year:
Wave 1: REVENGE OF THE SITH
30-06: Mace Windu 2: one for my display, one for the custom chop shop.
30-08: Super Battle Droid 2: both for display.
30-09: McQuarrie Signature Series: Concept Stormtrooper- {1}
Wave 2: BATTLE OF YAVIN (Delayed from 2006)
30-15: McQuarrie Concept Boba Fett {1}
Wave 3: A NEW HOPE
30-21: McQuarrie Concept Chewbacca {1}
30-23: Elis Helrot (Cantina Alien) 1: for custom chop shop.
Wave 4: RETURN OF THE JEDI
30-24: Boba Fett (Animated Debut) {1}
30-26: CZ-3 1: for the hell of it, always liked this weird looking droid.
30-28: McQuarrie Concept Darth Vader {1}
Wave 5: EXPANDED UNIVERSE
###: Anakin Skywalker with tattoos (Clone Wars) 2:one for display,one for collection.
###: Darth Malak (KOTOR) 2: one for display,one for collection.
###: Darth Revan - Fan's Choice Poll Winner (KOTOR) 2:one for display,one for collection.
###: Qymaen jai Sheelal (pre-cyborg General Grievous)2:one for display,one for collection.
###: Yoda & Kybuck (Clone Wars)2:one for display,one for collection.
###: McQuarrie Concept Luke Skywalker {1}
Wave 6: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
###: McQuarrie Concept Snowtrooper {1}
Wave 7: RETURN OF THE JEDI
###: Ewoks 2-pack 1: for the hell of it,
###: Spirit of Anakin Skywalker 1: for the hell of it,
###: McQuarrie Concept Han Solo {1}
Wave 8: ATTACK OF THE CLONES
###: Padmé Amidala (Fireside Gown?) 1: for the hell of it,
###: Voolvif Monn (Wolfman Jedi) 1: for the hell of it,
[Wave 9: FORCE UNLEASHED
###: Darth Vader 1
###: Maris Brood 1
Juno Eclipse 1
General Kota 1]
Confirmed/Rumored List
###: Bothan Spy 1: for the hell of it,
Saga Legends
Darth Maul 1: for the hell of it,
Saesee Tiin 1: for the hell of it,
Dark Trooper (Fan's Choice #1) 1: for the hell of it,
Biker Scout 1: for the hell of it,
[]=before force unleashed was pushed forward i was considering opening them, but if and when this ever happens I'm thinking will be worth something later on down the road.
{}=these will be kept in there containers, and once there all rounded up. placed in a card box and taped shut.
or put on display within there containers.
but yeah it is a bit over the top considering theres no new movie, nor is there a re-release of the entire saga as suggested in '05. actually its great if you look at the potential, the sad part to me is that much like the word of mouth around x3 last year, we EU enthusiasts are gonna haft to show that this stuff has a market so they'll make everything we voted for in wizard last year at some point down the road.
i really do not forsee this line continuing with all repacks every year till 2019. aside from the books,comics,and games (not mentioning the TV shows, in my opinion their never gonna see the light of day.) there isn't much life left in starwars. it was old and tired before sith came out, what little resurgence there was has been allowed to wither and die while Lucas drags his feet. if and when the clone wars hit, its gonna be way too late. ppl are going to be like didn't that end in rots? and unlike the Twenquel era theres only three years to fill, and i think they already covered most of it. if anything there's like maybe six months to fill in year two.
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I guess it is a regional thing...
All we have on the shelves around here has been the Battle Packs and a rare Vader with Coin...
So I have spent on 30AC stuff:
Tantive IV BP x2 $40
Vader w/coin x1 $10
Until some OT product hits, it is still a drought for me.
Technically I committed to about $800 of pre-order cases from EE...but does that count?
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Ironically the Tantive IV pack I cannot find. Saw one, got it for my gf's son, and never saw another one again. Weird.
Anyway I've pretty much once again weeded out all the extra stuff and I'm back to just getting basic figures. The Titanium price jump killed those for me, so I'm now gonna wait and buy lots of them loose for cheaper I think. Just the basic figures will be fine for now, but army building will still be there and it's costly to say the least right now.
There's a Toy Show this weekend here in Pittsburgh so I'm anxious to see just how much of the new stuff is on tables and WAY overpriced. I'll see what I can dig up that's old and cheap in the meantime. Maybe someone's wife will be selling their loose figures behind the guy's back for cheap. That happened to me once. He wanted like twice what I'd pay till he left the table and she said she'd sell them cheaper than that. Woohoo!
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I've only seen a few items, but knowing what is over the horizon has me on definate overload mode. I will get a few galactic marines, a SBD and R2 because they work together, and (hopefully) a McTrooper. Then I think I will try my best not to get caught up in the coins or anything else, because the water looks too deep.
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I'm like you Bob. I got wave 1 so that's out of the way... It's thinking about doubles then of figures I want, the Tantive IV pack, I wanted one of those Nerf pistols for me and the kids, and then the Order 66 2-packs and the Salecumi Battlepack... Ugh.
And if '07 is like '06, you know Wave 2 is RIGHT around the corner with some damn good army builders in it.
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Definitly not a overload for me. Hell, still haven't seen the first wave yet! (Although the only figure I want is the McQuarrie Stormtrooper)
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Couldn't agree more that we're on overload. I'll give some leeway due to the actual anniversary approaching, but still. ???
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This is going to be a busy year for me as far as SW goes. I guess the new GH's & tites are hitting, but I haven't seen them yet which is just fine with me as I'm caught up on w1 of the basics - could use a few more of the army builders though. Coin album is done as with the Order 66 Target packs. I'm just happy that most of the Transformer toys look like **** so I won't be touching them unless its with a 10 inch pole.
This year doesn't seem as bad as 05 did at least in my eyes....besides the price hike that is. Still, I want my $4.99 figs back, **** the pack ins. Stupid coins :(
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...so I won't be touching them unless its with a 10 inch pole.
Then you better go shopping with this guy:
(http://zombie.blogs.sapo.pt/arquivo/ron4.jpg)
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Yes, complete overload.
So much so, that I think I'm done outside of a few McQ figures and clones. I think the old lady has had enough after three boxes showed up last week. I picked the wrong line to quit on as I really like this year's lineup and new packaging.
Oh well, they're only toys. With that said, it'll be tough to quit as I work in the industry...
She has good reason to be mad, we're looking to buy a new house that's nice but at the top of our budget... :o
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Hell I have not even seen a TAC item yet. Unless you count the Tins.
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Hell I have not even seen a TAC item yet. Unless you count the Tins.
Ya... starting to get really annoyed... Nothing showing in my part of the world yet..
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Man, with the amount of crap that's hit the stores in the 2-3 weeks, you'd think there was a movie coming out or something...
I think it's precisely that there are no more movies to come that they're taking advantage this anniversary year to milk every last drop they can out of the toys. I think the line will go on for a while still, especially with new shows coming. But I think this is probably the last BIG hurrah.
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I was just reading this week's Q and A column over at GH, and Adam Pawlus is calculating that there has already been 85 figures released this year. Not all new of course - but counting repacks/battle packs/repaints/exclusives/etc., there have been 85 figures so far this year. Sure, not many of us will pick all of those (or half of those) up, but yikes, that's a lot of product out there already - for not quite being April. We could be on pace for one of the biggest (and most expensive) Star Wars years yet. Not that I think the Star Wars line is struggling or anything (quite the opposite), but I wonder if we'll see a slow down in the next few years. It just seems like we're getting a lot of the stuff we've been asking for this year, and even getting the "ultimate" super-articulated versions of many of the main characters out of the way. Of course, there is TV and EU stuff in the future as well, but for some reason to me there is just this air of getting a lot of stuff "done" this year. Anyways - 85 figures so far - I feel for completists. Yeah, I could see overload from that. Its bad enough that I'm hoping to collect most to all of the basic figure line this year - the first time I've come close to that in a long time.
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I read the same thing and was equally amazed. 85 figures in a few months time - and there were only 92 in the vintage line over several years? The sheer volume is maddening. I don't buy everything - maybe 25% - but I kind of think there's too much to buy for just me sometimes.
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I've become a selective buyer, only getting what I really want. It's come to that, but financially, I can't afford to get everything. Even still, there's so much out there that I want, it's gonna be hard to keep up.
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Do I think Hasbro has overloaded? Depends on the view I take. Hasbro is a company out to make a profit. So of course they are going to ramp up using the 30th anniversary as an excuse. Perhaps the question is does that mean I am going to overload on my spending and feed the giant? Nope. Buy what I like, and either save the money or spend it on other things I like/want.
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I was out picking up some things tonight and got the Salecumi pack, another Airborne Trooper, and the coin folder... I was at Target and almost asked them to pull the 66 packs out from the back and then just decided to go home and wait till next pay for those since they should be out by then. It really is a financial burden if you're into this stuff right now. Full Wave 1, battlepacks out the ass, 2-packs, figures galore...
It's frustrating too just going to the store for the exclusives too. Target's are anything but conveniently located for me so the 66 packs are really weighing heavily on my mind. I'm gonna have to make a special trip for them most likely. That sucks. I just hope there's a LOT of them in the pipeline... If something would be nice to find easily on the shelves, it's these, at least for me.
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It really is a financial burden if you're into this stuff right now. Full Wave 1, battlepacks out the ass, 2-packs, figures galore...
That's so true Jesse. Like I've said before, even if I collected the Star Wars basic line - and nothing else - it still would cost a pretty penny. Its really why I have to constantly think if I can pick up anything from other lines, or outside of the Star Wars basic lines at all. It also has me re-thinking vehicles (specifically PT ones), and things along those lines. I really like everything that is coming out, and I think this might be one of the best years yet for SW collecting - but I'd be ok if things slowed down a little. There's just too much stuff to keep up with now - and even though it is my choice, its hard to pass much of it up. That's why I'm sometimes nostalgic about those POTF2 days (the early days) - and how easy it must have been to collect back then. Only 20 or less figures per year at first, a handful of vehicles/beasts, and that's about it.
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Not enough OT stuff (yet)......but I will be honest...if we all we got was 15-20 VOTC-esque figures per year from the Original Trilogy (and YES at VOTC prices). I would be content.
I'd much rather pay for Quality right now. Heck I bought Wave 2 from overseas because everyone else was having so much TAC fun......
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Not enough OT stuff (yet)......but I will be honest...if we all we got was 15-20 VOTC-esque figures per year from the Original Trilogy (and YES at VOTC prices). I would be content.
As much as I enjoy all the great product we've been getting (and will buy much to most of it) - I'd be ok with something along those lines too. I know it would be easier (and my wife much happier) if I would only buy the VOTC figures every year, but in a year like this one there's just too much in the basic line that I like too. At any rate, I'd be ok with less than 60-80 figures each year like the last three years have been. I remember telling my wife after the 2005 ROTS year that "things will be much less from here on out". That hasn't been the case though, and in some instances, its almost more.
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The Battle Packs are kicking my butt financially... I've bought so many of the Tantive set... I figure at 20 sets I'll be done... almost there!
:P
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I don't see Star Wars stuff going away for about a decade - heck, it might very well continue long after that.
I think right now they're focusing on what they think will sell - a mix of rehashes, repaints and new figures. It seems right now is the time to try and fill in slots with some EU stuff we want and more movie figures, with some nice OT characters being made. Then I think they're going to shift their focus over the next few years to the TV series and the like, with some stuff still coming out that harkens back to the films.
Somewhere a few years down the road, we'll probably get something again like The Original Trilogy Collection, with newer sculpts (mostly rehashes) of the figures from the OT. New packaging but still harkens back to the vintage days... heck, maybe this whole like will be in something that is similar to vintage POTF cards.
Anyways though - as for what's a good mix? I'd like to see about 10 waves per year in non-film years. Out of those 10 waves, let's say about 4 new figures per wave (let's say 1-2 GOOD repacks/ugraded figures per wave), with some sort of good repack here and there mixed into each wave. Then throw in VOTC style, and I'm liking about 40-45 new sculpts each year, and anywhere from 15-20 repacks in the basic line. Then you figure in Battle Backs into the mix too... perhaps a mix of some new stuff in Battle Packs mixed with some repacks.
So, to my liking this is what we'd see -
NEW STUFF
Basic Line New Sculpts - 30-40 figures per year
Vintage Line - 5-6 figures per year
Battle Packs - 2-3 new Battle Packs per year with all new figures
= 40 - 60 all new sculpts
REPACK STUFF
Basic Line Repacks - 20 figures per year
Battle Packs - 8-10 "old" Battle Packs per year with mixed in army builders/repacks
= 40 - 60 repacks per year
The repack stuff, if you're an opener - you can take it or leave it.
:P
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I don't see Star Wars stuff going away for about a decade - heck, it might very well continue long after that.
Yeah, overall, I don't see Star Wars going anywhere for a longtime - if ever. When the "modern" line first came out, there wasn't all the other collecting areas (higher end, playskoolish, etc.) - it was, for the most part, just the basic line and a couple other things (micro machines, LEGO). These days, even the cultish hits movies and/or shows have some sort of collectible. It used to be just "big guns" like Star Wars, Marvel, DC, the movie flavor of the year, and things like that. These days, lines for TV shows like LOST, 24, Family Guy, Simpsons, etc. can survive, and there are other "niche" lines that keep going for quite some time. The collector market is just so much broader now, so when I see these smaller lines starting - and continuing - I don't see how there possibly couldn't at least be some sort of Star Wars collectible line going. Maybe there will be a point where Hasbro doesn't think it is "profitable enough" to keep a mass retail line going, but there will always be other areas. It would depend largely on what Hasbro wanted to do. If there wasn't movie/TV to drive Star Wars along, and stores like Wal-Mart weren't interested in Star Wars lines anymore, they could very easily do a collector line sold through Hasbro Toy Shop - but I don't know if they would be interested in that or not. Anyways - yeah, I don't see an end in sight for Star Wars - at least not anytime soon.
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What's going to happen to the collectibles market if an economic recession sets in? I'm just curious, because I keep reading about an imminent collapse of the current US market due to unrealistically low mortgage rates coupled with higher than, well, ever, debtload. How many folks are able to maintain a pace like they currently are if inflation creeps up to 4% and banks change the mortgage rates by 5% or so?
If you couple that with rising oil prices (which almost inveritably will mean a rise in inflation) that impacts your collecting style (more $$ for a toy run) plus higher prices for the figures then is the statement I don't see Star Wars stuff going away for about a decade - heck, it might very well continue long after that. unrealistically optimistic? And I'm not trying to pick on chewie here, he just made the statement. I just can't shake the feeling that economic forecasts have Hasbro busting their collective butt to get as much product out while they can.
I know looking around the street I live on, most people are stretched thin. Really thin. Yet they all have the 'toys' they want be it a car, big screen tv or whatever. But I'd guess 60% or more would be leaving for lower priced housing should the interest rates on a five year mortgage double. Jeez, it wouldn't even need to double, just go up by about 2-3% and they're done.
As for the original question, maybe 40 new figs, 20 repaints total. 60 is a reasonable number.
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Those are excellent points Brent. Its reasoning like that that really makes me curious as to what is on the way in the future. I think you are correct about people being stretched thin, and everything seems to cost more and more all the time. Plus, like I was mentioning before there are just so many different collectible lines out there - both at retail and more exclusive avenues. It sort of reminds me of my younger days when I used to collect sports cards. It was relatively affordable (I could keep up when I was in elementary/junior high pretty well then, and then more and more brands started blossoming, the number of cards in a pack went down, and the price went up. Eventually, I (and many/most of my friends) dropped out. It might have been age a little bit too, but I remember as a kid just thinking "this is a ridiculous, I can't afford this". I can see some of that going on with collecting too, at least with some people. I wonder with all the various lines out there these days (Star Wars and other lines), if things are going to have to have a "crash" of sorts, and pare things down a bit. I'm definitely not an expert of the value of things by any means, but we're already seeing that so much of the modern stuff doesn't hold its value over time, and really only the "hot" things of the time are worth anything at all, and that eventually goes down as well. Just a product of more people buying it up (to keep), scalpers, and all that jazz.
I don't personally really care what my collection is worth, but I think to some extent it does play a part in the overall hobby. Just from who is buying stuff up, how it can eventually lead to things dropping off, and all of that. As much as I like collecting, I can admit that things are a bit overcrowded in the action figure/collectible market right now, and a more streamlined approach maybe wouldn't be so bad. Anyways - I didn't mean for this to get long winded, but great points Brent. Interesting to think about. I like the idea of 40 new figures a year. Repacks, sure another 20 or so would be fine, not everyone needs to pick those up. It would just be easier to keep up. Of course, I don't have to buy everything, but its easier when there isn't that option :P. I always say I envy those who were collecting in the early POTF2 days, when there was maybe 20-30 figures in a year (often times less). I know my wife would appreciate that more ;).
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No offense taken Brent. I'm only 29 (young to a few people on the boards) and still have a lot to learn in life, but overall I'm a pretty optimistic person about most things including the economy. I think there's a pretty negative outlook on a lot of things in the news, but I think a lot of that is driven by "bad news gets more ratings so let's cover that" and a lot of people see that being reported and that's where their judgements come from. Of course you could be entirely right though, I'm no economist!
If cost of living gets out of hand, yeah collecting will be something that gets hit - but for me the first thing that would be eliminated would be fast food - I'd start brown bagging my meals = more money for figures. But really though, life changes (like a kid!) are what is going to affect me the most in my future collecting. I'll just need to increase my salary somehow.
As for relating it to sports cards, let's pray that the Star Wars line never hits that... I don't think it ever will though.... my line of thinking on this is that Toys are a different market than sports cards.... cards come in packs, and you don't know what you're going to get in a pack. You could get a pack of "commons" or find that Albert Pujols insert worth a few hundred bucks. You know what you're getting when you walk into Walmart and carry a few Galactic Marines to the register, but with packs of cards you're hoping to get what you want.
Plus, there are so many different card manufacturers in competition... Topps, Upperdeck, Donruss, Fleer, etc... they are all trying to outdo each other with their sets, and it just got to be too much - for me in the early 90s it was getting out of hand, then around 1995 Star Wars stuff started coming back out, and I liked it a lot more and also could afford it. Star Wars has competition, but not like that - there's not several other companies at the same time offering a 3-3/4" Darth Vader figure. Hasbro has a monoply on the basic line which really is good for us in my opinion. I don't agree with all their decisions (especially playsets) but overall we're probably lucky that Mattel and Playmates aren't also making Star Wars figures in the 3-3/4" scale... though I would like to see Gentle Giant expand into 3-3/4" dioramas, which is a debate for another time.
What does worry me though is the AFA grading that Hasbro seemed interested in with a recent survey that they had, so who knows - they could be going down a very dark path with that. I definitely don't want to see them try and make "premium graded" stuff - I'll pass on that. Let the rich boys spend their dough on that.
:P
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No, you're right Chewie that its a little different scenario with Star Wars and sports card collecting. I guess in that respect I was thinking of the overall action figure aisle - so many different lines, some broad, some smaller, that are all competing for dollars right now. I just wonder how many "little lines" things can hold (thinking of some of the "statue-like" lines in some respect I guess). Who knows, maybe that's what things will move toward more in the future - not statues, but more and more "niche" lines. There sure are a lot of them out there now. It seemed like when I was a kid it was mainly "big name" lines - Star Wars, Joe, Transformers, He-Man, Marvel (Secret Wars), DC (Super Powers), TMNT for the most part. I suppose there were probably "other" lines then too, but maybe I just didn't notice them. Anyways - back on topic, good points guys.
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It was the forcasted onslaught of product this year, combined with my review of purchases from last year, that led to my dropping the basic line after 12 years. I hate to be a broken record, but I'm tired of buying things jut to put them in boxes. It was fun when everything was displayed, but that ended when all the product for the prequels hit 8 years ago. Hasbro has said ad naseum that playsets aren't on their to do list, and frankly I have enough figures (well over 1,000 loose) for virtually any movie scene I want to create. I like the McFigures, but the difficulty in locating them at retail has me thinking they aren't worth the hassle. Maybe I'll get a few when they hit Hasbrotoyshop.com, but I'm done hunting.
I really believe that if the projection for '07 had been more in the neighborhood of 40-50 figures, I would have stuck around. 200 + ? No way, no how. :-\
I just don't know how anyone can keep up at that rate- wealthy with plenty of space are two requirements you shouldn't have to have to get 1 of each Star Wars figure in a year.
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Dan, I feel your pain... I think the way I am able to stay sane with the amount of space is to collect in a certain way - since day one, I replace figures when needed... when a new Stormtrooper comes out, I upgrade to the one that I want and sell off or trade the old ones, so I don't lose any display space there. It's probably a lot easier to do that if one is a loose collector though.
Brian, you also made a good point about the other little lines that are out these days... if "Lost" and so many other things can have things made, I don't see Star Wars dying out for a very long time.
:P
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there isnt enough 30AC in my area. heck its 5 months into the year and Wave 2 still hasnt hit.
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I think that the problem with the line is that there is, in fact, too much product on the shelves at any given time, with more attention paid to quantity than quality. There are 50 million little sublines that could be done away with in favor of a streamlined collection of figures and vehicles, and by getting rid of these mass market shelf-cloggers, it would enable Hasbro to spend money on developing a smaller number of quality figures as opposed to a large number of figures where half sell quickly and half sit for months on end.
I mean, look at last year's Saga Collection stuff: 72 figures total, and I'd say about half of those we could have done without. I mean, hell, out of the first wave of 30AC figures, we could have thrown that Obi-Wan out completely and I don't think anybody would have shed a tear (despite it being based on one of the best figure sculpts Hasbro's done). Look at this year's Saga Legends: do we really need rereleases of most of those figures? Has the market not gotten enough of ROTS Chewbacca, ROTS Anakin, ROTS Pilot Obi-Wan, and their ilk?
In my ideal world, Hasbro would do seven six-figure-waves, one for each film and one EU wave. Each figure would ship two per case, nobody would be shortpacked, and the so-called "refresher" cases would be adjusted continually to fill demand for the more popular figures. No Comic Packs, no Battle Packs, no Order 66 packs, nothing else on the pegs or shelves with action figures in them. You'd have the Basic Action Figure assortment with 42 figures a year, reshipping throughout the year, and that would be it.
Vehicles would be done on an intermittent basis of maybe 8 for the entire year, with at least 6 of those 8 being new vehicle designs, and the two that would be inevitable repacks being ships that haven't been sitting on shelves for the last 2 years (Obi-Wan's JSF, I'm looking right at you). Stores could fight over their exclusive vehicles, but everyone would get just one per year, and it would have to be something that didn't fit into the so-called "Starfighter" assortment at mass retail.
If a deluxe line must absolutely be done, make it a small boxed-set series, with speeder bikes and their respective drivers/riders, small beasts like the Tauntaun or the Geonosian Orray with riders, or even larger robots (a redesigned Crab and/or Spider Droid, a brand new Imperial Probe Droid and Wampa two-pack). Hell, go one further and give that line to one of the retailers as an exclusive so it doesn't clog shelf space everywhere else.
So that's my ideal year: 42 basic figures, 8 mass market vehicles, 4-6 exclusive larger vehicles, and the possibility of a "deluxe" style figure line. 60 actual toys, total, for a calendar year.
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It's funny about the whole 200+ figures thing...I just don't see it that way. I just don't really count repacks and repaints. The whole Saga Legends I'll pass on. I've got them. Many of the battle packs I don't buy. I've got them. There's some really cool stuff this year, if you just buy what you want. I gave up be a completey-guy a while ago. and I'm much happier. And you know what? The Star Wars Action Figure Police never once came to my house and inspected my collection!!
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there isnt enough 30AC in my area. heck its 5 months into the year and Wave 2 still hasnt hit.
You're in Canada, why does this surprise you? Really, why? There are places in the US that haven't seen hide nor hair of this wave either and you expect us to be overrun with it? I don't think so, considering we've been ahead of them all of twice: Carkoon wave last year; TAC wave 1 this year since 1995. We'll lag behind them just like we did last year.
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I agree, I don't see it as 200+ figures, as there's battlepacks, straight repacks, and things... Most recent example of something that "didn't count" to me was the Bantha packs. I'd dig the darker set, of course, but I won't pay the price they want and I don't feel bad at skipping it because, well, it's nothing to go nuts over if you were around early enough to get the original bantha (which has better fur IMO). I just don't count that stuff though...
Now, there is a lot coming out, and a lot I'll buy, plus I'll be buying up army builders like usual which adds to my collecting, and customizing usually means I get two of most new/unique figures at least (2 Luke Ceremonies for instance). But that's not been a problem for me and I'm really on a budget for space and money too... Neither is abundant for me at all.
It helps I don't have other collectibles on my mind though. I buy military figures but I don't get into SS 12" figures generally (just the Militaries of SW line), no GG for me, no MR till I can get FX sabers for good deals... It means I wait but it's worth it.
So I'm ok. I wish things were cheaper though, but I become ever less hopeful of a $6 figure with every whine-fest from Hasbro in the Q&A's about what it costs them to do business. I could do without the "whoa-is-me" stuff from them when, afterall, they are making plenty off this line as per their own reports...
But at the end of the day, if I like what I'm into the price affects me less. Case-in-point is the vintage series, and really so far everything 30AC we've seen. I don't feel deluged right now though, however like I said it's the fact I discount repacks most of the time, a lot of battlepacks I'm not compelled to buy AT ALL...
When it hurts is crap like the Tin sets. Those stung the wallet... The price, the product... I liked the tins, I liked usually a single figure in the set... That hurts when you buy it, and stuff like that is really a screwjob from Hasbro as it's high-priced to buy something you already have. It's so squarely aimed at adults too, not kids, and really was one of those things you should wake up and smell the coffee over about why Hasbro isn't your friend.
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there isnt enough 30AC in my area. heck its 5 months into the year and Wave 2 still hasnt hit.
You're in Canada, why does this surprise you? Really, why? There are places in the US that haven't seen hide nor hair of this wave either and you expect us to be overrun with it? I don't think so, considering we've been ahead of them all of twice: Carkoon wave last year; TAC wave 1 this year since 1995. We'll lag behind them just like we did last year.
BTW, yeah I agree with this... :)
No offense to Canadians, but considering I've seen only remnants of Wave 2, it shouldn't shock you guys to not be seeing them either. Hell, even Wave 1's pretty well gone in my area and many others. The Clones, Miner, SBD... Many Mace's too, all gone. Only R2's and Obi's abound.
We can't all be Darth_Anton afterall. ;D (j/k Anthony)
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there isnt enough 30AC in my area. heck its 5 months into the year and Wave 2 still hasnt hit.
You're in Canada, why does this surprise you? Really, why? There are places in the US that haven't seen hide nor hair of this wave either and you expect us to be overrun with it? I don't think so, considering we've been ahead of them all of twice: Carkoon wave last year; TAC wave 1 this year since 1995. We'll lag behind them just like we did last year.
although that is true but last year TSC was everywhere and had a lot more then just two pegs for the line. and of course we were already past wave 1 in may. i just find this year to be a lot slower in distribution then last year. yes we didnt get the last couple of waves and we probably won't again this year. im just saying that its now taking too long and not enough is being placed on the pegs.
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I understand 200+ is only if you have to get everything, and I haven't felt that way in a while. I think Jesse touched on the other issue, and that is some of the figures I DO want will be packed with craptacular figures so I can pay extra (Order 66, tins, battle packs) and they are often exclusives to boot. Or they will be shortpacked and made exclusives (McFigures this year, GH last, GH yet to come this year). Like I said, I might still get a couple. But my collection used to be all about the basic figures, with a few other things tossed in. Now it is Kubricks, a few other things, and the basic figures are the odd ones out.
I don't blame others for continuing, there are some great items coming out this year. And many haven't been doing it as long, so there is more time before hitting the ceiling (maybe literally, with all the boxes and plastic tubs). For me it just comes down to defining "When is my collection done?" I sure don't need 200 in '07, and when I think about it, I really don't need much of any.
I guess I just keep thinking about last year. I really liked the cardbacks, there were some fantastic army builders, and even a few ships I liked. I spent a boatload, and used a ton of time hunting. Considering I complain almost daily about not having enough time, that is a little ridiculous.
One more shot at Hasbro- the constant (ass)ertion that there isn't a market for large ships or playsets, particularly to justify the investment that goes in to tooling. A line that can support 200 figures (and whether we each buy them or not that is what they are producing this year) can sure as hell support some prop-type products. It is retail that kills this idea (shelf-space vs return) not lack of interest. They have shown with the gunship, jedi fighters, and titanium line that repaints can signifcantly improve return on moding/tooling costs, and that the market will support it.
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I agree with those of you that have mentioned that it isn't necessarily a 200+ figure year for everyone - the same goes for me. I pass on the majority of battle packs (and repacks), and have always been a "buy what I like" type of person. This year has gotten a little trickier for me, because for some reason those coins make me want a complete set. We'll see how that goes though. I do think that this year is shaping up to be one of the best years yet. The figures look really good so far, and even ones that are repack/retools are significantly different. Keep the repacks/repaints in the Saga Legends line, and it helps quite a bit. Sixty figures in the basic line is still more than enough for me, especially when I buy extras of some, but then again I'm the type of person who is ready for the next wave to hit once I'm caught up.
You'd have the Basic Action Figure assortment with 42 figures a year, reshipping throughout the year, and that would be it.
This is one thing I've thought about, how the reshipping thing goes. I know most of us get tired of seeing main characters, but I do in some ways feel bad for parents/kids in some respects with the line. For the most part, when many of us were kids during the vintage days, parents could pop into a store to find a Luke, Han, Stormtrooper, Vader, etc. for the birthdays and/or Christmas. These days, that's not as simple. I noticed this when we were trying to find some OT main characters for our nephew last Christmas. Granted, its easier for us collectors who know other ways to get the figures if we really need to - but for the standard "shopping for my kid" parent, it could be more of a pain. Although it would likely never happen, I wouldn't mind seeing the "Saga Legends" assortment take this aspect over in the future. If we have to have a repack assortment like that, pack it with a VOTC Han, a Luke, a Leia, a Vader, R2/3PO, Chewie, Stormtrooper, and a Yoda - then throw in some prequel characters too like Evolutions Anakin(s), Obi-Wan (Pilot or Comic Pack version), Padme, Clonetroopers, etc. That way there would be good versions of all the main characters available all year long. Granted, its just a different market now than it was in the vintage days (and with more movies/material to cover), but it was nice being able to walk into the toy aisle as a kid and look at the Star Wars section and see a decent variety of characters - and none were obscenely tough to find for the most part. These days I can go to our TRU and see nothing but 7 Jerjerrods staring back at me. That has to be exciting for a kid going there looking for Star Wars figures :P. But, like I said, its just a different world these days.
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The only figures I plan on buying for sure are:
Elis Helrot
M'iiyoom Onith
Jawa and Miner Droid
Roron Corobb
Voolvif Monn
Yoda and Kybuck
Darth Malak
Darth Revan
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After reading this answer from last week's Q and A, I'm a little scared for next year:
"It's too early to give totals, but in next year's "Saga" line (including Spring 30th and the follow-up line) you can expect about the same as this year, perhaps a bit fewer as we make room for Clone Wars. The Clone Wars details are being kept under wraps, but it will be a solid showing. Finally, on IJ, we are looking at close to 30 basic figures....strong support for all four IJ films over the course of the year."
Now, this has probably been the best year for SW collecting ever - with lots of great figures, and relatively few stinkers for the entire year - and I've really enjoyed collecting, but it has taken quite a bit to keep up. The way I read this answer is that we'll see a similar amount of product in next year's line, and that's even before the Clone Wars stuff hits in the fall. With some rumblings that the CW line could have 40ish figures as well, that's a lot of stuff to buy. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm running out of space (and money) with the pace of this stuff :P.
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Good to revive this topic Brian - you saw my comments in Watto's Junk Yard. Its scary how much time and money are spent on these figures. I'm seriously debating giving it all up.
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Good to revive this topic Brian - you saw my comments in Watto's Junk Yard. Its scary how much time and money are spent on these figures. I'm seriously debating giving it all up.
Yeah, I saw your comments at Yak too. I understand where you're coming from on there being too much stuff. I'm not quite to that point, but it has crossed my mind before.
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Yeah, like I've mentioned before, I doubt I could ever give it up totally - but there are times I start looking at what I could cut back on, or drop, just because the spending (and space) issues get to be a lot to deal with. I was just looking over what's left for this year - just in the basic line - and it seems like a lot for the last two and a half months of the year. Just looking at things that could/should ship before Dec. 31:
Wave 7 (5 figures)
Wave 8 (7 figures)
Wave 9 (6 figures)
*EE Exclusive Elite Force Pack (14 figures)
*Comic Packs - 6 regular and 3 WM exclusives (if I remember correctly)
*Vehicles - TIE Bomber (Target), ARC 170 Clone Wars (Target), Obi-Wan Kenobi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring (TRU), Anakin Starfighter (Green), Obi-Wan Starfighter (Blue), AT-AP (maybe Jan?), Grievous Starfighter (maybe Jan?)
*Battle Packs - Clone Attack on Coruscant, Hunt for Gen. Grievous, Betrayal on Bespin, ARC 170 Battle Pack (Target), "Ultimate" Hoth Battle Pack (Target), "Ultimate" Endor Battle Pack (Target)
*WM Exclusive Max Rebo Band Sets
I'm sure there are a few things I'm missing, and I'm certainly not picking up all of this - but probably the majority of it - and that's a heck of a lot of stuff to try to afford during the holiday season (not to mention if you collect anything outside of the 3 3/4" Star Wars line). Just buying one of each of the things listed above (not counting extras or things I'm missing) would be over $600 worth of stuff in just over two months - yikes.
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Well, a lot of that stuff I'll most likely pass on thankfully -
- EE Exclusive Elite Force Pack
- TIE Bomber
- ARC 170 Clone Wars
- Obi-Wan Kenobi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring
- Anakin Starfighter
- Clone Attack on Coruscant
- Hunt for Gen. Grievous
- Betrayal on Bespin
- ARC 170 Battle Pack
- "Ultimate" Endor Battle Pack
- Max Rebo Band Sets
That's a lot of money and space saved. And most of it's repacks anyway.
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Ha! Overload? Not here. More like drought.
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Yeah, like I've mentioned before, I doubt I could ever give it up totally - but there are times I start looking at what I could cut back on, or drop, just because the spending (and space) issues get to be a lot to deal with. I was just looking over what's left for this year - just in the basic line - and it seems like a lot for the last two and a half months of the year. Just looking at things that could/should ship before Dec. 31:
Wave 7 (5 figures)
Wave 8 (7 figures)
Wave 9 (6 figures)
*EE Exclusive Elite Force Pack (14 figures)
*Comic Packs - 6 regular and 3 WM exclusives (if I remember correctly)
*Vehicles - TIE Bomber (Target), ARC 170 Clone Wars (Target), Obi-Wan Kenobi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring (TRU), Anakin Starfighter (Green), Obi-Wan Starfighter (Blue), AT-AP (maybe Jan?), Grievous Starfighter (maybe Jan?)
*Battle Packs - Clone Attack on Coruscant, Hunt for Gen. Grievous, Betrayal on Bespin, ARC 170 Battle Pack (Target), "Ultimate" Hoth Battle Pack (Target), "Ultimate" Endor Battle Pack (Target)
*WM Exclusive Max Rebo Band Sets
I'm sure there are a few things I'm missing, and I'm certainly not picking up all of this - but probably the majority of it - and that's a heck of a lot of stuff to try to afford during the holiday season (not to mention if you collect anything outside of the 3 3/4" Star Wars line). Just buying one of each of the things listed above (not counting extras or things I'm missing) would be over $600 worth of stuff in just over two months - yikes.
Okay from what you listed I'll only get these:
Wave 7 (5 figures) case
Wave 8 (7 figures) case
Wave 9 (6 figures) case
*EE Exclusive Elite Force Pack (14 figures)-waiting for this to clearance, and if it doesn't, I won't lose sleep if I never get it.
*Comic Packs - 6 regular and 3 WM exclusives (if I remember correctly) one of each, plus a couple extras for army builders.
*Vehicles - ARC 170 Clone Wars (Target), Obi-Wan Kenobi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring (TRU), AT-AP X3 (maybe Jan?), Grievous Starfighter (maybe Jan?)
*Battle Packs - Clone Attack on Coruscant, ARC 170 Battle Pack (Target), "Ultimate" Hoth Battle Pack (Target) ONLY 1 but if they clearance then two more, "Ultimate" Endor Battle Pack (Target)-ONLY ONE on clearance
dang, that's too much stuff...well this is my last big year for collecting, so I'll go out with a bang. I've been plannign for a couple of years now to dwindle down my buying habits. I'm cutting my SW budget in half in 2008 then half again in 2009. After that my total spending on SW will only be 10 percent of what it was in 2007.
-Sal
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I'm definitely feeling the overload. The way the timing works, there's always something to be looking out for and it kind of drives me nuts. Like I keep saying, I'm scaling back in '08, hope it makes a difference.
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Lots of different product, but I'm rarely finding product I actually want. All I am mostly interested in for the rest of the year are the McQuarrie's and R4-I9, that is it. I finally got a McVader and had to end up getting a UGH Chewie as I never saw a regular one (which I would have preferred). I lucked out with McStormie and McFett getting them through HTS. The ONLY McQuarrie figure I have found at retail was UGH Chewbacca. I am loving the pegwarming DST's as I may be able to get more should they ever go on clearance (I already have 6).
So yes there seems to be an overload of product coming out, but there seems to be a definite shortage of the product I am hunting for.
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I do not feel too overloaded, its the army building that got my collection out of control. I actually have to "manage" my collection to keep it in check. I am not a MOC collecter and I am very specific in the Clones I army build with. The variations of all the Legends stuff is a bit of a pain and is enough to make anyone feel overloaded. If it was not for ordering online I would feel very frustrated because waves 3-6 were not plentiful.
Guys keep in mind the Clone wars product that will be coming, it will be very hard to cut back when the products keep getting better. The AT-TE will be the down fall of all of us. The space it will take up, I already want 2 if they make it. This is a tough hobby to walk away from.
For the first time this year I found a newish product that I am passing on in the 3.75 line: The Target At-Rt set, I think its so stupid & the TRU Arena set. I am happy to see items I am not compelled to get for once. I am also close to passing on the Space Whale Arc. I only want the R2 unit in the Battle pack or else I would pass on that too. Knowing me I will buy the ARC but not open it until I decide.
I rather be overloaded than underloaded with product. Options are always good, keep that in mind.
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Don't worry JackofTradze, your new wife will be "managing" your buying habbits very soon.
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Actually buying is not the issue she will manage time once little ones come along full time. I run a ebay business that pays for my hobby among other things. I can spend it however I wish but when time is managed I will be forced to slow up.
So in essence....you are right....... :'(
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Scums resident Target expert/manager is saying that it looks like that all of the Target exclusives are due between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That's 2 $60 BP's, the TIE Bomber, ARC 170, it's accomanying BP and the At-Rt BP. That's insane. How are supposed to have anything left to spend on our kids? ;)
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Funny, I was just starting a topic about the Target exclusives. Its going to be a crazy month plus there, and I'm wondering where they are going to be putting all of those exclusives. I feel bad for anyone who is picking all of them up, right around Christmas shopping time - yikes. I'm scared enough about trying to find/afford the ones I want to get.
Actually, even beyond Target there is just a ton of stuff on the way the last two months. We've got other exclusive GH packs at WM (and TRU, but those are already out), then there's the Max Rebo band sets and the exclusive comic packs at WM, then we've got the EE Mandalorian/Elite Forces sets as well. Not to mention the "normal" stuff, which continues to be released at a breakneck pace it seems. Hopefully things are spread out a bit more next year, its difficult to handle all of this right at the peak of Christmas shopping time as well :).
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I do not feel too overloaded, its the army building that got my collection out of control. I actually have to "manage" my collection to keep it in check. I am not a MOC collecter and I am very specific in the Clones I army build with. The variations of all the Legends stuff is a bit of a pain and is enough to make anyone feel overloaded. If it was not for ordering online I would feel very frustrated because waves 3-6 were not plentiful.
Guys keep in mind the Clone wars product that will be coming, it will be very hard to cut back when the products keep getting better. The AT-TE will be the down fall of all of us. The space it will take up, I already want 2 if they make it. This is a tough hobby to walk away from.
For the first time this year I found a newish product that I am passing on in the 3.75 line: The Target At-Rt set, I think its so stupid & the TRU Arena set. I am happy to see items I am not compelled to get for once. I am also close to passing on the Space Whale Arc. I only want the R2 unit in the Battle pack or else I would pass on that too. Knowing me I will buy the ARC but not open it until I decide.
I rather be overloaded than underloaded with product. Options are always good, keep that in mind.
Wow, you practically mirrored my thoughts on this too. I'm passing on a lot more stuff than I ever have. Army building got me too. Now looking back on it and seeing how many figures I have has made me seriously slow down on the army building. With exception to the correct Kashyyyk clone next year, I'm basically done with large army building and at most will only get a squad of 5 of an army builder if I like it.
I do plan on buying two of the ARC Whale figure sets and won't need the R2, so I'll trade/sell it to you. This way you can save on the decision to buy the whole set.
Oh and I agree about the AT-TE. I wanted 3 of these, but with the rumored price of over $100, that will keep me safely at 1, and only a 2nd or 3rd if the price drops.
-Sal
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The good news means, with all those exclusives hitting at once, they are guaranteed to hit clearance quickly too :)
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I think I'm going stay on this crazy ride until after the Unleashed stuff hits.....Then I'm going to step out of collecting and I may just end up selling the majority of my collection. I'm almost completely out of room and it just isn't making sense to me anymore even though Hasbro has kicked it up a notch on their sculpting. I just can't handle the sheer volume of product anymore. I think this Legends line was really the catalyst that caused so many of us to rethink the way we collect.
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The good news means, with all those exclusives hitting at once, they are guaranteed to hit clearance quickly too :)
That's a good point Brent - quite a few of these Target items will probably be on clearance in January - that's just too many higher priced items in a short time span.
I'll probably be passing on all of these exclusives other than the Hoth set. Most seem like cheezy gimmicks anyway.
Being a non-completist opener is the only way I've ever collected, so all these repacks, repaints, etc. aren't something that I ever found appealing anyway. I have no loyalty to Hasbro so it's not too hard for me to pick and choose what I buy. :)
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The good news means, with all those exclusives hitting at once, they are guaranteed to hit clearance quickly too :)
Very true!
Hmm, I haven't really done this before, but I wonder if it would be prudent to keep the receipts from this stuff, them buy a replacement when they go on clearance, then return it with the first one's receipt to get some of your money back.
I'm seriously thinking about doing that for this Target stuff.
Again, I've never done that before, but have heard of it being done.
Any thoughts on this? Is that against the "collector code"?
Just curious to see where people stand on that particular issue.
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Personally, I would't do that, but I know quite a few people do. It's not illegal or anything.
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The good news means, with all those exclusives hitting at once, they are guaranteed to hit clearance quickly too :)
Very true!
Hmm, I haven't really done this before, but I wonder if it would be prudent to keep the receipts from this stuff, them buy a replacement when they go on clearance, then return it with the first one's receipt to get some of your money back.
I'm seriously thinking about doing that for this Target stuff.
Again, I've never done that before, but have heard of it being done.
Any thoughts on this? Is that against the "collector code"?
Just curious to see where people stand on that particular issue.
As a 15 year old with little money, I do this exact thing at Target. I buy what I want at full price when the new product hits with the best selection, open the product, save the receipt and wait until clearance hits. When that time comes I will rebuy the product for 50% off or whatever the discount is and return it with the original price receipt.
Is this morally wrong and/or against a collector code? I think not. You would not be stealing, nor you would not be preventing a fellow shopper from purchasing a product. I like to think of it as getting the best selection of product at clearance price.
Here's an example to make my explanation clearer: I bought one set of the VTAC figures and six extra Snow Troopers (total of 12 figures) in June at Target for $13 each. In early August, the VTAC figures were clearanced at Target. I bought 12 more VTAC figures for $3 each, and returned them with the older receipt for a $13 refund per figure. So, I have a set of VTAC figures and six Snowtroopers that cost me $3 per figure.
If anyone has a problem with this and feels the need to challenge me, feel free to do so. My feelings won't be hurt. As a high schooler, I need as much money as I can get (dates, movies, food, car, gas, saving for college, etc.) so I am going to maximize the efficiency and usage of my cash so I can continue to do necessary activities and still enjoy myself.
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It does look like we'll be seeing another big year next year. I see in one of the Q and A's this week, Hasbro did confirn that the 53 figure number for next year does not include the upcoming Clone Wars line. You have to figure on around 30 figures there as well (not to mention the Indy line), and that's a lot to buy next year. I wonder if that number includes any Saga Legends waves (if we'll have that beyond the fan's choice wave). Plus, you have comic packs and all that other stuff. Every year I think there will be less to buy (and that's what I tell my wife), but it sure doesn't look that way. I might have to start picking and choosing even more.
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I wonder if that number includes any Saga Legends waves (if we'll have that beyond the fan's choice wave).
Using this year as precedent, I doubt it.
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So what happens when you item doesn't go on clearance within the 90 day refund period? Target isn't going to take it back after that.
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So what happens when you item doesn't go on clearance within the 90 day refund period? Target isn't going to take it back after that.
Depends on what you buy. Like the VTSC you know is going to clearance, but other stuff like your basic figure or vehicle will only go on sale for a couple bucks cheaper for a limited time. And the only time they'll clearance a fig is if it's the end of the year/line of figs, like how they did the Legends Line last year but the basic fig still hangs around even till now at full price. I did something similar bought 3 Snowies at full price then when clearance hit, and of course couldn't find any snowies on clearance, I'd bought 3 Leia's @ clearance price and went right back to the return line with the Leia's but used my Snowie receipts to return them at $13 price. Of course this only works at Target because they use DCPI #'s that are the same for each fig in that Wave. Did I rip off Target? Maybe but then again aren't I being ripped off being charged $13 for a figure that should be at the most $7 and the rest of the price is "packaging cost" that I throw right out with the kitty litter. I've only done this with those VTSC but I'm sure it could be done with other exclusives that Target clearances within a month *cough* Order 66 *cough*
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Back to the topic... Overload? What overload? I haven't seen anything past wave 4 on a peg since September! In fact, it's starting to feel like spring of 2003 when there were no figures for 6 months! I can't wait for the X-mas peg loading.
Oh, and Jedipurge...please don'y throw away the packages with the kitty litter. Kitty litter is garbage, and the packages are recyclable.
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I'm suffering from a bit of Hasbro overload at the moment. Since Black Friday, I've picked up -
1x Saga Legends Figure
7x 30AC Wave 7.5 Figures
3x 30AC Wave 8 Figures
1x Target Exclusive Ultimate Hoth Battle Pack (keeping only 7 of the figures)
1x Target Exclusive Ultimate Endor Battle Pack
1x Target Exclusive AT-RT Assault Battle Pack (keeping only 2 of the figures)
1x Target Exclusive Elite ACR-170 Battle Pack (keeping only 3 of the figures)
1x Star Wars: Battlefront II Clone Pack
1x Star Wars: Battlefront II Droids Pack
1x EE Elite Forces of the Republic Mandalorians & Omega Squad Box
1x EE Elite Forces of the Republic Mandalorians & Clone Troopers Box (keeping only 5 of the figures)
plus
2x Target Exclusive Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes for the boys
That's 56 new 3.75" figures in just two weeks. And I'm still not caught up yet... ::)
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I'm in the same boat Jeff. I dread looking at the credit card bill this month.
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My change in habits has really helped. I think I'll I've gotten is a case of Wave 7 from NFC and a few random extra figures (TC-14, another Jawa, and a McVader.
I've passed on both Ultimate BPs, the ARC-170, and all the new BPs that I've seen. Some of those have been tough passes but I did it. Does that mean I'm over the hump now?
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It really sounds like we could be headed for another year of "overload" already, with the delay announcements, the Clone Wars "event", as well as the big rumored products we've been hearing about. In this week's Galactic Hunter Q and A (http://www.galactichunter.com/q_and_a/080204.asp) (question #10 and wrap up), Adam discusses this in detail. I have to say, although the possible break here in the spring/early summer will be nice - but I'd rather things were spread out more evenly as well. I know I'll want to pick up the majority of things, and it was tough getting through the last half of '07 - and it could be even worse this year.
I'd be ok if Hasbro pared the line down a little bit as well (as mentioned earlier), but I don't think we'll see that happening any time soon. And, like Adam mentions in his Q and A, its not like many of us will actually "save up" like we should - we'll just buy something else. I know I'm guilty of that, and I'm trying my best not to do that right now. I keep thinking I need to cut back on any "other" lines, and this might be the time that it has to happen more significantly. I want to get the Indy stuff (or some of it), and a few comic figures (Marvel/DC), but that might even be tough.
Anyways, is anyone else a little concerned about the big glut of product at the end of the year again? Thinking about managing your collections/budget differently because of these recent announcements? I'm waiting for Toy Fair, and hoping we'll get a clearer picture of things there, and then plan things out. There are so many great lines these days that I'm interested in, but I've always given Star Wars (Hasbro in particular) top priority - but with the way releases have been since ROTS, its hard enough just to keep up with that line on its own, let alone any others. I'm wondering that if this trend continues, we might start seeing more collectors get burned out trying to keep up. I mean, for someone with a budget like mine, the AT-TE and rumored Falcon are technically more than enough spending for half a year by themselves :).
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End of the year bombardments are the worst because not only am I trying to get the two or three waves that hit at almost the same time it will be Christmas and end of the year inventory for retail. I know I had a tough time finishing the basic TAC series and only picked up 2 Legends figures that were holes in other collection, (RA-7,TC-14). Most of the the last waves don't make it on the shelves around here or at best they are at one store or chain of stores.
As fot the At-Te. I would like to get it, but I just don't see it happening with that price point.
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As fot the At-Te. I would like to get it, but I just don't see it happening with that price point.
Well, since this is supposed to be at least 7-8 months out, even at $150 (factor in another $10 or so for tax), that means only $20 a month to save until they come out. That's QUITE reasonable.
I'm already starting to save for these as I want three of them.
With some waves being pushed back, this should be even easier to save for the AT-TE. However it IS going to suck when all the product hits at once.
It will once again be a mad dash.
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With the restraint I've shown so far, I'm hoping I can avoid overload.