JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => The Black Series 3.75" => Topic started by: Brian on January 8, 2017, 06:20 PM
-
Not sure if is the right board for this, so feel free to move. With the 40th anniversary of the original Star Wars coming up in May, plus Hasbro's hints that we will see something, what would you like to see?
The line in general has changed so much in the past few years it is difficult to know what to expect. Could it be mainly repacks of the 5 POA ANH figures they have done over the past few years (possibly on vintage cards)? Does the Wal-Mart grip on the SA 3 3/4" exclude re-releases of past figures (like from the VOTC ERA?
I don't necessarily expect them to do anything to huge (although if I was dreaming the long-requested Death Star would be nice), but I hope we see something that at least honors the original 12 or 21 figures. I do wish sometimes they could return to the VOTC/VTSC concept of having 12-18 "ultimate" type figures per year, on vintage cards. Many of those figures have been done nearly perfectly (Han, Chewie, Obi, Vader, etc), so I would understand repacks of those in some ways.
If you look on the 6" side, it would be neat to see the vintage packaging concept applied there too, even if it is just for a limited number of ANH figures. I'd love to see a 6" Hammerhead, Walrusman, or Jawas here, along with many others. I also think a 6" scale Landspeeder would be kind of neat (or a Millennium Falcon cockpit). Anyways, what would you like to see for the anniversary? Original Trilogy figures have been pretty rare since the new movies started (particularly in the smaller scale), so it would be nice to see at least a small return to that.
-
I'd just like them to make something, anything, in the 3 3/4" scale that has never been made before.
-
Ideally? The return of a Vintage Collection style line, with at least two waves that focus on A NEW HOPE. And I would hope that such a line would touch on some long requested characters. In the case of ANH the grey/olive uniform Death Star Trooper, and at least a couple of Cantina aliens.
I do get the sense that it might all be wishful thinking. But I think this is one of the last big anniversaries that Hasbro and Star Wars can celebrate with the original generation of fans.
-
I would think with all the overlap between Rogue One and ANH and also between the DVD release window and the actual anniversary there would be more than enough justification for Hasbro at retail to really go a little broad in terms of offerings. I seriously doubt that, though. The unexpected AT-ST at WM gives some hope there will be X-Wings and TIE Fighters or things like that, but not sure. I think we'll get like 12 or so 6 inch figures - which I figure will be the original 12, since only 2 remain outstanding after the Tusken Raider - and some kind of 6 inch vehicle. I'm thinking the Landspeeder, but maybe if they're nuts, then an X-Wing.
For the mainline... pretty sure it will be 5 POA on vintage cards. I would like to see unmade stuff, but I honestly don't know what that is at this point. I'm literally blanking on wants from the Cantina or something, but I know there are a few. I'd personally like to see a Farmboy Luke, Obi-Wan and maybe a Tusken Raider in the 5POA range but don't need them either.
-
I did a list of 40 for 40 in the "Hey Hasbro" Tread. Here's what I posted.
12-Back Commemorative Series
1. Luke Skywalker (Resurgence of the Jedi Repack)
2. Princess Leia (SA New soft goods)
3. Artoo-Detoo/R2-D2 (Repack)
4. Chewbacca (Closed mouth version kitbash)
5. See-Threepio/C-3PO (Repaint BAD Tusken Attack)
6. Darth Vader (TVC Repack)
7. Stormtrooper (Repack)
8. Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi (Resurgence of the Jedi Repack)
9. Han Solo [Yavin Ceremony] (New)
10. Jawa (New unmade Jawa)
11. Tusken Raider (SA kitbash)
12. Death Squad Commander (TVC repaint)
20-Back Commemorative Series
13. Greedo (Repack/not cloth vest)
14. Momaw Nadon [Hammerhead] (New}
15. Snaggletooth (Target 3-pack Repack)
16. Ponda Baba [Walrusman] (TVC Repack)
17. Luke Skywalker X-Wing Pilot [Red 5] (Repack)
18. R5-D4 (Repack)
19. RA-7 [Death Star Droid] (BAD Repack)
20. Lars Homestead GNK [Power Droid] (Repaint Target 3-Pack)
Tatooine
21. Owen Lars (Infinities Comic Pack Repack)
22. Beru Lars (New)
23. Senni Tonnika/Karoly D'ulin (New)
24. Brea Tonnika/Shada D'ukal (New)
25. Wuher (New)
26. Bannis Keeg (New)
27. Arliel Schous Defel (New)
28. Yerka Mig (New)
29. Tzizvvt (New)
Rebels
30. Gen. Dodonna (New)
31. Wedge Antilles [Red 2] (Repack)
32. Capt. Antilles (New)
Imperials
33. Grand Moff Tarkin (TVC repaint)
34. Death Star Gunner (Repack or more articulation)
35. Wullf Yularen (New)
36. Gen. Trech Molock (Kitbash, New Head)
37. Gen. Hurst Romodi (Kitbash, New Head)
38. Comm. Jir (Kitbash, New Head)
39. Comm. Praji (Kitbash,New Head)
40. Officer Evax (Shared Body with Yularen, New head)
Multi-packs
1. Modal Nodes (New SA, Instrument pack-ins)
2. Special Action Figure Set: Creature Set (Vintage Deco Greedo, Hammerhead and Walrus Man)
Honorable mention: Rebel Fleet Trooper (with working holster!!) I'd probably switch out on of the Imperials for the RFT
It's a mix of new, repaints/re-release and kitbashes. Wishful thinking, I know, but it would be nice.
-
Could it be mainly repacks of the 5 POA ANH figures they have done over the past few years (possibly on vintage cards)?
For the mainline... pretty sure it will be 5 POA on vintage cards.
I'm so looking forward to how well certain sites will handle new 5POA figures on TVC cards...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CwsCg5nVQAI0tOn.jpg)
-
Tonnika Sisters! :-*
-
Tonnika Sisters! :-*
+1
That is really about the only thing I've got on my list from ANH. I don't need another version of anything I already have, and these are about the only background characters I have any interest in.
-
I'd like to see vintage-style 2-packs, a Rocket-firing Fett, and a remote controlled Sandcrawler if we're going to toss out wish lists. I'm sure we'll get 5POA vintage package figures, which is somewhat meh for me.
-
TBS 3.75" figures on vintage cards. We probably have a better shot at a new Death Star Playset or Jabba's Sail Barge. ;)
-
I've honestly never gotten the obsession with the Vintage cards. I mean I get WHY they were made, but having the entire Vintage line made them a little less special. But Hasbro thinks that's the only way to sell figures, so whatever.
I can't think of any 3.75 inch figures I really want, especially in 5POA, so I guess I'd like some ANH based 6 inch figures, be it rereleases (Vader, Stormie, Han, etc.) or new stuff (Cantina guys). I'd LOVE some 6 inch figures like Hammerhead and Greedo based on the Vintage figures.
-
Leaning towards more realistic expectations of what I'd want or like, I'd like to see the Vintage cardbacks (I agree though Diddly, they're nothing special really but I like them and they're harder to rip off than a box you can reseal, IE: black series), and while I'd love it to be basically be hyper articulation all around, tons of new stuff or upgrades of deserving stuff, I'd more realistically like to see:
-TVC cardbacks (again, for theft's sake)
-An INCREASE in articulation to 2007 levels... Selective, some SA, some quasi, some lacking leg articulation mostly, some angle-cut elbows ala 2006, etc.
-A 2-accessory minimum... 2 blasters, or a cup and a blaster, you get the idea here.
-TBS level paint apps... that is to say, I don't expect them to go back to the great old days of paint washes and stuff, but it'd be nice to see it SOMETIMES, and otherwise, just straight eyes, a little more detail than the current basic line, etc.
-And a price that at least doesn't bump up from where TBS currently is, but ideally I'd like to see it around $9.99-$10.99 anyway. Maybe wishful thinking there.
Again this is tempered... The "Everything should be SA and great" crowd is living in a dream world where they'll never be happy, and where nobody seems able to pull them out of said world and back to reality. Those days are over. That said, I think there is a leeway where price and articulation can somehow meet a middle ground, and I think that'd be fantastic.
-As far as vehicles go... minimal interest here. Ships are rarely a scale I care about. I'd love to see some mini-rig type stuff maybe, something more akin to what we got with TCW that was plausible looking as a working thing in that universe.
-As far as playsets go, I laugh at you for even thinking it (if you're doing something realistic, not something you just want in a perfect world ;D).
-Mega vehicles, see above.
-Repacks... I would personally like to see the RFT, Yavin Tech, Honor Guard, obviously a Stormtrooper which ideally would be some "ultimate" kind of idea here... A couple aliens I could see getting a repack too, some droids, whatever. Depends how "big" this line was gonna go, which I cannot imagine it'd go too large unless it morphed in with the new movies too.
-And as an exclusive, somewhere, a multi-pack in a vintage-esque package that includes a blue (tall w/KISS boots) Snaggletooth, red (short & shoeless) Snaggletooth, green Greedo, onesie Hammerhead, funkadelic Walrusman, Blue Gonk, and chrome DSD, (last 2 repaints of existing sculpts) all in their original colors and styles, but in a modern style of sculpt and some updated articulation, drink glasses... Just some huge fan wank that goes to EE or something. I'd plunk a $100 down for that, seriously, but obviously less would be better. I want it that bad though.
The latter would be in that stupid realm to dream, but I'm throwing it in anyway.
Now this is a 40th SW only kind of thing... But if it went to a greater more movie thing, hey, great. I'd love to see a ton of new figures from the new films, Rogue One especially, in the above format... Improved, but not super, articulation. I'd love for the line to just go this direction in general. I don't expect any of it though. I totally expect Jeff's meme, and I expect the madness to follow.
Sure, I'll be disappointed, but I have other stuff to collect I enjoy, and a life, so I'll kind of enjoy the general collector meltdown going on that will follow that soothsaying, and it will be epic and fun to observe as people lash out.
-
I'm getting to the point where I'm just wondering where all the product is? TFA, Rogue One, Rebels... there's a ton going on right now and in the last four months they've basically put out two waves of figures and 4 or so figures at Walmart that are a total pain in the ass to find.
I'd have expected two to three times as many figures in that span given how front and center Star Wars is. I hope Hasbro has a lot to unveil at Toy Fair, because I'm sort of stunned at the missed opportunities right now. No TFA Luke still... plenty of main characters left to make from all three current properties, and collectors always want new items from the first 6 films.
I'd just like to see Hasbro actually start producing stuff again.
-
The volume thing blows my mind. I don't mean volume of product, which seems pretty healthy as opposed to last year, but selection. RO wave 1 was 7 figures, four of which were from the movie. That's regressive past even 1978 and makes me wonder what effort will be put forward for Episode 8. We were probably spoiled rotten during the prequels where huge launches of 30+ figs were the norm, and I know a lot of that audience has gone away, but SW still has a big audience. Might even be bigger judging from the box office (inflation aside, more people saw TFA than any of the prequels). Not all of these folks are buying figures and the market for toys has changed a lot. But the offerings for both TFA and RO have been very conservative and I'd say too conservative. Hasbro figured out fast in the late 90's people keep coming back to the store for something new. They stop when there isn't. 5 POA sells. A lot more of it would sell just as much. We'll see how nuts the 40th gets, but starting to wonder.
-
The focus, either Hasbro's, Disney's or both is probably with the new trilogy and not the stand-alones. Especially since they are just years apart. I think I heard Rogue One is the rogue movie, being the first non-trilogy movie, so they were being cautious in the offerings in case it bombed. But being Star Wars, there's going to be interest.
That said, Rogue One was visually impressive in terms of the character designs and sets, while TFA was rather bland in my opinion. I'd love to see more Rogue One figures, especially in TBS 3.75".
-
I think the release has actually been on par with the original films, if not slightly higher. Star Wars initially launched with 12 figures, then added 8 more. Between the single and 2-pack 5POA figures, we have 20 Rogue One dedicated figures as well. Then add in that there's WM Black Series, 6" figures, Disney Elite figures, ships with pack-ins, etc. I'm actually pretty happy with the assortment size per movie. I think there's a handful of other figures announced (Galen, Raddus) and four more in the Jedha 4-pack - that feels about right. What other figures do people really want from the movie? Maybe a few more rebel leaders or a rebel trooper, but it's otherwise pretty well covered.
-
I think the release has actually been on par with the original films, if not slightly higher. Star Wars initially launched with 12 figures, then added 8 more. Between the single and 2-pack 5POA figures, we have 20 Rogue One dedicated figures as well. Then add in that there's WM Black Series, 6" figures, Disney Elite figures, ships with pack-ins, etc. I'm actually pretty happy with the assortment size per movie. I think there's a handful of other figures announced (Galen, Raddus) and four more in the Jedha 4-pack - that feels about right. What other figures do people really want from the movie? Maybe a few more rebel leaders or a rebel trooper, but it's otherwise pretty well covered.
Just off the top of my heads... Tarkin for starters. I'm shocked that they didn't do a Leia too. Dravin and Mon Mothma would be great. Bail Organa? A few Rebel Troops and Pilots, General Merrick at least? Bistan? That weird little Ugnaught looking guy? Young Jyn and her mom? A beast pack of that monster that reads Bodhi's mind? Krennic in his poncho? They hit most of the main characters, but some stuff for collectors would be nice. Jedda Pilgrim? Vader's dignitary?
It's been about a year and a half since the TFA Force Friday and there's no Luke figure? No General Organa. No Lor San Trekka. No Snoak. Only one background Alien from Maz's bar. They make one of the Kanji Club guys, but that would have been an awesome 5 pack. Likewise, they make the Guavian Enforcer, but no Bala Tik? No Rathtar, no beasts of any kind?
Cool and interesting characters come and go on Rebels all the time, and we're basically getting one here and one there... which is fine, but it's clearly not a priority.
Then there's still 6 movies that they seem to be basically done with.
It's not so much that there's nothing, I'm just surprised that there isn't a steady stream of new stuff coming out in the months following the initial release. That's kind of the point. I think the demand for more is there, and I'm missing the days when Hasbro would make some cool unmade figures that aren't main characters or troops. And I'm missing the days when you could expect a new wave or two every month or two with figures from various films.
-
I'm still surprised they haven't mixed in more Rebels characters in to the assortments. Lots of fun characters and cool stuff to choose from.
-
There's definitely more that I would want from E7 and Tarkin is a great choice. I could live without the rest though, especially a young Jyn or the silly mind reading character. We didn't get Tarkin in the vintage line, nor did we get side characters like Owen, Beru, specific Imperial Officers, Rebel Leaders, Pilots, etc. My response was mainly to Darby's comparison of the original vintage line - I just don't think we've gone backwards since then. Sure, there is much more they could do, but for R1, I'm feeling pretty good about what they've done thus far.
-
There's definitely more that I would want from E7 and Tarkin is a great choice. I could live without the rest though, especially a young Jyn or the silly mind reading character. We didn't get Tarkin in the vintage line, nor did we get side characters like Owen, Beru, specific Imperial Officers, Rebel Leaders, Pilots, etc. My response was mainly to Darby's comparison of the original vintage line - I just don't think we've gone backwards since then. Sure, there is much more they could do, but for R1, I'm feeling pretty good about what they've done thus far.
I think you could make the case that we haven't gone backwards from the vintage line... but I think you could also make the case that we've gone backwards compared to what we got used to over the last 15 years or so - not just in quantity either...
So it's more like an arc that goes up and then comes back down, than some kind of steady line from 1977 until now.
And yeah, maybe a Jedda Pilgrim or the monster thing wouldn't be for everyone, but the thing that I enjoy the most with collecting is when something obscure or weird gets made. I've got a dozen different Tattooine Luke Skywalkers, but it's when they make something like Hermi Odle that collecting is fun to me.
-
I think most of it is simply that the line doesn't have 3 years to work on things now... They have to flesh out a line for a movie then onto the next, then the next and so on for the foreseeable future.
What's seen now as "down time" (now, for instance) is probably them working feverishly on the next film's line-up. When you had 3 years between movies, it was far easier to manage. Now, you have to crank out things and move onto the next, and the line is a far cry from what it used to be... not just the toys, but who's buying them too. "Collectors" aren't the same anymore, nor are kids.
-
I can understand lack of Rogue One product since Episode 7 was originally supposed to come out in May 2017.
As for why nothing else is coming out, Hasbro has to spend the rest of the year focusing on the Marvel properties, shipping out figures that won't hit shelves due to the 2-3 year backlog of Legends figures on the pegs. Don't expect any SW toy news until the next Force Friday.
-
I can understand lack of Rogue One product since Episode 7 was originally supposed to come out in May 2017.
As for why nothing else is coming out, Hasbro has to spend the rest of the year focusing on the Marvel properties, shipping out figures that won't hit shelves due to the 2-3 year backlog of Legends figures on the pegs. Don't expect any SW toy news until the next Force Friday.
If that's true, and I don't know that it is, to me it's an opportunity to expand your business... hire more people... sell more widgets.
-
Agreed. Disney is going to crank out new movies every year for the foreseeable future and Hasbro better get it figured out or they'll be leaving money on the table.
I get it that there are going to be challenges associated with developing products in a tight timeline with all the secrecy that Disney has in place, but there should be no excuse for Hasbro not to be able to play catch up with the already released movies. TFA has been out for over a year and the fact that they don't have a Luke, General Leia, or other new TFA figures (and Rebels) coming out seems like a big miss
-
Recent rumors seem to point at an assortment of Black Series figures of the original 12, which would be neat. Probably repacks aside from the recently announced Tusken, leaving just the Jawa and Death Squad Commander for the last two. I also saw a "Early Bird" set was found in the Target computers, but I think it was listed at $39.99, which seems low for a 6" four pack. Hopefully we will get a better idea at Toy Fair.
-
My theory is the EB set is a 2 pack (6 inch) of TFA/TLJ Luke and someone else, probably Rey, as a nod both to the annversary and new movie.
-
Looking at my tatooine display, a new Beru would be nice compliment to the comic pack Owen we got a few years back.
-
I don't want to buy a bunch of repacks just for packaging, but I'm beyond stoked if we have Jawas, Tuskens, and a DS Commander on the way for 6 inch figures. All three of those are high on my want list and a great homage to the original 12.
-
More super-articulated figures.