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Multimedia => Jocasta's Reading Room => Topic started by: JediMAC on January 14, 2004, 03:42 AM

Title: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: JediMAC on January 14, 2004, 03:42 AM
Vic Wertz posted an interesting blurb over at the SW.com forums, regarding a new column coming in the next Insider (#74) magazine, saying it's something that people have been asking for for a long time...  He then adds:

Quote
The new column we're debuting is the oft-requested continuation of the Action Figure Archive, originally published by Chronicle Books.

Now this is interesting, and pretty cool - BUT...  I want an Action Figure Archive update in BOOK form.  I don't want to just see a few pages of new figures every 6 weeks or so - as it seems they're suggesting...  That would take forever even to make it through the rest of the POTF2 line.  I don't get it...

I'm glad the idea of an update is at least being pursued finally though.  Just not so much in the medium they're hinting at.   :-\
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: jadesfire on January 14, 2004, 09:06 PM
I agree with you on this one Matt.  Give me an updated book please....I can go on line and piece one together myself.

I never could understand why they never got another update published.  I guess time will tell if the updates will be done through the magazine only or not.

Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Morgbug on January 15, 2004, 12:05 AM
Could be worse, you could be in Canada.  My subscription costs more than yours and it takes at least 4 weeks longer to get my magazine.  It always shows up at Walmart before I get mine in my mailbox.  

5 months later I haven't even received my membership kit.  I'm thinking it's time to ask where it went???

On topic, I'm with you.  so much stuff has been released.  But perhaps this is just a stop gap until they release Episode III and most of it's merchandise?
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Snively Bandar on January 19, 2004, 06:39 PM
I agree too.  This was a fantastic book, with some great reference pictures right alongside the figure shots, for easy comparison.  I'd much prefer that it's updated through a new book, or even two, rather than a couple pages each month in the Insider.

But honestly, I'd prefer one giant, comprehensive Star Wars figure encyclopedia, with everything in it!  Now that would be cool!   8)
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Scott on January 22, 2004, 03:42 PM
I'll chime in and hope for the best here...if done right I'd be fine with this format...8-12 figures per issue hopefully!  And the ability to pull them out for reference and binder storage.  A book would work but we've been told time and again that a book probably won't happen :-\
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: JediMAC on January 29, 2004, 07:50 PM
And the ability to pull them out for reference and binder storage.

That's really the only way they could pull this off as even somewhat acceptable.  But still, at even a whopping 8-12 pages per issue (which is never gonna happen), it'd still take YEARS to cover the remaining figures from where the last book left off way back in 1998...  If I recall correctly, there was only one or two figures per page, and some that even took up two pages I think.  I'll have to pull out my copy and double check on that.

Can I call dibs on authoring an all-encompassing book covering the modern era's complete Hasbro line 10 years down the road from now when it's run it's course?  You know, kinda like Kellerman's great vintage book that he just released?  Of course, this one would be 10 times the size of that one!

The J'MAC Encyclopedia of the Modern Hasbro Collection, I'll call it.   8)  If anyone would like to front me a hefty advance, I'll see about getting to work on it.  And you just know that when I'm all finished with it, Steve Sansweet's gonna look at it with great admiration and jealousy, and think to himself - "if only I had properly updated my AFA book"...   ::)
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Jedi Idej on February 3, 2004, 10:22 PM
I really hope the supplement is in book form instead of a few pages at a time inserted in the Insider. (Didn't one of the other toy mags do a SW color guide this way?)

A book form is more durable, convenient, and a lot cheaper than having to re-subscribe to the Insider for however long it takes to complete the update.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Scott on February 12, 2004, 09:24 AM
So....anyone who has the issue want to comment on the contents ???
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: JediMAC on February 17, 2004, 02:17 PM
So....anyone who has the issue want to comment on the contents ???

Yep, got mine a few days ago, and unfortunately the AFA updated contained in the new Insider pretty much STINKS.   >:(  It's all of TWO pages, with 4 figures per page.  Just the Flashback assortment of figures.  Small.  Brief.  Nothing like the old AFA book.  I wonder if future Insider issues will have more, and that they just cut this one short due to the brevity of the Flashback series...

Actually, come to think of it - they didn't even cover the whole Flashback series.  Weren't there 11 of them, including a Beru?  Brainfarting right now, but this issue only covered Luke, Leia, Yoda, R2, Vader, Ben, Emperor, and Chewie.  Guess it wasn't based on just this subline, so with that in mind, it looks like it'll only run a couple pages each issue.  There's actually a third page of sorts, that shows a bunch of foreign carded crap too, which doesn't count.

Very disappointing!   :'(  I will be expressing my displeasure to Mr. Sansweet the next time I see him.  He told me at Comic Con that an update was in the works, so apparently he was just talking about this garbage.   ::)

Hopefully he'll prove me wrong though, and surprise us with a new book, and just use this Insider feature as a teaser for the real thing...
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Brian on February 24, 2011, 02:06 PM
Ok, and older topic, but somewhat related here.  This (Sansweet's Action Figure Archive) is one of those books that I always wanted to pick up, but sort of forgot about.  To be honest, it wasn't until I saw a copy on the tv show Chuck this week that I was reminded of it.  Anyways, I know it is older, out of print (and out of date), but I was curious what everyone thought of this book and if it was worth tracking down.  Is there another book (Kellerman's Vintage) that might be a better option?

To be honest, I was just thinking about getting a book like this to have a nice reference of the vintage line.  The modern stuff is ongoing, doesn't have quite the same nostalgia, and will likely not be collected in book form for years to come (since we don't even know when/if the line will end).  I haven't ever looked at either in person (aside from the pages in SW Insider that were mentioned earlier in this thread), and was curious what was the best option out there these days (if any).  It looks like there are used copies available of Sansweet's on Amazon that are affordable, but the Kellerman book seems a bit pricey at first glance (also, only available from secondary sources).  Thanks for any advice.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Scott on March 28, 2012, 07:40 AM
W00T!!!  Amazon has a preorder up for the long awaited update!!!
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Jayson on April 9, 2012, 03:43 PM
Caught on Twitter today that Dan Curto is involved with the publication of this book as well.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Nicklab on April 10, 2012, 10:54 PM
Caught on Twitter today that Dan Curto is involved with the publication of this book as well.

Really?  Good for Dan!
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Phrubruh on June 6, 2012, 10:10 AM
I want to see a Kindle version of this book.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Spirit of MAC on August 27, 2012, 06:40 PM
This Ultimate Action Figure Collection book looks to be shaping up pretty nice based on all the previews shown recently.  I'd have actually preferred a chronological look at all the figures, but considering we're up in the 2,500+ range now, that's obviously not a realistic idea.  The grouping of like figures is actually going to be pretty cool both for reference and comparison's sake, though I'm still not sure if that's how the whole book lays out.  Anyone know?  $40 is a surprisingly reasonable price on this thing too!

(http://www.jeditemplearchives.com/news/common/UltimateActionFigureCollectionLarge.jpg)

Is it just me, or do Curto and Paul look like they could easily be brothers, if not almost twins:

(http://www.galactichunter.com/absoluteig/gallery/conventions%20and%20events/2012_star_wars_celebration_vi/rancho_obi_wan-ultimate_action_figure/C6-RANCHO-OBI-WAN-ULTIMATE-1-1068.jpg)
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Jayson on August 28, 2012, 09:45 AM
We hung out most of the con and I couldn't count the number of times people asked if Paul was Dan or Dan was Paul. It was quite funny.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Brian on November 26, 2012, 08:50 PM
I received "Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection" book via Amazon today, and it really is pretty spiffy.  I always wanted to get one of these books, but sort of missed the boat on Sansweet's earlier version (as well as the vintage action figure book that came out a year or two back).  This really is a nice reference, and fun to look at.  My daughter and I were flipping through it today, and counted 90 Luke Skywalker figures in there, nuts.  Seeing all the figures in front of you like that makes you realize just how much we've gotten in this line.  All the clonetroopers, holy cow.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Jesse James on November 26, 2012, 09:35 PM
I'd think that would make me just be less interested in collecting, rather than more.

I look at my "retired" boxes, and that alone is enough for me to be disgusted sometimes.  Add in that I don't even have EVERYTHING because in 2002 I awoke from my Hasbro coma and realized 90% of what they were making was pure ****, and I can only imagine if I HAD bought it all since that year.  I'd be twice as disgusted as I am now with some of my purchasing choices.

Hasbro actually made it a point of pride for me NOT to have a complete collection.  With Kenner, it was the other way around.
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Scott on November 27, 2012, 08:29 AM
I got my copy too.  One thing that really popped out at me...they really struggle on Emperor Palpatine/Sidious figures...man there is some awful awful crap in those pages.

Really like what I have seen so far.  Just a few minor nits to pick...the first book was done Chronologically and while it was a hard call to make, it's too bad the next one couldn't have picked up in 99 and went on in the same order.  That book also had a lot more detail and bigger movie pics which added to the appeal to me at least.

Well worth it and a perfect gift for any collector...nice job all around
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Brian on November 27, 2012, 04:50 PM
I'd think that would make me just be less interested in collecting, rather than more.

I look at my "retired" boxes, and that alone is enough for me to be disgusted sometimes.  Add in that I don't even have EVERYTHING because in 2002 I awoke from my Hasbro coma and realized 90% of what they were making was pure ****, and I can only imagine if I HAD bought it all since that year.  I'd be twice as disgusted as I am now with some of my purchasing choices.

Hasbro actually made it a point of pride for me NOT to have a complete collection.  With Kenner, it was the other way around.

I kind of felt that way too, looking at some of it.  Granted, I don't have "all" of any of those figures as far as I know, and certainly don't have all 90 Lukes shown, but probably have at least 40-50 of them I'm guessing (I didn't count), which is ridiculous.  I mean, if we all had the hindsight, we'd really just have the vintage version and the best modern version and be done, but that's just how things are I guess.  Like I said earlier, it is crazy how many versions we've gotten of some characters.  We've always made jokes about it on the forums, but actually seeing them all grouped together in print makes it that much more real.  Like you Jesse, I look at the giant box of "replaced" figures from my displays (that have since gone to our daughter) and the sheer amount of toys that have basically been outdated/replaced is kind of ridiculous.

Also agreed on the Palps/Sidious issue Scott, really some crap in those pages.  I enjoy soft goods and articulation, but I sometimes wonder if a figure like that might benefit from just really nailing the sculpt and letting a little bit of those other areas go.  I mean, in ROTJ, he really doesn't do anything more than sit and make "evil" hands when he shoots lightning :).
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: Scott on November 27, 2012, 05:17 PM
The other thing I was going to say on going chronologically is that they could then do a volume 3 and 4 down the road instead of doing everything again 13 years from now (when I'll be in my 50s  :'()
Title: Re: Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?
Post by: McMetal on February 14, 2013, 12:21 PM
My wife got me this for Valentine's Day, I was psyched. Looking forward to perusing this tonight...it's hefty.