Taking a look at the LOTR figures while out and about this weekend, and still trying to talk my wife into me finishing out what I want from this line (I only want 4 more figures, I don't think that is too bad ).  Anyways, although there were finally some figures on the pegs at Wal-Mart again (they have been bare for awhile), Target honestly seems to be the best at stocking LOTR stuff around here.  However, the prices at both Targets are $6.99 a figure.  I guess I don't really buy these regularly, so I forget, but weren't these at around $5-ish a figure earlier this year or later last year?  I think Wal-Mart has them priced at $5.88.

Also...on a side note, any word on when the next TTT wave from the Trilogy series is coming out?  If I remember correctly there is supposed to be a "new" superposeable Helm's Deep Aragorn and a superposeable Frodo as well.  Those are two characters I don't have yet, and was kind of waiting to see what the new representations looked like.  Anyways, just wondering if/when they were coming out.  Seems like new LOTR figure news has been a little slower lately.

I was curious to hear some of your opinions, stories, etc. about when the POTF2 line first started out, and when Star Wars figures were back on the pegs.  I have to be honest, I wasn't really collecting right when it started, getting into it more so around 1999, about the time of Phantom Menace.  I was aware that the toys existed sometime before that, since my younger brother was receiving some things as b-day gifts at that time.  Anyways, just looking over the waves, figures, etc. online, I bet it was a pretty exciting time to see Star Wars on the pegs again.  Sure, they were big and buff, and most of them look pretty poor compared to today's figs, but I can still imagine it was pretty neat.

How did you first know they were back?  The internet community wasn't quite the same back then, was there another route (maybe commercials that I don't remember).  Did you know what was coming out next, in upcoming waves, or was there a time of "ta da, new figures" like it was in the vintage days?  Did you have any idea that Hasbro would continue on so far, or did it seem like it was a short limited series?  Were figures tough to find?  Anyways, just curious as to some of your personal stories for that period in Star Wars collecting.  I kind of missed out on it, and although I have some figures from that period now, it would have been neat to be a collector during that time.

I was looking up a figure on some of the POTF2 photo archives online, and noticed (at RS) that they had their figures divided into the release year as well.  I wasn't a real active collector at the beginning of POTF2, but it looked like there was anywhere from 25-35ish figures released per year.  It seems like we now get around the upper 40s to 50s in figure releases now (although this year it has been many recarded figures).  Anyways, it got me to thinking about the future of Star Wars again.  Once the ROTS hype is dying down, and considering what is left to make (or to re-do, since technologies have advanced since the POTF2 days), how big would you like to see the line be in 2006 and beyond?  How many figures would you like to see released each year, and maybe, in what fashion do you think they should be done?  Would you like to see some of the POTF2 sculpts updated?  How many ships would you like to see (realistically)?  Just curious as to some of your opinions on the future of Star Wars.

Nothing much new around here, although the local Wal-Mart is doing their toy aisle reset, and got another batch of the OTC in.  It is nice to see the expanded presence of Star Wars in the aisles again, and that spiffy black and silver packaging.  I did pick up another Dagobah Luke and Yoda (I had the handstand Luke, and decided to keep it carded, looked kind of neat I thought).  They also had Greedo, Stormtrooper, Han Solo, C-3PO, and the Throne Room Vader if I recall correctly.  I was awfully tempted to pick up the Greedo, Stormtrooper and 3PO, even though I already have them.  Even though it is just packaging, it sure makes it awfully tempting to pick up some of those repacks.

They also had 2 each of the 12" Luke and Stormtrooper.  The overall appearance of these (with the vinty packaging) made it tempting, but I don't really collect 12", and couldn't justify dropping $30 on them.  They also had a couple Unleashed Hoth Lukes, and 2 VOTC figures (Han and Leia) for $9.83.  Nothing new at Target or TRU though unfortunately (bring on some more VOTC!).  Oh, and lots of lightsabers everywhere we went

Yeah, not too bad a wave from the looks of it.  I usually don't get quite as excited about prequel figures, but I look forward to getting these.  Particular Pablo Jill and Yarua, to me you can't go wrong with Jedi and Wookiees.  Sly Moore looks pretty good too, although a bit of a boring figure.  We'll see on that one.  Definitely looking forward to the other two though.

This is a line I've always been interested in as well, but because of price, I've had to stay away.  They look like beautiful pieces of work from what I have seen online, and continue to hold out hope that I can buy into these someday (for now Unleashed will have to do for Star Wars statue needs I guess).  Unfortunately, as usual, I'm already a ways behind, and it would probably be pricey to catch up.  I'd be in for OT-busts only as well probably, but there's still quite a few to pick up.  Any idea of how many of these are released per year?  Just wondering how much it would cost a person to collect these, per year.

Hasbro has updated with a feature on the upcoming, TRU exclusive Y-Wing

Yeah, that Aurra Sing does look pretty cool.  I've been going OT-only with these, but I can kind of see what Brent (I believe) was saying the other day...many of the prequel ones look to be the best of the line.