Yeah, I do not remeber the last time this happened either. What's funny is that the images been around since TF so it's not like the cat did not leave the bag already. While it was no the package art it's not like most fans who scour the boards did not see these. I am thinking these are TRU exclusives.

I did not hear of the shake up but I will try and get some intel from a friendly source of mine.

Just a thought, I picked up the new Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan with light up sabers from the Movie Heroes collection. The headsculpts are great but their outfits are perfectly colored like the films. Obi-Wan has while pants and Qui-Gons outfit has a more egg while yellow tint just like the film. The current legacy Style Obi has grey pants and the Qui-Gon has robes that are too white. With all of the re-releases of these two why would Hasbro not update/improve the colors on them in at least on of the lines like DTF? I would have re-bought both of them in a heartbeat to upgrade!

While the MH light up guys are a little bulky they are pretty cool. The headsculpts appear like they will fit on the existing versions too. I cannot dig mine out yet but I will surly try....

Besides the lines internal problems one huge problem plaguing the entire toy industry right now is soaring costs to manufacture goods. Toys in general (and just about everything else) are becoming too expensive for the casual everyday purchase. They are no longer cheap commodities, they are becoming investments. $9 for a basic figure is the average price now in all lines, think about that. I been in the toy industry for 12 yrs I have never seen prices as high as they are now to manufacture them. I do not mind repacks and understand Hasbro's rounded out approach reusing old kid friendly tools (they are still tooling a lot of new stuff so I think some collectors go a little overboard with the repack complaints) However the choices can be so much better, no disagreement from me there. Even some minor deco changes on existing figures can bring in more collectors to purchase the Movie Heroes line that subsidizes the overall line. So many of the lines problems can be avoided and/or minimized with simple redecos and better case packs, that to me is the most frustrating aspect of all of this. I think the current team has been working on the brand too long, they need fresh eyes and a fresh approach on it. DD brought that once to the line and revived in it circa 2003. I think it's time to pass the torch to fresh blood.

Another overall factor that plagues the line in my opinion is the SW brand has been in our faces pretty strong for a few years straight now. If anything the brand overstayed/overplayed its welcome a bit as it feels a little stale to the average kid. Think about it, LF's big push to get kids back into SW was the TPM. Really? Everyone with a pulsating brain saw it was doomed before it began. Starting with the worst of the 6 films is not a winning strategy. No amount of 3D is going to make a crappy movie any better. Face it, TPM is boring, it's boring to the general audience and especially to kids sans a few scenes. FACT: Most people see it as a boring film, no amount of loving SW is going to change that. I have a hard time getting through it myself and I never got around to seeing it in theaters. (I still did not buy the Blue Ray sets yet either!) They stated that the other films were dependent on the 3D TPM's performance. I would not get my hopes up of AOTC and the other films being released in theaters. If it is expect an even more modest product offering for it. (I do think Hasbro did a great job with the TPM product offering I was very, very pleased with it. They just went a tad overboard like 99.)

That said, I get the need to make a modest TPM statement to support the release but what the hell is Hasbro thinking doing the MTT as the next BMF? It's a boring non hero vehicle and it has a $139.99 price tag. Look how poorly the attack shuttle did and that was only $80. (They do not even move at $39.99!) Who is making the choices on the BMF's lately. Most collectors know this is going to be a slow seller, why cant Hasbro see this? In my experienced opinion this item is doomed to fail and endangers future big vehicles like the Sailbarge Deathstar or Tantive. I am indifferent to the MTT but I will buy one to continue my support in hopes of getting the vehicles I really want. I can no longer support the redecoed PT vehicles like the Yoda Tank and CW starfighters, I do not have the room or interest in them. If it's an OT vehicle no questions I will buy it.

I do not think the line is going anywhere but I expect some disturbances as it works through the bugs. interest downturn and the tough retail environment. I do not think the BP's are anything to worry about, I think the new ones are a test. Anyone that has young kids know that SW figures do not play well as they are too intricate and fall apart.  These new BP's are defiantly kid friendly and if it brings more kids back I can support it as they pay for the obscure collector focused stuff.

The sky is not falling and while I like and appreciate STAN's posts they are not always accurate. I rather hear directly from Hasbro that Vintage is going on hiatus and the real state of the brands performance is dismal before I panic.

Oh ****.

I missed this news, I thought it was only Kre-O stuff. They finally caught on that Star Trek figures done on a level of SW quality will open up a wormhole in the wallets of their SW figure fanbase. If they are produced on the same level as SW figures there is no possible way to resist this. (Insert Resistance is Futile joke here)

Playmates made it so easy to pass on their last product outing, you can still find them at Wal-Mart and Big Lots.

Picked up the following at Wal-Mart all for $4.00 each:
x1 Blue Ray Luke
x1 Blue Ray Leia
x1 Blue Ray Lando
x1 Blue Ray Cracken
x1 Blue Ray Mon Cal
x1 TPM BD
x1 TPM Naboo Guard
x2 Endor Rebels (They were the key to my $4.00 mega haul!)

1. Captain Tarpels
2. Eoth Koth
3. Ada Gallia
4. Senator Palps
5. Panaka
6. Theed Guard
7. Saesee Tiin
8. Depa Bilbobaggins
9. Watto
10. Even Piell

Flash forward to now and I'm still open to realistic...  No hard data to prove I'm in the majority other than the realistic line's been around for this many years, and has had huge collector support really.  That says something though, that collectors will probably buy realistic CW figures who otherwise were passing because they considered it wholely separate.  I was anything but alone in that feeling at the time.

Count me as being in this camp. I would have bought the entire line had they been realistic. Cad Bane with the Robot, Embo, Armored Savage, Cassius and x2 IG Droids are all I own in my massive collection because they pass for realistic enough. There were so many great characters I would love to have liked to own like Hondo but because they were cartoonish I passed.

That said, I am a bit perplexed that Armored Savage, Season 2 Ashoka are not in the current mixes. CW has seen some rare figures like Sidious, Even Piell and even Sae See Tiin see such limited release. Maybe just maybe if Hasbro stopped shipping the very 1st crappy Cad Bane and included more in demand figures sales would look a little better. Not saying it would cure the lines current problems but it could not hurt. The CW line lasted longer than I thought it was going to so I have to tip my hat to that.

Being with the SW line since the 95 rebirth I can say for certain, like death and taxes, the line always comes back to core mainline figures...that look realistic. Chubby, large, micro, stylized whatever it is one line that never dies is core 3 3/4inch movie style. Not saying it will never die but too many of us invested so heavy into it for so long that SW figures that are 1/18th scale should never deviate from realistic.

I cannot wait I have two cases on preorder from BBTS, I am looking forward to Lando the most. I will have to hunt for a couple more Lukes, Landos and Cracken for some other displays. The case pack here really is solid except for Qui-Gon who can easily be returned to the store. I hope the other waves follow suit and get released on time. I have yet to see the preorders for the next waves...