Damn Brent, sounds like Hasbro hates Canadians. But at the same time, it also sounds like a lot of what Hasbro does in general, heavily produce and distribute the first wave of a new line to get the retailers excited but then everyone quickly realizes they overdid it as the product is hard to move. So that screws the distribution of later waves which take forever to come out in sufficient numbers that it frustrates everyone. The other night at Target a mom looking for toys for her son was pissed that all she could find was the Carkoon wave, she just wanted to find NEW toys for her son. Is that so hard to ask for? Apparently, the answer is yes. 
Well I won't lie and say it's any fun, but it's nothing I haven't become accustomed to over the years. For the most part I've gone to online ordering or survived with the help of many friends here on JD for assistance through the lines. I can seldom do much to repay the favor, but do so when I can. I also help out a couple of guys, one in the US and one in Japan that are into collecting the Canadian variations of the figures, so that's about the only thing that causes me stress. Being an opener means I can take stuff carded guys won't touch and the cardback means little to me. Pretty significant advantage.
Not sure if you guys have seen the difference, so I thought I'd post a pic. It's a bit out of place being the Hoth wave, but that is the most recent we have. I personally prefer the US cardbacks for the scene specificity, but the Canadian versions have some appeal, if limited, in the uniformity. It should be obvious, but in case it isn't, Canadian on the left, US on the right. There's a political joke there too, but that's a no-no.
Just the basic starburst background the same as we had for the OTC figures. Interesting enough I suppose, but I just don't do carded anymore.
