Hasbro Q&A Sessions

[Blaster under the pillow]

I'm a little disappointed in their answer to the Battle droid question. If they could make one that could stand unaided, I'd buy a heap of them, but I'm just not that keen on displaying figures with stands, unless they're the environmental kind that we got around the time of Revenge.

If they can't make the legs out of a stronger plastic, could they make the rest of the droid and it's blaster out of a weaker type, so that they could at least take the weight?

Great news as far as the skiff guards go though...

[Jesse James]

To further the debate...

I got Rohm Mohc and IG-97 yesterday, and IG-97 uses the new Battledroid sculpt aside from the head.

He's a sturdier plastic.  He stands fine on his own.    Seriously, it just adds to the confusion here.

I'm beginning to think battledroids are one of those things that, in all seriousness, you'd have to sit down with Hasbro and physically show them a couple different examples of what you're talking about so they saw the differences because they seem confused on the topic.

If future droids are as sturdy as IG-97's limbs are, I'm fine with this figure then.  Even without the retooled left arm.

[Paul]

Sad that Hasbro feels the Hoth Rebels (and Officers) that we currently have are sufficient to satisfy the "updated from vintage" requirement.  And then to make matters worse, they think they would update the Commander before they did an Echo Base trooper...

[EpicGon]

more humans from Ot yerka, Wuher, Evazan, perhaps hoth troopers, like the deck officer who talk to Han Solo in esb.
The jabba goons from a new hope special edition are a nice project too. I think Hasbro will be releasing them in separate waves, like as in the case of the imperial dignitaries, which colectors wanted to see in this vintage line.

[Jesse James]

Sad that Hasbro feels the Hoth Rebels (and Officers) that we currently have are sufficient to satisfy the "updated from vintage" requirement.  And then to make matters worse, they think they would update the Commander before they did an Echo Base trooper...

I missed this one Paul, where's it from?  N/M, I see it now...  That is odd.

Disappointing for sure, that the Echo Base Trooper or others may be considered "updated" already, but that doesn't mean they won't happen still...  They maybe look at the Echo Base Trooper as a wholely separate figure now.

I wouldn't mind having the "Commander" from the vintage line, but he's more a head variant on the new body than a "new" figure.

[Jesse James]

Another round of Q&A's posted...

-Say it ain't so that the Brown Vested Hoth Rebel (Vintage) is off the table guys!

-Exactly how awesome would Senate Duel Palpatine be?

You can read the answers to these questions, Right Here!

[JACKOFTRADZE]

You never know they may sneak him in the upcoming Battlepack. I cannot see this Battle pack just having one trooper in it......

[Brian]

It looks like Hasbro has revealed what figures will be in the first couple assortments of Saga Legends after the packaging change (courtesy of JTA:

Wave 1
     SL01 Bossk
     SL02 IG-88
     SL03 Zuckuss
     SL04 Greedo
     SL05 Jango Fett
     SL06 Darth Vader
     SL07 Leia Boush
     SL08 Darth Maul
     SL09 Grievous
     SL10 Clone Trooper Ep II
     SL11 Anakin- Darth Vader
     SL12 Obi-Wan
 
Wave 2
     SL13 Yoda
     SL14 R2D2
     SL15 Shock Trooper
     SL16 Clone Trooper Ep III
     SL17 C3PO
     SL18 Chewbacca
     SL19 501st Trooper
     SL20 Battle Droid 2 pack
     SL21 Luke Snow Speeder
     SL22 Han Solo Hoth
     SL23 Snowtrooper

Quite a few of the same choices, but some new ones as well.  Overall, I think it is a little better selection than we've been seeing lately in this line.  I'm particularly happy to see re-releases of Bossk, 4-LOM, and IG-88 as I sort of wanted to get some extras of the previous versions.  Plus, I think it is a good idea to get those bounty hunters out there again.  I also like seeing army builders like the Snowtrooper, 501st, and other clones as those always seem to sell.  I really hope the Chewie is the EB version, or even the VOTC one, as that is a good figure to have out every so often as well.  Kind of happy to see the Luke Snowspeeder get another release, as well as Hoth Han.  The lineup seems to be pretty ESB/ROTS heavy overall.

[JACKOFTRADZE]

I hope that Chewbacca is the Tin version without the snow deco. I know it's a long shot but I would love to see him since that mold is so ESB especially for the Bespin dinner scene. That would be an easy way to serve up some soft newness.

No Sae See on the list so that's a definite improvement!

[Jeff]

"As it's drawn up now, the 2011 Bespin Han would be all-new."

Hooray! I'm really looking forward to that one on the vintage cards and I must admit much joy in the fact that it won't just be another iteration of the VOTC sculpt.

[efranks]

I was hoping that Saga Legends line would replace one of the ROTS Clone Troopers with the Utapau version since we just got a new Commander Cody and he'll be packed again later this year.  That's one trooper I'd add a few more of but I don't think I bought more than one SL 501st Clone and none of the Shock Troopers.

Also, there seemed to be an undercurrent of "ifs" in this week's Q&A.  "If" the vintage line lasts long enough, "if" we have time...  It's like, after they came right out and said the line would run "at least" two years, now they're hedging their bets just in case the line doesn't take off and they have to bag it early.

I think they're also hearing some push back on just what the Vintage Collection line is going to be and now maybe they're just a bit worried?  They came out of the gate talking about how this was going to be the best line yet, collectors were going to jump back in, etc...and then they released more character info for the first couple of waves and there's not a single new character in there.  Then last Q&A they came back and basically said that the line was going to be pretty much all character re-issues; some new outfits, some updated sculpts, but less with the new and more with the new-ish.

I know some people that were dreaming of rainbows and unicorns for the TVC line are now realizing it's going to be more about summer afternoon sprinkler systems and Krazy glued goat horns on fido.

   E...

[Jesse James]

That painted a....

...very weird picture. 

Yeah I think it is indeed starting to crash with some about the Vintage Collection getting a weird reaction.  For me, I think a lot of figures need resculpted.  I'm a big resculpt whore...  But for many it's all about the new.  For me, I'm probably less interested in the new (though I love new, don't get me wrong) than I am about getting something redone that I feel is inadequate...  Rebel army builders, some Imperials, some older secondary characters (Tarkin, etc.) that need upgraded, and so on.

So for me, Dengar's great.

For others...  not so much.

I wasn't exactly the audience they lost though, considering I'm still here and all.

[speedermike]

I'm all about the new also.  In fact, I can do with out many resculpts, but I buy any newly sculpted figure.  Figures like this years At-At driver are totally hum-drum for me.  Yawn.  However, new Cantine patrons, or even the upcoming Han Echo Base I totally love.

I think that there's a lot of undone figures out there that could be aggressive, Hasbro just needs to be creative.  And I think that there's some very cool repaints, and rereleases, such as Amanaman that could make the line exciting.

I'm not dissapointed with the new line, but I'm not feeling the love yet...maybe when we see some "new" figures on classic cards.

[Jeff]

I was hoping that Saga Legends line would replace one of the ROTS Clone Troopers with the Utapau version since we just got a new Commander Cody and he'll be packed again later this year.  That's one trooper I'd add a few more of but I don't think I bought more than one SL 501st Clone and none of the Shock Troopers.

Well, the rumor mill was saying at one point that the Ep3 Clone in the Vintage RotS wave will be the Utapau colors to go with Cody. 

If that rumor pans out, it would be nice since it would be dumb to have a Vintage carded plain Ep3 Clone on the pegs at the same time as a Legends one (especially if the Legends one is $1 cheaper).  Guess we wait and see if that rumor pans out...

[Brian]

"As it's drawn up now, the 2011 Bespin Han would be all-new."

Hooray! I'm really looking forward to that one on the vintage cards and I must admit much joy in the fact that it won't just be another iteration of the VOTC sculpt.

That is great news.  Honestly, I think a new Bespin Han Solo is my most anticipated figure at this ponit.  I really liked the POTJ one, and in some ways it still holds up pretty well, but an all-new "ultimate" Bespin Han would be most welcome.  The favorite "look" of my favorite character, I hope it doesn't disappoint.

I also hope that rumor pans out of the ROTS clone being the Utapau version.  That is actually one version of the clonetrooper that I could use more of too, and it hasn't been all that available for the most part for awhile now.

As far as the Vintage Collection goes, I guess I'm still pretty excited.  I can see why people are wanting more "brand new, never before seen" figures, and I'm all for those too - but like Jesse, I enjoy a good resculpt here and there as well.  Heck, looking at a lot of the "Top 10" lists, particularly for the OT, it is starting to fill up with more resculpts all the time.  Many (or most) of the figures released prior to the ROTS line are looking dated in some ways at this point, so I don't mind getting upgrades that make sense.  I'm wondering if some of Hasbro's answers are indicating that if Vintage isn't the "smash hit" that they envisioned, we might be seeing even more of a focus shifted to CW only after the next couple of years.  If they did the line right, they could really finish out much of what the majority wants from the movie lines in a couple years though.  There will always be figures missing I'm sure, but we are starting to flesh out each of the movies pretty well at this point.