The Hasbro Q & A Compendium

[Matt]

Week 29 - April 27, 2007

Now that we've seen photos of the new Jedi Luke figure with cloth vest, what can you tell us about him? Is it an all new sculpt? Is his Death Star 2 costume on underneath the vest, is the vest and outer belt removable? What accessories will he have? What are the chances of seeing him repacked without the vest? (AF, 4/27/07)

PLEASE CLARIFY FOR US WHICH FIGURE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH LUKE IN THE LINE. WE WILL RESPOND TO THE QUESTION UPON YOUR FEEDBACK. (AF editor's note: we were speaking of Luke Jedi from the 30th Anniversary Collection line, #25, seen in these Toy Fair photos - 1 , 2 , 3 - we will update this column when Hasbro gets back to us)

Will we be getting a new Hoth Rebel Trooper in the foreseeable future? We've got a new, high-quality Snowtrooper coming finally but the Rebel side of the battle hasn't been well-represented in quite a while. The last version was in the 2004 Saga line and was very short (shorter than the protocol droid R-3PO from the same wave even), had little usable articulation, was overly-preposed, and had an odd face. It seems like most of the other OT troopers have gotten decent figures in the past few years except the Hoth Rebel Trooper, the Hoth battle scenes are very 1-sided over this, when will it be his time? (AF, 4/27/07)

There are no plans right now with what we have coming up, but we know it's one of those figures that at some point we'll be doing, but it may not be for a couple of years. Hang in there…

In a recent question about the new Vintage-style clamshells, you were quoted as answering "The clamshells will be sealed, like the majority of last year's run." However, the heat-sealed Vintage-style Saga Collection clamshells were generally rendered unusably damaged once the seals were opened, thus defeating the main purpose of the supposedly-reusable clamshell packaging that is part of the significantly increased Vintage-style pricepoint. So will that issue be taken into account, or are collectors going to have to damage the clamshells to access the contents within? If the latter, why? (AF, 4/27/07)

Unfortunately, due to abuses at retail, there is no other way to do it. The clamshell must be tamper proof, and they must be opened to redeem for the coin promotion.

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How does the size and position of a figure's neck ball joint get decided? Some are very small, some very large, and there are many sizes in between. We can see why this might be necessary on some figures, but there are also figures who have their ball further up inside the head while some where the head only barely sits upon the ball. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of consistency in figures of roughly the same head-size. Wouldn't it make sense to come up with a few standard sizes to promote future kitbashing and repacking on Hasbro's part, as well as make our lives as customizers a lot easier. (FFURG, 4/27/07)

Because there is no one standard universal articulation "buck" for Star Wars, each one if sculpted differently according to the needs of the figure and the sculptor doing the work. We don't plan to change this approach since it allows for the individual needs of the figures to be emphasized.

Without getting into production secrets, how do you apply the paint to the figures? We assume that it's mechanically applied but is it airbrushed? Do you use different types of paint on different plastics (torsos versus limbs)? Do you use a sealant or bake the paint on? The reasoning for our question is that customizers often struggle with the final painting of a figure and weigh it against the paint surviving the articulation. (FFURG, 4/27/07)

The paint is hand-applied using copper "masks" cut ot in the shape of the area being painted (imagine the tiny hole for an iris of an eye!). The paint is the same generally whether it's for ABS of PVC plastics, with no sealant or baking as far as we know.

Yeah, we know this is another "When will we get this figure" question, but can we get some love for the Episode 2 Clonetrooper pilot with Gunship pod? We've seen a myriad of Gunships but other than the awesome Evolutions Clone trooper, which was part of a rather expensive 3-pack, we haven't seen any new pilots to transport our troops. It'd be great to see a Ep2 Clonetrooper pilot in the basic figure line. (FFURG, 4/27/07)

It would indeed, but we don't have any plans for this figure in the basic figure line any time soon.

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Even though not all of the rumored EU Comic Book 2-packs have been confirmed this year, it's looking like we aren't going to get a Splinter of the Mind's Eye Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia 2-pack. I'm surprised by this because it seems like such an obvious choice for this line for two reasons: First, it consists of two main characters that would appeal to both collectors and casual buyers, which makes sense from a marketing standpoint. Second, it's based on the very first Star Wars EU novel. That kind of significance shouldn't be ignored in the EU line, and the fact that Splinter of the Mind's Eye has a comic adaptation also opens the possibility of including it in your EU line. Many fans would love to see Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia in their Mimban miner jumpsuits with a Kaiburr Crystal accessory. Would you please consider this pair for the EU line if it continues into 2008? (GH, 4/27/07)

The line will continue into 2008 (and hopefully well beyond), but this pack is not in the works for 2008.  These are pretty good suggestions and already on our list of things we'd like to do, but there are a lot of new character figures we want to get to before them, many from more contemporary or stronger stories like Heir to the Empire, Shadows of the Empire, etc. before we get to Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Eventually, we hope to do them. Besides, how cool would it be to have a Yuzzem?

Can you confirm/deny the new rumor of a Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring coming this year as a store exclusive? If you can't specifically confirm the exclusive, can you at least tell us if there's still hope for getting the Hyperspace Ring itself at some point? (GH, 4/27/07)

We can't reveal anything concrete because details are not final yet, but there is still some hope for this year.

If you buy four figures containing the curved bar piece, can you connect the four curved pieces together to make a round table? It looks to me like you can with a little center hole in the table. I think it would be a heck of a great table though. Now, not specifically movie accurate, a table like this would look great with a few figures around it. It would be great if this works and would be VERY appreciated if you continued packing in the round pieces with future cantina pieces.

On that same note, how making booths that could assemble the same way and including pieces with three or four different figures to make a full booth for two figures (Han Solo and Greedo) to sit at. I think that would rock. (GH, 4/27/07)

We don't have enough pieces on hand to test your idea, but in theory it will work. Great idea! We also like your idea of creating the "alcove" eventually too. However, we have to say that these big set pieces have really been challenging us from a cost standpoint and going forward we will not be able to do as many of them as collectors will enjoy this year. Yet we are hopeful we can do this someday.

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New pictures of the 30th Anniversary Collection Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1 Fighter recently surfaced. It appears that the ship is an all-new sculpt. Does it utilize anything from the POTF2 sculpt at all or is it totally new? (JD, 4/27/07)

It is the same vehicle from last year carried forward in a new package. It is not a newly tooled vehicle.

Paint applications on the 3.75" figures can get pretty detailed and intricate. Can you give us any details about the paint application process? For example, how do you do the multiple layers of color for the eyes or how are more intricate designs (like the Bantha Skull on Fett's Armor) done? How is the paint so amazingly durable that it doesn't scratch and take damage (like the old Kenner figures were prone to)? (JD, 4/27/07)

They are all applied in what is called a paint mask, which are thin sheets of copper cut to cover everything else *except* the area being painted. The eyes are some of the smallest ones, about the size of a hair sometimes. As for the Mando symbol, the paint mask is cut in that shape as well. The formulation of the paint is something that has changed over the years; you will probably find that that is the case across the whole industry....a response to the needs of the market to make longer lasting and more durable products.

OK, Baron Fel. The image that accompanied the Star Wars Figure Stand 40-Pack News on hasbro.com/starwars showed his name on one of the stand stickers. Our question is, how will we get our hands on him? Is he coming in the rumored Rogue Squadron set in the Comic Packs line or as a pack-in with the TRU 181st Squadron TIE Interceptor coming this summer? (JD, 4/27/07)

Darn that battle stand list, it sure caused some problems we didn't anticipate! We can confirm that Fel *will* come in the 2-pack and that the TIE Interceptor will come with a figure, but it will not be Fel. Does that clear it up?

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With the continuing success of the Vintage Collection series; what are the chances we'll see a Vintage Power of the Force series, and more importantly: a super-articulated resculpt of Yakface? (JI, 4/27/07)

If Vintage continues, doing some POTF series does make sense so the chances are good at some point. Yak-Face would be very low on our list of ones to do, simply because there are a lot more important characters ahead of him.

We are seeing some pre-orders for something called "I Am Your Fathers Day" 2-pack. What is this? (JI, 4/27/07)

The "I am Your Father's Day" is indeed a real product, one both having some fun with Star Wars and one intended to take advantage of Father's Day gift-giving period. It is a product exclusive to Wal-Mart. It is intended to be a gift that kids can give their dads, and consists of a unique Father's Day card and two figures that of course emphasize a father/son connection. The idea is that you and dad can share the fun of Star Wars, with a figure for both you and your dad to to enjoy. The product has a new zip-strip that allows the card to be taken off cleanly and the package folded back on itself for a gift box. Since it is a 100% kid-targeted product, and if we could have avoided creating a kit-bashed figure we would have, but the "anguished" face of the original Bespin Luke just didn't cut it for what we wanted to do with this set.

What are the chances of seeing new collector figure cases being released? I'm talking about vinyl briefcase ones that have the art on the front with pull-out trays that can be turned over and used as figure stands? Could we see those re-released, one with art from all 6 movies on the front and sticker name sheets to put in the trays for new figures? (JI, 4/27/07)

Carrying cases do not seem to be in that much demand based on actual sales the last few years, so we haven't been in a rush to get back into the category. Your approach is interesting - we'll look at it.

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Coins are a big theme this year for the 30th anniversary, being a big part of the vintage line. As a tie-in, why didn't Hasbro make this years vintage style figures on the POTF style cards, with the coin packed in as well? Was this ever a consideration? It would have been a great tie-in with this years coin collection. Might we still see an exclusive figure packed like this? (JTA, 4/27/07)

It was not a consideration because we have certain figures we never made with POTF cardbacks and our direction was "all or none" with the coins. So we decided to make it a mail-in program instead. There are no additional vintage figures planned for this year.

The announcement of the display stand pack was great for collectors of loose figures who have tons from previous lines that could use a similar style stand. Having a variety pack is nice, but what about collectors who might concentrate on only original trilogy figures, or all clones, etc. Any chances of offering all like stand packs on hasbrotoyshop.com? Perhaps a pack of all ROTS or all Expanded Universe, etc? Otherwise, they would end up with extra stands that might not go with the figures they have. (JTA, 4/27/07)

This was not an option due to logistics—the creation of 7 SKUs instead of one, and the minimum order requirements for each would preclude some movies, and EU, from ever being made at all if we took that route. We thought that army builders, who were generalist (all films), would probably be getting multiple stand packs and would be fine. Our hope is that those who solely focus on EpII or EpIII Clones or OTC Stormies will probably use them anyway regardless of movie, and over time perhaps accumulate enough (perhaps by buying multiple sets) to suit their needs. They really do a good job of allowing many troops to be posed in a compact space....a great boon for us troop builders.

PS—two more tidbits on the stands pack you can let the public know about:
1) The labels are clear with silver writing so when they are placed on the stands the appearance will be very similar to the '06 TSC stands. The yellow cardstock we have revealed is just the backing for the labels.
2) Any figure from the '06 TSC collection that already came with a stand does not have a label, since the theory is that fans don't need a stand for those figures since they already have them. We were able to dig deeper into the past this way with our 200 label slots and cover more modern-era figures.

Are there plans to continue the expanded universe comic 2-packs past this years run? Or, is this something only planned for the 30th Anniversary Collection? (JTA, 4/27/07)

The comic packs will continue through 2008 and into the future as long as fans keep showing their interest in the concept. So far, reaction has been very positive and we hope it continues..the ones we have planned for later this year are fantastic and we can't wait to reveal more when the time comes!

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Will the McQuarrie Luke Skywalker still be in wave 5? Is the C4/CE exclusive just a packaging variation? Or will you be releasing some other character in wave 5, like maybe McQuarrie Han Solo, Ben Kenobi, or perhaps (dare I say it) the female interpretation of Luke Skywalker? (RS, 4/27/07)

There was never a McQuarrie Luke slated for Wave 5. He will be the HasbroToyShop.com convention exclusive with the possibilty of stock also being available online. Yes, the C4/CE versions will differ in the coin (exclusive to each show) and sticker. That's it. The McQuarrie figure in Wave 5 will be announced at Celebration IV...stay tuned!

What, if any, was Ralph McQuarrie's role in the McQuarrie concept figures? Did he select which figures would be made, did he recommend which artwork to base the figures on, or did he just get samples of the figures and approve or disapprove them? (RS, 4/27/07)

Ralph did not select/reject the figures, that was done between ourselves and Lucasfilm. But he did provide input, reviewing every sculpt and making comments.

We army-builders love you, but there's one battle you've largely neglected: the Battle of Naboo. Of course we had plenty of Battle Droids in 1999, and a few more over the years, and you did produce some Gungan Warriors, but your basic Gungan Warrior was relatively scarce. Is there any chance you will revisit this figure? Also, since you're growing more flexible about battle packs (including a great big Bantha in your latest), might you retool a basic Gungan Warrior so he could ride a Kaadu and then include a few in a Battle of Naboo battlepack? I could see one or two Gungans on Kaadus, a Battle Droid or two, and a Jar Jar Binks making up a solid set. I know our Gungans could sure use some cavalry. (RS, 4/27/07)

The time will come when we will do new Gungans, but it won't be for a while. Probably in a couple years.

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In the Toys R Us-exclusive Bantha with Tusken Raiders boxed set, the Bantha's pelt appears inaccurate with curly fur and the eyeholes not cut or attached correctly, compared to the movie character and the original POTF2 Bantha that this toy is based upon. What is the reason for the unattractive visible eyeholes and bizarre curly fur? Also, if boxed Star Wars items sell better the closer they are to $20, why turn the Bantha into a larger $45 set? (SSG, 4/27/07)

We do not set retail pricing for our items, that is decided by our retail partners. In any case, soft goods are generally expensive and we could not get the bantha to cost out where we wanted. Knowing this, we went with the direction of adding more Tusekns to justify a higher price point, and to make it more like a complete Tusken clan set. On the fur, we wanted something different and more like the movie banthas with a matted look. We did the best job we could wih the fur available on the market in the time we had for completion of the set.

As this is the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars' release and your line this year is called the "30th Anniversary Collection", now seems the best time to ask this one: what are the chances that we'll be getting a figure of the very first person ever seen in all of Star Wars (that's not a droid), the white-haired Rebel Fleet Trooper who shows worry and then steadies to hold off the Stormtroopers for control of the Tantive IV? For clarification, the Decipher CCG named this guy "Lt. Pello Scrambas" - though nobody seems entirely in love with that name so feel free to NOT use it . This would also be a great chance to do a new, better-articulated Rebel Fleet Trooper body. (SSG, 4/27/07)

We have not considered doing this figure, but it makes sense for a down-the-road variant of the Rebel Fleet Trooper -- at least for the head. We probably won't update the Rebel Fleet Trooper body for a long time, as it is, it does pretty much everything you could ask of these poor doomed corridor fighters.

With the Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle line, there's been a growing problem on the pegs consistently reported from all across the nation. At each of the 3 major retailers (TRU, Target, Wal-mart), the Titanium 3" Transformers figures - even though they ship in separate cases under unique assortment numbers meant for separate spots in stores planograms - often end up getting placed on the Star Wars Titaniums' pegs by employees because the packaging is the same unique shape and both lines sport the "Titanium Series" badge at the top; and now this is happening with the Spider-Man 3 Titanium 3" figures as well. That ends up mixing several dissimilar lines together, burying and even choking off pegspace for the Star Wars Titaniums while likely also slowing sales for the Transformers Titaniums. Your current solutions mentioned above (asst #s, planograms) don't seem to be enough at the retail level to ensure a separation of product which often means no pegspace for Star Wars Titaniums so they don't get put on shelves as often -- can you do something else to ensure that Star Wars Titaniums aren't overwhelmed at the pegs by Transformers and Spider-Man Titaniums? (SSG, 4/27/07)

There is little we can do to correct this this year, but a solution is in the works for 2008. Since the shelf tags are labeled and the product is separated by branding and visible product differentiation, it is up to the retail personnel to reset them to their right areas. This may or may not be happening due to the individual store. What is certain is that is SW Titanoum continues to sell down, it will continue to flow back in to that retailer. Typically there is not a lot of backstock on SW Titanium so the stores put it out as soon as they get it; it won't get in the way of getting new product out there.

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How do you feel about the people who take your action figures and improve them - the customizers. Does it bother you that someone sitting at home can take one (or more) of your action figures, a little paint, and maybe some clay, and make a better, more accurate version of a character than you make? Do you ever look at customizers homepages, or forum postings, or even ebay - and see a figure that was made, and say "Hey, we should make this guy... he looks great!!"? Have you ever seen a customizers work online, and said "That guy can sculpt/paint/create - he should be working for us"? Have you ever hired someone just like that? (ST, 4/27/07)*

We love it when fans customize, and do definitely look at what fans have created from time to time.  It's great to see people with the same passion with which we ourselves approach the figures.  We have never hired someone based on their customizing work.  We have, however, hired trained pros in design and sculpting who are deeply passionate Star Wars fans. Our designers need to be able to draw any concept (not just Star Wars since they often work on multiple lines), communicate input to sculpting understanding what can and can't work from a materials, engineering, safety, costing, durability, and licensor perspective, and the like.  In short, they don't just create customs, they manage a rigorous product development process.  We are always looking for qualified individuals if they have industrial design education and training.

Can we get a superarticulated dewback? And perhaps a Tauntaun? I love the SA troopers and soldiers you make and think it would be a great idea  to do some of the trooper type beasties in this same style. I am sure a new sculpt on either one of these creatures sure wouldnt hurt anyone's feelings either. (ST, 4/27/07)*

At some point we should do a new Dewback, but it won't be for a while. In any case it probably wouldn't be SA since it wouldn't actually give you the benefits for the increased cost.  These guys are slow, lumbering beasts and SA would seem like a misplaced expense.  However, the aesthetics could use some updating for sure.  Same goes for the Bantha regarding SA, but the current bantha is a pretty great creature as is.

I can't wait to see the comic book 2-pack of A'Sharad Hett and The Dark Woman, as they're some of my favorites from the EU.  Is there any chance you have a mock up or close to completed prototype you can share an image of with us here at Sandtroopers.com? (ST, 4/27/07)*

Lee's Toy Review has just released their latest issue, and all of the packs from this wave can be found in this issue. They will have an exclusive on these packs until Celebration IV, when we'll reveal them in the flesh (so to speak).

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With the continuing success of the Vintage Collection series, what are the chances we'll see a Vintage Power of the Force series, and more importantly, a super-articulated resculpt of Yakface (Saelt-Marae)? (SWC, 4/27/07)

If Vintage continues, doing some POTF series does make sense so the chances are good at some point. Yak-Face would be very low on our list of ones to do, simply because there are a lot more important iconic characters ahead of him.

Collectors seem quite up in arms over the McQuarrie Signature Series R2-D2 & C-3PO Concept figures being released as exclusives for Celebration IV in Los Angeles and Celebration Europe in London. While the figures will have event-specific coins and cardbacks, will they eventually be released to the general public in nonexclusive form? (SWC, 4/27/07)

There are no plans to make the droids available other than at Celebration IV, right now at least (the same goes for the Europe version). Gencon (the group organizing Celebration) is the actual retailer for this product, not Hasbro, so they are setting the strategy for their own exclusive. However, the McQuarrie Luke is a HasbroToyShop.com exclusive, so we have more control over that. If we do make it available online through HasbroToyShop.com, it won't be for some months after the Convention unless there is leftover Convention inventory.

Conspicuous by her absence in the McQuarrie Signature Concept series is Princess Leia. Is there just not enough perceived interest in her, or is she in the works, too? (SWC, 4/27/07)

A McQuarrie Princess Leia is not in the works.

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What kind of articulation will the Pre-Cyborg General Grievous figure have being released later this year (TJ, 4/27/07)

He has a ball joint neck, ball and socket shoulders, bicep, knees, hip and waist. There are some other nice surpises, but you'll have to wait until we reveal him fully.

The Celebration 4/Celebration Europe exclusive McQuarrie concept C-3PO and R2-D2 figures have been unveiled and they look great. Can collectors who are unable to attend either event expect to see these figures available online through Hasbro Toy Shop or Star Wars Shop? (TJ, 4/27/07)

There are no plans to make the droids available other than at Celebration IV, right now at least (the same goes for the Europe version). Gencon (the group organizing Celebration) is the actual retailer for this product, not Hasbro, so they are setting the strategy for their own exclusive. However, the McQuarrie Luke is a HasbroToyShop.com exclusive, so we have more control over that. If we do make it available online through HasbroToyShop.com, it won't be for some months after the Convention unless there is leftover Convention inventory.

The assault vehicle footprint seems to be the most widely accepted item with retailers aside from the Basic Figure line. Can the concept for that line be expanded, so that we might get some large accessories like a turbo-laser? That would be a great complement to the awesome Death Star Gunner we got in the 2006 basic figure line. (TJ, 4/27/07)

Thanks! We have a lot of vehicles we'd like to get to before we do accessories like this. The simple reason is that vehicles are such an integral part of the Star Wars universe and do the best job of tying in to the figures to recreate iconic scenes and facilitate new adventures. Ground pieces or accessories like cannon have a place and can be cool, but they are much more limited and historically haven't done as well as vehicles on a per unit basis. So we want to keep going with the highly successful vehicle model for now.

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The current packaging design is growing on me more and more, and being a graphic designer myself by trade, I was wondering how many concepts did the TAC line go through before the approval of the design that went into production? Are there any of the unapproved designs that you could show us? (YF, 4/27/07)

Unlike previous years, Hasbro did not actually design the 2007 line look. Lucasfilm worked with an outside design firm to create the look,and we are interpreting the style guide for our own product needs. Regarding other concepts shown, it probably isn't going to happen because the other concepts were never finished beyond a concept stage, and the ideas may be brought out again for future ideas to influence '08 and beyond.

The extraordinary point blank cannon fire exchange between the republic cruiser and the Invisible Hand during the battle over Coruscant featured some very impressive cannons on both sides. I'd very much like to see a battle pack featuring one of each cannon with a droid and a clone. What are the chances of us seeing such a thing? (YF, 4/27/07)

"Ground pieces" or accessories like cannon have a place and can be cool, but they are much more limited and historically haven't done as well as vehicles on a per unit basis, so our big tooling decisions have been and probably will continue to go toward vehicles for a while. This battle is super-cool, though, and if we ever decide to do more hardware that is certainly a strong one.

So it looks like we're FINALLY getting a Han Solo with torture rack figure (been on my wish list for a while, thank you!). Is it possible that we could see Luke with medical table from the end of ESB? I think this may be the last version of Luke from the original trilogy yet to see a figure. A little flip-open flap on his wrist revealing the wires would be awesome too. (YF, 4/27/07)

Luke in a medical gown? He may not be the most iconic Luke, and we have some other Lukes we'd like to get to (and update) before this one, but over the next couple of years we'll probably get to this figure.

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Several quick ewok questions here. Which ewoks will be included in the 30th anniversary Ewok 2-pack? Generic? Resculpts? Vintage returns? Also, any truth to the rumor of another ewok 2-pack and a female ewok with woklings for next year (please say yes)? If so, and I’m praying it is, please make the woklings separate figures, not attached to a basket or crib or anything – they would be so much cooler that way. With these new ewoks, any plans of different color variants, or battlepacks? Hook us up, ewoks are the main reason I started and am continuing to collect Star Wars figures, keep the ewoks coming! (YN, 4/27/07)

They are new sculpts, but beyond that we are not revealing any more details. The preference would be to deliver another 2-pack, but we haven't hit the costing stage yet to know what we'll be able to afford - 2 figures, or 1 figure and an accessory. It is possible that at some point we will do a basket/baby accessory, but it's still unknown whether it will be included in anything in 2008.

Will Hasbro please consider packing more McQuarrie figures in further cases? It's quite apparent that they're great hits since the McQuarrie Concept Stormtrooper and Concept Boba Fett are never on the store shelves for long, especially with the Stormtrooper at one per case. (YN, 4/27/07)

We are making more of them, so don't give up hope of finding them. We are limited to 1 per case for the McQ figures due to manufacturing capacity, but will continue to release over time.

Has Ralph McQuarrie seen and commented to Hasbro on the Concept Art figures? I am curious to know what he thinks of them. (YN, 4/27/07)

Yes, we have sent a team out see Ralph and he has had great input on the line, reviewing every sculpt and making comments. We aren't in daily contact with him, but from what we hear he really likes them.

[Matt]

Week 30 - May 11, 2007

Now that we've seen photos of the new Jedi Luke figure with cloth vest, what can you tell us about him? Is it an all new sculpt? Is his Death Star 2 costume on underneath the vest, is the vest and outer belt removable? What accessories will he have? What are the chances of seeing him repacked without the vest? (AF, 5/11/07)

Sorry about that. It is all new, with wrist articulation, ball joint elbows, insert molded shoulders, knees, and ankles in addition to waist and hip articulation. It also has an existing lightsaber and a new bone. So you can't say we didn't throw you a frick'n bone. 

Might we ever get the Mustafar hovering lava harvesting platform for the Mustafar Lava Miner, Obi-Wan, and Anakin as Vader to ride on, perhaps also coming with the lava panning droid for Vader to ride on top of? Granted, the hovering platforms were done in the Mustafar playset, but those seemed too small and lacking in accurate detailing. (AF, 5/11/07)

This would be a good pack-in to a basic figure or perhaps a battle pack, and we are trying to figure out how to deliver it. Even though we were able to deliver some nice added pack-in accessories this year, our constant pricing pressures are making it tough to do many more in future years (at least in basic figures).

The Titanium Series line has shared its space with Battlestar Galactica license for some time now with much success. Can you give us a hint as to your plans for the future of this license? You were recently quoted as saying the Cylon Basestar and the classic Cylon Base ship were not likely to happen due to "complexity of production", what does that mean and how would they be different from something like the recently-released classic Cylon Raider? Also, what happened to the plans for the Titanium Forged Figure of the Cylon Centurion, is there a future release here? (AF, 5/11/07)

The Battlestar license has done very well and we plan to continue releasing a new/repaint one every few waves. Some vehicles, depending on the complexity of the vehicle, require so many tools or so much labor to complete that we simply can’t afford to pursue them for our basic line and these two fall into this camp. As for the Cylon figure, that line is discontinued at mass retail and we are looking for ways to bring the figures out as an exclusive mix. We know that there is demand there from a smaller number of devoted fans, but we are looking for a retail partner for the right opportunity.

Can we please have a new, more accurate Dr. Evazan figure? The original POTF2 Cinema Scene figure has been repainted a few times, but the sculpt is still among the least-accurate likenesses of any figure that's never enjoyed a full resculpt. After all, he's got dialog in the movie and an action scene, and it is Star Wars' 30th Anniversary. (AF, 5/11/07)

This is a good suggestion and one we want to pursue at some point. We weigh updating a previous Cantina denizen (like we did for Momaw Nadon) against offering a new never-before-seen figure in terms of what will most pique collector interest. We are definitely considering it, but it may be a few years before we get to him because there are some other cool ones still to be done.

Why are basic carded figures so much more expensive in relation to battle packs that have 5 figures in them? A battle pack which MSRPs for $19.99 and has 5 figures, or 4 plus a larger accessory of some kind, costs less than 3 carded figures (who MSRP at $6.99 a piece). Any chance that the MSRP might be dropping on the single basic carded figures in the near future? (AF, 5/11/07)

The basic figure line is where most of our new Star Wars figures are debuted, and as such the costs to design, develop, and tool are quite substantial (the "per piece price" is reflective of this). Battle packs consist almost entirely of figures for which we already have tooling, and there is a savings on packaging (which can be pretty expensive per figure) when we put several figures or accessories in one pack. As for actual retail pricing, that is a decision that is entirely up to our retail partners who choose the retail price they deem important to meet their business objectives.

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A follow up question - if the 30th Anniversary Collection Darth Vader's TIE Advanced really is just "the same vehicle from last year carried forward in a new package" then why does the 30AC box art say it now has "ejecting wing panels" when this vehicle has never had them in the past? (JD, 5/11/07)

This is a mistake and we are working on correcting this in new production. We picked up the package burst from the TIE Fighter and didn't catch it until production had begun. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

The image that accompanied the Star Wars Figure Stand 40-Pack News on hasbro.com/starwars showed the name 4-LOM. Can we expect a new super-articulated 4-LOM in 2007? Whole new sculpt or does he share parts with either the new 30th Anniversary C-3PO or CZ-4 sculpts? (JD, 5/11/07)

He is an all-new sculpt, and he is pretty darn cool. There is no tool sharing between any of the other droids. Details will be revealed at CIV.

By the time these questions are answered, we'll be less than two weeks from Celebration IV. We know we'll see a pile of new goodies revealed at the show, so how about a nice tease to get us through those two weeks? The door is wide open for you here. Something we don't already know from a previous Q&A and something that will wow us with anticipation for the Hasbro C-IV panel! (JD, 5/11/07)

A good number of our products that we were holding to break at the show have already been leaked, so I hope you'll understand when we say we want to play it close to the vest on this one at this point. Sorry!

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Will we ever see Star Wars Build-A-Figures like those done with Marvel Legends? Maybe something like Jabba The Hutt? (JI, 5/11/07)

We would just do a new Jabba the Hutt instead. Many of the concepts that work in other build-a lines do not translate to Star Wars (for instance, there really aren't that many great "mid-sized" creatures). We prefer, instead, to just outright make those things that we think have the most appeal.

We've hear rumors of a Luke/Mara Dark Woman/A'sharad Hett & Darth Batman/Leia. Can you confirm this and possibly provide our online readers with hi-res images of them? (JI, 5/11/07)

Folks have probably heard by now that these are debuting in Lee's Toy Review issue #175. While we want let them have the limelight for a while in showcasing these figures, we will give you one sneak peak at one of the packs in this really great wave.

This one is in regards to Titaniums and a little off topic, its about Battlestar Galactica Titanium ships. We have had a alot of people as if there will be a release of the Classic Battlestar Galactica ship released for the Titanium line. (JI, 5/11/07)

It's in the works, but won't make it out this year.

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In our last session, you stated that there was never a McQuarrie Luke planned for wave 5, that Luke will be the C4/CE exclusive. Yet many retailer lists still show him as coming in that wave. Then in another Q&A (over at our friends SWcollector.com), you stated that there is no McQuarrie Leia in the works at all. So that got us thinking....if you notice this photo of the McQuarrie artwork featuring the 5 main characters, there is a female character in that painting who technically isn't Luke or Leia...is this the "Luke Skywalker" figure that's coming in wave 5? If yes, then just what are you calling this character? (RS, 5/11/07)

Well Dan, that's some pretty good detective work and you nailed it. Rather than be coy, I will confirm but it does requires some explanation. First, the figure is indeed the female Jedi seen in the iconic "Fantastic Five" poster by Ralph McQuarrie. While this character became the inspiration for both Luke and Leia, originally, the character was called neither. We are going with the name "Starkiller Hero" for the package to describe the original inspiration behind the figure rather than the specific character(s) that were subsequently fleshed out. Early line plans (which are always subject to change and are worth the electrons they are printed with) showed Luke as the name but this changed as we got further into it. And thanks for the reflection of 30 sessions....indeed it has been fun!

There have been a lot of rumored repackaged items surfacing lately, with everything from battle packs to vehicles. Even if only half of these items are released, there's a lot of stuff coming out that many collectors already own. Can you explain this? Are you trying to drive collectors crazy? (RS, 5/11/07)

It's pretty simple - collectors are only part of the target market! Look at it this way...these re-offerings of classic and iconic figures and vehicles continue to get Star Wars into the hands of a new generation of kids and, at the same time, give us confidence in pursuing new opportunities for both audiences. We have said it before - our intention is not to drive collectors crazy with repacks but to keep the momentum going which is perhaps the most important perspective to consider. Kids want the main Jedi, the core starfighter vehicles, lightsabers, and the line - these are often their first Star Wars purchases and it is a sound strategy to make sure these are in the line year after year. When our line look changes every 12-18 months, it's unavoidable that a re-release of a vehicle means that it will come out in the new line look and hence becomes a "new version". Our philosophy is to make it new and different to justify a collector purchase, or completely leave it alone (such as many battle packs or Starfighter assortment repacks) so loose completists don't have to pick it up again. The real challenge, of course, is for the packaged completist collector. They pretty much have to make a decision to pick up the new package version or not; we do feel their pain when faced with buying the inevitable re-release, but again, it's a Good Thing overall for Star Wars.

Looking back over previous Q&As, there are a couple of figures that were confirmed, but have yet to appear on any rumor list as either basic figures and/or battle packs. Can you tell us whatever happened to Qui-Gon Jinn (first revealed by Yakface), Bothan Spy (first revealed by FFURG), Oola (first hinted at here at Rebelscum), and for the love of Yoda...will we EVER see a Tonnika Sister?? (RS, 5/11/07)

Qui-Gon Jinn and a Bothan will most likely be in the 2008 line, as previously alluded to. However, we have kept 2008 details to a minimum so we have SOME news to talk about as we actually approach that year. ; ) Oola, which was planned for a basic figure repack (not an all-new figure), was replaced in our EpVI wave but has not been forgotten....but she likely won't appear in 2008. We cannot comment on the Tonnika sisters, period.

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A number of questions about the possibility of seeing specific figures & vehicles realized as toys have met with answers about their chances largely hinging on whether or not they appear in the upcoming Star Wars tv shows. Hypothetically, if Lucas changed his mind tomorrow and decided the Clone Wars and live action Star Wars shows were just not going to happen at all, what would happen with those potential toy concepts, and how would Hasbro's general outlook on the future of the Star Wars line change? (SSG, 5/11/07)

If there weren't new entertainment on the horizon, we would continue to keep the "Saga" line fresh for fans regardless. We would look at the concepts and decide which of those would be most exciting and relevant, and could stand without the entertainment backdrop, and proceed from there.

She's been one of the most consistently-requested figures since the modern line began, she has far more screentime than Dengar and Bossk and IG-88, a prototype of her was even made for the original Kenner line. She was second runner-up in the ToyFare Fan Choice poll by only a small margin, she had more votes than any other movie character in the poll, and the 2 above her in the poll have already been confirmed to be made (as have Darth Malak, Hermi Odle, ROTJ Luke, Mara Jade, Kir Kanos, Clone Commander, Padme Ilum, and Commander Neyo who all got significantly less votes than Yarna, half of those 4 poll-losers there have even already been released). You obviously recognize some level of demand, based on your April Fools-style joke at 2006 San Diego Comic Con. So why is it that you will joke about collectors wanting a Yarna d'al Gargan figure, but have been unwilling in the past to produce this figure and will not confirm that you are committed to releasing this figure in the foreseeable future? (SSG, 5/11/07)

The "April Fool's" spoof was really meant to have fun with the types of more obtuse and macabre characters that some fans have expressed a desire in seeing someday, but a character like Yarna does stand a good chance of becoming a figure at some point. When that is, we can't say for sure, but the odds are very good.

Anakin, Padme, R2-D2, C-3PO, and now the moisture vaporator.... We have everything we need to make killer AOTC Lars homestead displays with one glaring exception: the Lars family itself - Cliegg, young Owen, and young Beru. Is this something that you plan to correct soon? If not or you can't talk about it yet, why the continued vagueness about these 3 characters for so long? (SSG, 5/11/07)

It's because they are not off our list, it's just that we have selected what we feel are more interesting characters to round out our EpIII waves so far. Some time down the road we'll get to these figures, but it will take time.

Will you ever be rereleasing the Geonosian Starfighter, perhaps as a repaint? The ship had only a small release in a non-movie line and could use a rerelease. If so, is there anything you can do to strengthen the droopy dual-nose issue? This is a great mold with a very nifty exclusive pilot figure, but that droopy nose thing detracts from this cool set. (SSG, 5/11/07)

We'll look at it, but it's not high on our list (it's sort of like the Cloud Car, cool but maybe not as aggressive as vehicles). Part of that has also been because of the child safety constraints we must abide by for the nose of the vehicle, which makes it a little less "hard" than we'd like.

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Will there be any way to purchase the 30th Anniversary coins separately from the figures? Maybe some sort of mail-in offer? (SWC, 5/11/07)

We do not have plans for any mail-in offers. The only way to complete the coin collection will be by getting the individual figures.

Now that Hasbro has gained the Marvel license and build-a-figures are all the rage, could we see something like that apply to a playset or larger vehicle for Star Wars? With fifteen or so vehicles in 2007, either confirmed or rumored, would it be profitable enough to include pieces with each vehicle to build, say an AT-TE, Jabba's Palace, or Star Destroyer? (SWC, 5/11/07)

The build-a concept is not unique or proprietary to Marvel. If we felt it was a sound model, we would look at it where it made sense for Star Wars but have yet to really find something that works in the Star Wars context. Specifically to your question, if we felt that we had an opportunity to tool up and deliver these vehicles (or playsets) we would pursue outright doing these and not as build-a-figures. By doing them as build-a-figures does not help with the issue of huge design and development and tooling expenses associated with these vehicles. In fact, it makes it worse by raising the average costs considerably!

Could we see a picture of the McQuarrie Signature Series Concept Darth Vader with the second optional helmet on the figure? I believe the one based on the painting used for the December 1976 paperback is the one being used in current promotional images. (SWC, 5/11/07)

We will be holding this figure to showcase at CIV. Sorry - we have to keep some reveals for the show. 

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With the most recent release of the TAC #15 Concept Boba Fett, and previously the ROTS #35 Palpatine figure, Hasbro has shown the ability of producing figures with swappable heads. It seems that the next possible step would be to offer the same type of ability to nondescript soldier type characters by offering alternate heads packed with one common body.

Take for example the current #13 Death Star Trooper: He includes a head to use with the removable helmet, but what about also including a head with the Officer's Cap molded on? This scenario would work on the Rebel Honor Guard as well.

This could provide a way for collector's to bolster the variety of their Imperial and Rebel Alliance ranks without the need for producing running variants, thus saving in packaging costs and it has the potential of freeing up a slot in later case revisions for other characters that would be slated to be packed one per case.

Am I on to something here or have I been hitting the "Jawa Juice" too hard? (YF, 5/11/07)

Ease off the bottle. ; ) What you outline is essentially a new figure. Fans would need a new body to display the new head with, so we're really back to square one. But perhaps the biggest issue is that doing different head sculpts is really introducing new characters in one basic figure card. We (and Lucasfilm) prefer that we concentrate on one character per pack rather the dilute and confuse the story too much, as appealing as it may be to some fans.

Will the Bespin Torture Rack included with the upcoming Han Solo figure include any electronics? It really should have some orange or blue LED's to give it that creepy glow. Do you have any pictures to share of it yet? (YF, 5/11/07)

We looked at it and just couldn't cost it out. In fact, we feel we're very lucky (and in trouble with our financial team because of it) even delivering the substantial heft of the piece in a basic figure pack as is. There are some super pieces this year between the torture rack, gong, kybuck, moisture vaporator, and bar pieces we have decided to do this year that have been real neat accessory pieces, but enjoy them when they are available because with the constant price increase pressures we're under, it's uncertain whether we'll be able to pack-in many pieces like this in the future.

I love Battle Packs and I love Comic Packs so how about a Comic Packs Battle Pack to cover some of the more epic moments from Star Wars comic history? Legacy, Republic, Empire, Tales of the Jedi, there's an unlimited number of themes to draw from. I understand EU doesn't possess the mass-market appeal you're looking for when releasing a new product so you could even make it a new online exclusive similar to the Republic Commandos or Death Star Briefing sets (YF, 5/11/07)

We're glad you like these platforms, and we obviously share your passion for what these venues can come to showcase. We are going full steam with new ideas to keep both of these going separately, but we aren't looking at combining the two any time soon, or at least until we feel we have a great story to tell without having to put a lot of new tools against a battle pack.

Week 30.5 - May 18-25, 2007

The McQuarrie Concept figures are a big hit, and actually finding one on the shelf is a treat. Using them as exclusives for the 30th Anniversary was also a great idea, especially the iconic ones. Any chances that trend will continue with future exclusives for SDCC or maybe hasbrotoyshop? Can you give us some hints on the SDCC exclusive? (JTA, 5/18/07)

Unfortunately we can't give you any hints right now; we will be revealing the Comic-Con exclusive at  CIV.  As for future McQuarrie, or other concept art figures, the concept has really been a big hit and there is a possibility that we will do some more in the future.

We've seen alot of multi-pack style offerings in the TAC line, from the standard battle packs to the Order 66 sets. One thing lacking this year and last has been the Deluxe figures. Will we see any Deluxe sets in the TAC line? (JTA, 5/18/07)

Not directly.  While Deluxe certainly offers some unique opportunities to deliver accessories that we might not otherwise get, the deluxe is sort of sandwiched between two key price points and has been sort of a catch-all for ideas (including larger accessories, figure multi-packs, small vehicles, larger droids, and the like).  This year, and next, we prefer to keep the focus on basic figures and battle packs and delivering accessories in those (such as the moisture vaporator) that expand the set-building opportunity (or small vehicles, in the case things like Speeder bikes) and keep the spirit of Deluxe going.

Are the Saga Legends straight repacks from their originals, or are they going to have upgraded paint schemes or retooling? (JTA, 5/18/07)

There is no re-tooling, but there will be a few paint changes delivering previous or slightly updated paint schemes on better figures than their original counterparts.  This includes the 501st Trooper, who will be offered in the mud-free deco on the original figure, followed by a running change to the super-articulated clone (EpIII-41).  There are a few more examples of figures that will be "new" in terms of their figure/paint combo as well, but the idea is that all of these are greatest hits in spirit from figures that came before.

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So far we have seen a lot of the old Kenner vehicles refreshed and updated over the years. There is one vehicle that I want to know if you still have the molds for, the Rebel Transport. It's a good solid toy that features play value as a vehicle, as a playset and as an action figure carrying case. This is one vehicle that could stand to have a new face lift with some fresh paint based on the movie model. I would go as far as suggest including some of the accessories you have made (like power generators, Hoth Tactical Screens, Conduit Spool, Large & Small Storage Crate, Cargo Compartment, Scanning Box, ect). Kids can then set up a rebel base and then simulate the evacuation from the imperials. Thank you for your time. (YF, 5/25/07)

We don't have all of the original Kenner tools unfortunately, and this is one of the ones we don't have. Since it isn't that iconic a vehicle, it's doubtful we'll go back and retool it. But if we ever did, we would certainly want to take the approach you suggest and make it more of a full environment. Thanks for the suggestion.

It seems as if all your toy properties have crossed over with Star Wars at some point or another, and now that you have aquired Marvel Legends, what do you think about doing...Star Wars Legends?  I'm talking hyper articulated 5" scale figures with accessories and perhaps even a piece of some type of build-a-figure or environment to display them in when you collect them all.  Cool idea or a pandora's box you just don't want to open? (YF, 5/25/07)

We have looked at this, and while there are merits to doing some figures in this scale, the degree of useful articulation we offer in our 3-3/4" system is the same so there isn't much differentiation other than size and what would be a much higher price. Instead, we prefer to devote our development resources to keeping the 3-3/4" system humming with lots of freshness.

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General Grievous Starfighter...will it happen? If so, when do you think? (YF, 5/25/07)

If General Grievous is in the new Clone Ware animation, that will be one of the first vehicles we'll do, but we have to find out more before we commit.

(YF Editor's Note: Grievous Fighter has been confirmed for Dec. '07.)

[Matt]

Week 31 - June 8, 2007

Why has it seemed that so many of the items high on fans' wish lists ("Snowbunny" Ilum Padme, the Senate Pod, and now Galactic Heroes Qui-Gon and Jar Jar) only see release in large, pricey multipack sets that contain many items that we either already have (such as the rest of the Galactic Heroes/Playskool Naboo set) or that are inferior quality (e.g., the incorrect C-3PO from the Illum battlepack)? Given that the cost of developing molds would be the same whether they are released in this manner or on normal cards, why not release them as regular basic figures instead and most likely sell more of them at the original retail price (as opposed to clearance prices of as much as 75% off the original price, which so many of these sets wind up selling for) - and keep longtime collectors happy as well? (AF, 6/08/07)

The answer, for all of these, was to make a Battle Pack or Scene Pack a substantially new product for collectors. The Ilum set introduced not just Padme, but two new droids as well - what we feel was a solid base of newsness around which to create a Battle Pack. We also are at a loss to figure out how to do a Senate Pod any other way than in a Battle Pack because of its size - we think that was a pretty solid set too. Putting Qui-Gonn and Jar Jar into the multipack was a way to get substantial newness into a Galactic Hero Cinema Scene - in answer to the four from last fall which were primarily new in deco only. Also, we did not have these guys on our Galactic Heroes 2-pack list and may not have done them for years - it was a way to get them into the line sooner rather than later. Bottom line, if we did as you suggested, many of the very elements you like would never get a chance to be produced, at least not any time soon.

Are more properties aside from Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Marvel, and Transformers planned for the Titanium Series brand? What about maybe some nifty Star Trek and Stargate Titaniums to go up against our Star Wars ones? (AF, 6/08/07)

There are no other properties currently planned for the Titanium Series.

In 2002, heavy pegwarming led several figures to be recalled, sent back to Hasbro. Will this happen again anytime soon, perhaps to remedy the problems of Moff Jerjerrod, Lushros Dofine, and the abundant TSC-era Greatest Hits leftovers which are still pegwarming hard nearly a year after their releases? (AF, 6/08/07)

While you may see some figures more abundant locally, that is not the case everywhere, with no pegwarming problems with any individual figures on a national level. The Greatest Hits, in particular, have long been depleted on a national level. If you have a particular store with an unusually heavy concentration of a particular figure, please send along the store # (any manager should be able to tell you this), the figure in question, and a picture if allowed and we will pass this info along to our retail marketing group to try and address.

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The team at Hasbro knows that their FX-7 was a triumph of the action figure art, and we all love droids. (We know you do. There's no shame in it!) Are we likely to see an FX-6 Droid and a Revenge of the Sith style 2-1B any time soon to complement our cool Chopper Droid and Rebuild Darth Vader figures? (GH, 6/08/07)

Droids do rock the world, don't they?  What would the citizens of the Galaxy do without them?  There would certainly be more lost limbs, a lot more missing starships, and a lot less protocol.  We see their place alongside the humans and aliens of the Star Wars universe, and won't forget them come time to create the balanced figure line-up.  The onces you cite are definitely on the "short list" of figures that will probably be done before too long, with a strong chance of one of them coming out next year.

If Hasbro were planning on doing the Sultry Fireside Padmé Amidala from Attack of the Clones (and this is hypothetical, of course, since we never believe rumors lists) would she be entirely plastic, or a mix with soft goods? (GH, 6/08/07)

Hypothetically, if we did such a figure, which we may or may not, we might try an all-plastic approach because of the need to really get the look of the garments juuuuust right.  Hypothetically, of course.

The Disney exclusive Star Wars Weekends Cantina Band figures, do their stands connect together, and are we likely to see that particular "set piece" (either with or without the electronics) packed in with other sets so that collectors who can't make it to Walt Disney World can add it to their scenes? (GH, 6/08/07)

The bases do link together, although they are all the same and do not form any kind of completed larger base.  We don't have any plans to use it, either with or without sound, in a future offering.  Disney does allow over-the-phone ordering of their Park merchandise.  If you are interested in getting all five instrument versions, we recommend that you order a full, unopened case (each case contains 2 sets of instruments variations)and split the case with a friend.  If you try and get just the five, there's no certainty you will get them plucked from the case just the way you want them.

[GH Editor's Note: The telephone number for Disney DelivEARS is (407)363-6200.]

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Looking over photos from Celebration IV, it seems like "Smuggler" Lando Calrissian is made up of some old figure parts. It appears that he is using the head, arms, and legs of Vintage OTC Bespin Lando Calrissian. Is this the case? Is it simply a new torso? Either way, the figure looks great! (JD, 6/08/07)

Lando has a new head, upper torso, and belt. The rest is a re-use of Han tooling. Glad you like the result!

Are you focusing more on "reusable" sculpts now that you have managed to nail a number of characters in near-perfect figure form? What we mean is, your RotS Obi-Wan Pilot figure was re-used a few times, namely the Obi-Wan from the Comic Pack and the 30AC Wave 1 figure with the wet hair and accessories. Is potential future re-use or kitbashing something that you are factoring in when you sculpt main characters now? (JD, 6/08/07)

This is certainly something that we can take advantage of, and doing so helps ensure that there are more new figures as well. The comic pack line in particular benefits from the library of "better" figure tools we have built over the past few years (and some coming ones that have not been announced). Otherwise, we might not be able to do as many new and interesting things, or we might not be able to do as many new figures if we weren't able to effectively leverage our library to offset tooling costs.

30AC Han Solo in Wave 2 (with the headset and gloves) is a surprisingly cool figure. Will we ever get an equal quality Luke Skywalker with the headset to accompany him? It would make a great counterpart. What about Chewbacca with the headset since he does sport one briefly as well? (JD, 6/08/07)

Thanks for the comment! We're glad you like Han. These are great ideas for future figures. We have no plans for them in the near term, but will look at them for further down the road. Thanks!

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Can you confirm the rumored Sgt. Doallyn for the 2008 line, and will he be in his correct white uniform? (RS, 6/08/07)

We aren't going to be confirming rumors about specific figures in 2008, although we have thrown out hints from time to time generally about some figures that we are thinking about, and Doallyn might have been one of those. We do know fans have been asking about him, and if he doesn't make the cut next year we'll probably get to him soon after.

Are the chances looking good for a V-19 Torrent starfighter to be made since it appears in the new animated Clone Wars trailer? (RS, 6/08/07)

Wow - that is a challenge. We have looked at the ship, and while it's cool, it's big. If we can figure out a way to do it, we'll certainly consider it, but right now we can't make any promises.

For Wizards of the Coast: What figures will be included in the Hoth Battle Pack? (RS, 6/08/07)

The WotC team is not ready to announce the full figure line-up, confirming though that the set will contain two exclusive figures - Blizzard Scout 1 AT-ST and General Veers hologram.

Since The Force Unleashed figures are delayed until next year, does that mean they will not be in TAC packaging? If they aren't, will the coins that were planned to go with them still be included, available to buy separately or did production never get that far? (RS, 6/08/07)

We were saving the announcement, but now is a good time to release the info. The TAC line look will "carry over" at retail through Spring to make the look an 18 month segment. We will not make a substantial package change until the Fall when Clone Wars debuts. We are evaluating what the Spring waves will come with (if anything), but the only certainty is that they will not come with coins.

In previous Q&As, Hasbro has mentioned the possibility of a Cantina alcove type playset, and the drink dispenser for the bar. Has there been any further developments in either of these? (RS, 6/08/07)

Unfortunately, we may not be able to do this due to the cost of the larger pack-ins. This year with the TAC it's been a celebration of sorts all year long with some extra special pieces, but the perpetually rising cost of materials and tooling presents an extreme challenge to anniversary things like this in basic figures. We can't make any promises, but if we can afford some of these, will will look at them.

I picked up a couple of the Action Figure Base Packs at CIV & noticed there are tons of characters missing from the label sheet. Is Hasbro going to make different versions of the stand packs or I guess just label sheets with different names? The Episode I, POTJ, OTC, Saga I and non-animated Clone Wars figures could really benefit from it. They really need to include more EU stands seeing that a lot of the new waves consist of "EU" characters. 2 stands aren't cutting it. It's annoying that Zuckuss and Dengar are the only 2 bounty hunters missing stands. (RS, 6/08/07)

It was our intent to cover every figures from 2004 up that did not originally come with a stand (as all of the TSC figures did last year), but there are some we obviously missed. Right now we do not have plans to issue another label sheet, but could possibly update and change-up the label sheet for 2008.

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Some collectors are growing a little tired of seeing Darth Vader over and over lately, often it's just a reuse of a previously-existing figure. Might you ease up on the Vader releases, especially in Battle Packs and pack-ins? As well, might you consider giving Anakin ROTS #02 a rest since the figure has been reissued half a dozen times in just 2 years? (SSG, 6/08/07)

Like we've said before, Vader is a very important kid-cool anchor of the line, and juding by demand, he is still the most popular of all Star Wars figures. So we plan to keep him in the line, but to do it in a way that either completists who already have him can skip him (packaging completists though are kind of stuck here with a hard choice to make) or as part of a Battle Pack where the overall value and differentiation is still the triggering factor. We also like to look and see how we can make him different and updated from time to time, so we do see a new Vader being introduced every once in a while. We're trying to balance it all out so we keep Vader going in all relevant sublines, but don't "force" anyone to have to be compelled to pick him up when he's repacked on a basic figure card.

This year has more convention-exclusive figures than any other: CIV McQuarrie Droid 2pack, CIV McQuarrie Luke, SDCC Shadow Scout on Bike, SDCC McQuarrie Obi-Wan & Yoda 2pack, and the 5 variations on the Disney SW Weekend exclusive Cantina Band Member. What's the thinking behind all these convention exclusives? And why only offer any scant leftovers online, why not just make enough for a larger online presence and make them available to everybody a little later. A lot of collectors cannot make it to these conventions and don't want to shell out scalper prices just to get a complete McQuarrie concept line, can't more accommodations be made? (SSG, 6/08/07)

We felt that to celebrate the 30th Anniversary, we really wanted to come up with unique figures to anchor the key events. If there wasn't a CIV, those figures wouldn't have been produced, or they would have gone elsewhere and replaced others. So this year really is a celebration with more exclusive figures than usual.... next year will be back to normal. As far as online, the availability was based on what we percieved to be the demand, but the reaction to Luke has been great. We will make available some extra CIV allotment for hasbrotoyshop.com and these will go back up the week of June 18th. Beyond that, if demand still remains high, we will look at making another release. Also, regarding the McQuarrie R2-D2 & C-3PO, by now you should have seen more sites (such as StarWarsOnlineShop.com) carrying this set as well so the fans back at home can have broader access to the figures.

In the rumored upcoming TRU exclusive Geonosis beasts pack which supposedly includes the Acklay, Reek and Nexu, would the Nexu and Reek retain their electronic sounds or would those features be absent? Also, would the Acklay's weak legs problem be fixed so that it can stand on its own, along with the irregular jointing of the hips where some move vertically and others move horizontally (adding ratcheting swivels to the legs just below the universal-joints would probably solve this)? And would there figures included in this set as well as creatures, and if so which ones? (SSG, 6/08/07)

We have not many any announcement about additional exclusives, but will show the rest of the line-up at Comic Con.

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Do you ever plan to release Boba Fett with a removeable helmet, I mean now that we know he is basically a Jango clone seems like a no brainer? Do you think the VOTC Fett would be the best mold to use? Will this be part of the new EE pack? (ST, 6/08/07)*

This is defintely a possibility for a future pack, but we don't have anything ironed out.  The VOTC Fett would be a good choice to start with in any case.

With the new Shadow Royal Guard coming out, will we get a new Royal Guard with the soft robes and a pike? Also will we ever see Xandel Carivus's Elite Guard? (ST, 6/08/07)*

The figure will be a redeco of the existing Royal Guard (but with a pike of course).  We don't have plans for a new royal guard any time soon. The chances of ever seeing Carivus's guards are not great - they look cool but don't play a big role in the Crimson Empire storyline.

Are you planning after you release your JSF with the hyperspace ring, to sell the hyperspace ring alone so we can outfit some of your former JSF that didnt come with rings? Perhaps do a set with the different paint jobs to match the ships that were released without this? (ST, 6/08/07)*

There are no plans right now to just sell the hyperspace ring by itself. It's possible the we will do future versions of the ring to match other prominent ships, but we haven't made any more decisions beyond this version right now.

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With a pre-cyborg General Grievous from "Star Wars: Visionaries" coming, is there any chance we could eventually see a half-cyborg Darth Maul from the same anthology comic book? (SWC, 6/08/07)

It is certainly possible that this figure could come out, but is not slotted into the line right now. We want to gauge the reaction of these first few Visionaries/Infinities figures first, and then look to see where we could go down the road.

With several McQuarrie concept art figures from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK coming, could we eventually see some McQuarrie concepts from RETURN OF THE JEDI, such as concept Emperor or concept Jabba the Hutt? (SWC, 6/08/07)

What we have shown is it for concept figures for the year, but judging by great fan response, it is an idea we are considering revisiting in future years. There certainly is a lot of great material to work with.

With the 25th anniversary of RETURN OF THE JEDI coming in 2008, are there any special figures or vehicles being planned to commemorate the event? (SWC, 6/08/07)

Nothing special per se is planned, but we will be having a tasty wave of Jedi planned for later in the year, along with a few of other surprises here and there.

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You revealed the new Force spirit of Anakin Skywalker at Celebration IV.  Will there be an alternate head included with Sebastian Shaw's likeness? (TJ, 6/08/07)

While an interesting idea, the figure will not have an extra head.

Now that we're getting Pre-Cyborg Grievous (THANK-YOU HASBRO!), what are the chances of getting the female Kaleesh Ronderu lij Kummar to go along with him? (TJ, 6/08/07)

We're glad you like him - he is really is one special figure.  While we only have plans for this one right now, we can look at the female Kaleesh as a possible future follow-up. They are very intriguing species that is deserves to see more exploration (in story and in toy form, hopefully) over time.

When developing new sculpts in the basic figure line, does the possibility of future repaints and or battlepack releases factor into whether a figure is greenlit? (TJ, 6/08/07)

Sometimes we do take this into account, for instance when we develop Jedi bodies that can be used for future figures who may not command a total resculpt, or especially for figures like Juno Eclipse, whose body ushered in a new opportunity for female Empire officers, starting with the upcoming comic pack featuring Luke and Deena Shan in imperial disguise.  In this case, the re-use of the figure will actually beat the original to market, as did the Mace Windu Squadron Airborne Trooper and the Order 66 Galactic Marine.  Funny how that works sometimes...

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Does it save you a significant amount of money to produce a new mold that has swivel articulation than to use a mold that already exists with ball articulation? You recently released an updated Han Solo that has swivel arms, but it surprises me you would do that since the mold for the arms already existed! I was under the impression that molds were expensive to produce and there's bubble variations all of the time. Please clear up any misconceptions I may have. Thank you. (YF, 6/08/07)

I don't have a solid answer for you - it really depends on the costing of a particular wave and the freedom the design team has to improve the aesthetics of certain figures as long as the larger financial targets are being met. It also may be better to get our costs down by investing in a new tool for the long run, so a better per unit price in the long run helps us control costs, even though it may require an investment.

In regards to the heat sealed VTSC figures, would it be possible in the future to offer just the clamshells for sale through HTS.com?  As you are aware, this wave and the revision of last year's VTSC wave are/were heat sealed, thus the collector must damage the clamshell in order to get at the UGH redemption stickers, rendering it virtually useless in a MOMC / display aspect.

Plus, it would be nice to have something that 1977-1985 carded collectors can use to protect their Kenner carded figures. (YF, 6/08/07)

This is an interesting idea, and one that we are looking for down the road. It won't be this year though.

It's becoming a growing concern that the upcoming Clone Trooper "Officers" will not have the full stripe extending from the visor to the fin of the front of the helmet. The Clone Trooper sergeant from 2006 had this same problem. If you are already aware of this and the clones do have the complete stripe, may you confirm this? If not, is it possible to have this change instated before they are shipped? Thank you. (YF, 6/08/07)

We don't know if this will be addressed in time to affect the first production, but we will strive for a running change.

[Matt]

Week 32 - June 19-22, 2007

In several Q&As, you've been quoted as saying that the environment pieces included with many figures in this year's basic figure line have been stretching your budgets and probably won't be carried forward in 2008. Since the only deluxe-pricepoint line your SW brand enjoys right now is the Vintage-style and Comic 2-Packs, how about doing a new deluxe line that focuses on more environment pieces and similar large, movie-derived accessories? (AF, 6/18/07)

The answer is simply that these just wouldn’t be solid performers for us, based on the previous performance of the 2004 Saga Deluxe line or Cantina figures which struggled to meet our numbers and did not enjoy robust sell-through compared to figures and other concepts. We prefer to add them in as we can afford them in basic figures or occasionally, Battle Packs.

Since you're reissuing older figures anyway in the "Saga Legends" greatest hits line, how about revisiting the robot who saved the man who saved the galaxy, 2-1B? 2-1B has dialogue and has become a fan-favorite over the years, yet hasn't been available for a decade even though there's a creepy lookalike in the birth of Vader's armor" scene in Episode III, so this seems like a good fit for the Saga Legends line. Or better yet, how about an all-new, better-articulated 2-1B? (AF, 6/18/07)

2-1B is a solid choice for reissue, but he didn't come to the top when we did the fans' choice voting back in the Fall so we didn't slot him in. He would be a great one for fans to rally around if we did another round of votes sometime.

From your display at Celebration IV, we noticed that the Dutch Vander Gold Leader rebel pilot sculpt is being used twice MORE for 2 new rebel pilots, Lt. Lepira from the Gold Squadron Y-wing, and from the Rogue Squadron #24 Comic 2pack Hobbie figure. While the Dutch Vander sculpt is pretty nice, many collectors believe it should not be used as the standard rebel pilot body due to its height and oddly-posed arms, not to mention a specific uniform that differs in some ways from other orange-clad rebel pilots. With these 2 new entries, that's 5 rebel pilots - Vader, Wedge, Biggs, Lt. Lepira, and Hobbie - all with the same height (Wedge being especially too tall) and with identical bodies and unusual poses. Might Hasbro start using a different pilot body that isn't as tall or preposed or so identical in costume layout? (AF, 6/18/07)

The best X-Wing Pilot bodies we have are the Dutch body and vintage Luke. Luke is too short to use on too many pilots so we have stayed away from this sculpt as the basis for any other redecos (most all of the pilots in the Star Wars universe are 6 feet or taller). We see your point about needing another differentiated body at some point for the growing X-Wing Pilot corps, but until we schedule in an all-new sculpt we'll probably continue to use the Dutch body.

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Can we expect to see more Expanded Universe 2 packs based on Marvel Star Wars characters like Jaxxon, Valance the Hunter or Shira Brie/Lady Lumiya? (AFI, 6/19/07)

There will be more Marvel packs down the road, for sure, but we have not pulled the trigger yet on the three you mention. Of the three, we favor Lumiya and Valence (in that order) over Jaxxon. Try as we might, we just can't cotton to the cottontail. He just doesn't "fit" the Star Wars character universe like the others do (and it doesn't hurt that Lumiya has become a powerful force in recent novels we well). Don't look them anything until the very end of next year, if not later.

Hasbro made some great advances in "hidden" action features with the ROTS line. Using those skills, would it be possible to finally get a real to-scale rocket-firing Boba Fett? (AFI, 6/19/07)

We still have issues with the size of the firing projectile, which is the main one to hit the aesthetics we think you are really asking about.  The way our current safety standards are crafted, there is just no way to do it without having a non-small projectile.

With expanded universe becoming a big part of the Star Wars line, would we ever see re-issues/updates of Kenner's EU vehicles like the Imperial Troop Transporter or Mini-Rigs? (AFI, 6/19/07)

It's doubtful that we'll ever get there, especially as some fo the items (like several of the Mini Rigs) were, well, not realy "heroic" vehicles. Some of them were cool, and it's possible we could do them, but just not likely given the other cool stuff on the horizon.

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You have stated that Lucasfilm did not approve the alternate hooded head for your new Hoth Han Solo in the retro vintage line and there was not enough time to resculpt it to release with the figure this year. However, does that mean that you're giving up on the idea, or are you still intending to resculpt it and try for another approval so that this figure can be eventually re-released with the alternate hooded head, perhaps next year on a basic card or in a Battle Pack? A lot of us loved seeing that alternate head briefly on display at Toy Fair and would really like to have Hoth Han Solo with his hood up in addition to the great version you've already released. Please don't give up on this idea just because LFL nixed the first attempt. Such a simple change could make this the complete definitive figure. (GH, 6/19/07)

Thanks shabbyblue - your passion inspires us to look for a way to use an alt-sculpt version sometime down the road.  We'll look into it. Thanks!

Is it possible that a 3 3/4" size Imperial Cannon station could be produced? It could include: the cannon, two gunner consoles, and a cylindrical base... maybe with some wires and tubing and a gunner or two as well. I think this would be a popular product as the battle scenes are very powerful to watch. If done properly, the cannons could have a missle (mechanism) feature to make it more appealing to kids (so they can re-enact the battle scenes)...

Along the same lines, there could be the Clone Trooper and Battle Droid cannon stations from Revenge of the Sith... not to mention any Rebel Alliance versions as well. These would all fall into the $20.00 range easily. (GH, 6/19/07)

An interesting suggestion, streams.  We'll look into it, but honestly it'll be a while before we can get to this with the exciting vehicles we have already lined up.  Playset or environment pieces tend not to do as well as vehicles on a per-item basis, but there is something about your idea that might work, and at least inspire multiple sets for display that could help boost our confidence.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Regarding the new Vintage series IG-88. I love all the detail he contains. You guys truly went the extra mile with this figure. My question concerns his weapons. First, the holster on his bandolier. Try as I might, it is just too small to contain the Imperial-style blaster he comes with. Why is this? Did something happen in the manufacturing process, or type of  plastic used, to make the blaster not fit? Or, possibly, was he also slated to include another extra, smaller blaster that would fit in the holster, but it was removed later in the process because of cost issues? Second, the axe-type accessory he comes with has a peg on one end. Is this just the way the prop was designed, or was there any thought that it would attach to something else, perhaps like a bayonet on his rifle? (GH, 6/19/07)

Classic case of changes at the factory level that we couldn't catch/correct in time.  Originally the intent was for the holster to fit the E-11 but at first the Asian team filled this in; when we requested it to be opened, they retooled but at a curiously smaller scale.  Some things you can fight and get right (like the figure itself), other details have to take a back seat to make schedule.  On the axe, we're glad you like it.  The axe was inspired by the DK book, but there is no real proscribed use for it.

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Based on some of your Celebration IV comments, it seems like the future of the Vintage premium figure line is up in the air. You seem to be willing to do more (and we'd love them), but haven't nailed down the who, what, or how just yet. At this point, how likely are the following?

- Expanding the line to include Original Trilogy characters not released in the original Kenner line (Tarkin, Fleet Trooper, Han Stormtrooper, etc.)
- Expanding the line to include Prequel Trilogy characters with new "old" Kenner style cardbacks
- Leaving things at Status Quo with only updates of the original Kenner figures.

Any one of those ideas jump out as the leading candidate for the possible future of our beloved Vintage line? (p.s. - yours truly prefers option #3) (JD, 6/19/07)

We like the Vintage figures, and can say for certain only that there will be more vintage at some point but don't have any details. As alluded to in the surveys we asked fans to complete at CIV, and the current survey online at RebelScum.com, we have some choices in front of us and want to get fan input on the directions the line can go before proceeding. So far, the results show that the Vintage line is both something that represents a upgrade over the vintage line, and one that can and should be expanded to other movies at some point. In short - fans love the line look and premium figure expression. We just need to figure out where it makes sense to plan for the next wave when we have an opportunity.

At Celebration IV you mentioned a possible redemption/exchange program for badly scratched coins from 30th Anniversary waves 1 and 2. Do you have any more info on the how and when of this program? (JD, 6/19/07)

We don't have the replacement coins in hand yet, but the order is being placed and will cover Waves 1-3 (figures 1-21). Availability should be August 1st at the latest. Consumers who want to exchange their coins 1 for 1 (for the exact same replacement coin) should follow the link on Hasbro.com to our consumer affairs site. We will exchange as many coins as they want,but please remind fans that because of the manufacturing process, none of these coins will ever be perfect.

This year we've seen new, super articulated figure upgrades of Bossk, IG-88, and 4-LOM. That leaves Dengar and Zuckuss in need of toys up to par with their bounty hunter counterparts. It's been 3 years since the latest version of Dengar came out and almost 10 years since Zuckuss was released. Is there any chance we'll get a new Dengar and Zuckuss in 2008 to go along with the other super articulated bounty hunters? (JD, 6/19/07)

We agree that the Bounty Hunters all need premium upgrades to vintage standards at some point soon (within the next couple of years). It's more likely to be Zuckuss before Dengar, though.

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Can you list the gold-coin figures that will be available in this year's UGH? Will there be any other UGH toys this year, besides the gold coin figures and vintages style figures? (JTA, 6/19/07)

Sure.  There will be four ratios, each with three of the gold foil logo/coin UGH variants.  87500000H will have Galactic Marine, R2-D2, and Mace Windu.  000J will have McQaurrie Stormtrooper, Han Solo, and Luke (ceremony).  000K will have McQuarrie Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Biggs (X-Wing).  000U will have McQuarrie Chewbacca, Animated Boba Fett, and Airborne Trooper.  It should be noted that the Animated Boba Fet will be in each of the ratios as a regular figure in addition to the 000U ratio. Basically, the UGH series will be waved in with almost the entire Wave 4 run, but then we will be chasing higher-demand figures (like the Animated Boba Fett and McQuarrie Vader) in subsequent waves throughout the year. There will be no other UGH-branded product other than Vintage this year.

Now that the vintage style figures are on the shelves, when can we expect shipments to begin for the redemption coin set? The coin sets are available at Disney Star Wars weekends, so I assume they are ready to go. (JTA, 6/19/07)

The coin sets are ready to go and will begin shipping out this week.

Your Vader & Optimus Prime voice-changing helmets are cool. Will the anticipated Clone Wars Animated see a Clone Trooper voice-changer helmet? One can just imagine the possibilities, repaints. Like another Target exclusive of the Night-Ops deco.  Or maybe an exclusive repaint helmet of the red shock troopers to match Target's trademark red color (Ha)!   Maybe Walmart can sell a blue 501 legion (Ha, again)!!! Seriously, there are lots of possibilities.  Given egions of clone fans, and Clone Wars Animated coming, a whole new collecting frenzy to get various versions could do us good.  I'd like my wall to be filled with such helmets.  Maybe even make an Ewok drum-set.  Future add-on's (like a visor) can make a Commander Cody, Cmdr. Bacara, etc. Their different voices can also echo across different versions / repainted helmets (all the while milking the same mold). (JTA, 6/19/07)

Very cool ideas if and when we ever decide to do a Clone helmet.  As for what specific role play opportunities will exist for Clone Wars, stay tuned.

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At CIV, during the "What's New at Hasbro" presentation, it was mentioned that Hasbro recognized the early defects in the TAC coins and would replace them through the consumer affairs department. Will there be a specific form or address available on Hasbro's web site for this or should people go through the standard part replacement form? Also, is this a guaranteed replacement program where a damaged Luke coin will be swapped for the same Luke coin or is it an "of equal value" type replacement? (RS, 6/19/08)

We don't have the replacement coins in hand yet, but the order is being placed and will cover Waves 1-3 (figures 1-21). Availability should be August 1st at the latest. Consumers who want to exchange their coins 1 for 1 (for the exact same replacement coin) should follow the link on Hasbro.com to our consumer affairs site. We will exchange as many coins as they want,but please remind fans that because of the manufacturing process, none of these coins will ever be perfect.

First, I want to say IG-88 is an outstanding figure. You've really outdone yourselves rising to the difficult task of making such a figure articulated and then throwing in some great accessories at the same time.

You've obviously overcome the hurtles of making a thin and gangly droid poseable, so that calls into question the future of the basic battle droid. We're close to having an ultimate battle droid, but each sculpt is lacking in some areas. Now that you've made IG-88 super articulated, when can we see an SA battle droid? We've got some great CIS Supers, and it'd be nice to have an equally quality figure alongside them in battle.

May I suggest the first SA battle droid be released with the AOTC maroon paint app? We don't see that paint job often enough. (RS, 6/19/08)

The tradeoff on Battle Droids is that it is either that it is accurate but doesn't stand, or that it stands (with a super-articulated joint) but isn't accurate. Right now we have been leaning on the side of accuracy, and it's that thin knee joint that presents the problem when trying to get in more articulation - we have to go wider if we do that. We'll take a look and see if an opportunity presents itself to add articulation at some point, at the expense of a thicker knee. Thanks for the comment.

As a customizer, I have literally tore apart hundreds of Star Wars action figures. There is not a consistency to the internal mechanics of the action figures (like 3-3/4 GI Joes). How much of the internal mechanics has to be considered when sculpting a figure? Is the figure sculpted first and then the articulation and internal mechanics made to fit the sculpt or vice versa? (RS, 6/19/08)

We first determine what articulation the figure is to have, and then assign it for sculpting. Because the articulation of Star Wars figures is set to vary from figure to figure, unlike GI Joe, which has a standard articulation model, there are a wide range of internal mechanisms to achieve the designed articulation.

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While fun on paper, in realistic settings chase gimmicks such as UGH and 1-per-case McQuarrie Concept figures seem to cater not to people that aren't in this hobby for the enjoyment of it, but rather to those here looking to turn a quick profit. With the already hard-to-find McQuarrie Stormtrooper and upcoming sure-to-be-popular Animated Debut Boba Fett both coming in UGH variations, this will further promote that type of scalping. Have you looked at ways to promote chase figures while still making sure they end up in the hands of folks who will truly appreciate them, such as mail-in promos (send in 5 POPs plus S&H for a chase figure) or online sales or other methods? (SSG, 6/19/07)

This is a good idea, but collectors for the most part like to shop at the brick and mortar stores and that's why we created the UGH concept - to reward those who like to hunt. In the past several years, it seems that scalpers had largely come to ignore Star Wars, but do to recent success it seems that scalping has raised its ugly head again. The UGHs unfortunately feed into this, and we are releasing more UGHs and more of each this year than we did last year to give more fans a chance to get one (or more). As answered previously, figures that are 1/case are desginated as such for tooling capacity reasons and we will be chasing many of the McQ figures and the Animated Boba Fett throughout the year (like we did with Cody and Scorch last year).

Since Hasbro ran out of time making it unable to plan and bring a full presentation for Titanium Series at Celebration IV, might we get some info on what's coming in the line, especially beyond the small handful of new pieces that were there? (SSG, 6/19/07)

Beyond what we have shown, there is only one more wave. It's a pretty cool wave, with one new retool based on a McQuarrie painting - a concept Snowtrooper on Snowspeeder. Beyond that, there is a Hoth deco AT-ST, a new AAT, a revised V-Wing, and a black chrome AT-AT. That'll be it for 2007, but 2008 will be chock full of goodness Titanium 3" vehicle front, so stay tuned!

After a decade, you've given us badly-needed updates of minor but essential characters like R5-D4 and Biggs Darklighter X-wing pilot, and while they are very welcome, these new versions falter where their earlier, poorer POTF2 predecessors did not: the new versions are missing some of their movie decos. How does it happen that 1998 Biggs' helmet has the full design with the stripe and pattern elements on the back while the 2007 version is just plain white? How is it that 1996 R5-D4 has the blue slot on the front painted blue while 2006 is missing this, as well as the 3 red panels on his back that only the Kenner vintage version correctly employs? We do enjoy these new figures, but why do things like this get missed thus leaving the updated figures less than all they could be? (SSG, 6/19/07)

Glad you appreciate the new sculpts. As always, we strive to get all the details right, but on a line as comprehensive as Star Wars, and with the number of sublines that are fully engaged, we (and Lucasfilm) will occasionally miss a detail. It should also be pointed out that not all the reference is consistent from scene to scene, and without knowing the real scoop on these two, it's possible that there was ambiguity in the reference. In any case, we do work hard to get the details right but we don't claim to be perfect! We just hope that collectors enjoy the end-results and continue to stick with us on the exciting path we're on.

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What do you have in store for the Titanium Series carded vechicles? There are countless vechicles that have yet to be made, and yet we're seeing duplicates that are just repainted. Please tell us that you have plans for new never before seen carded titanium series vechicles and what should we expect to see in the future. If you think you've done them all, you would be wrong. If you need conceptual design help, just ask. (ST, 6/19/07)*

There is one more new vehicle based on a McQuarrie painting - the Snowtrooper Snowspeeder (which has a new figure). Aside from that figure.

You commented in one of your previous rounds of questions that making "certain items" is a poor choice for Hasbro since it won't produce enough sales due to a low relative strength of demand.

What I want to know is what resources does Hasbro use to determine a figures/ships "relative strength of demand?" I am curious as to if you use internal discussion data, information from outside research firms or do you have an internal polling system to determine a products popularity? Would you please enlighten the masses as to your system? (ST, 6/19/07)*

We have actual sales data for each of our sublines, down to the item level, and we can track relative velocity of any individual item.  We often use "like" data to inform our decision making for figures or any line we might consider. In some cases, like launching a broad McQuarrie series, we go with our gut on whether this concept would be popular among collectors after internal consultation both within Hasbro and at Lucasfilm.  When we don't have data from which to draw or we are looking at a large investment in resources or capital for a launch, we engage in market research to find an answer. This is done in any of several ways, which I won't discuss for competitive reasons.

Hasbro, why do you make the stances so wide on figures?  It really seems like you are limited the type of poses that can be achived by doing this that looks somewhat natural.  I just opened up my C4 concept luke and he looks real ackward trying to pose him, unless I would use the pose that was in the package.  So what is your criteria for the stances on a figure. (ST, 6/19/07)*

Our design team set out to achieve a certain aesthetic, and then it's up to our sculpting manager to find a solution to achieve that aesthetic. If a figure isn't designed to specifically have ball and socket hips, for example, then a different mechanism will be chosen. As a defult, we prefer a slightly more actiony pose when we know we aren't going to be able to do full super-articulation.

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How many points of articulation will the Comic-Con exclusive McQuarrie Concept Obi-Wan and Yoda figures each have? (SWC, 6/19/07)

Obi-Wan has 12 points, including ankles (no knees) and ball-and socket shoulders and elbows. Yoda has 10 points of articulation - a lot for our little green friend!

Since Dark Horse Comics' PURGE was a one-shot book, if other characters from the title were to be made as figures (such as Master Tsui Choi or Shadday Potkin), would they be part of the basic line or a second PURGE comic pack reprinting the same comic? (SWC, 6/19/07)

Well, we would like to not do a reprint of the same comic so that sort of leaves other characters from this great comic pretty much without a home for now. Only time will tell if we are able to go back and look at these again and figure out way to use them in some other way. Since their existence is tied to the comic, though, don't count on these guys having much of a chance to come out.

We're only two years away from the tenth anniversary of STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE. Knowing how far in advance you have to plot out figures, is it too early to start hoping for all-new, super-articulated sculpts of Qui-Gon Jinn, Darth Maul, and Obi-Wan Kenobi? (SWC, 6/19/07)

It would be a shame to wait that long for quality sculpts of such core figures.

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Recently various collecting websites have posted carded and a loose shots of 3 of the gold coin Ultimate Galactic Hunt figures (#09 McQuarrie Stormtrooper, #11 Han Solo and #24 Animated Debut Boba Fett). Is it possible to reveal the other 9 figures chosen for this promotion and in which case revisions each of the twelve is shipping? It would be nice for collectors to receive a heads up about how and when these are shipping so we can prepare to compete with the eBay sellers and Hot Wheel collectors looking to cash in on these figures. Thank you. (YF, 6/19/07)

Sure. There will be four ratios, each with three of the gold foil logo/coin UGH variants. 87500000H will have Galactic Marine, R2-D2, and Mace Windu. 000J will have McQuarrie Stormtrooper, Han Solo, and Luke (Yavin Ceremony). 000K will have McQuarrie Boba Fett, Darth Vader and Biggs (X-Wing). 000U will have McQuarrie Chewbacca, Animated Boba Fett, and Airborne Trooper. It should be noted that the Animated Boba Fett will be in each of the ratios as a regular figure in addition to the 000U ratio. Basically, the UGH series will be waved in with almost the entire Wave 4 run, but then we will be chasing higher-demand figures (like the Animated Boba Fett and McQuarrie Vader) in subsequent waves throughout the year.

I recently acquired the new IG-88 figure and it is by far one of the most accurate and definitive sculpts that has been turned out by Hasbro. But a few things have me puzzled.

1. Was the holster on his/its back intended to hold the E-11 blaster that is packed with him? If so, why doesn't it fit?
2. The axe accessory is another cool addition, is it intended to held in hand/claw or can a portion of the arm be removed and the axe installed in its place?
3. There are small, round detonators attached to the belt/bandolier, are all or some of them intended to be removable? (YF, 6/19/07)

Classic case of changes at the factory level that we couldn't catch/correct in time. Originally the intent was for the holster to fit the E-11 but at first the Asian team filled this in; when we requested it to be opened, they retooled but at a curiously smaller scale. Some things you can fight and get right (like the figure itself), other details have to take a back seat to make schedule. On the axe, we're glad you like it. The axe was inspired by the DK book, but there is no real proscribed use for it. You can put it in his hand, but the mount isn't something that you put on his arm. Yes, all of the detonators are intended to be removable.

Are the Vintage (VOTC/VTSC) clamshells, and the clamshells for exclusives like the Concept R2-D2 & C-3PO, and Concept Luke made of acid-free, archival quality plastic like the ProTech "Star Cases"? (YF, 6/19/07)

Yes, the clamshells are made from the same material as our regular figure storage cases offered through HasbroToyShop.com, which are acid free in manufacture and will hold figures safely ensconced for a long time.

[Matt]

Week 33 - July 6, 2007

Two awesome sets released recently were the Death Star Conference set and the Rebel Commando set, and both had 7 figures. ROTJ offers another potential cool set like this, the Ewok roast scene with perhaps Chewie, Han and Luke (on spits), R2-D2 (tied up), Leia, Chief Chirpa, a Logray resculpt, and a mother Ewok with Wokling would be a wonderful way to get several figures that may not be as feasible if individually carded. Similarly, from AOTC, Shmi's funeral scene with Cliegg & Owen Lars, Beru Whitesun, Anakin, Padme, gray C-3PO, and R2-D2. Any chance of getting more sets like the Rebel Commando and Death Star Conference sets, as well as these new ideas? (AF, 07/06/07)

We're glad you like this "7 figure format" and we plan to keep this format going with some new ideas (and some new tooled figures as well). This year the Diamond exclusive Battlefront II sets and and Entertainment Earth Mandalorian packs follow the format. The scenes you mentioned are very cool, especially with the Ewoks, and we want to think about that in the context of some other things we have coming up. Thanks for the suggestion.

On the upcoming A-wing Pilot figure, he is packed with the incorrect helmet worn by Y-wing Pilots in Return of the Jedi. This error was also made on the Arvel Crynyd figure included in the '98 Rebel Pilots cinema scene, and that figure was repainted and repacked with the green A-wing a few years later. Is it possible for the new figure's helmet to be changed to the proper one (as seen, for instance, on the vintage figure), or if not, why is the error continually being made? (AF, 07/06/07)

We were unaware of the error, but now that you mention it we will take a look. The figure will likely change from what was shown, since we are so close to production. (AF editor's note: because of the context, that may have been a slip on Hasbro's part and they meant to say it "will not likely change". We will check with them for confirmation)

7-9-07 UPDATE: Hasbro has replied on the matter with this correction to the answer: The figure will UNLIKELY change because we are so close to production.  But if they are taking a look at it now, future production may indeed change.

Recently in Q&A you said that figures in Battle Packs can be sold cheaper in large part due to savings made on packaging multiple figures together and due to the tooling for most Battle Pack figures already existing. Many collectors, both adults and kids alike, take their figures out of the packaging to jump immediately into play and display patterns, sending the packaging into the garbage chute. In the past, we've seen troop builders and mail-away figures come in simple white cardboard boxes, which have logically cut down on your costs. While that would not work for mass-retail, what about setting aside figures for online sales that would be packaged in simple baggies and cardboard boxes, without the printing and pack-in complications of the mass-retail figures to offer them at lower prices? Please consider this for both individual figures where they could be sold individually or in a set with a few other figures from that wave, and army-builders where the tooling already exists and those costs can be exploited in greater numbers. (AF, 07/06/07)

Thanks for the comment. We too are looking for ways to reduce packaging not just on Star Wars, but across all of our lines, and we already employ this for pure collector-targeted products like the figure cases and battle stands. However, there are collectors of all different stripes including those who the packaging presentation is an important part of the appeal, and of course kids as well are attracted by the scenes we portray. We don't have plans to go to the pure Internet troop builder play of a few years back, but if we do go this route we agree that simpler is better.

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With the rerelease of many of the ships from the Star Wars line with new paint schemes, is there a chance we will be seeing Jabba's Skiff making a reappearance? (BB, 07/06/07)

It's definitely on the list of candidates for rerelease, but we haven't yet slotted it in anywhere. Possibly next year, possibly in 2009, it's a good bet that this quality vehicle will be re-released at some point.

You may have addressed this in the past, but are there any plans for a Jabba the Hutt. Let's face it, its been since the late 90's since a halfway good version of the figure was done, and he is such a core character to the story..... (BB, 07/06/07)

We're looking at Jabba now, but haven't figured out the best approach to take. Since Jabba is so key to the Saga, an idea could take hold and we could do something with it, but it just won't be for a while yet.

Not exactly Star Wars, but all of our readers are interested....can you give us some hints about Indiana Jones and what we'll see from that line? (BB, 07/06/07)

We are glad to hear about the interest in IJ - because we are pumped too! While we will be sneak-previewing some figures at Comic Con International, we have to keep the details under wraps for now. We will divulge that there are some very familiar scales as well as a few surprises in the line. Suffice to say that we have top men working on it. The same top men that have been bringing you the Star Wars line, so there should be a lot of consistency in approach..

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Is there any figure that you guys actually dread the idea of making? If so why? (Character, cost, size, etc.) (GH, 07/06/07)

Not really!  We are up for any challenge, as long as we can manage the development and tooling costs and can hit our price from our vendors based on the what we feel will be the right consumer price point.  Probably the only one we dread re-releasing would be Ephant Mon, given his obviously large size and much lower cost, which brings our average way down.  But if we embark on another round of Saga Legends fan voting, we will honor our commitment to re-release him despite the costs.

Now that Hasbro has established a serious online e-tailing presence with HasbroToyShop.com has there been any discussion about using that presence to offer limited runs of, say, existing figures with enhanced packaging and deco? (We know a few collectors who would pay a premium for truly movie accurate Clone Troopers and other concepts.) Is this something Hasbro might consider down the road? [Note: We're not suggesting new sculpts, just enhanced deco, accessories and/or packaging.] (GH, 07/06/07)

We have not considered this, preferring instead to consider more differentiated product rather than slight changes as this sounds like.

Have any of the newsies' speculative lists and spy reports (at Galactic Hunter, rebelscum, JediDefender, etc.) ever actually led Hasbro to consider a figure/concept? (If so, who, what...?) [While I'm on the subject -- I really want an R2-D2 figure zapping that ugly little Ewok on his backside. Can someone get on this for 2008?] (GH, 07/06/07)

The Ewok idea is a great one and we'll consider it.  However, none of the speculative or rumor lists have inspired us to create figures; in fact, we don't pay too much attention to them because they are based on conjecture or older lists, both of which have come from things we've either said or have created at some point. So we don't spend time going backward. However, we continue to remain inspired by some of the other information vehicles fans have created, like lists of "figures yet to be done", some fan-made customs, specific websites that get into serious detail we might not have known otherwise (such as wookieepedia and the site created by our friends at astromech.net), discussions that have followed some of the questions in the Q&A, and of course discussions at Conventions.  That's a lot of fan-spiration!

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Everyone seems to love the new "Vintage" IG-88 figure. Any chance we'll see him used as the base for a Clone Wars IG Lancer Droid? IG-88 seems like the perfect base for a nice kitbash figure the next time you need some line filler. (JD, 07/06/07)

That certainly would be a cool figure to do. If the lancer droids make a return appearance in the animation (and we hope they do, because they are downright awesome!) then we will certainly look at this cool idea.

Since the Saga Legends line was first announced, we've seen and heard that some figures were juggled around. Can you give us a rundown of how many variations we can expect to see for the Battle Droids and the Pit Droids? At first it sounded like there would be 4-5 variations of each, is that still true? (JD, 07/06/07)

Saga Legends has not been as easy as we first thought it would be, mainly because not all tools have been located and we have had to recreate some of the deco schemes because the original masks and reference were gone. Add on top of that the logistics of waving in the different versions, and the "simple concept" (on paper at least) of releasing previous versions has been anything but! But we digress....there will be at least four pack variations of Battle Droids, including the first variation of blaster & saber damage (including OOM-9), followed by maroon, then a version of the first without OOM-9, then a darker brown version with no damage. However, we haven't seen the last two versions yet ourselves so we might still have some tweaking to do based on base color and battle damage. Stay tuned.

The Pit Droids is a little clearer since we know that we could NOT locate the tools for the bent-leg pack-in droid and rectangle cart accessory in time to include in the shipments for this year, so we are going with a double pack-in of the straighter-leg one with the hexagonal crate accessory. There will be three versions of this 2-pack: grayish, maroon, and then orange. Both figures will be the same in the pack. Now, we know that this is only half of the solution for Pit Droids, so we are still searching for the bent-leg one, and if we cannot locate it, we will recreate the droid and crate. This will not be before next Spring at this point. But we are committed to making both droids available to fans.

OK, last time we asked, you couldn't say. But, now that the cat is out of the bag thanks to the LFL press release, what can you tell us about your upcoming Indiana Jones IV toy line? Scale? Vehicles? Playsets? New and old movies? Will we see a preview at Comic Con? Will we have to wait until Toy Fair '08 for our first glance? (as you can tell, we're all pretty stoked about Indy toys ) (JD, 07/06/07)

We are glad to hear it, because we are stoked too! While we will be sneak-previewing some figures at Comic Con International in San Diego, we have to keep the details under wraps for now. We can divulge that there are some very familiar scales, as well as a few surprises in the line. Suffice to say that we have top men working on it. The same top men that have been bringing you the Star Wars line, so there should be a lot of consistency in approach.

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There has been a large number of Biggs (Tosche Station) figures that have a strange stain on the back and shoulders (mine included) that appears to be from the cape. Is this a widespread problem? Is this warranted enough to have the figure replaced? (JTA, 07/06/07)

We have not seen or heard about this issue, and sorry to hear of it.  We will probably not be re-releasing this figure, but if we do we will look into it.   As this is a mainline figure, if you decide you want to try and upgrade, replacements should be available through Hasbro Consumer Affairs at hasbro.com.

Can we ever anticipate in the Comic Packs the making of the cult-favorite Tyvokka figure in the foreseeable future?  Maybe he can pair-up with an existing Plo Koon or a young Dooku repainted in black hair-do?  If not Comic Packs, has Hasbro ever considered a store-exclusive re-release of the JEDI COUNCIL SCENE with Tyvokka and other past & present members, maybe a comic to top it off?  Tyvokka is so unique and so very popular.  A web-search attest to the truth of this cult-favorite among fans, customizers, and auctioners making and selling everything Tyvokka (from custom figures to beautifully sculpted wooden lightsabers).  What do you say? (JTA, 07/06/07)

We don't have any plans right now, but the comic packs would be a natural place for Tyvokka. He is on the list for future considerations, but with all of the great choices we have, it's not sure we'll get to him any time soon.   He certainly is a great character....so hopefully we will see him one day.

Since the action figures have blended into one mega line encompassing the entire saga, including EU, will that trend continue in the future with the release of the Clone Wars cartoon figures, being mixed in with everything else? Or, will we see the Clone Wars offered in a separate side line like we did with the past Clone Wars line? (JTA, 07/06/07)

Clone Wars is planned to be a separate line right now, and at least as basic figures go, will be side-by-side with the Saga figures at retail much like 30th and Saga Legends co-exist now.

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Are you at all considering the Star Wars: Starfighter - Crossbones series for the Comic Packs? The main character, Nym, has been near the top of many wishlists for several years now, and this series is sadly underrated. Nym was included in a previous Fan's Choice poll back in 2002, so please revisit the idea of making this character. (RS, 07/06/07)

It's funny you mention that, we just picked up a set of this long out of print series at CIV and have started to re-read it. It's been years since we first read it. Nym is a Feeorin (as is Rav from the new Legacy series), so it's nice to see this interesting alien species get some more attention. Nymn right now is a very remote longshot, and it's likely we would do Rav before Nym...but never say never.

We LOVE the new A-Wing pilot coming in wave 7! He's perhaps the best-looking pilot figure that Hasbro has produced to date: articulation, deco, the whole package is superb! However, as you are doubtlessly aware, this figure has also caused quite a debate. While a viewing of Return of the Jedi and a review of Star Wars Chronicles will reveal that the helmet is accurate for the pilots seen in the back of the briefing room, and accurate specifically to the pilot that most EU sources refer to as Tycho Celchu, it is NOT the helmet seen on the two pilots that are seen FLYING A-Wings during the attack on the second Death Star. We've heard rumors from other sites that there are plans to release Arvel Crynyd (the pilot that crashes into the bridge of the Executor) next year - any chance that you'll confirm this rumor, OR at least - that if you did (hypothetically speaking, of course) do Arvel in the future, that you'd do him with this new body and the different headgear appropriate to the A-Wing pilots that we see during the attack. If this is a plan for the future, we most welcome it, as these variation seen in the rebel gear, particularly the pilots from Return of the Jedi, would be welcome (and seemingly easy) additions to the action figure line! (RS, 07/06/07)

We were unaware of the error...but now that you mention it, we will take a look. The figure will likely not change from what was shown, since we are so close to production. As far as Arvel being re-released, he was on an early list of ideas we had for exclusives, but he has not been slotted in or confirmed yet so it's nothing more than an idea. The idea to re-release was inspired by the creation of this new tooled figure, though, so if we did, that would be the body we'd use. In light of the helmet issue, we'd look to do the most accurate one for any future reuse of the figure.

To the early Star Wars trilogy, the Womp Rat is one of the most iconic creatures - like the Bothan Spy, by the way. Will we get the Womp Rat as a figure one day? Are there concepts depicting it which are good enough to help make this creature into a figure? (RS, 07/06/07)

There are some references out there, and we have thought about this figure, but have yet to slot it into anything (I suppose it could have been hanging onto the moisture vaporator, but we were already in costing trouble with this one). Some day we will have a Womp Rat though....some day.

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Undersized heads are becoming more and more common with the 3ľ-inch figures. For instance, the Vintage-style Biker Scout and Han Endor figures both have heads that are scaled just too small in proportion to their bodies. And it's not just limited to Star Wars, some of the figures in the upcoming GI Joe 25th Anniversary line seem to be suffering pinheaditis as well. What causes this issue? Is this a conscious design choice, and if so, why? (SSG, 07/06/07)

Since there is no one standard sculpting "buck" that we use, each figure is created independent of the other. Variation is possible right from the outset and over the course of the hundreds of figures we have done, there is an acceptable range of both head sizes and overall figure proportions that we try and hit. In the natural course of sculpting, it is more often easier to make adjustments and tweaks by taking away material, rather than adding more on, so the tendency, if all figures started equal but some needed a little more work, is to have some end up a little smaller than others. Sometimes we do plan future uses for heads (such as the possibility of fitting into helmets if there is a chance for it, like the Hoth Han).

Many collectors would like to see modern-day updates of the original Kenner figures from the '70s and '80s. Hasbro has made great progress in redoing those figures and, by any count, there are not many left needing updates. However, collectors don't always agree which Kenner figures are left to be done, nor what counts as a remake of an original figure - for example, Kenner did 2 separate Klaatu and Bespin Security Guard figures, but only 1 of each is currently represented in the modern line; or the Imperial Dignitary where we got a different dignitary character altogether in the modern line. We understand that Hasbro's stance on the remake issue is that, while it is not a stated specific goal of the line, it will likely happen in the line organically over time. That said, what classic Kenner figures does Hasbro consider have not been redone in the modern line yet? (SSG, 07/06/07)

The obvious ones would be the dignitary (Sate Pestage-like character) and some of the Ewoks, as well as the ones you cite like the black Bespin guard and Klaatu ceremonial dress figure. As it happens, we have been looking at these because we know the fan demand is there (especially for some of the Return of the Jedi figures) and because they would be interesting to see re-done. It may be a couple of years before we get to most or all of these, but we are pretty confident they will find their way into the line either in basic figures, Vintage, or perhaps another avenue.

Why is there a slowdown for Titanium Series 3" vehicles? There's only a handful of new vehicles from Spring till the end of the year, and based on what you told us in the last round, only 2 more waves for the entire second half of the year. The line still has a lot of great new ships to do, and that's not even including entries from Battlestar Galactica. (SSG, 07/06/07)

We hear you. Quite frankly, the ramp-up for other Titanium lines (figures especially) caused us to divert some of our resources and tooling dollars to these other lines, but now that the Titanium Series picture is more clear, we are back and in full development of the next year of Titanium 3" vehicles, and the future is as bright as the past has been for the vehicles we have coming. Hang in there, using this Fall as a time to fill in holes as we re-release some vehicles that have been scarce (both Star Wars and Galactica), and get ready for a great 2008.

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Why can't you make a removable helmet figure that looks like the person still has a neck under the helmet? Or  that actually looks natural? On every one of the removable helmet figures I can think of, the helmet either a) sits right on the shoulders, so it looks like there's no neck or b) the chin sticks out from the bottom of the helmet. (ST, 07/06/07)*

Thanks for the comment.  While we don't think the actual picture is as dramatic as you suggest, matching up the head and helmet is somewhat tricky due to the different shrinkage rates of the heads and helmets during casting, plus the length of the neck which the factories have been known to modify to help with a fit issue.  So it's not always easy to get the totally perfect fit.  We'll take another look at this for future figures.

Can you give us anymore information about the General Grievous concept action figure that was shown at Celebration 4? It looks like it was originally intended to be an SDCC exclusive, but appears not to be one anymore. Is it going to be exclusive to another convention, or perhaps a retailer? And will it come with a TAC coin pack-in? (ST, 07/06/07)*

Yes, the concept Grievous figure is going to be a StarWarsOnlineShop.com exclusive that will be available shortly after Comic Con International. It was originally slated to be a Con figure, but schedule slips prevented it from being available in time, so the Shadow Scout Trooper will be the StarWarsOnlineShop.com exclusive for the event instead. The Grievous figure does indeed have a coin.

Any plans for making a Luke and Han Stormtrooper with removeable helmet now that we have the TAC Stormtrooper with removeable helmet figure available as a base? (ST, 07/06/07)*

At some point we will get to these figures for basic figure cards, but not for a while yet, since we will keep the successful comic 2-pack figures going for this year and into next.

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With the announcement of the upcoming Concept Art General Grievous action figure, could we see more Prequel Trilogy concept figures in the future? A lot of fans--especially figure customizers--were particularly impressed with the "battle weary" concepts for Ploo Koon and Ki-Adi-Mundi in REVENGE OF THE SITH. (SWC, 07/06/07)

This is the only prequel concept figure slated for now. However, the response to the MCQ series has been fantastic, and we know that the appetite is out there more follow-ups like this in the future. Our plates are full next year with some other concepts, but it's possible that we could return with some more in future years.

Following up on a previous question, since the character of Jedi Master Tsui Choi was depicted in several comics other than PURGE, might he still be considered for a future Comics Pack? (SWC, 07/06/07)

We like Tsui Choi as well (incidentally, as explained to us by none other than Dark Horse Star Wars series editor Randy Stradley himself, the pronunciation of his name is "choy choy"). We are looking for a good way to work him in, but don't have anything to announce yet. If our plans work out, it's a good chance that we'll see him before the end of next year in some form.

For the record, what are the twelve McQuarrie Concept Art figures, as is mentioned on the cardbacks for the CIV exclusives? (SWC, 07/06/07)

There will actually be 13 figures, in 11 different cards. The figures are, in chronological order of appearance: 1) Stormtrooper (reissue); 2) Boba Fett; 3) Chewbacca; 4 & 5) C-3PO & R2-D2; 6) Luke; 7) Darth Vader; 8 & 9) Yoda & Obi-Wan; 10) Starkiller Hero; 11) Snowtrooper; 12) Han Solo; 13) and one that has yet to be announced!

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We recently got confirmation via the Q&A sessions that Baron Fel would be offered up in one of the Comic 2-pack offerings.  We've been able to discern that the comic will be from a Rogue Squadron comic, but throw us a bone...who's the other pilot in the 2-pack? (TJ, 07/06/07)

The other pilot will be Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, an X-Wing Pilot and pretty key member of Rogue Squadron.  The reprint issue is Rogue Squadron #24, and should be on shelf around Sept is all goes well.

Has there been any discussion on producing a movie accurate Emperor Palpatine from ROTS from the duel between him and Yoda? I like the purple on black cloak scheme, and was disappointed it wasn't made in the last two years. (TJ, 07/06/07)

We haven't revisited the Emperor again, but will discuss it for next time.  Thanks for the suggestion.

What if any consideration has been given to incorporating a soft goods skirt/kama (as seen on the vintage snowtrooper) into the design for Clone Commanders and ARC Troopers?  This would add greater poseability to those figures. (TJ, 07/06/07)

Interesting idea for a future figure.  We will share your comments with the design team and if it makes sense we'll look at it for future figures.

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Obviously the Star Wars saga is a timeless story with at times, very adult themes including politics, human cloning, creationism, pregnancy, mortality and war.

With that, was there any misgivings about developing and releasing the Han Solo with Torture Rack figure which boils down to kids/collectors recreating a disturbing scene from ESB given the subject matter, today's political climate and a portion of the populace's view on such practices? (YF, 07/06/07)

We actually didn't give it too much pause, considering that the figure (and accessory) are firmly ensconced in the Star Wars fantasy. It is after all, a scene that endears us to Han Solo even more after all that he goes through.

Any chance of the paint operations being reworked for Darth Malak's eyes? While the sculpt of the figure is excellent, his shocked, "deer-in-the-headlight" look is very distracting. (YF, 07/06/07)

Yes, the paint ops are being reworked (both Lucasfilm and our team here did not like the results from the first shots), and we are trying from piece 1, to solve the issue that you describe.

I'm seeing the new Comic Packs everywhere and it's great to see new figures with these cool sculpts on the pegs - and for the most part, they seem to be selling rather well. I am wondering if you are considering expanding this into perhaps video games? I would think that a few video game 2-pks would be another way to get some of those characters made into plastic that fans would like to see... perhaps some more KOTOR characters, Dark Forces, etc. As for a pack-in, you could replace the comic book with a fold-out poster from the game or something. (YF, 07/06/07)

Thanks for the comment and the suggestion. Based on the fans' response, the comic packs do indeed appear to be tapping into a great area. We see it as a way of bringing some very interesting characters to life who have played intriguing roles in Star Wars storytelling in comics (and in many cases, the novels as well). We think the comic as an important part of the storytelling, and don't plan on changing that any time soon. That's an interesting idea on posters, and we can look at it for the future, but we think what we have in store for handling some of the game figures will please you, including multi-packs (like this years Battlefront II packs) and next year's The Force Unleashed basic figures....as well as a few more surprises along the way.

[Matt]

Week 34 - July 20, 2007

Darth Vader's just unnamed Human Apprentice, who is said to be the main protagonist of the Force Unleashed is just not confirmed to be made as an Action Figure. Will he be produced sooner or later as an Action Figure or do we have to wait a longer time to get that character? (4".de, 07/20/07)

We are not allowed to comment upon certain aspects of the game, so we can not answer your question about specific figures beyond what we have shown already for The Force Unleashed. We will say that we expect the game to be a great game, and are looking for opportunities to do more figures as demand continues (much like we followed Republic Commandos, KOTOR, and BFII with figures after the fact).

At Celebration IV you announced the two Battle Packs "Betrayal on Bespin" and "Stap Attack". Both comes with repacked figures (and a silver Super Battle Droid with the Stap Attack Battle Pack). Both Battle Packs would be predestinated for pack-ins of the just unreleased Action Figures of Darth Vader (Bespin Dinner Table) and Nute Gunray (Holograph). In an earlier Q&A session you said that both figures won't have a chance to be released as Basic Figures ('cause their molds would be old-fashioned in some way) but could come with a Battle Pack. Well, these two Battle Packs would be the best chance to get these figures. Molds exists for both. Could you think about it to pack in both of the figures exact as they are molded (the Darth Vader in the Betrayal on Bespin Battle Pack and the Holographic Nute Gunray in the Stap Attack in exchange of the Silver Super Battle Droid)? The Silver Super Battle Droid would be better with another Exclusive Multi-Pack. (4".de, 07/20/07)

We do not think the Darth Vader figure nor the Nute Gunray figures are the best lines to do. The Vader figure will probably not ever come out, as we have much better Vaders to work with now. The intent of the STAP Attack pack is to provide a fun arming building set, and Nute Gunray does not fit that idea. Perhaps in the future we will release him, but not for this set.

What is the deal with the rights of making an Action Figure of an actor playing a human character in the Star Wars films? Does Lucasfilm have all rights by all characters or does it works just for the new trilogy? What has to be done in questions of rights before Hasbro getting green light for producing an Action Figure of an human character? Do the actors getting any kind of payment for their agreement and could it be possible that some characters would never be produced as Action Figures 'cause of refusing authorisation by the actors? (4".de, 07/20/07)

We work with Lucasfilm to secure approvals on all products that we release. As for your other questions, we cannot offer any insight as those relationships are managed by Lucasfilm and not by us.

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With all the recent editions of the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes, might we get one for Endor as well? It would be cool to include a Leia on Speeder with the set as well as some more Ewoks. (AF, 07/20/07)

Endor would be a cool scene to explore for a future Galactic Heroes Cinema Scene. While we don't have any detailed plans locked down, it's one of the ideas we are exploring.

Over the past few years, you've offered several shared online exclusives which provided figures that otherwise may not have been produced due to a perceived lack of appeal to kids/casual collectors, figures such as Delta Squad, Wulf Yularen, and Baron Papanoida. Would you consider a similar exclusive set where characters are related only by their desirability among collectors, a "Cult Figures" type of set, drawing from the large number of figures that are consistently requested by collectors but you are wary of releasing as carded figures, such as Yarna d'al Gargan, Wilrow Hood, Sim Aloo, Tey How, Wald, Jocasta Nu, Wioslea, Teek, etc.? (AF, 07/20/07)

We would not pursue this idea as suggested, primarily because we feel that one of the great strengths of Star Wars is the storytelling, scenic, or situational grouping that makes any multi-pack stronger than simply it's individual components. If we do pursue any of the figures you suggest, it's likely they would be presented in a Star Wars context with other figures to tell a story, rather than simply as figures grouped together by their relative obscurity.

Any chance that we could get a new Rancor, perhaps packed with a Dathomir Witch or Sith Witch instead of Luke? (AF, 07/20/07)

The rancor is certainly a big beast, and would be cool to do a new one at some point. Perhaps if the Rancor looms again in new entertainment, we could take a look at it, but until then we'll keep focused on vehicle updates for those "larger" slots.

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With the popularity of both Star Wars and Transformers, will we be seeing more new Star Wars transformers released in addition to the incredible Vader/Death Star you have announced? (BB, 07/20/07)

Yes, the future looks very bright for this great mash-up, but there won't be any more new ones for this year beyond the already announced wave of three for late fall (At-At, Snowspeeder, and Turbo Tank). We will be revealing the next waves of figures probably around Toy Fair time next year.

Is the larger scale Star Wars Unleashed line continuing? (BB, 07/20/07)

At this time, the only additional figure planned is the Internet exclusive ARC Trooper. While we have not ruled out the possibility they could come back, we are not slotting in any more for now.

I am really excited about the upcoming Holiday Special Boba Fett. Any plans for similar releases? Maybe redoing the Droids or Ewoks lines? (BB, 07/20/07)

This is an interesting idea, as there were some neat characters in there. However, we have had our hands full with the mainline, EU packs, and Clone Wars so haven't looked into this. It's possible for future years. Thanks for the suggestion.

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In your Marvel Heroes line, you guys are doing a few large scaled Marvel characters (Sentinel, Galactus). Is there any chance of carrying the idea over to Star Wars for a Rancor or a Bantha pack in the Galactic Heroes line? Our Galactic Hero Wampa and Taun-Taun need some more friends! (JD, 07/20/07)

That's a good idea, and we are looking at how we can keep adding to the creature/vehicle play pattern. While those ideas are not the first ones in the queue, we are hopeful they will get into the mix at some point.

The Entertainment Earth "Mystery Pack" has many fans talking. It seems like there is a back story developing with the figures announced thus far. Just who is behind the back story to the "Mystery Pack" figures? Is it Lucasfilm's doing completely (perhaps based on some upcoming or existing EU continuity) or are the creative minds at Hasbro writing up all the background on the figures in the "Mystery Pack"? (JD, 07/20/07)

It's a bit of both. Some of the characters are existing (or will exist) from publishing, and some of the characters were proposed by our team and added into the storyline as it came together. To go back in time to the specific point when the idea for the pack began, the starting point was a Star Wars Insider feature a couple years back by Karen Traviss. This story really intrigued us, and provided a jumping in point into a previously unexplored area that became the basis for the sets. More details will be revealed at Comic Con, so stay tuned.

Pictures of the upcoming AT-RT Patrol battle pack have surfaced, but it's hard to tell from the picture exactly what we're getting. More specifically, the sculpts on the AT-RT Drivers included in the pack - are they the original AT-RT Driver pack-in figure sculpt or are they based on the basic carded AT-RT Driver sculpt (RotS #54)? (JD, 07/20/07)

Details will be revealed next week at Comic Con, but the figure used in this pack is based on the carded figure, and not the reduced-articulation pack-in driver.

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Why didn't the VTAC Bespin Luke come with a lightsaber hilt and place to put it on his belt? (JI, 07/20/07)

That would have been cool, but we weren't actually designing the figure to match the packaging reference (on the card artwork, he's shown with the hilt hanging from his belt). Instead, we designed what we thought was a good complete figure as specified. That's a good idea to add on if we use the figure tool again.

Will we ever see a re-release of the Toys R Us exclusive Anakin and Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighters with the blue & green color schemes? (JI, 07/20/07)

Yes, our plan is to bring this into the 85196 Starfighter Vehicle Assortment, for a national release, early in 2008. Look for them in approximately January. Unlike the previous exclusive runs, these will be closed box and will not come with pilot figures.

The Republic Gunship had been put out under many different colors/designs, and under the AOTC, Clone Wars, and ROTS lines. Any chance we will be seeing this ship again any time soon (especially since you are going to re-release the 'Hunt for Grievous' pack)? (JI, 07/20/07)

We don't have any plans for a new or re-released Gunship this year, but there always remains the possiblity that a new version could be produced for Clone Wars. As we see more episodes, we'll have a better idea of how prominent it will be (if at all) and look for opportunities to get it back out there. It certainly is a fantastic ship.

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The Saga Legends figures have been storming the pegs, almost to the point of over-running the new TAC figures. With the huge amount of Saga Legends figures on tap, will this affect how and when we see future waves of the TAC figures? Some stores won't refill their pegs unless they are empty, and if they are filled with Legends figures I can see this affecting how the newer TAC figures are stocked. (JTA, 07/20/07)

They are managed separately, just as the TSC and Greatest Hits lines were managed separately last year.  Replenisment is automated, which means that as one sells down, it will be reordered and shipped out for restock. The two SKUs (87500 and 85770) were created expressly for the purpose of separate inventory management.

We were wondering how you came up with the case assortments for the UGH figures.  Right now, you will start off with a wave 4 case assortment that contains all 7 of the wave 4 figures plus a few more favorites. Then there are 4 UGH case assortments that contain 3 UGH figures per case and is then rounded out by wave 4 figures (and a few others).  It seems that this is going to create a backlog of CZ-3s and his pals since there will be 4 or 5 of each of the wave 4 figures for only 1 of each of the UGH figures.  On the surface it looks like it will be harder to find these than last years UGH figures (and as you know, there were a lot of collectors left wanting!) Can you tell us why these case assortments were chosen instead of spreading them out over a few waves and if the UGH will be found in any other waves? (JTA, 07/20/07)

You do not know the quantities we are releasing of any one figure, which is the other part of the equation.  Once CZ-3 ships, for example, he may be "done" and never be packed in another case pack for the rest of the year while the other figures, seeing subsequent volume to bring them up to their full potential, may be.  In figuring out how much is too little/too much of any figure, we take all aspects into account.

Due to the problem with the coins we have seen very little of waves 1-3...and the McQuarrie figures (Stormtrooper, Boba Fett & Chewbacca) have been the first to dissapear.   Many people are still looking for these three figures and would love to add them to their collection.  Will these three waves start shipping again with the better coins (and the McQuarrie figures)? (JTA, 07/20/07)

Many of the figures will be released again in subsequent waves throughout the year, so hang in there.

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Whatever happened to the Max Rebo Band? It was announced last fall that Jabba's Band members would be on hold for an exclusive for 2008. Is there any more you can tell us about this? (RS, 07/20/07)

Details will be revealed at Comic Con, next week.

A lot of collectors like soft goods kamas and cloaks because of added posability (like sitting), but cloth doesnt behave on 4" figures the way it would on full sized people, and so we see figures that look like they are wearing puffer jackets or parachutes for cloaks (or clothing crochet knitted for them by their grandmothers). On the other hand, the better looking plastic cloaks and kamas restrict movement. Now here's the idea: you pack figures with plastic covered wires that can be positioned and hold the position. why not insert them into soft plastic cloaks and kamas so we can have posable clothing that holds its position? (RS, 07/20/07)

We are always looking for ways to mske soft goods as aesthetically appealling as possible, though - as you say, in 3-3/4" scale it's not the easiest task. What you have suggested is a great idea that we are pursuing for some things for next year. Pending clearance of any child safety and age grade issues that might prevent the idea, look for it in late Spring on some figures.

The difficulty in locating certain "tools" for the Saga Legends collection has highlighted an apparent gap in Hasbro's tracking of these assets. An analogy might be a recording studio that has misplaced some of the master recordings of certain of its hit songs. Has this experience prompted Hasbro to implement improved methods and procedures for the tracking and warehousing of its tools to eliminate these problems in the future? (RS, 07/20/07)

We are always working on systems and procedures to keep track of our tooling database, not just for Star Wars but for our entire business. Star Wars, more than most brands, is tricky because we are often searching for tools from the distant past, where most brands are focused more in the recent past (and we search for a lot of tools). As a result, we have switched vendors and lost the ability to quickly get to some tools, mislabelings have occurred along with occasional parts being misplaced or lost in the shuffle, some databases haven't been updated to reflect the latest project numbers, and the like. It takes time to straighten these out and sometimes we aren't as nimble as we'd like to be in reacting to market forces, but we are always looking for ways to improve and experience helps us get better at managing the process.

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With several figures from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series and an entire wave dedicated to SW: Force Unleashed coming in the next year or so, as well as rumors of multipacks dedicated to the SW: Battlefront series, and 2006's popular Scorch figure which led to an entire SW: Republic Commando boxed set, video games seem to be back on the radar. With that in mind, is there any possibility of getting figures from older video games such as SW: Bounty Hunter (Roz, Montross), SW: Clone Wars (Cydon Prax), SW: Revenge of the Sith (Claw Droids, Cin Drallig), SW: Jedi Knight (any of the Dark Jedi), even going back to SW: TIE Fighter (Marek Stele) or even Masters of the Teras Kasi (Arden Lyn, Jodo Kast)? (SSG, 07/20/07)

This is a great question, since the LucasArts video games have indeed been strong and our figures tied to them have proven to be very popular. Next up are the two Battlefront II multi-packs slated for this Fall from Diamond Comics, which will be debuted at Comic Con. After that, we will see where the direction leads. Probably the first priority for us will be looking to the name games Lucasfilm has been doing, but we do not rule out covering some of the other memorable characters from previous games. Probably the best way to gauge overall fan demand for these figures would be to embark upon another "fans' choice" poll (discussions we've already begun with Toy Fare Magazine) ideally early next year. Last year's poll gave great visibility, and underscored demand for the KOTOR figures, and it's possible that now that we have addressed many of the major wants from the last poll, new choices from classic videogames will emerge as favorites on the next one. If so, we will certainly consider them. Thanks, too, for the detailed list - it's very helpful.

Why have there been so few Ep 2 & 3 Anakin figures with accurate likenesses of Hayden Christensen? (SSG, 07/20/07)

We are always trying to deliver the most accurate likeness possible. As you have probably noticed, it's a challenge in the 3-34" medium to really nail likenesses, so we get as close as we can. There will always be variation between sculptors and changes that occur in the production process.

Ten years ago, Hasbro produced the Cruisemissile Trooper- although not a very exciting toy, the vehicle's design is quite interesting and looks like something the Empire would conceivably use in combat. However, the design has never appeared in any comic, novel, videogame, or reference work before or since. Details as to its genesis seem to be nonexistent. Can you provide a brief history of how this toy came to be (you can omit its later entry in the 'Batman & Robin' toy line ), and why it's never been seen elsewhere in Star Wars? (SSG, 07/20/07)

A very interesting question. Hasbro (and Kenner) have periodically had a need to tailor vehicles to strategic, consumable pricepoints for vehicles, such as the mini rigs back in the 1980s. Such was the case for the creation of the Cruise Missile trooper, when our designer Mark Boudreaux set about to create a new mini-vehicle that fit into the Star Wars universe. Of course, due to the need to come in on cost targets, it had to have a dedicated (not removable) pilot, deciding to spend more of the "cost" of the set on getting a substantial vehicle feel rather than the figure element. In consulation with Lucasfilm, the idea took hold and the concept came to life. It has a cool silhouette, very "Empire" as you note, but the reason it probably hasn't been picked up and embraced by any writers (novel and comics) is a question better asked of them. As far as we know, it's fair game to use.

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After seeing Hi Res pics of TAC series 6 and 7, will Han Solo: Bespin Torture Rack's belt and gun holster be included? What about including an interchangeable head of older Anakin actor Sebastian Shaw with the Spirit of Anakin figure? Is this something that's being considered? Great job on TAC, by the way, it's got me back into collecting Star Wars figures! (SWC, 07/20/07)

Thanks for the good word and glad you are liking the line. Han's belt and holster will not be included in the torture rack figure, since the rack is so expensive. The Sebastian Shaw head will not be included with the Anakin figure. It's possible that sometime down the road we could do a dedicated figure with the Shaw likeness, but we do not have plans for it at this time.

Figures like Han Solo: Bespin Torture Rack and Tycho: A-Wing Pilot seem misproportioned in the shoulders and neck, respectively. Is this something that will be able to be fixed before production? Also, will General Pharl McQuarrie's helmet fit the figure's head, as the VTSC Hoth Han's did not? (SWC, 07/20/07)

The helmet will fit on the General McQuarrie figure; it sits easier due to the smaller collar compared to the vintage Han Solo. The vintage Solo will fit, but it takes some work to get it just right. As for the torture rack Han and Tycho figures, the proportions inthe pics are slightly exaggerated because they were models, rather than production. The overall proportions are right, but the shoulders will be set into the sockets a bit more, and we think this is what you are seeing from our presentation pics.

Now that a trailer for The Force Unleashed has been unveiled, has there been any thought to developing a second wave of action figures based on the game? (SWC, 07/20/07)

We have known in detail about the game for some time, so the trailer didn't introduce any additional figures we did not know about. We have not, in any case, slotted a second wave against The Force Unleashed but are considering future figures as a possibility.

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Will we ever see Captain Fordo in his Commander Neyo type helmet from the Star Wars Clone Wars cartoon from Chapters 23 & 25? (TJ, 07/20/07)

This is certainly possible, as it is one we have looked at but haven't fit in the line-up yet.

Over the years Hasbro has made some significant updates to some OT vehicles that were originally produced by Kenner.  Some of those include the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Vader's TIE, Luke's Landspeeder, Slave I, etc.  Are there still some OT/Kenner vehicles  that Hasbro would like to revisit with more of a modern/accurate presentation?  And could we eventually see major updates to vehicles like the Snowspeeder or AT-ST? (TJ, 07/20/07)

The one we'd most like to see done is a more accurately scaled Snowspeeder.  We have done all of the rest of the signature vehicles already, so we look at the remaining ones in the context of what has yet to be explored from Prequel, as well as the exciting new opportunities presented in Clone Wars for our vehicle slots.

In 2005, 2006 and now 2007, demand for Star Wars figures has exceeded Hasbro's initial production plans.  As a result, you have released extra waves consisting of repainted or minorly retooled figures to round out the year.  Given the likelihood we will see these types of waves in the future, what is the best way that we as fans can let you know what repaints/ minor retools we would like to see? (TJ, 07/20/07)

We do read fan message boards periodically, so we have ideas already on the figures fans would like to see that could be based on existing tools.  We periodically update our lists with the possibilities as need arises, usually on a very tight response time. We consult our notes and with Lucasfilm on ideas that can be pursued and explored.  It's further complicated by the need to use tools that are not in use elsewhere and that are all at the same vendor....a logisitcal puzzle that needs to be solved before we can proceed.  But to get back to your question, our need to respond quickly gives us little time to do any sort of fan input to the redeco/repaint process.  Instead, we'll keep watching the discussions to see what folks are talking about.

[Matt]

Session 35 - August 3, 2007

In the last few years Hasbro didn't bring out Separatist or Senator figures but there would be great figures like Po Nudo, Tundra Dowmeia, Giddean Danu, Fang Zar or Bana Bremu. Will you revisit these characters in the next couple of years (rather earlier than later please). And how would be the chances to get some great Episode III versions of Nute Gunray and Rune Haako? (4".de, 08/03/07)    

By now you have seen that we announced Po Nudo will be in our first wave of 2008, so that should be good news for you! We have not forgotten the Separatists or Senators, but we don't plan on getting to them too quickly….our plan would be to get to 1-2 per year, at least for the next couple of years Patience....there are a lot of great characters to get to, and only so small slots to go around per year.

The TAC Figure # 51 R2-B1 seems not to get its tool kit to repair the royal starship as pictures let assume. As this figure is based on the VOTC R2-D2 with extension arm could it get the very same exchangable front panel (open and closed) and some tooling like a diagnostic and cutter arm? The little thing otherwise seems to be quite useless to repair the royal starship besides serving as a target for federal blaster fire. (4".de, 08/03/07)
   
The R2-B1 repaint is actually based on the R4-G9 body, so this suggestion (however cool) will not work. Thanks for thinking of it, though.

When will we get official pictures of Maris Brood? The figure that was shown at ToyFair had a green lightsaber and normal eyes while the one that was shown at Celebration IV had a red lightsaber and sith eyes. As the character is a Jedi that survived the Order 6 massacre and seeks revenge which version is the definitive one? Or will there be two versions of that figure? (4".de, 08/03/07)

Official pictures will be available approximately December, in advance of that wave's shipment.

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The number of Mos Eisley Cantina patrons who have yet to be immortalized as action figures grows smaller every year as more and more of these iconic scum and villainy are made. One of those still-yet-to-be-made characters could be created partly using existing tooling: the other Duros, Baniss Keeg - the one wearing the red tunic seen sitting next to Ellors Madak. Baniss could be made using the existing POTJ Ellors Madak head sculpt and perhaps recycling other parts from him as well, plus limbs with a little more added poseability. So what say you to the idea of a Baniss Keeg figure? (AF, 08/03/07)

We like this idea very much, and looked at the possibility during our brainstorming for Wave 7.5 However, it turns out that while we could use an existing body for starters (such as the Luke from the Moisture Vaporator basic card), the Ellors head will not fit and we would need new forearms/hands. So, it's not an easy repaint. Until then, he'll remain in the queue waiting his turn with the other guys who are "next in line" at the watering hole.

With the excitement generated by Sideshow's 12" figure line, does Hasbro have any regrets about cancelling their 12" line, especially since it's clear that there is a strong market for high-quality 12" Star Wars figures? Did Hasbro recognize a deficiency in their 12" Star Wars product which didn't meet consumer's expectations of quality leading to a lack of success, and was that a chief factor behind the decision to end it? Is there anything that in hindsight Hasbro would have done differently with the 12" line to keep it in-house? (AF, 08/03/07)

I'm not sure if you realize it, but the Sideshow line is produced under license from Hasbro, and that it was our decision to place work with Sideshow to relaunch the 12" segment. The reasons were exactly as you state - despite the move to a super-articulated body format and a more proportionate head and hand size for our 2004/2005 12" figures, we felt that the segment really needed the fresh start. We felt Sideshow could provide, with an emphasis on detail that we did not have the ability to pursue given how full our plates are already. The results, as you summarize, have been fantastic and right in line with what we expected when we embarked on the partnership.

When putting already-released vehicles in new packaging, why do you re-release vehicles that were already out in the previous year's line instead of waiting a while for demand to build back up again? Isn't there the chance of burnout from kids and collectors alike, seeing Obi-Wan and Anakin paint jobs on Jedi Starfighters year in and year out? Why re-release something like Obi-Wan's Jedi Starfighter in new packaging only months after a previous line's rerelease when there are still some vehicles that haven't been re-released in years like the Clone Wars Jedi Starfighter or the Snowspeeder? (AF, 08/03/07)

We craft the line using the latest sales data, and just as kids have shown a strong demand for basic figures of Darth Vader, Anakin, and Obi-Wan, they have also not surprisingly shown a strong and lasting interest in their vehicles. As long as demand remains high, we'll keep them out there in the mix, raising the whole vehicle tide so we can continue to try more new things.

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So Indiana Jones continues to be a hot topic. When can we expect to see the first products hitting the stores? Will there be some kind of "sneak preview" figures like we had with Star Wars? (BB, 08/03/07)

There will be no sneak preview, but the figures will get to retail several weeks prior to the movie, in approximately early May.

It looks like the "pre-cyborg" General Grievous is a much larger figure than the typical Star Wars figure. Is there a chance we will see a Cyborg Grievous in a more accurate scale as well? (BB, 08/03/07)

We guarantee that the next time we put a Grievous into production, it will be more correctly-scaled. However, when that is is still undetermined - it may not happen until 2009.

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OK, you've said recently that you have no more plans for figures from the Star Wars Holiday Special. But, how about giving us Chewbacca's family members via the nifty Comic Packs series? The Wookiee family has been featured in the comics a few times, so it seems like the perfect venue to get us the Chewbacca/Mallatobuck (Chewie/Malla) and Attichitcuk/Lumpawaroo (Itchy/Lumpy) packs we desperately need. (JD, 08/03/07)

That's an interesting suggestion, and since they have appeared in a couple of series (including the classic Marvel series), they are certainly eligible for consideration. We have our hands with a lot of other ideas in the comic packs, but they are not out of the realm of possibility someday.

A few years back, you made a Bespin Guard with a removable hat. Is there any chance that you'll eventually incorporate removable hats on all the Imperial Officer figures in the future? (JD, 08/03/07)

We'll look into that the next time we create a new imperial officer. Thanks for the suggestion.

Once upon a time (2003), you shared a design sketch of the Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker figure planned for 2004. It was a great tease for the figure and a unique look at how many of these figures start out. In addition, there were quite a few "progress reports" made for the development of some of the fan choice figures - things like highlighting paint masters or prototypes as they came along. Are there any plans to maybe share some of these things once again in the future? It was a neat "inside look" and might be a nice tease for some of those 2008 figures. (JD, 08/03/07)

We have been revealing the in-progress path of Darth Revan in the pages of Toy Fare magazine, but don't have any plans right now to follow any other figures through the development process. If and when we get back out there with another Fans' Choice poll, we will certainly have periodic updates.

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Will the coin packins be limited to the 30th anniversary collection only, or will we see the coins continue in one way or another in future lines? Perhaps as exclusive packins? If they are not going to continue, will we still see them in the ventual vintage style POTF figures, assuming you get around to making any of those? (JTA, 08/03/07)

We have no plans right now to use coins beyond the early wave of next year, but if we do any Vintage POTF in future years we will include a coin to make them true to the spirit of vintage.

So far we have seen 6 figures from the Entertainment Earth Mystery Pack and with the exception of the Omega Squad brother none of them are derived from the novels, comics, movies or any other EU source.  With so much EU material out there, including that of the Mandalorians, why did you choose to make figure out of non-characters instead of making a bunch of figures for characters that people already know and want? (JTA, 08/03/07)

By now you have seen the full range of figures.  A couple of the Mandos have or will be featured in EU novels, so we felt that was a good starting point around which to build the story of these packs.  There are other Mando characters in the universe of course, but some of the other prominent ones (Jaster Mereel for example) didn't work with the time frame so he wasn't available.  Instead we worked with LFL to identify some we could use, and the rest we were allowed to flesh out.

It looks like that we’ll be seeing the Max Rebo band via a Battle Pack!  That is great news for a lot of people.  Will these all be straight re-packs of the POTF2 figures or will they have new paint applications or new accessories? (JTA, 08/03/07)

These will be straight repacks in two new scene packs.  We figured that there are a lot of new fans collecting Star Wars who did not have access to these cool figures previously, so getting them back out will allow folks to build out the cool Jaba's Palace scenes.  With Umpass-Stay at retail very soon, the band is complete except for Ak-Rev, whom we hope will be joining the band before too long with the other half of the gong.

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I am loving the McQuarrie Concept figures from this year....is there a possiblity to see some of the Joe Johnston or Doug Chiang concept drawings of characters turned into figures as well? (RS, 08/03/07)

It's possible that the concept of more concept figures could return in the future, but there's no concrete timetable for its return.
Dan's Note: We've learned that since these figures have proven so popular this year, there are some additional concept designs considered for 2009, although nothing is final yet, and no specific characters were mentioned.

Will the con exclusive coins (C4. CE, SDCC) be made available at some point fr fans who weren't able to attend? (RS, 08/03/07)

We don't have any plans to make them available outside the show. We made quite a few so they shouldn't be too scarce or too expensive to acquire on the secondary market, given the time it takes for prices to settle down. Hopefully, they will eventually find their way from the hands of fans who were just getting all the Convention giveaways into the hands of the fans who really wanted them, but couldn't attend. Ideally, at a low price.

Will you ever make an Attack of the Clones-style super articulated clone pilot? The original figures are still selling on Ebay for over retail prices so there must still be demand for this figure. Also, how about a Revenge of the Sith clone pilot with full enclosed helmet as shown in the V-wing description in the Incredible Cross-sections book? (RS, 08/03/07)

We agree that an EpII SA Clone Pilot would be very cool and will see where that fits in with our future plans. As for the V-Wing with full helmet, we'll check that out. Thanks for the heads-up.

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There are plenty of classic Kenner vehicle molds still in service today, many of which enjoy modifications to the tooling for various purposes. However, one aspect that almost never changes is the cockpits and interiors of the vehicles, leaving them under-detailed and unappealing compared to all-new vehicles. Vehicles, such as the TIE Fighter and Snowspeeder for example, are little more than blank seats for their figures. Will we ever see updated interiors on vehicles such as these, and if not, why? (SSG, 08/03/07)

Up until now, we have just been focusing on exterior (visible from the outside) mods. That's a great suggestion to consider for the next time we do some classic vehicles, and we'll look into it.

In your response to the question of individual figure pricing in battle packs vs basic figure single cards, you stated that one of the major factors as to why the figures in Battle Packs can often be produced for less per unit is because the tooling for them already exists and thus doesn't factor into the cost of reusing it - that argument is consistent with prior comments made by Hasbro about costs and mold development. Since that is the case, why is it that the various recent Greatest Hits basic figure lines such as Saga Legends have been the same MSRP as the new, non-refresh, basic main-line figures? (Please be aware that we understand consumer pricing is set by retailers and not by Hasbro, but we also know that retailers set their prices based in no small part on how much they're paying per unit so when Hasbro raises retailers' costs, retailers pass that on to consumers, hence the across-the-board price increases.) (SSG, 08/03/07)

The SRP for all basic figures is the same, whether or not they are 30th Anniv or Saga Legends. If we reduced the price of Saga Legends, it would draw an unfavorable (and confusing to the average consumer) value comparison to the 30th line. We want to keep our tooling budget healthy for our mainline figures, and pricing parity helps protect our ability to deliver more new figures like we have been doing this year.

Many fans feel that the Super Articulated Clone Trooper mold from the ROTS line is the best version of this figure, however there are several problems with the sculpt that continue to show up including: upside-down belt packs, one elbowpad strap smaller than the other, different-heights on the knee joints and a 1mm variance from the left to right upper leg leading to leaning figures, and an asymmetrical "cheek" sculpt on the helmet. Will these issues ever be addressed on future figures? (SSG, 08/03/07)

The belt pack issue is an assembly error and one we CAN address, but the rest are a little trickier. There are multiple unique sets of tools used in the production of the SA Clones, and what you are seeing may be inherent variety in the different sets. We will take a look at the issues you have pointed out to see if there is anything identify the tools from which these originate and anything we can do to correct, but it may not alway be possible until we have a need to create a new set of Clone tools.

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In regards the popularity of certain exclusive items such as the sandcrawler and OTC slave 1 that are commanding high premiums on the secondary market indicating higher than normal demand, is there any plans to re-issue some of the more popular items or are there details in the exclusivity agreement with certain retailers that preclude you from doing so. (ST, 08/03/07)*

Our agreement with retailers is such that exclusivity runs for a period of 12 months. After that time (and pending stock levels) the items can be considered for getting back out onto the market if demand still persists and the original retailer chooses not to re-order (they have first right). Such is the case with some of the 3-3/4" Battle Packs, and the Kir Kanos/Carnor Jax comic pack which are coming back into the mainline assortments because they are still in demand. We should be looking at Slave 1 again for release sooner rather than later since that is such an iconic vehicle. It's unlikely we'll get to the Sandcrawler any time soon.

Also in regards to the exclusivity agreements, one topic of discussion is the "pre-orders" being taken by E-tailers for the exclusive items, the question is, are these being supplied by Hasbro or are the retailers supplying the online suppliers thus bypassing the intended consumer and artificially inflating the price ala price gouging, and does Hasbro monitor these types of situations? (ST, 08/03/07)*

We're not exactly sure what you are asking but we think it is about e-tailers for whom the exclusive is not theirs primarily but whom nonetheless appear to have supply and are offering it for pre-order. You might not know, but some retailers, such as Diamond and Entertainment Earth are also distributors and actually sell the product to a network of other retailers. Sometimes, pre-orders are a part of the processs that is needed to gauge orders and interest prior to production. We do not regulate this, since it is our customers process, just as we do not discuss retail pricing with our customers since that is their decision regarding how to price the item.

Thank you for giving the fans/collectors the opportunity to ask questions. As a collector it is more often than not very difficult to find sought after (chase) items. A recent example is with the McQuarrie concept figures. These concept f igures are near impossible to find. I've had store employees tell me that staff takes them before they hit the shelves and I have entered a store at opening that stocks overnight, only to find new Star Wars figures replenished minus the McQuarrie concept figures. My account of this is that this happens with great regularity with Star Wars chase (short packed) items. We fans/collectors travel a difficult terrain in order to obtain these chase figure/items. And for some, personal experience with friends, it has taken a toll and wore them out. To the point of it no longer being enjoyable and that friend is now spending money and time elsewhere. QUESTION: Are there plans in the near future to make this hobby more fan friendly by making these sought after figures more regularly available? Maybe pack 3 per case of 12, instead of 1? Why pack figures that are obviously going to be s ought after only one per case? (ST, 08/03/07)*

Absolutely. Some of the scarcity comes from not wanting to go too long on a concept (the response to the McQuarrie figures has exceeded our initial expectations, so we are getting more back into the market) or due to tooling limitations (i.e. how many we can make per week or month, which limits how many we can get out in any period). Just as we did for the 2006 line, we will be reacting to demand and "chasing" the scarcer figures through the year, and possibly even releasing them in subsequent years as demand persist. Remember Scorch and Cody last year? Same thing. More McQuarrie figures are on the way, but it might take a while, so we ask for your patience while we work on it.

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With the new Pre-Cyborg Grievous looking to be nearly as big as the McQuarrie Concept Chewbacca, is that any indication that we're getting closer to a correctly-scaled ROTS General Grievous? (SWC, 08/03/07)

We guarantee that the next time we put a Grievous into production, it will be more correctly-scaled. However, when that is is still undetermined - it may not happen until 2009.

Voolvif Monn, Yoda with Kybuck, and Roron Corobb from CLONE WARS look fantastic. With Shaak Ti such a prominent character in the animated series, and with her featured in THE FORCE UNLEASHED, any chance we could see a new version of her, possibly battle-damaged from her duel with the Magna-Guards or in her FORCE UNLEASHED costume? (SWC, 08/03/07)

We would certainly like to do a new Shaak Ti, but we don't know when we can slot her into the lineup. She is high on list of EU characters to do next though, possibly after 2008.

It's one of the characters I hear customizers planning to do the most, but with the Comic Packs making Expanded Universe dreams into realities, is it likely we'll ever see the all-white, redeemed Darth Vader from STAR WARS INFINITIES: RETURN OF THE JEDI #4 as an action figure? (SWC, 08/03/07)

We'll see how the first Infinities pack does before committing to any additional ones. If it is successful, there is a high likelihood that this figure will come out in a comic pack within the next couple of years.

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Will we see any new sculpts in the 7-inch unleashed line in 2007 or 08? Will there be more Internet Exclusives like the Clone Heavy Gunner? Many fans think that if you give the line a chance and make more new sculpts in the line instead of repacks and retools, the line can do better. (TSE.N, 07/09/07)

The challenge with the 7" Unleashed is the extraordinary costs associated with the development and tooling of this line….it has been a labor of love for the design team, but the results from the last waves of new sculpts just did not justify the costs. So we won't be doing any new sculpts this year, but we are going to watch and see how the ARC Trooper does and then see if we can work the format back into our plans somewhere down the road.

Will we see a re-release of the Skiff? (TSE.N, 07/09/07)

It's a good candidate for re-release, but we haven't slotted it in yet. You will probably see it back out within the next few years, though.

Considering that lately we've been seeing a lot of action figures from Expanded Universe series and movies, such as Clone Wars and now Boba Fett from the Holiday Special what are the chances of seeing characters from the two Ewok movies, such as Mace, Terak, Teek, Cindal, ect.? Despite significant screen time in the movies, these characters have never gotten an action figure. (TSE.N, 07/09/07)

This is a good line of thinking and it has merit, but we do not make any plans right now. We wouldn't rule it out as something we could get to in the next few years.

It has been said before in previous QnA's with other sites that in late 2008 a line for the new Clone Wars cartoon will replace the 30th Anniversary in the main line of figures. Any hints as to how long this new Clone Wars figure line will last? (TSE.N, 08/03/07)

It will last as long as Clone Wars (the series) will continue. From the looks of it, that should be a long time!

There have been many rumors about a possible AT-TE. Is there any truth to this? If so, when do you think we should see this? (TSE.N, 08/03/07)

It is true that we have been working on a model of the AT-TE, but we cannot yet confirm whether it will come out with the first season of Clone Wars, in a subsequent year, or really at all at this point. If it is prominent in the animation we would certainly like to do it. We would only look at releasing a vehicle this big in the Fall given the need to synch up to the holiday season. We don't want to get hopes up too high in case something happens, but we like the chances that it will come out possibly in '08 but no later than '09.

Last year, we saw a long awaited Republic Commando. Though many of us were very grateful, a few of us were upset that the commando lacked articulation in the knees (especially since the commandos were seen kneeling alot in the video game). Is there going to be a re-release of the commandos with knees? (TSE.N, 08/03/07)

We don't have any plans right now to do an updated version with knees. At some point in the future we should certainly look at it.

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Has any consideration being given to having a variant on the Clone Trooper (In Training) figure where he would be in his blue training outfit. (YF, 08/03/07)

Interesting question. We had only planned do to the red training outfit, but the blue one would be an intriguing variation should we ever decide to produce a variant. We'll take it from your endorsement it's a good idea, and consider it, but not for this year. Of course, the Jango in the same wave is pretty close to what you are describing so it's possible to also look at him as an army builder. Thanks!

Now that the Fireside Padme Amidala from EII has been revealed, any chance we can see some detailed shots of her without the feather wrap accessory? ; ) (YF, 08/03/07)

By now, you will have sent the images back from Comic-Con with the wrap taken off. Unfortunately, we didn't shoot anything at Comic-Con ourselves and she is the only model we have right now, so the fansite community will have to be the resource for you right now. Sorry!

What types of features does the new Wave 8 Jango Fett (with poncho) utilize? Removable snap -on armor (all pieces). Super Articulation? Any additional info would be awesome! How does he look under the poncho? (YF, 08/03/07)

Same answer I'm afraid. I can tell you what he has - quality articulation and all removable armor - but you just have to see the images from the last day of the Con to appreciate this great figure.

[Matt]

Session 36 - August 17, 2007

Could you possibly decide to overthink your managing-concept that goes with the battle packs assortment? It really is a nice assortment concept that provides sufficiant possibilities for realising figures or accessories that would not run with a basic figure card, that combines former concepts like the cinema scenes, deluxe and ultra figures or screen scenes, that we loved very much. And at the same time battle packs allows you to resell existing figures again and perhaps again and again. As you stated in former q&a sessions you manage them double tracked, either compiling existing figures in a more children perspective or combining repainted or kit-bashed figures with some new big accessory that would be more collector-related. The most battle packs in the recent past seems to be straight repacks but with their theme specificity offer quite a range of possibilities to do them in a collector-related way. For an example the Betrayal on Bespin Battle Pack would have been a nice opportunity to releasing some environmental accessories like the dinner table and chairs that are just hinted with the cardboard realisation. Another examples would be the Jedi vs. Darth Sidious Battle Pack with its just hinted statues and so on. We all agree that those environmental accessories never would be realised in other ways. I know that this suggestion implicates more plastic and more production costs but it similarly would be another inducement for collectors to buy those Battle Packs like children will do. Could you think about this to come to a conclusion that allows more than just two options, not just beeing children- or collector-related but beeing something in between that anyhow holds costs balanced? (4".de, 08/17/07)

Short answer is that we are looking into some things to continue our periodic exploration in this area (like we did for the Senate Pod in that battle pack). Our current strategy has been working very well so we plan to continue that for the most part. We will be looking at some ideas that you suggest for collector-based environmental pieces; the challenge is that for the most part the items, as you suggest, are not particularly integral to the scenes or uniquely identifiable with Star Wars, and thus, not as appealing to the general fan as other things are. We will look for opportunities to do the more recognizable, and uniquely Star Wars, scenic elements as we can justify them in the line.

There is a significant number of figures that undergone some kind of changes after or during releasing state. Your term for that seems to be 'running change'. But with that term in mind it is unclear for us whether this happens because of an error (such as ROTS/#53 Palpatine blue and later red lightsaber) or because of a subsequent decision that the corrected version would do better (such as ROTS/#57 Commander Bly yellow and later brown stripes). A third alternative would be that there are intended more than one versions of a figure (such as the four Clone Trooper Officers from the Saga Legends line). Which of that was the fact with the ROTS/#43 Wookiee Warrior (tan and redbrown color scemes) and ROTS/#28 Anakin with or without sith eyes? (4".de, 08/17/07)

As you point out, there are many reasons for change. In general, we don't like running changes because it makes it difficult to communicate to the collector consistently which products to look for. ROTS#43 was an intended running change to excite the collector who wanted to build out a Wookiee army with more variety. ROTS #28 was an error corrected at Lucasfilm's request after production had already begun. The upcoming Saga Legends line, however, has these sorts of things built-in deliberately to allow fans to get all the different versions of figures that have been previously released.   

In ROTS, there were apparently different sized Crab Droids, with some being tank-sized and some person-sized. Hasbro has previously done the tank-sized Crab Droid as a deluxe figure. Would they consider doing a person-sized version that could be carded as a basic figure? It would go great with the upcoming Octuptarra Droid. (4".de, 08/17/07)

We'll take a look at this - it could be very interesting for a farther-off wave of EpIII figures. Thanks for the heads-up.

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Now that we've gotten updated versions of Luke Endor, Leia Endor, and the Biker Scout, that is everybody who has ridden a Speeder Bike in ROTJ (minus Paploo if you want to get technical). While asked before, now all the other pieces are in place so it bears revisiting: can we get an updated Speeder Bike vehicle for these guys to ride on? The one used most often is nearly 25 years old and the mold's showing its age with the legs and flaps, plus the giant incorrect handgrips and t-bar. Even more importantly, the Saga Ep 2 Speeder bike is already close enough and hasn't seen a major rerelease - adding clear positionable stands to go with it would be the icing on the cake. So, new Speeder Bike chances? (AF, 08/17/07)

Good points on the handgrips and t-bar. We like the speeder and still think it has some great future use ahead of it, but we'll take your comments into consideration the next time we are in a position to update. Good comment on the clear stands - that too is an interesting idea to enhance displayability and we'll look at that when we have a chance.

While we've gotten Evolutions sets for some pretty major characters, and now we're seeing more Evolutions concepts coming down the pike, how about Evolutions sets developed specifically for the 2 main protagonists of the saga, Obi-Wan and Luke? Obi-Wan Evolutions could have Ep 1, Ep 2, and Ep 4 versions of the character with all the deserved articulation and accessories (which would fill some pretty big voids in the modern line); while Luke Evolutions could involve Luke perhaps in his Snowspeeder pilot outfit, Dagobah with removable jacket and holster belt, and Jedi covering all the accessories and articulation these versions could need. (AF, 08/17/07)

Your suggestions are good ones, but in the case of Obi-Wan we decided not to pursue because we felt we were covering off those needs elsewhere in the line. We thought we had covered Luke pretty well recently, and liked the idea of a post-EpVI figure for the next one, so that's why we didn't add him into the mix. Your suggestions are good ones though and we'll think about it for the next time we venture into Evolutions, if we don't have any of those specific versions elsewhere in the line before then.

Unleashed 7" figures are now found in Transformers; both Attacktix and Galactic Heroes-styling is now found in Marvel, Spider-Man, Indiana Jones, and Transformers; Titanium Series is now found in Transformers, Spider-Man, Marvel and Battlestar Galactica -- all these lines started as Star Wars offshoot lines before branching out into new franchises. How did this happen? Is this intentional, is Star Wars a guinea pig for Hasbro's testing of new ideas? (AF, 08/17/07)

As one of the largest and most diverse fantasies with a great lore of film and other entertainment offerings, and a very passionate fan base, Star Wars is a property that lends itself to new expressions and ideas. All of these are examples of something that has seen success at one point or another in Star Wars that we feel can be leveraged against other boys action brands as well.

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Does Hasbro have any plans for a super-articulated Battle Droid, similar to the TAC Super Battle Droid? All previous BD sculpts have been lacking,and this army builder would greatly benefit from an update, especially with firmer plastic used for the limbs. (BB, 08/17/07)

we'd like to, but the problem with doing anything with more articulation than the current battle droid is that the limb thickness is too thin to be able to work with for the kinds of joints it needs to be super-articulated. Note that IG-88, which has round limbs, can work while battle droids cannot. Until we solve some of these issues, you will not see a new super-articulated battle droid.

I believe you previewed a 12" Indiana Jones figure at SDCC. Are both Hasbro and Sideshow Collectibles going to make 12" Indy figures or will there be an arrangement similar to the 12" Star Wars figures which Sideshow produces? (BB, 08/17/07)

While Sideshow produces 12" figures under sublicense from us, they have a separate arrangement with Lucasfilm on Indy

There are some really great figure customizers out there in the collecting community. Have you ever considered some type of contest for customizers where the winner gets his/her custom figure mass produced? (BB, 08/17/07)

We enjoy the custom work ourselves, but have not considered this type of contest. In general, if a figure is in films or videogames or comics we feel it is a possibility for our line and we have probably considered it as a candidate based on importance, etc....so the ideas that the customizers would bring are not necessarily new, just figures we have not gotten to yet. Also, the figures that customizers create may not be manufacturable as created and we would have to redo it using the Hasbro design and sculpt team in any case. Finally, if it's a non-canon character, then there is a likelihood that we wouldn't consider that character. So, while it seems an interesting idea, the ideas that actually come to the table may not be new or something that we could commit to doing unless the focus was very specific. We'd hate to dissapoint, so that's why we prefer to enjoy the custom craft ourselves.

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With all the talk lately in Q&As about lost tooling preventing the reproduction of older toys, I was wondering if that is the real reason we've never seen a re-release of the TPM Eopie creature? If the production tooling still exists, then is there any hope for seeing this creature repacked at some point in the future since it was never widely distributed back in 2000? It seems like an ideal choice for the centerpiece of a TPM or ROTS Battle Pack. Given the difficulty and expense some collectors went through in getting the original release and the continued demand for this product (currently averaging at $40-60 on auction sites), the Eopie would be a sure winner on toy shelves if you ever released it again. (GH, 08/17/07)

The tooling certainly exists. While we have other ideas ahead of it, we wouldn't rule out the Battle Pack possibility at some point in the future.

How plausible would it be to do a figure of a background alien - such as Cane Adiss or Dice Ibegon - that do not have a pre-existing body design? You did an admirable job for Hem Dazon, so has there been any thought to doing these fan favorite characters as well? On Wookieepedia there has been much discussion about the characters' possible alien physiologies so perhaps you could refer to those discussions for design inspiration? (GH, 08/17/07)

It is very plausible. Not only has it been done for Hem Dazon, as you mention, but also other figures as well that had little definition beyond a mask.  Eventually, we'd like to get to all of the Cantina aliens, including Dice, so it's a challenge we will have to face at some point.
Cane is probably a little further down the list, but this Jabba's denizen would certainly be an interesting species to tackle.

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With the popularity of the Force Unleashed figures rising, have you considered taking a look at another character-rich video game from the past, Jedi Knight? The Dark Trooper is obviously being asked for again, but a new Kyle Katarn, Jerec, or Jan Ors would be nice too. (JD, 08/17/07)

We are not looking at the Jedi Knight game right now, but Katarn is a major EU character so he is more likely to appear in some form first. Jerec is a very interesting character and if we can figure out how to fit him in sometime, he would be a good one to do down the road.

At SDCC, you showed off the new 30AC Droideka with the half-shield. Any chance you've got a pic of the Droideka surrounded by two shield halves so we can see how they fit together? (JD, 08/17/07)

Sorry - we do not have an image of this ready.

The Rebel Pilots and their droids are pretty popular character offerings, but many of them wind up as pack-in figures with ships. Since some collectors avoid the vehicles, is there any chance the pilot pack-ins (Zev, Lepira, etc) could be offered in some kind of a Battle Pack or some other set? (JD, 08/17/07)

We can't guarantee that any of our pack-in pilots/droids will be available in forms other than with their vehicles (ie. we have no plans for Lepira or R5-F7 beyond appearing with the Y-Wing). Zev, however, is actually available for vote in the next round of Saga Legends.

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At SDCC, you showed images of a new evolution pack with Darth Bane wearing his Orbalisk Armor. Will the armor or at least the helmet be removable on that figure? (JI, 08/17/07)

Darth Bane's helmet is removable, but the armor will be adhered to the body.

If you had the opportunity to re-design the Millenium Falcon toy from scratch, what is one thing you would want to incorporate that was not on the original toy? (JI, 08/17/07)

Hah - that's a great question. While there were a variety of responses from our team when questioned, the #1 answer seems to be room in the cockpit to fit four figures and actual smuggling compartments. Sorry, that's two things, but we can always dream, can't we?

Will the series of figures with 2-1B and Po Nudo be the last series of Anniversary figures? (JI, 08/17/07)

No, it will just be the first series of figures for Spring 2008. The Anniversary line will continue (without coins) through Spring 2008 with the Force Unleashed as well as more figures that have yet to be announced. Look for those around Toy Fair time, if not before.

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Will Hasbro ever revisit the Jedi Council again?  This could be  made as two Battle Packs or like the forthcoming Battlefront II  Multipacks.   Each would include 6 figures and the relevant bases.  It was very hard to get all six of these when released and it would be nice to get a complete set from Episode I, II or III rather than the mixed characters we now have (over the six sets).  Also, a lot of the Jedi’s released on single cards do not include knee articulation so this would be a great way of updating some figures and allow them to sit on the council chairs. (JN.co.uk, 08/17/07)

It's unlikely we will revisit the sets as constructed, since we have generaly moved on to new themes with the multi-packs, and some of these characters (such as Oppo) are starting to filter back out there in other ways.  Interesting idea though - these older Jedi could certainly use an articulation upgrade at some point.

There are a couple of items only available on the Hasbro Shop website in the US which don’t ship to the UK.  The items in question are the new 3ľ” figure stands (40 stands per pack), first made available at Celebration IV, and the figure clamshells available in packs of 10.  Many UK fans would like to get their hands on these but have no chance other than having to resort to eBay.  Any chance you’ll bring these over to this side of the pond? (JN.co.uk, 08/17/07)

When (and if) HasbroToyShop has a business unit for Europe, they will be made available.  Until then, it cannot be made available in any way other than the current one.

Would you ever consider doing a “build your own Clone set” in 3ľ” size.   This could be in the form of a Kamino Battle Pack that could include a few different pairs of arms and legs, different torso’s and helmet’s.  You could also include different accessories and weapons.  This would allow you to build the ultimate custom clone and would be a big hit with fans. (JN.co.uk, 08/17/07)

It's an interesting idea.  We'll see how well the Clone with snap-on armor is received this Fall before going more wide-spread with the theme.

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Are the vintage style figures still shipping to stores, are have they run their course? How long will the mail-away promotion last? The last promotion was extended beyond the deadline, any chance of this one doing the same? (JTA, 08/17/07)

Vintage has run its course at Wal-Mart and Target, but continues on at TRU and other smaller retailers.  The promotion this time has plenty of time for offers to trickle back in - it lasts until 2/29/2008.

Any chance we will see the first Clone Wars figures at Toy Fair, or even sooner? (JTA, 08/17/07)

Right now, Toy Fair is the most likely time for the first peak at what they will look like.

You stated before that we would see many of the older case assortments from the TAC line in later assortments, particularly the concept figures. As of yet, I've still not seen these showing up, and many people are still looking for some of them. Now that the coin problem is fixed will these start showing up in higher quanities? (JTA, 08/17/07)

We didn't say that older case packs would show up again, but that figures would be remixed into future assortments, which is happeneing for popular figures like the Galactic Marine, Airborne Trooper, the McQuarrie figures, and others.

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Now that the action figure stands are sold out, were they considered successful enough to release again with a new set of labels for older figs that weren't in the first set? Also, would you ever consider selling entire boxes of 1 movie or EU? (RS, 08/17/07)

We will look to get these back into stock at HasbroToyShop, but with the current label since we have yet to go through our whole order yet. Demand is good, but we won't be able to crack them out into specific movies - the quantity we'd have to make for each one is too large to justify. Instead, we have to keep offering the multi-packs as now.

Thanks for the new Gree, he looks great. Could you please give us as much information on him as possible? What mold(s) were used and does he have any new parts, will he have his backpack and antenna, is his head detachable like Final Battle Jango, is the head under his helmet a new sculpt, etc. (RS, 08/17/07)

He is an entirely new figure. He comes with his blaster and a macrobinocular. His backpack is molded to his back, with a separate antenna. The helmet is removable, but not his head (ala Jango).

I'm not quite sure if you noticed this, but the Army builder in me has found some problem with the current SA RotS trooper. The details are going fainter and fainter, might this be the time to remake the sculpt to cancel out the antenna, a better sitting position like the Quick Draw version had? (RS, 08/17/07)

We will look it and see it it's time for a new tool. Our factory does periodically refurbish sculpts, and you may have noticed some that are farther into their lifecycle than others. We still have demand for this figure so we plan to keep it in the rotation for a while. What you are describing would be an all new project....we'll look into it next time we do a new clone.

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We appreciate the extra attention that Jabba's Palace has been getting recently, however there is a group of characters from Jabba's henchmen who have been seriously underrepresented in action figure form: the Skiff Guards. They are featured in one of the primary action sequences in ROTJ, but we haven't seen a new sculpt of any of these guys in over 8 years, and a majority of them have never been made in action figure form. Out of the 5 skiff guards on the "prisoner skiff" (the one bringing Luke, Han, & Chewie to their doom), we've only seen one made into a figure - Weequay - and even that figure is over ten years old. Any chance that we'll get figures of the other four and maybe an update of Weequay at some point in the near future? (SSG, 08/17/07)

Yes, over the next few years you will see some more of these cool guards either get their turn for the first time or get a resculpt. You'll have to be patient though - we'll only be able to get to a couple new ones a year.

Seeing as how we're getting obscure, non-canon figures in the Comic Packs such as the Dark Woman and Infinities Vader, what are the chances of getting figures from the early Marvel storyline about the Star-Hoppers from Aduba-3, particularly a figure of Jaxxon? You could even base their appearances off the cover of the Star Wars Gamer magazine from a few years ago that featured them, which showed many of them in a less cartoony way. (SSG, 08/17/07)

We look for characters that have interesting or important subplots or are uniquely iconic, so that explains Dark Woman (who appeared in numerous comics and who is tied to the origin of Aurra Sing) and a new take on Vader. We have looked at the Marvel stories again, but just don't see the characters from this storyline making the future cut - they did not have much importance to the Marvel run. It is more likely that other new characters from the Marvel run will be selected before these guys.

Since the AAT has been rereleased with the mid-sized vehicles, will the similarly-sized TX-130 Saber-class tank - seen in the Star Wars: Clone Wars and Battlefront videogames - ever be made? The vehicle was even used for both Republic and Imperial troops in Battlefront II. (SSG, 08/17/07)

We have looked at the TX-130 and it is a cool vehicle, but right now would only go after it if it was featured in the upcoming Clone Wars animation.

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Do you track secondary market demand/prices for recent/currently shipping action figures to see which ones should be re-released in future waves? I see that the new Wave 3 cases are shipping with 2 Galactic Marines and 1 Airborne Trooper snuck in from Wave 1. They were fairly scarce at the time of the original release, so I think it was a good idea to re-pack them. It would be nice to see the McQuarrie figures (Stormtrooper, Boba Fett, and Chewbacca so far) get another release, since they have been so scarce at retail and are commanding a high premium on ebay and at toy shows, just like the Galactic Marine and Airborne Trooper were at one point. (ST, 08/17/07)*

We do not monitor secondary market prices. Instead, we monitor sell-through (provided directly by retailers) to gauge which figures continue to run at high-demand.  In the case of Airborne and Galactic Marine, we knew ahead of time they would be popualr and designed re-releases into the line early. With the McQuarries, popularity has exceeded our forecasts, so it's taken a while to catch up, but we will be keeping more re-releases coming throughout the year as we can slot them in.

Why can't there be any kind of consistency with the amount of new figures per wave? I see from the casepacks at Entertainment Earth that one upcoming wave has 7 new figures in it, the next has 10, and the wave after that only has 4? Can't we get it down to a point where each case of 12 figures contains 2 each of 6 new figures with no repacks? And then if you want to do the revised cases that EE seems to have an abundance of listings for, you can toss in a few figures that seem to be selling well, or some extra army builders. Making each case pack of 12 contain 2 each of 6 new figures would help out collectors like myself who order from EE and just want 2 of each figure. (ST, 08/17/07)*

The simple answer is not all characters are created equally, so they are not packed out evenly over the course of the year. What you have suggested might work for the first shipment of the year, but then it quickly unreveals as we remix Vaders, core characters, troopers, and the like to bring each figure release up to its potential.  Additionally, we try and stick to themed waves, and we balance it out by wave and not every theme will get the exact same treatment.  We really like the way the EU wave was developing this year, for example, so we put more figure slots into it...we felt that 6 (for example) just wasn't enough for some of the ideas that were developing).  We do provide a type of case pack you suggested to Internet retailers, which consist of more even packing of the new figures (known within Hasbro as an 022 suffix designation).  This was designed to allow collectors to avoid the repacks they don't want.  In cases where there are more than 6 figures, the additional case pack slots are filled with army builders.  Check with your preferred online retailer and make sure to ask for this 022 ratio if it works for you.

Do you have plans on releasing a repaint of the Gunship Pilot to match his color scheme from the Clone Wars series?  He had blue marking and was flying the ARC troopers Gunship while attacking Muunlinst. (ST, 08/17/07)*

This is something that we are looking at for the next time we release a Clone Wars Pilot.  While he isn't slotted in yet, there's a strong likelihood he will come out at some point.

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Are there any plans to make ARC Troopers in their phase II armor? Fordo appeared in the later part of the Clone Wars animated series in his new armor, as well as Alpha had appeared in the comics in his new armor. With the popularity of clones it just seems like a good chance to make some popular figures. (SWC, 08/17/07)

We have not looked at this, but we'll give it a closer look. Thanks.

With the upcoming Jedi Starfighter (Episode II) with Hyperspace Ring coming out, is there a chance that the Episode III version of the Jedi Starfighter will eventually have a version made with a Ring of its own? (SWC, 08/17/07)

It may take a couple years (this first one was expensive to tool!) but there is a good chance that this will happen.

A lot of clones and droids have come out in different variations lately, but the Crab Droid hasn't been released since the ROTS line two years ago. Is there any chance this figure will be re-released soon? It would be pretty cool to see it in the camo colors to match the Kashyyyk Battle Droids and Super Battle Droid that were released in The Saga Collection. (SWC, 08/17/07)

Yes, we are looking at ways of getting the Crab Droid back out there somehow. Without a specific Deluxe carded segment, we need to find the proper home for it, but there's a good bet that it'll be out within the next 18-24 months.

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The modern Vintage line has covered almost all of our favorite heroes & villains from the OT, almost to the point of exhaustion.  Army builders have found a niche in this line as well.  But with the choices beginning to dwindle from Kenner's original character lineup, how is Hasbro prepared to meet the challenge of keeping a very popular line like modern Vintage going?  What did the responses to polls on this subject reveal at Celebration 4? (TJ, 08/17/07)

We don't have any concrete answers yet on the future of Vintage. The poll answers didn't reveal one strong direction or the other - nearly half of fans felt that Vintage should be opened up to the entire Saga (probably due to the main characters having already been done, as you suggest, and wanting to see only popular characters in vintage), and the other half indicated that they want us to stay true to the Kenner roots and cover only OTC figures.  With the issue of the main OTC figures having been done, it does present a challenge going forward on how to make future waves of vintage compelling, but it's a challenge we'll be looking at.  There is no set date for when we'll see the next wave - right now, Evolutions is our premium-format focus for next year.

Given the fact that the Whiphid Jedi, K'Kruhk has appeared in comics set in both the Old Republic, Clone Wars and Legacy eras, it seems likely that we will eventually see a figure of him.  The real question is will you give us his awesome hat as well? (TJ, 08/17/07)

I would hope that when we eventually get to K'Kruhk - and the chances are good - that he would have his awesome hat as well.

Let me start by saying the Marvel Legends Icons series is fantastic!  they're huge, super-articulated, well-sculpted and superbly detailed.  Dr. Doom's soft-goods cloak, in particular, is an impressive feature for a figure his size!

Since the Unleashed concept has begun to diversify, what are the odds of expanding the Icons series into your other lines, i.e. the Star Wars universe?  Would it even be possible, or might this undermine the efforts of other licensed Star Wars vendors and cause a legal dilemma?  Would the the fact that the figures in the Icons series are nearly 24 inches tall somehow be a loophole?

If not Star Wars, why not the upcoming Indiana Jones line? (I personally wouldn't mind having a two-foot tall Mola Ram on my desk at work clutching a flaming human heart) What about for Hasbro's other popular collectible lines?  I see some brilliant (and lucrative!) potential here! (TJ, 08/17/07)

We agree that a larger format figure makes sense for the Indiana Jones line, and at Comic Con we announced the first of those figures producing a line of 12" Indiana Jones figures with soft goods, accessories, and features, so we agree that a larger-format figure makes sense for Indy.  For Star Wars, we think that Sideshow is doing a great job with 12" and don't plan to offer a scale at this time that is in that range.

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Is there anything you can tell us about plans for toys accompanying the new Clone Wars series? Will toys be in the animated style, or movie style? (TPU, 08/17/07)

It is too early to discuss specifics of the Clone Wars figures. We will be reserving news for Toy Fair timing, likely next Spring at the earliest.

Might we see more of the packs such as the Mandalorians, Droids or the Death Star briefing room in '08/'09. Can you give us an idea of what sort of thing might be being considered, such as the ANH pilots briefing room or the Rogues Gallery from the front of the Dark Horse Rogue Squadron Encyclopedia for example? (TPU, 08/17/07)

We're glad you like the Rebel Pilots - they do seem to be underserved in the figure line over the last few years, and we hope that introductions like the all-new A-Wing (Tycho) body will help to fill some of that demand. Right now, we hope to continue this multi-pack format, and are working on the details of what the '08 lineup will be right now, but it's too early to reveal those details yet. More likely, it will be closer to Comic Con 2008 timing before we announce anything. Stay tuned.

Considering their cardbacks, plastic bubbles and the figures themselves, how large a carbon footprint does an individual action figure generate? Have you considered reducing package sizes, or do you think you've achieved an optimum balance between function and environmental cost? (TPU, 08/17/07)

We have not calculated the carbon footprint of an individual figure, so we cannot answer your question. We are always actively working on minimizing the package footprint and materials usage as much as possible for any toy (in addition, it reduced our cost as well, which benefits the eventual price to consumers, so the goals are mutual). We have developed what we feel are the most streamlined and economical packages for a given item, and in some cases (such as the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scenes) have even re-used some of the package elements as playset-type accessories to further this endeavor.

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There have been many requests by people from countries outside of the US (such as people from Germany and Australia) for an exclusive figure for their country. Will we ever see one? (TSE.N, 08/17/07)

We would like our exclusives to be available to everyone and everywhere that is at all possible so all fans can participate. There are certain exceptions for figures such as R2-KT or the Celebration figures, but going forward we do not plan on having regional or country exclusives and will work on trying to get better distribution of all figures throughout the world. Imagine the frustration in getting figures in, say, 10 different countries around the world that have passionate fan bases had exclusives for 10 different figures - it would be quite frustrating to complete the set.

Will we see more non-animated figures from the clone wars series? Such as Tarr Seirr, Jasper McKnives, Sha'a Gi, K'Kruhk, or even Trandoshan warriors from the Republic Commando games? (TSE.N, 08/17/07)

There will be some additional figures coming out, but they will be more prominent figures overall (K'ruhk, playing a role in the Republic comic series, and now the Legacy series, stands the strongest chance). Tertiary characters who are seen only fleetingly, such as the other three, probably will not get made as we begin to look at the wider EU (including video games as novels as well) to fill our precious non-film spots in the upcoming basic figure line. The Trandoshan warrior is an interesting one and the species certainly pops up in multiple sources from games to comics, and while there is nothing planned for these guys, we certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility of seeing more Trandoshans in some form (maybe not exactly this one) in future years.

What are the chances of seeing more of Jabba's henchmen, such as Kithaba, Wooof, Cane Adiss, and Loje Nella? (TSE.N, 08/17/07)

We plan to do a couple of Jabba's henchmen/palace denizens in the "Saga" line each year as we go forward (actual mileage may vary, meaning we may not be able to get to as many as we want in a given year due to overall line balance and priorities). We know Jabba's palace is popular, like the Cantina, for some of the offbeat aliens that make Star Wars figure-collecting so fun.

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How do you come up with the character illustrations on the cardbacks of the Thirtieth Anniversary collection if there is not photorealistic version of a particular character? I'm especially thinking of Roron Corobb, Clone Wars Yoda, and the Nelvaan Anakin. There are even cases where the character is in the films, but you've created a new image for them, such as smuggler Lando. Do you cobble together existing images or do you have an art department that uses new photographs? (YF, 08/17/07)

When artwork doesn't exist in exactly the format we need (as is the case for EU and Clone Wars figures), we direct professional illustrators on what we are looking for that will work in the space allotted for the artwork on the figure card. This involves supplying the illustrator with enough reference so they can work with it, and also working with Lucasfilm to make sure that the reference is consistent to what is known of the characters.

Now that the Indiana Jones figures have been confirmed and a few revealed at Comic-Con (which look great by the way, I'm extremely excited). Will you be accepting any questions about this line in future Q&A sessions as well?

I know it's the Star Wars Q&A, but SW and Indy have always gone hand- in-hand down through the years, and since they're being worked on by the same team, I'm hoping you'd be willing to field a few questions about this exciting new line.

IF so, let me attempt to be the first by asking whether or not the "vintage" playsets will get an update (Well of the Souls, Streets of Cairo, Map Room) as well as vehicles (German army truck w/ Ark crate). The flying wing with shredible German Mechanic would also be a cool new addition.

Finally, IF the playsets and vehicles get an update, will they utilize the molds from the vintage toys like many of the current Star Wars vehicles or would they be all new sculpts? (YF, 08/17/07)

Yes, Indy questions can be sent to the same address here, and since it's the same team bringing you the IJ excitement, we can answer. The answer to playsets is about the same as you might expect from Star Wars - It's a been a struggle so we are adopting a wait and see attitude on them and seeing where our figure/vehicle demand nets out first before going too far in the playset direction. The cargo truck is a definite probability for 3-3/4", but the wing is tough because it really is a big one. One thing that is known is that NONE of the original Indy tools exist anymore, so we will not be going back to the vintage tools.

Dear Hasbro I recently purchased the McQuarrie Luke in TRU (in the UK) and heard rumour that the McObi Wan/Yoda will be coming to the UK as an exclusive and what i want to know is will that and the Shadow scout, Concept Grievous, Mc C3-po/R2 and R2-KT be coming to the UK and Europe through stores? Especially the R2-KT because many non-Americans would like one and to support the cause without a scalper or seller making profit off a charitable figure. (YF, 08/17/07)

We are still working on how to get the McQuarrie Obi-Wan and Yoda to Europe and it will likely be available late this year or in the Spring, but the Shadow Scout and Concept Grievous will not see in-store distribution in Europe since they are Lucasfilm's StarWarsOnlineShop.com exclusives and will remain distributed through that shop. R2-KT will not be released unless there is a charitable promotion in place and that has not been worked out yet anywhere else in the world other than the US, so for now that is not possible. As to the McQuarrie R2-D2 and C-3PO, we are not sure what has happened to the remaining inventory from the show but we will find out and provide you an update when we hear.

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Is it a possibility we will see a re-release of the Sandcrawler at retail? I had a tough time finding one back with the OTC series. I think it would be cool since the release of the Jawa with LIN Droid in wave 3 of the TAC series. I know I would buy another one. (YN, 08/17/07)

It's possible that the Sandcrawler will come back out, but probably not in 2008.

Has Hasbro been given access to upcoming Star Wars projects, like the new tv shows, to begin working on products that will be released when the projects debut? Any tidbits of information that you can share, if so? (YN, 08/17/07)

Lucasfilm shares with us information as it becomes available to help our development of toys so we can be there when the series launches and match the toyetic experience to the on-screen experience as much as possible.

However, entertainment news is not ours to break so, as much as we might like to, we can't share any tidbits.

Are there certain Star Wars characters that Hasbro is simply not given permission, or allowed, by Lucasfilms to manufacture? (YN, 08/17/07)

For the most part, pretty much everything in the Star Wars universe is fair game for consideration. There are a few rare exceptions of characters or ideas we can't or don't go forward with, for a variety of reasons (including strategic direction). However, we don't discuss those in public in the hopes that we can do them at some point in the future.

[Matt]

Session 37 - August 31, 2007

Recent experiences with the Fans' Choice Poll of the Saga Legends 2008 (Wave 5) have shown that some older figures could deserve a repaint or an update in some minor ways. Thus K-3PO could be managed without the blaster shot, the Bespin Guard could get some ethnical revisions with different head sculpts, the Scanning Crew Member could be realized as a repaint of the Imperial Officer with or without gloves and/or another head sculpt and Taun We needs an update with a comparable figure size like her counterpart Lama Su. Do you agree that those figures would profit from some kind of upgrade and with a fitting slot could make their run over the next years? (4".de, 08/31/07)

We agree, and some of the figures are already on our list for candidates for main line, comic pack, or battle pack figures.

The sculpt of Ewok Graak seems to look like Ewok Lumat, just with another paintjob. Is this an answer to the call of some certain fans (like Adam Pawlus) for more Ewoks? Will we then see Lumat (as a repaint of Graak) next year? And do we then get another Ewok as a repaint of the Romba figure? (4".de, 08/31/07)
   
We are Ewok fans too, and we have looked for ways to get more of our furry friends out there (we were actually semi-serious when we said at Comic Con 2006 that "Ewoks are the army-builders of the future." The enthusiastic response to the Ewok forest displays at Celebration IV also underscored what we know - that we need to keep updating these fellows every so often.

How do you explain that certain background characters like Bossk, Greedo or IG-88 got their second update since 1995, while other characters like the Gamorrean Guard, Dr. Evazan or Nien Nunb are still waiting for their long lasting first figure update? Those characters just got some repaint in the long run since 1995/1996 but no update. An update of these figures seems to be overdue and they are equally sought-after like the other guys who have been updated. (4".de, 08/31/07)

All three of the characters you mention are good candidates for update before too long and have been discussed. In all three cases, we have decided to pursue other characters who have never been done from their scenes first, so these updates have taken a backseat to new figures. But we will probably get to all three of these within the next few years.

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With all the Padme costumes left unmade as 3 3/4" figures, would Hasbro consider making an exclusive multipack - such as the Lucas Family set or the Republic Commando or Death Star Briefing - or even a series of multipacks to get those outfits out of the way? With anywhere from 3 to 7 apiece, they could be organized by movie: Ep I - purple Return to Naboo/Qui-Gon's Funeral; gray Coruscant kimono; black Coruscant/Naboo reception; and perhaps a new, complete version of the senate outfit. Ep 2 - any of the 10 remaining outfits but especially the Chancellor's office outfit; the packing gown; the picnic dress. Ep 3 - there's 9 more outfits, not counting the hospital gown or the funeral gown. Even if you only do a few 3-packs of figures, those are figures that would normally not be seen for years, possibly ever, which fans want. Would you at least consider a Padme evolutions set to get 3 of those unproduced outfits figures out of the way? (AF, 08/31/07)

We know there are a lot of Padme's undone, but we would prefer to handle them one at a time rather than this idea, simply because it's an expensive set with a narrow focus (and sets like Evolutions are geared toward including multiple characters, rather than focusing on one).

Will Hasbro be re-releasing the straight sections of the cantina bar in the near future to coincide with the release of the curved end pieces that were just released? If so, please consider re-releasing the blue Snaggletooth from the K-Mart exclusive as well. Also, on the straight sections, would they be the same or have their inaccurate barstools removed? (AF, 08/31/07)

Zutton (blue Snaggletooth) is on the list of figures being voted on for Saga Legends 2008. We will consider, if other Cantina figures are selected, re-releasing this straight section. Good suggestion… thanks.

How many Evolutions packs will we be seeing in 2008? (AF, 08/31/07)

That is a number we are holding onto right now. Giving you a little more info though… there will be at least one more beyond what we have already shown.

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At the past few conventions, you’ve confirmed that the Distillery portion of the Cantina Bar will be coming in 2008 or 2009. A lot of folks are left wondering how it’s all going to fit together since there isn’t a lot of room left in the middle if you use the two corner sections from the recent Cantina figures alone. Any plans to tweak the bar or will the answer be simply "use a straight piece between the curves to make more room"? (JD, 08/31/07)

Well that's the real trick, isn't it? We are trying to figure this out as we speak. We don't have any answers yet, but we're trying to get it in there.

Lately, a lot of folks have been finding figures which are noticeably lop-sided with 1 leg longer than the other. Both the Death Star Trooper and Stormtrooper come to mind as examples. Is this a problem with the molding process or is it an artifact of the way figures were posed when sculpted? Are these type of problems noted for correction with future releases of the figures? (JD, 08/31/07)

We haven't seen examples like this in our samples process, but it is not a product of the way they were sculpted but perhaps manufacture or assembly. If you find a figure like this, we would love to get it and will replace it with another production figure if the same one is available (or a sub if not), and learn from this to instruct our Asian production teams. Please send them to our attention at the Customer Service address on the Hasbro web site. Thanks.

Now that your 2007 30th Anniversary plans are almost all set, can we get a final count on how many unique coins there will be (counting all the exclusive and convention coins)? Will we have enough slots in our albums to hold them all? (JD, 08/31/07)

It's tight but it works, but here's how it breaks down, if one had all the available coins: 60 basic figure coins; 7 Saga Legends; 4 Convention gieaways (CIV, Celebration Europe, and Comic Con, plus bonus Indiana Jones IV gold coin); 5 Convention exclusives (2 McQ Luke, 2 McQ R2/3-PO, 1 McQ Obi-Wan/Yoda), 12 UGH variants, and 7 Vintage coins including the Toy Fair coin. Excluding the latter set (which has it's own folder), it totals 88 coins for 90 spaces. Tight, but manageable!

And, as a bonus, we’ve got a follow up from last time -

4. At SDCC, you showed off the new 30AC Droideka with the half-shield. Any chance you've got a pic of the Droiedka surrounded by two shield halves so we can see how they fit together? (JD, 08/31/07)

Yes indeed.  Pic  Note that we have colored the shield to "hide" the pin and cavity insertion method. If we went clear, this would have been more visible and we wanted to disguise.

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With the Star Wars role-play stuff like the lightsabers and blasters, have you ever considered making things like holsters and stuff so that kids can carry around their gear like the characters in the movies did? (JI, 08/31/07)

We have considered this, but have found that they impact our ability to deliver the "main thing" which is the blaster or saber, at the price point we want it. General role play sets, we have found, don't do as well if the price wanders up.

You recently have released 8" figures with articulation in the Marvel line under the Unleashed banner. Any chance we will see Star Wars figures like this in the near future? (JI, 08/31/07)

This is not in our plans, as it would distract focus from our other main initiaitves.

You have some cool interactive Galactic Heroes boxsets coming, but is there any chance of seeing actual playsets released for these guys, like a Death Star? We are seeing playsets done for the Marvel versions, so why not Star Wars? (JI, 08/31/07)

We have looked at them, but the costing still has not worked out for Star Wars to be able to do them.

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It’s been over 23 years (yes, really it’s been that long!) since we saw Jabba the Hut released with his throne from Return of the Jedi.  I appreciate that there are no relevant SKU’s for such a release but this could easily be incorporated into Battle Pack range.  You could include Jabba, his throne and a new version of Leia in Bikini outfit that’s able to lie on the throne (you would only have to redo the legs) and Jedi Luke and call it ‘Jabba’s Jedi Confrontation’ OR include Jabba, his throne, Leia as Boushh with Chewbacca and call it  ‘Jabba’s Bounty Hunter Confrontation’.  If money allows you could also include Salacious Crumb and Bib Fortuna and C-3PO in either of the two packs!  Ed: Please go for the first idea with a new Leia that can lie down too!!! (JN.co.uk, 08/31/07)

Good ideas and we have considered this prior.  It's one of those ideas that is "next in line" when we can figure out how to deliver, so your suggestion is a very good one.  Thanks.

Our friends over at Lightsabre.co.uk run Richard LeParmentiers official website. Admiral Motti was immortalised as a 3ľ” figure in 1999 and was re-released as part of the Death Star set earlier this year, however the mold is looking quite poor considering what you’re now able to do.  Is there any chance that you’ll revisit this figure anytime soon? (JN.co.uk, 08/31/07)

The good Admiral will probably not see a new sculpt for a while (meaning not in the next couple of years, anyway).

We love the Galactic Heroes line.  I know packaging is a big part of the product, but in the spirit of trying to help ‘save the environment’ there seems to be a lot of wasted space (considering the size of the figures in relation to the packaging) in the basic range.  Are there any plans to change the packaging?  Also, any chance we’ll see Admiral Akbar in the Galactic Heroes line any time soon? (JN.co.uk, 08/31/07)

We do think about materials in everything we do to minimze waste as much as possible.  As with many of our assortment-based lines, we need to do a uniform package size to accommodate the largest of the packs - in this case Vader/Luke, and Chewie/Clone (to use two examples), which take up almost 100% of the blister space.  To go down in size would eliminate these important figures and make our tooling library inefficient, so there is that concern as well.  You may note that other Heroes lines, such as the Marvel Heroes and Transformers do have a smaller blister/footprint, and we have looked at theirs but determined that it would not work for Star Wars.  The good news is that some change is on the way for Galactic Heroes, and you we will have a more efficient method of securing figures in pack soon.  As for Akbar - no plans for next year, but he's a great candidate for 2009.

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Toys R Us is currrently listing a Star Wars Force Unleashed Hero Figure Pack at this page.  Can you describe this figure pack?  Is this in fact a set where you can build your own Secret Apprentice from The Force Unleashed? (JTA, 08/31/07)

We actually are not in a position to dicuss any more details about this one.

How challenging is it to keep core characters in the mix while keeping thing interesting for collectors who have say, the last 10 versions of Luke Skywalker?  And additionally, how difficult is it to keep things interesting when the character is a fan favorite (like Boba Fett) who only has one or two different costume looks? (JTA, 08/31/07)

There are collector forces at work on both sides of the fence - we think enthusiasm is high when there are important versions of that character yet to be done, but also when there are details they would like to see us work on for future versions (there are lots of examples of this in past Q&As). When we introduce an all-new tooled version of a core character, we think it makes a good statement and that we probably get most collectors behind the effort.  Sometimes new articulation or a new accessory does the trick. In the case of comic packs, or even the EU, we have more to work with so we can look for solutions there as well. When the changes are smaller, we try to justify it based on the importance of the character and the importance of the changes.  It certainly makes it a fun and interesting challenge, especially when we task ourselves with keeping at least some version of the core characters (ideally a new version) out there every year.  A balance of both new and refreshed characters allows us to keep the core characters out there and balance our tooling budget.

Every year or two, you guys seem to come up with a new line of toys to showcase Star Wars products, such as unleashed, titaniums, transformers, attacktix, to name a few. Are there any new lines on the horizon, or are you guys pretty much set with the product lines you have now? Do you guys have any unique ideas that you would love to do, but just can't fit it into offering right now? (JTA, 08/31/07)

We are constantly challenging ourselves on exciting, new expressions for Star Wars and the Hasbro character portfolio on the whole.  One of the new ones we're excited about is the Mighty Muggs line, which will debut with Star Wars for Spring (on shelf on or about Janurary 1).  Taking it's cue from urban vinyl, it's a cute, fun style that is a perfect fit for the Star Wars character universe.  We are looking further down the road at other expressions that can be suitable as well.  One thing that is for certain is that in a fashion-driven business, we cannot stand still!

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One of the things Evolutions are known are the accesories. While you do not disapoint with the Mandalorian set, we weren't shown any for the other two (except for lightsabers, cloaks, and Bane's helmet). Can you tell us what accesories these sets contain, or at least give us a hint?

Oh, and congrats for keeping Evolutions under wraps for who knows how long. Considering how tightly it was under wraps, it was a suprise that it didn't "slip through your fingers." (RS, 08/31/07)

What we have shown prior is pretty much what the sets will have. Our philosophy has been that the characters are the primary drivers, and that we need to include the accessories we feel are needed to make that character complete. In the case of The Sith set, lots of soft goods (and Bane's removable mask). The Mando set (like the 2005 Clone to Stormtrooper set) had more battle gear, etc. The Jedi set has the fewest accessories, but it was important to get a Cloak for Qui-Gon, etc. We are very happy we can get the concept back out there, and can't wait for the sets to get to stores.

The Anakin CW Jedi Starfighter continues to be one of the most expensive vehicles on the secondary market. With the $20 vehicle format being so popular and the CW show coming out next year when can we expect to see that product on the shelves again? (RS, 08/31/07)

If Anakin's modified shows up in the animation, then we will look to get it back out there.

As you have done the Ralph Mcquarrie concept figures so wonderfully, I was wondering if you had ever thought of doing some concept vehicles for the 3 3/4 line? I feel that the concept X-Wing and concept TIE Fighter would be a fantastic addition to collect. Some of the concept prequel vehicles would be fab too! I remember the concept Airspeeder, Cloud Car and Speeder Bike in the mid 90's and they were terrific, so some new larger sized vehicles to go with the concept figures recently released would be awesome! (RS, 08/31/07)

They are cool, but the concept vehicles actually struggled a bit originally, partly because these were not the iconic versions of the vehicles everyone knows and partly because some Star Wars collectors are figure-focused primarily so we didn't get the same pick-up from the collectors then as we are seeing with the McQuarrie figures now. This it makes it hard to look at concept vehicles as a justified investment given the costs. We would also, if there is a vehicle slot available, prefer to go after an on-screen vehicle that hasn't been made yet for the 3-3/4" world before we dip into concepts. We wouldn't rule it out (a concept TIE for example could be a cool one) but it's not our priority.

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With Mandalore being produced for the Mandalorian Evolutions set, will other Tales of the Jedi figures - specifically Ulic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun - be in queue for a future wave of Comic 2-packs? (SSG, 08/31/07)

We certainly hope so. While they are not in the line for next year, they are on our short list for the line as it continues on.

Originally, it seemed that Saga Legends was supposed to compliment the main TAC line, so as to have multiple "new" figures out at once. However, wave 3 of the main line started showing up at the end of May, and here in mid-August wave 4 is barely starting to show up - yet the first 2 waves of Saga Legends are steadily coming in. Did you stop shipping figures from the main TAC line for a while in order to focus on Saga Legends? If so, wouldn't that be the opposite of the intended goal of simultaneous shipping? Will more waves of the main line be pushed back this year to allow for Saga Legends figures to gain momentum? Right now fans are getting frustrated at the current lack of authentically new product on shelves and are worrying that the final few months of 2007 will be an avalanche. (SSG, 08/31/07)

The actual figure lines themselves are managed completely separately and replenishment to stores is based on demand and sell-through, as long as we can supply inventory as need. Delays with the coins have held up the basic figure schedules so far (as well as Saga Legends), but that should all be settled down now and you will see more regular wave deliveries.

With the fans choice polls over the years, you've shown a great openness to suggestions for figures from the collector community. Would you consider extending the concept of fans choice polls into $20 vehicles and/or Titanium Series vehicles? (SSG, 08/31/07)

Actually, we have indeed gotten that question before from some sites, and have been willing to explore it given the availability of slots in the line. For the $20 vehicles, it would be unlikely to be an open-ended vote like the Fans' Choice for figures. Titanium is probably something more amenable to being open-ended. We will look at it and get back to you… it may be something we can effect for early next year to influence later 2009.

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Is there anything on the horizen for a re-release of the Anakin with Swoop Bike and Darth Tyranus with Geonosian Speeder? Both of these items never sat upon a shelf when they came out and a lot of people missed out on them. They are also small and should fit a store's plan-o-gram easily. (ST, 08/31/07)*

That's a good idea and we are looking into it. We admit that the speeder bike play has been a little absent and the Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack was good effort to get some back out there.  It was successful, and we are looking to get more of these single-rider vehicles back out there. Also coming is the At-RT set, as well as the return of STAPs in the previously announced STAP Attack Battle Pack (say that five times fast!),and exclusive for next Spring.

Will any future releases of the Sandtrooper be released with a rifle similar to the evolutions version? It's nice to get different weathered paint apps but you should add the rifle in there too along with the standard blaster. (ST, 08/31/07)*

Yes…it will actually be with "medium dirty" version of the Sandtrooper, which is the deco version from the first Evolutions pack.

Any chance we'll see more figures made using the hip joints of the ROTS AT-TE Gunner and 501st Trooper style? The poseablility of them is great. Or, any chance that we will see some Star Wars figures using the new 25th Anniversary G I Joe style bodies/articulation? Again, the articulation of those bodies is great. (ST, 08/31/07)*

We have been looking at the AT-TE as it applies to upcoming figures. You should see some future figures that use this hip model. As for the 25th Anniversary GI Joe figures, we think some of our troopers have comparable articulation (if not exactly). Since the Star Wars universe is so different and unique to itself, we will continue to design articulation as needed on a figure-by-figure basis.

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Hey Hasbro, everything from SDCC looks awesome! Will you please make a super articulated Yakface? Please, please, please? (SWC, 08/31/07)

Thanks, joenubb! Hmmm…Yak-Face, huh? That was a pretty nice-looking figure for the time and still holds up today, so we haven't had him on any to-do lists. Gotta say it's unlikely we'll get to him in the next couple years. But hang in there, you never know.

I'd really like to see a film-accurate version of Darth Sidious from his Senate duel with Yoda. This is the one figure so conspicuous by its absence in the REVENGE OF THE SITH toy line. Any idea on when we might see one, or at least a better version of the Mace Windu-duel Chancellor Palpatine figure (without any action features and with the correct lightsaber hilt)? (SWC, 08/31/07)

Good questions. No specific timeline is planned, but we will probably be getting to one, or both, of these in the next couple of years either in the basic figures or another form.

Which would we be more likely to see anytime in the future, a re-release of the POTF2 version of Oola, Jabba the Hutt's Dancing Girl, or an all-new sculpt? (SWC, 08/31/07)

Oola's prior figure (both sculpt and soft goods) were pretty good, so we'd say that a re-release will be more likely to happen before a re-sculpt.

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Since we now have a few George Lucas figures out there and the upcoming General McQuarrie. Any chance there will be figures made of other behind the scenes Legends? Such as John Williams? Irvin Kershner? (TSE.N, 08/31/07)

We have explored this idea, but the idea has not gone over that well. Beyond George Lucas, the strength of Star Wars really is in the fantasy. If there are on-screen appearances (such as General McQaurrie) it makes sense, but just going outside of that isn't a direction we'll be going.

Will the likeness of Boba Fett in the upcoming Evolution series be based on conjectures before the release of the prequel trilogy or will the likeness be based on an actor such as Jeremy Bulloch or Temuera Morrison? (TSE.N, 08/31/07)

The likeness will be based on Temuera Morrison, but we "aged" him a little bit.

Will ball jointed hips now be a standard on all trooper characters? We saw in the first wave of 2008, a 41st trooper and Commander Gree that looked to have ball-jointed hips, will all or most trooper figures have this sort of articulation where applicable, also what are the chances of seeing double joints on the knees and elbows in a similar style to the 25th Anniversary GI Joes? (TSE.N, 08/31/07)

We won't be sticking to just one articulation model, but will still be looking at every new sculpt situationally.

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While the A-Wing Pilot figure will be a welcome addition (although there are issues with the helmet accuracy) to our collections, will there not be any A-WING STARFIGHTERS re-released to coincide with them?

The 3.75" version of this craft has not been at retail for some time, and it would be great to see them again. Perhaps some different squadron insignias, battle damage, and other decals could be included, to make every A-Wing have the opportunity of being unique? Whattaya think? I just hate to have figures without vehicles, and vice-versa. (YF, 08/31/07)

It is a great vehicle, and we are looking at getting the A-Wing back out there next year. No specific retailer has been lined up for it so it's an idea only, but we are looking into it.

Will the upcoming (and very welcome) Episode II Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring include a stand for display?

If so, would this display work with the other non-hyperspace ring Jedi Starfighters? (YF, 08/31/07)

Yes. It won't be a hard-plastic injection-molded stand, due to cost issues, but it will include a clear blister-style stand for display.

When can we expect to first see the Raiders wave of Indy figures and packaging? When is their expected release date? (YF, 08/31/07)

The movie release date is May 22, 2008, so expect to see the figures at least a couple weeks prior, typical form for any movie launch. We probably will not be showing any more figures or packaging until Toy Fair 2008.

[Matt]

Session 38 - September 14, 2007

Can you tell us something about the abandoned screen scene assortment from the SAGA 2003-line? Why has it been abandoned? Rumor lists have had listed some further screen scenes, that should have scheduled for a wave 2 and 3: a Coruscant Nightclub scene with should have come out with 3 figures and had an SKU (84982), a Tatooine (or Lars) Homestead scene and a Hoth Wampa Attack scene. Can you tell which concepts and perhaps which figures should have come with these screen scenes and if some figures got a different concept running (which perhaps holds for the wampa). Depending on how far concepts has been developed are there some existing concept arts or maybe pictures of one or another of the sets that we could get? (4".de, 09/14/07)

They were on a line list at some point, and work had been done but mostly on a concept level (not sculpting). The sales on that line were struggling so we took some of those ideas and did release them in other forms later. There are no photos available as work never prograssed that far. For instance, the Corscant nightclub scene figures came to be released in the mainline basic figures, and the Wampa was released on the deluxe later. The Lars Homestead still remains a distant dream!

At Celebration IV you displayed a box with wax-sculptured heads of the figures. I identified all but one head. Can you tell us more about this figure? Who is it and when will we see this figure? (4".de, 09/14/07)

That is the head from the Star Wars Transformers Darth Maul figure.

How do you judge the chances for an Imperial Landing Craft Vehicle from the Tatooine-scene from ANH? If there are chances what would be a realistic time period for such a vehicle? It would be a cool extension for the Imperial Fleet. (4".de, 09/14/07)

It is defintely a cool vehicle. We do not rule out the possibility of one day doing this vehicle, but it is not high on our priority list as the new vehicles we are looking at are either for the Starfighter Vehicle assortment or for Clone Wars. If this vehicle shows up in future entertainment then there will be a higher chance.

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While the last Jabba we got (Saga Ultra) looked nice, his limited articulation and hard plastic body don't lend him to many alternate poses, so he's a bit boring. What about the idea of doing a new Jabba with an internal skeleton/under-frame for more articulation underneath a rubber skin similar to the Jabba Glob Ep I figure which had a decent look and much more mobility? It seems a shame that action figures of Jabba - who is such a major character - can never be able to move his mouth, arms, and tail at least somewhat like he does in the film. (It could even be released in a special battle pack, or in the $20 vehicles wave, with a full throne and more, even possibly a resculpted sitting Slave Leia.) (AF, 09/14/07)

Getting more poseability out of a Jabba figure is a great idea, and if/when we do another one we will look to something that can work for our costing parameters. What you suggest would be relatively expensive Jabba, but it doesn't mean there are other ways to do what you suggest.

At Comic-Con, you showed off '08 basic wave 1 and in it was the Octuptarra Droid. However, what was shown actually had the details of the much larger Tri-Droid - another ROTS droid that was an upsized, remodeled version of the smaller Octuptarra Droid - so the feet, guns, and eyes on what you showed are from the wrong design. Will these details be corrected so that it truly is the Octuptarra Droid? (AF, 09/14/07)

We found out about the differences in the two after we were already down the path. So the figure will be coming out as shown. We couldn't really do it any bigger than we are doing now anyway, at least on a basic figure card, so until we have the opportunity to do a larger one, fans will hopefully appreciate the coolness of this one.

In regards to the Indiana Jones line, what types of ideas are being considered? Would it be safe to assume that characters like Mola Ram, the giant Thugee guard, Temple of Doom "wear & tear" Indy with torn shirt and missing sleeve, Henry Jones Sr., Willie Scott, and Short Round are good possibilities? After all, they do all seem like logical choices. Will the Star Wars Battle Pack and Comic 2-Pack concepts be used in the Indiana Jones line? How about Indy role-play accessories? (AF, 09/14/07)

Right now it is still too early to talk about the breadth and depth of Indy....that will probably come next around Toy Fair. We we will say that we are doing both a mix of classic (previous three films) and figures from the new Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The figures you named are all strong classic figures, so there's a good chance most or all of them will be in the line at some point.

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Has there ever been a thought about maybe doing a mail-in for a set of the current pack in coins? (BB, 09/14/07)

We elected not to pursue this, instead leaving the complete sets of coins a treasure for the fans who have worked hard to chase down all of the versions needed.

Speaking of mail-in offers....is there any current talk about ANY kind of mail in offer using proof of purchases or the "points" from toys? One of my favorite memories as a kid was saving up those circles and getting the Boba Fett figure, Admiral Ackbar, a figure stand, whatever. (BB, 09/14/07)

We are still struggling with the whole mess from the fallout of the Jedi Master points issue and whether we could ever do something with them without angering the folks who were told to (and did) throw their points away. I think we can say that if we do more mail-ins, it will probably not involve older points but specific (not generic) stickers or UPC codes the way we have been doing it with Vintage offers.

The comic book packs seem to be doing well for you, and it has been a great way for us to get expanded universe figures. Will this line continue? Could it also be an opportunity to do a Novel Pack for some characters that were not in comics? (BB, 09/14/07)

thanks to the fans, the comic packs have indeed been doing very well and our plan is to continue them through 2008 (and beyond, as long as they keep doing well). Novel figures are tough because many of the top ones (Jacen and Jaina Solo, for example) have never appeared in a comic adaptiation while others (like the X-Wing series, and Heir to the Empire, etc) have. That makes their opportunities restricted to single carded figures - tough because of everything else we need to cover, the movies coming first in that series, and multi-packs, which have likewise been focused on movies or Clone Wars. So we remain committed to find a way to do the best of the novel universe, but we just have to match it to the right opportunity.

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Now that we've seen the SDCC exclusive Shadow Scout with Speeder Bike, we've wondered why it was decided to do with the older bike style from the POTF2 days rather than the Saga/Clonewars one? Granted, the droopy plastic on the Saga one was pretty bad, but the sculpt was far superior, especially the handlebars, seat, and front section. Couldn't the Saga one be used with a more rigid plastic to give collectors one heck of a figure? (FFURG, 09/14/07)

We found that the Speeder looks better with the wider front "fork" and materials selected for the original POTF2 version. We think the aesthetics on that version still hold up extremely well and we were very pleased with the way the set turned out.

Do you think we'd ever see some sort of "design your own figure" from Hasbro where we can go online, pick out several parts (head, body, helmet) and than have it sent to us like Lego does with their own design a set offering? With figure bases as good as Dutch/Biggs, Zev Senesca, the upcoming A-Wing Pilot, or the OTC Tie Pilot, it seems like it could be a really neat online mail-order system where people could order a figure and a head, it'd be sent via baggie in a white mailer (no carding costs), and the buyer could simply pop the head on. It'd be like production level customizing. This could be a way for collectors to finally get all their Rogue Squadron figures that wouldn't sell well in the brick-and-mortar chains. (FFURG, 09/14/07)

It is very unlikely you will ever see us offer something like this, simply because we are aligned as an organization to manufacturer and distribute bigger volumes of toys through our retail partners, and our factory partners are really geared up for this as well. Even more specialized offerrings, such as the base packs and protective clamshells, are relatively smaller offerings in the grand scheme of what we ask our factories to do, but giant compared to what the requests would be for something as specialized a build-a-figure. To even set up this business, we would also probably have to charge an extraordinary amount for any figure - far beyond what the components cost if folks were to get several figures and do their own work. In other words, it's a great idea to give individual collectors what they want, but as an organization we have to stick to the things we do best and work toward figures that meets the needs of a larger audience.

Is there any major difference between using a sculptor or a computer to build the toys?. Is it just the human element adds something unique a computer can't add? As the years go by, will you use less sculptors or have them working with computers more for building a figure? (FFURG, 09/14/07)

We have every technology available to us to use already, and in some cases, such as vehicles, use that route almost exclusively. This makes sense for machines and other things that do not need an "emotional" context. For figures and we have found that scanned heads, for example, just don't carry that emotion we need for certain scales, like 3-3/4" or Unleashed, and continue to use traditional sculpting methods to achieve the desired effect. As we 3-3/4" collectors have known, this means that figures may vary in detail from one to another (different Luke or Leia figures, for example, will have differences due to the sculpting choices and individual sculptor) and that is part of the nature of the process. Similarly, because of the wide range of articulation choices for any given figure, we just haven't found a way to create an automated process that any more efficient or achieves better results than the traditional approach we use now.

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At Dragon*Con 2007 this [past] weekend Heath Hammond from Sideshow Collectibles stated (to the audience) that Sideshow and Hasbro are in talks to produce playsets/environments in the 3 ľ" scale. Can we get any sort of official comment from Hasbro on this? (GH, 09/14/07)

We can confirm that we have had discussions with Sideshow but any public confirmation beyond this is premature.

Since the generic figure bases seem to be selling well through HasbroToyShop.com - and are, in fact, sold out at the moment - might this open the door to other niche items for collectors, such as simple accessory packs? Collectors would like to outfit their Clone Troopers with the choicest rifles, pistols, and gear. Lightsabers have been known to break or become lost. Consider it a mitzvah? (GH, 09/14/07)

The bases are indeed selling well, and we were hoping to have something else to go into the line along what you describe eventually.  With Clone Wars coming into the line, our focus has been elsewhere, but we'll look at it again and see if what you suggest can be made into a compelling offering.

Love the new Bespin Torture Han Solo figure, and I appreciate the attention to scene-specific details such as his shirt tail being untucked from the pants and the painful grimace on his face. Unfortunately outside of this scenario the figure can't really be used as a normal Bespin Han Solo for other display scenes. Since all the body parts have been created, is it possible to get a new Bespin Han Solo released on the basic card next year or in a Battle Pack, combining the existing VOTC Endor Han Solo legs, head, and belt/holster, along with the Bespin Torture Han Solo's jacket and arms? It would give us the perfect VOTC-quality super articulated Bespin Han Solo at no additional sculpting costs on your part! (GH, 09/14/07)

Waves 4 & 5 are hitting online shops, but there's been no real stocking at big box retail. Is this just summer drought, or are retailers holding stuff back due to the recent safety issues involving that other company? (GH, 09/14/07)

Retailers aren't holding back - we stage them as soon as we get them in. Wave 4 has been shipping and will be out there in big abundance soon.  Some of Wave 5 arrived ahead of schedule and slipped out, but the vast majority will be going out after we have moved Wave 4 to retail.

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Talk popped up during SDCC that the 2008 waves of 30AC basic figures would go back to using stands in pack-ins instead of the coins. Since you’ve already confirmed the first wave of figures for 2008, can you confirm for us that stands will be the 2008 pack-in prize? (JD, 09/14/07)

Beginning with the Wave 1 2008 figures, which should be on shelf around February, stands (same as the 2006 TSC line with printed names) will be the pack-in. This will run through the Spring basic figure line.

Any plans to re-release the former TRU Landspeeder? It's been 5 years since the last release, so this iconic ANH vehicle another shot at retail. Maybe the perfect opportunity for an upgraded Uncle Owen as a pack-in? (JD, 09/14/07)

It is about time to re-release that great vehicle, but we just haven't slotted it in yet, having been very focused on the fighters for a while. We'll take a look and see what we can come up with for a new approach to this classic.

If you decide to give us a super articulated Hoth Rebel in the near future, will you re-use the Hoth hat from the new Vintage Hoth Han or will we get a new Hoth hat that has the chinstrap buckled (like so many other removable helmets do these days)?
PS: 30AC Hoth Han's legs are now perfect for re-use on a SA Hoth Rebel! (JD, 09/14/07)

We don't have him slotted in yet, but he's high on the list of figures we need to update next time we do an Empire wave. It's unknown what headgear he'd have.

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Will the VOTC line continue in 2008? (JI, 09/14/07)

There will not be another vintage-style line in 2008, because we are dedicating those resources and tool budget toward developing the Evolutions reintroduction. We certainly hope to pick up vintage further down the road, and the polls we conducted recently have informed our thinking for when we do bring it back out.

If you had the opportunity to re-design the Death Star playset toy from scratch, what is one thing you would want to incorporate that was not on the original toy? (JI, 09/14/07)

A working ion cannon! Seriously, that was a great playset. The only thing that can really be added would be..space. The ability to arrange figures in more key scenes and capture the scale of the Death Star corridors and rooms.

Will the Jango Fett in the "Evolution of the Fetts" set be super-articulated, and will the helmet come off on the figure? (JI, 09/14/07)

Yes and yes.

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There are still a lot of Padme figures left to do and with only one per year this is going to take quite a while.  With the return of the Evolutions line (thank you!!!) how about a Padme Evolutions three pack featuring Padme from the first three films in three new costumes?  You could easily show her evolving from Queen to Senator. (JN.co.uk, 09/14/07)

It does make sense and we have considered a pack like this (among others, of course) if the line were to continue.  Right now we're focused on other packs, but that would be on a short list if the line were to go forward.

You've told us that stands will replace coins as the pack-ins for 2008.  Can you confirm if these will be the same stands that we're part of the 'The Saga Collection', featuring the name of the film the figure came from along with the figures name or something different altogether? (JN.co.uk, 09/14/07)

Yes, they will be the same stands, with a custom name for that figure.

What happens to any surplus figures from promotions such as last year's Ultimate Galactic Hunt George Lucas Stormtrooper figure?  Are these available for fans to buy, used for promotional purposes or dare I say destroyed? (JN.co.uk, 09/14/07)

They will not be made available for fans to buy.  Any surplus stock is usually used for promotional purposes later on.

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There seems to be a call for accessory packs in the collecting community, but the responses that we've gotten in the Q&A process seem to indicate that they're tough to market. Has any thought been given to trying to incorporate accessories into a more attractive package, like a scene appropriate Screen Pack? For example:

-Clone Trooper accessories in a Kamino training facility pack. This could be the quartermaster station from Attack Of The Clones that dispenses the Clone Trooper helmets
-Imperial accessories in a Death Star alcove pack. Have rifle racks, rifles, blasters, and maybe a mouse droid or two in this set.

This kind of presentation might satisfy both accessory fans and collectors who enjoy the Scene Packs. (JTA, 09/14/07)

These are pretty good ideas and we have been conceptually looking at this approach.  I will say that our product sublines are always evolving. If the figure component of the set is strong, there's always a possibility we could do things like this down the road.

A collecting news site recently reported that there is a Star Wars Legacy comic 2-pack on the way featuring Imperial Knights Antares Draco & Ganner Kreig?  Is this report accurate, and can we expect more Legacy 2-packs in this line in the near future? (JTA, 09/14/07)

It's no secret that we were seen conspiring with Randy Stradley, John Ostrander and Jan Duursema at Celebration IV, and we are pleased to confirm that we are indeed pursuing this pack for late in 2008.  As for future Legacy packs, we are hopeful to be able to do more as time/resources/tooling allows, but don't have any others slotted in right now that we can officially talk about.

Hasbro recently confirmed that the blue Obi-Wan Kenobi Jedi Starfighter and green Anakin Skywalker Jedi Starfighter would be making their way into the 2008 assault vehicle line.  Will these new renditions have more accurate paint apps?  The original, exclusive versions in the Revenge Of The Sith line were almost too white. (JTA, 09/14/07)

We will be replicating the first exclusive versions exactly as they originally appeared.  Perhaps for a future release we can do these, but for the 2008 releases they will be the same ones that came before.

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As Hasbro is aware, with no film in theaters or show on TV, retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart dedicate much smaller toy aisle space to a line. This is probably the last thing most SW collectors would propose, but has Hasbro considered producing fewer figures annually? The average Wal-Mart and Target toy departments in my area are not run by people who really know or even care about toys. They just open boxes as needed to fill the pegs and leave what's on the pegs where they are until they've all sold or the bi-annual toy aisle makeover forces them to do something new. If Hasbro produced fewer actual figures per year, though, and released a wave every six weeks or so, that might give collectors like me a stronger chance of finding things. (RS, 09/14/07)

Actually we line plan every year for waves to be 6 weeks apart, but the reality is that waves come in at different rates depending on sculpting, approvals, debugging, and tooling, so it's not an exact science. The issues we have seen at the beginning of this year year due to the delays in the coins are not at all what we wanted - and basically it has shortened the window between each wave that you are seeing now. Figures will come a little fast this fall, but will smooth our for next year back to the more typical schedule. On overall # of figures, the past couple of years we have been doing around 60 basic figures a year in the core basic figure assortment, but for the future we are considering trimming it up a bit to around 52 or so...enough for 8 waves or so.

Many fans (myself included) are cutting the bubbles off of the TAC cards to save the cards due to the visually stunning artwork. Is there any way that you could make just the cards, with no bubbles attached, available to the fans ala the figure stands now on your website? (RS, 09/14/07)

We hadn't considered that, and it's probably not something we would plan on doing since our gut is that is is a very small subset of collectors, relative to those who buy figures, that would want such a set. We prefer to stay focused on figures and accessories for figure collecting.

What happens to those figures that don't sell? The Toys R Us in my area just recently disappeared its long-standing stock of Greatest Battles Padmes. There were about thirty of them, taking up four pegs in the corner of the Star Wars section. What arrangement do you have with retailers? Do you reimburse them a little, collect the figures, and harvest what materials you can from them? Or do the retailers have to trash them and accept a sunk cost?

In reality, when these things happen, like with GB Padme or the ROTS Neimodian Warrior, and to a lesser degree with any number of other pegwarmers, isn't this the result of poor distribution decisions on your part? Shouldn't the financial burden of overpacking certain figures and overshipping certain waves fall on you? If it didn't, it'd be almost an incentive for you to overship, because retailers would ultimately buy more of your product. (RS, 09/14/07)

There will always be mistakes in calling the exact quantities for the hundreds of items we manage every year. How that stock actually gets "taken care of" happens in a number of ways, including markdown agreements between Hasbro and the retailer, department manager initiatives (they may have just gotten tired of seeing slower-moving products), or sometimes pull/replace initiatives executed by our retail merchandising group. Sometimes, as in the case of Star Wars, certain figures are not a problem on a national level (such as the Padmes you cite) but are a local store build-up to which we do not have visibility, but overall does not prevent a problem for overall continual reordering of basic figures. The "cure" for this local build-up is to periodically reset assortments (our five digit product #, 87500 for the 30th Anniversary figures) which will force the old assortment to be discontinued and the new one to take its place. That won't happen this fall, but will take place next Spring as we get ready for The Clone Wars.

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In releasing the new Cantina bar curve sections, several issues have arisen for fans' cantina setups: The first is that the sharp curve of those sections is too close to allow for any future release of the drink dispenser. For that issue, if there ever is a dispenser made, would you consider including a shorter straight section to go between the curves? (Shorter because the current straight seems too long for this purpose, it would break up the look of the curve too much.) The second issue is that there is a mismatch between the look of the curved sections and the previously-released straight sections due to a number of paint and even sculpted detail differences. What about releasing more straight sections with a deco and sculpt to better match up to the curves, as well as add the removable barstool feature they have (perhaps with plugs to make a flat floor)? (SSG, 09/14/07)

We have been trying to figure out how the distillery section would work, and there are challenges as you point out but a few ways to solve. We have also thought about a smaller straight bar section, but that's an expensive piece for a small effect and collectors could probably just use another straight section (perhaps a good excuse to re-release). We will not be resculpting the straight bar section, though. If we release it in the future and if we do that, we'll look for deco to more closely match the curved section.

The Titanium Series 3" Star Wars vehicle collection is growing larger and larger. When counted against the Galoob's Star Wars Micro Machines line (the expansive original, not their die-cast), the math shows that there were 87 Micro Machines covering the OT, EU, and Episode I, if we subtract the reissues like battle-damaged, speederbikes with new characters, etc., there were 72 unique vehicles. Meanwhile, Hasbro's Titanium line has 101 Star Wars vehicles including single packs, exclusives, and 5-packs (but not gold or silver versions) counting up to 2007 wave 4. However, if we subtract reissues like repaints, there are just 48 unique Titanium vehicles - and 19 of those are reissues from the old Galoob Die Cast line. While we are thankful just to have any line of small Star Wars vehicles, one does wonder if 53 repaints out of 101 may have a negative impact. What does Hasbro think about this issue? (SSG, 09/14/07)

Repaints are an inevitability for a line like Titanium, and thanfully the range of on- and off-screen opportunities that have presented themselves over the years give us the confidence to commission new tools knowing that we will be able to get multiple decos out of them. We will say that we are going to be judicious about which ones that we are going to be repainting, and going more toward the fleet approach when it makes sense (Red Squadron, Gold Squadron, EU squadrons even) and less toward the pewter/battle-damage route.

With the success of the latest Jawa sculpt, might Hasbro consider creating a Jawa/droid-themed multipack or battle pack? One possible suggestion could be 2 or 3 Jawas perhaps with cloth capes, an ANH/Kenner vintage Gonk droid repaint, R1-G4, and perhaps R5-D4 that uses the R4-G9 retractable leg body. Has there been any thought given to creating such a set already? (SSG, 09/14/07)

That's a cool idea, but we're not ready to go with such a Jawa-focused set yet. The ideas for the droids are good ones and perhaps those can be used down the line, even if not in a set like this.

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Are there any plans to do a Ralph MaQuarrie display similar to the vintage style stand? I think it'd be a great way to showcase this unique line. (ST, 09/14/07)

We haven't had any plans to do a display like this. It would make sense to do if we ever released a complete boxed set, but we don't have any plans for this.

Have you began to consider revisiting the Shadows of the Empire Line? There are still many army builders that can be made. I would kill to have the green imperial commando, coruscant guard, black sun sentry, the correct swoop rider with the breath mask and pointy hat, and the popular garbage train sentry. (ST, 09/14/07)

We are looking at Shadows of the Empire, in the comic context, and will likely get to the major players first.  It's unlikely we'll get to the ones you suggested, at least for the next couple of years, but you never know.  There are some very cool figures in that storyline!

Also, any chance that we would ever see an updated Imperial Troop transport. It wouldn't have to have sounds but opening troop holders on the sides would be cool and maybe without the sounds, there could be a deeper prisoner compartment! (ST, 09/14/07)

We have thought about something like this, and it would be cool.  However, there are a bunch of other things ahead of it.  It probably wouldn't be for a few years if we did get to it.

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In the upcoming EE set of Mandalorians & Clones, there's a female Mando called Rav Bralor based on this art by Tom Hodges:

However, Hodges named the character Vonte Tervho. Any chance we could see a single-carded version eventually, using that name? (SWC, 09/14/07)

We take our character names from Lucasfilm's direction, as they establish canon. A character name like Vonte Tervho would be a different character from Rav Bralor, which is not an issue, but that character would need to be officially endorsed by Lucasfilm before we would consider it for any future offerings.

I love the inclusion of a separate R5 unit along with the non-removable R5 unit with the new Y-Wing. Any chances of seeing this on re-releases of the Jedi Starfighters? (SWC, 09/14/07)

Glad you like you like it - we have gotten a lot of great comments on that idea. For the Jedi Starfighters that are released in our $19.99 suggested retail 85196 Starfighter Vehicle Assortment it will not happen because of the tight cost constraints. However, we like the approach too for any future sets (such as exclusives) where have more pricing freedom.

Will there be any way to get a complete set of collector's coins without having to buy each figure? Perhaps something through HasbroToyShop.com? (SWC, 09/14/07)

We elected not to pursue this, instead leaving the complete sets of coins a treasure for the fans who have worked hard to chase down all of the versions needed.

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If Hasbro makes an EU figure as part of its comic 2packs, what are the chances that the character will ever appear in the basic line?  I've been hoping for a Lumiya figure (with SA, neutral leg pose, whip, swappable helmet and head, and soft goods cape) but as some fans have pointed out, the comic pack figures often cut down on the articulation and other premium features in order to keep costs down.

So while Lumiya is an obvious candidate for the comic packs, my concern is that once such a figure is made there, it would be the last time Hasbro ever visits the character.  Just wondering what your thoughts are about this? (TJ, 09/14/07)

Great question.  Certainly, the comic packs have been well-received but they are not the only place we would look to do EU figures.  We are not confiming anything here, since she is currently not in any approved lineup, but if we were to do a Lumiya figure it makes most sense that she would debut in a comic pack.  Given how many figures there are to work with, it is unlikely we would do more than one version of Lumiya in a reasonable time frame (say within a couple of years) but since she has at least two very interesting different outfits/forms, we wouldn't rule out that over the course of our long relationship with Star Wars that you could eventually see more than one.  Patience, as always, is the key.

The Rebel Vanguard figure seems to be built off of the TSC Endor Rebel Trooper.  Will we get a running change of the Rebel Vanguard Trooper like we got with the Endor Rebel? (TJ, 09/14/07)

We took our cue from the Rebel Vanguard figure from the start/select screen, and are just going with that one version.  So, no running changes to this one.

Does Hasbro plan to make more video game figures after Darth Nihilus and the Force Unleashed figures? And if so, what games will you be looking at? (TJ, 09/14/07)

We are certainly open to doing more figures.  We get updates periodically on the progress of the LucasArts games, and will look to continue that relationship as we see opportunities coming down the road for upcoming future games. As for past games, we have a couple small surprises here worked into the line.

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With the expanded universe comic packs, the McQuarrie concept figures and other non movie figures intermingled in the waves, are there plans for entire waves of expanded universe figures from the numerous novels, games, RPG and comics in the future? (TPU.co.uk, 09/14/07)

Yes, this is certainly a possibility for future basic figure waves. However, we would be sparing and still concentrate primarily on the movie figures for the most part in any Saga basic figure line.

The three alien Jedi created for the original Clone Wars have now all been made into action figures. With their success, are we likely to see more generic alien Jedi being released in the future? (TPU.co.uk, 09/14/07)

If the alien Jedi have on screen appearances (such as in the Geonosis Arena, comics, or Clone Wars existing or new animation) then we will look at them. It is unlikely that we would do arbitrary alien Jedi.

Given that the McQuarrie sub-line has been such an apparent hit with fans, do you have any plans to expand it to cover the rest of the original trilogy? Or perhaps the prequels - the Darth Maul (Sith Apprentice) from the Power of the Jedi line would make a great re-release to launch figures based on The Phantom Menace (black clad Jedis, Sith Witches etc). (TPU.co.uk, 09/14/07)

We will not have any more concept figures for 2008, but hope to return to it in the future.

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What was the reasoning behind the substitution of the VOTC Han Solo for R3-A2 and for the Saga Legends Poll? (YF, 09/14/07)

There is a possibility that this figure will be used in an exclusive set next year, so we needed to make sure that he was not in use anywhere else at the time.

Dear Hasbro, would you consider having a Fans' Choice Poll similar to the figure poll, but for Vehicles? Obviously cost is more of an issue with something like this so the final selection might have to be limited to 1 or 2 repacked/repainted vehicles. (2 vehicles at the $20-25 range or 1 at the $35+ range) The packaging could also reflect that this is a Fans' Choice vehicle similar to the sticker designation you've given some of the Legends Figures. (Sandtrooper & Darktroooper) (YF, 09/14/07)

We have been discussing something like this, and would consider making a future poll along these lines. We're not ready to go on this right away, but will get back to the sites with some ideas at a later date.

Dear Hasbro. Would you ever consider making figure of the UZAY Snowtrooper and guard as a tribute to these famous foreign knock offs from back in the 1980s? (YF, 09/14/07)

We have actually talked to Lucasfilm about this, and together have decided not to pursue anything related to the bootleg products in our Hasbro lines.

[Matt]

Session 39 - September 28, 2007

The call for substancially more Padmé figures seems to be unbroken. While you just made clear that multipacks do have another focus not just for one figure there would be another way launch more than one figure at one time besides the main line. In 1998 you realised 4 2-Packs with Princess Leia in the POTF2 Princess Leia Collection Subline. Like Leia was in the classic trilogy Padmé is the one female main character in the new trilogy and with their multiple dresses she wears in Episodes I to III it would be difficult to realise all or most of her dresses among the main line so some other forms of realisations could hold for launching the mayor sculpts of Padmé. Padmé could get her own 2-Pack subline in a way like the recent Order 66 2-Packs. Each set could come with a Padmé figure in new dress with another main character as Repack, Repaint or another new character. Even a 2-Pack from some deleted scenes with a Separatist Senator would be possible that way. Easily around 6 sets could be possible. More Padmé figures can be produced from time to time with the main line if there will be a slot for her. How do you think about an idea like this? (4".de, 09/28/07)     

The challenge is that these 2-packs were not very successful at the time, because of the narrow focus, and while we *could* do something like that we have not because we do not think it would be the best idea for us. Female figures, in general, so struggle and are not very popular with kids, so we will continue to turn our attention to Padme periodically in the "collector" slots we have in the lineup. This means that you will likely not see too many at one time because there are many other popular segments that we must also pay attention to. More Padme's will come with time.    

In 1998 Hasbro realised the Dagobah Bogwing Creature with the POTF2-Line in the Complete Galaxy Set Dagobah with Yoda. While this figur has been non-removably fixed with the planetary globe accessory it could not work as a stand allone figure if one wouldn't decide to burst it up from the globe. Did Hasbro think about possibilities to re-release the creature as an accessory figure with another Yoda or Luke in the mainline? (4".de, 09/28/07)

That is a good idea. While we have not considerd this exactly, we will certainly look at it as a future idea. Thanks.

At the time there has been only our little friend R2-D2 that has been equipped with electronic features (if you don't count the TOMY Droid Repaints with remote control). Does Hasbro concern about ways to release other astromech droids with electronic features or as repaints/kit-bashs of the VOTC R2-D2 figure to equip them with mechanical tooling? (4".de, 09/28/07)

R2-D2 has a unique personality among all the astromech droids, so we have not thought too heavily about equipping the rest of them with the same technology (for example, we might need to change the sound chip). It is an interesting idea for future droid offering and we will discuss this.

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With the TAC Luke Jedi hitting shelves recently, the question turns to his cloth "vest". The soft goods designed into the figure includes the "skirt" aspect of the vest in the back, but not rest of the vest that's normally above that. Why did Hasbro go with this halter top design rather than an accurate, true vest design thus leaving the back uncovered? And why do the figure without the ability to easily remove the belt and vest to create the Death Star II look from the second half of the film, especially when that look has never been given a decent figure? (AF, 09/28/07)

This was the actual design, as far as we could tell from the reference. Lucasfilm approved it as accurate, so we went with it. If there is evidence to support that it's a full tunic, we will take a look at it and use it the next time we slot in another Jedi Luke.

Would it be possible to get a Captain Panaka figure with a removable cap, either as a retool of the Ep I line original or as an all-new figure? The good captain hasn't been seen in a while and was often seen in the movie with his hat removed. (AF, 09/28/07)

We don't have any plans to update Panaka for now, but if we get a chance to do so, that would be an interesting upgrade to consider.

In the OT, the X-wing pilot costume has a band with cylinders just above the right boot, and the chest box hose connects to the left side of the torso. The VTSC Luke Pilot figure has this correct, however the Saga Dutch Vander Gold Leader body does not, yet that Dutch body is currently treated as the defacto pilot body when a new pilot figure is released despite that and its many other drawbacks and inaccuracies. At this scale, approximately 1:18, the difference in height between Luke's 5' 7" body and Gold Leader's 6' 3" body is 1cm, and between Luke and an average-height 6' body would be 0.5cm, which seems a little much for remolding the accurate Luke pilot up to the 6-foot-tall size (though we'd prefer that over continued use of the Gold Leader body). It seems this is one more noteworthy reason to produce a new, better X-wing pilot body, so have we convinced ya's yet to schedule that new figure, huh, huh? (AF, 09/28/07)

You have brought up some good points, and we will look at it the next time we line up an X-Wing Pilot figure.

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With Boba Fett, Jango Fett and Mandalorians in general seemingly extra popular this year and next, is there any chance we might see a Jodo Kast action figure made while this hot streak continues? Maybe in a Comic 2-pack reprinting Twin Engines of Destruction? You could include both Jodo Kast and Boba Fett. (BB, 09/28/07)

That would be a fantastic 2-Pack, and the odds that we will see it within the next two years are pretty good.

The past few years we've had some great holiday figures (ie Santa Yoda). Will you continue the tradition this year? (BB, 09/28/07)

We will not be continuing the holiday theme this year.

What one figure have you guys been really unhappy with and if time and the opportunity presented itself you would go back and redo it? (BB, 09/28/07)

We're pretty happy with the results from the past few year, and while there are always some things we can focus on, we'll turn our attention a bit further back in time. The figure that most folks here should be redone at some point, only because he's an interesting figure in a great scene, is the Imperial Scanning Crew Technician. Now we don't want to lift up hopes by saying he's coming out next year - he isn't - but we would like to get to him before too long.

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We now know about the Geonosis Arena Creatures; the Max Rebo Band; and the Battle of Hoth sets. Are there any other Ultimate Battle Packs on tap for the Fall/Holiday season? (GH, 09/28/07)

That's it for sets that we can confirm.

From spy reports, the upcoming Clone Wars line by Hasbro is shaping up to be an incredibly robust offering. Has any time frame been slotted out for the toys to be released yet? Will toys from the line be release ahead of the debut of the cartoon? Would a really large vehicle be released as a juggernaut piece at the start of the line, or wait for next winter's holiday season? (GH, 09/28/07)

Clone Wars is slated for Fall 2008, so we would look to tie our product offering to the back half of the year.  As far as specific intro dates, we will look to synch up to the debut, and that is all that is being worked out now.  Details will probably be available around Toy Fair time frame. Stay tuned...

Will the store with the red-shirted employees be offering another super value item this holiday season similar to last year's surprise Imperial Shuttle? (Or anyone for that matter? C'mon, we need something to drool about until the holidays!!!) (GH, 09/28/07)

No comment.

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With the recent toy recall news around the country, toy industry analysts are predicting we’ll see prices increase up to as much as 10% to compensate for additional safety testing. Is it likely that we'll see a price hike within the Star Wars brand in 2008? Would you sacrifice the pack-ins to cut costs before raising prices? I know the prices that retailers set are ultimately outside your control, but to some degree you still set the base MSRP. (JD, 09/28/07)

It is up to our retailers to decide what price they will ask for any products, regardless of what we charge it is ultimately their call. As a policy, we cannot comment regarding product manufacturing costing and our sales price to retailers, and trends that might influence these one way or another.

What upgrade to the TIE Fighter would you like to attempt next? We’ve seen changes to the back end, the Wings, and the hatch. What about the interior? Or is the TIE Fighter pretty much just where you want it now? (JD, 09/28/07)

That [the interior] would be the next area of focus the next time we are able in our schedules (and can afford the tooling cost) to update.

Has the time for more Wookiee Warriors passed or will we see that RotS Sneak Preview Wookiee sculpt rolled out again with a new paint job and maybe a new head sculpt? It's a fantastic figure and deserves to be considered next time you’re looking for repaint/battle pack ideas. (JD, 09/28/07)

We do still have plans to keep Wookiees in the mix and will have a couple figures that should interest you next year. We still see a lot of appeal in the Preview figure, and while we won't be updating the sculpt the next time we use him, down the road it's certainly a good idea.

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Will you ever make proper gun turrets for the republic gunship (bubbles where the pilots can fit); perhaps in a battle pack? (JI, 09/28/07)

The challenge is that it's too big and expensive for a basic figure pack-in (or even half of a turret, like we are during with the Destroyer Droid shell). Battle Packs are the more likely possibility, but we haven't slotted it in yet as we have other ideas to get to first. In the future, we would say the chances are very good, but we just haven't slotted this one into the line yet.

I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Baccura/Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor.

So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our rebel friends? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars. (JI, 09/28/07)

We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later. We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time. Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

Images of a Target Exclusive 'Battle of Hoth' Ultimate pack recently hit the net. Can you give us official details on this, like the price, when it will be released and maybe some official photos? (JI, 09/28/07)

No comment.

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With Evolutions returning please can you clear up the whether we'll see any Vintage figures next year or if the line is being rested as you've hinted at?  If this is the case, does this mean that the Ultimate Galactic Hunt will also be rested for 2008? (JN.co.uk, 09/28/07)

Vintage will be rested during 2008 as we turn our collector-focused product attention to the return of the Evolution packs.  We just don't have the capacity to develop two collector-focused lines like this at once.  We're not certain about the Ultimate Galactic Hunt...next year is shaping up to be a very full year as far as activity goes.

We're now seeing more larger Battle Packs coming out (Hoth, Arena Encounter and others) and some of them, such as Hoth, are utilising some of the playset features from the early POTF2 sets.  Do you have plans to reuse some of the other POTF2 sets such as Endor, Death Star Corridor and Bespin Chamber in any more Battle Packs.  Also, with the Arena Encounter Battle Pack coming soon at Toys R Us will we see a re-release of the Arena playset to compliment it? (JN.co.uk, 09/28/07)

We do not have plans to use the Arena Playset at this time, or any of the other elements you have mentioned.  This could change in the future as opportunities present themselves for larger sets.

With the untimely and sad death of Christine Hewitt will we ever see her immortalised in plastic as one of the Tonnika sisters from 'A New Hope'?There are a lot of people that very much want to see this figure and there were various rumours of Hasbro signing an agreement with her to  use her likeness. (JN.co.uk, 09/28/07)

We cannot discuss the issue of the Tonnika sisters at all.  We, too, are saddened by Ms. Hewitt's passing.  It was a real pleasure to talk to her and get to know her at Celebration III.  It's a loss for us all.

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We've seen some images leaked out of a Battle of Hoth Ultra Battle Pack. The images seem to indicate that it's a Target exclusive.  Can you give us some more info on this set?  What's the figure lineup?  What's the suggested retail price?  And can we expect more of these Ultra Battle Pack type sets which feature vehicles and/or playsets in the near future? (JTA, 09/28/07)

No comment.

There seems to have been a significant falloff in news posted at http://www.hasbro.com/starwars/.  Has the Q&A process taken over as the primary means of conveying Hasbro Star Wars news to the collecting community? (JTA, 09/28/07)

That is true.  The Q&A is not meant to replace the product news, but we have been behind.  We expect to get caught up and current in the next few weeks.

A recent collecting site rumor report stated that we may see the V-19 Torrent fighter and Trade Federation Homing Spider Droid  released in the 2008 assault vehicle assortment.  Seeing how 2008 is set to be the year for Clone Wars, and both of these items are part of the Clone Wars era, can we expect to see these pieces next year? (JTA, 09/28/07)

We don't like rumor lists.partly because they reveal spoilers, partly because they could build up false expectations.  Since it's too early to reveal any of our farther-reaching 2008 plans, we'll just say that some of what you read may be true, but we cannot confirm which parts.

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The recent Saga Legends poll had both the Saleucami Clone Trooper and Commander Neyo (from the Treachery on Saleucami battle pack) in the top 20. Were the votes for the trooper specifically for that particular clone trooper, or perhaps the votes were meant for the Target-exclusive ROTS Clone Trooper? Were these separated in the final tally, or combined into one vote?

What if you released the figures as a generic "Saleucami Clone Trooper" and included all 3 heads: Neyo (besides, most of his troops actually wore the exact same helmet), the clone with visor (from the battle pack), and the film-inaccurate ROTS Clone helmet. Since the harness is removable, you could also include the belt from the Clone Commander (another Saga Legends figure) and that way fans could get ALL THREE versions of the troops in one package! (Plus have a few leftover parts for customs...) (RS, 09/28/07)

Commander Neyo was very clearly ahead of the Clone Trooper, so we are confident that folks were able to distinguish, and based on the voting patterns, a good number of folks voted for both. We kept them separate in the tally, because they are two very different packaging executions - character, vs generic - and we wanted to keep them separate. As such, we'll just be focusing on Neyo and will leave the Clone for a future Legends-type opportunity.

Speaking of Saga Legends, what's the status on the Saga Legends 501st Clone Trooper (SA mold), the Sandtrooper Sergeant (Evolutions mold), and the Pit Droids (sitting mold with locker)? Is it possible to reveal what case assortments these variants will be in? (RS, 09/28/07)

We have some news. The Sandtrooper using the Evolution tool will be shipping starting with assortment 85770000W, and is expected to hit shelves around January.

We have seen first shots of the Pit Droids with bent-leg stance, and full production figures will be out on shelves in March, with all three color versions rolling out through until the end of Spring.

The 501st is a little murkier. While we have asked to switch this figure out for the SA Clone, we have yet to see a sample. We believe the reason is that we are running the SA clone at full capacity elsewhere and our Asian team has not had the ability to switch production. We are still confirming and are hopeful that this switch will happen but cannot confirm when it will take place.

I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Bacara & Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers, snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor.

So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our Rebel friends? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars.

For years now we've been able to put our Clones & Storms in most any position we'd like.....so please give us the same option for our beloved Rebels.....please! (RS, 09/28/07)

We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later. We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time. Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

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Several fan sites in this Q&A series have asked about problems with Greatest Hits/Saga Legends figures and nagging TSC pegwarmer figures, and Hasbro's answers always have the same theme - "the problems are not systemic, it must be your area that's an anomaly". The thing is, these sites and their readers are from all over the country and they're consistently reporting the same issues independently of each other which suggests these aren't be random, isolated events. This has grown especially frustrating with the current waves of the Saga Legends line as it seems to be shipping very heavily and covering many a store's TAC pegs while the main TAC line wave 4 remains sparse and rife for scalper attention. What makes Hasbro so confident about there being no wide-scale problems with lingering TSC pegwarmers or stores not coping with the 2-SKU/2-pegs system for the current basic lines (TAC and SL), and that none of this is creating an intensely-frustrating problem for new figures getting into consumers' hands? (SSG, 09/28/07)

We do not have access to individual store level inventories to know what figures are where and in what quantity - that level of information simply doesn't exist. That's why we report that on a national level - the greater whole - waves are shipping as planned, and the replenishment process by which stores are "resupplied" is something we watch on a weekly basis. To be clear on how it works - stores will be resupplied based on what has sold down, not based on what is sitting on what pegs, which is invisible to the automated ordering systems. So if Saga Legends is selling in those stores, it will be reordered. If 30th Anniv. is selling, it will be reordered. To finish that discussion - the stock of one has no impact on the other. However, it doesn't work like clockwork all the time, and the number of older figures of a subline could impact which waves are shipped so it could be possible for a store to miss a wave depending on how much stock and how fast it's selling and what wave is available to ship next. We would ask that if colelctors have noticed problems in certain stores, they please send the Store # of the WM store with the issue (via the same process you use to submit questions) and we will have our retail teams look into it and see if there is a way to "unclog" a local store if its within our merchandising teams coverage area.

What does Hasbro think about using the New Jedi Order (Yuuzhan Vong) series of novels as source material for more figures? Especially now with NJO Luke coming in an Evolutions set next year, might this open the door to getting other NJO characters like Yuuzhan Vong or Fan Choice poll top 25 characters like Jacen, Jaina, Anakin and Nom Anor? (SSG, 09/28/07)

We like the idea a lot, and don't rule out that in the next couple years we could weave some of these figures into the line. We can't give you exact details, but we are optimistic. Fans should know that we realize how important these characters have been and we can't wait to see them materialize as well.

Over the past few years, Hasbro's become adept at using mostly existing bodies to create acceptable figures, both in the main line and arguably more successfully in the Battle Packs and multipack lines - the upcoming Entertainment Earth Mandalorian multipacks are the most recent and standout examples of this. With that in mind, might Hasbro consider creating a Rogue Squadron multipack of Rebel pilots utilizing mostly already-existing molds with new heads and new comic- or movie-accurate decos on their helmets? The characters would be taken from characters that already exist in the comics and books. How about alien pilots - such as Gand, Mon Calamari, and Quarren - and female pilots? (SSG, 09/28/07)

We're glad you like the Rebel pilots - we do too, and are trying to find ways to get some more of these largely unsung heroes out there like we are with Tycho this Fall. We think you will be very pleased with some interesting figures next year...that's all we can say right now!

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I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Baccura/Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor. So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our rebel freinds? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars. For years now we've been able to put our Clones/Storms in most any position we'd like.....so please give us the same option for our beloved Rebels.....please! (ST, 09/28/07)

We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later.  We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time.  Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

Hasbro, you've consistantly said that playsets and accessories are not profitable for you.  I'd like your thoughts on your production on the bar pieces.  In recent Q&A's you've stated you see that the dispencer won't fit with the way the curved pieces were made.  You also stated that you wouldn't revisit either the curved pieces or straight pieces to correct the multiple inconsistancies.  I've noticed several discrepencies between the straight pieces of the bar issued years ago and the curved pieces. Beside the sharp angle of the curve, which won't allow for the center piece with the dispencer, the barstool base and coloring of the seat don't match between the straight pieces and curved. Also, the shading/shadowing at the bottom of the bar, close to the floor the trim along the edge of the bar counter doesn't match between the straight and curved pieces and the flooring is different.   And finally, the straight pieces don't even fit well together. What I'd like to know is, are people looking at these things before they are released?  Now that the pieces have been sculpted, released and sold, it won't be profitable to resculpt.  But, why isn't the whole thing looked at as one piece before it is developed and sold as pieces?  I think this is exactly why playsets and some accessory sets have not been successful. I believe even if sales of these pieces, which will primarily be based on the figures, are successful, the execution on the Cantina bar, which could have been so cool, was a failure.  So, we would like your comment on this. (ST, 09/28/07)

Your question has severeal layers.

First, we didn't design a whole caninta bar at once and then decide to release it in sections - it was created organically, a piece at a time. We did consider the straight second when we created the curved section, but due to a different Asian design and engineering teams and the nuances of production windows, it's not a guarantee that all of the details we intend will have be able to be produced in the way we wanted.  We try to do the best we can on each toy as it comes up.

Regarding your second point. Playsets and accessories have not had success because of the aesthetic nuances you mention, but because the market on the whole (kids and collectors) do not show an appreciation for playsets on near the same level as in past years.  You may think they are important, and most collectors would agree in principal, but we've seen the votes (in terms of sales) and collectors focus on figures and vehicles, skipping things like  accessory packs and the Geonosis Arena set.  Figures and vehicles remain the heart of the line, and other, less iconic and universally recognized accessories, don't fare as well.

I really liked the badgless black tunic officers from Episode VI.  Will we ever see these guys in plastic, like Hewex, Dyer and the ever popular Renz?  I know we have Praji comin out, but I really want these guys. (ST/TJ, 09/28/07)

We do have plans to tackle these guys as opportunities present themselves. It may take a while to get to specific officers, so hang in there.

In the past you said that stores have different order numbers for the Legends wave versus the regular TAC wave or even the SAGA waves.  In 2 local Wal-Marts, these all share the same pegs, where there are over 60 SAGA figures mixed in with some Legends figures and TAC pegwarmers(R2-D2, Obi and Mace).  Based on your previous answers that this kind of stuff shouldn't happen, what do you say now?  Do you contact these stores and have them get it right or send out a rep?  As a collector what can I do to get new stuff at these stores? (ST/TJ, 09/28/07)

We do not have access to individual store level inventories to know what figures are where and in what quantity - that level of information simply doesn't exist.  That's why we report that on a national level - the greater whole - waves are shipping as planned, and the replenishment process by which stores are "resupplied" is something we watch on a weekly basis.  To be clear on how it works - stores will be resupplied based on what has sold down, not based on what is sitting on what pegs, which is invisible to the automated ordering systems.  So if Saga Legends is selling in those stores, it will be reordered.  If 30th Anniv. is selling, it will be reordered.  To finish that discussion - the stock of one has no impact on the other.  However, it doesn't work like clockwork all the time, and the number of older figures of a subline could impact which waves are shipped so it could be possible for a store to miss a wave depending on how much stock and how fast it's selling and what wave is available to ship next.  We would ask that if collectors have noticed problems in certain stores, that they please send the Store # of the WM store with the issue (via the same process you use to submit questions) and we will have our retail teams look into it and see if there is a way to "unclog" a local store if its within our merchandising teams coverage area.

Will we ever get the ewoks that help chewy take out the AT-ST in Return of the jedi?  Any other new Ewoks on the horizon, besides the new 2 pack coming out? (ST/TJ, 09/28/07)

In general, yes, we will keep Ewoks in the line and introduce new ones every so often.  Regarding the specific ones that helped Chewie…we'll look into it and see which guys they are.  They would be good ones to slot into the line at the next Ewok opportunity.

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Considering the success of the Concept Art Series figures, and that there are still plenty of concept characters to be mined, have you thought about doing a figure of The Emperor from the original theatrical cut of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK -- the one played by a woman in prosthetic make-up that then had chimpanzee eyes superimposed over her real eyes? (SWC, 09/28/07)

While we have been discussing what we could do next for concept characters, that one hasn't made it onto our wish lists.

Although the novel that was to center around Darth Plagueis the Wise has been cancelled, the character is still one that has fans intrigued, especially since it was announced the character is a Muun (same species as San Hill). Any chance we could see an action figure of him eventually? (SWC, 09/28/07)

Eventually, we would like to see him too. We originally proposed a Darth Plagueis figure after EpIII, but then we learned about the story coming and he was put off. Since then, we haven't found a place in the line for him but we will get to him someday.

With a new Max Rebo Band set coming out, could we finally be close to getting a figure of Jabba's palace dancer Yarna del' Gargan? (SWC, 09/28/07)

She's on the short list of ones we would like to do next, but we have not confirmed so. Hopefully by 2009.

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Will there be another UGH type of rarity in 2008? If so, will we still receive the gold coins or will we receive a different type of promotion. (TSE.N, 09/28/07)

We are planning promotional activity for next year, but it will most likely not involved UGH. We'll rest that one for 2008.

Will there be another vintage-style line in 2008? If so, what figures could we expect to see (what are the chances of seeing figures based on classic production differences such as vinyl cape jawa, Rocket Firing Boba Fett and Double Telescoping figures)? (TSE.N, 09/28/07)

There will not be another vintage-style line in 2008, because we are dedicating those resources and tool budget toward developing the Evolutions reintroduction. We certainly hope to pick up vintage further down the road, and the polls we conducted recently have informed our thinking for when we do bring it back out.

It looks from the initial pictures of the Elite Forces Entertainment Earth 14 pack, that the helmets fit too snuggly on the Mandalorians; not only revealing the chins, but also appearing misshapen on their heads. Will this be remedied when the figures go into production. (TSE.N, 09/28/07)

The helmets have been corrected for production.

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Will we have an opportunity, perhaps through a mail-away offer, to get the gold "Indy IV" coin? Perhaps an offer on the first wave of figures? Also Are there any plans for a Vintage-style line for Indy figures, similar to the VOTC/VTSC Star Wars line? One thing the collecting world could certainly use, is a finely-sculpted, super-articulated Indiana Jones figure!  Thanks! (YF, 09/28/07)

We think that you will be plenty pleased by the lineup of quality figures we have slated for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We have discussed it, but right now, we don't have plans to do vintage figures. We will be focusing on some other areas our first year.

In regards to the new Target "Battle of Hoth" Ultimate Battle Pack, I am glad to see a couple of VTSC Snowtrooper in this set, but throwing in the previous (late 90s era) POTF2 Snowtrooper sculpt seems like a wasted slot. Why not something else instead, like the AT-AT driver or E-Web cannon accessory? Also is the AT-ST in this set a straight repack or does it have "snow" paint effect applied to it? Oh one more thing the Snowspeeder Luke appears to have Obi-Wan Kenobi's lightsaber instead of the proper Luke version - will this oversight be addressed? (YF, 09/28/07)

We have no comment.

Some of the gray Clone Commanders in the Saga Legends line have shown up packed with one of 2 weapons: the sandtrooper rifle or the standard clone rifle. Was this an intentional variant or a factory packing error. (YF, 09/28/07)

It was an error on our part for failing to spec the proper weapon at first. Since they were all in the same grouping from the Evolution Pack where the figures started, the factory grabbed the most impressive one, the Sandtrooper rifle, but not the correct one. We have updated on subsequent released.

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If electronics, lights and sounds are so expensive to add to vehicles, why dos Hasbro keep reissuing the electronic R2-D2? I would think that current technology would make it cheaper through the use of LEDs and sound chips rather than battery powered motors and grain-of-wheat bulbs. (YN, 09/28/07)

No new product development (other than updated packaging) is needed, so this is an ideal item for us to keep in the line as long as demand remains high. At this point, we wouldn't achieve a cost-savings sufficient enough to offset the substantial rework costs.

Now that the Vintage Line has been around the block for a few years do you see it returning in 2008? (YN, 09/28/07)

Vintage will be rested during 2008 as we turn our collector-focused product attention to the return of the Evolution packs. We just don't have the capacity to develop two collector-focused lines like this at once.

When can we expect to see a change in the card format, from the current 30th Anniversary line? (YN, 09/28/07)

The current card design will run through Spring of 2008. We will be bringing an exciting new line look to shelves in Fall 2008. We will probably be showing a glimpse of this at Toy Fair 2008.

[Matt]

Session 40 - October 12, 2007

The VOTC Lando looks great, but his cape is neither removable nor does it accurately drape over his shoulders - both of which were seen prominently in the movie. Would it be possible to get that Lando figure retooled so he has a removable cape that drapes all the way over his shoulders? (AF, 10/12/07)

Great suggestion - we will look at that for a possible future Lando upgrade.

With the implications that the Vintage line is on the back burner for the '08 line and the premium figures will be in the Evolutions sets, might Hasbro consider re-releasing some of the original 2004 Vintage figures on different classic Kenner-style cardbacks? For instance, the '78-'79 Star Wars card is a much more iconic cardback for figures like Vader, Chewbacca, the Stormtrooper, R2, and Boba Fett. And since they would be straight repacks, could they be implemented in the basic line without outer shell cases? (AF, 10/12/07)

We have discussed this, but our focus is elsewhere right now. We are hoping that the next time we do something with Vintage it will involve new figures, and not just repacks.

With the fast selling of the 1-per-case Darktrooper, will this encourage more to be included in later Saga Legends waves to ensure availability as the line continues ships into 2008? And do you view this figure being a success based on its initial offerings selling out in under an hour on HasbroToyShop website? (AF, 10/12/07)

There certainly has been a great collector pounce for Darktrooper. We will offer him in future ratios as well.

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For those of us who like to budget in advance, about how many new Star Wars figures will we be seeing in 2008? Indiana Jones? (BB, 10/12/07)

It's too early to give totals, but in next year's "Saga" line (including Spring 30th and the follow-up line) you can expect about the same as this year, perhaps a bit fewer as we make room for Clone Wars. The Clone Wars details are being kept under wraps, but it will be a solid showing. Finally, on IJ, we are looking at close to 30 basic figures....strong support for all four IJ films over the course of the year.

Do you look at the results of the Fan's Choice poll recently and use that information to plan future case packs? With almost all of the winners being Clones or Stormtroopers of some type, does that tell you that future case packs should include more "Army Builder" Figures? (BB, 10/12/07)

We have been moving in that direction for some time now, and the 30th case packs have all had good trooper representation. We are not sure it's a wise strategy to amp it up even more though - say giving over half of our case packs to troops - so look to us to continue to work in different ones and keep them in the line as we have done for the Galactic Marine and Airborne this year, and look for new Troopers or new takes on existing ones to bring into future lines early so we can re-pack throughout any year.

With the upcoming Force Unleashed Game, it was announced that there will be a version for the Nintendo Wii in which the Wiimote will function as a lightsaber and will have a mode in which you can duel another player using the Wiimotes. Have you guys looked at making a version of the lightsaber in which you could slide the Wiimote into the handle for a more realistic gaming experience? (BB, 10/12/07)

Interesting idea, and we love the vision of millions of gamers everywhere using their Hasbro Lightsaber Wiimote docks to wage galactic battles. It gives whole new meaning to "role play". Ultimately though, we don't know how the sales would be vs regular lightsabers so we'll probably continue focusing our efforts there.

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A new Hoth Princess Leia seems long overdue, given that we've only had one released way back in 1998. Can we expect a new Hoth Princess Leia in the basic line within the next of year? Are we going to see a "classic" Princess Leia in next year's pre-Clone Wars line (the VOTC model)? It'd be great to see the iconic Princess Leia with that beautiful artwork. (GH, 10/12/07)

We do have plans to update a Hoth Leia, but not in 2008.  We would like to periodically get around to updating key Leias one or so at a time, like we did this year with Endor Leia.  We have not thought about a straight repack of the VOTC Princess Leia on a basic card, focusing instead on the Leia Boushh in the Saga Legends line.

Do smaller figures (a la Pit Droids) cost less or the same to produce from the manufacturing perspective? We are wondering if there's any chance for a comprehensive Pod Race Battle Pack? Things that could be included: All the released Pod Racer Pilots (Gasgano, Ody Mandrell, Teemto Pagales, Dud Bolt, Mars Guo, Anakin and Sebulba) and include Sebulba's massage chair and some droids (including the Otoga 222, C-3PO, and the cleanup droids). Oh and just a reminder -- we want more Pod Race Pilots! (GH, 10/12/07)

Figure costing encompasses amount of raw materials used, the number of molds involved (the greater the number, the greater the labor and cycle time to shoot the parts), deco, and assembly.  Pit Droids are efficient in these areas and that's why we can offer 2-packs. We hope that in the future we can do the same with the "smaller" Pod Racer drivers like we did last year. We are not planning a battle pack around them, though, since we think the concept is still a little niche and doesn't involve any core characters or Troopers which have been the mainstay of our packs to this point. With time, though, you never know.

Is the Ewok Village mold still in working order since its last use for the 1991 Robin Hood line? And if it is, has the team ever considered re-releasing it? The Holiday Season would be the hap-happiest season of all! "There'd be Rebels for roasting, and Ewoks for hoaxing when Force Powers are called..." (GH, 10/12/07)

OK, Adam - you are hitting the note a little early! Seriously, good jingle. We have not considered a re-release of the Ewok Village playset, and so have not looked for the tools. With the interest in Ewoks, it's something we should look into a some point, possibly for an exclusive. Thanks for the suggestion.

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The new 30AC Han Solo with Torture Rack seems to be receiving a mixed response. Many fans seems to love the Torture Rack, but dislike the scene-specific Han included. What are the chances you’ll be releasing a new super-articulated Bespin Han in 2008 so those unhappy folks can turn their frowns upside down? (JD, 10/12/07)

We have no plans right now to update Bespin Han. We'll be turning our attention to a different Han next year.

Will the 2007 Vintage Snowtrooper torso ever be reworked/tweaked so that we can get a super-articulated Snowtrooper Officer (as seen in the AT-AT Cockpit with General Veers)? (JD, 10/12/07)

Interesting idea. We will look into it to see what kind of match exists.

Have you ever considered adding non-traditional accessories to the figures (when costs allow, obviously). For example, how about one of those large plants from Felucia the next time we see a 327th Star Corps Trooper? Or even a small shrub for the next Ewok release. Something like that might help spice up some of those many clone re-issues and give diorama builders some nice fodder to use. (JD, 10/12/07)

We have considered other accessories, but it always comes down the cost of the piece relative to the iconic importance. Plants aren't high on the list, though.

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Given that we've seen several re-released vehicle repaints (some with pack in figures) any chance of the Naboo N-1 Starfighter (without electronics) getting re-issued as a store exclusive (maybe with an Episode II dirty paint application) with a pack in figure and alternate astromech droid?  Maybe the pack in figure could be either Captain Typho or Padme Pilot? (JN.co.uk, 10/12/07)

We haven't looked at it yet, simply because there have been other vehciles to do before the N-1

The packaging for the Saga Collection 2008 will have to change a little bearing in mind the coin is being replaced by a stand so any chance of a sneak peek? (JN.co.uk, 10/12/07)

Sorry James, we don't have a sneak peak available yet.  However, the blister will become a little wider out to the edge of the current coin area, and the stand will be shown inside the blister.

Thanks for allowing us to have our say in the 2008 Saga Legends voting.  Any chance we could get a complete list of the final standings for all the 20 figures included?  Also, will any of the other 15 finalists be considered for re-packs anytime soon? (JN.co.uk, 10/12/07)

Thank you for getting your readers to participate.  The final order, based on # of votes:

        1. Shadow Stormtrooper
        2. Commander Neyo
        3. Covert Ops Clone Trooper
        4. Utapau Shadow Trooper
        5. Zev Senesca.
        6. ARC Trooper (Clone Wars) red & gray
        7. Clone Trooper Pilot w/ball turret
        8. Clone Trooper (Saleucami)
        9. Zutton
        10. R3-A2
        11. Graxol Kelvyyn
        12. Ephant Mon
        13. Stormtrooper (Vintage OTC)
        14. Colonel Wulf Yalaren
        15. Coleman Trebor
        16. Pablo-Jill
        17. Chewbacca
        18. Gungan Warrior (Fambaa set)
        19. Sio Bibble
        20. Bespin Guard

    We are considering more of these for release in future lines beyond Saga Legends, but don't have any specifics.  Suffice to say, it was great to get the fans and fansites involved in the character selection and it will have a great impact on things we do both in Saga Legends and elsewhere.  Thanks again!

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In 2005 it seemed that collectors were mad about Clone Troopers, any way we could get them.  Hasbro stepped up to that challenge and delivered  A LOT of Clone Troopers.  Two years later it seems that the interest in Clone Troopers seems to have tapered off.  Anecdotal reports from collectors online has them sighting good numbers of the Galactic Marine and the Saga Legends AOTC and ROTS Clone Troopers, and the troops are not selling the way they did in '05 and '06.  Have we hit something of a paradigm shift in troop building?  Have collectors gotten their fill of Clone Troopers?  Or do you think that collectors want to build different armies at this time? (JTA, 10/12/07)

The demand for Clones is still mighty, but there is no question that many collectors want to see more of the other types of troop builder figures as well.

It seems that Hasbro is constantly looking for new and fresh ways to keep core characters in the Basic figure line.  Has a more accurate Revenge of the Sith version of Chewbacca (as seen here) with his cool bronze bowcaster been considered? (JTA, 10/12/07)

We haven't considered a new ROTS Chewie, but that's an interesting take. Thanks.

Can you give us some insight into how the Basic Figure line is planned?  Are there a set number of slots, or is it flexible?  Is there competition for those spots in the line?  And does the design team independently work on figure designs, or are they "commissioned" with designing specific figures? (JTA, 10/12/07)

We figure out at the start of the year how many basic figure items we will have to work with.  There is usually some flexibity in the number to increase (or decrease) by a couple.   We all bring some favorites to the planning, and there is a good amount of back and forth, especially on collector-targeted figures, which makes the process fun.  The design team is an integral part of the process, so they won't work on an item until is collectively approved.

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Will the just-announced Saga Legends wave 5 include collector coins? If so, what color will they be? The reason I ask is because some fans are eager for an EU coin in silver, and 3 of the winning figure qualify as EU. (RS, 10/12/07)

Yes, they will come with coins. There will be at least one silver EU coin in there. ; )

Recently, Entertainment Earth revealed that the Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in Stormtrooper disguise figures would be re-released sans the blue "comic book style" coloring. Will we this also see the "red eyes" changed to the normal black color? On a related topic, will the Chewbacca and R2-D2 also be changed to "normal colors" or will they still retain the comic book deco? (RS, 10/12/07)

Verrry interesting question and one which we have spent considerable time discussing. The comic packs are not simply a repack exercise (like some battle packs). The intent of the comic 2-packs is to be true comic versions of those characters, as if those versions of the characters "stepped off the page" and were in the real world. To this extent, the red visors, Chewie colors, and R2-D2 colors are an essential part of that comic artwork. Those details will not change on re-release. However, the shadow effect was added to the figures in an attempt to mimic the comic tenchique of figure-ground separation using shading (otherwise, Stormtroopers would be mostly outlines and would lack depth). Blue is often used in comics to show shadow to reserve black for character details, which would not be present on a figure if they stepped off the page. So, after we discussed on the team here, it was decided to forgo the shadow on re-release but keep the other details to be true to the comic roots. The reason we love the comics is that there are differences, sometimes small, sometimes major, and it's important to focus on which ones to keep for a point of differentiation from mainline figures.

The Comic Packs this year are a definite hit, and we're all excited to see they are coming back next year. A thought occurs to me with this year's selections. I notice that many of the Dark Horse figures are inspired by the Clone Wars comics, such as Quinlan Vos and A'Sharad Hett, while the artwork and the comics included in them are from other appearances. Was this an intentional mismatch? Were there plans at one point for the matching outfits. Or (as the conspiracy theorist in me suspects) was this a subliminal way to bring back the Clone Wars era back into the minds of collectors, anticipating next year's The Clone Wars animated series? (RS, 10/12/07)

It was certainly not a way to bring Clone Wars back….only because as far as we are concerned they have never gone away. The simple explanation is that we locked onto the comic issues we wanted to do, and were planning to do the outfits in those issues. In discussion with Lucasfilm and among our design team, it was decided to focus on the same character match-up, but pick the more iconic version of that character's outfit, since we may only have one chance to ever make a figure of that character.

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Will the Vintage-style Luke X-wing pilot body be used on height-appropriate pilots like Wedge, Jansen, Hobbie from the films, and perhaps even Corran Horn, Tycho Celchu, Nawara Ven, and others from the EU since they're all closer to Luke's height (around an inch or 2 either way) than the tall stature of the Dutch Vander pilot figure that's up above 6 feet? (SSG, 10/12/07)

If and when we get to some of those Rebs, we'll look at the bodies available and try to pick to make meaningful height differentiation among pilots… that is a good goal to have.

The final results of the Fans' Choice Saga Legends '08 poll were surprising, to say the least - 4 troopers, 3 of which are just former exclusives that are mere EU repaints. The 5 winners don't seem to jive with the fan sites' poll results, which have the Shadow Stormtrooper and Zev playcing highly, but Ephant Mon placing even higher than Zev, and Blue Snaggletooth and Graxol Kelvyyn placing much higher than the Covert Ops Trooper and Utapau Shadow Trooper. Some fans are finding the winning 5 figures a rather underwhelming group and are concerned that the final results may have been skewed somehow, whether by error or by certain fans signing up multiple voting accounts. Granted, this isn't a presidential election, but the odd results like Ephant Mon not making the top 5 despite being the #2 ranked from all the sites asks, can we get a recount on this poll? (SSG, 10/12/07)

We can't say for certain that some fans did not vote from different accounts... that is certainly possible. We did the vote this way to get the broadest possible voting, and there were indeed some big surprises to us in the final vote order based on the initial web site straw polls and top 10 lists. One thing that is clear - backing up the first Saga Legends poll, is that troops are still in demand.

Does the Star Wars brand manager or other higher-ups for the line ever personally go down stores' toy aisles to see how product is moving? If so, what do they see of that, and does it ever affect distribution - especially seeing a number of pegwarmers not selling? Does it influence those people in any way? (SSG, 10/12/07)

We go out to retail constantly to check on our local stores and see if there are any key learnings or trends to be aware of. We are careful not to jump to conclusions based on what we see locally, and to check what we see locally against the nationally-reported data before reacting. In some cases, if we see locally jives with the national data, we will revise future case-pack weightings (ratios) or the items we are about to manufacture and which will hit shelves in several months. In other cases, what we see locally is not a national trend and does not need to be addressed or is a flag to watch from week to week to see if we have spotted what could be an issue.

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Earlier this year, you sold an album that was intended to hold the coins that would be included with this years action figures in the 30th Anniversary Collection. By my count, that would be:

60 basic figure coins
7 Saga Legends (TPM, AOTC, ROTS, ANH, ESB, ROTJ, EU)
4 Convention giveaways (CIV, Celebration Europe, and Comic Con, plus bonus
Indiana Jones IV gold coin)
5 Convention exclusives from figures (2 McQ Luke (C4 & CE), 2 McQ R2/3-PO
(C4 & CE), 1 McQ Obi-Wan/Yoda)
1 SWS Exclusive (Concept Grievous)
12 UGH variants

 If my math is correct (and I used a calculator to double check) that comes out to a total of 89 Coins. How do you propose that I get all 89 coins (provided I can collect them all, and believe me, I'm trying) into a coin album (that cost me $11, FYI) that has only 80 slots? And this doesn't even take into account the 6 Vintage coins (5 for the figures + the bonus coin) and the Toy Fair coin because they come with their own special cases, even though I would prefer to remove them from those cases and display them with the rest of my coins. (ST, 10/12/07)

That are actually 90 coins. Previously, on a different Q&A answer, we had confirmed there were 89, but we forgot the concept Grievous.  However, you are right….there are more coins than slots to house them.  The only way to house them all, if you have them all, would be to get a second binder where you could also bring in the vintage coins as well.  The original intent of the binder was to give some blank space for extras and duplicates, and then we just kept coming up with different coins to the point where we had more than the slots could house.  Our sincere hope is that you are enjoying the "hunt" for the coins and forgive us for the spillover!

If a website like Brian's Toys can offer the "One of every figure club" which allows members to be shipped one of every action figure in every wave of Star Wars Figures that gets released, why can't Hasbro Toy Shop offer a similar program? Surely, HTS can get Star Wars figures just as easily - if not easier - than any other retailers? And why can't Hasbro Toy Shop get new Star Wars figures in a timely manner? Or when they do happen to receive new/currently shipping items, they sell out so quickly? And then take so long to be replenished, if at all? (ST, 10/12/07)

HTS actually tried this model during Episode III, but it did not go over well since it was started after the figures had started shipping and supply proved an issue.  We ultimately had to cancel out of the program, so we have not been quick to jump back into it and have let others carry the ball.  With planning, it could happen, and we will discuss again. Regarding HTS, they are treated the same as our other retail partners, and their supplies are based on forecasts and orders...if they are selling out quickly, it means that they need to bring up their forecasts to match demand for the next round.

Do you have any comments about the horrendous distribution Star Wars figures are getting at this point in the year? At retail I can find nothing newer than Wave 3, yet some online shops (like HTS and Amazon) are already shipping out Wave 6? And other online shops (like EE) are still waiting to receive Wave 4. How are customers supposed to buy product if there's no product available? (ST, 10/12/07)

Troops - it's a problem that we are looking into to always try and improve, but it is a very complicated issue and a little different from the past because we have a number of waves in a compressed time this Fall.  We don't have a simple answer for you because there are numerous parts to it and we would need more background to address a particular store.

Here are the "trueisms" to start with from a macro level:  We are producing ample supplies of all waves (based on our forecast data and sales history); as inventories sell down at a store, they are flagged for reorder by the inventory management systsems in place to keep sale going smoothly; we ship to retail distribution centers to resupply stores based on both replenishment of current sales and seasonal forecast increases (for example, getting ready for holiday inventories will increase).  We do not ship directly to stores, but instead we go through the DCs, so we don't exactly control where and when each wave goes to any individual store. Part of it is affected, of course, by how much inventory is at that store already...if a store is slow to sell down, then it may not get reordered when the next wave is available.  Compounding the issue is that, at least with 30th Basic figures, the coin delays at the start of the year compressed our wave deliveries for the back half.

Coin production problems are solved, but it means that we will see a lot of variety that normally would have been more spread out compressed into the back half. Usually, we like 6 weeks between new waves, but this Fall it will be more like 4 weeks or less which does pose challenges. We still want to get the new figures out, rather than delay some waves into next year, so we are releasing them as they come in. When a new wave comes in, we also get some of that out to retail so nobody gets shipped all or most of any wave....even if we still have not exhausted supplies of the previous wave.

This, combined with the earlier note about when stores get resupplied, means that the waves may not show up at your store in the order intended. It is also possible that a store may miss a wave initially (we hope not totally though).  We do our best to spread it out and ship all retailers each new wave, but we can't control the flow from the DCs to store level at that fine a detail.  Now, like we said we are making good supplies of all waves and even though the next wave (5 or 6 for example) starts showing up before the previous, it does not mean we are done with Wave 4. We will continue to ship 4 to ensure all retailers get their share.  Whew!  If you stuck with us through this, hang in there....we think we have some amazing figures on the way and hope you are able to find everything in time at your local store, or, worst case, in different local retailers before too long.

I must admit I was a lil bit angry with the results of the Saga Legends Choice.  I really wanted the VOTC Stormtrooper, so I wanted to know if we'll see him eventually in any line, since I believe he made it close to the cut? (ST/"TJ", 10/12/07)

We were surprised as well, since going in it looked like the VOTC Stormtrooper would be a big favorite. In fact, he came in at  #13.  But, that is why we did the poll - to get the broadest fan base to help decide. In this respect, the results weren't too different from last year's poll in that troopers dominated the top spots.  However, there is some good news.  First - even though VOTC Stormtrooper didn't make it, we will work to get him in a future basic figure line eventually (not Saga Legends though, and probably not in 2008....a little after that, hopefully).  Second, we are looking to a few more figures from the list as candidates to bring back in basic figures eventually as well, so the poll will have longer-lasting effects (much like last year's did as well, which spun off more than the originally planned 8 fans' choice figures).

Are there any plans in the near future to make the McQuarrie Luke, Obi-Wan, Yoda, & Concept Grievous figures more available, or perhaps repack them sometime down the road?  The scalpers are making a killing on the auction sites with these rare figures.  It's the law of supply and demand: One would think Hasbro might like to collect every possible profit from these figures.  It would drive the illicit prices for these figures down, plus give Average Joe Collector a better chance at scoring these for his collection. (ST/"TJ", 10/12/07)

We have talked about it, but right now we don't have any plans to make the exclusives more widely available, with one exception. The McQuarrie Yoda & Obi-Wan will be re-released for HasbroToyShop in the U.S., and TRU in Europe (UK and Germany), in early Spring.  The packaging will be unchanged from the U.S. release.

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Have there been any plans to release an Utai figure based on those creature tamers from ROTS? If so, can I recommend a varactyl hatchling as a pack-in for it? It just seemed appropriate, since they're shorter creatures, so they'd probably come with a few extras like the Yoda figures tend to (not to mention they specialized in taming varactyls). (SWC, 10/12/07)

We have looked at the Utai, but just haven't found a chance to get them into the lineup in any of the RotS waves. Like the Ugnaughts, loyalservants to a cause, they will take a while to get there but we are hopeful they will be out eventually.

While we're on that subject, have you considered doing a repaint of the Boga figure to look like a male varactyl? Since the difference is that males feathers are yellow and brown instead of blue, it doesn't appear to be too hard to do, just a standard repaint. (SWC, 10/12/07)

That's an interesting suggestion. We had not considered a re-release of Boga (or an alternate varactyl) yet, as it's still too close in time to EpIII for a creature, but it's an interesting idea for when we do.

How many waves of basic figures will there be in the 2008 Star Wars line, before it switches over to The Clone Wars? Will figures from the films continue to be made and released alongside The Clone Wars figures in 2008? (SWC, 10/12/07)

There will be three waves of figures in Spring before the 30th Anniv. line in the Fall. And yes, "classic" figures will continue alongside Clone Wars figures.

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You announced in your panel at Celebration Europe that the SDCC McQuarrie Yoda and Obi-Wan would be coming to the UK as a retailer exclusive. Summer has passed and we've seen no sign of this two-pack. Please could you tell us if or when this item is coming so we Brits can avoid the Ebay scalpers? (TPU, 10/12/07)

Good news on this front - the McQuarrie Yoda & Obi-Wan will be coming to TRU in Europe, at least the UK and Germany, in early Spring. The packaging will be unchanged from the U.S. release.

In the US many exclusive items are sold via StarWarsShop - Concept Grievous for example. The Celebration Europe Exclusive McQuarrie Concept R2-D2 & C-3PO Action Figures have just been made available to order for Hyperspace members. Although the shop sends internationally we have to pay extra tax and shipping costs to buy these, making the items a lot more costly. Is there no way to make special items available in the UK or Europe directly? Can you not offer some items through the Hasbro Toyshop UK? (TPU, 10/12/07)

The items you mention are specifically given as exclusives to StarWarsOnlineShop.com, and were not shared with other retailers. As we grow our HTS UK presence, it can be a good solution for in-country distribution of exclusives that otherwise would not have a UK or Europe counterpart, but we are not there yet with our strategy. Eventually we hope to be, but not yet.

You seem keen on running variations for army builders (Sandtroopers, Rebel Troopers, Imperial Officers etc) - any chance of seeing a carded variant of the ever-popular X-Wing pilot ? Same body, running change on the head / helmet markings ? We'd love to see some truely diverse characters like Grizz Frix, or perhaps Karie Neth (using the original, more feminine, Luke pilot mold for this female pilot). (TPU, 10/12/07)

The economical thing about doing the troopers is that they do not require separate card artwork because they are "generic" troops. The characters you mentioned are just that - characters, and would need separate cards and would each one be counted as separate items against our item count limits. So the way to attack what you suggest (and we like Rebel heroes!) is to do them occasionally or look for a multi-pack solution when we have enough quality bodies to work with.

[Matt]

Session 41 - October 26, 2007

Hasbro has made a fantastic job with the figure sculpts over the last years. Nevertheless do I think that you have been underachieved with the RA-7 sculpt. The figure seems not be quite movie accurate because it have to be more silver-colored instead of gold-colored. Furthermore the sculpt that bases on the 98' Death Star Droid lacks of state of the art joints. Is it possible that the figure gets a complete update in the following years, e.g. with joints like the C-3PO Ewok Diety and with a TC-14 paintjob? (4".de, 10/26/07)

That's an interesting idea for an update down the road. Since he's a less "iconic" droid, and has just been re-released in the Saga Legends line exactly as when he came out before, it is unlikely that we would update this figure any time soon. Perhaps a few years from now, but right now our focus is on other newer figures.

There are a lot of R2-D2 figures that have been sculpted since 1995. Nearly each feature of the little droid has been realised over the time. I was wondering that the only feature, that has not yet realised have been done with the McQuarrie Concept figure - the starship control-arm links in the front torso under the dome. Is it possible that you go this way when you do the next update to the droid? And what are the odds for a super-articulated and -tooled R2-D2? (4".de, 10/26/07)

Interesting idea on the McQuarrie concept part - we will take a look at that. Your idea for an R2-D2 with "everything" is interesting and we have thought about it as well - a "Swiss Army Knife" version of R2-D2 would be cool, but it would actually be too costly for a simple basic figure. That has really stayed our hand on an idea like this, at least until we can figure out whether it makes sense as an exclusive or in some other type of pack. But for now, we have no plans to release a this sort of R2.

You stated in a former q&a session, that the scanning technology lacked for the realisation of emotional looking human faces so you have reserved that technology for technical tools and vehicles only. In my opinion the sculpting of the various Padmé figures that have been done so far seems not be quite accurate and do not reflect the pretty face of Natalie Portman. The look of the face regularly seems to be curiously grim or a little bit Victorian, you know? How about a more handsome Padmé face the next time you do that figure? (4".de, 10/26/07)

Good comments, and we can't disagree with you. While we always have the intention of doing a perfect figure every time, because they are scultped individually for different articulation models, there is some variation in the process. Female figures, expecially, seem to be hard to get exact, but as always we seek to learn and refine our techniques.

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There are a bunch of alien and droid figures from the POTF2 era that have yet to see upgrades such as: Nien Nunb, Ree Yees, Saelt-Marae (Yak Face), Orrimaarko (Prune Face), Admiral Ackbar, EV-9D9, ASP-7, Ishi Tib, Lak Sivrak, etc.. Is it likely that these guys will be upgraded with better sculpts and articulation in the foreseeable future or are we likely stuck with the ones we have? (AF, 10/26/07)

Some of these will be upgraded in the foreseeable future. In the longer term horizon, we hope to see all of them updated some day.

For some reason, nearly all the Jedi Luke figures have been from Jabba's Palace with permanent vests. The only Death Star II version in recent memory is the rather unfortunate Saga figure with its rather unfortunate action gimmick, preposed body, and bizarre face sculpt. The newest Jedi Luke (TAC #25) has a cloth vest but it's not meant to be removed and the costume underneath is incomplete for Death Star II Luke. In ToyFare's Fans Choice poll, this was the only OT main character - not to mention the only version of Luke - to make the top 25 (and 3 characters who got less votes have already been made as figures now). So, do you have any plans to make a Death Star II Jedi Luke at this point? If not, why has this popular version been continuously overlooked in favor of Jabba's Palace Luke? (AF, 10/26/07)

Good point about needing to update him….it's just that for our theming we have picked different ones. It may be a while still, but hang in there - we will get to him.

With the new Clone Wars line coming up, will you be going back to the original series to make figures for characters who didn't get them, whether or not they appear in this new CGI series? Figures like Holographic Sidious on walking mechano-chair, Scuba Troopers, Space Clone Troopers, Plo Koon in armor, IG Lancer Droid (perhaps with its swoop bike), General Oro Dassyne all would make good candidates from the first series. (AF, 10/26/07)

When the new series comes out, our attention and focus will shift to that one exclusively and we will not likely be doing any more figures from the first Clone Wars series. It doesn't mean we won't look for opportunities from some of the very cool figures you mention, but it becomes much less likely.

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With Transformers coming out on DVD this past week, it renewed our interest in Star Wars Transformers. I believe there are still 3 that haven't hit shelves yet. Any hints on the future of the line? (BB, 10/26/07)

The future of the line is very bright, and we are committed to producing more new figures through next year, and hopefully well beyond. Look for the great wave of 3 new (Luke/Snowspeeder, Cody/Turbo Tank, and AT-AT/AT-AT Driver) any time now.

When exclusives are given to stores, is there anything in the agreements with the companies either asking or requiring them to offer the exclusive through their online store as well? Honestly there is nothing more frustrating to a working collector (or parent for that matter) than hearing that exclusives are hitting stores, but all the local stores are sold out (welcome to Boise, home of the megascalper...). (BB, 10/26/07)

We suggest to our retai partners that they carry exclusives online as well as in-store, but it is ultimately their decision how to market them. We suggest that you voice your frustration to the retailers in question, and hopefully it will influence future exclusives.

As I've said before, my 5 and 2 year olds LOVE Galactic Heroes (heck, I do too!). Any chance of a reissue of the Kashyyk CLone Trooper? That one didn't seem to be on the shelf too long! They'd love to see it packed with a Commander Gree. (BB, 10/26/07)

The Yoda/Kashyyyk Trooper combo is back in production and should be hitting shelves any time now.

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Hasbro has made it clear that the Holiday Special is mostly  off-limits for figure consideration.  I understand your reservations  since it is painfully hard to watch.  Since we did receive a Star Wars  Holiday Special figure in the Power of the Jedi line is 2001 (Zutton -  Snaggletooth) which NEVER appeared in A New Hope and we were just  blessed with the Animated Debut: Boba Fett this year, could you please just check out the Star Wars Chronicles (big coffee table book) and just see some of the cool  additional cantina aliens that could be created if you would just open  your hearts?  There are some amazing creatures (some even cooler than what made it to the movie cut) that were developed for this special  including a white Djas Puhr among others that would be very welcomed  additions to our cantina dioramas. (GH, 10/26/07)

For the most part any new aliens that require new tooling would be on-screen aliens from the six movies.  If there are repaint opportunities, we could certainly check it out - this might make an intriguing multi-pack exclusive.

You folks scared EVERYONE with all of the "No comment!" answers in the last round of Q&A. Seeing that those two Ultimate Battle Packs have been leaked with stickers indicating that they will be exclusive to one particular big-boxer, can you confirm or deny whether or not we'll see OTHER cool 3.75" exclusives that haven't been leaked (thus far) in time for the holdays? [A list of fall/holiday exclusives that CAN be confirmed would be useful, but any guidance helping us with our budgeting would be helpful and appreciated!] (GH, 10/26/07)

To help you with your budgeting Adam, we can confirm that there will be no specials and exclusives that you do not already know about.

Many fans are enthralled by the 30th Anniversary Collection's cardback art. Would Hasbro ever consider posting some nice print-quality artwork on StarWars.Hasbro.com for collectors to download? It's beautiful art, and it shouldn't be marred by sliced-off bubbles. (GH, 10/26/07)

Thanks.  That is a great suggestion and we will look into that possibility.

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Recently, three figures were announced as new additions to 2008's Revenge of the Sith wave - Anakin, Obi-Wan, and the Lava Droid. Along with the figure news came images of a cool new 3-3/4" version of the Mustafar Lava Duel platform. However, there seem to be conflicting reports of how exactly we're getting the platform. Is it a "build-a-platform" type thing or are there unique lava platform pack-ins for Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the Lava Droid? (JD, 10/26/07)

The original plan was to deliver the lava platform and connecting droid separately, with pack-ins included with Obi-Wan and Anakin. However, as we got costs back from the factory, it was impossible to do this so we decided to take the platform and droid and combine them together in one pack. The original intent was to join them at home on shelf, and they work just as well combined together in pack.

The EU Spacetrooper was excluded from the second round of fan voting for the Saga Legends line since he's apparently coming out in some form or another next year. Will we be seeing a re-use of the figure’s original sculpt or will we be seeing something new sculpted up for the character? (JD, 10/26/07)

It's too early to say exactly how we will be bringing a new Spacetrooper out, and whether it will be a resculpt of this exact one or based on another scene in the entertainment or EU that involves a similar type of concept. For that, you will have to stay tuned...

The recent Saga Legends poll created a lot of buzz around the collecting communities, but when the results were announced a lot of folks were disappointed with the results. It seemed like the votes of the wider audience at Hasbro.com didn’t reflect the desires of the older collectors at the fansites. Has the interest in some of the other figures that finished outside of the top 5 raised some eyebrows at Hasbro, to the point where we'll hopefully start seeing more of the exclusive and pack-in figures available separately on a basic card at some point down the line? Many kids and collectors have to avoid the higher priced packs and vehicles, but would like the opportunity to get some of the unique figures packed therein (like Blue Snaggletooth, Yularen, or EB Chewie) as a single carded figure. Any chance of this coming to fruition later on, outside of (or even in) the Legends line? (JD, 10/26/07)

Yes, while we cannot confirm which exact figures we will bring back, we would like to work some of these in somehow.

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It seems like we have a lot of new product coming out all at once. Some of these new waves are not making it to shelves in a lot of places because other figures like the Saga Legends figures are using up the shelf space. Is this something you are aware of, and do you feel confident that the newer waves of 30th Anniversary figures will make their way to shelves in enough numbers that most people will be able to find these figures? (JI, 10/26/07)

As we have said many times before, the Saga Legends shipments have nothing to do with the shipment of The Anniversary Collection figures, so please put that issue aside. The simple answer is that as the TAC figures sell down, more will be shipped to that retailer. Now, the other issue is the wave compression - there are a good number of waves in a short period of time, and some of the new may be shipped before we are done with the previous. We want all retailers to get a proportionate amount of each wave, but this also means that they might show up at different rates. Hang in there - we are releasing a good amount of each wave and not "shorting" anything, so we are confident it'll only be a matter of time before they show up at a retailer near you.

Now that you are doing Indiana Jones product as well as Star Wars, have you ever considered doing a tribute to Harrison Ford set that incorporates both Star Wars and Indiana Jones in the same set for collectors? (JI, 10/26/07)

That is an interesting idea, but something we have not considered pursuing as we remain focused on the characters and each property separately.

We have heard that there may be some type of collaboration between Hasbro and Sideshow Toys to bring Star Wars playsets to the shelves. Is there anything at this point you can tell us about this? (JI, 10/26/07)

There are no further updates on any more Hasbro and Sideshow collaborations. While we have had some good discussions, it has been only that to this point.

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We must be somewhere between the magic 750 and 1,000 figures and we wondered if we’re likely to see a commemorative figure along the lines of the 300th Boba Fett and 500th Darth Vader anytime soon, is so any indication of who it might be? (JN.co.uk, 10/26/07)

Great question, and one for which we aren't ready to talk about yet.  You will have to stay tuned as we figure out exactly how to mark our next milestone.

The Ultimate BattlePacks look awesome [I can’t wait to get my hands on them].  The UK Brand Manager is currently away and I really hope you can put us UK fans at bay by letting us know that we will be seeing these on this side of the pond – pretty please with bows on?  Also, these Ultimate BattlePacks would be a great placement for an upcoming Jabba set featuring the long awaited and much needed Jabba on throne. (JN.co.uk, 10/26/07)

I have no comment whatsover on any such items.

(JN.co.uk UPDATE: We've spoken to the Hasbro UK Brand Manager (who's just got back from holiday) - it's expected that these sets will be available in the UK at Toys R Us.  We're waiting for confirmation on which ones - watch this space!)

A few weeks ago we were told of talks between Hasbro and Sideshow about creating playsets in the 3ľ” scale .  As you’re aware a lot of fans seem interested in these and we wondered if there’s any more news you can share on your talks with Sideshow and are the Ultimate BattlePacks, with multiple figures, vehicles & accessories, a way of trying to determine a favourable price point with a link to a proposed playset line? (JN.co.uk, 10/26/07)

There are no further updates on any more Hasbro and Sideshow collaborations.  While we have had some good discussions, it has been only that to this point.

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You had indicated in a previous Q&A sessions that the re-released blue Obi-Wan Starfighter and the green Anakin Jedi Starfighter would have the same white paint applications as the original release.  This picture from Entertainment Earth seems to indicate that the paint apps have been updated to better reflect what we saw in the film and we like what we see.  Can you tell us if this new "grey" paint application is what we'll see on these re-released vehicles? (JTA, 10/26/07)

Ok, this is an odd one.  We did not spec any changes to this vehicle, and have no record of a new paint master. Which means that the product that is shipping will most likely be the same one released before but in a new (closed) box. We do not know where the shot referenced came from. We'll dig into it some more...

The Dutch Vander figure was a fairly revolutionary figure when it was introduced back in 2004.  Since then, it has been the basis for a number of Rebel Pilot figures.  It's been reused to give us new versions of Wedge Antilles, Biggs Darklighter and most recently Lt. Lepira with the current Toys R Us exclusive Y-Wing as well as the forthcoming Derek "Hobbie" Klivian.  However, this body is so large that it will not fit in the modern X-Wing fighter that we've come to accept as the standard.  The good news though is that this figure works in other fighters like the Y-Wing.  But considering the appeal that the pilots of Rogue Squadron have with fans and collectors, could we see a retooled series of Rebel Pilots that have the modern articulation that we've become accustomed to that will also fit in the cockpit of the X-Wing?  It would certainly open up the potential to match up pilots with fighters, like Garven Dreis with Red Leader X-Wing, Wedge with the Red 2 X-Wing, Biggs with Red 3 X-Wing, and so on. (JTA, 10/26/07)

That is our intention at some point, but we haven't slotted in another X-Wing Pilot with this update yet.  Hopefully we'll find a way before too long to look at some tweaks, either in the mainline or as an exclusive.

You revealed in recent Q&A sessions that the Vintage line of figures will be taking 2008 off, and that the Evolutions line will be the venue for premium sculpted figures in the line.  Additionally, we seem to be getting figures with large accessories in the Basic Figure line that might ordinarily be placed in a Deluxe Figure line.

With those factors in mind, can we expect a Deluxe Figure line to take the Vintage figure line's place in the retail planogram for 2008? (JTA, 10/26/07)

There are no plans for a separate Deluxe line.  Also, as we have indicated before, we like to do the "bonus" accessories when we can, but we don't want to promise that we'll be able to afford doing them as frequently going forward.  As costs inevitably creep up it's hard to get these in without sacrificing the figure articulation.  That's one of the reasons why, for Wave 1 '08, we created the lava droid/platform figure from what were originally intended to be accessories for Obi-Wan and Anakin.

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With the Star Wars team splitting their time with Indiana Jones and the Clone Wars CGI cartoon coming next year, how many new sculpts does Hasbro estimate we'll be seeing for Star Wars Original Trilogy figures in the basic carded line? Will each of the 6 films be getting its own wave in 2008? If not, which film won't be getting its own wave? (SSG, 10/26/07)

For 2008, we are going to take the classic total down by about one wave. So from the current 60 figures this year, expect around 53 figures or so. Episodes III-VI will each have waves along with a The Force Unleashed wave and a couple other surprises in there.

Due to the unpopularity of the character, is it unlikely that Hasbro will revisit Jar Jar Binks with a super articulated figure? He is definitely a character that would warrant such articulation due to his onscreen antics (no matter how obnoxious), and we haven't seen a new figure of him in quite a while, he could use an upgrade and the kiddies would probably want him. (SSG, 10/26/07)

Before too long we will probably be updating Jar-Jar. From our research, kids still like him and the Gungan concept. We just have to find the opportunity to bring him out.

While the TAC line has been doing great designs with aliens and armored figures, a lot of fans feel there have been a number of misfires with main characters in this line. Luke Yavin and Luke Tatooine's headsculpts and decos, Mace Windu's head, Vintage Leia Endor's long neck and inaccurate face deco, Lando in smuggler outfit's new head design and its rolled-back-in-his-head eyes, Vintage Luke Bespin's likeness, and everything about Han Torture Rack from the odd head to the mismatched proportions of the body. And it's not like we always need resculpted heads, POTJ Bespin Leia and Early Bird Kit Luke already have superior likenesses. So what is happening here? (SSG, 10/26/07)

Thanks for the comments. In general, there has always been variety to the likenesses 3-3/4" figure line and while we would like every likeness to be exact, at our scale this is not something that we can expect. We're sorry you have been disappointed; while some of your comments are areas we hope to improve upon, for others, it's the first we have heard about overall dissatisfaction with these figures.

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Now that we have seen 3 different Ultimate Battle Packs for this year, is this a segment of the Battle Packs we will continue to see more of? They have a lot of potential as long as there is something new for the collectors. The Arena lacks anything new while the Hoth and Endor have some new 'different' repaints and kitbashed figures. (ST, 10/26/07)

Any future packs in this larger format (and we hope it can continue, pending successful sell-through) will be developed along the same principals that guide our development of the "regular" Battle Packs.  That is, developing with an eye toward kids only, collectors only, or a dual audience. The Arena is meant to simply bring back the iconic creatures and scenes that the new generation of Star Wars kids, brought into the fold through Episode III, had not been able to get before. It is not really a collector-targeted set in that sense.  As such, we did not see the need to add to the scene as the creatures and the characters pretty much carry the excitement of that scene, and the only changes we made were to update to more movie accurate deco.

Has Hasbro ever given any thought to re-releasing/slightly adjusting any of the older Jabba molds (like the vintage - with the throne perhaps??) for a re-release any time soon? It's been a while without a Jabba, and we need a good one. Or, you could even go with an updated paint scheme such as a Gardulla the Hutt figure/beast, or any of the other EU Hutts from the comics? (ST, 10/26/07)

Yes, we see the need for a new Jabba and are looking for ways to work one in somewhere, whether as mainline or exclusive.  We really like the idea of alternate Hutts at some point - Gardulla, and there are a lot of cool ones in the EU especially - but our first efforts will probably be devoted to Jabba since kids know him too.

Why should I buy exclusives when the figures return in 2 years at half the cost most of the time?  You are removing the point of these figures being exclusives and paying the higher price point because they are exclusives.  By treating fans this way, do you think that the sale of exclusive figures will decline as collectors refuse to pay $15 or more for a figure that will return on a poll and be released for $7?  I really hate the fact I bought the lastest Fan's Choice winners at full price the other year.  Doing the packins like Zev and Neyo are one thing as they have not been carded before, but to do it with carded figures that people paid through the nose for is a slap on the face. (ST, 10/26/07)

You are referring to Convention exclusives for the most part, I believe, since these are usually the ones that are premium priced.  Star Wars is one of the most beloved and collected brands out there and this is always a tough choice for us to make.  There is often demand from collectors who can't make the event or get figures otherwise (or if the quantities sell out), who feel left out want to see figures re-released (for instance, the conversations about the CIV/Comic Con exclusives this year).  Re-releasing them later is a way for us to help close the gap with demand, but re-releasing in a way so that the packaging is differentiated from the original.  This helps the package collector hold onto something unique, but it does test the loose figure collector, as you note.  Most of the cases recently have been of the Trooper variety, which we felt better about because we know that folks would like to have multiples, if possible, and wouldn't mind being able to pick up a couple more to complement the original.  This is something that we will weigh carefully going forward each time we make a choice on a fan vote or a "greatest hit" type of offering.

Late 2007 and early 2008 looks to be great and has me excited. Between the confirmations you've made and the "rumor lists" floating about, it looks like most all of the figures and vehicles I've asked for are being produced. There is 1 figure I havent seen hide nor hair of and have a question. Any chance you will revisit the AOTC Clone trooper with removeable armor? While a great figure, it lacks alot of things such as a sculpt useable for anything besides putting on the speeder, which it really doesnt do to well anyway. How about giving that figure a new release... maybe going SA on it and using tech like that of the Wave 9 Clone in training and Jango for removabel armor that stays on better. It'd be nice to have a nice figure in the jumpsuit to work with! (ST/"TJ", 10/26/07)

We are glad you are excited….we can't wait to show you even more about what we have planned, but all things in time.  To your question....we hadn't planned on updating this figure, since the recent Kamino training figure sort of fits the bill for us on this point.  It’s possible further down the line we could look at this.

If and when you make Ak-rev will you include the other half of the drum with him and the drum symbols he plays? (ST/"TJ", 10/26/07)

The "other half" of the drum would simply be another copy of the same one, since they are reversible and fit together.  If and when we do Ak-Rev, he will come with another half to make a complete one.

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Is the Darth Vader figure coming in wave 1 of the 2008 line a straight repack of the Evolutions ROTS Anakin Skywalker, or are there differences? A "Sith eyes" paint application would totally rock on this figure! (SWC, 10/26/07)

The face won't have Sithified deco, but the torso has been resculpted to allow for more waist articulation.

Now that Toyfare Magazine has revealed there will be an Emperor Palpatine figure in The Force Unleashed figures, will this be the oft-requested "ROTS/Senate Duel with Yoda" costumed version? Will he come with a lightsaber as well as Force lightning? Any images of it to share yet? (SWC, 10/26/07)

The new Emperor will be in the 2" Unleashed format. There is no new 3-3/4" Emperor figure planned for our The Force Unleashed line.

We've received lots of e-mails from collectors that are just not finding the following four figures from wave 5 of the 30th Anniversary Collection line at retail at all: Darth Revan, Darth Malak, Pre-Cyborg Grievous, and McQuarrie Concept Starkiller Hero. They see the other figures from that wave, but these are always gone already. Given the high demand for these four figures--they seem to sell out almost instantly whenever they're offered on HasbroToyShop.com--can we hope to seem them offered in greater numbers in future refresher cases? (SWC, 10/26/07)

We are not done shipping Wave 5 yet, as of this writing, so there is still some more to come and hopefully there will be an opportunity to get these online. Otherwise, some of the figures will be coming back in future cases, and we will look at opportunities to re-release.

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You seem to strike a lot a 'exclusive' deals with US retailers, which sometimes only partially (if at all) make it to the UK. For example we were disappointed to get only 2 of the 6 Target Order 66 2-packs at Tesco. Do you have any plans to either push for a UK exclusive to restore a little balance, or to ensure that foreign retailer exclusives are more readily available via UK sources ? We feel like we're the poor relation here - UK collectors would snap up pretty much everything you produced, provided it was available on store shelves and we didn't have to resort to shipping from overseas / getting scalped on auction sites. (TPU, 10/26/07)

Our intention is to never make "regional" exclusives but to get them distributed everywhere if at all possible, and will be working toward this in future years. We have been working with retailers in the UK, and throughout Europe, to get a more universal distribution of exclusives. We also have confirmation from our international team that Tesco has received all 6 of the Order 66 2-packs...so we are not sure if what you are seeing is what is left from their stock.

Although you've said previously that you've no immediate plans for figures based on EU novels, two have sneaked in via the Heir To The Empire comic pack (Luke/Mara). One of our forum members is desperate for a Corran Horn figure based on his appearance in I,Jedi. Along with his astromech, this would make a great EU 2-pack. Is he on your list of potential future releases ? (TPU, 10/26/07)

Corran Horn only appears in one comic series (X-Wing Rogue Squadron: Family Ties) as a security officer, well before his most iconic stores in later novels. So we don't think the EU comic 2-pack format would be the best choice for a Horn figure. As such, we haven't really found a way to work him into the line yet, but he heads the list of EU figures we would like to see in the next few years if we have the opportunity.

We love Galactic Heroes, but we're wondering why supply of new product is so inconsistent. There have been no new 2-packs at Toys'R'Us for several months now, and the Darth Maul/Sith Speeder item was never seen on the pegs. Is this an issue with the individual retailers not restocking, or is there a limited assortment distributed to the UK ? Will we see the Indiana Jones 'Adventure Heroes' line in the UK ? (TPU, 10/26/07)

We are not sure what the issues are - since the 2-packs have been in continual production and retailers have been able to carry and stock the waves as they come in. What we do know is that the Galactic Heroes style, while an unquestioned smash hit in the U.S., has been slower to be embraced by as widespread a fanbase in other markets (like in the U.S., where it was introduced in 2002 but really didn't start gathering steam until late 2004 ) and it may take some time to really gather an audience and command retailers' attention. Until then, we will try and see what the issues might be in the UK. The IJ Adventure Heroes will be offerred to all retailers in the UK and Europe, and as far as we know will be carried everywhere.

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With the photos of the 2008 assortment of basic figures showing up at online retailers (Entertainment Earth for one), there seems to be some confusion as to what "lava base/platform" is included with the Obi-Wan and Vader figures. Is the lava base that is pictured with the Lava Panning Droid the same as the ones included with the aforementioned figures? If so, are there foot pegs for the figures and do the bases interlock? (YF, 10/26/07)

The original plan was to deliver the lava platform and connecting droid separately, with pack-ins included with Obi-Wan and Anakin. However, as we got costs back from the factory, it was impossible to do this so we decided to take the platform and droid and combine them together in one pack. The original intent was to join them at home on shelf, and they work just as well combined together in pack.

Over the past few years, Hasbro has used a variety of fabric materials to help simulate the scale and weight of Jedi robes, Tusken Raider garb and most recently the cloak and scarf on Hermi Odle. Have you considered using the latter (the lightweight, gauze-type material) exclusively as it seems to best recreate the look of the outfits, especially if applied to Jedi robes/cloaks, at the 3.75" scale? (YF, 10/26/07)

We agree - that fabric is super cool. However, that particular fabric tends to unravel and we use it only for those for whom it looks appropriate in the "worst case" like Hermie and Tusken Raiders. Since it has sort of an uncontroled element to it in that regard, we can't really use it on figures where it would not look the best.

Here's an Obi-Wan themed question(s) for you...

When you released the ROTS #55 Obi-Wan (pilot) figure, it was the most definitive version of EpIII Obi-Wan we could ever hope to get with the great detailing and massive amounts of articulation. Then you made a great figure better by releasing it in the Saga line with the soft goods cloak. This particular Obi-Wan has been released numerous times to date.

My question is, will Episode I and Episode II Obi-Wan be getting the same amount of super articulated love anytime soon? (YF, 10/26/07)

Yes, within the next two years you will see very nice updates of these important Obi-Wan figures.

[Matt]

Session 42 - November 9, 2007

What will be "new" with the TAC-2008 Obi-Wan Kenobi figure? Are there any figure parts that will be reused with the figure? Could you tell which figure parts will be new and which are reused? (4".de, 11/09/07)

There are soft-goods integrated into the waist, and a new headsculpt. Other than that, it is built on the TAC #5 figure from Wave 1 of this year.

Hasbro said in the latest Q&A that the mustafar lava platform should have been originaly used with the TAC-2008 figures Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, but will now come out with the Mustafar Panning Droid that seems to find its way in this wave in the last minute. Does that mean that the Mustafar Panning Droid has "ersetzt" another figure in the TAC-2008 line? If so, could you tell something about which kind of figure has been replaced? Was it a jedi, an alien or another clone? (4".de, 11/09/07)

The panning droid was an "incremental" figure that was easy to add since he was already tooled, but too costly to afford as a pack-in. He (it?) did not replace another figure….instead, we muscled him into the case pack.

If Hasbro decides to make a TFU Rancor w/ rider who then would be that rider? Would you tend to a jedi character like Shaak Ti or would it be another force-sensitive rider without any jedi training? And which color would that a Rancor have? Concept drawings of the Rancor offer the colors green or brown with white stripes. (4".de, 11/09/07)

Wow - great question. If we did a Rancor with Rider, the rider would be someone from the game, and it would be deco'd like the game. We haven't seen a lot of this aspect of The Force Unleashed, so it's tough to speculate further on what a Rancor would come with or look like beyond the art that's out there.

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Hypothetically, assuming there were 2 large battle packs coming out this holiday season, 1 from ESB and another from ROTJ, and both of these sets had versions of the AT-ST vehicle in them, why so many AT-STs at once? Granted, some collectors still don't have a version of the AT-ST vehicle, but would they really want 2 different sets with them coming out at the same time, hypothetically speaking? (AF, 11/09/07)

Hypothetically, based on a lot of Q&A feedback and discussion at conventions, we think collectors like the AT-ST, and to celebrate both on-screen versions wih tasty sets would be something special indeed.

Since there has been buzz about doing a Willrow Hood (ice cream guy) figure, is there a chance that you'll visit other obscure characters from Bespin such as Treva Horme, Wiorkettle, and alien Bespin guard Utris M'toc? These characters are visually more interesting than Hood (many people think so), and Trooper M'toc could be the basis for a potential army builder as he's a Bespin security officer. (AF, 11/09/07)

Well, Willrow has the advantage in that he has a sizeable amount of fan support as shown by his relatively strong vote showing in the Toy Fare Fans' Choice poll last year. We like the Utris idea…a strong possibility for the next time that we do a Bespin Guard.

Hasbro's made it clear that the McQuarrie Signature series concept figures have exceeded expectations. There's plenty more concept art designs to mine for new takes on main characters, villains, creatures, and more. With the Evolutions line returning with new concepts, would Hasbro consider doing a McQuarrie- or concept-art-inspired Evolutions pack, showing the different stages of a character from inception to finalization? Also, can we hope to see concept figures from ROTJ some day? (AF, 11/09/07)

We will not be doing any of the McQ (or other artist) concepts in the Evolution line - we feel the place for these figures is in the basic figure line. We do hope that the concept figures will make a return some time, although it will not be in 2008. If and when they do come back, it's possible a RotJ figure could be in the mix.

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Besides Padme and Leia, there are a lot of other female characters in the Star Wars universe, but they don't seem to get much figure time...Any chance my daughter will be seeing some more female characters in plastic in the future? (BB, 11/09/07)

Absolutely. There are some great female characters in the Star Wars line, both past (many Jedi come to mind) current, and future. In the short term, Bultar Swan will soon be out in two versions (comic packs and Evolution packs), and Deena Shan is a great new Rebel who has teamed up with Luke Skywalker in the Dark Horse comics (she has her own comic pack out soon). After that, we will have a couple more in our The Force Unleashed basic figure wave (Juno Eclipse and Maris Brood), and then some more interesting surprises for Fall 2008 in our "classics" line. Trust us - 2008 is going to be a great year for women in the Star Wars universe!

Figures and Lightsaber so far, what else can we expect to see for The Force Unleashed? (BB, 11/09/07)

There are a few more surprises that we can't reveal yet - at least three different items. You will have to stay tuned!

Any chance for a Family Guy / Star Wars Crossover Figure? (BB, 11/09/07)

We have actually discussed this, but the idea hasn't gone very far.

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GH

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Which figure do you consider to be the single most obscure character you've ever made in the 3 3/4" basic line? Bo Shek? Ephant Mon? Which figure do you feel has set the "obscure background filler" record so far? Any candidates in 2008 to smash that record? (JD, 11/09/07)

There have been a few, but any character that occupies the least screen time has to be a candidate. That would cover several characters - some Cantina aliens, Ephant is in there, and even our current favorite "fewest frames of glory" candidate Pax Bonkik.

In the Saga Legends Fans' Choice Poll, the AotC Clone Pilot had a pretty good showing. If he did make his way into the line again, which version would you release, the Evolutions Pack version or the 2002 basic figure with the turret? The 2002 sculpt lacks articulation but has the turret for the gunships, while the Evolutions figure has more articulation but lacks the turret. Which is the more attractive repack in your eyes? (JD, 11/09/07)

We would not re-release the 2002 pilot again since the more articulated figure is available.

You mentioned in a previous Q&A session that there will be 30 figures in the Indy line next year. Are Indy figures in 2009 a certainty or is it more of a "wait and see" type of thing and see how 2008 goes first? We're just curious if this is going to be a toy line with legs under it like Star Wars has been, or if it will be much more subdued in character choices/variety. (JD, 11/09/07)

We are actively planning and producing for a multi-year run. IJ is something we are committed to and hopefully fans are excited about it as we are.

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What is the thought process that goes into adding articulation to an action figure? The Luke Skywalker figure from the Luke/Mara comic pack has ball-jointed ankles but is missing articulation in his knees. If certain figures only get so many points of articulation, why would it be placed on a joint when it would be better spent elsewhere? (JI, 11/09/07)

Great question. There are several factors that we consider when determining articulation. We are always trying to create the best figure but cost is a large factor in this. The number of parts impacts labor to assemble the figure and in many cases, exponentially affects the cost. The amount of paint needed to decorate the figure is also a factor. These things being factored, we then evaluate the following: 1. Has a similar character like this ever been made? If so, what articulation did it have and how can we make this figure even better or more unique? (i.e. How can we make a new Vader?) 2. Are there any unique poses that fans would want to achieve with this figure? (A cantina alien should probably be able to sit in the cantina and have a tall glass of blue milk.) 3. Given the amount of articulation we can afford, are there insert molded pins already being used in the figure? If so, we can add more of the same color pins in the same mold. (FYI-Nylon/celcon pins do not take paint very well, and paint can chip off.) 4. Character design is also considered. If a figure has a long PVC skirt, it makes no sense to give the figure leg articulation. Now, not to be a politician and ignore your original question. Knees will allow a leg to bend and can make for some nice poses but without the ankle, it is hard to get a figure to stand. Ankles let you move either leg forward or back, and the figures stand much better. So, sometimes it simply comes down to the decision of whether we want the figure to stand better or have superior action pose potential.

Now I realize this is a long shot, but who do I have to bribe over at Hasbro to get a figure of Darca Nyl? Even more of a long shot, our buddy Darca in his mercenary armor from his early days before getting his sweet nomad uniform and slugging it out with Lycan. Again, I know a long shot...but with the contract with Hasbro as far into the future as it is, that leaves room for a lot of "secondary" and Dark Horse characters. (JI, 11/09/07)

It is certainly true that there is room for a lot of great comic-only characters in the lineup, and based on the reception to the comic packs (thank you!) we hope to have a long future with them. That said, Darca has yet to make the cut, based on his appearances in Tales, but his recent battle with Vader in Rebellion was very interesting. We have to see where he goes beyond that (and if he survives...). If Darca turns up elsewhere, we'll continue to give him a look for a further out opportunity.

I know you have been asked this one before, but since it keeps coming up from readers, we thought we would ask again. Any chance of seeing weapon or accessory packs released in some shape or form? (JI, 11/09/07)

We have looked at them as a possibility but have moved in other directions that we hope will fill the need for occasional cool accessories... just not pure accessory packs as you say (which historically have been poor sellers). There are no pure weapons packs planned yet... but our hope is to bring an idea like this out eventually, possibly through hasbrotoyshop.com. It is unlikely to be in 2008 though.

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Why was R2-D2 not included in the 30th Anniversary Saga Legends Wave 1 here in the UK and what factors go into deciding which figures are released from a range like 'Saga Legends' over here? (JN.co.uk, 11/09/07)

We had issues with shipping the electronic into the UK (due to the lights/batteries).  That is the only one that didn't make the cut.

The single-packed Galactic Heroes appear to have been well received and have sold out at most retailers that sell them.  Are there any plans to make more available beyond the first wave of 8? (JN.co.uk, 11/09/07)

The extent to which we change it is limited in part by the case pack, and the need to keep the main core figures in the lineup since the takeaway for these is mostly kids....who want the main heroes primarily.  If we make changes to the lineup, it would only be to add a couple new ones (and replace the more obscure ones).  We are looking at that for Fall 2008, but it's not certain if we will make the change or not.

Are there any more surprises for this year in the form of any additional Battle Packs or other items we've not yet seen or are you now concentrating on 2008? (JN.co.uk, 11/09/07)

There are no more surprises other than the obvious one(s) we cannot officially confirm.  Does that answer your question?  ; )

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When it comes to smaller characters we've seen a continuing trend of trying to add more value to this kind of Basic Figure offering.  With Jawas, they tend to come in twos or with a droid.  With Yoda, we've gotten sizable pack-in accessories, a Jedi younging and even the Kybuck.  With Kabe we got a full-sized figure in Nabrun Leids.  Can you expound on this subject a little further, and can we expect more such offerings in the 2008 line? (JTA, 11/09/07)

We always try to make each figure a complete purchase, and sometimes this means putting in another figure if it makes sense.  We felt Chief Chirpa in 2006 was a little lacking and don't want to do something similar if we can help it.  So we will look to adding something special to an Ewok (sometimes it may mean another Ewok), or a Jawa or Ugnaught, etc.   Yoda could probably command his own pack in some instances,  based on his character strength, but we have decided to add to him the last few times to round him out.  By the way, Yoda with Kybuck was one of our most expensive ever in terms of cost for us to produce, but we felt it was a special pack and important to do. Folks should not expect this to be the norm with Yoda. Now, in 2008 you will find a couple of characters I mentioned in the line, and they will have some sort of pack-in to round them out.

There was a report from Star Wars Fan Days in Texas that an AT-TE vehicle will be coming out in late 2008.  Will this be part of the Clone Wars line?  Will it be a main line offering shipping to mass retail?  And can you give us some initial details about the vehicle itself (size, features, pack-ins, etc)? (JTA, 11/09/07)

We have not officially confirmed (despite reports from the Dallas show) that there will be at AT-TE in the line.  We merely said that if we did it, it would have to be pretty big. Folks are reading between the lines at what we have said earlier, and that's fine, but it's a big vehicle to tackle and it's not 100% certain yet that we will be able to deliver. So....until we have officially confiirmed, which we hope will be Toy Fair time, it's still a wish list item.  There are so many uncertainties with cost, etc. that we would also have to see what is left for a budget to see if a new driver could make it in or whether we would look to do a driver in a different pack.

In the most recent Q&A you stated:

For 2008, we are going to take the classic total down by about one wave. So from the current 60 figures this year, expect around 53 figures or so. Episodes III-VI will each have waves along with a The Force Unleashed wave and a couple other surprises in there.

Does the 53 figure number include the figures from the Clone Wars line?  And can you give us a little insight into what the themes of these waves might be?  And is The Force Unleashed limited to one wave only? (JTA, 11/09/07)

Sure thing. The 53 is just for "classic" only which encompasses everything other than the new Clone Wars (all six movies, EU including comics and videogames, the earlier Clone Wars, etc.).  Clone Wars basic figures has a whole separate line..exact number of figures to be announced at a later date.  Yes, The Force Unleashed will be one wave (and what a wave it is!) next year.  However, that may not be the last we see of TFU....stay tuned.

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We've recently found the SAGA LEGENDS Sandtrooper figure finally being changed to the Evolutions body, although it's been found with the "less dirty" orange Squad Leader pauldron. Can we still expect the "super dirty" white Sergeant pauldron version coming (the figure that fans actually voted for) as a running change? Speaking of running changes to the Sandtrooper, can we get a list of them all (figure changes, not FC sticker changes)? Finally, it seems that the "clean" black Corporal pauldron has been painted to white...is this the case and we won't see the black at all, or is there something else going on here? (RS, 11/09/07)

Well, this one has been the most confusing of all, because we are also working in the figures mistakenly produced for the initial Capture of the Tantive IV first production batch. So here goes.
1. 1st version is the TSC "super-dirty", gray pauldron, with Bantha staff.
2. TSC body, "dirty" version, with orange pauldron and Bantha staff.
3. TSC body, "clean", with white pauldron, and Batha staff.
4. Evolutions body, "dirty" version, orange pauldron, with blaster rifle.

There has been one more version requested, but we have not seen samples - and that is
5. "Dirty" with black pauldron. This *should* be using the Evolutions body, but because of the original body switch, it may be issued using the TSC body.

We have not personally inspected this pre-production version though, so can't say with certainty which it will be. A possible sixth version, super-dirty using the Evolutions body, will likely not make the line unless we re-release additional quantities for a last shot next Spring. If we get that chance, we will....until then, we will likely have just the five.

The upcoming Commander Gree figure is top-notch, and easily in contention for "best figure of 2008", even at this early stage. While we were able to handle him at Star Wars Fan Days recently, we neglected to get a photo of him without his helmet. So in keeping with the Q&A tradition of asking for a photo of a helmetless clone, do you have any shots of Gree that you can share with us? (RS, 11/09/07)

Sorry, we do not have an image to send at this time.

News of an AT-TE release next year spread like... well it spread really fast. Can you elaborate on this? Most of us have taken this information as gospel and already thanked the Almighty, but some are hesistant to get their hopes up. Any chance of an official announcement in the immediate future? Will this be a wide release or exclusive? We've heard it's big, that's outstanding news, but how big? How 'bout some rough measurements/dimensions to whet our appetites? How 'bout electronics, yay or nay? How much over $100 should we expect to pay? I suppose it's too early to expect any photos, but I'd be remiss not to request some. Also, what pack-ins are you considering?

We're hungry for info about this, and especially with regards to size and price, it'd be great to know as much as possible as soon as possible so we can budget for it, the kiddies can start saving, and those of us with space constraints can prepare to accomodate this.

Last little question, how well would this have to sell to convince you to crank out a Juggernaut Clone Turbo Tank or an MTT, or some other large vehicle in the years to come? (RS, 11/09/07)

We have not officially confirmed (despite reports from the Dallas show) that there will be at AT-TE in the line. We merely said that if we did it, it would have to be pretty big. Folks are reading between the lines at what we have said earlier, and that's fine, but it's a big vehicle to tackle and it's not 100% certain yet that we will be able to deliver. So....until we have officially confiirmed, which we hope will be Toy Fair time, it's still a wish list item.

There are so many uncertainties with cost, etc. that we would also have to see what is left for a budget to see if a new driver could make it in or whether we would look to do a driver in a different pack.

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Does Hasbro have plans for a wave 2 of pre-printed labels for missed characters...like Airborne trooper,Saleucami trooper,exclusive troopers that came in order 66 2 packs,etc? (RS, 11/09/07)

We do not have plans for a sheet of pre-printed labels right now. If we go back and re-run the stands, we would probably do this. However, we still have a supply of stands, so we have not executed this yet. Perhaps some time in 2008.

Can you tell us, with regard to the Saga Legends various battle droid variants, did you run these variants in equal numbers? In my neck of the woods, ever since Wave 2 started shipping, the first variant with the droid commander has been showing up, but hardly any of the maroon variant. Now the third variant is shipping. It seems as if the maroon got seriously short changed. Have you packed the maroon into any additional cases, or do you intend to?

The battle droids at the Battle of Geonosis were maroon. Yet you've hardly ever produced maroon droids, and when you have they've been variants and very scarce. I just want to make sure you know this is an army-builder whose potential has not been tapped. It seems we can buy all the clones our hearts desire, and yet those of us trying to put together a CIS force to fight back, especially from AOTC... we're having some trouble. (RS, 11/09/07)

Eventually the plan is to run all paint variants in equel numbers. However, some variants will hae shorter initial runs and then will come back into the run later - that is the case with the maroon droids. We can't say the same on abel variants, which is almost impossible to gauge.

Any chance of getting original Marvel characters in the Comic Packs, eg Lumiya, Crimson Jack, Valance, Baron Tagge ... even Jaxxon? And maybe comic-art-style renditions of the main characters (preferably in Carmine Infantino style)? Maybe you could scale down the Force Battlers for the latter. Thanks. (RS, 11/09/07)

We would not do comic-art style versions of the comic characters. We will stick to the "real" styling based on the movie. Although it would be super cool to see Al Williamson-style characters, or Cam Kennedy....but we digress. Eventually, yes, we hope to see more Marvel original characters in the comic packs and have plans for at least two of those, hopefully in 2009. Don't get your hopes up for Jaxxon, though.

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If Hasbro feels that mid-sized vehicles is the way to go, then will we be seeing more airspeeders and landspeeders in the forseeable future? Some of the airspeeders are pretty much snubfighter sized. (side note: this question was the second-oldest question still on our voting list, it was there since round 7, July of 2006!) (SSG, 11/09/07)

By now, fans have seen more of our vehicle direction as we have announced the AT-AP and the Grievous Starfighter. We prefer aggressive vehicles for the new tools, and unfortunately airspeeders are pretty much not the coolest and most aggresive vehicles. So we'll be focusing on other opportunities that Clone Wars (and the films) have given us for the foreseeable future.

With the inclusion of KotOR charaters Darth Revan and Darth Malak in the TAC line, and Darth Nihilus in one of the upcoming Evolutions packs, is Hasbro considering including KotOR vehicles in the Titanium 3" line such as the Ebon Hawk, Leviathon, and Sith Fighter? (SSG, 11/09/07)

They are not in the plan - but we are looking at EU possibilities for future waves, and it's possible someday they could make it into the line.

In the Art of Revenge of the Sith book, there was a detailed piece of concept art from Aaron McBride of the Mon Calamari Female Dancer. The concept is applied in ROTS as the dancers in the Squid Lake scene (yes, it's really called that). What are the chances of seeing this Mon Cal Dancer design turned into a figure, especially using the striking design from the concept art? And if you were to make her into a figure, would you give her a name? (SSG, 11/09/07)

Long-term chances are not too bad - but it may take a few years. Actually, this exact figure has been "on the bubble" (not a bad pun) for a few years now, on our wish lists we draw up for a given year, but has been put off in favor of other figures.

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Dear Hasbro, With the release of the Battlefront - Renegade Squadron game can we expect to finally see a super-articulated Rebel Commando figure in 2008? Since you can use the legs, backpack and helmet from the 2006 Endor Rebel Trooper you only need to sculpt a new upper body, arms and head. There could also be a running change including the rodian and the sullustan heads based on the customizing feature from the LucasArts website. (ST, 11/09/07)

No plans for 2008, but we have a more articulated Rebel Commando on our longer term "to do" list.  Your idea for a figure set is really cool - we will look into it.

Will the AT-TE come with some new type of clone driver? (ST, 11/09/07)

We have not officially confirmed (despite reports from the Dallas show) that there will be at AT-TE in the line.  We merely said that if we did it, it would have to be pretty big. Folks are reading between the lines at what we have said earlier, and that's fine, but it's a big vehicle to tackle and it's not 100% certain yet that we will be able to deliver. So....until we have officially confiirmed, which we hope will be Toy Fair time, it's still a wish list item.  There are so many uncertainties with cost, etc. that we would also have to see what is left for a budget to see if a new driver could make it in or whether we would look to do a driver in a different pack.

Dear Hasbro, I know you don’t like to comment on rumors or speculations, so … if you were to produce new X-Wing or Snowspeeder pilots in 2008 … would you use the existing mold from 2004 as you did with Biggs Darklighter, Hobbie Klivian and Lt. Lepira or a completely new one with more articulation? Ball jointed shoulders and (at least) swivel elbows would make a major improvement. (ST, 11/09/07)

Here's the skinny.  We are looking at various pilots next year (confirmed in previous Q&As) and it does look like we will be able to deliver at least one upgraded "classic" rebel pilot next year in some form (mainline or exclusive). It is our desire to advance the articulation eventually on all the rebel pilots in the manner you suggest - but it's not confirmed that we will be able to just yet.

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Given that there are only so many SW vehicles that you can do for the Titanium line, is it possible that Hasbro will revisit certain vehicles again and make improvements on them?  You've mentioned already that there are plans on doing a new X-Wing mold with wings that will close. What about a Falcon and Shuttle Tyderium with working landing gears and door ramp, or Gunship with working doors and ball turrets (detachable, so the gunship can be displayed without them as well) and this time painted the correct color to match the full-sized Gunship vehicle, or an AT-AT with actual usable knee and neck articulation (given that the first release could barely move either).  Even the eps3 Jedi Starfighter could be improved by actually including a tiny plastic Obi (or Anakin, or whomever) pilot actually sitting in the cockpit rather than just the empty seat or windows painted black to hide the lack of a pilot. (ST/"TJ", 11/09/07)

Those are interesting suggestions, Troops, and good ways of "coming back around" to the core vehicles.  We have taken a hard look at Titanium to make sure it gets the support it needs in terms of new tools (including some great EU vehicles) and think we have a *great* lineup for 2008 that will keep the collector base highly engaged.  So while we think we have a bunch of great vehicle opportunities ahead of us, and Clone Wars has given us even more, we'll keep your suggestions handy when we want to update the classics and keep them fresh.

While I do like the latest mold for the Super BattleDroid in the TAC line, I've avoided buying any because quite honestly the two holes in its chest used to attach the "flames" annoys me beyond words.  Will Hasbro eventually plug up these holes and re-release the SBD again?  (BTW I noticed that some early photos of the SBD in the forthcoming comic 2pack with the white Rep Commando show that in some photos he has no holes, but in others the two holes are back again...) (ST/"TJ", 11/09/07)

Yes, we will plan to reuse him and fill those holes down the road. Hey, maybe you can look past it as we have for our shelves - those could be blaster shots (only Clone Troopers be that precise...).  By the way, we did ask our factory to make the change to fill the holes for the comic pack, but the production samples we have seen do not have this. We will ask again, but it is probably too late to affect much of the run.

Hasbro has obviously had a lot of success with the SA clonetrooper mold in all its forms (Clone Wars SA, RotS #41, Evolutions Commander, Clone Commander, Galactic Marine, etc etc). It's well known that the tooling is very expensive and with the clonetrooper tooling you've obviously gotten a good return on your investment by being able to reuse that tooling over and over by just doing inexpensive repaints and/or tweaking minor parts of the figure to make "new" figures.  And the fans are more than happy to buy them up too, so it is win-win for all involved.

So why has it taken so long for Hasbro to adopt the same policy for other army builders?  Why not dive in and produce tooling for SA bodies such as the Tantive IV Rebel, Hoth Rebel Soldier, X-Wing Pilot, Hoth Snowspeeder Pilot, Mon Calamari officer, Imperial Officer (black/olive/whatever), Jedi Knight (human/humanoid), etc.  After which, you could vary the heads, the ethnicity, the ranks, gender (maybe), or what not and get the same kind of ROI that you've gotten with the clones.  So long as every "template" body is SA, has neutral leg pose (i.e. no more Codys or spread-legged puffy-knee Death Star Troopers please), has either ball-jointed elbows or if angled-cut swivel elbows then at least the arms can be posed straight (and not bent like the AT-TE Gunner), you can reissue that sculpt again and again.

One speculates that if enough thought is put into it in advance, you could even build into the tooling extra leg or arm parts that would let you produce figures of different heights as well so that the soldiers don't all feel too generic. By now it should be fairly obvious that kit-bashed figures that are based on less-articulated molds like Dutch Vander or Major Derlin aren't being greeted too warmly by collectors, we'd all rather wait until Hasbro makes the "ultimate" mold and then happily buy up all the variations churned out from that mold. (ST/"TJ", 11/09/07)

Thanks for the comments.  We will say that it would always be our hope, eventually, to create ultimate versions of all of our figures but this is simply not possible all of the time and we have to balance out the line to help us meet our own targets.  The expense you talk about - tooling - is a 1-time expense for the most part and that is a factor when we initiate products.  But the more lasting implication of "super-articulation" all the time is the labor cost to produce, deco, and assemble each one - and that is a cost that increases in proportion to the number of parts and increases with time (as labor rates go up) and it's one of the areas of biggest challenge to us to keep cost-balanced.  If we went SA for everything, it would probably put us up to vintage-type pricing....which collectors might not mind, but this would be hard for kids.  So, we pick our spots and evolve the line gradually....granted, not a sea change like some would like, but a good overall trend.  Stick with us...we have some nice surprises planned for next year and beyond.

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SWC

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Would Hasbro ever consider opening the Fans Choice to customisers ? By this I mean having fans create figures / characters which we could vote on, and would then see Hasbro renderings of their efforts released as part of the toy line ? Is it true that the Rodian Jedi in the Clone Wars 3-pack was inspired by a fan custom ? (TPU, 11/09/07)

It's an interesting idea for sure, but don't know if that would be the best thing necessarily since we would have to make sure fans are voting based on the strength of demand for a character rather the particular execution of a character. As for Pax Bonkik, it is true that he is in our lineup based on fan contributions - but it was the creation of his backstory by a fan in a contest on starwars.com that "romanced" him to the point where he gained attention, and ultimately, a warm spot in our lineup.

Clones, in their various deco's, have been a mainstay of the Hasbro line in recent years. Now that definitive versions have been issued for most squads, what do you see as being the new army building trend ? You've tried astromechs, and standard armoured imperials - can we expect multi-hued protocol droids ? Or does The Force Unleashed / The Clone Wars hold some new paint options ? (TPU, 11/09/07)

One word….Gungans. Seriously, it's tough to beat the impressive presence of a mighty Clone (or Stormie) army, and we think that's where fans still prefer to spend their army building efforts, and there are some opportunities in front of us to still evolve this area (case in point, The Force Unleashed basic figures, Battlefront II packs, upcoming comic packs, etc). Beyond that, there are other good seams we'll be exploring - perhaps a little bit of everything you have said, plus some Ewoks thrown in for good measure.

Can you give us revised release dates for TAC Waves 4-8 in the UK ? Our US cousins are boasting of the arrival of Wave 7 in some of their stores, and we've yet to see Wave 5. Some of our forum members are starting to worry about missing out on short-packed figures (given the excitement around the EU / McQuarrie elements of these waves). (TPU, 11/09/07)

Sure - approx on-shelf for Waves 4-6 has already past - hopefully you have seen progress on your end in getting these to the shelves. Wave 7 - 12/7. Wave 8 - 12/15. Wave 7.5 - 12/21. Now…that's a lot of waves in a short period of time, so expect the later ones to push out as the previous ones "clear" the shelves and reorders come in for new waves. Hang in there - they are coming!

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Since the AOTC Obi-Wan Kenobi Jedi Starfighter is coming back with the Hyperdrive Ring, is it possible that we might see a return of Plo Koon Jedi Starfighter with the Hyperdrive Ring added similar to the current Titanium version? (YF, 11/09/07)

We don't have specific plans for a Plo Koon version, but if the current one proves popular then more versions are a possibility down the road.

Recently hi-res images on the 2008 Kashyyyk Troopers appeared and in the loose shot he has the Evolution Blaster rifle and the binoculars while in the packaged shot he has the more accurate "bulkier" Rifle and no binoculars. Which one will he come with and what's the story on the binocs? (YF, 11/09/07)

The actual one will have the longer rifle and no binoculars. It sounds like the hi-res images picked up Gree's accessories and not the actual Trooper's.

Now that the transition from '07 to '08 figures upon us and with that, the passing of the coins into the night; what is on tap for us as far as the UGH 2008 promotion? Will it go back to the silver stands and silver foil accents on the packaging or is UGH concept on hiatus, joining the Vintage Assortment? (YF, 11/09/07)

There is no plan right now for a specific UGH promotion for next year. We are cooking up some other ideas….but you will have to stay tuned.

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There are certain Galactic Heroes figures that where never available except for in multi packs (like the Shadow Stormtrooper, the Mace Windu battalion clone, or R2-Q5) that contained a lot of figures that collectors that had collected the Galactic Figures line from the beginning had already bought. Are there any plans to re-release these previous multi pack exclusives in a regular two pack, perhaps to reward or thank collectors that had been supporting the line since it was under the Playskool banner? (YN, 11/09/07)

Good question, Mark. We had not planned this, but could take a look at it as a possibility.

Can we expect an updated Return of the Jedi version of Emperor Palpatine, perhaps even with a soft goods cloak and maybe even a throne as an accessory, in the near future? (YN, 11/09/07)

Not in the near future. We are looking at updating the Emperor, but a different version. Stay tuned...

How does Hasbro feel about the current status of the 7" unleashed line? Is there no possibility of it ever making a return, other than in rehashes and repaints? (YN, 11/09/07)

It is very doubtful that 7" Unleashed will come back, other than possible repacks. The audience was passionate, but not as numerous as the collectors who propel 3-3/4", the dual audiences for Galactic Heroes, or the kids who propel Star Wars Transformers and Unleashed 2". When combined with the disproportionate tooling and production cost, it isn't a line we can continue to sustain.

[Matt]

Session 43 - December 7, 2007

As pictures are showing the white Clone Commando from the Comic Pack "Clone Commando & Super Battle Droid" (Star Wars Tales #23) (SKU 87556) will enclose Scorch's Dc-17M as his weapon of choice, obviously because of the grenades that are packed in and that can be pin onto the Super Battle Droid. But with the standard blaster that comes with the three Republic Commando figures (besides Scorch) in the Collectors Pack "Republic Comando Delta Squad" (SKU 87269) we could get a standard Republic Commando for our Clone Armies. That would be much higher in demand I think. The grenades could still be packed in the set, because the Commandos in the game usually are throwing grenades with their hands (Michael). (4".de, 12/07/07)

That comic pack is already completed and on the way to retail, so it is too late to change. We hope that you give it a try and enjoy it - we think it came out great and have built some squads ourselves with them. We will take your comment into consideration the next time we think about releasing a standard Republic Commando. Thanks.

If there would be running changes, variations or variants (like head, color or else) for some certain TFU Basic Figures like Marris Brood or even Stormtroopers or Clonetroopers that would be produced with the time, would those figures are more likely within the same case or wave like it has been done with the TSC Endor Rebel Trooper or would those variants or running changes more likely come out later within the over-all case mix? (4".de, 12/07/07)

We have no planned variations of TFU figures at this time. If there were any to happen, they would be packed in future case packs and not within the same case packs. There will be no changes to any troopers figures during the course of the run, deco or otherwise.

Hasbro said in one of the latest Q&A sessions that there will be just one single TFU wave. If that wave won't be completed by some more just unannounced figures this would indicate that figures like Darth Vader's Sith Apprentice will not come out within the basic figure assortment. Or would it be possible that this figure could be released in another way, perhaps with another battle pack or evolution pack or just as an EU-figure within another basic figure wave? Or can Hasbro state, that the Apprentice definitely will not be in the 2008 line? (4".de, 12/07/07)   

You are absolutley right - the *only* thing that we have confirmed is that there will be one wave of basic figures devoted to TFU. It is also certainly possible that all of the 3-3/4" options you presented could involve TFU. However, we are not at liberty to reveal any more details until after January 1st. Suffice to say there *will* be news. Stay tuned!

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Why are the fans' choice figures so often hard to find? One would think that as a poll winner determined by the fans, it should be packed more than one per case and in multiple waves - especially an army-builder like the current Saga Legends winner, the Darktrooper. Darth Revan, the Darktrooper, the original Saga McQuarrie Stormtrooper, the OTC Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper, and of course Ephant Mon have all been overly difficult to find. So why isn't more done to get the fans' choice figures into the hands of the fans? (AF, 12/07/07)

In the case of the recent Fans' Choice figures, like Revan and Darktrooper, you will find that over the course of time we will release these over and over and they should be relatively easier to find (we can point to last year's Cody and Scorch, and this year's McQuarrie Boba Fett, Galactic Marine, and Airborne Trooper as figures that have been continuously released). The reasons for 1/case pack is not due to percieved demand, but, as we have answered many times over in the Q&As, due to how many can be manufactured in a given amount of time. When figure demand runs high, we need to produce a *lot* of figures and can only produce so many in a given time with the tooling we have available. As figures prove popular, we will continue to release them as we can.

Several recent multipacks featuring EU figures - such as the Rebel Commando, Battlefront, and Mandalorian sets - seem rather popular with collectors. Has there been any consideration given for using the multipack format for characters that have only appeared in novels? Perhaps the Myrkr strike team of Jedi from Star by Star, or maybe members of Rogue and Wraith Squadrons in box sets, something like that? (AF, 12/07/07)

What you suggest is a good idea and we will explore it as the multi-packs have indeed proved popular. We're a little leery of the boxed set format for the novel figures, simply because it's a lot of development and a higher price point devoted to characters who don't have a lot of visual development to support them (Mandalorians, we felt, carried their own visual weight and demand to justify). Rogue Squadron has ample comic support, and is a great idea, but we have other plans to systematically get to them over the course of time. Wraith Squadron is very interesting - as we tackle Rogue Squadron, we can look to Wraith for additional ideas.

In this day and age, more and more people are becoming aware of the need to recycle. As collectors, we generate a lot of trash with all the packaging and would feel better about it if we knew it weren't just sitting in a landfill for the next thousand years. What is the recyclability of the materials uses in the packaging, especially the plastic bubbles and trays for the action figures? Has Hasbro ever considered marking the components of their packaging (not just SW but all Hasbro packaging) with recycling symbols? (AF, 12/07/07)

The PVC vacuform blisters and trays are not recyclable everywhere, so we don't indicate them as such. It's an important issue to us, and we are constantly looking at way of minimizing the amount of packaging each product uses. One area in which we have made progress, for instance, is in the use of wire ties, by going to the less resource intensive, clear bands among other initiatives.

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We haven't seen any reports of the Galactic Heroes Cantina Sets hitting Walmart yet. Are these still scheduled and will they hit retail before Christmas? (BB, 12/07/07)

Yes, they were delayed while Wal-Mart looked for the right window to get them into the store. They shoudl be hitting stores anytime now...certainly before the end of the year.

The new AT-ST battle packs at Target are fantastic. However, for those looking for an AT-ST by itself...any chance we'll see them alone in the future? (BB, 12/07/07)

Right now, we do not have plans to release them (or an other version) of the AT-ST separately.

My son recently broke his Galactic Hero General Grievous and I'm constantly hearing "when can we get a new one?" Will Grievous be returning in a future case pack? (Note: I took the opportunity to ask this question for my son, but their answer does provide good information for anyone who has a broken Hasbro toy part!) (BB, 12/07/07)

We are very sorry to hear that. If you haven't already, you might want to check with our Consumer Affairs team, who provide replacement parts for Hasbro Toys. You can find a link to them on our website. We double checked our plans and will be bringing Grievous back out late July of next year, but he will not be available until then. If Consumer Affairs is unable to help, and you cannot wait, we suggest looking for one of the Galactic Heroes Cinema Scene 10 Packs from last year - Jedi vs. Sith - which has the General in it. There may still be some at some retailers like Toys R Us, who have continued to carry the line.

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GH

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The Target Ultimate Battle of Hoth Pack (and these are out now, so none of that "no comment" stuff  ) seems to be the more popular of the two sets among collectors due to the new Gun Tower. Any chance that tower is going to make its way out to retail again by itself? A new Super Articulated Hoth Rebel Soldier would be a welcome pack-in to go with it! (JD, 12/07/07)

We are glad that fans like the new turret - we are very glad we could bring it out as a nice surprise at the end of year like that. Both sets are packed with tons of play value, and both seem to be selling well (hey, who doesn't love Ewoks?!). We do not have any plans at this time to offer the turret by itself - for now, and probably far into the future, the only place to find it will be the Ultimate Battle Pack.

Are there any figures that you've wanted to do, but just couldn't make them work for one reason or another? You've mentioned scrapping a folding/rolling Destroyer Droid in the past, were there any other characters/creatures that you've wanted to do but just cannot find a way/means to do it? (JD, 12/07/07)

Sure. There are a few other figures that for one reason or another fall out of the line, either because there aren't enough slots to do everything that our team wants to do, or because of costing, or even timing reasons. All good ideas eventually find their way back in one way or another, even if in another format than they were originally proposed. For instance, one such idea, details of which we aren't releasing yet, that "fell out" of the basic figure line this year due to costing will be coming out as our Comic Con exclusive next year.

Everyone on the team, too, has their "favorites" that they try and get into the line every year. For instance, it has become sort of a joke that one team member has really championed Fozec, from Jabba's Palace, for three years in a row now. Each year Fozec has just missed the cut or been replaced by another character that for one reason or another we felt we needed to do first. Some day, the team member will get his revenge...errr....his wish and Fozec will make the cut. Until then, he remains one of those "high on the list" candidates that is an example of a figure we just couldn't work into the line.

Are we close enough to 2008 that you can start handing out hints on the third wave of figures for 2008? We've got RotS and the Force Unleashed, can we at least know what wave 3's theme will be? (don’t make us wait until February!) (JD, 12/07/07)

We will give one hint. Wave 3 will feature one character that will be an upgrade over a previous character released in an early 2007 Battle Pack. The rest of the characters in the wave will be from the same source (movie or otherwise) as that character. That's more than enough hint to get started, and that's all we'll say for right now!

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Recently a scan of a 2008 clone trooper figure redemption coupon showed up online. Can you tell us if there will be a 2008 mail-away figure and exactly what figure will it be? (JI, 12/07/07)

We can confirm that this will indeed be a promotion for next year tied in to Clone Wars, but we are not at liberty yet to reveal more details on which figure will be available. We will reveal more details around Toy Fair. Stay tuned...

Can you tell us when toys based on the new Clone Wars animated series are due out? (JI, 12/07/07)

They will be out for Fall 2008. The exact on-shelf date is still being worked out, but detailed information and images of the figure direction will be revealed in February at Toy Fair.

There seems to be a decent amount of interest from collectors for 6" Marvel Legends style Star Wars figures. What are the chances we might see a line like that in the future? (JI, 12/07/07)

We will not be producing a line like this for Star Wars. When we have tried other collector-targeted scales (like 7" Unleashed) we found that fan interest, when compared to the 3-3/4" system, is just not as strong. In addition, for kids, the 3-3/4" scale is also the best one for a wide-range of figures and vehicles that play together, which is critical to the Star Wars fantasy. Rather than spread too thin against collectors, we will be focusing our efforts against making sure the 3-3/4" is broad, as we have been for the past couple of years. We should note that the other sublines - Galactic Heroes, Star Wars Transformers, and Unelashed 2", have a very strong following among kids and we will continue these going forward as well.

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The Ultimate Battle Packs are now out in the wild and from the pictures we've seen I for one can't wait to get my hands on them; you've done a great job with them.  Will we see any more of these next year and if so can you give us any indication of the themes being considered?  Also, from a UK point of view can you tell us definitively if we'll be seeing these in any UK stores (there's a lot of demand here for them - do we have to beg)? (JN.co.uk, 12/07/07)

The Ultimate Battle Packs have been very well-received, and we are looking at additional opportunities for more packs next year.  As for themes….it's too early to talk about anything, and it's likely we will stay mum on details about these.  Because these were ready so late in the year and were an untested/unproven concept and higher price point, it was decided to wait on these for 2007 in the UK. and Europe.  It's possible that we could look at these for late 2008 release, but we won't know that until later next year.

Saga Legends have been very popular and it's unfortunate that the UK has only officially seen Wave 1.  We understand from the UK brand manager that we will be getting the wave including the five figures we voted for in Quarter 1 2008.  Have the other 7 figures in the wave we're getting been agreed?  It would be a tragedy if the UK didn't see figures like the Dark Trooper (which was the #1 Fan's Choice) and others such as TC-14 that have never been officially available in the UK before.  If there's still time is there any way that this wave can incorporate some of these figures? (JN.co.uk, 12/07/07)

We have touched base with the UK and confirmed that the UK will be getting the five new Fans' Choice figures, but they will not be flowing in any of the previous figures.  Due to high minimum order quantity issues, the team was not able to select from a broader array of figures and focused all of their efforts on the five new.

I understand that we're getting white repaint versions of Han and Luke in Stormtrooper disguise in the Comic Packs early next year but have you considered creating super articulated versions of these figures as seen in the films?  They spend a lot of time wearing these outfits both before and after they enter the trash compacter and it would be great to have definitive versions available. (JN.co.uk, 12/07/07)

Yes, we have considered creating movie versions of these figures, and will probably get to these in the next couple of years.  For now, however, the repainted comic pack versions remain our most articulated (and close to screen-accurate coloring) versions to date.

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Ewoks seem to be on something of an upsurge as far as figures go.  We got Chief Chirpa last year, the Ewok 2-pack this year and another 2 Ewoks in the Battle of Endor Ultra Battle Pack.  Is it possible that we'll see the remainder of the vintage Ewoks, namely Lumat and Warrok, produced in the not too distant future? (JTA, 12/07/07)
 
We would like that too, but it probably won't be as simple as that.  We do have other Ewok plans, but it may take a little while longer for revised versions of these two to find their way into the line.

A number of customizers have been throwing together some kitbashed TIE Pilots recently, made from Baron Fel's helmet and the TSC Death Star Gunner's body.  A good number of these have been posted in collecting forums, and we've heard before that Hasbro checks out the collecting sites and forums.  Do collector made kitbashes like this show up on the Hasbro radar screen, and do things like this inspire future figure? (JTA, 12/07/07)
 
We have to admit that lately we've been a little busy putting the finishing touches on next year and planning for 2009, so we haven't seen the recent batches you mention.  When we get caught up, we'll look forward to seeing what fun fans have had with these recent kitbashes.  As far as whether it will influence future releases, it's tough to say; we already have pretty long lists of figures and ideas we'd like to see (both on-screen, and from other sources like comics, games, and novels) and only so many slots to go around.  Chances are though that the best ideas already have parrallel lines of thinking between fans and our team.  You never know though.... thanks for giving us the heads-up!

We've seen reports that the current Saga Legends line will extend into early 2008.  Can we expect a full  "Greatest Hits", "Saga Legends" or reissue line through the entirety of 2008? (JTA, 12/07/07)
 
Right now, we do not have plans for a full third figure line consisting entirely of greatest hits/legends in the Fall..since this line will basically be replaced by the Clone Wars line.  However, we are planning on doing some select "greatest hits" in the main (Saga) line....but there won't be that many slots to work with as we had this year with the whole line.

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With the recent release of the numerous TIE Fighter vehicles, is there any chance of getting a new, fully articulated, super-detailed, carded TIE Pilot? I'm sure many fans would like the chance to get a TIE Pilot for their TIE Fighters, as well as to update their older TIE Pilot with a better sculpt. If so, when might we expect this? (RS, 12/07/07)

We think the most recent TIE Pilot (the one we have included in the most recent releases) is a quality figure, but we acknowledge that fans will want to see a more premium figure (with ball-and-socket articulation) at some point. While we don't have plans right now for another one, we will put it up there on "the list" and look at opportunities as they come up for a new take.

Some of the most iconic poses in all of the films are on the posters for the films. Has/would Hasbro ever consider releasing battle packs based on the movie posters, preferably with figures able to strike the poses featured on the poster? Many would love to have a Luke that could hold a lightsaber over his head with both hands, for example. (RS, 12/07/07)

We have looked at the posters for inspiration from time to time. As yet, though, the ideas have taken a back seat to other initiatives like Vintage & Evolutions, since they pretty much occupy the same collector-focused development sphere.

There are two remaining unproduced Clone Troopers from the Clone Wars cartoon. They are the Clone SCUBA Trooper and Phase II armor Captain Fordo. Will we be seeing either of these anytime soon? (RS, 12/07/07)

Yes, yes you will. Just how he (and we're not saying which one it is, but it is one of them) will be delivered though remains to be revealed. Stay tuned!


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Does Hasbro have something against Wedge Antilles? Biggs gets 2 figures this year while our boy Wedge - who survives the OT and beyond - only gets his head plopped on an already existing body as an exclusive or pack-in every now and then. What are the chances of seeing a new Wedge single carded in the main line anytime soon? (SSG, 12/07/07)

Good point - Wedge is a very important character in the OT and the EU. While we don't have any plans for a carded basic Wedge figure, there will be at least one cool new Wedge figure in the line next year if our schedule holds. We will have info available around Comic Con on what that may be.

Why doesn't the Baron Fel comic-pack figure have his signature Van Dyck facial hair? It's in the art in the comic, and it's even on the packaging art side panel, but the figure is without paint or sculpted facial hair. (SSG, 12/07/07)

Great question. In the specific issue included (#4), Fel does have a well-developed Van Dyck and that is the starting point for the package artwork. However, we were directed to actually deco him more like the first issue in the story arc, where he is initially clean shaven, then gradually develops more and more scrub and then finally the full-on facial hair as the story ensues. Right now we don't have plans to do any facial hair variants, but if we do release another Fel it would be good to get the facial hair in there.

Considering that the body for CZ-4 was also used in A New Hope in the Sandcrawler (CZ-1) and in Mos Eisley (CZ-3), will we ever see a repaint of the CZ-4 figure to be these new characters? They could be done as a running change or put into Battlepacks. (SSG, 12/07/07)

There is a good bet that at some point we will see these variations, but it may take a while to find the spot for them in the lineup.

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ST

ST/TJ

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Are the Hasbro Protective Figure Cases once offered on HasbroToyShop.com still available? We've had several letters saying people can no longer find them on the shop's site, and we failed to find them ourselves. Will they be making a comeback, or are they being discontinued? (SWC, 12/07/07)

There does seem to have been a run on the cases lately. What appeared to be an ample supply in late Summer has quickly been gobbled up. Your comments have been noted, and more will be on the way. Look for the resupply to come in after the new year.

Speculation amongst collectors is running wild! While we know Hasbro likes to leep some things under wraps, at this time can you confirm or deny whether or not there will be a Vader's Secret Apprentice action figure released either in THE FORCE UNLEASHED wave, or as part of another wave in 2008? (SWC, 12/07/07)

The *only* thing that we have confirmed regarding 3-3/4" TFU is that there will be one wave of basic figures devoted to the game. Suffice to say there will indeed be more news. However, we are not at liberty to reveal any more details until after January 1st. Sorry to keep you waiting...but it will be worth it.

With an Endor Luke released in 2006's The Saga Collection, an Endor Leia released in the 2007 Vintage line, and the Biker Scout released in Saga Legends, it seems like a golden time to release an Imperial Speeder Bike. Any plans? (SWC, 12/07/07)

We agree, and that's why there are a couple of them in the Target Endor Battle Pack. As for other avenues to release these ultra-cool vehicle, we are looking at future ideas but don't have any immediate announcements.

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So - what's it like working at Hasbro ? Are the walls lined with case-fresh, mint-on-card figures ? Is there a giant vault somewhere containing one of each item from the Star Wars line - past and present ? Does the coffee lounge have a giant toybox where you can test the products ? C'mon - it's got to be a dream job for a fan - right? (TPU, 12/07/07)

It's not quite the abundant vintage paradise that one might imagine, but toys do explode like popcorn kernels out of every nook and cranny. Actually, a lot of the stuff in offices and common spaces is mostly the "unglamorous" part of toy design - rough models, pre-production samples for debugging, competitive products, and the like. Definitely more a functional space than a workplace museum.
Space is pretty open in the Boys area, and that's part of the fun; people get to see what other people are working on and that fuels a cool cross-pollination among the teams. As far as office decor goes, recent products are mostly what is displayed since wall space is always a sought-after commodity, and upcoming or recent releases (TAC) tend to be the most exciting and get the prized space. While there are indeed Hasbro/Kenner archives that do boast some case-fresh gems, the archive is only partially complete. We have been there on a couple of occasions for "research" purposes...yeah, that's it....research.

There seems to be a distinct lack of a 'holiday' Star Wars figure for 2007 - did you take the hint from fans after the frankly poor ‘candy-apple' Vader last year ? Will we see this concept return? (TPU, 12/07/07)

You won't see a holiday figure return for 2008, either…at least as we have known it. We didn't really feel there was anything we were excited about pursuing, and we have so many other ideas and projects in development for next year, it was a little hard to fit anything else in.

Given the amount of talented customisers out there, what are the skills you need to be a Hasbro action figure creator ? Product design ? Manufacturing ? Fine art ? Technical drawing ? Sculpture? (TPU, 12/07/07)

All of our designers have either bachelors of science or bachelor of fine arts degress from schools like the Fashion Insitute of Technology (in New York), Cincinnati School of Design, Purdue University School of Design, etc. It's important that someone who is serious about joining Hasbro in toy design have a well-rounded skill set, including the critical ability to illustrate, work with and understand materials, cost analysis, project management, the ability to work with and across a wide-range of discplines, etc. We select designers based on their abilities to solve all sorts of conceptual problems related to toys - whether it is designing role play, girls toys, vehicles, soft goods, electronics...or action figures. It's rare for a Hasbro designer to work exclusively on action figures for any length of time.

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Dear Hasbro, recently there has been some confusion as to the official designation for the Repaints/Replacement wave (Pax Bonkik, R2-B1, etc.) and the AOTC wave (Padme, Jango, etc).

Some sites/e-tailers/retailers call these wave 8 & 9 respectively while others label them 7.5 and 8. Which is correct and if the latter is true, what constitutes a .5 wave designation? (YF, 12/07/07)

The official Hasbro designation for the repaint wave (Pax, R2-B1, Clone Trooper with poncho, etc) is Wave 7.5, and the AOTC wave is Wave 8. Originally, The Force Unleashed wave was known as Wave 9, and when the game was delayed, it was pushed out until 2008. Shortly after, Wave 8 (AotC wave) suffered some schedule delays and this left a "hole" in our schedule that we needed to fill - and thus the creation of the repaint wave to fill it, since that was the only way we would get fresh figures in time as no new tooling was possible. We then called this Wave 7.5 because it was late (and too confusing) to rename Wave 8 to Wave 9. Instead, we "sliced" the repaint wave in between Waves 7 & 8 . Since then, delays in a couple of the figures (Rebel Vangaurd Trooper and R2-B1) and improvement to the once-delayed Wave 8 schedule have caused the repaint Wave 7.5 to actually ship *after* Wave 8. So there you go...the complete story. In any case, a "half-numbered" (.25, .5, .75 etc) wave will generally happen when we slot in case pack changes (ratio changes), running changes we need to track, or other minor changes. Typically a new/repaint wave like Wave 7.5 would have gotten a "whole numbered" wave name, but in this case we sliced it in and it got the half-number.

Dear Hasbro, first off, thank you for your continued support to all the collecting sites out there with these QNA exchanges, I hope they continue next year. Now to the question: The upcoming new Commander Gree has clearly raised the bar from an articulation standpoint with the added hip and wrist joints. With that, is it a safe bet that these articulation points will be added to any possible future Clone retools?(Bacara, Cody, standard E2/E3 clones etc.) (YF, 12/07/07)

We don't have plans right now to go back and retool other Clone Commanders in the immediate future. It's a good bet that in the years ahead we will look to (and be asked by fans) to do some updates and this is the direction we will probably pursue.

Since 2008 is the 25th Anniversary of Return of the Jedi, can you confirm if there are any ROTJ themed waves slated for release? (YF, 12/07/07)

Yes, we confirm that there will be a RotJ-themed wave in Fall 2008.

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The comic 2-pks have went over real well apparently this year, and it looks like you have many more planned for next year. Hints and rumors of upcoming characters are exciting many collectors. But many also feel that the attempt to keep them at a $9.99 price point causes a problem with the quality of these exciting but half-done figures that won't get better versions down the road more than likely. I understand that every figure cannot be vintage quality, but the majority of these figures are well below basic figure quality. So would you consider raising the price on them to say $14.99 to be able to offer better made figures or are you bent on keeping the $9.99 price point at all cost? (YN, 12/07/07)

Neither, actually. We will be raising our pricing (and suggested price to $11.99 SRP) in 2008 in an effort to be able to provide some more articulation. However, we won't always be able to make each figure super-articulated. We don't in the basic line, either - because of the very high cost related to tooling, deco, and assembly, Vintage-style articulation cannot be the goal for everything. We do hope to be able to continue to offer quality of sculpting and articulation, and a solid value for the 2-pack. This is doubly important since kids have also been big fans of the comic 2-packs in addition to collectors. By maintaining that attainable price point, we keep both audiences engaged and can continue to put forth good batch of new sculpts with each wave..

Why the recent return of the hand held over sized weapons that shoot missles? I don't mind them if the "regular" guns come with the figures too (rebel vanguard) but I'd rather have another accessory/pack-in if possible. I do mind if that's the only gun for the figure as it seems that way in the AT-TE battle pack. Do these guns really draw in that many more kids? (YN, 12/07/07)

While we have and will continue to stay away from figures with dedicated features (i.e. light-saber slashing) for the most part, missile firing is a significant attraction for kids and we see it as a good accessory to include when we can and need to add to the play value. You have a good point to have a non-firing accessory, especially for figures that have a collector draw, and we'll keep that in mind. We will continue to use missile-firing blasters where we think it's important to promote the play pattern.

I would like to know from Hasbro if there are any plans to do figures from the New Jedi Order series of books? I would really like to see something done with The Yuuzhan Vong, and the Jedi? (YN, 12/07/07)

Yes. One of the first figures we will be releasing is the NJO Luke Skywalker figure in the first new wave of the upcoming Evolutions line. That might not be the only NJO character in 2008, either…it depends on how schedules work out, but we should have very exciting news around Comic Con next year about the next NJO figure. Stay tuned!