Let's discuss the future of the retro-vintage line.

[Matt]

A new vintage-esque Bespin Luke has been confirmed by Hasbro's Darryl DePriest, in an interview with Lee's Toy Review:

Lee’s: Rumors abound about another series of "Vintage" style figures on retro packaging. We've heard scuttlebutt about "super-articulated Stormtrooper, Leia Hoth, and Luke Bespin." Any validity to these rumors?

DePriest: There will indeed be a new wave of vintage style figures consisting of six figures we have not done before. Only one of these mentioned is correct (Luke Bespin). As for the others, we are going to keep the complexion of the line close to the vest. The scheduled on-shelf date is May, so we'll reveal the figures around Toy Fair time.

I'm assuming that Lee's mistakenly asked about a Stormtrooper, instead of the rumored Snowtrooper.

And, although unrelated to the vintage line, also confirmed is the Academy Biggs for Wave 3 in the basic line:

Lee’s: Why was Biggs Darklighter rendered as a pilot, rather than in his civilian threads as seen in the Anchorhead deleted scenes? Fans have been asking for him in that outfit for quite some time. Will he ever be produced in his civilian clothes?

DePriest: Yes, Biggs in his Academy outfit will be in the very next wave (Wave 3) for 2007! Wave 2, themed around the Battle of Yavin, was actually originally designed to be the last wave in 2006. Because of a production delay, it was pushed out into 2007, and that's why there are back-to-back Biggs.

Not much else of interest, but here's the link if you'd like to check it out.

[Artoo]

I'd actually buy a Vintage style Momaw Nadon & General Veers if they were finally SA.

[Jesse James]

I'm pretty stoked about Luke...  I know a lot like the Saga figure of him, but the pre-posed sculpt kind of killed the articulation, and the tumor on his back has always been distracting.  I'm curious though, will Hasbro try to be creative with this figure?  I mean, could we see a cloth jacket on him?  I'm not sure I'd like that so much...  It's been tried before where it didn't make sense though, so I could see them trying on a figure who DOES remove his jacket for a large portion of the film.

Either way, SA Bespin Luke's long overdue...  SA any main classic character is long overdue.

[Diddly]

I hope they just do simple plastic for the Bespin Luke. Really there isn't much you could use soft goods for, unless you do like Jesse said and make a soft goods jacket with Luke's Dagobah muscle shirt underneath. I just don't see Hasbro doing that. I do see this Bespin Luke including a lot of accessories like the Pilot Luke did this year - Saber, Saber hilt, blaster, and the removeable hand have to all be included. Maybe they'll include the Bacta tank that came with the 2002 Luke as well? That'd be sweet.

I'm kinda disappointed that Hoth Leia isn't happening. That's a figure we really need a resculpt of, IMO, since we haven't had one since that POTJ statue version came out.

[Nicklab]

I'm kinda disappointed that Hoth Leia isn't happening. That's a figure we really need a resculpt of, IMO, since we haven't had one since that POTJ statue version came out.

It sounds like Lee's had some bad info about the vintage Leia.  The rumors that have been swirling around about that figure say that it's actually an Endor Leia, not a Hoth version.  So I did some digging to see what the vintage Endor Leia was like, and that piece had a sg poncho, removable helmet and blaster.  So it seems as though Hasbro may copy what they did with TSC Endor Luke and apply it to a good sculpt of Leia in Endor gear.  Hopefully this version will be articulated well enough in the hips that it can ride a speeder bike!

[David]

I'm kinda disappointed that Hoth Leia isn't happening. That's a figure we really need a resculpt of, IMO, since we haven't had one since that POTJ statue version came out.

 So I did some digging to see what the vintage Endor Leia was like, and that piece had a sg poncho, removable helmet and blaster.  So it seems as though Hasbro may copy what they did with TSC Endor Luke and apply it to a good sculpt of Leia in Endor gear. 

what good sculpt of endor leia? if you mean an existing sculpt, a good one is nowhere to be found! 

[Nicklab]

What I mean is have those Endor Luke accessories:  blaster, holster, helmet, poncho, etc and add those to a good, *NEW* sculpt of Leia in Endor Rebel gear.  That's honestly what I think is going to happen, especially since there haven't been any reissues put on a Vintage style card.  Every figure that's been part of the vintage line has been a totally new sculpt even though some have been reissued afterwards.

[David]

that's true, and as hard to get off as the accesories are, theyd be nice on a BRAND NEW, SA endor leia

[Artoo]

I'm happy with the announcement of the new Bespin Luke.

[Morgbug]

Luke Bespin
Leia Endor (which would lend itself to Endor Luke down the road?)
Snowtrooper
Death Squad Commander
Bossk
Zuckuss

There's your six for the next series.  Really, they should do the Jawa, but won't because of perceived complaints regarding the size, should it not be a two pack. 

Based on Matt's post back on December 11th, I think it's reasonable to expect them to do all the vintage versions of:
Luke
Leia
Han
main army builders: Stormtrooper, Biker Scout, Tusken Raider, Tie Pilot, Snowtrooper
main characters
bounty hunters

So we're looking at 1-2 more Luke's; 1 more Leia; 1 more Han.  Zuckuss, 4-LOM, IG-88, Bossk and Dengar.  I think the snowtrooper (Hoth stormtrooper if you prefer) and the Tie Pilot are probable but I'm less convinced about the Death Squad Commander and AT-AT Driver being done.  I do think they'll do Jawas and will throw in a chase figure with the vinyl cape version.  Beyond that I can't think of too much more, unless they start drifting into Skiff Guards and Jabba's denizens but I think those fit into the third tier characters more so than anything else.

[Artoo]

Walrus Man. He needs done bad.

[Paul]

Obviously I would buy the entire vintage line done in this style, but I am not the one Hasbro makes toys for.

I would love to see the "Troops" from both sides of the Galactic Civil war that was done in the Vintage line done here.

I guess I am also in the minority on the issue of "Value"...I bought (ok mom and dad and grandma bought) single carded Jawas and Droids and Ewoks back in the day, so I don't mind the single Jawa or Ugnaught (especially in the "homage" line)...I don't buy my figures by the pound.  I'd rather have a SA Jawa or Ugnaught for $10 than a pre-posed, action feature laden ANYTHING for $5.  Matter of taste I guess.

With the Death Star Trooper we are getting next year, can we be sure Death Squad Trooper will be in the "Vintage" line?  One can hope. 

I'd even buy Jabba's folks in this line.  And Artoo is right.  Walrus Man needs this treatment.

[Morgbug]

Oh I'd be happier buying anything from the vintage lineup in this redux.  But Hasbro has said that won't happen and for once I believe them.  I'd have been ecstatic if they'd followed merrily along the vintage release line, in order. 

But all I really want them to do is finish off the first 12 figures.  I'm not any more concerned with their being a single Jawa on a card than you are Paul.  R2 is short; snaggletooth is short.  I'm fine with it being a single with no monster accessory (though I'm happy too to see the Jawa and new droid in the 30th AC).  Ideally I'd like to see them do an even split of vinyl and cloth for them so no one is left wanting and there's no secondary market.  But I can almost smell the wheels turning for the buzz a new VCJ would create if it was a short packed figure.  Be better as a mail away though. 

That would leave our friend the Death Squad Commander to be done.  Pretty please.

[Nicklab]

I definitely want to see both a Jawa and Death Squad Commander.  They're the last of the 12 back characters to be done in the vintage style, and I think there's the potential for Hasbro to do a lot with these.

A Jawa could actually be a great little figure.  It could be well articulated with some good accessories.  The articulation could be similar to the ROTS Yoda that's been repacked a few times.  It's a prime candidate for a softgoods cloak.  You could even make removable bandoliers for them.  Add in the Ion blaster and a droid remote and while it might be a short figure, it's probably not a cheap one.

A Death Squad Commander might be a revised Death Star Trooper from the 30AC, but in grey and possibly with less bulbous joints.  The 30AC DST looks cool, but I think the articulation is detracting from that sculpt.

[Matt]

I'm a little puzzled about Hasbro's response to this question from The Jawa yesterday:

It seems that with the pack-in coins that we're getting in the current line that incorporating the Power Of The Force line into the vintage line would be a natural fit.  Has that concept been entertained considering the current coin pack-ins? (TJ, 3/16/07)

We deliberately stayed away from the coins in the VOTC because not all of the figures would have had them.  Instead, we came up with the idea of doing the coins as a mail-in follow-up to our 2006 promotion and to be a "parallel" set with the 30th Anniv. coins.

(JD asked a similar question some months back which was summarily ignored.)

I guess I just don't understand why they're so reluctant to look at the POTF cards for the vintage line.  This year was a perfect opportunity to do it.  And maybe there's not a whole lot they could do with the remaining "POTF-only" figures, but there's still a few ROTJ figures which were released on the POTF cardback and could be considered worthy of the vintage treatment:  Jedi Luke, Gamorrean Guard, and The Emperor, for starters.  Add those to the viable POTF-only figures, like Han Carbonite and Lando General, and you've got a nice little wave of main characters, an army-builder, and a bad guy.  Maybe even throw in Yak Face for a fan wank (mail-in, even).  And they've all got coins.

Something like that would be perfect for next year, which is Jedi's 25th anniversary.  But it'll never happen.  They'll have moved onto some other premium by then.  Something cool, like pogs or scratch-n-sniff stickers or something.