C4 Exclusives - McQuarrie C-3PO & R2-D2 and Luke Skywalker

[Darth Broem]

At this point I am up for almost any Concept figure since they have done a great job on them (IMO).  But I would really like a concept Yoda.  There are some truly funky versions they could pick from. 

[ddschneider1972]

I posted this on another local list earlier this week.

OK, after some reading and thinking, I'm pretty sure the Luke is exclusive in coin only.
  1) McQ Luke has been listed in wave 5, not as McQ Luke 2 like if it was another design.
  2) it's "while supplies last" not a limited punch ticket like the droids.
  3) That otheR Site said based on their sources (which are usually pretty good) a few weeks ago that the Luke figure was not a con exclusive.


  Also, I'm also betting that after Hasbro has stated many times in their Q&A's that they need to make a certain # of figures to make it cost effective they wouldn't make a limited run of 3 figures...I mean why would they create not 1 but 3 new sculpts and limited them only 2 cons? They say time and time again that limited runs are always kitbashed and or repaints because of the cost of the tooling process, and these are't figures with just 6 POA either, they have ball jointed knees, etc. So that means more detailed tooling and constuction costs to assemble. I'm betting (fairly positive) the Luke will be part of the regular line with a regular coin, and the Droids will be available through the Fan Club and/or Hasbro Toy Shop with a new coin (maybe even single carded, it would not shock me.)     

Also, when was the last time an exclusive of any sort was an original sculpt? They've all been repaints, and\or kitbashed with minor new parts, etc for years. 

[Jeff]

The next batch of answers is due this Friday (4/13), and I'm sure somebody out there must have asked about the availability of the Droids and just how exclusive they will be.

Looks like this is the standard Hasbro answer for the sites that asked about the droids in this week's Q&A session... and Hasbro threw a bit about Luke in there too, which is nice.

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), not Hasbro, is the actual retailer for this product, so Gencon is setting the strategy for its 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.

[speedermike]

"right now, at least..."

We must all learn patience...

[David]

While I'm all for patience, damn I would be SO upset if those droids werent available elsewhere. And I really hope that Scuba Luke is available in higher quantities than this answer made it sound like there would be.

[Darth Broem]

Yeah, they will re-release them at some point down the road.  They will wait for quite an uproar about it from the community and then they will extend the olive branch and release them.  I can not believe they would waste the money making toolings for 2-3 new figures and not maximize the return they could get via mass sales.  If their griping and moaning about the expense it takes making figures is to be believed that is?

[speedermike]

I agree...actually, I was trying to remember if there were any "new" 3 3/4 exclusives, and the only things that I could think of were the Max Rebo band sets way back in 1998 or so. 

[Artoo]

Oh boy will this suck. Come on UPS let ME win...

[DoctorPadawan]

I don't know why, but part of me just keeps suspecting that all the McQuarrie figures will eventually be rereleased in a box set (ala the Death Star Briefing or Republic Commando exclusive sets), possibly with some kind of McQuarrie art poster or mini-book (along the lines of the one released with the 2000 Episode I widescreen VHS detailing the Episode I concept art by Chiang, McCaig, and company).  With the McQuarrie ST being the "hot" figure of the first wave (and likely Fett in wave 2), and the probable insanity surrounding the Con figures, a box set would be a good way to get all the figures out there at once without upsetting those people who paid money for the carded versions originally.

Of course, now that I've suggested it Hasbro won't even consider doing it.   

[Brian]

I was disappointed to hear that the droids combo won't be available outside C4 either, although like many have said we might end up seeing it sometime down the road though - and I could see that box set idea happening.  I'm kind of surprised that they would sculpt all-new figures like that for a somewhat limited release.  I'll just be hoping for help on these I guess, and we'll see beyond that.  For the Luke, it kind of sounds like it might be available at HTS at some point, so that is good news.  I hate the evasive answers from Hasbro on stuff like this though, because you know they know whether or not Luke will be available at HTS.com at this point - but they just won't come out and say it.  Hopefully everyone who wants these figures will be able to get at least one of each.

[Darth_Anton]

I just reserved my place in line to pick these up. Another headache out of the way I hope.

[Jeff]

We were able to get some new mega-sized images of the Concept 3PO...  hoping for the others in the near future.   



Click on the thumbnails above to check out the images...

[Morgbug]

Nice.  And better articulated the the VOTC C-3PO.

[Jesse James]

I had heard some criticism of the deco since it's dull and not chromed.  I actually think I prefer the dulled look since it more closely matches the artwork (by necessity of course).  The sculpting is fantastic though on his face...  Perfect.  I may not like the lack of knee joints, little disappointed, but the final figure is superb...  Kudos to Hasbro on the McFigures in general.  Even Vader, who's lacking somewhat, is a nice figure.

[Diddly]

I may not like the lack of knee joints

I hate it. Why? If they hadn't articulated the ankles, it would be soooo much better. What's the point of ankle articulation if there's no knee articulation? Hopefully 3PO isn't a bitch to stand like Bacarra and Bulq, the other two figures who have no knee articulation but strangely have ankle articulation.