Author Topic: Toy Fair 2011  (Read 30241 times)

Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #75 on: February 13, 2011, 08:32 AM »
At least there were a few surprises - the "Barada" update, Echo Base trooper and the Revenge cards. Nice to see some of the rumored figures like Panda Baba and Dr. Evazan. Now to wait until SDCC.
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Offline Brian

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #76 on: February 13, 2011, 10:29 AM »
I'm pretty happy with what was shown.  I was worried we wouldn't see any TVC beyond the Luke Dagobah Landing wave, and we got that and then some.  The Bespin Han/RFT wave looks amazing, and the Echo Base Trooper was a nice surprise later in the year.  Not a lot shown vehicle-wise, but I'm sure we'll see some more surprises at SDCC.  I have a feeling we might have something similar to the Dewback/Jabba sets, and personally I'm hoping for a Taun Taun (although that might be further out).  I'm a little surprised we didn't see more from CW.  Sure, I'm more interested in TVC - and I'm sure they will have a lot more at SDCC with a new season on the horizon - but it seemed like CW was all the rage during Season 1, but it has calmed down slightly since then.  I thought they would at least have shown Savage (again, probably SDCC), coming off that arc and the movie showing push.

Offline Darby

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #77 on: February 13, 2011, 11:08 AM »
I was a little surprised by the disparity with CW, too, but then most of what we saw was spoiled for us a while back.  I think CW will have a big push at SDCC as the new season starts.  Or maybe it has evened out with TVC.

Offline Scockery

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #78 on: February 13, 2011, 01:13 PM »
I thought they hinted months ago in a q&a repsonse that there wouldn't be  a whole lot of new Clone Wars offerings in 2011.

Offline EpicGon

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #79 on: February 13, 2011, 01:27 PM »
It is fair to recognise the effort indepiction of several caharacters, like the clones from clone wars: latest Fordo and company. I hope Hasbro could swap those heads onto teh classic stormies, and develop a new mold for the imperial stormtrooper which highlights the articulations and relief of the armor pieces.

Offline speedermike

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #80 on: February 13, 2011, 07:07 PM »
I was looking at "The Making of Star Wars" book to see something about the Rebel Fleet Trooper.

I never niticed but in the Yavin medal ceremony a very few have the cap on, and a few have the "ammo" leg belt.  Amazing details.
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #81 on: February 13, 2011, 08:59 PM »
I thought they hinted months ago in a q&a repsonse that there wouldn't be  a whole lot of new Clone Wars offerings in 2011.

I don't recall that, but DePriest just said as much in that snippet interview running over at Sandtroopers. He indicated they want to focus the line a little more and not delve into the background characters as much. He really seemed down on Duchess Satine's chances of ever getting made.

I guess they'd rather just do core, essential characters like El-Les (1 appearance to date ) and the Aqua Droid (1 appearance to date).

Yeah, I think there was a dramatic disparity in the attention given to TVC versus TCW. Aside from the Deluxe sets, there was 0 new product shown for TCW that hadn't already leaked weeks before. Makes me wonder if the line isn't in trouble somewhat this year...
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Offline Captain Piet

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #82 on: February 13, 2011, 09:13 PM »
I thought they hinted months ago in a q&a repsonse that there wouldn't be  a whole lot of new Clone Wars offerings in 2011.

I don't recall that, but DePriest just said as much in that snippet interview running over at Sandtroopers. He indicated they want to focus the line a little more and not delve into the background characters as much. He really seemed down on Duchess Satine's chances of ever getting made.

I guess they'd rather just do core, essential characters like El-Les (1 appearance to date ) and the Aqua Droid (1 appearance to date).

Yeah, I think there was a dramatic disparity in the attention given to TVC versus TCW. Aside from the Deluxe sets, there was 0 new product shown for TCW that hadn't already leaked weeks before. Makes me wonder if the line isn't in trouble somewhat this year...

How could the line be in trouble with a show on the air?
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Offline Brian

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #83 on: February 13, 2011, 09:17 PM »
I don't think the line is in trouble at all, but it definitely seem to have lost a little bit of "heat" - whether that is with the kiddos, collectors, or both.  I think it is a pretty well done line personally, with a lot of neat stuff.  In a lot of ways it is handled like the original vintage line where the core characters are always available, they sprinkle in the interesting aliens and background characters, and the more obscure (or in this case female or non-actiony characters) are sort of kept to a minimum.  I could see a focusing in though, that makes sense - I was surprised at the lighter showing at Toy Fair, even considering the leaked figures.

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #84 on: February 13, 2011, 09:23 PM »
I was looking at "The Making of Star Wars" book to see something about the Rebel Fleet Trooper.

I never niticed but in the Yavin medal ceremony a very few have the cap on, and a few have the "ammo" leg belt.  Amazing details.
 

Can you scan anything to show?  I don't own that book to check.  I like that he has a cover...  Very neat.  The level of military detail in the first two films is really unparalleled in anything but maybe Star Trek, as far as sci-fi/fantasy stuff goes.  It's really impressive.  ROTJ is sloppier, but still has a bit of detailing.

As far as Clone Wars goes, I think  you'll just see more at SDCC...  Like I said, this show's about selling products.  I think Clone Wars sells itself more.  SDCC is has more of the multi-media dynamic, and so I think you'll see more CW then.  I think the line's healthy, the show's healthy, and the toys are doing pretty good too...  They unveiled all these Deluxe.  That's a pretty new direction.  Another RC vehicle, yet another "Big" ship...  I don't think it got slighted that badly at Toy Fair.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2011, 09:25 PM by Jesse James »
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Offline Jeff

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #85 on: February 13, 2011, 10:01 PM »
Clone Wars sells itself

Yeah, it's more a case of CW being put on "cruise control" for the Spring.  There won't be a lack of product like we've seen in some recent years, but CW will be focusing more on cranking out what they have (to catch up on demand for some of the popular figures) instead of charging forward with more new.

I guess I can't blame them, it sort of copies Kenner's old plan of keeping the older figures on the pegs.  I mean, if kids are keeping the line profitable by continuing to buy the same Anakin, Obi-Wan, Cody, Rex why bother adding in too much new until you need it?

(and oh yeah, it's still profitable - CW was far and away the largest chunk of that $510 million in sales.  CW isn't going anywhere anytime soon...)
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #86 on: February 13, 2011, 10:12 PM »
How could the line be in trouble with a show on the air?

Because if it's really the cash cow they used to always claim it to be, you'd think they would be expanding the offerings in 2011, not scaling them back. If you have a successful product, you don't make less of it, right?

I agree it seems weird, because the show continues to pull in strong numbers, but there is a growing dis-connect between the direction the show is heading and the direction Hasbro wants to steer the line, IMO. It's really getting more and more difficult to argue this is a kid's show anymore, in terms of its subject matter and tone. But that's the very demographic Hasbro seems desperate to cling to with its toy offerings, specifically young boys.

I think maybe Hasbro is somewhat resistant to embrace the current flavor of the show, and so it forces them into an increasingly restrictive creative box because they've got these demographic blinders on. I guess the growth and development of the show creatively is difficult to translate into a marketing plan for a toy line. I honestly think they have done a pretty good job managing this line, but I see signs they are grappling with where to head in the future.
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Offline Greg

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #87 on: February 13, 2011, 10:46 PM »
Because if it's really the cash cow they used to always claim it to be, you'd think they would be expanding the offerings in 2011, not scaling them back. If you have a successful product, you don't make less of it, right?

I thought the Clone Wars line had a fair bit on display, and perhaps exceeded what was shown at the 2010 Toy Fair. There were ten new basic figures (eleven if you count Jet), SIX deluxe sets, a new R/C vehicle, and a large playset vehicle. That's just action figure stuff that isn't out yet. Considering there are more lightsabers, blasters, new pre-school toys, and a new General Grievous mask, I'd say the line is pretty expansive.

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #88 on: February 14, 2011, 03:04 AM »
Not to mention what's coming in SDCC...  You will see something, I'm sure.

Add in that what's been "expanded" on the Clone Wars line isn't doing all that well.  When they branch out beyond the mains, are they really killing at retail?  I was just saying to my gf tonight while she let me do a post-Valentine's Dinner Toy Run, that I'm shocked at how many Embo's, Cato's, and other second or third-tier characters I see.  Embo was hard to find very briefly, but at this point he's been a pretty stale figure here.  He was as collector-friendly as it got though.

Like Jeff said, putting the line on cruise control selling what is working for you, and what is making you a pile of dough because the molds are tooled or partially tooled, can be a good way to build things up for better (IE: New, and maybe dare I say "riskier" things) down the road.

But like I said too...  RC Vehicles, a big assed ship/playset for $80, an entire Deluxe Figure/VEhicle line dedicated 99% to Clone Wars...  If that's poor representation, then I don't know what good must be like.
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Toy Fair 2011
« Reply #89 on: February 14, 2011, 09:53 AM »
But like I said too...  RC Vehicles, a big assed ship/playset for $80, an entire Deluxe Figure/VEhicle line dedicated 99% to Clone Wars...  If that's poor representation, then I don't know what good must be like.

Here's what I would have considered "good":

1) Show AT LEAST the Army of the Republic battlepack, which we have already seen packaged images of online. No reason not to show that one.

2) Show us the BARC with Clone Trooper Jesse Deluxe set which appears to be completely MIA. (Even though we have again seen packaged photos and 1 guy on GH claims he actually found one at a Walmart) I mean, they had the stupid tactial droid set on display on that thing has been out for months. Hasbro, to my knowledge, has never even officially acknowledged that Jesse set. 

3) The current TVC line has Waves 4 and 5 hitting now. But Hasbro was cool enough to not only show Wave 6 and 7, but also Waves 8 and 9! By contrast the TCW line has Wave 1 hitting now. But Hasbro only showed upcoming Waves 2 and 3, nothing from 4 or 5. So TVC got previewed FOUR WAVES out and TCW only got previewed TWO WAVES out.   

I'm not going to belabor the point, but I have seen the same comments posted on other forums, so it seems some other folks have noticed the disparity as well. I'd gladly pass on some of the Deluxe set previews to have gotten a look at more figures. (Ahem...Oppress)

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