I'm splitting the Lost Wave case with a local friend... Ordered off a sponsor on our front page, and I'm even getting the army builders he doesn't want too. It's quite palatable compared to driving around hoping. Though nothing's as nice as walking in and finding a figure, even at today's prices.
As far as the Jar Jar in Carbo... To me this is as ideal as Hasbro is going to get, sadly. They release it on its own, and people who buy the set feel ripped off. They release it only in the set, and people who don't attend or cannot get it online are upset.
Like I said in the review, at least it's a really inconsequential item... Imagine if it was the much-hoped-for Death Squad Commander, or *gasp* a figure like Mosep.
I get what Hasbro's doing with these... It's really mostly about the packaging and one bone throwed to the limited nature of these sets, that they're hoping it doesn't annoy too many people. It is what it is I guess.
I have very little hope that this set is available in much better quantity this year after SDCC is over, than last year's Death Star set. Honestly I think it'll be more of the same. It's a pricey item, and Hasbro's not going to want stuck with them, and I think that past exclusives sitting became a major issue. How many people got the Cammie/Fixer set on clearance? It's a kick ass set... I saw it go on sale, and something that cool never should have.
Same with McQuarrie 3PO/R2 or Ben/Yoda... That stuff was awesome, and heavily produced, and would've pissed a lot of people off had it been "limited". It wasn't though and retailers wound up stuck with stuff that had to be clearanced. That kind of stuff probably put a nail in the coffin of widely available show exclusives. Maybe C6's will be attainable outside the show. One would imagine at a SW specific show, it'd have a higher production run.
