Walmart TVC "Original 96" Exclusives

[Rob]

I do like the guards…

Do we know if the DSG is a straight repack of the Rogue One version?

[Nicklab]

I do like the guards…

Do we know if the DSG is a straight repack of the Rogue One version?

It appears to have some updated deco - Imperial sigils on the shoulders.  Those weren’t on the Rogue One version. 

I like the Bespin guards, too.  But I think the torso joint on both of those was unnecessary, and it takes away from the aesthetics of the figures.

[Muftak]

I find this selection interesting. I am not about that weird underscaled Artoo mold at all, the only time I have bought it was for the Droids repaint. I am not worried about the Stormtrooper because I have plenty (even with holsters if you count Han, luke and Carbon Freeze modern ones, I am kind of covered there.) The DS Gunner has wonky weird proportions that don't work for me.

But I will snap up the Bespin Guards no problem. And I am beyond happy for all the folks who are honestly trying to complete a collection of carded updates to the Kenner line. C'mon Sim Aloo!

One thing I noticed that may be of interest is in comparison to last year's line of these recard exclusives. Last year's all seemed to get distributed as shippers with equal amounts of 3 figures. No cases as far as I ever saw, either solid or mixed. Just shippers.

If this year follows suit, they have 5 figures to distribute over 6 slots...could they have made the smart move of doubling up on Stormtroopers so that one shipper is Stormtrooper, Bespin Guard 1, and Artoo, and the second shipper Stormtrooper, Bespin Guard 2, and DS Gunner? I truly hope so for everyone who wants one. (I can also see Patrick making a case for shipping Artoo in both slots because that's a cheaper figure to produce and they are morons when it comes to figure selection.)

[Ryan]

Obviously, I couldn't be happier about the Stormtrooper. Couldn't be more upset about the retailer.

How many do you plan on picking up this time?

I'll be glad to pick up a couple of the DS gunner, I missed that one last time. I may grab 6-8 of both him and the Stormtrooper. Maybe 2-3 each of the Bespin Guards (I also missed that one last time around). And MAYBE one of the R2, the figure definitely looks nice but like Muftak said, I'm not a fan of it being underscale.

[Nicklab]

Do we know if the DSG is a straight repack of the Rogue One version?

It's the same figure sculpt.  Evidently there's been a deco change.  This version has the Imperial sigil on both shoulders.

I'm glad to see it back in circulation.  It's a great figure, but the wave that the ROGUE ONE version was in was so incredibly scarce.

Oh, and a BIG THANK YOU TO JEFF!  THOSE LINKS ARE INVALUABLE!!!!!!!!

[Matt_Fury]

Obviously, I couldn't be happier about the Stormtrooper. Couldn't be more upset about the retailer.

How many do you plan on picking up this time?

I'll be glad to pick up a couple of the DS gunner, I missed that one last time. I may grab 6-8 of both him and the Stormtrooper. Maybe 2-3 each of the Bespin Guards (I also missed that one last time around). And MAYBE one of the R2, the figure definitely looks nice but like Muftak said, I'm not a fan of it being underscale.

I would like to get a bunch of the stormtrooper, but I think we'll be limited to two because of the exclusivity.

Let's just hope that we get the inevitable troop builder pack.

[Nicklab]

Some fair criticism of one of the figures in this wave?

R2-D2

It's being advertised as a Orginal 96 version from TESB.  Well, R2-D2 from TESB was the "Now with sensorscope" version in the Kenner days.  That Kenner R2-D2 showed R2 on Hoth with the sensorscope on the cardback.  The figure had the pop-up accessory, but that looked more like the periscope (used while submerged in swamp muck on Dagobah).

This R2-D2 appears to be a repaint of the VC-025 figure.  It's got the same pop-out manipulator arm.  And VC-025 also had the periscope as well as Luke's lightsaber and the drink tray.  The new version has the periscope, but it's been repainted - drink tray and lightsaber not included.

I don't exactly expect Hasbro to reinvent the wheel with each new R2-D2- there's only so much that can be done with R2-D2 or just about ANY droid.  But this is kind of a cheap move.

[Jeff]

I don't exactly expect Hasbro to reinvent the wheel with each new R2-D2- there's only so much that can be done with R2-D2 or just about ANY droid.  But this is kind of a cheap move.

+1  The two main R2 sculpts they are reusing these days are the BAD sculpt and the VC25 sculpt - both are well over 10 years old at this point.  Time for something new.

Would it have been that hard to tool up an all-new dome with the actual ESB Hoth/Echo Base sensor-scope for the BAD R2-sculpt for this release instead of cheaping out and offering us the VC25 repack (with less parts, like Nick pointed out)?   

[Jedi Idej]

I want to see modern updates using same cardbacks of the Uzay figures. 

[Matt_Fury]

Some of the pages look active, but you cannot preorder anything yet.

[Nicklab]

I saw Yakface post links to the active listings around 8:00 ET, and I was able to preorder all of the figures except for the Stormtrooper.  I’m going to be checking my Walmart account just to make sure those orders don’t get canceled, but I did get email confirmations from Walmart along with alerts from my credit card on my phone about the charges. 

[Jeff]

I saw Yakface post links to the active listings around 8:00 ET

******* Walmart.  Of course they screwed this up and didn't stick to the announced 1pm ET time.   

Whenever I try to pre-order any of them, I just get an error - "We're sorry - this item is in demand and we can't add it to your cart right now. Please give it another try soon." 

**** You, Walmart. 



Here are the links again...

Walmart Links:
- Imperial Gunner
- R2-D2
- Bespin Guard Helder Spinoza
- Bespin Guard Idsam Edian
- ANH Stormtrooper

[Rob]

Same here.  I don’t know why I bother setting alarms so I don’t forget….

Hopefully this is just that someone briefly ****** up and they’ll all be available at noon central as expected. 

[Rob]

I’ve managed to get three of them in my cart… not going to order until I can get one of each.  I don’t want to pay for shipping multiple times when free shipping is a thing.

Edit:  two orders, two DSG’s, but I managed to order all five with free shipping across the board.

They all seem to be randomly going in and out of being available.

[Nicklab]

I just managed to order the Stormtrooper.  As for the condition that any of these will be in when they arrive?  That’s another story entirely!