Update to Sansweet's Action Figure Archive book finally?

[JediMAC]

Vic Wertz posted an interesting blurb over at the SW.com forums, regarding a new column coming in the next Insider (#74) magazine, saying it's something that people have been asking for for a long time...  He then adds:

The new column we're debuting is the oft-requested continuation of the Action Figure Archive, originally published by Chronicle Books.

Now this is interesting, and pretty cool - BUT...  I want an Action Figure Archive update in BOOK form.  I don't want to just see a few pages of new figures every 6 weeks or so - as it seems they're suggesting...  That would take forever even to make it through the rest of the POTF2 line.  I don't get it...

I'm glad the idea of an update is at least being pursued finally though.  Just not so much in the medium they're hinting at.  

[jadesfire]

I agree with you on this one Matt.  Give me an updated book please....I can go on line and piece one together myself.

I never could understand why they never got another update published.  I guess time will tell if the updates will be done through the magazine only or not.

[Morgbug]

Could be worse, you could be in Canada.  My subscription costs more than yours and it takes at least 4 weeks longer to get my magazine.  It always shows up at Walmart before I get mine in my mailbox.  

5 months later I haven't even received my membership kit.  I'm thinking it's time to ask where it went???

On topic, I'm with you.  so much stuff has been released.  But perhaps this is just a stop gap until they release Episode III and most of it's merchandise?

[Snively Bandar]

I agree too.  This was a fantastic book, with some great reference pictures right alongside the figure shots, for easy comparison.  I'd much prefer that it's updated through a new book, or even two, rather than a couple pages each month in the Insider.

But honestly, I'd prefer one giant, comprehensive Star Wars figure encyclopedia, with everything in it!  Now that would be cool!  

[Scott]

I'll chime in and hope for the best here...if done right I'd be fine with this format...8-12 figures per issue hopefully!  And the ability to pull them out for reference and binder storage.  A book would work but we've been told time and again that a book probably won't happen

[JediMAC]

And the ability to pull them out for reference and binder storage.

That's really the only way they could pull this off as even somewhat acceptable.  But still, at even a whopping 8-12 pages per issue (which is never gonna happen), it'd still take YEARS to cover the remaining figures from where the last book left off way back in 1998...  If I recall correctly, there was only one or two figures per page, and some that even took up two pages I think.  I'll have to pull out my copy and double check on that.

Can I call dibs on authoring an all-encompassing book covering the modern era's complete Hasbro line 10 years down the road from now when it's run it's course?  You know, kinda like Kellerman's great vintage book that he just released?  Of course, this one would be 10 times the size of that one!

The J'MAC Encyclopedia of the Modern Hasbro Collection, I'll call it.    If anyone would like to front me a hefty advance, I'll see about getting to work on it.  And you just know that when I'm all finished with it, Steve Sansweet's gonna look at it with great admiration and jealousy, and think to himself - "if only I had properly updated my AFA book"...  

[Jedi Idej]

I really hope the supplement is in book form instead of a few pages at a time inserted in the Insider. (Didn't one of the other toy mags do a SW color guide this way?)

A book form is more durable, convenient, and a lot cheaper than having to re-subscribe to the Insider for however long it takes to complete the update.

[Scott]

So....anyone who has the issue want to comment on the contents

[JediMAC]

So....anyone who has the issue want to comment on the contents

Yep, got mine a few days ago, and unfortunately the AFA updated contained in the new Insider pretty much STINKS.    It's all of TWO pages, with 4 figures per page.  Just the Flashback assortment of figures.  Small.  Brief.  Nothing like the old AFA book.  I wonder if future Insider issues will have more, and that they just cut this one short due to the brevity of the Flashback series...

Actually, come to think of it - they didn't even cover the whole Flashback series.  Weren't there 11 of them, including a Beru?  Brainfarting right now, but this issue only covered Luke, Leia, Yoda, R2, Vader, Ben, Emperor, and Chewie.  Guess it wasn't based on just this subline, so with that in mind, it looks like it'll only run a couple pages each issue.  There's actually a third page of sorts, that shows a bunch of foreign carded crap too, which doesn't count.

Very disappointing!    I will be expressing my displeasure to Mr. Sansweet the next time I see him.  He told me at Comic Con that an update was in the works, so apparently he was just talking about this garbage.  

Hopefully he'll prove me wrong though, and surprise us with a new book, and just use this Insider feature as a teaser for the real thing...

[Brian]

Ok, and older topic, but somewhat related here.  This (Sansweet's Action Figure Archive) is one of those books that I always wanted to pick up, but sort of forgot about.  To be honest, it wasn't until I saw a copy on the tv show Chuck this week that I was reminded of it.  Anyways, I know it is older, out of print (and out of date), but I was curious what everyone thought of this book and if it was worth tracking down.  Is there another book (Kellerman's Vintage) that might be a better option?

To be honest, I was just thinking about getting a book like this to have a nice reference of the vintage line.  The modern stuff is ongoing, doesn't have quite the same nostalgia, and will likely not be collected in book form for years to come (since we don't even know when/if the line will end).  I haven't ever looked at either in person (aside from the pages in SW Insider that were mentioned earlier in this thread), and was curious what was the best option out there these days (if any).  It looks like there are used copies available of Sansweet's on Amazon that are affordable, but the Kellerman book seems a bit pricey at first glance (also, only available from secondary sources).  Thanks for any advice.

[Scott]

W00T!!!  Amazon has a preorder up for the long awaited update!!!

[Jayson]

Caught on Twitter today that Dan Curto is involved with the publication of this book as well.

[Nicklab]

Caught on Twitter today that Dan Curto is involved with the publication of this book as well.

Really?  Good for Dan!

[Phrubruh]

I want to see a Kindle version of this book.

[Spirit of MAC]

This Ultimate Action Figure Collection book looks to be shaping up pretty nice based on all the previews shown recently.  I'd have actually preferred a chronological look at all the figures, but considering we're up in the 2,500+ range now, that's obviously not a realistic idea.  The grouping of like figures is actually going to be pretty cool both for reference and comparison's sake, though I'm still not sure if that's how the whole book lays out.  Anyone know?  $40 is a surprisingly reasonable price on this thing too!



Is it just me, or do Curto and Paul look like they could easily be brothers, if not almost twins: