Return of the Beast Assortments

[Brian]

They should re-release the existing Bantha without a pack-in (like Darth_Anton said) and then release a SA Tusken Raider w/Gaffi and Rifle that would be capable of riding it at the same time in a Battle of Tatooine wave!  Problem solved!

I like Jeff's idea too.  Releasing the beasts by themselves would likely keep the prices down a little bit, and its a better way for us to get nice, SA styled figures in the accompanying basic line "wave".  We know that pack in figures are almost always crap anyways, so I'd rather have a nice version in the basic line...and just have the beast(s) accompany each wave like we had in the early Saga 2004 waves (Hoth w/Wampa, Jabba's Palace w/Jabba, etc.)

[Nathan]

mosnab, I like your Max Rebo Band idea, but agree that it wouldn't be a beast assortment. 2-packs with instruments at the Deluxe pricepoint probably? Rerelease the old Wal-Mart exclusives even?

Personally I don't have a problem with relatively preposed pack-in riders and pilots--it guarantees they'll fit on the saddle or seat. Then there is often a better-articulated version released separately. You can buy the beast/vehicle & pack-in, or just the SA rider, or the beast/vehicle and the SA rider. (Of course in that case you end up with the superfluous pack-in ... I'm still working on reconciling that into my brilliant scheme.)

Frankly I think rereleasing the POTF2 versions are our best chance of seeing the OT beasts again, even if means reusing the same pack-ins which is OK by me. The Tusken and sandtrooper aren't that bad, and the ronto Jawa is on par with his compatriots--there isn't too much improvement you can do on a Jawa sculpt anyway. And I suspect Hasbro would be reluctant to release mounts without riders, since that's what consumers (and kids) would expect to be included.

[DoctorPadawan]

Before I start, I just want to say up front that this is all just my opinion and anyone should feel free to agree or disagree with me.

The problem in rereleasing old beasts actually goes a little further than Jeff's sentiments (which I actually agree with, but for an entirely different reason than the one he gives).  The majority of the beast assortment from the POTF2 days, Tauntauns and Wampa excepted, were pretty big shelfwarmers.  Even the Dewback, which I still think is one of the best beasts they've done in the modern era, started to sit after a while.  The Ronto was boring (and as an SE addition didn't have much appeal), the Jabba pretty much sucked (like the SE CG version), and the Wampa has since been surpassed by the 2004 Ultra Wampa.  The Rancor and the Bantha were both great, IMO, but they were shelfwarmers of the ultimate degree (the Rancor more than the Bantha) and I would assume that the Bantha cost Hasbro a hell of a lot to sculpt, what with all the hair.

The Episode I beasts were on a continuum of "good but everywhere," "crappy but hard to locate," and "good but nonexistent."  The Kaadu holds up well, sculpt-wise, even if it can't stand up, and the Opee Sea Killer, while severely underscaled, is very nicely sculpted and the action feature isn't bad at all.  Jabba was pure garbage if you could find him, and the Eopie was something 99% of the US collectors never saw or obtained.  The Faamba was heavily overpriced (Go Go FAO Chapter 11!) and even at the half price I paid for it (35 bucks), it still wasn't worth it.

The Reek was a shelfwarmer on the scale of the Ronto and POTF2 Jabba, and the Acklay was nice (it could have been better) but a lot of people never even saw it because of the Reek. 

Anyway, my point is that with the vast majority of the ones I mentioned above, they just have not sold well enough in their initial releases to make me think that the market would go nuts over a straight reissue now.  I think that the Eopie should be released in some way again, and the Acklay wouldn't be such a bad choice either.  Everything else though would be retail suicide.  Again, all just my opinion.

Personally, I'd rather see the Felucia worm thing with a Clone Rider, an Orray with Geonosian, and a Mustafar Flea with Rider right now more than I would care to see a redone Dewback.  I'm definitely in the minority who would rather have more prequel figures than OT figures at this point, but all the OT beasts have been done fairly well at this point, and I'm all about new stuff as opposed to old stuff.  Your mileage may vary.   

[CHEWIE]

Good post DP.  Very well thought out, and I don't think I can argue with what you said.  I definitely want to see all new stuff first too.

For rehashes, really just the Bantha would appeal to me.  The others simply wouldn't...

New sculpts would be best, but even then, would they sell?  Would it be better to have maybe TRU pick up an exclusive line of beasts?  I'd actually love to see that... an all new Dewback w/ a new SA Sandtrooper (with legs like the AT-TE gunner or something) would rock.

 

[Nathan]

^^ Good points Doc.

On the one hand, it's been years (up to 10) since the initial releases of most of the beasts, and there's a lot of new(er) collectors who'd pick these up. Thus the market might be better able to absorb straight rereleases now that these critters had a hiatus.

On the other hand, some of the less-popular prequel ones are movie-year-dependent (acklay, reek, Felucia grub, etc.) and I don't know how well they'd go over without the relevant film to support them.

For example, an acklay rereleased right now, out of the blue, would bomb--but attach it to the Battle of Geonosis wave of basic figures and I think you've got something.

[SilverZ]

I agree that the beasts can be potential shelf warmers, regardless of quality. I'd like them to consolidate the beasts into a nice, generic "Mid Size Toy with Figure" assortment. Something at a 19.99 pricepoint that could be either beasts or vehicles that included a pilot. They could ship a case that looked something like this:

x3 Dewback with Stormtrooper
x1 Landspeeder with Luke (  )
x2 Taun Taun with Han Solo

Just window box them and make them scene specific, and forget the whole line between ships and beasts. It would be an assortment of bigger "toys" is all. Lots of potential for rehashes/repaints, and at 20 bucks sometimes offer a fair price for some ships and high enough to justify new tooling costs on something like a new, bitchin' Jabba.

Just thinking out loud.

[Jesse James]

The only thing I'd suggest is somehow making the packaging big enough tos neak the Bantha back out...  It's a great toy, one of the best in the modern line, and that with new pilot would rock.

But honestly, I could see this doing well overall if there were incentives to buy it besides the beast or vehicle.  For instance, a good pack-in pilot with something...  Like repaint the T-16 Skyhopper, maybe a slight retool on the cockpit so it's more realistic looking, and kitbash a Fixer figure (the parts for a good Fixer exist, a head may need sculpted is all).

Or do the Landspeeder with a single-piece "knocked out" Luke and a Tusken figure?  Hell, if a new Tusken was made for the basic line, a nice heavily articulated one with softgoods, you could pack him in with the Bantha painted uniquely, pack him in with the speeder painted uniquely, and pack him on a basic card...  Lotta mileage out of that sculpt.

I'd be all for the $20 pricepoint unified line if it had some nice quality to it.  A blue repaint A-Wing would fit nicely into this line as well, and would probably go over fairly well.  Again, a repainted Pilot body with a new head/helmet would be ideal, and cost little.  Lotsa incentive to get the items then.

On a Taun Taun series, I could easily see re-using the current Taun Taun sculpt, but for figures I'd kind of dig something new...  Or at least some articulated legs/arms (and a working holster) for Hoth Luke while using the Saga sculpt otherwise...  Whatever coat he's wearing.   

BTW, I'd dig seeing the Wampa packed into an "Echo Base Defense" kind of a set.  A new Hoth Rebel with the tan vest, and carrying the heavy cannon they used...  That'd be rocking.

[ruiner]

As DP alluded to, it's all about the assortment mix stupid!

It can make or break a line - see Unleashed.  I'm sure everyone was around when Jango and Maul warmed the pegs and even saw clearance prices.

Hasbro wised up and shipped 2 each of 3 styles vs. 3 each of 2 styles.

A beast line has great potential, if the correct existing molds are used and the correct new molds are made.

Packaging plays a BIG part too (see Unleashed again).

The POTF2 beast packs were packaged horribly.  Closed box with only a window showcasing the lame sculpt (I can't stand to look at my POTF2 stormies)! 

Now move ahead a couple years and take a look at the POTJ snowspeeder repack that Wal-Mart had as an exclusive and even the OTC Slave 1 - how well did those sell?

Quite well I'd say - mostly because of the cool window box presentation.  After all, they were rehashes.

My point is, if you repacked the Dewback (great sculpt BTW) in a window OTC box with a VOTC sandtrooper on it I think you would do pretty well in regards to sales. 

The same applies to the tauntaun - diorama box with a kit bashed Saga Hoth Luke (and maybe a brownish blue Hoth Han).

Of course, you'd need some new molds and that's where it becomes difficult.  IMO, all of the cool / popular creatures have already been done....well we could use a new Jabba...

[CHEWIE]

Packaging is a huge impact on stuff... you're right.

I really like that gelagrub.  Here's another pic -



 

[speedermike]

Y'know, that slug could have a windup feature that makes it's legs wiggle back and forth, and it could have wheels underneath that would make it scoot across the carpet.  I'm all for it.

I agree with "only new stuff' when it comes to creatures.  I'm sure they're all avaliable on ebay for decnt prices.

[speedermike]

Oh yeah, put the Eopie in some sort of Tatooine pack with Kister and Wald and I'll be super happy.

[ruiner]

Great idea Chewie - I had never noticed that slug before!

[CHEWIE]

Great idea Chewie - I had never noticed that slug before!

Thanks.  I'm not even sure you can see it in the movie or not, they are supposed to be native to Felucia.  I wish they had some more screen time... if so, we probably would have seen it released already.

I don't know if they'll make this... I might check and see if I can have one made through www.owenscustoms.com.

 

[ruiner]

Yes, I've seen "Owen's" work - very nice stuff.  I have my eye on that CW animated scuba clone trooper.

Very cool stuff - but don't sell yourself short Chewie.  I've seen your work - you should try tackling something like that....with the right tools and dedication you never know what you might come up with!

 

[Gatillo]

I really like that damn slug.  I don't know why, I just want one.