I will answer your question as a representative of Hasbro

[DoctorPadawan]

Recently your thread has caught attention. For feedback on your forum, Hasbroke, see our "my favorite thread" thread located in the JD Site feedback forum

I have just viewed this thread, and I have passed your feedback along to our Board of Directors and I am sure they will be very pleased to see that this Q&A thread has become so succesful.

First, You seem to like Neimodian Gunners a lot.

We are only giving the consumers what they want.  As stated earlier, retailers consistently call and ask for more Neimoidian Warriors, and this is why we keep shipping them out.  Just the other day, I walked into a Wal-Mart and overheard a young man say, "Neimoidian Warriors, AGAIN!"  so I rushed back to the Ivory Tower and told our board of directors that we needed to do more of these fast.  This gentleman obviously wanted to build an army and the 100 on the pegs at this particular WM were just not enough.

We will continue to ship Neimoidian Warriors and/or Commanders until the demand has been sated, like the demand for the Clone Troopers has leveled off considerably.

Are you ever going to rerelease them as a 3-pack for a EE exclusive that will go for $217.47?

We think that the Neimoidians are really a wide appeal item that would sell better through normal retail channels than it would through a small internet retailer.  An item like the Neimoidian Warrior appeals to us on so many levels, and even non-SW fans will pass by and say, "What the hell is that?", and be tempted to pick it up and buy it.  Limiting such an item with such obvious appeal to a broad audience would be a bad move, in my opinion.  It is better to leave the exclusive items, like Clone Troopers, to items that nobody really wants more than one of anyway.  So, no, there are no plans to make the Neimoidians exclusive to any retailer at this time, although Wal-Mart and Target seem to be the most popular place to find them.

And second, in the Saga2, will you rerelease the POTF2 EU DarkTrooper or Spacetrooper?

There are no plans to do so at this time.  Roy ate the mold for the Darktrooper and we don't know what happened to the Spacetrooper mold, although I'm sure retail stole it from us.

Who is Hasbro's favorite JD Staff Member? 

I honestly can't say.  This is where GNT is, isn't it?  If so, it's him.

Which JD Staff member causes Hasbro the most grief?

As stated earlier, JediMAC.  How are we to convince others of our genius when he points out our "mistakes?"  Half of our yearly budget goes toward figuring out ways to avoid him at conventions so we can sell our products without pesky tales of "overproduction" or "reshipping pegwarmers" or "poor character choices" or "constant blame of everyone but us."

Which JD Staff member does Hasbro think is the sexiest?

As we have no balls, we are technically eunuchs and are unable to fulfill this request at this time.  Please accept our apologies and we hope that you continue to enjoy our products for many years to come.

[Reid]

Which is the superior beverage, Mountain Dew or Mountain Dew Pitch Black 2?

[stormie]

Are there any plans to design and release some figures of baby Luke and Leia, maybe as two-packs with Bail/Leia and Luke/Owen? It would be cool to see Bail toting around baby Leia in a Snugli or Baby Bjorn, though I'm not sure I could imagine Owen doing the same...or even Beru. In fact, I think it would be cool and neat to have Hasbro produce a line of figures/playsets depicting the care and problems/worries associated with raising Luke and Leia. Maybe playsets showing Leia cosleeping with Bail and wife (with sofa accessory for Bail), or even include an Alderaanian crib for some non-AP options. There could be a doctor's office playset where Bail is discussing the pros/cons of vaccinations and where the doctor was insisting that Leia start solids early because she was "too low on the growth chart," or a playset that included Luke being bottlefed with blue formula (unless Beru was able to actually relactate). I think a great playset idea would be middle-of-the-night feedings with Lars and Beru, complete with snippy-reply action (we know how you Hasbro folks like those action features!), or even a recurring ear infection playset (dang that blue formula!). I suppose you could continue this line through the growth of the twins. Maybe Luke playing with his first Fisher-Price moisture vaporator, or Leia playing with her first "cinnamon bun" pretty play hair kit. The possibilities are endless! 

[DoctorPadawan]

Which is the superior beverage, Mountain Dew or Mountain Dew Pitch Black 2?

Mountain Dew Pitch Black has something to do with Vin Diesel, doesn't it?  He is to this generation what Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro were to the previous generation.  When I think of the greatest actors of all time, I think Bogart, Peck, Nicholson, Brando, DeNiro, Pacino, Ford, and Diesel.  So, MD Pitch Black gets my vote based solely on "The Pacifier" which blows those Star Wars movies away.

Are there any plans to design and release some figures of baby Luke and Leia, maybe as two-packs with Bail/Leia and Luke/Owen? It would be cool to see Bail toting around baby Leia in a Snugli or Baby Bjorn, though I'm not sure I could imagine Owen doing the same...or even Beru. In fact, I think it would be cool and neat to have Hasbro produce a line of figures/playsets depicting the care and problems/worries associated with raising Luke and Leia. Maybe playsets showing Leia cosleeping with Bail and wife (with sofa accessory for Bail), or even include an Alderaanian crib for some non-AP options. There could be a doctor's office playset where Bail is discussing the pros/cons of vaccinations and where the doctor was insisting that Leia start solids early because she was "too low on the growth chart," or a playset that included Luke being bottlefed with blue formula (unless Beru was able to actually relactate). I think a great playset idea would be middle-of-the-night feedings with Lars and Beru, complete with snippy-reply action (we know how you Hasbro folks like those action features!), or even a recurring ear infection playset (dang that blue formula!). I suppose you could continue this line through the growth of the twins. Maybe Luke playing with his first Fisher-Price moisture vaporator, or Leia playing with her first "cinnamon bun" pretty play hair kit. The possibilities are endless! 

We will be releasing Obi-Wan/Luke and Bail/Leia figure sets as Wal-Mart exclusives this fall.

DP's reality note: I honestly couldn't think of anything to add to your "suggestions", stormie.  Great post.

[Diddly]

Can you explain why my TRU has about 5 "Mega Value 2 Packs" with two Bail Organas inside?

[DoctorPadawan]

Can you explain why my TRU has about 5 "Mega Value 2 Packs" with two Bail Organas inside?

In a scene that was cut from ROTS, Bail Organa lands on Kamino (between the time when leaves Coruscant to the time he picks up Obi-Wan Kenobi) to ask what is going on with the Clones.  As he lands, he is attacked by the Clones still living on Kamino, and he is "rush-cloned" by the Kaminoans.  When he wakes up, he fights a clone of himself named Baail to the death.  Real Bail wins and narrowly escapes the Kaminoans, who being neutral, can only throw fish at him.  Bail then picks up Obi-Wan and Yoda and Dennis Franz, and they fly back to Coruscant to fight back against Khan and the Predator.

The TRU value packs were created a year before the release of ROTS to commemorate this awesome scene, which was apparently cut soon after principal photography began (if anyone tells you otherwise, they are lying bastards).  Due to the nature of toy production, sometimes items are developed so far in advance that it is cheaper to just release them (like the McQuarrie Stormtrooper, which we developed in 1975 and weren't told wasn't in the films until after its release in 2003).

I will point out, however, Mr. Diddly that if you think the two Bail Organas are the same figure, that you are wrong.  One of them is a running change version of the regular carded figure that has a darker moustache than the other.  As in most cartoons, this is how you tell the clone or "Evil" Bail/Baail from the real good Bail/Bail.  Each figure was shipped in equal amounts (Bail vs. Baail) as individual figure number 15 too, so it would be well worth your time to check your local retailers and see if the super-rare Bail Organa figure is still around, so you can get both versions.  Someone should also alert Ebay entepreneurs of this variation as well, so they can do their jobs and buy them all up for those who don't have access to any Bails in their area.

[Reid]

Why is the AT-TE Tank Gunner's plastic as soft as cottage cheese and yellows so easiley? Is the Pope involved?

[JesseVader08]

How did you lose your balls?  If you don't have balls, are you actually a woman?  If so, can I get your number?

[DoctorPadawan]

Why is the AT-TE Tank Gunner's plastic as soft as cottage cheese and yellows so easiley? Is the Pope involved?

The Pope is not involved with the overall plastic quality of the Star Wars line on a day-to-day basis, but we are sure that with all the ills of the world that demand his attention, action figure plastic is right up there with war, poverty, and child molestation. 

The rising cost of production materials and the extra articulation given to all the Collection 2 figures (until the Antilles/Nepotism/Corduroy Head wave, when we just threw in the towel and gave up on quality completely with the Collection 2 assortment) contributed to what you refer to as the poor plastic quality and tendency to yellow. 

Since the AT-TE Tank Gunner was cut from the film, we felt that we could probably shave a few pennies off our overall costs by using plastic supplied by the lowest bidder and passing the savings along to you, the loyal Hasbro consumer.  Those guys weren't even in the movie, and since people don't care about things that weren't in the films, we felt it better to use a higher quality plastic on actual film characters who would be hugely popular, like the Neimoidian Warrior or Mon Mothma, than on characters who were cut from the film.

How did you lose your balls? If you don't have balls, are you actually a woman? If so, can I get your number?

Hasbro requires that all male employees receive a surgical castration upon hiring.  This is done to ensure that we remain loyal to Hasbro 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  The procedure is performed by that awesome clawtooth machine that made its public debut in the Academy Award winning drama "The Ice Pirates."  Therefore, we did not "lose our balls", but rather we surrendered our testes for the glory of the Ivory Tower.

As for my gender and/or sexuality, I am all man.  Except for the lack of testicles and my love of Barbra Streisand.  Due to my dubious masculinity, I am unable to comply with your request for possible sexual congress at this time. 

[Reid]

First, Where's the Beef? And second, your obsession with the CommTech Han seems to be fading. Why is this?

[DoctorPadawan]

First, Where's the Beef?

The demand for "the beef" caught all of us here at Hasbro by surprise, and we have stepped up production on "the beef" and are shipping more to retail as we speak.  We hope that there will be enough of "the beef" on shelves for everyone this holiday season and that everyone who wants "the beef" will be able to locate "the beef." 

Since we observe retail stock situations very closely, we have amended the last few cases of action figures to reflect this change in production.  Cases will now consist of the following:

2 x Neimoidian General
2 x Neimoidian Commander
2 x Neimoidian Sergeant
2 x Neimoidian Captain
2 x Nemoidian Covert Ops
2 x the beef

We feel that this case will best fulfill the demand for both Neimoidians and "the beef."  If this does not suffice, please complain to retail, as they are obviously responsible for the lack of "the beef" on shelves.

And second, your obsession with the CommTech Han seems to be fading. Why is this?

Despite its unmatched sculpt and articulation, we realize when a figure has run its course.  At Hasbro, we would never trot out a sculpt that has since been surpassed in quality and articulation, or even one that is horribly dated and looks strange and bizarre alongside more recent offerings.  If we have rereleased a figure instead of resculpting it, it is because we felt the original mold was still just as good now as it was then, as in the case of the Original Trilogy Collection Bib Fortuna, or Imperial Scanning Trooper, or the POTF2 General Veers included in the TRU Hoth Battle Pack. 

The CommTech/Cantina/Alderaan/Falcon/John Titor Han Solo figure just does not stand up to later Han Solo sculpts.  You may have noticed that we went with the Endor Raid Han Solo figure in the "Rebels vs. Empire" Battle Packs instead, and this was done on purpose.  We feel, right now, that outside of the POTF2 Smuggler Flight Pack version, the Endor Raid Han figure is the best we've done and we plan on reissuing that one for a few more years before we need to sculpt a new one.

And our new obsession, in case you haven't noticed, is the ROTS #1 Obi-Wan and #2 Anakin figures.  Cantina Han is so 2004.

[Reid]

Why don't you pack the Tact. Ops Trooper in the upcoming case assortments higher, like say 3x to a case. You know the 501st Trooper will be hot, hot, hot so why don't you pack it higher? You ball-less DePreist Lackeys make no sense...

And I thought the Cruisemissile Trooper was a cool EU vehicle. Any chance of rerelease?

[Sems Fir]

Did I really see Elvis last night boarding a space ship?  If so, is there any chance that you can get the rights from McFarlane so I can get a fat Elvis action figure with the spaceship as an exclusive next year? 8>)
Robert
www.behindthetoys.com
Lead Editor
BLACK S. U. N.

[Darth_Anton]

Can you explain the striking similarities between spotting new figues on the pegs from down the isle and buck fever? Both cause the same reaction, a momentary loss of reality and stupid fever.

[Ryan]

Where did we come from, was it the big bang and evolution or were we created by intelligent design?