Wal-Mart "Early Bird" Exclusive

[CHEWIE]

Is it me or does it look like the lightsaber might be removable?  I know it's supposed to have a telescoping feature though.

 

[Brian]

I'm happy that we got an update so we actually know what we bought the empty box for .  I'm sure some people won't be overly pleased with these figures, but I kind of like what we're getting.  First off, I was a little too young for the original "Early Bird" set, so it really has some nice nostalgic value for me of getting figures via mail and all that.  Secondly, I'm glad that we didn't just get straight vintage or VOTC reissues, and actually something somewhat new.  I'm curious to see if this is indeed an intro to the "new" line next year, and if Hasbro will continue to base things off of the vintage days.  Part of me thinks it would be kind of neat if they released figures in the same order as the old days, while subbing in "ultimate" figures from the prequels as well, and maybe a few backgroundish characters that really should have been in the vintage line (Tarkin, etc.)  As for these four figures...

Luke - Looks like he might have the Anakin Peasant arm, which many people hated, but I like the vintage nod and it isn't like we don't have any other Tatooine Lukes to choose from.  We have an articulated one with soft goods from the VOTC line, so this is a new way to bring him out at least.

Leia - Looks like it could be very, very nice.  The VOTC version, while not too bad, still left a little to be improved upon.  Hard to tell from this smallish pictures, but the pose and figure look quite cool there.

R2-D2 - Could be a rehash, could be new.  Really, with all the R2s we've gotten, there isn't much new they can do at this point, aside from a complete gadget-tastic version.  We've got a lot of real nice R2s already, so if it was based off of something like the Bar-2 or another version, I'd be ok with that.

Chewie - I'm always up for a new Chewie, and this one looks pretty good too.  Could possibly be a VOTC body with a new ANH head on it, and really, what more could we want?  The VOTC version was pretty much perfect, so it should be a good combo if they go the "new head" route.

Overall, if they do "start over" with the whole line, how do you feel about that?  Are you staying on board and checking the new line out, or if it is re-dos, will you call it quits?  I'm personally kind of excited about it, because I don't mind a resculpt now and then, or if they put out these figures and others like VOTC Han, Stormie, and just reissue them for the life of the line, just like in the vintage days.  Plus, there are some figures I never picked up in POTF2 that I still want, and wouldn't mind seeing re-dos of (2-1B, Zuckuss, 4-LOM, a new Bib, etc, etc.)  It will be interesting to see if this is indeed the start of a new line, or just a one time deal.

[amarsella]

I hope these end up available as carded figs as well. The Chewie and Leia look sweet. I'd pass on the Luke, that lightsaber looks horrible, and I don't really need another R2. I mean he doesn't even change clothes or hairstyles in 6 movies. 

[Pete_Fett]

Well - I bought two on Sat. morning - now that I've seen what these things are going to be, I just placed an order for a third set via WalMart.com - here's why

One to keep the EB Kit MIB
One to open and submit - when the figures arrive, keep them mint-in-mailerbox
One to open, submit and when the figures arrive, OPEN THEM UP!!!

I am really excited about the Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia figures!

Chewie is as I guessed he would be - he looks just like the VOTC figure except w/o the "bangs" of hair like he had in ROTJ.

R2-D2 is, I guess, the VOTC R2 except w/o the armature attachments.

I'm glad this set didn't change - I really didn't want Han in there, kinda spoils the idea of this being a re-do of the original Early Bird kit...

Cool stuff!

[Deanpaul]

I'm missing it - these look like stuff we've either already seen (Leia and R2) or stuff we've already gotten better versions of (Luke and Chewie) - why the excitement?

[Jim]

Hands down Leia is the winner of the bunch.  Ive been waiting for ANH Leia with this pose for 10 years.  Im happy

[Darby]

I don't get it either.  I suppose the nostalgia factor of Luke is nice, but not thirty dollars nice.  Though if you want an EB kit and all that, I'm sure it's worth it.

[Darth_Anton]

Unfortunately, I'm underwhelmed. I just can't see anything to different from what we've gotten before. For the first time since collecting, can't see why I should buy and opener set. I just hope they're better in person, which is ofen the case.

[John C]

I like the figures.  The only way I'd like them more is if Luke had a yellow saber and Chewie had a green gun.  I'm glad I bought the set.

[MetalJedi]

While I wasnt expecting alot from Hasbro I was expecting something a little better. But for those who like it Im glad you do. It just doesnt do anything for me.

[CHEWIE]

Hell, I buy so much stuff anyway, so what's another 30 bucks?  I guess count me in.

 

[Paul]

I'll reserve judgement but it appears from the photos that the "bang to hype" ratio was way out of whack.. And the Hype was all my own self built hype of a Super Articulated Wonder Line for the 2006 relaunch. There is nothing SUPER or Articulated about that picture.

And if we are going to get a "There's One set for stun" Leia...give us her Sporting Blaster (she is a sporting gal after all)....

I will go ahead and order all the extras I got from WM.com...they will be un-opened and trade bait later.

[Nathan]

So ... white gown Leia, Tatooine Luke, R2-D2, and Chewie. Big ******' whoopy doo. The only thing that remotely appeals is what appears to be a telescoping saber.

Overall, if they do "start over" with the whole line, how do you feel about that?  Are you staying on board and checking the new line out, or if it is re-dos, will you call it quits?  I'm personally kind of excited about it, because I don't mind a resculpt now and then, or if they put out these figures and others like VOTC Han, Stormie, and just reissue them for the life of the line, just like in the vintage days.  Plus, there are some figures I never picked up in POTF2 that I still want, and wouldn't mind seeing re-dos of (2-1B, Zuckuss, 4-LOM, a new Bib, etc, etc.)  It will be interesting to see if this is indeed the start of a new line, or just a one time deal.

I would definitely stick around to check it out. In fact I'd pick up quite a few, such as resculpts of missed figures like you mentioned, and "ultimate" versions of figs I already own in earlier incarnations.

However, when they reach the point where all they're doing is re-releases and resculpts, then I'm out. We all know there's enough costume changes and background aliens to keep this line going for decades without repeats, but we also know that Hasbro won't do that--they'll keep redoing Cantina Han, Tatooine Luke, and Chewie twice yearly until their license runs out in 2018.

[JediMAC]

Yeah, I probably jumped the gun on my initial assesment of these as well.  I always get rather giddy at the site of ANY new product, so I had a momentary brain freeze there.

I am quite disappointed to see that the "new line" is apparently not going to be the Definitive SA line that we've all been dreaming of forever.  Seems to just be a continuation of the regular one, but with a return to some of the primary core characters.

I still dig that Leia there though.  She's cool looking, and I agree with Jim, in that I've always wanted her in that pose.  I also agree with Paul that she should be coming with her signature sporting blaster, instead of a Stormie one.  Hopefully Hasbro rectifies that oversight prior to it's release, or just give her both.

As much as I dug the VOTC Chewie, I had mentioned back then that I really hoped they released another one with his ANH slicked back hairstyle instead, some day.  So it looks like that's what we're getting here, so that's a good thing IMO.

Luke looks OK, but yeah, the DT saber is obviously just as obnoxious as it was on the OPD Anakin from the Saga line.  Nice nostalgic nod, sure.  But far too obtrusive to be visually enjoyed all that much.  The rest of Luke looks pretty good though...

R2 looks to be just about the same as usual, so nothing terribly exciting there.

Overall, yeah, I guess it's definitely nothing terribly stellar.  But I'll be nabbing a few anyway, just 'cause that's the way that God made me... 

[JesseVader08]

Wasn't it Rebelscum that initially reported that the Early Bird kit might be the beginning of the new line?  And that they might be SA figures?

Just goes to show you what piss poor reporting will do to create unrealistic and unfair expectations.