Q & A Megathon: Week 3
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1 While very cool, I am more than a little confused about the near arrival of the Aurra Sing Masterpiece Book Set. While collectors will be treated to a cool 12" doll, what in the world is the book going to offer enthusiasts? Aurra Sing may play a more significant role in EP2 and EP3, but isn't her character and her role in the movies still shrouded in mystery by Lucas himself? I know she has made some appearances in comics and that she was trained by the Dark Woman according to them, but what kind of substance will the book actually have with such limited background? Will her origin be revealed, will the Jedi she has killed be named, and will it shed any light on EP2 and EP3 events? Also, if the book explores Aurra Sing fully, is this something Lucas signed off on and agrees with? In other words, will her character in the next movies be supported and in agreement with the information in the book or is this some type of money making scheme? -Dave
Excellent question. While looking at the Masterpiece Collection, it's obvious that these are designed primarily as a nice, high-end (as toys go) collectible. While there isn't much a die-hard SW info-sponge like most of us can expect to get, it does provide a nice overview of everything you'd want to know on a given topic up to the point the book was written.
Now, on to your question: Why? Well, the book is really more about
Bounty Hunting as far as I can tell. Given we've gotten two Fetts and
Greedo and the other major hunters aren't enough to move a book like
this (sorry chaps, Dengar ain't everybody's cup of tea) Aurra makes
sense. She's new. She's a she. And she's shaping up to be the
second 12" figure to be made before a 4" counterpart is seen (Bespin
Luke being the first). What will we see in the actual book? Well,
that I don't know. Odds are it'll have a lot to do with Expanded
Universey stuff like short stories on the characters, comic appearances,
and the like since there's barely enough on all the bounty hunters from
all four films to give much more than five pages of story, if that.
So... yeah. Expect stuff from the non-film sources of story, probably
some good info on character design or props, and probably a lot of stuff
on the mystique of these characters. Or not, I could be wrong.
2 I'm really really worried, I can't sleep, I haven't been eating right, I have chronic headaches, my stomach hurts, and all because I don't know: What exactly is a mini-rig? Where did the name came from? I have some from the first line of toys, but, where they ever on the movies? -valdezlopez
According to Steve Sansweet's Uberbook, Star Wars: From Concept to Screen to Collectible, it's a vehicle designed by Kenner in the look of the Star Wars Universe that was "just out of range of the cameras." (Have I mentioned that any SW fan worth his salt needs to own this book?)
The reason for their creation? Rising materials costs and a market for small, cheap vehicles. If there were more Speeder Bikes or Landspeeders in the first three films, odds are we'd never have seen these. Personally, I think they're great because not only do they look neat, but they really are marvelous toys. (Well, maybe not the POTF Imperial Sniper... but I still like it [and spent an obscene amount of time looking for one.])
The origin of the name? Well, while it might be in the book, I don't remember ever having read it and trust me, I've read this book a lot. (Heck, it's one of the 4 or so things that drove me to start writing about the hobby.) My guess? It just kinda clicked when somebody tossed it around.
While a chunk of Mini-Rigs did show up in an episode of the Droids series (the Mon Julpa/ Kez Iban arc), their existance is pretty much just as toys. (And if this has you that worked up, I gotta say, I want your problems in life.)
There were 5 from ESB (8 if you count the big figure accessories, which I don't), 4 from ROJ, and 3 from POTF as well as another arguable pair from the Droids cartoon series (Sidegunner and ATL Interceptor, both very nice little toys [and the Sidegunner is my favorite mini-rig].)
3 It seems that everywhere we turn these days there are requests for obscure figures or petitions for certain characters (Amanaman, Tessek, and Shmi Skywalker immediately come to mind). In fact, even I asked recently about why Hasbro hasn't made more Expanded Universe figures. The past has shown us that if we scream loud enough for long enough, it will sometimes pay off (Wuher and the forthcoming Biker Scout). My question is this: Why not use the Probe Droid to poll your readers for their "most-desired-yet-still-unmade" figures?
Here's how you could do it: Have readers e-mail the name of their most
desired figures. Decide who the 10 most requested figures are, and put them
on the Probe Droid as a "Pick the one you'd most like to see" poll. What do
you think?
If I were Hasbro-- I'm not, but if I were-- I wouldn't want to take the poll from any non-official site as a basis for making a figure UNLESS it was for an exclusive.
Why, you ask? Potentially selfish reasons. Considering that the fans who are expressing themselves on many online polls seem to have what I would consider (and this is my opinion) less-than-great taste (BoShek and Dannik Jerriko, as I often state, are boring as all get out choices for figures when exciting options like... well, anything exist). Of course, that was probably just because of the options given. If Hasbro had some preliminary drawings/sculpts that would be seen by anyone who voted on the
figures and had a LOT of options encompassing everything from EU to yet another Tatooine Luke resculpt, it'd be neat. Heck, I think it'd be really neat to let fans vote on a figure for every other assortment for a little while, but it probably isn't doable.
(To be fair, if Expanded Universe were up to me, the 9 figures I'd have picked would've been: Dark Empire Luke, Kyle Katarn, Mara Jade, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Guri, Sedriss [Dark Empire II], Splinter of the Mind's Eye Leia, Talon Karrde [sculpted to resemble Frank Zappa], and Lumiya from the Marvel comics. While we fans do have a lot of interesting ideas, picking a very dedicated fan or group of fans could result in some very obscure choices that wouldn't sell. Like I say, I've got weird taste in toys...
I love obscurity. While some would argue, I do think that polling fans on how to market a lot of these figures would be a great idea...)
If Hasbro ever asked us to do a poll like that, we'd do it. We'd jump on it. (And we would be sure to include the Tonnika Twins, a Mara Jade resculpt, R2 unit repaint 2-packs, and a single carded not-based-off-of-another-figure-like-Biggs-or-X-Wing-Luke Wedge in the voting.)
4
Considering that Amidala figures seem to be doing well (never did see Coruscant Amidala sit or Ascention at all), I do think that we're seeing demand for more figures of the young Queen in her various forms of attire. Now, considering the Princess Leia Collection did get cleared out at a lot of places back when clearing out SW seemed ridiculous, I have my doubts of such a line seeing plastic again, especially since the "soft goods" counterparts have been made on individual cards.
I'd like to see more Amidalas. Really I would. Just not "Real-Hair" Padme.
While Hasbro could easily push a new Amidala into every or every other assortment (assuming it wasn't a resculpt) and it'd do well, I don't see it happening. I'd be nuts for 'em since, well, they'd be new figures and frankly, I don't have enough female SW figures. (And neither do you.) It'd be nice to see some sorta special "Amidala Box Set" or something from somewhere. I'd buy two.
5 How about setting up a mailing list of people willing to buy a figure of the month club through Hasbro. If Hasbro had 10,000 names i'm sure they would be willing to do it. The fans could vote on the figures they would want(droids,aliens,ewoks, imperials, and rebels) these would be figures retail stores wouldn't want! -Brian
In the toy biz, 10,000 isn't barely enough to support something like this. Well, at least not at prices I'd be willing to pay.
If Hasbro put a little flyer in every figure/vehicle/whatever hawking a hypothetical club and listing, say, 9 of the first 10 figures with a "If you'd be interested, write in your fave choice for a figure and send it on a postcard" thing along, I could see it working. Maybe pay ahead for the year, allow as many sets to be purchased as one would like (because limits suck [they do]), and if they don't get enough interest... refund the dough.
If nothing else, I'm surprised we haven't seen something akin to the
long-running Hallmark Collector's Club (of which my mother is a charter
member): an exclusive for joining, an exclusive for renewing, REAL
first-news on ornaments and stuff, a quarterly newsletter, and news on
collector events. Granted, it's hard to do given the rather intense
network of fans involved in SW news, but it's very doable. $20-$30 a
year, maybe some sorta discounts on ordering a dupe or a triplicate
figure, the option to buy extras of "exclusive-to-vehicle" figures at
$10 a pop shipped (RED R2s, we need MORE), and hey, I'm sold.
Long-time readers of my stuff can attest to the fact that I'm very easy
to please with any sort of "special" stuff as long as it's obtainable.
(Besides, perfect outlet for Shmi. Did I mention I was interested in
getting a Shmi? She's a great looking figure.)
6
Real answer: plot advancement. Vader wasn't Luke's father as of ANH from everything I've read. That idea was kicking around in Lucas' head and didn't really happen until ESB was a ways in development. If *we* knew he knew, well, the movie would feel a lot different and the end of ESB wouldn't have been a surprise. But using hindsight, some bits in ANH could be taken as hints of what was to come.
As for the story, well, who's to say he didn't know? There's a lot of
things about Vader we obviously don't know for sure. For instance, I
am under the impression that in the original trilogy, the bulk of the SW
Universe does not know that Anakin=Vader. While he didn't know about
Leia for whatever reason until ROJ, he sure seemed to pick up on Luke on
some level in ANH during the trench run. If Vader went around telling
the Imps that he wanted Luke because he was Vader's kid and not for
crimes against the Empire or whims of the Emperor, a huge crack in the character's metaphorical armor could be forged and Luke could become a target for Imperials looking to hurt Vader in some way.
In other words, we'll probably find out for sure in E2 or E3.
7
While it is possible that Hasbro plans to put out this, which is like E1 Kenobi #8, in another Collection 1 assortment before the "next big transition" I doubt it. I'm banking on Kenobi to show up on those ugly newfangled green cards some time later this year.
Then again, it's entirely possible Hasbro opted to decide this figure wasn't being considered, much like Shmi, after we saw proof that it was, in fact, in serious development.
FYI, according to the last semi-official list we posted at Rebelscum, the following have still not shown up:
8
They do, but rarely in the UK. Actually, the UK has it pretty bad considering that there is a big fan base over there. While you might get lucky once in a while, a UK trading buddy is probably going to have a pretty long Hasbro want-list. It never hurts to ask, but I don't think you can expect much.
9
Never did have a real solid definition before, but hey, no time like the present for these things.
Anything in the Beast Assortment is a beast. Not a figure. Due to Jabba's size, I would not consider him a figure even though he is a character in all the ways a Dewback isn't. The figures with the beasts ARE figures.
Anthing in a cinemascene, packed on a blister card (i.e., deluxe dudes like the Probot), or packaged as a vehicles pilot THAT IS REMOVABLE is a figure. Any mail-in that's obviously a figure (Mace Windu, Froot Loops Han Stormtrooper, etc.) is also a figure.
I guess I draw the line of anything that's bigger than Horax Ryyder from the Watto's Box cinemascene.
I would count accessories as part of a figure, and a necessary part of displaying a figure. But that's me. I don't organize your collection. If I went to a collector's house and saw a figure without an instrument next to it, I'd assume he had to settle for an incomplete figure, which in POTF2 collecting means you're probably also unable to afford to eat.
10
The packaging and coins were different, but as to the actual figures, no noticable differences really exist. Basically, same figure, new box.
FIN The next update will be on Tuesday. If the questions continue, I can probably keep this pace up until the end of the month. Oh-- and on the "off-topic-greedy-schmuck" list, I'm a-lookin' for some They Might Be Giants CDs, more specifically the singles/EPs (4+ songs) for "The Guitar" or "Istanbul". If you're sellin' or a-tradin', please fire an email off in my direction.
How is it that Luke's 2-day training with Yoda in the Empire Strikes Back qualified him to become a jedi, when all we hear about in these movies is that people are "too old" to train? Yoda said this of Luke in ESB, and of the much younger Anakin in TPM. Did Luke just train himself, or what? -Jones
First, you need to ask: just how long was ESB? (Yes, I know, two hours.) But how much time really elapsed? I would assume that it would take some time to get from wherever the Falcon was to another star system, but hey, this isn't sci-fi, it's fantasy. But even with that in mind, I always assumed ESB to take place over at least a couple of months. I could be wrong.
As far as "too old", this seems to be thrown about much like almost every parent's favorite lines: "We'll see" or "Ask your mother/father." It really doesn't seem to be much more than a nice way of saying "*I* don't want to train the putz." But for the story, well, what choice did Yoda have? The movie would really suck if Luke didn't become a Jedi.
2 In the original trilogy, the characters Snaggletooth, Walrusman, Hammerhead, Rancor Keeper, Squid Head, Prune Face and Yak Face didn't have names, they were referred to in the credits with the names above. Where did Hasbro get the "real" names for these in the POTF2 collection? Are they official?
As for the main characters, is there an "official" background history for each one (Han Solo, Luke, etc) or is it just third party fiction?
Considering most naming conventions will never, ever be contested in the films, what you see is what you're gonna get.
For the Cantina aliens, the names were-- from what I can tell-- the "nicknames" given by the designers. Except Greedo, that was in the script. For Jabba's Palace, "Yak Face" and such were the designer's inventions, and frankly, much better than "Saelt Marae" which seems to be pronouncable only in an Australian accent. While many aliens as of Jedi were given "official" names like Bib Fortuna, Ephant Mon (who never saw plastic), and Salacious Crumb, well, all weren't. Hasbro took the names for the POT
F2 aliens from the "correct" names given from the West End Games Role Playing Game, most of which-- at least this is what I've been told-- were invented for the game and OK'ed by the Lucas camp. Lucas was noticably quirked by the demands from merchandising that everything be given a name for TPM.
As far as back story goes, what you see on-screen is the only "official" anything with Star Wars. Some of you might be saying "no, the novels and radio plays are, too." Nope. It's the films, or to be more accurate, the latest versions of the films.
Unless contested, it seems Han is thought to be an ex-Imperial (via EU) who turned to smuggling after being disgusted with the Empire on several levels, while Luke was what we saw in ANH-- a whiny farm kid. Of course, I'd take it a step further, bringing up all the cut Anchorhead footage with Luke's chums and all of that, which basically makes Luke a whiny farm kid who's very low on the social totem pole. Luke's first breaths should be revealed in all their gory details in Episode III, and while rumors
exist to the contrary, Han's origin will most likely not appear in the prequels, ever. (He'd be like 10 in Episode III.)
3 I live in a small town near Canada, and I have yet to see the TC-14 wave and beyond. What am I to do? What is Hasbro's problem? -Karen
Cases of unsold figures is the answer. Leftover stock in warehouses is preventing Hasbro Canada from bringing in new stock... so now, it's import or bust for many, many countries. (Once again proving the way Hasbro has been selling assortments no longer works.)
So it's time to make trading buddies or order everything online... don't expect to see many goodies in your area anytime soon.
4
I like fairly priced exclusives that I can get. Example: Muftak & Kabe. I can get that. It's a solid figure. And it's about $13. I don't like expensive things that are hard to get and not worth the money. Example: Fambaa. (Don't get me wrong, I like it, it's just a lousy deal unless you got it on sale sans shipping.) I saw lots of Skiffs, got one, wish I got two. But since more are allegedly on the way, I'm not losing any sleep over this one.
My favorite "exclusives" are mail-ins. I like to send off for something and have something to look forward to getting in the mail, especially when it's a new Star Wars figure. Spirit Ben, Mace Windu, and Stormtrooper Han are some of my favorite figures, mainly because they were just a joy when they showed up. I'd go nuts if we saw Amanaman on an oatmeal box, but the thing is, he'd make a lousy mail-in because only die-hard fans would order one. If Hasbro wants to do E1 Resculpts of Anakin, Maul, Obi
-Wan, and Qui-Gon, I gotta tell you, make 'em cereal mail-ins and I'll go nuts for 'em.
I do have a problem with the shipping rates on recent Fan Club exclusives. $1.50 for the Cantina Band Member was great. $6 for a couple of Wuhers is insulting. I'm glad I could get Wuher. I'm thrilled. But shipping could be a wee bit less considering how many of us are JUST going to order the one item...
If it were up to me, and it isn't, I'd offer exclusives to anybody willing to allow them to be sold online, either via the Fan Club or a store's web site. Or through a Hasbro Collector Club, but let's face it, that ain't gonna happen. I personally don't like exclusives because I don't like having to hit a specific store on a toy run. For example, I don't find much new at Target, and I made 2-3 special trips a week to go look around when the Skiff came out. It kinda sucks, but it sucks worse when you
don't come home with the loot.
But lately, I've made good on exclusives. I scored the Wal-Mart Holo guys for $5 a pop today (half price), and man, there were a ton around (and man, is Maul worth it). Glad I waited. Ditto with the Fambaa, which I scored last week for $52.50 (better than $75). Considering this, well, things aren't too shabby as they are now...
5 This is something that has bugged me ever since I first saw Return of the Jedi back in '83, and I've never read mention of it anywhere. In a couple of scenes in Jabba's palace that feature Boba Fett, the film frame appears to be flipped, and Fett appears backwards on the screen. It's very noticeable that the rangefinder on his helmet is on the left side, whereas it should be on the right side. You can see it quite well when Boussh activates the thermal detonator, and Fett draws his gun. I know that flipped film frames is a common error in movies, but I was especially suprised when this wasn't corrected in the Special Edition. Was this a mistake in the movie, or am I missing something? -Troy
This happens a lot in Star Wars... in ESB, even the SE, you can see a lot of flipped scenes while Luke's hallucinating on Hoth. The Fett thing always bothered me, I'm under the impression it had to do with the lighting of the scene. But there are a few other goof-ups in Jedi still, so maybe when they go back to do a "final" edition we'll see all this stuff patched up.
6
Considering how everybody could buy a Carbonite block or a lightsaber, I'd have to go with something a wee bit more special.
Probably one of the statues outside the various rooms in buildings inside Coruscant, assuming they were actually made. It'd look cool and be a neat, not obviously "Star Wars" piece of decor.
7
Seems pretty obvious that if Hasbro really intended to make R2 w/Holo Leia
more readily available, they would have done so already, which gives
credence to the 'Gummi Leia choking hazard' rumors. Your take? (maybe by
E3, we'll have an R2 figure that can actually display a hologram of Leia).
First question: it's my understanding that the clearances are because the retaillers have faith that Hasbro can provide better assortments, and the stores are ordering the new ones. I could be wrong. It is impossible to guarantee "no pegwarmers", ever. If you short a figure, it'll be hot, you gotta make more, then it sits. If you make a fair amount of a figure-- any figure-- it'll stop selling after a certain amount of time. It seems Hasbro assumed Swamp Jar Jar would've never sold. Too bad, be
cause it actually isn't a bad figure.
Second: I have no idea what Hasbro is doing here. We've never seen a carded figure end up in distribution Hell like this. First sightings were from the Fan Club around September '99. It's now almost June '00. So about 10 months has yielded NOTHING. The Fan Club was-- from what I remember reading-- denied cases of the figure, and all CommTech POTF2 beyond the initial four are pretty hard to find. I wouldn't pay any mind to "choking hazard" rumors because there are other accessories just as small
in the accessory packs and Naboo Kenobi & Qui-Gon. My guess is that we will see the figure in decent quantities, eventually. It took quite a while to see Expanded Universe through the Fan Club, and we're still seeing Ree-Yees and the DS Trooper pop up on occasion. Figures come to those who wait.
8
Depending on who you asked, and when, you will get entirely different accounts of what Lucas' vision of Star Wars was meant to be. 3 films, 6, 9, even 12-- and I saw that outline that allegedly came from Gary Kurtz that had Kenobi introed in #2 and Luke not killing the Emperor until much later in the series.
I never heard the "Oh, it's the story of Anakin through six films" thing until around 1995. And I paid pretty close attention to any SW rumblings for a looooong time. But thankfully, there is a satisfactory answer.
Lucas had dozens of plot concepts floating around in his notes. "Luke" was almost a girl. Han was almost an alien. Jabba was all sorts of things. Some stuff I've read indicates that Luke & Leia weren't meant to be siblings until Jedi was into production (not filming, but you know, designs and stuff.) Heck, I remember hearing something along the lines of SW being "Luke's story" at one point, just three films, just ignore the whole prequel idea. Basically, SW is set up to be whatever Lucas thinks
would work. He left himself lots of opportunities to go off in countless directions ("there is another", "certain point of view") and a lot of them are explored in the not just great, not just amazing, but amazingly amazing Behind the Magic CD ROMs. I know what you're saying. "Oh, what good are those?" Well, you get video of the Biggs stuff, an alternate Cantina sequence, countless anecdotes, toy pictures, and information that make this one of the top SW resources you can buy. (I still need
to get the E1 Insider's Guide for the Mac... haven't seen it in stores over the past year.)
As far as "where did I read all of this crap", countless magazines, interviews, and the like over the past two decades. Old sci-fi interviews and issues of People can have a wealth of information.
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And I just want an extra 1 or 2 of a lot of the figures. As of now, no, you can't buy them through official channels but they do show up-- rarely-- at toy shows and flea markets for $10 or so a pop. (Which leaves me bewildered that Hasbro won't do it themselves, because off the top of my head, I'd buy another of Pod Sebulba & Anakin, the Tiger Anakin, Red R2, Kaadu Jar Jar, Opee Qui-Gon, and pretty much any pilot-y figure. Hasbro, if you're reading, here's a shot at some very easy money...
FIN The next update will be on Wednesday.
i read alot of the questions here and i see the "fan club" mentioned quite often in statements such as "fan club exclusives" exactly what is this fan club and how do i find info on joining it? -mark
First, I must congratulate you for your waking up for several years of frozen slumber. Kudos.
The Fan Club is advertised on every single Star Wars toy out there. Just look on the packaging, there's a blurb complete with all the info you'll need for signing up.
2 Do you have any suggestions as to how to establish a trading buddy in other countries? I wouldn't mind being part of a group to help some of our friends "down under" to obtain some of the figs recently mentioned on the main site, but have no knowledge on how to contact anyone. Also, are there any laws concerning imports/exports that restrict this kind of trading relationship? -yodaxcix
As far as contacts go, well, hang around in forums where people trade-- usenet, eBay, discussion groups on a variety of sites. All ya gotta do is offer something up at a cost that's a deal for everybody.
I know of no laws governing trading overseas. And frankly, I don't think there are any (and if there are, there shouldn't be any.) Just a simple trade, really, not exactly income or selling secrets to the enemy or anything...
3 In your toy runs, do you bother going to K-Mart? Every time I go I wonder, "how is it they are still in business", and the toy aisle is no exception. I've never scored ANYTHING there (and when I say anything, I mean anything ever - no decent clearance sales, no new figures, no NOTHING). They've never had exclusives to my knowledge, either. Have you written them off or have you had luck there? -Dave
I got a pack of Pit Droids there before I saw 'em anywhere else, so I try not to avoid them.
I would never write off anywhere when looking for toys because it's a very random thing. Weird stuff happens, and if you don't watch, you'll miss it.
4
The explanation I always here is just "bad special effects." Meant to make it look like ominous-er or something.
5 I was wondering if on the vintage figures does the time stamp change? Is the first Vader released the same stamp as the last one? If not is there anyway of knowing from what era the figure was made? Ex. SW, ESB, ROTJ, POTF..... -Paulo
Yes... and no. The dates remain the same, but some figures have copyrights in different places, or minor changes to the figure that go unnoticed. Nothing really worth mentioning.
6
Because everybody still hates us Mac users, no, it has yet to be ported to Apple's fine machines. I'd buy a Mac-native version if it were made... (hint hint)
7
Most of the interviews I've read basically boiled down to "the technology isn't there yet" and "George needs a break." Originally, he told the world 1998. Which seemed like an eternity.
8
It appears that Hasbro shifted from the "Main/Secondary/Tertiary" thing to "Big sellers/not so big sellers/slow sellers." But since this is all gonna change anyway, who knows?
9
Same as any other figure, really. I really have no idea why Hasbro has avoided doing more beyond the initial trio.
10
Depends on how one defines "soon."
FIN The next update will be on Thursday.
Do you think George Lucas will honor any of the timelines, history, or characters mentioned in the novels? There's a great deal of people mentioned with reference to the Clone Wars, the Old Republic, etc. Names like Freedon Nadd, Neeja Halcyon, Exar Kun, Jorus C'baoth and others are all very important characters (or so it seems) to the "evolution" of the Star Wars time lines. If they will be disregarded, why would Lucas or Lucasfilm allow them to be created at all? Don't they or he have to "OK" anything in regard to characters or events? -Munk
Another "yes but" type answer here.
While everything IS approved by LucasFilm, that doesn't mean everything is given the big thumbs-up from George himself. Lucas is free to negate anything from the Expanded Universe because as far as he's concerned, the story he creates only has to include the scope of the movies, and he's free to change any story he so chooses. So while Heir to the Empire and Dark Empire were fun reads, well, don't expect them to be alluded to or foreshadowed.
But-- and this is our second "but" for this question-- (someday we'll have one with five--) the bulk of the stories in the movies probably won't touch on the novels and comics all that much. Anything could happen regarding the Clone Wars that could throw out any cohesiveness the novels once had with the movies, but when it comes to short stories about Greedo or the comics about the Imperial Guards after Jedi, well, odds are these won't be affected a bit.
2 I read somewhere that Hasbro was to be coming out with a lifesize lightsaber replica toy. There were some at Toyfair 2000, but I never saw any pictures of them. Is there any information on them out there? -Karl
Uh... well, we've gotten quite a few full-size Lightsaber replica toys since 1996. Counting different versions, we're probably at what-- 8 from Hasbro now? They're out there.
3 With newer product on the way and with Kenners original lineup of figures that still need to produced shrinking. Why do you think that no more Ewoks have been made? I hated them just as much as everyone else when Jedi came out, but now it seems that alot of people have the same question. Where are the Ewoks? I thought there would be a good chance that these hairballs would be produced. Any thoughts? For those of you keeping count, the following figures from the original line have not been made (yet). They are: 6 more Ewoks, FX-7, Star Destroyer Commander, Cloud Car Pilot, General Madine, Imperial Dignitary, Tessek and Amanaman. -jman9869
My guess on the Ewok question is just that fan reaction toward Ewoks has always been negative since Jedi. So it makes sense, really, that Hasbro didn't want to do a bunch... but I do get a lot of requests for 'em here, so it looks like now is a great time to do more. I do think the interest is there... at least enough to support a few more of the furry buggers.
As far as yer list goes, TECHNICALLY we got our Star Destroyer Commander in our Piett figure. Unless I'm mistaken, a pic of Veers appeared on the original packaging, and well, the figure was intended to be pretty generic. I would really doubt a black-suited Imperial would appear anytime soon since we just got Motti.
As far as the rest, well, ya forgot the original Klaatu (for shame, forgetting such an awesome figure :). The droid that was originally, incorrectly dubbed "Death Star Droid" has yet to surface in his correct colors, but that's being picky. The vintage line also got a Dianoga "figure" that went in the compactor of the original, big, awesome Death Star Space Station playset, but again, picky. And the Rebel Commander. I always forget that one. (But, yet again, picky.)
On the bright side, most of the vintage versions of those figures are still relatively cheap for those that don't already have them.
4
If it's not rare, it sure isn't common. I don't know if/when you can expect more to show up (as Hasbro has no reason to make them given it's just a variation), but if you REALLY care about variations, best you start hunting it down and sadly, you'll most likely have to pay above retail.
Many unscrupulous eBayers are still touting the first version as "rare" and that the new version has "left collectors scrambling for the few left on the pegs." Not so. I see few Yodas 'round these parts, but I tell ya, I see few non-May 3 figures of any kind. Anyone insisting the first version is the rarer (at least as things stand today, May 25, 2000) is full of crap. Pure and simple.
5 are these upc/jedi points on the back redeemable for anything worthwhile? -kubbyspice
Not only not worthwhile, but as of yet, nothing at all. Galoob never did anything for their SW line which has featured points for a very long time, either. Maybe some day, but just not now.
6
Most of the toy-slang you read hear originated from rec.toys.misc when it was a heavy-action figure traffic newsgroup. They really do embiggen the hobby's vocabulary, those guys.
"Prism head", as far as I know, isn't really used all that much. "Eyeport", yeah... but the others I hear used quite a bit.
7
Well, most are sent back to Hasbro in cases that Hasbro sends a store just to send back stuff. (I've seen 'em at Toys "R" Us for Beast Wars [TM Scavenger & TM2 Optimus Minor] and Star Wars [misc. E1.]) Although in the case of the Kay-Bee stuff, I've heard at least one person say they found KB-stickered figures at MacFrugals stores. And I do hear some buzz of charities scoring some of the stuff.
Hasbro never really mentioned what happens to toys that don't sell... the bulk of the stuff gets bought back for credit, I guess... but after that, who knows?
8
I have seen a book which claims to be the script for Star Wars ANH. Under the title, on the cover, there is a line that says the story is taken from "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker" (or similar).
I was always under the belief that there were nine chapters (of which ANH is chapter 4, and always was - which leads me to believe that Lukas had the full story concept in mind by the release of ANH, or at least the breakdown of it).
A friend had told me that there was a time when all nine chapters were made available in a book titled "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker". Was such a book ever available?.. and if so, what is the likely hood of finding a copy?
The very first novelization of Star Wars does make reference to being from "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker" back when we were all under the impression that SW was the story of Luke and not Anakin. It's just the film with a little bit more... as in "extra scenes not meant for the movie."
ANH was many things at many times. Ultimately, it's what it is-- #4 in a 6 film series. Like any story teller, Lucas had a lot of ideas which became lots of different things, and well, I know I can vouch for the fact that it's really hard to keep track of every little big change you make.
There was never, ever a book with the complete "Story of Star Wars" in the perspective of nine films. It could still happen, but don't bet on it.
9
I've been looking, but never saw any. Heck, I never found the animated Jar Jar dispenser. Any Pez-heads out there got an answer?
10
I did get a "Where can I buy Star Wars toys" after E1 came out, but it was written kinda badly. Now, if this is because it was written by a non-english speaker or because it was written by a youngster who is new at the whole computer thing, I don't know. But I doubt there was any spot in North America (or in the bulk of the civilized world) without some form of SW junk around somewhere in May/June of '99.
I've also gotten numerous requests for Natalie Portman's contact info. Which is more creepy than surprising or absurd (especially when the people asking are 40-somethings). I mean, geez, leave the poor girl alone.
FIN The next update will be on Friday. Regarding yesterday's inquiry on the black splotches on the Emperor, I've gotten numerous responses, including one that said I was dead wrong even though it said what I said with more words. While I'm standing by my "bad special effects" answer which covers several bases, some others contributed stuff like the following: "...they were getting bleed from the bluescreens through the Emperor's cloak..." --Jeff "...someone asked a question about the black "blob" on the Emperor's face in ROTJ. It was actually covering up some light that was shining on the Emperor's eyes..." --Brian So... yeah.
I was on Ebay tonight (25th), and I saw an auction for a Queen Amidala Hologram...it was a prototype, but what do you think it is? Real? Fake? -Manson2208
Considering that a lot of very real Hasbro prototypes and advance samples show up on eBay before we hear any official word of them, I would guess it's very real.
Of course, they had cop out on us and use a sculpt of the Queen that never appeared as a holo in the film. It's probably real... but hey, lots of fakes get passed off as the real thing, and without official word, it's hard to say for sure.
(Unless it's like dead-obvious.)
2 How did Vader know that Obi-Wan trained Luke? Vader always refered to Obi-Wan has trained you well, but how did he know. Obviously, it was Yoda who finished training Luke, and Vader missed that. Luke was with Ben such a short time, why would Vader assume that it was Obi-Wan who trained Luke as a Jedi? Was this answered in the Marvel comics inbetween ANH and ESB? I've read 2 out of the 3 Dark Horse reprints, but didn't see it answered there. Any ideas? -Aaron
We never saw Vader make any reference to Yoda in any of the films, I've always assumed Yoda faked his death or something so he could be spared from the Jedi genocide that, with any luck, we'll see in Episode II or III. Plus Vader seemed kinda obsessed with Obi-Wan, and we'll probably learn why soon...
As far as Marvel comics go, don't expect cannon info from 'em. They're neat, but all I need to say to back up the previous statement is lepus carnivorous.
3 I have two questions that have been on my mind recently; 1) I remember hearing of a '2000 fan club exclusive while Wuher was still being described as a mass-market release. Is there another figure in the works for the fan club this year? And 2) I was looking at a picture of the red Twi'lek girl in the "Watto's Box" 3-pack and her head looks awfully close to Oola's. Is it the same mold repainted? -Edward
While there are at least two items claimed as exclusives to the Insider this year (Freeze Chamber w/ Bespin Guard & 12" Senate Guard & Valorum two-pack), no mention of another exclusive has been mentioned outside the buzz mills, which are saying quite a bit, however it's difficult to tell if they hold water.
While similar in appearance to Oola, Shakka is not from the same mold. The red Twi'lek has no cloth, different sculpt, no neck chain, jointed knees, and other minor differences... unfortunately, these figures tend to look similar.
4
On the second Death Star, after Vader is defeated, Luke throws away his
lightsaber. it goes "clonk clonk" is the distance. I always assumed
he was rejecting his violent nature and making a statement by throwing the
saber away. He didn't need or want it anymore. Then the Emperor zaps him
and Vader saves him.
Later, we see him dragging Vader's body around, and there is NO sign of
him carrying his lightsaber. At this point, saving his father is all he
cares about. So he gets on the shuttle and leaves.
We finally see him rejoining the party on Endor, and there, in full view,
is his damn lightsaber swinging on his belt!! What is this?? The only
explanataion is that he went back and retrieved it at some point, leaving
his father to die while he looked for his lost weapon.
No, I think they must have just filmed those sequences out of order and
made a flub. What do you think?
Luke picking his Saber up was probably just another one of the many unfilmed events in the trilogy. Considering it is most likely important to his character (and all he had to do was stick out his arm to get it), it would make sense that he said "Hey pop, gotta get something on the way out" before comandeering the shuttle.
Rejecting violence? Sure. It makes a good point. But he's gonna need it later.
5 Just wondering, with the confirmation by your site earlier today (through Action Ace) that the new cases with both figure lines will be shipping soon (Episode 1 and POTF2), do you think these will be with the new card designs yet? My reason for asking is simple, it stated in the summary on your site that Hasbro has discontinued the Commtech chip cases so figures would not ship on two different card designs to irritate collectors. Great, my only problem is, what about the holo R2 with Leia? How can they ship this if they con't wish to change the card design to mirror the new stuff. I'm especially concerned because the Fan Club struck out, although something could still happen. -Kevin
While it looks like new figures won't ship on two different cardbacks, it does look like existing figures will not be repackaged.
What does this mean to you?
Hasbro makes big numbers of their figures. Even "rare" ones show up elsewhere eventually. The question is, how long? Those 100,000+ CommTech R2-D2s gotta be somewhere... be it the Fan Club or a 3 for $10 bin.
6
If you can get it for $25, go ahead and get it. While I dislike the secondary market on new toys, some times you don't have a choice. I wouldn't sell the farm to pay for it, though.
Like I said before, it's very likely Target could order more. So don't go nuts just yet.
7
While the entire 1995 line was a tad beefy, things started to tone down in 1996 with the TIE Pilot, Yoda, and Boushh Leia. Most of the figures from 1996 onward were "normal", with a few exceptions like the Rebel Fleet Trooper (which looks pretty out-of-place for the entire line) and Launching Lightsaber R2-D2.
8
Not sure-- release dates are typically off. However, I would expect to see the Y-Wing before Summer's end, and the 12" Bike & Scout around October.
9
Has there been anyword on whether or not a Sith Infiltrator is in the works?
I am surprised with the demand of all things Maul, when the movie first came
out, that the Infiltrator wasn't made.
Also, do you see more resculpts along the line of Cantina Han with a usable
holster? I think it's cool due to the fact it makes the weapon seem more
scaled.
As far as me personally, I'm actually quite happy with what we've gotten so far, and I wouldn't be the slightest bit miffed if we already got all the vehicles we'd ever get for Star Wars. (Especially if they keep dragging out old molds.) If I had to pick one more vehicle to be released (as in "I want it" and not "It'd sell amazingly well"), it'd probably be a companion TIE Fighter to go with the Power FX X-Wing.
As far as new releases for new vehicles, I try to keep the most updated confirmed items in our checklists area. If it ain't there, I don't know. An Infiltrator seems like a neat idea, but considering how poorly all non-classic vehicles seem to be doing in 2000, I wouldn't hold my breath.
More resculpts from Hasbro? While a rather far-out sounding idea, it's entirely possible. None of the current line-up on tap for the year seem to show a holster*, but it's hard to tell from some of the pictures. I wouldn't mind seeing a totally redone Hoth Han and Hoth Luke, or even a new Stormtrooper resculpt with a holster.
(*= Last I heard the Biker Scout was a 2001 release. But my ears really suck.)
10
Vader rules. Period.
FIN The next update will be on Monday.
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