Lando Calrissian - Hasbro - The Power of the Force [Red] (1995)
Star Wars Collectible News, Photos, and Reviews

This Is Not Happening!

Posted by Paul | July 01, 2013 at 06:34 PM ET

Yeah, it's time for another one. I have been waiting weeks to do cartwheels in the hallway at work when the Slave I and TIE Interceptor from The Vintage Collection would go up for pre-order. The will of the Force deemed that to be today. But instead of cartwheels I had to say a prayer to maintain composure and not take my chagrin out on co-workers when I saw the MSRPs. In fact, I almost pulled a Dana Scully at the end of the season 8 episode 14 of The X-Files. (more....)

I love Hasbro and the products they make (there are exceptions). But the relationship I have with them has bordered on codependency over the last decade. Sure, the love between family can't always be perfect and anger-free, but typically it's possible to move along from our respective differences and maintain a reasonably healthy relationship. When a figure is all-new, whether it's been attempted once before in the past or not, I get excited. Maybe not true for the average collector, I just like seeing new sculpt and enhanced existing sculpts. That and all-new sculpts thrown in is all I really need to be happy. I appreciate how characters we're already familiar with get revisited with each and every release because usually Hasbro makes them better. That's usually enough to keep the midnight oil burning and my faith strong in the basic figure line.

I am open-minded about the reduced articulation Saga Legends and Mission Series figures even though I don't think it's wise. I have accepted that I am no longer in the gun sites at Hasbro and that they need to target and engage younglings to keep their brand alive. Let me be clear though. I still believe they take collectors for granted in many instances however and maybe they just don't see how much our dollars (and lack of dollars) are affecting the line. Take it or leave it, while I think the reduced articulation is a bad move in my eyes, I am still willing to give it a try and see how much it tickles my nostalgia funny bone.

I probably will never get over The Vintage Collection's hiatus (and imminent "no" return), but that's me. While jaded about this, I have accepted that The Black Series is now here and despite two lackluster opening waves, rumor reports (including our very own), the "officially unannounced" upcoming figures have reignited a spark that I thought was forever burned out. It seems that collectors will not be forsaken in this line. That comforts me. (The 6" line is another bowl of wax however and I am not getting into that here.)

What I cannot digest however is how a simple repaint of an already tooled vehicle that once contained a plethora of add-ins now by itself costs the same price. I often wonder if Hasbro thinks (hopes) collectors might suffer from amnesia. In 2010 during The Clone Wars [Shadow Of The Dark Side] line, Hasbro gave us the same Slave I sculpt, five basic action figures (two all-new sculpted figures (young Boba Fett and the ultra cool Bossk), one repainted figure (the R8 unit) and two repacked figures) and a mid-size vehicle for $99.99 in The Rise Of Boba Fett Ultimate Battle Packs set. These lasted on shelves for most of 2011 and even in some stores through early 2012. So it makes sense to sell the vehicle by itself for the same price. Why would anyone think less at the same price will perform better? Oh wait, is it actually the power of the OT they're banking on that has been so blatantly ignored the last few years (especially 2012)?

There are going to be some of you with defense mechanisms spouting "overseas production is higher" and "fuel costs more" and yadda-yadda-yadda. Save that for a rainier day please.

I just want to know why. Why Hasbro? Why? Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

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