Is TVC Giving Us More Original Trilogy "Love" Than We Realize?
If you’re a George Lucas-era Star Wars fan and collector, you likely feel that the whole IP is insufferable under Disney. Don’t worry; we’re not going down that path here. However, the focus of Disney Star Wars has affected Hasbro’s toy line the most. But as I looked back since the re-launch of The Vintage Collection in March of 2018, I realized that Hasbro did an admirable job of getting many characters from The Empire Strikes Back out to collectors, including MANY I never anticipated we’d see in the modern line. (more….)
Look, I am not a fan of what most of the Hasbro Star Wars Team is doing. But one member blatantly loves the 3.75-inch scale and has an affinity for the aliens and other background characters that everyone else seems to forget. So I honor and respect her for what she pushes for the brand.
Before I lavish praise, allow me to make a disclaimer. Even though there are so many wonderful additions from The Empire Strikes Back, there is no way I am suggesting things are suitable or that I believe Hasbro knows what they’re doing. We still have many Original Trilogy and Prequel Trilogy characters to get into The Vintage Collection, and I want to offer an encapsulation visually of what we received.
Reality check. You don’t have to share my point of view on this. I conceded things aren’t perfect. But they never were. I don’t understand some of the hangups people have with some of the kit-bashes Hasbro creates. It blows my mind that almost no one gets as angry over “the worst figure ever created for TVC” getting reused as an OT counterpart, i.e., Imperial Gunner. Do you realize we have the IDENTICAL action figure under two different VC numbers again? What gives?
Yet, so many collectors are eager to attack the new Bespin Security Guards for texturized cuffs when they still blow my mind and correct the MANY SINS the Legacy Collection versions messed up on these pivotal characters from Cloud City. We have glorious versions of Lando Calrissian and Lobot. People are more irritated about the torso cuts than they are over their stunning likenesses and other features and how Hasbro worked in existing parts with new ones so beautifully that many people aren’t even aware of this detail.
I will say this until I am gone. The Vintage Collection experience is hugely reliant on nostalgic packaging. And even if Hasbro decides not to use “Perfect” versions of characters in the packages, I think we need to take in the whole thing: packaging, figure, updates, and overall value it brings to the TVC lineup. If you don’t collect things in packages that are good for you, TVC is not entirely for you. It’s an amalgamation of experiences.
Besides, how much longer are 6-inch collectors going to pay anywhere from $24.99 to $39.99 for a single figure? Hasbro has developed that into an elite rich person’s line. These are toys, for heaven’s sake. TVC, while there are some egregiously priced items, has remained somewhat affordable by comparison and produces incredibly better products (diverse characters, playsets, vehicles, and a host of other incredible things).
Click on the thumbnail image above, and you’ll see a larger size of the collage we put together of new additions to the line focusing on The Empire Strikes Back. Look at those figures. Again, I wouldn’t have ever anticipated seeing most of these added to The Vintage Collection. Many are blessings to the line, but yes, some are forgettable. Our only wish is for Hasbro not to get extraordinarily lazy about repacking the WRONG versions of characters to check off a box.
In the meantime, I hope we continue to enjoy what Hasbro does for us in terms of what most of us know as “original” Star Wars. And Hasbro, please complete The Ninety Six for us ASAP.
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