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Where The Vintage Collection Would Be If Things Were Different
JTA has recently discovered BREAKING NEWS from 2015 that never made our front page. To provide complete transparency for our readers, we’re releasing this news now. Please click through for a past update that might have changed the face of collecting for lovers of 3.75″ super-articulated Star Wars action figures (and perhaps added many new collectors into the fold too).
The Background:
As Hasbro prepared for The Force Awakens product launch, plans to reissue The Vintage Collection was amongst their most significant considerations. Sadly for 3.75″ collectors, they decided to focus their attention on The Black Series 6” line instead, and all of the figures intended for 3.75” scale and super-articulation were mostly shelved. Hasbro still felt that longtime collectors deserved some attention, so they reached out to their great retail partner Walmart and asked if they would be willing to carry select 3.75” super-articulated figures under The Black Series moniker as a retailer exclusive. Hungry as ever for potential success, Walmart jumped on it, and most of the characters planned for The Vintage Collection’s return were shelved. Mostly Sequel Trilogy characters made it out in this The Vintage Collection replacement line. And for the most part, the choices were lackluster.
The Insult:
However, always searching for new fans instead of focusing on the fans they had for decades and who stayed with them through thick and thin, Hasbro opted to focus their full attention on the 6” scaled figure line. Adding all-new sculpts like Princess Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian (just three examples 3.75” super-articulated fans are dying to see updated) to the new 6” scale, Hasbro brought one classic figure after the other while keeping the line fresh and relevant with new Star Wars Entertainment like the Sequel Trilogy films and television shows like Star Wars: Rebels. While 6” collectors were getting one reward after another, 3.75” collectors were left rustling through Poe Dameron and Han Solo (In Trench Coat) on Walmart’s shelves. It was rare if any new figures arrived at the brick and mortar locations. If new figures did show up, it was only one case, and they’d never show up again.
Change Is In The Air:
After countless begging, whining and pleading (and a lot of that was done right here at Jedi Temple Archives), Hasbro made a huge announcement in April of 2017 at Star Wars Celebration that The Vintage Collection would return this time. But similarly to how The Black Series 6” line will ALWAYS play catch-up, the return of The Vintage Collection started off playing catch-up by re-releasing the same dang figures that none of the collectors of the line wanted to see again. With next to no Original Trilogy characters added to the line and a heap load of repacks instead, collectors are once again feeling left out in the cold because there isn’t enough newness or volume to keep our interest piqued. So, that leads us to this “unreleased breaking news.” Bad case assortments only added salt into the wounds. Distribution is still a nightmare as well.
If Things Were Different:
So here is something to consider. Could you imagine if The Vintage Collection was brought back in September 2015 and followed The Black Series [Phase III] 6” line step by step? What I mean is that every figure released in the 6” line would have a The Vintage Collection counterpart. We’d have all of those new Star Wars Entertainment characters in addition to the Original Trilogy characters all-new sculpts. Would any of us 3.75” super-articulated collectors be complaining right now if we received all of these figures in our scale? Would an impressive collection of action figures have prevented so many from complaining about The Last Jedi ad nauseum?
Confessions From The Dance Floor:
So, of course, any of the information of this “breaking news” report is completely FAKE NEWS, but we wanted to visually offer something that would leave an impact had The Vintage Collection returned when it was SUPPOSED to in September 2015. (That’s our assertion and no one else’s.) I actually took the time to “rewrite” The Black Series [Phase III] 6” figures’ wave releases through the eyes of The Vintage Collection 3.75” super-articulated waves instead. I ignored all of the retailer exclusives to make this compilation as simple as possible. However, I would include them if this post was more serious. When you read over these waves, your heart will likely sink. It is very disappointing to think about what could have been instead. To think we might have had all of these wonderful figures in super-articulation is a difficult thing to process. But the Hasbro Star Wars brand would probably be in a much better and happier place than it is right now. Heck, it might have lightened up fandom a bit too. I don’t think The Black Series 6” line is perfect or without its own share of faults either, but it is a line certainly geared towards collectors. And I feel strongly that The Vintage Collection needs to take a few notes from the 6” line. Two of the most significant issues for most collectors is that there are not enough new figures and not enough figures (generally) in the line.
Anyway, leave your thoughts in the comments below. Would you be content with The Vintage Collection if it shared the same planning and organization of The Black Series 6″ line? Go through recent history below and see what would have come in The Vintage Collection from September 2015 through now if things were different!
The Vintage Collection Wave 17 (September 2015)
Finn (Jakku) (VC116)
Rey (Jakku) & BB-8 (VC117)
Kylo Ren (VC118)
First Order Stormtrooper (VC119)
Chewbacca (VC120)
The Vintage Collection Wave 18 (October 2015)
Captain Phasma (VC121)
Poe Dameron (VC122)
Guavian Enforcer (VC123)
Constable Zuvio (VC124)
The Vintage Collection Wave 19 (November 2015)
Resistance Trooper (VC125)
First Order TIE Fighter Pilot (VC126)
The Vintage Collection Wave 20 (December 2015)
First Order Snowtrooper (VC127)
First Order General Hux (VC128)
X-wing Pilot Asty (VC129)
The Vintage Collection Wave 21 (January 2016)
Jango Fett (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC130)
First Order Flametrooper (VC131)
Finn (FN-2187) (VC132)
Han Solo (The Force Awakens) (VC133)
The Vintage Collection Wave 22 (March 2016)
Kanan Jarrus (VC134)
Ahsoka Tano (Rebels) (VC135)
Luke Skywalker (A New Hope) (VC136)
The Vintage Collection Wave 23 (October 2016)
Sergeant Jyn Erso (Jedha) (VC137)
Captain Cassian Andor (Eadu) (VC138)
K-2SO (VC139)
Imperial Death Trooper (VC140)
Kylo Ren (Unmasked) (VC141)
The Vintage Collection Wave 24 (November 2016)
Director Krennic (VC142)
Scarif Stormtrooper Squad Leader (VC143)
C-3PO (Resistance Base) (VC144)
The Vintage Collection Wave 25 (December 2016)
Princess Leia Organa (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC145)
AT-AT Driver (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC146)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC147)
Sabine Wren (VC148)
Darth Revan (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC149)
Snowtrooper (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC150)
The Vintage Collection Wave 26 (January 2017)
Chirrut Imwe (VC151)
Baze Malbus (VC152)
The Vintage Collection Wave 27 (May 2017)
Imperial Royal Guard (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC153)
Lando Calrissian (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC154)
Qui-Gon Jinn (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC155)
Tusken Raider (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC156)
The Vintage Collection Wave 28 (September 2017)
Hera Syndulla (VC157)
Darth Vader (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC158)
Rey (Jedi Training) (VC159)
Kylo Ren (The Last Jedi) (VC160)
Luke Skywalker (Jedi Master) (VC161)
Grand Admiral Thrawn (Rebels) (VC162)
Stormtrooper (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC163)
The Vintage Collection Wave 29 (October 2017)
Maz Kanata (VC164)
Elite Praetorian Guard (VC165)
Finn (First Order Disguise) (VC166)
General Leia Organa (The Force Awakens) (VC167)
Captain Poe Dameron (The Last Jedi) (VC168)
The Vintage Collection Wave 30 (December 2017)
Supreme Leader Snoke (VC169)
Resistance Tech Rose (VC170)
Jaina Solo (Legends) (VC171)
The Vintage Collection Wave 31 (January 2018)
DJ (Canto Bight) (VC172)
Rey (Island Journey) (VC173)
Clone Captain Rex (VC174) – the 2013 Legacy Collection figure finally gets released!
The Vintage Collection Wave 32 (April 2018)
Death Star Trooper (ALL NEW DECO and HEAD SCULPT!) (VC175)
Jawa (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC176)
Han Solo (Solo) (VC177)
Grand Moff Tarkin (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC178)
Range Trooper (VC179)
Lando Calrissian (Solo) (VC180)
The Vintage Collection Wave 33 (May 2018)
Qi-ra (Corellia) (VC181)
4-LOM (ALL-NEW SCULPT!) (VC182)
The Vintage Collection Wave 34 (July 2018)
Tobias Beckett (VC183)
Rebel Trooper (ALL-NEW DECO and HEAD SCULPT) (VC184)
Han Solo (Bespin) (VC185)
COMING SOON!
Dengar
Val
Imperial Patrol Trooper
L3-37
Princess Leia (Hoth)
Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard Disguise)
Vice Admiral Holdo
(And many, many more!)
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