Q&A With JTA: Our Twenty-Fifth Column! (Pre-2011 SDCC!) 10 Questions!
Date: July 17, 2011 at 06:31 PM ET
Topic: Q&A of the Day


Q&A With JTA continues with a special 10 question pre-2011 San Diego Comic Con session! Click through to access the Q&A database with our latest batch of questions!

Q&A with JTA

Hot Topics: TVC Wave 7, Distribution woes in general and 2011 San Diego Comic Con!



Q&A With JTA: Our Twenty-Fifth Column!
(Pre-2011 San Diego Comic Con Edition)

featuring Paul Harrison

We always need your questions! Please e-mail them to [email protected]. Thank you!

1. Has anyone else noticed that the camou paint of Gree's forearms and thighs are way off ? Sideshow should fix that.. (Manny)

JTA: We have actually contacted the Customer Service department at Sideshow Collectibles about this very issue and they have assured us that Lucasfilm, Ltd. is directly involved with the approval process and will correct anything off before the item goes to production. This honestly doesn't alleviate my concerns totally. Lucasfilm, Ltd. is actually inundated with licenssee approvals and I am sure one or two things slip by them. Look how many mistakes Hasbro makes that Lucasfilm, Ltd. doesn't catch. (Hrchek Kal Fas (BD33) comes immediately to mind.) I would encourage any of you who are collectors of the 12" line to write into the customer service department at Sideshow Collectibles too. I think the squeakier we are, the more seriously they'll handle the concern. Otherwise, they might just think we are nerds who have nothing else better to do. (I mean, I sent an actual comparison photo to them and I didn't even get acknowledgement that the sample in the photos was the slightest bit off!)

2. Do you think there is any chance that Hasbro would make a screen-accurate version of the Episode V AT-ST? The recent AT-ST design is specific to Episode VI, Attack On Hoth deco notwithstanding. The profile of the vintage Kenner AT-ST matched the Ep. V chicken walker pretty well, but it would be nice to have one more in keeping with modern standards? (Warrick)

JTA: No. I think that they now have a best as can be "ultimate version" and evidenced by Hasbro using it both for an Episode V and Episode VI specific AT-ST, I can't see them doing anything more to make it exactly specific to what we see in The Empire Strikes Back. And in all honesty, does this bother you that much? I would much rather see Hasbro utilize their tooling dollars by continuing to bring us never-before-made action figures instead of tweaking things that 75% of the collecting population won't even notice. But that's me. I am sure some of you will disagree. I loved the Episode V AT-ST in the recently released Attack On Hoth TARGET exclusive. Unless I had some reference materials, I wouldn't be able to itemize the differences of what is different on the one seen in The Empire Strikes Back versus the "ultimate version" we have from Hasbro right now as a toy. I appreciate your zeal to have exact replicas in the toy line, but the Hasbro line is meant to be a toy first and a movie replica second or third. If you want exact replicas, you may have to resort to another licensee. Despite it not being exact, it still looks fantastic.

3. Why is F.Y.E. suddenly in the SW figures game? The waves in the TVC have almost been like semi-exclusives to certain stores. There is too much not making sense about the TVC and now TCW is getting difficult to find with it's low distribution count. More of a statement here; I don't like that Star Wars collecting is going too far to the side of internet "hunting" where higher prices on top of shipping prices are going to drive collectors away. I'm one getting aggravated about it. I don't want to collect online only? (Andy)

JTA: From what I can tell, FYE has had Star Wars action figures for a while now. Just by judging what figures were left hanging on the pegs, I can tell that they have been receiving them as far back February, when wave 5 started hitting retail. As far as distribution woes, there are overall Hasbro Star Wars distribution issues everywhere. And we are hopefully going to get a good answer from Hasbro finally at San Diego Comic Con. If one of my colleagues doesn't ask this question, I will be shocked. So if you're from a fan site and are attending SDCC this year, please get a good answer from Hasbro on what the heck is going on with Star Wars figures. I couldn't agree with you more that Star Wars collecting is heading in the wrong direction. The hair actually stands up on the back of my neck when I hear Hasbro direct collectors to online retail to get their action figures. Sure Hasbro! When you start putting two of each NEW figures in the case assortment without any carry-forward figures, then I will consider it. But there is no way in holy heck I am buying wave 3.... again.... just to get a Wedge Antilles. That figure has caused so much drama in the collecting community, Hasbro could probably start shipping out straight cases of this figure and it would likely sell out within minutes. If I would have known last year that Wedge Antilles would have been this much of a nightmare, I would have encouraged Hasbro just to repack the figure that came in the TARGET exclusive Wedge Antilles' X-wing Starfighter and be done with it so it could have made all 11 revision case assortments. The newly sculpted head is not worth the current headache. Hasbro also is insensitive to the fact that many of us get the "thrill of the hunt" rush when we find new figures on the shelves. To go online would render the joy of collecting obsolete in my own opinion. Let's see what Hasbro says at SDCC this year. If we don't get a good answer, I hate to say it but The Vintage Collection is in severe danger.

4. I'm new to both JTA and Star Wars collecting. Would you say I picked a fine time to start collecting? I've been mainly collecting the new vintage line as it's been getting the most praise, and I'm now considering getting a Y-Wing and B-Wing soon. What are the chances of having a new X-Wing, A-Wing, Millennium Falcon, Tie Fighter, or even a Republic Gunship soon? (Zhang)

JTA: See our answer directly above and then you tell me! (We kid with you of course!) I do think it's the best time to be a collector as far as the best products getting released. Basic action figures have never looked better. And their articulation is mind blowing. Just check out the amazing sculpt of Logray (Ewok Medicine Man) (VC55). He is so tiny yet has more articulation than all of the POTF2 figures. That is quite an amazing feat as far as what I feel. And that is barely the tip of the iceberg. Just look at the marvels of Gamorrean Guard (VC21), Fi-Ek Sirch (Jedi Knight) (VC49), Weequay (Skiff Master) (VC48), Kit Fisto (VC29), Zam Wesell (VC30) , Luke Skywalker (Bespin Fatigues) (VC04) and Admiral Ackbar (VC22). At the same rate, I think it's the worst time to be a collector as far as finding the darn figures. I have spoken very candidly with my fellow colleagues at other Star Wars fan sites and we have come to the conclusion that we have NEVER seen a worse period of time than the last year where there has been such a difficulty getting new figures onto the shelves. Of course the stuff eventually leaks out in dribs and drabs, but if you weren't there when it first hit, forget it, you're compleetly out of luck. It NEVER used to be this way. If you missed anew wave of figures, you knew you would see it next weekend at the same (or another) store. Now we shudder over the fact that we just missed a new wave of figures. That's horrrible! I almost wish Hasbro would inundate stores with new figures when they hit so they could sell through while the next figures are being prepared for shipment. I am at a loss on what it is going to take to get distribution under control. But I put the blame on Hasbro until they can give us proof otherwise.

5. With all the different ones out there, which is your favorite Chewbacca figure? Your favorite C3PO? Your favorite R2D2? (Jose)

JTA: I am a huge fan of 2009's LC Chewbacca (SL15) Saga Legends figure. Some say it's slightly inaccurate because of the way his hair falls, but I completely disagree. I remember Chewbacca clearly looking like this in both The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi. In case you aren't aware, this Chewbacca is the same figure that is in 2007's TAC Betrayal On Bespin Battle Packs set (a slight repaint of the VOTC figure) and comes with a gas mask and crossbow. I think it's perfect. My favorite C-3PO and R2-D2 figure can both be found in the 2009 LC Resurgence Of The Jedi Battle Packs set. Both are ultimate versions as far as I am concerned. Another great R2-D2 figure is 2009's LC R2-D2 (BD29) figure. Again, some say it's inaccurate because he has the restraining bolt on him (along with the Jawa blast damage), but I love it and I love the dirty paint job it has. Hopefully that gives you some choices to consider.

6. Thanks for the great column!  I never miss it! My question has to do with the figure ratios in the cases.  How can we as consumers get Hasbro to understand that their decisions to include so many older figures in a case of new figures is essentially killing the line at retail?  Take wave 7, for example:  In a box of 12 figures, 6 of them are brand new and highly desired, while the other six are carried forward from previous waves, some going all the way back to the very first wave!  I like to buy duplicates (or more!) of most figures, and I usually buy them as soon as I see them.  With this new wave, there are many figures that have been a part of my collection for a year now.  I've heard what Hasbro said about the cost of tooling, and I don't believe it.  If that were the case, I would think that the company would want to recoup the cost of the tooling of the new figures as fast as possible.  Also, many of us prefer to buy the entire case of figures, either from HTS (on the rare occasion they sell them), or from one of the fine e-tailers.  With the high ratio of older figures mixed in with the new ones, I decided not to go the route of the case and instead hope to find something new on the pegs with all the ROTS Clonetroopers and the gleaming white Sandtrooper.
Related to the case ratio is the choice to include just one Wedge Antilles figure in a box of 12, and it's my understanding that he is not included in future case revisions.  I want to buy a couple of the figure but I don't want to have to buy 11 other figures to get it, or pay the extreme prices the figure reaches on the secondary market.  I want to buy these things so that Hasbro can make some money, but at this rate I wont get the chance. 
I know that the recent Q&A, Hasbro said a few times they will look into the matter.  That answer doesn't quell my fears at all.  I don't have the time to attend SDCC to ask Hasbro in person, so if my question can be asked by someone attending, that would be awesome. (Mark)

AND

Do you think that the Hasbro representatives will address at the 2011 Comic Con in San Diego the distribution problem that is occurring this year for the vintage figures? I have had to drive 26 miles to my neighboring town to hunt and purchase waves 4 and 6 because my local stores Walmart and Kmart has older stock that has not been selling. A lot of collectors are facing the same problem that I have. Do you also think that wave 7 will be scarce since the other Hasbro toy lines like Transformers, Thor and Captain America have a bigger presence? I enjoy reading your column keep of the good work. (Ric)

JTA: Hi Mark/Ric, thank you for the kind words about the column. Your questions are similar so I have lumped them together here. Hasbro has recently stated in a fan site Q&A that they are aware of the case ratio problems and are "right now" looking how to improve them. This is one of the things we hope to have answered by Hasbro at Comic Con this year, so please stand by and I believe we wil get some comforting news. The current peg-warmers at retail should prove to Hasbro that carry-forward figures are not the answer. There will always be exceptions to the rule of course. I believe that if the Gamorrean Guard (VC21) was put into almost every carry-forward case ratio, it would sell through. And I feel that Boba Fett and Darth Vader are two other great choices for consistent carry-forward options. And then figures like Luke Skywalker (Endor Capture) or Han Solo (Bespin Outfit) and the ARC Trooper Commander would be my next choice to see added back into case assortments. Like I have stated, I think Hasbro is learning from their mistakes and good change is on the way. Before getting completely worked up over it (you and me included), let's see what their answers are. Hasbro knows we are fed up and angry. And despite what you think, they do want to make up happy. The Vintage Collection have put collectors in the worst Catch 22 I have ever seen my entire life collecting. We have stood up to Hasbro's comments of "buy online" and "collector pull-back" and they are starting to see that they are no longer viable options or valid arguments. They need to get the figures out there to us. I mean, how they possibly explain Toys R Us not getting any of waves 3, 4, 5, or 6 at all? (All of the Toys R Us stores in my area (Philly) experienced this. All of my local TARGET stores last got new figures in November 2010 - and are now getting dribs and drabs of wave 7. Again, they never received waves 4, 5 or 6. Walmart has been the best option for me personally, but they haven't received wave 7 yet.) It's mind boggling isn't it? Oh, and NO ONE has received that Wedge Antilles revision wave 3 case yet. Hasbro should have some answers for us very soon. Stand by!

7. I was so happy when it was announced that delta squad is getting a redo.  But why release it as an exclusive?  Kids and collectors both like clones and it would be a great change from the current (and future) battle packs. It couldn't be an expensive pack to make, from what i can tell they aren't new molds. So why make it an exclusive? (Mike)

JTA: Well, the first set released in The Saga Collection was an exclusive too and it sold through. So Hasbro thinks this is the best option for a set of this type. I actually think it's a great idea for exclusive. And I also don't think it would have performed well as a mass release item. The only part where I think you have a point is that these clones have made an awesome, albeit brief appearance in The Clone Wars season 3! So maybe in that scenario it would be successful across all markets. Keep in mind that it's all about The Clone Wars (Filoni that is), so that is the marketing factor that really directs everything else. But to answer your question, I believe that this being a Toys R Us exclusive will absolutely meet fan demand. Just make sure to lock your order in early. Their exclusives usually perform very, very well!

8. I'm a little lost, torn, confused, and upset that they put [Captain Fordo] on an "Expanded Universe" card. Didn't this character originate from the Clone Wars cartoon series? Pretty sure that series is "canon", I dont see why they couldn't have thrown a CW Logo on there. I could understand the "Expanded Universe" for the characters from video games and novels, but not this guy? (Jason)

JTA: Jason, I couldn't agree more with you. But I would rather have Captain Fordo as ARC Trooper Commander (VC54) on an Expanded Universe card back than not at all. Did you notice on the back of the card Hasbro cleverly squeezed in "inspired by Captain Fordo"? That made me grin from ear to ear. Lucasfilm, Ltd. either has a real attitude problem with Tartakovsky and his flawless vision, the Clone Wars micro-series, or they just don't want the slightest bit of confusion occuring from people mixing up the two different (and separate) franchises based on the events of the Clone Wars in the Star Wars saga. From what I can tell, some of the events are canon while many others are not. They are definitely meant to be two unique stories. I personally think this is a travesty. Everything should have been figured in the Star Wars timeline to be seamless. But I digress. There are definitely some timing issues between Tartakovsky and Filoni. At best, Volume 2 of Tartakovsky's Clone Wars are the events right before the opening crawl of Revenge Of The Sith. It's quite possible Filoni will respect this storyline, but it remains to be seen if he will bring his property from a different angle at this conjunction point. We will just have to see. Regardless, if the events in Filoni's The Clone Wars does alter the events of Tartakovsky's Clone Wars, Fordo may technically never exist! :( So I am SO GLAD we have him now! Otherwise he may never have been made.

9. I enjoy the site (and the Q+A columns), but I'd like to take exception with all of the CW and prequels focus for the Vintage line: Is anyone else at your site, amongst your fanbase, in the hobby very concerned about the decided lack of "Vintage" in the Vintage line? I could name 150 figures I'd rather see and buy from the original trilogy than any one item I would want from the prequels or CW. Why can't "vintage" be Vintage? Oh, right, Lucasfilm. I wish I was excited about Revenge-styled cards, but I am not. Sadly, it looks as if Hasbro will not release most of the original trilogy characters I want for the rest of 11 and perhaps through 2012 when the line ends (maybe) or goes on hiatus. I simply wanted to echo that many of us fogeys don't care for the prequels (that much), and I can't stand The Clone Wars. The planned packaging for next year makes me shudder, and "The Search for Luke Skywalker" with a clone trooper on the package makes me sad (though I get that non-packaging collectors love new stuff). I do love and appreciate the "something for everyone" idea of multiple SKUs, but I don't see why any CW figures (realistic or not) should take the place of even one Star Wars, Empire, or Jedi character (or an ultimate version of one of the original 100) from Hasbro's "parking lot." Just some thoughts. (Allen)

JTA: Allen, you are a man after my own heart first and foremost. And while I do agree with you, let me share my own point of view on a few things about Prequel trilogy stuff. In a perfect world, (perfect is in the eye of the beholder) all the figures in The Vintage Collection would be from the Original Trilogy. But you know what? They're not. I have to tell you, getting the Attack Of The Clones figures in The Vintage Collection was probably the most exciting aspect for me to date. You know why? Attack Of The Clones was the only Star Wars film that didn't get it's own dedicated toy line. Hasbro decided to create the Star Wars "Saga" line for 3 years (2002-2004) and it did include a nice selection of Attack Of The Clones product, but the line wasn't called "Episode II" or "Attack Of The Clones". For the first time we have Episode II characters on "Attack Of The Clones" dedicated packaging. I apologize if you're rolling your eyes out there in cyberspace, but this was very thrilling for me. And I cannot wait to see how the Episode I action figures look next! Hopefully we will see some samples at SDCC next week!

I do agree with you that the Shadow Of The Dark Side line look should have beenreserved for The Clone Wars stuff only. I think many items including Jabba's Throne, Attack On Hoth and Defense Of Hoth should all be done in some form of The Vintage Collection. But it's not. And I am sure you would rather have them in this packaging than not at all, right? See, I am an opener for the most part (as you can tell from the Research Droids Reviews), so packaging really doesn't bother me too much except for basic figures. I try to keep an entire set of basic figures carded and The Vintage Collection is keeping me on fire to complete this! These are the best carded figures ever!

We will echo your thoughts to Hasbro. I agree that the original 100 (or so) "vintage" figures should all see updates in The Vintage Collection. Depending upon how long the line exists (which will directly depend upon how successful it is), I believe it is quite possible for Hasbro to knock them all out. A lot of great announcements should come this year at SDCC. Again, let's see what Hasbro has to say at their presentation! I think we're all in for some really great surprises!

10. What is up with the figure numbering for the last wave of Saga Legends figures hitting retail right now? The Destroyer Droid and the Spacetrooper are both SL31? (Jeff)

JTA: This is only my assertion, but I think the Destroyer Droid is misnumbered. There was some confusion about an SL24 Obi-Wan Kenobi (EIII) figure being part of the new assortment, but to date has yet to surface. I think this "phantom" figure may have gotten mixed up with the SL12 figure. but I don't know for sure. I believe the new figure taking the SL24 spot is the Destroyer Droid but Hasbro didn't renumber him yet. (They probably won't.) If anyoen has located this SL24 Obi-Wan Kenobi figure, please do let me know! (Pictures needed too!)

Are you new to Q&A With JTA? Click HERE to see our previous installments of this column. Each session is chock full of all the things you ever wanted to know about Star Wars collecting and the hobby in general!







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