Calling all Midlanders

[kdp100]

Interesting info, Yu_ & kadamontaga - thanks.
"Time Slip" DOES sound familiar - was that around 1986?

I've noticed that every FP store I've been to in the last few years does seem to have the same logo. I think the Manchester store used to be called Odyssey 7.

I do shop at FP quite often, not out of any particular principle but because one of their stores is close enough to where I work that I've been able to get there pretty much any lunchtime in the last 5 years.

I agree with you that their prices can be quite high - although there are sometimes strangely low-priced items too. I just can't work out their system - but it's always good for a browse, at the very least!

[Emperors_Hand_2211]

There is direct competition now of sorts. Nostalgia & Comics is a really ancient comic store in B'ham. It has been there literally years, since I was a wee tot. Recently, i.e. last 12 months, it has become one of FPI's affiliated stores. Since there is also an FP in B'ham the two are direct competition for each other.
Although it's not much of a bloody competition since as Yu_ said FP seem to think they can charge whatever they want for whatever they want.
They were trying to sell the desert skiff with luke for £95 a couple of months ago. Laugh, I nearly cried.

[Jargo]

Isn't FP now FP Scotland? and that's the one that eats up all the smaller stores and has the high prices or is that the other way round? I'm confused now but i know FP Scotland own Worlds apart in Liverpool and the prices there are a bit strange. There's also the other FP not far from Worlds apart with the red FP logo. They have erratic pricing structures and not a lot of stock. I tend to avoid both stores.

For an AT-AT make sure you have a credit card, and you'll need one because AT-AT's now are pricey £80 - £100 being the usual price range. Most smaller stores will be unlikely to have an AT-AT or it'll be overpriced. Last time I checked Above and beyond in Wrexham had the AT-AT in for £100. Like I say, smaller places larger prices. I bought mine a couple of years ago for £50 and that was a deal with a friendly small supplier. Otherwise it would have cost me £65.

[kdp100]

Oddly enough, I was looking at my old "Viz Comic Summer Special" from 1988 yesterday and spotted small ads for both Odyssey 7 and Nostalgia & Comics, along with a full-page ad for FP, which "celebrates its 10th birthday by opening its biggest and best ever store in the centre of London on July 16th".

Anyway, back on topic - I've just spotted this on eBay UK (based in Birmingham, as it happens):

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...tem=1925978606

May be a bit pricey for you, but at least it shows they do turn up from time to time!

One thing to watch with the POTF2 AT-AT is that the transparent prongs that hold the side-guns onto the head can break off quite easily - I broke mine a couple of weeks ago when I caught it with my foot and knocked it over.
I was able to repair it by micro-drilling through the snapped-off piece and into the head itself, and then pushing a pin through - but I managed to drill through the end of my finger in the process!

[Jargo]

Strange thing about the AT-AT is the reverence it garners from casual observers. Last year when I was having the double glazing installed one of the guys doing the work saw my AT-AT covered with plastic sheeting and just stared in awe and then proceeded to tell his workmates to treat it like gold since it was extremely valuable. I think he thought it was a vintage one. But it made me laught to think these rough shod labourers were tiptoeing round a lump of plastic toy people are so daft sometimes.

[kdp100]

Ah, whereas my landlord's workmen managed to knock over an AT-ST that was minding its own business on my shelf, AND leave shards of glass all over the carpet that I found when walking barefoot around my flat the next morning!

[Emperors_Hand_2211]

Nice. Gotta love builders.
Thanks for the help guys.
I think I've tracked down one for her at figured-out.co.uk. They seem to have one of everything.
£100, but she's aware that that's the going rate.
That's actually what I paid for mine, from toys'r'us.
Expensive but worth it.
Shuttle will cost about the same when it comes out and at least the AT-AT makes lots of noise.

[jedi_uk73]

Nice one E_H_2211

Glad you found one.

I don't want to spoil your enjoyment, but Figured Out (Alf's Toys) are dam expensive for most things.

They are currently charging in their shop £9.99 for Ephant Mon, £15 for Deluxe figures and £40 !! for the Ep1 Gungan Sub with Obi Wan, which R2dtoys have for £10. They also had Ep1 TC-14 for £45 a few weeks ago.

The shop is about 10 miles from where I live, and I avoid it if I can. The main reason that they have most things, is because of the prices they charge, no-one wants to buy it.

Considering their (scalper) prices, £100 sounds very good for the AT-AT walker.

[Emperors_Hand_2211]

Yeah I noticed that. I thought £100 for the AT-At was OK so checked out the prices on EP1 figures cos I'm still missing the blue R2 and Amidala with acsension gun.
They wanted about 25 for amidala and about 45 for the R2.
Pretty rediculous for single figures. I've only ever paid that much once and never again.