Luke Jedi's History of Varaitions

[Skywalker3319]

Hey, I was looking at all of my Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker figures yesterday, from the vinatge 83 to now 03, and all of them have variations.

83 Jedi Luke-Blue Saber/Green Saber
95 Jedi Luke-Brown Vested/Black Vested
03 Jedi Luke-Left Hand Gloved/Black Hand Gloved

Is this a coninsidence, or a scheme by hasbro? Will this new Jedi Luke have a variation, to give it a nastalic feel?

[rherk]

I don't think variations for a "nastolgic feel" is nesaccary. However, Due to inconsistancies in source material, some show a charcoal grey vest and some show a charcoal brown vest. Also, if Hasbro feels the need to give him a black cloak, I certainly hope they provide an accurate variation of the brown cloak which by photos in "Star Wars from Myth to Magic" page 191 the cloak is clearly brown.

[Skywalker3319]

It would be great, IMO,if they did give this new Jedi Luke a varaition. My favorite figure is Jedi Luke, and I always buy 3+, and thats just to keep in the box. So, I hope this one is cool. All we can do is wait for it!

[rherk]

Luke jedi is also my favorite. I bought about 10 of the POTF2 one both to open and keep carded, I have about 10 of the original 1983 one as well and I intend to do the same with the new one. However, I prefer an accurate definitive one over multiple variations.

[JediTricks]

Don't forget the POTF2 Luke Speederbike box change too!

[JangoFart]

I think you folks over-estimate the stupidity of Hasbro. 1 version of 1 figure equals one sale. 2 versions of 1 figure equals, potentially, 2 sales; and so on.

Hasbro KNOWS that there are plenty of variation hunters out there amongst the collecting public. To cater to them, the only thing Hasbro has to do is make a "mistake" on the first run, "fix" it on the second run, realize the "fix" didn't fix it and fix it on the third run. Luke Bespin comes to mind; as does Dexter, Luminara, blah, blah, blah.

Not that I mind this approach. It makes the hunt all that more fun when you snag one of these variations. I enjoy collecting variations here and there and Hasbro makes multiple sales to me off of a figure that would typically have garnered them one sale. However, I don't think for a second that this is anything other than a calculated business decision by Hasbro to cater to the variation collectors and make more sales.

I kinda think it's foolish to think otherwise.

There. I'm now $.02 in the hole.

J

[rherk]

I don't necessarily disagree that 1 or 2 variations slip through the cracks that could have easily been fixed before the products were ready to ship. However, I don't think Hasbro really makes a hell of a profit over variations.

Collectors buy the first run of all assortments right away anyways whether there's a variation or not. The only thing it may do for Hasbro is keep some collectors interested in their product.

It's the scalpers and secondary market that profits.

[JangoFart]

First: Two or more sales equal more profits than one sale. Again, not ALL people care - but I'm sure enough do that it makes economic sense to have the variations. Sure collectors buy the first run - when they can find them. But, many other collectors buy the first run AND any and every variation that comes about. And there's collectors like me who buy SOME or MOST variations that come out. Both equate more sales for Hasbro for one figure that would have, without the variation, yielded but one sale.

Second: Hasbro doesn't care if you, me, or Mr. Joe Scalper buys their figures - a sale is a sale to Hasbro. Also, if the market won't support it, scalpers won't make a nickel. It's the buyers that set the prices for many of these figures, not the sellers. If Bob Collector is willing to pay $100.00 for a figure, Fred Seller's gunna sell it to him at that price. If Bob will only pay $40.00, Fred won't sell it until he comes down in his price.

Damn. Now I'm $.04 in the hole....

J

[tagmac]

The lightsaber issue wasn't really a "true variation" back in '83. I believe the green saber was meant to be a surprise, and when the figure initially went into production, they made it blue like in Empire for that reason. the first shipments had this version (with the snapping cloak). The later, more plentiful version had the correct green saber and sewn cloak.

[JediTricks]

JF, that logic seems kinda paranoid to me. You know I'm not Hasbro's biggest fan, but that one just doesn't jive, especially with all the mistakes they never fix. Hasbro seems to run on corporate thinking, the less individual risks taken the better and that sort of thing, so to intentionally throw variations into the mix seems pretty bold for a company who left the wrong title on the CW Gunship's accessories or put the wrong numbers on the Saga repacks. Look at Holo Leia R2, they would rather sit on cases that contained that sought-after figure for months and end up selling them at pennies on the dollar to TRU rather than open up those cases and repack the hot figure into better cases - that's not just greed, that's just silly.