What do you think of the OTC re-releases?

[JediTricks]

When Lucasfilm releases the Original Trilogy on DVD this Fall, Hasbro will be shifting the Star Wars line's focus to the "Original Trilogy Collection". A large portion of the OTC line will be "hall of fame" style re-releases, taking some popular older figures and vehicles and repackaging them in the OTC line with little or no changes to the actual toy in order to appeal to new collectors who missed out over the past decade while those products were originally being released. This is a controversial move though, since amidst all these re-released figures are only 2 waves of actual new figures, so current collectors will have almost no new product to buy in the second half of this year. Granted the idea is hardly new, the vintage line was run largely in this fashion, but that was twenty years ago and times have definitely changed. So what is your position on the OTC line's re-releasing frenzy?

special thanks to jedihunter25

[Beast]

I don't see it as a big deal. Because while there's only two waves of 'Basic' figures that are new. There are the 'OTC "Vintage" Figures as well. So it's not like there won't be 'new' figures for those that are looking to buy. Plus the Super-Articulated Vintage Figures are twice as much as the regular figures, so it's nice to not have both to worry about. Frankly, looking at the list it's not really that bad. Here's the line-ups.

Original Trilogy Collection: Basic Figures
[ ] - #01 - Luke Skywalker - Dagobah (New)
[ ] - #02 - Yoda - Dagobah (New)
[ ] - #03 - Obi-Wan Kenobi - Dagobah (New)
[ ] - #04 - R2-D2 - Dagobah (New)
[ ] - #05 - Luke Skywalker - Pilot (POTJ)
[ ] - #07 - Han Solo - Flight To Alderaan (POTF2 - Commtech)
[ ] - #08 - Chewbacca - Mechanic (POTJ)
[ ] - #09 - Princess Leia - Death Star Captive (POTF2 - New Likeness)
[ ] - #10 - Darth Vader (Saga - Throne Room Duel)
[ ] - #11 - Scout Trooper (POTJ)
[ ] - #12 - R2-D2 - Tatooine Mission (POTJ - Naboo Escape)
[ ] - #13 - C-3PO - Death Star Rescue (Millenium Minted Coin)
[ ] - #14 - Boba Fett - The Pit Of Carkoon (Saga)
[ ] - #15 - Ben Kenobi - ANH (POTJ)
[ ] - #16 - Stormtrooper - Death Star Chase (POTF2 Commtech)
[ ] - #17 - Wicket (POTF2)
[ ] - #18 - Princess Leia - Bespin (NEW)
[ ] - #19 - Cloud Car Pilot (NEW)
[ ] - #20 - Lobot (NEW)
[ ] - #21 - Tie Fighter Pilot (Saga)

Original Trilogy Collection: "Vintage" Figures
Wave 1: Luke, Obi-Wan, Han Solo, Princess Leia - July
Wave 2: Darth Vader, C-3P0, Yoda, Lando Calrissian - August
Wave 3: Stormtrooper, Chewbacca, R2-D2, Boba Fett - September

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

[Kidhuman]

I will be buying as many as the new stuff as Ican find. The repacks can rot the pegs IMO.

[plasticfetish]

"It makes sense, gives new folks a chance at jumping in"

I've no problem with the re-releases either. I'm looking forward to getting another shot at a few of them. The carded C-3PO will be nice. No doubt, there's going to be plenty to spend my money on... if only I can find the stuff.

[LusiferSam]

I don't really care either way. I won't be buying any re-carded stuff if I already have it. If people didn't get a figure the first this a great way for them to get it.

[Reefer Shark]

Yeah, I feel the same way as LusiferSam on this.

Don't really care... I would probably buy a few certain ones if they look really great in the new packaging (with the background picture and all), but it wouldn't make any difference to me if they were released or not.

[stillakid]

As a "loose-completist" (I'm a quoted hyphenated collector ) I usually open everything anyway. But I do have a collection slowly growing of items which seem to be designed to stay packaged, such as the Convention exclusives and the 25th Anniversary sets just to name a couple. These Original Trilogy items fall into that category.

The interesting thing is that I see history repeating itself somewhat. Interest in Star Wars collecting seems to be waning just as it did post-ROTJ. Looking back, it is those figures that currently command the most interest and money for investment and collecting opportunities. As legions of former-fans and collectors turn their backs on more and more items like this (and the Target collector cups), these will be the truly "hard to find" collectables for the following decade and beyond. The normal runs of figures that everybody and their mother made sure to get 2 of (one to open, one to keep C-10 ) will be virtually worthless while these scorned items will truly be the things worth having.

[mastermatt24]

Im runing out of space :/ But I do like that they are re-relasing some of the other figures like the stormtrooper. I can allways use more of these, for dioramas and customizing. But I hope I wont find myslef buying all of these.

[jedihunter25]

I'm somewhere in between Don't really care and Dislike it, wanted to see more new stuff- but my vote is DISLIKED IT- because I wanted to see more stuff. The only figure I'll be buying is the Cloud Car Pilot. It would have been nice to see Hasbro to take this oppertunity to finally finish the Vintage line (Chief Chirpa, Klaatu-from Jabba's Palace, the Vintage Imperial Dignitary, Lumat, Romba, & Warok) that collectors have been waiting for since 1995. There are plenty of other OT characters that can be made into figs for the first time too. I'd also would have liked to see more TPM, AOTC, and Animated Clone Wars figs- like Obi in Clone armor with speeder bike (notice how Hasbro never finishes what they started). Hopefully we will see some NEW stuff come up this summer for this Fall/Winter because next year is mostly EP3- which means Hasbro will forget about the past Prequals and CW (like they did with TPM when AOTC came out) and then the next thing we know-THE LINE IS GONE.

[jedikiss]

PERSONALY, I dislike the idea as I already have them- same w/ HOF- what a waste oh well, guess it is good for newcomers. I like NEW stuff and characters in NEW costumes not limied to spesific scene that limits imagination. I'm kinda taking this veiw- w/ EP3 around the corner, as in past retailers order less and less NEW stuff from current line until NEW movie items in new packages come out thus waves like Sio Bibble's, Ad. Motti's, Exp. Universe, last FF waves were nearly inpossible to find at retail so if until next spring, if the offering were all new char., they'd too be HTF so I guess let the OTC come out and maybe less collector demand and less retail desire to shelve them as EP3 nears will balance out. that's even my therory way current new waves are HTF, retailers after seeing Toy Fair and new packaging are waiting to stockpile first few waves and not stocking adequate supplys of Yavin, Star Dest. and I fear especially since it is the last saga, the Endor waves