Wistful contemplation

[Old Fossil]

As I walk the new ROTS toy aisle at WM every day, I can't help but feel a little sad. Or maybe the right word is 'sentimental.' I mean, this is the last big movie wave of SW toys. Ever. The best, IMHO, but also surely the LAST.

I seriously doubt we'll see so many different figures, and especially so many different (and NEW!) vehicles, sitting on retail shelves at the same time, ever again.

I find myself wanting to savor each and every ROTS purchase. It helps that I've been greatly pleased with all the figures I've bought so far. I mean, the sculpts, the paint apps, even the usually loathsome action features -- all make it easy to enjoy buying toys in this, the last of the SW movie years.

"The circle is now complete." We all know the saying too well, but it really hits home now. There is such a sense of finality to these toys that give me such pleasure, after the hits and misses and slow withering of the lines of previous movie years. It's almost as if Hasbro said, "Well, this is our last chance. Let's go out with a bang." Now I know this is not the end of SW toys, per se, but again, we'll never have so much to choose from at once, ever again. In a few months, we'll never have upwards of 30 folks viewing and messaging at once in the toy forums here at SSG. Will we?

Do these thoughts ever occur to any of the rest of you? If so, do they make the whole SW toy collecting experience richer now, or sadder, or both? Or am I just being a wuss?

[moulman]

Kinda makes me sad that this is the last movie and that theyll never be this much star wars stuff to buy.

But i bet George is a lot sadder than we are, those dollar signs in his eyes will slowly fade away....

[Kidhuman]

Never think about it, just want new stuff now.

[bobafrett]

I think about it a whole lot. I get excited everytime I go and find some new Star Wars toy. Soon, the Targets, Wal-Marts and TRU's will start reducing the space given, as the merchandise sells (more likely gets clearanced). Unless Episode III is as great as the OT, then maybe it will drum up additional toy interest, but if it should fall flat like EPI, then our light will dim so much faster.

One thing I do look forward to, is being able to pay down some of my credit card debt. For right now though, I do see myself being happy with everything I have bought, or have been given thru others generosity.

Wuss, no. never.

[CrossWizard]

Kinda makes me sad that this is the last movie and that theyll never be this much star wars stuff to buy.

But i bet George is a lot sadder than we are, those dollar signs in his eyes will slowly fade away....

I doubt it, between video games, DVDs, the TV show(s), Star Wars 3D and the upcoming rumored new toys that will start from scratch(POTF3 maybe?) he'll have enough cash to burn for a long time.

[Ji'dai]

I'm not feeling all that sentimental about this last big launch of SW merchandise. I like going to stores and seeing the large displays for Star Wars toys, but I'm becoming more apathetic about collecting the stuff. I started collecting at the dawn of the modern era, which really began in '93 with Just Toys' Bend-Ems and Galoob's MicroMachines, so now twelve years later I really would just like it all to stop

I figured the toy line would end this year as sales are likely to fall with each month after the movie release. But it looks like Hasbro is going to launch another line next year. I really think without new movies to sustain interest the toy line will either falter due to poor sales or lack retailer interest. I still don't think a television series is enough to sustain interest in the toy line.

As the line begins to falter, we might see most if not all product availability shifting away from brick and mortar to online retailers. That usually means higher prices due to online stores higher overhead and shipping costs. I'd probably bail on the toys if my only choice was ordering online.

[LTBasker]

Well theres always Star Wars TV. Who knows we could get a good show or two and if it were ever successful enough maybe there would even be a midnight madness for it.

[abell748]

It has been very expensive over the last decade. I am sad, but a little happy about the end. Hasblah relaunching the line means I'm done with most new stuff unless it is a never before made character or a new vechicle/playset. So let us reflect on what will be, and start filling gaps in the collectons as we pass on the rehash.

[megaprime33]

I highly doubt that this will be the last time we will see new figures and vehicles. You forget about the new TV series that will be coming out that has officially been announced. They'll milk that with hasbro, so it's never really over. Plus there is always star tours, they can do something more with that. Ya never know.

[Scackmgack]

There is no way in hell this is going to be the last big Star Wars toy release. Star Wars product is going to be rolling off shelves for at least another decade. They are talking animated series and live-action for God's sake. You can only imagine the amount of product Hasbro will generate from those sources.

Personally, I'm getting a little burned-out on all this. There are times when this feels more like an addiction than a hobby. I'm not stopping now, considering how much time I have put into this, but uneven case distributions, poor restocking schedules, unavailability of the "good" figures, repaints and rehashes, cancellation of key lines like Micro Machines and Action Fleet...part of me wishes that the line would end and be done with for all time.

I'm just feeling p.o.'ed right now b/c I don't have my Clone Pilots, Clone Commanders, and AT-RTs, and Lord knows when the other stuff is coming out...I wish that none of this was sold retail any more and it all came off the internet. Hasbro should just produce stuff in MASSIVE amounts and sell it all out of a warehouse such that you can get what you want whenever you want during at least one month from the date of release.

I think I am just outgrowing "the toy run." It's getting very tired, and very boring. I just want my figures.