L.A. area Just Found

[santosha]

Man, I thought I was the only guy who got an ironically bad feeling whenever I was one of the only people t here during opening. I have a feeling the most dedicated scalpers and collectors call customer service or the toy department before the stores open.

I'm not sweating the VTAC stuff. The price is a turnoff. Besides, I'm not too into the original trilogy figures anymore. I'm just looking for the wave 2 comic figures.

Nothing to report at the Targets in Culver city area. But I agree if Im the only one waiting for Target to open does it mean its a bust or I got lucky for a change.

[Tycho]

Myself and 2 other nice Star Wars collectors had a good day at Target today.

I got my 7th and 8th Quinlan / Villie comic 2-pack. I'm finally done with these. The other guys had them already or didn't need / want any. We left Obi-Wan / Alphas and the Marvel Lukes on the pegs.

The VTAC came in. All of them were available to all of us except the last guy there. I had the last Leia, but I don't know that he wanted her. He left Luke and Han and Bossk and was going for Snowtroopers. I got Leia and IG-88 and I'll take 2 more IG's, but that's all I'm going to buy. The headsculpt quality has definitely gone down. Someone else must be contracted to sculpt these. Saga2 looks better than TAC and VTAC - but the Comic 2-packs have good figures nevertheless.

Luke Bespin looks alright, I should say. I didn't need him, but I spent a few minutes looking at him in the store. Han Hoth did not impress. Actually, his sculpt could be good. But I saw lousy paint jobs and his skin tone looked like he got anthrax from a TaunTaun. Leia's poncho was too dark, tan, and brown and should rather be bright green. Know what? If I see a vintage Leia Endor for sale, complete or otherwise (has to be loose) I might buy her to cannibalize her for her green poncho. It's really sad I'd have to do that for a figure I bought at the VTAC price.

They had vehicles: SaeSee's Starfighter (AOTC), Mace's starfighter (ROTS), Vader's, Hailfire, Obi-Wan's TAC, V-wing, Sith Infiltrator, AAT Tank - quite a healthy assortment.

The Saga2 was there in force. Only Luke Yavin (from yesterday) was representing TAC. There's no Lushros at my store and only 1 or 2 Jerjerrods now, but C-3PO Ewok Diety is at a 10 count.

TARGET's RESET IS COMPLETE AT MY STORE. Transformers are going on the outermost isle. In the center is Star Wars, next to that, Marvel Legends, at the end is Spider-Man 3. Hasbro has a wall of wealth going there. The Transformers were not yet stocked (other than the Protoforms).

I got Transformers "Stackers" in the food section. I got Optimus Prime's crackers, Turkey, and American Cheese. BumbleBee comes with cheddar. I didn't intend to purchase this, but it was Optimus Prime's cheese, alright?
Anyway, with a product like "Stackers," don't you think Ultra Magnus would be the best Autobot to represent? (and Devastator for a Decepticon?) But neither of those two are in the new movie - hence my Optimus Prime all-American cheese. I think it comes with a happy meal type of Transformers toy too, but I just bought it because Optimus Prime was on the package and I was going to get some cheese anyway.

[Jango Speck]

Myself and 2 other nice Star Wars collectors had a good day at Target today.

I got my 7th and 8th Quinlan / Villie comic 2-pack. I'm finally done with these. The other guys had them already or didn't need / want any. We left Obi-Wan / Alphas and the Marvel Lukes on the pegs.

The VTAC came in. All of them were available to all of us except the last guy there. I had the last Leia, but I don't know that he wanted her.

Did you use the DPCI to find all of these, or were they on the pegs when you arrived?

[Tycho]

On the pegs.

[K M Toydarian]

Hi all.
Haven't been to many stores lately since I have most of TAC I want on order from EE, but was wondering, in lieu of Target's 11.99 pricetag for the VTAC, if it might be worth it to just order a case. I know I want 2 snowtroopers, and since the price is actually cheaper at Entertainment Earth than Target, I might as well.
Even if I do find them in stores eventually, I think I am discovering piece of mind to be worth more to me as the years go by.
Just a thought.
I also am hoping Disneyland will carry the SW Weekends Band Members. I would love to get a couple for the "stage".
Have to head up to Valencia tonight so I will check out Wal-Mart up there for anything interesting, haven't done that in a while.

[darkagent]

Hi all.
Haven't been to many stores lately since I have most of TAC I want on order from EE, but was wondering, in lieu of Target's 11.99 pricetag for the VTAC, if it might be worth it to just order a case. I know I want 2 snowtroopers, and since the price is actually cheaper at Entertainment Earth than Target, I might as well.
Even if I do find them in stores eventually, I think I am discovering piece of mind to be worth more to me as the years go by.
Just a thought.

You're right, I was holding off from ordering from EE because I thought Target(retail) was going to be $9.99. But at $11.99, I'm going to just place an order with EE today and cut down the hunting to just a couple extra Snowtroopers. I just hope I'll get the order soon and not a couple months from now.

[Jango Speck]

You're right, I was holding off from ordering from EE because I thought Target(retail) was going to be $9.99. But at $11.99, I'm going to just place an order with EE today and cut down the hunting to just a couple extra Snowtroopers. I just hope I'll get the order soon and not a couple months from now.

The thing with EE preorders is that if you don't order the same month that it is first offered, you won't get your order until way after they hit retail. I always end up finding things at retail, then cancelling my EE cases.

[K M Toydarian]

The thing with EE preorders is that if you don't order the same month that it is first offered, you won't get your order until way after they hit retail. I always end up finding things at retail, then cancelling my EE cases.

I don't think I'll mind waiting a little bit, as long as they do fulfill the order. I would be hesitant to order some of the revision cases that show up from time to time, as those are the ones that seem to get cancelled or become unavailable from Hasbro down the road. I remember some TSC or ROTS case assortments that ended up being cancelled on their website.
I know it will be tempting to snag them in store if I see them, but being assured 2 snowtroopers will be worth it.
I know I wasn't able to find a Scout Trooper until many months after the last batch of Vintage hit. So it'll probably just mean holding out on having the easier to find figures early, and save me from the nervous panic (albeit sometimes exhilarating) A.M. hunt - and gas.

[JediTricks]

the leader class Optimus Prime is going to be awesome and have metal parts similar to the old school TF toys. They're also releasing a more complex Bumblebee that will be a little larger than the deluxe models out now. The deluxe class out now is pretty weak I agree.

Leader-class Prime is indeed awesome, but has no metal parts. Check out my review with pics & vids: http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?...articleid=1306

Ultimate Bumblebee is $90, like a foot or more tall, transforms, plays music, and dances, so it's a bit of a headscratcher. I don't know of any other regular Bumblebee figure that's not a deluxe - there's 2, '76 Camaro Bumblebee and '08 Camaro Bumblebee, but both are dlx.

Deluxe Swindle is really bad, I foolishly bought him 2 days ago at Target West Hollywood, but he's not the norm for dlx either.

Nothing to report at the Targets in Culver city area. But I agree if Im the only one waiting for Target to open does it mean its a bust or I got lucky for a change.

Unfortunately, not in that neighborhood, Big Lou's collectibles across the street from TRU has corrupted that area's stores very badly.

[Turbowars]

Well, Eagle Rock Target was a bust today. No VTAC or anything else for that matter. Figrin's right, there's no pegs for them, so they won't put them out until the next reset. However, the 2 missing McFetts from yesterday showed up today and it doesn't look like a new case of TAC 2 was put out.

Figrin - I stashed one for you if you still need it, just PM me for the location.

Should've known I wasn't going to find anything, since I was the only person there at opening. Not even the usual Hot Wheels crowd was there. It is possible they might stock later on in the day. They were still having their employee morning meeting when I was checking out. Either that or they were reinforcing the "collector's policy" into their employees, in light of what happened yesterday.

Live and learn.