QUESTIONS FOR HASBRO - round 65

[JediTricks]

Please post your VOTE for up to 6 {six} of the questions provided in this thread, letting us know which ones you most want to see asked on Friday, March 20th. Keep in mind that your votes in round 64 do not count in this round, so if your question is still on the list you may want to vote for it again.

Also, feel free to post new questions. For reference, here are Hasbro's answers to previous SSG questions; and from other sites. The questions we asked last round can be found here.

Current questions (vote for up to 6):

1. - In Hasbro's awesome Comic-Packs line, we've been treated to Marvel Star Wars issues 1-4, and Dark Horse Revenge of the Sith issues 1, 3, and 4. Any chance we could get comic packs of the missing Marvel SW #5 and 6, and Dark Horse ROTS #2, to complete their respective tales? (Just spitballing ideas: we could certainly do with a Leia/3PO pack for MSW#5 and perhaps a Rebel/Imperial Pilot set for #6, and ROTS #2 could use Grievous and a new deco Clone.) And what about Comic Packs for the other movie adaptation comics like Marvel ESB and ROTJ, or Dark Horse TPM and AOTC?
2. - While we'd always prefer a worn paint deco on vehicles and droids, we understand sometimes the budget just can't do it. The next time you do a vehicle with a white deco where the budget prohibits additional weathering paint, could you please not use the clean-white color of plastic that you've used on the Clone Wars V-19 or the TLC Dagger Squadron B-wing? This white plastic is just too clean, it screams for weathering as it hides every sculpted line and gives an unwelcome plasticky toy look, while the slightly off-white colors of plastic seem to bring out the lines and look a little weathered better than clean.
3. - In the Clone Wars line, a few scale issues have come up. Obi-Wan and Anakin figures stand pretty short compared to their non-animated figure counterparts, while Clone Troopers stand unusually tall compared to their non-animated counterparts, and obviously this means CW Obi-Wan and Anakin stand pretty short compared to the Clones. What gives here? Was this an intentional choice, and if so, why?
4. - When we last asked about the Cade Skywalker/Darth Talon Comic Pack missing Cade's lightsaber, you told us that the tooling for it was lost so you'd be moving forward without it. Since then, the set has started hitting and it looks like a running change was made, the saber is showing up in some sets, but generally the sets with the saber are much harder to find and buyers have already got incomplete sets in their hands. Hasbro consumer affairs can only deal with this currently by taking the entire set back and saying they're not sure if they'll be able to replace the exact set or one of equal value. Could you please find a better way to get those missing lightsabers and saber hilts into buyers' collections?
5. - Why are the Droid Factory build-a-droid parts for C-3PX incompatible with the basic figures' build-a-droid parts, especially the other protocol droids like RA7's? 3PX has a ball joint for his head while RA7 has a post, and the pegs for the arms and legs also differ, thus making it impossible to mix-n-match parts, which the concept had otherwise highly adopted. Was this done on purpose, and if so, why?
6. - With Titanium Series 3" vehicles rapidly becoming one of the most successful Hasbro Star Wars sub-lines with over 60 individual carded releases, it's become nearly impossible to display them all at once. The main reason is that the unique packaging - although admirable in its specialized shape, custom graphics, and large window for the product - doesn't stack well and is very difficult to keep in mint condition with an easily-crushed and -scuffed round bubble, and vulnerable J-hook. Might Hasbro be willing to offer some sort of clamshell-style protective cases for the packaging, even if it's just through HasbroToyShop, similar to the one for the 3.75" figures?
7. - Does Hasbro have any plans to update the Dianoga in the near future? We need one that is better detailed, better articulated and perhaps featuring multiple bendy tentacles. If you were to update the Dianoga, what format would you release it in: Battle Pack, a basic carded figure, Ultimate Battle Pack, something else?
8. - Recently, Hasbro has updated cockpits on a few OT ships, including the B-wing and A-wing, not to mention the detailed cockpit on the new Millennium Falcon. We understand that the B-wing and A-wing got new detailed cockpits because they had the opportunity from their use as exclusives, but exclusives or not, are there any plans or thoughts about continuing that practice on other ships? The X-wing, TIE Fighter, and Y-wing are all good candidates for new, detailed cockpits, but would the small size of some of those cockpits prevent those upgrades?
9. - This might seem like an odd request, but could you re-issue the old Kenner X-wing, specifically the POTF2 version, with some modifications? There's no X-wing at kid pricing anymore, the only OT vehicles at the Starfighter pricepoint are lonely TIEs with nobody to fight, and that classic X-wing had some decent sculpting, strong wings, and is fun to whoosh about. As well, the POTF2 version had a pretty decent deco (though pre-applied stickers would be nice), and that version also had the best sound effects in any X-wing (aside from the Power FX X-wing, but the sacrifices there are numerous), those sounds alone would sell another batch to collectors. The set could use a tune-up on the cockpit interior, the canopy exterior, the dedicated R2-D2, and the blaster tips need to be reoriented to the proper upright position. Don't you think the kids today deserve an awesome X-wing fighter?
10. - In a recent Q&A, you mentioned that "[Hasbro] will continue working with Sideshow on their 12" figure program." As we know, Sideshow sub-licenses their 12" Star Wars through Hasbro's Star Wars license, but the intricacies of this relationship are not fully understood. With your recent comment above, collectors are ever more curious as to how exactly Hasbro and Sideshow work together on that 12" figure line. What types of input does Hasbro have into the Star Wars items that Sideshow produces?
11. - As shown at Toy Fair, the upcoming Geonosis Assault battle pack is coming with the long-requested Gunship pod turret and 2 clone pilots. Since each gunship had 2 turrets in the film, that will require buying 2 sets, making 4 pilots. However, the gunship is manned by 2 pilots in the cockpit, and 2 standard grunts in the turrets. While thrilled to get the pods and more clones, could we get a regular clone trooper helmet as well as, or even instead of 1 of, those pilot helmets so the gunships can be accurately, completely manned?
12. - With the new Droid Factory sets, included is a Corran Horn / Whistler 2-pack. As Corran Horn is an EU character, he is seen as not likely to get multiple figures, so as such, why is this 2-pack coming with a standard orange flight costume rather than Horn's more distinctive green-hued version? Whistler also is lacking his overall green tinge, but since this seems like it may be the only Corran Horn figure fans will see, why not make it as characteristically accurate as possible?
13. - With the nifty Build-a-Droid line, every basic figure gets a little bio paragraph on the card except the actual build-a-figure droids themselves. Some of these BAF droids are made up by Hasbro (or are the unknown designs made up by Lucasfilm?) and have no backstories at all, while others are from comics, novels, even tertiary characters in the movies. Might Hasbro add a section to their website to explain to casual collectors who these droids are, both in-universe and even behind-the-scenes info, and perhaps make up bios for the characters new to the line? This would be win-win, fans would get more nifty bios about their figures, and Hasbro would get more interaction between the figures and their site.
14. - Beyond Star Wars, many other franchises have tried their hand at Titanium Series - Battlestar Galactica, Indiana Jones, Marvel, Transformers, even Stargate was floated as being in some level of planning - yet they all eventually faded away from Titanium Series' light. What lessons has the Titanium Series team taken away from those other licenses' lines and their passings? For example, you put off the wave with the BSG Basestar and couldn't find a slot for this new tooling before the license ran out, yet you released a Starbuck repaint of the Viper mk 2 at theproverbial 11th hour (and didn't hit shelves until the 13th hour), an unusual distinction which fans don't really understand, and could use more behind-the-scenes insight into - why didn't that Basestar tooling get shoehorned into a later wave before the license with Universal ran out? Why release a repaint vehicle that won't satisfy fans as much, rather than an all-new mold which fans have been clamoring for?
15. - Some collectors shy away from EU items unless they tie into major characters from the films, or strongly ties into the movie saga story. With that in mind, what are the chances of seeing figures of these influential EU characters: the ghost of Luke Skywalker (Legacy), Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, Darth Plagueis, or even a young Count Dooku?
16. - Fans are glad to see the Jawa with WED Droid set produced, getting us 1 step closer to a complete "purchase of the droids" scene, but it seems like this pack-in WED droid is a tad on the large size. Comparison images have it around 25% larger than its movie counterpart. Also, the coloring on the toy is significantly different from the Jawa scene's white and red design seen at the droid sale (WED-15-ST68) - the gray and copper droid made into the figure was used in a cut scene by Fixer at Tosche station. So on the WED droid, why the increase in scale, and why the different colors?
17. - With the Build-A-Droid line, there's been some confusion about the naming with a few of the figures. First off, there's R2-N6 who was properly named at last year's Comic-Con presentation yet later got renamed to R2-L3. Second, there's the upcoming U-3PO figure that has a silver tone rather than the slightly brassy look from the movie, and is shipping in an ESB wave, a film which already has a silver protocol droid, E-3PO, except that character has white instead of yellow eyes. What's the deal with these figures and their identity issues?
18. - Regarding the future of Star Wars Mighty Muggs, what wave will be the final one at retail before the line becomes a TRU exclusive? Will some sought-after previous entries like Leia and the Stormtrooper be re-released? For Entertainment Earth's shared exclusives, who will they be sharing those with?
19. - When it comes to prequel Senators, we haven't seen much lately. The most asked of them is the Senator Grebleips figure - the E.T. alien - will we ever be getting this figure, is it just unlikely because it's a background alien, or is it totally off-limits because it's an easter egg from another film? Also, what about seeing senate figures from Ep 1 like Edcel Bar Gane, Sei Taria, Toonbuck Toora and Mot-Not Rab?
20. - Given that we have a number of figures from SW: Purge (Bultar Swan, Tsui Choi, Koffi Arana, and of course, Darth Vader), does Hasbro plan to complete the remaining Jedi figures from that story - Roblio Darte, Sia-Lan Wezz, Ma'kis'shaalas, and Jasus Farr - at some point in the foreseeable future?
21. - Does Hasbro have access to the old Kenner Droids line's vehicle molds, the Side Gunner, ATL Interceptor, perhaps even the infamously never released White Witch? Will there be any chance to see these given new life and released under Hasbro one day?
22. - Based on your slideshow at Toy Fair, there seems to be a discrepancy on the subject of exclusive 2-pack figures. The Wal-mart Grievous Droid Factory figure with new cloth cloak shown in the slide was the 4-armed basic figure from 2005's ROTS line, however what was said was that it'd be the super-articulated 2008 figure. Which Grievous will actually be coming in that set with the new cloak? Also, it was noted that that the Target-exclusive Geonosis Arena figure pack Jango Fett would be tweaked, but there was no explanation given and the figure looks the same as the Evolutions version. What's the change there, can fans hope that the jumpsuit's lilac color is being changed to a more blue-gray look as seen in the movie?

Vote now, and suggest new questions too. Thanks for participating!

[Ando]

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[FONT=Courier New]#11[/FONT]
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[FONT=Courier New]#15[/FONT]
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[FONT=Courier New]New question:[/FONT]
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[FONT=Courier New]2 parter regarding F/X lightsabers...[/FONT]
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[FONT=Courier New]"You have mentioned in previous Q/A's that the Signature Series F/X Lightsabers would cover previously released products before beginning production on never before seen sabers. At Toy Fair, we got to see pictures of the Dooku saber and The Phantom Menace Obi Wan Kenobi saber (which look AMAZING! Thank you, Hasbro!), but we still have not seen a Mace Windu or RotJ Luke Skywalker saber. When will collectors who missed out on these two sabers see them again? [/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New][/FONT]
[FONT=Courier New]Also, what is the timeline for the upcoming Ahsoka Tano Force F/X lightsaber?"[/FONT]
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[FONT=Courier New]Feel free to reword as needed, the basic gist of the question(s) is what I care about.[/FONT]

[obi-dad]

16 for now.

[DarkJedi5]

7
8
16
17

[Obsession is Nute]

Number 15 for now. Thanks!

[sebillba]

5, 7, 13, 16 & 17 for now.

[LTBasker]

That's a bit eerie - I had a dream last night that there was a new Questions for Hasbro thread, although the reasoning that I could make out was because the other thread had become too cumbersome.

(Sadly, it's not the first time there has been message board activity in my dreams. )

2. - While we'd always prefer a worn paint deco on vehicles and droids, we understand sometimes the budget just can't do it. The next time you do a vehicle with a white deco where the budget prohibits additional weathering paint, could you please not use the clean-white color of plastic that you've used on the Clone Wars V-19 or the TLC Dagger Squadron B-wing? This white plastic is just too clean, it screams for weathering as it hides every sculpted line and gives an unwelcome plasticky toy look, while the slightly off-white colors of plastic seem to bring out the lines and look a little weathered better than clean.

6. - With Titanium Series 3" vehicles rapidly becoming one of the most successful Hasbro Star Wars sub-lines with over 60 individual carded releases, it's become nearly impossible to display them all at once. The main reason is that the unique packaging - although admirable in its specialized shape, custom graphics, and large window for the product - doesn't stack well and is very difficult to keep in mint condition with an easily-crushed and -scuffed round bubble, and vulnerable J-hook. Might Hasbro be willing to offer some sort of clamshell-style protective cases for the packaging, even if it's just through HasbroToyShop, similar to the one for the 3.75" figures?

8. - Recently, Hasbro has updated cockpits on a few OT ships, including the B-wing and A-wing, not to mention the detailed cockpit on the new Millennium Falcon. We understand that the B-wing and A-wing got new detailed cockpits because they had the opportunity from their use as exclusives, but exclusives or not, are there any plans or thoughts about continuing that practice on other ships? The X-wing, TIE Fighter, and Y-wing are all good candidates for new, detailed cockpits, but would the small size of some of those cockpits prevent those upgrades?

12. - With the new Droid Factory sets, included is a Corran Horn / Whistler 2-pack. As Corran Horn is an EU character, he is seen as not likely to get multiple figures, so as such, why is this 2-pack coming with a standard orange flight costume rather than Horn's more distinctive green-hued version? Whistler also is lacking his overall green tinge, but since this seems like it may be the only Corran Horn figure fans will see, why not make it as characteristically accurate as possible?

14. - Beyond Star Wars, many other franchises have tried their hand at Titanium Series - Battlestar Galactica, Indiana Jones, Marvel, Transformers, even Stargate was floated as being in some level of planning - yet they all eventually faded away from Titanium Series' light. What lessons has the Titanium Series team taken away from those other licenses' lines and their passings? For example, you put off the wave with the BSG Basestar and couldn't find a slot for this new tooling before the license ran out, yet you released a Starbuck repaint of the Viper mk 2 at theproverbial 11th hour (and didn't hit shelves until the 13th hour), an unusual distinction which fans don't really understand, and could use more behind-the-scenes insight into - why didn't that Basestar tooling get shoehorned into a later wave before the license with Universal ran out? Why release a repaint vehicle that won't satisfy fans as much, rather than an all-new mold which fans have been clamoring for?

[Sinscia Fat'o]

just 15 for now.

[Obsession is Nute]

Quick question. Has Hasbo commented on the release schedule for the Wal-Mart Droid Factory figures? I noticed that there was no date set on the Toy Fair Power Point. The Phase III Dark Trooper looks AMAZING!

[Cane_Adiss]

Instead of lobbying for another question I'll just vote this time...

7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17

I'm really glad my cantina alien question got submitted. I can hardly wait for Hasbro to shoot them all down come next month... Let's hope not!