SSG's 2012 Year in Review

[JediTricks]

I've been thinking about this and I don't believe it is color blindness, but possibly my mind trying to outsmart my eyes.

I grew up building and painting plastic model kits and, as most everyone knows, the primary colors for paint are red, blue and yellow. The only way to get brown paint is to mix red, blue and yellow paint together in varying ratios to create all the different shades of brown. If you take the red paint out of brown, then it becomes green and will never get close to brown again unless you put the red paint back in.

With a painted action figure, the brown paint MUST have some red in it, or it wouldn't be brown. So, even if I can't see the red in the brown paint, I know that it has to be in there somewhere. But, I only "see" the red paint by estimating how far that shade of brown paint is from being pure green. The less green it appears the more red must be present.

So, I guess you could say that I "perceive" the red more than "see" the red.

My point was that there's virtually no red in that "brown", I've been saying it's essentially gray this whole time, and the numbers are close to gray as well, so what you're assuming should be there from past experience isn't as much.

I just saw the 12" hasbro figures... They should have stayed away. No elbow articulation, terrible facial features and modeling, it almost looks like it was made by the companies that make drug store toys.

Yeah, those definitely have a "Mexican bootleg" quality about them.

These aren't for collectors, they're for kids. This is something parents and kids told us they wanted, we even mentioned it in Q&A, that the kid set wants an affordable 12" figure again, we told Hasbro that a few years ago at Comic-Con and it was something they hadn't thought about before. Personally, I think at $13 these are what they should be, although I do think the blasters and lightsabers should probably be separate accessories rather than molded into hands. Anakin doesn't look great because of the gloppy, shiny flesh paint they used, but the sculpt is recognizable. The Phase 1 Clone Trooper looks pretty decent though for what it is supposed to be.

Also, "mexican bootleg" is a thing of the past, now it's china doing all the worst bootlegging.

[bigbarada]

My point was that there's virtually no red in that "brown", I've been saying it's essentially gray this whole time, and the numbers are close to gray as well, so what you're assuming should be there from past experience isn't as much.

I don't want to harp on this too much more. I think I was just saying that my brain knows the red has to be in there somewhere even if I can't see it. Which I can't. It's just that Color Theory class I took in college making things more complex than they need to be.

These aren't for collectors, they're for kids. This is something parents and kids told us they wanted, we even mentioned it in Q&A, that the kid set wants an affordable 12" figure again, we told Hasbro that a few years ago at Comic-Con and it was something they hadn't thought about before. Personally, I think at $13 these are what they should be, although I do think the blasters and lightsabers should probably be separate accessories rather than molded into hands. Anakin doesn't look great because of the gloppy, shiny flesh paint they used, but the sculpt is recognizable. The Phase 1 Clone Trooper looks pretty decent though for what it is supposed to be.

Also, "mexican bootleg" is a thing of the past, now it's china doing all the worst bootlegging.

I was just kidding with the Mexican bootleg comment. I was going to say Polish bootleg, but these don't look THAT bad.

Anyways, I hope they do well for what they are and you're right, that Clonetrooper isn't half bad. I might actually buy a 12" Stormtrooper if they make one.

[RendarStillLives]

I'm surprised that Jaina statue got pushed back, it's a pretty straightforward piece, when is your daughter's birthday?

The one in question is Ariel. She just turned 11 on January 19th. Not sure what you're getting at though cause I have 5 wee tots. The yougest Keiran is 4 and yes he is named after Corran Horn's Jedi ancestor Keiran Halcyon cause I am that much nerd.

I'm not sure I understand your point about the color, the TVC figure is the same purple as the Evolutions original it's based on.

My favorites are on my shelf and the rest in storage but going from memory (which may be faulty) the TVC version is more true to film. Regardless, for me it's a complete version of Jango. I don't see much room for improvement.

The original was a deluxe when the limb-bots were basics though. The FOC figure isn't even that impressive next to the G1, I think: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mdverde/8091712070/

Bruticus with WFC/FOC figures he's only about twice as big, in the game he's probably 5 times as big, even with the smallest FOC figure I had a hard time making it feel like an impressive scale here:
http://tfviews.com/Bruticus/midsize/...timus%2003.jpg

Not even that humanoid, the long arms are more gorilla-like.

I couldn't agree more. The originals even with smaller scale, the lack of integral hands, feet and head combined as well as lack of articulation were still superior IMO. I love a lot of the third party combiners but at the prices they demand I have a hard time justifying ordering them. I may crack on the new Fansproject Menasor though once I see the complete set. One of my all time favorite G1 episodes was where we got to see Bruticus, Devastator and Menasor throw down. With Transformers I see a lot of really great ideas that are poorly executed. Bruticus and the Voyager Soundwave/disc-cons are a good example of this. Seeing them at TRU yesterday, as much as I want to like them I just don't.

Ah, I hear ya, not everybody is technologically-inclined for mobile. If you guys have a Sprint 4G WIMAX Hotspot already, you may be able to get the Virgin Mobile unlimited service, she should contact them first to see if they'd do that. It's definitely worth looking into if your Sprint bill is high - and it likely is.

Cable internet does go around $50 a month, I'm using Earthlink service who goes through my regular cable internet, so I'm paying $41 a month instead of that $50. I like the cable internet way more than my old DSL phone line internet, but the speed with cable is pretty much maxed out already.

She at least understands what you are talking about. Her hotspot is a Sprint OverdrivePro? We've been talking about it. We just got our taxes back and after taking care of some other priorities we will discuss it further and maybe pop my online gaming cherry.

I highly doubt it'll go for under $70, they couldn't sell the Y-wing Bomber under $70 at mass retail. Frustrating, no?

You have a point there but I hope you're wrong anyways. I picked up the Clone Wars Y-Wing for $60. Decided it wasn't worth it and traded it to my cousin for some stuff he had that I missed out on years ago.

If it comes up at Comic-Con, I'll mention those ideas. Had Hasbro gotten product out in greater numbers it'd be easier to judge the success of them.

I appreciate that JT. I was pretty excited to see a Vader and Anakin are coming out with the new stuff then just last night I found Vader at a Walmart on the Darth Maul packaging. Didn't even realize him and Anakin were already released.

Yup, and I wouldn't have bought any ever were it not for such strong recommendations here. I've also not bought any Eeth Koths, Luminara Undulis, or Barriss Offees - to me, the prequels have made Jedi characters into a ton of overhyped alien nobodies and I just don't feel any need to have everything when it has no impact for me. Like "oh, you stood there and did nothing for 3 movies, or you appeared for 3 seconds and got shot? Well, have a bunch of expensive action figures then!"

I agree to a point. Wasn't that what Boba Fett was for years? Within the movies there is very little dialogue or character depth to anyone but the core cast of heroes and villans. Comics, video games and lierature have expanded a lot of the wall characters though. I never read Battle Surgeons but the Approaching Storm (if I remember correctly) Barriss really rubbed off on me as this innocent sweet girl. The original POTJ Eeth Koth figure just looked cool and dynamic to me and as stated Plo koon was a fart in the wind until I started watching Clone Wars with my kids and learning more about the Baran Do sages in Outcast. The characters will gain more depth as time goes on.

So I started with absolutely zero expectations and the figure totally blew me away. However, I've never taken the time to compare her to any photos of the actress. To me the figure stands on its own enough that its accuracy to the onscreen character is somewhat irrelevant. I've never really been an Aayla Secura fan anyway.

Those are always my favorite ones regardless of character. In contrast I sometimes get my hopes too high when a character I have longed for becomes immortalized in plastic and doesn't turn out very well.

It's not attachment to the character - I didn't read her origin comics and she doesn't do anything that noteworthy in the films or TV show. I do like the prequel Jedi overall more than you do, I know, so there's that. Part of it could be that she's more visually striking than many of the figures released this year, which matters to me - I mean, Colonel Cracken's not going to get top honors. It could also partly be that it's so much better than previous Aayla figures - not that those were bad, but as a sign of progression showing what Hasbro is now capable of compared to previously in the line, Aayla is a fantastic example.

On the hip issue, again, I'm willing to let accuracy slide from time to time if it means it benefits the figure overall. The 2005 Aayla actually has skinny thighs similar to VOTC Han, which is a solution that I dislike. The TVC version obscures the hips with the objects hanging from her belt (which are well sculpted and textured, a first for the character and an interesting detail that shows what Hasbro is now capable of), so I really didn't even notice it as an issue before you mentioned it.

But a big part of what I love about the figure is her articulation, and the ball-joint hips allow her to be posed in some really cool ways. She's significantly more expressive than most other figures in the line because of this, and I think giving her slightly wider hips is completely fine for this reason. (She's not as bad as diaper-wearing Bespin Luke, at least.)

There are a lot of characters I was looking forward to but passed up like Cracken and Nien Nunb because of the dissapointments with Darth Maul and Hoth Luke. I'd appreciate your personal view on those two particular figures. I just don't feel I am getting my moneys worth in the more obscure characters and hope I am not missing out on anything exceptional. As for Aayla I like my ROTS version enough for the 2nd tier character she is. I picked the TVC version up anyways and just stuck it in storage. As I have said already, articulation can be a good thing but more often it is becoming over rated imo. It's personal preference but I only see the need for super articulation in my favorite characters though I am glad this version was available for those that like the character that much.

I didn't particularly notice the distribution problems.... distribution in the UK has always been unreliable to say the least, so I pre-order everything online, then just sit back and wait for it to show up. There are some great online dealers in the UK, who don't insist on selling by the case, so you can pick and choose what you want (some short-packed figures may be a bit dearer, but it works out a lot cheaper in the long run)... the seller I use regularly is even good enough to pick out good paint apps for me, so I don't even have to worry about getting poorly painted figures. And since I don't bother going to toy shops very often, I don't get to see what's pegwarming.... so, where many people have developed a dislike of TPM wave, because they still see them clogging the pegs everywhere, and holding up new product, I still look at them as some of my favourite figures from last year.

You're fortunate. All I've seen online is cases and even those that do sell single figures sell them at a premium to make up costs for the non short packed figures that they have to sell cheaper just to move product. I still haven't come across Tarkin or Emperor's Guard. Just found the Ewok 5 pack recently and passed on it. For $40 it didn't seem like a terrible value but it looked like (I may be wrong) one new sculpt and the rest were repaints/retools. Kneesa is a gray and pink Wicket. I'd love Han and Luke in stormtrooper armor from the Legacy Collection but at the time I rationalized I could swap Han and Luke's heads with the Stormtroopers I already had and not pay a single penny. Granted Aayla is an all new sculpt but shelling out $10 for every minor upgrade of a character is getting too expensive.

If you thought my YIR for Star Wars was rough, you should see my Transformers YIR, that was friggin' brutal. What did you think of TF in 2012?

Link please?

The FE toys coming back to stores was a good thing. I finally have the voyagers and they are all kinds of awesome. I am also glad certain Prime figures (like Vehicon) became easier to track down, thanks to places like Marshall's and Ross and TJ Maxx.

I'm glad they released the FE figures but already having RID Voyager Optimus and Bulkhead I was on the fence. Missed out on Starscream the first time out and think he was well executed. The Transformation is fun. My only regret is they released the Zombie Cliffjumper instead of the regular one. Fans from SDCC must be ****ed their exclusive isn't so exclusive and I refuse to pay over $30 on the 2nd market for a figure that should only be $15. I just nabbed ZombieJumper last night and he is awesome! I love the engineering of his transformation. The legs seem to be the weakest part of the figure but overall I think He's one of the best TFs in recent years and quite a novelty. Hasbro could make a lot more money by releasing the normal CJ. When a figure really impresses me I tend to buy an extra to keep MISB so twenty years from now when I am feeling the nostalgia I will have a back up.

I'm surprised to hear such positivity about 2012 for TF, I found it a brutal year due to a very limited product range, deep quality cuts coupled with price increases, and Bruticus being a bit of a letdown as you said. I did like both MPs, but I haven't found either of the FE Voyagers yet.

Just like with Star Wars, distribution, rising costs and inferior product. Almost every Transformer is being made smaller and lacks lots of paint. I feel like they don't even try anymore for some characters where jets have legs and arms obviously folded underneath instead of being intigrated into the alt mode (Dreadwing) while some characters are just vehicle panels hiding a robot inside (Ratchet). Repro labels is almost a must now for some figures (Magnus).

Rendar, personally I’ve always thought JT gets excited or critical about the exact opposite things that he “should be,” but that’s my subjective opinion just like his.

Idk about opposite but that is exactly the reason I was defending him. We all bring something different to the table. I love that! We couldn't have half the discussions we do if we all liked and hated the same things. It's a shame the Q&A was cancelled because we had quite a brain trust going on there.

JT is excited by improvements made to items / characters we already have, whereas my own enthusiasm is for things we never got in the line like the Hem Dazon and Bom Vimdim figures. To me, they are forever more exciting than any version of Darth Vader (aside from funeral pyre perhaps) that I’d NEVER even look at – and I mean that very seriously.

I understand both sides of that. I'm always on the look out for the ultimate versions of classic/favorite characters but because there are so many figures that get the slightest of tweaks every year or two I get far more excited for EU characters and wall characters.

On the other hand, Vader must sell to new people (kids just old enough) to enter the hobby. Just like it wouldn’t work if the Batman line stopped stocking Batman and put out waves geared to tooling individual cops and Joker thugs, or the prisoners where Bane was held in the Middle East. Now I’m not going to get excited for those, but as far as background characters, Tzzzvvzzt or Shasha Teil or Nyrat Agira are all more visually interesting because of their design than the next Middle Easterner sand pauper in Bane’s prison hole. Thing is, any figure is a different design from Batman or Darth Vader.

I think I made my point clear. And the fact that Vader is necessary to continue selling the line to newbies. I’m just not going to care or get excited about a figure of him.

No argument there. Same reason they have to redesign Transformers constantly. The MOTUC sub line from Mattel is sort of suffering from that issue. It's difficult for new fans to jump on without those mainstays. If I just started collecting and didn't have a Luke or Vader and couldn't get them I probably wouldn't bother collecting Star Wars at all. Heroes like Batman or Spider-Man are so successful because of their rogues galleries. A Luke without stormtroopers to fight is pretty lame and useless which makes Cliegg Lars uninteresting to me. Give Cliegg a removable leg and swoop so kids can re-enact the deleted scene where he loses it and I believe it would have a stronger selling point. Add his chair and a Tusken Raider and that would be a cool battle pack. No matter if we are talking about Star wars or Care Bears there is always a need for protagonists and antagonists.

New Luke? On Dagobah where his Bespin jacket is OPEN, unbelted, and his Dagobah training muscle shirt is visible underneath RIGHT BEFORE Yoda raises the X-wing. That’s never been done and it’s different and still available. The Luke / Leia Medical Frigate figures were wonderful for me! Gotta have Cliegg Lars as with his hoverchair and stump leg, he’s still different from any previous Star Wars figure.

It could be called Majic Mike Luke. Lol. You wanting that particular figure I can understand because I know building those scenes as dioramas is your hobby but for me the Bespin fatigues, Dagobah Landing Luke or the awful version of Luke that came in the comic two pack with Mara Jade would be good enough for me to recreate that scene. Different strokes for different folks and more power to you. Though I don't see a need for that figure (if they pulled it off nicely I would buy it), it in no way means I hope they don't make it so you lose out on getting Magic Mike Luke at some point. Sometimes it seems if someone disagrees or criticizes a figure someone else is gushing about, others get defensive or try arguing their opinion. Just because I'm not begging for a new Aayla Secura doesn't mean I won't appreciate a new one. I may wish Siri Tachi or Anakin Solo had been made available instead considering there are quite a few characters like Aayla with multiple molds out there but I realize EU fans are more an exception, not the rule. Same point goes for Kithaba or Dr. Evazen over Artoo and Boba Fett redos.

But I don’t think JT is any conisseur in the sense that he could be happy for fans exited by figures of Wedge and Tarkin back in the day – and Han Stormtrooper – that drew a good many of us back into the hobby after we’d been out of collecting toys for a long time. Then it was the Bartender and Porkins, Slave Leia, Mon Mothma – it goes on until recently it was Colonel Cracken. That’s the very strong spirit that keeps me in the hobby. My post count has dropped off tremendously for lack of that sort of thing to talk about and my wish that new figures of the aliens and random senators etc. were made in a continuing Clone Wars line.

The guy gives kids his only chance to get a toy he isn't sure he'll ever come across again and edits posts for those of us (me) technilogically impaired. I think he has more heart than he gets credit for. Maybe too much heart. Frustration, anger, pain, all of those things stem from caring about something. If he didn't care why would he waste the time and energy?

Rendar, I too love the Expanded Universe and actually know there are VERY easy ways they can respect the continuity it’s established and have plenty (dozens) of stories they can tell without crapping all over it. If Han and Leia have a daughter named Jaina in her very late 20’s or early 30’s in Ep.7, no one has to know she had a twin brother, and also a younger one. But those of us fans of Timothy Zahn will know.

Reading the comics and the books I notice the writers like to overlap but are very careful not to step on each others toes. Some stuff is bound to be missed because there is so much now days that it may very well be impossible to make everything flow, so sith happens. Lucas himself with the prequels did some rearranging and even said cannon priority is movies, cartoon, games, books, something like that. I know there are people at Lucasfilm who specifically have the job of approving things so that all media can tie together. If CW goes on for 8 years it would screw the whole continuity, not just EU. 5 seasons in and the same characters every week are cruising back and forth through out the galaxy in 3 years? In the novel for AOTC it takes place over months. People who only saw the movie assumed Anakin and Padme' fell in love over night (slight exageration). I'm sure there are people who could care less about the continuity and would love for some infinite crisis of the Star Wars universe to rewrite the whole thing. You can't make everyone happy and I think George tried to do that with the prequels. TPM for kids, AOTC for teens and ROTS for adults. He shouldn't have caved to demographics and just told the story he wanted as with the originals. Again Tycho, just because it may not be what I want most doesn't mean I want you or anyone else to miss out or that I'm not happy for you. I'm fine with having a wave of EU once a year even if they do get cancelled or resigned to exclusives. I do appreciate and love my Corran and Whistler, Anya Kuro, A'Sharad Hett, Darth Talon, Ulic, Jaina, Nom Anor, etc.

I also want a Masterpiece Ultra Magnus btw. But I love the Titanium one and would like that remade on a huge scale. The Titanium is an actual TRANSFORMER. Everything is connected and transforms. I’ve thought the City Commander 3rd party looked the most like G1.5 Magnus, but it’s a Lego set (in a way).

Didn't Hasbro hire Don Frigua (hoe do you spell it?) to do some new designs like Magnus with a one piece transformation? I thought it was great. Even as a stand alone figure in the 6" scale. However the head sculpt looks cherub-ish to me and the upside down/reversed shoulder missiles are bothersome. On other characters I wouldn't have minded but Magnus is perhaps my favorite Transformer of them all so I am still looking for that ultimate version. I think a solid cab/trailer like the Titanium one would be great but I also think MP-10 with a white repaint and new trailer that combined with the cab would be just as good also pleasing fans of G1 and Dreamwave. Plus more play value and it would be cheaper to produce a new trailer than an entirely new figure I imagine.

Ouch, and all of those are Hasbro's fault, unlike Batman (thanks Mattel and Christopher "let's ruin the franchise with a dumb 3rd movie" Nolan). I'm not sick of Vader yet actually, just sick of mediocre versions of him - I liked the new ANH figure enough to buy a second.

Someone had to find an excuse to get Anne Hathaway in skin tight spandex.

In 2012, don't you think maybe there were just a tad too many TF Prime Bumblebees on shelves compared to, say, everyone else? And nobody even likes that version of the character or the mold that much!

Ariel likes the classic Bumblebee and Roanin likes the newer Prime look. Both are completely irritated that he doesn't speak in the movies or cartoon. He's one of their favorites and while not mine without a doubt it's hard to dismiss Bumblebee as one of the more memorable TFs from my childhood. 2013 is looking better with the Beast Hunter case assortments having 2 of each character. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

The saddest thing about it is, done properly, Darth Vader and Snake Eyes are two of the strongest characters in pop culture. And Bumblebee can even be done so it's impossible to not like him (his role as acting Autobot commander in the IDW-verse has really evolved the character beyond anything he's ever been before).

It's just there are TOO. DAMN. MANY. TOYS.

I have to agree. The new IDW series are a breath of fresh air. It's a shame Megatron was brought back so soon.

Vehicon was a nightmare until they finally addressed it, then they went and put another pressing of RID Bumblebee out and ruined it again. But there wasn't much product in 2012 to begin with, and to me it felt like getting a lot of it was very frustrating. Perhaps your collecting scope was super limited? I dunno, seems like a really rosy outlook considering GDO scarcity, and I've never seen the FE Voyagers (TRU canceled my online order) or the FE Vehicon, or RID Voyager Skyquake (and only once with Dreadwing when I was super broke), and then there's product we were simply not getting any word on like TFP Breakdown and Gaia Unicron, and MP Soundwave and Sideswipe. Anyway, that's why I find 2012 pretty frustrating on the distribution side. I'm glad you got what you were looking for though.

All I can find at this point is Bumblebee and the Vehicon with new Generations and Beast Hunters trickling out. I still haven't found Skyquake. When I nabbed his brother I wanted both but at this point I think I would pass on it.

I know what you mean, but I think we're at a stage now where it's going to be difficult to be blown away.... Hasbro have reached a pinnacle in terms of sculpt and articulation, and rather than being impressed by such things, we've come to expect it. And there's always some other flaw - mismatched joints, oversized soft goods, inaccurate decos, slight mis-proportions, etc. But even if they were to get all that right and create a perfect figure, the character choices are unlikely to really excite us. I mean some of my most wanted figures to be made now are minor background characters, like Sim Aloo and Sasha Tiel, but they would hardly blow me away if they did get made, and were totally perfect. And major characters, we've just seen them all too much over the years - like the recent Vader, it's a fantastic figure, but I find it hard to get excited over it, as it's yet another Vader (albeit probably the best one ever).

I agree with this statement. We have come to expect such things and in a sense become spoiled and due to the economy prices are rising and corners are being cut to try preventing further price hikes. It's a lose lose situation.

These aren't for collectors, they're for kids. This is something parents and kids told us they wanted, we even mentioned it in Q&A, that the kid set wants an affordable 12" figure again, we told Hasbro that a few years ago at Comic-Con and it was something they hadn't thought about before. Personally, I think at $13 these are what they should be, although I do think the blasters and lightsabers should probably be separate accessories rather than molded into hands. Anakin doesn't look great because of the gloppy, shiny flesh paint they used, but the sculpt is recognizable. The Phase 1 Clone Trooper looks pretty decent though for what it is supposed to be.

Also, "mexican bootleg" is a thing of the past, now it's china doing all the worst bootlegging.

I'd think the 3.75" figures would be the sweet spot because of the playsets and vehicles. Chances of those for 12" figures is pretty slim so I don't understand how those are geared for kids unless they're plush.

[Tycho]

Rendar, great responses!

My heart's not set on that Dagobah (open Bespin Jacket) Luke. I'd buy it if they did it well, but don't really care. I'm only suggesting it since it's a way to get Luke out there from an on-screen appearence that hasn't been done and actually offers something different.

As to Magnus, we agree. You're right, too. When everyone agrees, there's not much to talk about

I want Siri Tachi and Anakin Solo, and realistic and animated versions of Senator Farr (Rodian) etc. too! Nothing I saw at Toy Fair inspires me to purchase ANY Hasbro in 2013. I'm hoping Comic Con reveals more.

[Mr. JabbaJohnL]

There are a lot of characters I was looking forward to but passed up like Cracken and Nien Nunb because of the dissapointments with Darth Maul and Hoth Luke. I'd appreciate your personal view on those two particular figures. I just don't feel I am getting my moneys worth in the more obscure characters and hope I am not missing out on anything exceptional. As for Aayla I like my ROTS version enough for the 2nd tier character she is. I picked the TVC version up anyways and just stuck it in storage. As I have said already, articulation can be a good thing but more often it is becoming over rated imo. It's personal preference but I only see the need for super articulation in my favorite characters though I am glad this version was available for those that like the character that much.

For some reason, the Cracken figure has a collar while the film version does not. The white variant of the 2006 Rebel Trooper figure is actually also based on Cracken, though that figure has its issues and inaccuracies as well (the bandolier, the wrong gloves). The two actually share the same legs. Neither Cracken figure is really worth writing home about - aside from the inaccuracies, they both get the job done without being exceptional.

Nien Nunb is full of personality and is great fun to pose in different ways. He and Lando look pretty cool together in the BMF cockpit (where, coincidentally, Cracken should go as well). His lower jaw should be painted a darker shade of brown, since the figure just has one shade for all of his exposed skin. The issue here, though, is that he's quite short - not Mawhonic short, but shorter than the POTF2 figure by a good margin and waaaay shorter than the Sullustan Rebel pilot figures. In the film, you can see Nien in his vest standing in the background while Han and Lando discuss the fate of the Falcon, and the full-height Sullustan in the B-wing pilot suit was retconned to be Nien Nunb a few years ago; the character as he appears in the cockpit is a puppet, though to me he still looks like he's normal size. There seems to have been some sort of discrepancy in the EU where Sullustans started to be portrayed as very short, even though there's nothing in the film itself to suggest they're supposed to be anything but normal height, and The Clone Wars recently introduced Mr. Borkus, a normal-height Sullustan. If the background character and/or B-wing pilot are indeed supposed to be Nien, then the figure is simply too short. If you don't care about that too much, then he's a very cool figure.

[JediTricks]

I don't want to harp on this too much more. I think I was just saying that my brain knows the red has to be in there somewhere even if I can't see it. Which I can't. It's just that Color Theory class I took in college making things more complex than they need to be.

Just an interesting tangent, I'm pretty much exhausted on it as well, glad to hear you're not colorblind though, that'd suck being an artist and all. Although challenge often makes art better.

I was just kidding with the Mexican bootleg comment. I was going to say Polish bootleg, but these don't look THAT bad.

Anyways, I hope they do well for what they are and you're right, that Clonetrooper isn't half bad. I might actually buy a 12" Stormtrooper if they make one.

Hey, I'm part Polish! Do the Polish bootleg? The only toy manufacturing I know of from Poland these days is LEGO opened a factory there not too long ago. I know you were kidding on that whole thing, Mexico and Poland would be ashamed to release a figure as bad-looking as that Anakin. China? Not ashamed.

Wow, you'd actually buy one? I wasn't going THAT far.

The one in question is Ariel. She just turned 11 on January 19th. Not sure what you're getting at though cause I have 5 wee tots. The yougest Keiran is 4 and yes he is named after Corran Horn's Jedi ancestor Keiran Halcyon cause I am that much nerd.

Oh, sorry it missed her birthday then. I was going to say I'll ask Koto when I see them at Wondercon in April if it'll be out before her birthday, but not without a time machine.

At least you didn't just name your kid after an obvious reference like "Luke" or "Anakin" there, it's an unusual SW name.

My favorites are on my shelf and the rest in storage but going from memory (which may be faulty) the TVC version is more true to film. Regardless, for me it's a complete version of Jango. I don't see much room for improvement.

That was the original hope I think before we actually got it, but in person it's very purple. The only product I see out there right now close to right is the Koto ARTFX+, Hasbro has a new Saga Legends figure coming this year that ALSO has that same purple.

I couldn't agree more. The originals even with smaller scale, the lack of integral hands, feet and head combined as well as lack of articulation were still superior IMO. I love a lot of the third party combiners but at the prices they demand I have a hard time justifying ordering them. I may crack on the new Fansproject Menasor though once I see the complete set. One of my all time favorite G1 episodes was where we got to see Bruticus, Devastator and Menasor throw down. With Transformers I see a lot of really great ideas that are poorly executed. Bruticus and the Voyager Soundwave/disc-cons are a good example of this. Seeing them at TRU yesterday, as much as I want to like them I just don't.

I hear that. I still haven't bought Voyager Soundwave or the disk minions for just that reason, poor execution. Luckily '13 looks to be going a different direction from the failures of '12. Metroplex alone is a massive wow.

She at least understands what you are talking about. Her hotspot is a Sprint OverdrivePro? We've been talking about it. We just got our taxes back and after taking care of some other priorities we will discuss it further and maybe pop my online gaming cherry.

Glad to hear she understands. The Overdrive Pro is a 4g mobile hotspot that will work on Virgin Mobile, I don't know what the process to move from Sprint to Virgin Mobile would be, but it's worth calling and finding out - same exact 4G service (same towers, same Sprint carrier) just a different price.

Online gaming is fun, but it can suck down a lot of time.

I appreciate that JT. I was pretty excited to see a Vader and Anakin are coming out with the new stuff then just last night I found Vader at a Walmart on the Darth Maul packaging. Didn't even realize him and Anakin were already released.

Unfortunately, Movie Heroes is now canned, so if something were to come of this, it'd most likely be in the 6" line.

I agree to a point. Wasn't that what Boba Fett was for years? Within the movies there is very little dialogue or character depth to anyone but the core cast of heroes and villans. Comics, video games and lierature have expanded a lot of the wall characters though. I never read Battle Surgeons but the Approaching Storm (if I remember correctly) Barriss really rubbed off on me as this innocent sweet girl. The original POTJ Eeth Koth figure just looked cool and dynamic to me and as stated Plo koon was a fart in the wind until I started watching Clone Wars with my kids and learning more about the Baran Do sages in Outcast. The characters will gain more depth as time goes on.

Boba Fett did something though in the films, in ESB he's a lot of attitude but he doesn't shrink from Vader, he acts cleverly tracking the Falcon, Vader talks about him like he's a disintegratin' son of a gun, he ensures Vader won't destroy his business through the carbonite experiment, Fett has character and personality in the small movements and even sound effects. By contrast, the prequel Jedi aliens largely don't do anything, and when they finally do they're doing generic prequel Jedi antics and dying.

There are a lot of characters I was looking forward to but passed up like Cracken and Nien Nunb because of the dissapointments with Darth Maul and Hoth Luke. I'd appreciate your personal view on those two particular figures. I just don't feel I am getting my moneys worth in the more obscure characters and hope I am not missing out on anything exceptional.

That's somewhat how I felt about Col. Cracken, even if he hadn't been a kitbash I don't think he'd have been worth my money and didn't seem like he could be exceptional no matter what they did.

Link please?

I thought I swore in it since it's on my personal TF site, but it turns out I curbed my language so here ya go: http://www.tfviews.com/forums/viewto...tart=20#p35401

My only regret is they released the Zombie Cliffjumper instead of the regular one. Fans from SDCC must be ****ed their exclusive isn't so exclusive and I refuse to pay over $30 on the 2nd market for a figure that should only be $15. I just nabbed ZombieJumper last night and he is awesome! I love the engineering of his transformation. The legs seem to be the weakest part of the figure but overall I think He's one of the best TFs in recent years and quite a novelty. Hasbro could make a lot more money by releasing the normal CJ. When a figure really impresses me I tend to buy an extra to keep MISB so twenty years from now when I am feeling the nostalgia I will have a back up.

They did some stupid little game at the Comic-Con slideshow reveal of the FE re-releases for Zombie Cliff and when they finally showed him off, the room audibly groaned and I think even booed, and Hasbro actually seemed surprised and took note of this. The SDCC one has a different, more detailed paint job, the 2 extra exclusive accessories, and the sweet hand-painted packaging so it's not too much a defeat, but it was a real groaner in the moment and just a waste of a slot.

I ended up buying the non-zombie Cliffjumper GDO Chinese exclusive when it hit TRU and it's good enough for my CJ needs, definitely not good enough to warrant any extra money in any iteration.

I used to buy backups like you're describing but it got expensive and took up too much space, and a lot of it ended up not being worth keeping backups on when I finally got there (or rotted).

Idk about opposite but that is exactly the reason I was defending him. We all bring something different to the table. I love that! We couldn't have half the discussions we do if we all liked and hated the same things. It's a shame the Q&A was cancelled because we had quite a brain trust going on there.

Thanks! Yeah, we really got into the Q&A rhthym going, but at least it gives us an edge now in these interviews.

No argument there. Same reason they have to redesign Transformers constantly. The MOTUC sub line from Mattel is sort of suffering from that issue. It's difficult for new fans to jump on without those mainstays.

That's how MOTU was when I was a kid too, basically it's what killed it back in the '80s. Kids who came in on year 2 wanted regular He-Man and Skeletor to go with their Moss Man and Triclops, but could only get battle armor versions and such of those main guys.

The guy gives kids his only chance to get a toy he isn't sure he'll ever come across again and edits posts for those of us (me) technilogically impaired. I think he has more heart than he gets credit for. Maybe too much heart. Frustration, anger, pain, all of those things stem from caring about something. If he didn't care why would he waste the time and energy?

Thanks again, very astute. Also, I see protecting kid interests as protecting our interests as well, Hasbro's told us if the kid market dries up the brand is pretty much doomed, so it's a symbiosis... as well as satisfying to see kids on the toy aisle still excited about a brand I grew up with for the last 36 years.

Didn't Hasbro hire Don Frigua (hoe do you spell it?) to do some new designs like Magnus with a one piece transformation? I thought it was great. Even as a stand alone figure in the 6" scale. However the head sculpt looks cherub-ish to me and the upside down/reversed shoulder missiles are bothersome. On other characters I wouldn't have minded but Magnus is perhaps my favorite Transformer of them all so I am still looking for that ultimate version. I think a solid cab/trailer like the Titanium one would be great but I also think MP-10 with a white repaint and new trailer that combined with the cab would be just as good also pleasing fans of G1 and Dreamwave. Plus more play value and it would be cheaper to produce a new trailer than an entirely new figure I imagine.

Don Figueroa, and the Titanium Series that Tycho is talking about is that very same Ultra Magnus. Not sure I udnerstand what you mean about the shoulder missiles though.

Someone had to find an excuse to get Anne Hathaway in skin tight spandex.

Eh, after Havoc there's really not much she could do on film that's more provactive.

2013 is looking better with the Beast Hunter case assortments having 2 of each character. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

Never, that's what Hasbro does only in the first wave of each new line because there isn't past product to carry forward. In nearly every subsequent wave, they try to predict which characters will be in demand from previous waves and carry them forward. That's done to fill space from not being able to produce enough volume to meet demand - first in the previous wave, and then also in the new figures who ramp up production levels.

I'd think the 3.75" figures would be the sweet spot because of the playsets and vehicles. Chances of those for 12" figures is pretty slim so I don't understand how those are geared for kids unless they're plush.

I agree, but parents actually asked us about inexpensive 12" figures their kids wanted, so I guess there is still a market for bigger figures out there to dominate over the rest of a kid's toys. It's probably a kid who has different play patterns from 3.75", no playsets or vehicles, doesn't want a ton of characters - of course that suggests to me that the kid will age out of that larger format quickly, but the price makes that easy enough.

For some reason, the Cracken figure has a collar while the film version does not. The white variant of the 2006 Rebel Trooper figure is actually also based on Cracken, though that figure has its issues and inaccuracies as well (the bandolier, the wrong gloves). The two actually share the same legs. Neither Cracken figure is really worth writing home about - aside from the inaccuracies, they both get the job done without being exceptional.

Nien Nunb is full of personality and is great fun to pose in different ways. He and Lando look pretty cool together in the BMF cockpit (where, coincidentally, Cracken should go as well). His lower jaw should be painted a darker shade of brown, since the figure just has one shade for all of his exposed skin. The issue here, though, is that he's quite short - not Mawhonic short, but shorter than the POTF2 figure by a good margin and waaaay shorter than the Sullustan Rebel pilot figures. In the film, you can see Nien in his vest standing in the background while Han and Lando discuss the fate of the Falcon, and the full-height Sullustan in the B-wing pilot suit was retconned to be Nien Nunb a few years ago; the character as he appears in the cockpit is a puppet, though to me he still looks like he's normal size. There seems to have been some sort of discrepancy in the EU where Sullustans started to be portrayed as very short, even though there's nothing in the film itself to suggest they're supposed to be anything but normal height, and The Clone Wars recently introduced Mr. Borkus, a normal-height Sullustan. If the background character and/or B-wing pilot are indeed supposed to be Nien, then the figure is simply too short. If you don't care about that too much, then he's a very cool figure.

The collar on the '06 is also dead wrong for a different reason, it's supposed to clasp just off-center, instead it's a mock turtleneck with no clasp at all. The collar on the '12 figure is new and yet clearly wrong, it doesn't match any TVC collared character - not Lando General, not the Rebel Fleet Trooper, not Nien Nunb, they're all different designs in film and - so it's not like they pulled it from another look, it's like they pulled it from the ether.

Nien Nunb the puppet has a lower shoulders and collar than Lando, probably that's why he's percieved as smaller.

[RendarStillLives]

Rendar, great responses!

My heart's not set on that Dagobah (open Bespin Jacket) Luke. I'd buy it if they did it well, but don't really care. I'm only suggesting it since it's a way to get Luke out there from an on-screen appearence that hasn't been done and actually offers something different.

As to Magnus, we agree. You're right, too. When everyone agrees, there's not much to talk about

I want Siri Tachi and Anakin Solo, and realistic and animated versions of Senator Farr (Rodian) etc. too! Nothing I saw at Toy Fair inspires me to purchase ANY Hasbro in 2013. I'm hoping Comic Con reveals more.

Thanks Tycho. I appreciate that and whole heartedly agree. If nothing else I'm looking forward to the new Mara and the 6" Luke. Maybe Hasbro will re-release the new Naboo Fighter while they are at it.

For some reason, the Cracken figure has a collar while the film version does not. The white variant of the 2006 Rebel Trooper figure is actually also based on Cracken, though that figure has its issues and inaccuracies as well (the bandolier, the wrong gloves). The two actually share the same legs. Neither Cracken figure is really worth writing home about - aside from the inaccuracies, they both get the job done without being exceptional.

Nien Nunb is full of personality and is great fun to pose in different ways. He and Lando look pretty cool together in the BMF cockpit (where, coincidentally, Cracken should go as well). His lower jaw should be painted a darker shade of brown, since the figure just has one shade for all of his exposed skin. The issue here, though, is that he's quite short - not Mawhonic short, but shorter than the POTF2 figure by a good margin and waaaay shorter than the Sullustan Rebel pilot figures. In the film, you can see Nien in his vest standing in the background while Han and Lando discuss the fate of the Falcon, and the full-height Sullustan in the B-wing pilot suit was retconned to be Nien Nunb a few years ago; the character as he appears in the cockpit is a puppet, though to me he still looks like he's normal size. There seems to have been some sort of discrepancy in the EU where Sullustans started to be portrayed as very short, even though there's nothing in the film itself to suggest they're supposed to be anything but normal height, and The Clone Wars recently introduced Mr. Borkus, a normal-height Sullustan. If the background character and/or B-wing pilot are indeed supposed to be Nien, then the figure is simply too short. If you don't care about that too much, then he's a very cool figure.

I appreciate how in depth that was but as far as those background characters go I am not all that picky. I only knew of Cracken from the novels. Nien nunb holds a special place for me because he is one of the originals I once had as a kid my grandfather had bought me. So there is a lot of sentimental value there. Which is actually what got me started collecting toys at all again back in '96. I was pleased with the Legacy version enough especially using that awesome Tycho body but would love to get a true Nien Nunb figure.

At least you didn't just name your kid after an obvious reference like "Luke" or "Anakin" there, it's an unusual SW name.

Yeah. I like to keep things somewhat obscure. I have a mythosaur skull tattoo on my arm and everyone asks if the artist messed up trying to do a bull or deer skull. I get a kick out of it.

I hear that. I still haven't bought Voyager Soundwave or the disk minions for just that reason, poor execution. Luckily '13 looks to be going a different direction from the failures of '12. Metroplex alone is a massive wow.

I recently found Rewind & Sunder and Ramhorn & Eject and picked them up. They looked a bit better than the Decepticon cassettes. They are actually pretty neat and have a spring loaded transformation not entirely like Bakugon (which uses magnets). I think the switch is supposed to be triggered when they are ejected from Soundwave or Blaster so they automatically transform. They are growing on me and I am tempted to buy the others. Sunder is sweet. Ramhorn tends to stick and doesn't auto transform very good. Looks great though. The bots feet need to be folded out manually and only stand when the feet are half folded out. The arms if not rotated a certain way while posing tend to try and fold the figure back up into a disk. Same scale as Legends and Cyberverse. Also snagged the new Grimlock and Smokescreen. If anyone is curious on my thoughts I am happy to share otherwise I don't wanna derail the thread that much.

Yes! Metroplex is a must have for me and fortunately he is scheduled to be released right around my birthday. Those triple changers have me excited as well. I'm hoping a new Astrotrain will round out the set.

Unfortunately, Movie Heroes is now canned, so if something were to come of this, it'd most likely be in the 6" line.

I'm still seeing them. On the card backs Vader is 20 and Anakin is 19. I forget the numbers for Kenobi and Jinn but the Anakin must be out there and just getting picked up quickly. I didn't intend to get Anakin but if those are the only four figures being offered with that feature I might as well complete the set.

Boba Fett did something though in the films, in ESB he's a lot of attitude but he doesn't shrink from Vader, he acts cleverly tracking the Falcon, Vader talks about him like he's a disintegratin' son of a gun, he ensures Vader won't destroy his business through the carbonite experiment, Fett has character and personality in the small movements and even sound effects. By contrast, the prequel Jedi aliens largely don't do anything, and when they finally do they're doing generic prequel Jedi antics and dying.

Lol. I was going to argue Kit Fisto and Boba Fett weren't all too different in respect to how they are portrayed in the movies but the argument seemed ridiculous so I conceed to your point.

I thought I swore in it since it's on my personal TF site, but it turns out I curbed my language so here ya go: http://www.tfviews.com/forums/viewto...tart=20#p35401

Thanks. As I have said, I like hearing the different takes everyone has on figures so I can better judge my investments. No worries about language. I've been told I could make a sailor blush.

I ended up buying the non-zombie Cliffjumper GDO Chinese exclusive when it hit TRU and it's good enough for my CJ needs, definitely not good enough to warrant any extra money in any iteration.

I used to buy backups like you're describing but it got expensive and took up too much space, and a lot of it ended up not being worth keeping backups on when I finally got there (or rotted).

I still have not seen the Deluxe GDOs. Only the Voyager ones. Understandable on the back up figures. With new versions of popular characters coming out every year it can make a previous version obsolete. Not every character. My favorite Jedi Luke is probably the Legacy Sandstorm one. Favorites that I feel do get improved I will ebay after buying their replacements or let the kids open. What really makes me roll my eyes is when I grab triplets because I don't always remember what I have if it isn't currently on my shelf.

Thanks! Yeah, we really got into the Q&A rhthym going, but at least it gives us an edge now in these interviews.

Exactly! I look forward to those interviews every year because it's our only window into seeing what exactly the thought process is over there at Hasbro because at the retail level you'd hardly know they cared at all about the product that comes out or us collectors. Because of those interviews I know they try and too often their hands are tied by corporate beuracracy.

Don Figueroa, and the Titanium Series that Tycho is talking about is that very same Ultra Magnus. Not sure I udnerstand what you mean about the shoulder missiles though.

Mine is in storage right now but if memory serves me the missile launchers peg in upside down on the shoulders in robot mode. They can't be flipped or reversed to correct it because of the way they connect in vehicle mode where they are right side up.

Eh, after Havoc there's really not much she could do on film that's more provactive.

I love and bought that movie for that very reason.

Never, that's what Hasbro does only in the first wave of each new line because there isn't past product to carry forward. In nearly every subsequent wave, they try to predict which characters will be in demand from previous waves and carry them forward. That's done to fill space from not being able to produce enough volume to meet demand - first in the previous wave, and then also in the new figures who ramp up production levels.

Quit trying to burst my bubble man! Lol. Sad but true. Sometimes though it feels like they intentionally short pack a character they know will sell and do not carry it forward to create demand. I'm still unsure how that generates any sales though. Seems more like shooting themselves in the foot.

By the way, I snagged an AOTC Slave-1 up for $20 at a local comic shop. Had some scuffs on the canopy and some stressing on the tail guns but was 100% complete and in great condition otherwise. It appears slightly smaller than my SOTF version but I think it's still an improvement with all the missiles, mines and the cockpit seating (standing) 3 figures. I'm hoping the Amazon exclusive won't be insanely over priced but if it is I will be happy with the two versions I now have.

[JediTricks]

Yeah. I like to keep things somewhat obscure. I have a mythosaur skull tattoo on my arm and everyone asks if the artist messed up trying to do a bull or deer skull. I get a kick out of it.

To be honest, I thought that would be more recognizable, I am too much a geek.

I recently found Rewind & Sunder and Ramhorn & Eject and picked them up. They looked a bit better than the Decepticon cassettes. They are actually pretty neat and have a spring loaded transformation not entirely like Bakugon (which uses magnets). I think the switch is supposed to be triggered when they are ejected from Soundwave or Blaster so they automatically transform. They are growing on me and I am tempted to buy the others. Sunder is sweet. Ramhorn tends to stick and doesn't auto transform very good. Looks great though. The bots feet need to be folded out manually and only stand when the feet are half folded out. The arms if not rotated a certain way while posing tend to try and fold the figure back up into a disk. Same scale as Legends and Cyberverse. Also snagged the new Grimlock and Smokescreen. If anyone is curious on my thoughts I am happy to share otherwise I don't wanna derail the thread that much.

Yes! Metroplex is a must have for me and fortunately he is scheduled to be released right around my birthday. Those triple changers have me excited as well. I'm hoping a new Astrotrain will round out the set.

I ended up getting Soundblaster, Ravage and Frumble, and Blaster, and a buddy picked me up Ramhorn & Eject which we're waiting to swap. The Bakugan magnets only release a trigger, the rest of the gimmick there is spring-loaded, but it's more clever and cheaper than these - I have a ton of Bakugan from a clearance last year. I think the springs on the TF disk minions can't trigger from the plunger because the cavity holds the figure closed until after it's all the way out of the cavity and by then the trigger is no longer being pushed by the plunger. Sometimes Buzzsaw will transform that way though, but mostly he transforms hitting the table. Ravage and Steeljaw are awful product and should be avoided. I think Eject is the best use of the bot design, and he's got a different sculpt from them as well, but I haven't seen in person yet to compare.

Generations already has an existing Astrotrain, so it's unlikely they'd redo him despite the original retailer listing for Blitzwing mistakenly showing "Astrotrain". They're doing Sandstorm reusing the Springer mold though, exchanging rotors for hoverjet wings, that's pretty cool.

I'm still seeing them. On the card backs Vader is 20 and Anakin is 19. I forget the numbers for Kenobi and Jinn but the Anakin must be out there and just getting picked up quickly. I didn't intend to get Anakin but if those are the only four figures being offered with that feature I might as well complete the set.

Non-US release now.

Lol. I was going to argue Kit Fisto and Boba Fett weren't all too different in respect to how they are portrayed in the movies but the argument seemed ridiculous so I conceed to your point.

To paraphrase Yoda, "grins not make one great."

I still have not seen the Deluxe GDOs. Only the Voyager ones. Understandable on the back up figures. With new versions of popular characters coming out every year it can make a previous version obsolete. Not every character. My favorite Jedi Luke is probably the Legacy Sandstorm one. Favorites that I feel do get improved I will ebay after buying their replacements or let the kids open. What really makes me roll my eyes is when I grab triplets because I don't always remember what I have if it isn't currently on my shelf.

Ironically, my situation is the opposite, I've never seen the Voyagers, and occasionally have seen the Deluxes.

Yeah, getting redoubles is the worst, I've been there.

Exactly! I look forward to those interviews every year because it's our only window into seeing what exactly the thought process is over there at Hasbro because at the retail level you'd hardly know they cared at all about the product that comes out or us collectors. Because of those interviews I know they try and too often their hands are tied by corporate beuracracy.

Mine is in storage right now but if memory serves me the missile launchers peg in upside down on the shoulders in robot mode. They can't be flipped or reversed to correct it because of the way they connect in vehicle mode where they are right side up.

Judging on pics, it looks like they can, they're simple pegs.

Quit trying to burst my bubble man! Lol. Sad but true. Sometimes though it feels like they intentionally short pack a character they know will sell and do not carry it forward to create demand. I'm still unsure how that generates any sales though. Seems more like shooting themselves in the foot.

That's the collectors' fear, that Hasbro somehow doesn't want us to have product, that they're artificially inflating rarity for some reason, but as you said, how does that gain them anything? They're just trying the best they can, and the best they can is not always that great at picking winners. My TRU still has Yarnas.

By the way, I snagged an AOTC Slave-1 up for $20 at a local comic shop. Had some scuffs on the canopy and some stressing on the tail guns but was 100% complete and in great condition otherwise. It appears slightly smaller than my SOTF version but I think it's still an improvement with all the missiles, mines and the cockpit seating (standing) 3 figures. I'm hoping the Amazon exclusive won't be insanely over priced but if it is I will be happy with the two versions I now have.

Yeah, I like the AOTC release, it's a nice vehicle and the gimmicks are fun. If you like interiors though, it's almost as pointless as the vintage, which is what this new one has going for it, but the price can make or break this release.

[Mr. JabbaJohnL]

I'm still seeing them. On the card backs Vader is 20 and Anakin is 19. I forget the numbers for Kenobi and Jinn but the Anakin must be out there and just getting picked up quickly. I didn't intend to get Anakin but if those are the only four figures being offered with that feature I might as well complete the set.

Light-up Darth Vader was released, but light-up Anakin is a more complicated story. He appears on the back of the USA packaging, but was never released stateside - despite what Hasbro initially said, for whatever reason, Movie Heroes wave 3 ended up consisting solely of light-up Vader and rappel-line snowspeeder Luke. Samples exist of Anakin on European Darth Maul cards, but it seems like this version is very rare. He's currently available on the Yoda card outside of the USA, though how plentiful he is, I'm not sure.

EDIT: JT posted as I was typing, but there ya go.

[RendarStillLives]

I ended up getting Soundblaster, Ravage and Frumble, and Blaster, and a buddy picked me up Ramhorn & Eject which we're waiting to swap. The Bakugan magnets only release a trigger, the rest of the gimmick there is spring-loaded, but it's more clever and cheaper than these - I have a ton of Bakugan from a clearance last year. I think the springs on the TF disk minions can't trigger from the plunger because the cavity holds the figure closed until after it's all the way out of the cavity and by then the trigger is no longer being pushed by the plunger. Sometimes Buzzsaw will transform that way though, but mostly he transforms hitting the table. Ravage and Steeljaw are awful product and should be avoided. I think Eject is the best use of the bot design, and he's got a different sculpt from them as well, but I haven't seen in person yet to compare.

That's a shame. After seeing how cool the disks were I was strongly considering getting Blaster.

Generations already has an existing Astrotrain, so it's unlikely they'd redo him despite the original retailer listing for Blitzwing mistakenly showing "Astrotrain". They're doing Sandstorm reusing the Springer mold though, exchanging rotors for hoverjet wings, that's pretty cool.

I'm still hoping.

Judging on pics, it looks like they can, they're simple pegs.

The launchers as well as the shoulders have male and female pegs so when in truck mode it all fits snug together. In Robot mode the pegs can't be reversed or flipped so they look upside down. The sloped/raised area must face down in robot mode. I don't believe mine is an error because every version I have seen is like this.

That's the collectors' fear, that Hasbro somehow doesn't want us to have product, that they're artificially inflating rarity for some reason, but as you said, how does that gain them anything? They're just trying the best they can, and the best they can is not always that great at picking winners. My TRU still has Yarnas.

Mine still have Bespin Security Guards.

Yeah, I like the AOTC release, it's a nice vehicle and the gimmicks are fun. If you like interiors though, it's almost as pointless as the vintage, which is what this new one has going for it, but the price can make or break this release.

Agreed. Thought it was something I should jump on just in case the Big Slave-1 is out of my budget.

Light-up Darth Vader was released, but light-up Anakin is a more complicated story. He appears on the back of the USA packaging, but was never released stateside - despite what Hasbro initially said, for whatever reason, Movie Heroes wave 3 ended up consisting solely of light-up Vader and rappel-line snowspeeder Luke. Samples exist of Anakin on European Darth Maul cards, but it seems like this version is very rare. He's currently available on the Yoda card outside of the USA, though how plentiful he is, I'm not sure.

Weird how they release the figures with collection numbers around it but not that particular figure. I thought there was a law that they had to release what was advertised on the back of the package or something. Like when Wedge was originally released in Vintage but they wanted to re-work the figure so they did a small production run to avoid false advertising then released it in full production the next year or something like that.