The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!

[cooleddie74]

I've seen those at Target and Walmart but pass because I don't collect any LotR or Hobbit stuff. Which company makes them? Hasbro?

[OdoWanKenobi]

No, it's a new company called The Bridge Direct. Before, it looks like they've only made dolls and plushes. This is their first action figure line. I'd say the can pretty well go toe to toe with anything Hasbro is putting out in this scale, though. It's nice to see some fresh blood getting shelf space against the big two.

Back when the Lord of the Rings films came out, it was Toybiz that had the license, and they did a brilliant job with it. Oh Toybiz......*sniff*

[cooleddie74]

I didn't buy any of those figures but they did look glorious. That Toybiz Gollum....wow. I still remember how incredible it was after more than a decade. The old LotR action figure line was art.

[OdoWanKenobi]

I miss Toybiz so much. In my estimation, LotR and Marvel Legends firmly cement them as one of the greatest toy companies ever. Hasbro has never been able to match the amazing stuff that Toybiz put out for Marvel.

[cooleddie74]

I think Hasbro could and can if they wanted, but they'd end up coming up with some pretty weak excuses to charge $18.99 or $19.99 for a basic 3.75" action figure and price their entire company right out of the market. I don't underestimate Hasbro -they're capable of amazing toys when they set their minds to it - but I think they're too big a collection of corner-cutting pennypinchers to give us Toybiz quality and not charge twenty bucks for each character.

[cooleddie74]

Amazon has $8.00 Star Wars figures (some brand spankin' new and highly sought after) if you know what to look for and don't mind mashed and mangled packaging!

Might be worth a look for those of you who open everything and don't care if the cardbacks are creased or even torn. It might be a great way to get that hard-to-score army builder from a recent wave that you never saw in stores.

[Kirk's_Tights]

The prices of figures is really ridiculous these days. A batman toy is $15 at Wal-Mart....seriously? I mean, if it were a Todd McFarlane type of toy, okay, I can see it being a little pricey because his figures are awesome, but, come on, some normal looking figure?

Not a figure but most of the Bratz dolls are no less than $30.


I miss the days of good toys that didn't cost so much.

[cooleddie74]

Some retailers on the East and West Coasts have sold Star Wars action figures for as high as $11.99 apiece, with Target being the worst offender in higher income metro areas.

Even in middle America the price of a basic action figure has risen from about $4.99 at the end of the nineties and the early years of the 2000's to at least $9.96 today. The prices are almost sure to break the four-digit threshold even in small towns as this decade progresses, and I could easily see a basic Hasbro action figure costing twelve bucks before tax by the time Episode VII hits theaters and toy aisles in the spring of 2015.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I was in FYE at my local mall and I stumbled on that (character debut) Republic Trooper from the Old Republic, so I bought it (it cost $11 bucks!!) for a friend of mine. she will like it. She has a goal to collect every form of storm or clone trooper ever released - even multiple versions - so she could have a battalion, but she hadn't seen this one!

I also included another gift, the great little book Darth Vader and Son. I recommend it to any fan. Very, very funny. It depicts scenarios that would have taken place if Vader had actually raised his son Luke.

[cooleddie74]

That's cool you know who these figures are and buy them, man! My FYE doesn't have any of the brand new, online-exclusive Vintage figures like the Old Republic Trooper (not at the moment, anyways) and that's a great score....along with the Emperor's Royal Guard it's the most desired figure from that wave.

Well done.

I'll have to look up that book and give it a read....thanks!

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

cooleddie74 wrote:

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That's cool you know who these figures are and buy them, man! My FYE doesn't have any of the brand new, online-exclusive Vintage figures like the Old Republic Trooper (not at the moment, anyways) and that's a great score....along with the Emperor's Royal Guard it's the most desired figure from that wave.

Well done.

I'll have to look up that book and give it a read....thanks!

My FYE has some toys and figures near the back of the store. It's pretty cool, despite their insane prices.

I haven't given the trooper to her yet, but I'll try to get the picture I sent her of it on the board. I took it with my cell phone, so later I'll email it to myself and try to post it here.

The trooper has a really awesome gun, and he has to hold it like a mini-gun, a'la Jessie Ventura from Predator or T-800 from T2.

Here's the Amazon listing for that book. I wanted to write about here, although it's not a figure. It doesn't quite deserve it's own thread on the science fiction section, but it's guaranteed to bring a smile to any fan.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I took a picture of it, you can see the FYE sticker. I just learned this thing runs for quite a bit more online!

[cooleddie74]

Sweet! Thanks for sharing the picture.

Yeah, the Old Republic Trooper can fetch a hefty amount on eBay.

[OdoWanKenobi]

Congrats on the score. My FYE has never carried Star Wars, unfortunately. They do carry some Doctor Who figures, and some of NECA's video game stuff, but that's about it.

[Shazam!]

Got the big ass VC Endor AT-AT. I know it's not accurate, but it looks amazing stood there with Luke hanging from it.