The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!

Not my point. I'm wondering how one can rationalize NECA making figures that are all completely new tooling, of a higher quality, and at a lower price point than Hasbro's line which is entirely reuse. It's either laziness or greed on Hasbro's part.

 

It's artificially inflating the price. Why else repack the exact same Millennium Falcon that sold for $149.99 just a very few short years ago and now ask $249.99 for it? Labor and materials in Asia haven't gone up that much in just a few years, at least not enough to justify a whopping 67% increase in the retail price of an item that has nothing whatsoever changed or updated except the outer packaging.

In Star Wars collecting circles it's often called "the Nostalgia Tax," which is usually exacerbated by something being a retailer exclusive.

 

Some of the Avengers got together to celebrate the Fourth of July, as well as Captain America's birthday! Steve doesn't look 95, does he?





"D.C. or bust!" Uh-oh. I'm going to have a couple of stowaways when I go to Washington next week.



"Tasha, did you see my "Monumental Erection"? Get it?" "What are you Clint, twelve?" He's going to embarrass us while sight seeing...I just know it!

 

What has been seen cannot be unseen.

But I love it.

 

But it's definitely the answer.

They only do it because they know there are collectors who will pay it. That's how one can rationale it.

 

Just saw the Hot Toys Jor-El figure...I think they just went and topped themselves! I can't wait to see General Zod.

 

Yeah. Jor-El is freaking impressive. I can't wait to see the inevitable Zod.

Here's a link to a thread with pics of the figure.

 

Something Big and Awesome on the Horizon for Star Wars 3.75" Collectors?

Judging from the graphics and the font used this might have something to do with the possibility of more and new Vintage Collection three-packs based on the old, classic Kenner figure sets sold at retailers like Sears in the late '70s and around the time of Empire.

 

That link doesn't work apparently. I get a blocked message?

 

Yeah, apparently I attacked the site.

 

That happened to me too when I clicked on it again a short while ago. The link worked just fine when I first posted it. Forget it, just go to Jedi Temple Archives (.com) and click on the new article with "Epic" in the title.

Sorry about that. It's always something.

 

Some of the brand new 3.75" Star Wars action figures have just hit this very weekend, and are available at the toy chain called Smart Toys.

These are the reduced-articulation figures with simpler tooling that will sell for several dollars less than the more collector-focused premium figures in the Black Series line, but new is new and these might prove popular with some collectors and kids (not to mention parents) because of the significantly lower pricepoint. Keep your eyes peeled if you're interested in any of these. If this toy chain has just put them on the pegs then widespread release and sightings at the major big box retailers is probably imminent.

 

Hot Toys Iron Man Mark VII arrived today. Behold the incredibleness:

Weapons deployed:


Swap-out battle damage panels:


In flight:


Mr. Stark:


All lit up:


Here's all my Hot Toys Avengers so far. Just one enormous green rage monster left to go:

 

Here's how the brand new 2013 Saga Legends cardbacks compare in size to the recent Vintage Collection packaging. This is probably the smallest packaging for 3.75" Star Wars figures in the modern era save for the occasional small window box like the Fan Club-exclusive Oola and Salacious Crumb or Kabe and Muftak in the old POTF2 line.

Basically, we're looking at typical dollar store-style action figure packaging for the new, cheaper line aimed more at kids.

 

The very first look at the upcoming Kmart-exclusive Imperial Scanning Crew 2-pack in Vintage Collection packaging. This is the companion set to the Ewok Assault Catapult figures and weapon and both sets should be released in Kmart stores at the same time.

 

I picked up the Play Arts Kai Dark Knight Joker. He's pretty great looking if you enjoy the stylized PAK figures. Though he is light on accessories compared to Batman. He comes with two extra heads, one of which is identical to the main head, except the makeup is smudged. The other is the bank robbery mask, which he never wore with this costume. The articulation is nice, though, and he makes a great companion piece for Batman.

 

The Imperial Scanning Crew officers from the original film? It took Kenner and Hasbro more than two decades after the first movie came out in theaters to make the very first Scanning Crew action figure (1998), and it was a pack-in with a collector/carrying case and not available as a separate purchase. Six years later they took that same figure, repainted him with more film-accurate details to improve upon the original release and put him in stores as an individually carded figure.

They did a super-articulated, far more accurate Scanning Crew officer in 2009 and this one is the companion figure that they originally intended to release back then but never got around to doing. The Stormtrooper is a repack of a previous release and not new. There might be two different versions of this set, one with the Stormtrooper and the other with the black-uniformed officer Lt. Childsen (the head of the Death Star's detention block where Princess Leia was being kept prisoner).

 

Super-articulated scanning crew officer. Yes, that's one that fans were clamboring for.

 

Yeah, while I do personally speak with some collectors who really want another super articulated Scanning Officer I can't imagine most have been that excited about getting more of him. There were plans to make a head variant of the 2009 Legacy Collection figure so there'd be two to choose from but those plans fell through and they didn't do anything else with the idea until now.

So some hardcore folks do desire this new guy, but with all the figures they could be releasing I don't think he falls on most Top Ten lists of wants and must-haves. Being a Kmart exclusive in Vintage Collection packaging it'll probably sell out and be successful like the last two sets that the store got, but it's not like this thing is some Emperor's Throne Room set with a brand-new, definitive ROTJ Palpatine and his throne.