The Action Figure and Toy Collecting and Discussion Thread!

[Astra]

Sorry, I'm sometimes a bit thick. Simplified steps help my poor goldfish brain some days. How do you cut off the collar? Exacto or Dremmel?

No problem! I'm always happy to help as I also have gotten lots of help from others.

I just used a cutter. With the first figure I did, I first took the head off so cutting was easier and the head would not get damaged but then I had trouble getting the head back on. There is a big plug and a small hole.

Also pulling the head off like that can actually tear of the plug and then the head won't hold anymore.
There is another method where you remove the arms first and then split the body into two halves at its sides. That way you can remove the head easier but it seemed too complicated for what I wanted to do.

So I simply and carefully cut at the collar with a cutter. The trick is to stop before hitting the neck. There is a little gap between collar and neck, so I just went slowly and carefully, bit by bit. And I did always turn the backside to the area where I was cutting so in case I did hit the neck, at least it would be at the back and not at the front.

The problem is, now that I cut off the collar - but I still wanted to use both short sleeves and long sleeves. Turns out, the long sleeves belong to the turtleneck shirt and the short sleeves to the t-shirt. There is no shirt without collar but still long sleeves. Ah well. Can't have it both ways I guess, and maybe nobody than me will notice!

 

[fireproof78]

No problem! I'm always happy to help as I also have gotten lots of help from others.

I just used a cutter. With the first figure I did, I first took the head off so cutting was easier and the head would not get damaged but then I had trouble getting the head back on. There is a big plug and a small hole.

Also pulling the head off like that can actually tear of the plug and then the head won't hold anymore.
There is another method where you remove the arms first and then split the body into two halves at its sides. That way you can remove the head easier but it seemed too complicated for what I wanted to do.

So I simply and carefully cut at the collar with a cutter. The trick is to stop before hitting the neck. There is a little gap between collar and neck, so I just went slowly and carefully, bit by bit. And I did always turn the backside to the area where I was cutting so in case I did hit the neck, at least it would be at the back and not at the front.

The problem is, now that I cut off the collar - but I still wanted to use both short sleeves and long sleeves. Turns out, the long sleeves belong to the turtleneck shirt and the short sleeves to the t-shirt. There is no shirt without collar but still long sleeves. Ah well. Can't have it both ways I guess, and maybe nobody than me will notice!

Thank you!

 

[fireproof78]

Bump, I guess, nothing terribly exciting. But, Rebel Scum reported new figures announced from Star Wars Celebration, including more stormtroopers. Link here.

Between this and the Morok disguise Mando it will be an army building year.

 

[cooleddie74]

 

[fireproof78]

What. No Stormtrooper?

That R2 is actually not bad. Still trying to figure out the Gunner vest though.

 

[Kor]

That R2 figure looks good, with the pop-up sensorscope and the arm thing that pops out of the front. I've been thinking about getting a newer R2 for some time. Mine is this one from the 1990s with 'vac-metal' chrome plating on a clearish blue plastic dome, so if you put him under a light then it looks like the front eye thing is glowing. Unfortunately the casting is misaligned between the two halves of the dome. From pics and videos online, it seems like a little misalignment was pretty common, but it's even worse on mine.

Kor

 

[fireproof78]

That R2 figure looks good, with the pop-up sensorscope and the arm thing that pops out of the front. I've been thinking about getting a newer R2 for some time. Mine is this one from the 1990s with 'vac-metal' chrome plating on a clearish blue plastic dome, so if you put him under a light then it looks like the front eye thing is glowing. Unfortunately the casting is misaligned between the two halves of the dome. From pics and videos online, it seems like a little misalignment was pretty common, but it's even worse on mine.

Kor

Too bad. Yeah I have a couple of tool versions of R2, including that one. But this sculpt is really good and might be worth an addition.

 

[cooleddie74]

What. No Stormtrooper?

That R2 is actually not bad. Still trying to figure out the Gunner vest though.

They haven't yet revealed the packaged image of the new Stormtrooper on the "Star Wars" cardback. They're being real sly with unrolling that one.

 

[fireproof78]

They haven't yet revealed the packaged image of the new Stormtrooper on the "Star Wars" cardback. They're being real sly with unrolling that one.

Must still be being edited.

 

[Kor]

While I do have the new Tatooine Boba Fett on pre-order, I don't see why it's being labeled/boxed as a "deluxe" figure at a higher price. Hasbropulse.com claims that it has "Deluxe deco and design with more detail than the standard The Vintage Collection figure." But it's hard to see much of a difference from the pictures. The face might have a little more shading than some of the other TVC figures, or that could just be because of lighting. It does have a couple more accessories than some of the other figures. But still, it doesn't seem like enough of a difference to cost almost twice as much.

Kor

 

[cooleddie74]

It's not worth $26.49 as opposed to a regular Vintage Collection figure on a blister cardback. That's at most $17.99 worth of plastic. They're just marketing it in a larger blind box to help justify the higher pricepoint.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

How many 3.75" tall Imperial gunner figure editions have there been?

 

[cooleddie74]

One in the classic Kenner line and several in the Modern. The three that come most to mind are the 2006 Saga Collection one, the 2019 Vintage Collection Imperial Gunner based on Rogue One and this one.

 

[Kor]

I just have the Power of the Force Death Star gunner figure. Limited articulation, but for me that's fine since all the character does is stand around and push buttons. Of course, the sculpts are better on the newer ones. So I might get the one pictured above.

Kor

 

[fireproof78]

I just have the Power of the Force Death Star gunner figure. Limited articulation, but for me that's fine since all the character does is stand around and push buttons. Of course, the sculpts are better on the newer ones. So I might get the one pictured above.

Kor

Grabbing this new one is probably your best bet. The Saga edition, which is a great sculpt and good accessories, is running $20+ for a used figure. It's frustrating, especially since the figure comes with a removable chest armor which is a nice piece all on it's own.

Wonder if this new one has a removable helmet.

 

[Kor]

Grabbing this new one is probably your best bet. The Saga edition, which is a great sculpt and good accessories, is running $20+ for a used figure. It's frustrating, especially since the figure comes with a removable chest armor which is a nice piece all on it's own.

Wonder if this new one has a removable helmet.

I wonder if this may be a re-release of the 2019 figure. I don't notice any differences: https://www.banthaskull.com/photo_galleries/gallery/ph_vc_death_star_gunner#gallery-1

It seems kind of soon to do a re-release that's carded for a different movie. The other recent re-releases/repaints in the Vintage Collection line were of figures from about ten years ago. But in this case the 2019 figure seems to be uncommon. There's one on eBay for about $70. So a wider re-release would be good.

Kor

 

[fireproof78]

I wonder if this may be a re-release of the 2019 figure. I don't notice any differences: https://www.banthaskull.com/photo_galleries/gallery/ph_vc_death_star_gunner#gallery-1

It seems kind of soon to do a re-release that's carded for a different movie. The other recent re-releases/repaints in the Vintage Collection line were of figures from about ten years ago. But in this case the 2019 figure seems to be uncommon. There's one on eBay for about $70. So a wider re-release would be good.

Kor

Interesting. Reading the full review reveals that this figure is not perfectly accurate to A New Hope but is specific to Rogue One. Also, according to that review, there are six different styles of chest pieces the gunners have worn which means that the vest might slightly different allowing for the release.

More my hope is that it is just an update from that version with better details since Hasbro has a new process.

 

[Kor]

I recently got the Bespin Escape Leia TVC figure, a new figure released last year. I think it was a bit lazy of them to reuse the torso from the 2010 Hoth Outfit Leia, as it has swivel hip joints (so the legs can only swing forward and backward) and a swivel waist. I feel that new TVC figures should all have ball joints for the waist and hips.

Kor

 

[fireproof78]

I recently got the Bespin Escape Leia TVC figure, a new figure released last year. I think it was a bit lazy of them to reuse the torso from the 2010 Hoth Outfit Leia, as it has swivel hip joints (so the legs can only swing forward and backward) and a swivel waist. I feel that new TVC figures should all have ball joints for the waist and hips.

Kor

That's too bad. Appreciate the feedback as I always like the jumpsuit she wears but those joints sound annoying.

 

[Kor]

So apparently, Target is periodically making more pre-orders available in limited quantities for the Axe Woves, Koska Reeves and Migs Mayfeld TVC figures. I just managed to place my pre-order for Migs.

As of this very moment while I'm typing this comment, the Axe and Koska figures also have the "Pre-order now" button, but when you click it, it says the item is now out of stock. ....And I must have gotten the last Migs that was available today, because now the same thing happens with the pre-order button for that item!

I actually wanted Axe and Koska but wasn't even planning on getting Migs. Oh well. I'll keep checking the site. Rumor has it that weekdays from 8 am to 10 am Pacific time is the best time to check. It's tedious, but if I can get a hold of them through Target at normal price, it definitely beats paying $50 each on fleabay.

Edit: So that was yesterday, March 23rd. This morning, the 24th, Wal-mart opened up pre-orders of their TVC exclusives. R2-D2 and the stormtrooper are already sold out, but I was able to get my pre-order in for both Bespin guards. I've been waiting for new Bespin Guard figures for a long time. I have the one from the "Power of the Jedi" line, but I missed the more articulated ones released a few years after that, and they tend to be expensive on the secondary market.

Kor