1. You’ve maybe spoken out of turn about this at some point, but now that we have the latest Retro Collection ANH 6-pack to fill some gaps in our vintage Kenner collections, what’s next? Would love to hear your pitch for the next six “all-new” characters from ANH to get the Retro treatment.

There are still quite a few ANH icons to turn into Retro plastic: Cantina Band Member, Garindan, Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, Biggs Darklighter, Captain Antilles, Dodanna, Muftak, Wuher, Duros, and so many more cantina aliens.

ESB and ROTJ were both pretty well represented in the Kenner era, but are there any characters from those movies you’d really like to see in Retro?
-- Chad

I wish I knew what was next! Sometimes I find out about things early, and in this case I have zero insight as to the next set other than rumors. I heard one rumor from a source I can't recall (but is not vetted, so this is probably bunk) that it might be The Empire Strikes Back and might be late 2025 or early 2026. If that's a pre-order, or on-shelf, I have no idea, because who knows if it's even true?

I had a whole big long answer and threw it out to start over. I think most Kenner fans ultimately want everything - but if you look at the entirety of the Kenner/Hasbro oeuvre, it's a lot. If Hasbro made maybe a dozen more new guys and gave us updates of everything from 1978-1985 (including movie prototypes and cartoon prototypes) plus demakes of anybody new from POTF2, I'd be thrilled.

Star Wars: Arleil Schous, Tzizvvt, Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper), R1-G4 (based on the 2-legged Kenner prototype), Garindan, Wedge Antilles. I'd be happy with pretty much anything, and the only reason I'm not including Garindan is because Stan Solo made one. Even if it is reconstituted POTF2 parts. Cantina Band is high on my wish list but I don't know how they'd do him/them. R3-M3 would be great. Wuher, yes. Tonnikas, yes. Admittedly Owen and Beru were never high on my wish list - they're great collectibles, but I never felt their absence in the toy box as I didn't think Luke needed people to yell at him. I wouldn't mind a Biggs... or you know, regular X-Wing Luke reissues.

The Empire Strikes Back: I'd like to see Dagobah Training Tank Top Luke Skywalker, Bespin Escape Leia, and Smuggler Lando before it ends, as well as any remakes they care to produce. Maybe a Snowtrooper Captain or alternate version.

Return of the Jedi: Geezum, Death Star Luke Skywalker (Battle Poncho Luke body with new head and a lightsaber), Wedge Antilles, Ephant Mon, Elom, Gargan, new and old Imperial Dignitary figures, more Ewoks, more Aliens, I could go on. The movie is a treasure trove of designs in ways The Empire Strikes Back isn't.

I'd also love to get people to make this style of figure for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy BBC show, Hanging with Doctor Z, a Space Quest Roger Wilco, and especially the Droids cartoon and Ewoks TV movies. Vlix? Wilford Brimley? How can you go wrong?

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2. You keep talking about conditions leading to a possible end to the Retro line, but I can't see how Hasbro would walk away without taking a stab at Power of the Force figures: rare, in-demand figures that would easily sell out. They had a perfect opportunity to put out a set for the 40th anniversary, and yet not even an announcement. Do you think it is the coin issue that is holding them back from adding them to the Retro collection, or something else?
--Michael

Let's talk The Power of the Force first. I don't think it's the coins. It's worth noting that the original Kenner line did its whole 116-ish figure release and dozens of vehicles, playsets, and cases from 1978-1985 - so in eight years. The Retro Collection from 2019-2025 has released a grand total of 102ish action figures and some board games over seven years. For figures, I'd say they're (on average) releasing them at a steady clip - but not original trilogy characters, and not higher-dollar "accessories."

We got Yak Face - the final The Power of the Force 1985 figure - without a coin. There are only 14 more movie figures exclusive to the coin cards (and trilogo) era, Hasbro may have been doing everything they can to slow their rerelease to keep us on the hook. This isn't out of spite - it's the golden egg, and it's a line that hasn't fully blossomed even after several years. (I don't think it can, unless there are some widely available main characters.) Without adding something to the mix - vehicles, playsets, more new guys - a slow-drip release of a line of classic trilogy guys averaging low single digits per year can't blossom. There's just no momentum or engagement at one purchase every 1-3 years.

The most recent time Hasbro made coins was for The Vintage Collection cartoon figures. They resulted in retail prices about $3 over a normal figure. I don't think they need to be that expensive, but they got it. Hasbro could crank out a $13 figure with a coin and it'd sell - especially if they were POTF releases. There's no reason they couldn't just jack up the price of a 6-pack by $18 and throw coins in. Actually, I'm more surprised they haven't as it's a way to increase prices without fans complaining too much. If you got a reissue of a rare coin and a $3-$4 upcharge - would you complain? I wouldn't.

I've been saying that it would be cool if Hasbro did a HasLab set of the entire original Kenner line-up on The Power of the Force cardbacks with coins. Sure, it'd be 93 or maybe 97 figures, and it'd probably cost $1000, but wouldn't that be cool? Heck, even a framed set of coins, I'd throw down some cash for that.

If you're looking for someone to blame, it's probably us. I know I didn't take Retro seriously until we got new The Mandalorian figures in 2021 and it probably took until 2023 to say "this could be something!" because of how slow the roll-out until that year. I haven't made a fuss, you'll note most other fans haven't either, and Hasbro probably has little reason to jump on this format due to the low cost. We all have to keep making a fuss over them (heck, they're taking over Q&A.)

Let's now talk about the line ending.

The 50th anniversary is the time to go big and/or go home, and the line has been irregular. 6-packs hold back the line's full potential. Most widely-available single-carded figures aren't from the old movies, which is what the old people who like this kind of figure want. The line is playing on "hard mode," for sure. I assume we're going to keep getting Kenner-style product from Hasbro in drips regardless of its success because Disney is no doubt fielding inquiries from other manufacturers who want it. If Hasbro's making something - even something small - they will likely hang on to the license. I'm sure Hasbro wants to be in a position where they can say "we're still playing with it, don't make us give it away" even though it's not exactly the impulse-price easy-pick-up that it should be. Hopefully in 2027, you can buy a Yoda or a Vader off a peg for $12 or whatever it is with inflation.

So far there has been one SKU revealed for 2025. (The reissues don't count as new SKUs to fans or to Hasbro.) Maybe we'll see a second teased at SDCC this weekend. One SKU per year isn't "dead" but it's pretty close to a dormant line today.

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FIN

All of a sudden, stuff is shipping. I got two The Vintage Collection cases from work, including a very excellent Carson Teva figure. Target's starting to reset with a new Epic Force Users multi-pack that both looks interesting and, probably, will go on sale in a couple of months. I'm not sure if anything else big and new is coming soon, but I can hope. Maybe we'll get that Cantina early if people try to beat any future tariff stuff.

The important thing is, it's interesting for a little bit. It's kind of a shame when all of the new stuff hits at once, but that's Fall Reset Season I suppose. (And it seems to be coming early this year - a lot of toys are hitting shelves this week.)

So, get out there, go see what you can find, and hopefully you'll have a neat summer. The mix of Vintage hitting now has some new characters or some figures that are different enough to count - like Asajj Ventress - but it remains light on any sort of original trilogy freshness. Sure, there's a new Dengar and yeah, a re-reissue of Ponda Baba... it's good for some fans. I'm hoping in the next couple of years we get some figures from Star Wars or Return of the Jedi that make me say "Oh, OK, I don't have that one at home." (I've basically given up hope for The Empire Strikes Back, Hasbro and Kenner haven't done everything but I'd say their coverage has been pretty exceptional. I'm not expecting the few weird background aliens, I don't need all the pilots or Rebels, but I certainly wouldn't mind some day seeing an ESB-specific version of Han Solo in Carbonite instead of the usual Return of the Jedi ones.)

--Adam Pawlus

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