Yet another list of Kmart and Sears store closures has been posted, furthering the former retail giant's goal of exiting several states.  This batch is set to close by mid-April, and this may be your last chance to visit the once-proud Kmart.  Thousands of years ago Kmart was king over Walmart and Target, and today both Kmart and Sears combined have just a few hundred stores left.   When going on your toy hunts, enjoy your stroll through those aisles as we're in a constantly changing era.

Let's start the new year with a figure that's really good, but kind of boring.   Finn (Resistance Fighter) looks a lot like the Jakku version of the hero from the last movie, thanks in part to the hair, blaster, jacket being the same.  The shirt, pants, and boots are new.  It's a good figure and - surprisingly - a lot of slow-to-sell figures seem to be evaporating at my local big box stores.  If you can still find Finn, should you get him?  Read on!

This week in Q&A - I assume you've seen The Last Jedi by now! More new characters... are probably not coming any time soon. And Unsolicited New Figures... are still unsolicited. And let's keep talking about The Last Jedi, because if you haven't seen it by now I would advise taking a break from reading fan sites until you do.

And send in your questions for next week. Read on!

Things like this didn't happen for new movies when George was still around.   Poe Dameron (Resistance Pilot, The Last Jedi Line Look)  is a new mold - and that's why I hate it.  If it were a repack, it'd be a repack - an economic necessity.  If you look closely and compare it to The Force Awakens Poe figures, the textures are new, there are changes to the copyright markings, and it has added wrist joints.  But the wrinkles on his uniform are identical. The head sculpt still lacks heroic scruff.   They made an entirely new mold for a figure that the hardcore fan already has two, perhaps three times over. Is it worth buying this individually carded figure?  Read on!

Available at a Toys R Us near you, this  Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,440: Rey (The Black Series 6-Inch, Premium Exclusive) is a wee bit more expensive than will likely make you happy.  She has a planet-specific base that isn't quite true to the movie scenes, but there are die-cast metal accessories and more bruising.  You get a lot of stuff in a nicely-sized box, but is it worth tracking down?   Eh.  Read on!

This week in Q&A - spoilers from toys! It happens - but sometimes we get red herrings. And The Last Jedi toy pricing - it's like we're back in the 1980s. Also get Snoked and get your Snoke figures before they go out of style.

And send in your questions for next week. Read on!

After a few years of constant movie releases with no real reset - or that reset to a line filled with collector-friendly and kidvid-handy classic characters every couple of years - sales really are down.  The Hollywood Reporter writes Star Wars 'Last Jedi' Toy Shipments Down Sharply From 'Force Awakens' - which, with fewer waves of figures and tons of leftover stuff from the last two years in circulation, makes a lot of sense.

Any aging fan can tell you that there are high points and low points - figures started to get blown out cheaply as the original trilogy wound up, becoming dusty and unsold as the 1980s wore on.  

This is a good one.  The General Leia Organa (The Last Jedi Line Look)  has a good head sculpt and a nice paint job, a great improvement over the (let's say) distinctive eyebrows from the last movie's 3 3/4-inch Leia.  Should you get one?  Yes.  But still, read on.

If you've been to Target you probably saw the Luke Skywalker (The Black Series 6-Inch, Premium Exclusive).  It's good - but it's $10 more than the regular one for a stand, a metal hand, and some cloth parts.  Is it worth the upcharge, or rebuy?  Read on!

This week in Q&A - Vintage! It's coming soon, and possibly an idea whose time has passed. I hope that isn't true. Pack-in problems - is Hasbro likely to release a figure by its lonesome? Not no more they ain't. And vehicles on the dismantle - not everything should be popped apart.

We are not talking specifics about The Last Jedi.

And send in your questions for next week. Read on!

I saw The Last Jedi last night, but I wrote the review of BB-9E (Droid Factory Line Look)  a couple of weeks ago so as to avoid spoilers for you all.  It's a nice figure!  It looks good!  And yes, this is the Disney one - we'll look at Hasbro's shortly.  Read on!

Disney's exclusive BB-4 (Droid Factory Line Look)  gives us a glimpse at the new movie that opens tomorrow.  So soon?  Yes.   Anyway, what's his deal? I don't really know yet, but I look forward to finding out.  Read on!

This is the week you've been waiting for!   The Last Jedi debuts in just a couple of days, and Luke Skywalker (Jedi Exile) is in stores now, possibly.  You'll hear Luke Skywalker speak for the first time in 34 years, so what could possibly be on his mind?  Hopefully he won't be complaining about this new action figure, as it's pretty great.  Read on!

This week in Q&A - Kohl's Exclusives! Are they lacking in freshness? Yes. The Lost Death Star Playset is more than one concept, and it's still lost. Also competition within the brand - is it really a problem? It depends on your point of view.

And send in your questions for next week. Read on!

While single carded samples of Emperor Palpatine (The Last Jedi Line Look)  have surfaced, right now you can only get him in the set at Target - and it's a winner.  While the robes prevent seating, it's a stunning design with great swappable hands and above-par sculpting.  I hope you got one.  Read on!