Here is the latest ad blast from our sponsors at BigBadToyStore featuring new pre-orders and in stock items. Pre-order the new ARTFX+ General Grievous by Kotobukiya and much more! Check out the full listing after the jump!

For many, the joys and pains of collecting can be summed up in one word--exclusive. A hard-to-obtain, limited piece can be the prize of a collection both as a rarity and as a memory of a trip. But obtaining these exclusives often is difficult for many either involving expensive trips or high premiums on the secondary market. But as the 2013 convention season commences new exclusives are being announced every week.

From our sponsors at Brian's Toys: Brian's Toys' newsletter this week is jam-packaged full of new stuff from Master Replicas to Vintage Tri-Logo!  Get your hands on some rare Revenge of the Jedi mini-rig proof sheets from Kenner.  Or be one of the few to own Signature Editions of the eFX Luke "Red Five" X-Wing Fighter, Master Replicas Boba Fett Helmet, or the Luke Skywalker ROTJ Version 2 Lightsaber.

The demise of Star Wars software was slightly exaggerated, as Sony posted a new Star Wars Pinball Pack by Zen Studios today.  It's $9.99 for 3 new tables with trophies, and that probably means we might see these on another platform very soon. 

This is the second Republic Gunship in the Fighter Pods range, and it's pretty neat.  It's not as huge as the box makes it appear to be, but it has a clever launching mechanism and includes 4 mini-figures.  Two of these, Mace Windu and Kit Fisto, are exclusive.  But enough of me rambling - want to see it?  And a blind bag figure opening?  I've got both of these, for you, after the jump.

Let's talk Vehicles in Q&A! That's a great start. And how about a reissue of the Rancor, should you hold your breath? I wouldn't. But you can if you'd like. What does the future hold for realistic figures of Clone Wars cartoon characters? Not much probably. All this and more as we wait for actual new product announcements in this week's Q&A - feel free to send in your questions for next time!

From our sponsors at BigBadToyStore.com: We are having a spring sale with reduced prices on some of our overstocked products, including Transformers, Batman, Marvel Universe, Marvel Legends, Star Wars and more.  Check out the reduced pricing on the list and start saving!

Standing a whopping 31-inches tall, Darth Vader is quite possibly the largest Star Wars action figure ever and certainly the best when it comes to getting the most toy-by-the-inch-for-the-money.  Estimated to come in at Entertainment Earth in May, like probably any day at this rate, the figure is similar to Jakks Pacific's other jumbo figures like the red Power Ranger or Man of Steel Superman, possibly at a store near you. In other words if you need a giant display piece, this is probably the toy of the year. Click here for pricing and availability.

Check this out - wasting no time, Joe Amaro made a Custom Black Series Jabba the Hutt for you 6-inch figure fans!  Nice!  It's really big, and you can see him standing next to a DC Universe Classics-scale Batman action figure for scale.

After the "freeze yourself in Carbonite" collectible, now the Disney Parks Blog reports you can also be a Stormtrooper! It's coming May 17 to Disney's Hollywood Studios as part of Star Wars Weekends.  It's $99.95 and takes a few weeks to deliver, but that's a lot faster than never getting to be a Stormtrooper that sits around on your desk.   And would you believe a similar, cheaper product exists for Star Trek too now?

The ToysRUs exclusive Vintage Collection Endor AT-AT is now available online for $129.99. TRU.com is currently offering FREE shipping with purchases of $79 or more along with a FREE Star Wars Fighter Pods pack.

Tomorrow a new era in Star Wars Expanded Universe novels beings with the release of Dawn of the Jedi:  Into the Void.  Written by Tim Lebbon and based on the Dark Horse comic series Dawn of the Jedi this book tells of Force users twenty-five thousand years before the battle of Yavin.  It's the first Star Wars novel set so early in the timeline, and also the first Star Wars novel by Lebbon.

Now that LucasArts is out, StarWars.com confirms EA is in.  Electronic Arts is one of the biggest video game publishers of all time with quite the reputation.  EA has a massive warchest and marketing reach to match, but has pioneered a number of gamer-unfriendly innovations while cultivating some of the greatest franchises of recent memory.

Good Monday to you! My hard drive failed over the weekend, and I was terrified. Let's divert my attention by discussing Dark Horse comics and the thought of every year being a movie year really soon. What's the scoop with all the new DIY and hand-made stuff? Why is it OK? Or is it OK? All this and more when you read on!

From our sponsors at BriansToys.com: Brian's Toys would also like to say May the 4th Be With You! To celebrate, Brian's Toys is offering Free Shipping for the next few days for orders over $40 that ship via UPS Ground.  To take advantage of the Free Shipping Promotion, add $40 worth of items to you shopping cart, select UPS Ground as your shipping method, and enter the promo code MAY4TH at checkout. (Note: This promotion is only available to contiguous United States customers.)