This week in Q&A - The Old Expanded Universe Action Figures in the late 200Xes were great - can we have more? (No.) The free market - it gives, and it takes away. Solo! Thank goodness the toys are still coming. Even though you didn't see the movie, it's filled with neat toy idas.
Be sure you send in your questions for next week. Read on!
She's new! Well, newish. The Princess Leia Organa (Hoth) is one of precious few new "classic" figures this year - and she has articulated boots! And a weird blaster. But hey, it's a new Leia - we don't get many of those. Read on!
For the first time in ages, we have only one known Star Wars movie release date. Disney CEO Bob Iger talks about the possibility of having too many movies in THR's feature "Bob Iger Talks Disney's Streaming Service, 'Roseanne,' James Gunn and a Coming 'Star Wars' "Slowdown." A choice quote:
"I made the [annual Star Wars theatrical release] timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made — I take the blame — was a little too much, too fast. You can expect some slowdown, but that doesn't mean we're not going to make films. J.J. [Abrams] is busy making [Episode] IX. We have creative entities, including [Game of Thrones creators David] Benioff and [D.B.] Weiss, who are developing sagas of their own, which we haven't been specific about. And we are just at the point where we're going to start making decisions about what comes next after J.J.'s. But I think we're going to be a little bit more careful about volume and timing. And the buck stops here on that."
This week in Q&A - Expanded Universe action figures returning? Some will - but don't hold your breath. More Solo figures - they're on the way. And Enfys Nest - no, no removable helmet.
Be sure you send in your questions for next week. Read on!
One of the many figures you forgot existed and won't realize you don't have until 5 years from now, Disney's R5-232 (Droid Factory Line Look) can be bought right now. It has a new restraining bolt, but otherwise is just a fancy redeco of a mold you've had access to for quite some time. It's still one of the more interesting droids in this set based on Solo: A Star Wars Story. Read on!
Packed with her Swoop Bike, this Enfys Nest action figure looks great! There's no removable helmet, but the sci-fi meets local flavor costume combines armor, fur, and a cape to bring to life a Zorro-like mantle that could be handed down and return in later installments. It's a pretty good figure with a pretty nice bike. Read on!
This week in Q&A - Mego returns! At Target, right now, cheaply. General Veers - hold your horses, he's still coming. More Clone Wars chatter - hey, people love that show.
Be sure you send in your questions for next week. Read on!
The Stormtrooper (Mimban, AT-DT) is really cool and comes with one of the best Hasbro 3 3/4-inch scale vehicles in recent memory - it explodes! The figure doesn't, though - it's just a nice trooper that you'll wish you could easily build into your armies, and you can't. Read on!
The Han Solo (Kessel Run Millennium Falcon) may be popping up in a playset later this year - we'll need to wait and see how many changes they make - but you can get get it with a rather small Falcon right now! The figure isn't bad - it's as Kenner-y as anything we've had in recent years. Read on!
This week in Q&A - The Lost Pitch Figures - remember when Kenner had competition for figures? The Clone Wars - sure, maybe no more questions here though. And Solo - does it seem likely to have legs once the home video ends?
Be sure you send in your questions for next week. Read on!
This Chewbacca (Vandor-1 Playset) is like the other one, but with goggles. I think the growls are slightly different, but that may not be a selling point - the playset is, though. Read on!
The Solo 4-pack is pretty hit and miss with two fairly interesting robots and two that do not impress. The R2-S8 (Droid Factory Line Look) is my favorite in the set - not only is it black and white and red all over, but there's weird and colorful writing on the dome. It's good! You should get this one. Read on!
This week in Q&A - HasLab! Have there been rumblings? Online vs. Retail - well, we've been talking about this for 23 years now. Sail Barge populations - will there be more returning favorites?
Be sure you send in your questions for next week. Read on!
Over the last few years we've been tracking the slow decline of Kmart and Sears, two former titans of retail that have outlasted Toys R Us and numerous other retail behemoths. Today 46 more stores were announced to be getting the axe, and you can read the list of them here.
It's been a fascinating year for toys, where a once-unstoppable monster like Toys R Us went from crushing numerous regional competitors to being closed forever in the USA, and mere months later the long-dormant Mego Corp action figure line is back, and at Target, and cheap. Things keep changing, but remain unpredictable as we move into an increasingly unstable future in the world of toys.