1. How do you feel about that [Solo: A Star Wars Story] release schedule? I've grown to love the December release schedule (Star Wars already equals Christmas in my head), and I was hoping with Solo's behind-the-scenes problems, they'd have to push it to December 2018, but no such luck. (I'm actually still holding out hope for it).
--Chris

At this point if feels like Ron Howard is playing chicken with the release date, which isn't ideal for Hasbro or for anybody. With no trailer or footage yet, we're in a position where we could assume either a) Solo won't be out because it's screwed, or b) Disney is deliberately not showing footage as to not confuse people with The Last Jedi coming out. And it seems most people have no idea a new movie is coming, let alone two, so they really need to up their marketing game.

I think the annual release schedule is bad for business - stuff gets stale faster, and licensees don't have time to wallow in new movies for a second or third wave of products. Given how things change for the final edit, and older collectors seem to gravitate more toward familiar (but new) products, it's a wall of missed opportunities. I agree that keeping Star Wars at Christmas - or moving it to May - is a good idea. I don't care which, just keep it consistent and don't confuse the non-hardcores with these shifts.

As an added bonus, Avengers: Infinity War starts out in early may, and Star Wars hits about 3 weeks later - so both Disney and Hasbro are only competing with themselves next year, which strikes me as really bad planning considering that the best of these movies have decent legs. The new Thor is great and just had its second weekend at #1 - and that could go on if people decide they didn't want to see Justice League.

We've seen one big toy blockbuster postponed after the toys hit stores with G.I. Joe: Retaliation a few years ago. It's rare - but not impossible - for toys to see release and the movie to get pushed. Given that Bumblebee's movie got pushed back, I'm sure having three competing Christmas toy movies (they've also got an animated Spider-Man movie on the docket) is the last thing Hasbro wants next year.

 

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2. I have noticed that walgreens has been carrying a lot of the first three series of the kreo transformer lines. I haven't happened to look, but has any store you frequent have any of the g.i. Joe kreo figures? I can't remember how many series the transformers produced, but didn't g.i.Joe have 5 series. I'm curious if there was any hope to see these return to other stores like dollar general, since some of the small sets were sighted last year around thus time.
--Delphia

As of this week, I'm seeing a lot of new and old Kre-O at Walgreens and Dollar General - especially Transformers. I was surprised to see Robots in Disguise sets at the Dollar General while I was trying to find Jolt Cola (no luck yet there). I haven't seen any of the five series G.I. Joe this year - but there were repackaged Dungeons & Dragons sets, so that might be reason enough to keep looking. Family Dollar stores get some strange things this time of year, so good luck! The holidays flush all kinds of good stuff out.

3. There are no vintage dianoga variations that I am aware of, but the prototype was painted unlike the production version: http://theswca.com/index.php?action=disp_item&item_id=48389
--Todd

That's true - thanks for the reminder, Todd! Also the filler.

 

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