1. The Holy Grail question: is there any hope for a 48-inch / 31-inch / 20-inch Super Battle Droid?
--Alexander

This one tends to be a logistic issue. Specifically; as noted about 2-1B, the Super Battle Droid is VERY top heavy and bottom light due to the design of the droid. At 48", it is likely it would not pass a tip test for safety. 20" or 31" might be possible but at this time we don’t have an specific plans. We’ll definitely keep this in mind as future product is reviewed! We do love droids!
--ToyGuru

 

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2. Why 31-inch and 20-inch size classes? Why those sizes in particular? 48-inch made sense as a times-four blow-up of the classic 12-inch scale; why the other two values?
--ADF

The sizes of BIG FIGS were not at all related to being in relationship (I.e. 4X size) of any other toy. They were the sizes we have figure rights to from a contract/license stand point.
--ToyGuru

3. I come from the Philippines and figured a company named Jakks Pacific would ship particularly well to countries within the Pacific ocean; despite this, I've never seen your Bossk around these parts. What determines shipment composition and frequency to a particular region?
--The Other

Essentially; distribution for any toy line is completely up to the local markets to order. As long as JAKKS has distribution rights to a territory, it is then up to the local retailers to order product and we can ship it. If you are not seeing your favorite JAKKS product or even specific Star Wars figures from our line in your local store, be sure to ask for it by name!
--ToyGuru

 

FIN

Thanks again, Scott! I appreciate the help and I hope we can get some more answers in here soon. On to me ranting.

I've still not seen Walmart's new super-articulated dudes, but they're probably going to show up here shortly.

The new movie is only 5 days away, and there's a new TV spot playing up the wait being over. Which, from where I sit, is kinda funny - in October 2012, we were told we were getting a new movie. It's only been 3 years. Around 1983 George Lucas started talking about how he'd be doing the next movie in 1998 - which ended up being The Phantom Menace in 1999. Now, I'm not saying 3 years isn't a long time but as far as waits of an epic length for a (let's say) promised new movie, The Phantom Menace wins. I'm sure the echo chamber that is social media has altered this a great deal, as people seem pretty jazzed (that's good) but seem to equally ignore how much Star Wars is already out there - including a weekly TV show nobody seems to be watching, if the ratings are to be believed.

One of the discussion points I hear coming up - which I kinda agree with - is that the endless parade of fresh nerd culture (Marvel movies, DC movies and games, and now Star Wars) is good for business today but has also basically hurt the market for the old stuff. Many older toys are available pretty cheaply, and today's new die-hard Marvel fan has plenty of entertainment while probably never having to look up a classic comic or old action figure. If you don't like the figure available today, wait a few months - more are coming, always.

It's sort of an amazing and ridiculous change - the whole phenomenon of the 1990s "gotta keep these in the box!" had to do with preserving something, usually for the purposes of selling it later, and now it's all largely worthless - but vestiges of that remain, and yet people keep buying the new stuff while the less-new stuff is dirt cheap. I can go to record shops, of all places, and pick up Star Wars figures for their original retail price or less, without even factoring in inflation. It's not that I'm saying "let's not enjoy the new movie," but as of today - which may not be true next week - most or all of us are here because we loved the original movies (and in many cases, the TV shows of the last decade). There's a lot of stuff to be had from it, some of which can be had for next to nothing. Go to eBay, type in "Star Wars carded figure lot" and see what awaits you. The 1990s line seems to be a steady $2-$3, and there are literally thousands of figures you can have right now for a fraction of whatever Hasbro may make "new" later. Granted, if you want 6-inch or sequel trilogy this is all moot - but classic? Classic collecting can keep you busy for years if you put whatever you spend on a fancy coffee toward toys. (You, of course, will not do this.)

Vehicles tend to get expensive over time because few people tend to save them - they're big, bulky, and expensive which drives down the return on short-term flippage quite handily. On the other hand, it looks like people are totally willing to shell out for a Falcon for their kids, but I got a feeling we might seeing a vehicle backlash thanks to the non-performance of the Black Series TIE Fighter - I'm willing to bet a lot of you are going to see that at Target for 50% off in the next three months. I won't say it isn't worth it, but just as far as logistics go it's a lot of space being hogged by just one toy - you can fit a lot of stuff in the same place as a single TIE.

So, as we look ahead to whatever rambling future we have - possibly with one, two, or three Jedi heroes, or new cyborgs, or whatever the heck the new movie has for us - I expect one thing to remain constant, and that's our growing ability to refuse to acknowledge the past. In this column I've had people write in all the time asking for a figure reissue - if I can ask Hasbro to put it out again. More often than not, the figure is on eBay for about whatever the going rate is of a new toy - so you can get it next week for maybe ten bucks delivered. People refuse, they want to wait for it to show up again in the stores... which I don't understand. I expect we might see some more of that, but hopefully Hasbro will head this problem off by bringing back figures which have been phased out (wave 1 seems to be "sold out" at some stores who order direct from Hasbro now), mostly because people aren't really willing to stomp the pavement to look for toys. They just want to see it - and if they don't, it may as well not exist.

Anyway, I hope you have a great week - the Dark Ages of 1984-1997 had games, a few toys, and collectibles (and fiction) as the only beacon in the dark. The Dark Ages of 2006-2014 had all of that, plus a steady stream of TV and an endless stream of toys and collectibles. It's my guess that we'll never see it end until Disney decides to sell off Lucasfilm or "vault" it after we get overwhelmed. The canary in the proverbial coal mine will continue to be Marvel, and despite Captain America: Civil War sounding cool I can't say it has engaged my enthusiasm. Heck, I still haven't seen Age of Ultron, but I'll be there for The Force Awakens this week.

--Adam Pawlus

Got questions? Email me with Q&A in the subject line now! I'll answer your questions as soon as time (or facts) permit.