1. I'd love to have someone explain to me the difference between a HasLab project like the Ghost that needs 8,000 backers paid up front to go into production, and the Book of Boba Fett Throne Room which was presold on Pulse to the tune of 9,000 units, has been produced and will ship in a month, all without collecting a dime from collectors as of yet.

How is this anything but arbitrary? What if (to play devil's advocate) every customer cancelled their Throne Room preorder to pay for their Ghost preorder instead?
--Cardboard Galaxy

My limited understanding - which may or may not be right - is that the Pulse HasLab program is sort of under a different umbrella than the normal Pulse exclusive items or other stuff. I don't want to elaborate because I'm not sure if it's correct - former Hasbro employees have spoken of the HasLab stuff being under a different contract, but that was a while ago, and contracts have definitely been rewritten since then. If accurate, maybe HasLab is limited to certain price points, or a limited SKU count, or there was some other math involved that required they do it one way instead of another. For all I know they needed something to tick a couple of boxes the licensor needed in a hurry and said "well, we know they'll buy this."

The Boba Fett Palace at $229.99 is well below what other HasLab items have cost for Star Wars so far. Maybe they didn't feel like loading it up with Jabba and other elements to do a $300+ HasLab, or perhaps they're trying out alternate methods of selling these kinds of items. Other manufacturers have noted that crowdfunding and long-term pre-orders are turning off a lot of fans, but I think there are other factors (aging) at work as well.

I assume it is, like you say, wildly arbitrary and there's some sort of weird accounting or bean counting going on that is not meant for our eyes. But, obviously, I'm keeping my ear to the ground in case anyone is talking.

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2. Do you seriously expect me to believe that if the [HasLab The Ghost vehicle crowdfunding stretch goal] unlocks for Zeb, Kanan, and Ezra were to fall through, that the molds would just go unused, and the figures would never see the light of clearance…I mean day, light of day at retail?
--Derek

Based on the language used on the site, it seems to me that it is possible that the packaging is exclusive. But I suppose it's up to interpretation - it just reads like there's a lot of wiggle-room in there to me. But that doesn't mean anything - Hasbro has sometimes said "yeah, we're releasing that" and then has not done so. A lot can happen, so I doubt there's going to be any definitive "yes we're doing that" or "no we're not" any time soon.

You should still back it. People do pay a premium for variant cardbacks if you don't want them for yourself, and previous carded figures from HasLab sets have been pricey.

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FIN

On Friday before Labor Day weekend, when Disney assumed nobody was reading the news, they dumped this nugget: Marvel’s ‘Agatha’ Delays to Fall 2024, Studio Also Shifts ‘Echo,’ ‘X-Men ’97’ and ‘What If…?’ Release Dates. There are concerns that there's a delay for Skeleton Crew, the new Star Wars show you forgot was coming, and it would probably make sense to push it back given the SAG/AFTRA and WGA strikes. I assume if the new show is delayed - or not - they want to keep it under wraps until after Ahsoka ends. Although I'd say it's worth bringing it up just to remind people Ahsoka is there to watch now, as it seems to not be making a big splash outside fan circles.

Also important to the business - but maybe not you guys - is that Funko CEO Brian Mariotti stepped down. Nice dude, when Funko was smaller I got to talk to him more and work with him on some things, some of which came to be, some of which did not, but I hope he gets to keep having fun.

While the Phantom II appeared on Ahsoka, The Ghost has not. That's probably not helping the HasLab The Vintage Collection The Ghost that actually ends in a couple of days. As of my writing this I'd say it has a chance of hitting the second stretch goal tier and about zero chance of everything being funded - which is, of course, annoying.

If you haven't ordered the Star Wars Retro Collection Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Multipack, a) it is still expected for October 15, and b) these 6-packs haven't sold out yet. I know so many fans take a wait-for-clearance attitude, but if you're one of the remaining Retro true believers, buy it at full price. As the toy industry starts to count its beans and realizes some things may not bring in the money by virtue of their lower price points, I assume this format won't last forever (and 2023 was a great year for retro toys.) It's got Mon Mothma and Yak Face in it, so it should be exciting for a lot of the older fans who a) always wanted her and b) never got him.

I'm still digging the Ahsoka show, more or less, but not necessarily the flat Jedi-like performance of the lead. She's doing a fine job as a performer, but everybody seems a little too calm. (Like much of the prequels.) I guess that may be the character's maturity that comes from age that, presumably, some day I will also have. But not now.

--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.

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