2013 3 3/4" Black Series

wait now its due out in spring? it was suppose to be out NOW! then it was pushed to January, But now Spring?

 

I thought Rex had been cancelled? He wasn't listed in the upcoming assortments at NYCC, was he? I know Doom is in the next wave and Wolffe is apparently the wave after that.

I'm mostly looking forward to Mosep, but he's a long way off as well...

 

Not a big CW fan, but this rumored TBS Rex looks good - I'll get him - if he comes out & I can find him @ retail, of course.

Also looking forward to Mosep; huge fan of any and all ANH Cantina (and Jabba's Palace) alien characters, so I'm glad this guy is finally being made.

Unfortunately, IMHO 2015 will be the end of an era for us OT/PT fans. After Episode 7 figures hit (presumably this Fall), IMHO OT & PT figures will be few & far between, since the focus will be on the new ST & the spin-off films.

This is why I'm going to try & get as many of these TBS 3.75 figures (that I want) that I can get.. since I'm not sure how much I'll be collecting after this Fall. Plus, I've been collecting since POTF2 began - 20 years ago! And, now seems like a good time to slow down & possibly stop completely...

 

If only that were possible...lol

 

Yeah, I know what you mean - I may see the Episode 7 figures and want them all...however, the deterrent re: continuing to get as much as I have been is that after collecting the modern line for 20 years, I'm literally running out of room for these toys. Several years ago, I opened up most of my carded figures (don't plan on selling them, and they weren't worth that much carded anyway) to make more room - and, while that helped, I still have a lot of these toys.

Thankfully, I haven't bought that many TBS figures since they're so HTF, plus most of the ones they've made have been resculpts - which I don't need or want....

 

Finally got Starkiller @ Target - this is the first time I've seen this figure. Never had The Vintage Collection version, so it's especially nice to find this.

Just an FYI for those out there searching for these figures - I know this has been discussed on these boards frequently, but this Starkiller (like the Plagueis I got before him) was coming off the card, so much of the card was taped around the figure - however, I didn't notice this until I got home (you had to look at an angle to see this). Fortunately the figure was in perfect shape with all of the accessories, but this is still worth noting...Note I'm not a carded collector so it wasn't a huge deal to me - however, the quality control with these Black series 3 3/4 figure cards is reprehensible - this has never been an issue with past lines....

 

Yes I've notice this as well. Seems more so for the wave 5 line and not the current wave as much. Just made cheaper and the glue isn't holding is my guess. I see them laying apart from their card back all the time. Thanks for bringing to all of our attention.

I do like my figures carded, but like you, have a lot and it's hard to find room. That is why I will eventually display some carded, and then have some displayed loose with a rotation of figures going by scenes from movies maybe to save space. My problem Blur, is I don't mind opening them (value really doesn't change like you said) but I never want to throw away the card back! I can at least store it in another box to save room though. I just stick to 3.75 inch because it can get out of hand! And I try to be selective by choosing figures that I don't have or I like and are hard to find to buy. (fyi also I did note that Plagueis did have an open spot in bubble with no accessory).

 

Yeah, this is one of those things that's definitely a matter of personal preference - I myself have taken the figure off the card, discarded the plastic case, and put the figure/accessories in one of those small plastic sandwich bags; I then cut off the part of the card that has the name of the character (primarily for reference purposes), & put that in the small plastic bag as well. I end up recycling the rest of the cardback(s).

However, as you said, even if you keep the cardbacks that will still take up less room than the carded figure itself...

 

I finally got a hold of Darth Malgus for retail price!

I took a bunch of pics of him on my blog here.

He's really cool. I know that he's supposedly inferior to the Vintage Collection Malgus, but I'm just not seeing it as being anything too serious when looked at with the naked eye. I know who Malgus is, but he also makes a very cool version of Vader between the trilogies. Kind of an EU version of Vader early on. Anyways, this is the first 1/18th Black Series figure I've purchased in over a year!

 

Great blog & pics. - Thanks for the post. Big fan of TBS Darth Malgus, and was lucky enough to find this a while back; never had or even saw TVC Malgus, so am unsure of the differences between the two - however, TBS figure is great, and I have no need for TVC version.

I was in Target yesterday & they had 0 TBS 3 3/4 figures, and no SL figures either. I only saw a Rebels two-pack; don't collect the line so don't know which one it was, but it was quite disheartening - but not at all surprising...

I have a feeling the last two waves of TBS 3 3/4 will be extremely HTF, and that we will see very few of these figures @ retail - par for the course, considering how tough it's been to find new product the last several years...

 

No new TBS figures @ Toyfair this past weekend, other than what we've already seen. As I suspected, it looks like there will be two more Waves of TBS (this Spring & Summer?!), and that's it for the line. There has been a lot of speculation on whether or not the next two waves will even be available @ retail, considering SW toys, in general, been so HTF since TVC hit in 2010; so, if these last two TBS waves are online-only, I wouldn't be surprised...

TFA toys are scheduled to hit stores in September. And IMHO they will signify the end of an era...

 

I would be a little suprised if no TBS are found on shelves. They just re-did the packaging look, put Disney on the back and sent tons of figures to our stores. I thought Darth Malgus, Galen Marek, and Bastilla Shan would be hard to find, but saw plenty of them until the shortage hit the last month or so.

Blur expand on "the end of an era"...

 

Well, this was also being discussed on another SW board - and, please note this is just my opinion. But, the way I see it, the modern SW Hasbro line began in 1995 (POTF2) and has continued through these last two waves of TBS (Spring/Summer 2015).

I myself see this as an overall excellent 20 year period. We've gotten a lot of great figures (OT/PT/EU), vehicles, other lines (Unleased), the 12" Hasbro figures from 1996-2005, etc. In many cases, the figures/toys released were beyond anything I could ever have expected when the line began in '95.

However, in the last several years these figures have been HTF, with less than exciting figure choices, etc.

And, in September of this year TFA will hit - to promote the ST. I personally don't have a lot of interest in collecting these figures - since I don't know if I'll have a personal connection to the movies - like I did with the OT & PT. Plus, I've just in general gotten burned out with SW collecting - since I've been doing this for 20 years.

And, to add to this, TBS figures are going up $3 retail (from $10 to $13) in many places, making this hobby even more expensive & less attractive for some.

So, this is the end of the OT/PT era of SW figures, which up to this point have been fairly heavily articulated. The rumor is that TFA figures will be 5 POA - maybe.

So, maybe I mis-spoke. It's my personal "end of an era", but it may not be everyone's. That being said, I strongly suspect other collectors have & will continue to drop out of the hobby, possibly because of a lack of interest in the ST, rising prices, possible less articulation, other priorities, or a combination of all of these.

Just look at the activity on this & other sites, specifically regarding collecting - back in the late '90's when I joined TFA, collecting was off the hook (primarily because of TPM) - IIRC this interest continued well into the late 200X's....in the last several years, however, it's been tougher to find new product - which, IMHO, has resulted at least partially in collectors dropping out of the hobby - as I said, though, I'm sure financial & other obligations (family, etc.) have a lot to do with this as well...This collecting board is a good example - there were a plehora of collectors posing on here back in the day...now, not so much...

I also know that back in the first roughly 15 years of the hobby (i.e., mid '90's - late 200X's) I would occasionally see other collectors out looking for new product, like I was (@ retail). These days, I hardly see anyone - since there's very little new product out there to find (though, to be fair, I hardly hunt for new toys these days, either).

Also, to me the ramifications of the Disney/Lflm. merger transcends just toy collectors - I have mentioned in other posts that I was a moderate to big fan of the novel/comic book EU that began in 1991. And, now, Disney is saying that lot of these novels/comics are now obsolete & not "canon". So, I will not collect the new Marvel SW comics or most new EU novels (though I did get "Tarkin") because I don't like the way these are now being handled by Disney/Marvel...

 

To add/clarify my above post:

-After TFA hits in September, IMHO there will never be another line of SW figures dedicated to the OT/PT, as we've had up to this point. So, IMHO this is the end of an era in itself.

 

I understand. It has been "different" lately, and we don't know how things will end up. I've enjoyed it myself and judging by the things Blur said, we have had a similar collecting experience by being the ones out there enjoying looking for a new Star Wars item. Now, things have been difficult to find and has led to a more "disinterest" in the toys. I myself will stay involved and dare I say..keep the torch burning? I don't know, I hope you stay on here to talk all things OT/PT collecting though. It just won't be the same if I can't get more people excited about TFA 3.75 figure line though. I'm willing to give this a chance although stay selective and try to concentrate on other things (family) as well. It will be a challenge, but one I hope I'm up to, and one I hope I'm not alone with...but it will take being balanced, which is what SW is all about, heh?

 

Good points. I'll probably stick around here even if I don't get many of TFA figures - the thing is, as I've mentioned, there's always the possibility Hasbro will come out with more OT/PT figures after TFA hits (though probably not in 2015, though), so I'll want to keep "plugged in" to the hobby to some extent, even if that just means visiting TFN & other SW sites online...

I'll also probably check out TFA figures when they hit in September, but I doubt I'll be there opening day, like I was for the first Episode 1 toys in early May 1999 (didn't go to Midnight Madness, but I remember that too...)

I know about changing priorities, though. I don't have a family, but as I get older I have less patience/energy for driving around hunting for figures like I did when I was younger - also, disinterest in the hobby has a lot to do with this as well. Most of the figures/vehicles I've wanted have already come out, and I don't like resculpts. There are really only a handful of figures I'd like to see made in the OT/PT line, mostly Cantina aliens, Jabba's Palace aliens, some Rebel Pilots, etc. The two figures I really want may never be made because of likeness rights issues, i.e. the twin Tonnika sisters, from the Cantina in ANH.

 

I can safely say I understand how everyone here is feeling. I've only gotten in to collecting for the last year or so. I obviously have stuff I acquired as a kid and what not, but actual collecting has only been about the last year. I'm really excited for TFA stuff, but my true love is the OT. I'm really worried that I won't be getting a lot of the figures i want in 6" scale. I am almost positive I won't be getting the PT figures I want. That certainly makes me sad. I'm hopeful for the future, but I also don't know what to go for anymore.

 

Well, there's 20 years worth of SW toys in the modern line if you're looking for OT figures/vehicles, but they won't be @ retail. If I were a new collector just now getting involved in the hobby & had some disposable income, I would try to find some good deals online on some of the older toys.

That being said, this is somewhat overwhelming since there's so much stuff that's been produced since '95 (and that's not even counting the vintage 1978-1985 Kenner SW toys).

Shifting gears, has anyone here seen the new $13 (or higher) retail price for TBS figures yet? I haven't seen any TBS figures for sale at all @ Wal-mart or Target in the past month, but I've read in other places that retail prices have risen from $10 to $13 for these figures in some places. These higher prices are another reason I'm losing interest in the hobby. $10 for a 3 3/4 SW figure was high enough, but $13 is, IMHO, unreasonably expensive. I'll still get some of the forthcoming TBS figures if I can find them - notably Mosep Bineed (never before made cantina character), but these higher prices are a big turn-off, especially since I thought the increase to $10 about 5 years ago was high....When POTF2 came out in '95, they were only $5 each - it took them 15 year to get to $10 (2010), and it's only taken 5 years to get to $13...I know inflation has a lot to do with this, but I think a lot also has to do with the fact that Hasbro has to pay more $ for the SW license.....

 

There's certainly plenty to collect, but I'm really not invested in spending hundreds of dollars on old carded figures when Sideshow is realizing some exceptional stuff. It's why I'm pretty much moving on to them. They have no obligation to promote 7 like hasbro does. That's hasbros biggest downfall. If we were getting a new star wars film every two years, theres plenty of time to do older stuff. But every years? Say goodbye to the OT, except for maybe a Luke, Leia, Vader and Han every now and then.

 

Glad to see you're staying around Blur! Could use you as I go on with the collecting journey. Being such a big collector, I'd imagine, even with all the reasons, it will be hard to avoid going out and getting some Ep. VII figures. I have lost some patience too, but if i'm out and about and passing by a supermarket with SW, it is hard pressed if I don't stop if I have the time. Not always buying either, just looking mainly.
Did you have any stories with Ep.I figures released besides not attending midnight madness? I only went for TCW in '08 at TRU, it was a cool experience. I may go for TFA as well.

I also was glad you talked about the figures you still are looking for as I was about to ask you that question. I will keep a look out for you. Let me know if any change. I like the figures you listed as it would enhance my cantina set up.(Interesting fact on the Tonnika sisters)

 

Thanks - I've gotten a lot of good info. from others online, so it's cool to know there are others out there still collecting these toys - even though there isn't much out there these days.

I did go to TRU & K-mart after work the day of the release of Episode 1 figures - IIRC it was May 3rd, 1999. Very cool display @ TRU, and there were a lot of other SW collectors there. TRU definitely had the best set-up, though the other stores had a lot of figures as well. I also remember the carded Darth Maul being quite HTF at the time, but I don't think I ever got this figure since I preferred the Darth Maul that came with the Sith Speeder (better sculpt).

Re: the figures I still want, Thanks for the offer. As it turns out I'm not planning on getting these at aftermarket prices - but would be interested in them if any were re-released in future SW lines....which I doubt, but stranger things have happened....I'm having a problem with the idea of paying $13 each for future TBS figures, so wouldn't want to pay much more than that.....

Re: the Tonnika Sisters, this is all anecdotal info. - however, my understanding is that the sisters have not been made because the two actresses have not given Lflm./Hasbro permission to use their likeness(es) as action figures. Note that almost all of the cantina characters (and Jabba's palace characters) had masks, so Lflm. owned their likeness (since they created these masks). However, the Tonnikas were two cantina characters who had their full faces shown (though I believe both had wigs). As it stands right now, IIRC one of the actresses has passed on, and the other is still around. I always felt that a way to get around this issue is to have the Tonnikas (or their ancestors) make an appearance in the Sequel Trilogy, and then make figures of them from these films...who knows if Lflm./Disney will know or care enough to do anything like that, however....Note I'm not sure how much of this story is true, since I have no idea of the legalities involving likeness issues when making toys...

 

Very interesting. Good stuff there as I always like hearing die hard fans and their experiences. I am not thrilled with the increase in figures. I haven't seen the $13 price yet, but if this is for the BS and all figures then I'll have to be extremely selective. I like the idea that Hasbro is doing with smaller packaging, less articulation, lower costs. Although i hate to lose the articulation at least I'll get a figure. I don't see how having more articulation leads to an increase in price. Seems unjust. Oh well, we will see. I like that Maul with speeder bike as well. Still have collection 1 Maul in package. I'll be at a comic con tomorrow so I'll keep a look out for those figures.

 

I stopped collecting the 3 3/4" line once the last "vintage" series came to an end, but I still hate to see the price go up that high. Even though TBS is a more collector oriented line, that's putting a serious pinch on their wallets, and quite frankly that price point is a little insulting IMO.

But I do hope they keep the Rebels and Saga lines at their current $5.99 price going forward. It would be a real shame to price the line out of reach of kids.

 

Here's a link w/info. confirming the price increase (at least in the U.S.), including a pic. - note this may depend on your area, of course:

http://yakfaceforums.com/main/2015/01/08/new-tbs-price-hikes-a-coming/

Note I will never pay more than $13 for one of these carded figures, either in the current or older lines; even when I was buying figures online years ago, I had a limit I wouldn't go past....

 

Wow - I haven't seen any TBS 3 3/4 figures @ stores at all in the past couple of months - of course, I haven't been hunting much either. All I see these days are Rebels and Saga Legends figures.

As I suspected, the last waves of TBS (that are set to hit before TFA figures in September) will almost certainly be extremely HTF @ retail....