Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 2, 2014 7:47:06 GMT -6
I saw another figure at Wal-Mart last week that had the bubble taped on. Definitely seems to have been an issue with wave 1. Not sure if they got it corrected for wave 2, as I've never seen wave 2 on pegs :/.
Still no pre-orders for individual figures from wave 3 of the 6" series up on Amazon. I'm going to pick up my toy runs over the next few weeks in hopes of snagging a Luke and Stormtrooper when they hit the pegs. The Stormie in particular is going to go for big $ on the secondary market.
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Post by spockoda on Feb 4, 2014 18:30:58 GMT -6
The last 3 3/4" figures I've got were the 2 Kmart exclusive boxed 2-packs I received at Christmas. I kind of decided at the beginning of the Black Series that I was going to take a hiatus from that scale and focus on trying to collect the 6 inchers only at this time. The 6 inchers will be enough to handle cost-wise and I have bought nearly every 3 3/4" figure based on the original trilogy that they put out since I started collecting figures in 1997. Unless they put out something totally new(like the Tonnika sisters)I feel like I don't need to own 5 different versions of Biggs Darklighter in his X-Wing flight suit anymore. I already own probably 20+ versions of Darth Vader, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, etc. I feel like there's no where new to go with that scale anymore for Hasbro. I realize that as long as they can keep selling them they will make them but all they have been doing for quite a few years now is tweaking the same figures over and over.
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 5, 2014 10:14:58 GMT -6
I'm with you there. When it comes to 3 3/4" Star Wars figures I'm more focused on completing my vintage collection. I'll still pick up the occasional new figure, but at retail it's all about the 6" line right now. My biggest question is; will I collect Episode VII figures (I've already ddecided to pass on the upcoming Rebels line)?
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Post by spockoda on Feb 5, 2014 17:03:10 GMT -6
I'm with you there. When it comes to 3 3/4" Star Wars figures I'm more focused on completing my vintage collection. I'll still pick up the occasional new figure, but at retail it's all about the 6" line right now. My biggest question is; will I collect Episode VII figures (I've already ddecided to pass on the upcoming Rebels line)? Never heard of the Rebels line but I have pondered the Episode VII question as well. You know they'll make toys for it.
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 6, 2014 1:41:51 GMT -6
I'm with you there. When it comes to 3 3/4" Star Wars figures I'm more focused on completing my vintage collection. I'll still pick up the occasional new figure, but at retail it's all about the 6" line right now. My biggest question is; will I collect Episode VII figures (I've already ddecided to pass on the upcoming Rebels line)? Never heard of the Rebels line but I have pondered the Episode VII question as well. You know they'll make toys for it. It's based on the upcoming Rebels animated series from the team behind the Clone Wars. It's getting a seperate line similar to Saga Legends; limited articulation, lower price point. Not many details yet. A few images have been released; The main villain (The Inquisitor), a Rebel droid.
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Post by spockoda on Feb 6, 2014 22:21:02 GMT -6
Sounds like I'll be giving the Rebels line a pass.
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 7, 2014 5:18:29 GMT -6
It definitely looks like it's aimed more towards kids than collectors. I'm sure they'll eventually include Rebels characters in the 3 3/4" Black Series, but for right now even if I end up liking the show I'll probably pass on these basic figures.
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Post by WishItWas1984 on Feb 16, 2014 0:54:04 GMT -6
I'd love to collect the 6" line....even though I think the face sculpt on Slave Leia is horrid and too much articulation on a basically nude figure looks like crap (IMO)....but I don't have the room for that. However I do have a little space for 4 figures...
But I give up. I just can't take modern toy buying anymore. I guess this mainly affects Star Wars but it's probably a problem in other lines I'm not familiar with.
I have an X-Wing Luke. I want a Boba Fett and a Han Solo....I don't like the cape on the upcoming Vader so I'm going to go with a Stormtrooper as my #4.
But I can't.
Because of the modern day combination of both scalpers who destroy retail, and the scalpers that ARE retail.
Boba Fett was primarily overprices by online retailers because they knew he'd be popular. That's just wrong. Or they don't even bother selling him separately, just forcing the full wave on you. I'm not saying this is 100% what's happening, here and there are success stories for collectors (lucky retail find or a holiday sale), but for the most part collectors are just screwed.
The Stormtrooper is another example. $20 figure pre-ordered for $32? Stormtrooper is likely going to be the next Boba Fett.
Back in the mid-90s there were peg warmers, but Hasbro at least had a clue what would be popular and short-packed them. Imagine if at the Episode I midnight opening everyone rushed in to find all of the Darth Maul's at $20 a pop. sigh
Oh well, maybe I'll get lucky and find a Fett or Trooper on eBay loose for only a $5 markup in the clear tray as if it was stolen.
In addition, I don't even know why this needs to be the system. Manufacturers should be able to get mockup or final approved sculpts of what they will be making. Maybe pics of a one off is possible. Get that announced and to the online shops immediately. Let the pre-order frenzy begin. Maybe EE or BBTS can come back at the time runs need to be produced saying "Hey, we got 5x the amount of pre-orders for Fett" and then they can produce more of them in the initial run.
I don't know, I don't claim to know every nuance to toy manufacturing but if you're gearing towards the collector market, there must be a better way that would still include the online retailers. Because MattyCollector is a great example, but they cut out the retailer.
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 16, 2014 7:36:10 GMT -6
First off, I agree %100 on Slave Leia. I was never crazy about all of the obvious visible articulation, but after seeing her several times in person (she's the wave's pegwarmer), the face sculpt is totally wonky. I know Carrie Fisher was zonked out her self at the time, but they didn't have to be that accurate.
Figure scalping is an issue that really used to get under my skin back in the days of the Star Wars OTC/VOTC. Over the last 7-8 years I've mostly concentrated on "vintage" figures and thus have been free from the frustrations of collecting at retail, but I'm hooked on the 6" Black Series and once again "scalpers" have made it difficult to find the more popular figures. You likely won't find anyone who's more pro-capitalism than me, but to go into a retail store and buy up all of the popular figures/toys for the sole purpose of flipping them on-line for a %30-50 mark-up is just wrong IMO. And it's not just collectors who are hurt by this, more importantly it's kids as well.
High e-tail prices (Other than eBay, the scalpers best friend) don't bug me as much because I assume they get their figures directly from Hasbro, and if they want to jack them up, more power to them. But to go plunder local Targets, Wal-Marts and TRU's is just dirty pool IMO and bad for the hobby.
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Post by WishItWas1984 on Feb 16, 2014 22:23:53 GMT -6
High e-tail prices (Other than eBay, the scalpers best friend) don't bug me as much because I assume they get their figures directly from Hasbro, and if they want to jack them up, more power to them. But to go plunder local Targets, Wal-Marts and TRU's is just dirty pool IMO and bad for the hobby. LOL Yeah Carrie was abusing at the time but at least she was still hot. That figure is a butter face. Anyway, yeah I'm pro-Capitalism as well but like you said the buying up of product and taking advantage of people is an abuse on the system. However, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think it's even worse for e-tailers to do it. Back in the day, wayyy before OTC/VOTC...I'm talking once POTF2 became hot...the e-tailers were fighting the good fight. There were a few larger online toy stores (eToys was one off the top of my head), and there were a bunch of smaller ones. I used to frequent one where it was a couple who bought enough from Hasbro to be a retailer and ran it out of their house. These people charged retail and made money. These people were connected with the community forums, letting you in on how things were packed, when shipments were coming, delayed. It was one big happy hobby. So these e-tailers today are worse than regular scalpers in that at least regular scalpers pay TRU or Target for the figure at retail and paying the markup from that. These e-tailers are marking it up immediately and taking advantage of the collector for twice the profit!! Yay, they cut scalpers out of the picture by just becoming one themselves.
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 16, 2014 23:15:38 GMT -6
LOL Yeah Carrie was abusing at the time but at least she was still hot. That figure is a butter face. Anyway, yeah I'm pro-Capitalism as well but like you said the buying up of product and taking advantage of people is an abuse on the system. However, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think it's even worse for e-tailers to do it. Back in the day, wayyy before OTC/VOTC...I'm talking once POTF2 became hot...the e-tailers were fighting the good fight. There were a few larger online toy stores (eToys was one off the top of my head), and there were a bunch of smaller ones. I used to frequent one where it was a couple who bought enough from Hasbro to be a retailer and ran it out of their house. These people charged retail and made money. These people were connected with the community forums, letting you in on how things were packed, when shipments were coming, delayed. It was one big happy hobby. So these e-tailers today are worse than regular scalpers in that at least regular scalpers pay TRU or Target for the figure at retail and paying the markup from that. These e-tailers are marking it up immediately and taking advantage of the collector for twice the profit!! Yay, they cut scalpers out of the picture by just becoming one themselves. I definitely get what you're saying. Niether practice is admirable to say the least. But the reason your run of the mill eBay scalper who snags a Black Series Boba Fett or Darth Malgus for the sole purpose of flipping bothers me more is that it keeps stuff away from kids and it forces collectors (and parents) to the higher priced etailers. It's just more fun to collect at retail IMO. I used to love making toy runs and always got a rush when I turned the corner and saw the latest wave on the pegs. Scalpers ruin that experience when they snap up the latest stuff.
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Post by defzombie on Feb 18, 2014 0:22:33 GMT -6
I agree with the last few posts. Here in So Cal scalpers are rampant, and it is difficult to find particular figures of popular toy lines at retail. I however count myself as lucky and have gotten some good finds. Last year when Gijoe Retaliation was hot I got lucky and found a few at retail. Even found storm shadow at Walgreen's for $9.99... Last year I also found the 6 inch Bona fett because I asked a Target associate to let me see the stock from the back...I have never seen one again...and now I'm into Hot Wheels and the scalper Market for that here in so cal is huge too..
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 18, 2014 4:24:50 GMT -6
Oy, Hot Wheels. I used to be the Drug/GM Manager at a store, and I had three or four guys who would call me like clockwork on Sunday morning because they had called corporate and gotten our truck schedule! They always wanted me to dig out the latest shipper so they could pluck the chase cars from it, which they were then flipping on line. My boss told me to do it to keep them happy, but I said "Look, these guys aren't buying their groceries here. They just want those cars, and A.) It's wrong, and B.) I don't have time to go dig them out on our busiest day of the week.". I won the argument there, but those guys still pestered me to no end. They absolutely represented the worst of the collecting hobby.
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Post by defzombie on Feb 18, 2014 11:36:10 GMT -6
I havent met anyone that persistant, but at my local walmarts and what not there are hardly chase cars, typically because the scalper most likely have an inside man. Case in point. I went to a wal mart last week. they got several new cases in.. I asked an employee if I could look through them and he didnt have a problem with it, but all the chase cars were gone. 6 cases and they all were gone through already. I did get my Batmobile Camo tumbler so I was happy, but dang. Toy collecting is out of control these days, and it sucks for the honest ill get what i can get collectors.
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Toy Box Hero
Toy Aisle Terror
Jan 16, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -6
Posts: 98
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Post by Toy Box Hero on Feb 19, 2014 4:51:05 GMT -6
Oh yeah, virtually every scalper makes friends with an employee so they can get first dibs. That is if the employee isn't the one doing the scalping. I bet a lot of that stuff never even hits the floor. It wasn't unusual for me to get a pallet-sized display of Hot Wheels in and find that someone from the 3rd shift stock crew had already opened it up and taken the chase cars out by the time I got there in the morning.
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Post by WishItWas1984 on Apr 19, 2014 23:25:38 GMT -6
Ok I had a random thought about the whole scalper and high online prices for popular figures....and until someone can explain to me otherwise, I have to put all of the blame on the toy makers for the environment of toy collecting going back as far as I can remember. Why? Assortments. EVERYTHING comes in assortments...in "waves"...where stores are forced to get every character the company makes. They can't just order one. Toy makers try and predict the market and "short-pack" assortments. Why? Why bother with all of this nonsense? Each figure likely costs the same to make. Concept, design, sculpting and manufacture. I get it. Not all characters are popular. I get that too. But I don't see how it makes sense to say, force a Toys R Us to buy a case of each figure for the first order. Then fulfill orders on a per character basis as demand dictates. Hasbro may lose money on a "peg-warmer" but make that up and then some by hot toys they are constantly pumping out to fill re-orders. Meh. Just something I had to get off my chest.
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Post by 3 3/4"collector on Apr 20, 2014 4:49:29 GMT -6
I agree with the last few posts. Here in So Cal scalpers are rampant, and it is difficult to find particular figures of popular toy lines at retail. I however count myself as lucky and have gotten some good finds. Last year when Gijoe Retaliation was hot I got lucky and found a few at retail. Even found storm shadow at Walgreen's for $9.99... Last year I also found the 6 inch Bona fett because I asked a Target associate to let me see the stock from the back...I have never seen one again...and now I'm into Hot Wheels and the scalper Market for that here in so cal is huge too.. I despise hot wheel collectors. I worked in toys at wal mart for 10 years and the hotwheel collectors BY FAR were the most obnoxious pushy assholes I have ever dealt with. you could get 20 cases of hot wheels in and have them sit on the floor for 10 minutes and come back and every case would be dumped into a basket with those prime cars gone. I had to come in every night and immediately check for hotwheels and take the cases all to the back because they can not be on the floor at all because those guys will do anything to get to them. that happened so many times. and you couldn't imagine how many times I have had those guys ask if going to put any hotsweels out even though there are literally 500 on the full pegas already. or ask what time we are going to put the hotwheels out like there is a scheduled time for it, and like I said there are already full pegs of hundreds of them out there anyway so we are going to put them out when some will actually go out. so of course those guys come in and empty hundreds off the pegs and hide them behind stuff then come at you when are you putting some hotwheels out? wal mart don't give a shit about hotwheels we don't have time to wait hand and foot on guys so they can buy two 99 cent cars. 10 years and I never once got hassled by a star wars collector or a g.i.joe collector or a transformers collector or a marvel legends collector etc.. hotwheel guys 2-5 EVERY single night without interruption trying to dig through the pallets trying to sneak off with cases they can open and look through somewhere else in the store. asking you to put more out, arguing with you over it, trying to get buddy buddy with you offering to pay you to help them out. always trying to call a manager over to get you in trouble when you wont go bring them more out which of course the managers know its BS too. I absolutely believe hotwheel collectors give toy collectors a worse image in every way.
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Post by defzombie on Apr 21, 2014 14:08:32 GMT -6
same tactics are done here. My local WM never has rare cars in because of the exact things you are talking about. Ive actually met some cool collectors in the last few months, one who is becoming a great friend, and I have met some crazies. People asking $10 for $1 cars. Craziness. I agree Hot wheels collectors are much crazier than action figure collectors.
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Post by defzombie on Apr 21, 2014 14:09:30 GMT -6
and too keep this post on topic, I saw two 6 inch Stormtroopers last week at TRU, but I passed on them because I found a Gijoe Retaliation Jinx. The Stormtroopers look pretty darn awesome. They were gone when I returned a few days later.
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Post by justrygt on Apr 21, 2014 21:57:50 GMT -6
^^^Congrats on finding yellow Jinx.
In response to Duke of Crydee's post; You may already know that you are not alone in your frustration with assortments. Hasbro has been asked about that problem many times. I too would like to see a wave with nothing but Boba Fett and troopers but they probably never will do that. One good thing is that they announced Boba Fett will be in another case assortment sometime this year. Here is a good example of what seem to be good intentions by Hasbro; The 3.75" Bastilla Shan was a scarce figure (as were a few others from her wave). Hasbro heard the cries of fans and she is now back in the upcoming BlackSeries wave 4. Meanwhile, that figure was selling consistently on ebay for around $30.00. If I ran a toy company , I would have wanted my customers to keep money flowing in my direction instead of letting them pay a premium for the past 3 years on ebay.
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Post by spockoda on Sept 7, 2014 20:33:43 GMT -6
It seems Wal-Mart has changed their policy regarding them selling the 6 inch figures as I saw a few hanging on pegs at a Wal-Mart near me over this weekend. I also saw the 6 inch scale Jabba and Biker Scout at a KMart.
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Post by spockoda on Oct 2, 2014 15:46:59 GMT -6
My wife scored me all the newest 3.75" figures at a Wal-Mart yesterday outside of Dak Ralter. There wasn't a Bastilla Shan either but that really didn't matter to me since I'm not much of an EU fan.
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Post by spockoda on Oct 18, 2014 22:03:05 GMT -6
I was at a TRU today and saw in the flesh the TRU exclusive set with the AT-ST. I suppose eight figures and the AT-ST for $100 is about right but wow, I can understand why for a lot of people that would be hard to come up with at once. I was fortunate to be able to snatch the new Wedge Antilles I found there off the peg.
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Post by 10incher on Nov 4, 2014 23:27:07 GMT -6
Looks like Giant Tiger stores here in Canada have been getting in some of these figs. Picked up a 3 3/4" Darth Plageus and a Mara Jade for $8 each on the weekend. Saw a few other characters like Luke, Han, etc.
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toydejour
Garage Sale Scavenger
Jul 15, 2014 12:50:18 GMT -6
Posts: 39
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Post by toydejour on Nov 20, 2014 16:20:58 GMT -6
Not happy about Malgus and Starkiller being re-released in the Black Series as I've been sitting on a couple Expanded Universe versions of both of them and now other than a MOC collector, no one's going to want to pay what I put into them. It's like the stock market! Heh. But as far as the 6" I'm loving what they're doing. Luckily I've been able to just pick up a figure here and there and not go crazy.
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Post by spockoda on Jul 24, 2015 15:55:26 GMT -6
I have collected modern Star Wars 3.75" scale figures since the POTF2 era through the current Black Series. Not until now would I have classified Star Wars figures as "hard to find" at retail. It seems in my area they are appearing mostly at sort of off the beaten track places more so than Wal-Mart, Target, etc. I am only finding them sparingly at high end bookstores, and select Dillons stores. Toys R Us eventually gets them but the nearest TRU store is a two hour round trip drive for me so I would consider that a little off the beaten track for me as well. I wonder if any of you all have noticed/care? A few months ago I officially "bailed" on the 6 inch line and sold all the ones I had in one lot on ebay. I looked at the hundreds of 3.75" figures I have and the multiple versions of several characters I have purchased over the years and decided I did not wish to repeat this cycle again with the 6 inch figures. Also, I have to have SOME room to sleep in my house . I also "bailed" on the vintage figures and sold all of mine for some of the same reasons.
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Post by spockoda on Jul 25, 2015 22:43:19 GMT -6
As soon as I write something like my previous post, I go out of town and find some Star Wars figures at Wal-Mart and Target, with a significant $3.00 per figure price hike to boot. Wow, that seems a tad steep of an increase to me. Makes me nostalgic for the early days of $5.76 per figure. And I thought THAT was a wee bit high back then!
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Post by WishItWas1984 on Jul 30, 2015 22:42:10 GMT -6
Makes me nostalgic for the early days of $5.76 per figure. And I thought THAT was a wee bit high back then! My AFA Sandpeople on Empire cardback has 2 price stickers on it....First is $2.39 crossed out...2nd is a Clearance sticker for.. $1.00
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Post by spockoda on Aug 15, 2015 20:11:35 GMT -6
I went to a Wal-Mart today and their toy aisle had a fairly prominent Star Wars section and I found out why as there was an advertising blurb on a cardboard shelfie for new Star Wars product being available at 12:01 am on September 4 which I presume is when the Episode VII stuff gets rolled out. Anyhow, they actually had six new figures(Han with carbonite block, Leia as Boussh, etc.)that I wouldn't mind having but silly me I forgot to bring the $76.98 plus tax to purchase them so I walked away empty handed. Yes, there is a little bit of sarcasm here.
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Post by spockoda on Sept 2, 2015 15:45:05 GMT -6
Hasbro raised the prices on the Black Series 3.75" figures as I reported to roughly $13 a piece, depending on what retailer or e-tailer you are buying from. After an initial report of The Force Awakens figures being $7 a piece now I am hearing they will be $10 each. While there was already quite a bit of doubt whether I was going to buy any figures from the new movie personally, all this price raising has forced me to look at all this with some somber reflection. It's too bad everything boils down to money but when it comes to me collecting Star Wars as Yoda would put it, "Cloudy, the future is.". Although the price raising itself gives me pause, it's also the volume of figures that I imagine will be made. I can afford 8 Twilight Zone figures a year but 60 Star Wars figures a year maybe not so much. Plus vehicles, etc. I will continue to purchase the affordable POTF2 figures for painting purposes as well as any vintage ones I might dig up at thrift stores but anything beyond that is unknown. The only piece I wouldn't mind having that has been released recently is the Rebels Troop Transport, mainly because I never had one back in the day and I assume that piece is either made from the same mold or at least was modeled after it.
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