Anyone who knows me at all in this hobby knows that I’ve been promoting for Hasbro to address what I feel is a major issue with their Phase 2 clone troopers… oversized buckets… including creating a tutorial for customizers, if they so choose to modify their figures.
After a few Q&A’s with Hasbro, with them indicating that they are unaware of aesthetic issues, our friend Paul at Jedi Temple Archives brought with him to Toy Fair a custom clone trooper I assembled, alongside one of Hasbro’s stock figures and showed Derryl DePriest the size discrepancy… and Derryl’s reaction is one that you should read… this could mean great things on the horizon if you’re unhappy with the clone helmets… so head on over to Jedi Temple Archives for the report!
The current Yakfinities Customizing Challenge continues through the end of March, and once again, we’ve seen a great number of custom figures created.
Whether you’re a crafty veteran or this is your first crack at customizing, we welcome all of our readers to try their hand at Yakfinities #51 – Space Pirates!
Any store reports of Black Series figures past Wave 1 are far and few between, but when you can score new figures (especially on sale), it’s pretty shocking these days. With the Toys”R”us 30% off sale running this week, and some stores even receiving the latest round of figures, it may be worth your time in stopping by to see if you can walk out with a nice score.
Each year, I become more and more disappointed with Hasbro’s neglect toward playsets and dioramas – and while there’s hope on the horizon with 3rd parties getting into the mix, I recently caved in and bought some Angry Bird sets to see if the pieces could be used for anything in the 3.75″ scale.
The results may be a bit mixed, but I’m satisfied enough to keep the pieces I did purchase – for a closer look to see if this is something that may be helpful in your scene building efforts, head to the forums.
What’s this? Yet another 3rd party vendor swooping in to fill the diorama demands of Star Wars fans? The crew at Imperialshipyards has the scoop, go check it out and the kickstarter for this project is set to launch soon.
Personal Note: Why is it that Hasbro seems to think that when their brand is in decline, it’s best to focus on rehashes galore? Why do they continue to ignore all the golden opportunities that the Star Wars galaxy has to offer?
If you have a Marshalls or TJ Maxx store in your area, it may be worth your time to swing by and see if you can score any toys marked down. Many stores that have leftover 2013 stock are really slashing prices to make room for their 2014 toy sections. As always, your mileage and success may vary.
Movie prop guru and forum member Raylen is back with another new diorama item Star Wars fans have been clamoring for since the mid 1990s… cantina chairs! To find out how you can own your own set, head on over to the forums. Once you have them, all you need to do is crack out the paints and you’re set!
Personal Note: How is it that Hasbro feels it’s good business sense to ignore essential diorama items such as these (and ones that don’t require the expensive assembly process by their labor force)? If it looks cool and is reasonably priced, the market will support it. Simple as that!
The latest Yakfinities Customizing Challenge continues – and the entries have really been mounting up the past couple weeks as customizers create their visions of Space Pirates in the Star Wars galaxy. Check out all the latest submissions, or try your hand at making your own custom figure after the jump!
This week, localgotal returns with yet another outstanding Concept Series submission – two more unmade characters from Jabba’s Palace – alongside a great little creature accessory. Check it out, and enjoy!
Oh, Hasbro… if only you were to invest in the variety in your product like the good old days…
Our friends at Jeditemplearchives recently reported that Wal-Mart stores are starting to clear out their stock of SAGA Legends figures, dropping them down to $3.00 each. I’m seeing the same thing in my neck of the woods. As always, your mileage may vary.
Personal Note: This price drop is puzzling, unless Wal-Mart just feels this line is not worth their time. I can only hope that a signal is being sent to Hasbro that investing in their line with quality, variety and more intelligent case assortments is better in the long run for the health of their brands.
