Tag Archives: SWAN

Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 441: 1995 – Now — 20 Years of Modern Figures

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Marjorie and Arnie go into the show archives for this classic review of the first wave of Hasbro’s modern figure line!

2015 marks Hasbro’s 20th consecutive year of making Hasbro Star Wars figures. In 1995 the first figures in what’s dubbed “Hasbro’s modern figure line” were released–the Power of the Force series. To commemorate this, Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie dug deep into the show archives to bring you an encore presentation of this episode from 1995!

Join Marjorie and Arnie as they review Wave 1 of Kenner’s Power of the Force 2 figure line, including Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and the Stormtrooper!

Then join Brock for the review of the then-new novel Darksaber, and Nathan P. Butler reflects on the conclusion of the Dark Empire saga with the “new” release Empire’s End!

All that, plus a look back on what it means to have 20 years of figures, on this encore presentation of Star Wars Action News!

Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 440: 2014 Year in Review Part 2 and 2015 in Preview

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Arnie and Marjorie are joined by the Gingerprince, Johnathan, Curtis, Daryl, Brock, Jay, and Andrew to look back at the High End Star Wars Collectibles of 2014 and what they expect 2015 to bring.

The Star Wars Action News Year-End shows conclude with this second part of the team’s roundtable discussion!

Arnie and Marjorie are joined by Steve “The Gingerprince”, Johnathan, Curtis, Daryl, Brock, Jay and Andrew to look back at the high-end collectibles that Force-d them to open their wallets! From Gentle Giant mini-busts to Sideshow Premium Format Figures and the new, high end sixth scale figure line from Hot Toys, it’s all discussed in this show!

Then the team puts 2014 to bed and looks forward to what 2015 Awakens. With the first new live-action Star Wars film in a decade coming this December, Rebels on television, and a new continuity for novels and comics, join them to hear what is in store!

Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 439: 2014 Year in Review Part 1 – Hasbro Star Wars Toys

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Arnie and Marjorie are joined by the Gingerprince, Johnathan, Curtis, Daryl, Brock, Jay, and Andrew to look back at the Hasbro Star Wars toys of 2015!

For Star Wars fans 2014 came in with a whimper but went out with a bang!  From a year that started with few Star Wars figures to be found in either the 4 or 6-inch scales, it ended with Expanded Universe 6-Inch figures, new lines of 3.75-inch figures, and Star Wars fans everywhere trying to “get to da Chopper!”
Now in the first part of the Star Wars Action News year in review, the Star Wars Action News team looks back at 2014 from the point of view of a toy collector.  Marjorie and Arnie are joined by several other collectors to rate the best and worst of Star Wars collecting this year!
Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 438: Tarkin ‘Bout Toys

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Brock reviews James Lucino’s new novel TARKIN, Jerry looks back at Vintage-era Star Wars books, and Marjorie and Arnie look at figures hitting stores and the sold-out Hot Toys exclusive Shadow Stormtrooper!

It’s been a long time since Star Wars action figure collectors could shop exclusively at their local brick-and-mortar stores to get the figures they wanted.  Since the release of Hasbro’s The Vintage Collection in 2010 store supplies have been scarce.  Now, however, that seems ready to change!  Across the country collectors are finding new Black Series figures in both 3.75-inch and 6-inch lines, plus new Rebels and Mission Series figures too!  On this episode of Star Wars Action News you can listen to find out which stores to hit to score full waves of new figures.
Also on this week’s show, Arnie and Marjorie discuss Hot Toys’ first exclusive release in their Star Wars Movie Masterpiece Series–the Shadow Stormtrooper.  A repaint of their basic Stormtrooper figure, this release sold out in just a few hours at Sideshow Collectibles.  What’s the fuss all about?  Listen to find out!
With a review of James Lucino’s new Star Wars novel Tarkin and Jerry looking back on books of yesteryear, and ThinkGeek plushes too, you’ll find all this and more in this Episode of Star Wars Action News!
Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 437: Black Friday Deals and 2014 Holiday Gift Guide

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Want to know where to save big on Star Wars LEGOs, Blu Rays, and more this weekend?  Then join Marjorie and Arnie for the 2014 Black Friday (and Thursday) shopping guide!  While the Star Wars bargains are few, there are some choice items for those brave enough to face the lines and the crowds.  Listen to this episode to find out what!
Then keep listening for the  Star Wars Action News annual holiday gift guide!  This year has gift ideas ranging from $3.00 to over $7,000!  No matter if you’re buying for young or old, man or woman, listen to find what to get the Star Wars collector who seems to already have everything!
And don’t forget to sign up for the Star Wars Action Sithmas Gift Exchange!  Sign-ups end December 2nd.  Get and give some Star Wars joy this season by joining this Secret Santa gift exchange!  All the details are at http://www.swactionnews.com/Sithmas/
All this and more in this episode of Star Wars Action News!
Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 435: It’s the Yoda Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

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Reviews of Hasbro’s 6-Inch Speeder Bike with Biker Scout and Walgreens exclusive Boba Fett in Prototype Armor, plus store reports and a look at new collectibles online.

Halloween is this week and the costumes and decorations have started to go on sale! On this week’s Star Wars Action News hosts Marjorie and Arnie discuss the hard-to-find collectibles that combine Trick-or-Treating with the Galaxy Far, Far Away!

Also on this week’s show–reviews of two new 6-inch figures! First they look at the Hasbro Black Series Biker Scout with Speeder Bike, the first vehicle in the new, larger scale. Does it live up to the preview shown at SDCC?

And then the first Walgreens exclusive Hasbro Star Wars figure–Boba Fett in Prototype Armor. How does this compare to the original outfit, and is it worth the (bounty) hunt?

With Johnathan joining for an On The Pegs segment and a look at the latest offerings from Gentle Giant and Sideshow, it’s all on this new episode of Star Wars Action News!

Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 434: Star Wars Collectors and the Holy Grail

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Members of the Star Wars collecting community share which item they most desire, and Marjorie and Arnie bring news from New York ComicCon 2014!

The Holy Grail–the one item a collector pines for but has not yet grabbed.  It may be rare, it may be expensive, it may just be elusive, but the hunt continues.  Most collectors have that one item that beguiles them and they would love to own.  On this episode of Star Wars Action News Arnie celebrates capturing one of his Holy Grail collectibles after an eight year hunt!  Then members of the Star Wars Action News community share their holy grails.  Join these collectors as they reveal their hearts’ desires.
A common holy grail is an original vintage rocket-firing Boba Fett prototype.  Rare and expensive, this figure was promised on cardbacks but the rocket-firing version never shipped.  On this episode Star Wars artist Christian Slade tells Marjorie and Arnie about how he finally added this wonder to his collection, getting his own holy grail!
And from the old to the new, on this episode also hear coverage of this weekend’s New York Comic-Con.  Hasbro had an event with new Black Series, Rebels Series, and Mission Series figures revealed!  From IG-88 to the Emperor to Han in Carbonite, listen to find out about all the new figures that will be hitting store shelves in the coming months!
Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 433: Collecting Nirvana in Aberdeen

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Marjorie & Arnie are back from a trip across the American west, and of course they did some Star Wars shopping while there! Visiting with the members of SARLACC in Seattle, they visited several stores–including one of the oddest Star Wars toy shops out there. Watch to see a Star Wars shop unlike any other!

Also on this week’s show, new toys are showing up in stores! With the impending premiere of Rebels on Disney XD stores are stocking up with tons of new Star Wars merchandise from chairs to Christmas ornaments to even a few new action figures! Listen to find out what’s hitting, as well as a brief review of the Toys R Us exclusive Jedi Reveal Rebels figure 3-pack.

But the biggest news last week was a new sixth-scale Star Wars figure line from high end Hong Kong company Hot Toys! Through Sideshow Collectibles, the first two figures have gone up for pre-order–Han Solo and Chewbacca. Join Arnie, who has over 50 Hot Toys in his collection, to hear his impressions of these new Star Wars collectibles!

With a look at the Disney Store original trilogy figure sets, Halloween themed Star Wars collectibles, a review of the Star Wars Lootcrate and more, it’s all in this new Star Wars Action News podcast!

Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 432: A New Dawn for Star Wars Fiction

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Brock reviews the new Star Wars novel A New Dawn, Marjorie and Arnie review Black Series Wave 4, plus reports from Wizard World Chicago and Gen Con!

Last Spring it was announced that the Star Wars canon was taking a new direction. To pave way for the upcoming Episode VII as well as the Rebels TV series the previous Star Wars “Expanded Universe” was reclassified as Star Wars Legends, wiping the slate clean for a new era of Star Wars stories. That begins today with the release of A New Dawn, the Star Wars Rebels tie-in novel by John Jackson Miller. In this episode of Star Wars Action News, Brock joins us with a review of this first novel in a new age of Star Wars fiction.

​Also on this week’s show, Marjorie and Arnie review Hasbro’s 4th wave of Black Series 3.75-inch figures. From Dagobah Luke to Yoda to Toryn Farr, watch the video to see hands-on reviews of these collector-oriented figures!

With reports from Wizard World Chicago and GenCon, eating fresh with Rebels, and much more, it’s all in this episode of Star Wars Action News!

Collecting News, Podcasts/Streaming

Episode 431: Exclusive Showdown

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Marjorie and Arnie give a hands-on review of Hasbro’s San Diego Comic-Con International exclusives, Johnathan runs down the Toys R Us AT-ST set, and Steve the Gingerprince reports in from the London Film & Comic Con!

The irony of San Diego Comic-Con is that while everyone rushes to buy the exclusives, there’s no time at the con to really look at them! Now Marjorie and Arnie are back home and have unpacked their SDCC shipment, and are ready to tell you if Hasbro’s 6-Inch Jabba the Hut exclusive, or the SDCC/Toys R Us exclusive Cantina Showdown set, was worth the trouble.

Also on this week’s show Steve the Gingerprince reports in from the London Film and Comic Con. With a not-too-surprising number of Star Wars guests (given where Episode VII is filming) and tons of toys, listen in to find out about that European event.

With Johnathan telling us what’s hitting stores, a look at the Star Wars Celebration pin set, and more, it’s all in this episode of Star Wars Action News!