Celebration 2 Mystery Figure

[Talon]

In case you missed the post on the Front Page. I was informed today from someone who claims to have an inside scoop on this figure. According to him the figure that will be given out to attendees of the second celebration will be none other than a 3 3/4" George Lucas.
I don't have any way to confirm this as of yet so we will have to take a wait and see approach for the time being.

 

[Barada]

A figure of Lucas himself? And 95% of the world's SW fans won't have access to it? That is, unless they pay HUGE$$$$$ on ebay? Hasbro sucks! No wonder so many people I know are quitting collecting. I would LOVE to have this figure, but there is no way I can go to the celebration.

Barada

P.S. Phooey on all of you who will say I'm whining about this!

 

[Talon]

Hey Barada,

Please remember that right now this is only a rumor as of this time. I would like to have a little more proof first.
I am hoping to attend myself, but I don't know if I will be able to. I am hoping that they will at least make this availabe through the Fan Club. It would really be a shame if it wasn't offered outside of the Celebration.

 

[BlueHarvest]

What ever they offer as a figure, I'm sure, will end up in the fan club magazine for sale, but you won't get any of the extra goodies offered at the show.
As usual, anyone living outside the US gets the fuzzy end of the lollypop!

And we all know when they do sell it through the fan club, the price will be insane, and that's not including the shipping cost's... no comment

But, naturally, I will try my darndest to get the damn figure... place it somewhere in my collection to collect dust... sigh... life is hard

 

[Deathstar]

New figure!

I would think any production run on a SW figure, especially an early one would be in....say the tens of thousands? If the figure is Ole GL himself, Hasbro would probably produce that many. Surely the attendees of the Celebration can not handle that many. I agree, SW Fan Club will dispose of the bulk of the figures.
If anyone here attends the Celebration, grab a handfull for the rest of us. We thank you in advance!

 

[BlueHarvest]

YA!!! PICK SOME UP FOR US!!!...please?

I hope they have it carded on a different card then the POTJ... A classic style backer would be awesome!
We can only hope.

 

[Darth Aussie]

If there's half a chance of grabbing any spare one for your overseas brother . will pay costs to help out

Thommo:aussie:

 

[Barada]

Hey Talon,

I understand it is only a rumor being George Lucas. My rant basically meant that it doesn't matter to me if it was another Tatooine Luke, the fact is that one city in the world will get an exclusive figure, which means that Hasbro is saying if you can't make it to the celebration (as much as you would love to), too bad. You lose.

This has happened with other exclusives, such as those that are often given out at Toyfare. The small action figure line is the bread and butter of most fan's collections, and this kind of exclusive, while making fans able to attend REALLY happy, will undoubtedly make even more upset. Maybe the Fan Club will get some. Maybe they won't. With the prices of the Fan Club, and the shipping costs incurred after delivery, I may as well spend a bucket of money on ebay to get it.

Don't get me wrong. I still love collecting. What I don't love is the exclusion of many world wide fans from obtaining something that may mean something to them. Unless this exclusive figure is released internationally, with maybe the celebration pieces having some kind of modified packaging or something else that would make it unique, I cannot agree with this.

Barada

 

[Darth Aussie]

Hear Hear Barada . it stinks what a raw deal we Aussies (and other overseas collectors) get from the SW fan club not being able to access anything from them. here's hoping it will change with EP 2 coming out

:aussie:

 

[vfermi]

all expenses paid trip to indy?

Hey Thommo... what have you been up to, mate lol...

Im game if youre offering an all expenses paid trip to indy just to get you a figure lol.

In all seriousness...I hope the figure is not GL! Id love a NEW JEDI LUKE...they already did it with the theater edition so why not do it again. People have been begging for a POTJ style redo of luke since the POTF2 version SUCKS! :bash:

I think this would be a much better idea. POTJ jedi luke in a mace windu preview style window box. big H should hire me! :toed:

 

[Talon]

I think that regardless of where you live (USA, Canada, Australia, wherever) exclusives suck. They are a major hassle. Hasbro knows that the majority of people buying Star Wars are collectors and we are die hards. We need to have at least one of everything. It would be much, much better if Hasbro offered a direct service. Say you pay a certain fee to enroll. Then you would be able to order the items that you need directly from the Big H. Now, I don't think this is something that Hasbro would consider but I believe that this would benefit not only us but Hasbro as well. It would elimimate such headaches as the Eopie beast pack, the Sio Bibbles & Admiral Mottis, etc.
It sure would be nice
:scatter:

 

[Darth Aussie]

To Talons remarks about a direct service idea, that would be ideal . just imagine no more waiting at the dept store just to get the latest stuff when you can also order it direct from the factory . good idea , just can't see Hasbro doing it unfortunately.
Vfermi been good buddy hope you are well . if i was offering a expenses paid trip to Indy mate i'd be the first to go! would love to go over to US and check it out

:aussie:

 

[Deathstar]

Cheesy!

I do agree with all of you that something smells bad in the back of the frig. I have had trouble snaring exclusives like the Y-Wing because my local store never got any or they were gone in a blink. I had to pay one and a half times retail for mine. Sooner or later the other exclusives do show up somewhere in the US, ie, Wuher at TRU for $1.97, 12" Amadala & Qui Defense of Naboo for $20, 12" Masterpieces at $20 and others. Sometimes we just need to wait it out.

The slant I have on the distribution of exclusives is that they might not be made unless an outlet agrees to purchase them. Hasbro, I do not think wants to be in the retail business. Let the outlets take the risk.

Target, TRU, KB and others tie the knot with Hasbro to increase traffic in their stores with the hope that you buy other things while you are there. What make me wonder is how can a outlet can discount B-Wing to $9.97 when starting price was $39.99? Must be a heck of a mark up for their risk. Huh?

Believe me, I'm not defending exclusives as I hate overpaying for them when they are not available. Unfortunally we do have to take the bad with the good sometimes.

 

[Redleader]

Somebody asked about a direct market thing at the Hasbro Q&A in Shreveport. They said something like it wasn't going to happen because they just make toys they aren't in the business of selling them. Now that didn't make any sense to me. They do sell toys, I'm sure that stores don't just come knocking on big H's door begging for exclusives........

 

[Barada]

Hey DeathStar,

I think you missed my point. While I don't like them, I understand why exclusives are made, and I accept that. What I don't like is that this mystery figure will be available in only ONE CITY in the entire world! We are being told that unless either you live near Indianapolis, or can spend hundreds of dollars to make the trip there, you can't have this figure. That is simply not fair to the fans who have supported Hasbro and Star Wars for up to 25 years in some cases.

It MAY be released elsewhere in the future. No guarantees. If it is, you can bet it will be extremely shortpacked, since I doubt Hasbro will make much more than a few thousand to cover the celebration crowd. If it then makes it to some retailer, supply will still come absolutely nowhere close to demand. For those left without, it will leave a very bad taste in the mouth.

As for Hasbro directly selling toys, I would like it, even though I doubt it will happen. Besides, who's to say they wouldn't charge more than regular retail? Just a thought.

Barada

 

[Deathstar]

Barada

I did get the point, but maybe I didn't address it properly as I was commenting on three post at the same time. I do understand that collectors outside the US are at an extreme dissavantage in securing the exclusives. Mainly because of the lack of distribution points in their areas. I think the reason the Mystery figure is only available, at this point, at the Convention is to get you to go. That is the bait and thousands will go from all across the US as well as Canada and the UK. Dealers and Comic Store Guys will go an get as many as they can and go back home and scalp a few. This is done at all Conventions. Is is fair? I don't like it but I do understand that the die hards will do whatever they have to do to be the first to have it or get it for fear of missing out. The point that I am trying to make, barring the lousy shipping cost to countries outside the US, is that all exclusives are available at some point in time. If a collector is in a rush it will cost more and if one waits, it will come to you. I know that sounds over positive but that the way I think.
Remember the pre Episode I Mace in the green box? You could only get it by cutting the proof if purchases from your Freeze Frames and mailing them in. How many Weequays and Sandtroopers FF's did I see on Ebay with removed POP's? What a waste. Then the Mace Was given away for free with the purchase of a few FF's from the old Fan Club. Lastly they were sold online in lots of 5 and 10 cheaply. Redleader:
Retail outlets are sent offerings on upcomming exclusives and bid on them. The outlets don't wish to be left out because of the generous profit that can be made on these items. Look at the recent price of the 12" and ships! Outlets make out on Exclusives.
Just my point of view!

 

[AmShak]

It's all about money.
Hasbro can make more money this way.
that's why you see the crazy case assortments.
they make the retailers buy the less wanted figures by clumping them in with the highy wanted short packed figures.
they force the retailers to take the loss on the over production of some figures.

 

[Barada]

Maybe, but in the end AmShak it is us who hurt. The retailers reluctantly buy these cases containing pegwarmers. Then, to cover themselves, they won't order more cases until the pegwarmers are gone. The stores see the figures sitting, and think the line isn't a seller anymore, so they stop ordering. Hasbro sees its sales dying, so they produce less. That means when new figures ARE put out, they're gone instantly, and the pegwarmers never move (in fact, they may take up more space). That is definitely what happened in Canada, and I blame that for the fact that we didn't see any Episode I figures in production after the Captain Tarpals wave, and why we were over six months before the States before we finally saw POTJ.

Hasbro may think they're making money this way, but they're cutting their own throats.

Barada

 

[vfermi]

ditto!

Ditto to what barada said... the damn repack wave has been clogging the pegs here for months now. loads of coruscant guards and nothing else! One walmart has NO star wars...the other is clogged with crap. Target still has a couple wave 1 POTJ...but they've started to put out new stuff. I remember people talking about "the HASBRO rep" coming in and cleaning out the old stock... I tend not to believe this since Ive never seen it and things just seem to collect dust wherever I go...

Thanks to some good friends, I can keep up with the latest and greatest, but I shouldnt have to look ELSEWHERE for something I should be able to go to one of my 2 walmarts, kmart, or target for.