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Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: R4-Series Astromech Droid Black with Silver. This was a later droid bin part from the Disney theme parks - and it looks a lot like a Hasbro dome, but doesn't have a perfectly matching body. It's also not too expensive on eBay if you can find it. Read on!
Via Variety: Disney Strikes Deal for Sony to Take Over Its DVD, Blu-ray Disc Business. From TFA: " As part of the deal, Sony will market, sell and distribute all Disney’s new releases and catalog titles on physical media to consumers through retailers and distributors in the U.S. and Canada. Disney will continue to manage its own digital media, like premium video-on-demand."
Some stores like FYE, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart still carry some physical media while Best Buy retail stores are in the process of phasing it out. In many markets, local media and record shops might be an even better bet as the once-ubiquitous 5-inch digital versatile disc is increasingly a niche product, albeit one that has enjoyed a much longer and arguably stronger life than VHS.
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Mon Mothma (The Retro Collection). Why does she have a blaster? I have no idea - most figures in the 1980s would have, but Anakin didn't, so it's probably just for fun. Read on!
This week in Star Wars Q&A - Vehicular line-plotter! Can we expect more 1990s ships? Should you give up your worldly collection and follow Retro exclusively? And what would you want to see? I'd support that cult - but maybe just grab a few to start with.
Be sure you send in your questions for next time, mostly so we can keep this going another decade or so. Why not? It's something to do. Also, Happy Presidents Day. Read on!
Ad/sponsored link (so if you click and buy something, we may get a share of the sale): Amazon posted a new STAR WARS The Vintage Collection Escape from Order 66, The Clone Wars, Ahsoka Tano & Droids 3.75 Inch Collectible Action Figure 4-Pack today. Ahsoka may look familiar, and you may have other versions of R7-A7 (animated, Celebrate the Saga, or Disney droid), but CH-33P and RG-G1 are new here.
Escape from Order 66 comes in a big box with 4 carded figures inside, similar to other recent Amazon exclusives.
The set is $69.99 and due this summer. Click here to order.
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Tusken Raider (Dark Robes and Stripes, The Vintage Collection). Sometimes new deco is all you need to refresh a character, and I love having new guys to build out this group. Read on!
Some of the most common questions we get here at Galactic Hunter, the finest toy news site 2002 had to offer that for some reason hasn't been shut down yet, is "When am I going to get a toy of this thing?" Well, the answer may be "not soon" because articles like Hasbro cuts half of its SKUs as sales fall 23% in Q4 were being forwarded around today.
From the article:
"For the full year [2023], Hasbro’s revenue fell 15% to $5 billion from $5.9 billion a year earlier. The company saw an operating loss of $1.54 billion, including $1.3 billion of impairment charges related to divesting eOne, as well as nonrecurring inventory costs and royalty expenses."
"Hasbro’s full-year outlook anticipates revenue for its consumer products segment will be down 7% to 12%. The company also raised its cost-cutting target to $750 million from its previous goal of $350 million to $400 million by the end of 2025."
What does it mean, you ask?
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Cad Bane (The Black Series). This is the one from The Book of Boba Fett, so there are a lot of differences between him and The Clone Wars' "live action" figure from a few years ago. For example, there are no rocket boots... but it's still a blue Duro in a hat and a duster, so to a lot of fans it's not obvious that it's a completely new sculpt. Read on!
This week in Star Wars Q&A - Super Articulated Figures and their absences. Ship happens, thank goodness, as an action figure line without vehicle is just... I guess Marvel Legends.
Be sure you send in your questions, the mail bag is empty. We have no questions for next week's update, which may mean I get a break. Read on!
Hasbro hasn't actually made a completely new 3 3/4-inch vehicle for years (last year's N-1 Fighter was still a Naboo Fighter), but now we're getting the Star Wars The Vintage Collection New Republic E-Wing & KE4-N4. That's the little Kenner R2-D2 droid from Ahsoka in here, but sadly the pilot is sold separately. At $99.99 (and seemingly made-to-order with a pre-order deadline of March 5, 2024) it certainly isn't cheap, but other recent vehicles for collectors are in this general ballpark. I ordered one. You can order one here.
If the vehicle looks familiar, it should. One of Galoob's final Action Fleet vehicles was an E-Wing back in the 1990s, but other than that it's a pretty obscure vehicle that doesn't get a lot of love. (Even I confuse it with the 1990s version of the V-Wing at times. It's not the same as the prequel V-Wing.) This E-Wing looks cool, and I assume the pack-in droid is going to be the selling point for most fans.
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Sabine Wren (The Retro Collection). We looked at the $28 Vintage figure last week, and this $12 Retro figure isn't as fancy - but it's a satisfying release with lots of accessories. Read on!
This week in Star Wars Q&A - The New Kid Line, have you seen it? It's making the rounds. It looks like Mando is selling briskly around here.
Be sure you send in your questions, the mail bag is empty. We have no questions for next week's update, which may mean I get a break. Read on!
Actor Carl Weathers, known as Apollo Creed from Rocky, Greef Karga from The Mandalorian, Dillon from Predator, and a ton of other movies and TV shows was reported dead today. He was also beloved for the role of Carl Weathers on Arrested Development. He was 76.
Via the Star Wars Galactic Hunter Figure of the Day Blog: Sabine Wren (The Vintage Collection). This figure has a bunch of accessories, but at a $11 premium over a standard figure. While she did not get widespread distribution, some of the stores that got her still have her around and some have reported clearance prices - so keep hunting and keep scanning if you haven't picked one up yet. She's great for a $17 or under figure, but at $28 you may be asking if the additional deco, the Lothcat, or the other gear are worth the extra credits. Read on!
