How do you feel about Hot Toys doing second runs of Vader, Chewie, Han and Obi-Wan?

[Sidewinder]

These are widely available still for preorder at a bunch of online retailers. I wouldn't be surprised if most people who wanted them already had them prior to this second wave, so they won't sellout too fast now.

 

[Hollywood]

I agree with Danoby2/ Benjamin.............from a collectables/ rarity standpoint making the reissues runs actually sucks. From the stand point of people getting the chance to own these, and stick it to the scalpers, I think its great.

I've been collecting HT since 2007, and can remember the days of urgency. You had to preorder because edition sizes were limited, and if you missed out the prices went through the roof among collectors, and yes scalpers. That however is what made the collectible fun, exciting, and gave the wait/ hobby value. Today there is little reason to jump on a preoprder as the edition size is unknown, and most figures just sit on websites available for months and sometimes more than year before it sells out. Knowing this anyone who wants one can get one at retail for a VERY long time after its release. If you didn't pull the trigger then, why would you on a reissue.

On one hand a reissue of the same figure takes up a slot where a new figure could be released. Why rehash a figure that you can still obtain (even at a higher price point) within the community, as opposed to reissue the figure but from a different film (ESB etc).

Outside of those who did not choose to buy the figure first go around, I am not sure where the real advantage is to reissue? It does lessen the "value" in the long run, makes figures less exciting, and could hurt the HT market since if this becomes the "norm" or the potential is out there for it to keep happening....then there is no urgency on initial purchases. This is a domino effect. These are not investment pieces, but its nice to have an expensive collectible that you paid a lot for at least maintain its relative retail value.

Happy for those able to secure one for retail cost, but boys we all pay to play. You miss out first go...you buy on the secondary market, or wait for an alternate version of the character from a different film.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Travis Baumann]

Just saw SSC is putting out a "new" ROTJ Vader. I still see their Deluxe one available at conventions all the time and then we have HT version (now w/ reissue) and on top of all those readily available Vader's another release with some minor tweaks.

I love Vader but how about some characters we have not had a chance to see in 1/6th yet (or at least ones that are so old that they truly suck in comparison).

 

[Mike86]

I don't really see why it matters. If people want to buy them they should be able to without having to pay inflated prices. I buy these figures because I like them not because I want to feel like I have something rare in my possession and hold that over others or something.

 

[FlyAndFight]

I buy these things because I like them but if they are rare, that's just icing on the cake.

 

[Getoninja]

I collect limited items, if I didn't, I'd buy Hasbro figures.

Hasbro does make limited toys for SDCC, Botcon, and other Cons, the same with other toy companies like Mattel, Lego, Mezco, Neca, etc, etc, etc....
Not to mention the millions of collectors with awesome collections from Hasbro/Kenner, to Mattel, to McFarlane toys, to Mezco and so on. Starting from the 70s to the present and many figures not being limited editions.

And I admire anybody's collection either if its vintage Gi Joes figures, to Transformers, Legos to MasterReplica props. As long as you have the true passion of collecting

 

[OutLander]

And I admire anybody's collection either if its vintage Gi Joes figures, to Transformers, Legos to MasterReplica props. As long as you have the true passion of collecting

 

[Taibhse]

Hmmm.. while I can see the attraction for new collectors, my problems with re-releases are twofold:

Firstly, these figures are supposed to be a premium collectible product, costing a significant amount of cash (..and RRPs have also risen significantly over the last few years).. Imho, manufacturers can get away with not having specified limited editions (Rolex don't publicise how many watches they sell) .. but re-releases do devalue the 'premium collectible' branding.

Secondly, re-releases pretty much guarantee that a proportion of the figures end up in the Sales section of retail stores.. as other posts have mentioned, what this means is that there is far less incentive to pre-order, or even buy at full retail.. but to wait and pick the figure up at discount.. this again devalues the 'premium collectible' branding and effectively trains collectors to wait for the discount.

I am not a fan of scalpers pricing, but it is an indicator of the collectability of items and only becomes a major problem on genuinely limited editions, where it may prevent genuine collectors from purchasing a figure at retail.. although in truth, this seems more of an issue with collectibles with a numbered and certified release of less than approx 300, which is more common with Vinyl Art releases, and is much rarer with Action figures.

I buy figures because I like them..but as others have mentioned, if it purports to be a 'premium collectible' (and therefore has a 'premium' price tag), I expect it to hold some value, should I wish to sell it, to buy something else, at a later date.. if it increases significantly in value, that is a pleasant bonus.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I collect limited items, if I didn't, I'd buy Hasbro figures.

You're suggesting that you would buy Hasbro-quality crappy figures if they were limited items.

I think that's a big part of the equation many are not addressing. Beyond whether these figures are limited quantity or not, they are still superior quality compared to most action figures out there. That's what we're really paying a premium on—the high quality of the design and production.

Just like people buy higher end designer clothes because they are designed and tailored better with better production values (stitching, materials, etc.) vs getting clothes that are inexpensive and cheaply made. They're not buying a certain designer because they sell limited quantities of certain shirts. They're buying it because of the luxurious quality of the design.

If exclusivity is what many of you are after, we got it simply because of the high price! How many people in your every day real lives (that are not affiliated with this forum!) do you know own a $250 action figure? I don't know a single one. You can boast as much as you want about that!

 

[r3dPyramid]

I collect for myself. It doesn't matter to me if they aren't limited. I only buy these things because I enjoy them. I don't collect because of rarity or feeling like I've got a leg up on other collectors. I do think it's an awesome way to screw the scalpers though.

 

[klapper]

In my opinion, there is no right or wrong here. Both sides have good arguments to sustain their points of view.

I personally don't like the idea of collecting something just because others don't have it. I'm not saying that I am immune to it. I mean, I kinda feel satisfied by knowing that I have a rare collectable like Acitoys Aragorn that won't probably be hitting the shelves anymore. But I am at the same time sorta ashamed by this thought. I mean, having a rare item doens't make me a better person. At least it shouldn't be like this.

So by one side, I'm happy that there are reissues. What about my dark side? Well, it kinda thinks it sucks.

 

[Justneepz]

I recently started collecting the 1/6 figures, because at 45 I remembered the fondness I had collecting the original figures nearly four decades ago.
That enthusiasm hasn't wavered, I buy them because I enjoy them, I'm a huge Star Wars fan and it's a chance to have figures I would have died to own as a young boy.
They will hold a nostalgic value to me, never a monetary one.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Roc74]

I see people mention that re releases will make pre order less important, but keep in mind nothing guarantees an item will be re released. Sellouts will probably have a higher chance of re release, but if everyone sits back waiting for below retail prices to come along, then nothing will sellout. Bottom line just buy it if you really want it, not because it might be rare and later on you think you might want it.
The market is not like once was , that if you missed out on an opportunity. you will never see it again. (at least not for popular properties like Marvel. DC, Star Wars etc...) Characters are constantly be made in different iterations now a days.

 

[The Green Goblin]

I can't believe people are arguing this could be a bad thing.

 

[airborn007]

The only thing that is Limited Edition is if an item is numbered. Otherwise the word limited is irrelevant.

 

[Travis Baumann]

I can't believe people are arguing this could be a bad thing.

I am not arguing against it but it turns a "highly sought after collectible" into a "High end toy".

Having something that is 1 of 50 sounds a lot cooler to a collector than having 1 of 5,000 or 50,000. A new Star Wars era is entering us into a new Star Wars merchandise era and Hot Toys have signed up with the Mouse so they will no longer be doing things their own way, they have to answer to LFL/Disney now.

SSC has started to follow suit (albeit without the strength of their once talented design team it makes sense to mine the past glories) with re-releases and V 2.0's of their sold out (and in the case of the new ROTJ Vader, not so sold out) figures. I benefited from this by scoring the Probe Droid v2 which is awesome.

Where this sucks the most is for anyone who went and sought something out for their collection at high after-market prices as up until this new era, that was the only way to get what you wanted onto your shelves. I am pretty cheap so I only did that on a few occasions and even then, no more than $30 above retail so not too bad. I see local stores selling the old SSC Darth Maul for over $200 for example. Anyone who gets suckered into that is going to be quite unhappy when the all new one comes out at that price but at least they will have the cloak.

New Rule: Do not buy anything over retail on the after market as given time, it will most likely be made available again.

It also completely changes the furor over pre-orders, limited editions, and the SSC Collectors' Model that they put in place many years ago.

It lets lots of other people get the figures but we have already seen a quality/creative leak in the new releases with them matching the output of lesser end toy companies in the rush to get product out at that "hot/vital" moment. It took time to get Leia as good as she is, that is why she came out so much later than all the other figures... they all lack something in the likeness quality because of it.

 

[dmon83]

The problem is people identifying themselves with their quirky hobby. You are not your toys. Just because more people have access doesn't mean yours is suddenly garbage.

It reminds me of people who play MMO's that get mad that things are made a bit easier for people to get.

"I WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS YOU DIDNT DISADJKHD"

The quality, if anything, has gone UP because they are taking in more money and therefore can spend more time on these things.

Compare older HT models with the new stuff: eons better!

 

[Mmmmm Napalm]

Personally I'm fine with second runs. Those are different from reissues (what Sideshow has been doing), when a figure that has sold out years ago is sold once again for a higher price and with less accessories.

With a second production run, everyone gets the same figure, for the same price. It hasn't been that long since the first run ended either. Sure, there are more of them out there than before, but they won't be made forever, and I highly doubt HT will go for a third run unless they don't plan on tackling the other films in the OT for a couple's years. However, given that Yoda has been announced, I think we can expect more TESB, or perhaps even RoTJ, figures in the future, and the end of the ANH runs (unless they release a new character, like Tarkin, although I doubt that will happen unfortunately).

 

[spindrift]

Well now that they are shipping what do you guys think? Straight reissue...no changes...

 

[Skibbles]

They are shipping now?