Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Star Wars action figures, models, statues, stickers, cards, promotional items, and other collectibles.
User avatar
HanSagan
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Posts: 113
Joined: Tue May 11, 2010 12:26 am
Country: New Zealand

Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by HanSagan »

I was in the Warehouse Sylvia Park yesterday, and among some new figures was this guy:

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

Apparently he was a background extra fleeing in the cloud city scenes. A background extra? Really? With water cooler accessory?
http://www.angels2200.com

New Zealand's most successful webcomic!
User avatar
MattG
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4921
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:46 am
Country: New Zealand
Location: Auckland

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by MattG »

LOL :lol: - yeah, there's been a couple of characters of this type (eg, Yarna d'al' Gargan), destined to become peg-warmers if supplied in inappropriate numbers. I think that they are, however, intentionally selected by Hasbro (sometimes with their tongue trending in the direction of their cheek) as a gesture to the hardcore/completist "grown-up" collector, rather than the younger collector happy to buy dozens of variations of the major hero/villain characters.

Ice-Cream Man (Willrow Hood) has kinda had a backstory built around him that makes him a bit of a fan favourite (again, a bit of a tongue-in-cheek geek joke).

Image
User avatar
Bazzack
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 986
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:14 am
Country: NZ

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Bazzack »

haha. Yup, this quote from that site says it all really : "Safety Warning: This Product is for Adult Collectors."

He's quite a nice figure mind you. I'm glad I don't have a cloud city scene going on :ohwell:
User avatar
Reverend Strone
High Colonel
High Colonel
Posts: 1533
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:30 pm
Country: New Zealand
Location: Wellington

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Reverend Strone »

Yeah, he wasn't on my wishlist either, and I love obscure characters! It was kind of as joke that I think got a bit out of hand. I haven't bought one, but if I ever do, it will likely be for customs. It's quite a good base body for slightly out of shape custom figures like Noah or Porkins (whom Hasbro has said will use this very same body when they next get round to revisiting him).
User avatar
Buzz Bumble
High Colonel
High Colonel
Posts: 1490
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 2:50 am
Country: New Zealand
Location: North Shore, Auckland

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Buzz Bumble »

The Star Wars figures in general have jumped the shark a few times already.

Probably the first time was the horrible, muscle-bound figures, and more recently are the rather silly Star Wars Transformers figures. :ohwell:

Then of course there's the Galactic Heroes figures and the Mr Potato Head range.
User avatar
Reverend Strone
High Colonel
High Colonel
Posts: 1533
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 10:30 pm
Country: New Zealand
Location: Wellington

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Reverend Strone »

Aww, the GH figures are great, and an excellent option for younger fans for whom the delicate regular figures aren't suitable. My daughters love them and play with them every day.

But, I tend to agree with you about the majority of the rest Buzz, though as a kid, I would have thought SW Transformers were just about the coolest things ever. I recall being ten and loving both SW and Transformers, and doing drawings of fantasy crossovers between the two, never imagining one day we'd actually see them. Of course as an adult they do nothing to excite me, but as a ten year old, I'd have been all over them! :D

Other steps too far: Force battlers, SW customs, pretty much all and any fast food tie in items - at least the way my tastes run.
User avatar
farmboynz
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 528
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:42 am
Country: New Zealand
Location: Hamilton

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by farmboynz »

Reverend Strone wrote:Other steps too far: Force battlers, SW customs, pretty much all and any fast food tie in items - at least the way my tastes run.
totally agree with you on this one Dan
bring on rogue one, episode 8 and what ever else they have in stall for us :D
User avatar
Buzz Bumble
High Colonel
High Colonel
Posts: 1490
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 2:50 am
Country: New Zealand
Location: North Shore, Auckland

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Buzz Bumble »

Reverend Strone wrote:Aww, the GH figures are great, and an excellent option for younger fans for whom the delicate regular figures aren't suitable. My daughters love them and play with them every day.
I really like the Galactic Heroes too - I just listed them because they were different version to the regular 3 3/4" figures. In fact, I wish I had collected the Galactic Heroes line, probably instead of the 3 3/4" figures. Someone else on another, American, forum has a great collection of the Galactic Heroes items. I've only got a couple of the very first packs, which I won in a competition.

I'm still hoping they make the rumoured animated TV show (I noticed the other day that Cartoon Network was playing an advert for a show that looks like it's based on the similar Marvel superheroes series of figures.)

I've also got the first three Mr Potato Head characters, but the newer ones haven't shown up (yet). I didn't bother with the Indiana Spud figure though.
Last edited by Buzz Bumble on Sat Jul 17, 2010 4:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Anaria
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 975
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:30 am
Country: NZ
Location: NZ
Contact:

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Anaria »

I'm always a bit puzzled by the SW Transformers. They seem like they would be popular with young kids, but they just sit around on shelves. The Mighty Muggs seemed to start off well, but they've become another staple peg warmer line. Perhaps if they had done more of my favourite characters I might have bought a few, but collectors have enough lines to buy these days, and they're not really aimed at kids.

I do love the Galactic Heroes though :) I got my first few sets as a gift, and I'll bought a few packs since then - but it's really hard when we/I already collect the standard figures.

Image Image
Rebel Legion - former LAC
Costume website FB page SWNZ FB

Image
User avatar
Buzz Bumble
High Colonel
High Colonel
Posts: 1490
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 2:50 am
Country: New Zealand
Location: North Shore, Auckland

Re: Star Wars Figures jump the shark?

Post by Buzz Bumble »

Maybe I should swap my 3 3/4" figures for your Galactic Heroes figures. ;)

Another "jump the shark" set are the Disneyland figures (Jedi Mickey, etc.) which are difficult / expensive to get here, otherwise I wouldn have collected them. :( I do have a soft toy version of Jedi Mickey.
Post Reply