The Finds Awaken

[SpamWesell]

Is anyone looking at any stores to see if product is shelved early, or are you looking to hit the midnight madness?

Thought it'd be a good time to start a new thread.

 

[PizzatheHut]

Makes sense for a new thread.

I haven't been in a store in a while, but this morning I swung by the toy department while breezing through Meijer. They were re-setting the aisles, and there was big empty section with signage that tantalized Force Friday. It was really exciting to see the signs and the empty space taking up nearly half an aisle, and I was reminded of Midnight Madnesses from the past. Those were exciting days and really put an instant smile on my face as I eagerly anticipate the onslaught of Star Wars movies that are to come.

And then I thought about the leaked images of TFA product that we've all seen and my smile turned into a frown. I am so disappointed with Hasbro for releasing these stripped-down, rudimentary action figures.

I've been collecting Star Wars action figures for nearly 40 years, and I gleefully watched as figures and vehicles got better and better with each passing year. There were some stinkers, of course, along the way but for over 30 years Hasbro consistently wowed me with toys and collectibles that satisfied my discerning and elevated tastes. Hasbro showed me what Star Wars action figures could be by taking sculpting, paint and articulation to new level after new level. Hasbro introduced me characters outside the movies and cartoons through action figures, and expanded my knowledge of the Star Wars Universe. But since 2012 or so there has been a noticeable downward trend with action figures in terms of sculpt, paint applications and especially articulation. I'm dumbfounded that Hasbro would take such a simplistic approach to the figures, and I'm sincerely saddened by the thought that for the time being** I likely won't collect Star Wars action figures.

I've known for a while that I wouldn't participate in Midnight Madness since it's strangely on a work night, but I knew I would sneak out for an extended lunch break on Friday to peruse the toy aisle. I probably still will visit TRU that day just to check things for myself, but I fully expect that I won't be making a purchase that day. :'(

**I completely expect Hasbro to wait a year or so and trot out new versions of these characters as ***NEW - SUPER ARTICULATED*** and act as if they've reinvented the wheel, all in an effort to get collectors to buy the characters all over again.

 

[bwing]

Spam - not doing the Midnight Madness thing but definitely looking forward to NEW product. I'll be out over that weekend trying to pick up what I can.

And in reply to Pizza, I completely understand that the lack of articulation is somewhat of a turn off to you (and many many others on this site) but with the increasing cost of a single figure ($13 - seriously????), a good looking product (even a 5POA one) that will hopefully be about half the cost is most welcome.

And although I haven't bought many of the "legends" figures that are currently out as I already have a superior one of the same character, the prospect of getting figures of NEW characters is very exciting.

In addition, you are probably correct that SA figures of the same characters will come out eventually (and I will buy those too), but for now, it's nice to have something to look forward too.

BTW - I like the look of the vehicles I seen so far in this line. Again - new stuff!!!

 

[echo1441]

I may go to midnight madness because the timing will coincide with the end of MSU vs Western that night. I highly don't I will purchasing anything other than bb8 or something for my son. The figures have just gone too far backwards for my taste.

 

[AgentClaret]

I'll only buy 6" Black Series now and only when I stumble across a good one, but I may actually do MM just for fun and to snag at least a Stormtrooper and maybe a Kylo.

The rest they can keep.

 

[SpamWesell]

after seeing Hasbro's product offering...

Star Wars The Force Awakens Leaked Hasbro Catalog Pictures

I'll probably get the 6", a few of the 3 3/4, and the Rey Speeder. It'd be cool to put it on the shelf with this painting I did...
Minnie Mouse as Rey from The Force Awakens trailer by darrinbrege on DeviantArt

Mick would like a mini BB-8, if the have the remote one. Man, I'm underwhelmed with quite a bit. Where is Solo? Finn, Chewie, and BB8 in a crummy looking Falcon? Ahhh, no.

 

[PizzatheHut]

WTF is up with that the Millennium Falcon?!? What a horrible steaming pile! $130 for that?!?
"What a piece of junk!" - Luke Skywalker, A New Hope

 

[bwing]

Regardless of my earlier post - that Falcon is a piece of CRAP (although I do want the figures from it) and the price is downright ridiculous!!!!

I don't collect the 6" figures but the basic 3 3/4" figures and most of the ships look good (although I'm disappointed that Hasbro is again breaking out the 1977 molds for the X-wing and Tie Fighter)

The one thing that I am pleased about is that Titaniums are coming back.

 

[PizzatheHut]

Make sure that you're looking at the pictures of the opened TFA figures and ships that are showing up now. You'll get a good eyeful of why this stuff is over-priced junk and should be left to rot on the store shelves.

 

[bwing]

Pizza - tell us what you really think!!!


On a collecting note - I found a bunch of new FA stuff at the Dearborn WalMart today (Titaniums/Class 2 vehicles-no figures though) - I must say that the Titaniums look good (and I love the packaging).

Problem is that I wasn't able to any of them. Upon scanning one of the items, the cashier proceeded to tell me that they could not sell anything until tomorrow. I wasn't upset although I keep thinking to myself - "then don't put stuff out that you can't buy!!!!"

 

[AgentClaret]

I hit Westland TRU at midnight, I was about 30 people back in line and they were letting in groups of ten at 12:01. By the time I got in there was no Black 6" left at all. REALLY terrible planning on Hasbro or TRU's part. They were limiting folks to 3 of each item, but I stood and watched the first few customers in buy 3 Kylo's and Stormtrooper's apiece. Ugh.

So I hit Meijer. Nothing, not even a shelf tag for 6".

Then Canton Wal-Mart, and finally found a Kylo Ren. No stormtrooper, though. Lots of Chewie's and Finn's there.

The 3 3/4" stuff is serious crap, guys. I saw a new wave of Black Collection 3 3/4" at WM but they weren't TFA related.

So I could use a hand with a stormtrooper, if you're in my area. I also drive to Flint and Lansing a lot too... favors WILL be owed!

 

[kengar]

Wow, I guess I'm in the minority as someone who's buying some of this stuff. I didn't go to any midnight rollouts--sounds like TRU would have been a waste anyway--but I hit Canton Target as soon as it opened. I got there about ten minutes after opening and they were largely cleared out already. Same at the other stores I hit this morning. The armor figures don't seem to be selling that well but everything else is flying off the shelves so far. I dare say that retailers might have underestimated demand. I managed to get the basic figures I wanted, but the two packs were completely sold out everywhere, even the ones that should be pegwarmers, and the vehicles and six inch were few and far between.

At least today comes with news that the 3 3/4" SA figures will be continuing albiet at a greatly reduced pace and as a Walmart exclusive. Jeditemplearchives also posted that Vintage Collection in clamshells is coming back as a TRU exclusive.

 

[faith4ever]

The 5POA figures are about $7-8 per. The WM exclusive SA 3.75s at least per their site are just about $13 each so it looks to be a $3 price increase for them compared to the standard TBS pricing (not including the round of Target-initiated markups).

 

[SpamWesell]

Mick and I met up with some friends at the Novi TRU. I echo the same as everyone here....We were about 25th in line, and everything was cleared out by the time we got in. I wanted the 6" figs. No trooper or Rey. Snagged the speeder bike and a few little ones.
New Hudson WM right after had everything, including cupcakes! Lol. All mick wanted was a stormtrooper and Rey and BB8 6" but most of all the $150 BB8. That was nowhere to be found except the Brighton Meijers (just went at about 2am on a whim) had 3 of them. The thing is fantastic. Really cool. Ok, I broke down and got one too. If you're interested, Bed Bath and Beyond had about 8 of them on the shelf in Brighton. Just checked this morning to see what the Brighton Target had, and it was just about everything.
The only 3 3/4 figs we didn't see was the desert two pack with the little BB-8. No two packs anywhere. Did anyone see any two packs?

 

[faith4ever]

Didn't go out at midnight but during a morning sweep (TRU, Target, KMart, Meijer, WalMart) I didn't find two-packs anywhere. Not sure if they just haven't been released yet or if they were just another casualty of low stock which seems to be plaguing the stores today in an apparent underestimation of demand.
How big is that $150 BB8? There was an ABC video that made it look positively tiny, but still adorable.

 

[SpamWesell]

BB8 is a little bigger than a hardball.

 

[Todd_F]

Well, I decided to hit a nearby Meijer store at 5am, before work, and saw a large isand display, half empty, and an equally impressive amount of shelf real estate, again, empty. The island display had the BB’s, some shirts, cups, all the FA basic figures, some 24’ or 36’ figures, playsets of some kind, some vehicles, figure 2-packs, but no 6” figures, which I was looking for. I should have come back to this store later in the day as I'm sure they had a LOT more product to stock.

Around 3pm, I hit my local Wally and wasn’t shocked to see a ridiculously shameful shelf space about 3 feet wide allotted for various FA toys but containing only a few paltry basic, roleplay sabers, and a vehicle or two. What a joke.

Booked it over to a Super Wally on the west side of Lansing and found their massive display, about 70% empty… but some 6” remained, including 1 Rey (Yay!), 3 Ren’s, lots of Chewies and Fin’s and, you guessed it, no stormies (shocking… I know).

Skipped 2 Targets (which I later regretted as I returned home to learn that the Walgreens Exclusive Rick Grimes has been spotted at a Target. Grrr).


Hit 4 Walgreen hoping to find Exclusive Rick or Daryl… all post truck mind you… nothing.

*sigh*

At least I found a Kylo Ren and a Rey so I consider today a collector success... even if it yielded a very, and I mean VERY, typical Mid-Michigan haul for me.

 

[PizzatheHut]

Star Wars Black Series 3.75" - Walmart Exclusive Complete Wave 1
It didn't take long for someone to scalp the new 3 inch black series.

 

[faith4ever]

Never posted on CL before but I wonder if a way to defeat that kind of scalper behavior on that site would be to create a competing unexpiring post that points to the WM website where people can order the set for retail. I get that some people like to play the toy dealing thing, but a increasing the price 200% per item? Maybe if they added $2 or $3 per it'd be "meh" but no. They want to scalp toys for a living, get a dealer license and open up a storefront.

 

[PizzatheHut]

^^ That's a great idea, and something I might do.

If anyone is looking for anything released recently, let me know here. I can bring it back with me from Illinois and Indiana. If I find it that is.

 

[LisaLeia77]

Didn't go out to the Midnight Madness. I stopped at the local Meijer on Fri night around 11pm and found most of the basic figures on sale for 10% off too. Used a mperks coupon for another 10% off so I got 8 of the 12 for $6.47 each including 3 FO Stormtroopers. I left the Luke repacks with bad paint. No Phasma or Kylo Ren. Found those 2 today at the Belleville Walmart for $6.94 each.

I found 2 Force Awakens T-Shirts at Meijer on sale for $8 each and used an mperks coupon for 15% off. One is grey with BB8 and the other is Black with Kylo Ren and FO Stormtroopers.

I will try to get some of the vehicles at Target this week with the $10 or $25 coupons.

 

[LXSTCH]

oops... I've been checking the other thread. Thought everyone left town!

Check your local Kohls.... My mom picked up a Sarco Plank with her senior discount. She said they were stocking the floor today (Northville) No Black Series, just 3 3/4.

I attended MM at TRU Madison Heights. Yes, there was a frenzy... but that was the idea, right? We first checked out the Target in Rochester. The line was huge, and they didn't look like there was enough product to go around. Ended up at TRU at 11:15, about 13th in line. Way better results.

After seeing the TFA 3 3/4" figures, I decided not to collect the full line. The only thing I was really after were the Rebels figures, which have yet to be seen on shelves.

 

[faith4ever]

Yesterday I'd seen both Kanan and Ezra 3.75" at Kohls in RH. Left both at the store - may want to try there. Also finally found a 3.75 Phasma there, it took awhile but got the one figure that literally was pulled off of the pegs in front of me Fri morning at Target.

@Lisa - you may want to check out Kohl's, Rock & Republic has some really nice SW tops there. With some Kohl's cash and maybe a coupon they become a fair bit cheaper to buy.

 

[AgentClaret]

I finally found a 6" FO Stormtrooper at the Midland Target!

 

[bwing]

Although I might be one of the only ones left, I did purchase all 10 of the new basic figures last Friday (not Midnight Madness but during the day). Usually I am always interested in purchasing the vehicles but the cost for them right now is a little over the top. Hopefully with the holidays approaching there will be deals and I can get them cheaper.

What I have found amazing is that in my search for new stuff since Friday is that most stores are almost if not completely OUT OF STOCK when it comes to figures. We are less than a week out and there is no product on the pegs?????? (For example - there was not a single figure this morning at the Troy Walmart on Maple at Coolidge)

Either this is in response to the 1999 release when there was a glut of new product or this is just plain bad planning on the part of Hasbro.

Hopefully this is a temporary thing and as new product gets released there will be more of a steady stream of available items.

 

[LXSTCH]

Warren 12/Van Dyke Wal Mart seemed pretty well stocked last night. At least 2 of each Chewbacca and Finn 6". Lots of basic figures, too (Build a weapon and Armor up). No Phasmas.

Also Detroit Meijer has Jakks 20" Biker Scouts on clearance for $5.

Keep looking at Kmart... Black Series 6" on sale for $15.99

 

[SpamWesell]

I'm with you Bwing. It's amazing that everything is cleaned out at just about every store. Very little remains. Is it understocking? Is it folks putting things on ebay? It was never this way (old man time) back in the day with episode 1 or even 3 toys. If you didn't go to midnight madness...stores were still stocked up for weeks (for the most part - some exclusives like the Lava Vader, Obi, or Ani were gone). Meijers stores are cleaned out as are Targets. Unreal.

 

[LisaLeia77]

I am amazed too at the lack of product restock for the 3 3/4 line TFA items. On friday I found 2 wave 2 figures at Kohls in Ann Arbor. Bought the FO Stormtrooper and Sarco Plank and left Kanan. The rest of the figures were from wave 1 including a Phasma. Ordered a Pilot Asty on Ebay for $11. Meijer was restocking one case of the Rey wave 1 when I was there around midnight last night.

 

[faith4ever]

The shelves definitely aren't seeing plentiful restocks but some diligence may wind up paying off. Found the last of the 3.75" that I was after at Meijer in Flint and then found all of the two-packs was interested in at Target which saved a trip to TRU. Wal-Mart had two of the three repack exclusive 3.75s (Vader/Chewie) but had yet to have put out their Halloween goodies so didn't find the cute new Jawa with a pumpkin.
Didn't see any restocking on the 6" - spotted three 6" Chewies and that was it across four stores that did have them at some point.

 

[AgentClaret]

I snagged an 6" Emperor Palpatine at a Walgreens!

 

[LXSTCH]

If you want to find those Mission Series 2 Packs... They're still mostly in the back stock of Target. I think its mainly because they don't have a peg on the wall yet.
DPCI 087-06-3950 (assortment- not figure specific)
Troy was already picked over. I found a sealed case of 8 at Southfield. In the back. Got the ones I was after!

 

[faith4ever]

The site may be titled for another collecting passion but if you use Target Inventory Checker and enter the DPCI you can get an idea if their inventory at least mentions they have it - then you can hit the shelves to see if they are there and if not, then the CustServ should be able to help. I know the Target I hit after using the DPCI and that site had them on the shelf so some Targets do have peg slots.

 

[SpamWesell]

the Target dcpi worked at Brighton. Snagged bb-8 and the Vader/Ahsoka two pack.

 

[kengar]

The DCPI worked at Ford Rd Canton Target as well. I got the Vader/Ahsoka pack and finally got a Chopper, but someone beat me to the BB-8 pack.

 

[PizzatheHut]

I've seen the 2-packs at a few Meijer's over the weekend (Rochester and Fraser).

 

[AgentClaret]

BS 6" is hitting all over at Walgreen's, so stop by one if you still need wave 1. I haven't seen any wave two around Canton, Flint or Lansing. Still looking for Phasma!

 

[PizzatheHut]

New images of the next few 3.75BS Wal-Mart figures!
Jedi Temple Archives News: New The Black Series 3.75" Walmart Exclusives Revealed!

 

[LisaLeia77]

I found the FA Mission series 2 packs on the pegs at the Ypsilanti Target around 9pm. Picked up the BB-8 and Ahsoka packs. Left one Ahsoka pack with bad paint, Obiwan/Cody, and Han/Leia packs. Did not see the Anakin/Yoda, Zeb/Chopper or C3PO/R2D2 packs.

 

[AgentClaret]

So am I the only one here that's into 6"? I just can't get into the newer 3.75" stuff.

 

[bwing]

I'm the opposite Agent - I just can't get into the 6" figures. Maybe it's because I grew up on the 3 3/4" figures.

And although I don't love the new figures, they are ok and the packaging is nice.