If The 40th Anniversary Of Star Wars Can't Be Managed Properly....

Do we then expect the future lines The Vintage Collection to be handled better? I don’t know. What’s going on? (more….)

Was the 40th anniversary really only meant to be celebrated for just a couple of months (if even that)? Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn’t really matter now. I know things have changed significantly when compared to the 30th anniversary, but come on now. Even the stuff that was supposed to be out is struggling. Obviously this can be anecdotally gauged by the rather unfortunate distribution of The Black Series [Star Wars 40] line (in addition to the later figures in The Black Series [Phase III] figures as well). The case assortment for wave 1 has been put out of production. Collectors who haven’t even seen a sign of these figures at retail are waiting on pins and needles to see if their pre-orders for Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2) and Han Solo will be cancelled.

What’s more, promised availability dates keep getting further and further pushed out which will conflict with the new line look launching on Force Friday. It’s clear that Star Wars is coming much too fast and furious now. Hasbro, believe it or not, has limits and this breakneck pace is just not conducive to their planned marketing strategy. George Lucas understood merchandising, but the new leadership at Lucasfilm Ltd. appears to be clueless about it. The same character rehashes in every last stinking format, and the endless film schedules are truly conflicting with what should be the biggest marketing bonanza since 1977.

Here’s hoping that no matter what The Vintage Collection gets the tender loving care it needs and deserves. But I am really beginning to worry about its retail health, availability and ability to take over the collecting community like it did from 2010-2012. If there is going to be so much sensory overload and a concerted effort to push the “new stuff” how in the world will a collector-focused line thrive and rise above the stuff trying to take attention away from it?

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