Monthly Archives: January 2020

Earlier this week I asked you to rank all the live action Star Wars movies. Most of you even followed the rules and listed all 11 of them! And now the results are in! So click through to find out how you ranked the movies!

And the winner is…

(more…)

Earlier today Hot Toys teased their upcoming Baby Yoda (officially “The Child”) products.

The adorable Child with big ears and large eyes is expected to arrive, joining Hot Toys as the incredibly accurate life-size collectible, quarter & one sixth scale collectible and brand new Cosbaby figures that will capture the hearts of many! Stay tuned to our upcoming announcements for the acclaimed line-up inspired by The Mandalorian, Star Wars first live-action series.

So it seems you will be able to choose from several scales. And “Cosbaby” refers to the Hot Toys version of a Funko Pop style cute collectible figure. Stay tuned for more!

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Yoda (Jedi Spirit) is only $12.88 as of this posting. Special thanks to JTA reader Aldo S. for the alert!

And now let’s look at one of the most difficult-to-acquire items from The Power Of The Force “2” line. Let’s check out the Millennium Falcon Carry Case/Imperial Scanning Crew Trooper set. It’s a fantastic pairing of character and vehicle. See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Now this is certainly…. quite the revelation. Actor Juan Bautista, who played one of the Knights of Ren in The Rise of Skywalker, was a guest on the Popcorn Talk YouTube channel and he revealed that the version of the movie he saw one week (!) before the official release was somewhat different. The movie had an entirely different ending. Click through for more!

UPDATE: It appears Popcorn Time failed to perform a proper background check or otherwise failed to check if their guest was legit. The guest on their show was NOT a Knight on Ren in the movie. A “Juan Bautista” is nowhere to be found in the credits for The Rise of Skywalker.

Rey on Exegol after the final battle

(more…)

If you can’t get enough of Baby Yoda, then make sure to stop by and check out this beautiful limited edition 8×10 print by artist Juan Ruiz Burgos. Make sure to also check out some of his other art over on his Instagram page. “Little Bounty” is now open to order, and will be available as a timed-edition release through Sunday (2/2) @ 11:59PM ET. Stop by Bottleneck Gallery to check it out!

We approached Juan with the difficult task of capturing The Child, and it’s safe to say he’s managed to bring The Child to life. Despite everything our precious fifty year old child has been through, Juan perfectly portrays The Child’s wonder and innocence in this portrait piece, and the expression melts our hearts!

You certainly know of “Star Wars Underworld”, the Star Wars tv show that was announced more than a decade and a half ago. 50 scripts were written but ultimately the show was put on indefinite hold when it was decided that filming the scripts would be too expensive with the current technology they had back then. So George Lucas wanted to wait for the tech to improve. And while it’s not new apparently, filmed test footage of “Star Wars Underworld” has now appeared on YouTube. It’s a copy of two videos on Vimeo, spliced together, so maybe some of you have already seen it, but I was not aware this footage even existed. So click through for a closer look at the Star Wars tv show that never was.

Star Wars Underworld test footage

(more…)

OK, let’s take a break from the 12 Inch Figures and get back to basics, literally. We’re turning our attention to the Millennium Falcon Carry Case/Wedge Antilles set. Are you aware that Wedge came in two flavors? And what’s the deal with Wedge Antilles getting paired with the Millennium Falcon? See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Sideshow Collectibles just opened up pre-orders for a live-size The Child figure, and it’s pretty amazing! Click here for the pre-order page and full gallery!

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

If you have any interest in the recently released The Legends of Luke Skywalker – The Manga book, click through for a look at the first 10 pages of one of the included short stories: Big Inside. This should give you a feel for how this book is illustrated. You can grab this over on Amazon right here. 

(more…)

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

The next two cards from the weekly Topps Star Wars Living Set are now out. Featuring the iconic blue starfield and the impressive artwork of Kris Penix, check out Max Rebo (#69) and Count Dooku (#70). Each Tuesday, two new cards will be released and be only available for one week. Click here to view the entire Star Wars Living archive, including individual print runs. 

Now that probably almost everyone here has seen The Rise of Skywalker, with that movie being the conclusion to the saga 42 years in the making, I think it’s the perfect time to rank all the (live action) Star Wars movies! We did this before, but how will The Rise of Skywalker change everything? So click through for my list (I agonized over it for days!) and a few easy rules I’d like you to follow!

(more…)

It’s time to check out the Princess Leia Organa & R2-D2 (As Jabba’s Prisoners) set from the Princess Leia Collection line. It was an FAO Schwarz exclusive. See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or even comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

There is a leap year every four years. In a leap year, February gets 29 days. There are 29 The Power Of The Force “2” Freeze Frame repacked figures from 1998. 2020 also marks the 25th Anniversary of The Power Of The Force “2” Star Wars modern toy line launch. Do you see where we’re going with this? For each day in February, we will cover a repacked Freeze Frame figure to begin our celebration of 25 years of “POTF2”. Come Back February 1st! (Thanks, Rich!)

This last weekend I was able to attend two different toy shows, and an additional collectible store in Phoenix. Since I moved, I haven’t been able to go to collector stops near as often as I used to because I live so far away, so it was a real treat being able to attend this weekend. Check out my small haul after the jump!

(more…)

One of the most significant 12 Inch Darth Vader figures was released in 1998. Check out the Darth Vader (Electronic) figure from the Action Collection line. We all should be proud of this one. See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Fun.com currently has most of their Star Wars merchandise on sale. There’s a wide variety of items well worth browsing through their unique selection.

The KB Toys exclusive Luke Skywalker (In Tatooine Gear)/Princess Leia (In Boushh Disguise)/Han Solo (In Bespin Gear) three-pack is pretty nice. Check it out in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This weekend the final episode of Star Wars Resistance aired. I suppose not many readers have watched it, perhaps you may have even forgotten about the show in light of Baby Yoda taking over last year and with The Clone Wars soon to be in the spotlight. Anyway, let’s take a look back at Star Wars Resistance, the show that will most likely not leave a lasting impression with most fans. Click through for my discussion!

Yay! It’s over!

(more…)

It’s our 3900th RDR today, so we’re celebrating that with a commemorative release today! Two major milestones were made in late 2000 during the Power Of The Jedi line. One of them was the 100th Action Collection figure. Luke Skywalker (As Seen In Star Wars: A New Hope) gave collectors a fantastic version of Luke Skywalker with all of the trimmings. And there were a ton of trimmings too!. You could recreate almost every one of his outfits from the film thanks to this release. Also, see the list Hasbro compiled showing the 100 Action Collection figures. It’s all in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

The AT-AT Driver Action Collection figure may appear as a straight repack, but are you aware it’s different than the 1997 version? Find out more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

I want to make a plug for 2 of my favorite shops online for custom parts: Krazy D’s Customs, and Watto’s Scrapyard. Both companies offer 3D printed parts of their own skilled original design, but for very different aspects of the customizing world. For people like me who love to customize, they fill a valuable, if not crucial role, in collecting today. Click here to see what I mean.

Krazy D’s Kustoms

Watto’s Scrapyard

(more…)

The Snowtrooper Action Collection figure is another excellent release, and it came in two versions. Are you aware of what they are? Learn more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Collider broke the exclusive story tonight! The Disney+ Kenobi series has been put on indefinite hold and the crew has been sent home for the time being. Click through for more!

UPDATE: Ewan McGregor talks about the production delay! He says the release date of the show will not be affected! Click through for his statement!

Fans will have to wait longer for him to return

(more…)

It’s official (and not unexpected), there will be a special Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite during this year’s Star Wars Celebration. It’s not clear if this will be reserved for Star Wars Celebration attendees, or open to the public. From what I can tell, this will be open to the public, but might possibly have a limited number of tickets reserved to purchase by Celebration attendees. Read all about it right here. Are you attending SW Celebration this year? And if so, do you plan on also buying a separate ticket to this event? Let us know in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Just when you thought Sideshow Collectibles was done with Star Wars and Sixth Scale…. Lando Calrissian (Skiff Guard) goes up for pre-order! Teased way back in 2018 at SDCC, you can now add this figure to your collection! Click here for the pre-order page!

Jedibusiness.com found that Star Action Figures UK posted in-package photos of the next wave of TVC figures. They are slated for release end of April/early May. I’m extremely excited for these figures, and May is certainly too far away. At least it will keep my hype up for the show between seasons! What do you think of the card art and the figures? Let us know in the comments!

You probably heard about the leaked Episode IX script that was originally meant to be filmed by Colin Trevorrow – Star Wars Episode IX: Duel of the Fates. The story would have been very different if that movie had ever seen the light of day. Rey would have still been a nobody and Luke would have had a more active role. Kylo would have been killed in the end by Rey, he was irredeemable. No Emperor was involved. And now concept art from the early Episode IX version has surfaced! Click through for a look at the Star Wars movie that never was!

Luke Skywalker blocks Kylo Ren’s lightsaber with his hand

(more…)

The Princess Leia (In Hoth Gear) Action Collection figure is one of the best in the range. See why you might want one today in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

If you are like me and picked up a few of the Legacy Packs when they hit clearance, you might have a few extra stands lying around. What better way to use them than to make a themed stand for other movie collections. Check out some of the backdrops The Cardboard Galaxy has at their eBay store that will fit the frame for the Legacy Pack display stand. Hopefully, there will be others to finish out each movie! Hop on over and check them out!

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

The next two cards from the weekly Topps Star Wars Living Set are now out. Featuring the iconic blue starfield and the impressive artwork of Kris Penix, check out Jyn Erso (#67) and BB-9E (#68). Each Tuesday, two new cards will be released and be only available for one week. Click here to view the entire Star Wars Living archive, including individual print runs. 

With the state of Star Wars merchandising (and action figures in particular), I wish that everything The Vintage Collection-related going forward would come via HasLab. (more….)

(more…)

We finally have an official date for the return of The Clone Wars on Disney+. It’s February 21st! A new trailer has also dropped on YouTube! Click through to watch it and check out the new poster art for the final season!

That kid in the background is Caleb Dume

(more…)

The Luke Skywalker & Tauntaun Toys R Us exclusive 12 Inch Figure set comes with the best Luke Skywalker figure in the entire line. Check out that Wampa battle-damage! It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

A few hours ago Geeks_Antiques posted some fascinating concept sketches of Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Star Wars action figures on Instagram. This was used in a pitch by Playmates in order to get a license from Lucasfilm. Playmates never got the license, but it’s fascinating to see what Playmates came up with back then. So click through for some Teenage Mutant Ninja Star Wars!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Star Wars Concept Art

(more…)

Welcome back to another fine week in Star Wars! This week I finished a singular custom figure, but I’m quite happy with it. It’s another one based on the Mandalorian, like my jawa leader last week. Check out this week’s custom by clicking here!

(more…)

The Han Solo & Tauntaun Collector Series set changed the landscape for collecting 12 Inch Figures. See why this set still holds up well in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Sideshow Collectibles has opened up pre-orders for the newly announced Hot Toys Incinerator Stormtrooper (TMS012) 1/6 Scale Figure. Click here for the pre-order page!

Hot Toys reveals their latest sixth scale figure, the Incinerator Stormtrooper. Click through for the full gallery and specs…

(more…)

Check out the latest newsletter from our sponsor Brian’s Toys…

Huge vintage loose figure sale at Brian’s Toys that goes until the 23rd.  56 select vintage loose 4″ figures up to 72% off.  Limited supplies remaining, act quick!

Can you believe Hasbro repacked the dreadful Darth Vader 12-Inch FIgure from 2013 once again in The Rise of Skywalker toy line? Why? See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Did you ever wonder why we received an Action Collection scaled Barquin D’an, but none of the main three members from the Max Rebo Band? See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

And now something fun and lighthearted for the weekend! Jon Favreau posted the following photo on his Instagram yesterday:

Baby Yoda and George Lucas

This is from the season 2 set of The Mandalorian! Everyone loves Baby Yoda! Click on the photo for the large version! Now all we need is a Mandalorian episode directed by George Lucas!

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

43 years after Star Wars: A New Hope hit theaters, the legendary space saga unfolds in the galaxy of manga thanks to the latest story in the Skywalker saga.   Click through for the full press release. You can pick this up on Amazon right here. 

(more…)

Do you remember how difficult it was to acquire the Luke Skywalker Vs. Wampa Collector Series TARGET exclusive? Check out this lovely set in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

You’ve always collected Star Wars toys with relative availability at the retail level. But recently, you’ve encountered another dimension of nothingness; nothing to purchase because there’s nothing found. You’re desperately trying to spend your extra income on the latest Star Wars figures. But instead, you’ve just crossed over into The Hasbro Zone. (more….)

(more…)

The Hollywood Reporter broke the exclusive news yesterday. According to their sources Disney is trying to get Taika Waititi to develop a Star Wars movie. Taika voiced IG-11 on The Mandalorian and also directed the season finale. So he’s no stranger to Star Wars. The question is if Taika would be a good fit for Star Wars though when he’s also tasked with writing the script. Taika Waititi is known for such movies like JoJo Rabbit (he’s nominated for two Academy Awards for that), Thor Ragnarok and What We Do In The Shadows. His movies are quirky, have lots of comedy and the question is if his particular style of filmmaking would be good for Star Wars. Would you like a Star Wars movie in the style of Thor Ragnarok? I enjoyed that movie, but I am not sure its idiosyncratic style would make for a Star Wars movie all fans accept. The next question is if Taika has the time, since he’s a very busy man these days. Leave your thoughts in the comments!

As if the first release wasn’t enough, Hasbro released the worst Chewbacca figure twice, this version as Chewbacca (In Chains). It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Eagle-eyed RDRs readers may have noticed some of our banners changing for a couple of The Power Of The Force “2” lines. Previously, we organized everything by (1) “Red” packaging, (2) “Green/Freeze Frame” packaging and then by (3) “CommTech/FlashBack” packaging. However, recently adding the Collector Series and Action Collection 12″ figures posed some organizing complications for us, and it’s necessitated a reorganization in the categories. Going forward, the lines will be organized by (1) The Power Of The Force “2” [Red/Green] (which includes all POTF2 products prior to the 1998 Freeze Frame launch and all Collector Series 12″ figures). (2) The Power Of The Force “2” [Freeze Frame/The Kenner Collection] (which includes all POTF2 Freeze Frame figures, anything with a “The Kenner Collection” logo on it, and all “green” Action Collection 12″ figures. And finally (3) The Power Of The Force “2” [FlashBack/CommTech] (which remains unchanged). The latter line also houses Action Collection 12″ figures in the “starburst” packaging (used for FlashBack and CommTech 3.75″ figures). Shadows Of The Empire and Expanded Universe continue to maintain their own categories and also remain unchanged. Thank you for reading!

Target reported yesterday that toy sales for the 2019 holiday season disappointed and didn’t meet expectations. Toy sales were basically flat compared to 2018. Click through for more!

(more…)

Your acts of cowardice are now revealed! I kid. I kid. It’s quite entertaining in all honesty. Disqus shows who down-votes your comments now. Well, that was enlightening!

The concept art book for The Rise of Skywalker was apparently accidentally sold in South Korea, as photos of the book with South Korean writing have appeared on social media. The few things that have been posted so far show an alternative look for Dark Side Rey (which I greatly prefer to what we got in the movie, it basically pays homage to Luke’s look in Return of the Jedi), we also get a look at things that were cut from the script/movie, like the “Oracle” Kylo Ren was originally meant to encounter early in the movie. You can see some photos on Twitter! And below is a photo of what was probably an idea for a Force vision, Emperor Kylo and Empress Rey with yet another look for her. Would you be interested at all in a sequel trilogy action figure line that is based on concept art?

Kylo Ren and Rey concept art (click to enlarge)

It’s time to check out the single-release version of Grand Moff Tarkin in the Action Collection line. Have you ever seen the bone accessory that comes with this figure? It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

The next two cards from the weekly Topps Star Wars Living Set are now out. Featuring the iconic blue starfield and the impressive artwork of Kris Penix, check out Watto (#65) and Darth Sidious (#66). Each Tuesday, two new cards will be released and be only available for one week. Click here to view the entire Star Wars Living archive, including individual print runs. 

Tuesday was a very special day for The Rise of Skywalker! The movie crossed two thresholds at the box office! One positive and one not so postive! Click through for the details!

So happy you could cry

(more…)

Let’s look at the Luke Skywalker (In Jedi Gear) Action Collection figure. Have you ever seen the bone accessory that comes with this figure? It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Walmart.com has listed the Skywalker Saga Blu-Ray Box set for $129.99 with 18-discs (which is one bonus disc per film) and the release date is set for April 17. I’m willing to bet that The Rise of Skywalker will likely release around that time (maybe a bit sooner to try and make people double-dip as Disney likes to do) as well as the Best Buy Skywalker Saga 4k Box Set. Now we’ll have to see if this new rumor of a second theatrical release with more footage a la Endgame comes at the end of January, but for now, we at least have a release date for the Box Set.

If you’ve been patiently waiting for Target to restock The Mandalorian “Carbonized” Version, now is the time to start checking! We’ve had numerous reports from JTA readers with these being found in both New Jersey and Tennessee, and I found several in Lexington, KY. Let everyone know in the comments if and where you did (or did not) find one. You can use the image of the barcode below at the scanner to check stock in the store. 

Welcome back to another Tuesday weekly report. This Toy Run Tuesday I’ve got a couple customs to share with you. These ones are specifically from Star Wars TV shows. Click here so you can find out which ones!

(more…)

Check out the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren 12-Inch Figure from The Rise Of Skywalker line. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

The Rise of Skywalker was nominated for three Academy Awards! Click through for all the details!

(more…)

What’s that on her head? A wig? The Padmé Amidala 12 Inch Figure is a mess overall. But it does have a few redeeming qualities too. See this confusing figure in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

We’re finishing up our look at the small-scaled Action Collection figures released in 1998. Let’s complete them with R2-D2 [Detachable Utility Arms] which was a Walmart exclusive. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Instagram user toyhideout has posted the first wave of The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Vintage-style carded figures. Click below to check them out! Thanks to JTA reader Cybereye for the heads-up!

A new Star Wars rumor is circling the interwebs. Apparently, a bearded Jar Jar Binks may appear in the upcoming Kenobi Disney+ series! Nothing else is known, so take this with the usual grains of salt!
It has to be pointed out that Ahmed Best will be the host of a Star Wars quiz show on Disney+, so maybe Ahmed would be fine with portraying Jar Jar one more time? He did voice the character in the Clone Wars cartoon, which already had a somewhat more nuanced approach to the character. Would you look forward to seeing Jar Jar appear again in live action? Or would you rather never see him again? Also: how would Jar Jar fit in? Does Obi-Wan go to Naboo? It could be quite exciting to see Theed again. Or will Jar Jar travel to Tatooine? Leave your opinion in the comments! Movieweb has the full story!

Artist’s impression of a bearded Jar Jar Binks (I can’t draw, so excuse me!)

Have you ever seen a naked Ewok? You can today! We’re continuing to look at the small-scaled Action Collection figures released in 1998. Let’s check out Wicket The Ewok. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

New Concept Art Photos from The Mandalorian are now at Star Wars Authentics. Check out the collection here.  

Also coming soon from Star Wars Authentics:

• New WideVision photos from The Mandalorian
• Naomi Ackie Autographs
• Nick Nolte Autographs
• Giancarlo Esposito Autographs

We’re continuing to look at the small-scaled Action Collection figures released in 1998. Let’s check out R5-D4. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

JTA reader Adam K. sends us a report that The Mandalorian Carbonized TARGET exclusive figure is hitting brick and mortar again. If you’ve seen it, let us know!

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

The next two cards from the weekly Topps Star Wars Living Set are now out. Featuring the iconic blue starfield and the impressive artwork of Kris Penix, check out Poe Dameron (#63) and Mother Talzin (#64). Each Tuesday, two new cards will be released and be only available for one week. Click here to view the entire Star Wars Living archive, including individual print runs. 

Have you ever seen a naked Jawa before? You can today! We’re continuing to look at the small-scaled Action Collection figures released in 1998. Let’s check out the Jawa. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

Re-live the birth of the silver screen’s most iconic villain, Darth VaderTM with this Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith 35gPremium Silver Foil. Released in May 2005, the foil is a replica of the film’s dramatic poster artwork dominated by Darth Vader. Clever use of color and engraving still allows the silver to shine!

Click through for complete details!

(more…)

Apparently, there is new information in The Rise Of Skywalker Visual Guide that talks about the Star Wars timeline in terms of the “Starkiller Incident” during The Force Awakens. If you’ve been a legacy Star Wars fan, you’re probably more familiar with ABY/BBY (which either means “After the Battle of Yavin” or “Before the Battle of Yavin”). Going forward, the new timeline will put the Star Wars universe in terms of “Starkiller Incident” or “SI”. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, is no longer the foundation of the timeline. Do you find this an odd move? Or does it not faze you at all? Special thanks to Craig P. for the alert. Star Wars Direct is responsible for the graphics. You can click the thumbnail image below to see the new timeline.

UPDATE: The new timeline will only be used for the Rise of Skywalker visual guide! It will NOT replace the BBY/ABY timeline.

We’re continuing to look at the small-scaled Action Collection figures released in 1998. Let’s move ahead with Yoda. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

If you’re still looking to get your hands on that beautiful looking Target Exclusive Black Series 6″ Mandalorian Carbonized, you might just be in luck. The past two mornings, Target.com had them in stock (about 9 a.m. EST Monday morning and around 7 a.m. this morning) so it might be a good idea to keep an eye out tomorrow. But that’s not all. It’s been showing up in Target stores on the West Coast the past couple of days as well, so if you’re out that way you should check your store’s inventory and if you’re on the East Coast, expect them to hopefully start showing up at any time. So it’s a good time to keep your eyes peeled! Good luck!

While anything is possible, a relatively new job was posted at Hasbro’s employment website (within the last 30 days) for Manager, Global Brand Development & Marketing – Star Wars. If I was a betting man, I’d interpret this to mean that the brand isn’t going very far, meaning, there could very well be a license renewal. This is all conjecture on my part, but this turn of events does make things interesting for the Star Wars brand.

We’re quite a few weeks out from the release of The Rise Of Skywalker in theaters. The film, while opinions are split, found favor with many legacy Star Wars fans, even those who lost hope with The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. And many longtime Star Wars fans who admit that the film was flawed, can, at the very least, admit that the film was enjoyable, and back to basics in many ways. If you’ve seen the film multiple times, has it grown on you, or have you lost interest. Do you hope that Hasbro produces a lot more toys based on this film in the 3.75" and 6" scales? While many other fans are obsessed with box office numbers, it’s a fact that a blockbuster film that makes a bazillion dollar doesn’t make a good film. So, even if The Rise Of Skywalker produces less revenue, it may rank as the best of the Sequel Trilogy overall for many, many Star Wars fans. Your thoughts in the comments, please.

This week in Star Wars was pretty good! I took some photos of my toys, put up a shelf, and added a great piece to my collection! Click here to check out the photos, and be sure to leave your finds this week in the comments!

(more…)

We’re going to look at six of the small-scaled Action Collection figures released in 1998. Let’s start off with R2-D2. It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Sideshow Collectibles launched a preview page for their new Royal Guard Premium Format Figure. Click here to check out the full image!

The weekend box office numbers for The Rise of Skywalker are in and they have more or less decided things. We now know where the movie is headed at the box office. But I don’t just want to talk about box office today, I also want to talk about what Disney should or could do next and what all of that could mean for the future of Star Wars toys as well. So click through for the latest box office numbers and how the numbers might shape the future of Star Wars both on the silver screen and in the toy aisle!

Rey wants to become a hermit

(more…)

Let’s finish up the four Large Size Action Figures from The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection. Chewbacca was a KB Toys exclusive, and the biggest Large Size Action Figure of them all! Be sure to look at the vintage Kenner packaging too! It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

An interesting rumor broke at HISSTANK today that Jazwares and Hasbro will collaborate for the GI Joe line. Apparently this will be confirmed at NY International Toy Fair this year. Unrelated to this rumor and perhaps more important to ponder is the possibility of Hasbro partnering with Jazzwares for the Star Wars license. Is there a chance that the line will branch out in 2020? Check out the report at HISSTANK.

Good friends of mine and fellow Kentucky Star Wars Collector Club members have hosted The Star Wars Collector Podcast for four years now, but due to some small rule changes, they were denied a press pass to Celebration last year. Apparently, they need to have a certain amount of followers to be eligible. I’m hoping the JTA community can hop over to Facebook and give their page a like to boost their ‘membership’. Click here to stop by their page, and make sure to follow them on Facebook! And, of course, give their podcast a listen to!

Let’s continue to check out the four Large Size Action Figures from The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection. The Boba Fett figure is Hasbro’s best in this sub-line. And there are multiple versions to choose from here! Be sure to look at the vintage Kenner packaging too! It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

It appears we have an official release date for The Clone Wars Season 7. CBR.com is reporting that the series goes live Monday, February 17th! Check out the full story HERE.

JTA reader Lewis C. found a brand new Hasbro toy based on The Mandalorian at his local TARGET store: on clearance. If you knew about this item, wonderful, but it’s probably news to most of us.

JTA sponsor Brian’s Toys checks in with their latest newsletter…

Happy New Years from Brian’s Toys!  Check out some newly listed vintage loose AFA figures.  More items being added weekly here at Brian’s Toys!

Jordan Breeding from Cracked.com put together a well-written article on the inherent problems of the Disney Star Wars Sequel Trilogy and why opinions on it are more divisive than past films. Before you get defensive, the article is not a Disney anger-filled rant. The author explains that the films are successful moneymakers and willingly accepts that there are fans who love them and fans that don’t love the films. More importantly, he illustrates why people will have a different interpretation of the film based on what group they fall into when it comes to pop culture (legacy fans, new fans, parents, kids, etc.). Jordan points to things at the cornerstone of this new trilogy that affects its pace, tone, and plot. And perhaps he shows us why so many possible directions of the story exist which ultimately cannot satisfy everyone interested in them. Finding a cohesive SATISFYING storyline that appeals to EVERYONE would prove ultimately impossible no matter who was at the helm of its creation. Some of this may be the most basic of sense to you, but the summation is very helpful in putting things into perspective. It helped me see things a bit differently too. You may disagree with him, and that will be respected. But please check out his essay on this topic and see if you can find any common ground with the writer. I know for me, he has issues with the First Order too, and that’s one of the biggest problems I had with the Sequel Trilogy myself. Special thanks to JTA reader John M. for the alert.

Let’s continue to check out the four Large Size Action Figures from The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection. Next up is the Stormtrooper, which is Hasbro’s best effort of this character in this scale. Be sure to look at the vintage Kenner packaging too! It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

JTA reader Craig F. reports in that the TARGET exclusive The Vintage Collection Cave Of Evil Special Action FIgure Set has hit $19.99 on clearance. Get it now if you want it! Unfortunately, it’s still $39.99 online.

It’s time to check out four Large Size Action Figures from The “Vintage” Original Trilogy Collection. Let’s begin with Luke Skywalker, and don’t miss out on the vintage Kenner packaging! It’s the focus of our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

I want to talk about some 100% unverified rumors. And to make it absolutely clear: these are not rumors originated by JTA (some people have problems with reading comprehension, so in short: this is from a source on Reddit, NOT JTA!), I merely talk about the rumors. Yes, it’s all unverified. Yes, we will never be able to verify any of that unless some of the people involved open up. However, I think the rumors have at least some credibility to them and may even explain the behavior of some of the actors in recent times. So what are the rumors about? Disney’s alleged meddling with The Rise of Skywalker and that JJ Abrams is extremely unhappy about the final cut. This article has spoilers! So if you haven’t seen the movie yet, stay away, everyone else, please click through! And you may only click through if you understand that these are Reddit rumors, NOT JTA rumors!

You always need some salt!

(more…)

The KB Toys exclusive Han Solo & Luke Skywalker (In Stormtrooper Gear) Collector Series set is pretty awful. Let’s get through it together in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

We know what we’ve been told. Hasbro supposedly held back “a large percentage” of stuff to avoid spoilers for The Rise Of Skywalker for The Vintage Collection. (The same is true for The Black Serie [Phase III] 6″ line.) That’s why we were bombarded with over a dozen straight repacks over the summer. But the film is out. The spoilers are known. And yet, there are NO newly announced 3.75″ super-articulated action figures from the film announced. WHY? (more…)

(more…)

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

The next two cards from the weekly Topps Star Wars Living Set are now out. Featuring the iconic blue starfield and the impressive artwork of Kris Penix, check out Greedo (#61) and Young Anakin Skywalker (#62). Each Tuesday, two new cards will be released and be only available for one week. Click here to view the entire Star Wars Living archive, including individual print runs. 

This post contains affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, JTA may receive a commission if you click and make a purchase.

Walmart has jacked up the price to The Vintage Collection Jabba’s Palace Adventure Playset back up to $44 and change. It will be interesting to see where this goes as retail begins to clear out old stock this month.

The FAO Schwarz exclusive Jedi Luke Skywalker & Bib Fortuna set is EXCELLENT. It still holds up well today. See more in our Research Droids Reviews today! Be sure to leave your thoughts in our comments section, vote in the poll or comment about it on our Facebook page. Click the banner below for the direct link to the review! As always, you can also send your review requests via email if you’d like to see something that we didn’t cover yet.

The staff at Jedi Temple Archives wishes everyone a very happy and healthy 2020. We first want to thank you for an inordinately successful year. We appreciate our readers more than you know. Thank you for the success you bring. A new decade means new Star Wars, and with some great things already in motion, it seems like the IP can only go up from here. We’d also like to thank everyone who comments here. JTA will always remain a place where discourse happens, and all points of view are welcomed. Here’s looking to a fantastic 2020, and the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back!