Monthly Archives: January 2023

Who? Exactly. It’s 2023 and the 40th Anniversary of Return Of The Jedi, and we get ANOTHER Disney Star Wars figure, this time Vel Sartha. We reference Seinfeld in this review today. Because look at that head! (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

Tonight we are adding General Lando Calrissian (ROTJ07) to our The Black Series [Phase IV] Visual Guide. Click below to check out the full guide, and head over to our review database for the full review.

You may wonder why the 2015 Star Wars movie hardly anyone talks about anymore gets a headline today. Well, Hollywood box office still has to reach pre-pandemic levels, in fact total domestic US box office in 2022 is on the same level as it was in 1999, with about $7.3 billion in 2022 (unadjusted for inflation!), which is $4 billion less than in 2019, the last year before Covid disrupted the movie business. It’s better than in 2021 and 2020 (much better), but still a far cry from what Hollywood used to make.
Much of the underperformance of the Hollywood movie business is attributed to the pandemic and changed viewing habits, with people allegedly preferring to watch movies on streaming platforms instead of going to the local cinema. So it’s of note when in times like these a new movie is released that just beat the #4 movie of all time at the worldwide box office (The Force Awakens): Avatar – The Way Of Water. I will talk more about that later, but another reason I bring up Avatar is that it once more points the finger at one of the core weaknesses of Star Wars. And what is that weakness? Click through for more!

Kiri has good reasons to be happy

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The Amazon exclusive TVC The Bad Batch set is currently marked down to $45.20. Click here for the product page. 

It’s 2023 and the 40th Anniversary of Return Of The Jedi, but we get a Disney Star Wars Cassian Andor figure instead. At least it’s a good figure, but do you care? (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

We are continuing with our Visual Guide updates as we work through 100 Days of Visual Guides. Up next is Princess Leia (Ewok Village) (ROTJ09). Click below to check out our full Visual Guide. You can also read a full review of this figure right here.

The next The Bad Batch character poster features the pirate Phee Genoa. Click below to check out the full poster.

Iron Studios is bringing Darth Vader to 1/4 scale. Click through to check out all of the details on the Darth Vader on Throne 1/4 scale statue, as he appeared in Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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It’s time for another Visual Guide update from The Black Series [Phase IV]. Click below to check out Bib Fortuna (ROTJ08). Make sure to also check out our full review of this figure in our review database.

JTA reader Chad found the latest prototype edition figure Luke Skywalker (Snowspeeder) at his local Target in Decatur, AL. Let us know in the comments if you find this in your area.

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Entertainment Earth has the Fan Channel exclusive The Black Series Protocol Droid (Holiday Edition) IN STOCK. Use our link here at JTA and get 10% off your entire order (in-stock items) AND free shipping on orders over $39. 

The Black Series [Phase IV] Visual Guide updates continue with the addition of the Phase I Clone Trooper Lieutenant (AOTC01). Click below for the full Visual Guide. Click here for a look at our full review.

Regal Robot presents the Ree-Yees concept maquette. This new edition is an authentic re-creation of the Ree-Yees concept maquette, scanned from the original artifact and with a plaque signed by Oscar-winning FX artist and original character designer, Chris Walas.

Limited to 100 pieces, these will be available on Wednesday at 12 noon EST. Click here for the product page for full details and additional images.

It’s time for the hip-hop specialist Figrin D’an (ANH04) to be added to our The Black Series [Phase IV] Visual Guide. Click below to check him out! You can also check out our full review of this figure right here.

A little later than usual here comes the weekly The Bad Batch review. This week we get a little bit of Indiana Jones in space when the Bad Batch go on a treasure hunt that could have been great, if only…

But still, there are some things to talk about, so if you want to, please read my spoiler review and let’s discuss the latest Bad Batch adventure.

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Kids Warehouse via Walmart.com has the TVC Nevarro Cantina marked down to $29.89. You will have to pay shipping, but still a decent markdown price if you’ve been waiting for this overpriced set to drop. Thanks to Mark for the head’s up!

Doctor Evazan (ANH03) is our next The Black Series Visual Guide update. Click below for the full guide page. Click here to check out a full review. 

Hasbro will release their Q4/2022 and full year 2022 results on February 16th, but preliminary results were released by the toy company earlier today. And the results are not pretty. As a reaction to the bad numbers Hasbro also announced that they will lay off roughly 15% of their global workforce in 2023, about 1,000 people. So how bad are things? Really bad! Click through for more!

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LEGO has two new helmets up for pre-order.  Captain Rex (75349) and Commander Cody (75350) are both available to pre-order on Amazon.

Update: Princess Leia (Boussh) Helmet has also been announced, but the pre-order page on LEGO’s web site is not currently live.

Hasbro has announced their next Fan First Livestream, set for February 1st at 11 AM Eastern. We’ll break down all the news and information next week directly after the livestream. 

It’s another expensive repaint, but the Clone Trooper (187th Battalion) figure is not half bad. It’s just been impossible to find. Check out this new addition to The Black Series [Phase IV] line. (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

Our next The Black Series [Phase IV] Visual Guide update features Ponda Baba (ANH02). Click below to check out the full Visual Guide! You can also read a full review of this figure in our review database.

Reminiscent of classic school lunchboxes, Regal Robot now has Embossed Metal Plaques featuring iconic, vintage Star Wars poster art. Click here to check them all out!

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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 Cassian Andor (#381) and Luthen Rael (#382). 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.

We are continuing our Visual Guide updates from The Black Series [Phase IV]. Up next is The Client (TM20). Click below to check out the full Visual Guide. Click here to read our full review.

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Gentle Giant’s latest Jumbo release features Triple Zero, now available to pre-order at Entertainment Earth. Click here for the pre-order page (with free shipping).

Up next for The Black Series Visual Guides is Boba Fett (Tython) (TM16). Get the full Visual Guide by clicking below! Make sure to also check out our full review right here.

The Bad Batch Twitter feed released another character poster from this past week’s Faster episode, featuring the droid pilot TAY-0. Click below for the full image.

Marc D’Urso shares his new acquisition he received today from Walmart Canada. Click below to check out an in-hand look at the Walmart exclusive  The Vintage Collection ARC Commander Havoc figure.

We are continuing with our run of Visual Guides with the addition of Din Djarin (The Mandalorian) & The Child (TM05) from The Black Series The Mandalorian line. Click below to check out our fully featured Visual Guide. You can also read about this figure in our full review.

Commander Cody is featured on the next The Bad Batch character poster. Click below to check it out!

Our next The Black Series Visual Guide features the Artillery Stormtrooper (TM13). Click below for our full Visual Guide. Click here for our full review.

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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 Trudgen (#379) and King Manchucho (#380). 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 our continuing look at The Black Series [Phase IV] Visual Guides, we are adding Koska Reeves  (TM12). Click below for the complete Visual Guide. Click here to check out our review.

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If you passed on it from Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth now has the TVC The Rescue set available to pre-order, with free shipping.

Up next for our The Black Series Visual Guide updates is Q9-0 (Zero) (TM11). Click below to check it out! Make sure to also check out our full review of this figure right here.

In a Star Wars fansite Q&A last week the topic of the “Boba Fett Tax” was brought up a few times by several outlets. Designer Chris justified the higher price point for Boba Fett by saying that the Boba action figure has more parts and thus requires more assembly, meaning more manual labor, and that the figure also has more paint apps. All of which contributes to the higher price point. So this is the perfect time to fact check this. Does a Boba Fett action figure really have more parts that need to be assembled and more paint apps than a figure costing $13 less? Click through for more!

The two are more alike than you may think

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It’s time to start adding some Visual Guides for The Black Series [Phase IV]! Up first we are adding the Target exclusive Remnant Stormtrooper (TM09). Click below to check out the full Visual Guide, and Click here to read our full review.

It’s business as usual in The Bad Batch this week. Yet another oddjob for Cid takes the Bad Batch (without Hunter and Echo who are busy with some other inconsequential cargo transport mission for Cid) to the races this week. Cid owns a racer and needs to win money to pay off debts to an old rival. Now this is pod racing, again… But of course things go very wrong and the Bad Batch need to step in to save the day.
So let’s talk about this week’s The Bad Batch episode, just click here or on the banner to read my spoiler review!

Denuo Novo has their 1:1 Classic Imperial Stormtrooper Helmet up for pre-order. Click through for details.

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The third and final Target exclusive Droids The Vintage Collection release is Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2). Click below for our full Visual Guide of this figure. You can also read our full review right here.

The latest trailer for The Mandalorian Season 3 has just dropped. Click through to watch and discuss!

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We are staying with The Vintage Collection for just a few more days as we wrap up some more of the missing pieces in our Visual Guides. Here’s a look at the Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary Droids Boba Fett. Click below for our full Visual Guide. You can also visit a review of this figure right here.

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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 Qui-Gon Jinn (#377) and Syke (#378). 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.

The Season 3 Premiere of The Mandalorian drops on March 1st, and ahead of tonight’s new trailer reveal we also get a new poster. Click below to check it out. The latest trailer drops tonight during the halftime show of the Dallas Cowboys-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wildcard game.

You may have missed it, but last week Hasbro did yet another annual Star Wars fan site Q&A. Several fan sites were invited to ask their questions and over the course of four sessions brand manager Jing and designer Chris answered them. Well, as usual, the answers given were mostly corporate speak of the typical generic nature, but here and there Chris, mostly just Chris, gave a straight reply, brand manager Jing was mostly responsible for the corpo speak, which is of course her job, she is the brand manager after all. But one of those straight answers was about vehicles in the Black Series. So what did Chris say?

And of course Hasbro was also asked about the Boba Fett tax and very high prices (several times actually) and Hasbro’s answers were… interesting… So click through for more!

Not coming to a galaxy near you

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Yay! It’s another Grogu, but this time for almost triple the price! Check out this new addition to The Black Series [Phase IV] line. (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

We have more The Vintage Collection Visual Guide updates! Tonight we are adding the Carbon-Freezing Chamber playset. Click below to check out the full Visual Guide of this nice addition to the line, and click here to check out our full review of this set!

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If you missed the pre-order window the first time, the Walmart exclusive The Vintage Collection Commander Colt is back up for pre-order.

Our next The Vintage Collection Visual Guide features the Walmart exclusive The Mandalorian & Grogu (Maldo Kreis) (VC211) set. Click below for our full Visual Guide. You can also check out a review of this figure right here.

Today I want to talk about Hasbro’s current business strategy. This is not about whether or not Hasbro will go down, they will not, but ever since Chris Cocks took over from late CEO Brian Goldner things have not exactly been great for the company. And things have especially been less than great in what matters to us the most, the action figure toy lines, and here I am not just talking about Star Wars, but also Marvel. So the question is if Hasbro’s extremely ambitious goals and current business strategy are biting the very hands that feed them and if irreparable damage could be done to the various collecting communities, hurting the toy lines in the long run. Click through for more!

A sign of the times?

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Check out The Black Series [Phase IV] Axe Woves figure. (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

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If you are still looking for the Walmart exclusive Holiday Edition figures, they are back in stock. Big thanks to JTA reader Jon for the alert!

• Scout Trooper (Holiday Edition)
• Wookiee (Halloween Edition)

The Vintage Collection ARC Trooper Jesse (VC250) is our next Visual Guide update. Click below to check out the full Visual Guide! Read our full review right here.

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Walgreens exclusives Clone Trooper (187th Battalion) and Clone Trooper (212th Battalion) are both back in stock. Thanks to JTA reader Mike for the alert!

Update: Both are now Out of Stock again.

We are continuing our run of The Vintage Collection Visual Guides tonight with the addition of the Gaming Greats Lando Calrissian (Star Wars: Battlefront II) (VC238). Click below to check out the full Visual Guide. Make sure to also check out our full review of this figure right here.

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Hasbro dropped their Indiana Jones line yesterday during an Indiana Jones live stream. Several pre-orders from that live stream are now live. Click below for pre-order pages.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series (6″)

• Indiana Jones (Club Obi Wan) (Target Exclusive)
• Major Arnold Toht (Amazon)

Retro Collection

• Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark) (Amazon)

Role Play

• Staff of Ra Headpiece (Amazon)

This week’s The Bad Batch episode may actually be worth your time. The reason for that is that this week we get an episode without the regular Bad Batch and instead one that entirely focuses on Commander Cody and Crosshair. A former separatist planet really doesn’t want to be taken over by the Empire, so they take the appointed Imperial governor hostage and demand negotiations. Cody and his squad, with Crosshair in tow, are tasked with resolving the situation. What we get is an episode with some interesting insights into the clones who still serve under the Empire and of course we meet Cody again, who is one of the two main characters this week and pretty much the focus. So there are things to talk about! Click here or on the banner to read my spoiler review and let’s discuss “The Solitary Clone”!

Check out The Black Series [Phase IV] Migs Mayfeld figure. (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

We are adding one more The Vintage Collection deluxe set to our Visual Guides tonight. Click below to check out the Incinerator Trooper & Grogu set. You can also read about this set in our full review.

The official The Bad Batch Twitter account had dropped the latest character poster from The Bad Batch: Cid. Click below to check it out.

Let’s continue our Visual Guide updates for The Vintage Collection deluxe sets. Up next is the Imperial Stormtrooper (Nevarro Cantina). Get the full Visual Guide by clicking the image below, and read our full review right here.

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The Walmart exclusive The Black Series Purge Trooper (Phase II Armor) is currently in stock for $27.98. Thanks to JTA reader Jon for the alert!

Our next The Vintage Collection Visual Guide update is the Deluxe Boba Fett (Tatooine). Click below for all the details! Click here to check out our review.

It’s another repaint for The Black Series 6-inch line! Check out the Boba Fett (Tython) (Jedi Ruins) figure. It’s an expensive Walmart exclusive (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

Our next round of Visual Guides will focus on The Vintage Collection Deluxe Figures, Starting off with the Walmart exclusive Ahsoka Tano & Grogu. Click below for our full Visual Guide. You can also catch up on our full review of this set right here.

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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 Jaycris Tubbs (#375) and Rancor Keeper (#376). 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.

Do you even care to add the Cassian Andor (Aldhani Mission) figure to your collection, or couldn’t you care less? (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

Our next Visual Guide update features The Vintage Collection ARC TROOPER (Lambent Seeker) (VC236). Click below to check out the full Visual Guide. You can also check out our full review here.

2022 lies behind us, the perfect opportunity to look back and to see how many Black Series sets we had in 2022 and under what categories they fell. How many new figures did we get? How many kitbashes were among them? How many exclusives are there? I also look back all the way back to 2013 to show you how the line has changed throughout the years! So click through for all the details about the Black Series in 2022!

One of the best Black Series figures in 2022

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Today we are reviewing another option to display your collectibles, this time for your valuable double-sided theatrical posters. Here’s our look at Baroque Portfolios’ Movie Poster LED Light Box Frame (27×40 inches). From shipping to display, we are breaking down how this light box frame holds up! Click through for our full review!

We have more The Vintage Collection Visual Guide updates! Tonight our featured update is the Fan Channel exclusive R2-SHW (Antoc Merrick’s Droid) (VC260). Click below to check out our full Visual Guide. Make sure to also check out our review of this figure in our review database.

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The Black Series Walmart exclusive Cassian Andor (Aldhani Mission) is now shipping and back in stock. Click here for the product page. Thanks to Lee for the alert!

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Pre-orders are now open for the Hot Toys sixth scale Obi-Wan Kenobi (TMS095). Click here for the pre-order page!

We’ve been asked by our @SWTVC friends on Instagram to participate again in their yearly March Madness TVC event! While not an official Hasbro event, several key members of the Star Wars team have let us know they follow this each year. In the past, many top figures in the tournament have become action figures shortly thereafter. If you are an O96 OG, or a modern media fan, use this chance to rally others to your cause! Click here for the rules and to leave a comment with your top 25 new TVC figures.

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Hot Toys is also celebrating the 20th Anniversary of The Clone Wars, and their first release is Obi-Wan Kenobi (TMS095). Get the full details and gallery after the jump!

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We are filling in some holes in our The Vintage Collection Visual Guide with our next few updates, starting with the Mandalorian Super Commando (VC243). Click below to check him out! You can also check out our full review of this figure right here.

It’s ANOTHER repaint for The Black Series 6-inch line! Check out the Boba Fett Credit Collection figure, a Walmart exclusive (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

Our next Hot Toys Visual guide update features a look at a sixth scale vehicle: The Swoop Bike (TMS053). Click below to check out our latest addition to the Visual Guides.

2023 will be rich with Star Wars content, we will get four new and returning series this year. And the beginning makes The Bad Batch, we last saw Omega and the clones in August 2021, 16 months later the series returns with a two-parter, Spoils of War and Ruins of War in which the Bad Batch are tasked with retrieving (yes, they still do oddjobs for Cid of course) some of Count Dooku’s vast treasure, but of course the Empire is already gathering all the belongings of the dead Count which complicates things…
So is The Bad Batch worth your time? Read my spoiler review of the first two episodes to find out, just click here or on the banner below!

It’s ANOTHER Deluxe SCAM for The Vintage Collection! Check out the Dark Trooper figure that will set you back nearly $30, after all is said and done. Will this madness never end? (Not if the barking and clapping seals keep it up!) (more….)

Thank you for reading Research Droids Reviews: Season 14!

Tonight’s Visual Guide update from Hot Toys is Grogu (TMS043). Click below to check out the full Visual Guide for this sixth scale accessory set.

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After a slight delay, the Hot Toys sixth scale Super Battle Droid (MMS682) is now available to pre-order! Click here for the pre-order page.

Our next Hot Toys Visual Guide update features Bo-Katan Kryze (TMS035). Click below to visit the full Visual Guide. 

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 once again has their exclusive The Black Series 1-JAC available for $27.97. Thanks to JTA reader Tim for the alert!

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 Lieutenant Bolandin (#373) and Droopy McCool (#374). 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.

We are kicking off the new year with some more Hot Toys Visual Guides. First up is the sixth scale Hunter (TMS050) from season one of The Bad Batch. Click below to check out our fully detailed Visual Guide. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The official Disney+ Twitter account dropped a nice collection of The Bad Batch poster art in anticipation of the January 4th season 2 premiere. Click below to check them out!