Store Reports

Walmart stores are setting up new “Dark Side” shippers to display The Vintage Collection figures. JTA reader Jason has the report:

Wanted to send word that more “Dark Side” point-of-purchase shippers arrived last week at some Walmart stores, this time for The Vintage Collection product! Back in April I was able to obtain the large Dark Side capper featuring Vader and Maul (that display included Epic Heroes Series and other merchandise). This time a mix of new and old The Vintage Collection product is featured: Rex, Luke, Vader, and Stormtrooper from the latest wave assortment, plus new old stock of last year’s Klatooinian Raider and 2022’s deluxe Dark Trooper (Dark Trooper only $14.97). Figures are stacked three-deep similar to past displays (2021 LFL50 and 2022 Clone Wars). Bought enough that I decided to take the entire unit to check out. Also nabbed three different versions of the special edition Star Wars Oreo displays from Walmart, Target, and Jewel-Osco (Albertson’s). Fun niche items for your displays if you can manage to snag them from your local stores. Also, if you’ve ordered figures online and they have the issue where the adjacent case-packed bubble has smeared and rubbed printed art off, it’s an opportunity to find some card backs without this annoying blemish, Thanks all and happy hunting.

It’s (almost) like (sorta) the old days! The latest The Vintage Collection wave is hitting brick & mortar retail before many pre-orders are shipping. JTA reader Robert found the whole wave at his Maryland Walmart. Let us know in the comments where you are finding the wave, or if your wave is shipping from Etailers yet. 

Once again, Ollies is the place to find amazing deals if you are lucky enough to catch them. Along with a $9.99 The Black Series Saw Guerrera, here are a few others that David in South Carolina found at his local Ollies:

• Archives Series Chewbacca $9.99
• Black Series Ponda Baba $9.99 (These disappeared quickly)
• Black Series Dr. Evazan (sic) $9.99 (These are peg warmers)
• Walmart Exclusive TVC Leia (Endor) 50th for $4.99
• Mandalorian Retro Boba Fett (Morak) $4.99
• Mandalorian Retro The Armorer $4.99

Let us know what you are finding in your area!

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.

The latest The Vintage Collection wave 13 (wave 36) has arrived in Hong Kong. Instagram User @krauseriihk has posted preview pictures of the wave on his Instagram account. Click through for the full preview. This wave is expected to start shipping in early 2023.

You can pre-order the full case at Entertainment Earth right here.

Image Credit: @krauseriihk

Longtime JTA reader Sterling I. shared images of his recent acquisition from Walmart, but it wasn’t Star Wars action figures. He writes in to let us know that beautiful The Vintage Collection displays are arriving with the Tartakovsky Clone Wars figures, and they make lovely displays for your carded figures. Click the thumbnails below for a closer look. (more….)

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JTA reader Patrice found the Star Wars Visions Twins set this past week in France. 

Just found yesterday (11/11/22) at Micromania Zing in France (a.k.a Gamestop), statues of the Twins Am and Karre from Star Wars Visions. A little over 18.5cm tall, about 7″ not counting the included stand.

It’s a bit remarkable as Banpresto typically only do manga and anime statues from famous series like Dragon Ball, One Piece… never Star Wars.

In a neat little packaging trick, once lined up the boxes show the shape of the Twin’s goofy looking double ISD. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for the report, Patrice!

JTA reader Chad checks in to let us know his Huntsville, AL Target has the latest The Black Series Archive wave. Let us know in the comments if you find these in your area.

Just letting your reads know I spotted the newer Black Series Archives at a Target in Huntsville AL this morning. They only had the FA Han and Tarkin.

Only in a bizarro Walmart world would you find The Vintage Collection marked $2 less than a Retro Collection figure. But here we are.

The ShopDisney exclusive The Black Series Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Vader (Concept Art Edition) set (announced at Celebration Anaheim) is available on shelves in Hong Kong right now. Hopefully, this means we will be seeing it available online soon. JTA reader Steve D. Has the report:

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader Concept Collection Black Series 2 pack is now on sale in Sino Centre in Mongkok in Hong Kong. The item is retailing at 520 hkd (which is USD65), just purchased one at Hobbybase. They had about 7 in stock on display. They would not take orders online, only purchases at the store itself. Not seen it in any other stores in HK as yet.

There is a variation to The Vintage Collection’s Migs Mayfeld Target-exclusive action figure JTA reader Jason Meyers lets us know! Click through for more.

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It’s the Twilight Zone for Hasbro distribution anymore. The Black Series Scout Trooper (Holiday Edition) has finally been found in a Fishkill, NY Walmart. It’s only 6 months late. Thanks to LJ Wood for the report!

Dion M. from Auckland, NZ shared a great find to the TVC Facebook group: Darth Vader (Dark Times) (VC241). This figure has not been announced yet and will probably be officially revealed as a part of tomorrow’s Obi-Wan Wednesdays. This figure will likely round out Wave 35. He also found Reva (Third Sister) (VC242) and the rest of the wave as well at Farmers. Crazy that these figures are listed as shipping in September but are already on shelves in New Zealand! There are also quite a few reports of the rest of the wave in the SWNZ Facebook group.

Reports are beginning to pour in that collectors are finding The Black Series [Phase IV] Antoc Merrick 6-inch figure at their local Walgreens instead of Target. Special thanks to JTA readers Chad R. and Glenn W. for the images and reports.

First Target, and now Walmart. The new Retro Collection figures from The Mandalorian Season Two are hitting Walmarts. JTA reader Chad found them at two different Alabama Walmarts this morning. One in South Huntsville and another in Scottsboro. Happy hunting! Let us know if you are seeing these in Walmarts in your area in the comments. 

JTA reader Aaron H. found the latest Retro Collection figures at his local Target in Eastern PA. Although the box had a street date, they were not register-locked.

Reports are popping up across social media with The Black Series Wave 7 showing up (early) at various Walgreens across the country. This wave includes Ahsoka Tano, The Client, Death Watch Mandalorian, Omega, and Echo. Let us know in the comments if you are finding this wave in your area. 

When you start hunting for pre-order links on Amazon, beware that their current TVC Bib Fortuna listing has the incorrect picture. The listing has a picture of the new Shae Vizla figure. Make sure to read the title to ensure you are ordering the correct figure. Thanks to JTA reader Craig for the PSA! Craig contacted Amazon about this and the listing is indeed for Bib Fortuna and NOT Shae Vizla. 

JTA reader Michael W. found The Vintage Collection Remnant Stormtrooper figure at his local Walmart for a mere $3.50. Keep in mind, this was the first time Michael ever saw the figure in brick and mortar. It makes you wonder what’s the point of retail anymore (on so many levels).

The modern Hasbro Star Wars brand has been in existence for over a quarter of a century, and it appears that Hasbro still cannot understand the need to release case assortments with even ratios of action figures. (more….)

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It’s official. The Vintage Collection Clone Wars wave has ht brick and mortar. JTA reader ShipGirlLover found them in Philadelphia. Now is your chance to find mint samples of these figures!

It looks like order delivery updates are going out for the Amazon exclusive TVC The Bad Batch 4-Packs, arriving a few weeks earlier than their original estimated delivery date. 

Is anyone else sick and tired of not seeing any The Vintage Collection (or The Black Series) merchandise at his or her local brick and mortar? Yet the worst crap Hasbro could make still makes its way to shelves without a hitch? Click through to check out the latest nightmare Hasbro is trying to sell to “kids and gift-buying parents.” LOL, Hasbro, It’s not 2010 anymore. Oh, and they’re still trying to pimp Rey as a viable Star Wars character that everyone wants to see reflected in the action figure line. LOL again.

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We’ve received several reports, and many have posted on social media, that GameStop is canceling pre-orders for the Gaming Greats The Black Series Nightbrother Warrior. And, they are doing this without any notifications. Without the widespread reports, most would not even realize theirs was canceled. JTA reader Darth Matt writes in with his frustration after finding out his was also canceled. Click through for his report, and let us know in the comments if yours was canceled (or if it is still on order). 

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In case you haven’t seen it yet, Mattel released a plush Voice Cloned Boba Fett plush doll and they’ve been arriving at Walmarts. They’re very colorful. Special thanks to JTA reader Mike F. for the report and image.