Star Wars! Hasbro has largely been spinning its wheels, with new larger figures satisfying a demand for older collectors. This doesn't bring newness to the table, though - that's for Star Wars: Rebels, a new line of toys with a TV show which should kick off around August. It takes place shortly before the original film and is slavishly devoted to the conceptual art of Ralph McQuarrie. The big advantage here is that with a few new vehicles and simplified 5-jointed figures, it's like another trip back to the 1980s when toys could be new and fun and relatively cheap.
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The most baffling expansion is Star Wars Command, a new line of "armies" modeled after the traditional green army men figures so many of us grew up with. Hasbro did this before with its Unleashed Battle Packs line around 2006, which lasted a few years before slowly sputtering out. It must have done adequately, but never really caught fire - neither did Kenner's original MicroCollection, and books have been written that said, more or less, that modern kids don't much like fixed-pose toy soldiers. With such a large presence devoted to these in the showroom it's apparent that Hasbro really wants to make a good impression with these, but the ultimate fate of the line will be in the hands of fans later this year. (Personally I think everything has an uphill battle this year.)
Little new was shown for The Black Series, which more or less aligns with previously released leaks. The 6-inch line's big guns are Jabba the Hutt (which is expected to appear in deluxe form at Comic-Con) and a Speeder Bike with Scout Trooper, both of which will be at a higher price point. They'll be joined by Chewbacca, a Clone Trooper, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader among others. 3 3/4-inch additions include Toryn Farr and Ree-Yees, thus continuing the slow burn-out in this scale.
Hasbro mentioned new exclusives on display in the showroom, but none were shown. Also, Hasbro completely neglected to mention new Saga Legends and Mission Series figures, which were visible in the showroom and were known to fans through, you guessed it, previously leaked photos. A Darth Sidious vs. Yoda 2-pack in "Rebels" style packaging was a big surprise, as the Sidious mold appears to be totally new and quite good. Personally, I think this is what's the most interesting to watch - cheaper figures - but my peers frequently tell me I'm wrong.
Anyway, go check out those new vehicles. That's where you're going to have the most fun later this year. Hasbro promised more reveals at Comic-Con, which is good because it looks like the first half of the year is going to be light. Like last year. And the year before.
--Adam Pawlus
