The Force Awakens 3 3/4" Armor-Up Poe Dameron

So far, I've completely avoided the 3 3/4" line of Armor-Up (AU) figures. They're mostly repacks of figures from the Build-a-Weapon (BaW) line, but typically retail for around 50% more. The one exception to this is Poe Dameron. While we got an X-Wing pilot Poe in the first wave of BaW figures, his fixed helmet meant there was little resemblance to Oscar Isaac's character. For this reason, I've had my eye on the AU Poe for some time now - and when Toyworld reduced him from $24.99 to the much more acceptable price of $19.99, I couldn't resist the temptation to pick one up.

First things first: the figure itself is fantastic. The likeness is uncanny, and the pose - at least in its neutral stance - is great for display. This is another example of how a limited articulation figure can still be sculpted to look amazing. The paint app is spotless, and Poe's jacket is sculpted in a soft rubber that adds an extra level of detail. Poe comes with only one accessory - the same rifle that came with the BaW Resistance Trooper. I'm assuming this is a standard-issue Resistance rifle, as the BaW Finn also came with a 'sawn-off' version of the same weapon.

Of course, the real elephant-in-the-room is the Armor-Up equipment. I'm going to express a sentiment that you've already read countless times on this blog and other collecting sites: I simply don't understand Hasbro's choice of pack-ins. I suppose this armour makes at least a little more sense than the build-a-weapon accessories. I mean, Poe's a pilot, and his armour features a jetpack and pilot's helmet. That being said, this isn't a screen-used accessory - and the figure simply looks much better without it. I look at that armour and can't help thinking that the same quantity of plastic could have been used to give Poe some extra weapons, or a removable helmet, or a display stand, or a build-a-droid piece...

But I digress.

Despite my misgivings about the Armor-Up accessory, I'm absolutely rapt with this figure. There's a chance we'll see this version of Poe in a future wave of the  BaW line, but that's not likely to happen until well into next year. I was more than happy to pay a little extra to have this figure prior to the release of The Force Awakens.

Classic Star Wars and The Force Awakens Temporary Tattoos

Random items from The Force Awakens continue to pop up where you least expect them - and these sets of temporary tattoos are no different. I stumbled across these during a trip to a Spotlight fabric store last weekend. The first pack contains 24 classic Star Wars-themed tattoos, while the second features 16 images from Episode VII. Each pack retails for only $2.89.

The quality of these tattoos is surprisingly good. They don't flake and peel like normal temporary tattoos, but instead simply fade over time. And that fade takes a long while. I wore the BB-8 tattoo for my birthday, and he was still going strong after three or four washes.

Of course, the hard part is now working out which of these I'll be rocking at the premiere of The Force Awakens next week!

Even More TV Spots for The Force Awakens

[The following post is a bump from Tuesday 24th November 2015, with new TV spots added as they're released.]

The TV spots for The Force Awakens just keep on coming! More promos have been hitting the web - and while most of the scenes are familiar, every now and then you'll see a tantalising glimpse of something new.

The thing I love most about these TV spots is the real sense of fun that pervades them. They show a sense of humour and excitement that was all-important to the original trilogy. It's a really promising sign.

If you're having trouble keeping track of all of these promos (I sure know I am), then Rebelscum.com have put together a handy round-up of all of the trailers and TV spots released so far for The Force Awakens.

Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes for The Force Awakens

As well as the TV spots, you can now see three new behind-the-scenes featurettes on The Force Awakens. Each of these focuses on a new element of the film: one on 'legacy', one on Rey, and one on BB-8.

Keep an eye out for the moment when a star-struck John Boyega asks Harrison Ford to sign his Han Solo action figure. It's a moment we can all relate to, I'm sure!

The Force Awakens World Premiere Red Carpet

In case you missed the live stream, StarWars.com has now posted the full video for the World Premiere Red Carpet of The Force Awakens on YouTube.

The premiere features some great candid discussions with the cast and crew (as well as a few surprise guests). It's the perfect thing to watch while you're waiting for the midnight premiere to roll around!

The Black Series Titanium Series Rey's Speeder

The final Star Wars item I received for my birthday was this Black Series Titanium Series Rey's Speeder. In fact, this came as an awesome decoration on the cake that my parents gave me (pictures available here). This Black Series range is a revival of the old Titanium Series line that was discontinued several years ago. It's great to see an assortment of collector-focussed vehicles back on shelves - and judging by this item, the quality is still top-notch.

The main body of the speeder is die-cast metal, with Rey and the rear engine instead molded in plastic. The paint application is superb - allowing for a level of detail that just isn't present in the smaller Micro Machines version of the speeder. I've said before that Rey's speeder is my favourite vehicle from The Force Awakens so far, so it's great to have another version of it to add to my collection!

December 2015 Time Magazine

This week it's Time magazine's turn to get in on the hype surrounding the release of The Force Awakens. Their feature contains all-new interviews with the cast and crew, as well as a stunning set of portraits by Marco Grob.

The article has a strong focus on Abrams's film-making process - emphasising the ways in which he wanted to remain true to the thematic and technical spirit of the original films. It makes for a great read, and should help bolster confidence that we're in for a treat this Thursday!

This edition of Time magazine is currently retailing for $6.40 at most magazine stockists.

The Force Awakens Monopoly Board Game

I've always been a huge fan of Star Wars-themed board games, so this The Force Awakens Monopoly set I received from my parents for my birthday will make a great addition to my collection. The basics of the game are more-or-less the same as the original Monopoly - with a few minor tweaks. The board is circular; the cash, 'Chance', and 'Community Chest' cards are all Star Wars-themed; and the players purchase planets, not streets.

The highlight of this set is definitely the player pieces. There's four in total - two of which are taken directly from The Force Awakens. There's Luke Skywalker and Finn on the light side, and Darth Vader and Kylo Ren on the dark side. The quality of the paint job on these pieces is impressive - almost on par with the old Wizards of the Coast miniatures that I obsessed over in the mid-2000s.

I haven't had a chance to give the game a run yet - but I'm hoping to do so during the Christmas break!

Star Wars 'Hyperspace' T-Shirt

Another birthday gift from my parents was this awesome Star Wars 'hyperspace' t-shirt. It's a simple design - but incredibly striking.

The only downside  is that it's made the decision about what to wear to the opening night of The Force Awakens even harder. I suppose I should get on to that - it's only seven days away, after all!

Park Avenue Stormtrooper Cookie Jar and Stormtrooper Cookie

In a perfect birthday present pairing, I received a ceramic stormtrooper cookie jar from my parents and a stormtrooper cookie from my partner. I've had a soft spot for all things trooper-related since I finished my suit of armour, so I absolutely love both of these.

Both the jar and cookie come courtesy of Park Avenue - the same company responsible for the Star Wars character cookies and Easter treats I blogged about earlier this year. The jar comes pre-packed with a bag of chocolate chip cookies, but I reckon it'll look even cooler with a stormtrooper cookie inside as well!

Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trading Cards

One of the birthday presents I received from my partner was a pack of the new Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens trading cards. I've always been a sucker for blind-bagged collectibles - so these are right up my alley. 

There's five in a pack, and I was lucky enough to get two from The Force Awakens - including a foil version of the First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter. I've got to say that I'm sorely tempted to pick up a few more packs of these. But with 200 cards in the set (not counting variants) that could lead down a slippery slope!

The Force Awakens 3 3/4" Rey's Speeder

One of the fantastic birthday presents I received this year was the 3 3/4" version of Rey's speeder from my parents. I'd had my eye on this set ever since Force Friday - but now that I've had a chance to see it up-close, I love it even more.

There've been two serious criticisms of the 3 3/4" vehicles from The Force Awakens: Firstly, that they're grossly underscaled; and secondly, that some parts are cast in inferior - and easily warped - plastic. I'm happy to say that neither of these concerns apply to Rey's speeder. A quick comparison with the first teaser trailer shows that the vehicle is perfectly in scale with figures in the 3 3/4" line. Further, the plastics used are incredibly sturdy. In fact, there's a robustness about this speeder that I haven't felt in a Hasbro vehicle in a long time. When I heft it in my hand, it reminds me fondly of the Shadows of the Empire Swoop - one of my favourite 3 3/4" Star Wars vehicles from the '90s. That swoop stood up to a lot of intense play, and it feels like Rey's speeder will easily do the same.

The central feature of this vehicle is the concealed cannon housed in the main body of the speeder. A half-press of the button on the side will cause the cannon to pop up on a spring-loaded mechanism, and a full-press will fire the 'missile'. Some of the action features fitted into these vehicles can come off gimmicky, but this one bucks the trend. The cannon - while presumably not a screen-used feature - doesn't feel at all out of place. There are also a couple of extra features that aren't immediately apparent. The steering vanes at the rear of the speeder pivot, and the netting on the side peels off to expose a range of salvage. They're minor touches - but they greatly increase the play-value of the whole vehicle. The set also comes with a brand new 'Jakku' version of Rey who sports the gloves, goggles, and head-covering seen in the theatrical trailer. You can see a comparison of this figure with the standard 'Starkiller Base' version of Rey below.

Of all the vehicles we've seen from The Force Awakens so far, this is by far my favourite. It's the epitome of the 'used universe' aesthetic of the original trilogy - and this version captures that design perfectly.

A Force-Filled 29th Birthday!

Yesterday was my birthday - and with only ten days until the release of The Force Awakens, it was inevitable that Star Wars would play a big role in the festivities. My Mum and Dad went all-out on the party supplies, and my partner stored my presents in what is easily the coolest gift bag ever. Even the cake from my parents was adorned with a tiny Rey on her speeder!

I was also lucky enough to receive a fantastic assortment of Star Wars-themed gifts. I'll be blogging individually about each of those items over the next few days, so stay tuned for more!

November 2015 Entertainment Weekly Magazine

This week, Entertainment Weekly's next Star Wars-themed issue began turning up here in New Zealand. It's a special collector's 'double-issue', and comes in four different cover variants including Han Solo, R2-D2 and C-3PO, Rey, and Finn (pictured here).

The issue features a massive 32 pages of Star Wars coverage, including some brand new interviews with the cast and crew of The Force Awakens, a guide to the new canon, and a very handy timeline of upcoming Star Wars releases. It's retailing here for $16.90, and should be available in most magazine stores.

Kinnerton Star Wars Advent Calendar

Yesterday marked the beginning of December, and what better way to count down the days until Christmas than with a Star Wars advent calendar! These are selling at a number of retailers throughout New Zealand, but I picked mine up from The Warehouse for $4.99.

The calendar contains one miniature chocolate for every day leading up to Christmas. These chocolate aren't Star Wars themed, but are instead molded in a number of more traditional shapes (Day 1 was a reindeer). There are, however, a couple of different Star Wars character hidden behind every door. All-in-all, this is another nifty way to add some Star Wars flavour to your Christmas celebrations!

Star Wars Is Everywhere - Holden Showroom

The award for most subtle - and perhaps inexplicable - Star Wars product placement in the lead-up to the release of The Force Awakens has to go to this Holden showroom a few blocks from my apartment.

Have you seen any bizarre product placement in the lead up to The Force Awakens? If you have, be sure to share it with us via Facebook or Twitter, or by sending an email to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com.

Micro Machines Clone Fighter Strike 3-Pack

Ever since Force Friday, details have been sketchy about when and where certain products are expected to hit. As a result, new items seem to be popping up with little warning. A perfect example of this happened last week when I spotted the second wave of the new Micro Machines 3-packs at the Porirua K-Mart. This wave is mostly re-issues of vehicles from the 90s - but I did nab the "Clone Fighter Strike" pack for $12.99.

The ARC-170 starfighter and Jedi Interceptor are re-packs from the "Droid Army Ambush" deluxe pack. Both are great minis in their own right (and useful double-ups for squadron-building purposes), but what really sold me on this set was the debut of the Droid Tri-Fighter in this scale. It's a phenomenal sculpt with some fantastic detailing - right down to the two tiny Buzz Droid missiles mounted on the undercarriage. The paint job is even more impressive. Each arm features tiny Separatist markings, and the red on the droid's eyes is an especially nice touch.

I've only got one (very minor) issue with this set. The cardback lists one of the vehicles as "Anakin Skywalker's Jedi Interceptor", correctly depicted on the packaging with a yellow and grey deco. But the included Interceptor is instead painted in Obi-Wan's red and grey livery - the very same design that appeared on the Interceptor in the "Droid Army Ambush" set mentioned above. Given that it's a repack, it would've been great to see a quick repaint to add some variety to this release. As it stands, it looks as though we'll have to wait a little longer to have the proper pair of Interceptors from the opening scene of Revenge of the Sith.

TV Spots Feature New Footage from The Force Awakens

Over the weekend we saw a bunch of new promo videos for The Force Awakens being broadcast on US television networks. So far, three of these have turned up via official channels online - a 60-second TV spot, a 30-second TV spot, and a short 'behind-the-scenes' featurette from Disney XD. You can watch all three below.

These promos really exemplify the clever 'mystery box' marketing of this film. While all three videos contain brand new footage from the The Force Awakens, they fail to give anything new away. The clips are simply expansions of scenes that have already been revealed in the official trailers. In doing this, the producers are managing to build hype while still saving all of the biggest surprises for opening night - and I, for one, couldn't be happier!

Entertainment Weekly Features More Images and Details from The Force Awakens

Back in August Entertainment Weekly gave us a whole lot of exclusive material from the set of The Force Awakens. Next week, it looks like they'll be doing it all over again. The November 20th/27th double-issue will dedicate a whopping 32 pages to this year's most anticipated film.

Entertainment Weekly has already begun teasing the material online - starting with a gallery of all-new images. New features and interviews with the cast and crew are being added daily, and collated on the dedicated Star Wars section of the EW website. The magazine itself will most likely take a couple of weeks to hit stores here in New Zealand, but it'll be a must-buy for me once it's arrived!

The Force Awakens International Trailer and TV Spot

Over the weekend we saw the release of both the international trailer and a 30-second TV spot for The Force Awakens. Neither of these comes close to the beauty of the recent theatrical trailer - but each video does feature a handful of brand new shots from the film.

That theatrical trailer also features a brand new piece of music. Could this be our first taste of John Williams's new score?

The Force Awakens 3 3/4" Build-a-Weapon Wave 2 Figures

It’s taken a while, but Wave 2 of the Force Awakens 3 3/4" line of figures has finally started turning up in Farmers stores throughout New Zealand. This wave of twelve figures includes nine characters from The Force Awakens—seven of which are brand new to this line. It’s clear that we’re going to be seeing a barrage of figures from this film, so I’m doing my best to stay true to my collecting focus of main characters and military figures. With that in mind, I recently picked up First Order General Hux, the First Order Snowtrooper, PZ-4CO, and X-Wing Pilot Asty.

I know what you’re thinking: PZ-4CO doesn’t exactly fit my collecting brief. The junior novelisation Moving Target reveals that she plays some sort of role as an assistant to Leia, but other than that we don’t have a lot to go on. Nevertheless, Farmers currently has a “buy-one-get-one-half-price” deal on, and it was hard to turn down such an interesting figure at half-price.

Most of my concerns about the move to 5POA were banished with the first wave of Force Awakens figures, and this second wave only serves to reinforce that opinion. The sculpts on every one of these figures is exquisite. In fact, I’d say it even trumps the sculpting we saw on many of the super-articulated figures. I have to assume that when you’re not trying to cram in as many ball-and-socket joins as possible, there’s more freedom to design figures in a way that looks authentic and natural. And that’s the key to this line. While they don’t offer a lot of opportunity for dynamic poses, they do look phenomenal when displayed in their neutral poses.

Chupa Chups Ewok Pencil Topper

Last week, my wonderful partner surprised me with this little gem from The Warehouse - a Chupa Chups lollipop that comes with an Ewok pencil topper!

There are twelve pencil toppers in the series, including the Death Star, a Stormtrooper, Chewbacca, a TIE Pilot, Yoda, R2-D2, C-3PO, Boba Fett, a Star Destroyer, a Biker Scout, an Ewok, and Darth Vader. I've always had a soft spot for "blind-bag" collectible freebies like this - and at only $1.89 each, they're a great way of adding some extra Star Wars awesomeness to your pencil case!

Kylo Ren Lenticular Tumbler and Popcorn Bucket

One of the interesting things about the Force Awakens merchandise line has been how varied the stock is from store to store. Many items are being exclusively retailed by certain chains, so it's a good idea to shop around. I paid a visit to the Porirua K-Mart a few weeks ago, and was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of stock that I hadn't spotted elsewhere. My coolest finds was this Kylo Ren lenticular tumbler and popcorn bucket for $3.00 each.

The 3D effect created by the lenticular surface doesn't show up in photos, but it works incredibly well. Both items also come in Chewbacca, First Order Stormtrooper, and Poe Dameron designs - but the Kylo Ren is, in my opinion, the most striking. These'll be the perfect companions for those Star Wars movie nights!

The Hunt Is On - Micro Machines First Order TIE Fighter Attack 3-Pack Found

For me, the most exciting part of the new The Force Awakens line has been the triumphant return of Micro Machines. Hasbro's stock shortage problems meant that we only started seeing the multi-packs arrive in New Zealand stores last week - but In the interim I'd managed to pick up most of what I was after during a brief trip to Houston last month. The one set that had proved frustratingly elusive was the First Order TIE Fighter Attack 3-Pack. Fortunately, I happened to spot one at my local Warehouse store last week for a reduced price of $10.39.

The pack contains a First Order TIE Fighter, a crashed First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter, and the Millennium Falcon. Only two of these sculpts are unique to the pack, as the First Order TIE Fighter also comes in the Galactic Showdown Deluxe Pack. That version of the TIE features an annoying spray of white 'snow' however - so it's nice to have a second version with a clean deco. While it doesn't allow for a lot of play possibilities, the crashed TIE is also a nice addition to the set, especially since the latest trailer seems to suggest that it'll play a large role in the film's story.

Of course the real highlight of this 3-pack is the Falcon. It might seem that the only difference between this version of the ship and its 90s Micro Machines predecessor is the shape of the dish - but it's actually an all-new sculpt. The original MM Falcon - while incredibly detailed - was always a little too chunky at the front. This new version features a pair of nicely tapered mandibles that gives the ship a much more screen-accurate profile. My only gripe with the vehicle is that the non-rotatable dish is skewed slightly to one side. It's not a make-or-break - but the stickler in me wishes it had been glued on in a forward-facing position.

All up, this is a fantastic little pack - and, at roughly $3.50 a vehicle, great value too. Having picked it up, I can also officially close-off my Force Friday wishlist.

The Force Awakens Theatrical Trailer Released

As promised, the full and final theatrical trailer for The Force Awakens debuted during the NFL game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles just a few minutes ago. You can watch the trailer in all of its HD glory below.

I was pretty anxious leading up to the release of this trailer. That second teaser was just so perfect, and had such a huge emotional resonance. It was a tough act to follow. And while - for me - this final trailer didn't quite pack the emotional punch of the last one, it came pretty damn close.

"It's true. All of it. The dark side. The Jedi. They're real..."

What are your thoughts on the theatrical trailer for The Force Awakens? Be sure to email them to relicsoftheforce@gmail.com, or send me a tweet at @Archon_Revuge!

The Force Awakens Poster and Impending Theatrical Trailer

It's been the subject of rumour for a few weeks - but we now have official confirmation that the full and final theatrical trailer for the Force Awakens will debut tomorrow during halftime of the NFL game between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles in Philadelphia. The game starts at 5:15pm. PDT - or 1.15pm (Tuesday) here in New Zealand. Along with this announcement, we also received our first look at the official one-sheet poster for The Force Awakens.

We've seen most of the elements in this poster before, but that moon/planet (Starkiller Base?) is entirely new, as is the diminutive alien (Lupita Nyong'o's character Maz Kanata?) in the centre.

Tomorrow may very well be the most exciting day we've had as Star Wars fans since The Force Awakens was first announced. If - like me - you really can't wait that long, you can watch three teaser clips from the trailer below.

The Official Star Wars Fact File Issue 3

Last week, issue 3 of The Official Star Wars Fact File hit stores here in New Zealand. Like the previous two issues, this one also came with a freebie - a set of dividers for the ring binder in issue 2

Issue 3 retails for $6.99 and features articles on Han Solo, General Grievous, and the Boonta Eve Podrace. This is the last issue that comes with a freebie (unless, of course, you decide to subscribe), so is the final one that I'll be picking up. I need to conserve my Star Wars budget for all of those awesome 3 3/4" figures on the horizon!

The Hunt Is On - The Force Awakens 3 3/4" BB-8, Unkar's Thug, and Jakku Scavenger Pack Found

It's no secret that demand far outstripped supply on Force Friday. For that reason, it's taken several weeks for items like the 3 3/4" two-packs to be widely available in the wild. Fortunately, our turn came over the weekend, and I was able top pick up the BB-8, Unkar's Thug, and Jakku Scavenger pack for the reduced price of $23.99 from my local Farmers store.

Let's be honest. There's one reason and one reason alone why anyone is interested in this pack - BB-8. In fact, unless you're willing to part with a huge chunk of cash for the Battle Action Millennium Falcon, this pack is currently the only way of getting your hands on a 3 3/4" scale version of the character. For what is a very simple figure, BB-8 doesn't fail to impress. Instead of opting for a swivel head, the designers have included a nifty ball-jointed mount that gives BB-8 a surprising amount of movement and expression. Hasbro has also nailed the sculpt and paint app - even though he might have been 'dirtied-up' a little bit to make him appear more realistic. (Which, it appears, is what's been done with the 'exclusive' BB-8 that comes with the Falcon.)

BB-8 comes with two other figures - Teedo (who we first saw riding his Luggabeast in Entertainment Weekly's Force Awakens feature) and Unkar's thug. Both figures come with the standard 5POA, but - like many other of the figures in this new line - they're sculpted in a way that makes this limited articulation very hard to spot when on display. Teedo comes with his screen-used staff, and the thug is armed with a nicely sculpted blaster pistol.

While I may have made peace with Hasbro's move to 5POA, I'm still very sceptical when it comes to their choice of pack-in accessories. The real elephant-in-the-room here is, of course, that giant net-launcher. At first I thought it was a backpack for one of the figures. But no, it's a gun. Perhaps the biggest gun we've ever seen with a 3 3/4" figure. There's no way either of the figures could hold this while on display - and even if they could, they'd look utterly ridiculous doing so. Judging by the Entertainment Weekly image of Teedo, it appears that the scavenger captures BB-8 in a net at some point - so the motivation behind this accessory makes at least a little bit of sense. But I can't help looking at the amount of plastic and moving parts in the weapon, and wondering if Hasbro couldn't have made better use of the resources. Perhaps they could have included a decent-sized net that could really hold BB-8? Or some 'desert salvage' that could be added to a diorama?

Granted, I'm thinking like a collector, and I have to remind myself that this is a line primarily aimed at kids. Action features are what will sell - not static accessories that can only be used for display purposes. It's also worth noting that this pack already includes two figures and BB-8 (compared with the other packs in this line, which only have two figures and a pack-in accessory). In light of this, the net launcher is really only an added bonus - and even without it, the pack would still be great value.

A Recap of Everything Star Wars at NYCC 2015

This past weekend marked the return of New York Comic-Con for another year. Unfortunately, Star Wars revelations were thin on the ground. Unlike SDCC back in July, there was no The Force Awakens panel, nor any updates on either Rogue One or the other upcoming Star Wars anthology films. Perhaps the most exciting piece of Star Wars news to come out of NYCC was this brand new trailer for season 2 of Star Wars Rebels.

Elsewhere in canon news, Del Rey confirmed two sequels to Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath, entitled Aftermath: Life Debt and Aftermath: Empire's End. Claudia Gray will also be releasing a novel set six years before The Force Awakens called New Republic: Bloodlines, and Marvel will be adding to their growing Star Wars library with Obi-Wan and Anakin - a 5-issue mini-series set between Episodes II and III.

Of course, one of the most exciting parts of these conventions is seeing all of the exciting new merchandise that will soon be available for purchase. While eFX, Kotobukiya, and Sideshow Collectibles had plenty to offer premium collectors, the Hasbro panel was a little more disappointing. The big focus was on the Black Series 6" line - including our first official looks at Ello Asty, the First Order Snowtrooper, the First Order TIE Fighter Pilot, General Hux, Han Solo, and the Resistance Trooper. Hasbro also gave a sneak peak of their upcoming Darth Revan and Sabine Wren "fans' choice" figures.

Sadly, there were no new reveals of 3 3/4" figures from either the 5POA or SA Black Series lines. In fact, other than the Black Series Titanium helmets and a few new additions to the 12" and Galactic Heroes lines, Hasbro didn't have much at all to show. But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. We've recently seen that the "mystery-box" marketing of The Force Awakens has limited Hasbro to only releasing products from the first third of the film. Given the wide variety of items we've already seen, it makes sense that Hasbro won't have too much more up their sleeve until - perhaps - the next trailer is released.

What were your highlights of this year's NYCC? Be sure to email them to me at relicsoftheforce@gmail.com or send a tweet to @Archon_Revuge!

C-3PO, R2-D2, and Yoda Pez Dispensers

Over the last month there's been a raft of new Star Wars collectibles flooding stores - but we've also seen the return of some old favourites, including the ever-awesome Pez dispenser range. While these have been tricky to find in New Zealand in the past, they're now turning up pretty much everywhere that sells novelty candy. I picked up R2-D2 and Yoda for $4.00 each from The Warehouse, and C-3PO for $2.00US ($3.04US) from Target while I was back in Houston.

These'll be joining my Chewbacca, Darth Sidious from New York, and Darth Vader and Stormtrooper from London to round out what is becoming a very international set of items. Now I'm just crossing my fingers that we'll soon see some of the iconic characters from The Force Awakens in this line!