The Hunt Is On - The Force Awakens 3 3/4" Build-a-Weapon Figures Found

Of all the products released on Force Friday, it seems that the plain and simple 3 3/4" carded figures were some of the most sought-after items. Given this, I was lucky to track down all eight of the figures on my wishlist. I picked up both Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren at the Midnight Madness event, then hunted down the remainder (Finn (Jakku), First Order Flametrooper, First Order Stormtrooper, First Order TIE Fighter Pilot, Poe Dameron, Resistance Trooper, and Rey (Starkiller Base)) over the following weekend.

Depending on which store you visit, these figures retail for up to $19.99 in New Zealand. Thanks to some great discounts, I managed to pick up all of these figures for considerably less - including several for only $9.00.

I've been fearful of a return to five-points-of-articulation for a long while now - but given the lack of any super-articulated 3 3/4" figures in this new line, I decided to embrace these simpler figures with an open mind. Having finally got my hands on them, I have to admit that the lack of additional articulation is really no longer a concern. The sculpts and paint apps are fantastic, and even the robed figures - which tend to suffer most when limited in articulation - still look great. I tend to always display my figures in neutral poses, and the design of these figures is perfectly suited to that. My opinion of these figures is improved even further by the fact that they contain many more features than I'd expected (e.g., ball-jointed heads, working gun holsters, and removable capes).

My one gripe is with the pack-in 'Build-a-Weapon' accessories. I understand the thinking behind these, but given the fact that Hasbro is attempting to drastically cut the production costs of 3 3/4" figures, it seems a frivolous inclusion. I'd much rather sacrifice the pack-ins for a few more extras on the figures themselves (removable helmets, anyone?) If pack-ins are a marketing necessity, then I'd prefer them to be actual screen-used weapons and items. Or, better yet, return to the wildly successful 'Build-a-Droid' concept of previous years.

That's my only complaint with this line however, and it's a small one indeed. Hasbro have won me over - and while I'll lap up any super-articulated Force Awakens figures that are released in the future, I'm happy to focus my collecting energy (and budget) on this line for now.

Force Friday Midnight Madness Event at Toyworld Wellington (September 2015)

At 12:01am on September 4th, Force Friday officially rolled around - and with it, our first chance to purchase official merchandise from The Force Awakens. The Ballance Street Toyworld put on a fantastic 'Midnight Madness' event for those of us in the Wellington CBD. Attendance was high, and it didn't take long for a sizable line of avid fans to form outside.

Despite the large crowds, everyone was incredibly respectful and polite. No-one hogged the shelves, and it seems that everyone managed to find most - if not all - of what they were after. Guest appearances by Darth Vader and a Mandalorian Warrior helped build atmosphere, and a few spot discounts (including 25% off 3 3/4" figures) made the night an even more satisfying one.

Given our lack of knowledge concerning product availability and pricing, my purchasing was rather conservative on the night - restricting myself to only the 3 3/4" Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma figures. Over the next week or so I carefully sought out the rest of the items on my Force Friday wishlist.

Houston Toy Store Tour - September 2015

Last week, a piece of school assessment had me heading over to Houston, Texas for a few days. It was a great chance to check out some stores, and see what kind of stock was (still) available over there. There was one unavoidable conclusion I came to during my travels: we got damn lucky here in New Zealand. While we may have missed a couple of lines entirely (most notably, Micro Machines), it seems that the ratio of supply to demand was much better met here. I visited about half-a-dozen Hasbro retailers, and the story was the same at every one: no Rens, no Phasmas, no Rey's speeders, no 2-packs, and no TFA 6" Black Series figures of any kind. I spotted one Armour-Up Luke at a Target store - but other than that, the line was completely absent. Even the Titanium Series and Micro Machines lines were severely decimated, with most remaining vehicles only being those from the OT.

First up on my shopping tour was the Houston Galleria Disney Store. I have to admit that, out of all of the retailers I visited, this was definitely my favourite.

Disney just know how to do atmosphere. While I was in the store, "Across the Stars" was blasting from the stereo, and the Force Awakens trailers were running on a loop. It was also great to see a line of collectibles that is - for now - unavailable on New Zealand shores. The die-cast vehicles and figures are gorgeous, and if I wasn't already heavily committed to several other lines, I'd be all over these.

  

Next up was Toys 'R' Us, who had really gone all-out with a number of cardboard decorations throughout the store (not to mention a very cool clock counting down to the release of The Force Awakens). Toys 'R' Us turned out to be the most well-stocked of all of the retailers I visited - they at least had some 3 3/4" TFA figures on offer. It was here that I also came across the new 48" Jakks Pacific First Order Stormtrooper and Darth Vader. I knew these were going to be big, but dang, they are massive in person!

Finally, I checked out Target - a store which had clearly borne the full brunt of the Star Wars frenzy. Stock levels were at their lowest here, but the store was decorated with some great promotional material (including a full-size BB-8 that I would have loved to add to my collection).

Honourable mention also goes to Kroger Supermarket. While they didn't have any Hasbro products in stock, they were displaying some very cool party items - including giant inflatable Chewbaccas, R2-D2s, and Stormtroopers!

Despite the limited stock at a number of these stores, I still managed to pick up a few choice items (including all but one of the Micro Machines sets on my Force Friday wishlist). Stay tuned for updates on these items over the coming days!

Force Friday is Almost Here!

Tonight, at 12.01am, Force Friday finally arrives - and I'll be in line at my local Toyworld store eagerly awaiting a chance to get my hands on the first wave of merchandise for The Force Awakens. While neither the Wellington Warehouse nor Farmers stores are holding midnight events, both have already reserved space for The Force Awakens merchandise and promise to be fully stocked by opening time tomorrow. The Warehouse will be offering "buy one get one half price" on all Star Wars items, while Farmers will be offering a 20% - 40% discount for the whole weekend.

 Toyworld, The Warehouse, and Farmers are all preparing for Force Friday.

My plan will to pick up a few of the most desirable items at the Toyworld midnight event, then follow this with visits to both The Warehouse and Farmers tomorrow to pick up most other things on my wishlist at a discounted price. I'll be blogging about all of my purchases - but those posts won't be up for a week or so. That's because within 48 hours of Force Friday I'll be on a plane heading for Houston, Texas. As soon as I'm back, I'll be putting together full reviews of my entire TFA haul - so look for plenty of updates during the week starting Monday 14th September!

Heading Back to Houston!

In a piece of very fortuitous timing, my next school assessment has been scheduled for the week following Force Friday. That means I'll be leaving New Zealand shores, heading across the Pacific Ocean, and spending a few days in good ol' Houston, Texas.

While in the US, I plan on hitting a bunch of stores and filling any gaps left on my Force Awakens wishlist. It'll be great to see the range of Star Wars products available, and compare them with what's been released here in New Zealand. Stay tuned for updates!

August 2015 Entertainment Weekly Magazine

A couple of weeks ago we reported on an upcoming Entertainment Weekly spread featuring exclusive images from the set of The Force Awakens and an interview with writer and director J.J. Abrams. This week, I finally stumbled across a copy here in a New Zealand magazine store for $16.90

Like June's issue of Vanity Fair, this magazine is another great keepsake in the lead-up to the first film of the new trilogy. If you haven't already, I definitely recommend heading out and picking up a copy!