New retroline.......

[TK-7785]

I think a lot of the upset is caused by the assumption that they will be/can be misrepresented as originals on the secondhand market. It's a fair concern as it's getting harder and harder by the day to spot the repro (or anything non-original 77-85) from original. Given the values it's only fair people would be upset. And even monetary value aside, if you're only interested in original items from the era it's also a valid frustration. Whether you want to call these reproductions or reissues or whatever is doesn't really matter, it's semantics. The concern of the figures or accessories being passed off as originals is completely valid.

That said, these are assumptions at the moment as we don't have the facts. I hope they are discernable. If they are, have it if this floats your boat. I personally don't see the point in reissuing originals exactly as they were. I say that as someone who has recently gained a fondness for the POTF2 Falcon, X-Wing, TIE etc. But these made some nice improvements on the originals. Arguably better/more accurate paint and deco.

But I guess I'm not the target market. Or maybe I am as these are clearly targeted at older collectors who remember a time before POTF2 when Kenner vintage was all we had. I'm sure there will be interest in these from some younger or perhaps more casual older collectors, but the market these days is really set around hyper-detailed, accurate and a lot of articulation. I hear a lot of modern collectors bemoaning "crappy old 5 POA figures", so how a figure that looks like it was made 40+ years ago is supposed to appeal to that portion of the market baffles me.

When I first heard of this release yesterday I was under the impression they'd be releasing figures that Kenner never got around to originally. Those I would be all over! They'd make fine additions to fill holes in the vintage line. But I also heard that more would be unveiled at the NY Toy Fair today. So maybe we'll see a Tarkin etc. If that's the case I just hope Hasbro don't carry on with the terrible production and distribution issues that they have in recent years.

 

[Snaketibe]

Using your definition of repro then the very first reproduction Star Wars figures were manufactured by Kenner the second they made new moulds for a batch other than the early bird figures.
I mean these are not repro as in they are not made as direct copies of the originals by a third party with the intent of profiteering from and or deceiving collectors.
We should be far more concerned about the guy pumping out floating repro weapons, who, if you agree to buy a thousand, will allow you to choose which vintage weapon he copies next.

I agree with you totally with regards to third parties, and people like the scumbag making floating repro weapons. And of course these new Hasbro figures are absolutely not being made by such a person or persons, and that is something we can all be thankful for

However, I think it is worth differentiating between the original run of vintage and what made it so; yes multiple figure moulds were used throughout the lifetime of the original run, but despite the minor differences, for the most part the figures made from them were usually the same, and certainly weren't second generation copies, like the Classic 4-pack. And it is a second generation copy that I would use as the definition of 'repro' for the purposes of this discussion (I don't wish to use the word 'argument', as I like you and have no desire to argue with you ). All the third parties selling repro crap on eBay have made second generation copies from vintage originals, be it weapons or, more recently, sadly increasingly often the figures themselves. If Hasbro are now doing the same by making second generation copies of their own figures, as they did with the 4-pack, then I would define that as being a reproduction, albeit a sanctioned one by the licence holder.

 

[Snaketibe]

I think a lot of the upset is caused by the assumption that they will be/can be misrepresented as originals on the secondhand market. It's a fair concern as it's getting harder and harder by the day to spot the repro (or anything non-original 77-85) from original. Given the values it's only fair people would be upset. And even monetary value aside, if you're only interested in original items from the era it's also a valid frustration. Whether you want to call these reproductions or reissues or whatever is doesn't really matter, it's semantics. The concern of the figures or accessories being passed off as originals is completely valid.

That said, these are assumptions at the moment as we don't have the facts. I hope they are discernable. If they are, have it if this floats your boat. I personally don't see the point in reissuing originals exactly as they were. I say that as someone who has recently gained a fondness for the POTF2 Falcon, X-Wing, TIE etc. But these made some nice improvements on the originals. Arguably better/more accurate paint and deco.

But I guess I'm not the target market. Or maybe I am as these are clearly targeted at older collectors who remember a time before POTF2 when Kenner vintage was all we had. I'm sure there will be interest in these from some younger or perhaps more casual older collectors, but the market these days is really set around hyper-detailed, accurate and a lot of articulation. I hear a lot of modern collectors bemoaning "crappy old 5 POA figures", so how a figure that looks like it was made 40+ years ago is supposed to appeal to that portion of the market baffles me.

When I first heard of this release yesterday I was under the impression they'd be releasing figures that Kenner never got around to originally. Those I would be all over! They'd make fine additions to fill holes in the vintage line. But I also heard that more would be unveiled at the NY Toy Fair today. So maybe we'll see a Tarkin etc. If that's the case I just hope Hasbro don't carry on with the terrible production and distribution issues that they have in recent years.

A good post. I agree with everything you say, and yes the definition of 'repro' for the purposes of this discussion is a largely semantic one. Despite my previous few posts, I too am by far and away most concerned of all about the potential for these new items (figures and or accessories) to be confused / passed off as vintage originals. If they are easily distinguishable, then I have no problem with the line at all, although I do sincerely wonder how successful it will be for Hasbro. I guess time will tell...

 

[Darth Bobby]

It's the age of nostalgia. Every thing is getting reissued. Think about the bloke working a crap job who likes the original figures but couldn't possibly justify dropping 50 quid on a loose figure. It's just a bit of fun for the casual Star Wars fan.If down the line people get burned buying one of these thinking it's original vintage, bigger fool them. There's so much information out there about spotting fakes, websites, books, Facebook groups, etc. The MOC's are nothing like them, the figures are in trays!
Yes Hasbro are being lazy but that's the way it is?!

 

[ChallengerFox]

I don't really think it's the figures that will cause problems, it will be the weapons and capes.

 

[wicky0570]

Check out this video for more details on the Retroline .....

https://youtu.be/CV8YilSOSm4

 

[wicky0570]

Have you guys seen this video on YouTube?

https://youtu.be/CV8YilSOSm4

 

[StarWarsFan]

I don't really think it's the figures that will cause problems, it will be the weapons and capes.

yep

 

[TK-7785]

It's the age of nostalgia. Every thing is getting reissued. Think about the bloke working a crap job who likes the original figures but couldn't possibly justify dropping 50 quid on a loose figure.

But he could buy an average condition figure and a repro weapon off of ebay for nearly the same money. I don't see why buying Habsbro's reissue is a legitimate option for those people but buying unsanctioned repro isn't. I'm not saying you're saying that, but that seems to be the contradiction I'm reading all over the internet at the moment.

 

[ChallengerFox]

It's the age of nostalgia. Every thing is getting reissued. Think about the bloke working a crap job who likes the original figures but couldn't possibly justify dropping 50 quid on a loose figure.

But he could buy an average condition figure and a repro weapon off of ebay for nearly the same money. I don't see why buying Habsbro's reissue is a legitimate option for those people but buying unsanctioned repro isn't. I'm not saying you're saying that, but that seems to be the contradiction I'm reading all over the internet at the moment.

But when they start making the last 17 figures then the Hasbro ones will be the legitimate option for the Joe Public collectors.

R2-D2 Pop Up - £300 for an original or £10 for a Hasbro.

 

[maxf]

Personally I think it will be the opposite and original vintage items will just increase in value.

Take Ferrari or any prestige car maker for example, they keep bringing out new ones and the cars from the 60's and 70's just keep increasing in value, that may be a bad example but i'm sure you can see my point, the original of anything will always be the most valuable.

I just hope capes and weapons etc will be distinguishable from the originals.

Any idea when they usually release more detailed images ? I'm not into modern so not familiar with how much they show you before the release date.

Action Man collecting changed for the worse after the 40th Anniversary stuff came out - prefect copies of pretty much everything. It just feels like a lazy cash grab to me.

 

[edd_jedi]

Tarkin

 

[grinchy]

That Tarkin looks great, glad they are expanding the line to include new figures based on the old figures, I hope everyone can get behind that idea

 

[skywalker]

 

[skywalker]

I would prefer the cards without the damaged / worn look..

 

[Grant_C]

That's a lot of sculpting and detail for a retro figure. :?

On the fence with this lot. Be interesting to see the fallout. The vintage story never ends

 

[jedi_mister]

I wonder if Luke, Darth & Ben will have double telescoping lightsabers ?

 

[_Lee_]

What a load of horse ****. They really are reaching the bottom of the barrel now. ****ing awful.

 

[Stubbs]

Tarkin looks like Henry Winkler. I don't know how I feel about these seems like another hasbro cash grab instead of doing somthing original.

 

[Pomse2001]

well if it can make the prices of the vintage figures to going down again then this is fine with me and if it can stop repro weapons then it is also fine with me. I do not know about tarkin, I think the face looks to modern for me and I am sure he would not have looked like that in 1977.