Do you think Hasbro would ever re-release vintage figures?

Just thinking about the forthcoming rocket firing Fett that will be offered as a mail-away with the next wave of figures. Clearly, Hasbro still has the molds for the vintage figures, so do you think they will ever repeat this and say offer a re-release of a Blue Snaggletooth or Yak Face?

This would really please fans and collectors and would definitely get me buying more figures.

What do you think? (By the way Hasbro - if you read this - Please do it!)

I don't think they will ever rerelease all of the vintage figures and I really hope they don't. As for the molds it is possible that they have some of them but I really doubt they have them all. I would guess that they probably pulled a cast off of another figure or scanned a vintage figure and simply created a brand new mold to create the new rocket firing Boba Fett. After time these molds tend to deteriorate and the fact that those original molds are over 30 years makes me doubt that they would use them. With technology the way that it is now I'm sure they could recreate every figure that was ever made by Kenner without even needing the original molds but I really doubt they would. The reason I don't want them to recreate these vintage figures is that The value on my collection would drop like a rock but also from a nostalgic point. As a collector I like knowing that the figures I have in my vintage collection are vintage. These figures grew up with me. They are almost as old as me and a part of my childhood. I will contradict myself here however. If Hasbro would release the figures on a cardback that was exactly like the originals except for the logo I would probaby be a sucker to buy these as I do not own any carded vintage figures. Again however to those vintage collectors this would really put a dent in their value of their collection.
I do however like seeing them offer something that was never released such as the rocket firing Boba Fett. I've been wanting this figure ever since they teased me with the mail away offers promoting that figure. This figure has been available for a while on E-bay as a replica prototype so that has to bite for the guy that makes those. http://tinyurl.com/yl4gzep
With all that said, that is just my opinion. Collecting is about collecting and its not always easy or cheap but it should always be fun. There are plenty of vintage figures in circulation and only a few that are really hard to find.

I would hate them to re-release the entitre range - but if they had the rare ones like Yak Face and B snaggletooth - it would allow collectors to pick up items that are currently out of most price ranges.

I wouldn't want my vintage collection to be overshadowed by a complete re-release either.

It would be interesting. But I agree with others that I really hope they DO NOT do this. Mass producing even the Rocket Firing Fett could bring down the value of those few protoypes that actually exist. If everyone gets the figure, which you know right of the bat you can expect several delays by Hasbro filling the orders, then there will be no desire to have the protoype.

I don't even know if I would want them to re issue a Blue Snag or Yak Face, as I think one of the fun and challenging parts of collecting is working to get those rare figures. If anyone can get them, it takes away from the accomplishment of working hard to complete the Vintage line.

This is just an opinion, same as Darth Mater said. But that is what I have to offer on the topic.

Yeah, I doubt the stamp on the new mail away Boba will say 1978 or anything. It is probably a new mold unless they can alter the year on it.

I understand concerns about losing value in your collections. I've had a few modern figures that were worth something for a while until they put out repacks. Then the price did sink like a rock.

As for me though, if they put out exact replicas of vintage figures on vintage cards, I would probably try to buy every one of them. I would also keep them carded and even though they aren't vintage, I would be proud to look at that collection on my wall or whatever. I think it would be exciting but that's probably because all I have is one vintage Boba Fett loose figure at the moment. I don't know how I would afford it but I think it would bring back lots of old memories of hunting for figures as a kid.

If I had a vintage collection going right now that I had spent tons of money on, I would probably feel the exact same as you guys. I would be mad if it devalued my figures. Maybe it wouldn't though since they would still be "vintage". I don't know, that's not a very realistic attitude though. It probably would devalue them because lots of people would be going after new "vintage" and drift away from collecting the old. I guess I have mixed feelings about it. I know for a fact it would bring a lot of collectors back who have fallen off in the last few years.

I can see both sides of the fence on this.

From one stand point, I'd LOVE to be able to buy all of them carded, and keep them that way. I guess it would be a great substitution for carded Vintage.

One of the HUGE Stipulations would have to be that they modify the date. On the figure, AND very clearly on the card stamp reproduction or something just so people can't be tricked into buying one as vintage.

From the other, like I said before, it could drive true Vintage prices down, then everything we have worked for as collectors just went out the window.

Either way, I really don't think Hasbro would do this with the whole line. All total your talking about 97 figures. They DID re issue that "classic" 4 pack when the toys re-launched in 95. So that has to tell you that at least SOME of the original molds still exist. Maybe they could do a re-issued classic gift pack of the original 12 as an anniverssary exclusive. That would be pretty wild!

I did here on the forcecast that the new vintage packaging coming will be going on for a couple years at least. I'm sure the figures will be modern though. From Hasbo's standpoint, I think it would make sense to do a "Kenner" line whether it be all or just some of the originals. They obviously don't give a hoot about the secondary market anyway. Man, they could put all the ships out in vintage packaging too. We know they have those molds.

I'm pretty positive they would have to put the current year on them.


Here are the 2010 vintage packaged figures...

new vintage ESB packaging at toyfair

i really like the new mail offer rocket firing boba fett, and the vintage look card style. i woudnt mind seeing some of the other figures reissued in the vintage style. but, id much rather hasbro finish bringing the entire vintage line up to date.

as far as reissueing rare figures, i dont think it would hurt the value of the orginals. i guess im saying, if you have a prototype r.f. boba, then thats what you have. no matter what hasbro does to the new version, you have the original. in my mind, having a reissue is just that. a reissue, bottom of the line. the price of qui gonn and eeopie in the orginal package has jumped up, and the reissue is fetching the prices it deserves.

i hope this vintage card thing will bring more collectors back, if theyve left. i also hope itll get some people into it because they remeber "back in the day". im not so sure the economy thing is really to blame on faltering legacy line sales as much as distribution. i almost gave up when hasbro couldnt get the last blue/white wave out there. hasbro has absolutly no desire to take the blame. its what we get for complaining about peg warmers, i think.

I'm with you DJ on the whole seeing both sides. For the vintage collector it could feel like such a rip off. So much hard work to complete your collections and then the manufacturer pulls the rug out from under you and mass produces what you have worked so hard to collect.

On the other hand, as DM has pointed out, it's just not the same thing. Even if they could use the old molds, whatever comes off the line would not be vintage. It would be a replica/remake. True vintage would have to be from the original production years. To remake something even if it is a perfect reproduction is still a replica. So overall, I would not see it as the same thing. To me the original would still carry a certain prestige and greater value over the replicas. In my opinion, it would almost be like repros, sure they might look nice, but it's just not the real thing.

That said, I too would love to see a re-issue of the 12-backs. Now that would be a set I'd have to actually not open. Or get 2 of, one to open, one to keep sealed. My old vintage figs are looking pretty shabby and worn, I played with them a lot. They don't show well on display, but I keep them because of the sentimental value.

I'm pretty sure that they'll have to put the current manufacturing year on the cards, all those copyrights, patents and such. As for the remade figures, I would think the same would apply.

xaos wrote:

I did here on the forcecast that the new vintage packaging coming will be going on for a couple years at least. I'm sure the figures will be modern though. From Hasbo's standpoint, I think it would make sense to do a "Kenner" line whether it be all or just some of the originals. They obviously don't give a hoot about the secondary market anyway. Man, they could put all the ships out in vintage packaging too. We know they have those molds.

I'm pretty positive they would have to put the current year on them.


Here are the 2010 vintage packaged figures...

new vintage ESB packaging at toyfair

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the new packaging and figures! I might start queuing now!

Looking at the Toy Fair pics - not sure about having the new Solo figure, with a new packaging photo and then placing a rocket firing Fett offer smack bang in the centre of his face!

They can and they eventually will. I can forsee them doing a multipack of them, classic figures collection.

Its a sign that they are reaching the bottom of their imaginations and creativity and they are running out of characters to make toys out of.

I think they should make playsets. Stop making so many vehicles how many of us would like to see a Death Star Playset with all this great detailed stuff they can make now?

Dear hasbro: As meaningless as my opinion may be to you, please dont remake ANY MORE vintage Figures, I know your a blood Sucking Corporation of a company, that uses only sweat shop labor in asia to make our toys and a company that only preys on us collectors, but please take this into consideration. Have a nice day. Sincerely, Syphodiaz

xaos wrote:

Man, they could put all the ships out in vintage packaging too. We know they have those molds.

I'm pretty positive they would have to put the current year on them.

Unfortunantly, Xaos, the original Falcon mold has broken beyond repair. It was for this reason that we have the BMF from 2008. When the mold broke, that was the push they needed to go ahead with the new Falcon. So while most of the original molds may still exist, the poor Falcon mold does not.

Every time the re use the molds, they DO change the year and copyright info, I am sure it would have to be the same with the figures.

Hasbro has come out and said NO LARGE SCALE PLAYSETS.

If they ever did a Death Star, they would have to break it into sections, and only if sales were strong enough would they continue to release parts of it untill you could build the complete set.

Yeah I heard an interview with one of the main guys at Hasbro and he said play sets don't sell. They are too expensive for the average shopper I guess. That's why I don't have many large scale ships or the arena play set. I'm having to brainwash my wife six months in advance just to get the new AT-AT when it hits.

I think the price point is why the Marvel Legends and 7" Unleashed have been phased out. Hasbro picked up the Marvel figures from Toybiz and went to 3 and 3/4" figures. They can sell an $8 figure easier than a $15 one. I know I quit being interested in Marvel when the price shot up. Think about it, I was buying 7" Marvel Legends a couple of years ago for the same price as a Star Wars figure is right now. That's crazy! But yet I saw these little generic figures that look like wanna-be GI Joe figures for $1.99 at Target tonight. You guys were totally right about the mark up. It has to be REALLY high.