star-wars-stormtrooper-the-force-awakensYesterday morning’s announcement of Hasbro’s Star Wars San Diego Comic-Con 2015 exclusive left us scratching our heads and a bit perplexed. The lack of a 3 3/4″ action figure offering is a bit disappointing, as this year’s SDCC would the last big event prior to the line’s launch on Force Friday (September 4th, 2015). Its scary to think that the cards may be starting to become stacked against the original scale that started it all. We believe Hasbro when they say the 3 3/4″ line isn’t going anywhere but what we may not be reading between their lines is that it may not be the golden child it once was. Here are just a few of the observations we have made in regards to Hasbro’s new favorite child; the 6″ line:

  • This will be the third year in a row where Hasbro has produced only a 6″ exclusive for SDCC.
  • Other Hasbro toy lines provide loads of different exclusives at conventions in multiple scales and lines (i.e. Joe Con, Botcon) but since the debut of The Black Series, Hasbro has clearly found favor only with the 6″ line.
  • Even at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim, Hasbro only offered three exclusive TBS 6″ posters created by the amazing Stephen Hayford and showed only a single new figure: a 6″ Rebels Ahsoka.
  • Only photos of 6″ figures have been “leaked” from The Force Awakens.
  • Hasbro Marketing has in the last 6 months stressed how happy they are with the 6″ line.

And the hardest pill to swallow:

  • The lack of any mention of a preview figure or wave of figures.

Every new episodic film since 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back has received one or more preview figures! From 1979’s Boba Fett and Bossk to 2005’s Tion Medon and R4-G9 preview figures of the next film in the saga have been a longstanding tradition for action figure collectors. Now some might say that with the debut of figure line in September three months before the film the point is moot but then again we have a 6″ figure who will be out two months before that.

Now this is not a jab at the 6″ line (we are actually looking forward to picking the exclusive TFA Stormtrooper up) but given the choice we would have preferred a 3 3/4″ one or at least a 3 3/4″ version as well. We really hope we are wrong about Hasbro’s stance on our beloved 3 3/4″ line and time will tell if they have a surprise still up their sleeve for The Force Awakens line. We’ll find out in 84 days!

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Until next time,

May the Figures be with you!