Toy Fair is in full swing which means for fans/collectors (like me) there’s a lot to be excited about even as your wallet cries for mercy. Of course, the things I was looking forward to most were the Star Wars goodies, and Hasbro brought a few of them! While Episode IX and The Mandalorian stuff were kept underwraps (even though we know plenty of merchandise is coming thanks to Triple Force Friday), they still had plenty of other new toys to interest fans including a look at their upcoming Star Wars Celebration exclusives that will put the spotlight on The Phantom Menace‘s 20th Anniversary:
{gallery}SWCC Toys{/gallery}
I mean, wow! As someone who started collecting in the mid-90s, the TPM line of toys was a pretty big deal/release. Not to mention my favorite character (and primary focus of my collection) is Darth Maul. As such, I’m more than eager to get my hands on these cool things. Though they’re Convention exclusive, the new Obi-Wan will be released in regular retail packaging this year. They also showed off some more cool things coming to The Vintage Collection this year:
{gallery}Toy Fair TVC{/gallery}
I love picking up playset type of toys, so the new Jabba’s Palace one is definitely on my list. Couple that with the new Skiff and several characters from the first part of Return of the Jedi and those who backed the massive Sail Barge have plenty to look forward to. On top of all that, they also revealed some retro-styled collectibles that harken back to the early days of Star Wars toys:
{gallery}Toy Fair Kenner{/gallery}
I can’t deny that these are incredibly neat. As a “younger” fan I missed out on the original toy releases, so this is a fun way to re-live that period of collecting without paying an arm and a leg. However, it’s kind of strange to be introducing this now, considering the 40th anniversary of the film was a couple years ago (which they celebrated with only a single line of figures), it seems an odd time to bring these out.
{gallery}HyperReal Vader{/gallery}
I had to save this one for last, if only because I’m still oggling it myself. Hasbro is using Darth Vader to introduce a new “HyperReal” line of Black Series figures. Coming in at $79.99, it’s a steep toy, but it’s flexibility, 8″ size, and overall sleek design definitely puts it in league with the likes of Hot Toys.
Just about all of these show a Spring Release date, though the HyperReal Vader is coming this Fall (August), which means you’ll be able to pick them up in the next few months. You can also pre-order them now from Hasbro’s new store, HasbroPulse.
Which of these are you looking forward to most?
-Jordan
