sideswipe6520 wrote:If you don't like the kit don't buy it. If you want one come early and be near the front of the line. There are VERY FEW left and I believe they will go quickly.
Personally, I think it is a great homage to Galaxy Shuttle.
Also, on the topic of Hasbro's involvement, while it would be awesome to have them come and set up a display of all the upcoming stuff IE Botcon and ComiCon etc, I prefer them not being involved. For one thing, we are still a very small convention and it is only our 3rd year. Another thing is the third party stuff. Hasbro has made a clear stance against all 3rd party stuff despite the general consensus that it doesn't hurt Hasbro or Takara really. We all still buy their stuff too. The 3rd party stuff is generally (with some exceptions) figures that Hasbro wont make or figures that are upgraded/articulated/tv accurate versions of older G1 style characters. You don't go out there seeing 3rd party Transformers prime Smokecreens do you?
If anything, Hasbro should be thanking the 3rd parties for re-igniting the fire in collectors. The 3rd parties have pushed Hasbro/Tomy/takara to really improve their products over the last few years. More articulation, more show accurate designs, etc. AND they have took a bigger step in the collector markets as well. Especially with the Generations line. The whole focus has been with collectors and producing classic figures. They have done a fantastic job. This next year will be amazing with everything from Metroplex to Swerve and Whirl (who fans have been asking for for years) and even the beast wars is getting some love. Believe me, Hasbro would not be doing all of these characters if it wasn't for the interest in the classics generated by the fans and opened up by the 3rd party developers.
The kit is very nice. I just think the wings are too subtle - I can barely see them on the shuttle!
Still, I really like the add-on kit idea and thinks it's a great exclusive. If the budget wasn't so tight from MP Soundwave, Metroplex, upcoming G1-homages, etc. I'd be all over this. And anyway, I'm not even sure who Galaxy Shuttle is...
You make a good point about 3rd Party stuff at the show, thanks!
Hadn't even considered how a showdown like that could take place, nor how it would play out. I guess it makes sense to keep Hasbro out, if they bring lawyers or have one on speed-dial...
But I agree 100% with your 3rd Party support. I also think it pushes Hasbro to pay MORE attention to its core market: US! I think Hasbro would be pushing Robot Heroes and Bot Shots if not for how 3rd Parties are starting to make money and more are cropping up every day. Like I said elsewhere, Hasbro is the company that claimed (during a con panel) that the adult collector market is ONLY 10-20%. That tells me either they're too incompetent to do market research on their own customers (unlikely), OR that they want to mislead and HIDE the adult market. Not sure why that would be a priority for Hasbro, but we have to remember that they are historically out to make toys for kids. Maybe someone was concerned about revealing all the adult buyers. Certainly, the SW toys are a lot more adult buyers than kids (if my observations at toy stores ring anywhere near the truth). And like you said, collectors end up buying both Hasbro and 3rd Parties. Actually, in the case of Omega Supreme, for example, I went with Hasbro because it cost me 1/3 of what Genesis would cost!
Thanks for the reply!
