Star Wars Celebration VI Wrap-up
I took my sons to Star Wars Celebration VI this past weekend, here are some of the highs and lows..used our experiences from Celebration V for comparison.
Disappointingly Hasbro took the cheap way out this time. No Exclusives or Normal Release items for sale. Last show their freebees were Galactic Heroes and Vintage Card backs all day long - all 4 days, this year it was Fighter Pods at scheduled times / twice daily. And hey Hasbro, next time hire people to work your booth that want to be there, not a bunch of grumpy 20/30 year old with attitudes.
As far as Lego goes, Celebration V had some great exclusives (ESB Cubedudes) and giveaways (Concept Fett Minifigure). In preparation for this show, I searched the net for months trying to find out what their exclusives were going to be, but had no luck until I walked into the show. It was a Mini Slave 1 with Boba Fett in a Tin Can just like the Maul Exclusive from SDCC. Very cool set, a little pricey at $40, but a must have for my boys and I. Lego also had a Lego Building Event but no giveaway this time, but you got a free Legoland Tickets for each $75 you spent in the store.
Sideshow had the Vintage Style Fett for Celebration V, this time...Smiling Lando Vintage and another Clone Trooper 12...boring. Pass and pass.
Hallmark, which had poorly handled their exclusive ornaments at Celebration V, had their act together this time. Not to mention the Obi-Wan vs. Ponda Boba Ornament is very cool.
The Artist Alley was pretty cool but a little expensive, except for Katie Cook who just knows how to do things right. While her art is more kid friendly, it is also affordable with custom sketches for only $5.
The hit of the show for my 10 year son and I was the Return to Tatooine Diorama Building Event. We build a custom Tatooine Style home out of cardboard, covered it in plaster and sponge painted it as best we could. We had a ball and it was totally free.
We also attended the Family Only Event in the Digital Theater which was no one knew what it was about. Well it turned out to be a HD Screening of Young Jedi, a Clone Wars World Mini-Movie, centering around young jedi kids becoming Jedi and battling the bad guys. While I have had problems following Clone Wars because of its slow pace, my sons and I really enjoyed this Clone Wars One Shot Movie. While it will never be the Tartikovsky's (sp) Clone Wars, this special was a nice surprise.
All in all, we have a lot of fun taking pictures and walking through the show, and we look forward to the next show...if it's in Orlando.
Oh and I almost forgot...
The Biggest Scumbag Dealer in the world, Brian's Toys, was showing off their upcoming Star Wars Exclusive, Jokasta New(sp) with Dooku Bust for whopping $55. Anyone that gives those dirtbags $55 for a Jedi Libarian, should have their head examined.
It was also nice to see employees from the Brian's Toys Booth standing in the Hallmark line trying to scalp up ornanments. Jerks.
I love living in Orlando, Megacon, and Star Wars Celebration and Star Tours. So cool. Now I need to make it to Lego Land.
- Matt
It was a fun show, although my pet peeve about having to stand in line for an hour for an hour long session was peeved as usual (problem with big shows). I did that once at another show only to be told the room was full when the time came. And I'm not talking about Lucas or Hamill, I'm talking some of the regular sessions. Wound up in other ones not over crowded and was happy I did.
Best part about the celebrations is the folks in costume, though. One big reason I don't spend time in lines for sessions or exclusives is how much I'll miss out on the floor. There were some amazing things I'm glad I didn't miss, from a breathtaking Asaj Ventress posing in front of one of the backgrounds scattered about (and she was still there 15 minutes later when I passed back) and more kinds of stormtroopers than I knew existed. Of course, you couldn't swing a womprat without hitting a Slave Leia, but there was some real imagination on display (including Rudolph the red nosed stormtrooper and a couple guys wandering about in chicken walkers).
I posted some shots on Flickr (still cropping and re-sizing from days two and three):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68541339@N04/sets/72157631213183912/
Jocasta Nu is $25, NOT $55. I think they're the same jerks who bought up all the R2-Q5 vinyl banks before the show opened. They can choke on them.
Oh and I almost forgot...
The Biggest Scumbag Dealer in the world, Brian's Toys, was showing off their upcoming Star Wars Exclusive, Jokasta New(sp) with Dooku Bust for whopping $55. Anyone that gives those dirtbags $55 for a Jedi Libarian, should have their head examined.It was also nice to see employees from the Brian's Toys Booth standing in the Hallmark line trying to scalp up ornanments. Jerks.
I saw much at the show I forgot to mention the squad of around 6 to 8 Willrow Hoods that ran through the show with their ice cream machines and fake moustaches in tow. Absolutely hilarious.
Okay, am I the only one who thinks that Jocastu Nu is pretty damn cool?
I mean, for a figure Hasbro said they never wanted to do, they did a damn fine job! For once the soft goods look great, and coming with the statue is a nice change of pace. I figured that once Clone Wars made her fight Ahsoka Hasbro would change their minds, and I'm glad they did. If she wasn't ridiculously over-priced I would pick one up.
But how come this is the most interesting figure happening right now in Hasbro-land? I looked at the gallery Bobbi posted of the 80 new products and only one of those figures struck me as interesting - Mara Jade. The rest look like the same figures re-released for the 18th time, and it's not the figures/characters that should be.
When did Star Wars get so boring? It's like the Doctor Who line-up - an awesome assortment of villains and secondary characters suddenly goes to only four, and now one. And it's all from bad decisions made at the top.