[StarWarsPaul]

Sorry for the MEGA post, but I felt I had some explaining to do. I promise my future posts will be brief.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Abbadon

So, taking you at your word as a fellow Arker, what's the story here?
Is Xavier wave going to be in stores first?
Will waves be released back-to-back, and of so, which ones?

Just to be clear, I am in contact with people in the company and with a large internet retailer. The info I get through those channels, combined with my own research and investigating, backs up what I say. I don't hound these people, otherwise I would no longer get answers to the questions I ask. I don't always get answers, but I try whenever I can.

But when I speculate, I say it, when I provide info that I believe to the best of my knowledge is ture, I'll post it.

I do my best to not throw around wild rumors. So that's where whatever information I provide comes from, as always you can take it or leave it, but I'm too passionate about this hobby to just make BS statements.

That being said, the Wave 18 info I have provided is FACT, based on my information. Pre-Orders can start on 5/30 and it will most likely hit retailers by the end of June.

Anything beyond that is all speculation now. Hasbro doesn't necessarily like to compete against itself when it comes to their toy lines. That is a fact. I believe the plan all along was to hold off on MU until the Summer (I was told specifically that Wave 18 would not be released until Summer about a month ago, no more info than that was provided). Star Wars, Avengers, GI Joe, all had staggared releases through the first two quarters. I also believe that they did not want MU competeing with Avengers, as well as their desire to dump old IM2, CA & Thor merchandise on retailers, in the hopes that the Avengers Hype would prevent them from having to sell it off to clearance houses.

The GI Joe situation may force Hasbro's hand here with regards to the release schedule. The last Order Report I saw was released prior to the news that the film was being delayed. I have not received any information regarding the truth behind the request that retailers send back product. I some how find that to be a bit of an impossible task, but I guess anything is possible.

I do believe that Hasbro is sitting on inventory, including Waves 18-21. I think that in addition to their not wanting to compete, ie planning to release product so that it dovetails with the end of the Avengers line, they also simply may not have the capital to actually pay the factories for the inventory. That last part is speculation on my part, but only because of the "Leaked" Wave 21, New Avengers Team Set & Helicarrier.

Now stuff can be leaked specifically to piss off Hasbro and try to force them to pony up, or more likely, just sold out the back door of the Factory.

I do believe that Wave 21 is only 3 figures, I also believe that it will be the final wave of 2012 (numbering system wise). I think the case pack out (if these people who are selling them even got them by the case), will be 4 of each figure in the case.

It looks to be possible, that Hasbro will do some reshuffling of their waves, it used to happen all the time with the SW line & it wouldn't surprise me here, considering that these are out the door.

But I would expect Wave 18 to start shipping by the end of June, 19 (or whatever the next assortment will be), end of July, then end of August for the remaining wave.

I believe we will see a variety of revisions through the Holiday season, with the first wave of 2013 showing up for the Holidays, just like Wave 17 did last year.

I have to add, I have heard NOTHING at all about the line being canceled either before the unreleased waves have been shipped or after.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Abbadon

I still cant fathom what Hasbro is doing with this- unless it's a scramble to out out product to balance the GI Joe recall.

Those Wave 21 cases (or figures) were in no way related to the Joe news. That stuff was out in the pipe long before the postponement of the film. My understanding with regards to the "recall" is that what's out there is out there, they won't ship anymore at this point & any future waves and unshipped current waves will be held back for the films release.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint Phe

Yeah, Jason's 100% right on this. Questioning third or fourth hand information is totally different from not believing a forum brother with first hand info. Don't compare us to Hisstank.

I did and I didn't do it in a favorable way, for that I'm sorry. The Tank is my home, well the MU thread to be specific, but I prefer to share my info in a place where its welcoming.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Abbadon

It's frustration at lack of information- we're pretty straight shooters and want to be dealt with fairly- and seeing people score unavailable figs supposedly because they have some "in" with the company raises hackles.

I know I want an even playing field, not some scalpers paradise of $100 figs on ebay.

I don't believe there were any "Ins." Stuff was either stolen from the factory, there was an extra run of product samples at the factory during that phase of Hasbro's process or they were sold out the back door and made it to the chinese run junk shops in NYC. There's a lot of hate here and I admit on my part in some small way its probably got a lot to do with jealosy. Man I wanted those figures too and had I been able to answer my phone when my buddy called, i'd have them now. I missed out and I'm disappointed. Let's keep an eye on how many more that guy lists, but it seems like he's shopping in the same neighborhood as my buddy. Look you walk past a shop and in the window they have 3 figures you didn't think you'd see until hell froze over, you might just go in and buy them all, he is after all sitting on a Gold Mine, huh?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Abbadon

At least a release date and preorder from Hasbro- they seem very disorganized between this MU jerkiness and the GI Joes fiasco.

“Lack of Toy News is the path to the dark side.
Lack of Toy News leads to anger.
Insider information leads to Scalping.
Scaplping leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering.
Suffering leads to quitting a line”

There, Mike- fixed that for you.

If there is no information, there really is no Insider information. Hasbro is notoriously tight lipped and they've suspended their Q&As as a result.

We all suspected it was Vonner who was trying to sell that Wave 19 stuff and it didn't go for what the seller wanted.

Hasbro releases Order Reports about 10 times a year, with each new order report, typically comes a new Assortment. I've noticed lately that all most EVERY new assortment from EVERY line has a "Street Date" for pre-sells.

Unless the Joe situation has changed things, I expect the next Order report to drop around the middle to end of June and there will be a New MU Assortment listed on it. At this point its looking more and more like it just might be Wave 21.

Hopefully I haven't offended anyone, if so, I apologize it wasn't my intention and if you're ever looking for a fun group of laid back MU fans who talk about everything, visit the MU thread on the Tank....