Hasbro Pulse Con Wrap-Up

 Hasbro wrapped up it's 2 day Hasbro Pulse Con, revealing plans for all their toylines and showing what is coming for the end of this year and what to expect in 2023. Of course I focus primarily on Star Wars, there was also some announcements about a certain leather jacket wearing archeologist who hates snakes as much as I do! I'll post a quick recap, skimming briefly through the Black Series but getting more in depth with the Vintage Collection.

Cue up the John Williams written theme. No not the main title for Star Wars, but Raiders! Yes, Indiana Jones is coming back to toy aisles next year! A role playing head piece to the staff of Ra comes out (no word yet on a Indy fedora but that has to come, I hope!), which is the only one shown here. A 6 inch line will have Indy & Toht (the German who had the headpiece burned into his hand in Raiders of the Lost Ark) from the 1st film. No toys from the new film were shown. Like the Marvel Legends these figures come with a piece that let's you build the Ark of the Covenant! Sallah (actor John Rhys-Davies) & Marion are a couple future 6 inch figures.

Back in 2008, Hasbro did a 3.75 Indiana Jones line that was super articulated. Sadly, Hasbro isn't doing that. However the 3.75 scale isn't ignored as Hasbro is remaking the Retro Kenner Indy figure! Hasbro promises to make figures from the movies not done by Kenner back in the day. Does this mean we get Mola Ram? Henry Jones Senior? Brody? I hope so! The classic action feature Kenner Indy had (whip and quick draw action) is replicated here with his spring loaded right arm which can draw his pistol or crack his whip! Indy was the only Retro figure shown.

Now onto the Black Series. I won't post pictures but Andor series characters got all the attention. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly appreciation moment) is the one character Star Wars fans are more familiar with, it also marks her Black Series debut and 1st figure since 2005 (Revenge of the Sith). Cassian gets one, as does Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard's character), and Bix Calleen (I asked and she doesn't come with her "action feature" if you watched the show you'll get the joke 😉). Also shown were the 1st wave of 40th Anniversary Return of the Jedi figures: Endor Han, Endor Leia, Skiff Guard Lando & Biker Scout. Wicket will also be coming! Okay so I like Ewoks! The ROTJ figures signal what is so far the "pipeline" reveals for the Black Series.

Now onto the Vintage Collection. From Andor there is a set you can get from Disney Shop, the droid B2EMO. He's kinda big for a droid! In a previous post we saw Cassian Andor and Val Sartha. This time we get more pictures instead of blurry back card images we got from SDCC. So far, these are the only Andor figures coming to the VC. Personally I hope Luthen comes soon, along with one of the Imperial characters (I would like Dedra Meero or another ISB character).

From the Original Trilogy, fans wondered with the release of Figrin D'an what would come of the other band members? Hasbro answered it with a Band Builder Pack! The 7 memeber band is a Hasbro Pulse exclusive and costs $89.99 and will ship next April! Yes it also comes with Figrin D'an but are you really going to open his single card figure now?! The band also come with their instruments! But this wasn't the best announcement. Not by a longshot!

After ignoring Star Wars 40th anniversary (well there was no VC in 2017) and Empire's 40th anniversary (we got Bespin Escape Leia, Lobot and Lando in 21 & 22), Hasbro is making up for it for Return of the Jedi's 40th! Headlining the pipleline reveals is Darth Vader with a removable helmet (what was shown was an unmasked Vader/Anakin so I'm assuming the helmet is removable or swappable)! Expect the most recent VC Vader to justify that new sculpt being done, this time with a tweak. But that isn't all! Some figures are getting repacked:

1. Yakface (if you missed out, he was my pick as the best ever VC figure)
2. Weequay (Skiff Guard)
3. Nikto (Skiff Guard)
4. Woof (Skiff Guard)
5. Kithaba (Skiff Guard)

So now you can complete your Skiff! Weequay, Nikto & Kithaba are long requested repack figures! (Now let's do the same for Ponda Baba & Dr Evazan!)

Another pipeline figure reveals are the female Tusken Warriorfrom Book of Boba Fett, Captain Howzer from Clone Wars and Hunter from Bad Batch! But that isn't all! Also coming is an Endor Bunker Playset which may just be the old POTF2 Endor Bunker, but Hasbro likes to add figures to their playsets so expect a Biker Scout to come with this (no figure has been confirmed, just speculating!). Of course I haven't mentioned the already previously announced repacked Nien Nunb, new Endor Han & Admiral Piett. 2023 is shaping up to be a HUGE ROTJ 40th anniversary celebration for the VC!

I don't have many pictures but here is what I have, of course I'll provide a key to explain them:

1.  Retro Indiana Jones! Has the traditional Indy 7 POA, and getting this will run you way less than a 1981 version will. 

2. 6 inch Indy. He will also come with the idol he snags in the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. 

3. VC Val Sartha. I could easily see Hasbro re-using the buck to make a new Jyn Erso. 

4. VC Cassian Andor. Good head sculpt. I just hope the coat doesn't restrict his movement. But it's a thumbs up. 

5. VC Bad Batch Hunter. Looks to be a removable helmet and I hope that is the new Clonetrooper buck used here, can't tell since it looks like a digitally rendered image of the carded figure. 

6. Figran D'an & The Modal Nodes! Hopefully Hasbro Pulse can get this on wider international markets. Lots of those collectors are understandably upset.