Revving Up the Retro Collection

 With recent Retro Collection waves tied into buying boxed sets and trapping buyers into buying 6 figures when most want 1,2, or possibly 3, Retro collectors are being forced by Hasbro to also buy figures they don't want. I get it. Retro Kenobi figures can still be found at Ollie's (I've managed to grab a few extras of Reva and the Grand Inquisitor to do some possible head swaps in the future). But how can Hasbro keep Retro alive? How could collectors who have otherwise ended their pursuit of Kenner style figures (like me) get back in the game? I'll show you how, Hasbro!

1. Get rid of the Retro sticker on the cards.

I cannot emphasize this enough. Part of the allure of Kenner figures is the card itself. I don't mind the fake weathered look, but that Retro sticker is heinous! Putting it as a smaller logo near the bottom of the card would be ideal, in my opinion.

2. Smaller figure waves & figure runs.

Retro waves are mostly 6-8  figures per wave. I suggest going to 4 figures per wave. You still get some figures out, but also ones that collectors could go for. Which leads me to the next point.

3. Only available via fan channel, and no more 6 packs.

These figures shouldn't be at retail. Put them on Amazon, Pulse, EE & Big Bad Toy Store. That way they won't clog up aisles at Ollie's like the Kenobi Retro figures are. I've bought 2 of each character already. I've done my part!!! As far as 6 packs go, if you wanted Mon Mothma and Yakface you had to buy it along with 4 other figures you likely didn't want. Same with The Phantom Menace Retro's. Everyone wanted Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Maul and the Battle Droid. I mean, I wanted Jar Jar, but not everyone else did. The Acolyte 6 pack I would buy the Jedi, but the other figures would be a no from me at least.

4. Stick to making figures Kenner missed out in the 1980's.

What do Grand Moff Tarkin, Death Star 2 Luke, Wedge Antilles, Moff Jerjerrod and Admiral Piett all have in common? They weren't made in the Kenner days. Tarkin got a Retro figure, but you needed to buy a board game to get him. Retro figures of these characters would excite some old school collectors, and generate some excitement about the line. I'd argue the same for the Droids cartoon show figures, especially the second wave. Collectors would flip out over getting Vlix, and even making the 1st wave of Droids figures, but this time give Thall Joben a lightsaber since he used one in the series 1st story arc. And a reminder that Droids is on Disney Plus.

5. Stop making Retro versions of new material!

Shows like Andor, Kenobi, Ahsoka and yes, even The Mandalorian don't need Retro figures. Ironic from me since the Retro Mandalorian 1st wave got me back into Kenner Star Wars. While Kenobi gave us the Kenner Darth Vader we should have gotten in 1984, I'd rather Hasbro stick to the era of 1978-1995. Which means the OT era. I'd even go as far to say just stick to the 3 Trilogies. I bet a Kenner version of Kylo Ren would sell...

6. Making Star Wars Legends characters into Retro Collection figures.


So you might have thought I made a typo above. Kenner ended the Star Wars line in 1985, not 1995! Well, that's when the line returned. But when I read Heir To The Empire, I had Kenner versions of Thrawn, Mara Jade, C'baoth, Pellaeon and Rukh in my head. For some reason I envisioned Karrde looking like Mungo Boabob from Droids. I was a kid when I read it! But, as I've said many times before, if it weren't for the original Thrawn Trilogy, Star Wars wouldn't have made a triumphant toy return in 1995, and backed by a VHS boxed set of the Original Trilogy. Imagine Retro versions of Kyle Katarn, Guri, Xizor, Jan Orrs, Clone Palpy, Exar Kun, Kam Solusar, Kyp Durron and other Legends characters. I'd love them in the Vintage Collection, and yes even in the Black Series, but having them in the Kenner style would be preferable for me since I had these figures in my mind since 1st reading HTTE.

So those are my thoughts on the future for Retro figures. I doubt Hasbro would listen to someone like me, but putting a couple of my suggestions into practice would help the line, IMO. The key point is to make what collectors are wanting to buy, a simple concept.

Thanks for reading! Special thanks to Chris and Nomad at BanthaSkull for allowing me to post my blog link in the comment section. Please share this blog link on your social media accounts so I can get more readers!