New vs Old Star wars action figures/ Playsets

[Mark]

I myself prefer the vintage figures compared to the ones of today. Although the figurines and play-sets offer very little detail, I find that they can always spark a better imagination. Most action figures these days look like they are on steroids and bulimic. This is coming from someone, who grew up in the late 80's.

What does everyone else think?

[zeedox]

I agree

I really feel like a lot more care went into the Kenner figures.

[Bruce Banner]

I also prefer the vintage 70s and 80s Kenner figures, no question.

When Kenner reintroduced the SW line in the 1990s, the exaggerated proportions of the figures were widely criticized.

Today, the Hasbro SW lines are very well designed figures with a lot of detail and movie accurate likenesses.

But I'll always prefer those original sturdy 70s and 80s Kenner figures with their relatively few points of articulation. There's just something timeless about them.

[jwyblejr]

Figure wise,I like the new stuff. Vehicle wise,the old stuff. Hasbro has too many excuses why they won't do vehicles or playsets for either Star Wars or G.I. Joe.

[samurainoir]

Even with the nostalgia goggles on, I see some stuff out there sometimes that would have made my head explode as a kid.

Just compare...





This one is certainly a huge improvement over this...

[Den82]

The vintage stuff all the way. The classic look of those figures just cannot be beat. The POTF2 line was terrible. Maybe one day I will buy only those figures not included in the original line (Aunt Beru for example), but the vast majority of them looked absolutely terrible. Just look at the first Leia figure! If I were Carrie Fisher, I would of sued them. She looked like a caveman.

This latest Vintage Collection has some nice looking figures. But the constant re-releasing of figures has left a bad taste in my mouth. It's just flooding the market and taking advantage of those collectors who "buy everything". After awhile, it all seems so utterly pointless and sheepish.

As far as realism, I don't care all that much. A little of a resemblance is enough. I like when action figures look like action figures and not statues.

[torgospizza]

I like the realism of the new stuff, but the charm of the vintage.

[bizzaro megomauler]

when the vintage stuff was around there weren't 18 different luke tattoine figs. there was one, that was the way it was and you liked it! after they started re-releasing 3 versions of the same character and outfit, i gave up. the vintage stuff did spark the imagination waaaaay more.

[Jason73]

I like it all.

[MicromanZone]

when the vintage stuff was around there weren't 18 different luke tattoine figs. there was one, that was the way it was and you liked it! after they started re-releasing 3 versions of the same character and outfit, i gave up. the vintage stuff did spark the imagination waaaaay more.

Exactly. But to be fair, when Kenner released the 1978 wave of mainly Cantina figures, and distinctly remember holding onto a Greedo package and weighing the benefit of buying a scrubby figure for a character I didn’t care about versus getting another Stormtrooper just so I could get enough “Proof-of-Purchase” things to get the Boba Fett mail-away.

The second I saw the “Luke” in an “X-Wing” outfit, that was it. I knew I was having my buttons pushed. And when “Empire Strikes Back” came around I got a few figures but realized I now owned 3 Han Solos and it was confusing.

Toys that look realistic are not fun. They are just fancy plastic statues. The original 12 Star Wars figures were clearly toys and fun.

And that said: How many different Chewbaccas are out there at this point? Is there one where he yawns?

[Bruce Banner]

In the vintage line, I didn't mind different versions of the same character if their outfits changed in the movies. In fact, they were essential.
For instance, I thought it was great that they released Luke in his pilot's gear (looked way better sat in the X-Wing than Luke in his Tatooine outfit).
And Luke in his Bespin fatigues in the ESB line was awesome, and of course in his Jedi gear from ROTJ.

But yeah, the modern trend of re-releasing the same figure in the same outfit over and over again with just one extra accessory or two more points of articulation or whatever does get wearisome.

[jimsmegos]

The vintage SW stuff is and will forever hold a special place in my heart and imagination. The new stuff is fun to look at but not worth $10 a piece to me. I did have a blast in the late 90's chasing down the POTF2 and Episode 1 figures but it all left me cold after the first "Vintage ORT/ Saga" figures were released. Hasbro IMO went over the top with all of the variants and irrelevant characters.

[Gorn Captain]

Even though there's some cool stuff in the new line, it's just too much. Overkill.
I don't need 63 Darth Vaders ("this one has butt-scratching action!").

I just picked a handfull of items, like the large wing TIE.
Some of the new sculpts are pretty awful, though. You'd think they'd have improved on that with the new technology.

I'm so glad I no longer "collect them all!"....

[Brue]

i prefer vintage because of nostalgia. There is also an art value as opposed to a realism value.

what i like about the new ones is the magnitude of them - the old ones we wound up with less than 100 characters (about 80 characters) today how many are there? a billion? and the playsets are far superior.

[SeattleEd]

I like it all.

I agree. After seeing the stuff at the Toy Stable yesterday, all of it is good. Take the good with the bad.