 |
Ep. 083 Watermelon Chaser – The Vinylympics We are half way through the year and it is time once again to rate the sets that we have seen so far. This year, we take on an Olympics theme. 26 sets compete in 6 events to find the best of the best. We also choose our 2012 Dream Teams. |
 |
Ep. 081 Epcot 82 In a guest filled podcast we talk with Matt from Vinylmation Kingdom about all the Vinylmation previews at Comic Con. We discuss the state and future of the hobby with Kristina from Tomopop. And Annemarie calls in to give insight on her Hurley 9″ custom and Comic Con. We also fit a review of Park 9 in there with the latest news and up to date release calendar. |
 |
Ep. 070 Wolf Boy This week we discuss Phineas and Ferb, Disney Character Star Wars, Duffy the Disney Bear, the new Park Starz variants and much more. Annemarie joins us to chime in on some of the key topics. We also have a full release schedule and listen to a voicemail review of Jiminy Cricket in our Mystery Mail Bag. |
Listen in Popup Player
Download podcast
Thank you to Tomio for pointing us to these pictures and Attractions Magazine for tweeting them. This is our first look at product shots of Disney Character Star Wars.
This is an open window set that will be released later this year. We are thinking around DHS Star Wars Weekends in June. In this picture you can see Luke Mickey, Yoda Stitch, Vader Goofy and Bobba Fett Pete. Check out our explained page for details. The Disney Parks Blog just released some pictures as well. All I have to say is WOW!!!!!
The cape on Vader Goofy and the buns on Leia Minnie are phenomenal. The artwork on Luke Mickey’s face and the suit are very detailed. That visor is painted onto the face looks extremely well done. The lightsaber seems out of place while wearing this pilot uniform, but the design can’t be beat. I anticipated this being my favorite series, and it looks like it will not disappoint.
Release Date: May 18, 2012
Price: $14.95
Where: Disney’s Hollywood Studios and D-Street CA at release. More places at both WDW and DLR later.
Details: Open Window Box
Artist: Maria Clapsis
Update 5/2/12 The Disney Blog updated with turnarounds of the entire 6 figure set. We have the pictures below.
Update 3/8/12 Pictures of 3 more characters added via picture of magnets from Vinylnation. Yoda Stitch, Boba Fett Pete and Darth Vader Goofy join the group.
As a huge collector of Disney Characters as Star Wars in other merchandise, I am so excited about this set. And the fact that they put the designs in the hands of Maria Clapsis, makes me all the more certain this will be a winner.
 |
Yoda Stitch
As expected, Stitch takes the role of the wise green Jedi. He fits this character perfectly. Stitch is also used as the Emperor, a role the mischievous alien is also suited for. Maria used the whole head canvas so well and Stitch looks perfect here. He also comes with a cane that has some wood line detail work on it. |
 |
Boba Fett Pete
Big bad Pete reprises his role as the feared bounty hunter in this vinyl lineup. His appearance in the last action figure line was very excited and beautifully executed. Good job reusing the jet pack piece from Star Wars 1. |
 |
Darth Vader Goofy
Portraying the same character as he does at Star Wars Weekends meet and greats, Goofy takes the form of Vader in this set. I only wish they took it a step further and put him in his Mickey boxers as in the park. Goofy’s face is phenomenal. The stars in ears are the perfect touch and the cape is just plain out of this world. |
 |
Stormtrooper Donald
Wow! Angry little Donald as a Stormtrooper. His face looks amazing. Donald is my favorite character and this is one of my favorite characters for him to be. I enjoy the stars in the ears as well. I’m glad they decided to give Donald a gun accessory here… I was wondering if they wold stay away from that or not. Best duck face yet. The artists just keep getting better and better. The face is full across the mold, perfect proportions and a great expression. |
 |
X-Wing Pilot Mickey
Great choice for Maria to go with this character costume for Mickey instead of the easy route of tossing the mouse into Luke’s Jedi robes. In the line of Disney toys of Characters as Star Wars, Series 3 had Mickey in the pilot suit as well. So much detail here. The helmet is wonderful. The visor shaded across the eyes look extremely well done. The Rebel logo, the hoses on the uniform… all the details there. The lightsaber is even a different design that Star Wars 1. |
 |
Princess Leia Minnie
The face looks great with a well done costume painted on. The buns sticking off the head are a great touch. I wish something was done with the ears. The buns. How wonderful are those? Even the hood on the back has just the right look to it. Again and again, the expressions on the faces in the set are just a pleasure. |
Star Wars Weekends is right around the corner and Disney has given us a sneak peak at some of the merchandise that will be available. Of course Vinylmation fans are excited about the Disney Character Star Wars line.
Mickey, Goofy and Minnie (Disney Character Star Wars Explained) are featured in this picture, but as you can see, there is plenty of other merchandise that will be available. I am most excited about the character chosen as the main merchandise logo this year… Darth Maul Donald. In honor of this, Disney has produced some limited release action figures that will supplement the Disney Character Star Wars series released every so often. There will be both a Darth Maul and Savage Opress Donald.
This Darth Maul Donald is more detailed than the previously released version. He comes wearing a cape. Savage Opress is a character featured in the Clone Wars cartoon series and fits nicely into this theme. As you can see, there is also a Yoda Rizzo action figure that supplements the series of Muppets Star Wars figures released earlier this year. Star Wars Weekends begins on May 18th at Hollywood Studios. See more of the merchandise lineup here.
 |
Ep. 072 DCL Smokestack This week we meander off the Vinylmation path just a bit to discuss other Disney topics, but once we get on track we have a ton of news. Many release dates and product first looks as well as a review of Urban 9. The Mystery Mail Bag is full and the events calender is long. |
Listen in Popup Player
Download podcast
Again, no new Vinylmation on display, but plenty of Star Wars stuff. On display was a set of 6 Disney Characters as Star Wars action figures. At first I was excited to get a peak at the 6th series, but these do not seem to fall in line with the figures we are used to. (see series 5 here). First of, it’s a set of six. Second, there are repeat characters. And third, the quality seems a notch below. Take a look at the set below. It is themed toward the Phantom Menace and will be released in August at a retail price of $9.95.
What a coincidence. While at Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios the other day we ran into the Disney Character Star Wars figures checking out the festivities. It seems as if they hung out at Star Tours for a while and then visited some of their favorite attractions.
I am in shock as I write this, but Disney is going to acquire Lucasfilm, Star Wars and all…
Burbank, CA and San Francisco, CA, October 30, 2012 – Continuing its strategy of delivering exceptional creative content to audiences around the world, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) has agreed to acquire Lucasfilm Ltd. in a stock and cash transaction. Lucasfilm is 100% owned by Lucasfilm Chairman and Founder, George Lucas.
Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney stock on October 26, 2012, the transaction value is $4.05 billion, with Disney paying approximately half of the consideration in cash and issuing approximately 40 million shares at closing. The final consideration will be subject to customary post-closing balance sheet adjustments.
“Lucasfilm reflects the extraordinary passion, vision, and storytelling of its founder, George Lucas,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “This transaction combines a world-class portfolio of content including Star Wars, one of the greatest family entertainment franchises of all time, with Disney’s unique and unparalleled creativity across multiple platforms, businesses, and markets to generate sustained growth and drive significant long-term value.”
“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said George Lucas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lucasfilm. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. I’m confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organization, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come. Disney’s reach and experience give Lucasfilm the opportunity to blaze new trails in film, television, interactive media, theme parks, live entertainment, and consumer products.”
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and “evergreen” Star Warsfranchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.
Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.
The acquisition combines two highly compatible family entertainment brands, and strengthens the long-standing beneficial relationship between them that already includes successful integration of Star Wars content into Disney theme parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Paris and Tokyo.
Driven by a tremendously talented creative team, Lucasfilm’s legendary Star Warsfranchise has flourished for more than 35 years, and offers a virtually limitless universe of characters and stories to drive continued feature film releases and franchise growth over the long term. Star Wars resonates with consumers around the world and creates extensive opportunities for Disney to deliver the content across its diverse portfolio of businesses including movies, television, consumer products, games and theme parks. Star Wars feature films have earned a total of $4.4 billion in global box to date, and continued global demand has made Star Wars one of the world’s top product brands, and Lucasfilm a leading product licensor in the United States in 2011. The franchise provides a sustainable source of high quality, branded content with global appeal and is well suited for new business models including digital platforms, putting the acquisition in strong alignment with Disney’s strategic priorities for continued long-term growth.
The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney’s very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company’s unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney’s portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company’s ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world’s highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.
The Boards of Directors of Disney and Lucasfilm have approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, and other customary closing conditions. The agreement has been approved by the sole shareholder of Lucasfilm.
