Wave 4: The Case So Nice, I Ordered It Twice

Posted by Chris on 04/06/19 at 12:00 PM Category: Vintage Collection

https://www.banthaskull.com/images/news/wave4_th.jpg

We've recently raised awareness of wave 4's gradual disappearance from e-tail, the only place it's shown up so far. I do suspect we'll see some form of supply show up at brick and mortar in the next month or so with spring resets. (Target's lone Vintage Collection peg is sure to expand when their exclusive Han Solo in Stormtrooper disguise ships.) Waiting on brick and mortar is a bit of a dice roll, a chance I'm not personally willing to take. Realizing that I need a second Saelt-Marae and Klaatu for my palace display, plus a carded Leia in Boushh Disguise, I took advantage of site sponsor Entertainment Earth's second preorder for Wave 4 (sponsored). I ordered a second case (which arrived yesterday).

In the history of the Star Wars line, this is the first wave I have ever ordered by the case twice. In the past, I've always ordered one solid case and then would lean on brick and mortar (or the old Hasbro Toy Shop) to fill in my needs for seconds and army builders. The fact that I've ordered this case twice speaks in part to the compelling case assortment, and in part to the poor state of brick and mortar. Of course, the dismal state of brick in mortar is due in large part to the abysmal wave 1 case assortment. The circle is complete. Wave 1 has been plaguing traditional retail (and its finite showroom space) for over a year.

So this gets back to a theme that Bantha Skull has been harping on since the first signs of brick and mortar trouble began appearing in late 2010. It's all about the case assortments. Even figures that are repacked just to get them on a Vintage Collection card, such as the aforementioned Leia in Boushh disguise, can be tolerated so long as they are in the correct ratio to the all new figures.

Note to Hasbro: YOU MUST GO SPARINGLY TO THIS WELL. If the TBS Rose was slapped on a TVC card, it would not sell at even one per every other case.

The biggest perk of good case assortments is that it relieves the "stress" of collecting because case ordering becomes viable, as I've done in this instance. The hobby becomes fun. When cases contain "toxic assets" that have little to no value, that option becomes price prohibitive.