Please forgive my dramatic thread title, but you'll understand my frustration...I just returned from a week-long roadtrip across Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri. I had the opportunity to stop at stores along the way, and figured I would have a good shot of finding something on my list...

I was wrong.

GIJoe wave 5 or 6? nope.

Marvel Universe waves 13 or 14? nada.

Tranformers Warpath, Wheeljack, Thundercracker? zilch.

DCUC Green Lantern Classics? nada.

In all, I stopped at 11 Walmarts, 6 Targets, and 2 TRUs. And I found no sign of any of the items above. Only two of those eleven Walmarts were even stocking Joes at all, and most didn't have any space for Marvel U figures. And the comic stores I stopped in, they didn't have any of this stuff above either, along with no DC Direct Blackest Night or Brightest Day figures. I guess nobody is ordering extra stock these days.

What a frustrating and wasted toyhunt. Maybe I just hit some bad luck, and you guys are actually finding these?

My toy hunting luck goes in fits and spurts Ryan. I've gotten 55-60% of my toy bounty from online retailers lately. That, and you probably went through some pretty lousy states.

Ha, I just posted something similar on Twitter. I also just traveled across 11 states in 13 days and stopped at a couple of stores in each state and was AMAZED that everywhere else has the same crap sitting on shelves that I have here in Los Angeles. That never used to be the case whenever I would travel. I guess it's a sign of the times and really shows that stores are ordering the exact minimum on everything.

I did see some GLC a few places. And I found a Marvel Universe Bullseye... but other than that everything else I picked up was at a Comic Book Shop/vintage toy store (blog on that place coming soon)

Too many movies with too many toys not moving seems to be the story everywhere. We knew this summer would be bad given all the toy tie-ins that would be released but walking the aisles at Walmart, Target or TRU is just downright depressing right now.

That's what I'm seeing in the Austin area. I'm only having luck finding DC Direct at my local comic shop.

It's quite a dry spell, that's for sure.

In the past month I've only managed to obtain a single SW Clone Wars figure. That's it.

And, boy, have I been looking.

The economy is still in bad shape and lately there has been growing talk among economists about a double dip recession

Combine that with the ever increasing prevalence of video games and it gives you your answer.

The toys are nowhere, they have not been manufactured because there is no demand.

We haven't been able to travel this summer, but I can tell you that it's been dry and dead here for weeks.

And like shellhead, boy, have I been looking.

Not that I want it to continue, but I've actually enjoyed the dry spell.

It has given me time to think, and ponder, and enjoy what I already own, and what little I have been lucky enough to find.

I find that the "dry spell" makes me more aware of what I am spending, on what, and how often.

On a few occasions, I have picked something up, simply because I couldn't go another day without making a purchase, only to put it back before I got to the registers.

Now, with DCUC 17 (which I'm skipping) and 18 (which I WANT) hitting etailers, I have a few items I can grab to hold me over, so to speak.

Yes, I long for the days of walking down toy aisles that are literally overflowing with cool plastic people that I just can't live without. Yes, I want my hobby to take over the world and bring about a new golden age of action figure collecting. But, man, is my wallet and very small display area glad for the respite.

I don't mind dry spells per se, and actually welcome them, BUT what drives me crazy is when I know there's supposed to be product out there and it can't get to the pegs.

Case in point: Marvel Universe Cable & Apocalypse have been released. These are two of my most wanted figures for the line, and I've not seen them. I saw FA Wolverine from the same series once (and mistakenly didn't buy it)...but Walmart and TRU have been flooded with the MU cases of older figures and it's AIM Soldiers, Iron Spideys and Skrulls galore!

Trust me, I dont think he would be a problem-- there are at least 30 or more of him (even more than Gladiator) sitting on the pegs.

One of the bigger issues is this one per case assortments-- all the new stuff disappears with one buyer, and leaves the refreshes-- Id rather Hasbro go a couple of cases of even packed new things and no refreshers and then revisit a refresh case in a couple of waves--

For example just found new Marvel Universe today- that case pack wasnt too bad-but I didnt unders stand 1 Doom, 1 Skaar, 2 Falcons, 2 Stranges, - (but I think Scarlet SPider will be the new overpack sensation.(he might have been 4x).) (and APOCY was a repack in that case as well (and I guess one other) I know the stores want the big guns on the shelf- but I think they can lay off them in the Marvel Line (or at least keep them at the same number as the rest of the figs in the case).. (But really Hasbro- - the Sandtrooper in another vintage case-- Im pretty sure I could fill out all those new cases with whats already sitting on my local pegs)

And since Target is clearancing their aisles already- getting rid of wastes of space like Tron..(and I think GL, Thor and POTC should head out along with them) Im sure we are getting ready for the post SDCC roll out- I usually have good luck for the next month.. (and then 2 slow months until the christmas sets)

Of course I think the biggest problem is stores banked way too heavily on Cars 2 this summer-- the only ones I only considered getting were of course in multipacks with Mater, McQueen etc..I might have grabbed them if they showed up as singles-- but not touching the overpriced multipacks..- and that stuff looks like it never moves-- I keep overhearing in the aisles - you already have a bunch of that guy---

Im guessing there is a bunch of cases of all this stuff in the pipeline somewhere-- My local TRU just put out full pegs of Shadow Trackers, Alley VIpers, Cobra Swat Guys.. (and of course DUKE)-- There are just so many pure misses and pure hits in the Joe line

Add me to those that don't mind the dry spells too much.

What I hate is that when the stuff does finally hit, it will be a deluge of toys! And I hate that. If it wasn't for my lack of interest in things like DCUC Wv17 and Young Justice, I would have had those in my BBTS Pile of Loot along with DCUV Wv18 and Batman Legacy (which I am also not all in with; so far, I only ordered a Joker from Amazon.com and might get the Arkham Batman).

Even Hasbro has started, with the latest MU wave starting to hit retail and the MU box sets hitting e-tailers.

Add in other items like Mezco's DC Mez-Itz hitting e-tailers and Target's toy clearance, I think we have already seen the start of that deluge of toys I mentioned, and that's only of the stuff that I have some interest. And soon, it will be rolling into Target (which is clearing space right now) and the Walmarts and Toys R Us stores that have space between the (non-moving) Thor Movie, (non-moving) Iron Man Movie, Cap Movie, (slow moving) Green Lantern and any store exclusives that were over-ordered (like DCUC wv14 at my local Walmart).

[quote="bnjmnrlyr"]Not that I want it to continue, but I've actually enjoyed the dry spell.quote]

To be honest, there's not a lot that I'm looking for. Just the next wave of Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and waiting on the new Thundercats line.

We went to San Diego at the end of May and on the way back, we had the GPS set to route us to a ton of Targets, Walmarts and TRUs and you know how much stuff we bought, all told, in all of them? Zilch. Must have stopped at nearly 2 dozen stores and nobody had anything.

What a waste of time.

I can't remember the last time I bought something new at stores. TRU stocks a ton of stuff but it's never anything I haven't found online already or anything that I want. Target gives me no reason to go there without JLU and the fact that there are always about 5 waves behind on DCUC. And Walmart is in getting to the point where they don't stock anything Marvel or DC unless it's movie toys.