I was both shocked and disappointed today to see two entire action figure lines on clearance at Target: BEN 10 and HALO 4.

Neither of these are movie-based lines. Both are based on decently popular concepts, and both have had healthy, multi-year runs.

I know Target can be merciless when it comes to clearances, but this really surprised me, and I can't fathom the reason for it.

I'd like to think they're clearancing older stock to make room for new, but I fear that's being overly optimistic.

Especially annoying is the fact that both lines have figures upcoming that I am interested in.

I am really hopeful that this isn't an indication that Target intends to scale back their toy department, or its action figure section, any more than they already have. It's hard enough to find decent product these days without losing Target in the process, and I, for one, am sick and tired of having to mail-order (Amazon, eBay, BBTS, whatever) toys that I shouldn't have to mail order.

Im hoping it is just to make space for the summer push and then they will return (well at least Ben 10)-Star Wars is also supposed to come off the shelves until the fall relaunch- youve got Superman, Thor, Wolverine and probably Monsters Inc. moving in to take up some space.

I noticed that Ben 10 was getting clearanced, although I can't be certain if it was their new stock or not. I think they're just clearancing their older figures.

Nope. Its everything with a Ben 10 logo on it at this point. A few other lines as well.

I know from talking with a manager at Target that they will have a new reset happening within the next few weeks to make room for all the summer blockbuster movie toys, so we'll have to see what happens with that to know the fates of the lines for sure.

Did the show end?

One of my Targets has Marvel Legends on Clearance.

3 Constrictors and a Klaw.

I'm hoping that means the next wave is finally coming.

Nope-- it was one of the few shows actually renewed by CN--And Toy Fair had about 20 more figures scheduled to release-- 2 more waves of minis-- and about 6 other new scales and types of figures..

Plus there seemed to be a high turnover on all stuff (well except for the Omnitrix Pack and normal ben figures-- but those are also overpacked in every case)

Halo 4 will have about a year gap between new waves of standard figures, with nothing new coming till the fall. The theory (hope) that most fans of that line have is that they're replacing its space with summer movie lines, and it should return to shelves in the fall. McFarlane Toys seemed to drop the ball on this line somehow with such a huge gap, but hopefully Target will carry it in the future.