| (January 1, 2002) New Sculpts - Let's start this off with the most controversial topic, and that is the new sculpts. I'm on the side of not liking them. Oh sure I'll buy them as a fan, and as a fan that buys at least one of each items made for the G.I.Joe product line, but I won't buy multiples as I do the items I like. I won't be using these in customizing either. The idea of these figures are that Hasbro is suppose to have been doing research to find out what the fans and kids want. When questioned how, it was more what the kids want instead. If say they did any research at all, were you asked? I know I wasn't, and several others weren't either. I saw no questionaire to fill out out packed with any figures or on Hasbro's website. No the only people that were asked are those that we'll never know about. Fans that we have no contact with to again know anything about what we want or the kids. The most dramatic thing that brings dislike to mind is the lack of the O ring. I'm not one thinking that they should necessarily go back to the O ring. I figured out a new way to make them work, but sadly Hasbro won't listen. They spout the "no unsolicited ideas" mumbo jumbo. The rest of the things I'm not crazy about are minor to me. The waist articulation is something I could live with, though the original articulation IS better. The bulk of the figure should be trimmed down. They should remain as compatible with the original vehicles as possible without having to modify the original vehicle. With all that's out there, even kids will obtain some of the old stuff. One other thing, I will be adding articulation to at least one figure so those who has this ability will know how to do it. It should help these figures to look somewhat better. There's rumors that the O ring will return by wave 2 of the new sculpts along with better sculpting. As a fan I can only hope so. It would suck to think that these figures would stay as simular to Star Wars figures as they currently are. - Joe |
| (January 1, 2002) Double Duty - I wanted to give a comment about the Double Duty figures even though they aren't "Real American Hero" figures. These are the 12" figures that come with a change of costume, hence the name of the line. Thinking back when I was a kid, there were no 12" figures anymore. Had these existed, I'd have wanted them. I see great fun being had with these. As for being an adult, some of them look great just as a display piece. One of the figures even inspired me to make a 3 3/4" custom. If you haven't given the 12" figures a try, now is a good time to jump in. - Joe |
| (January 1, 2002) The New Comic - I was of course skeptical when I heard the news about a new comic. I wasn't sure what it would be. I mean Larry Hama was the guy that fleshed out nearly everything. That of course lead thinking how would it be possible to continue on where he left off without knowing what he's thinking. You kind of get in a mind set of how you feel things should be. After the comic came out, my fears were put aside. Sure this isn't Larry Hama's writing, and it's probably not the direction he would have took us. It does offer a fresh look into the G.I.Joe world, and that's ok with me! - Joe |
| (January 2, 2002) Why are Companies so STUPID? - It seems like such a simple idea to know what the people want. The fans, collectors, consumers of the products we buy. We keep hearing all the BS of "research" and "product and development", but yet everything still comes out leaving most of us scratching our head. Why can't these companies ever make thinks the way we would like to see them? If there was something, say a G.I.Joe figure, that say Hasbro made, they'd release it and "see if it works". If they already knew, they'd be releasing a product that's already a hit. With today's technology it's so simple for ANY company to know what we want. Whether it was surveys a consumer filled out in the store, a questionnaire that was inserted in the packs of their other products, something to fill out on their webpage, or even someone that's being paid to scour the internet and report all finding to someone in charge as the company. The answer to this, if they don't hide behind the "no unsolicited idea" BS would be, "It'd cost too much money". Well think of the money burned on a failed product! There's a lot more lost there. I guess they can just write that off in taxes though huh? I'm sure if a company wanted to really start turning some money out, we'd see some changes. There are those few that do listen. It's few and far between these days, but after so many brick walls are hit, things might change. I'm sure any of you would sit at the computer and research for a product you care a lot about. I know I would. Take G.I.Joe, I'd be more than happy to research for Hasbro and send in all finding. I'd work for G.I.Joe figures even! Heck just send me one of each figure and I'll buy the vehicles myself. That's dirt cheap work for a lot of effort! - Joe |
| (January 2, 2002) 2002 Figure Review? - Well I found the new figures already even though they weren't suppose to show up until February. I have to say it, for figures standing on their own, they are perfectly ok. For G.I.Joe figures, they really suck. My wife thinks G.I.Joe figures as it is are ugly (she's not a fan), but she thinks these new ones are even more ugly. Right from the start when I saw them on the shelf they looked like Star Wars figure. That's not an exaggeration. Sure they retain the height of the 3 3/4" G.I.Joe figures, but they just look more like something out of the Star Wars line. If anything maybe we'll see Star Wars figures get this level of articulation! That's the only thing good that could come of this. There is no way Hasbro can claim they had to remove the O ring due to cost. The extra packing along with other things can never equal "lower cost". There's nothing to justify the change except lack of research. I once heard that before the repaints, the G.I.Joe line was going to be changed to exact Star Wars like figures. Meaning articulation and everything would be even worse than what these are. I'm really thinking that Hasbro took those figures and just added the knee joint and the full arm joints. Following this are a series of pictures to show you how well they interact with Star Wars, and also lets you see what they look like next to a REAL G.I.Joe figure. - Joe |
| (January 2, 2002) Gung Ho Variant - Well while sorting through the figures I found 3 Gung Ho/Destro pack like I said above. I was thinking to get 2 so I can add the articulation to Gung Ho and redo his moustache when I look at them. I notice "Hey, Gung Ho looks more like Gung Ho!" Then I see why. No goatee. I found a variant. I stood there trying to decide if I should get both types or what, but I knew I needed to let everyone know about this. I quickly swept these up and headed to the checkout. Below I've supplied several shots so you can see the non-goatee Gung Ho. He looks much better now, although still he doesn't live up as a G.I.Joe figure. - Joe |
| (January 4, 2002) New Figures are Out - I already mentioned about getting the new figures, but I haven't said anything about their release. I'm not reporting news exactly on this page but sometimes news is worth adding a commentary about. The new figures have been showing up since around December 29, 2001. The reports are that they are being found at Target and Wal-Mart. No other word is coming in about any other store. I have heard some say that they've seen the shelf tags at Toys R Us, but they didn't have the figures yet. Also it seems that each store is only getting only 1 case. - Joe |
| (January 4, 2002) New Figures Release - There's something else about the new figures that keeps getting me. Wave 5 will only be sold at store like SmallJoes, StoreOn44, Entertainment Earth, and the like. The reason that was officially given is that it'd be stupid to have wave 5 sold along side the new figures. Well previous waves of the so called "old style" are still in stores. The new figures showing up now are already being sold along side "old figures" so what's the big deal? Besides that, the "old figures" look like they are selling well even with the new figures sitting right next to them. Yep, the stores I've seen are putting the new figures on the shelf along side the new ones. - Joe |
| (January 4, 2002) O Rings - I've been thinking about something. If you've kept a eye out you already know the O ring has been confirmed to come back by the next release of new sculpted figures. The thing that hasn't been discussed is this, was the news slipped out to get the fans to buy the new figures so it would appear the "new style" is selling? Was this a ploy to get everyone that's said they will not buy them to actually buy them? I've said I'll buy 1 of each, and I did, I just won't be buying all the multiples I've bought in the past. So if they get the numbers back showing that people are buying the "new style" will that be "proof" they wanted to show the popularity of the new figures? Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, but anyone that's been into G.I.Joe collecting for a while know why some fans do think so much into the hobby. - Joe |
| (January 4, 2002) Across the Net - I know this is a topic that probably would be frowned on by a lot of people, but I wanted to discuss this. What I'm talking about is new fans that go on the boards and forums. It's one thing to not be "with it" when you join, I mean you have to learn your way around, but it's another thing when all the best replies seem to be "DUH!". It's like just 2 topics above their post is the answer to the very same question they've decided to post. Or if not that, topics that are dead and discussed to death get brought back up simply because the new person on the board can't go back and read what has already been discussed. A "fly by night" fan I guess you can call them. G.I.Joe is popular again so they're back in he fandom. You know where you fall in this, so the big majority of fans out there are not what I'm talking about. This isn't a slam at the Devils Due board, but those type seem to mostly gravitate to that board. I'll read a thread there and see someone answers a question posted, not but the following post that same person or another one will act like the question wasn't answered. They'll post with a "Yeah I'd like to know" or whatever. Again this isn't saying the Devils Due board sucks, or any other fan board/forum. It's happening all over. Devils Due is just the easiest example. The question to look at, is this a few people purposely doing this? Acting a fool just because they like causing problems. Or is this really fans that are trying, they're just a little slow? More and more, it's these fans that are starting fights and the more that show is the more fights that happen. Even if it looks like they didn't mean to start anything. Places that have "rules" of sorts even tell ALL new members to read them before posting and they answer with "Why do I have to read anything?". So what can be done to stop this onslaught of these people from making each board their personal playground while ruining everything for everyone else? That's the real reason for my commentary this time. - Joe |
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