I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who doesn't nit-pick every figure when they first see it, and again when it's in their hands.Then your not a fan. I'M KIDDING.
That's one of the things that most fans have in common. Nitpicking. But then its hard to tell WHAT we have until we have in hand.
I'm not trying to knock anyone- REALLY. I'll admit that 'nitpick' is often a word with negative connotation, but I didn't mean it that way, and honestly couldn't think of a more appropriate word.
Nine out of ten times, a new figure is shown and the board is full of people who are complaining about it. Sometimes these things are valid (Major Bludd, Duke arms). Many times I hear the complaint and just scratch my head. THIS is important to you? THIS has got you bent out of shape? THIS is killing the line for you? Things that I see as tiny details, or as unavoidable parts of moder toy collecting (repaints), are huge issues to others.
All of us here love this line- we wouldn't keep coming here if we didn't. But when threads about new figures start, a good portion of the time I feel like that's the minority. I keep looking at the original line and I'm pleased with the MASSIVE improvement in the look and feel of some of my favorite characters... but then I look at the boards and it seems that anything short of perfection isn't enough. God help us if this board had been around 25 years ago.
But in the end, I really don't think it's the complaints that get to me... I think it's just that the compliments don't seem to be as honest or as important. A lot of times 'damning with faint praise' seems to be the order of the day, rather than recognizing the merits of the figure(s) and judging any downfalls in light of them.
It all comes down to differences in personality and philosophy, I think. Again, I'm not trying to knock anyone. I don't want to start a fight. I'm only trying to explain my comment and feelings, not negate those of others. Clam did something similar earlier in this thread, which I thought was a pretty well-thought out explanation of his thoughts on the line.
I'm not trying to take away someone's POV, or accuse people of being overly critical, anything negative. I'm just trying to explain my own thoughts and where I'm coming from. I hope that all makes sense.
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who doesn't nit-pick every figure when they first see it, and again when it's in their hands.
Then your not a fan. I'M KIDDING.
That's one of the things that most fans have in common. Nitpicking. But then its hard to tell WHAT we have until we have in hand. I don't really have any problem with any of them (Tripwire's quilting does kinda bug, but its not so big a deal. Now a removable helmet.... @firedevil@ ) .
Nemesis Enforcer is a bizarre choice. My guess is Hama had an "awesome" story involving him, hence his inclusion. But from the standpoint of the line, Cobra-La SHOULD be represented, and who better? Of course, so should Eco-Warriors, Ninja Force, Slaughter's Marauders (and the Renegades), Battle Force 2,000, etc.
But the "nitpicking" DOES have some valid reasoning. Hasbro started off with the claim of "most articulated ever" yet fell short. Flints gloves are, I think, a good example. I think Hasbro heard the complaints about the first Flint and that's why they changed the arms for TF Flint, And it prompts some great customs.
I'd like the Cobra Commander figure better if they went for the black or bluish black look from the latter era Marvel comic.
And I'm pretty much baffled, like everyone else, at his pairing with Rip-Cord. (Unless this is some bizarre tie-in to the car accident that Billy was in where Candy Appel was killed. Larry Hama really likes having these feuds center around car accidents.)
If the goal was to invoke the latter era Marvel Comics Cobra Commander, a darker unfirom would have made more sense and they should have considered pairing him opposite somebody who figured into that era.
- We could have had a Crimson Commander Fred VII (though I'd really only want this if they found some kind of insane story justification to have the armor be Crimson Guard colors since a simple head swap isn't enough).
- A Ninja Force Scarlett makes sense for a comic pack. (Female figures sell less, after all, and the nostalgia value of a Ninja Force Scarlett is low enough that a comic pack is a logical place to include this).
- Dr. Biggles Jones would be a welcome addition as a major character from that era that never had a toy.
- Mercer makes some sense for something like this too as an ex-Viper whose heyday was this era. He and CC could have quite the rivalry, in theory.
If the goal is to evoke the Devil's Due era, Kamakura, Billy or Alexander would all be nifty choices.
I dunno. I like these figures. Nemesis Enforcer is sweet and I can overlook the shortcuts they took with Falcon.
But I REALLY wish they'd make the pairings more like epic showdowns or team-ups. Most of them are but about a third of them take two characters with no compelling connection and shoehorn them together.
Imagine if the Crimson Guard two pack had Fred and Professor Appel (which would basically take a new lower torso and head) or Crimson Guard Commander (which the TRU repaint BASICALLY is but all the parts are there for a redeco that's closer to the original figure). Imagine if the Destro two-pack had Flint (with the fixed gloves) or Baroness (if they wanted to be coy, just another black Baroness with Lady Jay's upper torso for that "unbuttoned blouse" look) with square glasses.
I dunno. I know Duke and Cobra Commander isn't exactly flying off the shelves but I think that's more about paintjobs than pairings. I actually don't have a Duke or helmeted Cobra Commander yet and I'd love a two-pack of them, even if it's a little "off the wall". (Example: Government Agent Duke in Suit vs. Cobra Commander in his "Old Snake" costume from Transformers -- which is a grey and black Serpentor suit, trenchcoat, battle helmet and Fedora. Or Tiger Force Duke vs. a Crimson helmeted CC or a Python Patrol Cobra Commander.)
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who doesn't nit-pick every figure when they first see it, and again when it's in their hands.
"Would you like a COOOOkie??"
@smilepunch@
Nemesis Enforcer: Not scary enough. The only "good" thing about him is that he appears to be a new (enough) mold. It shows promise for other figures.
Actually, it looks like a fair bit of it is from the Serpentor mold. The new chest armor just obscures the really identifiable parts.
Falcon: Duke Arms and the camo pattern sucks. I wonder if that thing around his neck will be like Major Bludd's tags.
It already looks like it is. Hard to get something to fit snugly around a collar unless you mold the inside to compliment the contours of the collar.
Iron Grenadier: Hard to tell, being all black, but looks ok. I think the helmet is removable (or maybe the head is just oddly angled).
Considering its a repaint of the Battle Armor Cobra Commander, there's likelihood it's either. Could be just a new helmet, or could be a new headsculpt.
Cobra Commander: He uses the CG body. This figure baffles me. The sword is, really, the only "saving grace" and its pretty lame, IMO.
It's very close to the original Marvel comic uniform... but it takes a *lot* of shortcuts. The new chest strap is kinda awkward, but maybe it can be straightened out... but considering the CG has a knife sheath on his leg, there really was no reason for the sword. The gun holster in the other side was good enough.
Tripwire: Would be perfect....without the quilting. Hell, look at the pic! I suppose its relatively minor, but still one of those "simple fixes" that could have been done.
Totally agreed. Along with Major Bludd, that's two figures Hasbro could have made a lot better by using the HISS Driver torso.
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who doesn't nit-pick every figure when they first see it, and again when it's in their hands.Falcon looks fine to me. The facial sculpt is distorted due to the packaging, but if you allow for that, it actually appears to be a darn good sculpt. As I've noted, it's not really a traditional Falcon look, but I think it looks okay. The camo pattern is a bit sparse... but nothing to get bent out of shape about.
Nemesis has the right build this time. One of the things I've been loving about this line is that the guys with muscles actually HAVE them. Good update... hopefully the backstory for the character won't be as lame as it was before.
I think the idea of using BA CC for the Iron Grenadier is inspired. In the scheme of things, it even makes sense. If you were a weapons designer/supplier like Destro and one of your comrades had an awesome suit of armor, wouldn't you steal the specs and outfit your personal troops with it? Of course you would- you'd even make the suit a little better so you could rub it in his face.
The Destro repaint is completely unnecessary, but I love the IG look, and I'm actually fond of the red eyes. Red eyes could be lenses in the mask, but the gold eyes of the single-carded IG version... that's just leaving out a paint application.
Cobra Commander I don't mind simply because it's at least not the same mold we've gotten five times already. We've seen plenty of CC in this line, but at least they're trying something new... plus, I like CC with a cape.
The quilting on Tripwire doesn't bother me. If I wanted the characters to look 100% like the original versions, I'd be lobbying Hasbro to reissue the original figures. Little changes here and there because of updating and mold reuse are just fine by me. As long as Tripwire has chest armor, the important part is taken care of.
Agreed.
I have to agree also. Although I admit that I nitpicked Falcon's head earlier in the thread, I think thats the first new figure I've complained about in this line.
The majority of my complaints stem from availability, or from character reissue. Availability I can't do anything about, and it is improving.
Character reissue though.... Let me see: 4 Destros, 6 Snake Eyes, 7 Dukes, 10 Cobra Commanders??? That makes no sence to me. Even if they released all the different versions of the characters thats stil 2 Destros, 2-3 Dukes, 4 Snake Eyes, and 4 CCs, meaning that they could have released 14 or 15 other characters through the line that we haven't seen. Thats enough to finish off all of '82, '83, and '84 and still release favorites from later years.
The figures themselves have looked great mind you. I only nitpicked on a few: Cobra Bald Troopers, Falcon's head, Duke's arms, Scarlett's hunched neck.
PS. I actually like the quilting on Tripwire.
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who doesn't nit-pick every figure when they first see it, and again when it's in their hands.Falcon looks fine to me. The facial sculpt is distorted due to the packaging, but if you allow for that, it actually appears to be a darn good sculpt. As I've noted, it's not really a traditional Falcon look, but I think it looks okay. The camo pattern is a bit sparse... but nothing to get bent out of shape about.
Nemesis has the right build this time. One of the things I've been loving about this line is that the guys with muscles actually HAVE them. Good update... hopefully the backstory for the character won't be as lame as it was before.
I think the idea of using BA CC for the Iron Grenadier is inspired. In the scheme of things, it even makes sense. If you were a weapons designer/supplier like Destro and one of your comrades had an awesome suit of armor, wouldn't you steal the specs and outfit your personal troops with it? Of course you would- you'd even make the suit a little better so you could rub it in his face.
The Destro repaint is completely unnecessary, but I love the IG look, and I'm actually fond of the red eyes. Red eyes could be lenses in the mask, but the gold eyes of the single-carded IG version... that's just leaving out a paint application.
Cobra Commander I don't mind simply because it's at least not the same mold we've gotten five times already. We've seen plenty of CC in this line, but at least they're trying something new... plus, I like CC with a cape.
The quilting on Tripwire doesn't bother me. If I wanted the characters to look 100% like the original versions, I'd be lobbying Hasbro to reissue the original figures. Little changes here and there because of updating and mold reuse are just fine by me. As long as Tripwire has chest armor, the important part is taken care of.
Agreed.
I'm beginning to think I'm the only person who doesn't nit-pick every figure when they first see it, and again when it's in their hands.
Falcon looks fine to me. The facial sculpt is distorted due to the packaging, but if you allow for that, it actually appears to be a darn good sculpt. As I've noted, it's not really a traditional Falcon look, but I think it looks okay. The camo pattern is a bit sparse... but nothing to get bent out of shape about.
Nemesis has the right build this time. One of the things I've been loving about this line is that the guys with muscles actually HAVE them. Good update... hopefully the backstory for the character won't be as lame as it was before.
I think the idea of using BA CC for the Iron Grenadier is inspired. In the scheme of things, it even makes sense. If you were a weapons designer/supplier like Destro and one of your comrades had an awesome suit of armor, wouldn't you steal the specs and outfit your personal troops with it? Of course you would- you'd even make the suit a little better so you could rub it in his face.
The Destro repaint is completely unnecessary, but I love the IG look, and I'm actually fond of the red eyes. Red eyes could be lenses in the mask, but the gold eyes of the single-carded IG version... that's just leaving out a paint application.
Cobra Commander I don't mind simply because it's at least not the same mold we've gotten five times already. We've seen plenty of CC in this line, but at least they're trying something new... plus, I like CC with a cape.
The quilting on Tripwire doesn't bother me. If I wanted the characters to look 100% like the original versions, I'd be lobbying Hasbro to reissue the original figures. Little changes here and there because of updating and mold reuse are just fine by me. As long as Tripwire has chest armor, the important part is taken care of.
Basically, I'm getting each of these comic packs for one of the figures - that seems to be the case with most of them lately: Copperhead, Red Star, even as far back as Breaker (w Destro).
I mainly want Tripwire (a personal fav), an IG (would get more if was a single), and Falcon (I know he doesn't look great, but I still want the character).
Nemesis Enforcer: Not scary enough. The only "good" thing about him is that he appears to be a new (enough) mold. It shows promise for other figures.
Falcon: Duke Arms and the camo pattern sucks. I wonder if that thing around his neck will be like Major Bludd's tags.
Iron Grenadier: Hard to tell, being all black, but looks ok. I think the helmet is removable (or maybe the head is just oddly angled).
Destro: His sword is bent. @firedevil@ And his eyes are red. But he's no big deal, really. I mean its expected.
Cobra Commander: He uses the CG body. This figure baffles me. The sword is, really, the only "saving grace" and its pretty lame, IMO.
Tripwire: Would be perfect....without the quilting. Hell, look at the pic! I suppose its relatively minor, but still one of those "simple fixes" that could have been done.
