[Viper Hunter]

Magic 8 Ball, on Jun 24 2008, 02:08 PM, said:

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??"

[RodimusMaximus]

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.)

[pesatyel]

Magic 8 Ball, on Jun 24 2008, 01:08 PM, said:

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.... ) .

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.

[Magic 8 Ball]

pesatyel, on Jun 25 2008, 03:35 AM, said:

Magic 8 Ball, on Jun 24 2008, 01:08 PM, said:

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.