The JvC Praise & Critique Give-Away For A Clear Zartan F

[Straight Edge]

Gotta agree with the majority on the "Likes" portion here. V2 Snake-Eyes (like his predecessor in the original RAH line) proves to be one of the best GIJoes ever made.

Snakes starts at the head, with the best headsculpt I've seen on a figure, and perfectly fitting the character. The detailed stitching on the balaclava, and the intricate visor pattern and the barly visible facial expression beneath... Hasbro could recycle this head mold a thousand times on future Snake-Eyeses, and I'd never be bored of it! Its rare that a design is *that* impresive. The torso is equally as detailed, with lots of different patterns and impressions being made. The physique of the figure actually makes sense, given Snake-Eyes' superheroic tendancies. Tha extra articulation is faboo, and adds to the feel of a ninja master at work when toying with the figure. If I had any qualms about the figure, its that he does not have the thigh articulation Firefly has. That small addition (which seemed, erroniously, to exist on the Toy Fair prototype) would have made Snake-Eyes the *ultimate* GiJoe figure. I can't wait to see the next Snake-Eyes figure for just this reason. With wrist articulation becoming almost standard, and the new arm articulation (Balljoints at the elbow instead of "Swivel Arm Battle Grip"), it'll be interesting to see what additions Hasbro will drop into a SE figure to make him that much better than the rest (Kamakura and Night Creeper will have Firefly-like thigh swivel... Snakes needs even more!)!

 

My least favorite figure in the new line will, undoubtedly be Wild Bill. Firstly - why bald? Second, the glasses are so small (as is his whole head) tat they just look awkward. The hat's a bit too stiff looking (like Air Cav rather than Cowboy Bill.. wrong kind of hat for the character). He's shorter than most of the figures (like Heavy Duty), and his weapons aren't exactly what he should be holding (Mindbender's six-shooters would've been a better choice, especially molded in the gunmetal silver of Wave 4). All in all, the figure looks like Bill's younger brother Scott, rather than an updated/rerealized Wild Bill. I think the green/black repaint with the new chopper does a little bit to grab the feel of the original Bill (who wore an OD green outfit, not desert fatigues), and will match the NAC better than the current release figure.

 

I think the main problem Hasbro has with the new line is the lack of recognizable characters. Snake-Eyes, Duke, Flint, Beachhead, Scarlett, Stalker, and many of the Cobra High Command are immediately recognizable, but guys like Recondo and Gung-Ho look nothing like the characters they are meant to portray. Even worse, from the early waves, characters look like nightmarish versions of themelves (Consipation Face Destro, Bald Zartan, and no-articulation Stormy). While Hasbro's done a kick-ass job on follow-up versions (V2 Destro looks to be the best Destro ever), they need to lose this goatee fixation they're on. Shipwreck needs a beard, Gung-Ho and Wild Bill need mustaches.. no chin fuzz! If Big Brawler can do the full facial hair look, so can Double Clutch! The characters need consistant looks to be recognizable, and to evoke a sense of nostalgia. If you keep the faces and basic costume designs the same (berets on people who are supposed to wear berets, masks on those who wear masks, and facial hair on people whore supposed to have it), the line will have a continuity, while freeing up the designers and sculptors to play with the rest of the figure however they want (Stalker looks *nothing* like any other Stalker figure, but you take one look and *know* it's Stalker!)

 

I guess that's my entry.

[death viper]

GvC I Like: My favorite GvC would be Zartan. I like Zartan because he is really buffed,he's super poseable,I like his accessories,i like the fact that he's a dreadnok,i like his hood and his colors,and the main reason Zartan is my favorite GvC is his SWIVEL WRISTS!!!!!

 

GvC I Don't Like:The GvC i don't like very much is Wet-Suit.He is way too bulky first of all.He doesen't come with any good weapons and they don't fit in his hands :x.He doesen't have an O-Ring,and he can't even do a split!!!!! :evil:

[Lt Falcon]

I believe my favorite toy to date would be Beachhead, actually. They did a remarkable job sticking to the original toy while still updating it and making it realistic. The details are amazing, and the color scheme is divine, so he takes the award in this category.

 

As for my dislike, I'm going to have to say Shipwreck. Now, I'm a huge Shipwreck fan, and I'm happy to have a toy of him, but I don't think the toy suits the character. The goatee is way too clean-cut for him, and he lost his forearm tattoo from the original Shipwreck. He looks like he could be just anybody now, totally devoid of his original personality.

 

I will say, though, that if that is the worst Hasbro does, I'll be happy.

[solidsnake_0001]

I would have to say that my favorite so far has to be shipwreck(wave4). He looks cool and isnt sporting he old navy outfit around. I liked the old one but he just wasnt very fun to play with. The new one makes up for that when he has twin pistols in his hands. He just looks cool. The legs may be a little long but that dont bother me.

 

The worst....Hmmm i would have to say the new Recondo(wave 5). Dont get me wrong he is a cool looking figure. He just dont look like recondo. He looks more like a twenty year old. If he would have had his hat and stach the he would have looked more like recondo. I like the figure he just dont look anything like recondo.

[slewis]

I have two problems with the current JvC line. The first is the introduction of sound attack. As a collecter who opens and poses his figures, I find the oversized tabs on many of the weapons unsightly and unrealistic. My other gripe revolves around the constant re-release of the new cobra commander sculpt. I have 5 cobra commander figures, all of whoch were packaged with different figures/repaints. I feel that that packaging space, particularly with the latest snake eyes mold, could have been better filled as a troop builder (neo viper, claws, b.a.t., whatever).

 

The best new feature is the added articulation, particularly in the wrists. This makes posing the figures with weapons much easier and much more realistic (I never did like having a figure hold an assault rilfe or rocket launcher with just one hand).The ankle articulation in snake eyes and firelfy also makes for some pretty cool fight poses.

[the real DESTRO]

We'll lets start with my Least Favorite. Honestly It is any G.I. Joe Figure released after 1992, For me G.I. Joe was a military operation trying to stop a band of terrorists in the form of Cobra. Now for the most part. From 1982-1986 it was fun to collect Joe figures. but that was because they were military. There were some that didn't quite fit in. like Sci-fi. but I was not a fan of anything that was painted in bright Neon Colors. Joe's should have stayed in military fatigues or at least civilian. cobra would be OK in different colors. but they were basic red, blue, silver and black. zartan and the dreadknocks were exceptions. but i don't understand why they took a great concept of good guys versus bad guys the US Government versus A terrorist Group and completely tear it apart. now i know that it was aimed towards kids. but i mean come on...the Cobra La. Alien Hunters, Dinosaur hunters. It just got a bit out of hand. and the color schemes. Bright neon orange. I don't care if they were toxo xombies. vipers. , etc., they should've been made. they had a great idea and made it terrible. When I think of G.I. Joe. I think of top class soldiers highly trained in specific areas of expertise to counter the plots of cobra.

 

and now to my favorites. I love the top ranking figures. Hawk AKA Gen. Tomahawk. Gen. Flagg, Duke, Agent Scarlet. etc. I love the fact that there were enough ranking officers to pull off great missions. stalker, slaughter, duke, flint. Scarlet. , etc., etc. I love the Pilots, the Troopers, the specialists. the agents. the divers, the arctic team. etc. everything except the space crew. wasn't to happy about that. and for cobra. just the mysteries of the pasts of cobra commander, destro. zartan, firefly, mindbender. the stories that Larry hama wrote were intriguing. and i will always until the day i die, be a joe fan. I

 

CASE IN POINT.....I LOVE THE IDEA OF G.I. JOE

[Devilbat]

It's kinda hard for me to narrow my likes and dislikes down to just two GvsC items, but if I must here they are (and it's limited to just the figures, because I only own the Brawler as far as the vehicles go, and it's okay, but I'm more opinionated about the figures, so...):

 

Favorite GvsC figure: I would have to say the Wave 1 Cobra Commander; t-crotch and all. Why? I just think he has a great sculpt, great weapons, and great colors. He's got everything going for him. I don't even mind that he doesn't have an o-ring waist. I like the Wave 3 Snake-Eyes better, but for an all-around great figure that I don't have any gripes about, that would have to be my Wave 1 CC.

 

Least Favorite GvsC figure: Beach Head. I just HATE his legs! The left lower leg is turned inward, and his legs in general are very, very loose. (At least my BH's is anyway.) It's such a shame too, because from the waist up, this is an awesome figure, and then below the belt, he has bowed noodle-legs! :lol: I even like the Wave 1 Destro better; at least he has a solid construction and no articulation or sculpting problems. (Unless you count the goofy mask that doesn't cover his ears and neck!)

[crazynotion]

Now I'm not a huge Joe collector like most of you but when I saw the Tiger Force 5 Pack I was hit with a huge wave of nostalgia (as a kid I loved the Tiger Force) and is by far my favorite thing I've bought in a while.

 

However I was dissappointed with the new Destro... being my favorite character, the head sculpt was just wrong.

[firestongue]

JVC Item i LIKE

I am going with Cross Hair as the one I like, from wave 5 spy troops.

I like him mostly because he just strikes me as what a GIJOE troop should be--He doesnt have any outrageous colors or a stupid looking face or anything, and his accessories are really cool, i.e. his load bearing vest [LBV] and "ghillie suit" as they call it. He's got great weapons and is an all around great figure. Plus I got an extra LBV with mine, so Im even MORE grateful! lol

 

JVC Item I DISLIKE

This is hard to come up with since I am very pleased with the line, but of all of them, I dislike the Zartan figure that came with the Scarlett figure. This is the one in wave 2 I think, and he has the red pants and black shirt where you can see his bare chest [He also comes with the Mission Disc that is out now]. The reason I dislike this guy is because he doesnt stand well, and because Hasbro couldve done so much better with him. On both of the figures I have of him his belly kind of sticks out, giving him that "beer gut" impression which is okay, but for a GI JOE figure? Not so good. Even so, on an action figure this is okay, but it tends to mess him up when standing, causing him to fall over alot.

To make him better Hasbro shouldve at least made his face paint match his picture in his file card, and also giving him the color changing skin like the original in the RAH line woudlve been great. Finally, some better weapons wouldve been nice--I dont really understand why he has the chainsaw gun he comes with.

 

Those are my reasons for liking and disliking certain aspects of the JVC line. Thanks!

[007.00]

What I like :

 

One of the tihng I like has to be the packaging the figures come in. In my opinion, it's hard to miss and the information on it does a good job of explaining you about the figures, etc.

 

What I don't like :

 

I think Hasbro is re-using the same names WAY to quickly. Here's an example of what I mean : How many figures are called 'Neo viper' or Cobra Claws? I think that 3 or 4 repaints of the same figures in such little time is pushing it a bit.

[Darthmaul33]

I love vintage Joes. Feel sorry for GvC.

[ransomz]

My favorite so far is definitely Shipwreck. He just looks really cool and in proportion. His joints work smoothly and the detailing is really nice. Close runner ups for favorite are Ripper (can't wait to see the rest of the Dreadnoks!!!), Cross Hair, and the Commander.

 

My least favorite figure (not counting the pretty weak first series of non-O-ring figures) is probably the Baroness. Her face is deformed, the red hair tint doesn't work and her body is very awkward looking. I also didn't think much of the Agent Scarlet figure. She has shoulders like a quater-back, her face is unattractive and her limbs are very awkward. Other things I haven't liked so far are the hands on the Duke character (otherwise a very cool figure but his hands are tiny and shriveled and looked deformed), the bizarre positioning of the cobra soldiers fore-arms and the knock-kneed quality of Snakes-Eyes legs (otherwise an also very cool figure).

 

I was very disappointed with that strange looking Destro figure from the first wave and the pictures I've seen of the planned figure coming up are not very encouraging. I also have yet to see any plans for Major Blood. What's up with that?

[viperlord]

I really love the GI Joe VS Cobra line! The figures are awesome. Great sculpting, great articulation, reasonably priced. The vehicles however , SUCK. Even the reissues suck. So to sum up:

 

My favorite thing about the line: The figures (Especially clear Zartan-Hint, Hint, Hint)

 

What needs to change: The Vehicles.

 

If the level of the vehicles comes up to that of the figures, this would be the best toy line on the market. PERIOD.

 

Viperlord (Who really needs a clear Zartan)

[Doc Evil]

My favorite parts of JvC are the re-issue RAH figures. Ill pick the BJs 8-pack to be specific. This is how Joe should be built. Proper proportions and sturdy plastics

 

With the proper equipment the Undertow and Fastblast-Vipers make excellent officers for their respective fields. And while Firefly and Stormshadows colors arent quite fitting for their individual characters, they DO make good bases for customs of other character. Sotrmshadow makes a GREAT Red Ninja and with the right head Firefly makes a better Wild Weasel. So in essence you get THREE nice troop building figures in the set if you go the Red Ninja route with Stormy. My vote for best Cobra figure in the set goes to the Fastblast Viper

 

The Joes were pretty good overall. Dialtone looked nice with the Dusty harness. Roadblock had nice colors and even Snake-Eyes and Wetsuit had pretty suitable colors as well. The gold on Snake-Eyes was pretty nice and if you look closely you can see flat black straps contrasting the slightly metallic looking dark dark grey nicely. Snake-Eyes is the best use of this mold since it's first use and probably the nicest figure on the Joe side

 

Which is not to say the set didnt have its flaws. There is a noticable cutting of corners when it comes to the fine detailing and almost nobody came with suitable accessories. The filcards were nothing really new, either coming with RAHC dossiers or JvC filecards with the grudge match bits removed. And Roadblocks was a total messup with his name, Double-Blasts file name and RAHC profile and Heavy Duty's picture. Some characters like Dial-Tone and the Cobra troopers got new artwork, but overall it was recycled JvC stuff.

 

But these minor details aside, the set was pretty good. Nothing a little re-equipping, and if youre so inclined, minor touching up cant fix. Quality construction and nice vivid colors definately make this set a must have for any RAH enthusiast.

 

And if youre a fan of the crappy Image comic, then the included comic issue is for you. Not really that many differences between it and the original 1st issue, but enough for you variant issue enthuiasts to justify adding to your collection. Makes a good autograph issue if nothing else

 

 

 

Now on to what I dont like. I guess if I had to pick one thing its the quality of the figures construction. As Ive stated on many occasions the line DOES have some great character and costume designs, but the way theyre built holds this line back from truly comparing to RAH. The heads are too tiny and the shoulders and torsos too bulky. This not only makes them look silly but also ruins compatibility with older figures. The softer plastics used in the figures these days is also not near as good. While it makes sense for the forearms to be more resiliant, it makes the legs lose their grip on the figure stands. All Hasbro really needs to do to make JvC as good as RAH is scale the figures shoulders and arm sockets to RAH proportions and quit making the heads so tiny. You can get the sculpting detail you want without bulking things up. Star Wars proves this. This would also serve Hasbro well on a financial level as it would allow them to use RAH parts to help cut corners to put more Joe product out on the shelves. (All-new figures should always be the focus, but they could still use like RAH legs with new sculpt torso and arms to cut costs of making a new figure in half and supplement the line for less) They can also avoid compatibility foul-ups when they re-issue classic vehicles like they did with the Rattler. I would LOVE an all-new sturdy, properly proportioned Ace to go with a Skystriker re-issue. Best of both worlds.They really need to get their act together with the skin colors too.

 

 

So there you have it. The good, the bad, and how it can be fixed. New sculpting and costume designs with classic proportions and sturdiness. The best of both worlds. Both kids and fans CAN get a product to enjoy with only some minor, reasonable design modifications.

[revsears]

I haven't read any of the other posts, so i'm not copying off of or debuting anyone.

 

I'm a postive man so i'll start off with my fav product: Barrel roll and the air assualt glider.

 

I'm of course talking about the flesh molded head version. He looks really in porpotinon for a joe. His outfit looks very much like a pilot, something the jvc joes are in need off.

 

His spy gear has got to be the coolest of the lot. It is very intersting and I remember forever starring at the pics online before i got him.

 

Thanks to his great articulation he can hold his sniper rifle better.

 

His character is very defined by the card, but somehow i see him as a hot shot and though it his a bit of my imagination that's what a toy is all about and definatly adds to the coolness of this.

 

On to his glider.

 

It may look metal and just be gliding but there are things that look like vents on there and useing my imagination, again, i say it's one of the must compact little jetpack/gliders evermade. It's nicely armed too.

 

When you plop on the cobra sybmol you have a nice updated claw to send your cobra troops out with.

 

Now for my least favorite.

 

I Thought about this and i finaly decided upon tunnel rat. First glances i thought this figure would be pretty good but the dissapointment and let down of my high standards definatly help make this one of the most loathed jvc figs in my collection.

 

My major problem with it is heigth. He is supposed to be small instead, he is the tallest in the line! A horrible decision and really hurts the character: a guy small enough to climb through tunnels hence the name tunnel rat.

 

Of course there is mroe wrong with it. The Things on his boots and his gloves are un astheticly pleasing. The color of green is way to bright and the folds beneath his goggles confuse me.

 

It's not just the paint job or the mold, it's the combo of both that just simply turns me off. I can't think of any custimizing way to get it to please me and he just now sets in the commincations area of the night rhino, longing for someone to talk to his ugly bum.

[shagmo]

in my oppinion, the best j.v.c's were shipwreck vs. ripper becuse shipwreck was proportioned really well. i liked that they went with a sweater instead of the original naval shirt. he looks like the rugged sailor he was meant to be. ripper was well proportioned and looks menacing and like real white trash. a true dreadnock. hasbro did a great job with these molds and paints. also, i am partial to beachhead (him being one of my fav's) his head is a little small but over all the scupt is superior to the original bh. dr. mindbender actually come3s across looking like the euro trash he is. his sculpt is great overall and the paint is true to the original. i love the monicle. i could do without the gold guns. kamakura looks great, true to the comic proportions are good. since he has no comparison. i have no complaints.

the snow serpant is probably the best of all the joe vs. cobra figures i have seen his sculpt is perfect and the color scheme is ideal.

 

finally my dislikes are scarlet her head is atrocious. whats with thew hair. the body was fine though. i have the same feeling towards baroness as i do scarlet. zartans colors suck and why i9s his hood removable. where is his swamp ski? the vehicle molds suck the big one. there is nothing realictic about the first few waves of vehicles. the original rah line had far superior vehicles, however the big chopper is pretty cool aswell as the hummer(although a little big .) finally wfere are the classic blue generic cobra troops and classic red and blue vipers, huh huh huh? bet you guys thought i would never stop, huh?

[Doom Saber]

Scalpel is my favorite figure in the new series. He looks cool w/o his armor and the detail is so excellent. The toy looks like a spawn toy IMO. Though Hasbro did not paint some of his highlights, it doesn't hurt Scalpel since it makes the toy look more like a realistic medic. Havin both ver of this toy at one point, I prefer the older ver over the current one since the paint gives the toy a nice skin texture and don't give him that plastic shine to his face.

 

The worst toy has to be Zartan. He doesn't look like him and he looks fat. Hasbro should have made the toy less bulky and discard those robo arm. As for the mold, Zartan's stomach seems to shows which makes him look fatter. The pallete on Zartan is black, gray(which is easy to stratch out) and red. Though the black is okay, however the bright red is somewhat of a let down. Although this figure has problems, the mold isn't that bad if he is not Zartan and is someone else.

[KamenDreda]

All right I might aswell give it a shot. My favorite GvC figure so far is Scarlett from wave 2. She is of course one of the best all time characters in the joe universe. The body sculpt is great although the head could use some work. I include her on almost every mission I send my joes.

 

Probably my least favorite JvC figure is Dusty. His arms and leggs are gangly and his helmet looks stupid. He pretty much shelf rots. While I like his character, I just can't use that figure.

[Code_red_shockwave]

I like the JvC figure Sgt. Hacker. Despite the fact that some people don't think his disguise will work, I think with a little imagination and with ignoring the GIJOE logo, the figure looks good with it. He can not only hack computers, but he can infiltrate COBRA headquarters and even fool Scalpel.

 

The figure I hate though is Flint. His crotch is way, way too small compared to the other figures. Because of that his body looks weird. Other than that, he would have looked good.

[Fodder Viper]

Favorite G.I. Joe vs. Cobra product? Firefly. Why? Well, I can't really say because his design is the best, or his weapons are the best. Because they're not (although his posability is about the best there is). I just love the character. Not because of any media. Because of what I made him back as a kid. I used him as a sniper, and he killed poor General Flagg every adventure. Each time I get a Firefly it reminds me of how fun Joe is for me. He was the first G vs. C figure I was really excited about, and when I got him, it made that day very, very good...just recalling memories. A sappy reason for a vote, but mine nonetheless.

 

Least favorite is harder. There really isn't any Joe product out there I loathe. I've found creative uses for most things. Ok, not Manimals, but everything else. But I would have to go with Wild Weasel, just because they toyed with me. The picture on the back of the box looked pretty sweet. It had no o-ring and was obviously a prototype, but looked like it would have made a nice fig. Instead, I just got a Neo-Viper rehash, with a pretty neat looking head sculpt, still. But this kind of thing ran rampant in '97. My main gripe, though, was it made the figure lose some of its individuality. I don't army build so I enjoy that in my figures.

 

Well here's to my first post and rant on here. Good luck to all.

[dreamer]

My favorite JvC item is wave 4's Duke.

Among the joe, if the leader isn't even a good toy, what's the point of collecting them. When we first encounter the wave 1's Duke, everyone was not satisfy. Now this wave 4's Duke is the one that I feel more than satisfy. First, great new sculpt with o-ring, plus logical. I hate figures with gun(s) sculpted on the chests most of the time. Example, Firefly, his guns are pointing at his head, I mean if one day, he just got a bit clumsy, he will blow his head. But Duke's guns are sculpted logically and the overall sculpt is well proportion and each part fits very well with other. Among the line, many figures suffer loose legs due to the poor construction of t-bar, but Duke suffer none of that. Furthermore, the figure includes additional points of articulation: hinged ankles & swivel wrists. These new articulations enhanced the possibilities to pose the figure. Overall, I think wave 4's Duke is much superior compare to the wave 1's Duke or other figures in the line. The result is clear that this is the one figure to lead the joe toyline to a successful future.

 

The worst JvC item is Flint *actually there are few ties, but I will just talk about Flint this time*

Flint can't stand well due to his feet. Even if he does stand, his proportion suggests that he has some sorta bone disease. The hand-grip can't hold any weapon, unless with the help of his armpit. Loose Legs, Poor Proportion, Horrible Hand-Grip lead this figure to the bottom of my JvC list.

[eclusion]

The JvC item I like is the Cobra Venom Cycle. This little devil has enough features to go head to head with even the largest JvC vehicles. The paint is excellent and will compliment the forthcoming Python Patrol figures. The sidecar dismounts and changes into a stand alone gunstation. Additional features include sound attack and a missile launcher. The Viper driver is also very cool.

 

The JvC item I dislike is the Battle Blitz. At first, I was very excited about the Grunt figure,but now that he is due out in a 2 pack, I find the Blitz just a waste of plastic. The feature that is just terrible is the "sled" that shoots out of the front. This could have been a great idea if only you could put your own figure on it instead of the thing that is stuck on it like a permanent tumor.

 

eclusion

[ProckoZero_Prime]

My personal favorite JVC figure is Wave 4 Snake Eyes. It is the culmination of the multitude of Snake Eyes figures, adding elements from many of the RAH figures. It has excellent articulation and its playability factor is off the charts. Most importantly, Snake Eyes can stand next to RAH figures and not look out of place.

 

My least favorite JVC figure, excluding Wave 1, is Zartan. Why? He has needless bionic attachments to his arm, the red pants are garish, and he doesn't really have any elements of a "Master of Disguise." This would have been a perfect figure to hold off on until Spy Troops...although the Clear Zartan would have been a great repaint if it was mass-issued in a regular wave.

[robot_sonic]

I'm going to take two figures from the JvC line and showcase a little about what I do and do not like about them.

 

I'll start off with the 2002 Stalker figure:

 

 

My overall impressions of this figure is that Hasbro is oh so close to getting it perfect. This figure harkens back to the lines glory days in both creativity and overall quality. However, there is still something missing. At first, I had thought it was simply my adult skepticism that dampened my overall impression. However, I've come to realize that there are still some kinks inherent in the figures. When I opened Stalker, he felt very close to a newly opened vintage Joe. However, the sculpts still need some work. The room for improvement is there for these figures. The final judgements (and, probably, success) of the line will be based on whether this gap is filled or left void.

 

 

While the figure is well designed, it is still disporportionate. This issue goes beyond the bulky shoulders that are necessary for construction. Stalker has a very short chest. If you look at him, the figure is, literally, all legs. Now, much of this can be explained away by the history of this line. While Wave 2 is the first of the new sculpts to feature O-rings, they were not initially designed that way. This wave was originally to be in the same style as the Wave 1 figures. Collector backlash over the O-ring ommission resulted in Hasbro rethinking that plan. However, future figure waves were already past their most conceptual design stages. As such, some of the problems that you see in the sculpting of these figures can be traced to the fact that these figures were changed mid-stream to have the O-rings. (That also caused the considerable delay between Waves 1 and 2 and gave us fine things like Wave 1.5 and the Wave 1 repaints.) As we move ahead into figure waves planned for 2003 (for which we have yet to see any prototype photos) I think these issues will resolve themselves. However, as Hasbro seems intent on including older molds in new colors in future waves, some of these old sculpt limitations will continue to manifest themselves as the line progresses.

 

Beyond these design problems, though, the figures are well done. Stalker has wonderful detail and the sharp, vibrant colors that make him stand out. While the Wave 1 figures were well detailed with numerous extraneous trappings, Stalker is toned down in detailing to the point where the small sculpting makes sense. The details are reminiscent of those done on original sculpt figures as they enhance the figure and actually serve a purpose without taking away from the overall aesthetic feel. In this sense, the Wave 2 figures really show a more thoughful approach to toy design. There was definite consideration put not only into the look of the figure, but also the function behind those details. The large knife on Stalker's chest is a perfect example. While Wave 1 figures were full of pouches and straps, the Wave 2 figures have a more subtle approach that better serves the long term interests of the line.

 

Now, the 2002 BAT figure:

 

As a sculpt, this figure works perfectly. Past BATs have failed (In my opinion) due to their sculpts making the too human like. This figure, though, is definitely a robot. First off, the figure is sculpted taller than the humans in the line. As such, in terms of proportionality, this BAT would be about 7 feet tall. From a realism perspective, I like this better. The exaggerated proportions allow for the character to be more believable and fit in with what robotics of this sort would actually look like. On top of that, the body does not retain human dimensions. The figure has long legs, an elongated torso and a sleek, small head. Again, this makes the figure look like a the robot it is supposed to be. The thin, electronics covered arms finish off the sculpt in a way that makes this figure more real to me.

 

My favorite part of this figure is his accessories. I know most people are long time fans of the removeable BAT attachments. I, however, am not. I always preferred to use the hands on my BATs and give them real guns. The concept of a Laser or Flamethrower attachment never really did much for me. This BAT simply has two human-like hands. He comes with a small, newly sculpted rifle that meshes with him perfectly. I see the gun as more wieldy that a heavier weapon and more manageable for a robot with limited dexterity. Tucked behind his large elbow joints, the gun just seems balanced. For an automatron, these features would be indispensible. On top of that, the figure comes with a black version of Torch's backpack. One of the gripes I had with the old BATs was their power source. Batteries, while rechargable, would be heavy and have limitations. A fuel powered robot, though, would have multiple uses. (I know this runs counter to the filecard, but I've never been one to be limited by established Joe continuity.) First off, the fuel tank would provide a more measurable operation time for BAT units. That would be imperative to Cobra battlefield commanders as they would be able to time when BATs would simply run out of gas. Next, the exposed gan cannisters make BATs perfect walking bombs. One feature of the BAT that I've utilized since 1986 is the fact that they burst into flame when hit from behind. As BATs have this tendency, Cobra would always be behind them. With the fuel tank on the BATs back, the trailing Cobra Troopers would be able to simply blow the BATs up by shooting the fuel tanks. This would make the BATs work as both infantry cannon fodder as well as poor man's sappers. The duality of purpose makes the BATs more valuable to Cobra field soldiers as well as more dangerous to any potential foes.

 

This BAT has another hidden little feature that you can see below. Rather than resurrect the oft lost chest holograms from BATs past, Hasbro instead gave collectors a little Easter Egg on this BAT. His chest plate is removable and hides the BAT's inner workings inside. It is a neat little feature (and a piece that will be oft lost on those BATs that now below to children) and shows that a great deal of thought was put into this figure. It is this level of detail that keeps the new sculpt figures very interesting. I liken the new sculpt figures to the POTFII line. The characters are similar, the designs are familiar, but the figures have a more modern feel to them that is more amenable to display. Wave 5 appears to continue this trend. As long as there are details that allow these new figures to separate themselves from other retail lines, I think that the line will create quite a legacy for itself.

[StormShadow.]

Best JvC=

Wave 1 StormShadow I mean even with Out the o-ring it is still the best mold of all the new Joes. I think that if they made him with an o-ring he would have been perfect. - http://yojoe.com/action/02/stormshadow7.shtml

 

 

Worst JvC=

The Baroness. She has to be the worst figure I have ever seen in my whole entire life. She doesn't even look like herself to start off, she has no butt (just like Beachhead), her legs are super loose, She's just terrible :evil:

http://yojoe.com/action/02/baroness3.shtml