December Hauls

A general discussion forum, plus hauls and silly games.
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Onslaught Six
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Re: December Hauls

Post by Onslaught Six »

BWprowl wrote:Zartan w/Swamp Skier- I'm pretty much done with Joes, but I make exceptions for Zartan. This is a rather nice "Marvel Comics"-based version (As opposed to the first version, which I think was Devil's Due or whatever).
Actually, the first Zartan wasn't really based on anything specifically, I'm pretty sure. Frankly, I prefer the original, because it's less ridiculous and crappy.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Dominic
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Re: December Hauls

Post by Dominic »

The first 25A Zartan was based on the DDP character model, as was that first 25A Serpentor.

I like those figures both for the fact they annoyed toy-hacks and the fact they were based on one of the good arcs from DDP, which (besides being a good read), has the benefit of annoying the toy-hacks further.

Question, how is the DDP Zartan more ridiculous/crappy t nan the older one?


And, the haul:
FANG/CLAW pack at KB for 30% off.

Dom
-felt a bit like a vulture buying it.
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Re: December Hauls

Post by Onslaught Six »

I meant the original 25th figure, should've probably been more clear. It's got a shirt! Zartan should have a shirt.

Of course, mine has the compound bow and quiver from the Comic Pack Zartan from several years ago, so he's instantly a thousand times cooler. It's easy to underestimate how much cooler figures can become with new accessories. I gave Major Bludd, who is a mediocre figure at best, the big red scarf from the DTC Bludd from a few years back, and it increases the coolness 'tenfold.' He's now got a big splash of red to offset a lot. I gave my CGs the MP5s from the CG six pack from VvV, and they rule now, too. >.>
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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BWprowl
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Re: December Hauls

Post by BWprowl »

Eh, I like both Zartans on their own merits. It's worth noting that I tend to prefer my Joes to be ridiculous. I did get Croc Master, after all.

I recently thought of something regarding Trakker, BTW. See, whenever HasTak sees fit to drop, say, GoBots characters into our TF lines (Dimensional Exploration Team, Bug Bite, Fracture) we, the TF fans, go "Ooh neat!" and happily check them out. But then they go and put a M.A.S.K. character in GI Joe, and the Joe fans are all "RRAAAAGGHH!!!! How dare Hasblow insult us like this!". Just interesting, I thought.

ANyway, Animated Shockwave finally popped up in my area, and I snagged one! He's terrific, everything I expected, and more. It's a wildly ambitious toy that succeeds on most levels. The vehicle modes are good, and though I'd prefer that they were a bit more distinctive from each other, the fact that they both look good and hold together reasonably well is enough on a toy like this. The robot modes are where he shines. Longarm and Shockwave are wonderfully different from each other, this is so much more than a simple head-swap. Just the way the entire body structure reassembles is really impressive. I also like the way the weapon spring-shifts between both modes, very cleverly engineered, that. His Shockwave robot mode is really expressive too, love the independently poseable claw-fingers. So yeah, this toy is terrific, buy it as soon as you see it.
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Re: December Hauls

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BWprowl wrote:I recently thought of something regarding Trakker, BTW. See, whenever HasTak sees fit to drop, say, GoBots characters into our TF lines (Dimensional Exploration Team, Bug Bite, Fracture) we, the TF fans, go "Ooh neat!" and happily check them out. But then they go and put a M.A.S.K. character in GI Joe, and the Joe fans are all "RRAAAAGGHH!!!! How dare Hasblow insult us like this!". Just interesting, I thought.
I think Joe fans have this preconception that the line is constantly in danger of dying off, or that it's a rarity and there's only so many slots that they can use or something, so it shouldn't be given to a "nobody" like Matt Trakker when clearly it should go to somebody like Airborne or Alpine or Recondo. Who? Yeah, that's my reaction too--for some reason they want all these pathetically boring 84-85 Joe characters who have no real defining traits or personalities.
ANyway, Animated Shockwave finally popped up in my area, and I snagged one! He's terrific, everything I expected, and more. It's a wildly ambitious toy that succeeds on most levels. The vehicle modes are good, and though I'd prefer that they were a bit more distinctive from each other, the fact that they both look good and hold together reasonably well is enough on a toy like this. The robot modes are where he shines. Longarm and Shockwave are wonderfully different from each other, this is so much more than a simple head-swap. Just the way the entire body structure reassembles is really impressive. I also like the way the weapon spring-shifts between both modes, very cleverly engineered, that. His Shockwave robot mode is really expressive too, love the independently poseable claw-fingers. So yeah, this toy is terrific, buy it as soon as you see it.
Something about this review felt creepily similar--like I'd read the whole thing before. "This is so much more than a simple head swap," the note about the independent clawhands, and even the "Buy it as soon as you see it," line somehow felt like I'd already read this review. Creepy.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: December Hauls

Post by BWprowl »

Onslaught Six wrote:Something about this review felt creepily similar--like I'd read the whole thing before. "This is so much more than a simple head swap," the note about the independent clawhands, and even the "Buy it as soon as you see it," line somehow felt like I'd already read this review. Creepy.
Well, to be fair, my reviewing style borrows liberally from both DvD and '86, so that could be part of it. Or it's just one of those wierd things. Meh.
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Re: December Hauls

Post by Onslaught Six »

Thing is, though, I dunthink DVD has Shockwave. I know 86 doesn't. I just thought it was weird.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: December Hauls

Post by Dominic »

It is also a question of Shockwave being one of those rare toys that many people like for many reasons. And, "buy it now" is generally an accepted phrase when discussing those toys. (I plan to get Shockwave, when I find it.)


Has the reaction to Matt Trakker been that venomous? (No pun intended. But hey, it works.) I do not know if it is a fear of the line dying so much as it is just plain toy-hackery. Joe fans seem stuck at the stage many Transfans were at in the late 90s. The franchise can being doing manifestly well, and they want it to be just like it was in the good old days. (The desire to return to a past "golden age", real or imagined, is actually common. It is arguably a sign of, what the kids today call, "fail".)

If the franchise does not do well, such a fate could have been avoided had Hasbro only stuck to the old forumula. (Never mind that "Sigma 6" failed for being ugly and cumbersome, rather than deviating from the old format. Ditto for "GI Joe EXtreme.")

The DDP run of the comic ended badly because it killed old characters and deviated from the old forumula. (Never mind that it actually made many of the same stupid mistakes that the comic industry had been making and suffering for.) It should have been "realistic", like it was. (Never mind "GI Joe" was barely realistic at its most grounded, and "realism" never does more than produce a temporary spike in sales, usually followed by a net loss.)

Now, I did not like the Bay-formers movie. I did not really expect to. But, I did assume it would do well. (It did not better than I expected, but the fact of success was not too much a shock. unto itself.) Most Transfans can accept the existence/success of the movie.

I cannot wait to see Joe fans react to the movie. "Costume changes?!?!?! Rip-cord is black!??!!!????? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!111!!!!!!!!1" (Never mind that Ratchet being green did not hurt TF one bit.)

Dom
-still says movie Ratchet is da ro-bomb.
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Re: December Hauls

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Dominic wrote:It is also a question of Shockwave being one of those rare toys that many people like for many reasons. And, "buy it now" is generally an accepted phrase when discussing those toys. (I plan to get Shockwave, when I find it.)
It was more like this overwhelming feeling of "Wait, I read this before," even though I hadn't. Oh well.
Has the reaction to Matt Trakker been that venomous? (No pun intended. But hey, it works.) I do not know if it is a fear of the line dying so much as it is just plain toy-hackery. Joe fans seem stuck at the stage many Transfans were at in the late 90s. The franchise can being doing manifestly well, and they want it to be just like it was in the good old days. (The desire to return to a past "golden age", real or imagined, is actually common. It is arguably a sign of, what the kids today call, "fail".)
It is, sorta. There's the hardcore guys who think it's horrible and should die, and then there's the guys who go "Oh, wow, that's awesome! Let's swarm Hasbro with questions about if there's a full MASK revival now!"
If the franchise does not do well, such a fate could have been avoided had Hasbro only stuck to the old forumula. (Never mind that "Sigma 6" failed for being ugly and cumbersome, rather than deviating from the old format. Ditto for "GI Joe EXtreme.")
I'd have enjoyed the Extreme and Sigma 6 designs in 3 3/4" scale. Not that I was collecting Joes back when Extreme was airing, but in retrospect.
Now, I did not like the Bay-formers movie. I did not really expect to. But, I did assume it would do well. (It did not better than I expected, but the fact of success was not too much a shock. unto itself.) Most Transfans can accept the existence/success of the movie.

I cannot wait to see Joe fans react to the movie. "Costume changes?!?!?! Rip-cord is black!??!!!????? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
o!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!111!!!!!!!!1" (Never mind that Ratchet being green did not hurt TF one bit.)
They're already reacting that way. Any time movie news shows up on one of the forums, there's tons of comments of "THIS MOVIE WILL SUCK AND SHOULD BE DIRECT TO DVD, IT IS THAT BAD." And being green didn't hurt Ratchet, but I'd have liked a different colour green, myself. Or orange.
-still says movie Ratchet is da ro-bomb.
Ha! Ro-bomb.
BWprowl wrote:The internet having this many different words to describe nerdy folks is akin to the whole eskimos/ice situation, I would presume.
People spend so much time worrying about whether a figure is "mint" or not that they never stop to consider other flavours.
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Re: December Hauls

Post by Dominic »

I know the type of ambulance you are talking about But, green is more common, and hence more resonant. (And, we have a "warm color" variant with the "Rescue" Ratchet figure.)


I see nothing wrong with fans asking for a "MASK" revival. They are just telling Hasbro what they want to see. And, "MASK" as a line is *really* under-appreciated. I had a few as a kid, but was never really into it. There are a few, really beaten up, pieces at the local comic store. I would not bother with any of them as toys unto themselves, (as they are all missing bits or really scuffed), but I can see how good they would be if completed. I can even see lobbying for a favorite character. (I am lucky in that most of the guys I really want have just been coming out naturally, with Mutt and Junkyard pretty much delivering what I really wanted since mid-'07. My only real long-shots are Law and Order, Raptor and Recondo. Recondo is not completely un-realistic. And, Doctor Mindbender is really only a matter of time.)

What irks me is the fact that so many Joe fans have failed to learn from other franchises, (SW, Trek, or TF), and insist on the franchise being exactly what it was 20+ years ago. No matter how they dress it up, most complaints from Joe-fans come down to "it is not what I had growing up, assuming I ever did grow up". Do they have to like everything? No. But, I find it strange they only like things that harken back to the days before 1986.

Dom
-thinking of converting a Doctor Venom from that new Beachhead toy. Or, maybe Doctor Lucifer....
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