WOW! That is a phenomenal toy. Granted, the protos always look better than the finished product, but just the same... WOW. If they're all up to this quality, and if they all present classic versions of the characters like this one does, I'll definitely find the cash for each and every one.

As for this...



Everyone seems to think they'll be charging a lot because of the prices on the VOTC Star Wars figures, but no one seems to remember that Hasbro pays a licensing fee to Lucasfilm.

As an example: Wizards of the Coast (a Hasbro subsidiary, as it happens) owns Dungeons & Dragons. A typical Wizards of the Coast Dungeons & Dragons book costs $20.00. When WoTC was making the Star Wars RPG, their books of the same size and page count cost $30.00. This was because of the licensing fees they had to pay to Lucas in addition to the cost of making the book itself.

I see no reason to think action figures are any different. They have to charge more because they're paying more to Lucasfilm for the Star Wars rights in addition to the cost of just making the figures. But since Hasbro owns G.I. Joe, I would guess these Joe figures, if comparable to the VOTC figs in quality, will cost less than their Star Wars counterparts.

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is on indefinite hiatus...

note the theory of the 5-pack for $25...

They should be able to sit down just fine. Ball joint hips, yo. NOT V-crotch.

The question isn't necessarily height, but do you really want figures THIS detailed next to your ARAH stuff? That's how I feel about the 2002 stuff and the ARAH. I don't mix the two due to detailing. Let's face it, Stormy has arm muscle! While we know this is a shot of what's to come, the Marvel Showdown stuff is painted, for the most part, pretty well.

I am a S6 fan but a lot of it has to do with THAT being the only game in town. And honestly, I like the larger scale and added articulation.

Five different 5-packs for $25 each would be fine with me, I'd actually like that better because it would be easier to get them all (rather than hunting single carded figures), also prevents peg warmers and short packed figures (if they setup the 5-packs correctly)...

Now... As for Sigma-6, I put off getting them for an entire year, finally I couldnt take it anymore, I needed my Joe fix. I actually was happy with Sigma-6 and glad I finally got into it...

For the 2002 line, yeah, you are on target there... Too many muscles (like the 1995 Star Wars line), just doesnt fit in... The old/new mold thing I can get past, but the out of shape, super huge muscle thing doesnt work for me.

--== Paragon ==--

I don't think it will be the first 25 figures released; I think it will be the most popular sellers Hasbro has had over the past 25 years. So when thinking of who it may be, I would think of who was the best selling ever. SS, SE, CC, Duke, Destro, Zartan, are givens. I wouldn't just think the first 13 with an added 12. I will probably make special shelf space for these guys away from the rest unless they turn out to be fodder, but I doubt they will be. Hasbro wants to impress both the collectors, retailers, and market. I also think it will be the most iconic versions of those figures.

I dunno, I'd probably put 'em with my ARAH figures. That is, I'd replace the existing versions of these 25 with the new versions. I use the 2002 Beachhead with my ARAH figures. I do think this Storm Shadow looks pretty muscular, but I don't think he's going to be as steroid-ed out as the original JvC characters were.

I really guess I'll have to wait and see what they look like in person though...

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is on indefinite hiatus...

I'm still a wee bit disapointed that the sculpts aren't more original in terms of ARAH proportions, but after seeing the new SS I can over look that. How will he look with older Joe's though?

I know some have said that this isn't the GI Joe they know and have been causing a fuss. Okay the sculpt maybe different, and had disapointed me a little because its not more ARAH like. But its styled on the classic figures, so thats cool with me... If you wanna see something that isn't Joe go look at Sigma 6. A lot of characters aren't easily guessable. Tunnel Rat for example. It doesn't matter what figures we get in the 25th anniv line. We will know who they are for sure by just looking at them!

Sigma 6 rant over.

The questions on my mind now are:

• Will we see vehicle rehashes?

• Is this the end of the line... One last push before the 3 and 3/4 inch line is killed off in favour of S6? Or is this just the beginning of something very special?

Who knows. It may well come down to sales.

I can't help but feel a little uncertainty about the long term future of Joe. Especially with the lack of DTC wave 4. Perhaps I should just enjoy the short term future instead, a future that is looking very bright indeed!

Praise the god of Pawtucket!

Dave

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* Pavel is a Geordie! *

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"I can glide silently and land without a sound, I am the eerie presence in the pitch black room"

As I pretty much said, I think if theres to be any future for the 3 and 3/4 inch line it will depend on sales of the 25th anniv line. Obviously if it does well, we stand a better chance of more new Joes.

With the lack of Joes in the past few years and the nature of the DTC line, it's important these figures sell well... That is my feeling... If not, I think the 3 and 3/4 inch line will be done with.

Dave

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* Pavel is a Geordie! *