| Combat Heroes review thread; SDCC SE and general thoughs on the line | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Aug 20 2008, 06:28 PM (555 Views) | |
| Dominic Guglieme | Aug 20 2008, 06:28 PM Post #1 |
|
the human MICROscope!!
|
Combat Heroes Snakeeyes and Timber: I suppose it was really only a matter of time. What started with "Star Wars" and later expanded to Marvel Heroes and "Transformers" and then "Indiana Jones" had to eventually include "GI Joe". On the off chance you are lucky enough not to have been exposed to this truly disturbing trend in toy manufacturing, an explanation may be in order. A few years back, Hasbro started making cutesy little "Star Wars" figures with their "Galactic Heroes". These started off as nothing more interesting than any other little kid toy. They were ultimately pretty forgettable toys. Occasionally, there would be a set with a specific, and frankly twisted, appeal. First, there was "Anakin v/s Dooku", and I was tempted. Then, I saw that "Dark Side Anakin and Clone Trooper" pack, and my resolve really began to weaken. Eventually, my resolve broke, and I snagged that pack. (C'mon, look at it. This is a cutesified set meant to evoke the opening frames of the pogrom sequence from Episode III, which ends with Vader walking into and killing a room full of small children. If that does not have wrong appeal, I dunno what does.) There were other SW sets, like that boxed set that included Vader, Padme' and Kenobi, evoking the "strangle a pregnant woman scene" from Episode III, or all of those packs with a Jedi and the clone commander who shot them in the pogrom sequence. For there part, the Marvel Heroes sub-line, ("Superhero Squad"), took the wrongness to a new depth. Be it a lewdly posed White Queen, Carnage w/Ben Reilly, or Ghost Rider, this line both inspired and repulsed me. I had some sarcastic idea about the line, but even my filthiest ideas, "Coke Slut Karen Page w/ Kingpin" (inspired by the "Born Again" evoking Daredevile w/Elektra set), and "Green Goblin w/Gwen Stacy, pale in comparison to the Ultimate Hulk figure they made. (I tell ya, there is no better character than a jolly green rapist to make into a toy for small children.) Transformers, "Robot Heroes", has mostly avoided that level of depravity. The worst set is probably the Optimus Prime w/ Barricade set, and that still pales in comparison to some of the middling "Marvel" offerings. Actually, some of the movie characters look pretty good in this aesthetic. The "Indiana Jones" inspired sets have a few really awful ideas, including and Indy v/s German Mechanic set evoking the "chopped up Hun" scene from "Raiders of the Lost Arc" and a smiling Arc Ghost w/ unfortunate priest. Now, we have "Combat Heroes". Now, some people may simply balk at the obvious question of making cute little war toys for kids. I would argue that this is less an issue now than with the old Joes from the 80s as this line is likely to have less staying power and influence than the original. But, that does not mean that there are not some really cringe inducing figures in the pipe-line. I almost hesitate to make sarcastic remarks about other toys they could make, as Ultimate Hulk proves Hasbro is willing to go further with this idea than I am. In any case, "Combat Heroes" Wave 1 includes some pretty awful packs. Cobra Commander v/s Roadblock: Wow, the character who epitomizes the "every-man from Hell" angle of the old comics and a vague black stereotype. Amazing. How about giving us a Fred in Cobra Commander armour w/ Raptor, the homicidal accountant set to go with this one? Oh, oh, how about the overtly racist stereotype of "Reloaded" Roadblock w/ Destro? Snakeeyes and Timber v/s Zartan: As if a disfigured ninja commando (the other half of the "every-man" them from the old comics) and his semiotically appropriate wolf was not enough, we get that.....with a schizophrenic hitman figure. The best thing is that the Zartan figure has a loaded bow and arrow........you know, evoking the "hit gone wrong" that ruined his life, killed the Hardmaster and sent Stormshadow down the dark path of seeking revenge. Hey, how about a Stormshadow and Hardmaster set? There is already an appropriate mold for Stormshadow, using the tooling from the "Superhero Squad" ninja. And, hey, how about Zartan and Serpentor, to kids can re-enact *that* scene from the original comics?!?!?! And, while we are talking about the Cobra Civil War, what are the odds of us getting a Baroness tied to the front of a tank? Probably higher than I would like to think actually....... The SDCC Snakeeyes and Timber is the first release of this line. If the early photos I have seen at BBTS are anything to go buy, Timber is likely to get remolded and Snakeeyes is actually colored better here than the mass-release will be. (Of course, given the nature of the line, I doubt it really matters.) The pose on the SE is a sort of "impractical "fighting with both a sword and gun at once" stance. It is not much on the surface, but at a taste of the dreadful things to come with this line, it is perfect. Grade: A, The "A" is for "All the wrong reasons." Dom -maybe make an unmaksed Snakeeyes? Or, how about the SAW-Viper from issue 109 ofthe old Marvel run, w/ Doc? Eh? Eh? |
|
Keep it local. The healthiest leper in the colony is still very very sick. www.theanimalrescuesite.com | |
 |
 
|
| WWCD | Aug 21 2008, 06:11 PM Post #2 |
What Would Cap Do?
|
LOL, I do detect a bit of sarcasm here, yes? Yes. I thought so. LOL!! Great review, overall Dom. Unfortunately my son is hooked on these type of figures and has some from all the existing lines thus far. And he is totallyhyped about getting the Joe ones now. I am considering picking up the SDCC one from HTS for his birthday, but not sure yet. If I do I gotta convince him to leave it packaged and wait for the mass-release one to come out. Ugh!! -Jim |
 | |
|
|
|
| 138 Scourge | Aug 22 2008, 03:42 AM Post #3 |
Kung-Fu Billionaire
|
That Baroness/Tank toy? Yeah, I'd buy that in a heartbeat. Oh, snap! Y'know what I just realized? This damn line's gonna make me buy some Joes (as opposed to staying all-Cobra). Damn, they are insidious! |
| COBRA wants you, and I know you want COBRA! | |
|
|
|
| Dominic Guglieme | Aug 22 2008, 12:20 PM Post #4 |
|
the human MICROscope!!
|
Why are you so averse to buying Joes? Dom -Just realized he has a HISS tank and Baroness at home. No Serpentor though. |
|
Keep it local. The healthiest leper in the colony is still very very sick. www.theanimalrescuesite.com | |
|
|
|
| WWCD | Aug 22 2008, 01:00 PM Post #5 |
|
What Would Cap Do?
|
Hey Dom, you want a 25th Serpentor? I can hook you up. LOL!! -Jim |
|
| |
|
|
|
| Dominic Guglieme | Aug 22 2008, 02:49 PM Post #6 |
|
the human MICROscope!!
|
Thanks Jim. I have a 25A Serpentor. But, the helmet is wrong. The 25A Serpentor has the helmet from Serpentor II, as seen in "Return of Serpentor". I need to wait for the DVD packed Serpentor, as that figure is likely to have the correct helmet for the scene I am looking to evoke from issue 75 of the original series. Oh, and another thing that I meant to post earlier, man Jim, you make me look easy going about toys. If I had kids, I probably would let them play with my "Combat Heroes". I mean, lordy man. That is crazy. Dom |
|
Keep it local. The healthiest leper in the colony is still very very sick. www.theanimalrescuesite.com | |
|
|
|
| WWCD | Aug 22 2008, 04:42 PM Post #7 |
|
What Would Cap Do?
|
LOL, he understands Exclusives stay in the package for the most part, but he's never had one like that. Not sure how it would work out. -Jim |
|
| |
|
|
|
| 138 Scourge | Aug 23 2008, 05:26 AM Post #8 |
|
Kung-Fu Billionaire
|
Eh, I'm not really that against 'em, I just started with Cobra because their characters are more outlandish and entertainingly memorable to me. It's always been that way, too. Even when I was a lil' Scourge, the only Joe figs I wanted were the Cobras. Main reason I'm trying to avoid 'em now is 'cause, well...you remember when I was considering buying Buzzer, I may have mentioned that I'd probably limit myself to the Dreadnoks? See how well that worked out? I'm worried if I got one Joe figure, I'd want way, way more, and this late in the line, that'd just be trouble, you see. Anyhooo, I'm gonna go ahead and say this: Please, Hasbro, cute lil' Mindbender. And troopbuilder sets of lil' Cobra Troopers and lil' B.A.T.s. Oh, man...how rad would lil' B.A.T.s be? EDIT: Lil' Red Ninjas! Lil' Dreadnoks (c'mon, Lil' Buzzer would be hilarious!)... Oh, lord, please, Lil' Croc Master! Edited by 138 Scourge, Aug 23 2008, 05:29 AM.
|
| COBRA wants you, and I know you want COBRA! | |
|
|
|
| Dominic Guglieme | Aug 25 2008, 01:33 PM Post #9 |
|
the human MICROscope!!
|
Little Mindbender would be great, purple pants, cape and metal suspenders and all. Molding exists for a red ninja, owing to the SHS Hand ninja. Dom -often opens exclusives. |
|
Keep it local. The healthiest leper in the colony is still very very sick. www.theanimalrescuesite.com | |
|
|
|
| gijoe071681 | Nov 16 2008, 02:37 PM Post #10 |
SPAMbot Supreme!!
|
i funno i kinda like this line my wife bought them for me and while not practical they're kind acool |
 <------ make the clicky UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
| |
|
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · HQ - Reviews · Next Topic » |
11:31 PM Jul 31
