Fustration with Hasbro

[dArk lOrd]

This is more of a gripe than anything, and I want everyones opinion on the matter. I have been a Star Wars fan my entire life. I even went along with the special editions in '97 without any complaints. I remember back in '95 when the Power of the Force was released and I snagged every figure I could. I could care less that Luke looked as if he could bench press artoo, or that R-5 had a secret proton launcher that was revealed by splitting the droid in half. Man, has the toy line came a long way.

Now its the end of 2007. I remember thinking that this year will be it with Star wars figures. With the McFigures and the amount of accesories, and the fact that the pictures looked good before each wave was released. But through out the year, with each wave I became dissappointed. Take for example R2-D2 with Capture net. Why did Hasbro use the mold of the Vintage Wave 1 when they had a perfect mold that was used for Obi's droid, and Mace, and Vaders. They even used that mold for flying artoo and it turned out decent, but it wasn't the defentitive artoo that I have been waiting for. Han with torture rack is a joke. Don't even get me started with Jedi Luke, wich is more of a failure than the prior one. So I have been purchasing less, and less, as I bit my tongue waiting for the perfect wave. Then I became excited when I the pics of wave 1 2008. But when I learned that vader and Obi were not new sculpts, I erealized I probably going to buy troops only. Commander Gree looks good. When all hope was loss, I picked up two new figures. Buy now, it has been so long since I purchased a toy for myself, that I felt weird. But the two figures were no SW but G.I. Joe at a local Wal-Mart. It was Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow version 2. Sure, these were not perfect, but they were dang good. 32 figures later, I can say that the Star Wars toy line lost me. Stand Duke side be side with Jedi Luke and tell me that what I am saying is untrue. Yes, they used a mold severel times for several characters, but I also understand that Hasbro is trying to push a new line of toys real fast, but Hasbro cannot use the same excuse for Star Wars. Better yet, G.I. Joe is getting better with each wave. Sculpting and accessories are improving, and most of all playability. You cannot say the same about the Star Wars line. And if you disagree, stand Torture rack Han to Iron Grenadier Destro and tell me what you think.

[jjreason]

Your beefs are valid, but you've been around long enough to know that all Hasbro cares about is MONEY. We, the fans, keep BUYING the stuff they put out regardless of quality control issues, terrible likenesses or paint, etc - so they keep MAKING it.

Sounds like you're doing the only thing we can - voting for the stuff you like with your disposable income. By choosing only the stuff we like, we can (over long periods of time it seems) potentially influence what they're producing.

Sadly, the number of completists in this hobby is huge, which means tons and tons of votes get cast for even the worst products they throw at us.

[Sinscia Fat'o]

The GI Joe line has always been light years ahead of Star Wars toys. It was in the 80's and it's still true today. But star wars has to play on a different field than GI Joe, for one Star Wars characters are based off real people, so sculpts are going to be a little more difficult. Gi Joe is based off artist renderings of fictional characters, so of course Destro, Duke, ETC are going to look better than Star Wars figures.

GI Joe is also a property owned by Hasbro, which means they make their money back without fees to another company...Hasbro has to pay rights to Lucasfilm so their profit isn't as large, and when profit isn't as large then of course sculpts, articulation pack ins ETC are going to suffer.

Alot of your beef is very true, but think about it from Hasbro's point of view. If they make a "Ultimate" version of R2-D2 then will you ever buy another R2-D2? Of course you wouldn't, unless it had something that the other never had. (Like the Capture net, Rocket base ETC) So if hasbro keeps making less than perfect but good enough versions of these core characters then we'll keep buying hoping to get that perfect version...because Star Wars fans are the most compulsive group of fans known on this planet.

As a older collector myself i was actually happy to find out that 08 Anakin and Obi were not new sculpts, because i already have what i feel is the definitve version of Obi Wan and Anakin from ROTS, so these two were and are very easy to pass on, but thats because those figures are not meant for collectors they are meant for the kids, to keep core characters looking fresh on the shelves for the new year.

As a collector of both lines i do have to say yes the joes have alot more quality and are a better value than star wars figures, but if your a star wars fan then what hasbro gives you really isn't that bad. And the ROTJ Luke wasn't the best figure but i don't think it's as bad as alot of people say it is...at least from my point of view.

[jjreason]

I find the new Joes to be a little lacking in certain respects - mainly quality. On all 3 of my figures I can see splits in their thighs where the pieces weren't perfectly put together, not to mention the needle-fine pegs holding on the hands. I'll take a good Star Wars figure over one of these for quality any day of the week.

[dArk lOrd]

Thank you, I feel enlightened. I just wanted to know that I am not the only one to feel this way. I realize that I will always collect SW figures to some degree, but I won't be happy about it. At least I can pass my toys on to my 5 yr old when I get tired of looking at crappy figures.