New Biker Scout - shouldn't be necessary, but it is

[bigbarada]

First off, please excuse the acerbic nature of this next post, Hasbro, but my frustration over how you keep screwing up stuff that would seem to be a no-brainer is mind boggling.

I have a revolutionary idea for you, in 1996 you released a Biker Scout with Speeder Bike figure and, in order to make him 'look right' while riding the Speeder Bike, he was sculpted in a pose that made him look like he crapped in his armor when he was standing. In 2000 you released the POTJ Biker Scout, which was a much better and more accurate figure than the POTF2 pack-in, however because of his pose and limited articulation, he cannot sit on the Speeder Bike toy.

So, my idea is this, how about making a Biker Scout figure that can not only sit on his Speeder Bike, but can also stand without looking totally ridiculous? Talk about a revolutionary notion!

.....

Oh wait, that's not revolutionary..... Kenner pulled it off in 1983, almost 20 years ago! So much for the "advancements in toy-making technology" of the new millenium.

Seriously, have you forgotten how to make good toys Hasbro? It seems so, especially when the vintage line was able to pull off stuff that you have so much trouble with.

Here's what a new Biker Scout would need in terms of articulation:
Ball-socket neck (like the CTC Stormtrooper and new Bespin Chewie)
Ball-socket knees (like the new Bespin Luke and Red Clonetrooper)
Wrist articulation (to alternate from holding his blaster to gripping the HORIZONTALLY placed handlebars on the Speeder Bike)
Add to this the standard shoulder, swivel elbow, waist and hip articulation and you have the perfect, all-purpose Biker Scout figure.

This would make the fourth Biker Scout figure in the history of the line (not counting the 12" figure) vintage, POTF2 and POTJ.

Here's why we need him:

The vintage one was great for it's day, but seriously needs an update to take advantage of those "advancements in toy technology" you guys keep going on about.

The POTF2 version, is easily one of the most half-arsed figures in the entire line. There are large sections of his armor that aren't even painted, his gun is sculpted into his leg (and not painted either). Overall he is just a very poorly made figure and you guys know this, otherwise we would never have gotten....

The POTJ version. Which is an improvement but far from perfect. Apart from his pinhead, silly "opera singer" pose and limited articulation he has a flaw that is totally unforgiveable for this figure. He does not fit on the Speeder Bike! Ridiculous! Whatever brainiac at Hasbro HQ thought it was okay to allow this is obviously more interested in making money than toys.

So, since the Speeder Bike is getting retooled for the Deluxe Clonetrooper I think it would behoove you to give us a well-sculpted, highly articulated Biker Scout who can ride his bike AND stand on his own without looking like an idiot while doing either one.

Now, why is that simple concept so hard for you guys to grasp?

[JediTricks]

Gotta admit, it's a necessity to my collection. The POTJ biker scout is skinny and has a ridiculous arm pose. Sure, you could put him on the Speederbike using that spring-loaded T-bar, but it looks absolutely ridiculous. We don't need a blackened scout either.

[QLD]

They could just give him interchangeable bottom halfs.

They will never do anything this intelligent though.

[bigbarada]

I have to add to my request, ball-socket shoulders. I think every figure should have those.

I'm not sure what you mean by "blackened" JT. I assume you are referring to Hasbro's painting all of the POTF2 Biker Scout's details in black and not the proper gray & black.

The way I see it is this, Hasbro has had two chances to give us a good Biker Scout figure since the line rebooted in 1995, but has failed miserably both times.

Basically a third try is in order, and just because Ep2 is new doesn't mean that we will casually sit by while Hasbro makes 30 different versions of the Clonetrooper as they completely overlook some of the coolest looking Star Wars characters from the OT.

[jedihunter25]

What makes you think they will get it right the 3rd time?

[LTBasker]

What they should do is take the resculpted Speederbike from the Deluxe Clone (more accurate to the OT) and retool it so that it resembles the OT bikes and pack it in a vehicle 3-pack that's got a new Biker Scout, Endor Luke and Endor Leia which we've needed. They've got helmet sculpts for the Endor Soldiers of POTF2 (hollowed out in the Endor accessory pack) and of course the Saga helmet version so that they could have removeable helmets, and we know they can do removeable ponchos (Tatooine accessory pack, POTJ Qui-Gon and Qui-Gon w/ Eopie) so they'd just need to improve the General Leia (correct scale and stuff) sculpt, make a new Jedi Luke sculpt and a new Biker Scout sculpt.

[bigbarada]

Originally posted by jedihunter25
What makes you think they will get it right the 3rd time?

Blind luck.

I actually don't want this request to come off too negative. I just know that there is some Hasbro designer reading through these threads saying to himself, "Cripes! Nothing we do is good enough for these people." There are a couple of things about the POTJ Biker Scout that I love and want to see incorporated into any new version:

1. That ultra cool little blaster and the working ankle holster are probably my favorite features of this figure.

2. Even though his pose is silly and his proportions are all wrong, the detailing of his uniform is almost perfectly accurate. It's just a shame that the sloppy paint job obscures many of these details.

I just want to stress that I am not asking for a lot here, just a well sculpted figure who not only can stand on his own, but who can sit on the Speeder Bike without looking like a fool. I'm simply asking for Hasbro to adhere to the same standards of playability and quality that Kenner upheld twenty years ago. Nothing more.

[bigbarada]

Originally posted by LTBasker
What they should do is take the resculpted Speederbike from the Deluxe Clone (more accurate to the OT) and retool it so that it resembles the OT bikes and pack it in a vehicle 3-pack that's got a new Biker Scout, Endor Luke and Endor Leia which we've needed. They've got helmet sculpts for the Endor Soldiers of POTF2 (hollowed out in the Endor accessory pack) and of course the Saga helmet version so that they could have removeable helmets, and we know they can do removeable ponchos (Tatooine accessory pack, POTJ Qui-Gon and Qui-Gon w/ Eopie) so they'd just need to improve the General Leia (correct scale and stuff) sculpt, make a new Jedi Luke sculpt and a new Biker Scout sculpt.

Interesting idea, but Hasbro has typically never done too well with multipack figures. Look at the crap that was churned out in the Cinema Scenes for examples.

I think if Hasbro wants to do new versions of the Biker Scout, Endor Luke and Leia, they should package each figure individually with a lone Speeder Bike sold separately. This way they can load each figure down with accessories. Luke and Leia would get the removable helmets like you mentioned and CLOTH ponchos with a working belt to hold it onto their waist. Working holsters and enough articulation to allow them to stand on their own AND ride the Speeder Bike.

Sounds simple enough to you? Sounds simple enough to me. So why does Hasbro have such a hard time getting it?

[JediTricks]

Originally posted by bigbarada
I'm not sure what you mean by "blackened" JT. I assume you are referring to Hasbro's painting all of the POTF2 Biker Scout's details in black and not the proper gray & black.

I meant the "dirty" POTJ scout figure, how it's all charred on the upper torso.

Ball jointed shoulders sounds good to me.

[bigbarada]

Originally posted by JediTricks
I meant the "dirty" POTJ scout figure, how it's all charred on the upper torso.

Ball jointed shoulders sounds good to me.

That actually occured to me yesterday. I don't like the dirt patterns they put on action figures, mainly because they are just that: patterns. If they changed it up a little and made it a little more random it would be cool; but it looks silly having every single trooper in your army with blast marks in the exact same spots.

I think they should just make clean troopers and if we want them dirty, we can do it ourselves.