Do you like your action figures pre-posed for you?

**Tycho** · 01-06-2002

It has come to the attention of collectors that Hasbro is going back to a trend of pre-posing action figures from scene specific shots. Examples of figures already following this trend might be the Jedi Master Eeth Koth and the 300th Figure Anniversary Edition Boba Fett.

Sometimes even the complicated articulation the character is given does not help them achieve alternate positions such as trying to make the Fett 300 shoot his guns toward targets to the character's right. Other times, figures like Eeth Koth, though not versatile enough to pose as he was seen in the serene Jedi Temple, nevertheless looks like art in the extent of the extreme detail and great sculpt-work that went into the figure.

So as a collector, what do you think? Do you want your figures pre-posed for you?

**JediTricks** · 01-06-2002

This is my #1 pet peeve about the Star Wars action figure line. Neutral figures like Plo Koon that have extra articulation to allow for neat poses are awesome IMO, but preposed figures like Han Solo Death Star Escape just don't come together for me, even with their added articulation (which amounts to jack squat IMO).

**bigbarada** · 01-07-2002

The pre-posed figures severly limit the options we have when choosing how to display a figure. Take the Bespin Escape Lando for example, he is a huge improvement over the vintage or POTF2 version but he is only good for escaping Bespin. He can't greet Han on the landing dock or argue with Vader or seduce Leia while pointing a blaster at everyone. He's useless unless you just happen to want to make a Bespin Escape diorama.

The high quality sculpting may make them art; but they are NOT action figures. If Hasbro wants to sell art then they should pre-package little porcelain statues.

I believe the biggest misconception about movie based action figures is that they are meant to recreate the film scene for scene. This is not true IMO, they exist to allow kids to expand upon the film using their imagination. This is where all toy manufacturers have been getting it wrong for the past several years.

**Rodian Sniper** · 01-07-2002

With action figures...being super posible [as in many articulations] is good. Figures being stuck in one pose is not a good idea. I don't like them personal. Maybe for a scene pack.

**JEDIpartner** · 01-07-2002

Barada- you are, as quite often, right in line with the way I am thinking. I thought the idea of toys was to allow people to use their imagination to create new play scenes for themselves. Imagine getting a dumptruck with the back end in "dump position" and no other, or a car with its doors open all the time. The truck could never be in "loading mode" or the car would never be able to cruise down the street. This would be a terrible world if the manufacturers decided to do this to normal everyday vehicles. Kids would hate this. So, why do this to action figures based on films? I dunno. Is there anyone there who can explain this to me? I know I have been quite vocal about this problem and it seems that the majority of subscribers to these forums agree. If there is any way that Hasbro can go back to correct these terrible sculpts, I would suggest they do so- Whether it means creating the dreaded "resculpt" for figures that are already on the way or just scrapping the approved design.

I also agree with JediTricks that the poses with "added articulation" only help the figure look more ridiculous. They pose the figure to look one way, but move the arms around and the goof looks like it's dancing or flapping around like a gooney bird... or in a position no human would ever find themselves in... unless of course you happen to be Sting, or something.

I will not change my opinion on this issue and I find it highly unlikely that the majority of voters won't either.

**Jargo** · 01-07-2002

All the one pose figures give me is an insight into how clever the sculptor is at sculpting a pose and making plastic look like swishy fabric etc. I'm not buying for display alone, Although mostly my figures sit on a shelf, I like to play with a couple while I use my PC. Can't do that with figures like Eeth Koth can I? I don't expect stuff like the 25th anniversary figures to be playable, but basic figures and even deluxe figures I most certainly do expect a little leeway with poses, for the money I'm paying.
If they want to make scene specific figures then make scenes to go with them for collectors who display only, in the same vein as the anniversary packs. But leave the action figures alone for pity's sake!
I have a mind of my own as is clearly evident from my opinions in a multitude of posts on the forum system. And I'm capable of deciding for myself how to pose my figures. If Hasbro read the posts properly instead of simply creaming off the figure want lists, then I'm sure the message would get home - we don't want one pose figures. Action is the word you applied to the figures, so give them the means to actually perform some actions. More articulation. The point of action figures should be action, read - ACTION!

**snakeplkn** · 01-07-2002

There has been scant support at best for Eeth Koth while most users have shown praise for the COMMTech Stormtrooper. Doesn't that tell us something about how the consumers feel?

I don't mind the "single-shot" poses of 300th Boba Fett or 25th Anniversary Han Solo/Chewbacca because these figures aren't meant to be on the same level as the rest of the line. Eeth Koth though makes no sense since all previous Jedi Council have been neutral poses which allows kids and collectors alike to do what they wish. And if Jango Fett doing the splits is actually the figure Hasbro goes with, what a waste.

By the way, has anyone found the vehicles to be much more exciting than the figures for Episode II?

Snake Plissken
"A little human compassion"

**Tycho** · 01-07-2002

Yes, and I agree with you Snake. The vehicles for 2002 (which also includes the TIE Bomber besides that awesome Slave One) are what I'm looking forward to most.

I like my Eeth Koth figure and he's right by me next to my computer rignt now. But I hear you: wouldn't this have been a more appropriate 2nd figure of him. Plo Koon's got a second figure coming in an action pose, but we don't have to buy that (but I would - looks like one of the better E2 figures in my opinion). But we don't have a neutral choice with Eeth Koth, do we? If resculpts are going to be unavoidable, such as a soft goods E2 Obi-Wan that fits in the ship (a molded normal one without the wide stance STILL might not have fit the ship), at least give collectors (and kids who plan to POSE THEM the way THEY WANT) the chance to get the first edition "normal figure." Eeth Koth was artisitic, I'll give them that - and he fits his "big E2 scene" straight out of the script (I know that). Still, it was unsettling ever since I saw this figure even before I owned one.

With Boba Fett 300, maybe he was supposed to be a statue. I don't know about that: with collectors wanting a firing missle pack for years, I think they meant "on an ACTION figure," not a statue. So by giving Fett a lot of articulation he cannot use, or lacking such articulation like the right hand at the wrist (so he can use the smaller gun he comes with), what was the point of doing this figure for the 3 3/4" line when it would have made an awesome Epic Force or whatever. Don't get me wrong, I like this figure and think I voted him the Best of 2000, but that year it wasn't like we had as many good choices as this past one. It's a shame though that he was an Anniversary Version with a feature we were all looking forward to, and Hasbro pre-posed him so any articulation is self-defeating.

With Shaak-Ti being a nice painted / sculpted statue, and having not seen the film and what I want to do with this character in my action figures, I am accepting this. It looks nice to me. But it is common sense that first editions of especially main characters like Jango Fett should not be pre-posed and should maybe have as much articulation as the CommTech Stormtrooper (who still needed wrist articulation if I remember correctly). We haven't got it right yet, Hasbro?

**tk006** · 01-07-2002

I guess I'm in the minority but I like artisticly posed figures and don't mind the trade-off of losing some articulation. The other Jedi members may all be in nuetral poses but none of them can sit at the Jedi council so what's the point? They might as well make them all more interesting like Eeth Koth (Eeth Koth's removeable saber handle in the 3 3/4" scale is also a great idea!). I only buy figures to display anyway and unless Hasbro completely forfeits artistic design to go with GI Joe bodies, SW figures will never be the ideal play toy anyway.
On the other hand the POTJ Sandtrooper was a terrible mistake! Troopers or any charactors that a collector would buy multiples of should always be well articulated and default to a somewhat generic pose!
Overall I think we should spend more of our energy petitioning unneccesary figure regurgitations when so many charactors are left unmolded! Those new figure votes are garbage. Why do we need to vote when Hasbro should just make them all!! Don't get me wrong, I like some of the new regurgitations they are doing. It's just that some time should pass to warrent a regurgitation as well as an improvement in the current sculpting process. The constant repetition of closely released Mauls, OB1s and Qui-gons was disgusting marketing and very boring! Hasbro should at least wait a year before repeating a charactor and it should be a definite improvement like the recent Rebel Trooper who can stand or kneel and has a neck!

**CaptainSolo1138** · 01-10-2002

Pre-posing works well with some figures. For instance, the 100th figure Boba Fett was frickin' incredible ( he's looking at me as I write this ). On the other hand, Nute Gunray kinda looks like he's playin with himself ( with all due respect to the viceroy ). So I'm really on the fence with this topic.