GI Joe Sigma 6

[JediTricks]

I know a lot of Joe fans are really miffed by this line, I was among them when we first saw the Sigma 6 line as I've been a RAH fan since forever. However, what drew me to the RAH line is what ultimately just drew me into this new Sigma 6 line: the accessories. RAH was amazing to me because there were a million accessories with every figure, guns, swords, gizmos, you name it, and with Sigma 6, the 4 sets I've bought so far have had even more accessories per figure than even the RAH line! Plus, the 8" scale lets the articulation really work well, and the accessories get to be bigger and more detailed. The minus is that RAH's myriad of vehicles is not feasible with this S6 line, the only vehicle so far is the Ninja Hovercycle.

So far, I have Snake Eyes, Duke, Storm Shadow, and the Ninja Hovercycle. The cycle is a little big for the figures but doable, and it's nifty in its own right AND has lots of accessories (it has SE's accessories but with a few changes). The figures are all very cool, somewhat cartoony but not ridiculous or overly-anime (well, SE's eyes are, but he has the visor that can cover it up), and each figure sports lots of articulation which was the other thing about RAH that appealed to me. RAH was more about building armies though, where at $15 a pop S6 is definitely not going to have dozens of figures in kids hands, so there are trade-offs, but S6 has great play value just as RAH did. The S6 Joes even have flip-up commlinks on their wrists which is a great touch.

SE and Duke do have an oversized accessory, SE has the whip-star which ain't too bad but also the zipline handle which is just too big (and the whip-star's rope isn't long enough to make that fun anyway), Duke has this oversized grappling gun with huge hook and pull-down-to-go-up feature (but it does work with the switchfire gun so that's a slightly saving grace). SS has a display stand for his 2 swords, it's the least offensive of these larger accessories though. All 3 figures have lots of cool accessories to make up for the one not as cool accessory, Storm Shadow's traditional ninja gear being my favorite overall, though Duke's switchfire blasters and 2 of its attachments are really cool too, and Snake Eyes has some good stuff as well.

I saw one ep of the show, for me it could not have been worse, but I loved the old RAH line for years without thinking about the show (I watched the show, but not religiously like some of my friends at the time), so I am pretty sure S6 will work for me based on the toys in spite of the show and that'll be just fine.

[El Chuxter]

I think the figures look pretty nice, but at $15 each, they're way overpriced. The design is cool overall, and I'm glad we finally got a Snake Eyes that shows some scar tissue. :ninja:

I caught part of an episode of the TV show as well. The animation was gorgeous, the character designs were perfect updates (though Scarlett looked way too young to be getting it on with a Vietnam vet), and I loved that two characters (Duke and Hawk) were referred to by real names.

What didn't I like? Everything else. The story was weak, and focused way too much on Hawk's annoying kid. (I don't recall him having kids in any previous incarnation, and it doesn't fit for a man who, RAH or Sigma 6, devoted his entire life to his country.) Duke got way too much screen time, too. I always thought they misspelled the name of the character initially, and it should've been "Douche." (I may be in a minority, but I'd love to see a 30-minute episode of any GI Joe cartoon that's just Duke getting kicked in the jimmies by every single bad guy.)

And why would an American cartoon be poorly dubbed, regardless of whether it was produced by a Japanese studio? Were they trying to make it look like an import?

The opening credits showed all the really cool Cobras: Destro, Cobra Commander, Zartan, Annie DeCobray-Destro, etc. Why, then, is Hasbro making only a Storm Shadow? Tell me you wouldn't want a Sigma 6 styled Zartan or Destro. C'mon. I dare you.

[Bacta Beast]

Dare taken! Two reasons.
1. The line sucks and I don't want to see anymore of the characters I like ruined.
2.Even if I liked the line, I couldn't afford to buy them because of the rising cost of fuel, and the rising cost of Star Wars collecting due to online (Entertainment Earth & Star Wars Shop) exclusives!

Okay I do think it's cool how the top and bottom of the packaging become the carrying case for the accessories.:yes:

[JediTricks]

Chux, how much do you think they should be then? I think $12 is the magic number there, they're 8" figures with lots of articulation and gear and a big weapons case, they're not gonna be the same price as a 4" figure.

Next wave of figures has Cobra Commander and a BAT, BATs being the line's main Cobra grunt, so the villains are not out of the running. I do agree that they should have put Destro or another Cobra into the first wave alongside the awesome Storm Shadow figure, it's not right having 4 Joes to 1 Cobra.


Tell me you wouldn't want a Sigma 6 styled Zartan or Destro. C'mon. I dare you.Dare taken! Two reasons.
1. The line sucks and I don't want to see anymore of the characters I like ruined.Er, Hasbro already did that with the RAH line with both those characters, I give you the last iterations of Destro the Pinhead: http://www.yojoe.com/action/04/destro11.shtml
and Zartan in disguise as a boring generic figure:
http://www.yojoe.com/action/04/zartan7.shtml

Face it, Hasbro hasn't been doing right by a lot of these characters, we cannot hold onto the past because otherwise we get stuff like this...
http://www.yojoe.com/action/82/cobra.shtml

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! What a complete loser!

[Bacta Beast]

Hey, I love that little guy!!!

OK, OK! I just bought my son Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and the Ninja Cycle (because you know ninja were all about the high tech stuff) for his birthday.

[Bacta Beast]

Chux, how much do you think they should be then? I think $12 is the magic number there, they're 8" figures with lots of articulation and gear and a big weapons case, they're not gonna be the same price as a 4" figure.

I have a hard time seeing Marvel Legends for $7-$8 ea. and then seeing these for $15. I would think $10 would be more reasonable. Still more than "Legends" and fair considering the higher quality plastic and packaging gimic.

[JediTricks]

So, what did the kid think of the toys? And the modern ninja would need to adapt... ok, that's lame, even for me. ;)


Marvel Legends is several inches shorter and far less material, almost no good accessories, and their quality control & play value is... shall we say, not top-drawer? :p I do hear ya though, $15 does seem pretty high.

[Ji'dai]

I had time to get a better look at these figures yesterday. Although I've lost interest in Joe stuff, I do think the figures are pretty neat looking. I don't care for anime at all and haven't seen the new cartoon but the sculpts weren't that bad. Looked like the figures have decent articulation and are packaged in a cool box with their accessories on display. As someone mentioned already, I noticed that the box caps fit together to make a footlocker to hold the accessories; plus those boxes are stackable. Too bad they won't hold the figure too.

The $15 pricepoint is the major stumbling block. I don't know if kids will be able to talk parents into springing for a potentially large line of figures at this price. Personally, I have a hard time justifying more than $10 on a figure, even if the new Joes are a couple of inches taller than the standard McFarlane or NECA figure, which usually retail around ten bucks. I just passed on the new Hellboy figures since they were $15 each. I started feeling buyer remorse just handling them in the store :D

[Bacta Beast]

So, what did the kid think of the toys? And the modern ninja would need to adapt... ok, that's lame, even for me. ;)


Marvel Legends is several inches shorter and far less material, almost no good accessories, and their quality control & play value is... shall we say, not top-drawer? :p I do hear ya though, $15 does seem pretty high.

My son loves them and was suprised that I bought them. The Accessories are cool, the plastic is nice and tough, but personally I still don't like the sculpts. But the motorcyc;e has some cool features.

The was a wave or two, a couple years ago where I thought it looked like Hasbro was goin to "get it right" with the revisted American Heroe line. There was a really good Duke, and Snake Eyes. But ever since they relaunched it I didn't like the comic style profile shots. It was like POTF2, everyone looked like He-Man! I would have gone nuts over vintage style packaging, and probably paid more for each figure that way!

[JediTricks]

They're offering new RAH figures in classic-style packaging on the Hasbro site now, the line isn't dead, just pushed to the internet.

I don't know why, but when you were talking about the POTF2 figs, I thought you said they all looked like Pac-Man! What a picture that put in my head! :crazed: :D

[Fluke Skywalker]

IMO, Hasbro hasn't done right by Joe since about 1987. Anyone remember "Eco Warriors"? :rolleyes:

The latest 3 3/4 figures I've seen are all using the same molds from the 80's, but with cheap looking plastic and bad paint jobs. I had some hope for the "Sigma 6" line, but they don't look that impressive up close, and like a lot of people have said, $15 is too high. I'll stick to the classic RAH line :thumbsup:

[Bacta Beast]

Cobra lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalaaa!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

[Adam]

I've been eyeing these lately. While I had GI Joes as a kid, overtime I grew to dislike the 3 3/4inch line. These seem like something I could get into though.. Storm Shadow looks pretty cool. I really shouldn't spend the money, but I might pick SS up and see how much I like it.

[JediTricks]

Storm Shadow is easily my favorite, he's worth getting even if you don't get any others. He has a ton of ninja accessories, you cannot go too wrong with him.

[El Chuxter]

Cobra lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalaaa!!!!!!!!!!!! !!

That is truly, truly sick.

[JediTricks]

WM has the Sigma 6 figs on sale for $12.34, so I bought Heavy Duty since I had been considering him since day 1. He's not bad, but I'm glad I didn't pay full price.

The figure itself is pretty good, he's big and burly, way bigger than any of the others, and he even has an extra point of articulation, the entire upper arm can rotate at the shoulder. On mine, the left arm articulation is a little loose which kinda screws up poseability with the big gun because of its weight, it doesn't look bad per se but there's less pose choices.

As for accessories, he has pants that have a clipping belt, snap fly, and a clip at the bottom of each leg which cinches it closed, the pants also have several working pockets; a plastic bandana on his head; comm goggles/glasses; and the huge cannon with its backpack, power cores, ammo belt, and slide-on missile launcher with 2 missiles; also, because Heavy Duty's box is bigger, his ammo case made from the caps is deeper back than the others, it holds the backpack and its 2 cores, and you can put the other accessories in except the gun which is massive.

Oddly, they neglected to accomodate both the bandana AND glasses, so one has to be moved slightly around the ears to accomodate the other.

Heavy Duty's gun is very big and not too shabby, the gattling barrel rotates when you wind up the back and hit the switch, the barrel piece can pop off so it won't break during a fall, and it has a slide-on missile launcher which doesn't overwhelm it. However, the rotating drum inside that's supposed to change colors to show it's firing is uniform in color and shape, so it doesn't look like jack squat. The gun's trigger handle (for the figure, not the wind-up trigger) can rotate up or down to accomodate more poses, that's cool. Having the missile launcher NOT be optionally a handheld weapon is a little disappointing, but it doesn't look bad without a missile so I ain't too sad, plus you can fudge it in Heavy Duty's hand thanks to a small angled tab ahead of the trigger.

He's good, but since I like accessories he's not great. Most of the gimmick work well and look good, and he's big and well-articulated even if mine has a weak arm.


I also realized that the Ninja Hovercycle isn't out of scale with the line, it's the right scale for Duke, unfortunately for Snake Eyes that means it's a large bike for a small guy. ;)

I also picked up the Cobra Ninja Hovercycle last night at WM, haven't even opened it yet, it's got Storm Shadow's colorscheme and dragon but the dragon is a little sloppy and overwhelming. The windshield is a different piece and there's a different tail on the back, but the rest of the bike is the same. The bike has new accessories, some throwing stars and some new swords and some other goodies, I'll check 'em out later today and report back.

[El Chuxter]

Heavy Duty? Bah. Cheap-arse Roadblock knockoff. Considering they've got the name Roadblock, and most of these are updates of classic characters, why'd they pick Heavy Duty? With him in the line, I expect Skidmark and Super Trooper to come soon.

[Bacta Beast]

I'll stick to the classic RAH line :thumbsup:

Too bad Hasbro didn't.

[JediTricks]

Heavy Duty? Bah. Cheap-arse Roadblock knockoff. Considering they've got the name Roadblock, and most of these are updates of classic characters, why'd they pick Heavy Duty? With him in the line, I expect Skidmark and Super Trooper to come soon.
I dunno why they chose Heavy Duty over Roadblock, maybe Heavy Duty's strength or youth. I don't really care, I don't equate these figures THAT strongly with the RAH line, I mean, Long Range wasn't even a sniper before, he was a driver, Low Light was the sniper.

Super Trooper and Skidmark were from '88, Heavy Duty first was released in '91, while Skidmark and ST there had only 1 issuing, there have been 9 versions of Heavy Duty, so it's not like he's an unknown the way those others are. (now, if you had taken a cheap shot at Spirit Iron-Knife, I would have had no ground to stand on :D)

Too bad Hasbro didn't.The RAH line isn't dead, in fact it's gone back to the classic cards, with new figures and vehicles even, and some have been integrated into Sigma 6 (apparently S6 characters are also being integrated into the RAH line at that size) it's just an online exclusive now: http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsByBrand.htm?BR=520

[El Chuxter]

Yeah, but Heavy Duty still sucks. I can't wait for a Raptor or Serpentor Sigma Six figure.

Weren't there only so many Heavy Duty figures because they were really supposed to be Roadblock, but Hasbro wasn't able to get the rights back to that name for the first few waves of the "Vs Cobra" line? That's the way I'd always understood it.

And as for age, Spirit, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and Duke are all considerably older than Heavy Duty in RAH continuity. I believe he didn't show up until the Devil's Due run a couple of years ago (or at least way late in the Marvel run), whereas the others were early recruits to their teams. Snakes and Stormie were both Vietnam vets who served on the LRRP headed by Lonzo "Stalker" Wilkinson, so they're way old now.

But still kicking butt, lest ye doubt it. :ninja:

[Bacta Beast]

I know about the RAH line continuing. And I think the new ones look awesome. I just wish Hasbro would have made that their retail offering and stuck with it in that sense.:thumbsup: Spirit Iron Knife rocks, Airbourne rocks, Grand Slam & Flash rock, Hawk can kick Dukes butt, and Roadblock is always going to be better than Heavy Duty!!!!!!:D

[JediTricks]

Weren't there only so many Heavy Duty figures because they were really supposed to be Roadblock, but Hasbro wasn't able to get the rights back to that name for the first few waves of the "Vs Cobra" line? That's the way I'd always understood it.I dunno, let's look at the years they share that we're talking about:
'91 - Heavy Duty
'92 - Roadblock
'93 - Heavy Duty, Roadblock, another Roadblock
'94 - Roadblock
'98 - Heavy Duty (w/ MOBAT)
'02 - Roadblock (part of Vs Cobra 8-fig boxed set), Heavy Duty x3 (2 were the same carded set repainted from each other, the third was the same fig repainted with the vehicle)
'03 - Roadblock (all new, part of regular line), Heavy Duty (also new and part of regular line)
'04 - Roadblock x3 (regular line, 2 different figs in 2 carded 6-packs of figures), Heavy Duty (regular line, and single-carded)

The Joe vs Cobra line was '02, Heavy Duty was in the regular line, but Roadblock was also released in that line in a boxed set that year, and his name is on the packaging and is trademarked. I don't think Heavy Duty was ever a replacement for the Roadblock trademarked name.

And as for age, Spirit, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, and Duke are all considerably older than Heavy Duty in RAH continuity.Yeah, and none of them hang out with him on the S6 show (which sucks bad), only the youthful and annoying Tunnel Rat hangs with Heavy Duty.


I just wish Hasbro would have made that their retail offering and stuck with it in that senseYou can blame that on the retailers who were getting clogged with unselling RAH product (as well as 12"ers), or you can blame it on the market losing interest causing retailers to get clogged with unselling RAH product.

Spirit Iron Knife rocks, Airbourne rocks, Grand Slam & Flash rock, Hawk can kick Dukes butt, and Roadblock is always going to be better than Heavy Duty!!!!!!What are we, 8 years old and hanging out on the schoolyard? "Superman can totally run faster than the Flash!!!" "Batman could kick Storm Shadow's butt!!!" :p

[El Chuxter]

Batman could kick Storm Shadow's butt, but it'd be close and he'd probably die of his injuries afterwards. :)

BTW, Flash is dead. He died on Cobra Island a couple of years ago. :cry:

[JediTricks]

Which Flash though, Wally West or Barry Allen?

I can't argue about Batman defeating Storm Shadow, but I don't think he'd die from the injuries afterwards, he's got body armor for a suit that even covers his head, plus a medically-trained butler to save his butt for those times when he does get wounded.

Oh, look what a mess I've made now! :D I'm still getting Long Range when he comes out, even though he's a nobody in the RAH line.

[El Chuxter]

Batman may have armor, but Storm Shadow survived being gunned down by a HISS Tank at short range. That's got to count for something. :crazed:

[Bacta Beast]

Lol!!!!lol :D Anthony S. Gambello!!! That flash!! (Man there's something wrong with me that I remember that)!!!!!:cross-eye

Dude!!!!! Dude!!!!!!! Isn't that what fanboys do?!!!!! Debate things that aren't worth arguing about in the first place!!!!

[JediTricks]

Nobody would remember that, you had to look it up! ;) Seriously though, that Flash can't outrun Supes.

[Bacta Beast]

Believe it or not, it was memory, swear to God!! Man I need to move out of my grandma's basement!:cross-eye
Let me see . .
Conrad J. Hauser - Duke
Clayton M. Abernathy - Hawk
Lorenzo Wilkinson? - Stalker
Shanna? O'Hara - Scarlett
Classified - Snake Eyes (but I'm pretty sure his name is Pete):D

Conrad! Who names their kid Conrad?!!!! "Hey Shanna, you wanna catch a movie?" "No thanks, I don't date guys named Conrad!":squareeye

[El Chuxter]

I believe it's Lonzo Wilkinson. :p

from memory:
Tommy Arishikage: Storm Shadow
James Cullen Destro: Destro
Anastasia deCobray: Baroness
Owen King: Sneak Peek (?) (Someone from that wave -- he was named after Stephen King's son)
Marvin Hinton (?): Roadblock

I'm blanking on Flint and Lady Jaye, but I know their names somewhere in the back of my mind.

Also, I don't recall the combinations, but the first names of the original Dreadnoks were Tom, Dick, and Harry, and their last names were Wynken, Blynken, and Nodd. lol

[JediTricks]

Wow, you guys are scaring me. Either that, or I owe Larry Hama a TON of apologies for not paying more attention to his filecards. :p

[El Chuxter]

Larry Hama isn't quite God, but he is an understudy for the role. Do not forget that.

Seriously, what do you think caused my Jubilee fixation? That stupid cartoon or Hama's stint on Wolverine? :crazed:

[JediTricks]

I just figured you had a screw loose. :D


Anyway, last night at TRU I came across the $10 Sigma 6 figures, they had a single Tunnel Rat, a single Ninja BAT, and 2 Sea Ops Duke - the cardback shows Kamakura as well, but he wasn't there, and the cardback doesn't show Long-Range so I guess he's not in this wave. These are on bubble cards like the 12" GI Joe line, the art and design is meant to look like the $15 figures with the accessory case caps, but no caps with these figs. Unfortunately, something I've begun to realize about the Sigma 6 packaging, it doesn't really show off the features particularly well, which is doubly shameful since this $10 wave doesn't come with a poster/catalog.

I didn't buy Sea Ops Duke, he wasn't the same as the last Duke, although probably the same head, and had a web vest like Snake Eyes', underwater goggles, flippers, his switchfire pistols with another attachment over one, and a little motor thing that pulled him (pretend, no actual motor). If they had made this another character instead of Duke, I would have bought it.

I bought Tunnel Rat, he's got way too long of arms, but otherwise has a reasonable small body for the job, his outfit is part orange. He's wearing a web vest similar to Snake Eyes' except with more plastic sections and the belt part doesn't hold much at all; his backpack has wheels, you can pull the bottom part down and unfold 2 control surfaces (or whatever they are) making it a sled, it has a pair of antenna lights which are non-working but can be removed and put on his harness so he can use them while laying down. Has 2 large grenades with pegs so he can put them on his outfit or belt, an oversized butterfly knife which has no peg, well-fitting goggles, an MP5-style machine gun on an elastic strap but the clip isn't removable and the stock doesn't fold and gets in the way, and he has a nifty pistol with removable clip (which is impossible to actually use this way since the thumb-notch at the back below the slide is HUGE, no way the bullet could travel past that :D). All in all, he could stand to have a few more accessories, but he's alright.

I also bought the Cobra Ninja BAT, he's very cool. He's about as tall as Duke, kinda reminds me of the Ultron figure from Toy Biz's Avengers line (lanky evil robot), he's a brownish gray but unfortunately the face and some pieces have the "plastic wasn't mixed in properly" swirl which detracts from the look a little; also, his eyes and bottom of his head are red, but the eyes would have stood out better if they had stuck with the prototype (black around the red). The figure is well-articulated in the legs and right arm, the torso just has a standard waist, and the left arm has no elbow articulation because of a gimmick but otherwise has the same articulation as the right. Both forearms have a universal-jointed claw-hand, and beneath that on the wrist is a spring-out clear red blade which is very nifty. The left forearm is actually on a string, you can pull it out a good distance - longer than the figure is tall - and then hit the button on the chest and the arm retracts, cool gimmick indeed. The figure comes with a long techno-sword (more a broadsword than a ninja sword) that has a purple hilt and translucent-red blade, the red trans plastic is used lots of places on this set, it's an odd color really, not clear enough to be "energy" but not "solid" either; also a pair of shorter swords which can connect to make 1 sword; and a 2-handled blaster rifle with curved bayonnet (too bad the blade isn't removable, it looks odd here), all the weapons have pegs so they can be put into the holes on his back, but those holes are so close together that no 2 weapons can be there at the same time. Still, a pretty good figure, he holds the rifle well and looks mean and has a nifty gimmick.

[El Chuxter]

I just picked up Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes today at the Target sale. I'm still in awe of these two. They're easily the best figures Hasbro has released this year, and considering that they put out that awesome Royal Guard in May, that's some high praise.

They combine the cool styling of the SW Force Battlers with articulation more akin to (but not quite equal to) Marvel Legends.

I was only going to get these two, but Spirit and Heavy Duty are looking better every moment. (It would take a Cobra Commander pack-in to get me to buy that Conrad Hauser doofus. I just can't be a fan of Duke. In my book, he's always going to be the goody-two-shoes who needs a swift kick in the crotch.)

The BAT being reminiscent of Ultron sounds cool. Ultron was another favorite Marvel character of mine, though they never seemed to use him to full potential.

I've not been paying much attention to this line, and am regretting it now. What other characters are on the way? (Please say Flint and Scarlett, please say Flint and Scarlett.)

[JediTricks]

Glad you jumped into the line and dig it. If you get Spirit, let us know what you think, I keep wondering if I should get him after all since WM and Target have 'em on sale for under $13. As for other characters coming out, there's Long Range (now a sniper) and Cobra Commander, we've already seen their photos, and Scarlett is in the show so she may appear at some point soon (although I hate her design myself, the figures have actually been superior to the show art so it might work), as for others I don't know yet.


Also, I am downgrading my opinion of Tunnel Rat, he sucks because most of his accessories aren't particularly cool, his arms go down to his knees, and his backpack sled keeps coming off.

As for the Ninja BAT, I forgot to mention a small feature, his front chest panel comes off to reveal some bronze-painted gears, it's not as cool as any RAH version of the BAT's chest though (I mean c'mon, a robot this sophisticated is run by a bunch of dopey gears?!?). It doesn't change my opinion of the figure though, he's still fairly cool.

[El Chuxter]

I saw the BAT and Kamakura over the weekend and passed. I was really looking forward to Kamakura. A dude whose father was a former Crimson Guard and is training under Snake Eyes to be the next Arishikage Master? What's not to love? Or so I thought until I saw this neon yellow travesty.

[JediTricks]

Yeah, I saw the photos, he looks bad in yellow, I don't get how they got that color out of the previous green Kamakura figure either.

I'm gonna buy Sea Ops Duke soon, I can feel it. I am a sucker for underwater-themed figures.

[Ji'dai]

I spotted a Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow two-pack with DVD at TRU today. They are packed in a regular cardboard box with display window; their accesories are displayed on the right side similar to the plastic "footlocker" figures.

Both figures sport repaints: Snake Eyes has white accents on his uniform and is clad in soft-goods black cargo pants. Tommy has gray painted arms instead of the normal flesh tone; his obi is black instead of the usual red.

The DVD claims to have the entire episode where this confrontation betwen the two ninjas takes place. The set retails for $19.99 - a pretty decent price for a DVD and two figures which typically retail for $15 each.

[Ji'dai]

The local TRU had Longrange, Ninja Armor Snake Eyes, and Cobra Commander today. CC has that ridiculous rotating battle-damage chest plate action feature commonly seen on the MOTU figures.

[JediTricks]

Wow, I am still on the lookout for Kamakura and Sea Ops Duke who dried up quickly.

[El Chuxter]

Had I known that, I could've probably have helped you out earlier today. I saw both at Target so, uh, these are hitting Target now.

[JediTricks]

I saw Kamakura and Sea Ops Duke last week at Target but couldn't afford 'em at the time, $11.99 is $2 more than TRU which is lame. I did end up getting Sea Ops Duke at Target last night because TRUs have dried up in my area and I wanted a new figure. He's alright, they painted his switchfire pistols better than last time. It's a fun set, probably worth the $10, but it feels like the big accessory should do 1 more thing or there should be 1 more accessory. Duke's head doesn't tilt up quite as much as it should for swimming, so you gotta have his torso tilt up too, which is probably more realistic.

Bananakura was sold out last night, I like his accessories but he's a bright yellow eyesore, nice ninja skills there idiot! You'll really hide well with a neon outfit.

[El Chuxter]

I got Cobra Commander last week and opened him last night. He's cool, but a bit of a disappointment after Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. The articulation is more limited, the accessories aren't as cool (the staff would rock except for the gigantonormous fangs), and the "He-Man Battle Damage" chest feature sucks hard. Barring a Scarlett, Baroness, Zartan, Firefly, or Destro, he's probably my last purchase from the line. They're cool, but hella expensive.

Not sure what the deal is with the packaging, but he and the other two new figures (a re-do Snake Eyes and a new (?) character named Long Range, who looks cool but I don't recognize) are back in the $15 foot locker cases.

[JediTricks]

There are 2 classes, the foot locker packages are the $15 figures in the "Commando assortment" who have more accessories, while the carded packages are the $10 "Soldier assortment" and have less accessories.

I still haven't gotten Kamakura yet, I hate his bright yellow colors but I could believe him as a Cobra agent and I like his accessories, so I'll get him when I see him at TRU for $10 (Target has him for $12, talk about a RIP OFF). I saw Cobra Commander and came within a hair's breadth of getting him, but ultimately passed because of the doofy huge fangs on the staff and the shield's blades not being retractable, I'll get him if I ever see him on sale. I liked CC's removable helmet, wrist blasters, and pistol storage, but really he doesn't have enough accessories to warrant being a $15, he's a $10 in oversized packaging.

Of the next waves of figures, I like both Solider asst figs, crossbow Storm Shadow with blades and no shirt, and Aero BAT which has a great weapon and I love jetpacks but hopefully those arm tanks can come off, here's photos: http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HJ82310B#LargeImage

The next Commando asst is very hit-n-miss, I like Duke with the jetpack and facial growth, but I *hate* flamethrower Heavy Duty:
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HJ82261C#LargeImage


Also, I got the other figs in Cobra Commander's asst...

GI Joe Sigma 6 Long Range - kick ***! This figure rocks, he's double-cool gnarly on a stick. Trenchcoat, sniper rifle, knife, breech-loading double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun. The sniper rifle is a little oversized, and when you add the silenced or ranged barrel it becomes something you could use to take down the Hubble Telescope from the bottom of the Grand Canyon - it's larger than a 1/6th scale version! But I forgive this because it has a removable (albeit bulletless) clip and part of it actually recoils with a trigger that allows either 1 shot per pull OR all six shots at once, and you can slide on a scope and a bipod and a grenade launcher, plus the instructions confirm that it's already a sniper rifle without the extra barrels. Some kickass accessories, and the coat has 2 makeshift pockets in the inside to boot. And Long Range ain't so shabby himself, he's got a lot of character in his face and a short pony tail. I haven't found a good shooting pose yet though.

GI Joe Sigma 6 Snake Eyes Ninja Armor - the armor for his head, shoulders, and chest really change how this figure looks, essentially it's the same figure underneath as the first SE except with green paint and no harness, the armor makes him look cooler and bigger, but not really more ninja-like even though it is dark and doesn't hinder his range of motion. Other accessories include shin armor with fold out blades on the side, the tri-sword which folds up to be more of a broadsword (this looks cool), a machine gun, a spear, and a stick that can connect to the spear or sword... oh, and the air-brake jetpack which I caught on the show, 4 short winglets flip open to 2 different angles, it's cool and works nicely for something so compact. SE still has the knock-kneed lower legs which sucks, but if you angle the lower body for dynamic posing they look decent.

[JediTricks]

GI Joe Sigma 6 Kamakura - better than I expected, very cool accessories, fig not all that much reminiscent of the previous version of the character but I never cared too much for that figure anyway. Kamakura is an average height and build in this line without the awkwardness of Snake Eyes' lower legs, his forearms and lower legs have "wrapped" sculpting, and the rest of the body is standard fare. His head is masked up to the eyes, then a metal band above the eyes and sculpted hair, the back of the band has 2 small fabric tails, it's all a good look, and changes a lot when you add the goggles. His outfit piece is a belt with a fabric loincloth and a plastic shoulder strap, the belt and strap have a lot of standard-sized pegholes, the peg on the back is a standard peg which can hold the battle-star, and there's a large loop right next to that for a bladed weapon. All this makes for a nifty hoodless-ninja look, marred by just one tiny problem: Kamakura went to the Batman-toys school of stealth, "blind your enemies with bright colors, then sneak away!" Kamakura's is painted half sigma6 black and half yellow, and it's just too loud -- actually if he were a Cobra he could get away with it, but not as much for a Joe.

Kamakura's accessories are where it's at for me, nothing too fancy except for the bolo launcher, so I'll start there. The bolo arm launcher is really a handheld weapon, it's not big enough to be a small shield really, which is too bad because that would have made sense, the bolo launcher has some tech detailing (which seems odd with an otherwise tech-less figure such as this) and fires 2 tied-together missiles at the same time (usually, anyway), the spring power is VERY strong but the string between the missiles (which each have a different head) isn't long enough to do much. The bolo launcher has 2 holes in the bottom which accomodate 2 of the 4 included small connection pegs for the other weapons. Kamakura also has his removable visor goggles which fit smartly.

The rest of the accessories are more ninjitsu, all the weapons have the fatter handles like Snake Eyes' accessories than the thinner handles of Storm Shadow's. There's a pair of silver & blue-bladed kama sycthes with a standard peg each on the side for storage and holes in the bottoms to take small connection pegs, a bo staff with connection peg-holes at each end and a tonfa-style fold-out handle (the same kind Snake Eyes' swords have), a silver & blue-bladed katana sword with a connection peg-hole in the back and a sheath very similar to Snake Eyes' but shorter and with a standard peg halfway down the side (this can peg into the back or even better the shoulder strap), a mace made up of 3 separate parts: a short handle with connection peg-holes at either end and a larger standard peg on the side, a mace-head with connection peg-hole at the bottom, and a very nice real metal chain which has a connection peg at either end. And finally, the battle-star which is a 3-bladed chest-sized throwing star that rotates into a 6-bladed version, there's a standard peg-hole at one end which is a little odd but can connect to most of the weapons as well as the peg holding together the belt/shoulder strap. All in all, a lot of cool configurations can be made with these, and there's enough connection pegs to go the distance, I like the metal chain so much I wish they had included a second one, it's the perfect size. All the accessories can be stored somewhere (except the bolo launcher which he can hold), most can use their standard pegs for the belt, shoulder strap, or leg holes, the star can be plugged onto the belt or slid into the big loop, and both the bo and star can fit nicely under the shoulder strap.

Bottom line, Kamakura is a "decent, alright" figure with a really outstanding array of weapons which can be recombined over and over into different configurations, and that's where it's at for me. Scrape the S6 logo off his chest and he's a believable badguy, can't have enough of them, I don't care for his official bio anyway so he's just whatever I want of him.

[JediTricks]

A lot has come out since my last post, so I'll just mention the 2 newest basic carded figures I've seen at Target lately, yet another Snake Eyes and Desert Long Range. Snake Eyes has a gun that can articulate to shoot around corners, plus some night-vision gogs and a grappling hook (that might even be what the gun shoots), I totally passed. Desert Long Range has a floppy hat a la Luke, 1 six-shooter, no trench coat or sniper rifle, and a mortar-launcher that shoots a missile probably, again, easily walked on this one.

[seanmcfripp]

Nobody's mentioned, so I will...

Firefly is out too. Actually a very cool figure, if anyone has $10 to blow. I could care less about Firefly being a reboot character in Sigma 6, so I think that allows me to enjoy the figure for what it really is. Pretty sweet accessories (except for the doofy spinning trap thing), great articulation, and a killer head sculpt all make for a really fun, nice looking toy. I still like Long Range and CC the best so far.

Call me crazy, but I'm really looking forward to Destro. That crazy blue and red jacket just does something for me.

[El Chuxter]

Is Destro out yet? I've seen him on cardbacks, but not in person.

These are nice figures but, so far, I'm only collecting those characters that I like and that are similar to their vintage look. So thus far, Snake Eyes (I), Storm Shadow (I, though II is sweet with his tattoo), Cobra Commander, and Kamakura. (Okay, Kamakura was free at TRU with my purchase of the 3.75" Viper Lockdown set. The neon yellow is silly, but I'd rather have the younger Mr Collins than Duke.)

I want Destro pretty badly, and if they ever get around to making Baroness, Zartan, or Scarlett, I'll get them.

Maybe Sigma Six could include Billy in their lame cartoon, so we could get a figure of him.

[JediTricks]

I saw Firefly at the store, his lightsabers bothered me, and he has no real weapon, just a machine gun. I was tempted, far more so than desert Long Range or Snake Eyes around the corner gun, but $10 he didn't have enough accessories to justify my immediate purchase.

EDIT: Nicely timed Chux! :D Destro not out yet, looks like a great set though.

[seanmcfripp]

I saw Firefly at the store, his lightsabers bothered me, and he has no real weapon, just a machine gun. I was tempted, far more so than desert Long Range or Snake Eyes around the corner gun, but $10 he didn't have enough accessories to justify my immediate purchase.

Oh come on, give in to that temptation. The lightsabers are indeed cheesy, until you read the little weapon profile form the instructions, at which point you'll realize they're called "flame sticks." Ahhh, flame sticks...not like lightsabers at all. Yeah right. Seriously though, they're not too bad. The flames actually work with the gun barrel to make a neat looking "flash" of the gun being fired.

As far as accessories, it's somewhat deceptive how the packaging shows off the toy. All the webgear is separate, as are the kneepads and elbow pads. So when you strip Firefly down to the basic figure, he actually has a pretty good accessory count.

[El Chuxter]

I won't buy him, because Firefly is supposed to be a homicidal, ninja-trained Vietnamese master of disguise and demolitions. Not a white dude with a goatee and lightsabers.

[JediTricks]

Aside from his outfit accessories, what does he have? 2 F lame Sticks :p, a spinning death thing, and a small machine gun that doesn't have removable parts. IMO, that's not enough, he needs more REAL accessories since every figure has outfit accessories.

BTW, I've heard that apparently Firefly's bio suggests he's going to be a turncoat.

[El Chuxter]

The real Firefly wouldn't need accessories. He could kill you with a paperclip. The guy was such a mastermind that he used an arcane form of instant hypnosis so that no one would remember his face if they saw it. Since the mind couldn't recall what was there, it registered a blur. Thus he became known as the Faceless Master of the Koga Clan, and he was even a visiting sensei to the Arashikage Clan during the training of Snake Eyes.

"True" story. ;)

[Ji'dai]

I didn't realize Hasbro was expanding this line by introducing a new scale. I saw new 2.5" figure sets today at both K-Mart and TRU. The "Action Sets" run about $8-9 and have either all figures or a figure or two & small mini-vehicle. The "Mission Sets" run about $10-12 and have a figure and larger vehicle.

[figrin bran]

those action sets pretty much sold out within a week at my local TRU!

[JediTricks]

None of the first wave does anything for me, the vehicles suck and the figures are too small without good vehicles. ;) The next wave does look better though.

[JetsAndHeels]

This is a bit off topic, but when does Sigma 6 come on now? My local station airs some other show in the 11:30 am slot on Saturday mornings now and its making me mad!! I checked the 4kids tv web site and nothing. :(

[Ji'dai]

Spotted the 2.5" Night Ops V.A.M.P. with Snake-Eyes and Long Range, though not the Cobra Firebat. It looked like a more robust vehicle than the ones in the Mission sets.

Also saw the Major Bludd wave in the new RAH line.

[Adam]

Well, Sigma Strike Duke broke my resolve to not buy any S6 figures. He just looked freakin cool, that I couldn't resist. The first S6 Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow have already joined him on the shelf... I NEED a Kamkura, and I don't think the upcoming one with the wings will do it for me.

[JediTricks]

I was tempted by Sigma Strike Duke, but didn't have the extra cash to get a $20 figure I wasn't totally sure of at that time. How is he? I like his jetpack and look and weapon thing, but that doesn't say enough out-of-package.

I've been passing up a lot of this line lately, too many retreads of already-made characters, and not enough nifty accessories lately. I feel bad because I do like the line, but they're kinda strangling it.

I don't like how the 2.5" vehicles look, they're not really right for my tastes, not quite cool enough. I've seen all the sets except the cobra Firebat - I don't think it's out, even though it's on all the packaging. I saw the Nighthawk, big box and kinda pricey for the 2.5" line, but the pics don't make the toy look that good really.

[Adam]

I think Sstrike Duke is pretty great. When comparing him to Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, his accessories seem to justify the 20 bucks. The back pack stabilizes the weight from the gun, so he's pretty stable, although the legs aren't quite tight enough so he can fall if not posed just right. The visor falls off the helmet on mine, although I hear that others don't have this problem. He only comes with one switchfire, but he doesn't really need them, not with that massive cannon with 4 different attachements!

Picked up Destro, Arctic Duke, Hi-Tech and Long Range commando's today. These things are pricey! What's with the blinking lights on the packages?

[Adam]

Forgot to mention I saw a Paratrooper Duke at TRU. Are they nuts? The thing was $25 bucks but probably should have been in the soldier assortment.

[Ji'dai]

Picked up Destro, Arctic Duke, Hi-Tech and Long Range commando's today. These things are pricey! What's with the blinking lights on the packages? I saw those today except for Destro. The blinking light is an odd thing to include. I noticed it's powered by 2 Double-A's in a small open-faced battery pack, which precludes the idea of keeping these figures MOC.

I saw that paratrooper Duke at TRU too, but didn't realize it was so expensive. Must be the special packaging pushing the price up.

The 2.5" Dragonhawk is out too. It is big and looks like it's based on the V-22 Osprey.

[JediTricks]

I've seen Paratrooper Duke a couple times, mega lame and way overpriced. I've also seen the quad bike with Duke, it looks pretty lame, nowhere near as cool as the ninja hovercycles, I don't think it even has a major feature, plus another Duke figure!

I picked up "Sigma Strike" Duke yesterday, I was expecting a little better, it's a good packaged display, and for the most part a nifty execution of a gimmick, but it sucks having yet another Duke figure, the Switchfire pistol holster isn't a standard S6 plug, and it falls a bit short in some QC areas like paint quality and the visor often comes off the helmet and most importantly in joint strength - he can barely stand or hold the gun up in some poses, and the swap-out weapon comes apart sometimes. The electronics are fun but the jetpack is very large because of the batteries inside, and why a green LED instead of blue? The sounds and lights are for the most part pretty entertaining, and I like how the attachments look on the weapon even if he can barely hold it. The insert for the foot locker BARELY fits when closed. I'm leaning towards grading it: B-.

[JetsAndHeels]

Today I picked up the set with the mini snake eyes, storm shadow, kamakura, and ninja bat figures. This one is called the nightblade mission.
Very cool little set.

[Adam]

I've seen Paratrooper Duke a couple times, mega lame and way overpriced. I've also seen the quad bike with Duke, it looks pretty lame, nowhere near as cool as the ninja hovercycles, I don't think it even has a major feature, plus another Duke figure!

I picked up "Sigma Strike" Duke yesterday, I was expecting a little better, it's a good packaged display, and for the most part a nifty execution of a gimmick, but it sucks having yet another Duke figure, the Switchfire pistol holster isn't a standard S6 plug, and it falls a bit short in some QC areas like paint quality and the visor often comes off the helmet and most importantly in joint strength - he can barely stand or hold the gun up in some poses, and the swap-out weapon comes apart sometimes. The electronics are fun but the jetpack is very large because of the batteries inside, and why a green LED instead of blue? The sounds and lights are for the most part pretty entertaining, and I like how the attachments look on the weapon even if he can barely hold it. The insert for the foot locker BARELY fits when closed. I'm leaning towards grading it: B-.


I'm leaning towards glueing the visor to the helmet and just leaving the helmet on, you can't really tell that its Duke with it on. :razz:

[JediTricks]

I kinda like how the helmet looks without the visor, he seems like a different character.

[Adam]

I thought about that, but I think the visor is best since he's supposed to be in a powered suit with fancy gizmo's and such.

[Anakin Palpatine]

Screw all the differant Joe lines they try to reinvent they all suck from Savage to Extreme to this new one!!! Keep on truckin' with the 3 3/4 line but don't make the same figures over and over again with new paint jobs, no neon colors and don't jump all over ninja and space only themes and get back to the way it use to be, one figure per package, many to choose from and all differant themes!!. Sorry to anyone who like the 6 line but I had to get that off of my chest.

[Adam]

Anyways, what figures are you guys looking forward to? I'm just now discovering the stuff shown at the Joe convention and SDCC.

Zartan (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6%2FZartan&pic=1.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0) looks ok, but I'm not sure I like it enough to buy it. If I do pick it up, it will be for the lack of Cobra figures.

Arctic Snake Eyes (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6%2FZartan&pic=3.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0) I like. He's gonna lose that doofy looking hood though when I get my hands on him.

Storm Shadow w/ arm launcher (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6%2FZartan&pic=6.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0). I like the black face mask and the red pants, but this one is just way too much of a rehash. I might get him and consider him to be a generic Cobra ninja or something like that.

Cobra Commander (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6%2FZartan&pic=8.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0) has some strange accessories but I like the way he looks more then the first one, and my Cobra's need a leader! Will get.

Tunnel Rat w/ Demo Gear (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6&pic=TR1.jpg&dispsize=800&start=30). I don't like his accessories, so I will pass.

Tracker Spirit Iron Knife (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6&pic=x01.jpg&dispsize=800&start=30). I dig the cross bow, so I might get this one.

Kamakura with wings (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=GIJoe%2FSigma_6&pic=x06.jpg&dispsize=800&start=30). I changed my mind about this one. I like the weapons he comes with, so I'll probably get him. Still want the first one though.

Lt. Stone (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_0626.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0) looks interesting, but whats with the Zartan peices he comes with? What's his story?

Snake Eyes w/ Copter thingy (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_0643.jpg&dispsize=800&start=0). I'm not sure what to make of this.

Grandslam (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_0783.jpg&dispsize=800&start=30) looks like it could be good, but I need to see more pics.

SHIPWRECK! (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_1170.jpg&dispsize=800&start=75) He is awesome, and will be mine.

Firefly (Cobra) (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_1175.jpg&dispsize=800&start=75) looks good, I dig the flame claw things.

Night Ops Duke (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_1208.jpg&dispsize=800&start=90). Don't like the gun. Will most likely pass.

Storm Shadow w/ Spinning blade backpack thingy (http://afigures.com/g/?mode=view&album=2006_GIJoe_Convention%2FDay_2_Hasbro%2F8_Inc h_Sigma_6&pic=IMG_1220.jpg&dispsize=800&start=105) Like that copter snake eyes, I don't know what to make of this.

BTW - Any one know if Kamakura is still shipping? My store got in the wave one commando's again, so that gives me hope that I won't have to order it online, but I haven't seen any older soldiers yet.

[JediTricks]

First off, my theory about the 2.5" Firebat is shot to hell as I saw 2 of 'em last night at TRU, it's another $15 set like the VAMP. I was slightly tempted but the bulk of the toy is a big jet engine that detaches and shoots 4 traffic cones - lame! Oh, and they had Paratrooper Duke there, $30 not $25, are they out of their MINDS?!?

Second, I haven't seen regular Kamakura in a while now, he's not on any current or upcoming case assortments from EE, so you may be out of luck.

Third, with Sigma Strike Duke, which handles on the weapon do you have him use? It has the grip in the rear, the closer right side handle, the further left side handle, and the underside grip which is a bit too big. I find I want to use the rear grip but nothing really works with it well, so I use the 2 side handles so the gun fits under his right arm.

Onto the new figs rundown...

AF.com has carded pics of those first 5 figures: http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=20&p2_articleid=505

Zartan looks kinda "meh", I'm not digging his look and only half his accessories seem any good, this is a likely "pass".

Arctic Snake Eyes holds no interest for me at all, too much white and not enough cool accessories, plus no foot-locker-insert. Pass.

Storm Shadow Arm Launcher looks awful, mixmatched from the last 2 SS figures plus accessories from everywhere, not a new addition to be found, super mega pass!

black Cobra Commander looks dreadful to me, the colors suck, the new helmet doesn't work for me at all, and I hate the accessories. Ultra pass!

Tunnel Rat 2 - I hate this figures first version and it had better accessories, I don't care if he comes with a weird jar of "compound", so no thanks.

Tracker Spirit does nothing for me and the accessories don't bring enough to the party to warrant a purchase, although that crossbow does look cool.

Flying Kamakura - I'm a sucker for pop-out wings and dig ninjas, his accessories look cool and the wings have hidden blades too, so even though I still hate his bright yellow color, there's a 50/50 chance I'll get this.

Lt Stone looks very cool, I like cyber-arms like that, he seems to have a disguise thing - way to spin the Zartan issue. I'll likely get this one.

Copter Snake Eyes - as much as I like wings, I hate cheese copter-packs, they never look convincing and this isn't looking different. If the gun looks better and the backpack has something interesting I can't see yet, very slight maybe.

Grand Slam - even though he comes with a RCP90, I am wary of oversized launcher guns lately, and he doesn't look different enough from Duke to tempt a purchase out of me. Maybe if the big launcher does something interesting.

Shipwreck looks pretty cool except his head ends too early at the top, I hope he has another accessory because he seems like he needs one. Still, a likely purchase.

Firefly - glad I didn't waste my time with the Joe version, this looks way better, I'll likely get him.

Night Ops Duke - ugh, another Duke with another big lame accessory, this one most likely has the barrels reciprocate, it's waaaay too big and there's nothing really tempting me in that pic.

Storm Shadow w/ backpack looks like the backpack does something uninteresting and takes up most of the space that would normally be his accessories. Likely pass.

[Adam]

I use the two side handles and under the arm like you described.

Picked up the first Duke, Heavy Duty and Iron-Knife today.

[El Chuxter]

I saw Destro yesterday. He sucks. I saved $15. Thank you, Hasbro.

[JetsAndHeels]

I like Zartan, Arctic Snake eyes, cobra commander, shipwreck, and kamukara with the wings. Ill pass on the rest.

[JediTricks]

This is kinda important regarding Sigma Strike Duke, last night I went to mess with his electronic features and they were dead, apparently when I put him down the night before the switch got knocked from "off" to "on" and even though it wasn't doing anything it drained the batteries completely. When batteries are drained that deep, their cells rupture and their electrolyte seeps out. On mine, these extra-cheap crappy batteries had some of their electrolytes drain out into the battery compartment, no corrosion had yet happened because of the short amount of time since it happened, but a clear liquid covered the batteries and was all over the compartment, this was likely potassium hydroxide (a kind of lye) which is a base rather than an acid and probably not enough to hurt you unless it gets in your eyes or something like that, but still be careful.

I strongly encourage you guys to take the batteries out of this figure's backpack and replace them with a higher-quality brand that won't leak as quickly.

[Adam]

Thanks for the heads up JT.

[Ji'dai]

I finally saw Destro today. That's quite some bling around his neck, yo?

[JediTricks]

All I've seen of the dlx 8" figs is Jungle Snake Eyes and Arctic Duke, both with that silly LED in the box which is not part of the actual toy. Both figures look pretty lame due to some "meh" accessories.

[Adam]

I dunno, I don't find Arctic Duke's stuff to be lame at all.

The Target I work at is having a sale on Sigma Six this week. Seems the larger scale stuff is 10% off, while the 2.5 is either 15 or 20 % off.

[Adam]

I missed these when I was looking for upcoming figures..

Wetsuit (http://photos.superherotimes.com/showphoto.php?photo=12830)

Can't really see much with him lying down like that so I'll have to see better pics.

Invisible Camo Hi-Tech (http://photos.superherotimes.com/showphoto.php?photo=12826&cat=1387)

I think I'll stick with this first one..

[JediTricks]

I dunno, I don't find Arctic Duke's stuff to be lame at all.My problem is really just the missile launcher, it's humungous, and the fact that it's yet another Duke.

The Target I work at is having a sale on Sigma Six this week. Seems the larger scale stuff is 10% off, while the 2.5 is either 15 or 20 % off.Yeah, I saw the Target sale, good prices except on the $15 vehicles, Target is charging more than TRU even on sale price, regular price at TRU is $14.99 and Target is $16.99.


Wetsuit, hard to make out what's going on, doesn't grab me at this point.

Invisible Camo Hi-Tech... yikes, that is a crazy mishmash!

[Adam]

Prices at Target have been weird. I went to one a few miles away this weekend and they had the soldiers for 11.99 like you have mentioned, while my store has them regular price at 9.99.

[JediTricks]

I hit a dozen Targets between Friday and Saturday, most of them had the basics for $11.99 instead of $9.99, that's so weird.

[Adam]

Picked up the remaining Soldier figures on sale that I'd been eyeing. That would be Sea Ops Duke, Tunnel Rat, and Long Range. Also got the 2.5 inch "Mantis Mech", and I dig. At full height its taller then the regular Sigma Six figures. I'm looking at the Dragonhawk, and the upcoming Devastator mech as well..

[JediTricks]

Lt. Stone loose and packaged hi-rez photos:

http://www.actionfigs.com/index.php?categoryid=20&p2_articleid=539

Yes, that is a sniper rifle that fires a capture net. :p Other than that little charming oddity, and the fact that it's kind of hard to be the master of disguise when you have 1 crazy robot arm, this is a pretty cool-looking set. I really wish Hasbro would make slots for more of these accessories in the foot locker inserts, the handcuffs should have gone in there. His face and build are a little tough to get used to. Still, all in all he looks like a nifty set.

[JediTricks]

GI Joe Sigma 6 Firebat Jet (2.5" line) - I really wasn't interested in these 2.5" figure lines, the figures seemed too preposed or static and only a couple of the vehicles held my attention at all. But, the Firebat had been on my mind since I first saw it (even though I didn't like some of what the box was showing), and I finally caved and tracked it down yesterday. I love the old Kenner MASK line, this reminds me of that in the scale except without transformation, the pilot figure is right around that size even. The pilot is ok, could use a little more detail and the arms and head could stay on better, but he is decent and has articulation at hips, shoulders, neck, and rotating right forearm, I just wish they had given him a codename or something, but he's just a generic pilot; the other included figure is a Sky BAT flying out of a red whoosh (box shows translucent whoosh, actual toy is totally opaque), he's articulated at the neck and both shoulders, though the right one is also permanently attached to the whoosh so the joint is useless, I don't care for this thing at all. The figures are a good size for the jet's scale, it makes it seem appropriately big when a 4" figure would have made the jet feel small.

The vehicle is better than I expected but not without its flaws. First off, this is one of the few toys out there where you pay $15 and you actually get a $15-sized toy! It has Cobra-aesthetic, it has a hunched curve to the overall shape, and it's a bit sinister-looking with its wide body, jagged spine and tail, and thinner midsection with a slight nod to a cobra snake's-hood. I like it from almost every angle except the side, the curve and thin midsection make it seem a little too odd and fat in the other areas; but it looks nifty from the top, bottom, front and back. The name "Firebat" is an odd choice, the original Cobra Firebat was a tiny fold-up jet that came with the Cobra Terrordome (it took off vertically from the center of the playset), there wasn't much to it, this new Firebat toy is off-black with some dark-red accents, and has its cockpit removable from the rest of the jet which is the tiniest bit similar to the original Firebat, but only if you squint and hope; the overall toy is more similar in design concept to the Cobra Condor in that the front end separates from the back, but that thing was white and isn't a very scary name so this is ok I guess. No stickers with this set, everything's painted on, they did an ok job, could have used a little more here and there but generally decent. The sculpted detail is good but could use a little more in a few places too. The plane is solid even though it's actually 3 separate pieces - the main body, the cockpit miniplane, and the giant engine/missile launcher underneath. The shape has wide stealth styling with the tail, futuristic paneled thrust nozzles (the feature that finally sold me on the set), very large wide-mouthed intakes on the side - the engines are probably the biggest things on here, moreso than necessary really since they house the rotating VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) engine but there's plenty of room below it, I don't like how the intakes show this area either, not interesting interior so it comes off hollow. I like how the underside of the engines have half-open vents sculpted into them, there are also smaller vents on the "snake hood" and the big rear opening panel. The nose of the jet has an intake portrusion sculpted onto the right side, I'm glad they hollowed (normally they wouldn't bother), I believe this would be the machine gun/laser weapon.

The Firebat has 3 fold-down landing legs which they did a nice job with, the front one even has a panel attached that seals up the underside, the rear ones have no built-on doors but when folded away they reveal winglets. The cockpit minijet slides off 2 rails built into the hood midsection, has 2 downward-sloping wings that are canards for the total jet, the majority of the upper side is the canopy hatch which hinges forward - I would have liked to see the translucent red canopy windows be clearer. Inside is a single cockpit chair and a few sculpted details including tech stuff behind the chair, a swiveling control stick between the pilot's legs, and even pedals under the "dashboard"; the chair is painted crimson and the tech stuff silver, the rest is unpainted. I wish they had included a simple seatbelt for the figure, he fits ok but the only thing holding him in place is his right hand holding the control stick and it's not enough. There's a larger red panel on the rear half of the plane between the engines, this hinges up like opening a car's hood and underneath is the middle of the missile-launching big jet, the ground, and some silver engine details on either side. The main wings connect to a pod in the middle of each engine, rotate the wings 180 and the pod goes from a smooth surface to an odd bladed VTOL intake, it's a nifty gimmick and it brings up an issue about the wings - the box disagrees with the instructions about which flight mode gets the forward-swept wings, the box photos show the VTOL does and the regular flight gets the normal wings while the instructions reverse that - I argue that the instructions are correct because forward-swept wings are superior to regular wings at near-mach speeds, so it wouldn't make sense to relegate them to the low speed mode.

The jet comes with 4 red missiles, rounded tips and 3 tails, which can be pegged in a few locations, there are rail-type shapes under the cockpit with 3 holes each, there's a hole under each canard wing, there's a hole under both tiny wings of the big thruster/missile launcher, and there's 2 holes at the top of the plane between the tails which can only accomodate the missiles if they're facing backwards - my guess is Hasbro intends for other Cobra sets to have accessories with identical pegs which can be attached here since in this set there are more mounting options than accessories. The final feature is the "multi missile launcher" which is a very large dark silver jet engine type shape complete with exhaust nozzle and conical intake, it pegs into the underside of the main body of the jet and kinda looks out of place there. The launcher has 4 long, narrow traffic-cone-type red missiles, although the box says it can take all 4 the instructions and toy prove it can only take up to 2 at a time, and loading the second cone can require a lot of force; the launcher's gimmick is that there's an off-set handle sticking out the top rear, flip it to the other side and it gamely launches the first cone, flip the handle back and the second cone also fires, it's my least-favorite element of the jet, so I'm glad it's removable, think of it as a long-range booster engine that can be dropped and turn into a drone or huge bomb so its only real flaw is that its handle sits off-center between the tails.

All in all, I like this set more than I thought I would, it's a nifty vehicle with a removable pilot and some cool features, it's big enough to warrant the price and has a reasonable colorscheme. Grade: (a perhaps slightly-generous) A-

[Adam]

I forgot to mention I bought the Dragonhawk. It's pretty neat.

I sure wish the new soldier wave would get here faster.

[JediTricks]

I've been gunshy on the Dragonhawk, it looked large and not that much fun so I haven't been tempted. Care to share more opinions about it, maybe change my mind?


I still haven't seen 8" Destro or Hi-Tech yet, hopefully I run into them soon.


I was looking through YoJoe's SDCC06 coverage of S6 Mission Scale upcoming items, supposedly due out this month no less, and one of them really caught my eye, the mission name is "Razor's Edge": http://photos.superherotimes.com/showphoto.php?photo=10581&cat=1239

Official Hasbro photo: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/images/products/out/large/HAS11893.jpg

Also, the Rhino Copter (stupid name) is another $10 set that looks pretty decent: http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=HAS11896&mode=retail&picture=out

And the Devastator Mech looks very neat:
http://s6c.joebattlelines.com/graphics/devastator_25.jpg


My latest GI Joe S6 Mission Scale hauls:

GI Joe Sigma 6 Dune Runner (2.5") - I liked this set more than I thought I would, the vehicle is decent and the figure while tiny has actual universal-jointed shoulders, it's amazing! This line seems to be more about removable/swappable parts than I realized, pretty much everything is of 2 standard peg sizes (though the machine guns are very loose in other sets), this also means there's pieces that don't quite fit in some places but fit well in others due to reasons like handles none of the figures can reach anyway. The rear gunner seat works better than I thought but I wish they had added a smaller peg hole for it so the machine gun could be mounted there. The vehicle has a pull-back motor which is kinda weak, and removable armor panels (more would have been better), and it's a good scale - not too big or small. I would have liked to see a simple seatbelt here, the figure can barely reach the steering wheel which is the only thing holding him in place, he rattles around a lot. It also comes with a drop cage accessory, again I liked this more than I expected (which I expected to be not at all), I don't have or want the Dragonhawk that the cage is held by, but no matter, make-believe does the job and it holds the dune runner nicely in place until you drop the sides. Another nifty feature, turn the cage on its end and it becomes a battle emplacement with several small mounting holes (including one in the middle so a figure can man it, very clever) and 2 larger ones. All in all, another set in this line worth the price ($10). Grade: B+

GI Joe Sigma 6 Mantis Mech (2.5") - More multi-configurable stuff, in fact this mech is just a cockpit and all the arms and legs are totally swappable. Destro is very large compared to the other figures, he'd have to be 7' easy, but he fits well in the cockpit. I wish I liked this set more, it's got enough parts to fit its $10 pricepoint but they're all very similar limb pieces, not exciting enough, the claw feet and hands aren't as cool as they should be, and there's only 1 weapon - the twin missile launcher. My favorite parts are the small tank treads really, not a good sign. The paint is lackluster and ugly and cheap-looking. Another problem is the hex-holes are not drilled straight so limbs don't line up with each other - I hate that! The worst offender in the set though is that it can stand very tall, but is so wobbly it's not really in the same ballpark as the other vehicles so far. It's alright, maybe even likeable in some ways (I can't not like mechs), but I can't gush over it. Grade: C

GI Joe Sigma 6 Night Ops VAMP (2.5") - First off, let me say as much as I loved GI Joe:RAH for its vehicles, the VAMP was never among my favorites, I liked the sleek jeep shape but it wasn't quite exciting or armed enough for my tastes. This new VAMP is a little bulkier, and better armed and armored. It comes with 2 figures, Long Range and Snake Eyes - SE is a washout, he's permanently looking upwards and he's pretty small and his left arm is super-bent and he's got a gun sculpted into his right hand, so he's not driving or controlling anything here. The vehicle deco is very plain and does have stickers to help it, but I don't like the design on most of them so I left it plain in its cool dark gray with green accents. The vehicle rolls free and has good ground clearance; the tires are rubber and the wheels plastic, they sculpted disk brakes in the hub but they are part of the wheels so they don't stay stationary. The central theme is the adding and swapping of parts - from rollbars to weapons, even a removable gunner seat in the bed - as well as a real working green searchlight (a bit oversized to accomodate batteries, but not in the ridiculous), and there's also the opening doors and tailgate. The interior is too spartan for my tastes and the steering wheel is too big, the steering wheel keeps Long Range in place but the other seat has no belt so the figure rattles around like crazy; the top has 2 open slots but I guess the guys need air; I like the low-angle windshield and the fold-down window armor (which is probably what sold me on the set). A working winch can be added to the underside, it's a big piece but most of the bulk ends up hidden, it's one of the few toy winches that has a powerful pull and long enough line to really work. The set comes with 2 antennaes, a single rocket launcher, a 6-missile launcher, the searchlight with machine gun on a multi-hinged arm so it can raise up, and a foldable tripod - the weapons can fit into the holes in the truck bed, the gunner seat that snaps into the truck bed, the tripod, or any other large hex-hole on the other sets. The 6-missile launcher looks good in the bed by itself if you don't mind shooting up instead of straight ahead, the searchlight looks ok in the bed by itself and better on top of the gunner seat, the rocket launcher looks good snapped into the side of the searchlight, and all 3 work well with the tripod. My biggest issues are that the vehicle itself could use more sculpted details and a back window, it's decent and works in its $15 pricepoint but it's not as exciting there as the Firebat. Grade: B

[JediTricks]

I realized last night that I have only 14 or so figures in this line but 4 of 'em are Duke! That sucks!

Spotted the below get with 2 Arctic Dukes at Target yesterday, no Destro yet.

GI Joe Sigma 6 Hi-Tech - An ok set with a few flaws such as the goggles don't fit right (he can't actually see through them when worn), the body is very very thin, the shorts look ridiculous and block the thigh-holes, no foam insert for the weapons locker, and the missile-launcher & 3 missiles (it can only hold 1) is really there to convince you it's not a $10 set when it really is. HiTech's headsculpt looks good, but his neck and shoulders are a little limited in upward movement (the shoulders can be worked around at least). The set comes with the HOUND sentry which goes from backpack to robo-dog with blaster on top of his head (HOUND's blaster can accomodate the missile launcher), movable stubby legs and opening internal compartment. HiTech has a blaster pistol, data cable, machine gun attachment, and missile-launcher attachment - the machine gun goes over the pistol, the missile launcher goes over the machine gun, and the data cable has a standard-sized hole at 1 end and a peg at the other so it can go in the gun in several places and the left arm has 2 pegs as well as the standard holes. All in all, an ok set that either needs 1 more accessory to bring it worthy of the $15 pricetag or 1 less accessory and lower it to $10. Grade: B

[Adam]

The goggles on my High-Tech seem ok. *shrug*


As for the Dragonhawk, its main feature is of course the docking system. It comes with a ninja cycle (w/Snake Eyes) and a crate. When dropped from the ship, the crate pops open and after a second the cycle shots out. It was neat enough that I had a great urge to buy more vehicles to dock with the thing, but when I went to get the VAMP, it didn't grab me like had previously so I put it back. I'm waiting for the Devestator, or a tank if they ever make one. The sides of the 'hawk have have 2 port holes on each side. It only comes with two cannons to use here, and iirc the the box or instructions say its combatible with the other vehicles weapons. If you are going to be buying a lot of the vehicles from this line, I think its worth picking up.

[JediTricks]

Hi-Tech's goggles are designed so they fit his head well, but he can't see out of them, they line up with his eyebrows instead of his eyes, you can see it in this first YoJoe photo: http://www.yojoe.com/sigma6/toys/2006/hitech/action.shtml

Thanks for the info on the Dragonhawk. I think I'm gonna remain passing on it for now, if its price comes down I may rethink that but at the moment not so much. I like the drop system on the Dune Runner (Mission: Heat Wave), may want to check that one out. The drop system on the VAMP is kinda an afterthought, but it looks like the VAMP fits well under the Dragonhawk. That's one thing I'm a little concerned about, if they try to make all the vehicles fit in the drop bay of the Dragonhawk they're going to be fairly small.

Um... what Devastator? The only Joe Devastator I know of is a little tiny robot vehicle.

[Adam]

The Devestator that you linked a couple of posts up, and even called it Devestator Mech. :razz:

[JediTricks]

Aw crap!!! Stuff enters my eyes and within 15 minutes flies out of my ears. Yeah, that's gonna be super badass with the Dragonhawk, it has that slick drop cage, it's going to be so cool dropping it, having the hatch pop up, and walking the mech out. Between the Dragonhawk and the Devastator you'll have quite the Aliens homagery- dropship and powerloader. :D


I spotted Kamakura with ninja wings and Spirit IK at WM today, but passed on 'em. Kamakura's cardback is blue, it's very different from the others. I am not totally sure why I passed him up, I have a thing for pop-out wings and he's got 'em, but I think the yellow isn't very ninja and his weapons weren't quite doing it for me. I may change my mind when I see him again though.

[JediTricks]

Finally found Destro at Target and bought him. The figure is pretty cool, I'm afraid my acidy skin will ruin the chrome head though. His head is clean chrome in the middle and then painted slightly darker on the outer panels which is odd but makes for good shading and character. He's sporting mega-bling with a fat red chrome Cobra medallion around his neck. His jacket is bolero-length and padded, with mock-buttons down the front (it uses velcro), very '80s. ;) His main weapon I don't care for, it doesn't have a true handle and doesn't fit over his shoulder well, if it had a flip-down handle I would have loved it too, especially since all its gear fits in the foam insert so the weapons locker is fully-contained. His secondary accessory is a briefcase with slide-up machine gun, that is so cool! The briefcase has a laptop keyboard and sticker screen (with the Firebat details) on the bottom side, and the other side has stickers of a $1000 bill and a 1000-Euro bill done so they look like 6 stacks of money. The gun slides up when its closed as if Destro dropped the case and it revealed itself to be a hidden weapon, I only wish the gun would stay fully slid-up but there are no clips to hold it all the way in place. The gun slides off its rails and becomes a nifty Uzi-like machine gun with slide-out stock, Destro holds it very nicely. It's a good set, I only wish they had included 1 more accessory like a knife or tool kit or something.

[Dominic Guglieme]

So, am I the only one reading America's Elite now? Whadya all think of it?

[El Chuxter]

I want to read it, but I cannot convince the owner of the otherwise hella cool store I frequent to carry it. I figure I'll catch up in trade paperbacks several months late.

[BountyHunterScum]

Finally found Destro at Target and bought him. The figure is pretty cool, I'm afraid my acidy skin will ruin the chrome head though. His head is clean chrome in the middle and then painted slightly darker on the outer panels which is odd but makes for good shading and character. He's sporting mega-bling with a fat red chrome Cobra medallion around his neck. His jacket is bolero-length and padded, with mock-buttons down the front (it uses velcro), very '80s. ;) His main weapon I don't care for, it doesn't have a true handle and doesn't fit over his shoulder well, if it had a flip-down handle I would have loved it too, especially since all its gear fits in the foam insert so the weapons locker is fully-contained. His secondary accessory is a briefcase with slide-up machine gun, that is so cool! The briefcase has a laptop keyboard and sticker screen (with the Firebat details) on the bottom side, and the other side has stickers of a $1000 bill and a 1000-Euro bill done so they look like 6 stacks of money. The gun slides up when its closed as if Destro dropped the case and it revealed itself to be a hidden weapon, I only wish the gun would stay fully slid-up but there are no clips to hold it all the way in place. The gun slides off its rails and becomes a nifty Uzi-like machine gun with slide-out stock, Destro holds it very nicely. It's a good set, I only wish they had included 1 more accessory like a knife or tool kit or something.

I have Destro too found him a few weeks ago. Now I need the new black cobra commander, stone, maybe firefly, jungle snake eyes, new storm shadow with red pants. Hopefully they make Scarlet and Jinx at some point. I don't buy them all I'm picky, I've done the whole set thing before in general it was a waste of money getting figs I didn't want.

[Tenric78]

I spotted Kamakura with ninja wings and Spirit IK at WM today, but passed on 'em. Kamakura's cardback is blue, it's very different from the others. I am not totally sure why I passed him up, I have a thing for pop-out wings and he's got 'em, but I think the yellow isn't very ninja and his weapons weren't quite doing it for me. I may change my mind when I see him again though.

My buddy looked at the wings and said, "That's a big target." How true, imagine trying to be all stealth like and floating as a giant yellow butterfly. Reminds me of the Venture Bros.

[JediTricks]

Yeah, I saw him again the other day at Target and once again passed. Heh heh, it does remind one of the Monarch's henchmen's wings - those are more valuable now thanks to the season finale though. ;)

[Dominic Guglieme]

I want to read it, but I cannot convince the owner of the otherwise hella cool store I frequent to carry it. I figure I'll catch up in trade paperbacks several months late.

Hasn't this bozo ever heard of in-store subscribers? I mean, yee gods, you are offering him a guaranteed sale, if he would only stock the damned merchandise..........:rolleyes:

[Dominic Guglieme]

Grabbed S6 Firefly this morning. I have not yet opened it. Basically, as bad as the cartoon is, this morning's episode (that I caught by accident no less) pretty much inspired the purchase. (This might be the most creative name re0use ever.)

Honestly, I cannot think of the last time I purchased a toy that I normally would not have purely on the basis of context.

[JediTricks]

Is that the Joe-aligned Firefly or the new Cobra-aligned one? I hadn't heard the Cobra one is out yet, but it is due any day now.

[Dominic Guglieme]

I got the Joe alligned Firefly, but they are the same character. To answer your question from another board, I consider this a name re-use, in the sense that Hasbro is using an old name. But, yes, I agree this is the old characer in the sense that it is the same name, being applied consistently to a similar character, even if the context has changed from the original use. (For example, nobody would really argue that S6 is meaninfully derived from the old comics.)

[Dominic Guglieme]

Here is the review:



Sigma 6: Firefly
Hookay. I admit it. I bought an S6 toy. Long and
short: I catch the cartoon on occasion, and there was
recently a "traitor in the midst" arc. Said traitor
was revealed to be Firefly. Here is the kicker:
Firefly has been on the shelves for the better part of
a year, and packaged as a Joe. Infiltrator and
faction-switcher characters are nothing new of course.
But, in this case, it was planned out enough that
Hasbro actually packaged a character operating under
deep-cover as a member of the team they were
infiltrating-with no spoilers on the package. This is
possibly the most creative name/character re-hash
ever. That being said, I really cannot recommend the
cartoon. It is pretty shabby.
That being said, I should probably get to reviewing
the toy. Unless Firefly has some kind of non-standard
body, (which does not seem to be the case), the
articulation is a bit better than average, but not
spectacular. (The modern Microman toys are about half
the size, and have better articulation for example.)
As many have noted, the strong point of Sigma 6 as a
line is the accessories, and Firefly delivers on that
front, with a rifle, two flares, and a mask. (The
mask has a sinister aesthetic to it.) Like most Sigma
6 toys, Firefly is plagued with hard-points. These
are spots where the accessories can plug onto the
body, similar to the back-pack holes on the old 80s
toys. While I do not mind hard-points on
Transformers, they look pretty bad here. (To ad
insult to injury, these hard-points cannot even begin
to accomodate Minicons.) Grade: B/C A mixed bag,
with most of the good being contingent on context.

[JediTricks]

I got the Joe alligned Firefly, but they are the same character. To answer your question from another board, I consider this a name re-use, in the sense that Hasbro is using an old name. But, yes, I agree this is the old characer in the sense that it is the same name, being applied consistently to a similar character, even if the context has changed from the original use. (For example, nobody would really argue that S6 is meaninfully derived from the old comics.)Ah, but the old comics are derived from the old toys, and S6 is derived from the old toys.


Why would you want to put minicons on a S6 guy?

[El Chuxter]

Why would you want to put minicons on a S6 guy?

Maybe because MiniCons and Sigma Six are equally poop?

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

[Dominic Guglieme]

Ah, but the old comics are derived from the old toys, and S6 is derived from the old toys.


Why would you want to put minicons on a S6 guy?



I meant that the comics were not derived in terms of context. (Events from one do not flow from or too the other.) But, in terms of character, this is the old Firefly as much as the Sigma 6 Destro is the old Destro.

I disagree about the new toys being derived from the old ones though. The engineering and aesthetics are much different on the modern S6 figures than the way the old toys looked and worked.

As for applying Minicons....well, I really do not want to. But, if Hasbro is going to add hard-points to a Joe toy, then dang-it, there may as well be some inter-operability with other lines.

[JediTricks]

I meant that the comics were not derived in terms of context. (Events from one do not flow from or too the other.) Hmm, I'm not sure I follow your meaning.

But, in terms of character, this is the old Firefly as much as the Sigma 6 Destro is the old Destro.

I disagree about the new toys being derived from the old ones though. The engineering and aesthetics are much different on the modern S6 figures than the way the old toys looked and worked. The characters are based on the toys, these are the same characters, thus S6 guys are based on the RAH toys even if they look and are built differently.

As for applying Minicons....well, I really do not want to. But, if Hasbro is going to add hard-points to a Joe toy, then dang-it, there may as well be some inter-operability with other lines.Hardpoints? They have powerlinx holes, not pegs. And 5mm holes would be too small for S6, the scale requires larger pegs for more stable play.

[Dominic Guglieme]

Hmm, I'm not sure I follow your meaning.

The characters are based on the toys, these are the same characters, thus S6 guys are based on the RAH toys even if they look and are built differently.

Hardpoints? They have powerlinx holes, not pegs. And 5mm holes would be too small for S6, the scale requires larger pegs for more stable play.


In terms of context, I was saying that the old comics in no way flow into Sigma 6. For example, in Sigma 6, nobody will ever reference Trucial Abysmia, or the fact a number of Joes have died there. Overkill, if he shows up, is a BAT, not Robert "SAWviper" Skelton. (Quick trivial: How many Joes did he actually kill?)

I am seperating engineering from context in this case. Even if the context were the same, the engineering is so wildly different that S6 seems like a new line. (BW and G1 were more or less in context with each-other, but I can never really look at the toys as part of the same line.)



Finally, I was using "hardpoint" and plx-hole" interchangably, as the two are funtionally analagous between a larger TF and a standard S6 figure. Ideally, S6 figures would not have either. BUt, if they have to have a feature tha compromises the aesthetics, it may as well be functional enough to allow for inter-line interoperability.

[El Chuxter]

Overkill, if he shows up, is a BAT, not Robert "SAWviper" Skelton. (Quick trivial: How many Joes did he actually kill?)

Personally?

1) Doc
2) Crankcase?
3) Breaker?

I'm not sure of who he gunned down (aside from Doc), and I'm trying to recall if he killed any others personally after giving chase.

Quick Kick and the others on that initial squad were killed in an explosion, and I can't remember off-hand if he was responsible.

Battleforce 2000 and Cool Breeze were casualties not attributed to him.

Hmm. . . . I don't recall if he actually killed any named Joes as Overkill. I hated that Devil's Due resurrected him, especially at the same time as that stupid piece of marketing ploy garbage tripe horses*** Serpentor. (In case you can't tell, I HATE Serpentor, even if Devil's Due did give him a tad of credibility. I cheered when Zartan shot him, cheered again when we learned Firefly had desecrated his corpse, and cheered yet again when Cobra Commander just killed his clone like the true b**** he was.)

[JediTricks]

In terms of context, I was saying that the old comics in no way flow into Sigma 6. For example, in Sigma 6, nobody will ever reference Trucial Abysmia, or the fact a number of Joes have died there. Overkill, if he shows up, is a BAT, not Robert "SAWviper" Skelton. (Quick trivial: How many Joes did he actually kill?) Ok, well like I said, the comic is not the genesis of the line so it's not a prerequisite that Sigma 6 has to tie into it.

I am seperating engineering from context in this case. Even if the context were the same, the engineering is so wildly different that S6 seems like a new line. (BW and G1 were more or less in context with each-other, but I can never really look at the toys as part of the same line.) The engineering isn't THAT much different, they have nearly the same range of motion, they have holes for backpacks, it's closer than GI Joe Extreme.

Not to get too far off topic, but you don't see BW as Transformers?

Finally, I was using "hardpoint" and plx-hole" interchangably, as the two are funtionally analagous between a larger TF and a standard S6 figure. Ideally, S6 figures would not have either. BUt, if they have to have a feature tha compromises the aesthetics, it may as well be functional enough to allow for inter-line interoperability.That's hardly a universal argument, anybody who doesn't collect Transformers in the last 3 years won't have any use for it - and I suspect that's a lot of S6 fans. Plus, the sigma holes are on top of the suit, not into their flesh, and are in the same vein as the old backpack holes from the RAH line.

[Dominic Guglieme]

First, I will answer JT's post above.

Hama, the comics writer, did design many of the old characters. And, the S6 cartoon does not flow from the comics, therefor the characters do not flow directly from the old series either.

I see BW and Transformers in terms of context. And, there are part of the line. But, aesthetically, I still cannot display Beast Era stuff with G1, as the two are just too far different in looks, as well as engineering.

The holes on the S6 figures are more jarring (especially the socket on the chest) than the old back-holes.




Personally?

1) Doc
2) Crankcase?
3) Breaker?

I'm not sure of who he gunned down (aside from Doc), and I'm trying to recall if he killed any others personally after giving chase.

Quick Kick and the others on that initial squad were killed in an explosion, and I can't remember off-hand if he was responsible.

Battleforce 2000 and Cool Breeze were casualties not attributed to him.

Hmm. . . . I don't recall if he actually killed any named Joes as Overkill. I hated that Devil's Due resurrected him, especially at the same time as that stupid piece of marketing ploy garbage tripe horses*** Serpentor. (In case you can't tell, I HATE Serpentor, even if Devil's Due did give him a tad of credibility. I cheered when Zartan shot him, cheered again when we learned Firefly had desecrated his corpse, and cheered yet again when Cobra Commander just killed his clone like the true b**** he was.)


Overkill directly killed:
Doc
Thunder
Crankcase
Heavymetal

He was on the tank that killed Crazylegs, Breaker and Quickkick. (Beaker has been injured by a copter attack, but was killed by the tank-shell.)

Overkill is generally credited for all 7.


Overkill was intelligently used in "Return of Serpentor", so I forgive the retcon and/or him coming back from the dead. What better character to use in a story with reputation as a main theme than a character known only for a reputation? Think about it, up until "RoS", Overkill did not have a name at all. He was a just, as the sourcebook put it, a "nameless SAWviper" who got lucky.

I am amazed Hama hated Serpentor as much as he says he did. Frankly, Serpentor would have been the perfect platform for Hama to use his historical and technical knowledge from. As those (and dialogue) were Hama's primary strenghts, I would think he would appreciate it.

Either way, "RoS" is one of the best GI Joe stories, ever.

I was annoyed when DDP truncated the leadership arc with Red Shadows (right when the series lost all cohesion). This new "Phoenix Guard" arc is a poor substitute, even discounting the pretense at being serious political fiction. Rather than intelligent take on leadership, we are getting a trite comic plot that reads like a bad 90s Superman comic.

[JediTricks]

Hama, the comics writer, did design many of the old characters. And, the S6 cartoon does not flow from the comics, therefor the characters do not flow directly from the old series either. That seems a bit out there, if Larry Hama was a professional juggler who used action figures in his act as well as someone working for Hasbro, would those toys be based on juggling? Of course not. Hasbro had Hama create characters and names and bio cards for the toy line first and foremost, that is the basis of the line, the comics came second to the brand owner.

I see BW and Transformers in terms of context. And, there are part of the line. But, aesthetically, I still cannot display Beast Era stuff with G1, as the two are just too far different in looks, as well as engineering. I can't display G1 with anything because of their engineering though.

The holes on the S6 figures are more jarring (especially the socket on the chest) than the old back-holes. Really? To me it's the opposite, the holes in S6 backs don't actually dig into flesh the way they did on RAH figures.

[JediTricks]

Picked up the Mission Scale Iron Hammer last night at Target, they also had the Cobra HISS (TRU had the HISS as well but no Iron Hammer). The IH is a decent mech, very different from Destro's Mantis Mech but still big and tough-looking. The sculpting on it has a lot of nice details, and each joint has a decent range of articulation. The detachable weapon arms are cool, and each one has a hole to hold another weapon outside of it (or you can stack all 4 weapons on the mech at once). The left side "shoulder" peg hex-hole is off-axis from the regular versions, I'm getting quite tired of this problem in these sets. There's a removable yoke to attach it to the Dragonhawk, the yoke is simple but works on a slick system. I wish they had articulated the knees, fake knee joints make JT sad. The kneeling Snake Eyes minifig is kinda dopey, but the Hi-Tech driver is fine and fits well in the cockpit. The set isn't as exciting as either of the wave 1 $15 sets, but it's alright. I'm not sure what grade I'd give it yet but at least a "B", maybe higher.

I've been noticing the wave 2 Mission Scale $7 sets lately, none of them really appeal to me, I'm waiting for the 3 wave 2 $10 vehicles which all look top notch.

[seanmcfripp]

I scored the Wave 4 Commando figs at K-mart yesterday. Or maybe I should say I snagged Zartan and Lt. Stone. Ok, ok, I also reluctantly picked up Arctic SE for Timber.

Zartan is pretty durned sweet. I was worried that his weapons were going to be oversized and clunky, an impression left on me by online pictures. In hand though, the 'bushranger" arm-mounted machine gun is much lighter and streamlined than I expected. While not exactly practical, it does have this odd kind of Zartan/Dreadnok feel. Even the crossbow isn't as bad as I thought, and actually works pretty well. I would have preferred a nice lean, long archer's bow, but this thing does the job just fine. The hideburner thing is pretty corny though. No big loss throwing it in the footlocker case and packing it away in storage. One glaring omission though: NO FRIGGIN' DISGUISES! Jeez, how hard would that have been? Even just a mask to fit over his face and under the hood (like the '84 version) would have done the job just fine. One other quibble too: the range of articulation for the elbows is somewhat limited. Most online reviews suggest the gauntlets restrict movement, and while there's some truth to that, I'd say the problem lies in the design of the joint itself. There's just not enough "cut-away" to allow the elbow to bend all the way. "Reversing" the orientation of the forearm seems to help a bit, but not much. Either way, it's not a huge deal. The figure looks great, and is almost everything I could hope for in a S6 version of the character.

Lt. Stone is even durned-er sweeter. He's a spy (I love spies). He has duel pistols with working holsters (I love pistoleers). And he's British! What's not to love? His disguises are kinda hoaky if you're going for realism, but as a toy accessories, they're fantastic. And the best part? All the armor and masks connect together into a quasi-suitcase type configuration. An excellent design choice indeed. Why couldn't Zartan get something like this too?

And I can't forget Timber. All I can say is "Thank you, Hasbro." They could have cheaped out and just thrown a brick of dog thing in with any SE figure and called it Timber, but they didn't. They went above and beyond, giving him a great sculpt and over the top articulation. Timber is way more than a pack in; he's definitely a stand alone character. The designers' roots in Xevoz are evident with this figure, as he looks like an ancestor of the Moon Stalker from that line (just look at the tail). And yes, he looks awesome next to the original S6 SE. BTW, as much as I wanted to hate Arctic SE, he's actually kinda cool. The snowboard is a nice accessory, and his cold-weather gear is generic enough for any Joe member to wear.

Sorry to all the 3 3/4 inch purists out there...S6 is a great toyline. Can't wait for Grand Slam, Shipwreck, Wet-Suit, and the Cobra version of Firefly. I'm also looking forward to the new double jointed articulation improvements.

[JediTricks]

Sounds like a cool get! I'm looking forward to Lt Stone, not sure about Zartan at this point, definitely passing on arctic SE.

I hadn't heard about double-jointed articulation coming up, what's the deal?

[seanmcfripp]

...definitely passing on arctic SE.
Collecting these things at one version of every character makes things quite manageable. I have the first version of Duke, and that's all I'll ever need. Jet packs, underwater gear, big honkin' BFGs...I'll wait for the big H to recycle those cool accessories with future figures. But the Timber figure is too cool to pass up. He's got universal joints at the ankles, "knees," neck, and tail. There are also cut joints at the hips, with really nice hinge joints at the jaw and mid point of his torso. He does everything a wolf action figure is supposed to do, and how often can you say that about a toy wolf? I know, I know, $15 is a rip, but if you have to cave in and buy only one of these pointless rehashes of the main characters, this is the one to get.

Not sure if you know, but there's going to be a running change as production goes on. The first version of Timber is gray with dark accents on the paws, which is what I have. My understanding is that there will be black version, then a white version as well. Some Joe crazies are talking about army building Timbers, if you can believe that.

I hadn't heard about double-jointed articulation coming up, what's the deal?

Head over to TNI:

http://www.americandreamcomics.com/news.php?catid=9&itemid=10446

SE and SS will have "double" joints at the elbows and knees ala Marvel Legends. Some people swear the ankles have more range of motion as well, but I think it's too hard to tell from those pictures. The knees and elbows are a nice improvement in my opinion, especially for characters like SE and SS that require dynamic posing. I also like that it's been done subtly so figures with the new joints will fit in stylistically with the rest of the line.

[Dominic Guglieme]

Comics:
GI Joe: Zartan Declassified
-This one is a mixed bag. It has flashes of Blaylock's full talent, and a whole lot of fan-wankery that would be forgiveable were the franchise just starting up again, rather than shambling along after several more or less healthy years. If this issue, and previous "Secret Origins" style "Declassified" offerings are anything to go by, this seris will be filling in the blanks with dead weight. The worst thing is that I know Blaylock can do much better, and he has.
Grade: C/D Do not bother.
GI Joe: America's Elite 17
Not much going on here. Hookay, I was wrong about the some of the Phoenix Guard. The true identities of the Guard are:
Highttide/Copperhead
Halo/Wildweasel
Snakeeater/Firefly
Friday/Zarana
Mech/Scrapiron
Aside from the big reveal, nothing much else to note in this issue.
Grade: C Pick it up if you are normally reading it. But, if this arc has not drawn you in, this specific issue likely will not either.

Star Wars: Dark Times 1
Better than one might reasonably expect. But, after the debacle that was Quinlan Vos's arc (specifically the ending), fans would be justified in being wary. In any case, this arc flows out of a tail-ender arc from the old Republic series. Provided the heroes do not do much more than scrape by each issue (and even than, not for too long), this series will be worth picking up, if only to fill out a haul. (
Grade: B Wariness of the franchise aside, this series has not done anything objectively wrong, but has done a few things right so far.

[JediTricks]

Collecting these things at one version of every character makes things quite manageable. I have the first version of Duke, and that's all I'll ever need. Jet packs, underwater gear, big honkin' BFGs...I'll wait for the big H to recycle those cool accessories with future figures.I know what you mean, but I've been suckered into buying a second SE (Jetpack version) and 3 more friggin' Dukes - Jet Wings, Sea Ops, and the big electronic one that leaked its batteries on me. I couldn't help it, I wanted those accessories and Hasbro is slow on releasing these things (Jet Wings was a huge mistake, avoid like the plague).

But the Timber figure is too cool to pass up. He's got universal joints at the ankles, "knees," neck, and tail. There are also cut joints at the hips, with really nice hinge joints at the jaw and mid point of his torso. He does everything a wolf action figure is supposed to do, and how often can you say that about a toy wolf? I know, I know, $15 is a rip, but if you have to cave in and buy only one of these pointless rehashes of the main characters, this is the one to get.Unless you don't care about the wolf, like me. :D

Not sure if you know, but there's going to be a running change as production goes on. The first version of Timber is gray with dark accents on the paws, which is what I have. My understanding is that there will be black version, then a white version as well. Some Joe crazies are talking about army building Timbers, if you can believe that.That is madness!!!

Head over to TNI:

SE and SS will have "double" joints at the elbows and knees ala Marvel Legends. Some people swear the ankles have more range of motion as well, but I think it's too hard to tell from those pictures. The knees and elbows are a nice improvement in my opinion, especially for characters like SE and SS that require dynamic posing. I also like that it's been done subtly so figures with the new joints will fit in stylistically with the rest of the line.Aw damn that's cool! They did rejigger the ankles, you can see they're changed, but you're right, there's no guarantee they'll be able to move any differently than the current designs (which are decent usually). I'll definitely be buying SE and probably SS as well, ninjas have to be very limber damnit! ;) Plus, the current SE body's knees are the thing that bother me the most, makes his legs look weird.

[El Chuxter]

Why bother with even one version of Duke? His full name is Conrad Isuckmorethananyothercharacterevenfreaking-crystalballandgolobulus Hauser.

[BountyHunterScum]

Why bother with even one version of Duke? His full name is Conrad Isuckmorethananyothercharacterevenfreaking-crystalballandgolobulus Hauser.

Is not, it's Johnny P Buttcheek.

[JediTricks]

Why bother with even one version of Duke? His full name is Conrad Isuckmorethananyothercharacterevenfreaking-crystalballandgolobulus Hauser.The first S6 fig is pretty good, good accessories and decent outfit piece.

[El Chuxter]

Yeah, but it's Duke. That outweighs any qualities the figure may have. Stupid twit, comes in and steals Hawk's job, makes passes at Snake Eyes' woman. I wish Serpentor had killed him. And then tore off his head and pooped in the neckhole. When I saw GIJoe: The Movie, I cried when Doc said, "Duke's going to be okay."

[JediTricks]

They only put that line in because of all the flak they caught from killing Optimus Prime in the Transformers movie.

Personally, I wasn't so tied to the cartoon that I couldn't appreciate a semi-related toy 20 years later.

[El Chuxter]

I was more a fan of the comic, but he was a feminine hygiene product in that, too.