Official Sideshow Crimson Guards!

[The Josh]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

They want to put a bit of their stamp but they also want to do the material justice. They look and remind of what I had as a kid that to me is good enough. For me personally I love what they're doing and not gonna get my undies in a wad because they don't look like my toys as a kid.

 

[thenammagazine]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

You only disagree with the comparison because you like the SW Special Editions. What's ironic to me is that Sideshow has kind of presented themselves as "purists" when it comes to the SW OT (no floating sentry droids for the sandtroopers, no 1997 dewback, the statement that they successfully wrangled a LFL blessing to start working on the classic Max Rebo band, etc.) and then they go and give us all these reimagined Joes.

Like it or not they're pulling a George Lucas with GI Joe, and that diminishes their artistic integrity for handling this line. Putting 2011 CG eyeballs on 1983 Wicket is no different artistically than putting 2011 pants and weaponry on 1983 Duke.

I don't like the SSE's. Particularly the changes to ANH. Does that mean I'm going to run around, "DOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR Lucas raped my childhood! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" No. Their his films and I've come to accept the fact that he just can't keep his ____ing hands off of them. But they're his and he'll do with as he pleases. I either accept that for what it is and enjoy Star Wars, or I close that book, pick up the unedited OT and wallow in pathetic self pity with the rest of the people still stuck in the 1983 rut.

This is an entirely different story with Sideshow stating they're huge fans of the license, wanting to remain faithful to the classic designs and then turning Firefly into a ROC Ice Viper or Frisco-fying the Crimson Guard. Your comparison to DDP was more accurate.

They want to put a bit of their stamp but they also want to do the material justice. They look and remind of what I had as a kid that to me is good enough. For me personally I love what they're doing and run around in my Sideshow Underoos because to me they're infallible.

Fixed.

 

[devilof76]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

They never presumed to be recreating the vintage Joe line.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

Don't worry. Kato and his $800 jackets is always there for you guys who need a more accurate CG.

 

[thenammagazine]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

They never presumed to be recreating the vintage Joe line.

Did I say they said they were? For the most part I think the "modernizing" has been on point. But I fail to see how red pleather is any form of "modernizing."

 

[devilof76]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

I was talking to Khev. I thought the thread was still on the last page when I answered him.

Also, I think modernizing was an aspect of how they intended to change the designs, but I don't think it was the only aspect.

 

[Kibagami]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

Man! This guy's perfect. All he needs is a video camera to punch.

 

[The Josh]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

They never presumed to be recreating the vintage Joe line.

As Nam said they're modernizing somethings which to me makes the adult part of me want to collect them.

 

[teemu]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

I really dont understand the complaining about these Figures...I am sure once we get the Crimson Guard in hand,He will be no different than the rest of these kick ass pieces.Every person I have shown these to are just amazed how cool they are.Hot Toys may have spoiled some of you of expectations for these?

 

[thenammagazine]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

As Nam said they're modernizing somethings which to me makes the adult part of me want to collect them.

Begs the question, how is adding red pleather any kind of modernizing?

 

[devilof76]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

It's artistic license, an aspect of which is modernization.

 

[DinoDB1975]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

The classic vs. updating argument has being going on ad nauseum in most of the Joe threads posted. While I respect everyone's arguments and opinions, whenever I hear that someone wishes that the Sideshow line was an exact 1/6 replica of the old RAH line from the 80's / early 90's, part of me wants to quote Wayne's World and say "Live in the NOW, man".

 

[devilof76]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

I was over faithful observance of vintage standards the second I had Firefly in hand.

 

[thenammagazine]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

It's artistic license, an aspect of which is modernization.

Disagree. Artistic license isn't modernization, it's expression. This reminds me of Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam:

Cronauer (Robin Williams):
We've got a special man in the audience today right now...it's Mr. Leo.
He's a fashion consultant for the Army.

Funny voice:
Why thank you, Adrian. I'm just very happy to be here.
I want to tell you something. You know,
this whole camoflage thing for me doesn't work very well.

Cronauer:
Why is that?

Funny voice:
Well, because you go into the jungle, I can't SEE you!
You know, its like wearing stripes and plaid! For me,
I want to do something different. You know, if you go in the jungle, make a statement!
If you're going to fight, CLASH!​

Unless the Castro District in San Francisco has a "regional guard" who's been activated, I still don't see how this is any form of modernization.

The classic vs. updating argument has being going on ad nauseum in most of the Joe threads posted. While I respect everyone's arguments and opinions, whenever I hear that someone wishes that the Sideshow line was an exact 1/6 replica of the old RAH line from the 80's / early 90's, part of me wants to quote Wayne's World and say "Live in the NOW, man".

Read pleather has nothing to do with keeping it classic and everything to do with, how does it make sense? I'm all for modernization, but this is.... The pleather jacket just looks so bad and the front piece looks like it's Velcro'd on over the top of something else. It just looks bad.

 

[Khev]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

Reimagining is a very slippery slope. If its half-assed its a SW:SE. If its done well then its 1980's ARAH (which itself was a reimagining of the 60's toy brand) or Captain America: The First Avenger.

For me I like things to be self-contained. I like consistency and uniformity, not Frankenstein patch jobs. All or nothing. Which is why I like the prequels, but not the SE's. I like 80's ARAH, but not 21st century lines that pull from all eras. A live-action Captain America that's seamless in how its new ideas and designs fit into its respective story. And so on.

I know SSC probably thinks their new Joe line is consistent but it doesn't come across that way to me. Some characters look like they came from the 80's, some from the 21st century, and some are just non-sensical redesigns. That just screams Devil's Due to me, and unfortunately carries with it a pretty hefty stigma.

 

[DinoDB1975]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

Nam, unless I'm mistaken, I don't think you fall in the classic / purist camp.

But regarding the pleather...eh, it's not a deal breaker for me. We don't know for certain (as I don't think there is anything on record stating this), but I believe that the original Crimson Guard uniforms were intended to be a satiny, ceremonial type uniform, a lot flashier than the wool / polyester crap they gave to the lowly Troopers. Maybe that's just an assumption on my part, but perhaps pleather was the best viable option to approximate that satin look.

I dunno, I think that looks pretty good actually. I'm more concerned with the helmet, and I hope that it is tweaked somewhat.

Now, from a practical standpoint, I'm going to have the reserve judgment. You guys that have been in the 1/6 arena longer than I've been have more experience with this.

 

[Khev]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

What's ironic about all this "reimagining" talk is that I think SSC's CG's actually look pretty awesome and true to their original designs. We actually don't know what kind of material their jackets originally were because it was never specified. So we can't really chide SSC for getting it "wrong" per se.

I'm more bummed about the Fred head. The Freds in the comics always looked like clean cut American goodie two-shoes IIRC. The SSC Fred looks like some pissed Russian who wants to kick your ass.

 

[DinoDB1975]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

I agree with Khev when he says it's a slippery slope when it comes to "re-imagining". I want to clarify that I don't want the Joes re-imagined at all, but updated with a modern twist.

Case in point, and using the POC ROC movie as an example: I'm all for diversity, but Breaker is Caucasian, not Middle Eastern, just as Ripcord is Caucasian, not African-American. Don't re-imagine their ethnicities.

As for the Fred Sculpt, I like it. I think it's one of the best sculpts Sideshow has done (Though we'll have to wait for what it looks like in hand). However, the expression does go against the description Khev gave. Fred was supposed to be the cookie cutter dad next door infiltrating middle America. Perhaps a second smiling head sculpt should be included...or perhaps Sideshow will do a Corporate CG variant with teh three piece suit and leather attache'.

 

[Coheteboy]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

While I think you're being too hard on the SSC CG, I actually understand completely where you're coming from. I so desperately wanted this to be a high end "GI Joe: A Real American Hero" line that I turned a blind eye to a number of the "reimaginings" early on, assuming they'd be few and far between.

But as I've said recently when I look at photos of people's complete collections now it looks like a line of custom or Devil's Due figures. Not what I have ever wanted AT ALL.

Sideshow has claimed to be big "fans" of classic GI Joe. Well so was Devil's Due. And I wonder if they're more concerned with putting their stamp on the brand than doing the brand justice.

The figures feel like GI Joe versions of the Star Wars special editions. With SW Lucas took 1970's footage and patched it with dated 90's and now 2011 CGI and even completely replaced some classic characters with new updated versions. With SSC's GI Joe we have characters like Duke who is still a Viet Nam vet but now wields a 2011 assault rifle. He looks great for being a 60 year old dude!

Don't get me wrong, he's a great figure and the only one still in my collection. But the line doesn't feel classic to me anymore. I know, SSC said "from the beginning" that they'd be borrowing elements and philosophies from Devil's Due. Good for them for sticking to their guns. I wonder how many more figures they would have sold if they catered to the thousands who abhor the DD fan crap and remain loyal to classic ARAH.

Thanks, Khev for actually "getting me".



For everyone else who doesn't understand my stink-eye,
I completely understand that this 12" line was going to be a "modernization" of the Joe characters but there's artistic interpretation on Sideshow's part that I don't care for, especially with human portraits and now the Crimson Guard helmet. Doesn't mean the quality is bad or that these aren't great figures. It just means these aren't the figures I'd want to spend $150-200 on. Looking at the Joes, man... they're PRETTY MUCH THERE. But when you imagined up a realistic version of Flint, did you think you'd get that head sculpt? Or Duke's? Hawk's too squinty for my tastes but it isn't bad. Zartan is pretty terrible. etc.

These look like custom made 12" Joes. And if they made authentic 12" RAH figures based on cartoon designs but made them realistic, I'm pretty sure everyone would be "gung-ho" for these as well, perhaps even more so. And Sideshow would have sold a ton more.


Conclusion, I don't think ill-will towards people who like these, these just aren't the Joes for my collection because of Sideshow's artistic decisions. Crimson guard was totally going to be mine when I heard rumblings... after seeing how strong Viper was, I couldn't wait to see it. The final result is... just... wrong.



And I really will try to not say anything further since I know you're all sick of the "haters". lol

 

[teemu]

Re: Offical Sideshow Crimson Guards!

How is Zartan is terrible????????????