Star Wars: Episode VII: Force Awakens: The Toys?

Everyone the world over seems to be going gaga over the new SW trailer - including me. The cool, evocative and mysterious shots mostly introduce the faces of the new cast (out of context), plus does some fan-servicing in the way of old vehicles (Millennium Falcon, X-Wings, a glimpse of the Tie Fighters) and John Williams' iconic score.
All in all, response has been more than positive (with a few nitpicking on the crossguard design on the new lightsaber).

With the early write-ups breaking down the teaser for shot and gleaning its deeper meanings, I thought I'd take a different, unexplored (thus far) tact and focus on the probable toyline that will come out of all this.

I got heavily into Star Wars figure collecting during Episode III's toy line. What drew me was the amazing scultpwork and details that (in my opinion) laid the groundwork for the high level quality of toys in the ensuing years - from the Vintage Line to G.I. Joe's Pursuit of Cobra.
I also realized what was so unique in the SW toyline was the sheer variety of characters. Whereas other toys like Marvel and G.I. Joe focused mainly on principal characters - good vs. evil, bad guys against good, SW dug deep into its roster. Not just the main heroes and villains, but 2nd-to-3rd tier characters, supporting players, and obscure background characters that amounted to little more than a several second cameo appearance.
In SW toy play, you can create stories or scenarios involving politicians, soldiers, smugglers, lovers, family members, etc. and all the drama and conflict those relationships would entail.
Another cool addendum was the expanded universe. Not just limited to the main movies, but in books and comics, which allowed these background characters to have their own rich stories and adventures to fuel the imagination.

Having said all that, I figured I'd look forward, speculate and give some thoughts on what could be in store come next Christmas 2015.

First character to literally pop up: actor John Boyega in Stormtrooper gear. Evoking Luke and Han's undercover look in Episode IV, it's only natural to assume we'll see a version of this character on the shelves.

Replace with Boyega's head

Personally, will probably skip it, since he'll probably just look like that for a limited period. Instead, will get the (likely) figure that will be in his default hero garb.

Similar color scheme and top, but otherwise very different

New Astromech droid - when I first saw it, it looked just a bit strange and confusing. How was it able to balance or attach the top part as it spun? As a toy, I'm curious as to how it's going to look - will they just add a base on it so it can stand upright (but have no movement), or will the designers employ some exterior that will make it roll while keeping the top part stable, or what? As a different take and a new character though, I'm in.

Daisy Ridley, who looks like the probable(?) female lead. What's interesting is she looks like SW artist Ralph Mcquarrie's initial design for Princess  Leia - with the head wrap and goggles. As a fan of female figures and more variety, I'd purchase it.

Also likely is this new vehicle - which looks like a cross between Ep IV's landspeeder and EP VI's speeder bike.

Landspeeder + Speederbike =

Landspeeder Bike?

Personally, I think it looks a wee bit bulky. But in a way, that's part of the appeal. If I were a toy executive, I would have requested that the scale be dialed down a little so it wouldn't take up too much space on the shelf. But, who knows how the final product's going to look overall and how they're going to eventually scale it? Though I kind of like it, probably a pass.

New Stormtroopers - Looking pretty sleek with just a touch of modernity and streamlininess(?), it doesn't stray too far from the timeless design of the original. If it ain't broke, don't fix it right? Since I already have a few stormtroopers in my collection, I'll have to see the final product - specifically if it's really cool and different - to buy, or if I can just use my old stormtroopers. Maybe it'll be available in a pack or with a wanted accessory? That will probably be the deciding factor.

Reminiscent of B-Wing Pilot, color-wise

Oscar Isaac as a Rebel Pilot. Also have a few pilots in my collection, but due to space (and price) issues, no X-Wings or large scale vehicles. Again, like the Boyega figure, I assume he'll have a regular, non-flight costume, so that's what I'll probably get.

Sample Siths

Main villain - or not? Adam Driver - or not? Either way, the good guys need an opposite number, so this guy will probably be an automatic buy. The design of the character is in line with typical SW Villains like Vader and some EU Siths, with black capes and cloaks. I already have some Siths in my collection (such as the Evolutions pack above), so I'm hoping there's more variety than just "shrouded figure in black."
My take on the weapon? Ok, I guess. You had the original one-sided, then two-sided in Episode 1, then the new spinning one in SW: Rebels, so how many more ways can you do an original take, right?

Millennium Falcon and Tie Fighters - If this means they'll re-release the BMF, I'll consider making room for it. (Fingers crossed for some financial windfall.) That vehicle was just way too cool. What would be even better, and will entice those who already have a BMF, is to have new features and variations inside.

Re-release?

Looking at it overall, it seems most of it is just variations on already established figures. Will there be some new characters with some original designs? Of course.

What the trailer didn't reveal was the original cast and their new (i.e., older) looks, which means more additional new figures. Start saving now.

Wishlist: IDW G.I. JOE FIGURES

Veteran writer Chuck Dixon has been in charge, or at least played a significant part of current G.I. Joe mythology for several years, since the license was taken over by IDW. Since that time, he's crafted a very intricate tale that rebooted the early origins of Joe. Some fans complained that the stories were a bit too decompressed and slow going (it took a few issues in for Joe to even realize the existence of Cobra). As the series wound down post Cobra Command, however, it seems that Dixon and company were playing the long game, making an epic Joe story that had consequences, not just recurring themes and motifs.

To that end, he introduced many new characters that would be cool to have in toy form. Rather than get yet another version of the same character, Hasbro or another group (G.I. Joe Collector's Club Figure Subscription Service - whew!) would do well to create some of these interesting characters.

Cobra Trooper - Many Cobra troopers have been made, so do we really need another one? Not really, but the motorcycle mask-like design makes for an interesting wrinkle, and how can you not want a fig opf the guy that almost fought Snake-Eyes to a standstill?

Dial Tone - Many fans were disappointed at the sex-change revision of IDW's Dial-Tone, but as several years have gone by, like most changes, people have gotten used to it. Plus, it would be nice to have another female figure.

The ROC seven-pack version left a lot to be desired, since it was just a shoddy Helix repaint, so a new figure, perhaps with added computer accessories, would be nice.

Urso - Like the Cobra Trooper, there are a few big, armored bad guys in the Cobra figure ranks (or maybe not as many as I think). So, another "heavy" would also be a good addition.

Cobra Submarine Captain - Kind of snively and cowardly, he didn't make much of an impression in his brief appearance, but the design is pretty interesting - thin, old, with the uniform and hat.

Bildocker - The Joes' scrounger for resources when the government cuts their funding. Pretty amusing personality, with a heavy-set frame. Not all figures need to be muscular, manly men right?

Badass Dreadnok - Speaking of manly bad-ass though, this unnamed(?) guy made quite the impression when he blasted a bunch of Arishikage ninjas in the "Target: Snake-Eyes" story arc.

This guy appeared in a later(?) issue, and only made an appearance for two panels before coming to an end.

Brainstorm - Another computer geek, before Mainframe made his appearance as the Joes' go-to techie. He would probably make a dull figure in his regular uniform, but put him in the outfit he wore in his first appearance, and it would be more interesting. Pack it in with a "camera drone" and it would be cool.

Coil Trooper - With the Cobra no longer associated with the Arishikage for contracts and other missions, Serpentor volunteers his worshippers as Cobra's new hit squad.

Savane - Female bad girl figure? Kind of like a neo-Baroness.

Krake - Not making much of an impression, just a new Cobra heavy, but the creators gave him a slow-rollout to become a brutally efficient killer. This would serve him well in Cobra Civil War, when he finally took the reigns...

As the new Cobra Commander.

Flashback Fave: JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL

Everyone is familiar with Justice League - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of DC comics' "magnificent seven" - the top-tier, i.e., most popular, most iconic of the company's characters, teaming up to vanquish evil no one hero can tackle alone.

Less well-known is the 80's iteration of the group: Lesser known heroes such as Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, et. al. (though still keeping Batman for a few adventures), battling together, but mostly bickering and bantering with one another - to hilarious results.

In the intro to the 1st JLI paperback, A New Beginning, editor Andy Helfer related the genesis of the project, spurred on by popular Legion of Superheroes plotter/penciller Keith Giffen, who was bugging him on a daily basis ("He would stick his head in my office and say, 'Jusssticce Leeeaague'.") Finally, Helfer answered, "You got it." But before they could chronicle the continuing adventures of the one of comicdom's signature teams, they hit a snag. Post-Legends (a company-wide crossover following Crisis on Infinite Earths), most of the editors and creative teams in charge of solo titles like Superman and Green Lantern were still in the midst of revamping and renewing their characters, so these heroes were off-limits. What was left were second-tier characters that, although familiar to fans, weren't quite strong enough to star in their book.

Plotted by Giffen, scripted by J.M. DeMatteis (then known more for horror and angst), and wondrously penciled by newcomer Kevin Maguire, Justice League International was considered a breath of fresh air after the serious, dour tone of comics post-Watchmen and  Dark Knight Returns. The emphasis was not on adventuring and fighting the big baddie every issue; instead, it was how the characters related to one another and humor. Importantly, the treatment of humor wasn't the typical, full-on sight gags and slapstick of "funny"-based comics. Rather, it was dialogue and character-driven, with facial and body expressions that were more grounded in reality.

Never truly done before in comics, much less superhero mainstream comics, strange that it hasn't been truly replicated since, at least compared to the "serious, dark" turn of heroes that became the dominant, de facto style for the better part of a decade. Although the series, like most, petered out towards the end (almost becoming a parody of itself), the first several years remain a distinct, highlight of that late 80's period.

Proves you can go home again

Flashback Fave: (ANIMATED) WORLD'S FINEST

When this was released on laserdisc more than a decade ago, I taped it to VHS and must have watched it about a dozen times, more or less. I thought the story was really, really good (with a few cool character interactions and moments), the voice acting top notch, and the animation exemplary (sort of an anime spin on Bruce Timm's BTAS style).

I was a fan of Batman, and admired, though was not that big a fan of Superman. Together, however, I liked the chemistry and contrast in characters. Gone were the days of the  happy, smiling relationship of their previous team-ups in the early days of comics. Since the 80's, the two were antagonistic and distrustful of one another - perhaps reaching it's zenith in the mano y mano, boot-in-the-face confrontation of the Dark Knight Returns. I was also a big fan of the "prestige" mini-series World 's Finest, written by Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons and gorgeously drawn by Steve Rude.

Memorable comics confrontations

With the success of B:TAS followed by Superman's turn in the hand-drawn realm, it was only a matter of time until the two teamed up, and with the "World's Finest" series of episodes in S:TAS (combined for one straight-to-video movie), the wait was well worth it.

Not a great start

When a mysterious jade statue gets stolen in Gotham by the Joker, Batman tracks it (and him) to Metropolis. He promptly encounters Superman and, in one of the first "cool" moments, simply uses his x-ray vision to discover Batman's alter ego. Not one to accept such a offense without retribution, Bats promptly stalks - via hidden tracker - Superman to his apartment, where he sees him changing into Clark Kent.

You peeked

Eventually setting aside their differences and misunderstandings, the two team up to try and foil the Joker, who himself has forged a shaky alliance with Lex Luthor, by making a deal to kill Superman with the jade statue (actually - surprise! - made of kryptonite). Like the two heroes, there's a couple of scenes displaying the characters' outward, often hilarious enmity towards one another. Another interesting plot development is the love triangle between Lois, Batman/Bruce and Superman/Clark, which almost ended up in marriage(!) for Lois-Bruce, until she discovers Batman's secret identity, and has second thoughts.

When were you going to tell me? The honeymoon?

For anyone wanting more of a Superman/Batman team-up it's a good thing DC Animation eventually turned Justice League into an animated series, extending their relationship, complete with passive-aggressive interplay, with the two eventually having, if not a traditional friendship, mutual respect for each other.

A comics adaptation of an adaptation of a comic

Hey, Here's a Good Idea (and Investment)...

Marauder John's has mostly been known for selling guns and other accessories for 3.75" figures. Now it looks like they're dipping their toes into making actual figures, replete with oodles and oodles of accessories.

Pre-G.I. Joe 25th, I daydreamed of how cool it would be to get new versions of the figures I loved as a child, but this time have them packed to the gills with various weapons, knives, grenades - all of which would be removable. The 25th figures, highlighted by the the 30th POC Wave, was mind-blowing. With MJ's Kickstarter Campaign, it looks like we're moving closer to the dream.

One minor nitpick, well a few, plus some "future wishes": More soldiers and bad-add military types? Aside from the teeny-tiny props (such as mini-pouches), these seem to be variations on some of Joe's POC 30th offerings, like the "breacher" Cobra Trooper, which were basically soldier-SWAT-types packed with various, realistic weapons. Not bad, but it sorta-kinda feels familiar.

As mentioned on a message board and other places, there are plans to make some minority figures (if they're able to reach their stretch goals), and I realize hoping for variety at this early a stage is too risky, investment-wise - but wouldn't it be cool to get something other than the army-soldier standard?

I  know many fans and customizers were clamoring for a "guy-in-suit" mold, to have figures that could act as background, agents, secret identities, etc. to include in their collections, dioramas and game-playing. Jazzwares came out with Face with the A-Team, and Marvel/Hasbro had their own suited figure with Professor X. There had been others, like Men in Black 3 and the upcoming Joe Colton figure (let's not forget the ROC Destro before that), so it wasn't exactly barren.

Face, Custom James Bond, Professor X, Destro

But aside from those, wouldn't it be great to get variations - how about a trenchcoated figure? Or one in a boiler suit or mechanic uniform? Or how about a figure with an older man headsculpt (instead of the typical 20-to-30-year-old)?

And although women figures aren't a big seller, many of the other options available leave a lot to be desired - and it would be cool to have variety in terms of different body types and ages. One figure that surprised many fans when it came out was the JL Amanda Waller figure - a heavy-set black woman. Not a big-seller, yeah, but wow, Mattel actually had the balls to do this.

Not your typical action figure, but cool fan service

Sure, many might find these figures boring, but as an addendum to the figures many collectors already own, I think they'd be popular. And let's face facts: Many of these types of soldier figures, even the MJ Marauders, are directed towards the Adult Collector.

Awesome custom Tony Stark, by local customizer extraordinaire riverspoons

Still, the MJ project is a great start, and hopefully with its success, many more types of figures will be released in the future. Too bad imported prices to own these would be too expensive for many local collectors. Sigh.

Wishful Thinking: (Bring back) SUPER POWERS

Pics from kennersuperpowers.com

As a child of the 80's and a big comics fan, I don't know why I never got into DC/Kenner's Super Powers line. Was it too expensive? Or not as prevalent in toy stores as other lines I was into, like He-Man and G.I. Joe (and later on Ninja Turtles)? I remember owning (or at least holding) a Jack Kirby-drawn mini-comic (which later became a regular comic-sized mini-series). I also remember a few of them were re-released (or repainted) as part of the 1989 Batman movie.

I guess just I wasn't as into it as those other lines, perhaps a feeling of snobbery ("G.I. Joe is cooler and hipper than that old fogey Superman!") which I now regret. I remember feeling hyped up in watching the commercial for the figures:

One of the great things is that they just didn't do the major heroes, but lesser-known characters many fans would not have expected, like Firestorm, Dr. Fate, Darkseid and many others.

They still remain, even today, some of the finest toys. The sculptures were amazing, capturing their iconic looks, further enhanced by the colorful paint jobs. Their designs were evocative, or directly influenced, by the "style guides" of artist Jose Garcia Lopez in the 80's.

The Batman of my childhood

Still, I can't imagine not begging for some of the more major characters (Superman, Batman), if I saw them lining up the shelves at the local Toys R'Us, but I don't remember them as being prevalent as other toy lines. No, my memory of them is as already-valued items in a collector's market.

Mattel currently has plans to release a wave of figures paying homage to the Kenner line, but these are just their newer, DC Universe Classics line re-painted and repackaged in facsimile boxes.

Hm, not quite what I was wishing for

It would be nice if DC re-released or remade a full-blown "comeback"  of the 3 3/4" scale, minus the action figures, with some added articulation, featuring not just the old line-up but expanding into newer characters (Deadshot! Blue Beetle!).

Other figures designed by JGL