I got the Grid Iron M2 for Roadblock. It's pretty great and worth the price for such an essential, iconic weapon. (And I keep almost buying a guitar and amp for Rock n Roll.)
For less critical pieces, I'm happy with the occasional Action Force weapon pack. It's hard to equip any units uniformly because no two weapons match, but I have more than enough sidearms to replace the little blaster pistols that keep showing up with the Joes.
On a further side note, Grid Iron is providing all the weapons for Fresh Monkey's Monster Force, so that should be good.
@jayjonah I mean anything he produces is gonna be compared to Classified because they're in the same sphere. It'd be ignoring the elephant in the room. He's also more complimentary of the line than he gets credit for if you actually listen to his stuff instead of seeing outrage posts about it.
It'd be ignoring the elephant in the room.
I mean, but why would that be a problem? The product is the product. Does Mafex spend their time comparing their X-Men figures to Hasbro's? Is there some need for them to? Like, they're literally making the same versions of the same characters. Surely that must be ignoring a much bigger elephant. As folks have pointed out, he's not directly competing with them, so there's no downside to ignoring them.
Fans can compare all they like, but they will do that even with lines that have no similarities at all.
It'd be ignoring the elephant in the room.
I mean, but why would that be a problem? The product is the product. Does Mafex spend their time comparing their X-Men figures to Hasbro's? Is there some need for them to? Like, they're literally making the same versions of the same characters. Surely that must be ignoring a much bigger elephant. As folks have pointed out, he's not directly competing with them, so there's no downside to ignoring them.
Fans can compare all they like, but they will do that even with lines that have no similarities at all.
Bang on.
You can crank out a list of examples as long as my arm without even thinking too hard about it. MegaBloks was always basically an off-brand LEGO. But they never publicly attacked LEGO product or TLG employees, or even directly compared their products with LEGO products. EVER, as far as I'm aware.
To use an even more apt example; I don't remember Lanard ever sending out catalogues in the early '90s of their vehicles next to official Hasbro Joe vehicles, or trashing Hasbro or its employees/products. Jada didn't debut their Street Fighter line by propping them up next to Storm Collectibles figures and trashing the release schedule or price of Storm figures.
Like.. Bob is just a dumb cunt. Let's be real.
On a further side note, Grid Iron is providing all the weapons for Fresh Monkey's Monster Force, so that should be good.
Not so much a correction here but a minor clarification, unless I'm mistaken; Gridiron is -sculpting- the weapons for FMMF, not -providing- them. They'll still be injection molded with the rest of FMMF's product line.
I dont own any action force figures, and I dont really care for Bobby Vala, but have no strong opinions about him. I actively dislike Tim Kennedy though.
All that being said, I think it’s a good thing that Hasbro has some competition in the 6-inch soldier toy front. I dont own any Valaverse figures, but that’s due to space and interest in the designs. Basically, if Hasbro weren’t cranking out great figures at the rate they are, I might have picked up a figure or two by now. I think this line and the Monster Force figures are great supplements to the Joe line.
I have no opinions about the truck comparison. It’s social media, so expect its going to be dumb and petty. This guy constantly tries to promote his company by drawing comparisons and highlighting his merits. I get it, even if it comes off kinda dickish, he does sometimes have a point. In this case, ignoring all of the other points about price and size, it is worth noting that his much smaller company didn’t feel the need to crowd source the vehicle. Large companies like Hasbro dont need to use the kickstarter model for these projects, they do it to inoculate themselves from risk and maintain the value of their brand for future pricing purposes.
I dont own any action force figures, and I dont really care for Bobby Vala, but have no strong opinions about him. I actively dislike Tim Kennedy though.
All that being said, I think it’s a good thing that Hasbro has some competition in the 6-inch soldier toy front. I dont own any Valaverse figures, but that’s due to space and interest in the designs. Basically, if Hasbro weren’t cranking out great figures at the rate they are, I might have picked up a figure or two by now. I think this line and the Monster Force figures are great supplements to the Joe line.
I have no opinions about the truck comparison. It’s social media, so expect its going to be dumb and petty. This guy constantly tries to promote his company by drawing comparisons and highlighting his merits. I get it, even if it comes off kinda dickish, he does sometimes have a point. In this case, ignoring all of the other points about price and size, it is worth noting that his much smaller company didn’t feel the need to crowd source the vehicle. Large companies like Hasbro dont need to use the kickstarter model for these projects, they do it to inoculate themselves from risk and maintain the value of their brand for future pricing purposes.
Calling Action Force competition for Hasbro's G.I. Joe line is like calling Minor League sports competition for Major League sports. They're on 2 entirely different levels
What’s your point? Just dunking the on Valaverse line again?
What’s your point? Just dunking the on Valaverse line again?
My point is that they're not competition. Hasbro seems to be content to ignore Valaverse because Valaverse can't compete on their level.
I mean, they literally are competition. They're in the same product space competing for the same collectors with a similar product aimed at the same thematic interest. They're not competition that threatens the solvency of Hasbro's line, but it's still possible for them to peel off some sales from Classified. It's less major vs. minor leagues and more like how...I don't know, if you're a wrestling fan you're probably watching WWE or AEW, but with a limited budget you might buy a ticket to an indie show over one to Raw or Dynamite.
I don't remember Lanard ever sending out catalogues in the early '90s of their vehicles next to official Hasbro Joe vehicles
Honestly, there's real value to me in junior toymakers showing how their stuff scales. I'm way more likely to dabble in a smaller line if I can see that their characters or playsets fit with what I already have. Conversely, a noticeably off-scale line will get passed over.
I mean, they literally are competition. They're in the same product space competing for the same collectors with a similar product aimed at the same thematic interest. They're not competition that threatens the solvency of Hasbro's line, but it's still possible for them to peel off some sales from Classified. It's less major vs. minor leagues and more like how...I don't know, if you're a wrestling fan you're probably watching WWE or AEW, but with a limited budget you might buy a ticket to an indie show over one to Raw or Dynamite.
In a larger scope of things, they're really not competition. Vala isn't sold in stores and the volume he sells can't compete with what Hasbro sells. This isn't dunking on the line at all, it's just a fact of the situation. Vala's line may compete for the same subset of fans that G.I. Joe has, but that's all. Vala is the one competing, not Hasbro.
What’s your point? Just dunking the on Valaverse line again?
My point is that they're not competition. Hasbro seems to be content to ignore Valaverse because Valaverse can't compete on their level.
Like secondwhiteline said above, that’s still competition. “On their level” is a subjective judgment, but we cant pretend that people don’t also consider Action Force figures to supplement their 6-inch soldier figure collection just because you and I dont buy them.
Also in some cases, it looks like Valaverse as a line is doing things better than GI Joe. The weapons pack, the gear packs, and the generic trooper bodies are all things that Hasbro could do, but haven’t yet.
What’s your point? Just dunking the on Valaverse line again?
My point is that they're not competition. Hasbro seems to be content to ignore Valaverse because Valaverse can't compete on their level.
Like secondwhiteline said above, that’s still competition. “On their level” is a subjective judgment, but we cant pretend that people don’t also consider Action Force figures to supplement their 6-inch soldier figure collection just because you and I dont buy them.
Also in some cases, it looks like Valaverse as a line is doing things better than GI Joe. The weapons pack, the gear packs, and the generic trooper bodies are all things that Hasbro could do, but haven’t yet.
To supplement is not to compete
I don't mind when Bobby "punches up" and goes after Hasbro as a whole or Brian from Super7. Other times, he comes of as petty, meanspirited, and a bully. Taking shots at his former streaming partner. Constant verbal jabs at Dwight and Lenny, knowing they likely aren't allowed to respond. A possibly imagined beef with Robo. Name one other person who dislikes Robo. He's like the Tom Hanks of our hobby.
Series 4 preorders tomorrow
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