This is the most dull wave Super 7 has ever put out (though I'm sure the paint will be extra shiny as usual and not dull at all). A turtle and 3 humans. Super 7 excels at making the misshapen and monstrous. It is always their humanoid figures that disappoint me. This wave needed a Wingnut or Muck Man type. This is the first one in the Turtles Ultimates line that I haven't bought a single figure and I don't see that changing even with a sale because I don't want any of that on my shelf even if the price is cheap. Shelf real estate is too valuable.
I might check out the review later. My Classic Rock Leo is out for delivery so I'll have that by the end of the day. It's the only figure I cared about in the wave. That Casey was not good the first time so I doubt a new coat of paint will help and April does nothing for me. I assume she'll look a lot like the Yellow Power Ranger - very plasticky, poor faces, minimal articulation. And Karai looks to use a lot of the same parts, but given she's in black the figure may look better. I just want the big monster guys, for the most part, and my favorite turtle variants (which will basically end with the music versions). I still have Triceraton, Robot Bebop, and Punker Don preordered at BBTS. That wave (7!) is supposed to leave the factory any day now and it has me very worried. Usually, when something takes this long to get through the manufacturing process the end result is not very good. I guess we'll see.
Leo looks good for a turtle variant, I'm just not doing any of those. I just have way too many turtles at this point. I just can't believe they went with so many humans. This wave's diversity is definitely lacking and I can't imagine the sales were great.
Leo looks JUST good enough that I might have to get him. I keep telling myself not to do it, not to give these guys more money. But goddamn it. I love vintage TMNT so much, and as I've said before, the Rocker Turtles are my favorite group variants, and represent my second favorite TMNT variants overall after Samurai Leo. He does look a little sturdier than previous figures, and I dare hope that maybe Super7 is slowly learning to actually QC their products.
I mean, fuckin' wild that the rest of the figures turned out so badly, though. April's knees are not just an eyesore, but barely functional. And it's almost criminal that THIS long after the original release of Casey, S7 didn't even bother to go back to the tooling and get his torso to sit better on the pelvis, despite that being such a common complaint even from S7's more ardent fans. Just an absolute fucking blooper reel of a company.
But that Leo..... I'm so weak.
@theknightdamien not to influence you one way or another, but I'm very pleased with how Leo turned out. Articulation is very Super7, so no surprises there (pleasant or otherwise), but nothing is loose or floppy. He's almost a 1:1 recreation of the Playmates figure right down to the rips in the jeans (and the rip on the left leg is finally painted). They did change the language on the back of the vest to "Rock N' Out" and also switched it to a blue font. I prefer the tackiness of the original's rhinestone messaging, but I'm not bent out of shape or anything by the change. Only change I don't like is they removed the pattern from the red bandana on his head. Not sure why, but I miss it.
The double guitar is pretty ridiculous (on a toy and in reality), but I suppose ridiculous is fitting for such a figure. The fret swords slide in and out with little effort which is a good move since they hopefully won't get scratched or anything. The figure can hold it reasonably well and I like the inclusion of the pick hand and the fret hand. The mic stand is a good accessory. I'm a little surprised the mic can't be removed from it like it can with most of the music releases by Super7. The guitar soloing head is a good addition, though I don't care for the sunglasses. They don't fit very well, but I guess if you want to go without the red bandana the sunglasses can hide the fact that Leo's eyes are closed on the alternate portrait.
The original figure is quite possibly my all-time favorite variant from the original line so I'm happy and relieved that Super7 didn't butcher it and actually made some worthwhile additions to the original formula. It's not the best figure in the line, but it's going to be among my favorites.
@misfit It's actually really good to hear positive reports on a Super7 TMNT figure for once. Especially one I actually care about owning. Because, of course, I just (pre)ordered him. Again.. so weak.
In terms of the changes; I'm torn. I definitely do not like the blue on the back of the vest replacing the rhinestones. No one will convince me that was a good change. Not sure if it's because someone at S7 just thought they were a better designer than the person who made the original iconic figure, or if this was part of trying to make the figure not an exact replica of the Playmates one?
It's 100% not a big deal, and it's part of the figure I'll almost never see - so whatever. But when I see it - I do not like it.
Removing the pattern on the head is, I'm guessing, really just about trying to save on a deco hit. I don't actually care too much that it's gone, but if I'm correct about the -why-, then it's kind of bullshit to be pulling punches on an already over-priced figure (as I've said many times with other S7 figures).
The guitar is the thing I'm really on the fence about. On the one hand, it's kind of genius. AND I just love that he's got the double guitar. One of my strongest musical memories as a kid was watching Richie Sambora rock that double guitar on stage for Wanted Dead or Alive, so yeah - bring it on.
On the other hand.. I just don't like the guitar necks/heads being swords. Yeah, the vintage toy had guitar swords and this was a very smart way to incorporate that into him also having a guitar accessory. But it seems like it won't be as sturdy as I want. Even in the video review it looks like Leo holding the neck is causing it to slightly twist in the body of the guitar.
But genuinely... these are very minor complaints. It looks like a figure I'm going to be super happy with, which is generally not what I expect from this company. I don't want to get my hopes up, because the other three figures in this wave (three humans, at that. What the fuck, Brian?) look like melted cheese on a dirty ass. BUT, if Leo is an indication of where S7 is going... I could get back into these pretty hard. At the very least, I need the music Turtles completed. DO NOT leave us without a Raph, Brian. Do not.
Well, the only one I ordered was Karai, and I think she'll do what I expected her to do well enough that I won't be disappointed. I'm looking forward to getting her in hand... eventually
@theknightdamien the only issues I have the double guitar and how they did it is the fret board will slide out a bit when posing him, but it will slide back in without issue. Just one of those things where if you forget when you're say, taking a picture, you'll see the blue peeking out and kick yourself for not fixing it. I also can't get his pick hand onto the bottom strings. I don't have any issue with the necks twisting though in his hands. You definitely have to start as near the top as you can when inserting it into the gripping hand and then slide it into the desired place. Personally, I suppose I could have done without the guitar swords since I'll never display him wielding them, but since the vintage toy had them I'm glad they're here. And I do like weapon storage and the double guitar is basically a creative weapon storage solution. I think the other changes were probably just to differentiate it somewhat from the original figure since the sculpt is almost a direct copy. They even inverted the colors in the font of "Turtle Rocks" on the shirt. Were they changes to get approval from Viacom which was trying to placate Playmates, or change for the sake of change because someone at Super7 didn't want to copy the figure exactly? That's the real question.
If Heavy Metal Raph is not in the next wave I will be embarrassingly angry. Like, yelling at Super7 on social media like a crazy person angry. I would also very much enjoy if they either did an original music figure or perhaps adapted the Mondo Gecko one to come with a drum kit so we can get a full band here, or something close to it.
A look at the 2k3 Turtles at SDCC:
I like them a little more in plastic form. I still think the value kind of blows since they don't come with much, but I admit that I do struggle to think of what else they could come with that I'd actually want. I think I'm going to give these guys a shot, I just hate that I really like the extra heads. I'd prefer to preorder through BBTS since I know they'll take care of me if these suck.
I like them a little more in plastic form. I still think the value kind of blows since they don't come with much, but I admit that I do struggle to think of what else they could come with that I'd actually want. I think I'm going to give these guys a shot, I just hate that I really like the extra heads. I'd prefer to preorder through BBTS since I know they'll take care of me if these suck.
I don't struggle with what else they could come up with at all; a better price point. Admission that these figures are not worth this price and that, if there's nothing 'worth' putting in the box to make it that price, then that price should just be changed instead of being married to it like 55 dollars is simply the price an action figure MUST be or a black hole will form in our solar system and destroy us all. Greedy pricks.
But also.. yeah, I don't find myself caring about these. If I see Leo on discount, I might pick him up just to add to the Leo collection because I'm a sucker like that. But I cannot imagine buying these things at full price even if I were a bonafide millionaire.
I just hate that I really like the extra heads. I'd prefer to preorder through BBTS since I know they'll take care of me if these suck.
QFT
I’ve not had time to check out much coverage, do they have any of the missing older waves at the show? Ya know, those figures we paid for like 2 years ago? I feel like last I heard the Triceraton wave was supposed to be shipping in August.
Have they said what black hole Wave 7 fell in to?
I haven't seen any interviews with Super7. I think the below image is from a Paramount panel which confirms more 2k3 figures are on the way, but we kind of knew that already. Looks like Shredder, Splinter, Foot, and Casey?
https://twitter.com/talkactionfigs/status/1816968770587623555
@detrimental-fig He did say in a recent interview that they were finally coming. How long has that been anyway since that wave went up for preorder?