Generally they're all screwey Dimetrodon...    Sorry to say.

They usually have a mechanism that attaches to whatever button makes them work, or the mechanism is built into it...  Hard to explain without popping one apart, but I'd suggest (If it's in your budget) to pop open a Kit Fisto sometime.

His action feature arm (Though a well hidden feature that didn't itself hurt the figure) is really different than his normal arm.  

As for the Clone Head, I haven't ever popped one apart to say one way or the other.  I know it's a strange articulation style compared to how other ball/socket necks have been for Hasbro figures.  The latest Dooku was different too, and the Clone and Dooku don't look as nice as say the Concept Stormtrooper or Clone Pilot's joints look.

Yeah, Saesee jumped 10x in my opinion.  I like him even more than Kit at this point.

That looks to be one VERY poseable figure.  

I wish the Saga Jedi for last year had this much attention paid to them...  The Clone Wars Jedi strike me as some very nice figures...  If we'd gotten a Kit Fisto in his Jedi Garb like that, or Nikto Jedi, or Shaak Ti, or whoever...  I'd have liked to see poseable versions of ALL those figures.  Instead it was the pre-posed figures of 2002 who aren't likely to see many (if any) resculpts.  

The Jedi rocked all in the movie, too bad their respective figures couldn't say the same.

D'oh, good eye Matt.

I missed some of the slides because I wasn't browsing through all.

An R1 and drink tray R2?  Hmmm...  I wonder if R2 will have an opening panel with a sabre handle spot?  That'd be pretty sweet I do believe.

That Luke is still the highlight of that to me...  I can't wait for him!

I'm not saying my opinion is the only... but at times I'll bow out gracefully and leave my opinion to myself.
I see people complain about it all... from distribution, to scalpers, to the most minute details being left off by terrible Hasbro.

After a while it makes you wonder why people continue to support a line and company that is sooo horrible.

And that is fine Jimmy, but when it comes to people's complaints it's not your duty to police the boards as to what is legitimate and what is not.  It's also not your duty to dictate whether you feel people would, could, or should start a new hobby simply because what they say irritates you on some level.

Sometimes the complaints about distribution and whatnot get to be a bit much to me as well, but if someone cannot find something I do not blame him/her for their feelings and they're allowed to voice that.

If someone finds something and thinks it should've had a working holster, or some extra articulation, it's the same thing...  They're entitled to that opinion, and nobody need be preaching to them anything to the contrary.  

This isn't 100% directed at you alone, but EVERYONE here at JediDefender.  Like I said, that's an attitude I hoped to leave at Rebelscum, and it's an attitude I will gladly nip in the bud here at JediDefender.

If you truly think army builders outsell any main character you are truly mistaken... and I mean that in the nicest way possible. They may sell to certain types of collectors but beyond that your average collector buys one and the casual collector will easily pass on them for a new Jedi Luke. That is a fact.

I can tell you this from personal experience and the fact I do some work for an online retailer that has by far more red Battle Droids right now than Throne Room Luke's... beyond the cases of Endor Soliders and countless other "army builders". Don't believe me though? Ask Hasbro...

And I would also like to take this moment to cease all "This is fact" talk, because unless you're putting in time with Hasbro and scouring their sales sheets, you do not know these to be "Fact" like you stress.

While I am sure you feel your work for an online retailer gives you some idea that you're an expert on toys, I think I've got an equal ammount of expertise from my research and studies on the toy industry overall.

Hasbro themselves have even said in the past that army builders do tend to sell fairly well, and see higher production runs, so what good would asking Hasbro be to your argument?  The Jedi Luke just shipped...  It's a figure I've yet to even see in a store.  Of course it's going to sell out first right now.

It won't forever though...  Not that I ever said that Army Builders even outsell main characters though.  But they do sell more consistently to the core collectors...  That's something where Main character (and secondary) lose steam eventually.  Some army builders don't sell though, but if army builders truly were such poor sales, why would Hasbro make 4-packs of them, or 3-packs for the Clone Wars line?  Your ideas of "facts" seem flawed, by Hasbro's own actions.

Hasbro would almost certainly put more into any main screen character than background one. Companies such as BBI, 21st Century, etc apply such detail into their figures because well that's all they create... "army builders" (that's literally).

So Hasbro should put MORE $/effort into a main character, but still charge you the same for a background character or army builder...  Yet when other companies, who "just do army builders" as you put it, put the SAME effort into ALL their figures, they're somehow getting away with less work or effort?

I'm sorry, but that makes no real sense from a business standpoint, nor does it make sense from the consumers standpoint to say "Well I'm willing to accept less but pay the same price for this guy because he's a background character".  

You mention Riekean being a nice figure though the Hoth Rebel being much more important... though remember in this case you are the minority. Most will say "OH cool another Hoth Rebel trooper"... and next line might be but I have three of him as is...

They will oogle over the Riekean because he's a figure that has never seen light... It's basic facts man...

Once again, these are NOT facts...  Maybe in your mind and how you collect they are, but they're nothing more than your opinion on collecting Jimmy.

This is where the tolerance issue is being breached I think.  You feel so strongly that you're right...  To the point you speak as if you had sales sheets in front of you to back this up that Gen. Riekean is the figure EVERYONE wanted and the Hoth Rebel wasn't what anyone wanted.  

That's fine, I understand you think differently on a collecting level than I do, but it's also where I (and others) say we wanted a NICE new Hoth Rebel Soldier, and we got something less than that...  

Sure I'm excited about Riekean, but I would've loved a better Rebel Soldier first personally.  You say I'm in the minority, I say army builders are a large part of the equation...  You disagree with that, that's fine, but you're not an expert so please remember that your opinion is your own, and that you need to NOT trample other collector's thoughts around these boards.

I'm not doing this to be mean, but I was brought on here because of how I feel about collecting, and how I will not stand by while opinions are being trashed.

I would suggest people feeling this angry over complaints to heed some of their own advice.  If you are upset by the words of others about toys to the point that you feel it necessary to vent about it, maybe it is YOU who needs to rethink collecting, and it's "worth" to you.

Like you said yourself Jimmy, they're just toys...  Don't let what others think or say bother you.  This is a site where we accept everyone's point of view on the toys, whether they agree or disagree, like or dislike...  As such, talking down to people because you feel they "complain too much" will NOT be tolerated.

And like I said, feel free to take this up with me privately if you disagree, or to discuss it with one of the other administrators who I'm sure will respond to you as promptly as they can.

Check the front page of Jedi Defender and follow the jive till you find the URL Textfull story link.

So what are your thoughts on the answers...

I personally STILL find the "flimsy weapons are a choice for child safety" answer a bit bogus.  

Hasbro said at one time that it was the industry standard, but when people called them on that they've now changed their tune once again.  Now the industry standard has changed I guess, and Hasbro does it from the kindness of their heart?

I also question the "Kids like action poses" answer...  Why would G.I.  Joe do so extremely well with kids AND adults, even in a year when Star Wars was to be the dominant line under Hasbro's umbrella, and they're made for poseability and "fun".

I believe these 2 issues to both be cost-cutting ones, plain and simple, and we've been given run-around answers.  Not what I like to see...

The interview is a good read, and I highly recommend you check it out...  The Sandcrawler sounds to be an almost-go right now, so good news for you Sandcrawler fanatics (not MY thing personally, but I did want the droid from it, haha).

I was over at rebelscum real quick, and they had images from the Slide Show/Q&A presentation Hasbro put on, and there's a nice image of Jedi Luke due out next year...

Soft goods robe, a blaster, a sabre, and a "belt" (I couldn't see the belt being spoke of personally).  It's shaping up to be a highlight figure for 2004 if you ask me though.

Also, check the "Jabba's Palace" wave...  Who's the person listed for the basic line?  Not a palace denizen's name that I'm familiar with...  Anyone know who it is (IE: Scott, do you know because you always seem to know and have a photo to boot!!!)

Only Dengar listed on that "Destroyer" wave...  I hope we get a new Piett though, or Needa, or the ever wished for Veers with removable armor, helmet, and hat.  THAT would rock...

A new Bossk wouldn't bother me though either (Because Trandoshan's get all da ladies), and I would take a bridge crewman (Technician) with the long-brim grey kepi hat as well...  

Yes, wishful thinking on ALL of that.  Dengar's at least on the way, and rightfully so.

The Rebel Trooper falls prey once again to Hasbro's lack of decent army builder sculpt, articulation, and features...

My Hoth Rebel Soldier would have a removeable hat, pistol that fits in holster, and he'd be articulated A LOT more than what they gave him.  Be nice to have a trooper you could actually put in multiple poses, from firing a rifle with 2 hands to standing at attention.

Army builders sell uber well, especially good ones...  Why be cheap with them?  I mean, they even have the option of sticking them in packs of 4 after the initial retail waves run out...  Multiple head variants can breathe life into them at little cost...  So why be so damn stingey on articulation and such?

A shame...  Especially considering we now STILL could use a "good" Hoth rebel and Hoth Imperial trooper figure since we still don't have good poseable versions of these figures from one of the biggest action sequences of the original trilogy.  

Now, Riekean is great looking, as are those Club Patron figures.  THOSE are nice.  That Obi-Wan is the best Obi-Wan ever as far as I can tell...  Damn nice figure!