Author Topic: New JD Review: General Veers  (Read 2880 times)

Offline Jeff

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New JD Review: General Veers
« on: March 8, 2006, 10:26 PM »
Jesse is having some PC problems, so I'm taking care of things for him on this one...



I'm sure he will be by later to let you all know his thoughts on doing this review!
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: New JD Review: General Veers
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2006, 01:31 AM »
I'm back, but most likely briefly, haha...

Thanks for the post Jeff.

REviewing Veers just was another 2006 figure that reinforced my opinion that we're getting shafted on poseable figures once again.  The real irritating thing with Veers for me though, is that he has boot articulation for no reason but no knee joints.  Much like the upcoming SOra Bulq review, it's a case of Hasbro articulating points ona figure that reallly are unnecessary at best, and shorting a point of articulation on the figure that is everything towards making it a fun toy...

Veers took an idea customizers were running with years ago; removable armor on the good General, and they ran with it...  Unfortunately they didn't run far enough in my opinion.

A lacking back ont he armor was the first flaw...  The second was a cheap-out on their part by not including a removable hat.  This causes the helmet to bow out on every Veers I have seen with its helmet on and that's just a poor functioning idea...  It wasn't even creative, it was cheap, and the figure suffers from it.

Beyond that though, the figure's height is odd when mixed in with other figures, towering over "average height" characters like Han Solo or Stormtroopers...  Throw in the half-assed articulation (and lack of, once again, Knee articulation), and this figure isn't all roses by a long shot.

Had Hasbro actually done things right and just nicely sculpted and articulated the sculpt, they'd have the PERFECT base with which to have re-released the same sculpt with a JerJerrod head, Death Star Trooper head, Generic Black Uniformed Officer (ANH), etc., etc...

Save some cash the smart way AND make a figure people can love to buy...  The articulation is lame once more though, and from there the figure's little individual flaws just shine...  A close second for me is the complete lack of the back of the amror.  I'm sorry, but that looks like pure **** to me to put it quite bluntly. 

The height alone is going to keep me from even buying Veers for customizing...  Best I'd get is a 2nd for parts reproduction, but if I'm careful with my one I won't even need to do that.  I'm pretty unimpressed with this figure...  Let's hope the Hoth Wave goes out on a good note and the Geonosis Wave is an improvement...  Though I got Scorch this past weekend and I can't say I'm hopeful on this.
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Offline Reid

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Re: New JD Review: General Veers
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2006, 05:43 PM »
I think you severly underrated this figure Jesse...

First, Veers didn't do much in the movies, so that's a valid reason to not give him knee joints. Hasbro, at least IMO, doesn't need to do knee joints on characters like Veers that didn't do much physical activity in the movies. Characters like Clones, Jedi, Stormies, Han, and Rebel Troops should most of the time have knee joints, as they did a lot of physical activity in the movies.

Second, I don't think a removable kepi is really neccesary because he never took it of in the films. And at least on my figure the helmet hides the kepi perfectly.

IMO, one of the best TSC figfures so far.

Offline Jesse James

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Re: New JD Review: General Veers
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2006, 07:02 PM »
Quote
First, Veers didn't do much in the movies, so that's a valid reason to not give him knee joints.

So it's valid to short a figure in quality compared to others but charge the same?  See that's something I disagree with blanketly across the line.  It's 2006 and the Star Wars figure standard hasn't risen above 1983 for articulation in some ways.  He has simplistic arm articulation, there's no ball/socket joints at all on him, and while he has boot articulation it's senseless and doesn't improve the figure plus it incurs the cost the knee joints could have used.

To me, a character's action on-screen shouldn't be justification for it being a statue.  Does Veers do much?  No, not by a longshot, but should his toy?  I think any action figure should be capable of multiple poses.  GI Joe set the standards back int he early 80's...  Hasbro just won't push the Star Wars line.  If Bail Organa can have articulation above and beyond, then so can Veers I believe.  Nothing too flashy (Not asking Super articulation that is), but he lacks knee articulation and that is a key point for a poseable, playable, fun action figure/toy.  Without it, he's got 1983 legs and that's just sort of sad to me.

Quote
Second, I don't think a removable kepi is really neccesary because he never took it of in the films. And at least on my figure the helmet hides the kepi perfectly.

My helmet hides the Kepi perfectly too, but after seeing at least a dozen opened Veers figures with the helmet on, it bows outward due to the helmet not fitting over the head properly...  The kepi should be removable simply because Hasbro can.  It's one of my more minor gripes really with the figure, but given they had AT-ST Han's helmet (with chinstrap which looks better), I would have preferred they sculpted Veers with a removable hat and just re-used that Han helmet.  The helmet would fit better, a removable officer's cap would be nice for once too from my POV.

I'd say though my biggest complaints (in order) are the knees which kill any figure.  It's too far into the line to have such unposeable figures unless there's something that specifically prohibits their poseability like a skirt or robe.  Then I'd say Veers' armor back piece is just silly looking.  A slowly gaining third gripe I'd give to his height as he is definitely odd in height compared to others.  He shouldn't stand as tall as Vader. ;)

The removable hat is somewhere below that though...  Minor, but it still bows the helmet outward and looks bad on my sample and every other one I have seen.
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
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Offline blaster_e11

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Re: New JD Review: General Veers
« Reply #4 on: April 4, 2006, 10:13 AM »
i think this fig is great, veers comes with nice accesories we've long been waiting for

i really like him inspite of the details you despise ;)
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Offline Dan

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Re: New JD Review: General Veers
« Reply #5 on: April 7, 2006, 12:21 PM »
I agree with Jesse's review. While I do own a few of these for hanging around the troops in various settings, the lack of knee joints irks me. I love the AT-AT drivers knees. They are almost invisible and allow him to "sit." If they had made this mold with that type of knee, Veers (or any other imperial they base off of the mold) could sit at, oh, a table? Maybe a nice black table from the first death star?
We should be 20 years past these guys not being able to sit if you want them to. And some of the knees and elbows they do make look like bantha poo doo. We shouldn't have to see hinges and hardware.
The hat business, eh, I can live with it as is. I would rather have this than only have gotten one look or the other.