Red Shadows and the SS

[Ross SC]

yeah, small joes is too much for me, im not that interested.

[jamarmiller]

I have had a bad experience with smalljoes and would HIGHLY recommend NOT EVER using them ever !

[Ross SC]

thats good to know, cheers for the heads up!
what happened?

[jamarmiller]

thats good to know, cheers for the heads up!
what happened?

long story short?

they sent me the wrong product, despite the invoice saying the right thing

EVERYTHING was crammed into a small box and was bent with crease marks

Wouldnt send me the right product

Called my a liar

I posted all of our e-mails on the boards

he threatend to post some e-mails saying something else

I called him out and told him to do it

he never did but choose to call me a liar on several boards instead

i was stuck with product( that I paid a lot of money for shipping to Japan for) that I didnt want

stay away from this loser

[SteveD]

Well, first off, I got mine from SmallJoes some time ago. They were pricey at $80 plus postage (about $20), but that is as cheap as I could find them at the time (came in at around £65 with the then exchange rate). To be honest, I had no problems with SmallJoes personally, but I do note Jamar's comments, so it may be that caution is necessary.

Right, that said, onto the "review".... (WARNING - loads of pictures, and a Stormie Invasion at the end!)

"He he"

They are going to be customised into Shadows eventually, and I was keeping quiet on them until then, but the way things are going with me I suspect it will be the Winter by the time they are customed, as I need to start from scratch buying paints, a dremmel etc, so time to share the thoughts!

Mixed feelings for me with these figures - they were expensive, but the figures themselves seem quite cheap. Some aspects of them are great, and then others are poor. The set strike me as cheap figures put into a posh box, and marketed for a high price as "Limited Edition". That said, they are going to make very good Shadow customs, and should be relatively easy.

You get two fixed trench coat Commanders, that are going to make very good Winter Shadows. Two regular troops with Trench coats on, and a good few other troops with removable helmets, guns, packs etc. The guns are very good, and very similar to a series 1 German Stormtrooper rifle if you are struggling for one, and you get quite a few of them.





I intend to make a Baron Custom using these ingredients:-







(figure is Star Wars, jacket from this range - head will be swapped for proper Baron head I think - I love the way his arms fold behind his back!). But I guess that's not much help, as he's not from this range, other than the coat!

This guy is an almost ready made Black Major:-


But I suspect will go the Winter Shadow route instead:-


(obviously, some work to do to get the Shad head the right height!)

In two minds whether to dremmel out the Shad heads to try to fit the original heads in to be helmets:-



The majority of the heads are of this type neck construction, but without the fixed cap:-



But bizarelly there is one that is like this, for no apparent reason:-


Which is a trend for this set, as the bulk of them follow one pattern, and then you get one that is totally different for no apparent reason - the knees on this guy below are a classic example - why the difference????:-





Arms etc are well articulated - hands move at wrists, elbows are jointed, pivot at bicep, and then they attach to sockets for the elbows - see various pics:-




Waists are pretty old fashioned by modern figure standards, and not very AF/GI Joe:-


Good variation of heads, and this guy looks so angry nazi to me it's unreal (blonde guy!):-



Is that Tom Cruise? (or, Deadpool as Thom Cruz?)



Once you take the few that have got coats etc on though you are left with some rather cheap and skinny looking troops for your Shads conversions.


Some frustrating poor finishes - such as this helmet is very poor:-



And the feet are often badly cast, so they struggle to stand without a figure stand or the aid of a nearby General Lee or window sill to lean on.

Not a problem if you are customising, but if you are after making a Sound of Music Diorama you'd be a little pissed off.

As you can see, with a few head swaps/helmets and some paint these guys are going to make a rather easy custom Shadow platoon. They wont look too good beside AF/Joe regular stuff, but that's not my plan - I intend to do the Baron, Black Major, perhaps Red Laser if I can get a head (Cobra Commander one spare anyone???), couple of Winter Shadows, and then a platoon of regular Shadows to display away from my regular AF stuff. And for that I think they are very good. So for me they were worth the money. Take away the cool trench coats etc though and you are left with some rather cheap figures, that you have paid rather a lot for.

Until they get customed they are looking rather cool with some helmets on, that may or may not look familiar ( Cheers!! ) :-



(this pic shows the regular bodies are quite skinny!)



Anyway, hope that helps anyone with the decision, and remember, when you guys have all done a set before me, and loads better than mine will be anyway, I thought of it first!!!!

And, whilst I was on in the Toy Room taking pics, I captured a candid shot of the Muton seemingly pulling, and Stormie enjoying a Ho Down at the Boars Nest:-




for more on how Stormie and the Muton come to Hazzard County, watch for future posts! (Heaven help us!!!)

[Dave Tree]

And, whilst I was on in the Toy Room taking pics, I captured a candid shot of the Muton seemingly pulling, and Stormie enjoying a Ho Down at the Boars Nest:-




for more on how Stormie and the Muton come to Hazzard County, watch for future posts! (Heaven help us!!!)

and there I was thinking that this was too serious a post for you

[SteveD]

And, whilst I was on in the Toy Room taking pics, I captured a candid shot of the Muton seemingly pulling, and Stormie enjoying a Ho Down at the Boars Nest:-




for more on how Stormie and the Muton come to Hazzard County, watch for future posts! (Heaven help us!!!)

and there I was thinking that this was too serious a post for you

I know Dave! I came close to two serious posts this morning, and then ruined them both at the very end!

I'll keep trying (you're patience, that is)

[SteveD]

Oh, and Roscoe is clearly enjoying a crafty one whilst perving after Daisy!

[Dave Tree]

does Muton have any special attachments?

[jamarmiller]

well, as for the toys

I cant wait to see them done, they look great, cant we contact the maker and ask them to do these guys in red? if we can get them to do them in red as an exclusive, a simple head swap later by us would be easier and Id buy a ton of these guys!