Wrist Rotation Agitation

This was a sort of goodbad week for Gear.
First, with so many mails an actual error happened. The ONE important page of the update (SBK figure review) didn't go on. I just didn't upload the page. The review was done, the pics were on the server etc etc etc but the page? No. I guess 117 mails makes it really rather difficult.

Then.
The better part starts, sort of. The review said 'his wrists wont turn' and that of course, was rediculous. The last blog post talked about it even. It turns out that mine had it stuck with paint. I got pliars out of the tools and was finally able to start them rotating. I changed the review (it got better!) so that's another edit on top of that too. So not all figures will be that hard, but it was certainly enough to fool me into thinking they wouldn't go. Certainly, every other joint had no problem at all--and they're still not too loose. Still I'm glad I had to go back and fix everything because really, that makes the figure so much better.

I also jumped on it right away because I don't need the review influencing people wrong and also to confuse everyone into sending a zillion mails. Further, I took advantage of it a bit to get in a small mid-week update to try and keep the mail reigned in. I don't want any more error updates like this last one was. Still, all considering I think SonicGear's track record is pretty good for all the updates it's been through.

This upcoming week will still be mail bag. Nothing new-page wise. Getting the UPC codes for the super-super posers doesn't look like it'll happen so I'm betting they're not quite 'everywhere' yet. Not sure what to do about them either because I don't want to have to buy their "Super repaint shlocky Sonic". I don't want to contribute to encouraging companies to just put out any old thing. What would change my mind is extremely better eyes on the figure, or that the spikes can actually go up and he's not just Sonic dipped in yellow paint for a fast buck. Jazwares is doing so well so far....

Still, no one's gotten their hands on him yet that I've seen for anything 'out of the box'...so we'll see what appears at TRU. What about Super Shadow? Yeahprobably. Since he looks pretty much like in the game, I'll end up getting him and then doing the whole review thing for Gear. It'll refer to the original Super Posers page, but it will still have new pics and comparisons.

The Best Sonic Figure to date?

Could this Sonic & Black Knight action figure be the best one released to date?
I actually think so. Which makes it MEGA frusterating that it's one little point off from being pretty darn perfect. Like the full review (and all photos) prove, it's extremely action-ey for it's size, the head sculpt is finally, finally good and the BK accessories are really quite well done. It looks like Jazwares is indeed a company the fans can trust to make actual accurate Sonic figures.

The one problem is that this sword-holding figure can't move the wrist. This is the first figure that I've been really really tempted to cut apart and modify. Chop off the gauntlet-hand and get SOMEthing in there to let it rotate. Argh, it's so frusterating especially because I'd like to use it in more stop motion shows. I mean, who could resist? The articulation for ACTUAL movements means he'll be super great, but then he's only holding the sword sideways. I have no idea how they could let this out with ankles that spin but wrists that won't.

Hopefully though, this is only my own gripe. It likely will be because really, who does stopmotion action figure shows? Maybe .0001% of people who buy the figure. Everyone else will either play with him only, or shelve him. No complaints there. Hopefully everyone gets to buy this figure to support Jazwares in it's new Sonic efforts because really, their efforts are actually working.

Bit of a mess on everything else though. TONS of stupid bootlegs had come in on the mail...so sad. Especially all the poor sad fans tricked into buying those really good looking fake Fangs. I mean most of bootlegs is just a joke. No one would buy stupid iron-on t-shirt garbage that's so obviously phony. A lot of it is up there to point out 'oh hey how dumb are these theives' but that fake Fang is really something else. Fortunately, an accidental buyer gave the fans back the edge:

Newest Fake Fang has a tush tag. (A sign of authenticity) BUT like usual bootleggers, they did (thankfully) mess something up. The copyright on that tag is 2007. Yeah well Sonic The Fighters (the game he's from) was in the 1990s. They've made a dead-give-away for sniffing out the counterfits. Hopefully the bad guys don't catch on, but everyone else does.

New Section:
"Wanted Gear". The new section seems to be working well. It got 2 of the new shirts in. The section was created to help get items onto Gear that would otherwise have been 'stolen' graphics off of other sites. I don't go around stripping other fansites of images to cannibalize everything for SonicGear. Images have to be permitted, offered in email, or done personally. However, some sites have SUCH exclusive things (that I can't take, or let anyone else rob) that they've got to go on a list somewhere so that regular pictures can eventually be found.

Next week?
Unknown. 117 was the mail count this time, it's getting crazier despite my efforts to post everything within reach. Got it down to 90 but those 90 people probably feel rather shabby that their item didn't go anywhere. (yet!) May mid-week update something like all the cards last time but not too sure. Certainly no new section can be on the way.