I love the reissue vehicles we've been getting – but newer vehicles besides the Hummers (Piranha, Thunderwing) have too much of a Tonka, rounded Nerfy look. Taking a look at the new Chap Mei Soldier Force Assault Boats and Rocket Haulers seem to be the physical heirs of Hasbro's 1980's vehicles – loaded with detail and vehicle, with a rampant disregard for small parts and breakable things which could affect children but which give great delight to adult collectors .

I bought the Rattler and Conquest (again), and I LOVE old school vehicles, but for NEW ARAH vehicles, Chap Mei seems to be where its at. The assault boat in Moray Colors would be a BEAUTIFUL custom Cobra vehicle, tasked with patrolling Cobra Island's shores. The Rocket Hauler could be a great Cobra assault weapon chased down by the Joes...

I love 25th anniversary, but in some ways I felt more like the Joe line was progressing in fun and play value when it was 2002, I was getting ARAH at a huge discount at Big Lots and buying up Soldier Force stuff to repaint and stick Joe and Cobra logos on.

While nostalgia is fun...does it feel to anyone else like we were "making more progress" a few years ago?

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Chap Mei is definitely the successor to ARAH's vehicles. Lots of play value, great design work (the military stuff anyway, some of the other lines leave me a bit cold) and BIG. The figure design has improved with 25th (by and large the JvC/VvV era was a step backwards) but we're not seeing much vehicle wise. The 25th reissues have improved on the ARAH versions in some ways but it's nothing new. The movie will be where we see what the design team is capable of, but even then they'll still be basing the vehicles off of other designs. Unfortunately I doubt we'll ever see original vehicle designs in the 25th line, since they're expensive, and the older molds are likely to sell better.

I agree that Chap Mei makes some great vehicles, but I don't feel that the Joe vehicles are necessarily bad. The Thunderwing does have a slight boxy feel, but there isn't a lot of ways to pack that many features into a vehicle that size without adding some bulk, and I do think the features add to the playability. When I look at the NAC, the Thunderwing, the RHINO and the ROCC I see some real incredible design work. Have they moved away from the traditional and simpler vehicles? Yes, I think they have so maybe that opens discussion for an ARAH heir. My disappointment is the soaring price points with Chap Mei lately. Chap Mei was always a great source of inexpensive base vehicles, but they lacked some of the finer details. One example is the Bradley type tank now available again in one of their sets. A great looking tank, but only one hatch that would take a figure. I loved it and it only ran $5.99 at KB, but I had to modify mine to make it useful. These vehicles are being reissued without added features at twice the traditional price. The newer sculpt vehicles are fantastic and have the features to better justify the pricing, but Chap Mei is not alone in offering alternatives. When you look at some of the Lanard vehicles they have maintained the simpler design and the lower price, they simply lack the variety. PTE had a run of incredible realistic vehicles at moderate prices often with more play features than Chap Mei. They simply were not unique enough designs to excite some of the Joe customer base.

I guess what I'm trying to say is not only has Chap Mei has offered great alternatives, but the continued offerings from the Joe line and other lines can't be written off either.

The Bradley was one of their first attempts, so it's normal that it wasn't up to par. Think of it as their MOBAT.
Now, their Merkava... think of that as their MAULER. That thing is sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.
I also find their transport helicoper to be a lot more versatile than the GIJoe Tomahawk, since it can carry vehicles just as well as figures.

I've spotted a SWAT van at TRU that'd be great with the DEF toyline or any urban assault force you want in your collection.

There's more I could talk about but I haven't slept all night and there's no handy site I can go to to remind me of the other cool stuff they've made over the years.

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I don't remember this one. Any link?

http://www.action-figure.com/modules.ph ... ent&id=406


It ain't 21st or Bbi, but it's a damn sight better than Hasbro armor.

Biggest problem with their Merkava, has always been it's availability. I have yet to ever actually see one, and I know a few others who had been looking for it too, that were never able to find any. It's been out for like 5-6 years now, but has never been widely available.

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You got me there... I found mine on ebay...

Regardless, it is a great toy. Totally durable too. Chap Mei makes their toys tough for rough play.

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I appreciate Chap Mei's ability to "go there", with their toyline. Adventure? Sure, we'll try it. Science and exploration? We'll try that too. Dragons and Dungeons? Forsooth, and sally forth.

If only they'd try and make their figures have just a bit more poseability. Bend those knees, and elbows. Or better yet, if there are vehicles included as we have seen they are, then devote one or two characters to seated molds and positions, so that the focus characters that are straight legged are no problem.

I was looking at some explorer gal that I found at a Big Lots many years ago, with her amber necklace, lizard specimen, and magnifying glass. Design gold there.

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I've got like 7 of that chick. That's a great figure. Even used parts of her in the most recent GP...

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Thanks for the link. I do remember that tank and saw it exactly once on a store shelf several years ago. Another thing I put back that I shouldn't have.

I was lucky enough to score the Battle Tank from Dosser at the '07 convention.