So I got the version 2 Roadblock today, and I see that though his vest and belt are separately sculpted pieces, they are not removable.

Then what's the point of making them in the first place? I love removable web-gear and vests and belts, but it seems to defeat the purpose to make them a separate piece that you can't do anything with. Why would Hasbro do this? It actually hinders how well he can hold his gun, cause it isn't that tight against his body, so kinda sticks out.

Yes, I'm sure if you take the figure apart, you can remove them, but who wants to do that all the time?

Is it a cost cutting thing? Lazy designer? What do you guys think?

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The vest comes off just fine - the "latch" is on his left side, under his arm and just pop off the head and you can pull the vest right off - just like with the Viper's. The belt is non-removable, though - unless you take off one of his legs (like with Lady J's holster.)

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Nothing to do with lazy designing...making the vest a separate piece means they can use the entire figure from Roadblock v.1, so instead of having to tool up an entire new torso, they just need to essentially make a new "accessory" which saves a bunch of money in production costs, yet gives us the same end product.

Justin

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Thanks, I hadn't considered just popping his head.



Ahhh.... good old fashioned corner-cutting. Corporate America's favorite passtime!

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Not corner cutting: common sense.

How stupid is it to waste money on new molds that are essentially the same figure with different gear?

Removable gear RULES!

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I've gotta second (third?) this. In fact, I kind of wish Hasbro would do more with removable gear and even swappable heads. Imagine a Snake Eyes figure that came with three heads (one unmasked), v1 and v2 gear and a Timber.

Or what if Barbecue came with a toon styled alternate head?

My personal fave would be a helmetless trooper head with headphones (I've customized two of them already) and maybe some alternate Trooper heads pf diverse ethnicities.

Hasbro should o' made a new torso sculpt for Roadblock v.2 on account o' how many 'JOE's share that same style vest, just with different web gear. Roadblock v.2, Cross-Country, Low-Light, Mercer, Muskrat, Duke ('92 version,) Spirit ('92 version) all share very similar style vests.

They could release all these characters in these versions & have them be fairly accurate.

I look at my 25th collection & I see figures that are coming out & I wonder why WE could mix & match better parts to make a more accurate rendition of th' classic character.
An example is the unreleased Falcon. Why don't they give him Tiger Force Flint's rolled up sleeves? They're makin' him out of Flint/Dukes body anyway!
How's about a Firefly with Beachhead/Firefly legs, Shipwreck's or Duke's torso, Cobra Trooper arms, Firefly's head, web gear, backpack, walkie talkie, pistol, & a new sculpted MAT-49 (or just release his original sub-machine gun.) Sounds like a custom I'll have to make.
Where is Shockwave? Has anybody heard of him being on an up-coming wave list? Th' new comic pack Firefly is basically a camo'd Night Force Shockwave, right down to his belt, just without his cap! (Though Beachhead's head would make a beatter Shockwave head.)
What about Major Bludd's legs fer cryin' out loud?! Give 'im Red Star's legs & call 'im done!

Don't get me wrong folks, I dig th' 25th line, I'm tryin' to get all of 'em. I just think that if Hasbro gave each figure that much more thought, they'd have something truly great.
I want G.I.*JOE A Real American Hero to go on forever.



That's a GOOD idea Spin Doctor. I'm gonna add that to my Hasbro "wish list" that I'm gonna post.