2002 Wave 2 Promotion

"Hasbro goes above and beyond"

Welcome back Joes! This is our second opportunity to do a full scale review. We hope you enjoyed our Wave 1 coverage back in Early December. Hasbro has done it again. They have gone above and beyond the call of duty like all Joes should. We not only got the O-ring construction back, we got something more. Extra articulation has been added to many of these figures! Some with two extra features! This makes America's movable fighting force live up to their name. Our aim is to show what positive changes Hasbro has done for us. We hope you like this change in direction, and continue to collect the new Joes. Hasbro has made a commitment to the 3-3/4 line, and it shows. New Characters, Original card artwork, detail sculpting and added articulation proves this commitment.

The following reviews will be formal with positive and negative feedback. We also have a little fun with the help of Dr. Mindbender and his Medical Logs. He gives us a full construction analysis. The comment are based on the current information available. Please remember these are prototype and that the sculpts, construction, weapons selection etc. can all change in the final production run. We will do our best to correct any errors as new information is uncovered. So sit back, and enjoy an early look at what is coming to store shelves this July.

T.N.T.'s Wave 2 Figure Review	T.N.T.'s 2002 Package Review
Dr. Mindbender Dissects Wave 2	T.N.T.'s 12 Inch Review

Questions We Can Answer

Where can I get my hands on more info about Wave 2? Head out to your local newsstand and pick up Lee's Toy Review #116 for pictures of Wave 2 and 3 figures. There is also an awesome interview with Wayne Luther (Senior VP of Hasbro). He give us insight from the Joes's inception in 1979, up to the newest designs.

When are these toys scheduled to be released? Cases should start to arrive early July. Distribution will take another couple of weeks to move the products into the stores. This wave is open to full retail distribution, unlike the restricted Wave 5 a few months back.

What is going on with the new articulation? With the O-ring return, we also get some more point of articulation. Hasbro has heard us and came through in a big way. Here is a break down on the 5 figures we got. Firefly (swivel thighs, and pivot ankles), Nunchuk (swivel wrists and swivel shins), Zartan (swivel wrists), Dusty (no added articulation), and CLAWS - Fang Pilot (no added articulation).

They still look a little bulky in the shoulders, what is the deal? Until the metal rivets come back, we are going to be seeing the larger plastic ones. This increases the shoulder size. Please keep in mind most of the figures are sculpted with baggy shirts to hide the bulk in the clothing. Bare shoulders will look very awkward.

Will Hasbro be making new figure accessories? Yes, we only see a few is this batch. Some of the prototype weapons have older molds that are resized larger. More new accessories are coming in future waves, we just have to wait a little bit longer.

Can helmets and "skirts" be removed. The "skirts" on Dusty and Nunchuk can be removed by taking the figure apart at the torso, then disassembling it till the "skirt" is free. Dusty's helmet is not removable. Zartan's cowl is removable leaving him currently with a bald head.

Can the figures be customized by interchanging body parts with the old "O-ring" Joes? The torso and arms are completely redesigned right down to the plastic rivets. The arm ball and socket connection is larger. It will be difficult to interchanges these with the vintage O-ring design. But the head, waist and legs should interchange with other figures. See Dr. Mindbender dissect Firefly for a close up view inside the new mold.

Feel free to EMAIL T.N.T.'s Web Camp with your question. We will be happy to post the responses here.

Attention Webmasters: If you like our website and our coverage of the Wave 2 figures, we would like to join with you. Please see our banner exchange program. We would be happy to add you to our links of other cool G.I. Joe sites.

BACK TO: