Bicep Articulation - Who Wants it Back?

[JP]

After finally getting my hands on some of the new Willow figures, I have to say that they're pretty great. The sculpting is fantastic, the paint is almost always perfect, and they look great standing with the other figures.

Except for one thing.

New Willows' arms aren't posable.

They move up and down, and at the elbow and at the wrist, but without the mid-bicep articulation, the ability to find good poses is severely limited.

The removal of the mid-thigh joint I can live with (but I'd like that one back too), but the mid-bicep articulation is really needed for these figures. Willow can't hold her books, for instance, because her hands are too far apart. How is Anya going to show off merchandise on her counter Vanna White-style without this articulation, or stand in a typical Anya pose with her hands clasped behind her back? How will Lorne ever look good in any other position?

I'm really glad DST got this license, but articulation is the one area I wish they'd pay more attention towards. Seriously, two cut joints that allow for such a variety of poses are worth the trouble.

Come on, DST. Your figures are one step away from being home runs. Please add the bicep joint to all future figures.

[Rogue]

Amen to everything you said. Well put! I also want the thigh articulation back, unless it's a figure on which it wouldn't work (D'Hoffryn obviously ).

And just to make it clear, and I think I speak for more than just myself. We're not complaining about the Willows. This is not complaining. We are not upset about the Willows. We are not unappreciative of DST's work to bring back the Buffy figures. We like DST. We like the Willows (99% anyways . We do not think the Willows suck. The Willows are great. DST is great. The Willows just need that bicep articulation.

Just had to do the spin doctor thing so that no one misunderstands this poll. ;D

[Moe]

i want the upper arm articulation back aswell, but was it worth doing a poll? even the people who don't care aren't gonna say no.

[13alex]

I kinda don't think the willows need it though and neither does Anya (nor Tara if they do an unlikely trouser variant!).
I think we will need it on the Spikes possibly and I say maybe to Darla but when they finally make an updated buffy and Xander I think that they will need to.

[BuffyFanOne]

i said yes, but it doesnt realy matter to me! i dont use any of the accessories so it realt dosnt matter to me but i wouldnt say no to it! the only acessories i am using is gatchnar and faiths stake! ;D

[ToyGuyMAT]

I say bring it back, but thats cause I LOVE articulation. Id droll 5 times over if all the Buffy figs had articulation like the Marvel Legends figs from ToyBiz. These figs need it so that they are not like the Willows and can only do the "Y" in the YMCA...

[alcazarzgirl]

I miss the bicept & thigh articulation alot!! How are Willow & Tara supposed to put their arms around each other?? Please dst bring it back for the next figures...

[BuffyLover]

I think the bicep artic. is important. It helps give us the opportunity to pose the figure with weapons and acessories more easily. It's a big limit on how you can pose the figure.

[Buffy]

I tend to agree that Willow and Tara do not need alot of articualtion, mainly because they did not do alot of physical fighting. They mainly did spells and really that does not require bicep articulation, even though it would have been nice. I would like to see it on Anya though since she did fight and used weapons. I also agree it is something that should defiantley be on figures like Buffy and Spike.

[buffyfan2]

I think that the Bicep articulation and thigh articulation is very important. It gives you the option of some really good poses and stances with the accessories that you are given. I hope they bring it back in the next few figures that come out.

Although I do agree that Willow doesnt really need that much articulation, seeing she wasnt all actiony with fighting and stuff, she was more with the magic.

[miss edith]

As someone who plays with her figures, I think articulation is super important and I want it back. I think Faith is the best figure they've made so far (that I've gotten my hands on) articulation-wise, 'cause she's got the shoulder, bicep, elbow, wrist, waist, mid-thigh, knee, and ankle. And the ankle is a great point for getting them to actually stand in other poses.

Also -- has anyone else been scared to use the Willow waist swivel? I have Dark Witch Willow and every time I start to turn her at her waist it looks like her hip starts to bend her shirt outward. I definitely don't want to permanently bend or break off the very bottom part of her shirt, so I haven't really twisted her there. Anyone else tried it?

[TruBuffyFan]

I Know Im the only one who voted No... But the figures to me are far breakable in the arms joints... I have had 2 buffy ones do that... and Have a Angel with a loose joint... I like the streight arms... I just wish they went streight up, instead of up diagnally like on WWW...

[Dawn]

I do. although i dont think the Willows need it that much but it would have been nice.

[miss edith]

You know, I have to chime in a second time... I just got a Transformation Willow today, and I'm really missing the mid-thigh joint. I want the bicep back too, but she's looking all right as far as arms go right now, and I can get some decent attitude just from the elbow, wrist, and shoulder. But without the thigh joint, the knee and hip joints are nearly useless. You can only change her stance very slightly before she starts to look ridiculous and unnatural because there's none of the necessary swivel.

That said, she's still damned cool. And thank you DST for giving us Willows. I super really a lot want the extra articulation back, but I won't not buy the new figures if they don't have it. Though I might sulk for a while.

[I Am Me]

Personally, I thought bicep articulation would have looked silly on the Willow figure--I think she looks pretty cool as she is.

Although, I'm not sure how the lack of this articulation would look on other figures. For figures such as the upcoming Anya and Tara customs I think that articulation would look good--mostly on the grounds that they will have no articulation what-so-ever below the waist.

So, as of now...I'm on the ropes for the Bicep Articulation.

[Rogue]

My thinking is that if it's an action figure, then it should be articulated adequetely. If you want something that doesn't have articulation lines on the arms, knees, elbow, etc, then buy a statue and forget about the action figures.

The old Star Wars (and some of the newer ones) are among the worst kinds of figures, if only because they averaged 5 points of articulation. Sure they were fun to play with as a kid in the 80s, but we also had the GI Joe figures that were so much better in articulation and detail. Even the ExoSquad figures of the mid-90s had more articulation, and they were smaller. Of course quality is an issue. Some of the ExoSquad figures weren't the sturdiest, but they were among the best toys in my old collection.

It may seem trivial, but I just can't help but think that the newer Willows are a step backwards for the line, articulation-wise. Series 1 was somewhat limited in articulation, Series 2 stepped it up, then the Series 5 Willows took it down a notch. Ah well... I can only hope the newer figures will bring it back up. As someone said, with limited (or possibly no) leg movement for Tara and Anya (and the Gentlemen before), we ought to get the full arm articulation to make up for that.

And the one good thing I have to say about the Series 5 Willows' articulation... it's a hell of a lot better than the 3-4 points that we almost ended up with! Anyone else remember MAC saying this last year? The pre-prod WWW is an example of what we might have gotten, if I'm not mistaken, if DST had not some to the rescue.

[The Second Evil]

She would have been perfect with bicep articulation. The only one which might not need it is Transformation Willow. I hope they have it in the new figures... I cant imagine a spike figure without any bicep articulation..