Also, after reading through this thread, I am totally going to army build Matt Trakker!

 

All true. ALSO the white guy was the LEADER which is not an inherently bad thing, but happened to be part of a larger trend in which there was a lack of diversity in leadership.

Not what that word means. I also don't get what you're saying here. Please point to the "white person" who is playing a "black character" in any of this. As you said, Matt Trakker isn't some actual living person guy who went out and got a body transplant so he could play some other version of himself.

A fine and valid stance. It is ALSO a fine and valid stance to think that modern updates of franchises can make changes to the source material that serve a greater purpose, like reflecting diversity and such. Others have said the changes are "pointless"... but the point is to be more inclusive (I don't know why anyone might think that is bad).

 

Right. You sorta play fast and loose with the concept. "MASK" is now a division of GI Joe that works with Cybertronians in a manner similar to the different "Master" types.

Hell, you could even use Titanmaster figures to get MASK names back in the public consciousness. "Lifter", "Stilletto", "Spectrum" ... there's tons of potential for fun new character names.

Then you could take some of those and cross over into GI Joe to give you action figure sized versions and non-transforming vehicles that are painted to look like Rhino, Switchblade and Thunderhawk etc.

If Hasbro wanted to launch the "verse" for all of it's action brands...that's the way to go. Sell your non-Transforming cybertronians either as vehicles for Joes to drive or pilot as MASK units and then cross over some of those guys as Titanmasters/Targetmasters/etc for your transforming Cybertronians.

You could even pitch the thing as "Hasbroverse" (which is a dumb name because I'm not paid for my time) and take up *one* spot on shelves where you've got slots for Joes, Transformers, MASK, Micronauts, etc. Then you can grow your shelf presence as a unified Hasbro adventure brand.

I can go to the "HasbroVerse: Transformers" section and pick up a transforming Switchblade w/ Viper Titanmaster or go to the "HasbroVerse: GI Joe" section and grab the standard MASK style Switchblade with Miles Mayhem pilot. (If you really want to get adventurous let me flip down the head of my MASK pilot so I can plug in a Titanmaster...but that's a stretch for now)

(Also there's your movie idea.)

 

And nowhere in that comment am I blaming anyone. I simply asked why others had made comments. So once again, I must ask you to examine what you say.

Again, I must point out that I have not accused you of anything. I have pointed out how you come across to others (and not merely myself, btw), and invited you to change or clarify your position. You have not done so. This is not my fault.

You did see people that looked like you, however. It's wonderful that you personally were able to grow up and not be bothered that no one who shared your beliefs or your culture was represented in fiction. It's admirable. I have to believe, and correct me if I am wrong, that you would have found it nice if, for example, the Rugrats episode that finally depicted Hanukkah and showcased Jewish culture (or indeed, any culture other than orthodox Christianity) aired when you were a child. Did you need it? By your own words you did not, but it would have been nice to see I'm sure. Once again I must ask, isn't it worth sacrificing a small amount of nostalgia to give someone else that opportunity?

 

Umm...how?

 

I'm sure Spike, Carly, and Daniel would receive some updating if they were being introduced the modern comics. Spike is there, yeah, but he's been there for a while now so it's too late to change him.

 

Like many others have said this Matt Tracker is a toy version of the reboot comic Matt Tracker. While they are hoping to get some sales based on nostalgia they are doing this for the readers of the comics. Since this box set is all about the IDW comics it would be strange to not have the character look like he does in the comics.

 

Definately want to buy this set.

The Good:

Rom and Dire Wraith are must haves.

Roadblock. This is another highly wanted figure amongst Joe fans as its the unreleased design from the GI JOE Renegades cartoon.

Leoric. Awesome and he's in the same scale as the other human figures. I loved Visionaries as a kid but they were always a bit too big when next to 3.75 figures.

Action Man. Previously I never felt that he really had a character per se. Now I love the new stories and his adventures with Kup.

Mini Micronaughts. They look fun but I really want new 3.75 (lifesize!) figures.

The Bad:

Jetfire. Meh. It should have been a Kup figure to fit the Revolutionaries theme. I've got Fanstoys Skyfire so I dont need this.

Matt Trakker. He will be up for sale along with Jetfire. The IDW comic writer changed his ethnicity to match his own. From his interviews it felt like hubris and I believe its why the comic didnt catch on with fans of the original Mask and now its cancelled, which is a damn shame and a wasted opportunity for a comeback.

Its a thing that I do wish the P.C brigade would just leave alone and stop dicking around with. There was uproar when Scarlett Johanson was cast to play a character that should have looked asian. There were claims of "White washing" for Ghost in the Shell. Whats the term for turning Matt Trakker, Nick Fury, Baron Mordo & the Human Torch, black? Blackballing?

Anyway, I'd rather Matt wasnt in it, than have the iconic character of the franchise messed with. Hondo would have been a good alternate if ethnic diversity is such a priority, and besides he had the best mask (Blaster!) and the 2 best vehicles.

 

Carly and Daniel aren't in the comics. But aside from Spike (who is a war criminal) and Marissa Fairborn, the other major G1 human in IDW is Blackrock. Who has been changed to be a Hispanic man. And a robot.

 

Okay so I did a little looking and the reality is IDW remade the character and in this continuity he is black. So separate cannon than the original show and toyline. At least that is better than just retconning him to have always been black. I am fine with IDW did but i still wish they had done some sort of passing of the torch from the old Matt tothe new Matt.

I can now say i have no issues with the figure now that i have been able to get the full story behind it. I can ignore this new cannon and stick to the old while respecting that this new version may be our best bet to get us a new M.A.S.K. toy line.

 

Anyone who is splitting up a set... I just want Leoric..

 

That viewpoint completely ignores the historical context of diversity in character representation.

Yes it's a double standard. But it's a double standard to help correct a gross imbalance of representation .

 

You said "so why have an issue with it."

Yeah, keep brushing off the fact you suggest I'm racist "..since having white person toys seems to be important to you"

So now you also assuming how I look, nice.

That Rugrats episode is rare exmple and not true repersent of Orthodox Judaism which you have no basic knowledge about it. You think I was sad and depressed al the time before that one episode because I haven't saw Jewish charcters?! You think I liked and likes characters because of how they're similar to me an not well written?! No one have to repersent no one and FACTS DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS. Your arugment is the same for all those women who said Barbie make them feel bad abou themselvs. Accoriding to you Licca-chan is a racist doll line, because there is no black character.

By using popular white male character and change into miniority or whatever and ride on it's scusses instead of making miniority character out of scartch.

 

I want everything in this set

 

wow. Clever change for Blackrock I never even noticed it.

I did think it was a really intriguing take that Blackrock was a cybertronian all along and just never knew it. ha! that's some serious M.Night Shaymalongadingdong shit right there.  

Makes me really want a toy of that now.

 

Why is wanting a in canon reason for a major change to a character being racist?

 

Read back what you said. "Hey is that character black?" "Why are they black" cause they got black parents.

 

Well its a reboot, so there is no canon.

 

I just want Matt Trakker & Leoric.

 

instead of the question why is Matt Trakker black, I think the better question is why isn\'t the black character Hondo Maclean. I mean they could use a repainted sgt flash or steeler helmet for Hondo\'s mask.