I was trying to hold off the urge, but I broke down tonight. I'd picked up a few core Indy figs and said that was going to be it, but visited TRU.com and took advantage of their sale. 4 Deluxe and 6 regular for less than $70 ain't bad.

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Hasbro UK seem to on the ball as regards this. All of the Raiders and Crystal Skull figures I have bought so far have had the sheet in.

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Toht has been confirmed for '09, and they won't be making Hitler (duh)

http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=262&itemid=13001

Not much new info here, other than some possible Indy comic packs. And really, how long could they sustain Indy + random character 2-packs.

http://cooltoyreview.com/story/front/Ha ... 114850.asp

It's funny because Toht is the very essence of an SS officer based on look and what i remember of the movie (which is not much sadly). So on the one hand they have a Toht figure and on the other an explanation of how they won't do nazi figures.
Its a thin line and i understand them because its a kids appeal and there is too much controversy there but its still kind of comical to me.
(awaits an explanation from somebody about how Toht may possibly not be a nazi)

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Actually it was pretty clear to me, but the best explaination is in how they said "All political influences have been removed." In other words look at Last Crusade and notice that while the figure has the Red armband there is no Swastica (sp?)

The point being that yes we know what they are, they made great bad guys. But that doesn't mean you go and make a figure of Rommel and Hitler (who both were never in any of the films) any more than you would make Stalin for the new film.

Its a very fine line, but one I think can be handled and no new ground is being pushed here (Plenty of historical lines at this point have delt with this).

Plus I never remeber felling Toht was an SS officer, he was more of a genaric bad guy (He definatly didn't wear anything to indicate any differently, In fact he was Asian, but with a german accent, kind of cool really).

So in summation, they explained it, a thin line, but one that is easily understandable. I think it works, so don't freak.

I understand all that BUT what i was pointing out was they categorically explained that the troopers were part of the regular german army (which of course they are and thereby not nazis) and went on to say there is no insignia BUT at at the same time that they said those guys were soldiers they ignored the fact that Toht was probably an SS officer.

I honestly don't care cause i'm an adult and to me if they do make a hitler or a stalin i would snap it up in a second but i understand the whole PC thing.

It just sort of and indirectly pokes fun at the fact that they think kids in this country are not educated enough to understand something like this to where if they remove the markings a kid won't know the difference.

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Hitler is in Last Crusade.

Indy literally comes face-to-face with him at a Nazi rally, Hitler takes the Grail Diary (which the Nazis are after), autographs it, then gives it right back.

Toht is an SS agent. It says so in the ultimate Indy book.

Another funny thing - the guy that plays Toht also plays Himmler in Last Crusade (albeit in a split second shot at the book burning parade).

Very happy we're getting a figure of him!

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Toht was obviously a Nazi, but I never gathered or believed he was in the German military. Being an 'SS Agent' doesn't really say either way. But he never wore a military uniform in RotLA so I never saw any reason to assume he was an SS officer.

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I used to think Toht was asian. But looking now, I don't know why I thought that. I don't think Ronald Lacey was asian. And is it really stated anywhere? I'm thinking that somehow a lot of us got that impression.

When I was little, I remember playing with my Toht figure. To me he was just a creepy guy in a black suit. The swastika on him in the movie is so small that I don't know if it would appear on him even if they were putting them on the figures. So I think he especially just doesn't matter.

I'd have to agree with Hasbro about not using them. It gives the molds more potential for re-use anyway.

I've never thought to look at the old Indy stuff. Man, it'd be sweet if they made another Well of Souls playset:

http://www.toymania.com/334archives/indy/well.htm

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Agreed. Always was on of my favourite playsets.

Getting back to Toht, I just reread what it says in the book. He's a Gestapo agent (and Nazi).

I hope that means if we get the Toht figure, we'll also get Dietrich, German mechanic, Belloq in suit and a better Marion in this wave.
Along with the Flying Wing, obviously!

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Dietrich has already been confirmed, as has some re-use of the horse mold that came with deluxe Indy. It must be some sort of Last Crusade use, but is it from the end (or tank battle) or is it the young Indy from the beginning?

I realize from a PC point of view that a major toy company (like Hasbro) can't put the symbol of the worst organizations of WWII on a toy.

At what point though, does any symbol lose its power and conotation?

I don't want this to go political, by any means.

To me, the Nazi symbol (Swastika) is a reminder of what happened. It's real history and a visual reminder of of why it can't happen again. 'Nuff said.

Would people be up in arms if Hasbro released a 25th figure of Cross-Country v2 (with the big Rebel flag) across the back?

Are there other action figure toylines with accurate symbols?


I'm guessing we as a whole have not gotten to the point where we would readily accept historically accurate toys at retail in the toy aisle.

Mods-please delete this post if it is a problem.

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you know someone somewhere would complain about cross country. it probably happened back in the day but there was no internet so it never caught on, so to speak.

i'm not sure about it making it to the toy aisle, but one of the 12" collector figure lines put out a Hitler figure before. it's shown up in michael crawford's reviews at www.mwctoys.com sometimes. i think. i hope i'm not making this up lol.

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