How long before kinks are worked out?
 

I don't need a new camera until Jan. Typically, how long does it take for canon to work out the bugs? I don't want to be the first person on the block with one, I just want the first one that has the big kinks worked out.

Waiting until Jan. gives you three months after the camera has shipped; plenty of time for any major issues to get solved.

...or a plethora of other cameras to be released in the meantime...

The 5D2 only had one technical error, and it was a corner case (the black dot thing). The other issues were problems with the spec (no manual control, non-standard frame rate), and limitations of the first generation HD from FF35 hardware (aliasing, rolling shutter).

The main advantage I see with waiting for January is that Magic Lantern could be ported by then. That would give you audio gain control, headphone monitoring, zebras, electronic rack focus, and other goodies.

From all I've read, you need Magic Lantern to make it closer to a real video camera.