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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:00 pm 
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What I entertained in thought was what if GIJOE evolved or rode the current trends of popular culture as some other lines have done. For example, when dinosaur movies were big, other companies tried to ride the Jurassic Park wave with very interesting sets. When adventure movies such as Tomb Raider were ubiquitous, the same. More adventure sets. While it could be argued that GIJOE didn't need to do this, I wonder how universal and more interesting GIJOE would have been had they done that? Yes, we had DinoHunters, but I am talking about a true investment into the trends.


Also lets not forget dinohunters suffered from a terrible Dino that was little more than a hunk of plastic.

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/93/dinohu ... back.shtml

I have think if the dion could have done something it would have been a better set overall.

Which brings me to my point that it does seem when Hasbro strays from what has worked, they drop the ball massivly (ie the first set of Star Brigade figs).

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Imagine, if you can, when the asteroid disaster movies were being made. Then imagine if Hasbro had thought to reissue the Crusader, with a crew, the accessory pack Cobra Drill(which is a nifty spring driven drill), and an fold out playmat of some asteroid terrain that the Joes can land on, and pretend to drill the asteroid. I am pretty sure a set like this would have flown off shelves, and had applications long after the asteroid movies were over. When the zombie fascination was in full swing, from movies to the Marvel "what if everyone..." comics, GIJOE could have made a neat run, comic, or set of figures featuring an APC, and a set of zombie fighters and an army pack of Toxo-Zombies. The franchise could have rode the same waves of popular culture as other lines have attempted, and I personally feel that they wouldn't have been thought "lame". Rather, with so much interest in the franchise utilizing whatever molds, accessories, or ideas that are still viable, I doubt anyone would have turned them down wholly. As for sculpt, I don't care if it were all 25th, or previous. The sculpt is not the issue here, but keeping the franchise viable by riding what's popular at the time, and fresh.


I really like all these ideas, but it does seem that Hasbro has a singular mindset. That is to say, I think these work great as subsets, I don't think you can make these sets without the backdrop of Cobra vs. GI Joe (I can see how the formula might get tiresome, but I think it is the "us vs. them" that makes it viable). And as such Hasbro probably couldn't make a multi faceted line. For example, Spy Troops, a good theame, but everything was Spy Troops during it, I think it could have worked a bit better (and a bit more plausably) as a subset. Also since not every figure was a part of spy troops that was released under the spy troops name it also fits rather well. Same With Valor vs venom. The BATS attack would have worked that way too, Spaced out through the year as a subcatagory of each wave. Also if one set proves to be a failer the company can just disconinue it and still release the figures under the "Normal" GI Joe label.

SW doesn't seem to have this problem, Exapanded Universe all the while expanding the current and keeping the classics fresh, SW has multiple catagories for its 3 & 3/4" line and its seems to work really well. I am not sure why Hasbro hasn't doen the same with Joe (I understand SW is a bigger franchise and all, but some variety can't hurt).

Like I said I agree and love the ideas, but at the same time trying to look at this realisticly.

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Space travel, time travel, or even inner Earth travel, would make for some interesting figures and accessories. Scientific exploration, new weapon exploration, or just natural disaster, something.


All of these I like a great deal. Just to reiterate.

Quote:
I spoke at length with many buyers and their common problem with the line was that, despite the new bodies, there really wasn't anything 'new' with GIJoe. In the 80's they were unique and pushed the envelope of what a 3 3/4" action figure could be. The story was solid and the cartoon and Marvel comic didn't hurt either. Compared to toy giants like Star Wars and Transformers, GIJoe really hasn't done much to take kids and collectors into new territory. As one buyer said, Transformers always has something new and exciting. Star Wars, as much as some people love or hate it, has taken the plunge to explore the expanded universe while, at the same time, keeping the characters from the movies fresh. Sgt. Savage, GIJoe Extreme and Sigma 6 were great ideas but they tampered with the size of the figures and made it impossible to interact with the classic toys.


I just wanted to add this is a great observation and one I totally agree with.


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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:28 pm 
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Cap wrote:

I was reexamining a set of Army of Darkness, and I am quite convinced that their formula, from design to packaging, was excellently done. To give you two figures, a wealth of accesories, and for the most part, they are durable as Hell,



Really?!?! My two headed Ash crumbled right out of the package. The seam on the torso split and won't stay together without some glue. Doesn't bother me though since I bought it for parts. That was my first and last AOD set I bought. The accessories were super neat though.

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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:10 pm 
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I apologize as the originator of the thread for being one of the ones who made it ARAH vs. 25A. :shifty:

I am glad to see I wasn't the first one who did it though. :lol:

I just get cheesed off at the people who put down ARAH when it was the line that brought most of us together here. If it hadn't of been for ARAH this website would probably be a Sgt. Rock figure board, a porn site, a search engine, a porn site or most likely some sort of porn site.

I just think 25A isn't appealing to enough segments of the toy buying public to make it a long term success. Plus I don't think Hasbro will give it the push it really needs. And most importantly...kids just aren't as interested in toys as much as they were back in the 80's

It's funny, we have a larger population than we did 20 years ago but fewer and fewer kids want to play with toys. Too many video games I guess.

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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:32 pm 
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ColonelHawk wrote:
I apologize as the originator of the thread for being one of the ones who made it ARAH vs. 25A. :shifty:

I am glad to see I wasn't the first one who did it though. :lol:

I just get cheesed off at the people who put down ARAH when it was the line that brought most of us together here. If it hadn't of been for ARAH this website would probably be a Sgt. Rock figure board, a porn site, a search engine, a porn site or most likely some sort of porn site.

I just think 25A isn't appealing to enough segments of the toy buying public to make it a long term success. Plus I don't think Hasbro will give it the push it really needs. And most importantly...kids just aren't as interested in toys as much as they were back in the 80's

It's funny, we have a larger population than we did 20 years ago but fewer and fewer kids want to play with toys. Too many video games I guess.


Again we're not dissing ARAH figs. We're just saying that we like 25A as well or sometimes more. And since thats all that Hasbro is offering and since ARAH style is gone again according to Hasbro that its 25A from here on out, why not just go with whats out there and stop complaining. Hasbro is listening to people since there's vehicles coming out. And you said 25A isn't appealing to enough people?? Why other than the fact that when they do appear on the pegs by the next day they are gone. Must mean they are appealing to a LOT of people. So just cause its not appealing to you and a few others why make fun of what the others like.

ColonelHawk wrote:
I apologize as the originator of the thread for being one of the ones who made it ARAH vs. 25A. :shifty: I am glad to see I wasn't the first one who did it though. :lol:


Sounds like your truely not sorry and you purposely started the thread with that statement. More like that is exactly what you wanted but it isn't going where you wanted it. :whistling:

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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 11:59 pm 
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ColonelHawk wrote:
I just think 25A isn't appealing to enough segments of the toy buying public to make it a long term success. Plus I don't think Hasbro will give it the push it really needs. And most importantly...kids just aren't as interested in toys as much as they were back in the 80's


I might be the BIGGEST 25th supporter you'll ever see. Sell those ARAH Joes! Buy new stuff cause it's awesome – BUT you have NAILED the problem with it.

It's the past – it's old. I LOVE it. But I am almost THIRTY YEARS OLD. If Joe is to live on, it's GOT to get past this. It is SUCH A PARADOX!

I love Joe. I don't want it to change. BUT, if it does not – it will not advance, or do anything new, or be the fun, legendary toyline it once was!

Look at Sigma 6: We did that in the 80's. It was called Centurions. S6 was NOTHING new at all. If anything it was a recombination of 80's toylines.

Folks, we all LOVE Joe, and love it the way it was. But if it doesn't change, it's gonna die.

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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 11:03 am 
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roguetiger wrote:
Again we're not dissing ARAH figs. We're just saying that we like 25A as well or sometimes more. And since thats all that Hasbro is offering and since ARAH style is gone again according to Hasbro that its 25A from here on out, why not just go with whats out there and stop complaining. Hasbro is listening to people since there's vehicles coming out. And you said 25A isn't appealing to enough people?? Why other than the fact that when they do appear on the pegs by the next day they are gone. Must mean they are appealing to a LOT of people. So just cause its not appealing to you and a few others why make fun of what the others like.


Well just based on what I have seen at 2 TRU near me and several wal marts and targets, they are not selling that well. I have seen the same figures on their pegs every time I go in there. I also am going by what a number of threads on here have stated abotu seeing the same figures over and over. So I am not basing it on my personal feelings, I am basing it on observations. My own and others.

Collectors and scalpers rushing out and buying up everything they want in each new wave does not spell stability in my own personal opinion. If someone has another opinion then they are welcome to it.

roguetiger wrote:
Sounds like your truely not sorry and you purposely started the thread with that statement. More like that is exactly what you wanted but it isn't going where you wanted it. :whistling:


Well you are entitled to your opinion. We all have them, along with something else.

I really wanted people to point out what makes this line different than the re-releases in the late 90's and the new sculpts in the last 5 years. What is Hasbro doing that makes us think that Joe will continue in this format? And I mean what are they DOING not SAYING. They said that New sculpt was the way they were going to go from then on. Didn't work out that way though.

I do want Joe to survive in some form. Mainly because I think that as long as Joe lives, ARAH will live simply because despite what they say, Hasbro won't miss out on a chance to get money from guys like me who prefer the old style. Same way they keep bringing back the 12 inch figures.

But if ARAH ultimately does die, then I guess it dies. As a collector I have enough figures and vehicles to pass down to my kids to play with and hopefully get the same enjoyment that I have from them. As a customizer I have enough parts in my fodder bin to fulfill my needs for a few more years.

And yard sales and flea markets can always replenish both sides of my Joe "habit" for at least a little while longer.

Okay enough of my pontificating. It may get misconstrued once more.

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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 3:15 pm 
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Okay I'm no Hasbro insider, but I don't think you have to be Sherlock Holms or Batman to figure out what Hasbro might be up to.

Transformers gets a Classics line which does far better than Hasbro ever expected. Does well enough that this filler line is brought back after Hasbro said they were done with Classics. Then oddly what do we get but what you could argue is the same thing for GI Joe with the 25th line being sort of the Classics line for GI Joe, old characters with new sculpts and better articulation just like Classics Transformers.

Digging around for tid bits about the movie figures for the GI Joe movie and Hasbro seems to be hinting that the movie figures will be 4" but some what different than the 25th figures. Just like movie Transformers were the same height as other Transformers with a very different movie look.

Given that Transformers Animated has been such a hit I think it's a safe bet that any post movie GI Joe cartoon toy line would also have a different look to match the look of the cartoon.

So in about a year or two if Transformers and Star Wars are any indication of how Hasbro wants to spred out their franchises instead of putting it all in one basket then I'd hazard a fairly safe bet that we are going to see a mix of styles offered to please everyone from the old collectors of the 80's, to the movie fans, to the kids getting up on Saturday morning to watch a GI Joe cartoon. If you count the collectors club there is even a bit of Real American Hero goodness thrown in for years to come.

Yea a bad movie and bad cartoon could sink the boat, but if the other lines are any indicator then expect a lot of different things out of GI Joe instead of just the 25th over and over until we are doing Ninja Force, Eco Warriors, and Mega Marines.


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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 6:56 pm 
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My problem with the idea of Hasbro riding the current trends of popular culture is that this is what they tried to do in the early 1990's, and it didn't work out very well. Eco-Warriors and Ninja Force are the best examples of this, as is the mentioned DIno-Hunters set with its rather ridiculous dinosaur that looks like it's screaming for a little girl while clutching its chest.

I also must raise the point again that the ARAH format is not dead. It has currently become the province of the Club. I know, not everyone can afford these, not everyone likes the Club for one reason or another, etc., but let's not deny the existence of what they're producing.

I'm not going to get into the 25A vs ARAH debate because everyone knows where I stand on that issue and that's not the point of this thread. I will say that I appreciate and agree with ColonelHawk's thoughts on the subject here.


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 Post subject: Re: How viable is the future of G.I. Joe?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 7:09 pm 
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Depends on how the movie does. They never established another succesful cartoon to get kids hooked so the movie will carry the brand into the future.

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