I've been thinking about how much I have enjoyed Joe since the Christmas I was given a 1984 Spirit. Joe has brought me countless hours of happiness. That said, I can imagine priorities changing as I grow older (family, etc). Recently I've been pondering what the things I wish the Joe line had done in recent years, since the 2000 relaunch. It's a fairly short list for me, I'll keep it to about 5 points.

1-I wanted a new RAH style Mindbender, similar to the 1986 version. He just seemed left out, and the non-RAH sculpts just didn't do it for me.

2- I also wanted a RAH style Torch.

3-There were a few Cobra army builders that I would have thought would have sold well if plugged into a TRU 6pack, for example: Tele Viper, Eel, Techno Viper, all in the RAH style.

4- Some of the general purpose RAH Joes would make a good 6pack; Ripcord, Recondo, Repeater; and a nice new 1985 Snake Eyes always seemed conspicuously absent.

5- I wanted a retail HISS 2.


These are just some of the things I wish Hasbro would have done with the relaunch of RAH since 2000. Granted, I can nitpick some ways to improve what they did release (TRU Heavy Infantry), but by and large I have been pleased with it.

So do any of y'all have any thoughts?


bearcatcc

Are you talking about the TRU 2000 release, or everything after that?

I have to honestly say, I didnt like the ominious muted grey colors of the joes. it acked that odd individual colorings that we were used to.

that being said:

1) Of course, everyone who knows me by now knows that I want a Big Lob figure at all costs. I'm glad they didn't do one at that time, though, because I was afraid it would be just a renamed Black RAH figure (ALA Roadblock - Double Blast). I do think only NOW do they have the figure style and sculptor/Designer to give a Big Lob figure any justice. (we see how he redeemed Nemesis Enforcer)

2) I wish Volga/ Diana could have been a new sculpt rathar that reusing the Lady Jaye mold for the umteenth time

3) I agree with certain figures being great 6 packs, especially a Driver 6 pack, that would have allowed us to obtain some drivers that were hard to find, Like Payload, Rumbler, Skystriker, or Hotseat.

4) We got old and new vehicles with the 2000 TRU and the New Sculpt era,.. but NO accessory sets at all except maybe the missile launchers that came with Big Brawler and Dart. we could have definetly used a New Biouvac, Mortar Defence Unit, Checkpoint, or Rifle range.... (hell, we STILL could use one!!!!!)

5) in the VvV era, I wish they would have fleshed out the Greenshirts a little more. I would have loved to see Pilots and Sailors as army builders (for crewing the Flagg and Whales, and all the extra Skyhawks and fighters we all own)

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If the Joe line were to end tomorrow... I would be 98% content...

Other than a 25A Mindbender and Recondo, I've gotten everything that I want out of that line, barring some amazing new stuff like that Pilot Scarlett. I would like to complete my MASS Device too, though.

Sure, more new stuff using the old ARAH molds would be nice, but my ARAH collection is basically complete, so I wouldn't feel any burn there - especially since they already said that that style is dead now anyway.

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As much as I enjoy the 25th, I lament the loss of the RAH TRU 6-packs. I felt they had the potential for tons of creativity, they were cheap for Hasbro to make out of existing molds, and there were lots of molds which would have worked really well with various themes. They were like mini convention sets. The current TRU 5-packs are their logical successor, but they lack the same creative punch the early sets had. The EC sets fare much better IMO.

Hell, the Joe line pretty much ended for me in '06. So, aside from the con stuff, there's nothing for me to worry about. However, I would buy ARAH style Joes in perpetuity. Even if they were only slightly tweaked like most of the comic pack figures, I'd still buy them. We know that Hasbro still has tons of ARAH molds available and it's a shame they won't allow anyone other than MC access to them. There are hundreds of great ARAH figures that could still be made. But, since that's not happening, I wouldn't care if we never saw another Joe figure on the shelves again.

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Here is my short list

Billy in Cobra Youth uniform
Dr. Venom
Kwinn in shorts

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I just want like 10 green Maulers. Then I could be done if I had to be.

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I think the main problem (and it may not be a problem to some), is that even if you don't army build, ITS FRIGGIN HUGE.

When I got my two car garage and set up my collection, the room was full. There's just too much stuff, and it's still coming out. While that isn't really a BAD thing to some, how many of us here can truly display everything in your collection? Not too many I imagine.

If the line stopped today, I think the hobby, estores, conventions and secondary market would continue for a VERY long time. Besides that, customizers, etc would continue to introduce new stories, figures, and fan fiction to last forever.

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Besides a 25th Mindbender and a Billy figure, I wouldn't care if nobody ever manufactured a GI Joe figure.

There is are a ton of gaping wholes in vehicles though. We still haven't gotten a true Cobra transport helicopter. Where's the Oktober Guard vehicle of any kind? Updated Skystriker? Re-released Hiss II? There is so much untapped potential there.

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I'd like to see the modern joe, 25th A, slightly redesigned to make the figures customizable, i.e a tab or screw instead of glue holding them together.

That being said, what would I like to see done before they call it quits?

1.) A skystriker, update or reissue, I don't care

2.) a new cobra base, or even the terrordrome updated/reissued, just not a SW base slightly retooled

3.) A worlds without end dvd pack, that would be THE set to thave.


Then again, I just hope I get my M.A.S.S. piece before the line dies.


Above all, I hope they stop the line before they run it into the ground, they risked that numerous times over the years, and eventually, I'm afraid they'll do it.

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If the G.I.Joe A Real American Hero line would end tomorrow, I'd probably only regret that the following was not released:

-A good Kwinn
-Doctor Venom
-Recondo, Gung Ho and Airborne not being released in green color schemes
-Cobra Trooper and Cobra Officer in a green or tan color scheme.
-A good transport plane or helicopter


I'd also regret that Hasbro wasted a lot of people's time when it came to the G.I. Joe, 2002-2006's new sculpt era, they probably should have just started the 25th anniversary style in 02 with G.I. Joe vs. Cobra, but instead ya got like 300 very bizarre figures that'll relish in obscurity forever. That and Hasbro's really weird re-sculpting policy for ARAH stuff in 2005/06 Short Fuse=Good, Lady Jaye=What the hell was the point of that?

...I'd be perfectly fine with it.

While I have a few complaints about the 25A figures, they're amazing as a whole. But, like Zombieguide points out, there's simply too much of it. As a completist, it's daunting and expensive to keep collecting full speed. My collection is out of space to grow. Things get brief shelf time and then are put away in boxes and sent away to the attic.

I've said this before and I'm going to try and stick with it: after Hasbro releases a 25A Zap figure, I'm going to shift down to only collecting new characters or figures that are just out-of-this-world perfect.

Maybe it's because the thrill of collecting is just not there anymore, maybe it's because it seems like I'm just filling up plastic tubs with chunks of plastic...

Although it is sometimes quite a thrill to find a toy, it seems to be non-Joe stuff that's the most fun. The Boley imitation Sigma Six Vamp/Firebat set? I just found that yesterday and it's oodles of fun. But, after looking at it for 3 minutes, I set it on a shelf. In a month or so it will be put into a box.

Customizing, however, is still the most enjoyable part of being a joe collector for me. I have a box of fodder figures that will last me until I'm 124 years old, so Hasbro can cancel the line at any time.

agreed, I like to customize(quiet haters, I customize), but found my collecting to just be filling tubs of plastic with plastic, sometimes paid for with plastic.

I think a toy rental program would rock, you pay to play with a toy a couple weeks, then instead of just hording it upstairs, or in the basement, you send it back.

ZG, make it happen!


/runs away. . .

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...I'd still be buying stuff on the second-hand market for 100 years.

Give me Billy and call it quits.The modified vintage vehicle re-issues like the VAMP are pretty sweet. Perhaps the artic version of the TTBP would be nice.

Funny thing is I had a dream last night where I found myself at a hotel near the grand canyon - traveling for work (I've actually never been there) and there was a Star Wars convention going on at the hotel (never been to one) and although I was late for heading out to the airport I checked out the convention and I found some vintage Joes in a bin for pennies cause the dealer only valued star wars. I ended up with about 5 82 cobra troopers and a a couple of 85 crimson guardsmen and I was ecstatic, then on my way to the airport somehow I ended up in the canyon and trying to climb out with out dropping the Joes. And the "rocks" were actually hard clay so they kept giving way, and then I remembered I was dreaming so I just woke up and got the hell out of there.

Oh, but my point is - ARAH all the way. Its what gives me that high that keeps me collecting. So in that sense, the Joe line has already ended for me.

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