I think Hasbro will give us a complete collection of 1982 and 1983 figures in 25th Anniversary style by the time the movie comes out. And we're on track to get close to wrapping up 84 and 85.

I crunched the numbers, and tallied the vintages of each figure released. Then I counted up all the other figures that could be made from that year and figured the percentage we already have or is confirmed for release (I'm using the Wal-Mart computer lists here, which makes 1985 much more complete).

I left out sub-teams that were straight repaints. That means Special Mission Brazil is out (except Claymore) and Tiger Force is out (except Skystriker).

I did give Hasbro credit for making TF Flint and Python Patrol whatever. That gives the 1988 and 1989 years a bit of a bump in the numbers, but it also puts 1986 to where it should be. I don't think anyone's expecting Hasbro to make a SM: Brazil Mainframe.

Here's how the years rank:

1982: 86% (missing 2)
1983: 81% (missing 3)
1984: 57% (missing 8)
1985: 55% (missing 12)
1986: 25% (missing 21)
1987: 7% (missing 37)
1988: 12% (missing 27, not counting Tiger Force)
1989: 7% (missing 25, not counting Python Patrol)
1990: 0%
1991: 2% (only Red Star is announced)

Conspicuously, 1990 has gotten no love. I wouldn't be surprised if Hasbro tosses us a SAW Viper since he was so prominent in the comic, but it looks pretty bad for 1990 fans.

1991 only has Red Star, so far. But I'm sure Interrogator will be added to that list. He's obscure, but a big fan favorite. I think Big Ben might surface, as well.

The biggest loser, however, is 1987. Very little love from Big H. That's not too surprising considering many fans rank that year poorly as well, though.

If people want me to post the big list I compiled, I will, but it's really long.

Interesting analysis, but I see this devolving into another "I want so & so from 19xx" real fast. So I'll go first!

I'd prefer some love from the latter half of the line. Recoil, Repeater, Shockwave, Bullhorn, Sci-Fi V2, etc. I wouldnt mind a few new sculpt guys and all new characters too.

If it's not a pain I'd love to see the full list here.

Well, if we can get the rest of the single carded figures from 83, 84 and 85 (and assuming that '82 gets completed) I'll be pretty happy. Not sure where you're getting 3 missing figures from '83 though, as Cover Girl and Airborne are the only ones that haven't been released or announced. Granted Tripwire hasn't been confirmed officially yet, but I trust the product list at this point. Same deal with Barbeque for '85. There's some higher profile characters from '86 and '87 I'd like to see, but by and large the line has been pretty comprehensive. I just hope that Hasbro is willing to take the chance and have 25th and the Movie lines on shelves at the same time, or are at least willing to do some 25th versions of characters after the movie line has run its course (and the movie line had damn well better be 25th format, even if I don't like the movie's rendition of certain characters, I'll still get the toys if they're compatible).

I think part of this may be due to the fact that Hasbro, regarding this as a 25th Anniversary line, wants to pull characters from as early as possible.

At the same time, many fans -- and as such perhaps Hasbro as well -- generally don't regard the later years as being as impressive, and for that matter, many of the characters are not as well known because they didn't get the same level of media exposure.

Most people know Duke, Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Shipwreck, Destro, etc. But how often (to reference 1990) do the likes of Ambush, Pathfinder, and Topside come into conversation? Okay, they were in the DIC animated series. Lot of fans don't think too highly of that, either.

Yeah, I figured it'd stack up this way myself. I'm very interested in 82-85 as those are the "core" Joes everyone remembers. That said, I do welcome some oddballs, like 87 CC. I wouldn't mind a few more 87 Joes actually.

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The third figure missing from 1983 is Tan Grunt (a lame repaint, but they did make the Viper pilot...)

Here's the giant list (cut off at 90 to save space):

1982-------------------------------------------- 86%
Breaker 82
Hawk 82
Scarlett 82
Cobra Commander 82
Snake Eyes (v1) 82
Flash 82
Stalker 82
Rock n Roll 82
Cobra 82
Cobra Officer 82

Clutch 82 *TF
Steeler 82 *TF
Grunt 82 *TRU

# Short-Fuze
# Zap

1983-------------------------------------------- 81%
Destro 83
Gung Ho 83
Snow Job 83
Torpedo 83
Ace 83
Duke 83
Viper Pilot 83

Grand Slam 83 *TG
Cobra H.I.S.S. Driver 83
Major Bludd 83
Wild Bill 83
Tripwire 83 *WMC
Doc 83

# Airborne
# Cover Girl
# Grunt (tan)

1984-------------------------------------------- 52%
Cobra Commander (hooded) 84
Roadblock 84
Baroness 84
Firefly 84
Storm Shadow v1 84
Wild Weasel 84
Stinger Driver 84
Zartan 84

Copperhead 84
Spirit Iron Knife 84
Scrap Iron 84 *WMC

# Blowtorch
# Mutt & Junkyard
# Recondo
# Rip Cord
# Clutch (tan uniform)
# Cutter
# Deep Six
# Thunder

1985-------------------------------------------- 55%
Flint 85
Shipwreck 85
Snake Eyes v2 85
Lady Jaye 85
Torch 85
Ripper 85
Buzzer 85
Crimson Guard 85
Tomax 85
Xamot 85

Tele-viper 85 *TF
Quick Kick 85 *HQA
Barbecue 85 *WMC
Bazooka 85 *WMC
Crankcase 85

# Airtight
# Alpine
# Dusty
# Eels
# Footloose
# Snow Serpent
# Frostbite
# Heavy Metal
# Keel-Haul
# Lamprey
# Tollbooth
# Sgt Slaughter (not happening)

1986-------------------------------------------- 25%
Serpentor 86
Beach-Head 86

Gen. Hawk 86 *WMC
B.A.T. 86 *TF
Viper 86
Roadblock 86
Mainframe 86 *WMC

# Dial-Tone
# Dr. Mindbender
# Iceberg
# Leatherneck
# Lifeline
# Low-Light
# Monkeywrench
# Sci-Fi
# Wet Suit
# Zandar
# Zarana
# Claymore
# A.V.A.C.
# Cross Country
# Lift-Ticket
# Motor-Viper
# Sgt Slaughter V2
# Slipstream
# Strato-Viper
# Thrasher
# The Fridge

1987-------------------------------------------- 7%
Cobra Commander (Armored) 87

Falcon 87 *WMC
Nemesis Enforcer 87 *WMC

# Chuckles
# Crazylegs
# Croc Master
# Crystal Ball
# Fast Draw
# Gung-Ho V2
# Jinx
# Law & Order
# Outback
# Psyche-Out
# Raptor
# Sneak Peek
# Techno-Viper
# Tunnel Rat
# Backstop
# Gyro Viper
# Hardtop
# Ice Viper
# Payload
# Rumbler
# Sea Slug
# Steam Roller
# W.O.R.M.S.
# Zanzibar
# Mercer
# Red Dog
# Taurus
# Golobulus
# Royal Guard
# Starduster
# Steel Brigade
# Avalanche
# Blaster
# Blocker
# Dodger
# Knockdown
# Maverick

1988-------------------------------------------- 12%
Storm Shadow V2 88
Destro (v2, Iron Grenadiers) 65356928936 88

Flint (TF) 88
Iron Grenadiers 88 *WMC

# Astro-Viper
# Blizzard
# Budo
# Charbroil
# Hardball
# Hit & Run
# Hydro-Viper
# Lightfoot
# Muskrat
# Repeater
# Road Pig
# Shockwave
# Spearhead and Max
# Toxo-Viper
# Voltar
# Armadillo
# Ferret
# Ghostrider
# Nullifier
# Secto-Viper
# Sgt Slaughter
# Skidmark
# Star-Viper
# Wild Card
# Windmill
# Super-Trooper
# Skystriker

1989-------------------------------------------- 7%
Snake Eyes v4 89
Python Patrol Trooper 89

# Alley Viper
# Annihilator
# Backblast
# Countdown
# Deejay
# Deep Six
# Downtown
# Frag-Viper
# Gnawgahyde
# H.E.A.T. Viper
# Night-Viper
# Recoil
# Rock & Roll V2
# Scoop
# Stalker V2
# T.A.R.G.A.T.
# Aero-Viper
# Darklon
# Dogfight
# Hot Seat
# Long Range
# Payload
# Track-Viper
# Wild Boar
# Windchill

TF: revealed at Toy Fair, WMC: revealed in Wal-Mart computer, HQA: revealed in Hasbro Q&A, TRU: TRU exclusive

You know, if you think we'll never see a Sgt. Slaughter after his appearance at New Orleans Joe Con, then I think we can safely assume we'll NEVER, EVER see The Fridge.

surely they'll make a 25th tunnel rat though

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I'm sure of it. Tunnel Rat was one of the most popular characters of his "era", as well as a big fan favorite.

Sgt. Slaughter and The Fridge are real-live people, so there's all kinds of legal issues that would/could prevent them from being made, including Slaughter's likeness being currently owned by another toy company.

The big failure of DIC was their inability to give characters featured in their toon interesting personalities.

Sgt. Slaughter should be made. I'd like to think Hasbro would want to make him. He was a great ambassador for GIJoe. The Fridge, not so much.

While I never really liked the figure (or wrestling for that matter) I'd agree that Sgt. Slaughter was a great ambassador for GI Joe and would be a nice addition to the 25th line if they made him in his BDU instead of the horrid sweatpants/tank-top look.

Anyone else remember when Hasbro had him on promotional tour at Wal-Mart doing autographs? I've still got my freebie Joe ballcap he signed for me somewhere around here. I remember him being HUGE in real life!

Honestly, I prefer the '82-'86 stuff, those are the characters I had and collected. '87 is when I started to move away from GI Joe, and by the time everything turned neon, I was out of it completely.

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Entirely true. I think there was one episode which delved into Ambush's background, and that was about it.

While I am not collecting the 25th line, I'd like to see them do a Techno-Viper. Just to put some purple into the line!

Seriously, though, there are some later Cobra Troopers, at least, or other trooper figures, that Hasbro should consider for this line. Iron Grenadier? They've done the IG Destro and even his file card identifies him as such. Night-Viper? Alley-Viper? (Although given all the color variants of THAT one over the years, picking one might be hard).

I guarantee you Hasbro wants to make Sgt. Slaughter. But for legal reasons beyond their control they can't. Slaughter and the WWE still have control over his likeness and his licensing, so they would need to strike a deal with them to make it happen.

Justin

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