I know it's along shot, but... the original 1983 Headquarters. If it was to get re-issued, what do you think the smartest way for Hasbro to get it out to us?

Sell it in parts (as playsets)? It had to be assembled with the floor pieces. They could put out the helicopter pad, the control room, right & left garages, all sold individually as playsets, (in commercial guy's voice,) "When combined, turns into your very own G.I.*JOE Headquarters Command Center!"

OR....

Sell it in one set like way back in '83?

I'd be happy either way if they just put it out. Throw in Zap, Short-Fuse, Grunt (with Snake-Eyes arms,) Cobra Trooper (prisoner,) & it's a done deal.

If it was sold in sets, they could throw in a figure with each set.
Now I REALLY want one.

Modularized pieces is the best way to go, and I'm surprised that most toymakers don't go this route. Probably has to do with retailers not wanting to clog their shelves with playset pieces.

I don't think modular pieces would sell well. It makes it that much harder to get the entire set. The closest thing they are doing with that is the MASS pieces in the cartoon packs and the droid pieces in the Star Wars 2-packs.

I'd like a new 1983 HQ myself but I don't think it has a good chance. It is pretty large and is not a vehicle. It already has 2 strikes against it with modern toy collecting.

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I agree with that. Plus, on their own, the pieces of the Joe HQ are pretty boring. Here, buy a garage for a tank that's not on the market. Exciting.

I think the toy paradigm is going to be tested with the AT-TE and the Millenium Falcon that are coming in a few weeks. If those items sell well, then I think you could see more companies open up to the possibility of big playsets. I don't think we'll ever see the '80's again, but we could see more ambitious undertakings to tie into movies. (Of course, if those end up clearance fodder as many suspect, then the toy companies will be, once again, proven right in their marketing strategies.)

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Mike, just to add to your comments, I'm fairly confident in a resurgence in playsets/large scale toys. The Pirates of the Caribbean Black Pearl has sold quite well this past year as have other larger sets for other lines.

So, big collection "center pieces", I think are plausible for most lines, but I'm not sure on Joe's ability just yet. 25th is doing well, but it certainly doesn't have Star Wars' buying power/customer base. Remember that just five short years ago, TRU couldn't sell a near 1 to 1 reproduction of the Mobile Command Center (but that isn't a definitive 83 HQ either ).

[note that the same MCC now goes for fairly big bucks]

Well lemme ask you this?

IF Hasbro DID release the '83 Headquarters, would you even want it?
If it was in stores, would you buy it?

Would you want something brand new?

I know a PIT playset would be popular but I'm not talking about the PIt, I'm talking about a good old fashioned G.I.*JOE Headquarters. It was re-imaged in the early '90s but I still like the classic & hope I'll see a new release of it soon.

I'd buy an original HQ in a second. IMO it was far superior to the one that came out in the 90s and was reissued several years ago. Taking GIJoe out of it, it still looks like what a fortress should look like. The way the vehicles interface with it is great. There is not nearly as much of that on the 90's base or the MCC.

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That's the thing, they could release the parts WITH vehicles & a figure, like the landing pad w/Dragonfly & Wild Bill, Tank Garage w/The Wolverine & Cover-Girl or MOBAT & Steeler, Mechanic Lift w/Tan VAMP & Tan Clutch.
The Stockade/Computer Console w/Zap, Short-Fuse, Rock'n'Roll & Breaker (with new rolled up sleeves) & Cobra Trooper as Stockade prisoner.

Sell the pieces at $20-$25 a piece & I'd be happy.

NOTE TO HASBRO: If Steeler does get remade, keep his legs & web gear but use Shipwrecks torso & some long sleeved arms.

yeah i'd want to drop over $100 to get a $50 playset. please Hasbro, treat everything like it's the Droid Factory.

/sarcasm

something this size i'd rather just pay to buy at once rather than getting it piecemeal, and with the line's distribution challenges, that would just get annoying after the first two pieces came out then nothing for a few months.

what about the TTBP though?

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I think the only way it might work would be to sell the center section by itself, especially since that was where most of the play value (jail, command area, big gun, etc.) was (in my opinion).

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