JoeDeclassified.com

So let's try and make this as easy as we can for Hasbro. Not that they need the help but that doesn't mean we can't put our 2 cents in.
So in a post-30th, current Retaliation, and possible discount-impending GI JOE world... what's next? Or more specifically... what do we/you/I hope is next? Should Hasbro continue as is... a little here... a little there... a lot over there... less over there. Should they concentrate on finding more of a happy (read as: consistent/compatible) medium?

In a retooled Sky Striker/non-troop builder 7 pack/Renegades-30th-mingle/HISS V-overload/Sci-Fi level/Retaliaiton/ possible discount world...

what's what?! What are Hasbro's options.. or rather... what options would you like them to take?

I don't want a list of characters you want made (been there, done that). I want ideas as to how all of this could be tied together. What we've seen, what we've gotten. Can there be peace? HAHAHA.

We've had our minds blown and our hearts broken it seems all at the same time over the past couple years between the evolved but just-not-right Rise of Cobra... the bumpy distro but overall expectation-exceeding and oft praised Pursuit of Cobra... and the even more unfortunately short-lived (or rather pushed aside for Retaliation) and arguably best line ever aka the 30th Anniversary... and now Retaliation which boasts a bit of everything but where it is lacking it is REALLY lacking (articulation loss) and where it excels it excels where ROC could not (ie Blind Master... who thought an actor head sculpt figure could quite possibly become the cult favorite... only time will tell though) and of course the discount biz which seems to be casting quite a shadow over Retaliation which not only has more money behind it but aims for wider appeal...

So how would you like your minds blown and your hearts broken now?

I think that pretty much says it all right there.

That is my number 1 issue with the line. They are all generally compatible in a broad scale sense, but the style changes so drastically every few years that a lot of figures just don't complement each other. Since the 25th line the style has remained . . . somewhat consistent, but there is still a pretty wide swath cut in that respect. I'm willing to forgive them for Rise of Cobra, the designs were more or less out of their hands. Let's face it though, they could have done a LOT more with that line in terms of off screen characters. Look at how much variety they squeezed out of the '82 line with just a handfull of molds. Yet ROC was overall pretty drab and basic black.

Number 2, packaging. My god man. For as good as the Retaliation figures look, the packaging is equally as bad. The packaging seriously looks like bootleg packaging. I know they have tried it in the past, but they NEED to find an iconic, branded look, and STICK WITH it. Yes there is evolution, that's OK. Compare '82 to '94, lot's of changes sure, but there is no mistaking that they are from the same line. Why is that so hard to do today?

Roger

Yeah, let's see some more pictures.

Hopefully more will be revealed that shows up at retail and doesn't just make it to prototype stage.

PS, why was my previous entry deleted? I thought your new thread was leading to more picture reveals of things we may never see because of how Hasbro has been doing things for awhile. All my first entry said was "Yeah, let's see some more pictures".

I want them to do figures of the same quality, number of accessories, and articulation as PoC and 30th anniversary. I want 2-3 really good vehicles instead of 15 that end up at discount stores. I'd rather pay more for that quality than the same price for less quality. I would like some new characters that fit within the team with well written personalities that are not overdone so that the author is trying to make them the next Snake Eyes or Duke. I also want them to continue to redo a few arah and foreign figures in the modern style every year. An ideal wave to me would be 1 arah figure redone in the ME style to match his arah version (see Lowlight, Sci-Fi), 2 arah characters in 30th style updated (see renegades ss, 30th Stalker), and then 3 new characters per wave X 6 waves per year. When repaints are done make sure that they fit into an existing theme (python patrol, arctic operations, desert, snow, tiger force etc..).

I'd like to see Hasbro dabble a little more in the BAF (Build A Figure) mode with future toys. I thought the MASS device build that came in 25th Anniversary 5-packs with a DVD was a great idea! Hasbro definitely has the experience with all the Marvel Universe/Legends BAFs.....I'd like to see the Joe verse get a crack at it. Here's a couple of ideas.....the Cobra Trojan Gambit Robot from Hama's Marvel #3 issue, the Gamesmaster from the 80s cartoons (he was like Marvel's Kingpin so he could possibly have the appropriate ratio for BAF).....BAFs please!

Make a GREAT cartoon series and air it on a channel that lots of kids watch. Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is just one example of a phenomenal cartoon that can engage kids (and adults!). My kids LOVE this show and so do I. Create a brilliant show that pulls kids in like Ben 10 does and there will be more than enough Joe for everyone.

With the new "Dollar Store" figures hopefully heading my way, I'm pretty damn happy with how much Hasbro has kicked out to us. I should be getting my Amazon Renegades set on Monday and I haven't even picked up the latest BBTS 7-packs yet. I like figures best, BUT the one thing that would really be awesome is a Cobra playset. My boys watch the ARAH cartoon and love the sinister Cobra compounds. Silent Castle, Cobra Pyramid, etc, would blow their little minds. One of my sons is BEGGING for a Cobra castle, so I just bought a Starriors playset on eBay that I hope to use to build a custom base someday.