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12-07-2008, 03:57 AM | #11 |
Cobra Sith Lord
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GI Joe and Transformers were both huge powerhouses in the 1980's and I think we actually would need concrete numbers to answer this. Both had cartoons, comics, toys and even a movie. However, GI Joe was introduced a full 2 years before TF so I think it was definitely more popular from 1984-1985 while Transformers was still gaining a fan following. I would say neither brand was much bigger than the other (who was bigger is anybody's guess) as both were huge in their day.
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12-07-2008, 04:01 AM | #12 |
So much drama 'n the LBCs
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I think G.I. Joe has a much stronger (and longer) fan base. I know as a kid, I didn't have a ton of parental support on my Joe addiction, but they at least knew the name "G.I. Joe" from the 12" Man-Barbie version of them from years before.
But TFs are HUGE in Japan and other Asian countries, if I'm not mistaken... And that's a bigass chunk of the world... Dunno if U.S./English-military-based figures are that popular over there, but I could be mistaken. But also, honestly, who is a Joe fan who doesn't SOMEWHAT like Transformers? I know until the 25th line came back, I was all over the Masterpiece Transformers and Alternators line. Hell, I'm still all over the MP line, except it comes out like 1 or 2 figures a year (only one this year, sadly) and I'd STILL be all over the Alternators if they were still making them. If it wasn't for the Alternator line being killed, I would still probably hold that as priority over Joe... Luck would have it that the 25th line filled a massive void, and I've kept collecting some sort of Hasbro TF/Joe crack now for nearly 5 years. |
12-07-2008, 04:10 AM | #13 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Transformers was a mega international hit for 25 years now.
G.I. Joe was a big hit in the US in from 1984-ish (when the toys really took off) to about 92 or 93, then kinda died (they were being made, but who cared? ) until the 25th line. Without looking at any sales numbers whatsoever I'm going to assume the biggest overall seller of merchandise, in total revenue, from the 80's, was Transformers. Overall (from conception to current date): OBVIOUSLY Transformers, no contest. Which raises the question: What the blood-spewing hell was Hasbro (and Takara) doing in the 90's? G.I. Joe Extreme, Sigma Six, Valor v Venom, Cybertron, Energon, Armada? Man, life must have sucked if you were born at the end of the 80's or early 90's. All of those toys sucked balls.
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I see what you did there. Last edited by buddystalin; 12-07-2008 at 04:15 AM.. |
12-07-2008, 04:25 AM | #14 |
So much drama 'n the LBCs
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Quote:
Transformers was a mega international hit for 25 years now.
G.I. Joe was a big hit in the US in from 1984-ish (when the toys really took off) to about 92 or 93, then kinda died (they were being made, but who cared? ) until the 25th line. Without looking at any sales numbers whatsoever I'm going to assume the biggest overall seller of merchandise, in total revenue, from the 80's, was Transformers. Overall (from conception to current date): OBVIOUSLY Transformers, no contest. Which raises the question: What the blood-spewing hell was Hasbro (and Takara) doing in the 90's? G.I. Joe Extreme, Sigma Six, Valor v Venom, Cybertron, Energon, Armada? Man, life must have sucked if you were born at the end of the 80's or early 90's. All of those toys sucked balls. Joe's had a fraction of that. The 2009 movie will adjust things a bit, but there's also going to be a TF movie pitted against it very soon as well, so while it will help, I don't see G.I. Joe to be the juggernaut it once was, and expect Transformers to keep growing strong. Last edited by Mandingo Rex; 12-07-2008 at 04:28 AM.. |
12-07-2008, 04:41 AM | #15 |
Cobra Money Supplier
Join Date: Nov 2007
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I read one article about 80's GI JOE, about 90 - 95% of US kids owned some sort of GI JOE items - it can be a lunch box, backpack....
There were no other merchandises as popular as GI JOE even today. Hasbro must be brain dead not to make GI JOE back to the glory days. Another thing why Joes are more popular than TF, was because it is cheaper to own one. But if you take world wide statistics, I think TF is much more success. |
12-07-2008, 05:33 AM | #16 |
Cobra Viper
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Quote:
Worked like magic for TF, which currently has 5 different lines running at the same time. The fuck-up with the GI Joe plan, however, was one name: Stephen Sommers. Now I know it's dumb to hate a movie before seeing it, but it already looks like he's doing what he's always done: homogenized the whole affair to make it as bland and uninteresting as possible. If GI Joe is going to be successful it will have to survive the sure-to-be horrible movie with some decent toys. But who knows, maybe he'll make it so unbearably awful that really dumb kids think it's awesome and will want to buy 10 of the same character with a different head (it worked for Power Rangers). And Resolute certainly looks awesome (it's crazy how that's what happens when someone competent takes over a franchise, isn't it? ), and I hope it goes into regular season broadcast (please, Adult Swim). And a kid's cartoon certainly wouldn't be a bad idea either. Just treat it the same way they did TF: respectful enough to please enraged nerds and fanboys, but with a really talented group behind it who can make it appealing to everyone and also make it awesome. I'd just really like to see dual GI Joe shows. Blood and Guts Resolute on Adult Swim, and Laser Guns Silly Plots PEW PEW on Nickelodeon.
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I see what you did there. |
12-07-2008, 05:33 AM | #17 |
Cobra Speed Demon
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: ny
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I had alot of TFs back in the day but joes outlasted them for me. i stopped getting them around that consturcticon thing.just didnt like where they were going.
i still have alot of them,nice and broken cuz TFs is cheap crap! |
12-07-2008, 05:41 AM | #18 |
The Chaos Bringer
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Skid Row Yo!!!
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Simply Put Yes Transformers kicked G.I. Joes ass back then and still do to this day. (I hope that Cobra Coffee isn't lurking around he may throw me into the Arena of Ssssport for saying such a thing.)
But while we're on the subject I was thinking of listing the most popular toy lines of the 80's in order, BTW my observation, I can't back it up with numbers but if someone wants to throw down the gauntlet I'll be savy and go get those numbers 4 you. 1. Star Wars 2. Transformers 3. Masters of the Universe/G.I. Joe (tied for third) 4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which only had two years in the 80's) BTW 5. Thundercats/DC Super Powers 6. Silverhawks 7.M.A.S.K 8. Go-Bots 9.C.O.P.S. 10.Inhumanoids 11. Battle Beasts 12. The Real Ghostbusters/ and Ghostbusters 13.Voltron Take into consideration, I'm basing this on how much product was available of each line and how long the line lasted on Shelves. I.E. Was there a playset(s) how many figures + variations, how expensive was each toy, how long the cartoon/comic ran for, was there a coresponding movie? All those questions I've thought about, but if you want numbers just ask like I said, I know there's one person on here I can count on challenging me. |
12-07-2008, 05:54 AM | #19 |
So much drama 'n the LBCs
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Blaster'spunchingbagg,
I think what you said is pretty close, at least the top 7 or so, anyways... I'm not even familiar with Inhumanoids or Battle Beasts. But I'd never heard of Jem and the Holograms until about 3 years ago, and I consider myself a child immersed in the 80s. You left out Marvel toys, I think the Toybiz stuff was pretty popular, no? Maybe that was too early-90s. But for a line to really be popular like you stated, it needs to have returned at least once, or never gone out of circulation... I can almost say without a doubt that Star Wars, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and Ninja Turtles have all been fairly constant, with only a few years missing from the shelves or from TV in the last 20 years or so. Masters of the Universe, on the other hand, hasn't had as much popularity since the 80s if you ask me. That said, Star Wars has probably had the longest running time on the shelf, but there was even a time when I don't remember Star Wars being on the shelves. To be honest, I don't know if Transformers EVER stopped being produced worldwide, although I could be wrong on that. Masters of the Universe has come back twice now since the 80s, TMNT has had at least 3-4 incarnations, Transformers probably the most, then there's the whole Star Wars expanded universe... Joe has had ARAH, (Sgt. Savage?) Exteme, Sigma6, VvV, and now the 25th/Modern line... Have I left anything out? Probably, I just got back into Joe with the 25th line, since ARAH I've been absent. Other than maybe Power Rangers, which I still vouch is terrible, not many other toy lines besides Barbie or Lego have lasted as long as your top 5 (counting MOTU and Joe as 2, but only your top #1-#4). Last edited by Mandingo Rex; 12-07-2008 at 05:57 AM.. |
12-07-2008, 02:21 PM | #20 |
I Brake For Asari!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Thessia
Posts: 32,377
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Quote:
Transformers was a mega international hit for 25 years now.
G.I. Joe was a big hit in the US in from 1984-ish (when the toys really took off) to about 92 or 93, then kinda died (they were being made, but who cared? ) until the 25th line. Without looking at any sales numbers whatsoever I'm going to assume the biggest overall seller of merchandise, in total revenue, from the 80's, was Transformers. Overall (from conception to current date): OBVIOUSLY Transformers, no contest. Which raises the question: What the blood-spewing hell was Hasbro (and Takara) doing in the 90's? G.I. Joe Extreme, Sigma Six, Valor v Venom, Cybertron, Energon, Armada? Man, life must have sucked if you were born at the end of the 80's or early 90's. All of those toys sucked balls. Worldwide I'd say TF is a beast unto it's self and far outsells Joe, and Joe sells to a more military minded type person than say a tech/futurist kind of person that TF does. I think the giant robot has a more universal appeal than military stuff....on a worldwide scale. |
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