|
Community Links |
Social Groups |
Pictures & Albums |
Members List |
Search Forums |
Advanced Search |
Go to Page... |
|
Thread Tools |
05-02-2024, 08:53 AM | #71 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 3,037
|
Quote:
He was forced in the sense that GI Joe already HAD a blonde, blue-eyed leader who was actually a commissioned officer (this is not an officer vs. nco thing - that's just the fact of military command), but the Sunbow series debuted when Duke was being (or planned to be) released... so Hawk was totally sidelined (until his V2 figure was coming out) in favour of the top sergeant, who, while important, is NOT the actual leader of the GI Joe team.
It was a little confusing for some people when Hawk showed up, I remember. I had a small selection of GI Joe comics, including a digest version of No. 1-3 collected, so I knew. But you could tell he was kind of shoe-horned in there, and we've had to deal with that weird dynamic ever since (e.g. Duke being a major in ROC). Sgt Slaughter was definitely "forced" but I always liked him. Not sure why, the whole idea is pretty lame! But I liked wrestling well enough (I don't remember him being all that popular until he became a bad guy for a while, though), and he looked the part - unlike a lot of Joes! - so he always worked for me. Having a drill sergeant/trainer made a lot of sense to me, too. Yeah, I think a lot of "retro" reissues during that time were forced into becoming new characters because of trademark issues. As kids, my friends and I were not members of the G.I. Joe fan club. Thus, we did not have the sneak peek from the Fan Club that a new member/leader of the Joe team was coming. So, when the cartoon came out, all of the sudden there was this new leader -- Duke. He didn't have an action figure. He wasn't in the comics. So who was this guy. Where was Hawk? OK, so I am right there with you on the "forced" part of Duke's introduction, but as a kid, this was the kind of the intriguing part for us. If you're old enough to have experienced the Star Wars Holiday Special first hand, then you'll remember how Boba Fett was introduced without an introduction. All of the sudden Boba Fett became the character all the kids had to know more about and then whammo! Kenner announces that Boba Fett is going to be this cool mail-away figures. I really believe that this is the model Hasbro followed with Duke -- their first mail-away figure. Since, the cartoons were meant to drive toy sales, and since Hasbro already had plans to phase out certain vehicles, in particularly the MMS and HAL (both discontinued in '84 whereas the MOBAT and VAMP continued into '85), this is why neither of their action figure characters appear in the original mini-series cartoon. For my friends and me, Duke's unannounced appearance and later announced mail-away figure had much of the same effect as Boba Fett did, it made us even more interested in the character. I'm speculating here, but given the fact that Duke's action figure is mostly a kit-bash, when they planning the original mini-series, somebody at Hasbro probably suggested a new leader to introduce in the cartoon since they were phasing out the MMS and Hawk, so they quickly came up with a design that would only require a new torso front and head sculpt. So, I get what you're saying about Duke being forced, but I think this was a good marketing strategy. The cartoons kind of did the same thing later on with Flint, Lady Jaye, and Shipwreck, which may explain why Flint and Lady Jaye are my two favorite Joes, and Duke is definitely in the top five. Jason |
05-02-2024, 09:18 AM | #72 |
McGuffin Device Inventor
Join Date: May 2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1,081
|
Just looked that back up the other day so I could stand Duke and RB together in my collection like they were when they shot down the plane. I remember reading that and just being so excited to see and get those two figures.
__________________
Stand and Deliver, or the Devil, He May Take Thee! |
05-11-2024, 05:03 PM | #73 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: May 2021
Location: RI
Posts: 242
|
Yeeeesss.... The ninja angle is so stupid. There are no ninjas in the military as a job. Snake Eyes has been forced down our throats as a ninja when they just should have left him as a Commando which is the best. I actually picture him as Delta Force even though there is no official canon on that but if he is the best and is a commando, that is where it wold be as far as Army goes.
|
05-11-2024, 05:07 PM | #74 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: tampa fl
Posts: 5,118
|
Quote:
Yeeeesss.... The ninja angle is so stupid. There are no ninjas in the military as a job. Snake Eyes has been forced down our throats as a ninja when they just should have left him as a Commando which is the best. I actually picture him as Delta Force even though there is no official canon on that but if he is the best and is a commando, that is where it wold be as far as Army goes.
|
05-11-2024, 06:38 PM | #75 |
Just a fan
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: NY
Posts: 8,643
|
|
05-11-2024, 06:58 PM | #76 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 4,147
|
There's no exclusively ninjas roles in my Joe-verse, everyone has their role but they delve onto their ninjas skills to get the job done, even Snake-Eyes.
It's different for Cobras but members like the Red Ninjas work with, but not directly for them. |
05-12-2024, 05:47 AM | #77 |
Dark Lord of the Mods
Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 7,687
|
Quote:
You're welcome. lol Yeah, I know Shipwreck doesn't have a peg-leg, but Classified Polly does!
__________________
"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5i...9tb4Exi6R8cnvA Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/lordmordred/?hl=en |
05-12-2024, 10:13 AM | #78 |
Just a fan
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: NY
Posts: 8,643
|
Quote:
You're welcome. ;-) |
05-12-2024, 11:03 AM | #79 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Secret underground complex
Posts: 7,043
|
Quote:
Yeeeesss.... The ninja angle is so stupid. There are no ninjas in the military as a job. Snake Eyes has been forced down our throats as a ninja when they just should have left him as a Commando which is the best. I actually picture him as Delta Force even though there is no official canon on that but if he is the best and is a commando, that is where it wold be as far as Army goes.
I also had a visceral negative reaction to Cobra La too. I loved everything about Joe right up to that sub team. |
05-12-2024, 12:02 PM | #80 |
Arashikage's ruin
Join Date: Mar 2023
Location: Cold Slither's Rehearsal Studio
Posts: 883
|
Zandar and Zarana honestly didnt need to happened in 1986. Hasbro wanted to milk that color changing plastic to the max though. Even in the cartoon Baroness was usually the one female who disguised herself or infiltrated the joes. No need for Zarana to take that role. And well, Zandar, he's useless.
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Lame hero/villain that has awesome powers.. | PitViper | General Discussion | 37 | 03-15-2010 11:57 PM |
The 4-inch Marvel Figures. 67 Characters so far. | Starfighter | Toys | 0 | 07-23-2009 05:38 PM |
IDW characters, are the making figures? | skatezaz | Comic Books Discussion | 4 | 01-29-2009 05:10 AM |
what is the most cool year of gi joe characters/figures | SHIPWRECK"N"POLLY | G.I. Joe Toys Modern & General Discussion | 69 | 09-30-2008 12:57 PM |
joe movie poster lame????????? | fred V | G.I. Joe Live Action Movie | 152 | 08-08-2008 07:03 PM |
|
|
Recent Off Topic Threads |
What song are you listening to? |
Last Movie You Watched? |
1:18 Airwolf kickstarter |
Hisstank Late Night thread... |
Star Wars 3 3/4 discussion thread |