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10-31-2021, 11:08 PM | #11 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: VA
Posts: 6,169
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There's two ways to think about this. Shortly after Black Series took off as a huge success for Star Wars, Hasbro reinvigorated the modern 1:18 scale line as The Vintage Collection and has invested heavily in it, right alongside the 6" Black Series figures. Given that Classified has taken off in popularity, that could happen for G.I. Joe too. Until recently, this is what I thought.
The more pessimistic (and maybe realistic) way to look at it is that they are calling the O-ring stuff (Skystriker and the two pack) "Retro", which suggests that they are replacing the Walmart Retro line with O-ring stuff. The ME Retro stuff never seemed a priority and isn't selling all that great (it's about the only Joe product that doesn't sell out instantly). So it's a good guess that Modern 1:18 figures will be dormant for a while.
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10-31-2021, 11:34 PM | #12 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: May 2015
Location: CT
Posts: 2,043
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Maybe the initial run of the retro line using the ME figure design was to gauge interest in the ARAH line as it pertains to being a nostalgia driven line. Hasbro wanted to capitalize on the current retro craze of collectors focusing on their childhood toys of the 80s/90s - MOTU, Tranformers, Ghostbusters etc.
The Retro Line up to this point has not been a anything that Hasbro has thrown a major amount of resources at. It's been risk averse - Hiss tanks, Awe Striker, redesigned fang along with existing parts used for the figures. Maybe the current retro line was a placeholder to keep a "retro" Joe line on the shelves while they ramped up plan to re-introduce o-ring/move manufacturing to Vietnam from China? Not bashing the current Retro line as I have enjoyed collecting certain things from it. Just random thoughts and thinking way too much about a toy line on a Sunday night. |
11-01-2021, 12:09 AM | #13 |
Mass Nerderer
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Slitherin' around the tank- It's cool, though, 'cause I'm being "watched"
Posts: 9,047
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Quote:
Nope, give me o-ring all day. This line was built on "snap on, stay on accessories" after all.
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I NEED TOYS DAMMIT!!! Last edited by Sataninjaku; 11-01-2021 at 12:17 AM.. |
11-01-2021, 12:25 AM | #14 |
Mass Nerderer
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Slitherin' around the tank- It's cool, though, 'cause I'm being "watched"
Posts: 9,047
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Quote:
There's two ways to think about this. Shortly after Black Series took off as a huge success for Star Wars, Hasbro reinvigorated the modern 1:18 scale line as The Vintage Collection and has invested heavily in it, right alongside the 6" Black Series figures. Given that Classified has taken off in popularity, that could happen for G.I. Joe too. Until recently, this is what I thought.
The more pessimistic (and maybe realistic) way to look at it is that they are calling the O-ring stuff (Skystriker and the two pack) "Retro", which suggests that they are replacing the Walmart Retro line with O-ring stuff. The ME Retro stuff never seemed a priority and isn't selling all that great (it's about the only Joe product that doesn't sell out instantly). So it's a good guess that Modern 1:18 figures will be dormant for a while.
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11-01-2021, 01:07 AM | #15 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: May 2021
Location: Chicago
Posts: 842
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Even though Hasbro are calling both the Walmart ME line and the new o-ring line "retro", the thing currently separating them is where they're being sold. The ME retro line is a mass retail Walmart exclusive, where as the o-ring retro line is currently a Hasbro exclusive. The Hasbro panel said that the o-rings will be sold through the Pulse web-site, so in a way it's not infringing on the Walmart territory, for now. It's possible that Hasbro just couldn't sell Walmart or Target on the o-ring line just yet, and if the Skystriker and the SS SE 2 pack do well, they will have more real data to make a case for a mass retail release, but that's yet to be seen. It is possible that o-rings are being positioned to take over ME due to poor ME sells, or maybe ME will continue... who other than Hasbro knows...
For me, even though I don't collect them, I see Classifieds as the ultimate modern Joe line, because they're scaled to match other modern figure lines, are highly detailed and articulated. The o-ring line represents the ultimate in playability as they have a great balance of articulation, structural integrity, can stand and hold weapons well and are sized properly for vehicles and play sets... and of course nostalgia. As another poster had said, Classified and o-rings are different enough from each other to coexist. The ME line always felt a little undefined to me... I get that they were supposed to be the updates to the o-rings, but in comparison to Classifieds, the 6" figures are more detailed, articulated and fleshed out. Compared to o-rings, while having more articulation, they just didn't work as well as toys, and being 4", didn't work all that well with a lot of the vintage vehicles, which is a huge draw for the vintage line in the first place (being able to interact with vehicles and playsets is fundamental to playing with GI Joe IMO). I'm also not fond of the ME proportions and chest cut, but that's more of my subjective opinion. I get that ME figures have their fans, so this is just my opinion based on what I value in GI Joe, and someone else could love ME figures for their own reasons and they may not care about what I value in the toys, and that's fine, we like what we like. At the end of the day whether a line continues of not is based on how many toys the company can sell, so it's ultimately in the consumers hands. Last edited by Katana78; 11-01-2021 at 01:15 AM.. |
11-01-2021, 05:57 AM | #16 |
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 923
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I'm hoping both lines can coexist, but I'm doubtful at this point, perhaps in the future. I am actually a big fan of the Stalker/Grunt mold and feel it is the pinnacle of what Hasbro always wanted to do with the ME line. But I think we only got brand new figures because of the move to Vietnam and Hasbro was still on the hook to Walmart for more figures. I think Retro was supposed to be a quick cash grab to coincide with the movie launch, like Classified was supposed to be the evergreen alongside movie figures, but then COVID. It just so happens that someone at Hasbro was paying attention to those of us wanting a "true" retro line like Transformers and TMNT have.
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11-01-2021, 06:22 AM | #17 |
Christian Soldier
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,236
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I’ve seen pegs full of stalkers (and a few troopers) but as for not selling it seems like a big factor would be having multiple cases of just two figures. One customer could buy most of a star wars case, but how many stalkers would one person buy? And the troopers seem to have sold better but they are (in my opinion) lousy. You have stalker and grunt, well designed and accurate and updated (though in a slightly different scale/aesthetic than other joe lines), and then you’ve got these wacky troopers/officers with strange proportions and a head scratcher design. If these were the poc/50th versions I’d think they would be snatched up. The fact that these horrible troopers have sold so well is astounding.
I see stalkers pegwarming. but that also seems to be the case for piles of master chiefs and retro he man. You can’t fill pegs with 2 figures and expect them to sell quickly.
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I submit to You, Lord. I lay it at your feet. Turner's Customs Sell Thread Feedback Last edited by turner; 11-01-2021 at 06:31 AM.. |
11-01-2021, 11:25 AM | #18 |
Just a fan
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: NY
Posts: 8,508
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Hasbro could license out the rights to make 4-inch Joes, or just release them on Hasbro Pulse.
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11-01-2021, 11:35 AM | #19 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Houston
Posts: 2,424
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Vehicles at this point, I have pretty much all the figures I sought out to re-collect. But a boxed vintage-artwork Rattler, Zartan, Water Moccasin, Ferret, ASP, Raven or Stinger would be a nice surprise. Vintage boxed vehicles don't usually hold up very well so I've mostly just stuck to the 25th stuff.
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11-01-2021, 11:37 AM | #20 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: VA
Posts: 6,169
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Quote:
Vehicles at this point, I have pretty much all the figures I sought out to re-collect. But a boxed vintage-artwork Rattler, Zartan, Water Moccasin, Ferret, ASP, Raven or Stinger would be a nice surprise. Vintage boxed vehicles don't usually hold up very well so I've mostly just stuck to the 25th stuff.
Vehicles seem to be a dead end in both scales.
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