Author Topic: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes  (Read 8293 times)

Offline Brian

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Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« on: July 23, 2014, 10:42 PM »
Looks like this is happening, very similar to Star Wars, blown up versions of the vintage figures:

http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=9&itemid=22982

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2014, 10:51 PM »
Hah!  Even more weird looking than the Star Wars ones in a way.
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2014, 11:19 PM »
Oh man, I got all excited for a second and then realized it was the 80's figures.  :(

12" BulletMan and I am so there...
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Offline efranks

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2014, 10:18 AM »
I kinda liked the idea of the Jumbo figure so having GI Joe figures doesn't bother me one way or the other.  The one thing I don't like, however, are the straight arm versions.  I know that's how they started out but all of those first releases got swivel arm re-releases in short order so I think GG could have started there and people wouldn't have complained.  I'm not a big enough fan of those original 82 Joes to buy in on these but if they add the swivel arm and get around to figures like Recondo or Snake Eyes V2 and Storm Shadow...I could be talked into them possibly.

I also like the idea of the footlocker for the first release and wouldn't mind if they all came that way rather than on the big bubble packaging with the card back.  I realize the goal is for them to look just like the originals but the footlocker idea I really like. 

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Offline Jesse James

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2014, 10:44 PM »
I'm not big on the Jumbo figs, but I think they're a  neat idea for those who dig 'em.

I thought it was sort of funny (in a purely sad way) that these were the only footprint GI Joe left more or less.   :-\
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Offline efranks

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 11:36 PM »
Those and Kre-O from Hasbro.  Very sad...very, very sad.

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Offline Greg

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2014, 09:36 AM »
I'll never understand this concept. I imagine these figures are pretty much free money for Gentle Giant, but I can't believe collectors eat them up. Why buy an up-sized replica version of an old figure with simplistic sculpting when you could just buy the actual toy you had as a kid instead?

Offline Muftak

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2014, 10:19 AM »
I am guessing you haven't seen these in person?  I didn't get it either until I saw a Jumbo Boba Fett in person. I loved that toy as a kid, but this felt like more than just a large version of that. It is a thing of beauty, a piece of art you can appreciate separate from the original. I imagine if you have strong memories of playing with the original Joes, then one of these would give you the same feeling.

Offline efranks

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2014, 06:31 PM »
I'm with Muftak, when these first started I wasn't sure about them but after having a couple of them, they're pretty cool.  I decided not to collect a lot of them due to size, but I have Fett and Yoda and really like both.  I have the AT-AT Driver on order and I'm really psyched to have that in my possession.

I think there have been a couple missteps on them, some of the capes were off early on, and there have been a couple quality issues with some figures.  It'll be interesting to see how the vintage Joe articulation scales up and, as I said, I may be in for a couple if they get to some of my more favorite characters.

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Offline Greg

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2014, 08:48 PM »
I am guessing you haven't seen these in person?  I didn't get it either until I saw a Jumbo Boba Fett in person. I loved that toy as a kid, but this felt like more than just a large version of that. It is a thing of beauty, a piece of art you can appreciate separate from the original. I imagine if you have strong memories of playing with the original Joes, then one of these would give you the same feeling.

I have seen the Dengar in person so that might be part of why I don't care for these. I am also a child of the 90s and early 00s so that may help explain my views. ;D I'd be just as baffled if they made some jumbo POTF2 style figures, but some Jumbo Jurassic Park dinos might have me changing my tune pretty quick.

Offline Muftak

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Re: Gentle Giant Jumbo Joes
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2014, 10:12 PM »
Yeah, then I think you get it.   ;D

The thing that really caught me by surprise with these was how crisp the sculpt turns out. I mean, Dengar is kind of always a turd any way you slice him, but the cool looking guys gain a little edge and depth at the jumbo size.

I played with these guys as a kid and got Fett as the mail away before ESB, so there's some kind of tactile memory going on there for sure. But it has convinced me I want some of the ROTJ figures in this format, as those are the ones I have the most fondness for.