Author Topic: G.I. Joe Toys Thread (Read 104223 times)

Jesse James · « **Reply #570 on:** September 26, 2009, 02:17 AM »

Sounds bad... The movie didn't seem to catch on... I think that plays a big part in a line's success. Ultimately GI Joe:ROC as a movie didn't have that "capture them for a long time" ability... Not like Star Wars I guess. Indy faced the same thing. I think a collector-oriented line can still be maintained though, for GI Joe. Indy I guess doesn't have that going for it quite as much.

Darby · « **Reply #571 on:** September 26, 2009, 11:26 AM »

You can see how shallow interest is in the toy aisles. Everyone is backed up with these. Shame, because the toys are nice and it probably means a thin future for Joes. The movie sucked though.

Dressel Rebel · « **Reply #572 on:** September 26, 2009, 11:34 AM »

Quote from: Darby on September 26, 2009, 11:26 AM

The movie sucked though.

Cobra Commander was the biggest culprit in killing it. Just awful.

Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow did the most to try to save it, by far. I actually find myself able to buy the version of these figures without remembering how bad the movie was every time I look at them.

It's really an interesting phenomenon.

Darby · « **Reply #573 on:** September 26, 2009, 12:52 PM »

I'm in the same boat. I have no problem buying some of the figures - in general, they are very well done and the designs work. CC is a great example of where it doesn't.

Paul · « **Reply #574 on:** September 26, 2009, 02:24 PM »

The biggest tragedy in this is that GI Joe's future on the Aisles is/was based on the Movie and Movie Line success.

Shocking though that the Movie and Toys didn't catch on with the Target Audience of boys age 5-10 with the PG-13 Rating and all..

The demise of the line (if it is dead) in my area is because Every Wal Mart did not put figures out until 2 weeks after the movie opened and when it did, they were all the Wave 1 stuff that TRU had already featured in 2 different sales.

It does have me long for the days when Joe didn't have a movie. I think the Resolute thing could have really pumped interest into the line.

Jesse James · « **Reply #575 on:** September 26, 2009, 02:46 PM »

That's what I keep thinking... Resolute was really good. I was instantly hooked into that, and would watch a regular toon of it, if done like CW3D in seasons and such...

I'm there.

I'd think a lot of others would be too. That was quality stuff.

Scott · « **Reply #576 on:** September 26, 2009, 03:00 PM »

I think there is blame both ways on this one...I would think the stores would be absolutely SICK of getting burned by way over buying movie toys and then having to clearance them out continually. This goes way back to the first Hulk movie in recent times in which figures absolutely rotted on the pegs. There have been a few succesful movie lines outside of SW...the launch of LOTR, the first Transformers, Spider-Man and a little bit Batman. Indy, Star Trek, the Wolverine Movie, the recent Terminator etc etc etc etc etc. I think they have to start coming to the realization that a movie does not automatically translate to toy sales.

Why toy companies think they have a line that will sell as much product as they produced is also mind blowing. They have to have research saying they are either going to sell X amount or Y amount and you set your production a little above both so you can cover demand. The economy, cost of raw materials, the lead paint fiasco etc has all been atrocious as far as retail goes and that has been well documented and rehashed, it is the market research that is a head scratcher. This Joe thing though I think is a little more complex in that the Movie and Toy Company are one in the same and they maybe were looking at things through rose colored glasses...that is the only thing I can think of. I agree though that they ****** up majorly with the creative licenses they took (CC especially) which immediately soured long time fans and created this negative aura around the whole deal.

Darby · « **Reply #577 on:** September 26, 2009, 03:54 PM »

I agree. Also, we are seeing mega toy lines based on films that last two months in the theater. There's nothing sustained for the toy line to draw from, which may be why Hasbro front loads so many of these lines (Joes, Transformers, Wolverine, Indy) only to have them putter out. Most lines don't make it to the DVD release any more.

iFett · « **Reply #578 on:** September 26, 2009, 04:39 PM »

My TRU finally restocked with a bunch of old crap, but they put out the new wave with Charbroil, Night Adder, Kamakura, etc...Actually paused and checked them out for a few minutes, but decided to pass. May pick up Charbroil at a later time as he looks pretty nifty though. Looks like he has CC's chrome dome under his own helmet unless I'm mistaken.

JACKOFTRADZE · « **Reply #579 on:** September 28, 2009, 01:26 PM »

The only things I plan on buying are City Strike SE (If I can find him) and the Resolute RB with the Outpost defender. I only want classic and Resolute stuff. If the Pursuit of Cobra line does see the light of day a few classic updates like FF and Beach head look interesting, I may bite. I am actually dumping 40% of my Joes now. ROC utterly killed my interest in the line. It's a shame, many feel the same way. That was an interesting article in the NY Post about how this line is under performing. I cannot say that I am surprised. I am a pretty big Joe fan and I can honestly say that I have not seen the movie and not that pumped to see it.

Hasbro went overboard, that PIT is going to be $50 before you know it. It would make a good Utapau dio if properly modified.....

Brian · « **Reply #580 on:** September 28, 2009, 01:28 PM »

Quote from: Scott on September 26, 2009, 03:00 PM

I think there is blame both ways on this one...I would think the stores would be absolutely SICK of getting burned by way over buying movie toys and then having to clearance them out continually. This goes way back to the first Hulk movie in recent times in which figures absolutely rotted on the pegs. There have been a few succesful movie lines outside of SW...the launch of LOTR, the first Transformers, Spider-Man and a little bit Batman. Indy, Star Trek, the Wolverine Movie, the recent Terminator etc etc etc etc etc. I think they have to start coming to the realization that a movie does not automatically translate to toy sales.

That's what I keep wondering as well. It seems like the vast majority of these movie tie-in lines tank pretty considerably at retail, or at least sit for a long time. There have been a few successes that Scott mentioned already. It seemed like Lord of the Rings did pretty well for much of its run, particularly during the 3-5 year period of the movies an a year or two afterward. Spider-Man 1/2 lines seemed to do ok, and the first Transformers as well (although this year it doesn't seem quite as popular, despite the box office numbers). It also seemed like, at least at the time, that the Iron Man line did pretty well - although it was a more conservative approach. I just don't think many - if any - franchises outside of Star Wars can support the whole "half aisle of crap" approach that we've seen for many movies over the past 5-10 years. We've seen this kind of launch for Indy, TF, Joes, Superman Returns, Batman, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spidey, and others with little to no success. It has been said already, it is too bad the Joe line appears to be going the same route. The toys are seem pretty well done (I only have a few myself), no matter what your opinions of the movie are, and it was nice to see Joes getting some spotlight in the toy aisle again. With this article discussing the "failure" of the Joes at retail, I wonder what that holds for the future of the line. It seems like Hasbro has big plans for "movie style" stuff for 2010 and maybe beyond.

JACKOFTRADZE · « **Reply #581 on:** September 28, 2009, 01:32 PM »

Quote from: Brian on September 28, 2009, 01:28 PM

It seems like Hasbro has big plans for "movie style" stuff for 2010 and maybe beyond.

I think that's part of the problem. Since they killed Classic the line has come to ahalt it seems. It worked well when it was a 2ft statement producing just enough for good sell through. This 4-6ft is clearly not working and the content is not desirable.

jedipurge · « **Reply #582 on:** September 28, 2009, 07:02 PM »

while I haven't bought too many figures, I DO really like them. Nothing that brings back the old nostalgia like the 25th stuff did, but I like them cuz I can blend them in with my SW stuff

.
Got lucky and found the Baroness Paris Pursuit version along w/Duke Gauntlets, think that's Wave 4, first time I'd seen them. Didn't realize tho that Baroness' shades are molded to her face, that the same case with the first version?

Alyosha · « **Reply #583 on:** September 30, 2009, 01:57 AM »

Got in wv5 figures yesterday from the club (who had a steal of a deal on them) and was pleasantly suprised by one thing...the Desert Viper does not suck and even comes with a brand new set of goggles.

Ripcord is actually a nice figure, and SS is so-so....Res SE is great, and the added gear is very nice. Duke is pretty boring, but the DV was a nice suprise. While I will be putting away the firemans halberd, SE sword and other frivolous bits of gear he comes with, the new colors and combo of parts works just fine. All I think he needs is the visor painted and he'll be welcome on the display shelf.

Ben · « **Reply #584 on:** September 30, 2009, 03:25 AM »

Finally found the WM exclusive 2-packs tonight. I picked up Monkeywrench and Tunnel Rat, since these are $14 and it was the only one I could afford. I put the goggles from the TRU Firefly on MW, and the figure looks more complete with them on. It's shame Hasbro gave him a bandolier that doesn't really fit instead of a set of glasses.