G.I. Joe Classified Series (1:12)

[ThunderDan19]

I ran across this when I was following the GI Joe day releases coverage (start at 1:16:40 since it doesn't work when I include that in the link):

NEWS BURST LIVE SPECIAL!! G.I. JOE DAY 2025 RENDER REVEALS!!

💥 NEWS BURST LIVE SPECIAL!! G.I. JOE DAY 2025 RENDER REVEALS!! 💥Join Christopher McLeod AKA @Diagnostik80 as he reports on the amazing new G.I. Joe Day 202...

www.youtube.com

Thoughts on the rumor page?

 

[nacho]

I have no clue what's real and what is wish fulfillment. The fact that there are only 2 O13 members on that massive list makes me want to call bullshit... as we've been told we're getting three this year beyond retro RnR and new Breaker. But I'm sure part of it is true, either because they actually know something or because the list includes most of the good characters that haven't been done yet. Some of them are bound to be right, even if the whole list is fiction. Beats me.

The Blackout/Bombstrike 2-pack is intriguing... but it's weird that Barrel Roll (the one that's had the largest role in the comics) is nowhere to be seen. Not sure I need another Firefly, especially at the (new tariff-irific) deluxe price point. He'll probably have a 90s ninja force deco anyway. More IG members... meh. More Cobra La... seems inevitable.

Too many rando vipers for my taste, too many 90's characters for my taste... but I guess they have to pad with something and throw the neon kids a bone.

I got Lisa today, so the '86 crowd is filling out slowly!

 

[ThunderDan19]

Hmm. I had expected the MOBAT based on previous information. Sounds like maybe that's going to be turned into Optimus Prime instead.

I supposed I'd choose the Mauler from these, with Snow Cat as a close second.

Future GI Joe Classified Series HasLab Ground Vehicle Possibilities Leaked

Thanks to It's Chad, we take a look at the possibilities for future GI Joe Classified Series HasLab the GI Joe team is considering!

toyhabits.com

Not sure nacho is going to be too excited for anything on this list.

 

[nacho]

Eh, those are a very mixed bag. I'll take a Mauler all day long. Never had the original, but I always wanted one. I wouldn't mind a Snowcat, but there are just several ground vehicles I would prefer first.

HAVOC.... is the dumbest Joe vehicle this side the Tank Car.



You look at '85: Mauler, Snowcat, AWE Striker, Bridge Layer... all useful, *mostly* practical military vehicles.

You look at '86: HAVOC, Triple-T, and Recon Sled.... the designers came to the conclusion that all ground vehicles must be based on the concept of a zero-turn lawnmower, driving while on your stomach, or in the Havoc's case, both. WTF, Mattel. Who even drives it? The guy sitting in the exposed lawn chair on top (while also manning the guns that can't pivot laterally), or one of the prone people in the glass coffin up front?

I'm confident it was the same designer who just went in a rogue direction that year, and it was too late to change by the time someone realized the guy was insane. So aside from every '86 character being a replacement for a classic, the vehicles took a turn toward the absurd, and IMO, the franchise went downhill from there. Not to say that I hate everything after '85, but that it just got "spotty", whereas everything in the first few years was pretty much awesome across the board.

But I would not back a Haslab HAVOC, not a chance in hell. I owned the original, and it was the vehicle always destroyed in battle first (along with its inhabitants), and then the good characters would use the wreckage for cover.

Sure, it had several play features, and the little flying canoe was fun if you didn't think about it too hard. But the entire vehicle was a death trap. It made my 11yo self question what they were thinking, where before, I just took it on faith that the designs were solid from a tactical and operational standpoint.

And I was today years old before I ever saw a Joe "Hammer". Zero chance I give that a second look.

 

[Videoviper]

Havoc was well named but totally stupid.

Several vehicles were death traps.
Whale - just shoot the rubber balloon
Many just unloaded rocket flames in people’s faces.
Terror drone - lord help that control room if they launched a rocket or “Firebat”

RAM cycle what would happen to that cycle if you actually used that Gatling gun?

 

[ThunderDan19]

Lol, yeah, like nacho said, you can't think too hard while playing with a number of those vehicles/playsets from back in the day. I do think it's notable that a lot of the prototype stuff that they drew heavily from also looked highly impractical if not downright dangerous. It was almost like the military's 60's, 70's and 80's R&D said, "Heck with test pilots, just paint up all the crazy new stuff and give it to the Joe team!"

I loved the Snow Cat (despite the huge glass canopy), mainly because of how it always took me to the arctic to battle the equally awesome and impractical Wolf. Those two gave me lots of battles without too much set up required, usually just one ambushing the other. I'm not convinced they would make the Snow Cat a whole lot better or practical as a Haslab, but might just opt to upsize it and include the remaining arctic themed Joes. Definitely not my first choice. Better as a regular release in my opinion.

As much as I enjoyed it as a kid, I was shocked that in the little poll on the TH website the HAVOC was in the lead. While definitely a (suspended disbelief) kid pleaser, I don't see any way it makes for a good Haslab. Nacho pointed out the litany of flaws already, so I won't belabor, but definitely not the best option. It's also the largest footprint vehicle, if memory serves. Not great when shelf space goes fast already at 1:12.

I truly enjoyed the hard hitting Mauler as a kid, though it wasn't without drawbacks. While having the motor made it fun to just send barreling through a Cobra line, it didn't make it particularly practical to play with and maneuver. And, while the MOBAT had the issue with only being able to hold one figure in the turret, Mauler suffered the reverse fate of putting two in the hull and zero in the turret. Neither is ideal, so maybe a Haslab could correct that by making an occupiable turret as well, and simply have moveable tracks instead of motorized ones. I think they could do the best version of this to make it worth the shelf space required.

I was aware of the Hammer through an interesting series of events. I was out of GI Joe by the time it came out, but my girlfriend at the time's kid brother got one for Christmas one year. Having had dozens of prior vehicle assemblies from my Joe time, I likely volunteered to put it together for him. While I get its Gulf War hummer gun truck inspiration, I really wasn't all that impressed by the time I finished. This one's definitely not worth bring to the CS.

 

[Videoviper]

Fun fact reguading dumb GI Joe Cobra designs.

The little bird on the Night Raven was real.


Enter the D-21. The drone looked like a wing carved off the body of an A-12 and was supposed to work as a more or less a stripped-down, unmanned version of its manned cousin.

Lockheed converted two A-12 aircraft, renamed M-21, into motherships, adding a second seat for a launch control officer and modifying the aircraft to carry the drone on its back up to a launch point.

 

[ThunderDan19]

Here is the video that was embedded in the Haslab article yesterday that wasn't accessible (at least to me). They've got a little more info that might make one or more of the offerings more appealing.

Including Steeler with the Mauler adds value, but then means there will likely never be a CS MOBAT. Armor packages and alternate decos seem like possible value adds as well. Upgrades to the Snow Cat and HAVOC would seem to make either a bit more appealing. Snow Bunny Baroness? Seems like an odd choice, particularly when both Scarlett and Lady Jaye had artic apparel at times in the cartoon.

Also, from the email I just got from Pulse, looks like the Joe livestream will be on the 18th.

 

[nacho]

Yeah, supposedly the focus-group Snowcat was quite a bit larger-scale than the original, so that's why it jumped from mid-size vehicle into haslab territory.

And the concept for the HAVOC supposedly removed the lawnchair on top and the glass coffin up front, so it's heavily modernized/improved. But at what point does it stop being a HAVOC and just a new vehicle? Catch-22... I wouldn't buy the old design, because "stupid", and I wouldn't buy a heavily modified one because I'm not spending $300-400 on a toy that has no nostalgic attachment. They're better off simply sticking to a vehicle that doesn't suck.

I can see them not doing a MOBAT. Too many people think it's too plain of a tank (i.e. why I like it, it's not trying to be fantastical). Ramen is going to cure that problem with their green tank, along with the Bridgelayer, so at this point, I'd rather get a Mauler that includes Steeler and Heavy Metal. Two birds, one stone.

 

[ThunderDan19]

I think a decently kitted out Mauler is way better than a redesigned SC or HAVOC for sure. They should just do a mainline retro-ish SC and skip the HAVOC. I'd say the way to go is to basically build out the Mauler as a fully man-able (hull and turret), multi-mission battle tank, taking the best features of the classic version and the MOBAT and then adding a few modern options, like bolt-on reactive armor and camo decos. Without too many lights and whiz-bang "features," and no motors, they should be able to keep it right about $300.

 

[ThunderDan19]

Just ran across this: Walmart has a number of regular and deluxe figs discounted right now, including some at lower than half price.

Robot or human?

 

[nacho]

Nice, grabbed another Airborne for a custom and another 60th Halo Jumper just because.

 

[ThunderDan19]

More interesting rumors (skip over the argument over Darklon at the end ):

 

[nacho]

Did you notice that when they were debunking any rumors about a Haslab MASS device, they kept showing my custom build?!

I'm excited about Flash, thrilled he's coming in '25 (as expected). What I'm not thrilled about is reusing the Tripwire mold with extra thick gear/padding... assuming that the video is correct that the tripwire leg pads are going to be used for Flash/GS. The TW pads make the figure look a little on the pudgy side, which was fine for Tripwire b/c the vintage figure always looked a little... soft, and he's EOD, which needs more padding. But in my head, Flash is supposed to be more thin, athletic, and not bogged down with big thick gear like Blowtorch. Flash isn't dealing with explosives and shouldn't look like the Michelin Man. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[ThunderDan19]

Lol, I thought that looked familiar! I'm guessing yours may be the only 1:12 scale MASS on the internet, and now becoming famous!

As for the Flash mold, I completely agree that he was very streamlined back in the day, and shouldn't be stay-puffed at all just for the convenience of reuse. I don't think we've gotten anything official, so hopefully that was just more of the VI guy (the same guy who thinks the AWE Striker render looks "just like the original") extrapolating from just the actual laser gun/pack which we have already seen.

I can't say I'm at all excited about the prospect of another Sgt. Slaughter. I suppose I would try to pick up a Mercer, if he's well enough made. Crimson HISS? I hope not. I'd much rather a well detailed Firebat with pilot and maybe some cool ground crew/launch pad to get it to that $150 price tag (if that's even legit). MMS with a Col. Hawk? I doubt I'd be into it, but it would help the OG crowd at least.

 

[nacho]

I've never seen another 1/12 MASS device, and VI has used my pics in several of their videos when they discuss the possibilities. I can't blame them... it looks cool (!)... and they're right, it's completely impractical as a haslab. It's an awesome dio set piece, but it doesn't have enough play features for what it would cost or the space it would take up for most people. Glad I built it, but I wouldn't want it as a haslab.

Yeah, I'm all in on an MMS, but they need to redo the missile to look like a MIM-23 Hawk. I was fine with the deviation for Cobra, but Joe needs the real thing. Definitely need Col Hawk though. Duke can take a seat.

I agree, Crimson HISS does nothing for me. The whole crimson faction feels like a stupid paint grab. Why? Why would they do this? There is no in-story reason for "everyone dress in red" day. How is a crimson BAT better than a regular one, except making for a brighter target? At least CG troopers had a real function. The rest of the crimson stuff is just pointless.

Firebat with AVAC, crew, and launchpad would be much cooler, I'm with you. Vehicle, figures, not-too-elaborate dio/playset... yes please.

I'm well documented as hating Sgt Slaughter, but if I had to buy a 2-pack to get Mercer, I'd want Sarge to come in his mail-away USA deco. I at least have nostalgia of killing off that version a few thousand times

 

[Videoviper]

I never liked Flash as a laser trooper.
I think he was originally designed as a bomb tech or even a mine sweeper but plans were changed for whatever reasons.

The original 13 was built to be budget friendly in case the line didn’t work out.

 

[nacho]

Of course, but that doesn't change the fact that the original designs are now cemented in our brains as the template for how these characters *should* generally look. Stay-Puff Flash, if that's the direction they go, just isn't going to look right.

 

[ThunderDan19]

Crystal Ball GI Joe Classified Series Preproduction Leaked Images

Check out the preproduction image leaks of the Crystal Ball GI Joe Classified Series figure that comes with a ton of accessories!

toyhabits.com

I would say my interest in this figure could be characterized as less than zero.

And... son of a nutcracker:

Hasbro Pulse G.I. Joe Livestream Moved to March 18th

ALERT: Cobra interference detected!Looks like the Dreadnoks got their hands on our communications and tried to sabotage the mission. But G.I. Joe is always re

toynewsi.com

I guess they weren't lying about everything being delayed this year.

 

[nacho]

Crystal Ball... baffles me, as anyone who collected Joe in 1987 could tell you that CB was the *ULTIMATE* peg-warmer. He, along with Psyche-Out and Sneek-peek, would clog toys aisles for almost a full year. I can't recall the number of times that I went to toy stores only to see the same old dusty CB figure ten-deep on multiple pegs. It was so deflating. NOBODY liked that figure, and very little has been done in the subsequent 38 years to make him more interesting.

The IDW Cobra series made a stab at giving him some kind of creepy role, but I forget the details. While one could ignore any kind of mystical element and use him for mild control experiments (like the nazis or something), that's always been Mindbender's shtick. Maybe he could be baldy's assistant mind-control flunky?

And of course, knowing that they let Stephen King's kid design the concept for the figure back in the day makes it all fall into place and arguably even less interesting. Of course he made a figure that works with the occult, fear, and manipulation. SK is such an insufferable douchebag.

All that being said, the new figure does look creepy. But even if I wanted one, I would wait because I'm confident he'll be on super clearance soon enough, just like in '87. If he gets below $10, I'll grab one so Chuckles can shoot him in the head or something.

As for the livestream delay... might be a typo the other day, might be production delays, might be waiting on protos to show off or something.... but I half expect they're trying to figure out what the tariff situation's going to be before they do any more POs. No way we get through this whole year without Hasbro jumping on an opportunity for a price hike. Have you seen the $50 ML Spidey they're putting on PO today? It looks nice, but $5-premium-nice, not extra-$25-nice. Price hikes are coming.

 

[ThunderDan19]

Yep, Hasbro always manages to get their pounds of flesh. Gotta make up for all that absolute crap that won't even sell at Ollie's somehow. They better be careful though, as the fandom may eventually go all Marv/Wars on them if they don't produce product deemed worth the cost. Not that I'd complain when they go on clearance or end up at Ollie's.

The good news for me is that I won't be overly sad about those high prices because 90% of the best figures have already been made. And the rest, well, I've grown to where I can be patient enough to wait for sales, discounts, aftermarket sales and accumulation of gift cards before buying.

I truly hope that wasn't a typo though. If so, what in the DEI-hire-at-every-level-of-oversight crap is that?

 

[nacho]

The higher prices go, the pickier I get. 15 years ago, I'd buy nearly every ML they put out... and then the price hikes and movie figs I didn't care about all showed up at once. Every year, I buy less and less ML to the point I'm only getting occasional X-Men at MSRP. Even BAFs, I wait for clearance or Black Friday to get the figs I need to complete the big figure. Buying the BAF parts on ebay/mercari is more expensive than just waiting for a sale on the whole figure. WTF Mattel.

At least with Joe, you're getting a lot more parts, accessories, and extras for MSRP. Legends are just the same four plain, featureless bucks in different colors with minimal extra pieces. I get licensing fees play in, but if it's that bad, maybe they just need to stop. I used to think it would be terrible if Hasbro lost the licenses for Marvel, Star Wars, etc. from Disney, but at some point, it might be for the best. They're just not producing anything worth the asking price anymore. They're better off focusing on (or developing) in-house properties that offer more bang for the buck.

 

[ThunderDan19]

So… I bet you didn’t see this coming, but I need Cobras. I got a gift card and he was reduced to regular figure prices, so I basically got the guy for free. Hear me out. I liked that they gave him an actual mechanical jet pack with mechanical maneuvering wings (similar to Marvel’s Falcon) instead of a bird shaped cape this time. So I decided he needed some armor and a full helmet in place of the bird vest and hood. I added a submachine gun and made his claws retractable for use when other ammo runs dry. Now he’s a formidable character instead of just a complete whackadoodle. Behold :

 

[nacho]

Hahaha, I did not see that coming. Not even a little bit!

I like the creativity... but I actually WANT my Raptor to be a nutjob accountant in a bird suit, not Temu™ Vulture. In my head, he shouldn't be formidable any more than Crystal Ball should. Sometimes, your terrorist group just needs weirdo schemers. I don't think everyone needs to be a badass... occasionally, you can just have a Rasputin type with a bird fetish.

But I'm glad you caved and got a good deal And if you want a badass birdman, I think you've done an admirable job!

 

[ThunderDan19]

I think this definitely qualifies as "We are popular and well supported enough now, so why not?":

Hasbro SDCC 2025 Exclusive G.I. Joe Classified Series Dreadnoks Cold Slither Band of Vipers Box Set

Shown below via IGN is a look at the new SDCC 2025 Exclusive G.I. Joe Classified Series Dreadnoks Cold Slither Band of Vipers Box Set from Hasbro.The Cold Sli

toynewsi.com

Breaker is looking pretty good too:

G.I. Joe Classified MASS Device Breaker Figure Proto Images

Jayy Khan has posted more proto images, this time for what appears to be the upcoming G.I. Joe Classified MASS Device Breaker figure.

toynewsi.com

 

[nacho]

I'll have to get rid of the kneepads and replace Breaker's webgear with some stolen from a retro Stalker, but overall, it's a huge improvement over the RAM version. And it's an added plus that he's supposedly coming with a MASS element.

Cold Slither... it's hard to imagine this WASN'T going to happen eventually. It's been rumored for a while. Overall, I like it.... because stupid fun. I hope the glasses are molded on or attached better. My only real complaint is with Classified's continued insistence that Ripper has brown hair. On the vintage figure, it's black. In the cartoon, it's black. In every figure before classified, it's black. Why give him the same color hair as Torch when they were all distinct before? WTF Mattel!

EDIT: Looking at CS pics from that episode, Ripper does have dark brown hair... presuming it's a wig and coloring on his beard. So the set is "correct", but he has black hair in every other instance except the first classified figure. I still think they went to sleep on that one.

 

[Videoviper]

Just saw this on my news feed.
Conflicted if it were my scale I would probably get it (yes super 7 is doing 1 of them so far)

At 6” I’ll skip it never opened up 6” scale Kiss or the cantina band.

After 14 years I never finished my cold slither video

 

[ThunderDan19]

It is really interesting that the CS is leaning into the cartoon so much all the sudden. That feels like territory staked out by S7, and would seem to invite competition for customers, particularly with a relatively expensive product (at least from the S7 side).

I hope it's good for the fans, but my gut says probably not. I think they should have stuck to distinct lanes of modernized CS, true to OG Retro and cartoon accurate S7. Heck, there's even another potential lane for comic specific decos, also likely something S7 would do pretty well. Though it's nice to see this much product overall, I'm not sure if crossing over benefits anyone in the long term.

 

[nacho]

I agree there is likely to be some cannibalization in theory... but that assumes S7 is sticking with 7" figures at all. The only thing in the Joe Ultimates pipeline is the Red Laser CoCo repaint. Nothing else on PO, nothing else even announced or hinted at. Speculation is that they're moving to cheaper "deluxe" 7" offerings aimed more at mass retail with less accessories, much like they've done with Thundercats.

But that is just pure conjecture, as they've said jack squat, and their development/production lead times are somewhere in the 18-24 month range, so we could be left productless for a while, wondering if it's potentially forever. At that point, you wonder if there is enough momentum/enthusiasm to even bother. I've stocked up on "cheap" ultimates assuming that I'll have to customize the rest of my favorites. If I'm wrong, even better.

And while I could see S7 doing Cold Slither in the ReAction or Plus 3.75" lines, I'm not sure that would have any competition with Classified, as most collectors have chosen a preferred scale (or foolishly decided to keep buying both... ). We have all three right here.

 

[ThunderDan19]

I hadn't realized S7 had fully stalled like that. You gotta wonder if they saw the CS offerings and decided to cut bait, knowing that those could undercut future, more expensive, cartoon-based figures. Just from the sales I had seen, it seems like they may have had some trouble selling the pricey ones as is.

 

[nacho]

Just saw this on my news feed.
Conflicted if it were my scale I would probably get it (yes super 7 is doing 1 of them so far)

At 6” I’ll skip it never opened up 6” scale Kiss or the cantina band.

After 14 years I never finished my cold slither video

You gotta figure S7 isn't going to stop with just one band member. It's crazy that Hasbro and S7 are doing the same damn SDCC exclusive.

 

[nacho]

I hadn't realized S7 had fully stalled like that. You gotta wonder if they saw the CS offerings and decided to cut bait, knowing that those could undercut future, more expensive, cartoon-based figures. Just from the sales I had seen, it seems like they may have had some trouble selling the pricey ones as is.

I think the prices hurt Ultimates more than Classified did, as the aesthetics have been starkly different until very recently. No matter how many cool accessories they include, the $55 value proposition was a tough sell to anyone but the most hardcore. But even with retro classified, they don't look remotely as "straight out of the cartoon" as the S7 figures. If sunbow is really your jam, it's hard to imagine Classified scratching that itch.

 

[nacho]

Oh hell yeah...

More ReAction+

 

[ThunderDan19]

I just wish the figures themselves looked a little less... frumpy. Ever since we got the 25th, POC and now the CS, I can't look the same way at these or even the original O-rings (though I loved them when that was all we had). I can't go back to the less detailed, limited articulation figures with few accessories and basic paint apps. I'm spoiled beyond recovery, and have been for too long now.

 

[HUNMARINE]

Honestly I still dont get it why did Hasbro give out "license" for the cartoon look figures and suddenly started to do its own cartoon line. Its sounds and looks so ridiculous.
Well, of course doing some "extra" from comic/cartoon/movie/etc. is a definitely good choice for an exclusive set, but in my point of view - Hasbro arent in a position to play with such "freedom".
How many line do we have in the 6 inch scale of G.I.Joe: we have the "updated" line as we refer to it as "CS" ("Classified), than we have the "retro card back" line with retro toy look...and now we enter the "cartoon" line.
3 different lines....Maybe I"m too naive but I dont belive that most of the collectors will collect all 3 different look of every character....

 

[nacho]

I just wish the figures themselves looked a little less... frumpy. Ever since we got the 25th, POC and now the CS, I can't look the same way at these or even the original O-rings (though I loved them when that was all we had). I can't go back to the less detailed, limited articulation figures with few accessories and basic paint apps. I'm spoiled beyond recovery, and have been for too long now.

I hear you, but S7 is not even remotely trying to appeal to 25th/POC/50th fans. They're going for fans of the vintage toys and producing characters and decos from the cartoon and comics that we never got in the vintage line. It's not a matter of being spoiled by modern figures... I think it just comes down to taste and preferred aesthetic. Either you look at vintage through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia, or you view them simply as "merely the best we had at the time, but we're past that now".

While I have a massive modern 4" collection, I'd likely be disappointed if they made sunbow figures in a modern style because they wouldn't really fit with anything. They'd be too toony for POC and too realistic for vintage. ReAction+ is squarely aimed at people augmenting their vintage collections, and to that end, I think the figs look great. Clearly they (and the vintage figs) no longer appeal to everyone, but S7 lives and breathes nostalgia, so expecting anything different from them is setting yourself up for a letdown.

Honestly I still dont get it why did Hasbro give out "license" for the cartoon look figures and suddenly started to do its own cartoon line. Its sounds and looks so ridiculous.
Well, of course doing some "extra" from comic/cartoon/movie/etc. is a definitely good choice for an exclusive set, but in my point of view - Hasbro arent in a position to play with such "freedom".
How many line do we have in the 6 inch scale of G.I.Joe: we have the "updated" line as we refer to it as "CS" ("Classified), than we have the "retro card back" line with retro toy look...and now we enter the "cartoon" line.
3 different lines....Maybe I"m too naive but I dont belive that most of the collectors will collect all 3 different look of every character....

While I see there are slightly different aesthetics between straight-up classified, retro, and whatever category the Cold Slither set falls into, I don't consider them three different lines, not in the least. They're all highly articulated 6" joes, and I have no problem mixing and matching the best iterations of each character (or having multiple versions), no matter what style packaging they come in.

I think you're trying too hard to compartmentalize the sub-themes into hard-and-fast collections with specific collectors of each... but I've never heard of anyone that ONLY collects retro or ONLY collects Classified but not retro. And almost everyone thinks the CS sets is goofy and stupid... and they all want one... because "neato". The entire Classified fandom is comprised of people who collect everything and those who cherry pick the ones they like or can afford. But I think the "one sub-theme only" collectors are likely very rare.

So why wouldn't hasbro throw it all out there and let fans pick the ones they like best? They're in the business of selling figures, and they're quickly running out of new characters to make from the glory days. The line won't survive making wave after wave of 90's figures. They have to find new ways to release the heavy-hitters that will entice people to upgrade or add a new deco to the collection. Doing sunbow themed figures is one way... and like I mentioned above, it's not like S7 is doing anything for Joe these days in any scale but 3.75"... so hasbro is thinking, "why not?"

 

[ThunderDan19]

So I found myself at Target this evening and got my first look at a couple things. First, I saw the Duke and Serpentor Reaction+ figures. They are pretty spot on replicas of the original O-rings, but with more vivid paint colors. Not worth the $21 price to me (even if I were interested in them), but not bad for what they are, and are vastly superior to the 5 poas.

I also saw the ML CA:BNW (Not Anthony Mackie) Falcon figure and really liked the military colored deco and the look with the full visor helmet. I kinda think I could kit him out to be a modernized Grand Slam. The jet pack/wings would be an upgrade for the JUMP pack and he’d be a good foil for my upgraded Raptor. Now we just need him to make his way onto clearance and/or to Ollie’s. With the movie near bombing at the box office, that might not be too far down the road.

 

[nacho]

Construction-wise, yeah, they're about the same. But I think if you look at them side-by-side, the ReAction+ keep major visual cues, but they're waaaaaaay more toon accurate. OG duke was hella-goofy looking with a big stupid noggin. Serpentor isn't quite as stark, but he's a noticeable upgrade as well.



I didn't realize until now that S7 Duke comes with the mind-control headband from the original miniseries. That's pretty cool.

No question though, Serpentor started out in a better position. The OG figure was much better than Duke's, even if his faced looked like a 12yo. The new one just looks like he's about to scream, "This I command!"

 

[ThunderDan19]

Yeah it was crazy how little Duke’s actual head looked like his portrait or the cartoon. He wasn’t the only one. There had to have been some serious challenges with getting the figs mocked up and approved back in the time before easy global communications. I do remember the Art of GI Joe book speaking a little to that. I’m glad they can resolve a lot of those kinds of discrepancies in the new O line, while really leaning into the cartoon.

I was kind of wondering why there wasn’t the same demand for comic accurate figs, but then I concluded that the comic didn’t have the same consistent look to draw from. I remember there were a lot of different artists with different styles involved, as well as I’m sure a much more accelerated schedule, which lent to many inconsistencies and rushed work compared to the ‘toon. I‘d expect the only thing we might get from the comic are a few added characters.

 

[nacho]

I think you're right about the various artists in comics, but also, at its peak, the comic was selling 500k-1M copies, and most of the run was far below that. Conversely, the cartoon was reaching many millions of boys age 5-15 during that span for free and in syndication in perpetuity. So you have to imagine the demand/nostalgia for toon stuff is inherently much larger.

But that being said, I'd love more comic figures. Quinn, Billy, Candy, Prof Appel, Dr Venom, Scarface, Oktober Guard, Hard/Soft Masters, various generals, Fred V in a business suit, even the hella lame white clown. But the toon has lots of ancillary characters too. Scientists, Generals, Sparks, Mara, Gamesmaster... I'm sure there are a million I'm missing. S7 has a wealth of stuff to mine for ideas. Ramar and Fatal Fluffies tells us that they aren't afraid to go "obscure".