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Why all the hate for the original 13? (25th related)


Zoidberg

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So I've noticed around here that there isn't much love for the original 13 as far as the new 25th line is concerned. You see, to me, when I look back at my fond memories of my GI Joe collection from years ago, those are the guys that come to mind. Flash, Rock and Roll, Breaker, etc. Those are the figures I want to see.

 

Now, first off, while this is my first post ever, I have been lurking around here for some time and by no means do I want to offend anyone. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I too love some of the figures from the later assortments from "back in the day", but the first 13 will always hold a special place in my heart.

 

I look at the Snake Eyes from the 5-pack and, while he's not perfect, I see him for what he can be. And that is the base for almost all of the original figs. Hawk and Grunt would just need a head swap, much like the 3rd wave Stalker. Most of the others would just need short sleeve arms and/or new bandoliers. Flash, Grandslam, and Steeler might require a little more work. Still, though, one would think they'd be cheeper to produce than say, Snowjob or someone like that who requires a whole new body sculpt.

 

In closing, let me just say that I pray that this line continues for a long, long time. There are plenty of figures on my "wish list" that I'd love to see made. Who knows, now that we're getting a Jump jet pack witht the 2nd Cobra 5-pack, what are the chances we'll see a Star Duster? Or at the very least, a silver Grandslam?

 

Thanks guys!

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Put me down in the column for those that really LIKE the original 13 and hope they go a head a do'em for us for the 25th anniversary. They deserve it far more than some of these other characters they're coming up with.

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Put me down in the column for those that really LIKE the original 13 and hope they go a head a do'em for us for the 25th anniversary. They deserve it far more than some of these other characters they're coming up with.

 

I don't think there is any hate for the original 13 shown by anyone here. The orginal Grunt, Zap, Breaker and Clutch all have similar looking uniforms as they were pretty much just standard military green uniforms, which I could see causing Hasbro having some pause to putting those all out at the same time, but given time i'm sure they will all be made.

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It may also have something to do with the fan base's age around here. The original 13 were out by 83 (for the most part) aside from the ones already being made and Rock n Roll. I like the original 13, but I was 5 or 6 (85 - 86) when I really got into the Joes. So the ones considered fresh in my mind and 'favorites' usually come from that time period.

 

This is, at least, my reasoning. But given the chance to have the original 13 would still be awesome and with the sculpting it may breathe more life into these figures.

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Put me down in the column for those that really LIKE the original 13 and hope they go a head a do'em for us for the 25th anniversary. They deserve it far more than some of these other characters they're coming up with.

 

I don't think there is any hate for the original 13 shown by anyone here. The orginal Grunt, Zap, Breaker and Clutch all have similar looking uniforms as they were pretty much just standard military green uniforms, which I could see causing Hasbro having some pause to putting those all out at the same time, but given time i'm sure they will all be made.

I concur. I don't see any real anti-13 sentiment around here. as long as they come out eventually, I will be a happy camper, but I think it is better if a wide variety of characters are released first before 13 figures that look pretty identical.

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Bring on the rest of the 13!!!!!

If not on single cards then in 5 packs.

Pack 1 could contain-Hawk,Flash,Short Fuze,Clutch and Breaker.

Pack 2 could contain-Grunt,Grand Slam,Zap,Steeler and Rock n Roll.

The way I set up the packs were designs that were the same or similar with the exception of Breaker/RocknRoll.Flash/Grand Slam would need a new mold.

The base body exists for everyone else. All we need now are new heads,web gear for Short Fuze/Zap,ammo straps for RocknRoll and shoulder Holsters for Clutch/Steeler.

Hasbro could then release a repaint set that could contain-Grunt(Tan from Falcon Glider),GrandSlam(Silver from Jump pack),Clutch(Tan from Vamp MK2),Rock n Roll(V2 colors,new head with hat,new web gear and weapons) and Hawk(Base Commander from time in comics after Duke came in.Old school comic fans know the look.Could use Steeler/Clutch's shoulder holster gear).

What do you think??

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It may also have something to do with the fan base's age around here. The original 13 were out by 83 (for the most part) aside from the ones already being made and Rock n Roll. I like the original 13, but I was 5 or 6 (85 - 86) when I really got into the Joes. So the ones considered fresh in my mind and 'favorites' usually come from that time period.

 

This is, at least, my reasoning. But given the chance to have the original 13 would still be awesome and with the sculpting it may breathe more life into these figures.

 

 

I disagree, I'm the same age, and started getting my 1st joes in '82 (breaker was my first) So my fondest memories come from 82-86, especially the 82 through 84's. But I have an almost picture perfect memory, so I might be differetn than most.

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Count me in as one who wants the originals to be updated. You may not have noticed a thread we had here a while back about a rumored list for next year. Flash and Rock N Roll were on it, so there is hope for them. Grand Slam could then be made from Flash, and as you pointed out, Hawk, Breaker and Grunt could be made from the SE body. Clutch and Steeler could be made from the same torso, just like Short Fuze and Zap. I am sure they will get to them eventually. We just need patience. Personally, I would have started the 25th line with the originals, but Hasbro probably wanted to use some more well known Joes first.

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I've love to see the rest of the original 13 and I'm sure we'll get them using the Snake-Eye body parts with new heads and short sleeves (hopefully) for some of the guys.

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I think people don't remember them as fondly because they weren't (for the most part) the focus of the cartoon. Many people (who still love the toys) didn't read the comic and the figures were only widely available in 1982-1983. While Scarlet was prominent in the cartoon, her original figure was ugly and lacking footholes. Most people probably have as their favorite characters their first Joes or what they saw in the cartoons.

 

Besides Snake Eyes and Hawk, my favorite Joes were Stalker Ripcord, because of their figures and characterizations in the comic. I never got a VAMP until later but I also liked Clutch. I also loved Grunt because in the comic he went on to study engineering at Georgia Tech, and Shortfuse because he, like me, liked math, wore glasses, and was born in Chicago, Illinois.

 

I would applaud the rest of the original 13. I really hope they do using the original figures as templates for the bodies and their gear except for the heads whereby Hasbro should look to the comics for inspiration. Hasbro should also be sure to give them helmets and visors where applicable.

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I WOULD LOVETO SEE THE REST OF THE 13 RELEASED IN 5 PACKS

 

THTA WOULD BE SWEET!!!!

 

 

ID LOVE TO SEE A LARGEER PACKAGING MAYBE MAKE IT A TRU EXCLUSIVE OR SOMETHING AND HAVE ALL 13 IN IT-----

 

AND NOT BS LIKE STARS AND STRIPES SET----

 

GIVE US DEFINITIVE 13

 

 

THAT WOULD ROCK

 

AND ID PAY 45.00 FOR IT---BUT NO MORE THAN THAT

 

 

BUT-----DOUBLE ++ THE FIGURES FOR ONLY A 50% INCREASE

 

NOT GONNA HAPPPEN

 

 

LOL

 

 

DOC

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I disagree, I'm the same age, and started getting my 1st joes in '82 (breaker was my first) So my fondest memories come from 82-86, especially the 82 through 84's. But I have an almost picture perfect memory, so I might be different than most.

 

Well, what I was saying is that in '82 I was 2 and wasn't into Joe. I was 5 in 85 when I first really got into them. Being one of the main reasons the original 13 (aside from the ones re-done later - Snake Eyes, Stalker, Scarlett, Hawk, Rock n Roll) doesn't appeal as heavily. But I became much more into the original Joes when I collected the Marvel re-print TPBs. Either way, I'll take anything I can get.

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I think people don't remember them as fondly because they weren't (for the most part) the focus of the cartoon.

 

I would have to agree with this as the reason anyone wouldn't be fond of the original 13. I know I'm not a fan of them. I don't hate them, I just don't really care for them. I didn't read the comic, so for me the only characterization that any of the Joes got was from the cartoon. And the focus of the cartoon was not exactly set on the original 13. I had all of those 13 figures at one point or another as a kid, but their playing time was drastically more limited than the later Joes. The originals looked boring to me, even as a kid. So, once newer figures came out, those older guys became cannon fodder for Cobra in my big wars, and that's been their place since. Obvious exceptions are Snake Eyes and Hawk and later on Rock n Roll, whose later figures were able to save their characters from being killed off in my little world.

 

Unfortunately, I really don't have an appreciation for the 13 that most others do. I could care less if they were all made, or not. I don't hate them, but I won't be dissappointed if I don't see them in 25th form.

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I want the original 13 as much as any other Joe fan, but five figures using the same basic mold and packed in the same box would make a pretty boring set I think. Hasbro's doing the right thing by spacing them out

 

 

I wouldn't think of it as boring at all. What's "boring", is the constant addition of the same top 5 characters in every set or wave...in triple variants. <_<

 

It's the military (sorta) and different personalities and characters in matching uniforms is what it's all about for the most part. These original Joes embodied that aspect of the military moreso than what the characters did later on, when they branched out and starting getting crazy with the unique dress styles.

 

 

We've got how many versions of Storm Shadow slated already, and the line isn't but several months old? :(

 

A 5-pack consisting of 3 Cobra figures using the same body mold is coming soon, so a 5-pack consisting of some of the original 13 guys, using the same basic body mold shouldn't be any less exciting to be able to get than that of the Cobra's?

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Being born in 87 I wasn't around for the original release of GI Joe so I don't have any emotional attachment to the original 13 figures, that being said I would love to see the original figures mainly because for some its the only memorable figure that the character had made.

 

In other word I'd like to see the original 13 figures made for the 25th anniversary

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I grew up with the original 13 too. ANd Im sure we will get Flash and Rock and Roll. I would love a Grunt and Steeler as well. Just Be patient :)

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My lack of love (it's not a total lack of love, by the way) for the original 13 gets down to the fact I didn't read the comics as a kid and therefore have always been unfamiliar with them. Until reading the comic, there was really nothing to set any of them apart other than haircuts or facial hair. Plus I think their uniforms make them difficult to update now and thus don't generate as much enthusiasm. How do you update a plain green army uniform but still remain faithful to the originals? It's tough. Where as the later ARAH figs were too extreme, the originals were perhaps too plain, so guys like Firefly, Destro, and Flint ended up being the perfect combination because they were released in the glory years.

 

I'd like to see the original 13 made (admittedly I'd like to see every original figure made and then some), but hearing about a new Breaker doesn't excite me the way the new Storm Shadow did or a new Alley Viper would, even though Breaker is a favorite original for me.

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I have to wonder why it is I'm such a fan of the original 13 when I never watched the cartoons (I mean, I DID see them, but I was in my 20's, so it was from a different perspective than a child...I guess? ^_^) and I didn't read the comic books?

 

I just collected the toys first...noticed they came out with a cartoon to advertise them, watched a few here and there, thought they were similiar to the old Johnny Quest cartoons I watched as a kid myself, and I spotted the comics on the racks, but never bought or read one, just liked the toys, yet somehow, without having either medium of the adventures of ARAH scripted out for me, to create even MORE personalized characterizations of them, to like and cling onto, I still have a special place in my nostalgic heart for those crazy straight armed, Green uniformed grunts of a soldier.

 

They're the heart of ARAH as far as I'm concerned. They've been dogged enough in the cartoons and likely barely represented in the comic books if not totally KILLED off, so I think the least Hasbro could do, is REDO the fella's for the new line, in the new style and give'm some overdo updates with all the new articulation and details. New individual head sculpts, which many of them never had to begin with, and despite the same basic uniform, they still had their individual gear and accessories.

 

There's seem to be this mental block, amongst fans, that if it wasn't covered in the cartoon or comics, it's not important? :huh: I guess I always thought the TOYS were the most important, but just too VAST to be covered entirely in print or televised. Like which is more important, the actual product or it's advertisement? From a sellers pov..the ad, but from the consumer's pov..the product! ^_^

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I for one don't give a rats ass about the original 13 except for Snake Eyes and Scarlet. Hawk is one of my favorite characters but only the 1986 v.2 when he's a general. I want all of the 1984, 1985 and 1986 joes remade before anymore from 1982. The boring 11 did nothing for me in the comics and were hardly even in the cartoons.

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