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25th Collector Complaints


DarthHavok

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DISCLAIMER: This post is NOT intended to start a fight or arguing match though it will anyway.

 

That said, Whiners and Complainers please stop. As I peruse the posts here I find one thing to be very common among them. Many of us Joe fans are complaining about repaints and lack of new figures. I pose to you this question..

 

Why?

 

The 25th Joe line started back in 2007. Thats only last year. Lets let the figure line progress a little before we nay-say it out of existence. Star Wars started back in 1995 with their POTF2 line and it has evolved to what it is today...that's 13 years. Complaints about quality are one thing, but lets not get out of hand. The folks over at Hasbro are doing a great job thus far and are giving us a great product. Sure it has it's flaws, but what toy line doesn't? To address some of the more prevalent arguments...

 

"How come we get more repaints and note new characters?"

We are getting new characters. Simply count the ammount of individual characters we've gotten since last year... I open my figures and have an extra large tackle box chock full of the "no new characters" in this line.

 

"Where's my figure of (fill in the blank)?"

It's coming. Hasbro hasn't gotten around to making all their core or popular chracters yet and will eventually get around to making their lesser known ones. Their Star Wars line has dipped into this with seemingly great effect. It's only a matter of time before the Joe line does the same.

 

 

"Why all the repaints and repacks? No one will buy these"

"This line is going to die, I'm selling my colection"

 

Those two go hand in hand because of the contradiction. If no one wants them, how will you ever sell them. Or please do so those who don't have them yet or want to troop build can. At leaqst then we will be rid of the contstant whining.

 

There is one common problem and it's patience. The lack there of. Too many people here are fighting mad because Hasbro has yet to release the figures they want they way they want them. Why? We have only scratched the surface of what this line can be or turn into. If they make all of the figures we want right away, 1) they'll be more expensive in order to meet the demand and 2) we'll have nothing to look forward to. Who wants figures of joes in space or the dumb animal/mutant line? Who wants flourescent weapons? Who wants it to turn into Street Fighter?

 

I don't. I want this line to progress just as it has. Clearly there is a high demand for new versions of our old RAH favorites and Hasbro won't miss out on collecting all the coin we fans are willing to drop into it.

 

I read countless complaints about assortment selection, repacks, repaints and so on. I've read that repacks should be done with because people had their chance or if they missed out too bad. I find that rather selfish. Why can't a figure be in production for a couple years as they used to be? The only people who say "if you miss out too bad" are the ones who rarely if ever miss out. Everyone has the right to get in on the fun and should be. Hasbro is doing good business by making sure demand is met, and I STILL see people complaining thet they have yet to find figures. If there is no demand,m then there wouldn't be figure being made. There are toom any people who are too short minded to realize that Hasbro isn;t making these figures for you but US. It for everyone and to be honest, it's for kids. We collectors love these figures and will always be kids at heart, but come on.... Toy are made for children. Hasbro still has the collector in mind, which they hve shown many a time, but ultimately their target audience is the 8 - 12 year old boys.

 

Repaints - Whats wrong with them? There are those here who swear that the old RAH line was the best ever. It had repaints. Besides, there have been plenty of well used molds with new paint schemes to make rather nice figures. "Gung-Ho's colors are off!" Did you see the original figure?

 

Repacks - Demand being met. If they didn't do this it would be "why aren't they?" instead of "why are they?"

 

Assortment selection - A mix of new, repainted and repacked. Repacks for those kiddies whose parents - deadbeats according to some on this forum by their incapability to travel the globe in search of the figure little Johnny needs or by there unwillingness to go out to the money tree and pick a few ripe Benjamins in order to pay for said loot - haven't found or can't afford all the figures at once. They shouldn't have to "deal with it" It's a producer meeting demand for it's product. Repaints. Better than not receiving a figure at all. Besides, how obtuse do you have to be to think we'll never see a better version? Lack of new figures. Well, if we got all the new ones right away the line would die and that would be that. Each wave we get a bunch of new figures. There have been some troop builders in there and a repack wave, but the holidays are coming and it makes sense. How about realizing that outside the bubble in which you live there is a world full of people who may not have the means or other factors preventing them from getting their favorite Joes.

 

It all boils down to people Just wanting immediate gratification and screw anyone else who disagrees with my Veruca Salt type spoiled brattyness. (to eccho BlackMada)

 

I agree that not all of these figures are for me and certainly would like to see MANY more figures come from Hasbro. New figures using new molds or at least repaints that work to the characters original appearance. I'm a pragmatic man in that I understand business and supply and demand. Too many people here would prefer to throw a tantrum and sell off their "unwanted" collections rather than understand that this is only the perverbial tip of the iceberg. It's only been a year.

 

Fellow collectors, patience. We'll get what we want and Hasro has heard us loud and clear. They themselves are collectors and fans on different levels and know what we want because they themselves want them. Gone are the days of suits trying to figure out what fans truly want. Kids who were fans have grown up and are the ones who are now producing the things we like.

 

Are there really that many closeminded individuals who don't get that? We're not all going to be happy all of the time.

 

Pretty much all of the figures we've gotten to this point are great. There are some issues to be sure, but really, are they really worth stopping collecting or selling them off? If they are then is it truly possible to ever please you?

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"Why all the repaints and repacks? No one will buy these"

"This line is going to die, I'm selling my colection"

 

People actually sell their collections? Wow....I'm being buried with all my stuff if my children don't want them!!!

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People actually sell their collections? Wow....I'm being buried with all my stuff if my children don't want them!!!

 

 

Well spoken. I haven't a son yet, but having seen Samantha cruising the boards, I have hope for my daughter.

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I believe that it is the nature of the toy collector to 'complain', or 'over-crticize'. Especially for those with high expectations of 'perfection', and nothing ever is, or for someone's own personal cannon not to be completed immediatley.

 

I've learned to deal with it, as a forum is a place for people to express their opinions and with that you will get negative opinions. Most would simply post their opinions, and not take a step back to think 'Why is this my opinion?'.

 

Do I think that some people criticize too much? Sure, heck it seems to me that some people on this board (who shall remain nameless) complaining is all they do.

 

At the same time, who am I to critique someone else's expectations, realistic or not?

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Agreed, some of us do complain a lot about stuff.

 

Honestly, I agree, it does get tiring. The only complaint I can understand is the one about unnecessary repaints. Sure Hasbro van't get to all the characters in less than two years, and I understand that they're not a main-line toy, hence the difficulty of finding them in some places.

 

However, when you have around a dozen CC and Dukes, I can understand why people complain.

 

 

It has gotten out of hand though, and I thank you for bringing it to attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

@can@

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As far as I'm concerned, the only valid complaint is against Hasbro "fixing" Major Bludd, but limiting the availibility to an online exclusive only. What if you don't want a bunch of "desert" repaints or to spend 30 bones on one figure? To me, that's bordering on dirty pull. How about they release the figure on a single card with a mass device canister instead of the same ol' comic pack Tripwire? Or they could've forsaken the silver paint and stuck him in the dvd pack. I'm betting he will get a single or comic pack re-release, but Hasbro will change some cool detail (like the shoulder patch or pant stripe) or put Zartan's right arm back on him just to keep us from getting that definitive version for under $10.00.

 

Other than that, the complaints are predominantly whiney in nature and sound a lot like picking nits to me.

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hey, without complaining, we would still only have aweful GvC figures to collect.

 

and the 25th line woulda never happened.

 

and as far as the 25th line, complaining has accomplished a great deal: new crotches, new arms, characters getting fixed and redone, characters being reissued, etc etc.

 

if everybody only gave praise, nothing would ever be improved. so stuff it.

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hey, without complaining, we would still only have aweful GvC figures to collect.

 

and the 25th line woulda never happened.

 

and as far as the 25th line, complaining has accomplished a great deal: new crotches, new arms, characters getting fixed and redone, characters being reissued, etc etc.

 

if everybody only gave praise, nothing would ever be improved. so stuff it.

I think you missed what the complaining is though that is the issue here.

 

Some complaining is ok when it means getting something better than before.

 

What DarthHavok covered though was not about that. In fact you said complaining is good because it gets us reissues, well, that is one of the main issues that DarhHavok covered and what alot of the complaining is. It's not for more reiisues but no more at all.

 

The way some of us are going on we would never have another version of anyone even though they might have improvements. Or I guess to with that way of thinking some would have rather not had anyone with fixed crothes, new arms or anything like that but instead just wanted more new characters.

 

No one is complaining that they want the 25th figures to stop and get something else, like what happened with GVC.

 

The majority of the complaining is about the repaints and reissues, whether they have improvements or not, or if it continues the line will do so bad that it will get cancelled.

 

I am all for complaining for a new head if one sucks or a better body part choice, especially if down the line a new set of arms or something like that is made that could work better for someone who was made earlier. The complaining though about the "precious spots" in the line and the complaining that so and so will never see the light of day because of something like a Ninja Viper or Cobra Diver or even another Duke is ridiculous. It's like there are people who expected the entire 25 years of every Joe figure be made in less than one year of the 25th Ann line.

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hey, without complaining, we would still only have aweful GvC figures to collect.

 

and the 25th line woulda never happened.

 

and as far as the 25th line, complaining has accomplished a great deal: new crotches, new arms, characters getting fixed and redone, characters being reissued, etc etc.

 

if everybody only gave praise, nothing would ever be improved. so stuff it.

I think you missed what the complaining is though that is the issue here.

 

Some complaining is ok when it means getting something better than before.

 

What DarthHavok covered though was not about that. In fact you said complaining is good because it gets us reissues, well, that is one of the main issues that DarhHavok covered and what alot of the complaining is. It's not for more reiisues but no more at all.

 

The way some of us are going on we would never have another version of anyone even though they might have improvements. Or I guess to with that way of thinking some would have rather not had anyone with fixed crothes, new arms or anything like that but instead just wanted more new characters.

 

No one is complaining that they want the 25th figures to stop and get something else, like what happened with GVC.

 

The majority of the complaining is about the repaints and reissues, whether they have improvements or not, or if it continues the line will do so bad that it will get cancelled.

 

I am all for complaining for a new head if one sucks or a better body part choice, especially if down the line a new set of arms or something like that is made that could work better for someone who was made earlier. The complaining though about the "precious spots" in the line and the complaining that so and so will never see the light of day because of something like a Ninja Viper or Cobra Diver or even another Duke is ridiculous. It's like there are people who expected the entire 25 years of every Joe figure be made in less than one year of the 25th Ann line.

 

 

Exactly. As I said..complaints about quality are one thing. I agree that Duke needs new arms and that each figure should be able to be pose din a correct seated position. I am against the complaints that Assortments, repacks and repaints are going to ruin a line that is doing nothing but sell out in most cases.

 

An open forum like this is the perfect place for people to voice complaints and rant about what irritates them so long as they have valid complaints that can be backed up with valid points - quality for example. Not complaints about how something is so terrible because you have to wait a little to get what you want or that you give up becaue an assortment is to your liking due to a repack or repaint.

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So the OP's only real complaint, and point of this thread, is to tell people to stop whining about not getting X character or not getting enough new characters instead of rehashes of old guys we've already received.

 

I can buy that. To be honest, I had a big long lengthy post done up. Then I hit the wrong thing and it got deleted. So I reread some things.

 

There IS some validity to the complaints about not getting new characters. Why NOT have a new guy or three in each wave? The argument about us being so impatient that we demand to have ALL OF THEM NOW!!!!!! is falicious. Sure we are impatient. Look at the thread about the POSSIBLE list of singles coming up. There is only one figure on that list anyone even cares about.

 

Blowtorch.

 

Even the two resolute figures are non-topic.

 

But what is to get excited about seeing a wave of guys we already have? Especially if there are NO new guys in the wave at all? A good example is the upcoming comic packs. When we first heard about the figure selection, who WASN'T put off by the choices? Rock & Roll? Gung-Ho? Armored Cobra Commander? Iron Grenadier?, Viper? The only "new" guy was Deep Six and most people were quite dismayed by the 3-pack version using Ace's body. What the hell? Right?

 

I was set to write them off. I already HAVE all those guys (and I was pissed with all the extra damn Destros I acquired to get the Iron Grenadiers). So why SHOULDN'T we be dismayed?

 

But then I saw them and I think they might actually be worth getting. Gung-Ho and Rock & Roll get some necessary fixes. If they are willing to do that, then that's cool and no problem getting repaints.

 

But then we have a figure like Red Star. One of our BIGGEST complaints was Duke's arms. We've been complaining about them since day 1. So why in the hell are they STILL USING THEM? Why do I say that? Well ARE they listening to us? Sometimes it seems like we are getting "token fixes", but too often we get just a straight repaint. Look at the rumored new 5 packs. Shipwreck, for example, is in the Joe pack. Will he have a fist? Thus my argument against repaints/body reuse is the fact they don't address the flaws about which we complain. They were able to do some corrections mid wave (Firefly and Beach Head, for example) so why not now when these figures were PLANNED?

 

But along similar lines, just what is the more important factor? Saving the money by reusing the mold OR putting out repaints of figures we already have? We aren't even talking core characters here. Rock & Roll? Gung-Ho (well maybe)? Deep Six?

 

Issue 86 could have included Repeater, Tunnel Rat, Muskrat and Shockwave.

 

Issue 64 could have included Hardtop and Frostbite.

 

Issue 25 could have included ZAP, Airborne, Mutt, Cutter and Baroness.

 

But instead we got repaints. Why?

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So the OP's only real complaint, and point of this thread, is to tell people to stop whining about not getting X character or not getting enough new characters instead of rehashes of old guys we've already received.

 

I can buy that. To be honest, I had a big long lengthy post done up. Then I hit the wrong thing and it got deleted. So I reread some things.

 

There IS some validity to the complaints about not getting new characters. Why NOT have a new guy or three in each wave? The argument about us being so impatient that we demand to have ALL OF THEM NOW!!!!!! is falicious. Sure we are impatient. Look at the thread about the POSSIBLE list of singles coming up. There is only one figure on that list anyone even cares about.

 

Blowtorch.

 

Even the two resolute figures are non-topic.

 

But what is to get excited about seeing a wave of guys we already have? Especially if there are NO new guys in the wave at all? A good example is the upcoming comic packs. When we first heard about the figure selection, who WASN'T put off by the choices? Rock & Roll? Gung-Ho? Armored Cobra Commander? Iron Grenadier?, Viper? The only "new" guy was Deep Six and most people were quite dismayed by the 3-pack version using Ace's body. What the hell? Right?

 

I was set to write them off. I already HAVE all those guys (and I was pissed with all the extra damn Destros I acquired to get the Iron Grenadiers). So why SHOULDN'T we be dismayed?

 

But then I saw them and I think they might actually be worth getting. Gung-Ho and Rock & Roll get some necessary fixes. If they are willing to do that, then that's cool and no problem getting repaints.

 

But then we have a figure like Red Star. One of our BIGGEST complaints was Duke's arms. We've been complaining about them since day 1. So why in the hell are they STILL USING THEM? Why do I say that? Well ARE they listening to us? Sometimes it seems like we are getting "token fixes", but too often we get just a straight repaint. Look at the rumored new 5 packs. Shipwreck, for example, is in the Joe pack. Will he have a fist? Thus my argument against repaints/body reuse is the fact they don't address the flaws about which we complain. They were able to do some corrections mid wave (Firefly and Beach Head, for example) so why not now when these figures were PLANNED?

 

But along similar lines, just what is the more important factor? Saving the money by reusing the mold OR putting out repaints of figures we already have? We aren't even talking core characters here. Rock & Roll? Gung-Ho (well maybe)? Deep Six?

 

Issue 86 could have included Repeater, Tunnel Rat, Muskrat and Shockwave.

 

Issue 64 could have included Hardtop and Frostbite.

 

Issue 25 could have included ZAP, Airborne, Mutt, Cutter and Baroness.

 

But instead we got repaints. Why?

 

 

I won't tell you or pretend to know why Hasbro does what it does. I surmise that it's filler. Hasbro has a rhyme and reason for there madness. They see the numbers come n and clearly read the complaints and therefore I believe they act. If they have to make a few repaints in order for us to receive newer figures then I'm all for it.

 

Python Patrol, Tiger Force, Slaughters Marauders and so forth were all popular when I was a kid. They were all straight repaints with nothing new. The good thing about them though, instead of repacks, was that fans were able to get a figure of a character they really wanted.

 

Aside from impatience, I think it also boils down to cost effectiveness and age. If this forum were made up of 11year olds then I imagine there would be less complaining and more excitement. It isn't, but WE older collectors are the minority here. This line is made for children who - like me when I was a kid - get excited to see new 'cool' versions of their favorites. Perhaps a new repainted Duke, CC, Destro or SE isn't that appealing to us, but once upon a time all of us were bright eyed youths who, for the most part, all flipped out when we saw that there was a new version of our old favs. Whatever the new schtick (night force, tiger force, pythn patrol or even just a simple repaint) we got excited and wanted it. I know I did. I was a kid and I saw something new. it may have been all the same molded but new colors meant new figure then.

 

It;s the same now. Kids are no more advanced these days, aside from electronics, then we were back then. They are still excitable and impressionable as we were back when.

 

Difference now is that us "kids" have grown and get the point. We want what we want and have to spend our own coin to get it...or wait it out and fight scalpers for them. Point is our maturity has led us to be disagreeable with certain things.

 

I agree with every post that we need new figures and that repaints can be a drag and that straight repack waves are boring. But I'm an adult who is able to get what I want ad has the means to do so when I want. Were I a kid relying on my folks, I'd have les than I do now, but could take comfort in th fact that Christmas is coming and I'd probably get a lot more. Repacks and repaints are the saving grace for those kids.

 

You (used generally) can complain and argue your point all you like, it still doesn't change the fact that this line like all other mainstream toy lines are for KIDS and that even though certain things may not appeal to us, they do to them. Hasbro certainly has collectores and big kids in mind when releasing their figures, but in the same token they do that because we now have kids and will buy the things that we loved for them and start a new generation of Joe fans. GI Joe is timeless and ultimately will appeal to a broad audience.

 

Keep repaints and repacks a coming, so long as they keep coming. We're going to get new figures and fixed figures. Dukes arms are already fixed on Tiger Force and the upcoming DVD pack..it's only a matter of time before other Dukes show up with the correction. Much to the dismay of some fans, but I can't wait.

 

Again... We're going to get what we want. Hasbro knows. If they didn't this line would have ended with the original 25 as planned.... but do we REALLY think that was the original plan? I don't.

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God I hate it when these types of threads show up.

 

Listen - Hasbro will continue to produce these as long as they make money - BOTTOM LINE. Complaints will not stop Hasbro from producing them, as some people seem to think (not necessarily the original poster, but it has been said elsewhere in similar posts). So as long as we're buying, they're selling.

 

I'm sick and tired of people telling others to stop complaining - sorry, but this is a FORUM. Look up what that means if you don't know. It means DISCUSSION, and that means having two sides. There has been just as much praise for the new line as there has been complaints, probably more so. I don't see why people thinking that eliminating debate (ie: arguing opposing points) is a good idea. What would this place be if it we eliminated the negative argument? Boring as hell, that's what.

 

Sorry, but the line is NOT PERFECT - nothing is, after all (well, certain toy lines can come close!), and there is always, ALWAYS room for improvement. Hasbro employees has been known to frequent these boards and respond to collectors' ideas and suggestions. I'm sorry, but the mere chance that I may get, for example, a CC or Shipwreck without closed fists, or a set of Original 13 Joes with newer parts (ie: no Duke arms, retooled hands for Stalker, no beard for Grunt, new gear/head for Short Fuse, new pretty much everything for Steeler, extra details for all, etc), I'm going to point out the weaknesses of the current product.

 

There's some truth to the saying "the squeaky wheel gets the grease", after all. Remember when TF Flint came without the Duke arms?

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Python Patrol, Tiger Force, Slaughters Marauders and so forth were all popular when I was a kid. They were all straight repaints with nothing new. The good thing about them though, instead of repacks, was that fans were able to get a figure of a character they really wanted.

 

You do realize that those came out a matter of YEARS after the original figures, not one or two months? Not really the best example.

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People actually sell their collections? Wow....I'm being buried with all my stuff if my children don't want them!!!

 

 

Well spoken. I haven't a son yet, but having seen Samantha cruising the boards, I have hope for my daughter.

 

 

hang in there man. I have two daughters. no son. My girls absolutely love GI Joe they beg me to play daily. Girls are just as interested in joes as boys are

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Python Patrol, Tiger Force, Slaughters Marauders and so forth were all popular when I was a kid. They were all straight repaints with nothing new. The good thing about them though, instead of repacks, was that fans were able to get a figure of a character they really wanted.

 

You do realize that those came out a matter of YEARS after the original figures, not one or two months? Not really the best example.

 

Might as well be years. The way it was so hard to find product. in recent waves.

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The 25th Joe line started back in 2007. Thats only last year. Lets let the figure line progress a little before we nay-say it out of existence. Star Wars started back in 1995 with their POTF2 line and it has evolved to what it is today...that's 13 years. Complaints about quality are one thing, but lets not get out of hand. The folks over at Hasbro are doing a great job thus far and are giving us a great product. Sure it has it's flaws, but what toy line doesn't?

Hasbro has been in the (ARAH) GI Joe business for over 25 years. I really don't think the comparisons with the relaunch of SW are all that accurate. Joes didn't really go through the same turmoil that the SW brand did. At this point, there should be no lack of quality to complain about. Getting it 'right' the first time should be second nature.

 

"How come we get more repaints and note new characters?"

We are getting new characters. Simply count the ammount of individual characters we've gotten since last year... I open my figures and have an extra large tackle box chock full of the "no new characters" in this line.

You didn't answer your own question. Let me rephrase it in the way it tends to be meant: Why are we getting repaints instead of MORE new characters?

 

"Where's my figure of (fill in the blank)?"

It's coming. Hasbro hasn't gotten around to making all their core or popular chracters yet and will eventually get around to making their lesser known ones. Their Star Wars line has dipped into this with seemingly great effect. It's only a matter of time before the Joe line does the same.

Again with the Star Wars comparison. You just said it took Hasbro 13 years to get to that point... the original ARAH line only lasted 12 years! How long are we supposed to wait? Why shouldn't we keep reminding Hasbro that they have literally a thousand unique characters and looks to choose from, and hence very little need to repeatedly repaint the same characters in the same looks?

 

There is one common problem and it's patience. The lack there of. Too many people here are fighting mad because Hasbro has yet to release the figures they want they way they want them. Why? We have only scratched the surface of what this line can be or turn into. If they make all of the figures we want right away, 1) they'll be more expensive in order to meet the demand and 2) we'll have nothing to look forward to.

I agree. I just think that Hasbro needs to strike a balance that they don't have yet. Very few of those complaining are the 'take my ball and go home' types... they are the 'I spend too much money on this line and know it can do so much better' type, the ones who refuse to quietly smile or gush over yet another sad repaint of someone they already have several of.

 

Who wants figures of joes in space or the dumb animal/mutant line? Who wants flourescent weapons? Who wants it to turn into Street Fighter?

I want Mega-Marines. Does that count? :)

 

I read countless complaints about assortment selection, repacks, repaints and so on. I've read that repacks should be done with because people had their chance or if they missed out too bad. I find that rather selfish. Why can't a figure be in production for a couple years as they used to be? The only people who say "if you miss out too bad" are the ones who rarely if ever miss out. Everyone has the right to get in on the fun and should be.

Since I'm one of the people who has said things along similar lines, I'd like to clarify. I don't mind a figure being in production for a long time, or part of a 'refresh wave', or something like that. The thirty or so new figures that would trickle out over the course of a year are now the 7-8 figures in waves that hang around for (if you're lucky) 3-4 months. In some cases, finding a figure from the beginning of the year at the end of the yer is impossible. I fully understand and support new collectors getting what they want too.

 

BUT... Hasbro then doesn't have a reason or excuse to keep putting rehashes of those exact versions of those characters in the regular line. If a new collector has several of the character in available single carded, comic pack, 3-pack, and DVD set formats already that have very little difference from the 'original' version, doesn't it seem a bit redundant to reissue that original version?

 

You make the comparison to the original line putting the figure into production for a couple of years. This is true, but they did it with the same figure in the same (single carded) format, and it was just one of that figure. Moreover, when they did another version, that was it- when Tiger Force Duke came out, whether or not you could find the original Duke any more was not a concern. Hasbro was trying to sell the new version.

 

Now when they want to sell Duke again, they just pop him into a pack with (maybe) one or two new things so you're forced to buy him again to get the new stuff. Then we get repacks of the figure 'for the new collector,' when he's still RIGHT THERE in several other packaging formats! You can't have missed him if he never left!

 

Then on top of that, we're getting repaints/reissues like Jet Pack Duke and Tiger Force Duke. Since as you note, the line has only been out for such a short time, do we really need all that ALREADY? The first three Duke figures had four years between each of them, and we've got EIGHT in the course of ONE year. That's two more than in ARAH, all of them unique in one fashion or another- the word 'unique' simply cannot be said for all the Duke figures in the current line. That's what makes it so frustrating; there's a world of difference between wanting a 'core character' and wanting 'the same exact version repeatedly'.

 

Repaints - Whats wrong with them? There are those here who swear that the old RAH line was the best ever. It had repaints.

It's a matter of whether or not the repaints make sense. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

Continued below... too many quotes. :)

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Repacks - Demand being met. If they didn't do this it would be "why aren't they?" instead of "why are they?"

 

Assortment selection - A mix of new, repainted and repacked. Repacks for those kiddies whose parents - deadbeats according to some on this forum by their incapability to travel the globe in search of the figure little Johnny needs or by there unwillingness to go out to the money tree and pick a few ripe Benjamins in order to pay for said loot - haven't found or can't afford all the figures at once. They shouldn't have to "deal with it"

Sure... but then why do we need multiple versions of those same characters in every other available format, along with multiple single-pack repaints?

 

We keep coming back to this problem that repacks are supposed to make characters readily available, but they already are. We don't need one when we have the other.

 

Repaints. Better than not receiving a figure at all.

You mean those same figures that are already getting repacks? Aren't those supposed to get people the figures?

 

Lack of new figures. Well, if we got all the new ones right away the line would die and that would be that. Each wave we get a bunch of new figures. There have been some troop builders in there and a repack wave,

And a LOT of repaints and minor variations on characters that we already have multiple versions of, or repacks, or in multiple selling formats. It's not 'new figures' that are the problem, it's 'new characters', or worthwhile variations on the old ones.

 

It's only been a year.

A year with 8 Dukes, 10 Destros, and over a dozen Cobra Commanders. You don't think that MAYBE that's cause for just a little complaint?

 

Python Patrol, Tiger Force, Slaughters Marauders and so forth were all popular when I was a kid. They were all straight repaints with nothing new. The good thing about them though, instead of repacks, was that fans were able to get a figure of a character they really wanted.

Sure, and even better, they had the ability to draw many who already had those exact figures... how much of that is happening here?

 

But this also goes against the idea that repacks are good for those who for whatever reason couldn't get them before. The repaints you mention existed exactly because 'you missed out' and 'this is good enough'. Now we have the repacks to alleviate that, but we're also getting repaints... most of them with MUCH less point.

This line is made for children

I disagree. We need to look no further than the packaging. Children do not care that the line is a 25th anniversary (the original 25-figures-and-that's-it scheme certainly wasn't kid-oriented), or that figures are based on a cartoon or comic book that (barring DVD sets) isn't even currently available. The new cartoon (which we will be receiving figures based on) has been referred to as PG-13. We can even see this in the individual figures- Dataframe/Mainframe does not come with floppy disks because those appeal to children.

 

Does the line sell to children? I'm sure it does. However, saying that it is made for them as though the fact that it sells to collectors is an afterthought... that's ignoring some of the more prominent aspects of the line.

 

I actually think you have some well thought-out statements here, and I probably sound like I disagree much more than I actually do. I think we both love this line, but disagree when it comes to the details of how it's being run- and with some of the details themselves. This isn't helped by Hasbro changing various elements at will and/or not clearly communicating with the fandom they claim to listen to. I do hope most of this comes off as 'debate' rather than 'argumentative jerk'.

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Alright guys keep this in mind too.

 

When it comes to compairing Star Wars and GI Joe. They may both be made by the same companies and they are both 3 3/4 but that is where anything they have in common ends. Hasbro makes both but they both have two completly different teams that have nothing to do with each other working on them. Just because Star Wars has "mastered" their figures after 13 yeards does not mean the Joe team should by default have the 25th stylrd figures mastered at the get go. Even though GI Joe has been around for 25 years means jack if the style is this different too. They are just about literally starting from scratch.

 

The issue about having reissues always available so why keep making the same person available. Well isn't that how the same guys are being made available all the time? By releasing them all the time.

 

I do agree that 10 or more of one character in one year is a bit much. They could have cut that in half and still had plenty out. One problem is the themes they do this with.

 

Take Cobra Commander for example. He had two looks, helmet and hooded. To rerelease him they had those two to work with. They want to put out the cartoon version, a comic version and the Senior Ranking 3 packs. Honestly it is obvious they will not change much from the regular, comic and cartoon version but still that goes back to there really being a demand for a cartoon and comic version to justify making those. The Senior Ranking sets come to the issue that they are for one exclusives and exclusives are always a little cheaper and a letdown than anything from the main line of the toys. At that point for the two Cobra sets they only had a limited ammount of characters to work with so they went with two CC's there. One helmet and one hooded. The hooded was at least redish but the helmet was very similar to the other helmet versions. That could have been fixed by just taking a new color for CC to at least make him different enough.

 

No matter what certain guys will remain the main focus and have more versions than anyone else like Cobra Commander and Hasbro has at least tried to make changes. At least they are not the exact same as the first 5 pack CC in every other set or wave and colored the same way every time.

 

Even if Hasbro cut out reissues and repaints completly we would not beseeing more new characters than we are now. They are only going to make so many new scuplts too. It is faster to repaint and reissue and that is pretty much why we get so many repaints and reissues so fast. It is fast and easy and they do make money off of them. As a business it would be dumb to drop those. That extra money really does help fuel the line so that it can keep going longer. We might have less of the same guys out all the time but we would also see less than half the ammount of Joe product too in any form.

 

The bottom line is Hasbro is not screwing with us and they are making a pretty damn good decision in doing this. I'd love to see 200 figures in one year that were all new characters but the time and sculpting issues just will not allow that to happen. I think repaints and reissues for filling in the gaps or giving us more is reasonable.

 

Even if you just take the v1 versions of individual and different characters that were made in the last year we have gotten more than we ever did any year of the RAH line. I'd say we are pretty lucky to be getting that already and looking at it like that does make the complianers seem a little annoying and demanding.

 

The main issue I have with the complainers and the one complaint that bugs me is about the repaints and reissues being to much. They just come off sounding like drug addicts who need a fix they are not getting and I am starting to think there needs to be a toy rehab.

 

Maybe the problem is that there are just so many repaints and reissues combined that they seem to reall overshadow the new characters we are getting because nobody seems to ever look at the numbers of those new characters we do get.

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I just wanted my figures to sit down and not break apart when it didn't work. Also, I don't like the way some of the figures look. QC is at an all time low. If i am going to pay a certain amount of money, and its my money, especially in this market, I can pick and choose what i want.

 

I am all Excited about Blowtorch due he was one of my first figures my dad bought for me and meant alot to me.

Anyways, I do wish we would get not so many repaints in oneyear. I think Hasbro has achieved a record in how many repaints they canmake in one year.

i don't mind repaints as long as they are spread out but bring back old characters.

OF course, I am iffy on what is going to happen next year.

Am I complaining? Not really. Just have questions that need to be raised and not the answer "Well kids relate to this character that is why we make alot of him."

Who agrees?

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I guess I won't comment on any of this anymore since I have recieved alot of threatening pm's in the last few days because of what I have said.

 

So all of you guys can read this and rest assured that you won't hear a peep out of me about any GI Joe issues any more since it upsets you so much.

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I see all the points of view, but I don't get the anger behind it. The willingness to quit the line or the continuous rehashing of old complaints. Trust me, the contradiction of a post complaining about complaining isn't lost on me, but at least I chose to direct my complaints against all of those who can't seem to post anything else. Want to complain? Get a blog.

 

Quality control is absolutely an issue, but for some these "problems" aren;t such a big deal. I'm not going to quote all the goo dpoints above or ones I would responde to because that is just waay too much work. There are plenty of good points to be made from both sides and it boils down to not everyone is going to agree but that doesn't mean that the reason behind Hasbros madness is wrong. They're going to continue to prodice "filler" figures whether we lie it or not. I saw that all the team based figures were released over the course of the ARAH run....True, and now they are re-releasing new sculpts of them and are thus tapping into all those years of production so they can pick and choose what to release when. and since they have the molds, it only makes sense that they woudl release the more popular figures...

 

Filler figures such as repaints and repacks will continue throughout the line regardless. I would like all new figures all the time but I know it'll never happen. QC is an issue but come on...They are producing hundreds of thousands of figures at a time, there are bound to be problems. And given time constraints put on them by us, there are also bound to be some figures released quickly to satisfy our lust for more meaning that they may not be as good as they wanted.

 

Every board on TNI has complaints about figure quality...Legends (paint, limbs, knees, articulation or lack there of) Star Wars (pre posed figures, paint, articulation or lack there of) HE-man (same, plus assortment choice, repaints, repacks) Transformers (same). It's going to happen, no matter what, in mass produced anything.

 

The way I see it is that some people just can't be satisfied no matter what and they choose to let the world know this. Simple truth is we're going to have to learn to be happy with what we have. Sure we should let Hasbro know via feedback our opinions of certain things and hope they fix them further down the road, but come on.

 

I see plenty of praise given to the original line versus the 25th....all other blew in my opinion... But think. We (most of us) were kids when that line came out and we weren;t concerned about anything other than getting the figures we liked from the comics and cartoon. And NONE of them were exact depictions of either source material. Now we nit pick about certain things but don't commend.

 

Thumbs and crotches don't break.

Better articulation.

Better sculpting

Better everything.

 

Sure there are purists who liked the O-ring and so forth, but technology gets better and so we get better figures.

 

The old line had plenty of issues... Had they had the library of characters to choose from like we do now, they would have had MUCH different assortments but we would not have complained. Besides, it's good they are doing the wqay they are. These lines are picked a LOOOONG time in advance and since Hasbro doesn't know how long this line will be produced (I don't see it ending anytime soon, but things change) they figure they might as well get out the more popular characters now whle the getting is good. If not then this board would be full of ...."Where's my Tiger Force Duke? Where's my armored CC? Where's my this, where's my that?

 

Peple complain for the sake of complaining sometimes. IsS this line so terrible that it merrits so much complaint? If not then save it, or stop collecting it.

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