Convention Brochure

[Flint]

Looks like they're releasing the 25th anniversary version of their Crimson Strike set from a few years ago. Personally I'm very disappointed in hearing this, as I was hoping the convention sets would stay in the nostalgic ARAH style.

 

Convention Brochure

[RobbieDigital]

I think its a great opportunity for newer fans to get into the collectors club........I didn't have an opportunity to get the original Crimson Strike Team a couple years back and now I will have that chance to go with the newer line. I'm excited for it.

[falcon7]

That is very disappointing news to me. While I do collect the 25 style figures I am not a reallt big fan. I always looked forward to the old style figures from the Collectors Club. Oh well that might be great news for other collectors though.

[Ares6009]

I have never paid attention to this con as I would never be able to make it, and what they offered was ARAH stuff, which I've long since sold. But this time, I'm looking forward to see the pic, and possibly (given cost) get in on this deal!

[RobbieDigital]

I have just as much RAH as the next guy.......but I really like the 25th/Modern line. I've only really liked one or two of the sets in the last 4-5 years or so........(MARS set, and Crimson set) Dreadnoks, and Headhunters didn't really do it for me....... so I'm just excited to get a version of the Crimson set for a decent price......not 400 plus dollars.......or who knows what its going for on ebay now.

[Mongoose]

Wow. Thanks to the G.I. Joe Club for really digging deep for a new and exciting idea for their set.

 

Seriously, this set is stupid. Just because folks want the old set doesn't mean they want it redone. Up until now, every set has had at least one new character, or a redone character, that I've really wanted. This is just a cheap rehash.

 

Plus, I'm a fan of the con sets using vintage figure molds.

 

I'll be REALLY pissed if the club gives us yet another red HISS tank.

[Viper Hunter]

I'll take the 80's ARAH figures over these 25th versions 9 times out of 10 and have recently decided to forgo on any more of the 25th stuff to maybe get caught up on some of the convention items that have used the old molds, but THIS is a real bummer as that Crimson Strike set was a joke and probably the WORST set in it's history...at least in my opinion it was!

 

Guess they're cheapin' out big time this year anticipating a major drop in attendance in light of the downfall of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA? Why invest too much...right?

[pesatyel]

...but THIS is a real bummer as that Crimson Strike set was a joke and probably the WORST set in it's history...at least in my opinion it was!

 

Why?

[PhoenixSword]

i don't have any of the convention sets but this is really really...well its just crap imo. i've always wanted the crimson strike team set, as well as the mars and headhunter sets. maybe one day i will get them.... i'd always hoped they'd make a snow serpent army builder set kinda like their moth ...some of each snow serpent and ice viper and then a couple leaders

[Viper Hunter]

...but THIS is a real bummer as that Crimson Strike set was a joke and probably the WORST set in it's history...at least in my opinion it was!

 

Why?

 

 

Crimson VIPERS???

 

The crappy versions of the Vipers that had the BATS legs and waist with the little bat belt buckle and all? FUSCIA versions? A Crimson non-sensical Baroness??

 

The only figures that even seem appropriate were the Crimson Twins and they looked like crap, with their funky light Brown hair doo's!

 

Just a lame and disappointing set all around, but again only IMO! They've come a long way on this sets over the years since, and to go BACK to this garbage? Disappointing to say the least. Lazy and cheap! @grumpy@

 

 

http://www.mastercollector.com/articles/re...iew082502.shtml

[PhoenixSword]

never understood why people don't like the bat legs.... the only thing about the waist the bothers me is the..ummm butt crack???

[Viper Hunter]

never understood why people don't like the bat legs.... the only thing about the waist the bothers me is the..ummm butt crack???

 

The Bat legs look fine...on a BAT!

 

I never liked the way they looked on the Vipers and they were not a good fit, made worse by the fact they always painted the bottom of the BATs paint leg above the boot as part of the BOOT to appear like the Vipers original boot style. Lame, lame and LAMER! Butt crack and bat belt buckles with boots that looked like the Viper forgot weren't as high as his other ones and POLISHED too far up and over his pants? @loll@

 

They at least found the upper part of the original Vipers legs on these...

 

 

but holy crap were those lower legs even WORSE and the bat waist with the original upper thighs of the viper had major problems. Maybe they've finally gotten together all the right parts and they'll surprise us but even so....not real thrilled about this step BACKWARDS!

[PhoenixSword]

http://www.yojoe.com/action/02/viper7.shtml

they painted the pants for the crimson vipers... as well as the 97 viper http://www.yojoe.com/action/97/viper5.shtml as well as these "troopers and officers" http://www.yojoe.com/action/98/cobratrooper.shtml http://www.yojoe.com/action/98/cobraofficer2.shtml .... the only reason they didn't on the other ones that came out was probably because they wanted to save money. thats when the quality of the figures started to decline as well imo. it doesn't really bother me too much i like them either way.

[Viper Hunter]

Even though the Cobra Viper was my all-time favorite figure back in the day, and what I sought to increase upon my collection of (as an army) when eBay was first all the craze (and why I named myself Viper..HUNTER because of that effort at the time) I have to say that I'm thoroughly OVER this particular mold combination of it.

 

 

 

Another crack at another dozen of the Crimson (or fuschia) version, just doesn't excite me in the least, and seeing how I'm dumping 25th for old convention sets, this adds up to a double disappointment in that I don't need it or want any MORE of it.

[CLAM]

meh.. if they redo the Crimson set from the first con set, I won't get them.

 

I might nab a Crimson Viper or two from some Hong Kong sellers on ebay (only if they have the fixed wrists) though.

 

 

It would have been cool if they did a set from original RAH stuff that Hasbro probably will never give us.. like a 25th Nightforce team or something like that.

[HissCommander]

SO i guess those figures that popped up on TaoBoa are the con figures?

[Flint]

It sure seems like it.

 

SO i guess those figures that popped up on TaoBoa are the con figures?

[canprime]

What's to say?

 

It seems like the decision was to go back to probably their most successful set. I don't know about successive sets, but I do know that the Crimson Strike set originally sold out. Granted, this was their first ARAH set and the numbers were lower than later sets, but still, a sellout is a sellout.

 

Crimson "whatever" has always been a good, safe bet. You can usually do well with something in that scheme, so I see the logic behind trying to recapture that hit with the 25th molds. However, I get the feeling that MC wasn't expecting quite the backlash they have received around this set. The set comes off 1 of 2 possible ways, in my mind, in regards to the reasoning behind it. Unfortunately both possible ways are not very flattering for MC or the future of ARAH/25th sets.

 

1) MC has begun to let the ARAH side of the Joe con slide. With the Transformers con taking a more predominant spot in their business (& probably larger), it seems that Joe fans are getting stuck playing second fiddle. That means the majority of their resources are going to TFs and so a quick and easy convention set was decided on. That set was basically a rehash of an already made set, but using 25th figures. If this is the main reasoning behind the set, then it is sheer laziness and greed.

 

2) MC is running out of ideas for large ARAH/25th sets. The model for these sets seems to be static, with no room for change. 15 figures with a heavy emphasis on army builders/mold reuse, and a "set" price in the range of $270-$300. This leads to very limited selection for possible sets. GI JOE basically only has greenshirts, although I think you could do sea or air sets of JOEs with just changing the heads and keeping a standard uniform body. I don't know if that would do well. So that basically leaves Cobra as the main thrust for most sets. Whether it is Cobra, Dreadnoks, IGs, whatever. However MC has already hit on CGs, IGs and Dreadnoks. Then they started in on "new" subgroups or characters that seemed to go over well in some cases. The problem with "new" subgroups is that you are taking a big risk that fans will want them or not. Ginning-up an existing subgroup is a safer bet.

 

It's funny really. MC had been moving along with the JOE licence and then picked up the TF licence. At the start, they received a lot of hate from TF fans who hated the business model and felt that TFs were playing second fiddle to JOEs. Then slowly the TF fans started to accept this new way of doing things and are now pretty happy with how the convention is run.

 

The switch is now to JOE fans who seem to be playing second fiddle and getting shunted around willy-nilly.

 

My suggestion to MC is look at your business model for the JOEs. Maybe it is time to consider a change. 15 figure sets may no longer be sustainable as a model for the JOE mythos. You were flexible with the TF sets, at the beginning, to some degree, maybe it is time to think of something similar for Joes.

 

That, or as others have suggested, start mining the existing subgroups you haven't done (TF, PP, SP, NF).

[Viper Hunter]

SO i guess those figures that popped up on TaoBoa are the con figures?

 

 

So it's going to be a re-hashed CRIMSON STRIKE TEAM only using the 25th molds now? (hell, I was missing the 25th sculpt detail and thought it was going to be the exact same figures as before? ) Hardly any better!

 

If they're semi-smart, they'll can the idea of using the VIPER mold painted Red (like the original set) and make it a TRUE Crimson team by using the actual Crimson Guard mold. The Baroness was a throw away, tossed in figure to begin with, so if they're wanting to MATCH the old set configuration (like it's reached the level of nostalgia already? ) I guess that's what we're going to get.

 

It's probably cheaper to use the new 25th molds, but who wants to bet they'll jack the price up on'em anyway?

[CLAM]

yeah.. it should be cheaper, but it won't be.

 

I think they are overestimating our willingness to pay top dollar for 25th figures. These aren't RAH figures. We are getting 25th/new era stuff all over the place.

[PhoenixSword]

so does this officially signify the death of arah????? i mean if freaking MC isn't even gonna make them anymore...well all hopes are lost...

 

 

canprime... there are sooo many cobra army builder sets they could have made....i don't think could have run out of ideas. even in 25th form they could have done any of the following and had a different set instead of a classic set in 25th format

Crimson guards/crimson guard immortals

eels/undertows/hydrovipers

snow serpents/ice vipers

heck cobra troopers and officers

desert scorpions <---that would be an awesome con set imo in arah.....

[Cmdr_Y]

I'm really disappointed - I'll probably pass and wait to grab a deal on eBay on these. I'm just not that into 25th anniversary sculpt. I like the figures fine and I buy most of them, but I'm not into the idea of these repaints.

 

I was SO hoping for an Action Force set, though it sounds like the souvenir sets will be action force repaints - but in 25th style? darn.

[Jaxxon327]

Even though the Cobra Viper was my all-time favorite figure back in the day, and what I sought to increase upon my collection of (as an army) when eBay was first all the craze (and why I named myself Viper..HUNTER because of that effort at the time) I have to say that I'm thoroughly OVER this particular mold combination of it.

 

 

 

Another crack at another dozen of the Crimson (or fuschia) version, just doesn't excite me in the least, and seeing how I'm dumping 25th for old convention sets, this adds up to a double disappointment in that I don't need it or want any MORE of it.

 

 

WOW! I guess there has been that many different VIpers. Well, You could use some for officers etc. I can see how the term beat a dead horse, comes into play here.

[revsears]

I'm not a crimson fan, or rich so this set is n't for me, however I for one think it's good news that they are switching and emphasizing 25th style. Next year my wife will be out of School and i should be able to afford to go for the first time! i hope they keep 25th style, but do something a little more original.

[Viper Hunter]

I'm not a crimson fan, or rich so this set is n't for me, however I for one think it's good news that they are switching and emphasizing 25th style. Next year my wife will be out of School and i should be able to afford to go for the first time! i hope they keep 25th style, but do something a little more original.

 

 

I understand how you feel, but HASBRO is making 25th style Joes that are currently at retail, so the club doesn't have to! Why knock off the only remaining source of old style, O-ringed, ARAH action figures, the likes of which the G.I.Joe Club Master Collector are capable of putting together for the fans? It's only a once a year offering at that, and for the lovers of those old style figures, redone, repainted, frankensteined in various manners for various themes and sets....they're eliminating it for something that's readily available elsewhere? Fans of the 25th style already have a source.