My Prediction:

[Devilbat]

I hate to admit to being a fair-weather G.I. Joe fan, but I am. I guess it just boils down to the fact that there's just so much product coming out these days that when there's a lull, I focus on something else for a little while. Now the current stuff hasn't necessarily brought me back into the fold, as it were, however I am excited about it and would snap it up in a heart-beat if I could afford to...

 

My most recent focus has been on Marvel Legends figures...I'm just really enjoying the range and variety of characters and sculpts, but it got me thinking...could Hasbro be gearing-up for a 6-inch Joe line, in the tradition of Marvel Legends and the Star Wars 6-inch Black Series?

 

Now I know this has been hotly debated at different times over the years, and most people either enthusiastically embrace the notion or dismiss it entirely. I tend to be of the former persuasion, and I always said I'd be all-in for a line of 6-inch G.I. Joe figures. But here's why I predict Hasbro will soon be doing one:

 

Time and time again, I keep seeing many Marvel characters that sport either costume or armor details that would make excellent parts for Joe and Cobra characters. Even some of the head-sculpts could pass for Joe and Cobra characters. For example, I've been checking-out some of the slightly older waves of Marvel Legends, and I keep seeing parts and/or sculpts that would suit specific characters perfectly. Like the Agent Carter figure...that body and head-sculpt screams Classic Scarlett. All they would have to do is maybe give her some new arms and torso, and voila...you have Scarlett. Or what about Demolition Man? if you squint and tilt your head just right, there's a Cobra C.L.A.W.S. trooper just begging to get out. And parts of Taskmaster's sculpt just says Zartan to me. And there seem to be an awful lot of characters that keep coming out with militaristic looks about them or gear...Punisher, Nick Fury, Demolition Man, Cable, Deadpool, etc. Even with the characters that don't have a militaristic slant to them could be modified with some simple part-swapping and added webgear and what-have-you. And I'm just proposing all of this because we all know how Hasbro (and smartly so) likes to get the most mileage they can out of their molds. They've demonstrated time and time again how they can masterfully re-purpose and re-use toy molds and parts over and over again to create new characters and/or toys in general...just look at what they've done with Transformers and G.I. Joe itself over the years. It just seems to make too much sense to me as a lifelong fan of these kinds of toys, to think that Hasbro would maximize profits by taking full advantage of the hunger and demand that's in place for new Joe stuff by using parts and molds they already have. And perhaps as the line grows and expands, they might make the move to more original sculpts and molds, much like what they seemed to do with the modern Marvel Legends line. Heck, I wouldn't even be against Hasbro using parts and molds from their Star Wars Black Series, so long as the part re-use isn't obvious and is hidden really well, like they've demonstrated they can do perfectly time and time again...

 

Just look at the recent Nuke figure and tell me there's not a Roadblock or Gung-Ho hiding somewhere in that sculpt, or take Sentry's hair off and who've you got...a cool looking Destro. If they tinkered with Cable a little bit, they might get Major Bludd with his mechanical arm, although I think Bludd's right arm was cybernetic, and Cable's is his left, now that I think about it. And Cable's size may not match Major Bludd's very well, but anyway...

 

My point is, you've got a toy company that's notorious for re-using and re-purposing parts and molds, a seemingly fairly-decent demand for toys of a nostalgic nature, and a market ripe for an innovation and rejuvenation of a beloved classic...G.I. Joe is just about due such a thing, and I think the time is right and all of the elements are coming together for a resurgence in popularity. I predict a new 6-inch line before the end of the decade. You read it here first. I just feel it in my bones. (Geeze, I hope I'm right...) (lol)

[Belmont13]

I actually wouldn't be surprised if next year at Hascon, Hasbro announces a 6'' GI Joe Black Series or GI Joe Legends, it would be a good way to get attention to the event. As a casual GI Joe fan I would probably get a couple of them mainly Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Firefly(I'm a sucker for Ninjas) and others depends on how they turn out. I just hope that they don't go the Black Series route and for example release a close to definitive Snake Eyes with swords, handguns, interchangeable hands and a Timber pack in on the first wave and then 3 waves later release figures packed in with just one accessory. If this were to happen what would become of the 4" line? Will they become exclusive to a store? Will they keep releasing them but cut the articulation to 5 points? I don't follow the GI Joe line so I don't know if a hardcore GI Joe collector would consider their collection complete although I guess on each collector's taste.

[DarthJoe]

I would be all-in on a 6" GI Joe line done correctly.

 

That said, I would be a little worried about them using the ML bucks to create GI Joe figures. I don't think I would like them having super hero bodies.

[Devilbat]

I would be a little worried about them using the ML bucks to create GI Joe figures. I don't think I would like them having super hero bodies.

 

Oh no, Joe...I didn't mean to imply that they should use the more overly-heroic-physique sculpts, if you know what I mean. For example, I couldn't imagine the Sentry mold being used for any Joe or Cobra character...unless it was Sgt. Slaughter. (lol) (j/k) But I could definitely see the Nick Fury or Deadpool body mold to make a great Snake Eyes, with the right gear, visor, and weapons, of course.

[catdadfrank]

I wouldn't mind a six inch line. I prefer 3.75 but I'll take anything.

[Toiletmonkey1]

as a cash grab! i could see Hasbro doing a 6'' line of gi joe. im not into modern figures but if they did 6'' classic style i would grab my favorites. but i wouldn't buy the entire line. if customizers 15 years ago could create bad ass versions of ARAH characters in marvel legends size, then Hasbro could do it easy.

[Toiletmonkey1]

ps- i want my classic style 0-ring figures back in stores over anything else.

[DarthJoe]

as a cash grab! i could see Hasbro doing a 6'' line of gi joe. im not into modern figures but if they did 6'' classic style i would grab my favorites. but i wouldn't buy the entire line. if customizers 15 years ago could create bad ass versions of ARAH characters in marvel legends size, then Hasbro could do it easy.

 

Ugh...this post made me feel like I'm getting old.

 

I remember seeing some of those customs way back when...and that was nearly 15 years ago now that you mention it. lol

[BigBot84]

I would be all in for a 6" Joe line, as long as it was done like their Pursuit of Cobra figures. That line had to have most of my favorite designs from Hasbro.

[JoeRhyno]

I personally think they need to try something different if they want to see Joe continue, even if as just a collector line and I think right now, with how popular SW black series and ML is, maybe a 6" Joe line would be something to spark interest.

I don't think they'd ever just take ML bodies and retool them for Joes, just like they rarely ever mixed the 4" lines.

If they went ahead and made them, I could see them reusing bodies to get more bang for their buck(pun intended)... Original green shirts alone can make a plain body work for a while, a modified one for the cobra troopers/officers heck they could even use parts of the bodies for some more complicated characters and give them add-on vests and straps to help change their look.
"Sweater" torso with some later added vests, etc could be used for some fan favorites like Beach Head and Firefly... not to mention the button up shirt modified here and there for Duke, Flint, heck even Chuckles, Shipwreck...
Don't even get me started on all the money they'll make on the 7,000 ninja variants, lol.

Maybe for the next movie, they can do like they do other lines, make some movie characters and then sprinkle in some vintage inspired ones.

[GPM in ICT]

I know there have ben a few exceptions, but I don't believe that Hasbro can use molds from one brand to another. I can't remember the exact reason (maybe that the licensed company, Marvel or LucasFilm or whomever, owns the molds) I just think that with Joe , if they did a 6 inch line, would be so small an offering and such limited mold use (think of the initial 25th anniversary figures waves but in a six inch scale) that people wouldn't stick with the line very long. esspecially is the line was four figures every fours months

[Belmont13]

I don't see any Marvel Legends body molds being used for GI Joe figures, they'll most likely go with brand new sculpts. Most of the characters have military uniforms and whatnot that require sculpting, maybe Cobra Commander in the Star Lord/AIM Soldier/ Ghost Rider sculpt and even then I highly doubt it. I do see weapons like the guns from the recent Punisher being used and Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow would most likely use Deadpool's katanas. If I'm not mistaken the gun that came with the SDCC Thunderbolts Crossbones was a GI Joe Sigma 6 gun so it's not completely unheard of.

[Devilbat]

Yeah...I took a second look at Nuke yesterday, and I didn't realize just how barrel-chested he looks. I mean, his torso almost looks rotund at the right angle. I guess this is all just some wishful thinking on my part. Since I'm enjoying Hasbro's six-inch lines so much, it'd just be great to see G.I. Joe get the same treatment...