Hasbro To Do 1:18 Realistic Miltary?

Jeff Cope · Post by **Jeff Cope** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:56 pm

This is still speculation at this point, but Hasbro has announced the cancelation of the 12" GI Joe line. There are plans to relaunch the line "in a new scale" later in the year.

Hasbro has been asking on polls for a couple years now if fans would be interested in Hasbro produced 1:18 realistic military figures.

Sounds like they might just be coming now. This would be separate from the more fantastical Joe line.

Should be interesting to see where this is going.

Jeff

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:17 pm

Wow, if they end up going in that direction it could open up a whole new level of competition and new possibilities in 1:18 military toys!

Post by **aferguson** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:19 pm

i dont' know if i'd trust hasbro to do a good job but it could be interesting...

Jeff Cope · Post by **Jeff Cope** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:37 pm

aferguson wrote:i dont' know if i'd trust hasbro to do a good job but it could be interesting...

Now, granted, I'm biased 'cause I'm a huge GI Joe/Cobra fan from way back in the day...but, I think the recent Jungle Strike Humvee and driver shows a lot of potential for what Hasbro could do.

Like I said, should be interesting to see where this is heading...

Hasbro's big media presentation is on Saturday. So, we should hear something by that evening, I'd think.

Jeff

Post by **aferguson** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:39 pm

how did u find out about the planet of the ape figures?....i cant find news of that anywhere

Jeff Cope · Post by **Jeff Cope** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:05 pm

aferguson wrote:how did u find out about the planet of the ape figures?....i cant find news of that anywhere

It's in the latest issue of ToyFare magazine.

And, for those who doubt the veracity of news from that particular magazine (they've gotten stuff wrong in the past) it's been confirmed for me directly from Palisades.

Should be awesome...

Jeff

immeww2 · Post by **immeww2** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:18 pm

If Hasbro can maintain the quality that was with their last and final round with their SLU figures then I think they will be on par with the other figures that are available.

WGP Klaus · Post by **WGP Klaus** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:22 am

perhaps case in point, Hasbros awesome (for the price) Humvee? perhaps a test? I never see those on the shelves yet all the other "fantasy type" vehicles sit and collect dust on those very same shelves.

food for thought?

Jeff Cope · Post by **Jeff Cope** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:13 am

Someone with some apparent contacts has shot down this rumor, saying Hasbro is not moving to a realistically styled 3-3/4" military line.

We'll have to wait and see what Toy Fair reveals!

Jeff

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:03 pm

The change of scale wouldn't mean a change of "style" which is what changing from 3.75" Joes as they are to 3.75" Joes in realistic fashions would be.

The scale change is rumored to be them going to a super poseable 6" - 7" line ala Marvel Legends and things. I'd not heard them completely quitting on the 12" line, but it did do abysmally last year. How could it not compared to 21st Century and BBI on the shelves, much less Dragon or Sideshow Toys who blow BBI and 21st out of the water even... 12" Joe had very little hope in such an over-saturated market of competition.

Morian Miner · Post by **Morian Miner** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 9:02 pm

Hadn't heard about the 12" Joes getting cancelled. Man, that's interesting. That's one toyline you always figured would hang around.

I really doubt Hasbro will do realistic military figures, because there is no cartoon/movie tie-in to provide free advertising. I'm actually waiting to see the GI Joe/Transformer cross-over toy line, since those comics seem to have a large following.

kenhil2 · Post by **kenhil2** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:26 am

hate to be the voice of negativity, but i wouldnt hold my breath, being a joe collector as well it has been my experience that hasbro says a lot, but holds to almost nothing, i will believe when i prototypes and mockups, til then just whishfully thinking.

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:27 am

12" cancellation is a "rumor" as well. Personally I'm not biting, but it's been the anchor dragging on the 3.75" line's popularity though, so I'm not sure either way. It faded in the 70's to a smaller scale so I have little doubt it could happen again... I don't know that it will though.

The new scale rumor's been a pretty hot one now though since about the tail-end of last year I think.

Big_Iron · Post by **Big_Iron** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:34 am

Well not to be the wet blanket on this, but I just saw the pics of the new "Scale" and style of Joes...but it is based on the "Lazy" animation that today's kids are TOLD to enjoy by the Lazy artists. So Realistic NO, 1:18 scale NO, a bigger Iceberg than the 12 in line was on the RAH Titanic Line...oh YES.

They are 8 inches tall and look like cheap anime.

Which is fine with me, Joe was gonna get shot out of the saddle this year by Dusty Trails 1:18 REALISTIC Wild West line anyway...

EDIT EDIT

Just got the Gi Joe fanclub newsletter and they have put both the 12 inch AND the 3 3/4 inch incarnations of Joe into "Retirement"....

Jesse James · Post by **Jesse James** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 3:24 am

I thought they worded it as a "furlough" for the 12" and 3.75" lines...

The 8" line (yes, 8"

I guess Hasbro learned nothing from Playmates dismal failure with Trek by changing scales routinely), is focused around a new cartoon series, so the figures are representative of that, and it features 6 specific characters...

One less temptation on the shelves I guess.

I think we'll see the 3.75" back as soon as this flops... 12" I could see being at least limited if not completely dropped. It's a waste of shelf space at this point.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:12 am

Saddened, yes. But on the origional subject of this post, I didn't really want to see Hasbro get into realistic 1:18 military as they would drive out BBI and 21c with what would amount to probably a good, though comparatively inferior, military product.

In regards to Hasbro "retiring" the 12" and 3 3/4" GI Joe figures, does that refer to them all, especially the realistic 12" figures? It wouldn't surprise me as those seem to sit around on the shelves and for the collectors, there are much more detailed pieces offered by BBI, Dragon, 21c and others.

Better grab as many of those 3 3/4" builder packs and decent Joe figures as you can, because it sounds like they aren't going to be around for much longer... Too bad, especially since they are being converted into an even more cartoonish and immature format.

momaw nadon · Post by **momaw nadon** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 3:10 pm

GI Joe when dead after they did that before with a scale change in 94 or 95. I think they were GI Joe Extreme or something like that and were 5 to 7 inch figures or something. That didn't go over to well and didn't sell.

I think they have some pictures on what the new line is going to look like over at figures.com. Here is a link:
http://photos.figures.com/photo/1/showg ... p?cat=2318
It is under SIGMA 6.
momaw nadon