So the latest swath of Wal-Mart early product lists have been revealed on the oft-overlooked JoeBattleLines forums. Big props to “Ghost Target” for his tireless research. 😉
And of course, as usual, I have my own thoughts on some upcoming items for 2009…
If you haven’t seen the actual list yet, it’s a pretty mixed bag for most fans. Almost everyone has complained pretty heartily about the endless rehashes, repaints, and re-releases, and that trend looks to keep going strong with this new list, at least when you’re talking about actual Anniversary homages:
- Scrap Iron
- Red Star
- Alley-Viper
- Baroness (Omega)
- Scarlett (Omega)
- Snake Eyes (Omega)
So out of the three actual Anniversary homages, two of them are merely re-releases from former comic packs, and one of them (Red Star) wasn’t really a core character or important cog in the wheel anyway. Somewhat disappointing, I’d think, for most folks, especially people eagerly anticipating Ripcord, Recondo, Dr. Mindbender, Footloose, or even Airtight. Alley-Viper, however is an incredibly cool addition, and almost seems to make up for the other two. I can only imagine that maybe Red Star will come with the infamous “fixed arms”, though I’d say he’s the one that needs them least, since he’s really the least important character to get saddled with them.
But I’d like to look at this from another perspective. Everyone knows how much of a Resolute fanatic I am, and I am THRILLED to see three figures in this wave getting the Resolute treatment, especially the Baroness and Scarlett. That brings to total “Resolute” roster for ’09 to:
- Duke (Wave 1 ’09)
- COBRA Commander (Wave 1 ’09)
- COBRA Trooper (Wave 1 ’09)
- Storm Shadow (Wave 2 ’09)
- Zap (Wave 2 ’09)
- Baroness (Wave 3 ’09?)
- Scarlett (Wave 3 ’09?)
- Snake Eyes (wave 3 ’09?)
So it already looks like we’re getting a solid cast of Resolute figures for ’09, but it would apparently be at the expense of Anniversary style figures. I am ecstatic about it personally, because I love the new ideas, but I can see a lot of folks getting irked about this. I just hope Hasbro can satisfy both fanbases by working some missing characters into vehicle sets and other exclusives, so that Resolute doesn’t end up getting the bad rep that Sigma 6 did because it “stole the limelight from the ‘real’ G.I. Joe”.
I am a little concerned that we haven’t seen any indication of Stalker or Destro Resolute figures, because those are the characters that I absolutely love the new design aesthetics of, but we have seen no evidence of actual figures for them yet. Here’s hoping.
Man, I hope we don’t see people saying that Resolute “stole” the thunder from classic joe! Man, to me, Joe is for moving forward! I can’t wait for Resolute to take over! I loved the homages and remakes of older figures, but, I think I’m ready for new stuff now!
The “Resolute” bashing will happen. Its just a matter of time. Hell, look at how much griping there is about the Movie line there is (not getting figures other than Movie themed ones at that point, etc) And then there’s the whole Matt Tracker backlash (which I agree with to a certain point).
But after talking with the Hasbro guys at SDCC I have a better understanding of what the future of G.I. Joe as a brand is and Resolute is a part of that “re-branding”.
I’ve never been a hardcore classic look fan anyway so the Resolute figures, as long as they look good next to the 25th figs I have, will be welcome in my collection.
P.S. Alley Viper?! FUCK YEAH!!! Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go change my pants.
Of course! G.I. Joe MUST be re-branded. Every toy these days in re-branded, anyway, but G.I. Joe faces even more critical challenges. When you’re talking about a military team with weapons fighting a specific anti-military threat, those concepts will always have to be altered and changed as time goes on to stay culturally relevant and stay out of a political quagmire.
I mean, let’s face it, is the general public today going to take a blonde-haired blue-eyed Aryan field leader in green khaki’s and a tan dress shirt seriously? Especially if he’s charging into combat that way? Hell no. He’s gotta be gritty and combat-ready.
I see lots of fans complaining about the old style weaponry out of one side of their mouths while they bitch about Joes not looking just like their classic counterparts out of the other, and when you’re dealing in stuff like this, there’s gotta be re-branding. It’s inevitable.
That’s what kills me about the Sigma 6 phenomenon…it’s blatantly obvious that the beginning of this latest “re-branded” started with Sigma 6 and that lots of elements from that are being phased into the movie and the Resolute cartoon, yet Sigma 6 is still always just shoved into the corner as a minor, insignificant footprint in Joe history, when I think it had a much larger impact than folks realize.
I am really looking forward to Resolute. In my opinion, G.I. Joe NEEDS to move forward. I kind of find the Anniversary stuff already getting somewhat stale, I’m ready to move on, even if others aren’t. I’d still kill for a Ripcord, Mindbender, and Recondo, but more than that I just want to get out of this mudbog we’re stuck in and move forward with new ideas.
Man, maybe this should have been another blog post… :shifty:
Its happening with the comics too. I just read the first part of an interview with the writers of the IDW books and Larry Hama said this new Joe team will be more fixed in the real world. That pleases me to no end. I love the classic “laser guns and everyone knows how to fly a jet” Joe but that’s an idea that’s 25+ years old. It doesn’t work today.
Same with the figures. I love the classic looks of the 25th figures but the 25th anniversary is over. Look at the packaging. Its time to take the classic figures we got and look forward to some new, exciting and updated concepts for G.I. Joe. Its like the guy at Hasbro told me (in not so many words) at SDCC, the fans got their classic ARAH design-based figures, now its time to move on to something new and fresh and that’s what these Resolute figures are.
And you’re right, the rebranding of G.I. Joe probably IS best as a new post.
Alley Viper alone is incredibly exciting. I’m trying to hold out judgement on the rest, because I’ve only seen those two minutes of the cartoon from youtube, but I’m going to be upset if they look like Dragonball Z toys. Probably still months away from even seeing prototypes though, so there’s no point in getting worked up over it.
Is it really that new and fresh though? It’s the same core cast of characters that have been beaten to death with repaints by Hasbro since the GvC days.
Well, it depends by what you mean by “new and fresh”. Ultimately how can it be? The same way that endless Han Solo’s, Wolverine’s, Optimus Prime’s, etc… can be “new and fresh”. Take the core of the character, but put him in different surroundings and different conflicts, and it CAN become new and fresh. Think about the comics world today, we’re still reading the same characters we read sometimes 50 or 60 years ago, yet the stories try to set new ground and do new things. The same thing can happen in the toy world.
Alex, do NOT worry about the “Dragonball Z” toys stuff. The Resolute/Omega Force figures are designed and sculpted to fit seamlessly with the Anniversary toys. Best of both worlds.
I’m fired up for “Resolute.” I just hope it doesn’t swing the pendulum too far the other way and make G.I. Joe inaccessible to young kids. Catering to an adult crowd with a “grittier” Joe is one thing, but that’s an audience that’s A) already pretty small, and B) not (in all likelihood) going to grow into a new toy-buying fandom, i.e., the people who will buy “Resolute” toys were already buying Joe toys or toys in general.
I would agree, Mike, that is a concern, but I really think the movie will take care of those. Yes, it’s rated PG-13, and yes, it involves guys running around with guns, but the same could be said of both the recent Star Wars films and Transformers, and in both instances the younger crowd was strongly attracted to each property.
Heck even something like Iron Man, which was a pretty intense action movie with some scenes of violence has managed to be a VERY strong seller at retail with the young boys market, so I think giving us Resolute, and keeping the movie as the widespread appeal is a strong enough tactic.
I’m very excited about the Resolute stuff as well. I think Hasbro is doing an excellent job with the GI Joe line these days and am dying to see every new line that comes out including the repaints and stuff.
I like the idea that the GI Joe image is moving a bit towards the “adult” side of things. Most of us that are GI Joe fans were kids 30 years ago and are “adults” now. We are the prime fan-base and I believe it will stay that way. Most kids now days could give a flip about GI Joe unless they make a PS3 game out of it.