Although a few days late (mostly due to SDCC prep, I’d imagine) the latest round of Q & A answers are starting to come in. This is what I received from the questions I asked:
1) During Botcon, Hasbro and the Transformers: Prime producers confirmed that the animated series might not be ready for The Hub’s debut in October. Do you anticipate the same situation for G.I. Joe: Renegades?
A) The new series will launch in the fall around the same time as the Hub network launches, though it is still too early to give specific release dates.
2) Looking at G.I. Joe toys produced in the early 2000’s compared to what we have now, the differences are night and day. What do you think are the core reasons for that? Is it technology, a new philosophy, or simply new sculpting and design techniques that have evolved over the past eight years? Has moving away from the o-ring format given you more flexibility in design and detail work?
A) Every year brings new innovations in design and every generation of G.I. Joe brings with it a new expectation for the level of detail and articulation. When the team looks back even to the original release of the G.I. Joe 25th Anniversary figures in 2007 and compares them to the Pursuit of Cobra figures of today – it is clear that there are differences in the level of sculpted detail and the acuity of the articulation. Certainly philosophy has played a part, but design in general is often influenced by the world we live in. The design team doesn’t rest at any one style, they know that there is always room for improvement. Technically speaking, the move away from the “o-ring” has allowed for a greater lever of flexibility and has allowed us to create details without having to worry about that detail hindering articulation. While we’re very pleased with the amazing figures the design team is delivering, as we look into the future, we know that the G.I. Joe line will only continue to improve in sculpting detail and design.
I wonder, how exactly is the O-Ring style a “detail hindering articulation”?
“1 On July 20th, 2010, Pentastar said:
I wonder, how exactly is the O-Ring style a “detail hindering articulation”?”
You lose the chest/diaphragm/abdominal artiuclation point. You also don’t have to accomodate the screw threads in the internal space. You no longer have to make a transition from waist/crotch to lower abdomen, as it is all one piece. It also moves the hip to upper leg joint more correctly to the side and midline as opposed to centered and farther in the back/butt. Other side benefits is that the Star Wars line did a lot of the work as far as trial and error on the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and even the dreaded Duke arms forearm joint (look at a vader or pilot figure, same joint just no gauntlet style glove on GI Joes). Oh, no more angry parents now taking to the internet, not just letters and phone calls, about broken o-rings in kids toys.
Also, purpose of the line. Since vehicles no longer drive the line, the figures do, changes should be made.
Pbarney,
I can see what you are saying about the hip/upper leg joint. That is an improvement and no more broken crotches. However, I don’t think the chest articulation itself allows for more detail or articulation; the hinge lines are more obvious on the chest-style, and the articulation ends up being very much the same, since you swivel at both the hips and torso. The arm, hand, leg & foot articulations are better, but not predicated on the removal of the O-ring design.
Not saying O-ring is better, just didn’t see how the O-ring “hindered detail”. Seems to me you could do a lot more intricate detailing on a single torso piece than two pieces where you have to also mask the hinge point. The majority of the torsos in the new style are very bland and lacking in detail. I think where Hasbro really has improved detail and innovated in design is by using vests and webgear to add detail and define the look of the character.
“…design in general is often influenced by the world we live in. …”
If anyone can get Hasbro to give some examples on this statement, I would like to know what the whole creation team is influenced by? What world influences inspired certain decisions that we have seen come through to a final toy product?
Question 1:
As with the ARAH line we got slight improvements with each year’s release. Like the ball jointed neck from the non-ball jointed neck, swivel arm from the non-swivel arm, more weapons, and new figures to the roster and new card art even.
It seems with this year’s batch of figures we are getting a bunch of new styling all at once… like some figures are coming with the swivel wrists plus lots of gear plus new card art.
One of the things that kept us holding on to the Joes for so long was us holding our breaths to see what Hasbro will do next. With so many improvements to the figures all at once is there any room for improvements later on down the line?
Question 2:
As in a few other lines when the sub-lines hit changes are made to the figure line which may remove articulation, will this be the case for the new Joe cartoon as well?
POR: Marvel Universe – Iron Man (with the ball jointed hips) – Iron Man Armored Adventures (has little to no articulations)
My point is why start out with great articulation and then regress to a simpler style of articulation?
Just some thoughts…