I haven’t tossed a metric ton of Toy Fair images up yet, but I filled out the action figure waves with correct information and new photos based on what I got during Toy Fair. I hope to supplement the vehicle and 3 Pack sections at some point, too, but that’s for a later time.
Check out the G.I. Joe: Retaliation Toy SuperPage for the new info!
With the whirlwind day that yesterday was, I didn’t have time to properly process all of the things that were shown during the presentation or down in the show room. But I woke up very early this morning to dive back into the images from last night and try to wade through and choose my favorite pieces of this initial burst of G.I. Joe: Retaliation toys. I’m going to include stuff we’ve already seen, just based on some new information or new details that were revealed through pictures I’ve taken over the past 18 hours or so.
This will be a basic Top Ten list, and I’ll try to write some snippets from each figure, some of which might be stuff you guys haven’t heard yet that was revealed during Toy Fair. No promises, this is by the seat of my pants!
Click the Read the Rest of the Story link below for the details.
Okay, all of my stuff has been tossed up there. Now it’s time for the professionals.
G.I. JOE SNAKE EYES NINJA GEAR
(Approximate retail price: $24.99; Ages: 5 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
Gear up and get ready to take on the role of iconic Ninja-Commando SNAKE EYES from the G.I. JOE team. With the G.I. JOE SNAKE EYES NINJA GEAR set, kids can wield an electronic sword with authentic ARASKIGAE design, which features special lights and ninja battle sounds, a SNAKE EYES role-play mask, and two NINJA THROWING STARS allowing them to play the part of their favorite Ninja hero.
G.I. JOE BATTLE-KATA BLASTER
(Approximate retail price: $14.99; Ages: 6 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
Kids will love to role-play the ROADBLOCK character’s unique fighting style with the G.I. JOE BATTLE-KATA BLASTER toy. Featuring a 2-in-1 battle combo with interchangeable BATTLE-KATA blaster and ‘blade’ modes—kids can defend their heroic team against the vile enemy insurgents of COBRA. Includes three dart projectiles.
G.I. JOE NINJA COMMANDO BLASTER
(Approximate retail price: $24.99; Ages: 6 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
Enjoy the latest in G.I. JOE role-play technology with the G.I. JOE NINJA COMMANDO blaster! Defeat the COBRA enemies with this multi-dart, pump-action blaster which features a targeting lens to spy the enemy and helps you aim the projectiles like the very best snipers the G.I. JOE team has ever seen! Includes ten dart projectiles and targeting screen.
G.I. JOE BLADE OF JUSTICE
(Approximate retail price: $14.99; Ages: 5 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
Replicate your favorite Ninja moves with the highly detailed, ARASHIKAGE-authentic G.I. JOE MOVIE BLADE OF JUSTICE sword used by two of the most iconic ninjas ever, SNAKE EYES and STORM SHADOW, in G.I. JOE RETALIATION.
G.I. JOE MOVIE NINJA COMMANDOS
(Approximate retail price: $19.99; Ages: 5 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
Get ready for the next phase in G.I. JOE action figure evolution with the G.I. JOE NINJA COMMANDO figures! The NINJA COMMANDO figures are 10-inch large-scale figures that feature quick-draw BATTLE-KATA and Ninja action. With the press of a button, figures magically “grab” weapons to arm themselves for battle. Figures also feature electronic sound effects and phrases available for in pack “Try Me.” Choose from the iconic Ninja SNAKE EYES and BATTLE-KATA skilled ROADBLOCK. (Figures sold separately.)
G.I. JOE MOVIE 3.75-INCH ACTION FIGURES Assortment
(Approximate retail price: $7.99; Ages: 4 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
The live-action G.I. JOE movie, G.I. JOE: Retaliation, won’t hit theaters until June 2012, but you don’t need to wait to see the stars from the movie cast as G.I. JOE characters. The G.I. JOE brand invented the action figure category more than 45 years ago, and the G.I. JOE MOVIE 3.75-INCH action figures continue this great legacy. Figures are sculpted to match their on-screen counterparts, including Dwayne Johnson as ROADBLOCK, Channing Tatum as DUKE, and Bruce Willis as Joe Colton. Each figure comes with off-the-floor play such as ninja zip lines and projectile launchers. Multiple waves are set to be released throughout the summer and fall 2012. (Figures each sold separately.)
G.I. JOE ALPHA VEHICLES Assortment
(Approximate retail price: $12.99; Ages: 4 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
The G.I. JOE ALPHA VEHICLES assortment are the smallest and most covert of the G.I. JOE vehicles made for the 3.75-inch movie figures. These stealth vehicles are outfitted with universal projectiles, launchers, a surprise attack feature, and also come with a realistic articulated ride-on action figure that will help guide you through your action-packed adventures. (Vehicles each sold separately.)
G.I. JOE BRAVO VEHICLES Assortment
(Approximate retail price: $14.99; Ages: 4 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
The G.I. JOE MOVIE BRAVO VEHICLES collection are mid-size vehicles inspired by the upcoming live-action G.I. JOE movie, G.I. JOE: Retaliation. Each represents the most technologically advanced vehicles in the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA arsenal, including the NINJA COMMANDO 4X4 WITH SNAKE EYES and COBRA FANG BOAT WITH SWAMP VIPER. Each vehicle comes with an action figure to help steer your squadron to victory. (Vehicles each sold separately.)
G.I. JOE MOVIE DELTA VEHICLES Assortment
(Approximate retail price: $19.99; Ages: 4 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
The G.I. JOE MOVIE DELTA VEHICLES collection includes the largest hero and villain vehicles inspired by the live-action G.I. JOE movie, G. I. JOE: Retaliation. Each represents the most technologically advanced vehicles in the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA arsenal, including the G.I. JOE GHOST HAWK II and the COBRA H.I.S.S. TANK. Each vehicle comes with an action figure to help steer your squadron to victory. (Vehicles each sold separately.)
G.I. JOE NINJA SHOWDOWN SET Assortment
(Approximate retail price: $19.99; Ages: 4 & up; Available: Summer 2012)
Kids can recreate the action-packed Ninja sequences of the upcoming live-action G.I. JOE movie, G.I. JOE: Retaliation or create their own adventures with these G.I. JOE sets. Each three-pack includes a three 3.75-inch action figures with off-the-floor action features. (each sold separately)
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A few things that I forgot to mention, and I figured rather than edit an existing post and risk people not seeing it, I would put those items up here so folks could check them out. I’ve been getting some questions about the 3 Packs, so here is what we know for the packs so far:
Dojo Battle
Ninja Showdown
3-Pack #3
3-Pack #4
We saw very blurry press pictures for the second 2 3-Packs during the presentation, but no up close images at all, so details are still fuzzy.
Now, another thing that may have somewhat flown under the radar… Roadblock’s whole “Battle Kata” concept, according to Derryl DePriest, is the idea that he has these modular handles that can be used as knives, or handles for various weapons. He wears a very cool vest to accommodate his various weapons in the Wave 2 version.
But one thing that I’m not sure people have noticed…the Wave 1 Roadblock actually has something attached to his hand. Like permanently attached. I suspected that was the case when initial press images were shown, but other press images seemed to negate that thought. There’s no negating this, though:
That image is extremely clear. No denying it there. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t mean a whole lot to me, because I much prefer the second version of Roadblock, anyway. But it is certainly an interesting development.
Also, questions have come up about Firefly’s “sled”. He can apparently lay down in it, and grasp the handles, which activates some lights on it. Pretty neat, I guess, but nothing Earth shattering.
Kwinn is a name I heard quite a bit throughout the G.I. Joe show room area, which I think is a good thing, because I’m not entirely convinced everyone within the Hasbro design team realizes just how much the fans want this figure.
I spoke with Derryl DePriest at length about Kwinn today at the Hasbro event, and he remained adamant that Kwinn was tooled up and that they are determined to find a place for him in the line. Toy production is always a give and take process, whether you’re in finance, manufacturing, management, or design, and sometimes you have to give a little to get a lot. I’m under the impression that they are still in “give and take” mode with Kwinn and sort of battling to figure out where to get him into the line.
Obviously, looking at the new figures we saw today, Kwinn just doesn’t seem to fit among mainstream retail offerings. He doesn’t have next gen body armor, he is clearly from a different era in G.I. Joe’s history, and he really doesn’t mesh with the whole G.I. Joe: Retaliation concept.
That being said, there is still the possibility that we’ll see Kwinn at New York ComicCon as an NYCC exclusive. That rumor has been going around quite a bit over the past several months, and the fact that GIJoeClub.com mentions an NYCC Exclusive only seems to confirm the possibility. Time will tell, but rest assured, folks within the G.I. Joe design team are trying like heck to get Kwinn to retail, hopefully they will succeed.
It was immediately obvious when I approached Derryl DePriest and began speaking that they knew articulation was an issue that was going to arise today. Between Mr. DePriest and designer John Warden, there were a lot of articulation questions flying around, and as many of us suspected, it all boils down to cost.
Yes, of course there are costs associated with new tooling for figures that are 5 points of articulation, but as explained from Mr. DePriest, it’s more than just the new tooling. Manufacturing costs for figures with that many joints and movement points are extremely expensive above and beyond the tooled parts, so even using existing tooling was cost prohibitive in most cases.
They weighed this fact with the idea that many of these vehicles were being geared for children, who would do little more than slam the figure in the cockpit and drive it around, and the decision was made…if they had to cut articulation, the drivers were the best place to do it. It is a constant battle between quality of the product and the costs that can be absorbed creating that product, and in a year when they are trying to build the brand back up, they have to be extremely prudent.
John Warden also brought up some interesting discussion points in regard to costs of vehicle production. As a fandom, we’ve been complaining pretty heavily about vehicle size, and they’ve taken that into consideration. By reducing articulation and reducing costs associated with the vehicles, they can balance things out and end up producing vehicles that are a bit larger than we might be used to. The Ghost Hawk II is a perfect example. This vehicle was surprisingly large I thought when I was in the showroom, and I honestly didn’t think Hasbro would be able to make it the size I would have wanted, but they did, and some of that is due to costs saved with reduced articulation.
So even though it seems to many of us that the trade off isn’t worth while, we are getting a somewhat larger vehicle, and some other very nicely designed vehicles to go along with it. Mr. Warden confirmed that the heads of the driver figures are totally swappable to normal figures and he even name dropped Rock n Roll as being an inspiration for the Clutch figure. It sounded to me like there was much careful consideration and financial analysis done, short term and long term, and the articulation changes are going to save money, which could mean better things in the future. I’m not happy with the way the driver figures look, but the vehicles are excellent, by and large, and the toyline is very nice as well.
As for the single pack figures…John Warden also confirmed that some of those figures have reduced articulation, but as I deduced on a recent episode of What’s on Joe Mind, it’s due to form and function. Articulation is given on an “as needed” basis, so generic troopers might not get the full range of motion, but the ninjas do. Another example was that the first release of Roadblock won’t have double knees or ankles, but the Wave 2 “Battle Kata” version will, because he’s got more training.
Cutting articulation is not something anyone wants. Not the fans and not the Hasbro designers. But financial justifications seemed to warrant it in this case. Don’t worry about it overtaking the line, that is not a concern.