buttheadsmate Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 This will undoubtedly upset someone which isn't my intention . I'm stuck indoors today ....fairly bored ......read this thread , Googled 'Hasbro' & one thing led to another ..........now I know a lot more about Hasbro ,the Hassenfeld brothers & their early foray into making toys in the 1940's...... notably 'doctors & nurses' kits . You guys knew but I hadn't realised that Mr.Potato Head was a Hasbro product way back in 1949 .........do you think that public opinion forced them into producing Mrs.Potato Head ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK Collector Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Does anyone listen to the cracked.com podcast? They touch on sexism (amongst other themes) this week in a very interesting episode. Edited May 18, 2015 by UK Collector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Saw this over the weekend: Clearly there are female action figures. Some are even on clearance. Were the TRU cases evenly packed? Because there's a pic of eleven 2-packs, eight of which feature a female character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toy showdown Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 If you want a taste of Hasbro hypocrisy, just look at Hasbro Mashers. Not a single female hero or Transformer in the mix. Then they make an Indominus rex which is female. I want to buy Indominus and mash her up with Iceman and then send that picture to Hasbro and show them how mixing not only gender but sexual preference has obviously started the Apocalypse and we should all bending over and kissing our a***s goodbye. But I don't really want to spend $40 on Hasbro when I can just Photoshop it. Give the money to DST instead, because they're not afraid to show there's nothing wrong with boobs on Wolverine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 That Lady Jaye/Baroness two-pack is GARBAGE. I LOVE my Joes, and always appreciate GOOD custom fodder, but ugh. Make mine DST Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mysterious Stranger Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Actually that Lady Jaye is a pretty good figure. The Baroness suffers from poor quality plastic and an old head sculpt that should never be used again. And man, I wish there were pegs full of that Quicksilver/Scarlett Witch 2-pack around here. I caved and paid ebay prices for mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valo487 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 That Lady Jaye/Baroness two-pack is GARBAGE. I LOVE my Joes, and always appreciate GOOD custom fodder, but ugh. Make mine DST If I didn't know any better, I would swear that Hasbro is trying to sabotage G.I. Joe. When there was a rumor of them getting a Star Wars Black style 6 inch line, everyone got excited and started talking about what they would like to see from it, until the Joe convention came and they revealed that was not going to happen. All they had to show was more of the same kind of product that no one has been buying. At this point, I think the best thing that could happen to G.I. Joe would be for Hasbro to give the license to someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I didn't even realize that there weren't any female characters in Hasbro's Hero Mashers Minimates knock-off line. At first I wondered if that might have been a Disney or Marvel decision but Lego minifigs and Minimates have the same play pattern. Those were approved. Is some right-wing nut really concerned that kids swapping out "male" and "female" parts will support the insidiously subversive LGBT agenda? I can see it now; Hasbro bows to consumer pressure and releases female characters like Black Widow and Rescue but they're not interchangeable with the parts from the male characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) But why do you think your daughter is drawn to female characters in films? Why can she relate to them more? Is it because she knows that they have ovaries? Or is she perhaps taught by the world around her (her friends, her teachers, the TV, etc..) that she is a girl and that means that she should like dresses and princesses and dancing the way that boys are taught to like tools and wrestlers and trucks? Don't get me wrong, there is no problem with little girls liking princesses or with boys liking super-heroes, but what happens when a little boy likes princesses or a little girl likes super-heroes and they feel like they're not supposed to because those products are marketed at a 'different gender'? Wouldn't it be cool if we didn't make such a big deal over the minor differences between boys and girls? Part of the problem is that we're not teaching our kids that pink is for everyone & Tonka trucks are for everyone. That's something that we as everyday people can do. The other part of the problem is convincing manufacturers and marketers the same thing. That battle is gonna be a lot harder. And you are spot on about sexism in Hollywood. You really can't argue with the paycheques of actors in their 40's, 50's and beyond as evidence for the sexism inherent in cinema. EDIT: Sorry K80 - my rant is at the world, not at you. i hope it didn't come across that way. It's impossible to know any of this without really doing an unbiased experiment--and I'm sure there are some out there that look at these kinds of things. You could be right. On the other hand, can all of us truly say that we are putting aside our own philosophical and/or moral beliefs when we look at these issues? And I'm including among those, the belief that the free market dictates corporate behavior. All I can say is that in my own case, I tried to give my daughter boys toys to play with from an early age on. Simply because I had them, and it would have saved us money while also letting me vicariously relive some of the fun I had playing with those toys as a kid. She was given Ninja Turtles, Batman, and He-Man toys, and never showed much interest, even when she was a toddler. And my wife never cared for princesses at all, and in fact still hasn't shown her some of the Disney cartoons with traditional, princess gets saved by handsome hero message. She didn't want our girl(s) wearing dresses and prancing around, but that's what they do all the time now. And my oldest was always drawn to princesses. Could culture/peers/parents have been influencing her even then, in some subtle way? It's possible, but I don't think that's the whole story, particularly now that I've got first-hand experience with it. And I'm certainly not saying that all kids inherently possess traditional gendered roles and preferences, so I hope that doesn't come across. Edited May 18, 2015 by karamazov80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Just go back & buy those Exclusive QS/SW 2 packs ................. like now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Actually that Lady Jaye is a pretty good figure. The Baroness suffers from poor quality plastic and an old head sculpt that should never be used again. And man, I wish there were pegs full of that Quicksilver/Scarlett Witch 2-pack around here. I caved and paid ebay prices for mine. I love the build of the Lady Jaye and was excited to get her. But she's got the same plastic issues as Baroness and every figure I saw had googly eyes and/or plastic flashing around her jawline that looked like a beard. Disappointing, as I wanted to turn her into Bombstrike. As for Baroness, it's a weak base figure, a horribly outdated head sculpt, a poor paint app (everyone I saw looks like she's puckering her lips) and a boring accessory pack out. If it came down under ten, I'd get the set and try to salvage The figures. But I don't see that happening. That Lady Jaye/Baroness two-pack is GARBAGE. I LOVE my Joes, and always appreciate GOOD custom fodder, but ugh. Make mine DST If I didn't know any better, I would swear that Hasbro is trying to sabotage G.I. Joe. When there was a rumor of them getting a Star Wars Black style 6 inch line, everyone got excited and started talking about what they would like to see from it, until the Joe convention came and they revealed that was not going to happen. All they had to show was more of the same kind of product that no one has been buying. At this point, I think the best thing that could happen to G.I. Joe would be for Hasbro to give the license to someone else. I literally could not agree more. Instead of something new and exciting, Hasbro is giving us a mountain of reissues and repaints. And still, some fans are into it (maybe because they have nothing else to choose from?) I'll be getting Gung Ho, even if he's jacked up, and MAYBE a Rock Viper if I can customize a good enough substitute head for him. But damn. I miss GOOD GI Joe product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valo487 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I think you're right that they're excited just because it's something, and for a while there hadn't been anything. What I truly do not understand, is even if Hasbro had no plans for a 6-inch Black style line, how did they not hear all the people talking and the excitement that was starting to build and realize "Hey, change of plans, we need to jump on this now while the iron is hot." When everyone at JoeCon was expecting that reveal, and it turns out all they have is a few more rereleases....I fail to see how disappointing everyone does the brand any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UK Collector Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Good points K80. Not sure if you guys get a show called Qi out on BBC America? Hosted by Stephen Fry? They had a 'boys and girls' episode a few years back. Sandi Toksvig was on there talking about her young son, and how she and her partner made a conscience decision not to let him have toy guns etc. sure enough he hit an age where everything he could get his hands on was a 'gun', using cardboard toilet rolls etc. doesn't prove anything but makes me laugh. Wish I could find the clip I'm talking about, but here is the link to what I think is the full episode. And Nessex, I honestly can't believe that GotG stuff! Astonishing! Edited May 18, 2015 by UK Collector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Gentle Giant now has the license for large, retro Joes. And Sideshow had 1/6 scale figures for the longest time. So, Hasbro isn't above licensing Joe out for products they're not doing themselves. But they may still feel there is profit in the 3 3/4" line, and that it will compete in some ways for customers of 6" figures. I would love to see Mezco do some of their 1/12 scale clothed figures as Joes. Or better yet, ThreeZero! Just imagine a 6" Joe line that looked this good: And thanks UK, I haven't heard of that, but would like to check it out. Related to that, there is a family friend whose boy played with our oldest, basically since he was born. They went to the same daycare, and then moved up to the same Montissori school. Once he turned 3 or so, they just started drifting apart, playing with kids of their own gender. Despite their connection early and often, it just happened. And now, whenever they have play dates, they play around each other rather than with each other, in predictable gender-oriented ways. Edited May 18, 2015 by karamazov80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 The problem with GI Joe, I fear, is that military toys won't draw a young crowd. Not now. Not for some time. When I was growing up, playing with GI Joe, war was WW2. The Civil War. The Revolutionary War. There was a clear "right" side, and everything about it was compelling. Brothers fighting brothers, genocide, freedom hanging in the balance. Korea and Vietnam were too fresh to factor into anything. Now, Vietnam and the Middle East and real close-to-home terrorism are what you think of when you think war. The lines are blurred. Soldiers are still heroes, but should they be fighting those battles in the first place? It all makes for compelling drama for the more adult collector who has grown up with GI Joe, but... kids? It's not as easy for kids to latch onto anymore. Hasbro is trying to milk every cent they can out of Joe by reissuing and reprinting what they already have. But making new product? A whole new 6 inch line? The profitability just isn't there. Larger scale collector figures that are direct shipped? That can work, because of the margins involved, but for me? No thanks. Anyhow... I know we're so off topic it hurts. Back to basics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I agree that the time for Joes has passed, and will only even stay on life support by targeting adult collectors. So, I imagine it is hard to justify a whole new line for the masses with that in mind. And it's not like they can piggyback on the molding used for the Star Wars figures in order to create a collector's line, as the Joes are so fundamentally different that they would require new sculpts for nearly everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valo487 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I agree that the time for Joes has passed, and will only even stay on life support by targeting adult collectors. So, I imagine it is hard to justify a whole new line for the masses with that in mind. And it's not like they can piggyback on the molding used for the Star Wars figures in order to create a collector's line, as the Joes are so fundamentally different that they would require new sculpts for nearly everything. I actually think that G.I. Joe could make a huge comeback, if they were just willing to change up the concept a little bit. Look at the Fast and the Furious, Mission: Impossible movies, even James Bond, there is a ton of successful media centered around the idea of a hero or team of heroes going up against international super villains. Captain America: The Winter Soldier you could argue is the best G.I. Joe movie ever made that's not about G.I. Joe. I feel like a big part of the problem is that Hasbro has over the last 10 years changed up the theme of the brand every year or two and every time people start to get onboard they already have canceled and moved onto the next thing. I sold off my collection not because I don't love the characters, but because I got tired of them canceling something I was getting interested in and starting over with the next theme only to see that one also canceled and so on. The 25th Anniversary, Rise of Cobra, Pursuit of Conra, the 30th Anniversary, Resolute, Renegades, Sigma 6....that's a lot of Duke and Snake Eyes figures that don't go together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 I'll agree that a slightly different take could work. I think a near future (10-20 years) storyline somewhere between Deus Ex and Terminator might work well. The Joes would have to be low tech to combat the villains who control the net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterPL Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 The movies don't appear to be helping Joe at all. And since Hasbro's attempt to acquire a movie studio of its own was squashed by Disney, I don't see that changing much without a major conceptual reboot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) Maybe they could be tweaked, but the draw of conventional armed forces isn't there anymore, from what I can see. And in part that's a reflection of fundamental changes in military conflict and global politics, in part it's a cultural change in that we don't glorify the military in the way that we used to, and in part it's probably affected by the fact that films targeting kids reflect this back at them. Fast and Furious, James Bond, and Mission: Impossible, even if they are attractive to kids, don't involve military soldiers in the way you traditionally think of them (at least, I don't think that's what Fast and Furious does, though I only saw the original film about 10 years ago). To Mnemosis's post, I was debating this with someone recently, and used the example that I'm not sure kids would be lining up outside the doors of TRU to buy a bunch of variations of Mainframe and Dial-Tone, but that's probably the more accurate depiction of the American military today than Footloose, Flint, and Grunt. Edited May 18, 2015 by karamazov80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Personally, I always liked Mainframe and Dial Tone better lol! But you're right. "Guy who sits at a computer" is "boring" compared to "dude with a rocket launcher." Maybe if the focus was a bit more on humanitarian and peace keeping efforts? A more militarized version of Rescue Bots? I just don't know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karamazov80 Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 UN Joe! They can fight dastardly villains such as hunger, disease, and sometimes even child labor and genocide, symbolically of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediJohnson Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 C'mon, guys, this is an Avengers Minimates thread, in the Marvel Minimates section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosis Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 Lmao And fair point, JJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toy showdown Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 To be fair, there's not that much more to talk about. Except maybe why DST didn't include Pietro's super-lightweight bulletproof riot gear armor that Tony gave him at Avengers Tower before the final battle. Oh wait... [[ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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