G.I. Joe Minimates!

[Navaan]

1 hour ago, jettstorm said:

Bored so gonna throw out my dream thought of the day if I ran this line up to series 10 with trooper sets in between....

Next Release: Trooper Pack #1 (Cobra Trooper, Crimson Guard, Viper, BAT)

Series 3: Flint, Lady Jaye, Gung-Ho, Spirit

Series 4: Zartan, Firefly, Zaranna, Major Bludd

Trooper Pack #2 (Cobra Officer, Snow Serpent, Eel, Red Ninja)

Series 5: Hawk, Cover Girl, Beach Head, Stalker

Series 6: Tomax, Xamot, Zaranna, Scrap Iron

Trooper Pack #3 (Alley Viper, Stinger Driver, Tele-Viper, Techno-Viper)

Series 7: Falcon, Jinx, Shipwreck, Dusty

Series 8: Serpentor, Dr. Mindbender, Zandar, Wild Weasel

Trooper Pack #4 (Joe Greenshirts w/swappable parts to make OG13 members Grunt, Zap, Short Fuze, Breaker etc.)

Series 9: Sgt. Slaughter, Low Light, Dusty, Wet Suit

Series 10: Buzzer, Ripper, Torch, Road Pig

 

Oh to dream.....

You have Zarana in Series 4 and 6!

[jettstorm]

1 hour ago, Navaan said:

You have Zarana in Series 4 and 6!

Hah, I do! Sorry about that. Hrmm...just replace the one in 6 with Copperhead. Yeah, I'd be good with that.

[Navaan]

2 hours ago, jettstorm said:

Hah, I do! Sorry about that. Hrmm...just replace the one in 6 with Copperhead. Yeah, I'd be good with that.

You are named after the Beast Machines character, Nightwing icon (I am the r/Nightwing mod!), and are talking GI Joe minimates. How are we not friends?

[DSTZach]

Tiger Force product is exclusive to Target, I believe. So a TF set is unlikely. 

[Strider]

8 hours ago, DSTZach said:

Tiger Force product is exclusive to Target, I believe. So a TF set is unlikely. 

That would be a neat convention exclusive though if it’s ever allowed. Out of all the lines right now this is the one I would have thought would be taking off. There is so much potential for so many different things whether it’s army building, alternate decos for exclusive sets like TF, NF, etc and vehicles. . . I guess it could just be that I am biased because I really want this line to succeed. 

[nandoninny]

8 hours ago, DSTZach said:

Tiger Force product is exclusive to Target, I believe. So a TF set is unlikely. 

Man you just love bursting my bubble, huh?

😘

i’ll keep hoping.   Would be at least a year till we saw this mixed with super7 just did tiger force (though I assume the deal is different).  Worst comes to worst - target exclusive tiger force minimate joes, right?

[Navaan]

6 hours ago, nandoninny said:

Man you just love bursting my bubble, huh?

😘

i’ll keep hoping.   Would be at least a year till we saw this mixed with super7 just did tiger force (though I assume the deal is different).  Worst comes to worst - target exclusive tiger force minimate joes, right?

I miss Target carrying the heck out of Minimates when the line launched.

[Onyx_6]

On 8/8/2023 at 11:07 PM, DSTZach said:

Tiger Force product is exclusive to Target, I believe. So a TF set is unlikely. 

 

On 8/9/2023 at 7:39 AM, nandoninny said:

Man you just love bursting my bubble, huh?

😘

i’ll keep hoping.   Would be at least a year till we saw this mixed with super7 just did tiger force (though I assume the deal is different).  Worst comes to worst - target exclusive tiger force minimate joes, right?

Yeah. See. This seems like the time to get Target back on board. They get a box set of Tiger Force repaints. Or a blind bag assortment.

[nandoninny]

https://toynewsi.com/278-49409

this video game could help sell GI JOE Minimates.  Series 1 featured right there as the main playable characters

[Navaan]

We'll see. I think, if anything, troop builders will help the GI Joe line.

[jettstorm]

13 hours ago, Navaan said:

We'll see. I think, if anything, troop builders will help the GI Joe line.

Preach, Brother Navaan, Preach!

[Navaan]

5 hours ago, jettstorm said:

Preach, Brother Navaan, Preach!

"I have good guys; I need bad guys for them to fight!"
"I have bad guys; I need good guys for them to fight!"
"This bad guy is cool; oh, there are good guys for him to fight!"

I know of Joe fans who have collections of literally 500 of different enemy troop builders. Hell, there is a guy who gets a dozen or so of every version of the BAT, at *least*. 

Seriously, make these, market these, and they will sell.

I myself will buy 4, minimum, plus probably 2-3 more for parts.

[cylonchaney]

I'll say it again. Army builders would break the seal on me buying into this line. I have none as of yet.

The main bad buy is Cobra Commander right? So what's he commanding then?

I generally defend the decisions of DST because it's so easy to be an armchair critic and we don't know all that goes on behind the scenes. And I try to be always polite on the forum. But, seriously DST, if this line comes and goes and you did not try some kind of army builder pack, you are idiots. How is that not "the sky is blue" obvious?

[thereasonsy]

5 hours ago, Navaan said:

"I have good guys; I need bad guys for them to fight!"
"I have bad guys; I need good guys for them to fight!"
"This bad guy is cool; oh, there are good guys for him to fight!"

I know of Joe fans who have collections of literally 500 of different enemy troop builders. Hell, there is a guy who gets a dozen or so of every version of the BAT, at *least*. 

Seriously, make these, market these, and they will sell.

I myself will buy 4, minimum, plus probably 2-3 more for parts.

I have not taken it to that extreme, but I do typically buy 7 of every Army Builder we get so perhaps I’m on my way! Adding to the chorus of Army Builder requests. A BAT, a Crimson Guard, a TeleViper and and anormal solider, a few different heads like the crazy 88 Boxset and wham. Maybe a battle damaged BAT head for fun. The possibilities are endless. It makes me believe there’s a contractual or other reason that we aren’t getting this since it’s a pretty obvious thing to do if you liked money.

[buttheadsmate]

10 hours ago, cylonchaney said:

 

 

 And I try to be always polite on the forum. 

Me too.

I try very hard.

[thereasonsy]

On 9/2/2023 at 5:01 AM, buttheadsmate said:

Me too.

I try very hard.

Same.

 

On 9/1/2023 at 11:32 PM, thereasonsy said:

I have not taken it to that extreme, but I do typically buy 7 of every Army Builder we get so perhaps I’m on my way! Adding to the chorus of Army Builder requests. A BAT, a Crimson Guard, a TeleViper and and anormal solider, a few different heads like the crazy 88 Boxset and wham. Maybe a battle damaged BAT head for fun. The possibilities are endless. It makes me believe there’s a contractual or other reason that we aren’t getting this since it’s a pretty obvious thing to do if you liked money.

IMHO It has to be something with the contract or the licensor because it’s too obvious and they are managing to do army builders with the TMNT. Not in a crazy 88 way but still.

[nandoninny]

if its ARAH related i may need to go fly there in person to pick up a set or 3.

not likely, but i'd like to.

[buttheadsmate]

As difficult as it is to say but are the GI Joe Minimates that good ? I know little of GI Joe . There have been several licences over the years that I wouldn't have had a clue WTF the licence was about yet I could decide for myself whether the minimates were to my 'taste'  or not . A classic example would be Mass Effect , I still don't have a clue about the franchise but the minimates were IMHO some of the finest production minimates ever made . Another example was Plants & Zombies , off the wall or what ?  Invincibles ,superb.  I love them & bought into them & I am really pleased I did.

I'm not trying to rile you guys but I'm not sure that these Joe 'mates are that special .  I bought them like I always do but ....?

If I have riled anyone then tell me what there is to love about the Minimates themselves not your love for GI Joe.

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by buttheadsmate
sp.

[DSTZach]

3 hours ago, nandoninny said:

if its ARAH related i may need to go fly there in person to pick up a set or 3.

not likely, but i'd like to.

What is this in regards to?

[nandoninny]

1 hour ago, DSTZach said:

What is this in regards to?

me being a dumbass and responding to the wrong thread.  meant to put this in the nycc thread....which i just saw won't have an exclusive so mute point anyways

[thereasonsy]

5 hours ago, buttheadsmate said:

As difficult as it is to say but are the GI Joe Minimates that good ? I know little of GI Joe . There have been several licences over the years that I wouldn't have had a clue WTF the licence was about yet I could decide for myself whether the minimates were to my 'taste'  or not . A classic example would be Mass Effect , I still don't have a clue about the franchise but the minimates were IMHO some of the finest production minimates ever made . Another example was Plants & Zombies , off the wall or what ?  Invincibles ,superb.  I love them & bought into them & I am really pleased I did.

I'm not trying to rile you guys but I'm not sure that these Joe 'mates are that special .  I bought them like I always do but ....?

If I have riled anyone then tell me what there is to love about the Minimates themselves not your love for GI Joe.

 

 

Fair question. I think separation of nostalgia and the actual product is a valid conversation piece. IMHO, feelings aside the Cobra pack is the superior of the three and that is mainly due to the accessories and amount of sculpting that happened between Baronesses’ hair, Coco’s helmet and all of Destro. Destro looks and feels like money. Tons of good accessories that enhanced playability. The packaging concept wasn’t innovative to the industry but it was to the line. Imho better suited for the convention space. A carded toy set in a box that leaned into nostalgia isn’t that new. Look at the world’s smallest line as a cousin. The bunker concept itself leaned into nostalgia and could have dramatically eaten into profit margins as its an irregular shape and weight. Lastly, the unexpected and consistent delays, for whatever justified reason, married with the figure selection diminished my personal experience. And no, I don’t want to rehash the whole debate on delays and characters. The assignment is without nostalgia or years of Joe Knowledge, are these minimates the best. 

 

All said, I %<*% love these Joes. They are some of my favourite Minimates of all time because I am the sweet spot for Joe Nostalgia. I don’t know how one could separate the nostalgia aspect of it. The very reason why you loved the plants vs zombies is why I didn’t buy them. I only bought Mass Effects and Halo for Joedom. I hope we get more ARAH but in case we don’t I’m proud of what we got. 

[jettstorm]

I'm very similar in that it would be near impossible to separate my fandom of GI Joe from the product as it is the overwhelming reason I purchased them. I am also in the perfect sweet spot for this product. I grew up in the 80s watching the cartoon, reading the comic and collecting the toys. Its one of my top 3 fandoms along with DC Comics and Star Wars.

That being said if I try to be objective and merely judge the mates themselves I find that I am still extremely pleased with the product. Granted, I am not a hard one to please when it comes to the minimate realm as i have basically bought everything they've ever put out and loved almost all of it. Even if I knew nothing about it or had no attachment to it like the previously mentioned Plants vs. Zombies, which were fun figures from a property I know nothing about and have no nostalgia I was pleased with the product. Thief of Thieves, Desperately Seeking Susan, iZombie, Kingdom Hearts these were all properties I am not really familiar with but I enjoyed the unique designs and the variety each of these sets provided. I am a fanatical lazy customizer and usually buy 2 or more of every pack so I have parts to swap and make new characters.

GI Joe offered me (so far...please keep em coming) four sets that while not robust in character selection, they were very satisfying in design for me. True to the subject matter of course but beyond that I find the designs interesting and unique amongst the rest of my collection. Minimates by their very nature are formulaic and somewhat cookie cutter but I found the new parts in these sets for customizing to be excellent and the weapons provided are perfect to share with other sets. Face and torso tampos were all very sharp in my sets and each figure just jumps out for me much like the Transformer sets with design and coloring. The packaging, while disparaged due to the cost increase and perceived negative affect to the lines success so far, is very well done and the individual carded presentation is miniature art to some of us. I wont try to convince anyone to buy these for the packaging but I assure you there are those of us that did.

At the end of the day though I expect many of us buy these toys from some subjective point of view based on nostalgia, our opinion of the quality of the toy, the presentations appeal or a need to complete a collection. If GI Joe isn't your jam then nothing anyone else could say would change your mind. For me, merging a childhood fandom with quality product makes these my favorite minimates I own (until I get my army builders ). Objectively I argue they are good if not great figures and sets but subjectively I say these are the best damn things DST has made and it would be a shame if it doesn't continue on.

[NerdyTrev]

I'm not a big G.I. Joe fan. I got the FCBD set mostly for Snake Eyes, because you obviously want to have the most iconic part of the franchise represented. 

That said, the series 2 Cobra release is a top tier assortment of minimates. I didn't get series 1. Two figures I already had and two others that didn't excite me. Series 2 is different. The Cobra designs are striking and dynamic, more than the look of the Joes. I felt better getting two figured I already had in this instance because a.) Destro & Baroness were that impressive and b.) the subtle variation of Cobra Commander was interesting - I think I prefer the second version.

I would like to see and hope to see more ARAH minimates. Both to make everyone happy and to hopefully get more fascinating Cobra designs. Hopefully going forward DST will shelve the "retro" packaging gimmick and just give us the minimates. The extra cost is not worth the novelty, in my opinion.

 

TL;DR ~ I want more international terrorists and less military stooges.

[buttheadsmate]

Thank you , I may well go back & have another look at them  

As an adult (fairly adult most of the time) toy-collector with tunnel-vision , I rarely stray from Minimates these days. I'm staggered by the fact that Minimates generally have never taken off commercially in the way I hoped that they would .  I see licences come along (like GI Joe) & I see the enthusiasm from those that are left of us on this forum only to see hopes dashed time & time again . I can't put my finger on exactly why this is but I'm an old guy who rarely knows when he's beat but maybe even I am beginning to see very little light at the end of a very long tunnel .  

 

 

[nandoninny]

for me the appeal of the Joe line is all about the potential.

the ones that have come out so far have been fine by me and i wouldn't change a thing (other than maybe give snake eyes his uzi).  but there were so many characters in the ARAH cartoon and toy line that will look so good as minimates.  plus similar to minimates, joes were easy to take apart and put back together in a mix and match fashion.  i used to customize so many of them.  but i was born in the late 70's and these were the first action figures i remember having.  i collected them for only about 7 years but in that time i had a ton of them and it was pretty much all of elementary school for me.  i think i quit joes when toy biz started putting out marvel figures which prior to toy biz i think i had only seen them as secret wars which i only had spider man.

when the 25th anniversary line came out i bought everything and had money to army build and it only increased the love.  when the minimates got announced i sold all of those in preperation for the minimates........which i'm still kinda waiting for.

but one of the things i'm most fond of was the tiger force which was where they took old figures and repainted them as a special unit.  simple idea these days but back then it was new to me.  then they did night force, python patrol, slaughter's marauders, and i'm sure i'm forgetting others. 

anyways, the appeal is a mix of nostalagia and potential.  the appeal of minimates combined with the appeal of my favorite toy line as a kid and to be able to collect a big line again and have easy access army builders sounded like a lot of fun and i hope we can still get at least some of that.  all of us excited all have our wish list based on our favorite characters and it probably covers a wide range of the line and not everyone was going to get thier favorite but they'd likely get at least one or two off thier bucket list (firefly for me).