G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra - A Collector’s Dilema
While cruising the G.I. Joe message boards I noticed that there’s a lot of fans that don’t seem to like many of the G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra toys because they are based on what looks like a shitty movie and many of the figures don’t fit into their idea of a Joe universe. At first I didn’t think I’d buy any of the non-old school inspired Joe figures, but I’m warming up a bit to some of them. I must admit however, that it’s not just because they all look pretty cool. It’s been such a long Joe dry spell that I’d pretty much buy anything right now. My new strategy is that if it looks like it fits in with my other figures and it’s cool, then I’m getting it unless it’s highly overpriced like the Marvel Universe line.
Here are some of the figures I’m looking forward to:
1. General Hawk - If you don’t want a Dennis Quaid action figure, you’re a Communist. This movie now has allowed us to have a Mike Brody from Jaws 3D. Or the dad from Yours, Mine, and Ours. You’re choice.
2. Ice Viper - This dude fits in perfectly with the G.I. Joe universe, crappy movie or not.
3. Snake Eyes - I don’t get the whole argument against him wearing “pants” considering he’s half commando so it kind of makes sense. I hate that he has lips. Still, there are some cool variations of our friend Snake Eyes that I’m going to have to get.
4. Storm Shadow - I’m really not that hot on how my favorite character appears on film, but he looks a lot better as an action figure.
5. Baroness - I don’t think I should explain why I need her. Some pictures I’ve seen show a bit of a man face on Baroness, but heads can always be swapped.
The biggest disappointment with the Rise of Cobra line (aside from the fact that if it tanks Joes might be done for) is the loss of the classic card art. I didn’t keep a whole lot of 25th G.I. Joes on card, but the few that I have I love them all the more for looking like the figures I picked up as a kid. Hopefully by next year maybe we can get more old school card art. Perhaps with the digital explosion in the background? I don’t know, just bring back what made us fell in love with the 25th Anniversary line after this G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra mess, Hasbro.
Anyway, what do you folks plan on collecting from the Rise of Cobra line? Anything? Some collectors have expressed interest in buying figures to keep G.I. Joe going. There’s no way I would spend money on G.I. Joe toys just to support the line even if I don’t like the figures. That’s insanity. Please tell me if you plan on doing that, so I can slap you.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
I’ll probably pick up quite a few. They lok fantastic for the most part.
Also, other than the lame “power suit thing” the movie doesn’t look too bad. I have the added benefit though as I am not saddled by ANY interpretation of what “GI Joe Should Be”.
Destro is some sort of Arms dealer who is led by Cobra commander who talks like star scream and may have a sneak head under his hood. Also I used to own this huge ass tank with dual missile launchers. Also no one can aim worth crap.
I have vague memories of some sort of cartoon starring Bazooka and Barbecue but otherwise I don’t remember any of it nor have I followed the comics.
However, I love the figures and have off and on collected them for a while. Basically I guess what I’m saying is, I’ve always liked collecting 3.3/4 Joes solely for their own merits as kick butt figures.
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:04 pm
I lucked into finding some figs and two vehicles today; hooray for Target ignoring street-dates!
I have Destro, Baroness (not the one pictured) Desert Duke, the Neo-Viper, the SE and SS pictured, and the Steel Crusher (Cobra Hummer) and Cobra Gunship.
Let me tell you, in person, they blew me away. I wasn’t even sure about getting the Neo-Viper but it was sharp in person, and the packaging of the vehicles is dynamic and should sell a bunch of them.
I passed on all the smaller vehicles - molepod, Ferret, Rockslide and Armadillo - not because they didn’t look good (they did!) but because I just couldn’t bring myself to pay $16 bucks for a small vehicle. Yet.
I hope to have some pics and such on my blog later.
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Addendum: as for what I intend to get, probably most if not all of the single figures, the Pit, Night Raven, some other vehicles. I may still avoid the smaller vehicles, depending.
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:35 pm
These Joes are gong to be overpriced as most toys are nowadays. I’ll get the Vipers, Storm Shadow, and Baroness, but I’ll probably pass on most of the others.
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:44 am
I likely won’t be buying anything, for the same reason I stopped buying the 25th Joes once the price hit $7: that’s just too damn much to pay for a little piece of plastic. I have every single 25tgh figure for the first 5 or 6 waves, but I stopped altogether once the price got too high. As nice as some of these figures look, I can’t justify spending that much on them.
(Of course, if they were Masters of the Universe, figures in this scale, I probably would buy them all. I’m just not ass attached to GI Joe as I am to MOTU.)
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:09 am
So far I have no intention to buy any of them, but that’s what I said before the 25th line came out, and it didn’t work out that way then. My bank account is going to suffer I think…
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:19 am
I’m with you Paul. If they’re not insanely overpriced I’ll buy me some. It’s just depressing to see cool toys that I can’t buy because they cost nearly as much (or more than) a friggin’ CD.
Sam
July 3rd, 2009 at 5:22 pm
I saw a couple at Target today for $7.99. They looked pretty good, I passed on them though. They had Destro, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and maybe another one. They also had the jet though I didn’t see how much that cost.
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Well, XeQUae pretty much answered my questions. I’ll be passing on these. 8 bucks a figure is absolutely ridiculous.
Sam
July 4th, 2009 at 1:19 am
I will second or third or whatever the price. I like these but if they end up being $8+ I’ll probably pass completely.
Too many lines are too pricey these days.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Well, I just got a Snake eyes and Storm Shadow, and they’re pretty good. I’ll mostly do what I’ve always done with Joes, and just get figres and Characters I like (DEFINITELY Shipwreck). And while I’m losing hope for the movie (Fucking accelerator suits…), if the all the toys are at the same level as the two I’ve already got, I’m hopeful for them, at least.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Oh, and Snake Eyes? Not only has lips, but, beneath the visor, and mask, and, rather inexplicably, eyes. He has a fully sculpted face. Nostrils even.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:47 am
Wow, I messed that up… Replace “and mask” with “a nose”.
Sorry for the triple post… It’s early…
July 5th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I’m looking forward to getting some of these - in two or three weeks, when the first big sales start…
July 5th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
Some of the figures and vehicles look very cool so I’ll get some of them. First ones on my list are a Night Raven and some of the Cobra figures.
July 7th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
[...] already put up what I wanted to pick up, but I only walked away with three figures: Baroness, Storm Shadow, and Shipwreck. I passed on [...]
July 13th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I’ll probably get all the snake eyes and stormshadow variations only. The movie fig is a bit pricey here in the Philippines and the 25th anniv joes is much better looking than the movie figs.