G.I. Joe: Combat Heroes!

[Beast]

I figured since JT allowed us to create a seperate Superhero Squad thread on the forums, he wouldn't mind a seperate thread for this upcoming line. At SDCC in July, Hasbro will offer an exclusive Snake Eyes and Timber 2-Pack. This will be a tease of the upcoming Combat Heroes line, which will launch in 2009 tied into the G.I. Joe movie. They look great, I can't wait! Knowing is half the battle! :thumbsup:

More Info: http://gijoeclub.com/sdcc08heroes.cfm

[JediTricks]

Timber's corny look is a little over the top, but Snake Eyes looks pretty cool. That packaging has one issue they should consider though, SE looks like he's going to attack his wolf buddy.

Also, I hope when the main line's packaging hits that it's a little brighter, the black at the top of that card gives it a cold, dark feel to it - red there would be better.

[Beast]

Heh. Now that you mention it, it does. Not sure how they could fix that really though. Either way, it's nice to finally see G.I. Joe join Star Wars, Marvel, Toy Story, and Indiana Jones with a 'Heroes' line. Hopefully unlike the Transformers line, they'll stick to the comic appearances with the G.I. Joe heroes for the most part.

And yeah, the card is pretty dull. I think that hurt Superhero Squad also. Hence why the new packaging is more vibrant and eye catching. Hopefully they simply used the 25th Anniversary look as a basis since it's going to be an early preview for the 2009 line. I wonder what the re-released mass market version will look like.

[RUSHBOY]

Snake Eyes looks awesome!! These are the figures I want to see in this new line .

Zartan
Destro
Tomax
Xamot
Major Bludd
Blowtorch
Shipwreck
Quick Kick
B.A.T.
Rowdy Roddy Piper
50 Cent (would be a cool G I Joe figure)
Baroness (in her blue outfit)

[El Chuxter]

AWESOME!!!!

They denied this pointblank a few months ago, but I figured it was a given anyway with the movie coming out. I'm only surprised they didn't call them "Real American Heroes."

A little surprised to see Timber, but I'm not about to complain. I can't wait for, hell, anyone!

[Jedi_slayer]

AWESOME!!!!

They denied this pointblank a few months ago, but I figured it was a given anyway with the movie coming out. I'm only surprised they didn't call them "Real American Heroes."

A little surprised to see Timber, but I'm not about to complain. I can't wait for, hell, anyone!

problem with calling them "RAM" is your limiting your audience in that way. Marketing more towards the "american" collector, when a small change to another name, widens the appeal to outside the US as well

[El Chuxter]

I can see your point, but the current line is called GIJoe: A Real American Hero, so it's still odd to me.

[JediTricks]

I think that calling it RAH would confuse it, and make the characters ALL seem like American Heroes which they're not. But GI Joe is an American Hero in the context of the line, that's one of its selling points, and if the overseas market don't like it, then collect something else.

[Jedi_slayer]

, and if the overseas market don't like it, then collect something else.


easy to say, when your not the one paying the licensing fee. have you ever known a company to turn money down?

[El Chuxter]

No. But, in this case, licensing fees don't apply. Hasbro owns GIJoe 100%.

[Jedi_slayer]

touche' lol

but im still half right.

companies dont turn $$$ down.

[JediTricks]

easy to say, when your not the one paying the licensing fee. have you ever known a company to turn money down?Hasbro created GI Joe, there are no licensing fees for them to pay. In fact, they license the line out, so they get payments even when the brand name is changed overseas.

Anyway, if making the line less American hurts their US sales, then it's a huge mistake because the US market is far and away their biggest.

[bigbarada]

Anyway, if making the line less American hurts their US sales, then it's a huge mistake because the US market is far and away their biggest.

Plus, they'd have to worry about a backlash from annoyed American collectors who don't like the idea of "globalizing" GI Joe.

Anyways, that set looks awesome! Even though my first thought when I saw the packaged figures was, "Why is Snake-Eyes going to shoot Scooby-Doo?" lol Please tell me this is not going to be a convention exclusive.

[JediTricks]

It's a convention exclusive, but probably will be available on HTS as well.

[Darth Jax]

link (http://forums.sirstevesguide.com/showpost.php?p=509246&postcount=27)

Not exactly what i was picturing when i reqested snake eyes, but close enough.

[RUSHBOY]

If they make Tomax and Xamot in this new line I hope they keep them together!
That would be messed up if they separated them .

[bigbarada]

I just want Mutt & Junkyard and Gung-Ho (as well as this Snake-Eyes & Timber set) for now. But I'm really open to anyone from GI Joe made in this format.

[jedi master sal]

While GIJoe was originally a RAH, it's evolved. The movie will move it in that direction. Honestly, I don't think it's going to hurt sales for this particular line to call it "Combat Heroes" versus RAH.

People are still going to buy them. Joe collectors will still get them even if some do so begrudingly because of the name.

I don't think I'm going to get this line. While I did buy into the Marvel line, at least there my fiancee was into it. My fanaticism with GIJoe dies somewhere in the mid-80's. If I got this line, it would just be to have all the "Heroes" type figures and that's just not a good enough reason.

But I wish all of you well and good luck who are going to collect this line.

[JediTricks]

While I don't have a problem not calling this line "RAH" because it's something else, I do have a problem taking the concept behind the 3.75"-derived toy line and taking the "ARAH" name out of it, that's part of the core concept. It's in the THEME SONG for corn's sake!

[bigbarada]

A Real American Hero was specifically a reference to the 1980s incarnation of GI Joe. GI Joe existed for decades before that as generic military figures. The 1982 re-imagining of the line in 3 3/4" format gave us characters like Snake-Eyes, Storm Shadow, Duke and Cobra Commander. And that reboot was called "A Real American Hero."

If they are going to take any reference to America out of it, then they need to just drop the name GI Joe, because that nickname was created specifically to refer to American soldiers fighting overseas in WW2, Korea and Vietnam. So, GI Joe should ONLY refer to an American-based fighting force. Not some multi-national UN garbage.

But this is to be expected because of the current state of world affairs. Hasbro made comparable changes in the 1960s because of the Vietnam war. Changing the theme from "war" to "adventure." Right now, we're involved in unpopular wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Hasbro's primary interest is profit so I can kind of understand why they would be dialing back the American Hero theme.

And in the end, it's just packaging that we are talking about. As long as they don't start replacing American flags with UN flags, I can overlook it.

[Beast]

Some info on the line from various Q&A's. Relating to the SDCC Exclusive.

From TNI:
TNI: Will the Snake-Eyes and Timber Combat Heroes figures be exclusive to only SDCC or will they later be made available as part of a future Combat Heroes figure assortment?

Hasbro: This two pack will remain exclusive for ComiCon. If we use these figures again in the future, they will be different versions.
From Hiss Tank:
5)How will the Combat Heroes line be set up? Will we get both Classic Joes and Movie Joes?

A. Yes, the line will start off giving you classic expressions and transition to movie figures in 2009.

[Beast]

Info on the first wave of G.I. Joe: Combat Heroes from HissTank.Com.

"The first wave of Combat Heroes will include Snake Eyes and Young Timber vs. Zartan. Bazooka Vs. Firefly. Duke vs. Cobra Trooper. More info and pictures on these items will be revealed tomorrow."

[RUSHBOY]

Info on the first wave of G.I. Joe: Combat Heroes from HissTank.Com.

"The first wave of Combat Heroes will include Snake Eyes and Young Timber vs. Zartan. Bazooka Vs. Firefly. Duke vs. Cobra Trooper. More info and pictures on these items will be revealed tomorrow."

Sweet thanks for the info !! I will be getting all 3 of them with Snake eyes vs Zartan being my favorite !!

[Jedi_slayer]

I wonder how long they make us wait before we get a Storm Shadow?

[Beast]

Small update. Here's the first whole wave. No pics as of yet.

Combat Heroes: Duke vs. Cobra Trooper
Combat Heroes: Snake Eyes & Young Timber vs. Zartan
Combat Heroes: RoadBlock vs. Cobra Commander
Combat Heroes: Bazooka vs. FireFly

MSRP is $5.99. The line was planned for 2009, but now will start in Early Fall.

Some of the pairings seem a bit odd. But I guess it's simply to encourage people to buy more than just their favorite characters. After all if Duke came with Cobra Commander and Snake Eyes came with Storm Shadow, that would be two less packs that might sell. Destro better come with Baroness though. :p

[Beast]

Some images from Hasbro's Joe Con Presentation have shown up on TNI.

So we have our first look at two sets in the first wave.

Combat Heroes: Snake Eyes & Young Timber vs. Zartan
Combat Heroes: Bazooka vs. FireFly

[Jedi_slayer]

this line is going to turn out so much better than the marvel line. Im sure we will get 20 snakeyes, like we get 20 spidermans. but thats ok, I like snake eyes. :D

[El Chuxter]

Young Timber vs Devil's Due Zartan? Someone's timing is off! :crazed:

Wait, never mind; the purple threw me off. It's classic Zartan after all.

Oh, and Bazooka would get his a** kicked in that matchup.

[bigbarada]

Oh, and Bazooka would get his a** kicked in that matchup.

Unless the fight takes place in the cartoon, then Bazooka would trip on a rock and shoot a tree that explodes into pieces and disturbs a beehive, then those bees swarm Firefly and he's forced to take cover in a nearby lake. Then Bazooka throws the rock in frustration, it lands in the lake, hits Firefly in the head and knocks him out cold. Bazooka wins!:D

[El Chuxter]

True dat.

In the comics, though, Bazooka (who wasn't mentally challenged like in the cartoon) wouldn't know Firefly was there until he'd slit his throat from behind, gutted him like a deer in one slash, peed on his carcass, and then set off about 50 pounds of TNT to burn the evidence (and, well, just because he gets off on blowing stuff up).

(My mission is to get you to snatch up all the reprints once IDW starts releasing them. :D)

[bigbarada]

True dat.

In the comics, though, Bazooka (who wasn't mentally challenged like in the cartoon) wouldn't know Firefly was there until he'd slit his throat from behind, gutted him like a deer in one slash, peed on his carcass, and then set off about 50 pounds of TNT to burn the evidence (and, well, just because he gets off on blowing stuff up).

(My mission is to get you to snatch up all the reprints once IDW starts releasing them. :D)

Well, I bet your precious comic books never showed Snake Eyes in drag...... oh wait, that would be a good thing.:p

Actually I'm looking forward to checking out the comics. Is IDW going to reprint them one issue at a time or in collected trade paperbacks? And how are those of us without a comic book store within 50 miles going to buy this comic?

They should do another Snake Eyes and Timber 2-pack, but put them in these outfits.:D

[JediTricks]

I guess "exclusive" Snake Eyes was stretching things a bit. Same body, just green grenades and a different sword.

[Beast]

Here's some pics from TNI of the entire first wave.

Really love the sculpt of Duke and Cobra Commander. :)

[bigbarada]

Those are all looking pretty cool and I'm having a very hard time not jumping on one of the SDCC Exclusive Snake-Eyes with Timber sets that are all over Ebay right now. With shipping, however, it's looking like $25-$30. I'm just worried that the price is going to skyrocket if I pass up on it now.

[Beast]

Those are all looking pretty cool and I'm having a very hard time not jumping on one of the SDCC Exclusive Snake-Eyes with Timber sets that are all over Ebay right now. With shipping, however, it's looking like $25-$30. I'm just worried that the price is going to skyrocket if I pass up on it now.
They -should- be available on Hasbro Toy Shop after the show.

Hopefully they produced a ton, given how these show exclusives always sell out.

[bigbarada]

Yeah, I think I'll just take my chances after the show. If I have to pay more, then I'll just suck it up. Although that Snake Eyes is getting repainted and rereleased in the first wave of the figures, so in essence I'd be paying $25 for Timber. Hmmmm.... still.....

I will check out HTS after the show, however, thanks for the tip.:)

[Darth Jax]

Give it time, you may not get the same paintjob as the con exclusive, but timber will show up packaged at retail down the road. The joe vs. cobra angle will be too difficult for hasbro to pass up the chance to do multi-packs if nothing else.

[Beast]

The SDCC Exclusive Snake Eyes and Timber set is now available at Hasbrotoyshop.com.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/ProductsByBrand.htm?BR=520&ID=22417

[El Chuxter]

That sucks. He's less than he cost at the Con!

Oh yeah... shipping.

[Beast]

That sucks. He's less than he cost at the Con!

Oh yeah... shipping.
What were they charging at the Con for him? $8.99?

[El Chuxter]

$8.75. However, that included tax, so he'll be slightly more online unless you have a good promo code.

[figrin bran]

"Comic10" will save you 10%.

I just ordered mine tonight as I couldn't spare the time while at SDCC for the Hasbro line. (Had Mattel's gone faster, I probably would've done both)

[bigbarada]

I ordered it from HTS but the Comic10 code didn't work for me. Ah well, it still cost less than $15 with shipping included. I would have paid at least $10 more if I had bought it off of Ebay last week.

Good thing I checked this thread this weekend, you guys saved me some money.:thumbsup:

[Beast]

TNI has hi-res pictures of the first wave of G.I. Joe Combat Heroes.

The first wave is currently scheduled to hit in October. Can't wait.

http://toynewsi.com/news.php?catid=9&itemid=13301

[Beast]

Got the Snake Eyes and Timber sets I ordered off HTS.

One for me and one for my brother. Really like the sets, though it wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped.

Especially for an exclusive, where you think they'd put a bit more care into.

The mold lines on Timber's face and body were a bit sloppy on both of mine, but not horrible. Snake Eyes was nice though. I think I prefer the look of the repaint one with Zartan better though. The green handgrenades look better. Even though someone mentioned the SDCC's exclusive having a more accurate sword.

[bigbarada]

Got the Snake Eyes and Timber sets I ordered off HTS.

One for me and one for my brother. Really like the sets, though it wasn't as amazing as I'd hoped.

Especially for an exclusive, where you think they'd put a bit more care into.

The mold lines on Timber's face and body were a bit sloppy on both of mine, but not horrible. Snake Eyes was nice though. I think I prefer the look of the repaint one with Zartan better though. The green handgrenades look better. Even though someone mentioned the SDCC's exclusive having a more accurate sword.

Mine showed up today, I really like this set, but am going to have trouble not opening it. However, I also received a 1982 straight-arm Snake Eyes that I won on Ebay last week, so this SDCC set got a little overshadowed by that.

I'm really tempted to open this thing up, since I get bored of MOC figures pretty quick.

[Beast]

I opened mine. I can't stand leaving most things in their plastic prisons. :D