A lot of these suggestions are great and I agree with them. Mostly Spin Doctor, as there is a noted interest by Hasbro in not calling Cobra terrorists (even though that's when Cobra is at their best) and instead making everyone a Ninja or less scary/ more realistic villain. There is a lot of anti-gun sentiment that hurts the brand, but there is also a lot of anti-anti-gun sentiment, so pick your audience. It goes in cycles, there is a bit of impossibility in keeping the line geared toward fans who want G.I. Joe to continue in the same vein, and also appeal to what focus groups likely say about the brand.



Also, Syfy peaked at "Mysteries from Beyond the Other Dominion."

'SyFy' has never peaked. The SciFi Channel did some good stuff before it was replaced by its pod-person equivalent, tho.

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Story-Wise: Try to pick a continuity and commit to it. As best as possible, across multiple platforms, movies, 'toon, comics. I know very few properties can make that work, but if characters can stop being reinterpreted for each new effort for about 5 years, that would be a good start.

But that's just a side note really, and is there so you know that what I really would do with the line (i.e. the toy line) doesn't involve scrapping the Joe mythos per se.

Toy-Wise: Switch from being just G.I. Joe, and turn the construction style of modern Joes into a multi-license platform, a la Mego of old, and a la LEGO and now Kre-o of today. If it's up to me, Joe-o is now a type of toy, not just a specific set of characters. Joe characters are the LEGO CITY figures of my new Joedom.

When I first got back into this hobby, cross-property construction sharing seemed like mere wishful thinking. But Marvel Universe is already remarkably close to Joe construction, and both are held by Hasbro. I think Hasbro should start scooping up other licenses and start using their trademark construction style on those new properties.

No more different styles for different lines. (and I don't want anyone to respond with their legal theories as to why this ain't happening...the subject line says I can do it )

Joe-o is the new Kre-o, but in 1:18. If you can have Kre-o Joes mingle with Captain "LASER BLAST" Kirk, then my 1:18 Joes should be able to also.

If Lego can get Marvel and DC licenses for the same toy line, then dammit, the king of 1:18 will too.

Open up the MASK license, bring Indiana Jones back with a series that will do him justice. As mentioned, add the 1:18 Star Trek license and convert Star Wars to the Joe style over time as well (same director? How about same toys?) And on and on. And this doesn't replace the original Joe characters. It should instead prolong their lifespan.

Civilians from the Marvel movies we've been wanting? You bet. And it will work because the tooling will be shared across brands, making it much more cost efficient to make civilians from ALL the lines.

I guess not really what the original question was, per se. But enough rambling anyway. That's what I'd do, if I ran the zoo...

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Yeah, same construction for all the Hasbro lines would be awesome.
Never quite understood why they couldn't simply make Super Heroes using the same type of body as GI Joe.

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I've never understood it either, but I've read stuff about it being rooted in the original licensors not wanting parts of their characters showing up in other characters. Doesn't explain why Marvel movie figs are diff from MU figs, tho. I can't see it as anything but a stupid waste of money and quality as each line goes thru it's learning curve.

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My Takes:

Toys:
* I'd bring back ARAH. Definitely should bring back ARAH.
* As Hasbro, I'd have the FSS figures stopped, and also prevent having anything exclusive or such available only to a select handful, that would make collecting joes hard for toy fans - specifically for foreigner collectors of joes.
* Though also as Hasbro, I'd encourage and support JoeCanuck and similar groups of collectors to make their own customized exclusives.
* Come to think of it, as Hasbro, I'd publicly give a nod to joecustoms, for supporting the joe toys Hasbro's profitting from.
* I'd be more concerned on creating all-new characters, than revisiting old characters. As far as I'm concerned, a character / codename should be retired after it gets a v3 figure.
* I'd stop creating toys after the designs from the joe movies... and have the joe movies follow designs that Hasbro makes instead.
* Toys should be first and foremost when it comes to the G.I.Joe line. The movies, cartoons, books etc complement the toys, never the other way around.

Comic Books:
* I like the current IDW concept, where there are several takes, several titles on the joe universe... although personally, the Marvel / Larry Hama joeverse is the only comic-joeverse for me.
* Figure out the legality of being able to feature a fan custom (taken from joecustoms.com) as a guest character in every comic each month, even if the custom character just haves a named cameo, or an instant death in the comic (lol).

Movies:
* The joe-movie-verse should base itself on the toys, and never, never the other way around. The actors should have gear fateful to the toys, not those stupid generic armors.

Cartoons:
* Make a cartoon that would appeal to the kids, like the old Sunbows... and limit the cartoons like Resolute and Renegades to single animated cartoon movie specials.

Gaming:
* All it takes is to include a gaming stand to each and every G.I.Joe figure toy to be released, and you'll have a long lasting gaming platform for the toyline in line with a massive diorama-type strategy game for the joes.. cough Heroclix cough I'd completely give up on hoping for a good G.I.Joe video computer game.

Television:
* Make a documentary on customizing joes, to get more people on the hobby, thereby prolonging the toyline.

Books
* I'd find a way to bring back the Find Your Fate books. There are so many joe hobbyists out there who have their own interesting joes stories, so these books would encourage them to write books themselves, and get new readers in the joe hobby.

1. Create a 2" scale line based upon the classic mythos with fully poseable 2" figures similar to Jada Toys die cast miniature HALO 4 toy line. That means bicep swivels and universal movement in the hips must be included. The classic mythos would attract classic Joe fans, the highly detailed vehicles would attract scale model fans, the figures would appeal to war gamers , action figure collectors and fans of specific characters who only collect said character and the scale allows a lower price point at retail. In addition vehicles can now be displayed without taking up considerable space. I paid $9 for 1 vehicle and 2 figures and as much as I enjoy the Halo design not a day goes by that I don't wish it was futuristic Joe.

As corny as Sigma 6 was it was a new interpretation of Joe that had a cartoon and a fresh scale. Hasbro •almost• got that right. Almost. The lack of figure articulation doomed that series before it started at the 2" scale. You'd think Hasbro would have known how important articulation was after the Joe vs. Cobra t crotch debacle.

Die cast MOBAT? Yes. 2" Cobra troopers? Yes. Single figures sold in non traditional outlets and near grocery store check outs due to scale? Yes. This is basically Eagle Force updated.

Everyone wins at the 1/32nd scale. ARAH felt like an action figure. Modern joes...feel like dolls to me. I have an MU figure near my PC that I love the look of but don't really like fiddling with. On the other hand I have a 2" pose able figure that has daily action adventures lol.

Y'know, this really has the potential for knocking it out of the park. There is already a 1/32'' fanbase out there, and at 1/32'' scale, they could have vehicles that are truly that scale rather than the scaled down 1/18 vehicles they've been putting out for the last thirty years.

If you can produce 1/32 scale figures that do have a fair amount of articulation... something along the lines of the ARAH figures, gave them simple "snap-on, stay-on" accessories, you could put something on the market that would new, and could appeal to both the Joe fanbase and the 1/32 military miniature fanbase.

I'd also put together some type of video game to go with it. A few years ago I would've said an MMO, but that model is failing. Maybe some type of mobile app adventure game. The game would have a massive environment with all sorts of adventures, with new adventures to be added frequently. Here's the big tie in... the custom character you create is very basic. While there will be some stuff available to obtain during adventures, you will need to buy figures to get keys to getting more stuff. If you want a big machine gun, you buy Rock N Roll. If you want a snowboard for an arctic mission, you buy Snow Serpent. If you want a VAMP, you buy the 1/32 VAMP.

Of course, there would also be a cartoon that would demonstrate similar environments and missions to the game, which would give kids a chance to go and have the adventure they just watched on TV.

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Here's basically what I would be interested in:
Comic: the ongoing Hama continuation.
Toyline: the 25th type updates of the 80's characters, finish the early years, do justice to some that haven't been done properly, full runs of the comic characters that never saw release, some more cartoon based packs, and then the characters that never got a release from the comics.

Now this is a status I could get behind.

I like the Blind Pack RAH figures idea, there are two factors I would implement . First no stamped ID # stamped into the packages (ala Kreo, Megabloks) so it would be a true blind draw, & second I would make sure there would be no rarity levels it would be an equal distribution of figures ( a box of 24 would have 4 of each figure 3 Joes, 3 Cobras)
The new line would continue (but drop the movie tie in soon), they would be a quarterly or a bi-annually release schedule. I would do a 12 figure set with a 5 Joe, 2 named Cobras, & 5 Cobra troopers per set. Next the ratio would be about 75% established characters versus 25 % new characters/troopers. The troopers would include at least one of the vehicle drivers on card (with minor paint changes to tell it apart from the primary vehicle driver, perhaps as the co-pilot or gunner), this would handle the larger vehicles that look like they could handle more crew. Finally I would limit reissue of named characters (ie no 2 Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow/Cobra Commander in every set) to 1 in every 4th set.
My idea on vehicles/sets is to have 3 small (ala L.A.W., Battle Bunker, & Weapons Transport), 3 medium (ala H.I.S.S., Vamp, & Desert Fox), & 1-2 large (ala Tomahawk, Moray, & Sky Striker) to come with each set and a giant one (ala HQ, Terror Dome, & Mobile Command Center) to come once a year maybe around Christmas. The small and medium would come with one figure and the larger sizes would come with at least two figures. (If we ever got lucky enough to get the Flagg again I would suggest 4-5, Keel Haul and maybe some Steel Brigade deck hands) .
Now the Kreo sets I would keep around, but get out of the TRU exclusive contract and bring them further out to the public..
I would do more of a tie in with Nerf than just the Ninja swords.


Bring the stories together (ie Make the cartoon/comic universe the base. Do an 80's based toon, Make a live action television show about one of the Subteams and run it with a JAG/NCIS/24 type feel, etc) and put one or two people in charge, maybe Larry Hama and someone from Hasbro.


Bring back the commercials and print ads, put them everywhere. Half the reason toys don't sell anymore is there are no commercials like we grew up with. Also clothing, I bought my boys shirts from the first movie and they still wear the ones that fit.


I actually like the idea of the two different comic worlds, but they need to do a lil more to separate them, for awhile when I was getting back into them I wasn't really sure which universe was which. I picked up the book Tales From Cobra, and was psyched at first as I thought it may have been ARAH untl I took a second look at it. So far it's a great book, but I was really hoping for more of the old school feel.

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1. I would bring back the o-ring, dammit! The mid-torso joint is aesthetically and functionally, the worst thing to happen to Joes since the T-crotch. (The detailed sculpting, extra articulation, softer plastic, working holsters, etc. all that could stay.)

2. Bring back unique card art. It wouldn't even have to be vintage style. PoC had great cards.

3. Larry Hama back on writing filecards.

4. 24 new figures a year, give or take a couple. NO repaints.

5. Moratorium on 'core characters'.

6. I would actually make my toys available to the public at mass retail outlets, not just on ebay for 5x what they are supposed to cost.

7. Unique accessories for everyone.

8. A new cartoon series that takes some cues from Resolute, but much more kid friendly.

9. The AWE Striker will never again be reissued in our lifetime. (and I love the AWE)

Basically, its PoC with o-rings, good filecards, no Snake Eyes, and for sale at Target and Toy R Us. Is that too much to ask??

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I'd be down with blind baggie figs, but make them come in boxes like the Micro MaterialForce figs, shaped and painted (and opening) like a weapons box.

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Toys, I'd keep the continuation of the PoC/30th line, introduce new characters, give updated looks to some of the classic characters, give some of the DiC era characters ME figures.

Comics, I dunno, I haven't read them in a while, so I don't know where it going.

TV, I'd continue the Renegades show, like I've said a few times, call it G.I.*JOE: Beginnings, the team is officially formed now that it is known that Cobra isn't the nice guy everyone thought he was. Bring in the "guests stars" that helped out the Renegades and slowly incorporate more characters as the seasons go on. Put it on in the evening time slots on Cartoon Network like when Clone Wars, Ben 10, etc were aired. Good for kids and the adults who like to watch too.
A live action show would be cool too. Not as future looking as RoC or Ret, but simple uniforms like Stargate, but different enough that each character had their own look like the figures and characters in the 'toon. Make it a week to week continuing story rather than a new story every week. Keep the cartoonyness to a minimum and it could work. If toys are to be made, I'd make them from the cartoon instead of the live action show, I think the live action show would lose credibility. Yeah, A-Team had toys, as did Dukes of Hazzard, CHiPs, and Knight Rider, but TV shows were different back then. Dramas these days are strictly for adults. Though I'm still waiting for a four inch Benson and Stabler.

Advertising, I was watching the old commercials on the DVD sets...bring those back. Toy commercials these days still have the kids playing with the toys, so the idea would still work. Star Wars kinds of sells itself, I haven't seen a SW toy commercial for action figures since the SEs came out in the late 90s (I could be wrong), but Transformers still gets commercial air time.

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If gimmicks there must be, then let us put more thought into gimmicks. Maybe instead of oversized rocket launchers we could have things like BATs with light-up chests, lights and sounds weapons, flight packs (like ROC Hawk or Arctic Storm Shadow) and even smaller vehicles based on the vintage motorized accessories. If missile launchers there must be, then let's pick GOOD ways to intergrate them, like Ripcord's minitank, or the Eel's torpedo pod or just make sure the launchers are functional with figures, like ROC Desert Duke's or DTC Salvo's.
Beyond that, bring back a Deluxe pricepoint, like Spy Troops had with the gunstation and the Air Assault... But use it not only for vehicles like that, but also for toys that'd be too big for the regular pricepoint. B.A.A.T.s, Monstro-Vipers, Lunartix, GI Joe Extreme's Wreckage... Let's go wild!

As for the figures themselves, I think Hasbro's done a decent job of late of bringing designs into modern times. But maybe sometimes go for a more obscure character homage (for example, as long as he keeps his mustache, I wouldn't mind seeing a modern Leatherneck based more on his 2001 or mech driver figures) just for variety's sake.

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I don't really have anything to add but wanted to point out that a figure doesn't need an o-ring to have waist articulation. 25th Dusty shows us that.