GI Joe 2015 Product Reveals
Hasbro attended the GI Joe Collectors Club Convention this year, and today revealed product to be released later in 2015. It looks to be a thematic continuation of what began last year with the 50th Anniversary. Items will be available via Toys R Us, with exclusives at San Deigo Comicon as they were last year.
It’s good to see some previously difficult to find figures like Alpine released again. The venerable AWE Striker looks nice with an added soft goods cover, and oh yeah–Night Fox.
But enough gabbin’, let’s get to the pics!
Here are the particulars on content, availability and pricing:
SDCC EXCLUSIVES (Available: July 2015)
G.I. JOE CRIMSON STRIKE: Available in the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at San Diego Comic-Con. Features the Cobra Scythe jet and the G.I. Joe Chimera. Includes Grunt, Ralph “Steeler” Pulaski, A.V.A.C. & Alley Viper Office figures. Approximate Retail Price: $99.99.
G.I. JOE DESERT DUEL: Available from Toys “R” Us at the Entertainment Earth booth at San Diego Comic-Con. Features the F.O.E. Striker and the Cobra Basilisk. Includes Night Fox, Philip “Chuckles” Provost, Elite Horseman and Cobra Air Trooper. Approximate Retail Price: $59.99
TOYS “R” US EXCLUSIVES (Available: August 2015)
G.I. JOE DESERT DUEL: Features the F.O. E. Striker and the Cobra Basilisk. Includes Philip “Chuckles” Provost and the Elite Horseman. Approximate Retail Price: $49.99
G.I. JOE SILENT STRIKE: Features the G.I. Joe Skystriker taking on the H.I.S.S. Tank. Includes Brad “Ace” Armbruster, Sightline, H.I.S.S. Gunner and Driver, filecards and accessories. Approximate Retail Price: $59.99
G.I. JOE OUTNUMBERED TEAM PACKS (Approximate Retail Price: $19.99)
Chase for the MASS Device: Includes Conrad” Duke” Hauser, Cobra Commander, Cobra C.L.A.W.S. Trooper, filecards and accessories
Sneak Attack: Includes Bazooka, Firefly, Specialist Dusty, filecards and accessories
Vanishing Act: Includes Torpedo, Hit & Run, Zartan and accessories
Rock Rampage: Includes Alpine, Rock Viper, Cobra Shock Trooper, filecards and accessories
G.I. JOE VERSUS 2-PACKS (Approximate Retail Price: $14.99)
Marine Devastation: Includes Gung-Ho vs. Cobra Shadow Guard with filecards and accessories
Hunt For Cobra Commander: Includes Shipwreck vs. Cobra Commander with filecards and accessories
Classic Clash: Includes Spirit Iron-Knife vs. Storm Shadow with filecards and accessories
Troop Build-Up: Includes Steel Brigade vs. Iron Grenadier with filecards and accessories
Swamp Steam: Includes Blowtorch vs. Croc Master with filecards and accessories
And Billy, Pythona etc. in the F.S.S. 4.0!!!
Cease vocal functions and accept currency
And people thought the line was dead with the 50th Anniversary. This set looks better than that one did.
I’m guessing the generally positive response to the 50th collection have Hasbro the courage to go forward with this. Mostly just remolded/recolored old stuff redone creatively. I wouldn’t want this to become the norm for GIJoe, but I expect the movie will bring something completely new. For now, this is pretty cool.
@Scott
I guess Hasbro had to do this as the fans are the only ones, buying the product. Kids these days couldn’t care less about toy soldiers when they have D.S’s and X box’s. A few weeks ago when my hometown had a grand opening at the new Toys R us, all the kids who looked at the army stuff dropped it in favour of Minecraft lego.
I think the biggest hurdle G.I. Joe has to face is the lack of any accompanying media. There’s no current show, no movie that’s just been released, and no video game. TMNT, Marvel heroes, even Lego, all have some sort of media out there advertising their products.
Of course, from what I saw of the earlier waves, it doesn’t matter if kids know who G.I. Joe is. Hasbro just wasn’t getting the product out there.
Still, I like the looks of some of these figures, and it almost seems that the prices have come down. Not significantly, just a little bit.
I speculate that Walmart and Target are the big GIJoe Killers at this time. That’s a question I would have asked a Hasbro representative if I could have gone to the Con. I don’t think it is a question of what kids will play with, because even in my own non-toy distribution of product work, I can make sales happen simply by putting a stack of my stuff on the floor in arms reach of a consumer. It’s there, like that entire “impulse” buy section at every Walmart or Target checkout station. A person didn’t need, or even want, that pack of gum….
The retail price is too high and the product turnover too low for these big box retailers, which is probably good for the quality of GIJoe, as it won’t hopefully get forced into re-runs and cheapening. (Such as those 5-point articulation Retaliation vehicle drivers……., THAT would be a Walmart GIJoe in my view….)
This 2015 “retail” product looks fine to me. I’m not going all out, Transformers Combiners Wars are looking more interesting to me right now.
Definitely some really cool things that are standing out to me, though. I think I’ll make a top 4 list of what I see, and if I can find it online EASILY, I’ll try to acquire:
4: Marine Devastation: A nice looking Gung-Ho figure, a nice spread of accessories, and a black Shadow Guard figure that doesn’t seem too “ceremonial” and actually somewhat combat-like troop.
3: Sneak Attack: Firefly looks great here, but Bazooka and Dusty are colored in ways that are not stuck in 1985. Some kind of advancement in thought, the blue coloration puts these two on the same mission team.
2: Desert Duel Vehicle Pack: The recolored Snow Cat I could do without, but that AWE Striker really looks fun and is a great recovery from the tragic NInja Commando 4×4. This AWE Striker will fit in GREAT with the PoC/Retaliation VAMP.
1: G.I. JOE SILENT STRIKE. Easily, something I can really enjoy the most out of. It would be my first “Skystriker,” and it has the coloring that doesn’t seem stuck to 30 years ago. Plus a new character (AWESOME character all around, right???!!!!!), plus a tank with cool new cannons. This one looks like a win to me.
I’m hoping the Quality Control and overall quality, especially paint applications will be far more improved than the mess they made with the 50th stuff…Did anyone ask the Panel about this at the Con?
I’d like to buy the P.O.E. Striker / Basilisk, the figure packs (probably not the Cobra Commander with C.L.A.W set, but I may buy it) and perhaps the Skystriker, but its such a large item it makes it problematic to store, so may just pass on that one. Alpine re-issued is great, it means I can get one finally but I am a bit peeved that the Shock Trooper and Rock Viper have been added into that pack, I hope Rock Viper’s head is re-done but I’m not banking on it…
As someone who has not been able to keep up with all the releases, I’m pleased with what’s going to be offered. I understand the frustration for people that already have a variation of these figures. But, for those of us not fortunate enough to get everything when it comes out, this is an affordable opportunity to catch up.
I’m looking forward to getting my first Skystriker, even if its not the original coloring (I’m a big fan of the retro stuff). I’m also excited for Alpine, Rock Viper, and Gung-Ho. Maybe if this line does well, we’ll see a re-issue of some others that were hard to find.