25th Anniversary G.I. Joes, Wave II

[protostar8]

Gosh, I really hate those accelerator suits. The mere concept of them in a GI Joe movie is stupid in my opinion, and it makes the whole film more like a superhero movie than a military one.

What's the point of having Snake-Eyes if everyone can move like him?

Yeah. I saw the commercial and went "wow, that's lame". I thought the movie might be cool, but then seeing those suits made me realize that the movie is likely gonna suck.

[grss1982]

Rise of Cobra NEW Trailer

HD version will be available later today.

For some reason when I saw the suits in action I though I was watching a Crysis movie directed by our good old friend Uwe Boll. :ph34r: :ph34r:

This is almost gonna be as good as the Shadow Chronicles!

ROFL!!!!! :lol:

Edited May 3, 2009 by grss1982

[Mog]

I'm probably fighting a losing battle here, but what are the chances we can confine all news and info. about the Rise of Cobra stuff to this other thread instead?

Yeah, I realize we've already talked about the Resolute stuff in this thread. But I think we can all agree that Resolute is a much more worthy and deserving successor than the live-action movie will ever be.

It also doesn't help matters when the new toys for Rise of Cobra have those dreaded over-sized, action feature-style weapons. Or worse, they change the Night Raven into a lock-and-load gun.

Besides, accelerator suits will have no place in this man's main display shelf :

[David Hingtgen]

Ok, the line's effectively over now (or, for at least a while), with the Cobra Island sets soon to be released. That said----what do you still want that wasn't made? So that we don't have giant long lists, please just list ONE from each category:

A. Character that wasn't made at all.

B. Character was made, but not the way you wanted---the wrong version, wrong color, or just done poorly.

For me:

A. Techno-Viper.

B. Dress blues Gung-Ho.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

A. Character that wasn't made at all.

B. Character was made, but not the way you wanted---the wrong version, wrong color, or just done poorly.

Skystriker

Original Night Raven

Woops...okay characters:

Night-Viper

Ninja Force Storm Shadow

[Southpaw Samurai]

please just list ONE from each category:

A. Character that wasn't made at all.

B. Character was made, but not the way you wanted---the wrong version, wrong color, or just done poorly.

David, you're killing me here. I have at least one more wave I'd want... probably two....

A. Night-Viper - one of the few figures I HAD to pick up even though I was getting too old for Joes as a kid.

B. Cover-girl - cheating a bit (since she's a ROC figure), but I'd really go for a leather jacket, tanker CG, whether you give her short brown figure hair, long blonde cartoon hair, or anywhere in between... manly featured, camo'd arm candy ROC CG just fails on so many levels.

[Mog]

Hmm. . .good questions DH.

A) Probably Low-Light - The Joes could always use another sniper.

B) Another vote for Covergirl - As classic as her original get-up was, I wouldn't mind a Devil's Due version (just so we can get a new mold and an untucked shirt version).

I know some folks have already made custom versions of these two, but I wouldn't mind Hasbro mixing a couple new parts to make these figures look a little bit more unique.

Of course if Hasbro gets lazy and gives us something akin to the 7-pack Wet-Suit, then I'll have to find a way to make my own customs of these folks.

[David Hingtgen]

Hmmn. Debating buying one of those TRU F-22s for my Strato-Viper, or acquiring an original Night Raven. The F-22 is cool, and it's already black--but it doesn't really DO anything, while the Night Raven had more moving parts than just about any other Joe toy. I've bid on a few Night Ravens over the years, but never won one.

What's the current price for a mint, complete Night Raven? (sticker condition doesn't matter, I'd re-do them regardless). It's hard to check since 90% of the "complete" ones on Ebay seem to be missing a half-dozen parts. People have a strange definition of "complete" sometimes...

[Roy Focker]

I would ask if the new Strato Viper fits in the classic Nightraven.

[myk]

What's the current price for a mint, complete Night Raven? (sticker condition doesn't matter, I'd re-do them regardless). It's hard to check since 90% of the "complete" ones on Ebay seem to be missing a half-dozen parts. People have a strange definition of "complete" sometimes...

Yeah seriously. Your post is making think that I should probably check my aircraft and see if they're missing anything. Isn't there some kind of internet uber-list that documents vehicles, their descriptions, maybe photos and a complete list of parts, accessories, etc? For example, ever since I bought the Defiant I've wondered as to what I'm missing but haven't had a reference point. Another piece I'd like to know about is the Sky Raven-a bright chrome repaint of the Night Raven. When I bought mine it didn't have a drone like on the Cobra version, but I find it hard to believe they didn't repaint the drone and include it with the Sky Raven also...

[Evil Porkchop]

I think alot of people forget about the Phantom X-19 when it comes to classic G.I. Joe aircraft it is very, very under-rated IMO. The thing has landing gear mechanism similar to the Night Raven's, the hidden wing guns, cruise missiles...

[David Hingtgen]

YoJoe.com has EVERYTHING for the 80's line, nothing comes close.

Here's the Defiant page: http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/87/defiant/

PS--the Sky Raven does NOT have a drone, so it's not missing. (it's just one of many ways in which the original is better)

Night Raven: http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/86/nightraven/

Sky Raven: http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/90/skyraven/

PPS---I never really paid attention to the X-19, but checking it out, it seems VERY cool, probably second only to the Night Raven. Wish I'd have had that instead of an X-30 back in the day.

PPPS---why are all the really big, really cool jets not reissued? Surely SOME of their molds are available. (I consider the X-30 and Rattler the "smaller" jets)

[Mog]

Although its highly doubtful that something with wings that small could ever launch off the ground, the overall look and size of the X-19 makes her quite a beaut'.

And once you extend the wings and pop out the machine guns? The Phantom takes on an almost bat-like appearance.

I still have a complete one (with functional but slightly damaged landing gear) chilling back at my parents' place.

Also, the Phantom's pilot, Ghostrider, would be my Number Two choice for a character Hasbro hasn't remade in the modern line.

[Evil Porkchop]

And let us not forget the Z-25 Condor... this thing had a ton of play value being able to spilt apart and the bomb dropping feature.

[myk]

All this talk about classic 'Joe airpower got me going...

I'm almost certain that with the exception of the Defiant all of the other aircraft themselves are 100%. I don't have all blueprints or drivers, but then again I never cared for those. I was there for the planes, just the planes, ma'am.

Now, this doesn't represent ALL of my aircraft, I've got multiples of the 'Ravens, Sky Strikers, Conquests, Rattlers; not to mention helicopters like the Tomahawk, Dragonfly, FANG, etc.

Of interesting note is my X-19; apparently there were 2 variants, one which featured a landing gear actuator like that of the 'Raven, the other, which is what I have, featured a sort of "tail hook" that you could pull down to drop the wheels. I also like the F-16: there's a flip down handle that, when deployed, starts jet engine, machine gun and missile shot sounds. Another cool feature is that inside of the intake there's a projector that puts up on a wall a target recticle surrounding a Cobra plane.

Thanks to this thread I even got to pull out a few obscure fighters that I forgot I even had. Now, this probably isn't even a third of the aircraft available for classic 'Joe, but I'm not a completist, I just buy what interests me. Heck, I may even consider looking for a Mamba someday.

Honorable mention goes to my Rolling Thunder, Thunderclap, Mobat, Mauler and Pac-Rats who couldn't drive fast enough to get to the photo shoot in time, lol...

Edited July 13, 2009 by myk

[Mog]

myk, what's that P-51 Mustang-looking fighter there?

[myk]

It's actually a P-40, and TRUST me, it is a genuine 'Joe toy. I'll let the others chime in on this as I can't seem to find it on yojoe.com...

[David Hingtgen]

Mamba rocks, get one. Best chopper in the line. It still amuses me how every time the Mamba comes up, you're guaranteed to have someone chime in that the rotor arrangement is fantasy/impractical/impossible----never mind that some real choppers use it. It's an "intermeshing" rotor.

[myk]

Lol. Criticizing 'Joe for "impractical, impossible, fantasy" designs is funny when you consider it's a cartoon we're talking about, but then again there're like 4,000 threads debating the viability of Valkyrie technology, so I digress.

Yeah the Mamba just looks cool. I'm assuming the outer pods detach or something? Yojoe.com does have alot of pictures and stuff but not too much information on the toys themselves...

[David Hingtgen]

Pods detach. Honestly, the best way to get info is to read the instructions---they always point out every joint and removable bit.

[VT 1010]

It's actually a P-40, and TRUST me, it is a genuine 'Joe toy. I'll let the others chime in on this as I can't seem to find it on yojoe.com...

Is this it?

http://www.yojoe.com/sgtsavage/p40.shtml

[myk]

Oh wow, hey! That's it, thanks for finding it! I didn't know what year it was made so I didn't have a clue where it was...

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

SNAKE ARMOR and COBRA JETPACK Return!

PPS---I never really paid attention to the X-19, but checking it out, it seems VERY cool, probably second only to the Night Raven. Wish I'd have had that instead of an X-30 back in the day.

Jsut a question, do you prefer G.I. Joe planes with more moving parts than the ones without? I was wondering if the Skystriker's sweeping wings linked the landing gear bothered you like it bothered me as a child.

The X-19 does have a lot of moving parts. The fins on the cruise missles swivel, and the wings extend, and the vulcan cannons move too(forgot if it's alongside the wing). It has way more moving parts than the X-30. The only thing I didn't like was how easy it was to dislodge the canopy from the guiding rails.

PPPS---why are all the really big, really cool jets not reissued? Surely SOME of their molds are available. (I consider the X-30 and Rattler the "smaller" jets)

For the Skystriker, the mold was destroyed due to Funskool's salt rinsing. I personally hope for a new mold based on the old, just more sturdy. Remember the wave 4 Moccassin(Sting Raider) and Sky HAWK(Ghost HAWK)? Those were made in the same fashion, from scratch, but more durable and detailed than the originals yet based on them.

The original Night Raven mold is still intact. I think Hasbro is waiting for a big media tie in before showing their big guns. Resolute was a step in the right direction(thought advertising for it was nonexistent until the week of), and the movie is looking to do pretty well. Having the channel with Discovery next year doesn't hurt either. I just hope the movie and it's toyline sell incredibly well so that there is more money to use for r/d on new toys or restoring fan-favorites. ONE BIG THING I want to see is the return of bigger vehicles to mass market, classic vehicles I mean.

I'll say this; if you guys want the original Night Raven and Skystriker, or any other vehicle, character, whatnot, be vocal about it. David I agree about the Conquest and Rattler, they are small, for that matter, the Skystriker is not that much bigger than the Conquest, hell the TRU F-22 and PTE A-10/F/A-18 are significantly bigger!

PS Hasbro did get retrieve many of their original ARAH molds from China in 2004, but when asked, said they would never publish a master list of what they have.

I look at the movie Night Raven like the JSF is to the F-22; it doesn't compare to the original, but offers some of it's capability at a fraction of the cost.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0

[David Hingtgen]

What could be a bigger media tie-in than the new movie? What more could they ask for before reissuing the original Night Raven? Plus, the original would have looked a whole lot cooler and more realistic on-screen. Original Night Raven on-screen would have been the equivalent of casting Peter Cullen as Prime----goes a LONG way towards "taming" the fanboys, and frankly---there's no better option anyways, because the original is so perfect.

As for parts--yes, I love moving parts, opening panels etc, on Joe toys. I pretty much demand them---it's why I had almost no "small" Joe toys back when. Heck, the main reason I got figures was to fill up the seats in the large vehicles! Cobra Moray was the best of the boats. I'd rather have one big, good, multi-part vehicle than several smaller simpler ones. IMHO, a good way to judge a Joe toy---how many pages of instructions it has.

Ironic--I love gimmicks in Joe, hate them in Transformers.

::edit:: Ah, so that's what the red Strato-Viper's for. I may try to trade my coming 7-pack Range Viper for another standard Strato-Viper.

Personally, here's my master wish-list for reissues:

Night Raven

Mamba

Moray

That's really all I want, but I desperately want a Night Raven. I really have no need for a Skystriker, or really most any Joe toys, or anything that'd cost less than 20 bucks today. Gimme Cobra. Maybe the X-19 Phantom, since I never had it and it looks cool--I'd buy a cheap reissue, but won't pay for a vintage on ebay.

Random rant: The Rolling Thunder is over-rated IMHO. I had it, and the parts never fit well, I lost a part a day I think. (And I was like 10 when I had it, not 5, I was already quite careful with my toys then, and applied stickers carefully, etc----and that thing shed parts!) And it didn't "fold together" very well either--it'd close up, but it never looked QUITE right, as things were always a little off. Very fiddly overall. It's one of the few vehicles I really remember well, as I just remember a bunch of annoyances about it, and I think it was the last vehicle I ever got. ::edit:: Checking release dates, apparently I should have asked for the X-19 that year instead!

PS---any chance of new reissues coming un-assembled? Sort of a direct-to-consumer-only line? I figure half the reason they don't reissue big things, is because they'd have to pay so much to have them assembled at the factory, and then pay even more to ship the giant, more fragile toys over here. A Rattler's about the biggest thing they can assemble and ship cheaply. If Hasbro would "allow" unassembled vehicles again, it may help get the big one re-released. (plus, for me at least, a HUGE part of the fun is the assembly process---a factory-assembled Joe toy is like pre-assembled LEGOs) Plus, I can do a much better job than the factory does.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

What could be a bigger media tie-in than the new movie? What more could they ask for before reissuing the original Night Raven?

It's like this. They know the movie could potentially be a huge money maker, a blockbuster even. After that, where the money from the toyline goes to developing is anyone's guess, but I'd say if you guys want a classic Night Raven and Skystriker or anything else, be vocal about it and you never know. The movie is a media tie in, a huge one at that, but it's not out yet.

Original Night Raven on-screen would have been the equivalent of casting Peter Cullen as Prime----goes a LONG way towards "taming" the fanboys, and frankly---there's no better option anyways, because the original is so perfect.

Agreed on that and being more realistic too, I LOVE the original design. The movie one is like a MIG Raven, MARS equivalent of the MIG21 or JSF, not as good as an F-22, but touted as a cheap alternative with stealth capability.

I'd rather have one big, good, multi-part vehicle than several smaller simpler ones. IMHO, a good way to judge a Joe toy---how many pages of instructions it has.

Agreed. BTW I had a Mamba but don't know where it went, last time I saw it was when I was 4. My favorite Cobra helicopter.

Maybe the X-19 Phantom, since I never had it and it looks cool

I would buy it, it was a heavy plane and HUGE. Modern Era/25th compatible too, ton of cockpit room.

Cobra Moray was the best of the boats.

Definitely, but if they reissue it, I want that thing retooled the TRU Night Force one had terrible quality. I was shocked that it was even a ARAH product, my friend has both that and a vintage one, and he's told me that the vintage versions were so much better because the TRU one just had shockingly bad quality control. That was the first time in years that I had a downright bad G.I. Joe product on my hands. If they can retool it and make it very sturdy/durable(I imagine the original was, the TRU one was FAR from it it!), and include a Lamprey with removable helmet, I'd be all over it.

PS---any chance of new reissues coming un-assembled?

I would think that there would only be minimal un-assembled parts. Hasbro only started doing classic style/non-window boxes this year with the Target jets. They don't like having unassembled vehicles, primarily because they did tests and the kids of today have a shorter attention span than we did, and thus are not as likely to take the time to build the vehicles. Also, to Hasbro, a completed vehicle in box displays better in packaging, and they see it as more appealing. I prefer the slimmer, non-window box style, as it's slimmer, Hasbro can cut down on packaging, and more parts can be shoved into the box. The only benefit to having a window box is being able to see if parts are missing. Other than that, to me they take up too much space, and I constantly hear about how retailers are unwilling to take upon big vehicles most of the time due to large size on shelf. The way the movie vehicles and Target jets this year were packaged is a step in the right direction(except for the fact that the Movie Raven doesn't take up the entire box and for $40 is too expensive. Charge $25 and I would be alright with it).

Basically, if you see the way that the movie bravo and echo vehicles are packaged, they are similar to the Target jets; minimal assembly required. Attach fins or a tail section here, add extra parts there, et al. I don't think we are going to get anything as unassembled in box as the original Rattler, the way the Target PP and TF jets were packaged is the best indication/guide to go by.

Sort of a direct-to-consumer-only line?

Hasbro tried having a line direct to customers a few years back, but DTC did not sell well, it ended up being clearanced out by HTS and later through bargain outlets like Ollie's where I got my RHINO for $10. Maybe after the movie this will change. The one downfall of G.I. Joe is a lack of marketing and advertising, thankfully this is changing with the movie but Resolute had all of us confused. I remember constantly wanting to watch the thing but never being able to know when it was going to show, until April.

If Hasbro would "allow" unassembled vehicles again, it may help get the big one re-released. (plus, for me at least, a HUGE part of the fun is the assembly process---a factory-assembled Joe toy is like pre-assembled LEGOs) Plus, I can do a much better job than the factory does.

I agree with you man. Basically a lot of what Hasbro is holding back is due to the fact that the movie has not premiered yet. They are waiting to see how much the movie and toyline make, and what they do afterwards is anyone's guess, if both things do well it bodes well for all of us. I mean maybe they do have money now to have released the original Night Raven. As a fan, of course, I think they should have released that and the original Skystriker a year or so ago. I think they are just waiting for even more money from the movie to be on the safe side. Another thing is too, retailers are typically skeptical on G.I.Joe and large toys in general, the movie may make them change their minds, who knows. It's not like the 80's where Hasbro can drop a ton of large vehicles and tell the retailers to sell them, now it is the other way around.

I hope the movie line makes so much money that retailers DEMAND huge JETS and other large vehicles. G.I. Joe ARAH was an action vehicle line, and I think it's time it went back to that. I'd love to see the Tomahawk, Skystriker, Crusader Shuttle, Mamba, and Night Raven with drone retooled for more durability, and released not as an exclusive but as mass retail. I want to see enough Skystrikers to brush my teeth with.

[David Hingtgen]

One thing about the new Night Raven does impress me--the cockpit. It looks like it actually works. I don't think it'd be possible to change the original to match though, it'd have to be designed from scratch to incorporate it.

I'd also like to see the gear doors sequence better---half the time they're out of position and you have to fiddle around with them so they don't get caught up.

PS, slightly OT. My Target Rattler has developed "gear collapse", but not quite. Basically, the right gear likes to fold in 10-15 degrees. The "bumps" stop the gear from collapsing further, but it is annoying since the left one is rock-solid vertical at all times, with no play at all. Large amounts of clear polish have done nothing. It'd help if I could figure out why the left one holds "fully extended", while the right one simply "gets past the bumps then flops around, never locking into the full extend position".

::edit:: I think I'll try clear polish in some other areas, maybe it's raw tension/friction, and not actually a physical lock/block that holds it in place.

[Scream Man]

This thread kills me. i was a HUGE GI Joe collector as a kid, and id love to get the 25th Anni stuff. But it doesnt come out here (well, i think it does now actually, but we missed a lot of the early stuff), and it would kill me to import it. Plus if i started collecting another toyline I suspect Id be getting divorced

That said i have some very fond memories of my joe collection. And GOD how i wanted the USS Flagg. I still think its one of the greatest toys ever made.

i had this one jet that was awesome. Had a handle u pulled down and it was a water pistol. Im trying to find a pic now, but I loved that jet.....

edit: http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/92/stormeagle/ there it is! Now i look at t it sorta has an F22 vibe going on....

Edited July 15, 2009 by Scream Man

[David Hingtgen]

Actually, it has a huge YF-23 vibe.

[Scream Man]

heh, well you're better at this than me, Ill take your word for it

I wish there was a version of Yojoe wityh picture lists of the stuff. I dont recognise many names, But Id be able to tell what I had from the pictures.

[David Hingtgen]

Have it list by year, that's the best way IMHO. You should know approximately when it's from.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

One thing about the new Night Raven does impress me--the cockpit. It looks like it actually works.

It does work but the instruction manual shows to manually push the cockpit back into place to close it, since using the tab to do so might close the cockpit misaligned. It's hard to align right, and since figures are not very secure, their arms can get stuck into the rails, making the cockpit a nuisance to close. The best way is to make sure the elbows aren't in the way, but with a StratoViper whose arms are inserted at an angle plus a vest, it's hard to get the arms into as much as a neutral stance as possible.

half the time they're out of position and you have to fiddle around with them so they don't get caught up.

Actually that describes the movie Raven's cockpit assembly too.

[David Hingtgen]

Found this: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/65662-post36.html

Seems the Night Raven is pretty incompatible with 25th figures, and there's no real way to mod it to work.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Seems the Night Raven is pretty incompatible with 25th figures, and there's no real way to mod it to work.

Actually, there is

Edited July 16, 2009 by Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0

[RD Blade]

That's a whole lotta surgery.

[David Hingtgen]

Hmmmn. Do you only need to cut for the feet, or elsewhere too? (darn it, and I'd almost convinced myself not to get a vintage Raven)

What about the drone?

Aother question about Night Ravens----a concern about the main gear doors---from pics, it appears that the "correct" position is for them to be open about 45 degrees when the gear is down. A lot of ones on Ebay don't (they seem to be fully closed, or that they "flop down" instead of holding in place)---is that usually because of a broken piece, a mis-alignment, or the gear is just being "fiddly"? Perfectly working gear is a big thing to me. If it's broken piece that causes that, is it part of the internal mechanism (hard to fix I imagine), or the gear door itself (easy to replace)?

OT question--can someone identify the arms used in the quasi-official 25th Techno-Viper? (and if the chest equipment is hacked-up Para-Viper stuff or something else) I've thought about making a custom, and have been looking at the various other ones already done. Though the helmet is an issue---don't want to use an original one, and I frankly don't like the modern interpretation from BrokenArrow.