Sgt. Slaughter himself posted this photo today. It shows the long rumored Sgt. Slaughter and Leatherneck Triple T that is also a Transformer. We all knew it was coming. We all knew what it would look like. And, now that it's here, it's exactly what we knew it would be. Which is to say, this breaks no new ground.
If you have a 1986 Leatherneck (which is a cheap and easy to acquire figure), you don't need this one. It's nice to have access to a Slaughter baton. But, this thing will run between $80 and $100. You can easily get any version of Slaughter, complete with a vintage baton, for under this price. Triple T vehicles remain cheap and easy to find. Some discolor, especially on the engine cover. But, they're still not a difficult thing to acquire.
So, really, what purpose does this serve? It's great that Sgt. Slaughter remains involved in the brand. But, there's nothing here that really speaks to collectors. And, with the, arguably, more collectible Thunder Machine with Zartan and Zarana rotting at every online retailer, I really wonder who the audience for this product actually is. Joe fans leave these behind. Transformers fans do, too. If Hasbro got weird, these wouldn't do any worse. A green and purple Megatron that turned in the Cobra Bugg might actually sell out. This...won't.
I've never waited for clearance for any Joe o-ring product. I've regretted that decision terribly. I've found almost no value in the Pulse era releases of vintage inspired Joes. And, this product does nothing to alter that. So, I think I have my first item where I will wait for clearance. And, should this be the one item that sells out and I can't get for 1/3 the retail price, I'm OK with that. I don't need to be a completist any longer. And, I'm not convinced that these modern remakes will deteriorate at a slower rate than the already 40 year old originals.
So, I'm left with what feels like the end. Hasbro has finally released enough sub-par o-ring products that I've lost any interest in what they've done. I'm OK with simply letting them go. And, I'm one of the biggest marks for vintage style Joe figures that is still left in the community. I've never even bothered to open the Zartan/Zarana. Not even the scathing profile on the worst Joe figure ever released is enough to get me to pry open the box that's collecting dust in the bottom of a tucked away, basement closet. Even at a steep discount, this Sgt. Slaughter/Leatherneck product will face the same fate.
What to say about this? At least it has two Joes, and will potentially be less than $100.
ReplyDeleteHowever I find the Joes included to be incredibly boring. Leatherneck? Might be the most boring Joe in the whole line. Slaughter is at least an arguably important and memorable character.
I think a more exciting figure to replace Leatherneck might have saved this.
Speaking of that, when the eff are we getting a V2 Snake Eyes? It's the most popular figure in the whole line. And don't tell me we've had enough Snake Eyes figures; we've never had a re-release of V2. And no, the Black Major figures don't count; they're terrible quality.
Leatherneck was included because he was always featured on the original Triple-T box art. And also as a tribute to Ron Rudat, whom the figure's likeness was designed after.
DeleteAs for Snake Eyes v2, a Sunbow-styled version of that is coming as part of Super 7's ReAction+ line later this year.
I clicked on this article knowing it would be negative, as all coverage on this blog of Hasbro's retro o-ring offerings has been. No surprise there, though the constant negativity has gotten tiresome.
What is there to be positive about? The Triple -T was a stupid vehicle- 38 years ago. Most Joe collectors have this stuff. I hate Transformers especially when its mixed with Joe. Collectors want a new Mauler or a WHALE, not items that are easily found online. You could easily buy a baton replica as we speak. Nobody was asking for a new Leatherneck, either. This is a cynical cash grab for nostalgic Gen Xers with more money than brains. The Zartan reissue didn't even color change! Let's face it. the whole Joe concept is over 40 years stale at this point. People can put down Black Major all they want, yeah the quality can be spotty, but most of what he's doing is at least imaginative. I'd like to see civilians, Russian troops, Middle Eastern soldiers in o-ring form. The same ol'figures rehashed over and over again is just played out at this point.
DeleteYou're speaking from the perspective of a jaded collector who already has a complete (or as complete as you want it to be) collection of vintage toys. These retro products are not aimed at you.
DeleteThese figures haven't been made in 40 years. The old plastic is crumbling and yellowed, and in case you haven't noticed, eBay prices have spiked.
When I was a kid, the only thing I played with almost as much as G.I. Joe were Transformers. I would've loved to get Transformers in scale with and compatible with Joe figures. The idea that there's now a divide where modern Joe collectors hate Transformers and want them as far away from G.I. Joe as possible is so weird to me.
For whom do you think these products are intended?
DeleteI ask sincerely because, I'm not certain, myself. They aren't meant for kids to discover the brand since they're only sold in collector outlets. Classified fills the niche of the casual adult who feels a tinge of nostalgia. They aren't meant for Transformers collectors as these are pretty ignored by that fanbase. And, they aren't really meant for old school Joe guys (like me) since they don't really scratch any long term fan interests (army building, rare/obscure figures/foreign releases).
That might be why these are such retail poison and clearance fodder. There really isn't an audience who connects with these products. I'm always down on them for this reason. It's easy to at least appease the long term collector base: even if it's small. Super7 did with their characters. Hasbro has not been able to do that since they brought the line back in 1997.
It isn't my intent to be argumentative. I like your blog and am a longtime reader. I don't need you to be a cheerleader for everything Hasbro does. (I can find that plenty of other places.) However, I think your relentless negativity not just toward the Transformers collabs but toward all of the retro o-ring reissues is overly harsh and unfair. These figures do serve a purpose and I'm glad to have them. It's great to have a 1983-style Stalker whose plastic won't crumble in my hand when I try to pose him, or a Storm Shadow that's actually still white and not dingy yellow.
DeleteThe new Leatherneck has what looks like a better face sculpt than the original. That's also true of the new Zarana, which you have repeatedly called the very worst action figure you've ever seen in your life. I mean, have you never actually looked at the face sculpt (either variant) on the original Zarana? Woof!
The weird smiling Duke? Fine, that's bad. Call that out, I get it. But the Cobra Commander with the Sunbow-accurate helmet is super cool.
i can understand wanting new versions of figures. i wouldn't be buying or playing with the vintage ones anymore. beside the assine prices, they are way past their shelf life and you risk snapping, cracking, or turning them to toxic plastic dust anytime you try and pose one. but I'm with mike...just jaded with hasbro and the new joe junk and the community as a whole. just no fun anymore and I'm burnt out to the point where I'm slowly getting rid of it all and moving on.
Deleteblack major figures are overpriced junk. the quality is usually garbage and the prices are insane. let's not make this fool rich.
DeleteShow me on the doll where the Black Major hurt you. little boy.
DeleteI don't see the point in taking time to comment on someone's blog just to complain about "negativity". That seems negative in itself. I for one appreciate the hard hitting reviews. Explaining why YOU like something, and why it's better than we might think, is a better way to go about it, IMO.
Deletemaking fun of child abuse is really funny huh?
DeleteI think Black Major is somewhat rich already, or he wouldn't be able make deals with Chinese factories to make the bootlegs.
DeleteI agree they are overpriced. And seeing how many defect figures there are (sold in lots on instagram and such), that doesn't make me want to purse fac customs.
i like getting less fragile versions of og figures. Stalker is great to stand in for a frail 82/83 figure. This set though... I am not a fan the Sarge or the tripple T. but I do like the look of Cup transformed. And though totally not needed that updated Leatherneck does look solid. Had they tossed in a larger built Gung Ho this set would have been killer.
ReplyDeleteI respect where you are coming from with your views on this. It was a longstanding rumor this set was going to be made and of course it's very true to the original design for the Triple T, Sgt. Slaughter and Leatherneck. I purchased the Thundermachine but passed on the Hiss and AWE Striker. For me this set is a must buy. Sgt. Slaughter and Leatherneck are two of my favorite figures and in seeing the more high resolution images their are some subtle changes to each of the figure designs. I never loved the Triple T as a vehicle and have an original I completed a few years ago but for whatever reason (probably nostalgia) this set really hits home for me. I don't really expect Hasbro to take any risks with it's limited use of GI Joe and purely go for the nostalgia aspect when it does invest in the o-rings.
ReplyDeleteLike he is saying. Hasbro please make some figures that we never got ' or that are stupid expensive now on the aftermarket.
ReplyDeleteWhy is that so hard?
The crossover sets have been hit or miss with me. But I think the crossover theme is good and seems natural. I've gotten all sets so far though and will get this set because. . . . eh, it's only money right?
ReplyDeleteStalker is the standout so far. I think he is the absolute best of the Hasbro Retro O-Ring figures. He looks fantastic and fits in nicely with the vintage figures so you don't break your OG one.
Baroness has goofy eye paint. BumbleBee and Megatron are fine.
The Thunder Machine set is kewl. The vehicles look spot on and Soundwave transformed looks good. He should have more cassettes though. Zartan and Zarana at least look good. They have their issues like painted skin . . .
As for this set, Sgt. Slaughter looks great. I like the white belt with the camo pants. Kup looks good transformed. The Triple T fits Slaughter's personality but yea overall it is kinda lame and very easy to get. Leatherneck is one of the easiest figures of his era to get. One thing Leatherneck has going for him is the original has one of the best weapons in the entire line, the M16 with grenade launcher straight out of Predator. And sadly, this new Leatherneck does not come with it, instead in it's place is some Lanard looking generic gun. And he is missing his unique arrow camo pattern. . . . Someone like Zap, Short-Fuze or even Flash would have been a good choice. But, this is Hasbro . . .
I’m a longtime TF and Joe collector, and I haven’t bought a single one of these. Personally I think they are too little too late. Most collectors on both sides have what they want at this point, and odd “extras” like this are unwelcome space hogs. Had these come out during the Devils Due/RAHC era with the early crossover comics, I think they’d have gone over much better.
ReplyDeleteI still enjoy this blog, I just know to expect that anything post-1994 is going to get dragged hard, justifiably or not.
yr right. the problem is most of us either have this stuff or don't want it. I'm 50 yrs old now and it has to be something mind blowing for me to buy it at this point. I just don't have the space or the money for toys anymore. i love what i have but it's just time to stop. fun while it lasted, but when you hit fifty acquiring more stuff loses its luster when you have to start thinking about what to do with this junk before yr gone. joe is from a particular time and place, let it go. bringing it back like this zombifies it and turns the great toy of our youth into a dreaded "collector's item".
DeleteThe remakes of Slaughter and Leatherneck look good for the most part. I never cared for the Triple T, but not sure any vehicle remade as Transformer would interest me.
ReplyDeleteSo it's fine for what it is...it's the prices on them that are like everything else, 50 to 100% too much. We are approaching $20 each for Star Wars 3 3/4" figures. And people can rationalize it, it's the economy, whatever. "It is what it is" But what it is, is people leaving it and not taking it. Luxuries are the first sacrifices. Then, when whatever ends, the diehards can scream "Death of the line! CHEEEEPSKATES!!" And those of us quitters still around can lurk and laugh.
$90 OUCH. Even half that would take some rationalizing. This is why some of us don't want the Transformers, because, well, we are paying a lot for them. Give me Leatherneck and Sarge for $40 or less and it's worth considering.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
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