The Top 10 - 2024

So, here is the top 10 most viewed pages on the site for 2024.  The main takeaway is that Cobra Commander is always popular. (Different photos of him made up 2 of my top 9 Instagram photos, too.)  People also like to read about terrible vintage figures: especially from 1987.  Posts made in the first half of the year dominate the most viewed.  Traffic really fell off in the second half.  But, big social media sites now deliberately throttle posts with links to outside websites.  So, that limits who can see any promotion I do.  But, there were still 260,000+ pageviews and over 600 comments left last year.  So, that's really cool.

2023 Failsafe - 1008 Page Views

This 1 year retrospective of the Skystriker Haslab garnered a lot of views.  There was some good discussion on him, too.  In short, Fail Safe is an ok figure that works in the context of post vintage ARAH style releases.  But, the Skystriker has also fizzled out on the secondary market: largely due to oversaturation and the general banality of the figures.  

1984 Hooded Cobra Commander - Around The Web - 999 Page Views

The first Cobra Commander on this list.  Around the Web features tend to do about 1/2 the traffic of profiles.  But, this one exploded.  Cobra Commander is awesome and this iconic look got attention.

2024 O-Ring Ghostbusters Debut - 686 Page Views

These figures were a complete surprise.  Reaction to them was overwhelmingly positive.  The figures have just started shipping in recent weeks.  I'm hoping to get a set to profile at some point in 2025.

1987 Raptor - 565 Page Views

Raptor is a terrible figure.  Larry Hama made sour lemonade out of lemons, though, and got him a more memorable run in the comic than the figure certainly deserved.

1987 Taurus - 545 Page Views

Taurus benefits from his 1987 release year and association with Sgt. Slaughter from the cartoon.  So, a poorly designed (but well sculpted!) figure has its fans.

2004 Night Force Short Fuse - 478 Page Views

Another theme is that figures from the 2000's tend to do fairly well when it comes to views.  Night Force is a collector friendly theme.  And, Short Fuse is uses a great mold.

2005 Clear Cobra Commander - 477 Page Views

The second Cobra Commander on the list is also a 2000's era figure.  This clear figure is a gimmick that works.  

1985 Snake Eyes - 454 Page Views

The 1985 Snake Eyes might be the best figure in the Joe line.  And, this was my 25th Anniversary profile.  

Rarities - 1986 Promotional Poster - 429 Page Views

This promo from 1986 is full of pre-production figures.  That's one of the most popular years of Joe figures.  And, it was my most view Rarities post of 2024.

1994 Star Brigade Sci Fi - 420 Page Views

Star Brigade (and 1990's figures in general) have gotten more popular in recent years.  I'm going to revisit my favorite figure from the subset in 2025.  Need to get some pics of him!

We'll see what 2025 brings.  We should see some decent Super7 figures.  (Unless their venture capital overlords do them in first.)  Black Major has some amazing stuff coming and is always good for a few surprises.  LadyJayeToys has teased some Jinx and Pilot Scarlett/Ace figures, too.  So, there should be a lot happening in the world.  What resonates is always surprising, though.  So, it will be fun to see what captures your attention next year.

What's Left?

Recently, General Liederkranz undertook a project to photograph the remaining figures in his collection that he had yet to take out for a photo shoot.  It got me to thinking: what figures do I have left to profile?  There's over 1600 posts on this blog...most of them showcasing a G.I. Joe figure of some sort.  So, who do I have yet to look at?  

It's a tough question since you can put various boxes around it.  Do I just look at the vintage run?  Do I include the repaint era?  What about convention figures?  Funskool was easier to get than many of the Toys R Us exclusives during the early 2000's.  So, do I add them to the list?  I went with 1982 through 2001.  Mostly because I don't collect JvC figures nor do I collect anniversary figures.  And, starting in 2002, you also get themed waves.  I also sold off most of my 2002-2005 figures, especially convention figures.  So, I'm missing a ton of figures there that will, likely, never again call my collection home.

Below is the list of what I haven't profiled.  Figures in red text are figures I currently own.  You'll notice that most of the holes are figures that are not part of my collection.  Outside of these figures, I've already written about most of the foreign Joes that call my collection home.  And, those aren't easy to buy any longer.  So, it's doubtful my roster will expand  there, either.  This list is a start, though, and gives some perspective on what's still out there for me to cover.

Original 13:

I don't collect straight arms.  But, I'll count the swivel arm versions of the original 13.

Scarlett, Short Fuse

1984: 

Duke, Cutter

1986:

Mail Away Sgt. Slaughter

1987:

Big Boa, Gung Ho, Steamroller, Golobulus, Avalanche, Fridge

1988:

Astro Viper, Armadillo, Ferret, Skidmark, Tiger Force Duke, Night Force Falcon, Night Force Outback, Night Force Tunnel Rat

1989:

HEAT Viper, Windchill, Slaughters Marauders BBQ, Slaughters Marauders Footloose, Slaughters Marauders Low Light, Slaughters Marauders Sgt. Slaughter, Night Force Charbroil, Night Force Spearhead

1990:

Sky Patrol Airborne, Sky Patrol Drop Zone, Sky Patrol Static Line, Cold Front, Major Storm

1991:

Snow Serpent, Dodger, Lampreys, Tunnel Rat, Sky Creeper, Major Altitude

1992:

Wet Suit, Dojo, Slice, Stormshadow, Cobra Commander, General Hawk, Overkill, Ninja Viper

1993:

Alley Viper, Cross Country, Iceberg, Mutt, Snow Storm - Both Versions, Wild Bill, Bio Viper, Monstro Viper, Mega Marines Gung Ho, Blast Off, Bushido, Red Ninja, BAAT, Duke, Heavy Duty, Ozone - Both Versions, Star Brigade Roadblock, Armor Tech Hawk, Pretty much all the Street Fighter figures, Major Altitude, Dee-Jay, Stalker, Big Bear, Big Ben, Budo

1994:

Alley Viper, Carcass, Effects, Lobotomaxx, Space Shot, Bushido, Nunchuk, Slice, Stormshadow, Action Pilot - Blue Version

1997:

Blizzard, Iceberg, Snow Job, Gung Ho, Viper, Duke, Breaker, Rock and Roll

1998:

Col. Brekhov, Night Creeper, Shipwreck

2000:

Cobra Commander, Snake Eyes, Stormshadow, Whiteout

2001:

Big Brawler, Cobra Commander, Gung Ho, Low Light, Sure Fire, Wetdown, Flint, Iguanus

I'll fill a few of these holes next year.  I think I have 6 or 7 of these figures already 80% written.  So, you'll likely see them in 2025.  Beyond that, there will be some retreads.  In some cases, it's been 15 or more years since I've looked at a mold.  So, they'll be making a comeback.  I'll look at some more vehicles, too.  (Maybe I'll get around to finishing the Bugg profile I started in 2017.)  I'm thinking of looking at some more vintage comics, too.  I haven't really read the comics in a long time.  So, going back to mine some obscure ephemera from them will help alleviate the content gaps since I don't own many toys that haven't gotten a write up.  

When the year began, I didn't think that I'd get to 100 posts in 2024.  But, I made it.  Not sure if that's something to celebrate.  I also didn't think that I would not add any new figures to my collection after January.  But, that also happened.  Not that there isn't some great stuff being done by Black Major.  I just haven't had the compunction to actually pull the trigger to expand my collection.  We'll see what Super7 does in 2025 with their o-ring line.  

I'm now in my 26th year of doing this.  It's always amazing to see how many of you have been here since the beginning and how many have just learned I exist.  I appreciate each and every one of you who stops by, reads what I have to say and takes the time to comment, repost or just react to my content.  I hope you and your families have had a great 2024 and that your 2025 is even better!

Really, I might finally finish the Bugg profile.

2024 Ghostbusters O-ring Figures - In Package

This is a good product.  For $44, it's properly priced and the packaging is a perfect combo of collector friendly and space conscious.  I'm not a huge fan of the "retro weathering".  But, it's consistent with the retro offerings from Star Wars and gives a vibe...I guess.  Even if they never do another o-ring homage with a media property, it's awesome that these toys exist.

The figures are what they were supposed to be.  The price is right.  I can only image Joe 4 packs that had been done in this format and at this price.  Maybe they'd still be viable.  But, I hope this Ghostbusters set sells out and inspires Hasbro to take more chances like this.  Hell, they could reuse the Ramis and Murray heads in a Stripes 4 pack.  Until then, though, we can enjoy an o-ring set done right.

2024 BAT - Super7 ReAction+

About a year ago, Super7 attempted a crowd funding for an ambitious Cobra Mothership.  The campaign included a set of figures that, instead of the standard Super7 five points of articulation, would feature the classic o-ring construction of Hasbro G.I. Joes.  These figures proved more popular than the ship.  At some point during this process, it was announced that Super7 would be creating a full line of classically styled G.I. Joe figures.  This was somewhat remarkable: for Hasbro to abandon on in-house brand.  But, o-ring Joes had been a monumental failure for Hasbro.  (So much so that the stock is still lingering over 2 years later.)  And, Super7 had found success with  their ReAction branded Joe figures.  Hasbro wanted to, rightfully, put all their resources behind the Joe Classified brand.  So, licensing out the 3 3/4 license to a partner who was both willing and competent was a natural match.  In the summer of 2024, the first photos of the newly branded ReAction+ line surfaced.  They were met with cautious excitement.  As more images surfaced, the sentiment remained about the same.  People were excited for the figures.  But, at the same time, there were some doubts as to the final product.  Now, though, the figures are in hand.  And, the verdict on the figures remains, largely, the same.

Initial retail reports of the ReAction+ figures have suggested that Snake Eyes is the most popular.  Among collectors, the Snake Eyes was the least regarded figure.  We all have dozens of high quality Snake Eyes figures already.  Collectors were interested in Cover Girl and this BAT.  But, the BAT seems to be one of the most easily found figures.  This suggests that many of the retail buyers of these figures are casual fans who find interest in the major characters.  This is good since it will  leave the more obscure, collector oriented figures as something you can find at retail and, maybe, even army build.  And, it will sell out the less interesting figures of major characters that we all own in excess.

The presentation of the Super7 figures is geared towards collectors.  Unlike vintage figures that were meant to show off the toy, these modern releases are meant to be kept carded.  The layout of the figure and accessories are all geared for in package display on a shelf or in a case.  The figures are locked in place by a molded plastic tray to that the figure will still look great 100 years from now, long after the o-ring has dried up.  So, that's a nice feature for carded collectors and an added expense for loose collectors.

Accessory wise, the BAT is excellent.  You get two removable hands: one left and one right.  Then, there's the backpack that holds the additional three classic BAT attachments: the claw, laser and flame thrower.  The attachments are all new and feature updated detailing from their vintage inspiration.  The BAT includes one final piece: an oversized rifle.  As a Joe accessory, it isn't great.  But, when you look at the comic panels on which this figure is based, the rifle is a pretty nice match.  It's certainly better than the Hasbro accessories from the repaint era Comic Packs.  The Super7 weapons have been the weak point on the figures, so far.  It will be interesting to see how these evolve over time.  But, the gear has a precision fit to the figure in a way we haven't seen since about 1992.  So, that is a nice feature of these figures, so far.

I am also impressed with the quality of the figure.  The paint masks are sharp.  But, the real surprise was the joints.  All my ReAction figures had relatively stiff joints and would creak when you moved them.  Out of the package, this BAT has no such flaws.  The joints move freely with no sticking or catching.  But, they are also very tight and the figure can hold a variety of poses.  The removable attachments fit onto the pegs even better than those from the 1986 BAT do.  And, the figure could hold his accessories.  I could never get the ReAction figures to do that without fear of stripping paint or plastic off the weapon handle.  In short, they are very nice.  It's different plastic than vintage Joes and it's not the rubbery stuff that's rotting away from the 2000's.

So, my thoughts on the figure.  Since the beginning, I've felt something looked "off" about all the Super7 designs.  The most glaring design feature that drove this is the figure's heads.  The more cartoon inspired heads look very out of place on ARAH bodies.  And, the human heads, in particular are egregiously out of proportion to the older style body pieces.  But, even the masked and helmeted heads are a bit too detailed for the bodies.  The other thing that was noticeable is that the figures are smooth.  ARAH figures have just the right blend of folds, creases and pockets to give the legs and torsos some heft.  They are more realistic looks of how clothes hang on a human body.  The Super7 figures remain overly straight, though.  And, this gives them a bit of a knock off feel.  Remco and even Lanard skimped on sculpting and design elements like the detailed fit of clothing.  Super7 went the same route and it makes the figures stand out from vintage Joes and appear more in line with the cheap imitators who dominated the discount stores of the '80's.  

The last thing, though, was not something I really recognized until I got the figures in hand.  This BAT features a ton of sculpted details on his chest and legs.  But, they are all flat to the figure's body.  There's barely any elevation at all from the base sculpt.  In the vintage Joe line, the sculpted details protruded quite a bit from the body.  Pouches, holsters, knifes and even superfluous details like zippers extend out from the pants, chest and arms in realistic proportions.  When looking at this BAT, his sculpted details are flush with his body.  This accentuates the smoothness issue because you don't have the visual break of extended details.  It also takes away some of the realism of the figure.  Things seem out of proportion because they don't have the necessary width.  It's not a design choice that, alone, makes the figures bad.  But, it contributes to these figures being very different from Hasbro figures and, to me, makes them more Joe-adjacent than actual Joes.

Where the ReAction Joe line succeeded was mining the depths of the Joe cartoon for obscure characters and offbeat paint jobs.  It was the most diverse Joe line released since the vintage days.  So far, the ReAction+ line seems to be following that formula.  Cover Girl, Tomax and Xamot are all cartoon icons.  Supposedly, this BAT was from the comic.  Upon first glance, I would have guessed it a cartoon paint job.  But, the this is the BAT coloring from its first appearance in G.I. Joe #44.  So, technically, it's a comic figure.  (I'm going to have to write about G.I. Joe #44 at some point because it's been mined so deep for figures that have actually seen release even though some of the best ideas from the issue have yet to be considered.)  If Super7 continues a mix of comic and cartoon figures, they'll do well.  And, to be sure, I'm invested in the line if only for the possibility of both a Dr. Venom and a proper Kwinn figure in both his cold weather gear and the khaki shorts.  I assume we'll get at least one of these in the line: along with a multitude of other figures that will exist in no other form.

ReAction+ figures are $20.  That's a lot for what you get.  But, it's a boutique line with low production numbers.  So, you're going to pay for that.  Historically, the first wave of figures of a new line is overproduced and, eventually, ends up on clearance.  This isn't an indicator of success or failure, it's just the nature of an exuberant launch.  So, I fully expect you'll be able to get this BAT for a discount at some point in the next few months, especially as future waves roll  out.  Like the ReAction Joe line, these o-ring figures are available at all online retailers as well as Target's brick and mortar stores.  It's nice to be able to buy a figure on the pegs.  And, were it not for this retail presence, I would not ever have purchased one of these figures.  Target was pretty committed to the ReAction line.  So, I hope that partnership will not only continue, but also bring us weird foreign repaints that are exclusive to the retailer.

I have no real prognosis on the future collectability of these figures.  I never thought the Toys R Us repaint figures would be anything more than late line oddities.  But, now, some of them command substantial premiums.  And, it's pretty likely that these Super7 figures will have similar or lower production runs.  So, in time, they'll disappear.  It's just a question of whether collectors disappear at a faster rate.  If they do, it won't matter.  But, if they don't, there might be some future interest in these figures.  For me, my interest in these will be as a supplement to my collection.  I'm not going all in on them as they still aren't a close enough integration with classic Joes for me to do so.  But, you can be sure I'll pick up some characters who appear in unique paint jobs or have never been otherwise released in ARAH Joe form.  

2024 Sgt. Slaughter & Leatherneck Transformer

 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.

The Zeroes - Mark VIII

So, I completely forgot about the zeroes in 2023.  Not that it really matters.  But, the Zeroes posts used to do fairly good numbers.  The purpose of this is to showcase the poorest performing posts of the last year.  As always, some make sense as the items are obscure or not interesting.  But, in other cases, the subject seemed like it would do OK.  But, for some reason, it didn't.

Action Force Stalker - Around The Web

This is one of those cases where a figure that should be popular just didn't do numbers.  I suspect that Snake Eyes repaints have gotten blase.  

1992 Dice - Random Photos

Dice is a cool figure.  His ninja action limits him, though.  Regardless, no one really cared about some random photos of this figure.

1994 Viper (Made in Indonesia) 

This was a disappointment.  The 1994 Viper is a figure I really enjoy.  And, these days, he is relatively popular.  At least, so I thought.  But, his profile did dismal numbers and was quickly brushed to the ash-heap of this site's archives.

2001 Destro

No real surprise here.  The 1992 Destro isn't that popular a figure.  And, this 2001 repaint is barely different.  So, no one really cared about it.

1994 Beach Head 

Another one that makes sense.  The 1993 Beach Head is generally criticized, roundly.  And, adding a splash of neon yellow to his paint job doesn't make him any more popular, even if the figure is probably a little better.

1985 Bazooka - Around The Web

Around the Web features don't tend to do great numbers.  But, this Bazooka was greeted with absolute silence.  It's an obscure figure that is more joke fodder than anything.  

Black Major Tank Commander

Usually, factory custom figures perform very well.  But, this Tank Commander didn't get a lot of interest.  Upon its release, this figure was pretty ignored.  And, it was cheap for many years.  So, that translated to a flaming dud.

So, that wraps up a year's worth of duds.  Speaking of which, Rarities Month this year wasn't spectacular.  But, it had some volume.  I'm at a point where it's getting harder to find oddities and rare items that aren't part of the secret cabal.  I have some items for next year.  And, I have 11 months to find some more.  

Until then, keep coming by for more items.  I'll have more profiles as the year winds down.  I just haven't had much motivation this year.  I haven't acquired any Joes in almost 6 months.  And, I don't really feel compelled to change that: despite some really nice factory customs coming out.  I need to pull the trigger on a Baroness or two and also gear up for some of the Low-Light/Beach Head/Shockwave colorways.  Until then, though, I'll have a smattering of content.  I've found that going back and re-examining some of the figures from the earliest days of the site has lead to some inspiration.  So, I might be doing more of that as 2024 winds down.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts.

Super7 O-Ring Figures

So, we finally get to see the Super7 take on o-ring G.I. Joe figures.  They are...pretty much as expected.  Basically, they are ReAction figures with vintage Joe articulation.  They feature the same heads, smooth sculpts and trademark hand design as the 5 points of articulation figures.  So, they will stand  out among vintage Joe figures.  But, they are also somewhat close and will work with vintage figures.

My thoughts:

1. The heads are too large and detailed for the vintage style bodies.  They will definitely not look like vintage figures.  
2. I'm not a fan of the hands.  But, the main reason is that the gear is much less likely to be compatible with vintage Joes.
3. The bodies are just too smooth.  They lack details that the vintage Hasbro team used to give the figures depth.  The smooth bodies look like knock off figures from the '80's.  (The smooth upper arms are especially egregious.)
4. The waists are too big and blocky.  This is a feature that also plagues many kickstarter figure lines.  
5. The crotch is short and stocky.  It's straight off of a K-Mart Remco figure.  It's hugely noticeable among vintage Joes.
6. The accessories don't look great.  The cartoon inspired designs are OK.  But, the guns included with the BAT and Snake Eyes look like Chap Mei type weapons that are overly large and embellished.

So, I'm left with an existential question: am I an o-ring figure collector or am I a vintage style Joe collector?  Because, I don't see these figures as being an extension of the vintage Joe line.  Really, the entire success of this line will likely hinge upon the paint masks.  If they offset the cheapness of the sculpting, these figures will be really nice.  But, even skimping on one or two masks will leave the figures looking more like knock-off Joes instead of an upgrade over Hasbro's work.

I'll  definitely use them to supplement my vintage collection.  Especially if they make missing figures like Dr. Venom or the Khaki shorts Kwinn.  Figures like Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander seem unnecessary since I have plenty of them that are already compatible with my collection.  The Twins (a surprise announcement!) and Cover Girl fall into the middle tier.  For the right price, I'll get them.  But, $50 or more for the Twins is a no.  Though, $35 might be doable.  

We're seeing Hasbro and other toy makers dropping prices and also pushing discount lines at brick and mortar retailers.  But, collector lines haven't felt the full pinch...yet.  So, it will be interesting to see where the price point on these ends up.  They were going to be expensive.  But, the market may not support that, now.  So, we'll see where they end up upon release.  I'll be hard pressed to pay $25 plus shipping for these figures.  $20 at my local Target seems like a lot for all but the best figures.  $12 seems great.  But, that's just not going to happen.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Rarities and Oddities Month - 2024

Tomorrow will kick off our annual Rarities and Oddities month. I've got a new post about every other day for the month.  So, there will be lots of content.  I don't really have a flagship post this year.  My quiver is pretty empty in terms of old photos that I've had around for years and years.  This year is heavy on the oddities rather than the rarities.  So, some of these items may be familiar to you.  Others may be new.  But, stop by to check out this year's crop of weirdness that I've found in the community.

As always, use the Rarities tag to find all the historical posts.  There's over 100, now.  Some feature some cool stuff you still don't see much these days.

O-Ring Ghostbusters Figures - Not an Early April Fools Joke

We all know that 3 3/4 o-ring Joes have been a retail flop.  Hasbro canned a planned 2 pack and we haven't seen any new packs in a couple of years.  The Transformers crossovers are collecting dust at every retailer who was dumb enough to buy them.  And, Amazon can't give away the Transformers sets for a fraction of the original retail price.  What if, though, the issue with the vintage Joe style is not the 40 year old engineering.  But, instead, it is the property on  which the style is used?  

Well, we're about to find out.  Hasbro threw a curve ball at Wondercon on 3/30/24 that no one saw coming.  They will be releasing a 3 3/4 o-ring set of the original Ghostbusters figures.  Now, I won't pretend that I ever wanted Joe compatible Ghostbusters.  But, for the right price, they are something I'll buy.  From the mock up image below, the figures look decent enough.  The heads will likely be a little overdetailed to be 100% matches for vintage Joes.  But, the rest of the bodies look like they were stripped straight from a 1983 Doc.  

It will be interesting to see how these do.  The Ghostbusters Haslab funded almost immediately.  So, there's a fanbase.  And, since everything but the heads and Bill Murray's lower legs look like reuse of the same parts, Hasbro doesn't have a ton invested in the tooling.  The proton packs look like 1982 Joe gear with the attached hoses.  They should be more pliable than the old Hasbro accessories.  And, I'm unlikely to be all that invested in their quality when these proton packs turn 40.  

As a kid, I wished that every toy line and property was available in Joe construction.  If Hasbro starts looking at other properties that could be ported over to classic construction, I wouldn't hate that.  But, I'm also unlikely to fully support every product released in the style.  But, if Joe isn't viable in the vintage style, I'm OK if other licensed characters are.  I'll approach them much like I do Kickstarters and Factory Customs.  If something's cool, I'll buy it.  But, I'll easily skip anything that doesn't really speak to me.

I'll be very curious on pricing.  If they price out at $22 each like the Pulse Joes, they will be a tougher buy for me.  If they're in the $13 range, they're much more palatable.  Supposedly, there is a compatible Ecto-1, too.  Getting an all new 3 3/4 compatible vehicle will be nice.  Though, the Ecto-1 is so iconic that it would be tough to integrate into a Joe collection.  But, cool toys are cool toys.  And, so far, these look OK and are a direction that isn't terrible for a company like Hasbro who has really struggled over the past couple of years.

(Update - it appears the figures will run about $44 for the set.  If so, that's an amazing price.  And, it also means that we paid $10-$11 extra per figure for the Pulse o-ring Joes....)