Preferred 3.75" Action Figure Design

[ZICA]

For those of you who are a fan of this scale, I'm curious to know which 3.75" action figure design is most popular with my fellow Mego Museum members, Kenner vintage Star Wars or Hasbro vintage G.I. Joe? And by "design" I'm referring specifically to the articulation.

[Mego Milk]

I like Star Wars.
it allows for better sculpts too.
aw yeah likeness.

[Werewolf]

80s RAH GI JOE.

[DocDrako]

Vintage GI Joe.

:grin:

[MLoudin]

80's Joe :)

[argent007]

Yo Joe!

I liked Star Wars as well. But, GI Joe was the best.

[Brown Bear]

I like the bent leg mego version.

[gman]

80's GI Joe....

[rche]

It really depends on the application to me.
If someone was going for a serious 70s vibe, I would like the 5 cut-joint look and would not be concerned about extreme character likeness.

I also enjoy the micronaut/black hole/etc. design that the 80s Joes utilized. If used correctly, these can have a good amount of character likeness and hold a few more poses than the 5cut body. Again, I would probably not choose that for a 60s or 70s franchise, tho.

What I really like to see is nice cloth good accessories, even at that scale.

[ZICA]

It really depends on the application to me.
If someone was going for a serious 70s vibe, I would like the 5 cut-joint look and would not be concerned about extreme character likeness.

I also enjoy the micronaut/black hole/etc. design that the 80s Joes utilized. If used correctly, these can have a good amount of character likeness and hold a few more poses than the 5cut body. Again, I would probably not choose that for a 60s or 70s franchise, tho.

What I really like to see is nice cloth good accessories, even at that scale.

This is exactly how I feel except I think cloth accessories would be very difficult to do at that scale. Even with the more modern figures the soft goods pieces tend to look oversized. The Star Wars VOTC by Hasbro is a good example of this.

[rche]

This is exactly how I feel except I think cloth accessories would be very difficult to do at that scale. Even with the more modern figures the soft goods pieces tend to look oversized. The Star Wars VOTC by Hasbro is a good example of this.

I think that depends on the character and application. The modern Hasbro has sort of gotten out of hand with the screen accuracy attempts, in my opinion. However, if you look at the original SW and PotF lines, there were some great cloth goods. General Lando's cape, the Pancho for Leia on endor, Emperors Royal Guard, the skiff guard fellows weird fur skirt front thing: All were awesome. If you want to think even smaller; Yoda's robe and even the Jawa robe were great at that scale.

I think the trap for cloth goods is in attempting to be too realistic with them. Actually, that is probable the case for that entire scale as an articulated figure. If you want to make a mini statue, modern sculpting and casting can get it done. If you want to make it move, you still have to deal with how the joints are hidden.

[TCM Hitchhiker]

Joes

Check out Mezco's 3.75 Cinema of Fear and Hellboy figures for hands down the nicest all around 3.75 figures to date.

[Teemu]

This is exactly how I feel except I think cloth accessories would be very difficult to do at that scale. Even with the more modern figures the soft goods pieces tend to look oversized. The Star Wars VOTC by Hasbro is a good example of this.

are you planning on doing a 3 3/4" Buck Rogers line like the VOTC Starwars figures??

BOUGHT!!!

[ZICA]

are you planning on doing a 3 3/4" Buck Rogers line like the VOTC Starwars figures??

BOUGHT!!!

Sorry to say but that's not gonna happen, at least not from me. I've only got the license until the end of the year and after that I'm moving on to other things.

[Type Two]

80's GI Joe for articulation. I actually prefer the "straight neck" design over the "ball neck." Also, gotta have the swivel arm battle grip. Strangely, there are only a handful of figures that have both straight necks and s.a.b.g.

[bobws]

Considering the lead time needed,why did you get the License for Buck Rogers for so short a time? was it due to the expense or the wishes of the rights holder? Trying to come out with 9 figures in less than 2 years seems like it would be a long shot.

[Sandman9580]

I prefer the old school Star Wars look. And the cloth capes and accessories were one of the things I loved most about that line. I'd love to see a modern toy line that looked like that.

[SpaceAgent]

I like the vintage SW. The Joes looked too loose-limbed, IMO.

[ZICA]

Considering the lead time needed,why did you get the License for Buck Rogers for so short a time? was it due to the expense or the wishes of the rights holder? Trying to come out with 9 figures in less than 2 years seems like it would be a long shot.

Let's just say I was in a position that I could have easily renewed the license to make more figures if sales had been strong enough. Unfortunately that didn't happen.

[LordMudd]

I like the Star Wars style for aesthetic reasons, but I would prefer the Joes as a customizes because they are so much easier to work with. That said, I have no interest in either line beyond what I can make from them. Now if you had ask the difference between Star Trek Mego and Star Trek ERTL.....

CCC.

[SeattleEd]

Articulation wise? Joe
Aesthetic wise? SW

Plastic and metal rivets, however, don't go hand in hand. Causes friction and ends up making the plastic smooth and loose. Plastic rivets may work but break easily. :(

[Nefud]

Modern G.I. Joe or Marvel Universe (that is to say, the good figures from Marvel Universe usually more like their movie lines, such as Iron Man or Captain America).

[ODBJBG]

Joes. Articulation is a big selling factor in toys today. You won't be taken seriously by a huge sect of collectors without an ample number of points.

[ZICA]

Joes. Articulation is a big selling factor in toys today. You won't be taken seriously by a huge sect of collectors without an ample number of points.

I don't necessarily think that's always the case, especially when you're talking about retro styled figures aimed at collectors. Sometimes I think it would be best if the figures are designed like they would have been back in the 70's or early 80's, especially if they're for a property that never had action figures during that time.

[rche]

^^ agreed

I think this is the approach that the small scale Venture Bros figures are taking. At least I hope so.

[Nostalgiabuff]

i liked the articulation of the 80's Joes, once they added the ball neck and swivel arm bicep

[ogemtoys]

My vote is for the vintage star wars style.

[ODBJBG]

I don't necessarily think that's always the case, especially when you're talking about retro styled figures aimed at collectors. Sometimes I think it would be best if the figures are designed like they would have been back in the 70's or early 80's, especially if they're for a property that never had action figures during that time.

I guess it depends on who you're trying to sell them too. But I'd bank on more articulation than less, because that's one of the number one complaints I hear about any line. Even retro lines. Vintage Star Wars figures are only worth money because they're vintage. If you're making something new, it needs to be as up to date with the times as possible or you're going to count a lot of people out. This is why Star Wars figures from even a few years ago are worthless today.

I rarely if ever hear "It's got too much articulation", but I hear on a near daily basis people listing lack of articulation for why they opted not to purchase certain items. Case in point the 4 Horsemen's "Outer Space Men" line. I think their sales would be double, perhaps triple what it was if the articulation model was more modern. It was the #1 reason most listed as to why they skipped the line. It was a retro line too, mind you.

I'm not an articulation junkie myself, but if I was investing cash in a project, I'd go for the more points than the fewer. Just my .2, your mileage may vary.

[Mok]

I think Space 1999 could have had more 3.34" figures than just the ones that came with the Eagle 1 transport .

[boynightwing]

I like 80's Joe or even the 25th Anniversary Joe. But 80's Joe is best. :)

[LadyZod]

Vintage: O-Ring construction Joes, hands down.

For a great example of modern 3 3/4 inch figures look at the Jakks wrestling/UFC figures. Sturdy construction, superheroic in proportions, articulation, and decent likeness at that scale (some heads look better than others, but you can't win them all.)

If I had the talent, I would have customized a whole army of DC and Marvel figures on these 3 3/4 Jakks bodies.