modern Hasbro AT GI Joes this year??

[palitoy]

That's a real shame. I'd hate to see that era of GI JOE get lost to time.

I think it's a cool and creative line but it has a miniscule fanbase and a lot of people don't even know it's related to Joe.

I'm surprised that Bulletman hasn't become a fan club exclusive, he's hard to get complete and it wouldn't take a tremendous effort to repop him.

[Werewolf]

I'm surprised that Bulletman hasn't become a fan club exclusive, he's hard to get complete and it wouldn't take a tremendous effort to repop him.

Good call. I'd love to see Mike Power get reissued too. Hard to find those where the clear parts haven't really yellowed. Like Bulletman, he probably wouldn't be too costly to repop either.

[palitoy]

It would be fun to throw those two into the RAH lines as well.

I'm not really up on Joe collecting but I remember reading that Bulletman enjoyed a cult following.

[Werewolf]

It would be fun to throw those two into the RAH lines as well.

Totally, if they can add Matt Trakker from M.A.S.K. to RAH, I can't see why they can't add Bulletman and Mike Power who were actual GI JOE Adventure Team members.

[SpaceCrawler]

The Muscle Body (AKA Life Like) Joes used a unique body that was totally different from the regular GI Joes. Bulletman used this same body (only produced from like 75-76 or something). Unless original tooling exists (which is doubtful), or is easily available, and all tooling molds accounted for (every part of body was unique except KFG hands and regular heads), then entirely new tooling would have to be created, which would be cost prohibitive. There isn't enough demand for vintage Joe for Hasbro to be bothered, unfortunately. And Bullet Man was a flop to begin with.

These day, Hasbro bailed out after the 40th line was only partly complete (though that was mishandled badly, but that's nothing new- Hasbro has screwed up GI Joe in every incarnation since it's release in 1964. They never knew how to properly accessorize or market Joe- the 3 3/4 inch guys being sort of an exception- though I think TV/movie tie-in toys are lame, but the little Joes don't really count as GI Joe anyway).

Cheap vintage Mike Powers are easy to find (most sellers can't get rid of them). Some yellowed limbs are thought to be a variation (though obviously most came with clear, I would imagine).

Sean

[palitoy]

The Muscle Body (AKA Life Like) Joes used a unique body that was totally different from the regular GI Joes. Bulletman used this same body (only produced from like 75-76 or something). Unless original tooling exists (which is doubtful), or is easily available, and all tooling molds accounted for (every part of body was unique except KFG hands and regular heads), then entirely new tooling would have to be created, which would be cost prohibitive. There isn't enough demand for vintage Joe for Hasbro to be bothered, unfortunately. And Bullet Man was a flop to begin with.

I wasn't suggesting the muscle body be retooled, just some sort of improvised thing using existing items as some sort of club/con exclusive. I know Bulletman isn't ever going to appear on Wal-Mart Shelves again but he'd be a fun "gimmee".

the 3 3/4 inch guys being sort of an exception- though I think TV/movie tie-in toys are lame, but the little Joes don't really count as GI Joe anyway).

There is a large group who would loudly disagree with you there. Judging from what I've seen at local conventions, the little Joes are completely driving the bus at this point.

[SpaceCrawler]

Right, I meant the 3 3/4 inch Joes were the only version of Joe that was handled pretty much correctly (in terms of accessories, marketing, etc) and has become successful again after all these years. Though, again, I don't consider that toy a real GI Joe and have less "respect" for TV show/movie tie-in toys (because less imagination is required to play with the toy - and invent it to begin with).

Yeah, a new Bullet Man from the GI Joe Club would be cool. I'm still holding out for a repro Nurse!

Sean

[palitoy]

Right, I meant the 3 3/4 inch Joes were the only version of Joe that was handled correctly and has become successful again. Though, again, I don't consider that toy a real GI Joe.

I don't have much nostalgia for it either but I'm jealous of how the fans are being treated. The last show I went to my kids got pictures with an actress playing Scarlett and Sgt Savage showed up, pretty neat stuff.

When I started collecting Adventure Team stuff, it was called "fuzzhead crap" by older collectors, I never cared for that.

Yeah, a new Bullet Man from the GI Joe Club would be cool. I'm still holding out for a repro Nurse!

Another no brainer, slap her on a modern body.

[PNGwynne]

I'm surprised that Bulletman hasn't become a fan club exclusive, he's hard to get complete and it wouldn't take a tremendous effort to repop him.

I couldn't agree more--I've written Brian Savage at the Club a few times over the years about this, or even offering a modernized version.

Evidently one of the problems is calling him "Bulletman", but I suggested the club offering a AT-compatible "Armored Adventurer." Really, aside from the helmet, the tooling would be minimal. Tha fan support for the character at conventions is strong...

Regarding the Joe muscle body & eagle-eye feature, some of the UK anniversary Action Man re-releases feature these styles. cotswold Collectibles carries them.

[Werewolf]

Regarding the Joe muscle body & eagle-eye feature, some of the UK anniversary Action Man re-releases feature these styles. cotswold Collectibles carries them.

Good point.

I totally forgot about the Action Man reissues on the muscle bodies. A Bulletman reissue seems more and more like a more brainer and like you said, he has a pretty huge cult following amoung the Adventure Team collectors.

[SpaceCrawler]

The UK life like bodies were different from the US muscle bodies. So even if they were used it wouldn't be an exact match to the original Bulletman (though, as was said, a pseudo-repro could be engineered).

Also, the GI Joe club doesn't own those 40th AM molds so can't access them (I doubt Hasbro even has the rights to them as the 40th AM line was done by the guy who does Modeler's Loft and Palitoy, and that body was unique to Palitoy).

Sean

[PNGwynne]

Hmm.. I didn't realize the muscle-body & UK life-like were dissimilar. How do they compare?

I did hear, though, that the UK stuff was not Hasbro-produced. Thanks for the info!

[SpaceCrawler]

Hmm.. I didn't realize the muscle-body & UK life-like were dissimilar. How do they compare?

I did hear, though, that the UK stuff was not Hasbro-produced. Thanks for the info!

Well, if we're talking about the eagle eye AM figures with the blue trunks, these bodies were totally different from the GI Joe muscle bodies:

AM:
ACTION MAN 40TH BLONDE FLOCK EAGLE EYES GH NUDE FIGURE - eBay (item 220514372518 end time Dec-21-09 15:53:51 PST)

GI Joe:
Vintage GI Joe Muscle Body for Parts - eBay (item 350285998952 end time Dec-05-09 13:28:03 PST)

GIJOE #7290 TALKING MUSCLE BODY COMMANDER - eBay (item 160379948694 end time Nov-30-09 06:52:32 PST)

G.I.JOE HAVE YOUR MUSCLE BODY RESTUNG REPAIRED DONE - eBay (item 160381217370 end time Dec-01-09 08:57:10 PST)

Sean

[Werewolf]

Differences in the bodies aside, I do think we all can agree a Bulletman is popular enough to reissue and a reasonably close enough copy of him could be done with a very minimal amount of new tooling.

[SpaceCrawler]

Differences in the bodies aside, I do think we all can agree a Bulletman is popular enough to reissue and a reasonably close enough copy of him could be done with a very minimal amount of new tooling.

True, it could be done, but I think it'd be more likely the GI joe Club could do a normal body version before being able to have access to those AM life like bodies, since they actually own molds (or have permission to use molds) to all the Joes they produce.

As far as popularity goes, that's debatable. Maybe among hardcore AT collectors he would be wanted, but I think he wouldn't be too popular among at least half the ever-shrinking vintage Joe world (judging by my observations over the years). But it'd be cool to see. I know I'd love to see a vintage Nurse reproduced (with box), and while it's one of the most rare and collectable Joe items, many collectors aren't too keen on the idea of a Nurse, either. Ah well, time will tell. Just send those letters into the Joe club and make requests! Power to the people!

Sean