Preferred 3.75" Action Figure Design

[Jeff Cope]

Honestly, I prefer somewhere in between. I'm perfectly happy with a T-crotch, cut neck, shoulders, elbows and knees. Ball joints are nice, but I'm kinda over super-articulated.

[Aricosaur]

The issue for me is; if you are going to do super-articulated, or even 80s style G.I.Joe, you have to do it right. I'm perfectly happy with a 5-points figure but I hate figures with bad articulation. Look at the Star Trek 2009 3 3/4 figures. The elbow joints have, like, 5 degrees of movement. That's more frustrating than it's worth. I'd rather they had straight-arms than useless joints. One leg on my Spock is shorter than the other, I suspect because of the "stack" of pieces that make up the legs not being perfectly the same size on each leg.

If you look at the Star Trek 2009 figures they have a "retro" Mego or Galoob 3 3/4 look and would have worked great as 8-points figures (5 plus knees and waist). However, because they had extra articulation that was poorly executed the whole line failed (all that extra constructing pushed up the price but you didn't get the benefit of all that cost). If you're gonna try to do super-articulation they need to be of G.I.Joe or Star Wars Hasbro quality.

If you were to do 80's style G.I.Joe (aka Black Hole) I would copy the vintage design except do solid construction hip/waist.

[Starroid Raiders Dagon]

I like the GI Joe figure type better for action play (as I remember as a kid). I had a hard time making the Bionic man from the cycle set "do" anything. Micronauts, and GI Joe were my favorite lines. I did like the Secret Wars line and Masters of the Universe figures and they had limited articulation. My favorite 3.75 figures now are the ones made by Chap Mei and most have the 5 joints with semi-action poses but the details are amazing.

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[enyawd72]

Craig,

Aren't Star Wars style figures much less expensive to produce than G.I. Joe style?
Seems Joe style would have more individual parts to tool, plus the cost of assembly with the various rivets/screws/o-rings.

I'm for keeping the cost down to get as many characters as possible.

[ZICA]

Craig,

Aren't Star Wars style figures much less expensive to produce than G.I. Joe style?
Seems Joe style would have more individual parts to tool, plus the cost of assembly with the various rivets/screws/o-rings.

I'm for keeping the cost down to get as many characters as possible.

Actually no, the cost is almost the same. For each style of figure you're able to get all of the parts into one mold so the tooling cost is the same. The cost of assembling a G.I. Joe style figure might be slightly more expensive, maybe $0.10 more per figure at the most.

[Aricosaur]

Actually no, the cost is almost the same. For each style of figure you're able to get all of the parts into one mold so the tooling cost is the same. The cost of assembling a G.I. Joe style figure might be slightly more expensive, maybe $0.10 more per figure at the most.

Interesting. I always assumed that all that extra assembly meant a lot more cost. So it's mainly an aesthetic decision.

[Scousebadger]

I prefer the Kenner style.

I never liked the fragility of the 80s GI Joes, and thought the metal riveted joints were ugly.

Not to mention the fact that the female figures looked like hefty men in bad drag.

I like the modern Joes' articulation, but for retro it has to be Kenner style.

[Bionicfanboy66]

Even a few of the vintage SW figures eventually suffered from loose limb syndrome, especially ANH Leia, who earned the nickname "wiggle butt". Once loose limb syndrome kicked in, those figures were pretty much toast. No way of fixing them. Same thing happened to several of my old FP Adventure People. Mattel's BSG and Mego's ST TMP figures seemed to suffer the same fate. At least the O-ring style figures could be fixed with the proper tools and proper sized O-rings. Kenner had better paint aps on their vintage SW stuff, but the articulation wasn't that great.

[ZICA]

Even a few of the vintage SW figures eventually suffered from loose limb syndrome, especially ANH Leia, who earned the nickname "wiggle butt". Once loose limb syndrome kicked in, those figures were pretty much toast. No way of fixing them. Same thing happened to several of my old FP Adventure People. Mattel's BSG and Mego's ST TMP figures seemed to suffer the same fate. At least the O-ring style figures could be fixed with the proper tools and proper sized O-rings. Kenner had better paint aps on their vintage SW stuff, but the articulation wasn't that great.

If Dave and I are able to do an Action Jackson 3.75" line it will definitely be in the classic 80's G.I. Joe O-ring style. It's possible to pull off that same range of movement between the torso and pelvis without using a rubber O-ring.

[Jeff Cope]

If Dave and I are able to do an Action Jackson 3.75" line it will definitely be in the classic 80's G.I. Joe O-ring style. It's possible to pull off that same range of movement between the torso and pelvis without using a rubber O-ring.

As big a Joe fan as I am, I've always disliked the O-ring construction. But, the thought of 3.75" Action Jackson (especially done without an actual rubber O-ring) would be super cool.

[Scousebadger]

Can you also do it without the metal rivets and screws in the shoulders, elbows and knees please?

[ZICA]

Can you also do it without the metal rivets and screws in the shoulders, elbows and knees please?

Based on some of the modern designs I've seen I think it will be easy to avoid using the metal rivets, but the screws will probably have to stay.

[Scousebadger]

Based on some of the modern designs I've seen I think it will be easy to avoid using the metal rivets, but the screws will probably have to stay.

I'm going to wait and see. I don't know what I'm saying - I've been buying everything else you've done!

One other suggestion: if you do any female figures, try the Mego approach rather than the GI Joe 1980s approach.

Wilma Deering, Ardala and Kate McRae looked female even with the extra articulation and O rings.

The GI Joes' female characters looked like unconvincing drag queens.

[ZICA]

I'm going to wait and see. I don't know what I'm saying - I've been buying everything else you've done!

One other suggestion: if you do any female figures, try the Mego approach rather than the GI Joe 1980s approach.

Wilma Deering, Ardala and Kate McRae looked female even with the extra articulation and O rings.

The GI Joes' female characters looked like unconvincing drag queens.

I'll be sure the female characters look nice, trust me.

[megowgsh]

RAH GI JOE is arguably the greatest toy line ever created