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Toy Fair has long been advertised as the place to go to see new and upcoming toys for the year!  Well in a very odd and stunning move, Hasbro has revealed a huge chunk of the G.I. Joe: Retaliation toyline in low res thumbnail type images on their G.I. Joe toy website, 10 days prior to the annual event in New York City.

A head scratching move, to be sure, but it allows me some more analysis for these toys with some hypothesis about what Hasbro is doing and what we might expect to see or hear in New York.

So what does this run of figures, vehicles, and other items mean for us in 2012?  How does “Jinx as SDCC Exclusive” impact mainstream movie release?  Click the Read the Rest of this Entry link below to read on!

Action Figures

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These are all the same regular 4″ scale figures that we saw in the previous USA Today article, and you can review my analysis here.  Even though there appear to be more figures here than we originally saw, I think the other figures are part of something different.

One thing I should talk about is the awesome parachute with the Cobra Trooper, and the fact that the Joe trooper comes with some sort of blue cape…a disguise??

Larger Scale Figures

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I’m not sure if these are 12″ scale or something else, but I’m pretty certain these “Ninja Commando” figures are larger.  If you look at the legs, you see a few small screw holes in the legs indicating these are bigger figures, most likely in the 12″ scale.  Some very nice detail work in here, and I’m glad there are no cloth uniforms.

Vehicles

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First and foremost, you can’t help but notice a lot of reused vehicles and vehicle parts here.  The Water Moccasin especially is something we’ve seen consistently for the past few years, but I think there is still at least sort of a sense of newness.  Sort of.  Breaking things down:

Water Moccasin – The same base tooling as the 25th Anniversary Sting Raider, the Rise of Cobra Toys “R” Us Exclusive Sting Raider, AND the JoeCon Exclusive vehicle, it seems almost redundant to get a fourth version of this vehicle in 3 years.  They made some nice color alterations with black/gray and blue shades and some hints of red.  Very cool “Cobra” themed colors.  I dig it, even if I’m not sure how much I really need this vehicle.

Tread Ripper Tank – Using the HISS Scout as a base vehicle with a very cool roll cage and different weapons gives this small vehicle some new life and actually matches up somewhat with the Ripsaw we’ve seen in the Retaliation trailer.  The driver is listed as “Clutch” but his head sculpt and beard almost look more like a version 2 Rock n Roll.  I’m sure customizers will find some joy in that.

Ghost Hawk II – To me, this looks like a newly tooled vehicle, but maybe someone else recognizes it.  Wow, this is a GREAT one.  Love it.  It’s a pretty small, sleek little attack jet with twin engines on each wing and plenty of firepower.  I really love the looks of this thing!  Can’t wait to get a closer look at this beast in New York, and get some better detail on the Duke figure that is little more than a tiny green blob in this picture.

HISS Tank – Wooooow.  Awesome.  As a huge fan of the PoC HISS, I love that they’re using it as a base here, but with some nice additions.  A glass canopy is great, the modified top cannon is a great touch, and I really dig the blue colors.  The twin chain guns, one on each side of the main cannon absolutely ROCK and I love the sense of  synchronicity on each side.  This is a huge upgrade to the PoC HISS which was already an awesome vehicle.  The driver’s name isn’t listed, it almost looks like another version of Cobra Commander or some kind of HISS Driver.

Ninja Combat Cruiser – Another Pursuit of Cobra vehicle I loved, this is a fantastic upgrade to the VAMP.  Newly tooled doors, roof, and hatch on the back, not to mention a very VAMP Mark II themed rocket launcher makes for one heck of a great update to the already awesome PoC vehicle.  I would love to see a black repaint on the Cobra side of the fence.  No driver is listed, but it certainly looks like Snake Eyes, and it looks like he might be sporting his Commando goggles look.  A cool touch if that is the case.  Considering Snake Eyes is driving the AWE Striker, though, something tells me this might be a more generic driver.  We’ll see.

AWE Striker – ARGH.  If there’s a vehicle that’s been used and abused more than the Water Moccassin/Sting Raider it’s the AWE Striker.  I feel pretty comfortable saying most of us are probably sick and tired of this vehicle.  Even Robert Atkins is sick of drawing it!  I do like that they’ve added some new tooling to the roll cage to kind of build it out a little bit, but I’m not a fan of the rocket launcher on top.  Makes the vehicle look somewhat bland in spite of tooling upgrades.  The driver is listed here as Snake Eyes, but again is pretty small and hard to make out the details.

G.I. Joe Motorcycles – It seems like every new iteration of the G.I. Joe universe gets the requisite speed bikes.  Not sure why, but there you go.  These actually look pretty different than the Ninja Lightning bikes from years past and look like new tools.  Snake Eyes and Flint are the drivers of the Joe bikes, and it’s tough to make out details.  I do like the bike designs, and I really love the twin tires on the back for some reason.  The grid lines are cool, the paint is cool, and I like that Flint.  I can only assume a more military movie-themed version is coming.

Firefly Motorcycle – Totally new tooling compared to the G.I. Joe motorbikes, with an obvious look from the G.I. Joe: Retaliation trailer, this is one awesome looking bike.  I love the armored front, I love the sleek, low-riding profile, and the machine guns scattered throughout are excellent.  Can’t see much of Firefly here, but the bike is really, really awesome.  Love the looks of this one, to be sure.

Battle Packs

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I see so many people focusing on the vehicles and the SDCC Exclusives, but not many folks paying attention to these battle packs.  I think these packs are going to give us some nice surprises.  Sure the images are tiny, and I’m sure we’ll get some more good details at Toy Fair, but for now, let my rampant hypothesizing begin!

Ninja Dojo Battle – Right smack dab in the middle looks like a Roadblock, most likely, though the details are tough to discern.  To the left, though…  maybe I’m crazy, but that almost looks like Beachhead, doesn’t it?  Balaclava, green uniform, black webgear and some military weaponry?  Certainly looks like it.  So if this is a “battle” then who is that on the right?  Some mysterious gray ninja in a hood.  The sword and silenced Uzi seems to indicate a Snake Eyes possibility, but that wouldn’t be much of a “Dojo Battle” if they were all Joes.  Another question for Toy Fair by the looks of it.

Ninja Showdown Set – Obviously this set is bookended by Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, somewhat different looking versions of each.  Love the more military webgear on Snake Eyes, and the adjusted colors on Storm Shadow are sweet, too.  But now check out that figure in the middle.  Is it just me, or is that totally a Slice figure?  Sure the colors are reversed (red on black instead of black on red) but he looks to have that smooth silver Slice mask and some claws.  Would make sense that the Club would focus on Dice with the thought that Slice was coming out in the main line.  Am I totally off my rocker?

SDCC Exclusives

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Okay, here’s the hot button.  The SDCC Exclusives.  I have no doubt that these figures are going to cause an absolute fan outrage.  So many people are dying for a vintage Jinx, especially in line with the Retaliation film release.  Hasbro releasing a classic inspired Jinx as an SDCC exclusive is going to make many fans MAD.  I’ve been pretty vocal in support of these SDCC exclusives, as they play a huge roll in expanding attention and focus on the G.I. Joe brand during a show that draws in thousands and thousands of people.  These figures are going to do that, without a doubt.  I’ve always been of the opinion that anyone who wants SDCC exclusives can get them very easily.  I could fire up eBay right now and find dozens of Zarana auctions, you’re just going to have to pony up some extra money.  Just the way it is.

G.I. Joe at retail is a tough nut to crack as it is, retailers are not going to open their arms to female figures, especially in a brand (G.I. Joe) that isn’t a super performer at retail anyway.  I’m sure Hasbro will get movie accurate Jinx figures on store shelves, but when it comes to a figure calling back to its vintage roots, I just think Hasbro has to think outside the box, and personally I’d much rather get Jinx at SDCC than not get her at all.  Case closed.

Jinx – Purely from a design sense, I LOVE these figures.  Like so many other 30th Anniversary figures they took the vintage version as a great inspiration and totally ramped it up for today’s expectations.  Great articulation, great design, awesome paint apps.  Fandom outrage or not, these are terrific looking figures.  If I had a choice to have to drop $40 apiece on these or not get them at all, just tell me where to send my check.  The fact that one of them comes unmasked is great, too, so you can have your red Jinx without a mask just as she appeared in G.I. Joe: the Movie.  It is a shame she doesn’t have an alternate head with that short haircut, but this look is great, too.

Shockwave HISS – Totally out of left field here.  Obviously going the same route as the Starscream/Skystriker we get a HISS Tank in an awesome purple color that totally matches the G1 Shockwave aesthetic.  I love the canopy and rockets being a semi-transparent light purple as well, just like the original Shockwave’s light-up cannon.  A beautiful looking toy, honestly, even with the Transformers tie in.  Probably not my first choice for an exclusive, but the end result is impressive!

Final Thoughts

I like it.  Folks who are worried about not getting movie accurate figures, I don’t think you need to worry.  Hasbro’s website even says “Coming Soon!  14 More Movie Line Items to be Revealed!” so there will certainly be more movie figures coming, and I would imagine many of them will have the Retaliation movie aesthetic.

I’m sure we’ll see Jinx, I’m sure we’ll see Joe Colton.  Another key line from Hasbro’s website:

“HASBRO is proud to unveil the official movie action figure and toy line for the new “G.I. JOE: Retaliation” movie starring Dwayne Johnson & Bruce Willis! The new line reflects the movie magic, including the epic battle between the G.I. JOE team and arch-nemesis COBRA, which, led by COBRA COMMANDER, is once again intent on taking over the world.”

“The G.I. JOE movie toy line features your favorite G.I. JOE characters, including an all-new, super-heroic take on ROADBLOCK, as well as JOE COLTON, the original founder of the G.I. JOE team, and an imposing COBRA COMMANDER action figure! Also featured is an array of incredible new ninja toys, including an unprecedented line-up of “ninja-tastic” action figures, vehicles, swords, masks, and throwing stars. And don’t forget the action-packed toy vehicles: “Wherever there’s trouble, G.I. JOE is there,” whether by land, sea, or air!”

With Bruce Willis (and JOE COLTON!) clearly labelled in the film description and toy line, it’s a no-brainer that Joe Colton is being released, and I’m sure we’ll get Flint and Jinx, too.  Lady Jaye would seem likely, too, but with those pesky female figures, who knows?

I’m hoping we see some more of these figures at Toy Fair, but only time will tell.  You can bet GeneralsJoes will be in the middle of it to bring you all the details as they emerge.  Wow, what a week!