Don't let this happen to your community!

[dantedmc_37]

I'm coming to you guys from the outside world. As much as I love MOTU and collected it all my life, I'm a GI Joe fan first and foremost. I lived in Pawtucket RI. My mom worked for Hasbro for 15 years, I toy tested, got access to the employee toy store for cheap Joes. I've read all the US comics, uk comics, cartoons, guide books, collected ALL the figures in every generation of 3 3/4 inch Joes I never stopped collecting. Just like you guys did for MOTU. A real fan if you will, and I have to say I really don't care for the Joe community at all. All they do is complain and spread hate for the line and every upcoming figure with every post they type. I'm sick of it and them. They make me soooo tired. All I hear is Hasblow this and Walfart that. I don't even like going on the Joe sites anymore. It's sad. I found the Org. and the He-Man community and was pleasantly surprised how you guys interact. You come together to get things accomplished for the community. You have a big international fan base. Creators of the comics and figures interact with you. It's like a family. Now the MOTUC is a dream line of figures. But I'm starting to see a lot of nasty posts and complaints about new figures. In 2012 you have Sorceress, Kobra Khan, Fisto, Stinkor,Shadow Weaver etc so many classics coming out and so many out all ready. Plus you got Filmation rights!!!! I would kill for Sunbow accurate Joes!!! but that's not happening anytime soon if ever. The Joe fan's would kill for that kind of classic line up! Joe fans are stuck with all kinds of modern crap that doesn't even look like Joe stuff. You guys got the Mighty Spector (which I really didn't care for at first sight either) in an optional sub line and NA characters from the old days and all hell has broken loose! Man you guys got it so good, appreciate what you got please! This is your MOTUC golden age. I just hate to see people getting bent out of shape over an expanding line. The bottom line is you guys got all the right in the world to complain about your classic figures but I really like the community you guys have going on here and I just don't want you to loose sight of the great line you got. I definitely don't mean to preach and upset anybody. I'm just giving you a unique outside perspective. Your community is refreshing and I'm happy to be a part of it. Thanks!

[Uncle Montork]

One of the BEST posts I've seen here in a long time. Thank you, sir. People too often lose sight of what they have (in this case both the .org and the MOTUC line) until it's too late.

I'm a member of the Knight Rider replica community (we build actual functional replicas of KITT and KARR from the 80s TV series Knight Rider) and we had a similar "war" and falling out. The hobby still exists but it's a shell of its former self, the sites are all but dead, and we hardly hold events anymore... sad.

And BTW, WELCOME to He-Man.org!

[chuc98]

Thank you for your post! It's much appreciated...and welcome aboard!

[NastyNate]

HUGE fan of the Joes myself sir, what do you think of Hasbro's attempt at an online Collectors Club? Im sure thats a BIG reason for all the hate over that way. (lol) Thanks for the great post, and even though Im fairly new here myself (I have been lurking for years) I already feel apart of this lil ole community too, and wanted to thank everyone here for that.

[McSoundwave]

I know exactly what you mean. I'm a member of Hisstank and there sure is an awful lot of "hissing" going on over there...moreso than on any other fansite forum I've noticed. Anyway, as I just joined here, I'm hoping the day-to-day is much less drama filled too!

[Niki]

On point and from the heart.

Great post and i think you are totally right!

Thank you.

[Jon-O]

Thank you. You're absolutely right.

And welcome!

[dantedmc_37]

Thanks guys! Yes Nate the GI Joe collector sub is the savior of the modern line! I cant wait for it! I'm signed up for the MOTUC sub, Joe collector sub and the project-arah.com sub! It's gonna be a fun year!!!!

[fball13z]

Great post man, its nice for someone to put it in front of a lot of the negative Nanceys

[davidlogan]

Great insight. Welcome to the boards!

[MegaGearMax]

Wow. It's so refreshing to hear a fresh perspective. Welcome to the club!

[scott metzger]

"You know what I'm craving? A little perspective. That's it. I'd like some fresh, clear, well seasoned perspective. Can you suggest a good wine to go with that?" - Anton Ego

I think we just got served a large dish of perspective; maybe the grumpy old dragon here needs to take a heaping helping of it.

A really good, sobering post. An impressive way to introduce yourself, my friend.

[yodafreakmaster]

Great post and thanks for sharing!

We truly are lucky to be getting this outstanding MOTUC's line sculpted by the best in the biz (4 Horsemen)!!!

I hope our community can keep a positive outlook on the state of MOTU. I know we are the most passionate fan community on the planet and that our passion can sometimes translate into anger and complaining. Hopefully we can keep the negativity to a minimun as time marches on. Constructive criticism is worthwhile, but it can get nasty here from time to time. Let's stay optimistic folks!

[Whiplash7]

Great post man, thanks for writing it.
I've noticed an increasing amount of venom with every reveal since Toy Fair in Feb. From people who don't like the sculpt of a figure, or the era, or new things, or sub/non-sub, or whatever.

I was cleaning out some old photos the other day and found this...this is what we had exactly two years ago.



It's amazing what has been released since that time. Enjoy it!

[jhoward]

This is exactly the message that I've tried to spread here, with little success.

A lot of people here are under the false impression that it's all unicorns and rainbows in the land of Hasbro and that Mattel is the source of all evil in the world. Couldn't be further from the truth. I know because I've collected all of Hasbro's major brands. After years and years of reboots and reimaginings, Hasbro finally started to listen and get it right with the GI Joe 25th line and Transformers Classics. But then Hasbro switched to movie mode and quickly abandoned those lines. They pick them up briefly between films, but now they've lost focus and are all over the place stylistically. GI Joes jump from classic to modern interpretations and now Renegades versions at random. Transformers suffer from haphazard size choices - Powerglide is larger than Galvatron for example, and the quality of the figures leaves a lot to be desired.

And that's not to mention the repaints. Hasbro has a system where nearly 99% of all Transformers figures gets a repaint, usually as a different character. No new head (except in about 1% of cases) and never new accessories. This is why the Snake Man-at-Arms fiasco is completely overblown. Mattel DID put effort and thought behind it, at least what was within their budget. Hasbro would have just painted snake scales over the regular Man-at-Arms face and have been done with it.

The point is that not only do we have THE definitive Masters line, we have the definitive line of ALL 80s revival properties. MOTU has a consistent design, scale, and aesthetic than ecompasses every era, even abandoned concepts. The figures themselves are beautiful - lots of paint aps, airbrush effects, and a nice matte finish - things you don't generally see on retail lines. The communication and interaction with fans far surpasses anything other companies offer. Yes, there are problems, miscommunication and bumps in the road - but the point is that we've got it pretty good. Really good. This line is what - 4 years old now? It's amazing all that we've gotten. Beasts, vehicles, multi-packs, weapons packs, plus characters we never thought would see the light of day. There's even a chance for all of us to create our own character now, for crying out loud.

All I have to say is thank God this line isn't at retail. The fact that MOTU has no media now is a blessing in disguise. It allows Mattel to focus all their attention on Classics and give us exactly the things we've always wanted. Once day we will all look back on this time with nostalgia.

[Tundra_Torque]

Thanks for the perspective. It's sometimes helpful to see the bright side of things.

[NastyNate]

^
amen.....

[Orko's Magic Hat]

A really nice post - I hope people take note and start to appreciate the line for what it is and start enjoying it!

There is so much negativety in the outside world without it creeping in here - one of the places on the net I really used to enjoy coming to. It has been like that recently - it is almost as if anything new get unveiled and everyone is waiting with bated breathe for the huge amount of negative posts taking up the message boards.

Let's enjoy this - we really don't know when it could end.

[baronterror]

Amen brother. As some people fail to realize, or just dont care, there is difference between voicing your opinion respectfully and even constructively, or just trying to tear things down.

I have been lucky that most almost everything about this line was been perfect. And that when Mattel hears our desires they impliment them if they at all can.

So I'm happy. But things I dont like, Like Fisto's sword sheath being big to fit the 200x sword, which I dont like, or the reversed shoulders, of course, I comment, agree, move on. I may refrence it later when it applys

But I am bothered when there do seem to be people campaigning to show how much worse it is than it is.

[AGE]

welcome aboard my friend.. and well put

enjoy the boards !!!!!

[Dynamo of Eternia]

All they do is complain and spread hate for the line and every upcoming figure with every post they type. I'm sick of it and them. They make me soooo tired.

...

Joe fans are stuck with all kinds of modern crap that doesn't even look like Joe stuff.

Two issues that I see here:

1. The second quote from your post seems to be a complaint about the line, just after you stated that you are sick of people complaing about such things.

2. If the "modern crap" doesn't even look like "Joe stuff", then perhaps there is some legitimacy to the complaints that the people on GI Joe related sites are making.

[Smashtoys]

Could it be possible that the reason that there have been a lot of complaining in the Joe forums is because there are a lot of things to complain about with the Joes?

[Alexx]

Well then you obviously haven't been coming to Joebattlelines or Joesightings! I didn't run into that many problems there. ...of course...neither of those places are very active anymore. But hey, I review things at those sites! And MAN do I talk a lot! So there's something!

[mdhollywood247]

I can as a collector of both masters and transformers vouch that mattel at least puts effort into variants. Hasbro would just paint a Optimus white for years now and call him ultra Magnus so the snake man at arms is way overblown.

[Smashtoys]

I can as a collector of both masters and transformers vouch that mattel at least puts effort into variants. Hasbro would just paint a Optimus white for years now and call him ultra Magnus so the snake man at arms is way overblown.

Yeah, there's definitely something wrong with how the TF's are being handled. It's gotten to the point where (arguably) KO making companies like Fans Project can sell "add-ons" and "Fan inspired" mass-produced products (at a high price value) and are actually thriving on the glaring "holes" in how some TF lines are being currently handled.

So I think the negativity being released in certain boards is directly affected by the quality of the products produced at the moment, and not so much as the overall attitude of the board itself.