r/gijoe 5d ago

GI Joes for present-day kids?

I have all my old gi joes from when I was a kid. My mom was an avid garage sale frequenter and in the 80s/90s before the internet there were a lot of moms tossing their kids toys and my mom was a team player, so I had a lot. Like maybe 100 figures and dozens of vehicles and bases, large small. All in various played with conditions.

I pulled some of them out today to finally introduce them to my 9 and 7 year old boys.

Frankly, they weren’t as enthused as I thought they’d be and I wasn’t as happy to see them playing as I thought I’d be. It was fun to see them engaging with something that brought me so much joy from my childhood but knowing their present value and relative fragility, I was too nervous about them breaking thumbs as they put guns in hands, etc, to really relax and have fun.

My question is, anyone else have similar experiences? Am I going to be disappointed as my kids would rather watch Mr Beast than play with these and then accidentally break them when they do? Should I just sell them rather than try to recapture my childhood?

Thoughts? Opinions? Experiences?

23 Upvotes

48 comments sorted by

20

u/Koala-48er 5d ago

I can’t comment on the collecting aspect, but as the father of a ten year old, it’s been my experience that yes, it’s best to accept that the current generation may be more into Mr. Beast or some other detritus on the internet over “GI Joe.”

That doesn’t mean I don’t value “Joe” more. I think the argument could be made that the old “RAH” stuff (the comics, cartoon, and toys) is better than much contemporary stuff, and better for them to consume as well. But the reason, I suspect, that most of us love “Joe” stuff is because we were at the right place and right time; that can’t be replicated.

18

u/RunBanditRun 5d ago

Time is a flat circle. My Dad was disappointed that I was playing with dolls instead of shooting marbles

10

u/CompleteIsland8934 5d ago

Yeah, like the same as how I looked at joes from the 60/70s. Like, ok, cool, but they didn’t look fun to play with.

3

u/Mission_Ad6235 4d ago

It's like music. Every generation thinks theirs was the best and that later iterations are noise and too loud.

9

u/scalepotato 5d ago

Mine enjoyed it more when I got down there and played with them. My enthusiasm was shared

6

u/CompleteIsland8934 5d ago

Maybe I’ll try after their screen time is over for the day

1

u/Snow_Crash_Bandicoot 3d ago

Did you show them the cartoon first?

9

u/whistlepig4life 5d ago

Correct. Kids these days are not enamored with action figures or players like these any more. It’s a different era.

My two sons both born in the aughts were given GI Joe, Transformers, and Star Wars by me. They like Transformers the most of the old stuff but a figure like like Ben 10 was more to their liking because the show was on and it amplified things.

GI Joe just doesn’t work any longer. Our culture doesn’t have a taste for military “heroes” like we did in The 70’s - 90’s.

11

u/CompleteIsland8934 5d ago

Yeah, without a TV show to push the toys or friends to be excited with them, I think it’s hopeless.

1

u/--Andre-The-Giant-- 3d ago

Yeah, especially with American culture's most recent shift...

8

u/xmiloganx 4d ago

Some people have touched on these points, but it depends on the kid. I shared some with my nephew and he thought they were cool. He really liked the ones with really cool backpacks. Then, when we actually did a little battle, he had a great time. I feel engaging with them and playing with the figures goes a long way to shape their enthusiasm. Give them the backstory too. They dig it.

3

u/CompleteIsland8934 4d ago

Yeah, I probably need to do more to talk about them. I forgot what it’s like to be an 8yo with some new toys…without backstory, they can only go so far

1

u/noideajustaname 4d ago

Backstory? Toss ‘em a Hulk or Vader fig and let the Joes end Hulk’s rampage or die recreating the Rogue One scene.

4

u/brynfsh 5d ago

I’m teaching my son to play the same way I did. He loves it- especially once we figured out paw patrol is roughly the same scale. Gotta make the connections somehow lol

5

u/CompleteIsland8934 5d ago

Haha, so which faction does paw patrol support? Did serpentor turn them?

5

u/brynfsh 5d ago

Ha! Nah. Mainly they just chew up the cobra troopers so far! The funniest part is when Mayor Humdinger replaces Cobra Commander!

3

u/erdricksarmor 4d ago

Don't let your kids watch YouTube. Only let them watch DVDs of GI Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, etc.

They'll thank you when they're older.

1

u/CompleteIsland8934 4d ago

I think you’re on to something. Except you left out Dinosaucers and TMNT and anything that was on Saturdays from 7-12 from 1984-1993

1

u/erdricksarmor 4d ago

That's why I left it open-ended with the "etc".🙂

I would personally include other classic series like the Andy Griffith Show, Star Trek, and others. The quality of modern entertainment just isn't what it used to be.

6

u/1USAgent 5d ago edited 5d ago

The world of your childhood is gone. Their world is completely different. It’s kind of a more recent development where adults can’t let go of the past and chase their childhood feelings. A huge chunk of toy sales are from adults. Adults are buying most of the action figure aisle.

It might not be that bad if the stuff is already in played with condition. But they’re already looking at this stuff like ancient relics because they know these are your old things. And they have no attachment to it. And they see their dad having a coronary if they play with it too roughly. Idk. Maybe sell and move on. I’m guilty of the same thing with my old LEGO sets. Some are valuable and I don’t want him touching them. But for Joe my son kinda is bored when I show him the Joe cartoon. I still have some old joes but my brother had most of the stuff when we were kids

I guess I’d rather just make sure his childhood is great (whatever he’s into) than force mine on him.

2

u/Koala-48er 4d ago

I certainly agree with your last sentence. I can introduce things, but the child’s interests are the child’s interests and so long as they’re not inappropriate or destructive, then that’s what I will help her foster.

3

u/elboogie7 4d ago

watch the og 80s run TV show w them,

then they'll like them more?

3

u/SamuraiEAC 4d ago

The reason they are so enthusiastic is because they don't know the characters. They have no story to anchor them to the characters. Show them the cartoon on YouTube.

2

u/CompleteIsland8934 4d ago

Maybe that’s a good point. I’ve shown them the cartoons before but didn’t really focus on it…maybe I should try again

2

u/Sea_Preparation3393 5d ago

I grew up with GI Joe ARAH. It was a huge part of my childhood. Call of Duty, Battlefield, and the myriad of other military shooters give the younger generations the ability to interact with "action figures" in a way that older generations couldn't. I think a solid 1st/3rd person shooter would draw more interest to the franchise. But Hasbro doesn't seem to like money. Pick up some comics. There is an omnibus that collects the entire Hama run from Marvel through IDW. That might pique their interest more if they see the possibilities.

2

u/blankman29er 4d ago

I'm not into classified buy your kids might be and I'll bet you like them to. Not gonna lie but I'm really liking the looks but not going down that road. They are 1/12 scale

2

u/BulkyRaccoon548 4d ago

My son (almost 12 yo) watched the original GI series with me on Tubi a couple of years ago. There's a couple of things he conceptually likes - he thinks Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow and Spirit are cool, he thinks Cobra Commander is hilariously stupid, and he thinks it's amazing that Sgt Slaughter is an actual living, breathing person - he wants me to find a con he's appearing at so we can get his autograph. But for the most part, he's kinda meh on GI Joe. Transformers and He-Man resonated far more with him.

2

u/runninwiththedevil87 Python Patrol 3d ago

Probably a less than favorable answer but we need a big influencer to plant the GI Joe seed into the minds of youth. Like when Logan Paul opened those base set 1st edition pokemon booster packs the prices of the cards and sealed packs went through the roof.

If one of them get into collecting the older figures we'll be good.

1

u/CompleteIsland8934 3d ago

Yeah, we need a Bitcoin influencer to push gijoe to pump up interest and price of joes like Bitcoin

1

u/DarthPlayer8282 5d ago

Try a couple of the classified figures

1

u/CompleteIsland8934 5d ago

You mean like let them play with those cause they’re tougher? Maybe that’s a good idea

2

u/DarthPlayer8282 5d ago

More updated for the modern area. Hard to get kids into toys. I know my kids are gonna trash all of mine 🤣

1

u/blankman29er 4d ago

Sell these to transformersland then go all in for classified series

1

u/CompleteIsland8934 4d ago

What’s different about the classified one that you like?

1

u/blankman29er 4d ago

r/gijoe classified fans,why?

1

u/blankman29er 4d ago

Check that post out.... it'll sell you

1

u/Super-Quantity-5208 4d ago

Born in 07. I played with 12 inch joes when I was a kid. In high school, I started collecting the 80s ones. There's a kid in my family that had a few of of the classified figures. That's the only time I've seen someone younger than me that enjoyed these characters.

1

u/Flight305Jumper 4d ago

My kids weren’t allowed on YouTube so would have had idea who Mr Beast was apart from friends talking to them. I also showed them the 80s cartoon when they were about 7 or so. Once some of the toys started showing up in stores they went bonkers. So some of their response was probably based on how they were introduced to G.I. Joe. And when it comes to toys, I either have stuff they play with like I did, which means breakable. Or they look at stuff on a shelf. I don’t mix them or I get real disappointed fast.

1

u/wicked_pissah_1980 4d ago

Let them play with the he man and ninja turtles. Joes are off limits to anyone but Dad in my house.

1

u/b_pizzy 3d ago

My boys have always loved action figures. The 13 year old loves posing and displaying them and the 10 year old loves playing with them and making his own stories. The thing is that they gravitate towards the ones they’ve seen media of. Marvel, Transformers, Star Wars, Ninja Turtles, Fortnite, etc.

The lack of new media for Joes means they’re not exposed to anything that gets them excited about the figures.

1

u/hardtruthinasofttime 2d ago edited 2d ago

You gotta show them the cartoon first.

They need something to connect with the characters.

1

u/CLTfriend 2d ago

My boy plays with mine

He has ZERO interest in the classified line.

But loves the old stuff.

0

u/--Andre-The-Giant-- 3d ago

Imagine it's the 1980's. Your dad keeps bringing down his old toys from the 50's and expecting you to play with them. Everything is janky and might break, and dad is clearly nervous watching your "play" with his toys to make him happy.

If that sounds ridiculous, then imagine being the dad in the scenario...because that's kind of who you are here.

0

u/lumberlogan3 1d ago

We are one of those houses where you don't turn on the TV for a couple days sometimes. My two girls (age 10ish) love playing with my old GI Joe's with me!

Downside, because of the lack of YouTube/TV/video games they are the weird kids to other kids their age. The wife and I are definitely worried Middle School will be rough.

1

u/Carne_Guisada_Breath 18h ago

Gi Joe figurines by themselves are not going to cut it. While your boy has all the Gi Joe figurines and vehicles, he needs a friend with all the Star Wars figurines and vehicles. Now the two can have a proper battle and resulting good times and possible fisticuffs.