Well, after reading all four pages of postings on this topic (somebody get me some Visine!), I can't do a whole lot more than just echo the frustration over what might-have-been that I certainly would've picked up had it come out...
Second series of Visionaries
Third series of COPS
Fifth assortment of Iron Man
ANY continuation of the recent Masters of the Universe (you're right, Stactions just aren't quite the same)
Gundam (still available in Japan, but still -- and I don't mean the SD's, I'm taking the MSiA-type figures)
Favous Covers
Now, I'd like to address a few point. To my knowledge, there was a 9" Riddler in the works for the DC line, but it never came out. I've never heard that Bizarro was in the works, but I suppose it's possible.
I'd've given a lot for those Playing Mantis Captain Action-based Jonny Quest figures. One of my favorite shows as a kid.
BTW, SpyMagician, the DICE Series 2 figures also turned up at TRU just before Christmas, at least around here, clearanced right out of the box, and they still had a heck of a time getting rid of the darn things.
And -- SMALL SOLDIERS -- Good Lord, where to start. This was a cool movie -- cooler than Toy Story in my opinion, but between a PG-13 rating and Spielberg turning into a wimp when he found out that the Commandos were more popular than the Gorgonites -- *groan*
And as stated, Hasbro most CERTAINLY fumbled this ball by operating on the same usual theory that "good guys sell better than bad guys".
I would have loved to have taken a few Hasbro execs out to Universal Studios in California when the movie was being heavily promoted. I just happened to be there right then, and the simple powers of observation readily told the tale. They had costumed characters throughout the park. The Gorgonites, except for Archer, were virtually IGNORED by everybody. But bring on some Commandos and kids and adults were all over them!
And the people in the Commandos costumes were having a great time. Unlike Disney, where the characters are supposed to maintain a distance and not really speak, Universal let the Commandos go out and have fun. Chip Hazard got in on a steel drum band that was performing. Nick Nitro tried to steal some guy's girlfriend. Kip Killigan got in one of the lines for a food concession and scared the tar out of the poor guy in front of him when he turned around.
Then Butch Meathook pulled up in a huge replica of the "toy" jeep that they used in the movie, and people were allowed to climb up onto the jeep and have their picture taken with a few Commandos -- provided Butch Meathook let you. An older woman in front of me tried to climb up, and Butch said, "You seen my movie yet?" and she replied, rather sheepishly, "Um, well, no." He glared at her, but still let her up. I announced, "I've seen it twice!" and he readily invited me onto the jeep.
But the real treat was visiting the soundstage where they had on display -- in massive sealed display cabinets, of course -- the actual figures and toys that were used in the movie. Now -- THAT was impressive.
It's just a darn shame that this movie never generated any sequels or further interest, and Dreamworks seems quite content with a certain ogre these days, so I doubt we'll ever see their like again.
