If Star Wars figures were ALL 12"

[stillakid]

Some of us remember way back when the only action figures were the size of your forearm. GI Joe, Batman, Bullet Man, Spiderman, the Six-Million Dollar Man... all and more were what many of us had to play with in the large 12" size before Star Wars and the now standard 3 3/4" size came into existence.

The new smaller size has certainly made playing physically easier to do not to mention collecting. Which leads to the question: Many of us now have hundreds, if not thousands, of Star Wars action figures as well as the accessory toys and playsets. But had Kenner not reinvented the standard size and kept action figures ALL at the 12" scale, how many of us would have continued collecting with the fervor and commitment we have for all these years?

For me, I know that I found it difficult to play with my large scale Batman figures when I was just a kid. The smaller size of the toys was a welcome change. It also allowed me to collect a virtual toystore full of plastic over the past 25 years. But there is no way that I would have accumulated so much if the scale had been kept at the large end of things.

What about you?

[darko666]

not at all. i would buy certain figures, but never collect them all like i do with the 3 3/4"figures.

[Old Fossil]

Agreed... even the Mego scale was probably too big, although they were more manageable for me at 6-7 years old.

Then there is the "doll" aspect of it. I know we're really talking about our adult collections here, but I think on some level I was relieved when the Kenner SW line came out, and I could abandon the larger figures which some meaner kids could call dolls, followed by other names for whoever happened to have said "dolls." Any fool knew that they weren't really dolls -- they were truly action figures. I never played "dress up" with my Six Million Dollar Man, Evel Kenievel, Kirk, Cornelius, or Mego Batman.

The Kenner line of 3 3/4" figures could in no real sense be called dolls. They were more like super cool "army men" or space "cowboys and Indians," which were all right with everybody, even those (usually dull) kids who only played with Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars.

[Kidhuman]

I dont think I would be collecting now if they were all 12" figures. I didnt care much for them as a kid, but some do make nice display pieces. I still have a few vinatge ones and some modern ones.

[figrin bran]

I'd probably buy only around 5 per year max and I'd keep them MIB.

[bigbarada]

I don't think the line would have lasted that long if every figure was 12". Kenner definitely would never have made 96 12" action figures. They would have made Luke, Leia, Han, Vader, etc. because those are the primary characters; but there would have been no 12" Hammerhead or 4-LOM or Klaatu or Amanaman. The line would have had less variety and ultimately would have been less interesting.

Kenner recognized early on that in order for the Star Wars toy line to be successful, it needed to be "accessory driven." In other words, the vehicles and playsets would be the primary draw of the line and the action figure were no more than vehicle accessories.

The outer space dogfights were what really set Star Wars apart back in the early days and I believe vehicle toys like the X-Wing, TIE Fighter and Millenium Falcon are what made Star Wars into the success it is today (regardless of how flawed those toys make appear to us now, they were state of the art back in 1978).

Of course, Kenner could have made a 12" scale X-Wing, but nobody would have bought it because of the cost. So having cheap vehicles with even cheaper (under $2 in 1978) plastic figures to go with them really made the line go over well with parents. Plus the inexpensive, pocket-sized figures made it easy for kids to amass large collections, which also led to that feeling of accomplishment when they "collected them all."

I don't think Kenner really anticipated that the action figures themselves would eventually become the main draw. But you could definitely see a shift in their focus by the time ROTJ was released as the figures became more detailed and accurate and compatibility with vehicles became secondary (as evidenced by the larger figures like the Gamorrean Guard).

[Tycho]

I buy a lot of the 12" still today (Hasbro and now SideShow). I also assemble dioramas with the 12" - sort of. But I don't think I'd seriously army build 12" Clones and Stormtroopers in the 12" scale as I do the 3 3/4" due to lack of space. The same could be said about the vehicles (for 12"). A lack of space is the biggest consideration.

So overall, I'd say that having the 3 3/4" line as it interests me is much better for Hasbro's profit margin.

And I agree with the above assessment that back in the Kenner days, the vehicles for "articulated army men" was the huge selling factor.

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I wonder if the quality/quantity aspect of the line would have been improved by having them be larger and more detailed. Clothing for the figures might've been better, but due to size, I figure (pun always intended) there'd be less total figures produced. Take your time getting it right, rather than spitting out many lesser-quality figs to flood the shelves. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have collected the line due to higher costs: $1.99 each was easier than $10.99 (or whatever the 12" line was priced then) for my family and I.

Don't forget Sucker Man, Stretch Armstrong, Superman, Battlestar Galactica, and Evel Kenevil [sp?] as other 12" lines.

[Blue2th]

When I was a kid, we had 12" GI Joes. Though not very many of them, but rather one or two, then we would get the accessories for them.
My first action figure though was a the bendable Matt Mason spaceman with spacecrawler. He was Mego sized I do believe.
I think it was smart that Kenner and Hasbro started making the 3 3/4 sized figures, because people could afford alot more of them. More vehicles could be made for them.
There is still a place in my heart for 12" figures though. I still have alot of G.I. Joes and recently alot of Sideshow Star Wars figures. I love my dolls...er action figures.

[CaptainSolo1138]

Barbie would be walking funny.

Giggity giggity gigg-i-ty!