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You're not the first person to reference links to the BattleForce 2000 products

Sadly the team in question did not return to work on the brand again under Hasbro, but if you are referring to the unproduced 1984 Action Man line, then you're right, it's the same guys.

I was very lucky to be shown the works on what was planned and including slides of the mock-up's that were produced for the January 84 toyshow. It really was taking Action Man in a totally different direction. The project leader joked that as he drove the mock-ups to the toyfair he realized that they cost more than the car he was driving. However at the toyfair Palitoy received a fax from General Mills/ Kenner telling them to take the whole lot off the stand. It remains one of his greatest regrets as he worked all over the festive period, including Christmas Day to get the lot ready in time and even ended up sick through the stress (which resulted in the onset of diabetes) all as a result of that one project. Looking at the 90's Action Man range, some of the products do have the feel of some of the designs that were done 10 years before.

Given what you just said, it probably is the '84 line I'm talking about. One of the G.I. Joe books I've got show's some Action Man designs that look a LOT like this stuff, and I think it is labeled 1984. But the style is such a drastic departure from what was being done in 1983, that I had always assumed it had to be a misprint. It looks so much more like stuff that came out in 1994, and even the design of the car looks more '90's than '80's.

They must have been a very progressive lot

Roger

Neat looking pics.

I know they were before BF2000 over here in the States, but I still think the idea of a larger modular playset, with individual playsets, is an idea that needs to be tried again, assuming that one or two key pieces aren't shortpacked (MASS Device anyone?)

you got that right, it did look way ahead of it's time, and that may have been a contributing factor in General Mills pulling the plug. Out of interest, has that stuff been shown anywhere? I know there was a picture featured in the Action Man Official Dossier, but beyond that I'm not sure if anything has been shown publically before?

Dave

Here's an alternate rear of the ATV, the slide was badly warped, so sadly this is the best it can come up with showing a SHAFT packrat loading in the rear:



This image predates the other two by a month and was drawn in July 1984.
If you look carefully in the rear of the vehicle below, there is a compartment draw open to the righthand side and you can just make out the face of a person lying face up 'coffin' style. One of the designers mentioned this was a prisioner stasis unit, but could have also been used for medical recovery too.




All the best,
Dave

I think thats the exact book I saw it in. Just the 1 image.

Roger

Dang, we'll try and do something about that, I've been shown slides of all the mock-ups, but don't have copies to show - they did look awesome though. I do have black and white copies of the concept sketches, which I'll try and get round to posting a few

Dave

Very nice stuff, Dave!

Back in late '85 / maybe early '86 a friend of mine went to England for a month to visit family. I recalled another friend had a star wars style figure that he insisted was a Gijoe, but I thought was a knock-off of a Crimson Guard. He (Ryan) swore it was a gijoe, as it was with other gijoe's on the card art which he no longer had. I was ridiculously skeptical, but a part of me really wanted to believe that there was a larger world of Gijoe out there. So when Ian was leaving, I gave him 15 pounds sterling and asked him to get me some gijoes while there.

He came back with a Cobra Soldier, Buzzer, Shipwreck and Lady Jaye. But he had packages from a cousin depicting all of which Ryan had described in vivid detail. It was one of those heart-stopping moments of my life. Of course, as an adult collector, the first thing I did was complete an Action Force collection - a dream I thought would never come true (thank you internet).

I've always had a very big soft spot for any and all things UK / palitoy / Action Force & Man. This find is nothing short of fantastic.

I'll be one of the first to buy your book. When is its' planned release?

Oh - and thanks so much for sharing!

Darren