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BEHIND THE SCENES
In the Land of the Toymen: Tales from the creation and marketing of the GI Joe Masterpiece Edition
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TOP: Levine addresses the collectors assembled at the Hyatt Regency...
BELOW: ... While I maintain a safe distance at stage left.
50-50 HINDSIGHT DEPT.
A tip for anyone out there planning to do business with anyone: Pay for a background check on that person's name and business name immediately.
I used KNOWX.COM, (after I'd already had to file a lawsuit, unfortunately) but there are any number of online services that'll give you a public records search for $45-$65.
Take it from someone who learned the hard way: It is money well spent to learn ahead of time that a potential business partner is financially strapped, has leins or judgements outstanding, or is misrepresenting the worth of their business.
Read an excerpt from the book.
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 MASTERPIECE EDITION: Conception
In October of 1995 Don Levine and I attended the Official GI Joe Collector's Convention in Chicago, Levine's first appearance at an event as a "GI Joe celebrity."
I thought it was important to involve the collectors in our project, so we took the opportunity of the convention to distribute mail-in postcards that Chronicle designed for us (pictured at right). The cards invited people to submit pictures of themselves as as children with their Joes, and the results - over one hundred collectors sent me snapshots - formed what many consider the highlight of the book, a centerfold collage of grinning kids playing with their fully articulated men of action.
At the convention banquet, Levine announced our book project from a podium as I stood off in the wings. Toward the end of his remarks, Levine finally said the words that I knew would start our groundswell:
"Our book is special; it'll include a secret weapon. We're going to produce the original GI Joe in the Orient, exactly the way it was..."
Levine was unable to finish. The room erupted in applause. Mission accomplished. In fact, the moment was so wonderful that I took audio from the event to a video editor and scripted a collage of GI Joe TV clips and statistics culminating in the Chicago announcement. We played the "pep rally" presentation tape for our publisher, Chronicle Books, and I believe it genuinely inspired them.
The memo below details my advance advice to Levine for his appearance at the convention, as well as some additional thoughts for the product.
Tue, Oct 10, 1995
MEMO to Don Levine from John Michlig
RE Chicago Convention Thoughts
I've mixed in some further ideas for book variations along with my thoughts on how to approach the collectors.
Your remarks at the banquet
I think you should go ahead and tell them that there's a figure included with the book. The point is moot, of course, because Chronicle's postcards give it away.
Of course, the revelation that "the original 1964 action soldier" will return via our book should come at the end of your remarks - but I don't need to advise el Magnifico on showmanship. We'll pass out the postcards after the banquet and leave them out on the convention floor Sunday. There should be a nice buzz by that time.
If possible, try to find something "vintage" or "prototype" to bring and show in order to whet their appetite. Remember, you've already shown the pre-GI Joe boxes and prototype figure. Even a box mock-up (like the one you showed me for Talking GI Joe) is interesting and can be used to illustrate how product design ideas came together.
In your remarks, I suggest addressing these ideas in order to tie-in the book:
- The "product of many hands." In the book, I'm working to make a point of describing the ways in which your original "moving soldier" idea had to pass through many groups of people and their associated disciplines without being subverted along the way (in fact, as we put together this book I appreciate more and more the lengths to which you evidently had to go in order to keep everyone in line with your vision of the product). At the same time, I assume you were able to derive additional and better details for GI Joe by listening to other departments. This bolsters one of my themes in the GI Joe story: the fact that you harnessed the creative powers of a diverse collection of people who brought bits of themselves to the final product.
- "We need your input to tell and show the whole story." Let's really make the collectors feel as though they're an important part of the book from the very beginning-this should end up being referred to as "the GI Joe book" by fans anticipating its release. I'm very pleased with the "send in a childhood photo" idea for that very reason, and we should work to get maximum mileage out of the gesture. This also gibes with our possibly showing Chronicle's mock-up -"We want you to see our work-in-progress! Nobody's seen this but you! What do you think? Any suggestions?"
- It should be made clear that they must HURRY to get pictures in.
- This is the very first major, mainstream book exploring the inside story of GI Joe's birth as told by yourself and the other creative people "inside." This book will be everywhere, as opposed to the narrow distribution of niche publications that have been done up to now. "We're bringing to light what you've known all along - the near-universality of GI Joe."
- I also think it's worthwhile to tout Chronicle's past books - even actually showing the two Chronicle Star Wars books as an example of the quality they can expect.
In short: "Get ready for a stunning book detailing the birth of GI Joe, complete with full color photos of never-before-seen prototypes and the behind-the-scenes firsthand story of the struggle to bring America's Movable Man of Action to market. And better yet, get ready for the long-awaited return of the original GI Joe Action Soldier!"
I know you mentioned keeping some cards to our chest, but I suggest creating a sense of anticipation even this early. There are other non-Hasbro GI Joe conventions and gatherings scheduled between now and next summer, so the grapevine will do a lot of work for us.
For my part, I'll stay in the background as "that guy writing it up."
The "Exclusive" issue
- The moment that it's known that original figures are packaged with the book, the collectors will be tripping over themselves to ask you whether you plan to make more and different figures available without the book. I'm sure you'll agree with me when I suggest that we maintain the idea that the two items will remain intertwined.
HOWEVER - Mentioning the fact that different figures may become available in conjunction with other editions of the book may not be a bad thing. They may be thrilled to find that there is a possibility of new original GI Joe's coming out in various configurations ready to collect. Collectors would think nothing of buying four books in order to get a complete set of Army, Navy, Air Corps and Marine figures. I realize that manufacturing the different uniforms would be cost prohibitive, but it's worth a thought-if there are five different book/figure configurations, collectors will do whatever they can to get them all.
ANOTHER OPTION - Collectors who send in a "pre-order" card get a reserved "special edition" product "while they last." Some ideas:
- Limit to 5,000-10,000
- Sign and number them
- Change the figure (uniform or physical characteristics) subtly
- a "registration" stamp on the back
- a metal helmet
- body made entirely of CLEAR ACRYLIC!?!?
- an extra accessory
- super-realistic uniform
- An included reprint of a 1964 Hasbro product catalog
- An included videotape containing GI Joe commercials and the sales film
Also, a coupon could be included inside the large hardcover book to redeem for a "deluxe, limited and numbered" GI Joe at a nominal additional cost (I suggest this because it doesn't appear as though Chronicle sees the second book as a book/figure combination). That brings a total of three new original GI Joe's to collectors (mass market version; "special edition" version; mail-in figure made for the large collector book).
Hope this provides food for thought. I'll think of more stuff and fax it to you as it comes to me. I have other things on my mind relevant to this coming weekend regarding Karen Lehman, press releases, collector magazines, your son Neil's new job, our internet presence, etc.
Have a good trip -
John
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© 2002 John Michlig
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