Let's Talk about Jem and the holograms

[LightingElectricDream]

I am already putting this on the table.
Let's not talk about the jem movie.
That topic has been beaten to death.

So let's talk about the cartoon, dolls ect..

So I never grew up with jem but I do recall seeing it around. I didn't like barbie growing up so me being a jem fan when I was a kid was very unlikely.

When I got into mlp back in 2001 I remember dreamvallyacollectorsguidetomylittlepony.com
 AKA kims site talking about how she was a jem collector.
So that's how I got a little bit intrested in it. And then when jem and the holograms integrity line came out I just fell in love with it. I wanted an original jem so bad. Bit I can't she'll out that kind of $$$ I did however find a 80s glitter and gold jem at the thrift store. I still need to find out if she works. I also found some nude jem's I passed them up though..kinda wish I didn't but that's ok..I'm not all that Intrested in the vintage ones.

Ah I love the 8ps so much. Kinds gives me a feel good vibe. Even with the black lether jackets and spiked bracelets.

Love the late 80s with all the neon and palm trees animal print ect..

I love that hasbro was bold enugh to make a rock n roll line of toys consittering all the flack that rock and metal and pop where getting back then. Ever see the movie foot loose lol!

I can recall my mom not being thrilled about jem and alot of 80s bands and music ect..

I wonder if barbie where the first to come up with idea or if Hasbrouck was. I read that it came out about the same time so no one really knows. I'd have to say it was jem that came first..just beacuse I just don't feel that barbie and the rockers had as much thought into it or heart. But who knows.

I just bought the cartoon box set of jem.

So what do you like about jem?

P.s again we will never speak of the jem movie.

[Ponyfan]

I love Jem, I don't own any dolls but I have the complete series box set of episodes and the light up Jem Star earrings from Running Press. I just ordered the Jem ornament from Hallmark (no hallmark store near me)

It was funny when I first started rewatching the cartoon, I would remember random pieces of the episodes like when Jem refused to take her earrings off at the airport in China or Kimber and Jerrica in the "Always there in My Heart" video.

My favorite characters are Jerrica/Jem, Kimber and Stormer. 


Ponyfan

[ember86]

Have you read the newish comic book series, yet? It's really good! FYI I have some vintage spare Jem dolls that I wouldn't mind selling/trading if anyone's interested. 

[LadyMoondancer]

I love the 80s cartoon.  I got a chance to meet the voice of Jem (I think her speaking voice, not singing voice) at a nerdy bar / arcade game place this year.  She was really nice and took time to speak to each fan in line for her autograph.

I also ran across the guy who choreographed the animation for the songs at a comic convention.  He said they pretty much gave him free rein to animate "whatever" to go along with the songs, which explains why some of them are so trippy, lol.

I've been meaning to start reading the IDW Jem comic books, I've heard they're very good.

I'm slightly peeved right now because Hasbro made IDW combine all their Hasbro comics into one continuity, except MLP and Jem.  MLP makes sense, it is in a world of its own, not the human world.  But why not include Jem??  It makes more sense than G.I. Joe existing in the same universe as Transformers and NEVER EVER noticing the giant robots literally destroying cities over the years.

On that note, I've always thought the Misfits would make great human sidekicks for the 80s Decepticons.

Hasbro definitely was the one who came up with "rock 'n roll fashion dolls".  Jem was very very popular and Mattel created Barbie & the Rockers to compete.

[Galactica]

Ladymoondancer that's awesome you were able to meet Samantha Newark!!  It's crazy how much she sounds like Jem even now

I actually love the current comic by IDW although I'm way behind (I like to buy them in books cuz they cost less)

I really liked the cartoon when I was a kid- the singing is surprisingly good and the songs cute and catchy   I've watched them more recently on Netflix. I still enjoy it- ridiculous stories yes, but still enjoyable.  They don't make cartoons like THAT anymore!

I've always kinda hated Mattel for stealing the concept of Jem from Hasbro and then rushing to get the Barbie and the Rockers dolls out first... but I think the original dolls also might have failed because they were a lot more expensive than the competition (Barbie) and moms were nervous about their rocker looks (they did not look tame like Barbie).  My mom didn't like them. 

The recent Integrity dolls are like a dream come true- they look like the dolls that I always wanted- Plus characters that Hasbro never made- in fashions that are so cartoon accurate and gorgeous that you couldn't commission stuff this good.  The only downside is the price- so high!  I remember when Hollywood Jem was announced for SDCC-  I wanted her bad but was SHOCKED at the price!  $119 for a BARBIE?!

I never thought I'd pay so much for plastic fashion dolls- at first I rationalized it as $119 being no higher than a very well done custom- cheaper even, right?  When I got the dolls in hand I realized they were well worth the price. They are NOTHING like Barbie- they have different sculpts for their faces, articulated joints, are fun to pose, and their clothing is gorgeous and made of beautiful high quality materials with snaps and hooks and leather shoes. The faces are awesome too- they have so much attitude. 

I was planning only to get a couple-but then Jem needed her band, and what is Jem without the Misfits?  I thought I was done but then they came out with the Stingers who are really truly the most gorgeous dolls ever (especially Riot and Rapture)

And then they started making characters that Hasbro never even got out of prototype stage!   

My wife thinks Jem dolls are "corney" because she was a teen in the 1980s and thinks my dolls look like they are trying WAY too hard to be cool.  She is embarrassed for them on their behalf -  But don't worry- I love them and that's all that matters to them! haha-

They look fabulous displayed too although I have my collection disassembled right now as I'm planning a new "look" for their shelves

Here's a few of them
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I kinda wish I'd gotten into these dolls later- there have been some really good sales if you keep an eye out on ebay and the Integrity website. http://www.integritytoys.com/shop20/Jem-And-The-Holograms/

[Annie]

What I like most about Jem? Glamour and glitter, fashion and fame?
But really, Colorful characters with outrageous hairstyles, a bit more for the mature audience and of course, great music.

I had an old VHS tape with Jem as a kid and I loved it! I watched all the old episodes by now and it's a bit sad that the show ended because it was really getting interesting once The Stingers made their appearance. There was such a potential to continue the cartoon!
The old dolls don't impress me much but oh my, those dolls from Integrity Toys!! I want every single one!! <3

I have read a couple of the new comics and they are nice. Very unique redesign of the characters and I'm interested to see where the story will go

[Agent X]

I'm glad Jem wasn't included in "Revolution", because what would they would've done in the course of the story? Though there is nothing stopping the comic from being absorbed into the greater Hasbro continuity, but I'm glad JEM gets to keep being it's own thing.

You know what, JEM's critical success is probably what encouraged IDW/Hasbro to dredge up their obscure/dead properties and start building up these IPs and hoping for multiple lighting strikes.

Also, I always thought the Dreadnoks from G.I. Joe would make great roadies for The Misfits.

I should also point towards the (brief) Jem article from the Transformers wiki;
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Jem

[mlly]

Cartoon was pretty fun and I love the fashions, it's really too bad Hasbro cancelled the franchise way too soon. Especially since things were starting to become more exciting during season 3.

The Integrity Toys dolls are already extremely expensive but I can't find any decent quality Hasbro 80s dolls reasonably priced on ebay either. They are also very expensive now. It's annoying.

I've already read the most recent issue of the IDW comic but I still can't say I like it. The different artists styles are too jarring and in terms of writing and characterization the comic takes itself way too seriously, and is too down-to-earth to be entertaining, and feels like something completely unrelated to the Jem franchise altogether IMO.
What was great about the Jem cartoon was how ridiculous(to the point of being unintentionally funny) it was. The comic just does not have that.

I have not seen the movie but everything I have heard about it was not good.

Hasbro really could have done waaay more (and better) to revive the franchise IMO.

[LightingElectricDream]

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These are the only jem dolls other than a vintage glitter n gold I have. I really love em!

[Leave a Whisper]

Its an awesome show and the dolls have made me want dolls and I don't do dolls ever! Of course Integrity is too rich for my blood and Hasbro didn't bother making affordable options for the kiddies who were being introduced to classic Jem on the hub and boxset. Boo. I love how empowering and exciting and funny crazy it gets. I'd say its got almost as much action as GI Joe.

[lolaandbean]

I loved Jem as a kid. I had a couple of the dolls. (I had Barbie and Dana dancing action Barbie and the Rockers too.) The cartoon was on Netflix. Not sure if it's still there. I watched a few episodes. I'd love to get the line by Integrity Toys, but they're a little too much for me right now.

[Taffeta]

It's a sad thing but one of the longest running fan mailing lists that I am aware of for a 1980s toy line died a death this December when the admins shut it down. Christy Marx was on that mailing list, and she was very good about discussing characters and answering questions. Because of that I even have copies of two or three of the episode scripts and it's so fun seeing what was left out or changed between that and the production. I think I have Talent Search 1 & 2, Britrock...I forget what else. Maybe Stingers Hit Town, not sure.

I'm a Misfit fan. I like the Holograms, too. Can't stand Jem or Rio. Pretty much everyone else is fine with me. I used to have Jem/Jerrica in my collection and I found I was losing interest in them. I then realised that I only should have the collection I want, not the expected collection and didn't need to have those characters even if they are the main characters from the show. I just had so much issue with Jem's hypocrisy and the fact Rio two times her with herself - and at least once, with her other self, Jamie, which must be a record.

I just shifted my cabinet around to put away some of the fashions and make room to put the IT dolls inside because they were getting dusty, but this is what my collection did look like before this break:

http://www.etherella.com/photoshoot/

My favourite characters are Jetta, Stormer and Synergy. But the prettiest doll in my opinion is 2nd Edition Shana. Specifically this one:

Spoiler

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because I rescued her. She was really messed up and had no accessories and her hair was a messy knot but she has the prettiest expression so she's special to me.

Kimber was my first doll. I actually bought her to trade to Prance in Canada (Pranceatron vs Jem, great Jem website, one of the best) and then I saw Truly Outrageous and somehow Kimber never left.

Spoiler

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But I really do like the Misfits better These are my special Misfits.

Spoiler

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I made 3 of the outfits and a friend made Roxy's. I went through a whole phase of making a lot of the outfits from the show because the Misfits didn't have enough outfits already. Especially Jetta ones, because she had none...

Oh yeah. I also have a big thing about the Mexican made dolls. I guess Jem's equivalent Nirvana is Spanish and Mexican Jem, but I love the Mexican ones. They're so crazy...

http://www.etherella.com/photoshoot/mexicoll.htm

The IT dolls are amazing! But yeah, I agree, so expensive. I decided originally I was only getting the ones that Hasbro never made as proper dolls in the old lines. Plus the Misfits. I've more or less stuck to that, although I thought I was done and then they decide to bring out Graphix. I won't get her, though, she's a club exclusive, so I guess I am done. I love that they made Eric and Craig. Eric had to happen. It was about time he did.

But when Regine, Danse, Clash and Video came out it was insane. Regine and Danse were literally sold out within the first day. And now some of them their prices are double the retail which is sad...

Another amazing Jem site is Brian's Totally Jem. Because it has pretty much every prototype thing you can imagine on it. Most of the old Jem stuff is in the community now. A Jem friend of mine got the autographs of Ellen Bernfeld and Anne Bryant for me, and someone else got me the autograph of Patricia Albrecht but pretty much all of the Jem former cast, people, etc have been in contact with someone in the Jem fandom unless they have passed away (which sadly several have). It's a bit different from MLP in that way in that fans have had a much deeper connection with all of the old stuff from the line and the people involved, which is brilliant.

[Galactica]

It's a sad thing but one of the longest running fan mailing lists that I am aware of for a 1980s toy line died a death this December when the admins shut it down. Christy Marx was on that mailing list, and she was very good about discussing characters and answering questions. Because of that I even have copies of two or three of the episode scripts and it's so fun seeing what was left out or changed between that and the production. I think I have Talent Search 1 & 2, Britrock...I forget what else. Maybe Stingers Hit Town, not sure.

I'm a Misfit fan. I like the Holograms, too. Can't stand Jem or Rio. Pretty much everyone else is fine with me. I used to have Jem/Jerrica in my collection and I found I was losing interest in them. I then realised that I only should have the collection I want, not the expected collection and didn't need to have those characters even if they are the main characters from the show. I just had so much issue with Jem's hypocrisy and the fact Rio two times her with herself - and at least once, with her other self, Jamie, which must be a record.

I just shifted my cabinet around to put away some of the fashions and make room to put the IT dolls inside because they were getting dusty, but this is what my collection did look like before this break:

http://www.etherella.com/photoshoot/

My favourite characters are Jetta, Stormer and Synergy. But the prettiest doll in my opinion is 2nd Edition Shana. Specifically this one:

Spoiler

visitors can't see pics , please register or login

because I rescued her. She was really messed up and had no accessories and her hair was a messy knot but she has the prettiest expression so she's special to me.

Kimber was my first doll. I actually bought her to trade to Prance in Canada (Pranceatron vs Jem, great Jem website, one of the best) and then I saw Truly Outrageous and somehow Kimber never left.

Spoiler

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But I really do like the Misfits better These are my special Misfits.

Spoiler

visitors can't see pics , please register or login

I made 3 of the outfits and a friend made Roxy's. I went through a whole phase of making a lot of the outfits from the show because the Misfits didn't have enough outfits already. Especially Jetta ones, because she had none...

Oh yeah. I also have a big thing about the Mexican made dolls. I guess Jem's equivalent Nirvana is Spanish and Mexican Jem, but I love the Mexican ones. They're so crazy...

http://www.etherella.com/photoshoot/mexicoll.htm

The IT dolls are amazing! But yeah, I agree, so expensive. I decided originally I was only getting the ones that Hasbro never made as proper dolls in the old lines. Plus the Misfits. I've more or less stuck to that, although I thought I was done and then they decide to bring out Graphix. I won't get her, though, she's a club exclusive, so I guess I am done. I love that they made Eric and Craig. Eric had to happen. It was about time he did.

But when Regine, Danse, Clash and Video came out it was insane. Regine and Danse were literally sold out within the first day. And now some of them their prices are double the retail which is sad...

Another amazing Jem site is Brian's Totally Jem. Because it has pretty much every prototype thing you can imagine on it. Most of the old Jem stuff is in the community now. A Jem friend of mine got the autographs of Ellen Bernfeld and Anne Bryant for me, and someone else got me the autograph of Patricia Albrecht but pretty much all of the Jem former cast, people, etc have been in contact with someone in the Jem fandom unless they have passed away (which sadly several have). It's a bit different from MLP in that way in that fans have had a much deeper connection with all of the old stuff from the line and the people involved, which is brilliant.

OMG that Shana is GORGEOUS! 

I didn't even know about the mailing list- I knew about Jemcon.org- but it was really slow there for the last few years and then when the admin restructured the site- I think most remaining people got lost. Now it's basically abandoned.  But I know they still do the convention every year- which is cool.  I am totally going this year because it will be in Seattle!!!!!!!  WHOOOOO

I do love Brian's Totally Jem page-http://totallyjem.jemmagic.com/
That's the one, right? He has some amazing prototype photos and info (not just of Jem but other lines too)

For sure some of the Integrity dolls were more highly demanded than others- ESPECIALLY Danse, Regine and Astral because they were fan favorites- and of course Classic Jem (because duh, everyone wants the main doll) It was great they came out with Shopbop Jem to relieve some of the desperation for a classic Jem.

I didn't think Video was that hard to find actually- I have an extra if anyone is searching- you can have her at cost- I don't know why I bought two, I was going slightly crazy with Jem fever I guess...)

I'm in the wclub so I did get Graphix- but I know a lot of people got her who aren't Jem people or who were on the fence, so hopefully she won't be too hard to find. 

[Taffeta]

What has happened with those dolls in the past is that you get scalpers and the prices are double what retail would be. And exchange rate sucks xD.

No kidding on Regine and Astral, they should've made more. Regine came up a lot on ebay from scalpers who bought her with the advance membership and then put her up there so that was a problem. I was super lucky with Regine and Danse because there was literally one left of each in a store in France and the shipping put people off...but France is real close to the UK so not such an issue And no customs fees, yay

Astral I had to get loose and in bits. I still don't have her hat, but given her price, I'll take what I have. Synergy is the other one I missed out on, but she's way too expensive now so I'll stick with my old ones

Really glad I don't like Jem because the price of Classic Jem got mad. I saw one at $900 or so...

Graphix looks cool but I can't pay $200+ for a doll right now ><

Yep, that's the site I meant THe mailing list I think had been running 20 years when it closed. Very sad day...

<3 Shana

[Galactica]

What has happened with those dolls in the past is that you get scalpers and the prices are double what retail would be. And exchange rate sucks xD.

Graphix looks cool but I can't pay $200+ for a doll right now ><

Yep, that's the site I meant THe mailing list I think had been running 20 years when it closed. Very sad day...

<3 Shana

I'd love to help you out but the club price for her is $130 - so even if I found someone who was willing to let me take her over for you (or sometimes Integrity has a few extra if you email them right away) shipping from Integrity to me, and then to you-  definitely $200 by that time.