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Now why is there a M and not a J?
| When Hasbro was given
the idea for developing a Rock & Roll doll,
they named her M. She is rumored to have had three
male band members. As time passed, M became Jem
because Hasbro could not trademark a letter at that
time. Or may have been in conflict with a band called
"M", famous for the song "Pop Muzik".
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Hasbro had to give M a new name. The name of the band
became the Holograms. The idea for the name came from
the Holographic image that changed an ordinary girl
(Morgan or Misty) into M. And during this time the three
males became three females ... Kimber, Jada and Aria.
The names changed to Kimber, Aja, and Shana. One name
for Roxy and/or Stormer at this time was Rue.
Early
concepts |
| M / Misty |
Aja |
Jade |
|
|
|
(click image) |
(click image) |
(click image) |
became Jem/Jerrica |
became Kimber |
became Aja |
| Pizazz |
Rue |
Roxy |
|
|
|
(click image) |
(click image) |
(click image) |
became Pizzazz |
became Roxy |
became Stormer |
photos
from an unnamed source |
A playset was being developed for M, it was a plane.
Like most of the Jem playsets, it was to have a cassette
player and speaker. This playset was dropped and the
Rockin' Roadster, Star Stage, and Rock Backstager came
out.
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Original Plane
Design
as illustrated by Bill Sanders
(1986) |
| (click image) |
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"Can't Get My Love Together"
Jem seemed to have some popularity, and sells where
not bad. But basically Jem was not sell as well as Hasbro
expected her too, so the line only had a two year run.
The high prices, the larger size then Barbie, and the
"scary" Misfits where all stated reasons for Jem's demise.
Even though Hasbro took all of these into account when
the developed the 1988 line. The dolls were to be sold
with out the cassettes and for less, the Misfits where
replaced by the Stingers. New cheap outfits where being
designed to compete with Barbie's cheap outfits ...
the twelve and a half inch size stayed the same.
"Truly Outrageous!"
Bill Sanders (1940-1990)
a famous advertiser, and two collaborators went to Hasbro
with a idea of a new doll line, to compete with Barbie.
Bill thought Barbie was boring and no fun.
Check out the VIP page on Pranceatron
Vs. Jem.
Hasbro had Sunbow develop a cartoon to promote the
Jem dolls. It started as fifteen (eight minute) segments
on a show with several other shows in the "Super Saturday"
show, or "Super Sunday" show. (1985)
"Only the Beginning"
These segments became the first five episodes of Jem
know as "Truly Outrageous!" Eight dolls, three playsets
and twenty-four fashions started the doll line (1986)
| |
Polaroid of the original sketches
and prototypes of 5 On Stage Fashions |
from
ebay.com
Seller: pjkho
Date: 6/27/2008
Amount: $631.00 |
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"Encore,"™
"Twilight In Paris,"™ "Dancin'
The Night Away,"™ "Command
Performance"™ & "Permanent
Wave"™ -- click names for larger images
the win has posted. |
"Getting Down To Business"
The dolls hit the store shelves and the Catalogs.
Image from some of the Catalogs
"We're Off And Running"
Three new Jem dolls, three new Holograms, two new Misfits,
Synergy, three Starlight girls and also three new playsets,
four playset attachments and twice as many fashion where
added. (1987)
"This is Farewell"
Jem was starting its third season (1988) when Hasbro
pulled the plug. New dolls where developed but
Hasbro decided to stop the line, the dolls never were
released. There would have been three new Jem dolls,
two new Holograms (Astral - original name was Magic,
Regine - original name was Paris), a new group the Stingers
(Riot - a male, and two females: Minx, Rapture), maybe
Pizzazz and a new Misfit Graphix (she was 1st doll drop
from the 1988 line, and never appeared in the show),
and new mix match outfits, along with other new fashion
sets. (1988) Some of the
new dolls and fashions
Maxie
A smaller doll called Maxie ended up replacing Jem.
Maxie was a high school girl, with her high school friends.
The line was the same size as Barbie and the fashions
could have be swapped with Barbie fashions. This line
only lasted 3 years. Maxie was not a true replacement
for Jem because Hasbro originally was going to release
both Jem and Maxie in 1988. Maxie was a copy of the
European doll Sindy, which Hasbro just got the rights
to produce for Europe in 1987. Maxie was also going
to have a band in the fall 1990, but Hasbro canceled
Maxie before the dolls hit the stores. This Maxie band
would have featured Jem instruments in new colors.
Rockin' Pretty Bianca -
a blue Roxy guitar,
Rockin' Pretty Maxie - a
purple Shana guitar
Rockin' Pretty Ashley - a
blue "Show Me The Way" Video Madness tambourine,
missing the Jem logo.
Rockin' Pretty Carly - a
light green Kimber keyboard
I have to wonder if Maxie was canceled when Hasbro
got he contract to produce the "New Kids on the
Block" dolls. That included two sets of dolls and
a stage playset.
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