ToyNewsI revealed a major comeback courtesy of a cover preview for the upcoming issue of ToyCollectr magazine. Lone Coconut, the creative team behind Plunderlings, is teaming up with S3D Toys and BigBadLaunchPad to bring back the classic 1980s Army Ants toy line.

Classic 80s Nostalgia Meets Modern Articulation

Originally released by Hasbro in 1987, Army Ants were small, non-articulated rubber figures split into two opposing military factions: the orange-ant Army and the blue-ant Ants. Each figure featured a distinct helmet, unique weaponry, and a soft plastic rear abdomen (gaster) attached to the body.

This new joint venture approaches the brand from two different angles:

• 1/12 Scale Articulated Figures: Lone Coconut and BigBadLaunchPad are developing fully articulated action figures, translating the original quirky designs into modern 6-inch scale collectibles with updated posing and detail.
• Miniature Rubber Figures: S3D Toys is handling a direct revival of the original small-scale rubber figure format, giving long-time fans the classic feel of the 1987 line. (This was revealed back in February)

Collaboration Behind the Comeback

Lone Coconut brings proven design capability to the project following the success of their original Plunderlings line. BigBadLaunchPad, the incubator arm of online retailer BigBadToyStore, provides distribution and launch support, while S3D Toys manages the mini-figure manufacturing.

Further details regarding release timelines, pricing, and initial character rosters will be featured in the upcoming issue of ToyCollectr magazine.

What do you think about Army Ants making a comeback in 1/12 scale? Did you collect the original 1987 rubber figures, or are you looking forward to the articulated line? Let me know in the comments below, and follow our social media pages for updates as more details drop.