Why have the UBs not been canceled yet?

[hardygirl847]

OK you got me there MacGyver. I remember reading The Outlaw's Silver and there was supposedly the Jersey Devil. However, like you pointed out, it's not always what it seems. Also, if these types of stories occur in the originals, that's fine. They are still part of the classic continuity. So that doesn't bother me actually. The Ghost Stories also are safe because they too can be considered classics.

However....

That's the problem. S&S doesn't seem to realize that The Hardy Boys are classics, and the Undercover Brothers are trying too hard to be cool, rather then trying to be good, long lasting stories. In 50 years people won't be reading the UB, they'll be reading the Originals and maybe the Casefiles, too.

I agree with this. The classics are going to stay that way because of their quality and ability to stand the test of the time. Hence, why they are classics. I fear that UBs and the GNs jumping on the fad bandwagon will just continue to make them seem more fleeting rather than substantial. Perhaps this applies more to the UBs than to the GNs. Either way, S&S should focus on quality of stories that have kept the HBs going for nearly what? 83 years?

When I have kids I will introduce them to the classics first and Casefiles (as they grow up). Hopefully though there will be a newer series that is geared towards young kids but also worthy of the Hardy Boys classic title and franchise by that time. They have 5-10 years to get their acts together! 

[SDLagent]

I agree with this. The classics are going to stay that way because of their quality and ability to stand the test of the time. Hence, why they are classics. I fear that UBs and the GNs jumping on the fad bandwagon will just continue to make them seem more fleeting rather than substantial. Perhaps this applies more to the UBs than to the GNs. Either way, S&S should focus on quality of stories that have kept the HBs going for nearly what? 83 years?

I think the GN are more faithful to the Original/Casefiles continuities then the UB. Sometimes the boys in the UB are almost unrecognizable. Also, the GN seem to have more memorable stories and characters...the Noirs, etc.

[4567TME]

That's the problem. S&S doesn't seem to realize that The Hardy Boys are classics, and the Undercover Brothers are trying too hard to be cool, rather then trying to be good, long lasting stories. In 50 years people won't be reading the UB, they'll be reading the Originals and maybe the Casefiles, too.

True. The originals and Casefiles were landmarks for the series. Throughout the past 80-something years of The Hardy Boys' existence, they have had a good deal with its long history.

[Olivia]

But I wish S & S would revive the Hardy Boys franchise with something either fresh but also throwback to the Casefiles or something to captivate a new audience. The last TV series was in 1995 and was a flop. The Hardy Men movie (if it gets made) is just poking fun at our beloved boys.

WHY WILL NO ONE LISTEN TO THE FANS?!

I bet you if they actually cared and wanted to know how to be more successful, they would ask us...the people who read them, write them, and chat about them. Who better to get feedback from than the people who will keep you in business and actually CARE about what happens to these guys?!

*jumps off soapbox*   

That's the problem. S&S doesn't seem to realize that The Hardy Boys are classics, and the Undercover Brothers are trying too hard to be cool, rather then trying to be good, long lasting stories. In 50 years people won't be reading the UB, they'll be reading the Originals and maybe the Casefiles, too.

Totally agree with you two.

It boggles my mind that S&S won't make a few changes or start a new series that could be tremendously successful and make them lots of money.

It's really not that difficult.

[hardygirl847]

I like the GNs most of the time. Some of the art is not my taste but they do have better story lines. I included them in my earlier rant because they have the ATAC which is not classic Hardy Boys to me. They are a lot better than the UBs though...I will agree with that.

I don't know why they can't get their acts together either. I am sure they are trying to see what kids are into nowadays and work with that but it changes so frequently. First it's vampires then it's silly animal shaped rubberbands, and then who knows what? The Hardy Boys are classics and originals. They shouldn't need to conform to the popular trend of the moment. They are failing because this is what they are trying to do. On store shelves I see a lot of ORIGINAL blue spines and maybe a few older UBs that haven't sold. Why is that?? It's because the originals will always be better than lukewarm misrepresentations.

[MacGyver]

"The Hardys Boys: The Mystery of the Silly Animal Shaped Rubberbands" - that was a good one!
(the mystery of their popularity- lol)
but when they tried to write a vampire story in the UnderCover Brothers series and use the cool one word titles-
"The Hardy Boys UnderCover Brothers: Suck"- just didn't work for me.
(I can see the whole trilogy titles- "Bite", "Suck", "Stink" i.e. - "I vant to bite your neck", "I vant to suck your blood", "Your garlic breath sure stinks.")

[MacGyver]

Reminds me of a Rolling Stones compilation album I saw in the stores once- http://www.amazon.com/Sucking-Seventies-Rolling-Stones/dp/B0007P78RQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1275606441&sr=8-1
I promise you that's the real name. (Keep in mind it was originally released in 1981 and I'm guessing that word didn't have the same connotation at the time that it typically does today. "Breathing In" would have been a better title for the meaning they were going for in today's vernacular. - And no, I honestly don't normally really use the word "suck" in that sense- and I don't really hate the Undercover Brothers series altogether, though it's not my favorite- but I couldn't resist the joke.)

[hardygirl847]

LOL MacGyver!! Don't forget that Joe turns into a vampire, Frank turns into a werewolf and then they both fall in love with the same girl but turn on each other. OH and they give her shaped rubberbands instead of flowers to show her how much they love her. And Joe can't take her out during the day and Frank can't take her out at night...Hey, that could work out if she wanted to date both of them. haha...

No matter what direction the Hardy Boys go in, at least we have the originals, casefiles, and digests. I don't get how they can do a good job with the GNs but completely miss the mark with the UBs? That makes no sense to me. They could have a whole new generation of fans if they did it right. The GNs would do better if there was a good solid series to support it unlike the UBs. The UBs would be better if they were revamped and made into more Casefile-like stories.

*shakes head*

[MacGyver]

Don't forget that Joe turns into a vampire, Frank turns into a werewolf and then they both fall in love with the same girl but turn on each other. OH and they give her shaped rubberbands instead of flowers to show her how much they love her. And Joe can't take her out during the day and Frank can't take her out at night...Hey, that could work out if she wanted to date both of them. haha...

LOL!!! Ha ha ha- that would be awesome.

[hardygirl847]

I feel a fan fic plot bunny coming on....JK I do NOT do vampires and werewolves in my stories. I will leave that to someone else.

I actually started reading a fan fic a long time ago that had Joe be possessed. Well, he turned out to be a vampire and killed everyone...including FRANK! I was not a fan of that story....no offense to the author. Its just not my style. I leave that kind of stuff to Bella Swan.

[Bigfootman]

To be fair, The Hardy Boys did a number of supernatural-themed books back in the late '70s and early '80s- even the originals deal with this sometimes (see "The Mystery of the Flying Express", "The Mysterious Caravan", "The Clue of the Hissing Serpent", "The Witchmaster's Key", "The Sting of the Scorpion"- "Danger on Vampire Trail" sort of does too- but only in name really- though the British Armada versions sure played it up.).
But starting with "Night of the Werewolf", I think there was a real push to make more fanciful titles dabbling in the supernatural- perhaps fueled by a general interest in this phenomena in the '70s as well as competing with The Three Investigators. (whose books were often dominated with such themes.) There's also "The Apeman's Secret", "The Mummy Case", "The Stone Idol", "The Vanishing Thieves" (another one of those fanciful-sounding titles that really wasn't), "The Four-Headed Dragon", "Track of the Zombie", "The Voodoo Plot", "The Demon's Den", "The Blackwing Puzzle", "The Swamp Monster", and "Revenge of the Desert Phantom".

There may be other examples, but all of these books sound like they really get into some weird, spooky, supernatural things- but most times the books honestly have nothing to do with what they sound like. And even if they do, there's most always a logical explanation outside of the supernatural. But The Hardy Boys Ghost Stories does generally break that mold.

"Revenge of the Desert Phantom" has nothing to do with ghosts at all.

[tomswift2002]

"Revenge of the Desert Phantom" has nothing to do with ghosts at all.

True, not ghosts in the metaphysical sense.  However it does deal with ghosts in terms of the hermit---hard to find---never seen type of person.  You know they exist, but no one's been able to see them.

[hardygirl847]

OK let me just clarify...just in case...that my comments were about turning the actual boys into things that are supernatural such as vampires, and werewolves. I remember from past conversations that titles or book or plots had supernatural elements but were actually faked. I actually own the Danger on Vampire Trail (different cover though).

[Bigfootman]

I don't think the writers were trying to compete with  "The Three Investigators" by making supernatural-themed books, because, around the  late '70s and early '80s, "The Three Investigators" books also seemed to go into less supernatural themes (Kidnapped whales, biker gangs).
Speaking of the "The Three Investigators", am I the only one who thinks that the "The Three Investigators Crime Busters" was a lame attempt to rip-off the Casefiles? I tried to read the first Crime Busters book, but I could not stand the horrible writing and Jupiter's whining about how he needs some "wheels". I have yet to make it past the third chapter.

[tomswift2002]

I don't think the writers were trying to compete with  "The Three Investigators" by making supernatural-themed books, because, around the  late '70s and early '80s, "The Three Investigators" books also seemed to go into less supernatural themes (Kidnapped whales, biker gangs).
Speaking of the "The Three Investigators", am I the only one who thinks that the "The Three Investigators Crime Busters" was a lame attempt to rip-off the Casefiles? I tried to read the first Crime Busters book, but I could not stand the horrible writing and Jupiter's whining about how he needs some "wheels". I have yet to make it past the third chapter.

Don't forget that there was The Hardy Boys Ghost Stories anthology from 1984.

From what I know of the Three Investigator's Crime Buster's series it was edited by the same people in charge of the Hardy Boys Casefiles, although the Casefiles did come first, but Bill McCay was the editor on both series in the beginning.