whisp

On 2/21/2024 at 9:56 AM, F For Fake said:

My biggest concern with the Defiant would be the gantry wheels. They tend to be fragile from bearing the weight of the gantry over the years, and are often broken. You could try removing them before shipping, but that also poses a risk of breakage. I personally wouldn't ship a Defiant, or buy one to be shipped, but that may just be me. That's definitely the sort of thing I'd hit local toy shows to pick up. We have two GI Joe shows here in town every year, and there's usually a Defiant, or Flagg, or both, floating around in there. Also save on the shipping cost, which I'd imagine is going to be substantial.

Wish my city had better toy shows.  We have nothing but garbage booths that its not even worth the $5 dollars to go anymore lol.  Last show I paid $5 to get in and walked out with two hot wheels for $5 since there was nothing.  Felt more like a flea market then a toy show.  Luckily I know someone for the big comic show and can borrow a vendor pass for a couple hours but even then most of the booths are candy, Funko pops and oddball booths and seldom find anything.  I also don't like buying online anymore since so many scammers and repro items.  Its really slowed down my collecting of Joe and finishing my 1982-89 run.  Even on Facebook you see less and less of earlier joes and when you post up a load of 80's Joe stuff for trade no one has what ya want anymore (my list is getting into the harder to get pieces) or they try and scam ya , try and sell/trade you repro ( which is getting really bad now because everyone has a 3d printer lol), try and convince you an accessory pack uzi is the original and the list goes on.  Why I hold onto my bags of accessories and do trade only and don't sell since no one will let go of their hoards of stuff even to sell.  I am lucky if I find a couple pieces a year.   Why I just been doing modern stuff since collecting the original stuff has become annoying.

Here is an example.  All that stuff in the pictures I put up and I still cant even get one item off my list but everyone wants to buy it all.  Same with transformers.  I even tried the oddball stuff.  I swear I thought someone would trade for that pink panosh princess voltron helmet by now.  The A-Team enemies stuff doesn't show up to often either.  Friggin hoarders lol.

So I found this info.

So it came in a promotional kit where FHE by the looks of it grab some #30s and stuck stickers on them.  I see as this becomes more known that there is going to be a bunch of fakes made.

Had a question about a book I see on ebay that all of a sudden starts appearing out of thin air that in my 40+ years of collecting Joe books have never seen or heard of until the last couple months.  Its the ARAH #30 that has a sticker from Family Home Entertainment on it.  

1.  Who put the sticker on those books?

2.  Why is there so few of them and really no records of them until late?  How come they just started appearing now?

3.  If it was the vhs store or whoever and not Marvel can we really consider this a variant?

4.  How come no extra individual stickers have appeared elsewhere or on other products?

5.  Is it a first or second printing book?

Have concerns also because stickers like that can be faked so easily.  Just seems very odd and gives me that Steel brigade version E feeling.

Found the video about retro not being Walmart exclusives anymore.

On 2/17/2024 at 1:15 PM, Buzzetta said:

I opened my Snake Eyes so it was not a deal breaker, but everyone I know who received it directly from Walmart got their sample mangled.  Mine came boxed and it was still mangled. 

I haven't owned one of the retro card back yet but my understanding was that the card stock is flimsy and thin.  

On 2/16/2024 at 5:02 PM, Buzzetta said:

@whisp

Are they offering this in Canada? 

Walmart Retro Classified Stormshadow is back up on Hasbro Pulse. 

https://hasbropulse.com/collections/back-in-stock/products/g-i-joe-classified-series-storm-shadow-action-figure-2

I forget where I saw the information but it was said that the retro card backs will be available to Canadians.  In an earlier post I showed how Amazon while it says out of stock now has a listing for the Storm Shadow and you can add to cart and get the when in stock notifications for the Canadian site.  Crossing fingers on that one.  However some of the other retro card backs are appearing as well such as the card back Snake Eyes.  

On 2/16/2024 at 11:14 AM, F For Fake said:

Mutt and Junkyard were my very first Joes, so they will always have a place in my heart. And this Classified set is really terrific.

Yeah, Supet 7 Ultimates are really only in scale with themselves, and even then it's kind of a crapshoot. You really can't display them with any other line, though you can intermingle the various Super 7 Ultimates (Joes, Silverhawks, Turtles, etc) to a certain extent.

Wouldn't be the first time though a company did 7".  McFarlane Toys where 7" Figures.  

On 2/16/2024 at 8:47 AM, F For Fake said:

Super 7 is increasingly relying on molded plastic instead of actual paint on flesh parts, and it leads to some lifeless looking figures.

Don't know about other figures but this storm shadow was painted skin.

On 2/16/2024 at 7:41 AM, fantastic_four said:

Do you have the Hasbro Classified Series version?  I'm curious how they compare.

Hasbro has done SO well with the Classified Series that I've been wondering if Super7 can really do any better at double the price point.  Usually smaller toy companies can't manage the articulation range that Hasbro and Mattel often get, and that's particularly true with the Classified Series since it features some of the best articulation Hasbro has ever done across all lines.

Each figure has their own style.  Classified is suppose to be an updated version on the old figure.  They then did the retro because people wanted a more true to his style.   They still missed things like no Nunchacu on both of those and should have been a longbow instead of the compound bow..  To me they are both ok figures.  The Super 7 figure overall I am happy with.  Should have added some tails for the belt.  The Super 7 is more to being as close to the original in which case they combined also story elements from the comic, cartoon and original figure.  Excalibur actually glows in the dark.  Has Nunchacku and original style Longbow.  It then has story elements such as the diving head and Excalibur which was from Season 1 Episode 35 of the cartoon.

Has forearm with torn wraps and tattoo which is from G.I. Joe ARAH #21.

The sniper rifle is from G.I. Joe ARAH #24

In the end it is all up to what a person wants.  I do think though Super 7 figures should be like the $50 cdn mark.  That's what they usually drop too.  Overall I am happy. 

Super 7 Ultimate Storm Shadow arrived today. 

Saw in last couple days on Amazon.ca a listing for Retro Card Back Storm Shadow 6". Says out of stock but if you hit the add cart you can buy it and it ends up in your orders. $35.99+tax free ship.

2023 I focused on different toy and company lines.  I was actually pretty happy with what came out and was surprised that a lot of characters I wanted came out along with some I never thought they would do.  It was like someone was listening lol.

I was trying to make my dream team of modern for a shelf.  There is still a couple on my want list.  I tried to get a Master Chief from Halo and a specific one but it still sitting in my Amazon ordered list with an email saying they notify me when it becomes available.  I also wanted to get a Centurion but that was pretty exclusive set and I only wanted one only because I never had one as a child and wanted one.

However, I got Soundwave with a couple of the new designed tapes that fit inside of him.  The all white Boba Fett prototype, Moon Knight with armor, Storm Shadow, Ninja Spawn and Scareglow.

Something I never thought they would do was the Drizzt figure and was very happy when I saw that and added the Jumanji Panther to be his Cat.  I got the Super 7 Panthro in which the first one had a paint app issue on the harness in which I contacted Super 7 just to get a new harness and they sent me a whole new one that is pristine.  Their customer support was friendly and they went out of their way to help me.  I grabbed 7 of the retro TMNT which totally reminded me of my childhood.  I skipped on two of them but wish I grabbed them.

Some oddball items I grabbed is the Rubik's cube which I had as a kid and now have the speed version.  I can solve it now but won't be breaking any speed records :P.  Also I grabbed one of the D&D Dicelings (green Dragon).  The Diceling is actually pretty impressive for what it is.

Next is the The Legend of Drizzt Board game.  That has been a lot of fun and every other Thursday a friend and I play it.  I even went as far to make three dice towers for it and we about half way thru the campaign booklet.

Bought a bunch of Hot Wheels for the hell of it since cheap and they just display nice.

Finally the Macross (Robotech) YF-29 Alto version.  This model kit was so fun to make.  Took a bit but when done it displayed and looks pretty cool as part of my team up

So for 2023 it was a pretty good year for modern pickups.

My wish list right now that I would like to get.

1. An individual centurion

2. Voltron (they came out with one at one point but I could never find a retailer that had all the cats to put together to buy as a set.)

3.  For the TMNT retro line by Playmate I wish they had done April O'Neil so that we could have had the original 8 so would like to see playmates release that.  

4.  For them to release more of the Halo Master Chief by Jazwares toys that I have been waiting on my order list.

5. A Classified 1988 Storm Shadow

6.  Rerelease of the Ronin TMNT armoured version.  I missed this one and don't want to pay reseller prices.  Wanted him as part of my team line up.

7. Lazerbeak or Buzzsaw for Soundwave 83

That pretty much sums up everything for 2023 for me

Not plastic Crack but I have started catching up on the Drizzt Forgotten realm books and on book 17 (The Hunters Trilogy (6th trilogy) and been buying them in their trilogy sets.  That will take me a bit because there is 7 more trilogies after this one  but gives me something to do

On 2/6/2024 at 8:46 AM, F For Fake said:

Still so odd to see someone other than Hasbro making 4" Joe figures, but I guess with Super 7 Reaction, Hiya Toys, and now McFarlane, this is how it will be. These all look pretty cruddy to me, but at the price point I guess they're not so bad? Not for me, but if it snags the eyeballs of some kid out there, it's a good thing.

I saw the spawn and a few other ones at Gamestop and wasn't overly impressed.  I don't know what these companies are thinking doing 5 point articulated figures and thinking they will sell well let alone they are pretty small figures at 3".  The paint aps are horrible as well. They are overpriced.  Also think that it should have been Cobra Commander and Storm Shadow as a two pack.  Also want to note that the books inside are reprints of old books.

Some companies are learning though.  Super 7 has permission to start making 3 3/4 fully articulated figures which will be interesting to see what characters they do since part of their plan is to do obscure figures.  Wish Hiya Toys would ship to Canada since would have liked the Storm shadow.

As For Hasbro themselves I wish they would do 1988 Storm Shadow in classified (not an exclusive) but that is pretty much it.  I would have got the other two Storm Shadows which are the Amazon and the Walmart exclusive if they where not over priced manufactured rare exclusives and really don't see classified holding any true value.  Already see price dumps on Amazon along with super 7 as well having price dumps on their joe figures.  I see people on Facebook tryin to dump their extras they bought which  you can go on Amazon and get cheaper.  This is why I just get my fav character and don't waste my money on any of the rest and why I didn't buy any extras for investment.  One good thing did come out of it though and that I don't focus Joes and been grabbing other characters from other lines and been enjoying that more.

Battroid mode is done.  I am going to save Fighter and Gerwalk mode for a rainy day.  I do know if I ever build an other one of these kits I need a magnify glass attachment for my helping hands lol.  Some of these stickers where so small I had to use an old eye loop from when I did coins/stamps to make sure they where lined up.  Still a couple touchups I want to do but overall I am pretty happy with it.  Added a pic for comparison to 6" figures which is about how tall it stands without the stand.  Think next time if I grab an other kit I will go a larger scale.

On 2/1/2024 at 7:47 PM, Dave2739 said:

73.98 Canadian loonies? That's only like $1.73 in real dollars! 

Actually 73.98 converts to 54.97 usd.  If you look around like Big Bad Toystore they asking 54.99usd + shipping and if ya got to Canada have taxes and import fees.  Next if you look around to Canadian retailer prices they are all roughly $75 cdn + tax Plus shipping which is usually $15-$20.  Finally all the scalpers where above $100 cdn plus taxes shipped to you that where on Amazon and why I waited patiently for Amazon to have their own listing for this figure.  So overall that Amazon price is the best price for a CDN due to its just the price plus taxes  with free shipping to get one of these figures and why I brought it to peoples attention for at this point in time.

So Rumble arrived today.  Hoping they do a Buzzsaw / Lazerbeak next.  As for Rumble my only gripe is the arms and having where it folds have the round pieces.  I am sure they could have engineered that better and just took the lazy route.

Note of interest.  Super 7 Ultimate Storm Shadow is up on Amazon Canada under buy options for 73.98.  Have to not look at main buy and at other sellers and amazon is doing preorders. 

Also the Super Trooper mail away started in 1988.  That should have given it away as well when grading it.

On 1/23/2024 at 7:09 PM, taro90 said:

Won an AFA graded G.I. Joe figure, Techno-Viper, from the recent Hake's auction. The label says, 1987. But it should be 1988. The card back has figures from the 87/88 line.   

On 10/12/2023 at 6:34 AM, Turnando said:

Wow, that looks great!

It looks like you have one of the miniatures primed and attached to a pill bottle handle, ready to paint. 

Are you going to paint the minis? Post some photos if you do.  I'm going to try to paint mine.  I'm going to use the Legend of Drizzt Visual Dictionary as a guide.  I just bought it.  It is getting cheap, like $17.

I played the game a few times by myself last week and lost both times

Yeah as I get time I am going to paint the minis.  Drizzt is ready on that stand.  There is tutorials on youtube for a lot of the minis and the set.  However I am not going to pay outrageos prices for custom D&D paint sets.  I will just make a pallette and mix and go from there.

I have played the first mission 6 times and won 5 times and lost 1 time.  Don't forget Drizzt attacks twice and how to use your stance.  Makes it pretty simple.  On two of the games I leveled up to lvl 2 as well for rolling hard 20.  I have the board now setup for adventure 2 but got busy making the tower lol.