This Week In Your Plastic Crack, Action Figures and Toy Collection 26 26

[fantastic_four]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:13 AM, Gonzimodo said:

I just don't understand how Hasbro consistently sells out of preorders online in under an hour. 

If you mean via their Hasbro Pulse web site it's because they specifically limit their pre-order inventory on mass retail releases so as not to over-compete with their retail customers too much.  They also tend to ship items via Pulse last or close to last behind most of their retail customers, which again I assume is so they are a very minor competitor with their customers.  Because of all that I tend to never order from Pulse, although I do buy exclusives from there since there's no choice.

The main time you won't see items sell out on Pulse is if it's a Hasbro Pulse exclusive or a release that's similarly limited, i.e. figures that are exclusive to Hasbro Pulse and the Disney Store web site ( https://www.shopdisney.com ).

[bentbryan]

On 1/27/2023 at 9:16 AM, fantastic_four said:

What is FactSet?  I don't get what their revenue estimates are implying--with their higher-than-Hasbro-reported estimate are they saying that they (and other companies) are under-reporting revenues whenever their estimates are higher than the company reports?

My brother works for FactSet. They are a financial data and analytical software company. 

[Gonzimodo]

On 1/27/2023 at 1:25 PM, fantastic_four said:

If you mean via their Hasbro Pulse web site it's because they specifically limit their pre-order inventory on mass retail releases so as not to over-compete with their retail customers too much.  They also tend to ship items via Pulse last or close to last behind most of their retail customers, which again I assume is so they are a very minor competitor with their customers.  Because of all that I tend to never order from Pulse, although I do buy exclusives from there since there's no choice.

The main time you won't see items sell out on Pulse is if it's a Hasbro Pulse exclusive or a release that's similarly limited, i.e. figures that are exclusive to Hasbro Pulse and the Disney Store web site ( https://www.shopdisney.com ).

That's all well and good, but then I never see most of the stuff appear on retail shelves or at other online retailers, either.  Maybe I just have bad luck.

[fantastic_four]

On 1/27/2023 at 2:40 PM, Gonzimodo said:

That's all well and good, but then I never see most of the stuff appear on retail shelves or at other online retailers, either.  Maybe I just have bad luck.

I've never missed anything, but I'm hardcore so I've figured out how to achieve that.  What's the last figure you had that problem with?  I can give general recommendations, and certainly anything that's really popular can be tough to get.

[fantastic_four]

Got the Mezco Crow figure in today.  Forgot how much I loved that film until this figure came out, and I hadn't seen it since it came out in the theaters in 1994.  Such a shame Brandon Lee died during that film...such a promising career as an action star until that happened.  Saw they've finished filming a remake with Bill Skarsgard as Eric Draven...we'll see how that goes.

The figure is absolutely awesome in every way.  I'm sure the pleather won't hold up just as it doesn't with Hot Toys, but we'll see.

  

[Gonzimodo]

On 1/27/2023 at 3:26 PM, fantastic_four said:

I've never missed anything, but I'm hardcore so I've figured out how to achieve that.  What's the last figure you had that problem with?  I can give general recommendations, and certainly anything that's really popular can be tough to get.

I think that's my problem - I'm just not hardcore enough to dedicate the time and jump online when things first go on sale, and I'm too cheap to become a Pulse Insider or whatever.  The most recent things that come to mind are the Classified Dr. Mindbender and Serpentor.  I don't know if they'll come back in stock at some point or if I'll ever see them at retail.  I'll just keep checking and hope I get lucky.

It's all good, though.  I'm just whining at this point.  

[fantastic_four]

On 1/27/2023 at 3:36 PM, Gonzimodo said:

I think that's my problem - I'm just not hardcore enough to dedicate the time and jump online when things first go on sale, and I'm too cheap to become a Pulse Insider or whatever.  The most recent things that come to mind are the Classified Dr. Mindbender and Serpentor.  I don't know if they'll come back in stock at some point or if I'll ever see them at retail.  I'll just keep checking and hope I get lucky.

Pulse Premium is generally not worth it.  I had it when it was free in 2019/2020, but the only benefit it gave me was free shipping.  Enough retailers already have that such that it isn't much advantage to me.  You get to order an hour before non-members, but it doesn't appear there are enough Pulse Premium members for that to matter much, and I have yet to hear of an exclusive selling out during the Pulse Premium exclusive purchasing period since they started it in 2021.  They may find a unique reason for me to subscribe to it, but they haven't yet.

You weren't likely to get either of those unless you ordered within minutes of when they went live.  Mindbender was a con exclusive; not sure which con but SDCC I think.  Those have always been limited and always sold out incredibly fast for popular figures.  I don't know how they were offering Serpentor, but I did notice he sold out almost immediately.  Not sure if that was an intentionally-limited release like the con exclusives, but if it wasn't they may release more batches over the next few months.  I don't follow Classified Series release much so I may not see when they re-issue it, but if I do I'll post here.

I bet they re-release both of those, just not in the specific decos they did in 2022.  Hasbro loves money, so whenever something sells out fast they usually can't wait to re-release it with new deco.  Not sure we'll get the Serpentor vehicle anytime soon, and while I'm unfamiliar with the character I'm guessing that's half of what everyone wants.

Edited January 27, 2023 by fantastic_four

[Gonzimodo]

On 1/27/2023 at 3:47 PM, fantastic_four said:

Mindbender was a con exclusive; not sure which con but SDCC I think.

That explains a lot.  I didn't pick up on that originally.  

[F For Fake]

Pulse did a restock of Mindbender and Serpentor back at the end of October. They sold out again pretty quickly, but I managed to get my order in that time, and I'm not a Premium member. At any rate, I'd be surprised if they offered them a third time, though it's possible you'll get versions of them single card/box without the accessories. In fact, it's likely, as Hasbro never met a mold they wouldn't beat to death.

Edited January 27, 2023 by F For Fake

[whisp]

On 1/27/2023 at 4:02 PM, F For Fake said:

Pulse did a restock of Mindbender and Serpentor back at the end of October. They sold out again pretty quickly, but I managed to get my order in that time, and I'm not a Premium member. At any rate, I'd be surprised if they offered them a third time, though it's possible you'll get versions of them single card/box without the accessories. In fact, it's likely, as Hasbro never met a mold they wouldn't beat to death.

Gamstop.ca got Serpentor in about a week ago I noticed.  I have also seen Mindbender in gamestop stores up here in Canada in the last month.

[whisp]

On 1/27/2023 at 10:13 AM, Gonzimodo said:

I live in a major(ish) metropolitan area with multiple Walmarts, and the only Classified figures I can ever find are the ones from the Snake Eyes movie that nobody wants and the "retro carded" Lady Jaye and Baroness. I can't even order the "retro carded" Storm Shadow online from their website or from Hasbro's.

I just don't understand how Hasbro consistently sells out of preorders online in under an hour.  I understand that their initial order from their factories is only a certain amount, but if there is a clear demand for something, just increase the order.    They're missing out on a lot sales that way.

So the market gets flooded with the minor characters and movie figures that nobody wants, but you can't get your hands on the popular characters and troop builders to save your life.  Stores then see tons of unsold figures warming the pegs (Anyone want an Akiko or the most boring Storm Shadow figure ever made...?) and don't order any of the new stuff when it comes out.  You'd think they'd have a decent handle on appropriate production numbers after years of this.  Hasbro am smart. 

Lol that movie Storm Shadow I see constantly at Gamestop Canada for $14.99 constantly.  I am waiting for it to be $9.99 cdn then I will buy it lol.

Edited January 27, 2023 by whisp

[fantastic_four]

I see Serpentor at a British retailer:  https://www.robotkingdom.com/f41405s00.html

I'm sure the shipping from Britain could be brutal.

I also see a bunch of Serpentors on Aliexpress at semi-reasonable prices.  Seems too fast for them to have reverse-engineered the molds on Serpentor so they may be legit.

[D84]

Another man dolly showed up!

Edited January 28, 2023 by D84

[fantastic_four]

Quick shot of my Crow figure.  Really love how this guy turned out.  I usually hate cloth goods in the twelfth scale, but when they're minimally used as they mostly are on this figure and when the stitching isn't visible then it can definitely work.

[Cat]

On 1/30/2023 at 2:08 AM, fantastic_four said:

Quick shot of my Crow figure.  Really love how this guy turned out.  I usually hate cloth goods in the twelfth scale, but when they're minimally used as they mostly are on this figure and when the stitching isn't visible then it can definitely work.

Mezco has got it down, for the most part, which amazes me, with their One:12 line. Properly fitting 1/12 clothing? Holy . And besides the occasional saggy crotch, which they've mostly got a handle on now, it's seamlessly done (pun not intended). It's not as a fine stitching as Hot Toys, but that shouldn't diminish it. 

[F For Fake]

This weekend was the third annual GI Joe Winterfest. itself a spin-off of the annual summer Kentuckiana GI Joe Fest. They've moved to a new venue about 15 minutes outside of town. A bit of a drag, but the facility is much larger and more conducive to having a real toy show, as opposed to being spread out through several ballrooms at an airport hotel.

I was debating whether or not I would go, because I just paid out a chunk of change on my one true toy grail (which I will share with you all as soon as it arrives!) so I really didn't have much money for Joes at the moment. However, being nearly broke never stopped me before, so off I went.

Tons of great deals, but I had to keep spending very modest. I saw PILES upon PILES of GI Joe Classified figures for $15. Army builders could have gone nuts on the BATS and Alley Vipers available for that price. One booth had all Classified figures at $15 each, OR get 5 for $50. So, at $10 a pop, I had to pick up a few Cobra Infantry for my army, the Storm Shadow which I've not seen around here, and Flint, as I felt like $10 was finally the price I was willing to pay for him.

I needed a couple of extra Dreadnoks for dioramas, so I picked these up for $10, and I also wanted to get ONE nice figure that day, so I got a very sharp Chuckles. This figure has gotten oddly expensive, like $40-$50 loose complete, so I felt like $30 was a fair price.

Also picked up this Kingdom Scorponok for $15, as he's one I just never got around to finding.

And that's that! My prize will be here in a week or so (fingers crossed) and then I can start saving up for the summer GI Joe show.

[fantastic_four]

Got the S.H. Figuarts Venom from "Let Their Be Carnage" in today.  Definitely the best Venom ever made in the 1:12 scale.    I've never bought Figuarts before now because they strive to be a true 1:12 scale which is a bit smaller than Marvel Legends or Mafex, but Venom here is bigger than average anyway so he scales perfectly with the other lines and is even slightly bigger than the Marvel Legends Sony Venom figure.  That Legends Sony Venom was a top five figure in 2020 when it came out, but this one is a definite upgrade to that excellent sculpt Hasbro did.

Their forthcoming S. H. Figuarts Carnage later this year also looks incredible with four of the back tendrils that Venom only has two of, plus the four Carnage tendrils have the weapons on them that Kletus Cassady is known to form Carnage into.

[Namtak]

Followup on the alien project:leg finished(issue wise)still some glue and other touchup but going well...except the nails wich is a disaster but was informed way in advence by others,will put fake nail above it trim it acordingly and paint them,will do so with all -feet and hands at same time.sorry pics are dark for some reason,the details and paint is amazing except nails

[ADAMANTIUM]

Looking forward to the finished product @Namtak you definitely were patiently putting in the work!

[Namtak]

On 1/31/2023 at 6:30 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

Looking forward to the finished product @Namtak you definitely were patiently putting in the work!

Thanks ady!here are some other works in progress-the ribcage is done but need touchup(fill the cracks and repint) and beginning the hand and putting some Led light in the head,dont have pics of Led lights yet tho