G.I. Joe Classified Series (1:12)
- Thread starter K-Tiger
- Start date
Quite literally all Buzz parts except the head and a couple extra hoses.
I bought the figure because I needed the jetpack w/ wings for my Plague AVAC... so the figure was surplus. But he looked so close, I couldn't resist. Not my finest custom, but considering Deep Six is a tertiary character at best, I'm happy enough until we get a real version with a Haslab SHARC or something.
Agreed, he's not a brick... but that won't keep me up at night
This is an interesting development:
Looks pretty cool for a 100% repaint, except I think even my 8 year old self might have cringed a little at "Covert Tactical Strike Force" decaled right there on the side of the gun car... 
The drone is a bit useless, but hey, drones are definitely the latest thing (doing some real damage in Ukraine). I also wonder if comes with a regular SW head too. I have to admit that that is actually a bit more reasonable color scheme for SW than the original.
Would it get me if I caught it on a good enough clearance? Maybe... I got no room for the bike though. More likely I'd consider picking up just the fig aftermarket, if he comes with a recolored original head/hat.
Edit: They've added more pics and SW does come with an alternate regular head and a bunch of other stuff. I'll likely try to get ahold of this figure, even if he does kinda look like a Joe version of Firefly.
G.I. Joe Classified Night Force RAM Cycle With Night Force Shockwave Figure Revealed?!?
G.I. Joe Classified Night Force RAM Cycle With Night Force Shockwave Figure Revealed?!?
toynewsi.com
The drone is a bit useless, but hey, drones are definitely the latest thing (doing some real damage in Ukraine). I also wonder if comes with a regular SW head too. I have to admit that that is actually a bit more reasonable color scheme for SW than the original.
Would it get me if I caught it on a good enough clearance? Maybe... I got no room for the bike though. More likely I'd consider picking up just the fig aftermarket, if he comes with a recolored original head/hat.
Edit: They've added more pics and SW does come with an alternate regular head and a bunch of other stuff. I'll likely try to get ahold of this figure, even if he does kinda look like a Joe version of Firefly.
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Yeah, I'll probably get one, but I don't feel the need to army-build sub-team repaints. I can use the NF SC helmet on this guy with my Vala night-time Steel Brigade figures, make him an officer or something.
The $55 pricetag is a kick in the nuts as well, given that the last cycles (regular and TF) were $45 exclusives and all ended up at clearance too.
The $55 pricetag is a kick in the nuts as well, given that the last cycles (regular and TF) were $45 exclusives and all ended up at clearance too.
I feel like WM may be trying to recoup losses from just about everything else Joe CS they have tried to sell. It seems like they have been way behind and/or stuck with the less desirable offerings at every turn. Their retro LJs and overstocked Shippys still crowd pegs at every WM that stocks them, and I have to wonder how much they ate with the Ollie's sell off. But I think their increased pricing is only going to drive even more people to wait for clearance or avoid the WM exclusives all together.
Honestly, I think Target has gotten an even more raw deal with their TF/PP exclusives, but they earned that with the botched and highly underproduced Cobra Island releases. I'm a little surprised that both of them are still actively carrying new product, despite the dismal performances. You gotta wonder if it is something contractual that still commits them. It'll be interesting to see what ends up at Ollie's, Marshalls and Ross this fall.
Honestly, I think Target has gotten an even more raw deal with their TF/PP exclusives, but they earned that with the botched and highly underproduced Cobra Island releases. I'm a little surprised that both of them are still actively carrying new product, despite the dismal performances. You gotta wonder if it is something contractual that still commits them. It'll be interesting to see what ends up at Ollie's, Marshalls and Ross this fall.
I like it (minus the sticker) 
I’m glad Target/Walmart are carrying them or else they probably wouldn’t be made. But old retail really doesn’t prioritize toys or understand collectibles markets.
I’m glad Target/Walmart are carrying them or else they probably wouldn’t be made. But old retail really doesn’t prioritize toys or understand collectibles markets.
So true. They really don't seem to get it, despite their clumsy attempts (i.e. collectibles sections in some WMs/TGs). I'm also glad they have stuck with it despite that, but wonder how long before it goes POC on us. I am glad there are more outlets out there this time though, for when it does.
Yeah, I do wonder what Target is thinking every time they cue up a new TF/PP exclusive. I think WM has done better, given that retro Lady Jaye is the only thing mine seem to be stuck with. They "clearanced" Scrap Iron to $38 this week... no dice, WM.
WM is definitely a headscratcher when it comes to their "clearancing." Target is much better and more predictable on that front.
Looks like they heard you about SI, which has dropped down to $29 (online at least), but AMZ has it at the same price, so they will need to dig deeper yet to move those. They are beating AMZ with Shipwreck finally at $14 (I would have probably jumped on that a few weeks ago) and retro Destro at $15. But then, besides Mutt/JW, WM isn't carrying anything mainline post the Lowlight/Tunnel Rat wave - that hasn't even made it to shelves in my area.
I wonder if they are still burnt from taking the hit on the previous wave that never really made it to shelves and decided to skip over the next one. Oh, and I don't believe I have never seen any of the WM exclusives on shelves/pegs, only online. I guess they are selling out there so they rarely/never get to the stores(?), or they never get there due to cloggage from the unsold figs and retros.
Then there's Target, whose web presence for Joe CS is extremely limited, and neither WM or TG does pre-orders besides their exclusives, so Pulse, AMZ, BBTS and EE are scooping all of those. It just seems to me that, for big toy retailers, they really miss the boat on these, and it may well end up hurting the line as a whole, at least to some degree. But, maybe that's where they want to be and maybe H'bro is cool with that, particularly since they have their own online outlet, where they set the retail prices and get to keep the $$ WM or TG would get of each fig.
Looks like they heard you about SI, which has dropped down to $29 (online at least), but AMZ has it at the same price, so they will need to dig deeper yet to move those. They are beating AMZ with Shipwreck finally at $14 (I would have probably jumped on that a few weeks ago) and retro Destro at $15. But then, besides Mutt/JW, WM isn't carrying anything mainline post the Lowlight/Tunnel Rat wave - that hasn't even made it to shelves in my area.
I wonder if they are still burnt from taking the hit on the previous wave that never really made it to shelves and decided to skip over the next one. Oh, and I don't believe I have never seen any of the WM exclusives on shelves/pegs, only online. I guess they are selling out there so they rarely/never get to the stores(?), or they never get there due to cloggage from the unsold figs and retros.
Then there's Target, whose web presence for Joe CS is extremely limited, and neither WM or TG does pre-orders besides their exclusives, so Pulse, AMZ, BBTS and EE are scooping all of those. It just seems to me that, for big toy retailers, they really miss the boat on these, and it may well end up hurting the line as a whole, at least to some degree. But, maybe that's where they want to be and maybe H'bro is cool with that, particularly since they have their own online outlet, where they set the retail prices and get to keep the $$ WM or TG would get of each fig.
$14 Shipwreck is an illusion. His page lets you add him to the cart, but when you go to the cart, it tells you he's unavailable (but a 3rd party has him for $30!). I got bit by that once before with WM. Same with $15 Destro. They sold him to me, told me it was out for delivery, then never delivered... and just cancelled a few days later.
I wouldn't mind a few extra cheap shippys, just for the basic jeans. I can think of a handful of customs that could make use of such parts.
On the plus side, BBTS honored the $25 price on my two 60th divers and one trooper.
I wouldn't mind a few extra cheap shippys, just for the basic jeans. I can think of a handful of customs that could make use of such parts.
On the plus side, BBTS honored the $25 price on my two 60th divers and one trooper.
That doesn't surprise me at all. WM's web presence is an absolute joke for being such a huge retailer.
Good on BBTS for standing behind their published price!
Good on BBTS for standing behind their published price!
Toys/collectibles are just leaders to get you in the door.
It’s everything else you bought along with it that earns them the money.
They sell the extras at cost to Ollie’s or other companies that don’t mind a smaller mark up.
It’s everything else you bought along with it that earns them the money.
They sell the extras at cost to Ollie’s or other companies that don’t mind a smaller mark up.
It's interesting how the GJCS figures ended up being only $5 at Ollie's while the (arguably) even less popular Eternals (and other) Marvel Legends and SWBS figures were marked $10. It makes you wonder what WM's cost was on the GJCS figures. Do they really cost them less than $5 a pop or did they take a loss or did Ollie's simply underprice them? It was interesting how later on I was finding (the way overstocked or unpopular) LJs for $13 at Ollie's. It makes me wonder if there was an oops in there somewhere, and they just had to stand by it since it went out in all their advertising.
I'm guessing the exclusives cost retailers more than mainline... one because they're paying for that exclusivity, and two, the production runs are much smaller. So a retro figure would have a higher baseline cost to WM than Dusty or Zarana.
As for the eternals, no doubt those figures cost more than Joe. I would expect the Disney tax to be at least $5, if not more. There's a reason Joe can include a shit-ton of accessories while a SW or Marvel figure that gets little or nothing extra has an identical MSRP.
As for the eternals, no doubt those figures cost more than Joe. I would expect the Disney tax to be at least $5, if not more. There's a reason Joe can include a shit-ton of accessories while a SW or Marvel figure that gets little or nothing extra has an identical MSRP.
So I went to an out-of-the-way WM this morning, and they had two beat up, crushed by a forklift Shipwrecks for $14 (still on the pegs, not in the ad hoc clearance section that moves around the store), so I grabbed them and a $29 Scrap Iron. Never know when we'll get another Classified figure with full-length jeans (not like dreadnoks whose pants stop at the boot-tops), so I needed to stock up for some customs.
There was a peg for $14 RnR, but they were already gone, and they still had retro Destro, GH, and LJ collecting dust.
There was a peg for $14 RnR, but they were already gone, and they still had retro Destro, GH, and LJ collecting dust.
I also saw a few $14 RnRs, $29 SIs and a buttload of $16 retro LJs last night at WM, still on the pegs/shelf. I was briefly tempted by the RnRs, just because I still need a spare ammo pouch/can for mine, but couldn't justify getting him just for that since I can't think of any way to make use of the rest of him.
Ironically, they made him a little too unique for much repurposing. I'd probably have to catch him at the $5 low bar to justify the purchase for just a small piece of gear. I guess we'll see if there is enough stock that got marooned at WM's distribution centers to result in another Ollie's sweepstakes!
Ironically, they made him a little too unique for much repurposing. I'd probably have to catch him at the $5 low bar to justify the purchase for just a small piece of gear. I guess we'll see if there is enough stock that got marooned at WM's distribution centers to result in another Ollie's sweepstakes!
A few weeks ago, they put up the retro LJs for $5, and I bought a couple on the off chance I wanted to dye one black for NF or something. $5 is hard to pass up. $16 for those (lowercase) dusty retros is a hard no. If only they'd made as many of the later retros... I never saw Zartan, Storm Shadow, or Snake-Eyes in a store.
Right? I feel like the quantities and distribution on the retros, and frankly the regulars too, with WM is a big reason why they end up with so many peg warmers. If the better ones had made it to the stores and balanced out the selections, I think a lot more product would have sold. Heck, people get excited to get their favs and will sometimes tack on the lesser character or enemy guy on impulse. Not so much when there are just a dozen of the lesser. (I really don't get the logic with any of the single figure cases).
I'll admit that I had no intention of picking up the retro CG (and had even cancelled my pre-order for one), but, because I saw him in person, with that glorious retro art on a retro card and held it in my hands, I had a nostalgia overload and simply had to buy one. I might easily have done exactly the same thing with SE and SS, if I had ever actually seen them in the wild, and even more so if I ever caught them discounted.
I know, WM is doing just fine and really doesn't care much if a bunch of action figures sell or have to be clearanced. But it's always been a peeve of mine when I see how something is being botched or could fairly easily be done better. It goes back to the 25th. WM was terrible even back then with how they handled the distribution. Maybe I'm just spoiled from back in the day when finding what you wanted, in person, wasn't as tedious.
WM has always been this way. With SW, Indiana Jones, 25th... I read somewhere that they inherently believe (as VV said above) most toys are to get you into the store, and they successfully do that because of hype from media tie-ins. With that belief in mind, most of those toys do the bulk of their sales volume when the media is new, i.e. in the two weeks or so before and after release. So their entire ordering philosophy is to guarantee that the initial wave is in stock no matter what to capture all the sales they can during peak-hype. And after that, their just-in-time system would simply order whatever was available when they sold through the initial order.
As a twisted result, media or not, WM grossly over-orders the first wave of everything, and if it doesn't sell through (which it often does not), they simply don't get any more waves. This is perfectly acceptable based on their philosophy, even if it means lots of those W1 figures end up at Ross and Ollies. They don't care about later waves because there is no hype, nothing to lure people to buy those waves, and thus they're not worth carrying unless the initial assortment sold through during the hype phase.
And my experience with them bares that out. They are 100% good for the first wave of any major line, and either hit-n-miss or complete shit for everything after that. They're playing a completely different game than the toy companies, most other retailers, and certainly collectors.
As a twisted result, media or not, WM grossly over-orders the first wave of everything, and if it doesn't sell through (which it often does not), they simply don't get any more waves. This is perfectly acceptable based on their philosophy, even if it means lots of those W1 figures end up at Ross and Ollies. They don't care about later waves because there is no hype, nothing to lure people to buy those waves, and thus they're not worth carrying unless the initial assortment sold through during the hype phase.
And my experience with them bares that out. They are 100% good for the first wave of any major line, and either hit-n-miss or complete shit for everything after that. They're playing a completely different game than the toy companies, most other retailers, and certainly collectors.
That's crazy! I get it when it comes to movie tie ins and such, but it's worthless for normal, long running toy lines. If they were any good at it, they'd do their exclusives to drop at their stores right after they are announced at their toy-con, or whatever theirs is called. Then they could get collectors in to buy them and get other product.
They also really don't seem interested in cashing in on the online pre-order hype when H'bro drops a new PO set for the next wave. It seems like they generally consider their online presence as a necessary evil so they can't be bothered to be ready for a PO drop date like the major online players.
So it seems like they aren't particularly strategic enough with either approach to really cash in or grab market share. But, I guess that all goes along with the fact that the toy section is really only to get customers in for other things philosophy. And, judging by the normal level of employee and management you typically find around WM, it may not be reasonable to try coordinate well enough to pull it off anyway.
They also really don't seem interested in cashing in on the online pre-order hype when H'bro drops a new PO set for the next wave. It seems like they generally consider their online presence as a necessary evil so they can't be bothered to be ready for a PO drop date like the major online players.
So it seems like they aren't particularly strategic enough with either approach to really cash in or grab market share. But, I guess that all goes along with the fact that the toy section is really only to get customers in for other things philosophy. And, judging by the normal level of employee and management you typically find around WM, it may not be reasonable to try coordinate well enough to pull it off anyway.
They don’t see much difference between deodorant & toys as far as their systems go. Just one has a shelf life that really isn’t as long as it used to be.
Using other hobbies as a model we will eventually see the specially stores take over, but over time they will move onto other projects & as smaller companies they will order less over time.
Using other hobbies as a model we will eventually see the specially stores take over, but over time they will move onto other projects & as smaller companies they will order less over time.
Oh the irony, given that we used to have a lot of toy specialty stores, only to see their markets decimated by retail giants and vulture capitalists.
It's like the destruction of cable tv by all these giant media companies and streaming services, who are now all consolidating, and at some point will be offering you a bundle of streaming services for one price... which will look a lot like.... cable.
Yesterday Target put up a few Classified figures on sale, mostly PP stuff but a few others. I ordered a few PPs with a plan to dye all the neon parts black, and end up with a small all-black Night Patrol squad.
Then I went on Ali and ordered them some long black winter coats, as if these were the cold weather troops prior to the invention of the Snow Serpents. All black in long coats gave me a distinct German vibe, which is what I guess I subconsciously wanted, as I just finished watching Band of Brothers. I've had WWII dreams for a couple of weeks now.
Then I went on Ali and ordered them some long black winter coats, as if these were the cold weather troops prior to the invention of the Snow Serpents. All black in long coats gave me a distinct German vibe, which is what I guess I subconsciously wanted, as I just finished watching Band of Brothers. I've had WWII dreams for a couple of weeks now.
Target must be seriously overloaded to drop those down already. Seems like they just clearanced the Flint and Dusty. I guess it makes sense though, as these latest ones are about as stagnant is the retro LJs. Interesting that they have the PP Officer listed with different prices though. I guess you save by getting the plastic window packaged one. 
I kind of hate that Hawk got clearanced as well, but they didn't really make him all that exciting. I really think they should have gone the "pick your version" route - blonde or brown hair, rather than just tossing him a couple extra recycled guns. I also don't think they did Bazooka, Recondo or Outback justice by releasing the TF versions first, though it probably helped Target's original sales that they did. That's how I got mine...
I kind of hate that Hawk got clearanced as well, but they didn't really make him all that exciting. I really think they should have gone the "pick your version" route - blonde or brown hair, rather than just tossing him a couple extra recycled guns. I also don't think they did Bazooka, Recondo or Outback justice by releasing the TF versions first, though it probably helped Target's original sales that they did. That's how I got mine...
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The PP Officers are actually two different figures released at different times, not just packaging differences. The newest one is all-black with neon webgear and light grey gloves,boots,helmet... the older one has a full neon torso, black helmet, and dark grey boots. Both are called officer, but there is plenty of debate about which is which, as apparently even the OG releases back in the day screwed up what to call them. It's a Rumble/Frenzy situation that will start a pedantic nerd-war if you mention it on TFW.
Huh, I remember they had a weird naming snafu, but didn’t realize they actually made two variants. I’d say mo’ black mo’ better. Maybe that’s why that one is more expensive.
I couldn't let the sun go down with those tattoos on his arm, but he's a solid figure. The VAMP is friggin huge... I was not prepared. Now I'm scared to open the HISS.
I'm having a hard time which of the two versions I like better. I think I kind of prefer your more classic version just by a little. I get the vibe that they made theirs a younger, muscular version of the chief designer guy from the Pulse videos.
Interesting. I had not considered that, but I can see a little bit of Lenny in there. That may well have been their goal.
I like the official's zipped up jacket, an option I didn't really have with a custom. I'm tempted to pick up a second Clutch so I can change his head to another copy of the cosmic Peter and maybe swap the hands to non-gloved. I think that might be the best option for an ultimate amalgamation.
I finally opened the HISS, no pics yet, and it truly is ginormous. Really glad I only bought one, as even that will take up a ton of space. I did install the chin gun and the small machine guns available for the turret gunner. But I used the classic canopy and didn't install the skirt armor or giant missile launchers for a mostly-OG look. It's so incredibly large.
I like the official's zipped up jacket, an option I didn't really have with a custom. I'm tempted to pick up a second Clutch so I can change his head to another copy of the cosmic Peter and maybe swap the hands to non-gloved. I think that might be the best option for an ultimate amalgamation.
I finally opened the HISS, no pics yet, and it truly is ginormous. Really glad I only bought one, as even that will take up a ton of space. I did install the chin gun and the small machine guns available for the turret gunner. But I used the classic canopy and didn't install the skirt armor or giant missile launchers for a mostly-OG look. It's so incredibly large.
Got name-only reveals today on some podcast of Blowtorch and Road Pig.
I always liked Blowtorch despite him not being very low-viz. At least his color-scheme made sense for his function, even if it was a liability anywhere but in the midst of battle. And he was my first introduction to the concept of a guy using fire as a weapon, which seemed extra novel at the time. The cartoon confused me with his scottish accent despite the file card saying he was from Orlando, but I chalked that up to maybe having immigrant parents. Hopefully he gets a better face sculpt than the OG figure, which wasn't particularly flattering.
Road Pig... he's iconic Dreadnok muscle, and despite not being nearly as interesting as earlier 'Noks, I'll still get him to fill out the ranks of the gang and to kick Sgt Slaughter's ass... because Sarge is a fraud.
I always liked Blowtorch despite him not being very low-viz. At least his color-scheme made sense for his function, even if it was a liability anywhere but in the midst of battle. And he was my first introduction to the concept of a guy using fire as a weapon, which seemed extra novel at the time. The cartoon confused me with his scottish accent despite the file card saying he was from Orlando, but I chalked that up to maybe having immigrant parents. Hopefully he gets a better face sculpt than the OG figure, which wasn't particularly flattering.
Road Pig... he's iconic Dreadnok muscle, and despite not being nearly as interesting as earlier 'Noks, I'll still get him to fill out the ranks of the gang and to kick Sgt Slaughter's ass... because Sarge is a fraud.
Blowtorch will need to be something particularly special for me to add him to the collection, despite my having him as a kid. He was awkward to play with back then, and I don't see him as likely to bring much to the modern battlefield, particularly since we haven't used flamethrowers since 'Nam and even then more just for burning down villages than in combat.
Road Pig is a step beyond my 'Nok nostalgia so I really don't see my adding him either.
Road Pig is a step beyond my 'Nok nostalgia so I really don't see my adding him either.
I guess that's why Blowtorch doesn't bother me. Sure, he's from a different time... but in my world, Cobra is essentially a WWII-esque villain with some super-modern sci-fi weapons. Watching Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan recently, I was struck how much German soldiers look like Cobra (or vice versa). The way they cover their faces, the shape of the helmets, the old surplus transport trucks, and dank castle HQs. Even their laser guns look like german machine guns. Cobra really is a german-like force, just smaller and still at the grass roots level.
And then you throw in some weather devices, teleportation machines, and flying bubbles... sprinkle in a rogue biker gang, a deranged dentist, and you get what we have today. But because cobra is so rooted in WWII imagery, I don't get hung up on Blowtorch using WWII tech. But that play between old-school WWII and modern warfare is what makes Cobra interesting to me. If Cobra was just sci-fi terrorists, I'd be far less invested... it's the idea that they're hanging out in old castles, doing shit by hand, still operating like it's the cold war, and just occasionally acquire a space laser makes it all more fun.
Ok, that was a long rant, but all these WWII shows have me jazzed up. Even if blowtorch isn't up your alley, it's almost certain that they'll do the PoC/50th repaint in green/brown (the TRU exclusive that came with red Croc Master) that is far less garish. It's one of the few times I think a repaint is as good or better than the OG deco. Maybe a jungle version will hold more appeal.
And then you throw in some weather devices, teleportation machines, and flying bubbles... sprinkle in a rogue biker gang, a deranged dentist, and you get what we have today. But because cobra is so rooted in WWII imagery, I don't get hung up on Blowtorch using WWII tech. But that play between old-school WWII and modern warfare is what makes Cobra interesting to me. If Cobra was just sci-fi terrorists, I'd be far less invested... it's the idea that they're hanging out in old castles, doing shit by hand, still operating like it's the cold war, and just occasionally acquire a space laser makes it all more fun.
Ok, that was a long rant, but all these WWII shows have me jazzed up. Even if blowtorch isn't up your alley, it's almost certain that they'll do the PoC/50th repaint in green/brown (the TRU exclusive that came with red Croc Master) that is far less garish. It's one of the few times I think a repaint is as good or better than the OG deco. Maybe a jungle version will hold more appeal.
A lot of the German similarities weren't lost on me either. Particularly early on, I'd say most boys and dads had seen enough WWII media to immediately understand that Cobra looked like bad guys, which made it super easy to know who the enemy was, with only the slimmest introduction. And, save for the earliest releases, Cobra always "looked cooler" than the Joes, just like the German uniforms and gear "looked superior" to almost everything in either theater of WWII.
I don't think I have, or ever had, a good answer about why I was/am so hung up on realism with my personal Joe canon. I think it stems from my original attraction to GI Joe. It was the less "far out, more realistic" toy brand to SW or He-Man or even TF at the time. I liked that the OG Joes were basic soldier types - with no super powers or "the force" - that happened to have access to the most advanced (not yet existent) military tech. But they were still (relatively) grounded in a cutting edge military environment, at least for the first few waves. That's what won me over.
I have never had a great explanation about why, in the major depictions of the lore, Cobra was able to fly around in US airspace or set up a town in NJ or inhabit an island in the Gulf of Mexico, without the actual US military simply wiping them off the planet. That sort of thing always bugged me, but, I think my love for the franchise allowed for those kinds of things "because the main US military was busy countering the Soviets," and Cobra was "too dangerous to be handled by anyone besides this special unit."
As things got less grounded and then weirder and weirder, I lost interest. Growing older, discovering girls, working jobs to earn cash and all certainly contributed to my losing interest as well, but I can point to certain divergences from original "realism" that really drove me away, beginning with the weirdness of the the cartoon movie. Not that even the earliest cartoons didn't have some "far out" stuff happening, but up until then, I could tolerate it enough to watch, while still keeping my play canon a lot more "realistic."
I suppose that, particularly this time around, with limited display space and a reserved budget, I am even pickier about my selections than I used to be. I kinda went all-in for the 25th, but can't justify it this time, not at today's prices. Since I've already made the non-completist, non-huge or expensive and non-retro decisions, I have a general "no" policy to anything that can't check either the "wow" or nostalgia boxes for me. That leaves me as probably one of the pickiest Joe CS collectors out there, and I still got more than 50 of them.
I don't think I have, or ever had, a good answer about why I was/am so hung up on realism with my personal Joe canon. I think it stems from my original attraction to GI Joe. It was the less "far out, more realistic" toy brand to SW or He-Man or even TF at the time. I liked that the OG Joes were basic soldier types - with no super powers or "the force" - that happened to have access to the most advanced (not yet existent) military tech. But they were still (relatively) grounded in a cutting edge military environment, at least for the first few waves. That's what won me over.
I have never had a great explanation about why, in the major depictions of the lore, Cobra was able to fly around in US airspace or set up a town in NJ or inhabit an island in the Gulf of Mexico, without the actual US military simply wiping them off the planet. That sort of thing always bugged me, but, I think my love for the franchise allowed for those kinds of things "because the main US military was busy countering the Soviets," and Cobra was "too dangerous to be handled by anyone besides this special unit."
As things got less grounded and then weirder and weirder, I lost interest. Growing older, discovering girls, working jobs to earn cash and all certainly contributed to my losing interest as well, but I can point to certain divergences from original "realism" that really drove me away, beginning with the weirdness of the the cartoon movie. Not that even the earliest cartoons didn't have some "far out" stuff happening, but up until then, I could tolerate it enough to watch, while still keeping my play canon a lot more "realistic."
I suppose that, particularly this time around, with limited display space and a reserved budget, I am even pickier about my selections than I used to be. I kinda went all-in for the 25th, but can't justify it this time, not at today's prices. Since I've already made the non-completist, non-huge or expensive and non-retro decisions, I have a general "no" policy to anything that can't check either the "wow" or nostalgia boxes for me. That leaves me as probably one of the pickiest Joe CS collectors out there, and I still got more than 50 of them.
Yeah, I definitely liked the grounded aspect to Joe as well. And like you, while the toon had some far-out elements, my play pattern was far more realistic... no cobra rock bands, no hypnotizing perfumes, no machines that allow you to command zoo animals for nefarious purposes. It was typically Joe base here... cobra base there... either cobra attacks first, killing a lot of Joes, forcing the remaining to take on daring missions to keep Cobra from taking over... or Joe gets wind of super-weapon and has to mount an assault.
The one thing I did mimic from the cartoon was frequently coming up with reasons for small missions to various points on the globe in different environments. Snow guys are on a mission here, jungle guys going there, desert guys in that corner, ocean dudes over yonder. Coolest guys always get to be the main HQ infiltration team.
But I always said that if they ever made an ARAH-esque 6" line, I'd buy damn near anything from '82-'87 and cherry pick the rest, and that's pretty much what I'm doing. Fortunately I have the space, now that I have the new studio with some extra storage. Plus, I've made the decision that SWB is likely getting put in storage. They're good for photography, on occasion, but my love for SW seems to get a little more diluted every time they come out with some new inferior thing from Disney. Joe deserves the space.
But semi-realism was always the key. These clowns on TFW that say shit like, "I think the next Haslab should be the Cobra BUGG" make me want to reach through the interwebs and "explain". They're the same morons that hate the O13 as just "the boring green dudes".
The one thing I did mimic from the cartoon was frequently coming up with reasons for small missions to various points on the globe in different environments. Snow guys are on a mission here, jungle guys going there, desert guys in that corner, ocean dudes over yonder. Coolest guys always get to be the main HQ infiltration team.
But I always said that if they ever made an ARAH-esque 6" line, I'd buy damn near anything from '82-'87 and cherry pick the rest, and that's pretty much what I'm doing. Fortunately I have the space, now that I have the new studio with some extra storage. Plus, I've made the decision that SWB is likely getting put in storage. They're good for photography, on occasion, but my love for SW seems to get a little more diluted every time they come out with some new inferior thing from Disney. Joe deserves the space.
But semi-realism was always the key. These clowns on TFW that say shit like, "I think the next Haslab should be the Cobra BUGG" make me want to reach through the interwebs and "explain". They're the same morons that hate the O13 as just "the boring green dudes".
Definitely no weird stuff in my playverse back in the day. It was usually all about the vehicle groups on the move that either get ambushed or just run across enemy on the battlefield, on the water or in the airspace. Even better if I could take them outside to to set up a “fire base” on a dirt pile, by a creek or in the snow. If I didn’t have the time or space, then it was usually foot patrols - any opportunity to mimic some explosive activity from a show or scene, and when all else failed, it was hand to hand, complete with those overdone TV sound effects!
My named Joes never paid the ultimate price, despite getting shot plenty, thanks to “bulletproof” gear and the ever present non-lethal wounds. Green shirts and non-unique Cobra troops were not so lucky. Vehicles were also lost to battle often. Good thing both sides had plenty to spare!
I vividly remember my utter disappointment with Cobra-La and the movie, but I actually kind of liked the Royal Guard fig. When I got the 3 pack for Christmas, the half snake dude and Nemesis lived permanently at the bottom of the figure bag with all the other weird and/or unuseful figures, while the RGs went into service as powerful, highly armored shock troops, who took a lot of punishment before going down.
I could feel my enchantment with the line slipping away that summer, but some of the best battles happened near the end, while visiting my cousin in OH, who got the Flagg and the Mobile Command Center. We had both scored big the previous couple Christmases, but I think we could both feel we were nearing the last hurrah. I don’t remember having any large scale battles again after the summer of ’88, and even that had toned down significantly from previous campaigns.
The collection soon went up on display on my wall shelves before ultimately being sold off to the mom of a kid with bad asthma, for way too little cash. That’s when stopped paying attention to Joe, all the way until S6 caught my eye and then the 25th came along, and I couldn’t resist, to the extreme. I thought I was done again once that burnt out, until Joe CS came along, with that modern/future aesthetic. And, I’m hooked again, though with a bit more self control this time…
My named Joes never paid the ultimate price, despite getting shot plenty, thanks to “bulletproof” gear and the ever present non-lethal wounds. Green shirts and non-unique Cobra troops were not so lucky. Vehicles were also lost to battle often. Good thing both sides had plenty to spare!
I vividly remember my utter disappointment with Cobra-La and the movie, but I actually kind of liked the Royal Guard fig. When I got the 3 pack for Christmas, the half snake dude and Nemesis lived permanently at the bottom of the figure bag with all the other weird and/or unuseful figures, while the RGs went into service as powerful, highly armored shock troops, who took a lot of punishment before going down.
I could feel my enchantment with the line slipping away that summer, but some of the best battles happened near the end, while visiting my cousin in OH, who got the Flagg and the Mobile Command Center. We had both scored big the previous couple Christmases, but I think we could both feel we were nearing the last hurrah. I don’t remember having any large scale battles again after the summer of ’88, and even that had toned down significantly from previous campaigns.
The collection soon went up on display on my wall shelves before ultimately being sold off to the mom of a kid with bad asthma, for way too little cash. That’s when stopped paying attention to Joe, all the way until S6 caught my eye and then the 25th came along, and I couldn’t resist, to the extreme. I thought I was done again once that burnt out, until Joe CS came along, with that modern/future aesthetic. And, I’m hooked again, though with a bit more self control this time…