G.I. Joe Classified Series (1:12)

[nacho]

Gotta love those WM computers. Pretty sure they don't mean March of 2026. So not sure what the holdup is.

I kinda winced when you said you PO'd all the new stuff with WM. Sometimes they come through with ease, and sometimes your order goes into a black hole, never to return. And they definitely don't fill POs in order. I've had some that just languish, and when I place a new order around the time of release, that one gets fulfilled, while the original gets ignored or canceled without notice or reason. It's a baffling system for the nation's largest B&M retailer.



I'll believe this one only when I have a tracking number:

 

[ThunderDan19]

Yeah, I do feel like going with WM is always rolling the dice. I would have liked to go with AMZ as they are generally more predictable and dependable, and have a little bit earlier published release dates. But they do not like non-AMZ gift cards, and they also didn't have retro CG available (which of course showed back up today... really? ).

I'm not going to cancel what I have to then try to see if AMZ will allow me to use my accepted-everywhere-else-with-no-problem card there (been down that road before), so we'll see if WM comes through. I don't recall ever having any of the issues others have had with them previously, but this is the largest PO I've done with them (or anyone else for that matter), so we'll see if they come through.

If WM does start having issues, there's always Pulse. They've never given me trouble the couple times I've PO'ed with AMEX cards, and it looks like everything is still in stock for PO there, for now.

 

[ThunderDan19]

Pretty fun interview with Lenny and Tony with some fun backstory on some of the new stuff:

 

[ThunderDan19]

New render drops:

Hasbro G.I. Joe Classified Series Armored Cobra Commander, Snake Eyes Version 4, Monkeywrench, Major Bludd & Cobra C.L.A.W. with Pilot Figure Renders

Greetings, citizenssss. The Year of the Snake just keeps slithering along with a new wave of G.I. Joe Classified figures dominated by Cobra naturally. The ne

toynewsi.com

POs for these 4/15.

I wouldn't say I'm overly excited by any of the renders, and don't plan to PO any of them, but will likely ultimately end up with BA CC and Monkeywrench, as they are essentials. Pet iguana for CC? Weird 3D glasses mask for MW? I don't get it...

Major Bludd looks best of all of them, but I already have the definitive version. And who needs another SE? Not this guy. I have what I'd consider my definitive version of him too.

 

[ThunderDan19]

I've taken the extra few minutes to have a longer look at the renders and here are my impressions:

Battle Armored Cobra Commander - I had expected him to be a little bulkier and maybe a little more... jagged. I feel like the original version had more angles and fewer curves to the armor. This one looks more conformal, like how Iron Man became more shaped like Tony and less like an armored suit with each new version. He definitely doesn't look as formidable as I had hoped for. I might have to opt for the serpent contact lenses head just to give him a little more of an intimidation factor. Not sure what I'll do with the pet. Here's hoping the figure looks a bit more threatening than the render.

Monkeywrench - he looks just a little... plain. Again, I'm hoping maybe it's just the render having too "clean" of a presentation. He seems to have all the right accessories, particularly since he came with so few back in the day. I don't know what to make of the 3D glasses/Vader mask head. Was that something I missed from the comic? The cartoon? What is the black on his forehead that reaches right to the hairline? Seems like a weird render glitch. I wonder if the wrench-axes will somehow mount on his back. Otherwise, I don't see how to use them on display. It's hilarious that he has the equivalent of an ACOG to aim his trident gun, but it still looks pretty cool, even though it's pretty much as useless as it always was. Maybe there's supposed to be some kind of projectile weapon in the handle below(?).

Major Bludd - he looks great, but basically identical to the CI version. I see the red accents just as a means to make him different enough to not break the exclusivity of the Target version, though that one is most like the retro. I'm not sure this one won't peg warm in favor of people trying to pick up the CI one on the secondary market instead. I've already got my MB, so have not need for this one.

CLAW/pilot - ah, the CLAW. It's been out there forever now and is finally gonna drop. Meh. I don't feel even a slight need to have it. I realize that the CS has taken every opportunity to improve upon the originals wherever possible, but I don't really see the benefit of upsizing the CLAW. It was originally fully man-portable and was Cobra's answer to the JUMP pack. This one is larger and now you have to take off and land with the landing gear. I know the original had landing gear too, but you never saw it used that way in the cartoon. I might have considered it were it smaller and maybe packaged with a Strato-Viper or something like that and not another generic girl-Cobra. Pass.

And red & blue Snake Eyes - all I think of when I see him is the ever peg warming 12" HOF version they made of him back in the 90's. I suppose there was a small component of original Joe fans that had/liked this version as a 4" release with its oversized spring-loaded grapple gun and bright red weapons. That was not me. To me he represents the desperate time when a faltering Hasbro tried to reboot the popular original Joe characters in a gimmicky way that made them look like The Corps before that was a thing. Hard pass.

 

[nacho]

BACC - I agree, I expected him to be more angular. And rather than the serpent-eyed head, I'd have MUCH preferred an unmasked Fred head. This is a missed opportunity... or yet another case of getting the intentionally worse version first so we have to double dip on the better version in the eventual retro.

Monkeywrench - I like him. He looks like he should. I have no notes. If I were making a custom, I'd be pleased as hell if it came out that good.

Major Bludd - I expected more of a change from the CI release. This offers zero incentive to rebuy. And after getting the S7 Ultimate version that looks like it stepped out of an animation cel, this classified design doesn't do anything for me anyway.

CLAW - I'll get one or two. Never my favorite vehicle, but it's classic, smallish, and can fit on a shelf, in a dio, or whatever photography shot pretty well. I agree it should have come with some kind of classic pilot that isn't a girl-cobra repaint. I get it, they think they need some female representation... but let's face it, how many people with XX chromosomes are buying Classified? I'm sure all 3-4 of them are pleased.

SE v4 - Not my favorite SE, but they have to have one in every other wave. I think it's part of the Joe Ten Commandments. On the plus side, my initial thought about this design is not the gimmicky launcher he came with, but rather one of the cool comic covers he graced. The stories from that era were questionable, but the covers were dynamic.

 

[nacho]

I'm pretty sure toy prices are going to skyrocket... which personally sucks but from a broad economy standpoint is 100% the right move, IMO. Kinda glad I went on a robot binge the last 6-7 months, as that would be a prohibitive prospect with a 34% surcharge. Joes are made in Vietnam, right? 46%... ouch.

Marvel Legends & McFarlane DC are made in China. Pretty sure most official Joes and TFs are made in Vietnam. Legos are made... everywhere... not sure how they'll handle those.

Hopefully this is not a permanent situation but rather a pathway to get those other countries to lower their tariffs and have actual free trade, not lopsided trade. Still not clear on how it affects small/personal stuff, as customs has no way to implement or collect from non-business entities on low-cost shipments (currently <$800).

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Obviously, this isn't the entire list, just the toy-relevant part... not sure if Hong Kong is considered part of CHI-na, but I don't see them separately on the list...

 

[ThunderDan19]

In case anybody needs extra girl fig parts for customs and such, WM has Shooter for $15 right now and one LJ left for $10.