Done With Classified

Today was the day. It was the day where I finally made the decision to cut the teether that is G.I. Joe Classified.

It ultimately came down to me simply no longer wanting to deal with the hassle of collecting this line. I'm tired of the general issues with distribution, having a massive pre-order collection, and exclusives. It's not a fun line to collect, rather a futile practice in waiting. It honestly felt like standing in line at an amusement park, only to find out after waiting and waiting that the ride was a line simulator. I'm just over it.

It felt relieving in a way to hit the cancel button on my twenty+ figures on order. Like that stressful weight was being lifted off my shoulders. I no longer had to worry about the problem.

I can attribute this feeling to another time in my life when I was collecting every Star Wars novel being published, and it became a matter of keeping up for the sake of staying current, even though I wasn't reading them anymore. It was easier to keep up than catch up, and that's essentially where I got to with this line of figures. I wanted to stay current via pre-orders from fear of missing out.

I really wish this line well, because the figures are amazing. But, I simply don't want any more part of it. I've lost interest due to the excessive time that goes by with receiving nothing, and I'm just tired of having things on pre-order. For me, it's just not fun anymore

Now on to my next step - Getting rid of the figures I have. If any of you out there are looking for holes to plug from figure 00 through Croc Master, let me know.

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Hasbro H.I.S.S. Tank - 16,000 Backers Reached!

 

Things slowed down for quite a while, but we've finally made it to 16,000 backers, unlocking tier four.

I honestly believe that "Mickey Mouse" Cobra Commander was not planned for this campaign. I think with the rate in which support dropped when tier two was announced that they combined their original tier three and four into tier three, and scrambled for a replacement fourth tier. 

My reasoning for this conclusion is because these campaigns are planned out well in advance, thus the 3D renderings for all the items shown for tier one through three. However, with tier four, all they had was the above drawing.

I have no doubts that a retro style Cobra Commander figure wasn't planned, and one will probably still come as the remaining two yet announced Wal-Mart exclusive retro editions. However, I think the inclusion of the "Mickey Mouse" logo will be exclusive to this project.

There's still thirty-five days left in the project, so there's plenty of time left for more people to jump on board, and be part of the first G.I. Joe Classified HasLab.

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HasLab H.I.S.S. Tank - Stretch Goal Number Four

 

The last stretch goal has been announced, and fans are mixed. While some enjoy the homage to the original "Mickey Mouse" Cobra Commander in six inch form, others are asking, "Why another Cobra Commander?" Meanwhile, others are asking, "Where is the smaller vehicle to tow on the hitch that Hasbro so predominantly pointed out during the initial announcement stream?"

The questions I want answered, "Is it enough to get us to 16,000 backers? And if so, will Hasbro offer a surprise in the form of a tier five? We're already over 15,000 supporters, and there's still thirty-nine days left in the campaign. Plenty of time for Hasbro to incentivize more customers.

Additionally, Hasbro announced yet another Target exclusive to have your card charged over and over for, but not delivered.

Not only is this just a repaint of the previously released Duke and RAM Cycle, but it costs twice as much! Hasbro's price hikes have gotten stupid!

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HasLab H.I.S.S. Tank - Stretch Goal Number Three

 

Now we're talking!

Hasbro Pulse announced tier three on their Instagram page this morning, and the value for the HasLab H.I.S.S. Tank has gone through the roof! If The campaign reaches 14,000 backers, buyers will now get the all new H.I.S.S. Gunner action figure, and weapon pack! This takes everything that tier two stumbled over, and kicks this HasLab into high gear!

***UPDATE***

It took a while, but the campaign finally made its way to stretch goal number three on July 6, 2022. Hasbro kind of did this one to themselves with the poor reception which was stretch goal number two. Hopefully these new incentives ramps the project back into action, and we soar over the 16,000 goal for stretch goal four to be unlocked.

If you haven't backed this project yet, now is the time to definitely consider it!

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Mail Call!

 

Boy, it's been two years since I've done a mail call, and today is quite the haul!

 There's a whole lot of girth to those boxes!

You'll notice a theme today as I open and share box number one. Yes, a lot of them are comic books. However, they're not just any particular ones. Rather, this is me making a gallant effort to complete my Todd McFarlane collection.

McFarlane penciled both issue one and two of Invasion, but left the book prior to the third and final installment of the mini-series. I ended up purchasing the full run because it was simply easier and cheaper to get them all together than to pick and choose issues.

This next box encased a consecutive run of Infinity, Inc. issues one through forty-five, plus annual one.

The McFarlane sweet spot in these issues is number fourteen through thirty-seven, plus annual one and two, the latter of which I didn't get in this bunch. In doing the math, it actually worked out to be sixty dollars cheaper to buy this lot than to simply focus on the issues I wanted. Kind of a no brainer to grab it.

There are only nine more issues in the series, one of which is the second annual that I'm going to get. I may or may not just go ahead and finish the run.

Don't check out on my yet, toy lovers. They're coming up next. But, first, this lot contained a consecutive run of issues one through fifty of Todd McFarlane's Spawn.

This is a series I wouldn't mind catching up on, but with over three hundred issues out there, this literally is just the tip of the iceberg. I don't know that it will be feasible at this point to try and grab issues fifty-one through three hundred thirty-three. That's a lot of money, not to mention bags and boards. 

Initially, I picked these figures up because I was going to take them to Big Lick Comic Con in Roanoake this August, and have them signed by Billy West. Then I looked and saw how far Roanoake was from me, and scrapped that idea right away. Unfortunately, I had already purchased the figures.

Despite autographs, they'll still serve a purpose as added decorations to my wall above my cartoon DVD's.

Before any of you flip out that I opened these, fret not. What I also found out was that the bubbles on both were already open, and not so nicely in the case of Stimpy. His entire bubble was given the x-acto knife treatment.

They fit in nicely on top of my autographed complete series of G.I. Joe. Boy, what a great day that was.

On June 30, 2022, I told several people, "If Hasbro doesn't send me something G.I. Joe related by the end of July, I'm cancelling ALL of my pre-orders, and selling off all my Classified figures. On July 1, 2022, I got confirmation that the Fortnight Snake Eyes Zero Edition had shipped.

I've had this thing on order since January 30, 2020. No, that's not a typo. I don't know why it took Hasbro over a year to produce and ship this thing, but that wait time was ridiculous!

While I'm happy to finally have it, I can certainly understand from my own experience why so many fans of the series are upset by Hasbro continuing to offer pre-orders for 2023 when they've yet to even fulfill orders from over a year ago.

Popping the box open, it's really just another Snake Eyes with minor deco. This is what, the fifth or sixth one in the series so far? Well, I guess I have to take that back. This is technically not a Classified figure. Well, not in name anyway.

The bubble comes out of the cardboard, making it easier to pop the accessories out, and man oh man, this is where this thing shines.

Ten different bits and pieces allow for a lot of uniqueness, in terms of displaying the figure. Sadly, there isn't enough storage space on Snake Eyes to accommodate half of them. So disappointingly, most of these are going back to the box to ensure they don't get lost.

It's neat looking when all decked out, but there's still that part of me that says, "It's just another Snake Eyes."

Still, I suppose Hasbro has fulfilled my need to have something delivered prior to the end of July, so I'll stick it out...for now. I'm not happy that prices on the figure are rising to make up for their lackluster sales as a result of their failure to put product on shelves.

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HasLab H.I.S.S. Tank - Stretch Goal Number One And Two

 

8:35 AM on July 1, 2022, and we're at 11,240 backers! The second stretch goal is just around the corner, but the numbers have slowed down considerably.

Reaching 10,000 backers unlocked the first stretch goal, and Hasbro has announced that the H.I.S.S. tank will now include a set of attachable missile launchers. 

It was pretty obvious that something like this was going to be the first thing to be added to the project. The development team made sure to focus on the two "ports" that could have things attached to them during the initial announcement of the campaign.

I suspect Hasbro's announcements from here on out will make or break this campaign. We saw it with the Rancor HasLab, where by tier four unlocks the fans checked out, and the project was ultimately not funded. Hopefully, Hasbro learned from that mistake, and have "good" incentives for people to keep backing the project.

We don't want cheap cardboard cutouts that most of us can make with our printers at home, or repackaged figures. Keep it fresh, and keep it appealing. 

***UPDATE***

And this is exactly what I'm talking about. 

I don't suspect a classic style canopy and tread covers are going to excite many people to keep pledging (if they haven't already). Hasbro needs to up their game. The H.I.S.S. Tank is $299.99, and they need to put more meat on the bone to make it worth people's while.

I'm placing my bet now. The next unlock is going to be something even more useless, like blaster effects which can be put in the cannon barrels. Hopefully from there, the fourth incentive is worth while, but it will probably be a re-carded Jedi Knight Luke.

***UPDATE***

Things have definitely slowed down. As of 5:55 AM on July 2, 2022, we're at 12,016, which gets us past stretch goal number two, but it took all night to reach that mark.

Like I said, Hasbro needs to announce something "big" if they want the numbers to keep rolling in.

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HasLab H.I.S.S. Tank - Funded In Less Than A Day!

 

Is that a record?

The HasLab H.I.S.S. Tank for the G.I. Joe Classified line went live this morning, and was funded before the day even ended!

Not only did the backer's show how much they wanted this thing, but they did so at such a pace that the Early Bird incentive which needed to be met by July 6, 2022, was surpassed before the sun went down on day one! With this, the vehicle has not only been funded in full, but will now include an additional bonus figure, the H.I.S.S. Tactician. Mind you, this is in addition to the already included H.I.S.S. Driver!

Hasbro has promised four additional stretch goals at 10,000, 12,000, 14,000, and 16,000 backers. With 8,735 supporters as of this write up, all of these may not be a problem for Classified fans to reach. At this rate, we'll be there before the weekend!

Did you back the G.I. Joe Classified H.I.S.S. Tank?

 ***UPDATE***

9,881 supporters as of 7:30 AM (EST) on June 30, 2022.

***UPDATE***

With 10,038 backers reached by 9:45 AM on June 30, 2022, we've made it to the first stretch goal. Now we just have to wait for Hasbro to wake up, and actually tell us what that is.

In a surprising additional update, Hasbro Pulse billed my payment method today for the G.I. Joe Collab Snake Eyes: Zero Point Edition. I've had that thing on pre-order since January 30, 2021, and it is FINALLY shipping!

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New G.I. Joseph Pre-Orders Are Up

 

At this point, I have more G.I. Joe figures on pre-order in the past twelve months than I've actually received in that same period. Yet Hasbro keeps churning out the promise box with more and more figures allegedly coming.

Today Hasbro dropped six more pledges to the growing roster.

What's interesting in these drops is the packages. What happened to the plastic free packages that Hasbro was rolling out? Don't get me wrong, I prefer this design. It's just curious that they're in this style based on their own announcement that cardboard was the way of the future.

Apparently Dusty, Zarana and Crimson Guard are slated for March of 2023, while the new Target exclusive Bazook (Tiger Force), Recondo (Tiger Force), and Python Patrol Officer, have no ETA. Take that March date with a grain of salt.

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New G.I. Joe Classified

 

Hasbro Pulsecon 2021 has wrapped up their G.I. Joe segment, and were happy to announce one new figure the fans have eagerly been awaiting. The all new Going Commando Snake Eyes will be available for pre-order from Target at 5:00 PM today, limited one per customer, with only ten being produced. Good luck!

 

In all seriousness, Hasbro announced several figures today which included Spirit with Freedom, Storm Shadow, Croc Master and Fiona and B.A.T. Hasbro also announced the next wave of Target exclusives, which will shift the line from Cobra Island to Tiger Force and Python Patrol. These initial figures will include Outback (Tiger Force), B.A.T. (Python Patrol), and Cobra Viper (Python Patrol).

These three figures don't really excite me. Tiger Force and Python Patrol were great back in the day, but they don't necessarily scream "amazing" in six inch form. More so an excuse to create "cheap" repaints on Hasbro's part, because let's be honest, B.A.T. is already coming, Viper has already come, and Outback will hit at some point int he future in his traditional gear. Especially now that Hasbro has the mold. With that said, I'd be perfectly happy if all future exclusives were just repaints. It would make missing out on them a bit easier to swallow.

Croc Master has been one of my favorite figures since 1987, so I'm really excited to see this one come out.

Many people tend to forget that Storm Shadow was Spirit's original adversary in the cartoon, not Snake Eyes. So to me, this release schedule works perfectly.

Hasbro Pulse members can pre-order the already known about Master of Disguise Zartan as of 4:00 PM, and he will then be made available to everyone else as of 5:00 PM. Target's pre-orders will also be available at 5:00 PM today. At this time, the regular B.A.T. is just an announcement, and this is the only figure not being listed for sale yet.

UPDATE - Target appears to have fixed their pre-order debacle of prior figures, as these are still available as of 5:30 PM. Hasbro is sold out of Storm Shadow, Spirit, and Croc Master, but you can get them via other online chains, such as Entertainment Earth. They have not yet hit Target.

Update - As of 7:30 PM Master of Disguise Zartan is sold out at Hasbro Pulse.

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Hasbro Pulsecon 2021

 

2021 Hasbro Pulsecon starts today at 11:00 AM, and runs through tomorrow. You excited? Maybe? Possibly? Meh?

Join the livestream at their official Youtube page.

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Hasbro Pulse - To Be, Or Not To Be, A Premium Pulse Member

 

As my annual subscription sets to expire for my Hasbro Pulse membership, I briefly considered whether or not the $50.00 annual membership truly held any value to me. In doing so, I came up with this pros and cons list, which I thought I would share with you.

First off, what is Hasbro Pulse Premium? Basically, it's an annual subscription fee you pay which provides you with free shipping, early access to products, first access to restocked items, season promotions and discounts, access to exclusive Hasbro Pulse content and events, and what they call, "other perks". So let's break this down by category.

FREE SHIPPING

Depending on how much you buy, this perk alone can easily pay for your membership. For me, I suppose it did within the first day. I signed up for Premium leading up to Pulsecon 2020, and during that event, I purchased multiple items of varying sizes, which shipping would easily have covered the cost of the membership. To that aspect, yes, there is value here.

EARLY ACCESS TO PRODUCTS

With the exception of 2020's Pulsecon, here is where the value of this option failed miserably. While I did indeed receive early access e-mails to many items, the problem with this was that I don't sit around all day watching my e-mails come in. I'm certainly not looking for them from Hasbro at any given moment.

What essentially kept happening was that while I was getting these e-mails, I didn't see them until several hours, if not days later. As such, it didn't matter if I had the opportunity for early access. I never knew when an e-mail was coming, so I missed them all. Even on ones I may have happened to catch early, the result was always the same when I clicked on the link, "SOLD OUT".

FIRST ACCESS TO RESTOCKED ITEMS

Somewhat in conjunction with the above, telling me an item has been restocked is relatively useless if I'm not watching my e-mails twenty-four hours a day. Again, I saw little to no value from this aspect of the Premium membership.

ACCESS TO EXCLUSIVE HASBRO PULSE CONTENT AND EVENTS

All the events held by Hasbro were on Youtube, which anyone can access just by going to the link - Which they had right on the front page of their website leading up to every single one. There was nothing exclusive about any of the content or events they offered. Further, these events were typically held in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday when most people are at work. So again, this is useless to your average person.

SEASON PROMOTIONS AND DISCOUNTS

Really? Where? I never saw any promotions or discounts during my year of being a member.

OTHER PERKS

What a joke that they even included this in the description. Please, Hasbro. Tell me what these "other perks" were.

TO CONTINUE

So obviously the majority of the perks for being a member noted above were all but useless to me. However, in the off chance that I did place an order, there was another caveat that really hindered the value of this plan, and that was the fact that nothing I pre-ordered shipped before other online retailers, or even physical brick and mortar stores received the products.

Despite pre-orders for Flint, Lady Jaye, Zartan and Cobra Infantry, I found all of these via other avenues, and ended up canceling my orders. While you would think direct from the source would be the fastest route, this was anything but the case.

BOTTOM LINE

I'd rather just save the fifty dollars in the future. If I'm going to miss out of 99% of purchase opportunities because they sell out within minutes. Why bother? If I do manage to place an order, I find it well in advance of Hasbro shipping it. So again, why bother?

Using the exclusive Snake Supreme Cobra Commander as an example, that figure was forty dollars from Hasbro Pulse. With the fifty dollar Premium membership, I essentially paid $90.00 for it. However, I could have just as easily gotten one off of ebay, for sixty, and saved thirty bucks.

At the end of the day, unless you're buying something from them frequently, and taking full advantage of the shipping, and you're willing to wait extended periods to get what you bought, there's simply no reason to buy a Premium membership from Hasbro Pulse.

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G.I. Joe Classified: Master Of Disguise Zartan

 

Coming this fall, the new Master Of Disguise Zartan may just be the ultimate version of the character in six inch form. I can't imagine how Hasbro could top what they've done here. Well, unless they release a vehicle pack with a Swamp Skier.

The package has a lot going on for itself. If you thought the 2020 Snake Supreme Cobra Commander box was unique, check this one out. First and foremost, the front of the box is on a hinge. While it does come taped shut with adhesive disks, these fortunately come off fairly easy, without causing damage.

On the right side of the package is a large cardboard dial, and rotating it changes the face of Zartan, showcasing his ability to change disguise. In total, there are six different "faces". The package itself is definitely meant to be part of the collectability of this figure.

Remember that time that Zartan disguised himself as the Shredder from TMNT? Okay, so this is supposed to be Storm Shadow, but it sure looks more like the Turtle's main villain.

The back of the package showcases that all too familiar art, and no, there's nothing new added to it.

Flipping the lid open, you get another great piece of artwork in the form of the Drednok's logo. The other side is the window box, which showcases the figure and all the accessories packed within.

There is a ton of stuff packed in that box. Hasbro was definitely looking to give fans their monies worth.

Flipping it around, you get that great artwork on the side of the package, the classified logos, and of course, the legal mumbo jumbo on the bottom, and figure number at the top.

Popping the figure open, it's immediately noticeable that the flesh-tone is much darker on the skin. This is most likely a result of the color changing ability. With the exception of some paint applications, and the color feature, this is the exact same Zartan released earlier in the series. Admittedly, I think this new paint application makes a big difference, and I far prefer this version to the original.

I popped mine in the fridge for about twenty minutes, and the color effect boomed as a result.

It didn't take long for the figure to start returning back to its normal color, but man did it look both awesome and menacing at the same time.

As mentioned above, Master Of Disguise Zartan comes with a ton of accessories, packed in, and here is where the problems start to surface. There are too many, and not enough holsters, packs or places in general to store them all.

This figure would have benefited with a packed in storage crate. It's just not feasible to have all these loose parts floating around. I also don't understand the Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow heads being packed in.

By far, my favorite accessory in this set is the sniper rifle. That thing is a beast.

All decked out,the figure is difficult to move around. From the encumbering accessories, which are also loose, and fall off at the slightest touch, he more akin to display than to play with. Coupled with the package, it makes me wonder if Hasbro's intentions were for this to only be a display piece.

I dig the color changing feature, I think the paint job is far superior, and again, that sniper rifle is just a beast.Overall, I do like this version more than the original. I just wish that storage for all the accessories would have been a factor when producing it.

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