G.I. Joe Classified Series (1:12)
- Thread starter K-Tiger
- Start date
Mine charged but no ship notice yet. Fingers crossed.
Today is my turn for delivery shenanigans. Ordered some filament from WM for the next big project, and they said it would be delivered today. Figured that if it got delayed a day, it would still be on a business day, so best to send it to the office so I wouldn't have to lug it from home. But it's been out-for-delivery since 9:30am... so they're almost certainly going to deliver it at 8pm or some nonsense and throw it on the sidewalk, forcing me to rush back to town to keep it from getting stolen.
To be fair, I've never had anything stolen, but out in front of a business after hours on the main street of town is just asking for it.
Of course in typical fashion, I only ordered from WM because it was the last resort... everyone else, including the manufacturer, is currently out of stock. Should have known they'd screw it up
Today is my turn for delivery shenanigans. Ordered some filament from WM for the next big project, and they said it would be delivered today. Figured that if it got delayed a day, it would still be on a business day, so best to send it to the office so I wouldn't have to lug it from home. But it's been out-for-delivery since 9:30am... so they're almost certainly going to deliver it at 8pm or some nonsense and throw it on the sidewalk, forcing me to rush back to town to keep it from getting stolen.
To be fair, I've never had anything stolen, but out in front of a business after hours on the main street of town is just asking for it.
Of course in typical fashion, I only ordered from WM because it was the last resort... everyone else, including the manufacturer, is currently out of stock. Should have known they'd screw it up
Yeah, I know I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing it was left out there for any lowlife to run off with.
Shipping is so weird these days too, particularly with WM (though others aren't too far behind). I can have items from the same order show up from USPS, FedEx and some random with a car. So you are lucky if you can even track stuff at all with WM.
The tracking on my delayed DS was USPS level bad. It only showed a departure from some town in NC, was supposed to arrive on a certain day and then went to "delayed, we'll update you someday..."
AMZ does get the occasional random drop off, but it is always reasonably trackable at least.
Shipping is so weird these days too, particularly with WM (though others aren't too far behind). I can have items from the same order show up from USPS, FedEx and some random with a car. So you are lucky if you can even track stuff at all with WM.
The tracking on my delayed DS was USPS level bad. It only showed a departure from some town in NC, was supposed to arrive on a certain day and then went to "delayed, we'll update you someday..."
AMZ does get the occasional random drop off, but it is always reasonably trackable at least.
This one is tracked with "OnTrack"... so it's probably in the trunk of a mexican lady's car...
In the past when I've encountered them during delivery and tried to ask them not to leave things in front of the business after hours... no habla ingles.
In the past when I've encountered them during delivery and tried to ask them not to leave things in front of the business after hours... no habla ingles.
Ironically, as I was typing that previous message, the OnTrack delivery person was in the parking lot, didn't knock on the door despite all the cars out front, because it was after 5pm... and drove away. Then I got a text demanding business hours.
So not only do they not speak english, they can't read signs in front of your business as well.
Maybe they'll try again tomorrow
So not only do they not speak english, they can't read signs in front of your business as well.
Maybe they'll try again tomorrow
Vamp Mk II and Clutch showed up unexpectedly today. I ended up setting up a previously emptied smaller shelf for them and added a number of other tan-ish clad figs together for a pseudo arid environment opposite the Stinger and the Cobra Troopers. It definitely helps to bring balance to the wall shelving, though Cobra still has an extra shelf full of Dreadnoks that the Joes don't really have a counter for.
The Joes for their part do have an entire second shelf area above my desk nook that is filling up again quickly with vehicles and playsets as well as a number of the more classic Joes. So they are hardly outnumbered overall. As a whole they are most definitely taking over my office now...
The Joes for their part do have an entire second shelf area above my desk nook that is filling up again quickly with vehicles and playsets as well as a number of the more classic Joes. So they are hardly outnumbered overall. As a whole they are most definitely taking over my office now...
My VAMP is still not even in the hands of the carrier, just a phantom tracking number.
I'm thinking of printing a desert AWE to go with the other desert equipment... and if it comes out really good, I might back up and print a green one, as neither the official nor the FansHobby quite scratch that itch as solidly as I'd like. Or maybe I'll print some new wheels and rubber tires for the official, as I've seen some that look better than the gridiron set, and one set has an adjustment for the rear suspension to level it up when the front has the same diameter tires.
I know I'm printing my own classic-style wheels for the VAMP, as I've already got the rubber tires ready to go.
I'm thinking of printing a desert AWE to go with the other desert equipment... and if it comes out really good, I might back up and print a green one, as neither the official nor the FansHobby quite scratch that itch as solidly as I'd like. Or maybe I'll print some new wheels and rubber tires for the official, as I've seen some that look better than the gridiron set, and one set has an adjustment for the rear suspension to level it up when the front has the same diameter tires.
I know I'm printing my own classic-style wheels for the VAMP, as I've already got the rubber tires ready to go.
I have a CAD set that looks pretty good/vintage, and I found a set of rims and tires that look better than straight upscaled arah. I'll have to do some CAD work to marry them up, but I think I can pull it off.
I broke down and ordered Armada from WM, simply because they said I'd get it today, while AMZ was still saying sometime in Nov.
To get free shipping, I had to add something else, and I opted for a pair of Legacy cops. They weren't as cheap as I'd hoped to pick them up, but they were the best price I'd seen, and it doesn't look like they made enough for them to hit mega-clearance anywhere... heck, Amazon doesn't even list them as far as I can tell. But I need a couple of cops for dio stuff, and the spare heads will come in handy somewhere down the line.
To get free shipping, I had to add something else, and I opted for a pair of Legacy cops. They weren't as cheap as I'd hoped to pick them up, but they were the best price I'd seen, and it doesn't look like they made enough for them to hit mega-clearance anywhere... heck, Amazon doesn't even list them as far as I can tell. But I need a couple of cops for dio stuff, and the spare heads will come in handy somewhere down the line.
I think she's a couple bucks less over there at WM too. I pointed that out to AMZ, who has updated their pricing to match WM in the past, but so far not for Armada, at least not that I have seen (dynamic pricing though, so who knows). The whole reason I wanted them to drop theirs is because I ended up with some extra AMZ play money and was considering adding her to the PO/purchase pile there.
I ended up getting a rValkyrie instead since AMZ still had her at $28, despite bumping most of the other previous wave figs up to $30 - unlike WM surprisingly. She came yesterday and became Cobra wallpaper, at least for now, since I already have a kitted up original version on the shelf already. I'm behind Joe on my retro cards on Cobra's side and her artwork is some of the better of the new.
As for Armada, I am confident that, as a relatively unknown and a factional character, she will be discounted well and soon, so I'm not stressing. Plus, I would much prefer not paying full price for her since she will be a project fig for me, since I'm looking to replace her "armored" silver arms and legs with black ones from SE movie Baroness. If something goes terribly wrong, I'd prefer to not have too much invested.
I was also fortunate to briefly find Lara Croft available as a "resale" for the same price from AMZ. I expeditiously got her reordered with my play money before she disappeared again and should get her (if she shows up on time) a week earlier than the most recent regular estimate I had for the previous PO. Not sure why, but I'll take it!
I also re-POed Shippy, HV and added Hardball. HB looks like a cool fig, and last one I'm interested in from that wave and I wanted to finish off my gift card credit before someone else in the family used it.
HB will become another of the expanding band of (don't judge me
) Renegades, who have started to become my Joes' answer to the Dreadnoks. In addition to Sarge and the original three, I have added, wait for it... Big Lob, who I found below retail. Adding HB gets me the third sportsball guy for that team (when do we get a hockey guy?). I decided not to try to kit these guys out as I had originally planned. They are obviously more gimmicky and not really battlefield ready, but would do ok in a brawl with the 'Noks.
I ended up getting a rValkyrie instead since AMZ still had her at $28, despite bumping most of the other previous wave figs up to $30 - unlike WM surprisingly. She came yesterday and became Cobra wallpaper, at least for now, since I already have a kitted up original version on the shelf already. I'm behind Joe on my retro cards on Cobra's side and her artwork is some of the better of the new.
As for Armada, I am confident that, as a relatively unknown and a factional character, she will be discounted well and soon, so I'm not stressing. Plus, I would much prefer not paying full price for her since she will be a project fig for me, since I'm looking to replace her "armored" silver arms and legs with black ones from SE movie Baroness. If something goes terribly wrong, I'd prefer to not have too much invested.
I was also fortunate to briefly find Lara Croft available as a "resale" for the same price from AMZ. I expeditiously got her reordered with my play money before she disappeared again and should get her (if she shows up on time) a week earlier than the most recent regular estimate I had for the previous PO. Not sure why, but I'll take it!
I also re-POed Shippy, HV and added Hardball. HB looks like a cool fig, and last one I'm interested in from that wave and I wanted to finish off my gift card credit before someone else in the family used it.
HB will become another of the expanding band of (don't judge me
) Renegades, who have started to become my Joes' answer to the Dreadnoks. In addition to Sarge and the original three, I have added, wait for it... Big Lob, who I found below retail. Adding HB gets me the third sportsball guy for that team (when do we get a hockey guy?). I decided not to try to kit these guys out as I had originally planned. They are obviously more gimmicky and not really battlefield ready, but would do ok in a brawl with the 'Noks.
View attachment IMG_1960.jpeg
I promised a pic when I got my (with gratitude) new toys all set up. This is my OG/early waves display area. Pardon the distortion. Needed to pano to get them all in.
Oh, and yeah, that’s Hydra-Smasher in the back. I don’t have another spot for him right now as Joe has taken over!
I promised a pic when I got my (with gratitude) new toys all set up. This is my OG/early waves display area. Pardon the distortion. Needed to pano to get them all in.
Oh, and yeah, that’s Hydra-Smasher in the back. I don’t have another spot for him right now as Joe has taken over!
Very nice... OG's lookin' good 
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Tomorrow is the last day to order your Thunder Machine. There isn't enough FOMO in the ether to get me to pony up for that thing. Just really glad they didn't paywall Thrasher with it.
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Tomorrow is the last day to order your Thunder Machine. There isn't enough FOMO in the ether to get me to pony up for that thing. Just really glad they didn't paywall Thrasher with it.
Agreed. Even if I had a place for it (it would take up the entire shelf I have the 'Noks on right now), there is just something off about it. Same with the Snow Cat and AWE Striker - I think it's the proportions. It's a fine line and I can't quite even put my finger on it, but it's just not quite right.
I got the snowcat and AWE largely for the figures, but I'm definitely not in love with the vehicles. The TM and AWE look like they were done by the same person... who absolutely does not understand proportions.
Very true. It isn't the same problem with the SC as the others. The SC is well proportioned, but I think they tried too hard to build some kind of value and an attachment to the toon to justify the cost of it being a Haslab at all.
I would have been more open to backing it had they just gone with Frostbite, Iceberg, Blizzard and some kind of cool repaint of Snow Job (something like his PoC version) instead of Flint and LJ. No shelter, no fire, no fish or sausages, no kitchenette or ice tray, no snowpedo boxes, no removable missile rack (just one attached). Just a basic complement of (reused) arctic accessories and weapons for the figs.
I'd still be open to a stripped down SC MTO down the road, at a price where I'm not feeling like I'm paying for a lot of accessories I'll never use. Not true for the others. I just can't get past their basic ugliness.
I would have been more open to backing it had they just gone with Frostbite, Iceberg, Blizzard and some kind of cool repaint of Snow Job (something like his PoC version) instead of Flint and LJ. No shelter, no fire, no fish or sausages, no kitchenette or ice tray, no snowpedo boxes, no removable missile rack (just one attached). Just a basic complement of (reused) arctic accessories and weapons for the figs.
I'd still be open to a stripped down SC MTO down the road, at a price where I'm not feeling like I'm paying for a lot of accessories I'll never use. Not true for the others. I just can't get past their basic ugliness.
I think any SC reissue would end up being a TF repaint or the green deco (HAVOC Mk II) or something. I doubt they'll do a white one again. They can't get too close to the haslab deco without pissing off the flippers.
If that’s the direction it goes, I can definitely go without. Heck, I don’t know where I’d put it now. I don’t have a dedicated arctic area. Speaking of areas, I forgot to take a pic of the the divers:
Just in case you were wondering, that mine chain is basically straight up and down. Not sure why it looks so angled in the pic.
Just in case you were wondering, that mine chain is basically straight up and down. Not sure why it looks so angled in the pic.
Cops arrived... and they're not bad. But the immediate first order of business was eliminating the black spandex Tele-Viper forearms. I think they look solid.
Lara Croft arrived over the weekend and I just got a chance to open the shipping box. Here is where I pay for all the times I bought cheap AMZ resale and have gotten perfect merch. Smashed. But it just makes the decision to open it that much easier since everything inside appears to be okay. We’ll see when I get a minute to open the card.
Ok kids, come gather 'round for TL;DR story time :
So, I am working from home today with a mild lower back tweak, so I found a minute to finish(!) opening the LC I got from AMZ resale, which I'll comment on for its uniqueness and relative absurdity before continuing. It's definitely a YMMV situation.
Over the history of the CS, I have gotten quite a few products at a few bucks to upwards of 40% off the normal price, all of which to this point have been near mint to no worse off than a bit scuffed up around the edges. Typically they have also arrived on the normal AMZ schedule via regular AMZ delivery methods. This time was way different.
First off, the price was the same as the PO new price so no actual discount. Based on previous experience, I figured it was one of those "oh no, the corner got bent a little" or "the card got scuffed" situation, as I had experienced in the past, so no big deal to pay full price for this high demand item. And the delivery date was a week or so earlier than the constantly bouncing around PO anticipated delivery date, so that was good. Oh, and with that I could use my gift card balance to (re)buy it, which was not possible to do with the original PO, since they had run completely out of stock. So what did I have to lose?
Well, I started to suspect this time might be a little different when I got the shipping notification. It started across the country and was being shipped via USPS. Weird. That was a first. Well, everything is new the first time it happens, right? And AMZ has been annoyingly spastic with their projected PO delivery dates and slow to get their LCs in stock compared to other retailers. So maybe there was some kind of train or truck accident on the way from the port that resulted in a bunch of stock getting a little scuffed up, and delaying the mass delivery of "new" items. So I rolled the dice.
Well, the delivery was made on time (hurray for USPS!) on Saturday. We got back in town yesterday afternoon and I finally got around to opening the barcoded but generic (not smiley AMZ), slightly larger than typical for a CS/retro fig box from "Warehouse" last night. Oh, and the shipping box had arrived in perfect condition.
The first real anomaly from my previous experiences was that the carded fig was inside a plastic bag which did have AMZ resale stickers. Once I pulled that out of the box I could see there was carnage beyond the usual scuffery. And there was some loose stuff bouncing around in there. That is what I mentioned last night.
Today was confirmation that the carded figure had definitely been compressed and the plastic smashed leading to additional tearing along the edge of the card. They had also placed their resale barcode sticker literally over Lara's face on the card art. I was able to remove that carefully to see what it actually looks like (which is pretty cool actually), but there is a bit of sticky residue. Anyway, just one more reason this one was definitely never going to be a MOC display possibility.
Okay, so I was very easily able to remove the fig and all the accessories from the card, and thankfully it is all 100% present and intact, undamaged, despite the obvious trauma to the package. I have received what I ordered. It was never promised to arrive in its original package or in great condition (though that has been my previous experience), just with the actual merchandise undamaged and complete. And it is.
Would I argue that this one should have been discounted vs. priced exactly the same as the PO? Yeah, it really should have been, certainly compared to items I received at better prices for way better condition packages. But somehow they seemed to know they had a high demand item that at least I was willing to pay full price to finally receive, before the promised PO date. And I've saved way more than the (over)price I paid for this one from all the other times I've benefitted from the resale option.
Am I satisfied with my purchase? Yeah, I sure am. I actually like the fig better than I expected, as is (so far I'm not looking to replace the legs after all), fully separated from the card, which is always true of my first purchase of any character anyway. Honestly, my only very minor gripe in the figure design is that she can't really carry most of her accessories. They are purely there to set up for different poses, but almost all of them will probably just get put away.
I put away the axes, bow and arrows/quiver, knife and sheath, grapple and rope, multiple necklaces and bandolier and have her with just her backpack and pistols at the ready. I also pulled her head up to sit as high as possible on the neckball, as she has a slight case of the shortneck compared to the other gurls of the line. The backpack straps, necklaces and bandolier only aggravated that perception. Not nearly as bad with just the backpack.
Would I have preferred that they left out most of those accessories and dropped her price down? Yeah. But, even though it's not my favorite version of LC, I think they did a pretty good job with her. She actually looks even a little bit better in person than in the promo pics. She'll likely soon be joining my pop culture character collection at the office! Overall, it's a happy (if a little out of the ordinary) ending!
:So, I am working from home today with a mild lower back tweak, so I found a minute to finish(!) opening the LC I got from AMZ resale, which I'll comment on for its uniqueness and relative absurdity before continuing. It's definitely a YMMV situation.
Over the history of the CS, I have gotten quite a few products at a few bucks to upwards of 40% off the normal price, all of which to this point have been near mint to no worse off than a bit scuffed up around the edges. Typically they have also arrived on the normal AMZ schedule via regular AMZ delivery methods. This time was way different.
First off, the price was the same as the PO new price so no actual discount. Based on previous experience, I figured it was one of those "oh no, the corner got bent a little" or "the card got scuffed" situation, as I had experienced in the past, so no big deal to pay full price for this high demand item. And the delivery date was a week or so earlier than the constantly bouncing around PO anticipated delivery date, so that was good. Oh, and with that I could use my gift card balance to (re)buy it, which was not possible to do with the original PO, since they had run completely out of stock. So what did I have to lose?
Well, I started to suspect this time might be a little different when I got the shipping notification. It started across the country and was being shipped via USPS. Weird. That was a first. Well, everything is new the first time it happens, right? And AMZ has been annoyingly spastic with their projected PO delivery dates and slow to get their LCs in stock compared to other retailers. So maybe there was some kind of train or truck accident on the way from the port that resulted in a bunch of stock getting a little scuffed up, and delaying the mass delivery of "new" items. So I rolled the dice.
Well, the delivery was made on time (hurray for USPS!) on Saturday. We got back in town yesterday afternoon and I finally got around to opening the barcoded but generic (not smiley AMZ), slightly larger than typical for a CS/retro fig box from "Warehouse" last night. Oh, and the shipping box had arrived in perfect condition.
The first real anomaly from my previous experiences was that the carded fig was inside a plastic bag which did have AMZ resale stickers. Once I pulled that out of the box I could see there was carnage beyond the usual scuffery. And there was some loose stuff bouncing around in there. That is what I mentioned last night.
Today was confirmation that the carded figure had definitely been compressed and the plastic smashed leading to additional tearing along the edge of the card. They had also placed their resale barcode sticker literally over Lara's face on the card art.
I was able to remove that carefully to see what it actually looks like (which is pretty cool actually), but there is a bit of sticky residue. Anyway, just one more reason this one was definitely never going to be a MOC display possibility.Okay, so I was very easily able to remove the fig and all the accessories from the card, and thankfully it is all 100% present and intact, undamaged, despite the obvious trauma to the package. I have received what I ordered. It was never promised to arrive in its original package or in great condition (though that has been my previous experience), just with the actual merchandise undamaged and complete. And it is.
Would I argue that this one should have been discounted vs. priced exactly the same as the PO? Yeah, it really should have been, certainly compared to items I received at better prices for way better condition packages. But somehow they seemed to know they had a high demand item that at least I was willing to pay full price to finally receive, before the promised PO date. And I've saved way more than the (over)price I paid for this one from all the other times I've benefitted from the resale option.
Am I satisfied with my purchase? Yeah, I sure am. I actually like the fig better than I expected, as is (so far I'm not looking to replace the legs after all), fully separated from the card, which is always true of my first purchase of any character anyway. Honestly, my only very minor gripe in the figure design is that she can't really carry most of her accessories. They are purely there to set up for different poses, but almost all of them will probably just get put away.
I put away the axes, bow and arrows/quiver, knife and sheath, grapple and rope, multiple necklaces and bandolier and have her with just her backpack and pistols at the ready. I also pulled her head up to sit as high as possible on the neckball, as she has a slight case of the shortneck compared to the other gurls of the line. The backpack straps, necklaces and bandolier only aggravated that perception. Not nearly as bad with just the backpack.
Would I have preferred that they left out most of those accessories and dropped her price down? Yeah. But, even though it's not my favorite version of LC, I think they did a pretty good job with her. She actually looks even a little bit better in person than in the promo pics. She'll likely soon be joining my pop culture character collection at the office! Overall, it's a happy (if a little out of the ordinary) ending!
Your assessment is similar to my own, and very much like my feelings on her male British adventure analog, Action Man. He has a ton of gear (some of the same items), half of which have no home, and his weird huge climbing belt throws off his proportions at the waist and yet still isn't great for stashing his gear. But the portrait is nice, the colors (day-glow-orange on black) really pop, and he's not a bad figure at all. Would have preferred to get him at mainline price, as the extra gear that'll end up in the parts bin doesn't feel worthy of the extra $$, but I don't regret picking him up.
However, he and Lara don't stand on the shelf with the Joes though, just off on their own little adventure next to The Tick
However, he and Lara don't stand on the shelf with the Joes though, just off on their own little adventure next to The Tick
Lara has taken her place on my desk shelf at work between Darth Vader and the Trumpinator. I kept her with the "less is more" approach, carrying just her backpack and pistols. I have a tiny LC statue that is a little closer to my favorite version that has the bow, axe and knife that also sits on that shelf. Between them, there's a pretty good representation of both of the popular versions.
I also got a surprise when, ever so briefly, as I was breaking for lunch today, the Range-Viper came back up for PO from WM and stayed up just long enough for me to order it - supposedly arriving by 11/1 (and so far not cancelled after 45 minutes or so). I do have to run to WM after work to pick up the chocolates I had to add to get to $35 to get free shipping. With my luck the RV will cancel the minute after I pick them up... Stay tuned!
I also got a surprise when, ever so briefly, as I was breaking for lunch today, the Range-Viper came back up for PO from WM and stayed up just long enough for me to order it - supposedly arriving by 11/1 (and so far not cancelled after 45 minutes or so). I do have to run to WM after work to pick up the chocolates I had to add to get to $35 to get free shipping. With my luck the RV will cancel the minute after I pick them up...
Stay tuned!
I've heard so many stories lately of people getting false hope from WM that I think you'll be lucky to get it, but you have better luck with WM than anyone I know, so who knows
Yeah, I've been pretty fortunate with them overall, and I have seen the RV in the new package (actual pics) on Mercari, so I know he has gotten out there. It's funny though, my kid brain kicked in this morning as I was getting into my truck to go to work. I actually wondered what I would be hunting for/anticipating from Monday until the first of the year (when the next batch of POs are estimated) if he actually does show up. Bargain hunting for lower tier figs and wallpaper I guess. Spoiled first world man-child problems...
While I am very generally very happy about the increased popularity of the line, I do miss when reasonably good, troop builder-worthy product was finding its way to Ollie's. Nothing is quite like the thrill of the hunt in person, and then actually finding product at those heavily discounted prices. Dopamine overload.
I'm running my mom up to northern OH this weekend for her annual visit and would have loved it if there was anything beyond just a tiny hint of new product being out there at retailers. It actually became a core memory from past trips when I was able to plan rest stops (it's a 10 hour trek each way) hitting up Ollie's stores along the way. It was thrilling to hunt for and find those discounted Joes, even if I only actually brought home one Sarge. Most of what I have gotten from Ollie's was found much closer to home, but just the hunt itself was exciting during an otherwise mundane journey.
I suppose this trip will be just hitting up Walmarts along the way, hoping for the ones with the collector islands. Obviously the unlikely hope would be that the RV might show up, or even possibly LC. I'm not sure if you heard, but when the Full Force guy interviewed the new Joe design team, BMAC said they produced enough LC that she should be available in person at WMs (presumably for the holidays if they have done any planning at all), so they're telling me there's a chance...
If I do somehow run across a RV in the wild, I would definitely snatch him up and cancel the PO. As for LC, as much as I would love to have another one immediately to make a hybrid version that's a little closer to my favorite, there's no way she'd be discounted enough to motivate me to buy another this soon, save for another mangled package that is actually discounted this time. Other than that, it will just be hoping to see product (ugly as some of them might be) on shelves in person in the wild again, and breaking up the monotony of a very long solo road trip.
While I am very generally very happy about the increased popularity of the line, I do miss when reasonably good, troop builder-worthy product was finding its way to Ollie's. Nothing is quite like the thrill of the hunt in person, and then actually finding product at those heavily discounted prices. Dopamine overload.
I'm running my mom up to northern OH this weekend for her annual visit and would have loved it if there was anything beyond just a tiny hint of new product being out there at retailers. It actually became a core memory from past trips when I was able to plan rest stops (it's a 10 hour trek each way) hitting up Ollie's stores along the way. It was thrilling to hunt for and find those discounted Joes, even if I only actually brought home one Sarge. Most of what I have gotten from Ollie's was found much closer to home, but just the hunt itself was exciting during an otherwise mundane journey.
I suppose this trip will be just hitting up Walmarts along the way, hoping for the ones with the collector islands. Obviously the unlikely hope would be that the RV might show up, or even possibly LC. I'm not sure if you heard, but when the Full Force guy interviewed the new Joe design team, BMAC said they produced enough LC that she should be available in person at WMs (presumably for the holidays if they have done any planning at all), so they're telling me there's a chance...
If I do somehow run across a RV in the wild, I would definitely snatch him up and cancel the PO. As for LC, as much as I would love to have another one immediately to make a hybrid version that's a little closer to my favorite, there's no way she'd be discounted enough to motivate me to buy another this soon, save for another mangled package that is actually discounted this time. Other than that, it will just be hoping to see product (ugly as some of them might be) on shelves in person in the wild again, and breaking up the monotony of a very long solo road trip.
I like the RV ok, but I don't consider him a must-have. Neat looking and lots of gear are a plus. I picked up a few when they first came out, and I got a loose grey one from the 788 set for Plague parts, but deco-wise, it's a catch-22. The basic blue/black is his classic colors that fit the Cobra motif, but the green Grim-Viper redeco is far more practical (as practical as a guy can get in a skull mask). I bought a green one several months back for S&G just because I got the urge to buy something after seeing one in the wild. But I haven't decided whether to use him as-is or to make him fodder for a character I like more.
The standard RV figure sits in a weird no-mans-land from a narrative perspective for me. He's not a unique named character, but they specifically state that they're unpredictable unhinged loner misfits, so it's not like they would make a cohesive squad. So you just have a "group of loners" type situation. Then I ask myself, what are RVs going to do that Cobra wouldn't simply throw blueshirts at? So I never really know how they're supposed to fit in my Cobra ranks. And since it's a 90s figure, it's not like I have a concrete head-cannon from back in the day for where this character fits. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The standard RV figure sits in a weird no-mans-land from a narrative perspective for me. He's not a unique named character, but they specifically state that they're unpredictable unhinged loner misfits, so it's not like they would make a cohesive squad. So you just have a "group of loners" type situation. Then I ask myself, what are RVs going to do that Cobra wouldn't simply throw blueshirts at? So I never really know how they're supposed to fit in my Cobra ranks. And since it's a 90s figure, it's not like I have a concrete head-cannon from back in the day for where this character fits. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I wasn't really looking for him either until after I got the GV and the SAW-Viper. I kind of consider those three (and maybe the Frag as well) as sort of expendable human equivalents to the BATs for Cobra. Heavily armed and armored up, screws a little loose, all having fully downed their Kool-Aid and likely hopped up on something from the Cobra labs, and then pointed toward CoCo's latest objective. I'm hoping RV will fall right in between those other two on my display shelf.
Yeah, I can see that. RV/GV look like they would be roided out former wrasslers or something. Maybe they know Sarge. They're not Bane-level of yuge, but they scream roid-rage to me for some reason.