GI Joe - SkyStriker Haslab

nacho

"Big Guns"
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As I mentioned in the Classified thread, I backed the Skystriker, even though I have the modern/PoC/30th one and the SDCC/Jetfire version. I love the black tailfin option, the cloth parachutes, the ball-articulated stand, the flame/smoke effects for the engines and missiles, etc. And the wings and landing gear are now separate levers. Plus, I still have a ton of vintage ARAH MIB vehicles and my MIB skystriker is the Funskool version, so maybe I'll replace that one with this.

I want one just to display with all the fire/smoke bits, and I like the idea of having a stand and not trying to suspend it from the ceiling. Objectively it's nowhere near worth the asking price, but I'm going to get one anyway, mostly because I know I'll regret passing a year from now when they start shipping, photos start popping up, and they're 500+ on ebay. I've wasted more on dumber things.
 
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ThunderDan19

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It's truly the best version of the SS to date - fully tricked out with full function wings/gear, lots of ordnance/hardpoints to mount it, fire/smoke effects, pilot/co-pilot, mounting stand, etc., but, as you mentioned, way too $$$ for me to consider.
 
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zodiacflash

Have Gun Will Travel
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I backed it. Co-pilot, weapon loader, fuel trailer, stand, and all the extras... too much to pass up. Especially since I recently backed Marauder's Vietnam figures and ordered a whole bunch. I'm lucky enough to have the money to spend at the moment. But here's my take on it. If anyone here is familiar with Retroblasting on youtube, I agree with Michael about the weirdness of a big company using a kickstarter approach like they did with the Star Wars sail barge and Mandalorian ship. Hey, Hasbro... don't do a kickstarter, just make the damn thing. Advertise it as a "limited run" available only on the website or something. Showcase all the cool details to get people drooling, and just make it. If you're smart, and you make something really cool, it will sell. Then you can decide whether to extend the run based on demand.
 

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illuminati
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Ya, right now the kickstarter approach is a lot of profit per unit, (As they as cutting out the middle man.) Who then tries to sell it at a higher cost.

I'm for it for the "dream" projects that won't be made. But at some point they run the risk of not being dream projects. This one is to me at least, is more about testing the viability of bringing back O ring.

But I'm afraid that down the line every MASK vehicle will be a kickstarter, just because its better than trying to relaunch a brand.
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
V-V, what's your dream MASK relaunch? 2", 4", or 6"? With vehicles, I assume 6" is too big, but it would be a shame to not make them compatible with 4" Joes. I guess they could make 2" figures if they're articulated like Mega figures and not 5 PoA Kenner figures.

Did you read the IDW reboot? Woke and cringy.

I was never a big MASK collector, not because it wasn't cool, but I was so invested in Joe and TF when it came out, I didn't want to dilute what I added to those collections in favor of yet another franchise. There's only so many birthdays, holidays, and trips to spendy grandma's house. That being said, I would buy a big red flying Camaro in a heartbeat. The other vehicles, probably not.
 

Videoviper

illuminati
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I have a dream….
That one day I could help guide a Hasbro movie universe
1st a good military based GI Joe movie, near the end we learn that Cobra Commander‘s gun is Megatron teasing a bigger universe. Autobots we are told are the “bad guys”

Next is a Transformers movie (not a crossover yet) The tech is confiscated by some familiar human scientists who believe they can build weapons

So a mask spin-off is based on TF tech, modern cars, possibly kind of fast & furious like ( never actually saw those films)

I have plans to include Jem, MLP & whatever they dare me to include in a way that makes sense in a movie format.

Assuming the movies are relatively successful, then & only then do we get the crossover we deserve!

I’d love the mask toys to be in my chosen scale but that is highly unlikely so smaller makes it possible
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
I don't want to be a wet blanket, but that's basically the plot of all of IDW's hasbro comics from 2007-2018. It was a hot mess of the highest order. It successfully convinced me that Joe and TF (and the rest) absolutely have no business being in the same narrative universe. I no longer want any of them to crossover ever again. Ever.

Here's a summary. The TFs wiped the floor with everything human, but the humans captured a few TFs and formed an alliance with Thundercracker and his pet dog. Except Thundercracker didn't want to be a part of the war, as his passion was writing poetry and screenplays. Megatron turned good, Arcee was an abused transgendered assassin that hated everyone. The dinobots had strong opinions. Soundwave only wanted world peace. Prowl was basically the biggest villain of the whole universe. The Joes just had meetings that felt like the galactic senate scenes from the SW prequels. MASK went woke and made Matt Trakker a black kid with an agenda.

Then they threw in a James Bond wannabe Action Man and made ROM (without his supporting cast b/c it's owned by Marvel) tied into cybertronian lore somehow. Unicron came and went, but it was just a planet-sized puppet controlled by a mean dwarf living inside, and he decided not to eat everyone because of a feelings speech made by Prime. Rodimus and his crew time-traveled and interacted with parallel universe versions of themselves, not in a cool way, but in more of a "I wrote myself into a corner and parallel timelines are my Bobby-Ewing-in-the-shower way out". Ultra Magnus was just a giant battle armor suit for a tiny robot on a power trip, and Cyclonus and Blaster's tape Rewind were a gay couple. And some Micronauts showed up because....licensing!

You've never seen a bigger steaming pile of shit. I have PTSD from reading it, and writing this post has triggered it. I need to go lie down. ;)
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
Ha!

No slight on your skills, but I don't think it's possible. Just too many personalities, too much disparity in power levels, etc. Space robots and grounded military fiction kinda don't mesh without one or both of them really getting out of their lane. The IDW writers pretended their progressive agenda was somehow giving the fans what they wanted... and it was like being in a woke fever-dream you couldn't wake up from.
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
I won't argue with anyone making the case that a Joe-scale Skystriker isn't worth $229... because that's a lot of jack no matter how detailed and accessory-laden it is.

However, it's hard to look at these pics and not be impressed. The stand alone makes me want one, being able to put this thing on a shelf in a flight pose is pretty badass.

ss1 Screenshot 2021-11-11 113355.png

ss2 Screenshot 2021-11-11 113415.png

ss3 Screenshot 2021-11-11 113438.png
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
I also find it odd that Ace's co-pilot wasn't given a proper codename. Maybe he's just a greenshirt, but when has the Hasbro team ever shied away from inserting a new character into the lore, especially one who can trace his roots back to the '83 Skystriker box art?!

If they don't give him one, I'll be assigning him the name "Tailhook". It's an appropriate moniker for the backseat guy in a jet that lands on a carrier, and in my world, it'll be a double entendre too b/c he'll definitely be a ladies' man. 😉
 
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nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
I also had that thought! Why does the pilot get a spacesuit and the copilot gets an open-face football helmet?!

I think I'd protest if I were Tailhook.

I know the numbers have slowed to a crawl, but I really hope it picks up steam at the end like most other haslab projects. I really want that nightforce Ripcord.
 

ThunderDan19

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There's no rhyme or reason to piloting in GI Joe. On the show Ace had a more conventional aviator helmet and mask. Slipstream had the whole kit... except for the O2 mask. Similar with Ghostrider. And the rest of the Joes flew their SSs with just a radio headset and no helmet (most of the time) or O2 mask. They might as well have just left those off and just touched their ears like Marvel :rolleyes: .

The only time Ace's space suit/bubble helmet made sense was in the episode they retrofitted the SSs to go into space (and, of course the whole team got spacesuits that were different from his actual one, go figure). Did I actually just say that "made sense"? :LOL:
 

ThunderDan19

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Very, very true. If there's one thing the Joe cartoon was, it was... creative. I'd argue significantly more creative than the comic most of the time, but also significantly farther from reality as well. But, it was certainly the gateway drug it was intended to be to bring kids into the Joeverse...

It's funny that, even while trying to track down that episode to see if my memory hadn't failed me (again), I had a, albeit brief, moment of, "Gee, I should start DVRing the cartoon again." But then my logical mind told me I'd probably never watch them anyway, and that I would be cringing way too often again if I did.

Will that little taste stick in my brain and come back to me tonight (like Catcher in the Rye to Jerry in Conspiracy Theory) when I'm getting ready to nod off and have the remote in my hand? Only time will tell if the addiction/programming remains... :p
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
This summer, I did a rewatch of all the minis, season 1 and most of season 2. Still gotta finish that. It's no more or less goofy than 37 years ago, but it was great background TV. I knew every word that was about to be said, every joke, every one-liner. As you'd expect, some episodes hold up better than others, but it was fun.

If you sit there with a legal pad and try to find everything that is impossible or goofy, then it'll be a miserable slog. But going into it with no expectations other than a little nostalgia injection, it's a great watch.

And I would argue that the sunbow cellshaded animation is superior to any cgi show made today.
 
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ThunderDan19

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It certainly does look bigger there. Here’s hoping it is so that price tag starts looking like a better deal!
 

Videoviper

illuminati
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Ya I am seeing this shit in other places too.
everyone is trying to fill up their 4th quarter reports & are getting fairly greedy.

Those Disney bastards are drafting everyone who has Hulu live into their Disney + so they can boast great subscription numbers.
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
Barring a miracle, these are both dead in the water. While I'd like the skystriker to fund, I don't feel like my collection has any big holes if it doesn't get made.

rancor Screenshot 2021-12-05 214348.png

I have plenty of skystrikers in my life, and maybe with this not being made, my unopened spotcat will be worth even more! :LOL:

EDIT: Hasbro has stated on twitter in response to someone that the Rancor would not be getting an extension. I guess he's doomed for sure. Sounds like they don't really want to make him. I'm sure their margins are much smaller if the tiers aren't met, as those economies of scale are worth more to hasbro than the cost of the bonus items.
 
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Videoviper

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I looked at what they should be making based on the price, previous offering etc, & I suspect after seeing what Disney did to their new mega spaceship hotel, (cough Trek) the Disney tax on the Rancor was just to much?
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
If the Rancor had been the same price as the skystriker, for all its faults, I'd probably have backed it. But I agree, the House-of-Mouse-tax is probably staggering. Regardless, Hasbro comes of looking super-greedy. They expected it to do 25-30k just like the last couple of Marvel haslabs, and they got dollar-signs in their eyes.

Reality check folks, demand for a $400 rancor is pretty damn limited, and their hubris regarding SW is the reason it failed. They take fans, and their money, as a given.
 

pcsguy88

Deuce Deuce
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Not delivering on the Razor Crest isn’t boosting confidence levels either. The estimated Spring 2023 delivery of the Skystriker is a major turnoff for me since I have no clue what I’ll want 2yrs from now other than a new phone.
 
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ThunderDan19

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I guess a lot of people didn't find the Cobra Commander thing as lame as I did... :LOL:

Maybe they came over from the Rancor GFM and decided the SS was a better option.
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
Sure, it was cheesy, but it didn't detract in any way from my desire to back the project.

So, we're getting a minimum of five carded figures, and Scarlett looks to be on the table. 11k as of right now with slightly less than 7 hrs to go. Another 2k bump isn't out of the question given that it's gone up 3500 since last night. Still think Ripcord is a very looooooooong shot unless several big etailers like BBTS or EE drop massive orders at the last minute, or maybe overseas sellers (if a market exists for Joe elsewhere).

I'm still in for 2x... an opener and something for my kids to sell when I die :LOL:

-------------
Side note, I expect the secondary collectibles market to take a massive dive in coming years, as the new IRS rules will drive people away from ebay (and all other non-cash marketplaces) in large droves. A 1099-K for anyone selling more than $600/yr... WTF Mattel! Ebay is going to have to relocate offshore to some country that doesn't give a shake about US taxation rules to survive. A lot of people will be ignorant of these changes but will get a huge nasty surprise in spring '23.
 
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ThunderDan19

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I got some kind of form (I think it was that one) from them last year. I ignored it. What is that form supposed to be? If I sell $1000 worth of stuff there, but paid $900 for it 20 years ago, and ebay takes its share, there’s no income there. Shoot, big time sellers will probably claim a loss.
 
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nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
The current rule is that Ebay/paypal basically doesn't have to report your revenue to the IRS unless you exceed 20k in sales or have 200 or more sales transactions.

The new rule starting in three weeks is that everyone who sells more than $600/yr will be getting the form and having that revenue reported to the feds. Thus you will be required to account for it on your taxes as income. Sure, if you have documentation/receipts, you can subtract your cost from the proceeds and only pay tax on the profits, but that would require you to keep great records on anything you might sell someday or risk being up a creek during an audit.

I've only encountered this once, during my great sell-off of 2014 when I sold my MOC Joe collection, my MIB CHUG collection, and a bunch of comic artwork. IIRC, I sold somewhere between 50-60k worth of stuff. Fortunately, most of the CHUG stuff came from BBTS, and the Joes and art I had acquired mostly through ebay or other online paypal transactions and could prove exactly-to-the-penny what I'd paid. But had I bought it locally or via shows, craigslist, or other "offline" means, I'd have had a difficult time accounting for my costs. Even with good records, I paid several thousand in taxes on the profits, but at least it was only 4-figures and not five.

However, current ebay sellers rarely ever pay any taxes on profits. They know the rules and will have multiple accounts in their wife's or brother's name to continue selling under the limits. The new rules will force them to do so or find other means of selling. The worst part is that regular collectors such as ourselves will be hesitant to sell more than one or two things a year for fear of creating a tax nightmare for ourselves. Thus we'll resort to private sales or simply hang onto things. It'll definitely make finding rare things harder because I expect the number of listings to decrease substantially.
 

nacho

"Big Guns"
Founder
Were you really that unsure? While it's all completely unnecessary at this stage (let's face it, we've all fallen in and out of love with o-ring Joes at least 2-3 times in our lives so far), it's hard to say no to something that fun.

I look forward to actually having one on a stand on the top of my bookcase in some kind of attack position above the TV. Being able to see it from where I sit in my home office will make me smile. Something huge and expensive like the sail barge that would sit in storage waiting on you to buy a bigger house is less appealing b/c you couldn't enjoy it regularly.

Wait, NSA is still alive?! He's too cool to hang out here now?! I assumed he was crushed in his garage by a falling stack of Monkey Depot boxes...
 
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