JoeCanuck

So the early reports are the following:

Boxset, obvious.  (So far the best looking part of the exclusives)

Freebie, Snarler Cycle repaint in dark green with OG/USSR markings.  (Don't care for the vehicle, and the new paint scheme doesn't change that)

Annihilator 3-pack (Have to wait and see, but I can see the club trying to reuse the helmet and shoulder pads from the other Annihilator club figure)

IG Ground Assault 2-pack  (Supposedly Darklon and someone else)

Cobra Stealth Paratrooper  (No idea, some early speculation on Iron Anvil, but doesn't really make sense)

OG Troop Transport Truck  (Indiana Jones Cargo Truck repaint.  Great toy, but I still have 5!!! and don't really care.  Only interesting thing is multiple roofs)

OG Attack Helicopter  (speculation is the ROC Dragonhawk, which if it is, another "meh")

This year sounds like a good set of figures, with a fairly uninspired set of vehicles.  Also, no mention of drivers with the vehicles.  Just waiting on pics right now, but early on I'm going to say last year was a better offering by the club.

Hey all, just listing my Ebay items.  Thanks!

http://www.ebay.ca/sch/scifreak/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

Hey all, I just picked up a cheap Karate Chopper.  It was supposed to be sealed, but when it arrived I saw that one side has 2 pieces of tape, 1 over another which clearly had been either opened or what not.

Anyway, since I didn't pay much for it I decided to open it.  Most everything was still on the trees, but nothing was in a baggie like I am used to with main line ARAH items when opened.

So just wondering if the SF II stuff (vehicles) had the parts sealed in baggies in the box?

Thanks

Well they have finally hit the shelves.

What are your thoughts?

I picked up:

Cobra Trooper, Black CC, GI JOE Trooper, Red Ninja, Hiss Tank and Fangboat.

Here are my thoughts:

Black CC.  In person, I actually don't like the design all that much.  The helmet isn't as cool as I originally thought, and his outfit, while better hidden by all black, is I guess a little too "busy".  The blue version probably won't look much better in person.  The best part of this figure without a doubt is the Cobra head staff.  It is a great little accessory, but even better it is very nicely sculpted and looks outstanding.

Red Ninja.  A pretty good figure, I don't have Renegades SS to compare, but nicely detailed and the Zipline is actually kind of neat.  I could see kids having fun with it and trying to recreate the mountain battle.

GI JOE Trooper.  Hello Master Chief prototype!  Oh sorry, my mistake.  What looked like a good troop builder, upon opening is a disappointment.  He is accessorized to the hilt which is awesome, but it just don't work.  Personal opinion of course.  The heads are great, but again the helmet is a little too Halo.  The cape is just odd as an accessory.  I understand the logic behind it, but is seems out of place.  The backpack and gear are what really stand out.  The negative?  The connecting piece to the figure is too long so it doesn't stay on tight.  The shovel is neon orange for some reason and the gas mask is too small for the head it is supposed to go on.  The positive?  Nice large size pack with 6!!!! spots for weapons.   Overall this figure, in my opinion, just misses the mark.

Cobra Trooper.  Another figure that just misses the mark somewhat.  It is a nice figure, with a good design, but I think the colour scheme and helmet really detract from the figure.  Frankly the head is better suited to V4 of Snake Eyes than the one coming out at Dollar General in the US.  Don't get me wrong, the colours are nice, but the powder grey and light blue just don't work together for me.  They look almost a little too cartoonish, which I know is ironic.  The helmet is also very soft and I find it takes some doing to get it to sit just right, but then I noticed that it is actually warping a little from sitting on the figure's head.  It may just be one, or it could be a future ongoing problem for most.  The best part?  The PARACHUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This thing is incredible.  Not only does it have a giant Cobra logo, it is sturdy fabric and not cheap plastic or thin material.  I could see this thing outlasting the figure itself.  I already tested it out and it works great, but you need to be outside and give it a good throw.  I could see young kids not being able to get it high enough to open.  I am going to seriously look at using the parachute with a Rattler, or maybe the ARAH Night Raven.

Fangboat.  I actually wish the grey on this was darker.  The overall design is ok, the extra launcher can be removed which is a good thing and the colour combos are good.  It is a nice additon to the ranks, however..... The Swamp Viper.   What should have been a great figure falls way, way, way short.  Why?  Articulation of course!  Others have said it, but now I see it with my own eyes.  5 POAs?  Unacceptable.  The line has been great since 2007, but this is just not worth the money.  It is a great, unique design that gets totally lost on a brick of a figure.

HISS.  The significant changes to the vehicle are easy to overlook and make me still rank it as a great vehicle.  Yes the lack of moving treads and the removal of the raising feature are significant.  Also the new canopy looks nice, but I actually like the old one better.  The added weaponary is actually really nice, and gives the vehicle a sense of firepower that I felt was somewhat lacking on the earlier versions.  The fact that a figure can sit exposed in the turret is funny in that it is a throwback to ARAH when lots of figures sat exposed in vehicles with no sense of danger!!!     The CC suffers again like the Swamp Viper.   I read somewhere that this version would make a nice update to the Armored CC, but since it is a 5 POA brick it suffers.

So I was looking through a local Zellers

Most are now 40-70% off all stuff.  The toys are 40% off.  So while checking out the selection that is left, I managed to score one more ROC RHINO for $18 after the discount ($20.34 after tax).   

So, I'm walking and a woman is there with her 5-6 year old.  They are looking at Star Wars and a couple other things.  Then I hear the kid ask about an item.  This is when I hear the woman say "I will never buy GI Joe because it promotes war"

I am not ashamed to say that it actually stung a little to hear that about a brand I grew up with and loved as a kid, and now as an adult.  I get wanting to raise your child as you see fit, but I hate that she boils it all down to a simple thought.  If you asked her to think about most of the toys her son will/does like, most are based around conflict and violence.  Hell SW is rife with fighting, and killing!!!!! in Clone Wars.  But of course GI Joe is the bad one she'll never buy.

Ugh, just soured an otherwise nice day.

So here is the story.  I love the Sideshow Joes.  I think they are great and I don't collect 12 inch.  However these are really great and I am willing to buy them, but my self imposed limit is $100 for most.  Some of the extremely rare ones I can't stick to that price obviously.  Anyway, I just started last summer with Duke who I bought MISB for $100 at Fan Expo.  Since then, nothing!!!  I have seen a bunch go on Ebay for under $100, but with shipping and taxes it is always $120+. 

So finally today my patience paid off.  I just bought a Viper from Superpower Collectibles during their 35% off sale and with shipping and taxes it came out to $101.90!!!  Sweet!!! 

I'm struggling though, Zartan is really calling out to me, but I must be strong!!!!