JoeCanuck

Just a heads up for anyone looking for a Classified Zandar.  He is back in stock on Amazon.ca as of this post.

I am so down for this set.  I can't wait to stress out trying to get this on Pulse because I won't be attending SDCC.  Hopefully it will be well stocked after the fact, but I imagine it will be a near instant sellout.

Still this is a great set and I love that they included a complete drum kit to boot!!!

So what did everyone think of the GI Joe Day reveals?

By far the winner, for me, was the SNAKE Armour.   That thing looks like a beast and a great update to the original.   Can't wait to see how it works because so far the prevailing belief is that a figure can fit inside the torso in a seated position.

The AWE Striker looks okay, but not great.   It does look like back roll cage where the third person can sit will be removable to make it look more like the original.   The smaller front wheels are not great either.  I get what they were going for here, but I just feel like they took it a bit too far in the modernization direction.   Maybe they'll do a retro release more closely resembling the original down the line.  Crankcase is a fine update, but again give me the more retro look as well.

MASS Breaker looks good, but again a little too modern for what he is supposed to represent (cartoon version).   

Darklon is a winner in my books.   I love the alternate mask and broad sword.  The  rest is classic Darklon which is fine.

Slice and Dice look good, but it is the accessories that take this set to the next level.   Love all the options.

Ketchup and Mustard divers are probably my second favourite reveal.   Not only are they connected to MASS but again the accessory load out is fantastic.  I just wish they had given the Joe diver a DPV as well as the Cobra diver.   DPV is Diver Propulsion Vehicle, the little torpedo looking thing that assists in movement.

Retro Covergirl is not as good as I thought from earlier leaks.   She looks good, but doesn't really evoke the classic MASS Device blonde hair look, but rather a mix of that with more modern sensibilities.  Not really a Retro design per se.

Tele-Viper looks great.   Definitely a more cartoon accurate look, and I like the little word scroll on the visor.   Although I would have prefered one less head and more accessories.

Flint is probaby the winner of the Retro reveals.   While I was never the biggest Flint fan he does look great and much more in line with the Sunbow look.

From what I have read and heard Hasbro under Chris Cocks is moving away from manufacturing, which is why they are licensing out a lot of their properties.  Apparently they want to be more of a license holder and let other companies handle the production (and the inherent costs with that). 

Don't know if that is true, or not, but it would make sense with how things have gone in the past year with all the new licensing agreements that were announced.   I imagine their big, in house, brands will be the last to go fully licensed if that is what they are doing.

Overall with Classified I am not too worried about preordering because so much of it ends up available everywhere, and even on sale.  Yes there are exclusives, but general retail product is still pretty easy to find.   Guess we'll see how this year shapes up.

Man Super7 finally killed it with a wave.   

While wave 1 was cool, especially the Twins in suits, the rest of the wave was kind of "expected" choices that really weren't anything too new.   Just mostly characters we already have in different looks we never had as figures.

This time around we get 2 of the same (Serpentor and Duke), but then they throw in 2 never before made figures, and both of them are large O-ring figures!!!

I also like the look of Serpentor.  I think he is different enough to warrant a purchase.   However Ramar and the Fatal Fluffy are instant buys when I can find them.   I love how both of them turned out.  The looks are spot on and they will go great with my other O-ring figs even though most of them are not really Sunbow looks but rather toy looks.   

Great work this time Super7.  Also it looks like they are the regular O-ring price and not inflated due to their size.

What is happening with the Classified Retro carded Viper?

He is sold-out on Walmart, Game stop, Maple, Toy Snowman, ...

Low stock on Hasbro Pulse

MIA on Amazon...

I get it, he is a troop bulder, but still, I don't see collectors buying dozen of him. It's weird...

I imagine it is just the early sell out of preorder stock.   Same thing happened with the Retro Cobra Trooper but now he is available pretty much everywhere.

If you are really worried DJC Collectibles (out of Ottawa) has the Retro Viper still available for preorder.   The only thing is you have to pay in full up front.   They are a great online e-tailer who I use frequently (because I'm in Ottawa so no shipping costs).