G.I. Joe Classified Series

[Ru1977]

Oh they definitely should be done and I'm glad they are, just not for me.

 

[vicious]

I'm pretty unenthused with this newest Retro wave. Which isn't even a huge knock against it, they just can't stand up to figures I've received lately like Budo, Ghost Viper, Policeman, etc. Zap is so boring. Almost all reuse and almost zero paint. Crazylegs could be cool, I still don't see that face as the same character I remember as a kid but it looks better than the NF version (the photographer couldn't be fucked to put the helmet on?). Girl CG is okay but like Revox, my CGs are primarily the darker ones. If her articulation is good I'll grab a couple.

Very stoked for all the name-only reveals, especially Ninja Zartan! They're likely all immediate buys.

 

[Ru1977]

 

[Damien]

Zap is perhaps the most boringly bland looking generic army figure in human history, he's practically perfection in a weird way.

Oh yeah. The thing I actually like about a figure like Zap is that he's basically a fully articulated 6" version of the unarticulated army men figures I used to play with in my backyard when I was like 5. But I don't have enough nostalgia for those types of things to pay 40 dollars to have one on the shelf, and I have NO nostalgia for O13 because that wave came out the year I was born.

You know what: Addendum. I'm gonna advocate for for the Plain Jane (Joe?) O13 green guys. I think there something to these simple uniform dudes that make the more vibrant characters stand out that much more in a good way. I wasn't gonna get many of the Team Green, but F' it, i think I'm gonna get Zap, Steeler and Short-Fuze and one more Green Shirt.

I have no problem with them being made - in fact I think they should be. They're great. I just have no attachment to them.
I think some of the O13 have made for more interesting figures than others, while still being fairly generic. Grunt was a good figure. I think Steeler looks pretty cool. I'd even say I kind of like the Hawk they just did (but I won't pay over 100 bucks to have him and I probably don't need a missile launcher, but we'll see). Short-Fuze and Zap go the other direction for me; while they're very well-done figures, my lack of nostalgia for those looks and those characters makes them easier for me to just see as too boring for my money.

 

[Ru1977]

Yeah, I like them to look militaryish, but not blandly uniform. As much sense as a squad of the Anniversary HALO guy would make, and be realistic, I still want my unit of specialists to stand out from each other.

 

[Ru1977]

So the CG has gotta lead to Julia Kreig, Laura 343, and/or Cadet Deming, but I assume they'll also do a Python Patrol eventually and a Twilight Guard.

 

[doober]

Happy for Taurus and Zanya. Agreed Zap is quite boring. But I will get him if he goes on sale. Nothing else interests me. Still waiting on Keel Haul and Cutter.

 

[Ru1977]

Zap... Aside from the outfit, his name always bothered me. Even the later one they did, maybe Sonic fighters or something? I'm utterly bigoted against the name. And Flash too. Snake Eyes, Hawk, Stalker, and... Zap.

 

[docsilence]

Crazy Legs was one of my favorite figures as a kid and I am actively annoyed they went with a screaming mouth and no neutral face alternate option for him. I DETEST screaming heads with no alternate option, probably my biggest pet peeve in collecting. Ruins a figure for me forever. If it turns out I can put one of the the cop or greenshirt or even a spare Grunt head on him, I'll pick him up, but otherwise fuck it, I'll stick with the Night Force version. I don't even really like the head sculpt on it but at least it doesn't look like a chihuahua just bit his balls. I wish the neck pegs were consistent in this line so I could start building a replacement dome for Crazy Legs now instead of waiting to find out what heads will fit on his peg.

Zap is appropriately boring - that's a gift to the O13 fans the way Slice and Dice were a gift to the Ninja Force generation. Sometimes you just go back to the source and get it right.

Very psyched to see Zanya. in the pipeline - she's a lot of fun. And Ninja Force Zartan is a figure I hated as a kid but I am 100% sure Classified will make look stupidly awesome and I'll want to buy, I have no worries about that.

Hydro-Viper - can't wait to see what they do with that creepy bastard. Keep building out the underwater characters!

 

[Ashtalon]

Zap looks great. We're just down to Flash and Grand Slam for the OG13, right? The original RAH Joes were essentially poseable versions of the little green army men. I loved them when RAH started and love them now. The basic designs are part of their appeal. More visually unique specialists came into the line after, so if you want a more colorful rocket specialist you can get yourself Bazooka. Leave Zap as he is. Gloriously simple design-wise.

Crazylegs is fine. I had his RAH figure and will likely get this one too. I don't mind expressive head sculpts, but they should be alternate ones. Not the only headsculpt you get with a figure. He's just going to be screaming in every scenario, which is limiting.

Female Crimson Guard is an interesting addition to the brand. But I was hoping I was done with Crimson stuff. I hadn't even considered her red not matching. I have a few of the original CG and only got one of the retro due to the reds mismatching. Maybe I'll skip this female version. Which versions of the CG does the Crimson Strike boxed set match?

Zanya. Not too familiar with the character but I'll likely buy any Dreadnoks they make.

I'm not really feeling the Renegades. I had their figures growing up. Not really sure I want figures of them in Classified though. I think Mercer is a cool concept. And Red Dog has a neat look. But Taurus just brings the whole thing down.

Hydro-Viper. I'm an EEL guy. And despite also owning some red Cobra divers, I don't really feel the need for yet another Cobra diver. I suppose the Hydro-Viper could be a named character for me. Someone to lead all the other Cobra divers. Hydro-Viper came with a manta ray, right? So this is probably another pet offering right?

I really have no interest in Ninja Force Zartan. I skipped Nunchuck and Slice & Dice, and I'll be skipping Zartan as well. Glad for people who want this era/theme but it's one less thing to buy.

 

[Ru1977]

Crazy Legs was one of my favorite figures as a kid and I am actively annoyed they went with a screaming mouth and no neutral face alternate option for him. I DETEST screaming heads with no alternate option, probably my biggest pet peeve in collecting. Ruins a figure for me forever.

I am actually quietly with you. I totally get why people like expressive faces on their figures but I don't at all.

If it turns out I can put one of the the cop or greenshirt or even a spare Grunt head on him, I'll pick him up, but otherwise fuck it, I'll stick with the Night Force version. I don't even really like the head sculpt on it but at least it doesn't look like a chihuahua just bit his balls.

Accurate.

I wish the neck pegs were consistent in this line so I could start building a replacement dome for Crazy Legs now instead of waiting to find out what heads will fit on his peg.

I have to look harder later but this really be total reuse of that NF figure from the chin down.

Zap is appropriately boring - that's a gift to the O13 fans the way Slice and Dice were a gift to the Ninja Force generation. Sometimes you just go back to the source and get it right.

The only argument I'll give is having the black speckles on Slice.but yes.

Very psyched to see Zanya. in the pipeline - she's a lot of fun. And Ninja Force Zartan is a figure I hated as a kid but I am 100% sure Classified will make look stupidly awesome and I'll want to buy, I have no worries about that.

This is my concern heh.

Hydro-Viper - can't wait to see what they do with that creepy bastard. Keep building out the underwater characters!

The Beastie is gonna be the selling point for me.

 

[Damien]

The only argument I'll give is having the black speckles on Slice.but yes.

I'm still legitimately mad about that.

 

[Ru1977]

Zap looks great. We're just down to Flash and Grand Slam for the OG13, right?

I believe that is right. They'd kinda make sense as a set but also may feel cheap. Maybe a deluxe figure with different vests, weapons, and heads.

Hydro-Viper. I'm an EEL guy. And despite also owning some red Cobra divers, I don't really feel the need for yet another Cobra diver. I suppose the Hydro-Viper could be a named character for me. Someone to lead all the other Cobra divers. Hydro-Viper came with a manta ray, right? So this is probably another pet offering right?

Correct. And I am also an Eel guy, all the way. But this guy had a neat monster helmet I liked at the time but isn't as cool now to me.

I'm still legitimately mad about that.

Retro. I am so certain of it.

 

[Damien]

Correct. And I am also an Eel guy, all the way. But this guy had a neat monster helmet I liked at the time but isn't as cool now to me.

I'm a v2 Eel guy. That crazy yellow and blue and weird outfit. I'm all about it. But I used Hydro-Viper as more of a monster than a specialist. He was just perfectly creepy.

Retro. I am so certain of it.

I'm not convinced. There's only so many retro card releases per year. Are they really gonna use up a slot on a tertiary Ninja Force bad guy (who most people associated with the other bad guy, which is why they're a two-pack in the first place)? If someone said an apology-Storm Shadow figure will be retro carded? I could totally see that. Slice? Definitely would surprise me.

And even if that is the plan - how many years away is that with the current release pattern?

 

[docsilence]

I am actually quietly with you. I totally get why people like expressive faces on their figures but I don't at all.

I have no problem and even encourage them to INCLUDE expressive faces, but goddamn, don't make it frozen in time with only one option. Or if you do don't do it on a character we'll likely only get once. Todd does screaming Batman all the time, but if you don't like it, buy one of the other 87 Batman figures he made this year. If we're lucky we'll get another Crazylegs in a few years in a repaint. This is Marvel Legends Thunderstrike annoying to me. So annoying.

I have to look harder later but this really be total reuse of that NF figure from the chin down.

I'm loathe to pop the head off a nearly irreplaceable (at reasonable cost) figure, but that does enable me to see what fits on that body. I have no problem slapping a generic soldier head or Grunt's alt head on him since Crazylegs didn't have a particularly distinct face.

This is my concern heh.

We'll start bullying you to buy him immediately.