G.I. Joe: Classified 6" figures

[Joe Scorpio]

I got my shipping soon notice email from Hasbro Pulse for the Cobra Ferret.

Some people cancelled their pre-orders and it was available again for a short time but it has since sold out.

 

[Buttmunch]

I wonder if the trouble bubbles hanging around so long made them cut back on other vehicle experiment production numbers. Vamp seemed under produced and now the Ferret seems to be in that same category. I do wonder out the Stinger since it’s a Famazon exclusive, meaning it ought to have larger numbers for the additional retailers it will be available from. Was the feedback to the Vamp available in time to know to make larger quantities? Or is it going to sell out quickly from all over?

 

[Venzhe]

I wonder if the trouble bubbles hanging around so long made them cut back on other vehicle experiment production numbers. Vamp seemed under produced and now the Ferret seems to be in that same category. I do wonder out the Stinger since it’s a Famazon exclusive, meaning it ought to have larger numbers for the additional retailers it will be available from. Was the feedback to the Vamp available in time to know to make larger quantities? Or is it going to sell out quickly from all over?

The Joe team said in the Yo Joe June stream that the Stinger will be more readily available than the Vamp. Who knows by how much though.

 

[screamingmetal]

I got my shipping soon notice email from Hasbro Pulse for the Cobra Ferret.

Some people cancelled their pre-orders and it was available again for a short time but it has since sold out.

I tried 3 times and could not complete checkout. I don't think it's actually available unless someone can confirm successfully placing an order today.

Well after trying several more times, I placed an order for the Ferret!

 

[ObiGlennKenobi]

The Joe team said in the Yo Joe June stream that the Stinger will be more readily available than the Vamp. Who knows by how much though.

The Vamp is still available in Australia at an Online Etailer.

 

[screamingmetal]

The Vamp is still available in Australia at an Online Etailer.

Unfortunately for us in the States, it'll cost the same + shipping as the cheapest Vamp being sold by scalpers on Ebay. Maybe Classified isn't as popular in Australia as it is here?
I still feel they will make more Vamps, it's constantly brought up in Hasbro Joe livestreams. There still is a demand, just supply more and they'll make money.

I personally find it extremely irritating that Hasbro keeps making variants of recently released exclusive vehicles so soon after the first version. They had maybe a month between the Trouble Bubble and Ferret variants and something like 5 months between the Vamp/Stinger with only the upcoming Stinger having more retailer options.. It's a case of a pricey item that will likely sell out so you feel compelled to preorder/order on short notice with everything else already on preorder. I feel that I have to exclusively collect Classified just to keep up.

 

[ragacin]

Here is my finished Dusty upgrade custom. I think the Valaverse shemahg adds a little bit.

 

[BuddyGus]

I ended up cancelling my order for two ferrets and just ordering one. Got the confirmation and arrival email for the one, so ui guess it is all good. Just not enough room and "toy budget" to keep getting multiples.

 

[screamingmetal]

Fantastic job on matching the paint on Dusty's helmet Ragacin! If I didn't know better, I would think it was made by Hasbro.
Are you going to paint any of the webgear or backpack?

 

[youngguns303]

Oh dang you got a steal! It was $300 originally so less than $100 over with everything included is not bad at this point. Thanks for the tip, I will check out HISS tank. I have been able to score some good deals on FaceBook too. In the classified buy sell trade forum.

Hisstank is probably the biggest active GI Joe board these days. The Full Force podcast does good, reliable coverage of all things GI Joe (the host’s name was nodded to with Tripwire’s robot, McLeod).

Dragonfly sounds like it will ship late this year so there ought to be plenty available around that time - especially for folks needing to make a quick buck for Christmas. I’d say get ready for the upcoming Haslab next month and then you should have a bit of time before Dragonflys start shipping.

I am probably much more excited about the Rattler than the Dragonfly, it is just that evil little collector voice telling me to grab everything eventhough its mostly a Cobra focused collection lol.

 

[Buttmunch]

It would be interesting if they pivoted away from a ‘big vehicle’ this year, like Star Wars is doing with the Catina, and do something different like the MASS Device or Weather Dominator. They have to cover those at some point, but would they need to be Haslab items? Could they even do a build a device thing like they’ve done with the 4” figures in the past.

I just haven’t felt the Rattler is for sure going to be the Haslab this year for some reason. A few subtle hints certainly make it seem likely but when Lenny said a Sky Striker be like 6 feet long, jets have seemed unlikely to happen. The Dragonfly is nearly 3 feet long and I can’t seem them getting much bigger than that. Would a 3 foot jet seem too stumpy to work?

 

[ragacin]

Fantastic job on matching the paint on Dusty's helmet Ragacin! If I didn't know better, I would think it was made by Hasbro.
Are you going to paint any of the webgear or backpack?

I haven't decided yet. I was thinking about either a dry brush or wash, but I don't want to "elevate" it too much so he wouldn't fit with the other Joe's. Thanks for the compliments.

 

[Joe Scorpio]

For the last 40+ years, I think the VAMP is one of the 5 most iconic vehicles in the GIJOE legacy. The other 4, in no particular order are the SkyStriker, Rattler, HISS and Dragonfly. I think the Classified VAMP, unfortunately, was a victim of trial and error. The HasLabs have proved to the big wigs that we're willing to pay big bucks for those premium vehicles. I really think that they were unsure of the VAMP's price point of $100, and thus, didn't have as high of production as it should have had. Now they know. And going forward, starting with this week's release of the Cobra Stinger, they should produce much higher item counts. I'm perfectly fine with the $100 price point, and I understand a lot of collectors are not. With the Stinger's side panels and roof along with those unnecessary blast effects, I fully expect it to come in around $120. I hope they can still make it $100, but it will sell like hotcakes at either price. Getting back to the VAMP, I really hope they're able to put more out there. It's an incredible vehicle and they're leaving a ton of more money on the proverbial table.

Okay, if the 2024 HasLab is NOT going to be the Cobra Rattler, they need to name drop Wild Weasel already. He's the last major Cobra character to join Classified and you know that red and black color scheme will look glorious in the 1/12 scale. Likewise, like Buttmunch mentioned Lenny's comments about a Classified SkyStriker being unlikely...then give us Ace too!

I really do hope it's the Rattler. It's basically the same size as the Dragonfly and Wild Weasel is a must. The tiers are a mystery to me. Would we get a Strato-Viper since the Night Raven is probably a pipedream? How about a pilot Baroness or even a Papa-Viper? I expect it be much like the Dragonfly's campaign where the vehicle and pilot are in the base price and all tiers are additional figures. How about a 3rd tier retro cardback Hooded Cobra Commander to send the entire community into a raging meltdown?

The HISS owns the HasLab record of being funded in 8 hours. If it's the Rattler and it debuts at SDCC, I think it has a chance of breaking that record.

 

[ObiGlennKenobi]

Latest pickups in Oz for me today!!

 

[youngguns303]

It would be interesting if they pivoted away from a ‘big vehicle’ this year, like Star Wars is doing with the Catina, and do something different like the MASS Device or Weather Dominator. They have to cover those at some point, but would they need to be Haslab items? Could they even do a build a device thing like they’ve done with the 4” figures in the past.

I just haven’t felt the Rattler is for sure going to be the Haslab this year for some reason. A few subtle hints certainly make it seem likely but when Lenny said a Sky Striker be like 6 feet long, jets have seemed unlikely to happen. The Dragonfly is nearly 3 feet long and I can’t seem them getting much bigger than that. Would a 3 foot jet seem too stumpy to work?

I know the Rattler is a modified YA-10B Thunderbolt II. The A-10 is 53 feet, 4 inches long, 14 feet, 8 inches high, has a wingspan of 57 feet, 6 inches. So off the top of my head maybe close to 4 1/2 ft long, a little over 1 ft high, and just under 5 ft wingspan. Then there is the fictional Rattler that might be able to be taken down a notch but still, that is going to be a mammoth. If they did a piece like Mindbender's lab or a Terror Dome, That would be amazing as well.

 

[screamingmetal]

The Rattler toy was much smaller in comparison with the 3.3/4 inch figures, it wouldn't necessarily be as big as a real A-10 in Classified scale.
I love the Rattler, at somewhere around $300 I won't be able to get one nor would I have anywhere to put it no matter what the size. I just hope the figures get released on their own somewhere down the line.
They should've followed up on the Dragonfly with a Cobra aquatic vehicle based on the pattern. I'm kind of glad they didn't because I would need to get a Moray or Moccasin. I was all about the sea craft as a kid.
The Moccasin is longer than a Vamp but I could see it released as a mainline item for $140. The other Cobra aquatic vehicles are the Landing Raft, Hydro Sled, Swamp Skier, Sea Ray, Battle Barge, Piranha, Mantis, Hammerhead, and The Bugg. I don't see any of that worthy of a Haslab except the Moray because of a lack of interest, a few of the smaller vehicles could be mainline releases though. I think that's why the Classified team skipped on a Cobra aquatic vehicle this go around.
I do think the Haslab next year will be the GI Joe Sharc.

 

[Deeznutz6]

Terrordome…

 

[MeatHookGekko]

I really do hope it's the Rattler.

My guess would be the AWE Striker. There are a lot of variable options to reuse/abuse the mold for the future, it's design can be compressed into a smaller package ( that roll cage can be assembled from a bunch of basically rod segments) and different weapons options give it some expandability. They've already made the tires to the Ferret, it's unclear what else they can reuse.

I wonder if they could build a Hammer out of the VAMP bottom section. Obviously it would not be to scale.

That's my thinking on it. What has the most expansion possibility by reusing the molds over and over again.

 

[youngguns303]

Terrordome…

Fixed it. lol Thanks.

 

[youngguns303]

My guess would be the AWE Striker. There are a lot of variable options to reuse/abuse the mold for the future, it's design can be compressed into a smaller package ( that roll cage can be assembled from a bunch of basically rod segments) and different weapons options give it some expandability. They've already made the tires to the Ferret, it's unclear what else they can reuse.

I wonder if they could build a Hammer out of the VAMP bottom section. Obviously it would not be to scale.

That's my thinking on it. What has the most expansion possibility by reusing the molds over and over again.

An Awe Striker would be awesome, it was one of the very few vehicles I had as a kid.