Right, because that Storm Shadow and Gung Ho weren't highly demanded or anything. And a new head for Chuckles based on the IDW Mike Costas series isn't for the fans, nope.

The 4 packs (and that includes PP Croc Master and green Blowtorch) that are basically re-releases don't require any resources from Hasbro to design/engineer, so they can be thrown in and not counted against the number of "slots" for the year. Do I personally think they should be re-releasing that Mass Device set? No, but it was kind of hard to find for a lot of people, so this might allow some people to complete their collections. It's not taking the "slot" of anything else.

I'm personally really looking forward to the FOE Striker. I've never gotten an Awe Striker in all my years of collecting (and was actually thinking of picking one up at the Con), but the new parts are awesome. It would have fit in perfectly during Pursuit of Cobra.

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The Croc Master set is being released because fans wanted it so much and it was never released. MASS Device figures are being re-released because they were so hard to find and figures like Alpine are going for crazy amounts (well, were) on the secondary market. They said this is exactly why they're doing this: it gives fans sought after figures and allows the designers to stay in their budget. They're only allowed so many new parts due to cost. Are some of the sets, such as Duke, CC, and Camera Trooper a bit of a misfire? Sure. But given their limitations and their desires to give us some great product, I think they're doing a pretty good job providing for the fans.

Right, exactly. Am I to take it that more fans have been clamoring for a red crocodile and a third reissue of Blowtorch than for frickin' Pythona? 30 years people have been screaming for her at every opportunity, and now the only way to get her is to join the price-gouging Club? Gee, thanks for putting the fans first, Hasbro.

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That Croc Master and Blowtorch were actually in demand at one point. Personally, I'm looking forward to it.

As for Pythona, we already know Hasbro's stance on girl figures. Even if we believe it to be erroneous, the Club is currently the best outlet for it.

That said, the 50th this year will be a lot of repaints and re-releases, but for a brand that doesn't make Hasbro very much money, I'm happy with them doing anything for us. They certainly don't have to.

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No offense, but to expect Pythona to be a main-line release at this point is totally unrealistic.

I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of new product we will be getting for this TRU run. I think they did a much better job on te repack figures including figures that were actually hard to find. The only head scratcher was he Mass Device set- and that one was extremely hard to find, it's just that Alpine is really te only figure anybody wants from it at this point.

I couldn't have been more impressed with Mark, the new brand manager. I talked to him one-on-one for a pretty long time, and the guy has a great plan and is obviously a big Joe fan. He was naming all kinds of obscure characters he'd like to see updated. I could have just sat back and listened to him talk Joe all weekend. I think that Joe is in extremely good hands.

"As for Pythona, we already know Hasbro's stance on girl figures. Even if we believe it to be erroneous, the Club is currently the best outlet for it. "

You mean, like the Baroness/LJ set?

And I flat refuse to believe in Pythona's retail unsaleability. Nobody's saying she has to be a single card figure, but even if she was there's no saying how well she could or couldn't sell since they've never tried. Is nobody noticing the popularity of Monster High? A line built entirely out of weird-looking girls?

The reason this line has lackluster sales is entirely, 100%, and absolutely due to the lackluster retail product. The problem isn't us, it's that WM, Target, and TRU demand it be the highest-selling product of all time, every time.

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The Baroness/LJ set were repaints AND are pegwarming after this latest refresh.

Pythona is going to require mostly all new tooling to be done right. Hasbro doesn't want to invest in that and I can't fault them for that. Kids don't know who Pythona is, and Hasbro isn't making money selling strictly to us. We're becoming the 12" collectors that we used to make fun of.

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My tru has nothing left but lady jaye and baroness sets x10 even at the lowered price of $10. And I bought 4 of them. If pythona was retail I would buy it, but only one. I think I agree with hasbro that it would not sell well enough. If they included her in a 4 or 5 pack cobra la set, then that is another story.

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I'm not trying to be negative on hasbro, as I was excited to see them, but overall I was a bit disappointed. I don't mind the repaints, if they are great, I'll buy them (looking at that f.o.e. Striker).

But I've burnt out on the SELECTION of what they are repainting. I feel like they have no molds outside of the hiss, sky striker, snow cat, and awe striker.

I'd have been more excited to see repaints of poc, roc, and retaliation vehicles than more of the same ones that keep getting rehashed by hasbro and the club. Give me a vamp, a poc vamp, a rhino, that rise of cobra gunship, rise of cobra hummer, ect. Ect. Ect.

For figures, same deal. I can't wait for gung-ho. I want the storm shadow. The spirit looks great (though upon seeing it in the case, that vest doesn't fit due to the neck scarf-not good), the cobra commander in black and red looked great. Chuckles-yes. Releasing alpine- great for those who missed him.. But I think they could have used different parts because as hard as he is to get, he looks really really dated now.

The repaints- yeah, they are to be expected. It's just the selection that doesn't get me excited much.

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Perhaps TRU can share some for the blame for the poor performance? I have never, ever seen a LJ/Baroness set in a store. All they have left are tons of Blowtorch/HEAT Viper. I think TRU has some crappy distribution which doesn't help the situation for Joes.

Yeah, my TRU never got the second wave of two-packs. They currently have only two single carded Blowtorches on the pegs, because at this point, who would buy them?

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I never saw them either in NNJ.

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This distribution stuff is amazing. I saw very few heat viper packs and they all sold. Matter of fact the entire wave 1 was short lived at my TRU. Maybe that is why the second wave was plentiful here. They sent it wherever the first wave disappeared.

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I managed to snag four LJ/Baroness sets off of the TRU website with two orders, then snagged 6 more a few weeks back when I got the chance to run to the local TRU.

Right now I'm deciding which cast heads to put on which figures and which established characters I could rework LJ or the Baroness into.

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Well, it sounds like I am the only person here who is absolutely overjoyed. After spending the last two weeks hitting 5 different TRUs around the Metroplex (Lewisville, Southlake, Irving and 2 in Dallas), 2 local Ross stores, and 3 Dollar Generals, I'm actually going to see some figures instead of empty spaces, or the same Blowtorch single figure, or the same 4 movie Retaliation figures.

I'm going to buy about 5 of the Shipwrecks. While the figure completely screws up the design for my custom Sudden Death figure (it really, really does), the equipment will be great for my team.

I am also thrilled that the Steel Brigade figure I've been wanting will be available as part of a 2 pack.

The Vanishing Act 3 Pack? I need them all. The Torpedo will help my team's underwater build immensely. The Hit & Run looks like a fun repaint/custom project.

Alpine, Firefly, Cobra Shock Trooper? Yes please.

Marine Devastation? Yes please. Gung Ho was one of my favorites when I was a kid. I always ran a team of Duke, Gung Ho, Airborne and Ripcord. I loved 'em.

I don't get the Bazooka and Dusty color scheme, but that's why we customize, no?

I'm even looking forward to the Blowtorch. I've wanted the figure, but I sure as hell wasn't going to take a bright orange guy into a covert op. Even at night, that guy would stick out like a sore thumb!

Question-what is the Marauder Task Force I am seeing on General Joes? Where can I get these?

http://generalsjoes.com/2015/04/12/boss ... n-2015-17/

^^^ Literally drool.