A Note on Scalping and Haslab Projects.

I have nothing against "scalping", a derogatory term assigned to those that resell merchandise they found at retail who then look to make a profit by selling them elsewhere.  I personally have enjoyed the benefits of purchasing a few things from online sellers at markup beyond retail.  I don't apologize for doing so.  I've also sold a couple things for significantly more than for what I've bought them.   I won't apologize for that either.  There's nothing to apologize about.  "Scalpers" have saved me immense trouble finding things I may have never found before.  They have saved me countless hours (and the cost of gas) rushing to every Target, Walmart and Walgreens I could find on the map, only to find nothing or to find things I already had.  I've done that.  It is only worth it if you enjoy retail adventure and I don't anymore.

That said, I can kind of see where these peevish criticisms are borne from.  A collector that goes out and hogs all the product is in theory, denying other collectors a fair chance at getting a "fair share" or "fair shot" at the more desirable goods at normal prices.   I don't agree that this makes reselling at a markup wrong in any way, but I can see the puerile logic behind it.  

There is however, zero logic behind the recent calls on social media against those who are selling from their surplus of Haslab Skystrikers for a premium.  It's simply stupid and it can in no way be called "scalping".  Haslab is an open ended project.  If someone buys one, two, five or ten units and looks to unload them for whatever the market will bear, they aren't selling anything you ever had a shot at anyway.  All those SkyStrikers exist because that person prepaid for them.  They were earmarked for the buyer from the beginning and those units wouldn't exist if they weren't ordered.  No one should be criticizing others over this.  If everyone bought only exactly what they knew they would keep, there would be very little left over for those whom allowed the opportunity to pass and then either changed their minds, saw their situations change, and that's assuming the project even cleared its initial trigger goal to begin with. 

That might make the covetous scalp-marms and collection-karens happy, but it wouldn't do anyone including themselves a damned bit of good. 

  

Haslab SkyStrikers being delivered. News from Hasbro.

So far, the HasLab SkyStriker's story is one of beating the expectations.  First there was the sudden influx of sponsors to not only put the project over the line, but in the final hours it was able to hit a few of its stretch goals.  Second was the surprise inclusion of additional figures beyond those secondary goals, including an O-Ring Cobra Commander.  Right now, it is months prior to HasLab's original promise to ship them out sometime in "Spring of 2023", yet in the deep of winter, GI Joe fans are widely reporting receiving their shipments.   

FedEx informs me mine are set for delivery before end of day today, and I'm excited.

The reviews have thus far been positive, though I've yet to see one exhaustive critique of it as of yet, though that sort of review tends to be relatively rare compared to the more glowing social media show-and-tells.  There are some early concerns voiced in Facebook Groups about problems with Scarlett's crossbow not being fully formed in the injection molder, so we'll see how bad that problem is, long with any others. 

Hasbro has put out a release video and an "official unboxing" of a trade-show sample.

Unboxing the G.I. Joe Skystriker HasLab – Hasbro Pulse

It's a good watch and better than previous showings I've seen by this duo.  Most notably is around the twenty minute mark where Emily announces future projects including a new "Joe troop-builder pack" and Lenny comments that it is "loaded" with stuff, along with new Classified releases.    

 

Update:

I've received both orders, and have gone through them and not seen some of the issues other peoples have been seeing.  I will likely do a review at some point, there's a lot of them out there now, though.   

GI Joe Retro: Hiss Tank Review.

 

 

I think every Joe fan has a soft spot for the Hiss Tank.  I certainly do despite the fact that it's mostly a big lump of plastic with a few points of interest and articulation on it.  Its both ubiquitous and iconic and really nothing says "Cobra!" like when one of the named enemy characters shouts that very battle cry from the turret while charging all "Leeroy Jenkins" into gunfire.  

Introduced on store shelves in 1983, the Hiss became a mainstay of the mail order system for years afterwords, receiving a number of modifications and updates over time.  The Hiss has managed to do what a lot of GI Joe merchandise has failed to do, which is to find it into the hands of almost every collector who wants them while being a well loved vehicle, even if collectors are tired of it.  

Now we're back with the GI Joe Retro line, which was the 2020 Stratagem by Hasbro to reintroduce GI Joe once again in 3.75" format some years after a "pause" in its development.  To whom' the intended market is, I'm not exactly sure.  There are reasons to think its a try at a broad-banded appeal to both kids and collectors in advance to the Snake Eyes film that has been released recently, but I can see flaws to marketing towards either demographic.  Also, the film really wasn't that good.   
 

To legacy fans, this new line offers more of the same with somewhat reduced authenticity.  There are unfortunate changes to the file card format, and an unfortunate lack of blueprints.  That last one really hurts! I may have mentioned that I love a proper vintage-styled blueprint and they, along with file-cards, are a unique feature that made GI Joe stand out above all other toys of the 1980s. 

The newest HISS release comes with a driver, which is good.  Most of his getup is a fairly uniform medium red with a touch of candy pink, which even for Cobra is a bit of an odd color choice. 

The cockpit is wide enough side-to-side, but unfortunately like other modern vehicles adapted to the 4" size, it lacks any sort of head clearance.  You have to position the driver just right to close the top.  

He comes with web gear that I haven't managed to get off, though I'm certain to be underwhelmed if I ever do, which is why I'm just not going to try that hard.  The only other accessory he comes with is a figure stand, which I'm happy to have.  However, it is marked "Cobra Trooper" instead of "Hiss Driver", which I'm going to chalk up to being one of the most ridiculous cost cutting measure you can imagine. 

The toy itself is a largely a big hunk of hollow plastic.  This is likely why it gets so many releases.  Compared to the intricacy of the AWE Striker and its various molds, and I'm guessing its simple lines likely make it easy to animate too.  It really is little more than a lump of plastic.  It lacks moving treads seem on things like the Mauler and the POC Hiss; instead, it just has treads molded into the body of the vehicle.  The Hiss Tank has always had this feature since its first release in 1983.  It does roll thanks to two wheels mounted under the molded 'treads'.

On the rear deck you'll find two modern sized foot-pegs to transport additional personnel, which enhances play value as it makes it a vehicle that can in a pinch, transport an entire squad of Troopers.   

 

There are of course, two main crew positions, the cockpit for the driver, and the open turret for the commander/gunner. 
    
To recap a brief accounting of my complaints:

1. The cockpit is a bit small for modern figures, the driver's head smooshes underneath the canopy.  This of course, is nothing new as this phenomenon was a problem even in some vintage vehicles.  
2. It's a big, hollow block of plastic.
3. No moving treads.
4. Vintage models were known to have a fragile 'clip' that held gun up when elevated.  
5. "Meh" file card format.
6. No blueprints
7. Older versions had a problem with a plastic tab on the turret breaking, causing the guns to droop.  I'm not certain that's been fixed
   

The first four issues have been there since the original in 1983, so its nothing new.  What do I like about this toy?

1. It's durable and simple.
2. It looks great and has a very iconic aesthetic.
3. It was very easy to find during its run.  
4. It provides good play value.
5. There's still fairly good detail.  
   

 If I were to hand out a general grade, I think I'd give it a solid C+.  Its an uninspiring release, however, and since it looks as if the Retro Line is on hold and the modern 4" format on hiatus after a rather short run, It along with the other Retro were just a trial balloon that were just *popped* before anything new and interesting came out.