G.I. Joe: The Rant
My roommate just got a case of the single carded G.I. Joe figures tonight, and while I don’t make it a habit to talk about his toy orders on the internet, I do think it’s worth mentioning.
Several of the figures had bent cards. This is okay if you plan on opening your figures, but not everyone does this (me). It really doesn’t inspire confidence in HasbroToyShop.com. It could be only an isolated incident, but I’ve seen a lot of the Joe figures on pegs at Toys Я Us that suffer the same exact bent card problems that his do. I’m sure if he really had a problem with them that he could try to exchange them, but that defeats all the fun of being excited and having all that great anticipation as you wait for your order to come in the mail, only have to do the process all over again.
I used to be a retail store minion and there were plenty of figure boxes I opened throughout my servitude of stocking shelves. I barely ever noticed problem with any of them. In fact, I was usually amazed that the Star Wars figures could look so pristine once they had made it through all the rigors that go along with traveling from the Shangri-La of toys, aka the Hasbro distribution centers, to the shelves of the local monolithic retail store via the barely trained apes that unloaded the trucks at night. If they can make the journey with nary a scratch or bend, why are these G.I. Joe figures packed so poorly? Is it because they don’t generate as much revenue as the Star Wars figures?
I’m calling Hasbro out on this one. Hasbro, meet me at noon behind the maintenance shed and bring extra tears, cuz you’re going to need them.
Post Script: I realize you’re all waiting in torturous suspense for the next part of my Battlestar Galactica wish list. You’ve fallen into my trap, dear readers. I feed upon your sufferings! Ahhh… the delicious suffering. Tastes like tuna on wheat bread. Anyway, I plan on posting it tomorrow night.
Post Post Script: My roomie just opened his Crimson Guard. Its right forearm is actually a left forearm. Yes, he has a backwards arm. Talk about quality control.
G.I. Joe, toy collecting, toys, action figures
October 17th, 2006 at 9:27 am
I can see what you mean. I worked a Xmas at KBtoys and the figures out of the box are in great shape.
For me though, the figures beckon me from within their plastic prisons and I must set them free. Set them free I say!
I’ve had a mcFarlane figure with two of the same arm. It’s pretty weird.
October 17th, 2006 at 10:33 am
I suppose I could turn this into an article someday, but I have my reasons for wanting to keep figures in their packages. Although, I’m a lot more libral with that than I used to be. Usually I’ll open Marvel Legends and I’ll buy extra clone troopers to have an army. Most Star Wars stuff is def. in the package for me, though.
Did you return your figure with two of the same arm? You’d think that would be an easy error to catch at the factory since its so obvious.
October 17th, 2006 at 10:44 am
I kept it. I’ve never been too critical as a collector. They sit on my desk and gaze lovingly down upon me as I work. Except that Darth Vader guy. I think he’s up to something.
Have you seen the Riddell mini helmets? I’ve got Vader and Boba Fett. I needs me a stormtrooper though.
October 17th, 2006 at 10:59 am
I think I’ve seen them in catalogs and such, but I have not yet seen one in person.
Any time my D.V. gives me trouble, I knock the top part of his helmet off. He doesn’t look so tough then.
I’m not one of these collectors that goes all insane over fine details, but I do get critical of crappy figs or when they can’t hold a good pose or something like that.
You know, I think I should get the name of this online journal changed to “Two Dudes Talking ‘Bout Toys”, cuz unless we’ve got a lot of lurkers out there, that’s what it is. hehe.
p.s. Lurkers, you are encouraged to post comments.
October 17th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
hehe, he said Lurkers. Yeah I tend to get torqued when I can’t get them to stand up.
Yeah, cuz he’s bald.
Lol. I’m sure that would improve the success of the blog! Hopefully our discussions will suck other people into our realm of scifi and toys.
October 17th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
Maybe I should write an article about how most of the early Marvel Legends figures look like you can put them in any pose you want, but are actually quite limited. Man, I was so pissed that I couldn’t get my ice man to go on his base like it is in the picture. ARgh!
I hope more people come to the site. I don’t like feeling I’m writing to amuse myself. Although, I do amuse myself. Anyway, I really am digging this “blog” style because it leads to discussions. With my regular website we pray for emails from readers and only get them once in a great while.
October 17th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
I really like your other blog, I just wish it had commenting. I can imagine that this type of conversation can help stimulate post ideas. If you keep posting like you are I suspect you will do well.
I have a spidey that had like 32 point of articulation, it is pretty awesome what you can do with him. I ussually have him hanging off off the monitor or speakers like he’s getting read to swing away.
October 17th, 2006 at 9:21 pm
Well thank you good sir for the kind words. But in reality, that other site is a website, not a blog for sure heh. We never even thought it could be considered a blog, because we modeled our update format after Something Awful. We do pretty well for ourselves, getting about 1000 hits a day, but not that many ad clicks. Its more for fun though anyway.
If you didn’t, I’d recommending checking out the archives, like the hostess fruit pie article is a favorite of mine. I’m also partial to wookie vs. Terminator.
I had that same spidey. I have the black one too heh.
October 18th, 2006 at 8:56 am
All my purchases from Hasbro Toy Shop are in great shape. They seem to have endured the harsh conditions when they were shipped from the warehouse to my US address and finally to my address on the other side of the world
October 18th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Hey Toyrant, thanks for stopping by. That’s good to hear! I actually have an 20th anniversary Optimus Prime on its way and I’m hoping he’s going to be okay.
December 22nd, 2006 at 1:54 am
[...] I don’t think it’s a big secret that I lead a double life. In one life I write about toys and in the other I write about… everything else. If we reach way back into the Toy Bender vault, I had complained that my roommate had gotten some figures from Hasbro that had some issue with the conditions of the cards. He also received a Crimson Guard with two left arms. Well, Shawn (that’s his name) ran with it and came up with a back story for his disfigured action figure. Go check out the inspiring story where one man overcomes tremendous odds to make a name for himself. It’s like that one movie… Remember the Radio Titans, but funny and not completely stupid. [...]