Target fumbled the ball on this release. He’s not even listed on the website, and some stores are holding them back for an end cap that he’ll be on on the 30th?

My only advice is to keep up with what other collectors are seeing on FB, and join a local collectors group. I hooked a couple local guys up. I’ll keep an eye out, but you have to really work to get these damn figures. It shouldn’t be this hard. 3rd party resale sites have almost ruined collecting. The assholes hoarding Bludd are looking for trades for figures that other collectors hoarded in the previous waves. I think it boils down to product availability. Legends rot on the shelf while finding a Joe is like hunting Bigfoot...and the same company makes both! Hopefully things get better, or this line is toast.

The best intel I can gather is to check first thing in the morning in the days leading up to the 30th. That’s a Sunday, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get there at 8AM. It looks like that was supposed to be the original release date. I checked a local store that is wiped out, and they have more stock coming on the 30th.

Unfortunately, its not easy finding local collector communities because of where I live. There’s enough of a presence to warrant the hunt, but not enough for Facebook communities. If you can help that would be huge, as I will try to find one for someone else. Its just so hard because everyone is either scalping or buying for somebody else.

Im not giving up though, Im too stubborn ��

Where do you live?

Louisiana, typically shipments of new figures hit my stores much later than most. For example, Major Bludd came in only Tuesday, while the rest of the country Seems to have gotten him weeks in advance.

I’m in SC, and we started seeing them on Monday. One store swears they’re holding theirs until the 30th. I’m going to test that theory. I’m sure they’ll be long gone, but I’ll need someone to explain why the toy manager lied to people for weeks.

They’re just a bunch of hoodlums! Lol

It's definitely Target as far as CI exclusives go. Major Bludd is the absolute WORST offender so far. Within Target's system itself the figure doesn't even return a result within their API inventory endpoint. The result is a "Forbidden" status, "Error Code 403" and "Unpublished Product". What that basically means is Target isn't even inventorying (is that a word?) Major Bludd. Like at all. His DCPI registers in Associate Handhelds. HOWEVER, stores do not have an active area designated for him. The lady I spoke with said,"I can sell him to you because the register isn't locked, it's in the our system but isn't 'officially' in our inventory. There's no shelf space for it."

It's like Target said,"Fuck it. We have to stock it but let's just TREAT IT LIKE IT ISN'T EVEN THERE. Problem solved. K thanks bye." So if you guys are having trouble with associates and they are acting weird about Bludd that's why. They have no idea what to do with a product that is exclusive to Target. Couple all that with the fact stores receive, at most, six per shipment and rarely get more that one restock and it's a recipe for crushed hope.

Incredible.

Anyone have the TCIN number for "Kepler"?

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...81e55d29_h.jpg2021-05-20_09-51-28 by lowanbing, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b6773968_k.jpg2021-05-20_09-51-45 by lowanbing, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...25e7fdac_k.jpg2021-05-20_09-51-58 by lowanbing, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0c079baa_k.jpg2021-05-20_09-52-10 by lowanbing, on Flickr

Man those shots are insanely sweet bro.

Hmmm... still not feeling CI Firefly. I hope if Hasbro reissues Firefly they do a more classic looking Firefly. Zartan and Bludd are aces though. Still not hunting 6" Joes yet... if I ever see Classified Flint and Jaye on a peg I might jump in though.

Thanks Harbinger- been having a ton of fun playing around with these guys

I'm with you. That massive vest just makes him too clunky chunky. Not what I envision as a "Get-in-Get-out" ninja saboteur. He looks more like a mad bomber. Which is how I think of Scrap-Iron. The dynamite is just silly. Is he a fan of vintage explosives delivered via drone? His design just seems all over the place.

While out doing the weekly shopping, I had a few unexpected joe sightings.

Target had nothing, pegs are still empty.

Walmart had redeco Scarlett and redeco Roadblock, so I grabbed Scarlett. Unfortunately the Roadblock had issues. His eyes were really bad, they were both looking hard left, and they looked unfinished with no pupils or gloss. Plus his box was severely damaged, the plastic in the front was cracked or cut open. Scarlett's box also had damage that was less severe, but the barcode was really worn off, I'd never seen anything like it. I was surprised she actually rang up at the self checkout. I suspect these figures did not come from a fresh case today, but instead were probably lost in the store somehow and found their way back to the toy section.

I'm liking Scarlett way more than I thought I would. She's fun to pose and while she seems light on accessories, what she has is done well. I will try to find her some guns though.

Then at Meijer they finally had some joes for the first time - one case of wave 4. I looked over the two cobra commanders, sadly both had too many paint slop and visible glue issues. One of them actually had an extra pointing hand rolling around loose in the box too. I decided against my better judgement to buy a Lady Jaye, hoping that her right elbow would not have any issues like the previous two I've purchased. As soon as I got her out the box I discovered the back of her arm was spilt open and deformed. Needless to say she's getting returned. I did try to get the elbow joints to move out of curiosity, and they were frozen solid, only on the right side as usual.

I don't understand my luck. I can find a Major Bludd last week, but I can't find a Lady Jaye that doesn't have a defective arm?!? Has anyone else had this issue? I've now had 3 of them all from separate stores that all had the same problem with the double elbow on the right arm.

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!!!!

https://i.imgur.com/BL07KHO.jpg

I feel like I uncovered the holy grail here. I was at Target about 20 minutes ago and just on the off chance asked an employee about the figure, gave her the DCPI and she said they had one in the back. BOOM! This is like the greatest thing to happen to me in the last three months!!!!

Awesome!

Greatest thing? Didn't you also find 4 Vipers? lol

That was back in Jan. These last few months have been rough, really rough. Like... nevermind.

Nice score on that Bludd! I'm thinking he will not get stocked, so if you don't find him this week he is probably gone for good... the Cobra Island version anyway.

Nice find Dr. Kain. There isn't one in all of Southern AZ within 140 miles of me. Supposedly there's gonna be some coming in for a reset on the 30th...a whopping 4 of them.

I'm still not understanding Hasbro how my local Targets got 3 or 4 cases of Katy....but a single case of the new CW Black Series and Bludds. Legends definitely gets treated a whole lot differently from the other brands.

This line so bums me out. G.I. Joe is by far my favorite toy line and I actually do love what they're doing with this line. But they just won't let me buy their stuff.

Just let me buy your stuff, Hasbro. C'mon.

You can always invest in other toy lines. People who are killing themselves over this line have no self-respect.