Posted in: Collectibles, Hasbro | Tagged: gi joe, gi joe classified, GI Joe Retro, hasbro, hasbro pulse, walmart

GI Joe Week: We Take A Look At The Latest Retro Offerings

Published Wed, 22 Jun 2022 16:22:12 -0500

GI Joe fans, we recently were sent a box of goodies to take a look at, so over the next few days, we will do just that. Today we kick it off with a look at the latest offerings in the Retro lines. Classified collectors can look for retro carded figures with a more classic look to them exclusively at Walmart stores over the summer, while on Hasbro Pulse, 3.75-inch Joe fans can grab new old-school style o-ring figure two-packs. We thank Hasbro for sending over the box for us to take a look at, and you can see below for a look at the Classified Retro Baroness and the Retro Cobra Officer and Trooper.

Retro GI Joe Collectors Will Love These

First, the GI Joe Classified Retro Series is coming to Walmart stores. Usually, I would have a look at the figure outside the package, but I will not be opening this one. Baroness looks too good on the card, a throwback to the original from 1984. The first release of Baroness in the Classified line was in the Target exclusive Cobra Island pack with a motorcycle and had some updates to the deco. This one is much closer to her vintage original look, all black and that classic Cobra emblem across her chest. The back includes classic cross-sell, including a filecard. End of the day, these releases will stay on the card for me, and I will be opening the updated, regular line releases. These will look great on the wall MOC.

I did, however, tear into the Retro o-ring figures. This is the second set in the collection, after Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. The figures come in what I thought was a plastic outer shell with new art, but it turns out it is flimsy cardboard. Inside are where the vintage style carded figures are, also with new artwork but harkening back to the 80s. They each come separate, and they do include a file card on the blister. One neat thing is that their weapons cache is tucked into the bottom in its own compartment. When you get them out, they feel just like a classic GI Joe 3.75-inch figure. The updates they included are welcome, a new better, quality o-ring holds the figure together, and they re-enforced the thumbs so they will not break off. Other than those two welcome additions, these look and feel like classic figures. They feature the same articulation, fantastic, classic sculpting, and really great paint aps. These fit right in next to my vintage figures, and even the new Super7 line of ReAction as well. They hold their weapons well, too; that thumb really makes a difference and keeps them from falling out a ton.

I really like these, and as a vintage GI Joe collector as well, I like adding things like this to my collection. I like how the 3.75-inch figures fit in with the rest of my collection, and the Classified figures look great on that old-school package. I have come to like the regular Classified look, but one wonders if that vintage style should have been what they went with from the start.

The Classified Retro figures wave can be found in Walmarts this summer, as preorders have sold out. The Retro 3.75-inch figures can be preordered right here.

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