u/Few_Macaroon_6290

As you all know, the new Ninja Force Snake Eyes & Jinx Target exclusive dropped this morning. As soon as it became available, my wife ordered one for in-store pickup at our local (about 40 minutes away) Target. The app showed 4 in stock, the order went through and around 8 AM we got the notification that it was ready for pickup.

We went to the store, only to be told they don’t know what happened, but they don’t have them and our order was being canceled. I checked the toy section myself and there were none. Yet the Target app still showed at that time, 1 in stock at that store, while all the surrounding stores were all sold out.

I’m not accusing anyone of anything, but given how sought-after this set is and its likely aftermarket value, I’m curious about what could have happened. Could this simply be an inventory/receiving error or is there something else going? I missed the Pulse preorder due to being at work and I’m pretty sure this was my only chance to get this set. As great as this set looks, I won’t be paying the aftermarket prices. It already feels overpriced as is.

Any Target employees or collectors who’ve experienced something similar have any insights? I’m super annoyed with Target and the way they handle these exclusives.

Went to Walmart for the new Anakin and Cody set. Walked out with Anakin and Cody… and a Lando.

I already own two.

But I’ve seen this exact Lando sitting on these pegs for YEARS and at this point I feel like I have a civic responsibility. 🫡😂

No regrets at all. He’s an excellent figure and I’m happy to have another one.

For me, Snake Eyes was just different. I loved everything about him.

All black. Masked. Shiny. Sleek. Mysterious.

He had his iconic Uzi and that little black shoulder bag. I loved the Uzi. Such a badass weapon.

I was eight years old and I don’t remember anyone having to tell me that Snake Eyes was a ninja. I had already decided that he was one. There was just something about him that made it obvious to me. Maybe it was that I was obsessed with ninjas and dressed as one almost every Halloween 😂

And then there were the ferns.

My mom has always had a green thumb and our house was filled with plants. In the back room of my parents house were these huge, gorgeous ferns sitting on wrought-iron stands.

To an adult, they were beautiful houseplants.
To an eight-year-old with a Snake Eyes figure, they were a jungle adventure just waiting to happen!

My Snake Eyes spent SO much time in there.
He’d climb through the leaves, swing from imaginary vines, disappear into the foliage on covert reconnaissance missions, ambush enemies and emerge from the jungle like some tiny black ghost.

I just knew Snake Eyes was the hero. He was the hero of my eight-year-old imagination. Having this 1982 straight-arm Snake Eyes back in my hands today, I don’t just see an old action figure. I see those ferns in my parent’s back room. And for a just a second, I’m eight years old again, staring into a jungle that wasn’t really there. Man, it was awesome. I love these vintage GIJoes. 🥷🌿

They are anchors to specific childhood memories. That’s probably the biggest reason I’ve been having so much fun getting back into vintage G.I. Joe.

These little plastic guys take me straight back to the early ’80s: action figures, sandpiles, hose water, and Saturday morning cartoons.
But Snow Job takes me back to one very specific memory…

I was in fourth grade and was playing Joes with my friend Travis. Specifically, I was playing with my Snow Job figure. I remember that figure vividly, especially the skis and poles. At some point, Travis took my Snow Job’s skis and poles and later gave them to another friend, Ross.

I remember being genuinely hurt by this. Looking back now, the skis and poles obviously weren’t the real issue. I think what hurt was realizing, maybe for the first time, that the person I thought was my best friend didn’t necessarily think of me as his best friend.

It was one of those small childhood moments that probably seemed insignificant to everyone else, but somehow lodged itself in my memory.

And for whatever reason, I never forgot Snow Job.

Fast forward about 40 years.

When I started getting back into vintage G.I. Joe, Snow Job was one of the figures I knew I wanted to find. And not just the figure. I wanted him complete, with the skis and poles. I finally found one.

When I put those skis on and poles back in his hands, it was strange how quickly that old memory came rushing back.

Not just Snow Job.
Fourth grade.
Travis.
Ross.

And that very specific feeling of realizing that a friendship you thought was one thing might actually be something different. I’m not sure I ever would have remembered that moment without Snow Job.

For me, that’s a huge part of what I think I’m enjoying most about collecting these old figures. I’m not really trying to recreate my childhood. I know I can’t. But I am collecting little pieces of it.

Maybe that’s what makes vintage toys so powerful. They aren’t just toys to me anymore. They’re anchors to people, places, feelings, and moments that might otherwise have disappeared.

Major Bludd is one of my most favorite G.I. Joes and I think part of the reason is that I truly had to earn him.

Back in early 1983, you couldn’t just walk into a store and buy Major Bludd. I distinctly remember having to patiently collect the required G.I. Joe card backs, send them off to Hasbro with the form, and then wait.

And wait.

And wait… 😂

I don’t remember exactly how long it actually took, but as a kid it genuinely felt like forever. I have very distinct memories of checking the mailbox obsessively every single day and watching for the mailman, hoping that today would finally be the day. And then one day, he finally arrived!!

The eyepatch. The metal arm. The cool-ass pistol and backpack with missiles/rockets(?) and those awesome dog tags around his neck, supposedly collected from the Joes he’d killed in battle. 😳

Seriously, what an absolutely badass figure!!! The look, the accessories, the backstory. Everything about Major Bludd was just so damn cool!! In my opinion, he’s one of the best Joes ever made.

I think because I had to work for him and then wait (seemingly forever!!) for him to arrive, he always felt a little more special to me than the Joes I simply picked up at the store.

40+ years later, I cannot even describe how happy I am to have the Mercenary back in my collection. 🫡 I recently bought him off eBay and cleaned him and shined him up. He looks good as new (almost)!

Anyone else remember the mail away offers and the pain and long suffering we endured, waiting for them to arrive via snail mail?

(Mail away offer pic from 3djoes.com).

Flash has always been the G.I. Joe for me. Recently, I found a letter that i wrote to Santa back in 1982 and in the letter, I asked for “the Laser Rifle G.I. Joe.” Before i even knew his name was Flash, I wanted him. He just looked SO cool!!

More than 40 years later, I finally tracked down a vintage Flash and brought him back into the collection. He needed a little TLC, so I carefully cleaned him up, replaced the o-ring, and finished him with some Novus #1 plastic polish. I’m really happy with how he turned out!!

It’s amazing how an action figure can unlock memories from childhood. Some figures are just toys. Others are old friends. I’m slowly but surely bringing home my old friends ☺️

I am curious, who was your first G.I. Joe?

I was genuinely surprised to find this figure at Ross in Salt Lake City today. I’m a big Leia fan and this is one of my favorite versions of her. Happy to add her to my collection!

Found at my local Northern Utah Walmart for $17. Cheaper than the Lando hanging next to him priced at $19.99 🤷‍♂️. Couldn’t pass him up for seventeen bucks!

The Return to Tatooine theme from last year was a childhood dream come true for me. From the Cantina releases to all the ANH figures we’ve gotten (and still have on pre-order… looking at you, Cantina patrons multipack!), it has been an incredible run for TVC.

I was especially excited for the Landspeeder, along with a much needed and upgraded Farmboy Luke. What I wasn’t expecting was how strong the deluxe Farmboy Luke would be right out of the box.

The soft goods tunic, poncho, and full accessory loadout, long rifle, hat, binoculars, comlink, and lightsaber, all add a ton of display value. The weathered boots are another standout detail that really sell that dusty Tatooine feel. Combined with excellent articulation, it’s almost a perfect figure in my personal opinion.

I suppose that my only minor critique is the likeness. It isn’t quite where I hoped it would be. Earlier TVC Luke releases, particularly the X-Wing Luke, still edge this one out for me in terms of capturing Mark Hamill’s face, though none of them are truly perfect.

Overall though, I’m extremely happy with both the Landspeeder and the deluxe Farmboy Luke. It’s a fantastic release and, in my opinion, a strong win for the TVC community.

Pleasantly surprised to find these guys at Ross in Northern Utah yesterday. Happy to continue army building the 501st

I continue to be amazed at how photogenic the TVC line can be. With these shots, I wanted the scene to feel like an actual corner of Mos Eisley rather than a simple figure display, so I packed in little background stories and details to create that busy atmosphere Star Wars does so well.

I included Garindan lurking in the shadows, my $4 Ross Jod Na Nawood figure as a great background NPC. And of course Jawas off to the side doing shady Jawa business.

The close-up shot with Luke and Ben was specifically posed to capture that classic checkpoint moment right before Obi-Wan casually rewires a stormtrooper’s brain with, “These are not the droids you’re looking for.” I wanted Luke to look tense and alert while Ben stays completely calm under the hood. I loved this scene as a kid and remember being so fascinated by old Ben’s Jedi powers. Overall, I am pretty happy with how these turned out!

Ah, the nostalgia. These figures take me right back to 8-year-old me playing Star Wars with my best friend. He was the kid who had all the cool stuff: the vehicles, the playsets, and all the best figures.

Fast forward 40+ years, and now I finally have the cool figures. These little plastic legends genuinely make my heart fill with joy. The vinyl capes, the retractable sabers, the classic 5 POA… pure vintage magic.

And honestly? For being nearly 50 years old, these figures still look pretty damn good. They’ve absolutely stood the test of time. ❤️

My Pulse preorder arrived yesterday and I had to immediately unbox him. Articulation on these new TVC figures is so, so good! Photographs beautifully and the sculpt is loaded with character. Already one of my favorites!