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New Looks At The Haslab G.I. Joe Skystriker - Will It Get Funded???


JayC

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Hasbro G.I. Joe brand team member Emily Bader has posted up a few new images for the Haslab G.I. Joe Skystriker. The images show their gray model for the vehicle as well as the Ace and co-pilot Wayne Ruthel figures that will also be included if the project meets it's minimum goal of 10k backers by December 7th.

According to Emily, they will soon be releasing some videos showing this off in greater detail. While the project started out strong, in recent days the counter indicating how many people have backed this one has slowed to a crawl, currently sitting at 5,260 backers.

It's not unusual to see these campaigns start off strong, then slow down in the middle and finish strong, but since Hasbro has already revealed all the stretch goals for this one, there isn't much to keep the hype going for it over the course of the month. Currently the Haslab Ghostbusters Proton Pack campaign which started a few days after this one has already surpassed it's minimum backer goal of 7k. The Haslab Star Wars Black Series Rancor which started a day before this one has been making a come back. It is currently sitting at 5,014 backers. The Rancor had fallen a fair amount behind the Skystriker when these campaigns started, but it only needs a minimum number of 9k backers to be fully funded. Hasbro also held a second live-stream event last week for the Rancor to try and give it a bigger push, which seems to have had some positive effect.

Hasbro during Pulse-Con suggested that the Skystriker was only the beginning for their BIG plans they have for the return of 3 3/4" G.I. Joe and the classic O-Ring design for their figures. At Pulse-Con they also opened pre-orders for a new 3 3/4" O-Ring designed Snake-Eye and Storm Shadow set of figures which costs $40.

In the last few years Hasbro when it comes to G.I. Joe has been putting most of their emphasis on 6" figures with the Classified line, which is still going on strong and currently sees release at general retail. They had been doing a limited release of 3 3/4" "Retro" products through Walmart which did not incorporate the O-Ring design. That line according to Hasbro is now on hiatus, likely so they can focus on this new O-Ring Pulse exclusive line.

You can often find much debate online among collectors on whether or not the 3 3/4" scale still has a relevant place in today's market with the biggest factor going against it being prices. General retail these days certainly seems to show little interest in carrying the smaller scale stuff anymore over the larger 6" scale figures. Even when you look at a bigger brand names like Star Wars, finding the smaller scale stuff on shelf is usually more difficult than finding the larger scale ones. When you do see 3 3/4" figures at general retail, often you see things like articulation is significantly reduced in order to keep costs down.

There are some rare exceptions to this such as the Jazwares Fortnite and Halo lines, but those also have 6" counterparts and likely deemed by mass retailers these days of having a much larger appeal for kids than say G.I. Joe or even Star Wars.

When it comes to the Skystriker, I've seen many collectors complain about the price which is $229.99. If no other stretch goals were met on this one, that price would get you the newly re-designed jet, 2 new action figures, multiple high-quality decals, a re-fueler tank and ammo cart, display base, missiles and blast effects.

If all the stretch goals are met which means it would need to reach 18k backers, then you would also get 4 additional new action figures. Based on today's market that seems quit a lot for $229.99, but to me the bigger question really is how many people out there are really still that interested in collecting 3 3/4" stuff anymore? From my own perspective I see much more interest from readers when we post a story about 6" G.I. Joe figures over the smaller 3 3/4" ones.

Some have been using another Kickstarter that has been running for a pretty cool looking ROBOSKULL MKII vehicle as an example of interest still being there for 3 3/4". This is a recreation of an 80's Action Force vehicle. For those not familiar, Action Force was originally a European line from Palitoy, which has had close ties to G.I. Joe over the years.

The Roboskull Kickstarter has been fully backed with only 62 hours to go before it ends. The original goal needed was $78,000, and it currently sits at $466,595. That sounds like a lot, but if you look closer it only actually has 1,116 backers. This has a bunch of different tiers you can pledge to, but essentially for the vehicle and a 4" figure the cost of it is $219, not much cheaper than the Skystriker.

At the end of the day I would be pretty surprised if the Skystriker doesn't get fully funded with at least the minimum 10k backers. However whether that is really enough to show the bean counters at Hasbro there is really that much demand for this stuff remains to be seen in my opinion. I imagine both the Skystriker and the sale of that Snake-Eyes/Storm Shadow figure set will have to be really strong to see Hasbro really dump a lot of resources into this new line going forward. I personally hope that happens, but not confident at this time it will.

Remember if the Skystriker is funded, we will be giving one away for FREE. Click here for details on how you can enter to win. Check out the new images below.

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Not only will this easily get funded, but it'll explode past all of the stretch goals. Collectors have been screaming for the return of o-ring GI Joes for years. Hasbro has made their wish come true, and this Haslab and the Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes on Pulse are only the beginning. They've put the Walmart exclusive Retro line on hiatus and replacing it with the new o-ring line, so once word of this gets out to more people, the Haslab will take off again. It's going to take off again near the end like always. There a large number of people who always say they'll jump in when it funds. Why wait if you're going to back it if it funds? Back it now and get the damn thing funded already. If all of these people that say this don't back it and it ends up not funding then I guess they're to blame for its potential failure. If you were planning on backing it once its funded then cut that crap out and back it.

That Roboskull works with both 3.75" and 6". There's a piece inside that can be removed and it converts it between the two scales. Unless something changed and assuming the video I watched showcasing this was BS, it's not just for the smaller scale. I'm pretty sure it was one of the creators of the item showing this off.

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I collect modern Joes both 3.75" and 6", but I am among the many who are eager for the return of o-ring. Maybe the fans wanted a different vehicle for HasLab to create. There was this Cobra Heli-carrier in the cartoons that was never produced as a toy,or some other hard to find / holy grails like the USS Flagg. There were already plenty versions of the Skystriker that were released. I own one, the 30th version. So maybe that's the reason why the numbers are still low? Still, I hope the Skystriker gets funded. It will open the door for more o-ring figures, and that would be so cool.

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I was hoping the super articulated 3.75 Joes would continue. That is the scale I collect and that is where I am staying. When I grew up, we started with 5 POA star wars kenner figures in the late 90s and the O-ring Joes. They were cool, but as I got older, the toys just got better. We craved more articulation from our toys and I remember being so excited by the GI Joe 25th anniversary line. Well, I have lots to find on ebay to fill in gaps in my collection. I won't be collecting the O-ring figures, but I am glad they are there for some collectors. Maybe they will make more super-articulated 3.75 figures, but if the fanbase moves to the O-ring ones, then I guess not. Too bad, in my opinion. Time will tell if the line returns.

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Something to consider is that the first GI Joe Snake-Eyes Deluxe figure in 2020 did not sell out immediately on Hasbro Pulse. If memory serves, it was available to order for close to a month. And last year, the Marvel Retro 3.75 figs were in stock on Hasbro Pulse for a while and the Line Manager says they are very happy with its performance.

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I'm a huge gi joe collector but only O Rings. I don't see the point in buying different scales of the same characters and to me gi joe has always been 3 3/4 o rings. 

Im very excited by hasbros refocus on o rings and hope it will bring in new characters from the tv and comic that were never done in O Ring.  Top of the list is Pythona , so here's hoping. 

I was interested in Super7 but when I found out it was non-oring I lost interest fast.. now we know why! 

I just hope any new products will be widely available and not a scalper exclusive. 

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they really need a side by side picture with the old Skystrikers
I already have an o-ring Ace, I do not need another nor another Snake Eyes or Storm Shadow
Fortnite is doing great because they have a media presence (video game)

G.I. Joe hasn't had anything except the recent flop Snake Eyes movie. I saw it, it was bad. Hasbro has no idea what it is doing with G.I. Joe.
Why do their other HasLab projects have a lower backer minimum??? Especially since the G.I. Joe fan base is smaller than either of those 2 projects!?

 

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Ive been collecting O ring gi joe since the 80's through the 90's and still now, buying any figures or vehicles Ive missed. The skystriker looks great.......but the price is just too much, and at the wrong time. Christmas is not the time to try to push this out, and not with so many other haslab projects going on too. The figures are sort of......lack luster? If they had a payment plan, i'd sign up. 

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On 11/12/2021 at 12:46 AM, Goldbug said:

they really need a side by side picture with the old Skystrikers
I already have an o-ring Ace, I do not need another nor another Snake Eyes or Storm Shadow
Fortnite is doing great because they have a media presence (video game)

G.I. Joe hasn't had anything except the recent flop Snake Eyes movie. I saw it, it was bad. Hasbro has no idea what it is doing with G.I. Joe.
Why do their other HasLab projects have a lower backer minimum??? Especially since the G.I. Joe fan base is smaller than either of those 2 projects!?

 

A side by side comparison is coming next week based on what Emily from Hasbro posted on her Instagram...😀✌️

I'm also backing this first GI Joe Haslab, because I want this line to succeed and I collect GI Joe in all its forms...😎👍 GI Joe 4-Life!

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With prices getting higher and higher on 6-in figures do you think going back to 3.75 figures is in the future?

I don't understand why they're going back to o-rings since the marvel Universe and GI Joe modern figures don't need them.

I like the o-ring figures just fine. 

Over my 55 years I have purchased all of these playsets and the vehicles for 3.75 figures so it is my preferred scale.

I started collecting figures in 1978 with the Star Wars figures but when micronauts came along it blew them away.

I don't see any reason for a multi-billion toy company to make 5 POA figures.

I'm going to back this haslab.

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Hasbro today released a new Skystriker Situation Report video for their Haslab campaign and in it they give us a new look at the grey model for the vehicle. They also are seemingly teasing Dr. Mindbender as one of the characters that will soon be getting their updated O-Ring treatment in the Pulse exclusive 3 3/4" line they announced last month during Pulse-Con. They hold up a Mindbender figure which I believe was an original one asking people if they would like to see the character featured in the line.

 

With just over 21 days left the Skystriker campaign has 5,448 of the minimum 10k backers needed to go into production.

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3 hours ago, JayC said:

Hasbro today released a new Skystriker Situation Report video for their Haslab campaign and in it they give us a new look at the grey model for the vehicle. They also are seemingly teasing Dr. Mindbender as one of the characters that will soon be getting their updated O-Ring treatment in the Pulse exclusive 3 3/4" line they announced last month during Pulse-Con. They hold up a Mindbender figure which I believe was an original one asking people if they would like to see the character featured in the line.

 

With just over 21 days left the Skystriker campaign has 5,448 of the minimum 10k backers needed to go into production.

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Very nice... I want to see some of those characters come back... Dr. Mindbender was/is a favorite of mine!😀👍

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7 hours ago, Roadpigmaster said:

Very nice... I want to see some of those characters come back... Dr. Mindbender was/is a favorite of mine!😀👍

I already have one of those too. 🤨

8 hours ago, MagnaPrime said:

Yeah, I really expect this to get funded.  I don't get the folks that wait till the last minute to fund.  They don't take payment until the day after and even then only if it gets funded.  But yeah this should be funded no problem.

I'm not sure it will make it.

Still no side by side pictures with any of the older versions

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Hasbro today released a second "Situation Report" video for their G.I. Joe 3 3/4" Haslab Skystiker. In today's video they give us a better look inside the cockpit of the vehicle showing the detail of the controls including a stick for piloting the craft as well as the ejector seats which have effect display pieces you can attach to the bottom of the seats so it looks like the pilots are ejecting out of the craft. They have also re-designed the seats so you will be able to pack the parachutes within an enclosed area on the back of them.

https://fb.watch/9minf1myO3/

As of today the campaign which costs 229.99 has 5,497 of the minimum 10k needed in order for this vehicle to move into production. The campaign has just over 19 days to go before it ends. Check out some images from the video below. Assuming the Skystriker gets funded, you can also enter for a chance to win one for FREE in a contest we are running here on TNI. Click here for more details on that.

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On 11/12/2021 at 12:46 AM, Goldbug said:

they really need a side by side picture with the old Skystrikers

This. Exactly this. The photos in their "situation reports" look impressive, but there are some people they just won't get off the fence until they see exactly how much of an upgrade this is compared to the Skystrikers they already own.

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It looks pretty good. I'm signed up. 

These days I find myself wanting a full scale 1/18 Tomcat like the JSI. A full scale GI Joe version of Super Tomcat 21 at even $400-500 would be nice... double chin pod,  full weapons load out: 6 AIM-54C Phoenix,  6x AIM-7M Sparrow (or AMRAAM), 4 x AIM-9X Sidewinder, TARPS & LANTIRN pods, 4 x Mk 84, 4 x JDAM (GBU-30), 2 x GBU-10....

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I have little doubt this will get funded.  My main thing is I want those bonus figures from the extra tiers so I hope we reach those levels.  I’m excited for the Sky Striker, but still having my childhood vintage one I’m more excited for the Scarlett and the support crew to put to work on my Flagg.  It will be nice to display this Sky Striker with the alternate parts to match the box art however.  

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Hasbro G.I. Joe brand team member Emily Bader has posted up a new image for the G.I. Joe Haslab Skystriker showing a comparison of the grey model of the new vehicle with that of previously released Skystrikers. It's not the best size comparison image i've seen and it should be noted the wings are expanded on the new one and not on the other two. Still it does look like it has a little bit of size over the others.

As I type this the Skystriker Haslab campaign has 5,566 of the minimum 10k needed for this to move into production with just over 18 days to go. It's picked up 69 new backers since I made a report on this project yesterday.
 

 

Assuming the Skystriker gets funded, you can also enter for a chance to win one for FREE in a contest we are running here on TNI. Click here for more details on that.

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They're definitely trying to exaggerate the size difference on the new one by not extending the original's wings and putting the new one at a different angle up front. That said, it still looks like this one's a little bigger, and I'm sure I would gush all over it if I defied the odds and won a free one. Otherwise, it's more comforting to tell myself I don't need it.

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it does look bigger

I believe one may even be able to fit modern (25th anniv +) figures in it

although then one might have to shave off the back peg on the seats

they are really struggling to get backers compared to all their other offerings

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