Posted by: @docsilence

↑

@neal It is very hard to spot but
click on your username (can do it right from this thread in your own post) 
Look at the top right corner for an icon that kinda looks like two people talking? It's below your avatar and username but above the bar that has: Profile/Favored/Activity/Status 
If you click that it'll take you to a place where you can edit your time zone, password, all those details. It's not super intuitive to find.

(let me know if you can't find it and I'll grab a screen shot!) 

OK, I found it.  Thank you!

Posted by: @normdapito

↑

I believe they were forced to change the design or cease and desist making it. I think it still looks good enough. But it’s likely that Hasbro will still release an official one.

Yeah it is believed it was a C&D that caused them to make the change.   Which probably isn't surprising that Hasbro is looking at doing the Sky Hawk in Classified.   I'm sure we'll see something this year (probably just a reveal, not the actual product).

Fans Hobby probably was also surprised by this because they have had such free reign over the years with their Transformers (unofficial) product.   They probably didn't think anything of it when doing the "Air Eagle" and just assumed it would be business as usual.   Guess the Joe team isn't quite as complacent as the TF team (or at least someone up the chain was more upset about this than the TF stuff).

Hasbro definitely likes getting all the GI Joe money they can get. I’m also quite certain that “Eagle” is going to be some assembly required which will allow patrons to assemble their product in a manner most appealing to them. I ordered it because it’s my fave! I’ll let you know when it comes. 

Thwipp!

Posted by: @leor

↑

Still I’m for the Ramen tank this year but I heard rumors that this year’s Haslab may be a tank?  

I talked myself into the Ramen tank by figuring, even if Hasbro made a MOBAT or Wolverine, they would *never* make a bridge layer, so it won't be obsolete in a couple years. 

But what rumors are you hearing about the HasLab? I figured we were still in the wishful thinking stages. 

@fletch Just rumors that it’s either Mobat or Mauler. Nothing concrete and mostly speculation. The reasoning is Cobra has Hiss and Rattler for ground and air while Joes only have air with the Dragonfly so ground support is speculated to be next. A tank to counter the Hiss.

@leor Yeah that is the prevailing theory right now.

It does make sense to be a Joe vehicle since they have been going back and forth each year (Cobra, Joe, Cobra....)

The Mauler is probably the one most fans think makes the most sense for a Haslab.   It is a tank, it is larger than a lot of vehicles in the line and is a Joe ground vehicle.

I remember someone here mentioned that they were part of the focus group that Hasbro did for Joe Haslabs and that there were, I think, 4 choices.  One of those choices was the Rattler, but the others were all apparently well known/loved choices.   So a Mauler is probably in the group.

We'll probably find out around SDCC this year.

What I liked about vehicles when I was a kid was their ability to load as many figures on there as possible. Not just via foot pegs, but actual seating inside cockpits or turrets. That has carried over into my adulthood. One of the things that pays off most for me regarding the HISS is the back area that opens to fit figures inside. If they were to make the Mauler, I'd hope they could do the same. I have no connection to the Mauler, I didn't have it as a kid. I like that it looks like a real world tank, as opposed to the HAVOC, which I had as a kid. I was gifted TWO for Christmas due to parents and aunts lack of coordination back in those days. I think I cannibalized one, in my earliest attempts at customs. If the next HasLab is the Mauler, I probably wouldn't back it. I'm much less inclined to back Classified HasLabs due to the overwhelming size of the HISS. They still wind up making mass market vehicles anyway, and they fit my budget and display space better.

It looks like Pulse charged me on Sunday for Zandar, Leatherneck, and the SAW-Viper ... but not Dial-Tone.

Coincidentally enough, Amazon pushed up the date on the same three, but also show Dial-Tone lagging.

I know my Amazon Saw Viper and Zandar preorder are past the point of cancellation.

There's something about the chaos of Pulse that makes me laugh. I'd had a notification that Dial-Tone was shipping soon, but just got shipping notification - not the pre-shipping notification - for Zandar, Leatherneck, and SAW Viper. Zero warning. I'm okay with it, I assumed I'd be charged soon, but there is no predictability about if you'll get that "coming soon" notification, is there. 

Most psyched to finally have the Zartan family reunion complete. 

@canprime one of the Joe YouTubers seems confident that his inside info about the next one being the whale, also from focus groups, is a given. I guess the info he was given was correct about the previous ones. Who knows...

I never had the Whale as a kid, nor the Mauler/Mobat. Classified scale I prefer the Mauler over a Whale, but I understand the dream project nature of making a Whale. I’d have to think long on buying in on the Whale.

Thwipp!

I didn't have the Whale either, but looking at pics, if they maintained scale, it would be like three feet long and two feet wide. If that was the next HasLab, it wouldn't even be a consideration. I would not support it.

Posted by: @lightsyder

↑

@canprime one of the Joe YouTubers seems confident that his inside info about the next one being the whale, also from focus groups, is a given. I guess the info he was given was correct about the previous ones. Who knows...

Yeah I think I saw somewhere that the choices were Rattler, Whale, Mauler and Hydrofoil, but I am not certain.

I think the Whale would be an awesome choice, but there is no way it could be done for any less than $500US.  The Ghost (Star Wars) is probably a close analog to what the dimensions would be for a Classified Whale.   The Ghost was huge and according to the specs it was (approx.) 28" wide, 34.5" long and 13" high.   That sounds about right for a Classified Whale.

The big difference is that the Ghost was a bit of a diamond shape so it didn't quite seem as big as it was (barely).   If they did a Whale it would basically be a box with no real cuts to the body to make it seem smaller than it is in person.   

I think if they did try the Whale, it would be expensive ($500US+) and they would probably cut the number of figures again.  We would probably get Cutter, and maybe one more figure as a tier, but otherwise it would be minimal offerings for tiers.

Either way whichever vehicle they choose I will be eager to see how they pull it off.

So, from a space standpoint the Whale is a terrible idea and I should never even think about it.   From a design standpoint, I always loved the design of the Whale and would have a very hard time not commiting    There's just something about the profile of that thing with it's big old inflatable underside that I love - even though it looks super vulnerable because of that...   I never had the original but I always wanted it.    If the whale is the HasLab it might be the first one I back in years.   

I'm not sure if I would back the MOBAT - it doesn't seem like a very passenger friendly vehicle for the size.    Similarly, the Wolverine also isn't particularly passenger friendly given it's footprint.

The one other vehicle I would find impossible to resist despite it's size would be the Snow Cat.   I love that vehicle to a stupid degree and way out of proportion to how useful and important it should be in the collection.  It was my favorite Joe vehicle I owned as a kid and I would 100% buy in if it was the HasLab offering.