Toy Recon: 2011 Skystriker and GI Joe-compatible toys

I'm thankful to my friend Darlene who gave me a Motorola V8 with a usable cam. Makes these toy recon trips easier.

I was going through the toy section of Landmark Dept. Store, looking for GI Joes or Transformers or anything that could be of interest. I found this on a high shelf:

After the fiasco that is GI Joe: Rise of Cobra, I would have thought that retailers would be a little paranoid in getting GI Joe merchandise. Well, they are, because they are really limiting what they are getting to sell. But I have to ask, why did they get a big ticket item (Php2,200+) like the Skystriker? I mean, sure, it is iconic and collectors my age might get them. But after presumably suffering loss and remaindering the rest of their RoC stock, would they gamble on a big vehicle? Why not Pursuit of Cobra figures? Why not smaller vehicles? I may want one of those things but lack of money and, more importantly, lack of space keeps me from getting this.


But I did find other things of interest. GI Joe collectors are always on the lookout for toys that would be compatible with 3.75 inch figures like GI Joes. Mostly they are the military set toys made by Chap Mei (Soldier Force V) and Power Team Elite. Toys R Us's True Heroes line also looked good to me, though I've yet to procure one of their "Little Bird" helicopter gunships. That said, I was surprised to find this:




There was a time in my collecting days that I was so desperate for a troop carrier that I ordered this very chopper from Amazon! Imagine my horror when I saw this being sold at retail. Sold at Php1,500+, this is a good buy. Though I have to warn potential buyers that GI Joe figures are a little too big, especially in the passenger area. The cockpits hold the figures well, though.






Here's another surprise, from the same maker:

I seriously want this F-22 Raptor, in my more boyish dreams and fantasies. But, as in the case of the Skystriker (even though this is about 70% of the price of a Skystriker at Php1,500+), the lack of money and space keeps me from indulging in this. After the lesson in James 4:4 about loving things in this world is enmity with God, I take pause. I like this Raptor. I want this Raptor. But I can live without it, for I do not love it.

Thus I post this bit of recon here, for those of you who want them and can afford them. :)