Flint (2014 SDCC Exclusive)
I was surprised to be able to snag both versions of the Danger at the Docks sets. I’ve not had much luck in getting the SDCC exclusives via Hasbrotoyshop, and was glad to be able to order through Toys R Us. Actually I’ve had success for the last two years, so yay! I’m hopeful that the recently announced Missile Command HQ will be available in the same way.
If you want a modern Flint that evokes the look of the original 1985 figure, you can’t go wrong with this one. While the new sculpt and 25th anniversary series made attempts at the man, this one outdoes them both. The modern upgrade parts that surfaced with the post-movie series have been even more effective at serving as the bases for new characters than the predecessor 25th anniversary series. The removable gear and blank-slate uniforms beneath are a customizer’s dream.
This Flint checks all the boxes for vintage fans. The only downside to the figure was the fact that the Comicon exclusive featured the classic color schemes for its Flint and VAMP II while the mass retail version gave us the variant.
This is a prime example to me of when exclusives go wrong. It seems kind of cruel to make the regular version of a toy (which will obviously be in great demand) a limited exclusive, and to put the variant out in greater numbers at retail. I wasn’t able to get this set for a reasonable price, and that was actually a turning point that soured me on buying Modern Joe.
The same way that the direct market is slowly killing comic books, The club and their exclusives will effectively end modern Joe collecting.
A lot of the figures the Club produces would probably never see the light of the day at all if not made as part of the Fan Subscription Service and the like. It’s kind of a no-win situation if you’re a fan who wants these figures but doesn’t want to pay the premium Club prices. (Lately, I just cherry-pick one or two when I see them go on sale at Guru Planet or find a good price on eBay.) The Danger at the Docks set, though; that was clearly an instance where Hasbro could have made the version most people wanted more available and chose to make it a rare exclusive. That’s the kind of puzzling, seemingly misanthropic move that can turn away a lot of fans. Not a good idea when your toyline is already struggling to stay alive.