What goes POP when you put a pin in it?

Don’t answer that, just admire my rad wordplay skills and check out the latest additions to my G.I. Joe collection.

I’ve always been collecting stuff related to the G.I. Joe action figures, and they sure do release some paraphernalia – most of it through licensing. I’ve collected the Funko Pop figures, but this time around, I finally pulled the trigger on the Funko Pop Pins and naturally, I got all 4 of them in one go 🙂

Funko Pop Pins

We got Storm Shadow in his G.I. Joe camo outfit, Cobra Commander with battle helmet (I think we really are never going to get a hooded version under license again), Destro and Snake-Eyes, both in their ‘traditional’ look.

Storm Shadow

Not only is he depicted in the white camouflage from the time he joined the Ninja Force, he’s also a glow in the dark pin. Not very stealthy for a ninja if you ask me.

Cobra Commander

Strangely enough, the big head really works well with the chrome battle helmet.

Destro

As with the Cobra Commander pin, the big head really makes the chrome pop. Get it, chrome and pop, cause it’s in chrome and it’s a pop… Moving on.

Snake Eyes

Of course they had to include Snake Eyes in the mix. The all black figure gets details shown in chrome and it’s really well done.

Now these aren’t your ordinary lapel pins, they be BIG. Each one is around 4 inches (roughly the size of an OG 1982 style action figure). They come in these sleek black boxes with a clear front and gold accents which give them a rather exclusive look. Just look at the G.I. Joe logo popping out from the black background, just gorgeous! While you’re looking at it, do you notice the “Cobra – The Enemy” tagline on top where you’d expect to see “A Real American Hero”? I’ve never seen it shown like that before, not going to lie, I don’t hate it. Is it weird? Kinda.

As for the practical part, they have 3 prickly bits on the back (the actual pins if you will) and come with a built-in stand that is removable showing the Funko crown.

That’s all for now. See you back again soon(ish). Until then… Happy Collecting and YoJoe!

The tale of the well-traveled Mr. Sneeden

Last year, Funko released the G.I. Joe Beach Head figure as an NYCC Exclusive. At first, it looked like it would be very hard to find one over here in Europe. After searching for a while and debating with myself just how much money I was going to spend on him, I found one on eBay for a very reasonable price, $30 including shipping to Belgium. All the others I had come across were either cheap but with expensive shipping costs or they asked already more than $30 for just the figures. So, I didn’t doubt long and bought it. Paid with PayPal. Friendly contact with the seller. So far so good. And then started the waiting game. 

I waited a long time, but suddenly I got contacted through Facebook Messenger by some guy from Norway. He sent me pictures of the Beach Head Funko pop, papers with my name and address on them, and accused me of trying to rip him off. I explained that I did buy the figure on eBay, that my data was correct, but that the tracking information I got from eBay was still showing my figure in transit. We soon discovered that we both ordered from the same seller, and that most likely the packages got mixed up. The confirmation for that arrived a few days later, when I received ‘my package’. It contained the Norwegian’s Star Wars figure. 

I contacted the seller and he remained friendly and was quite upset with the mixup. He only had 2 international sales and it just happened to be these 2 that got messed up. He told me not to worry and just file for  a return through eBay. There the trouble started. There was no way that I could initiate a return shipping other than sending it back on my own initiative and cost. The seller tried to get it initiated, but couldn’t make it happen as well. I then contacted the eBay Customer Support. I must say, they were quite helpful and quite timely to reply. They told me that because it was an international sale, no returns could be initiated from eBay itself and I would have to arrange it through PayPal. So, I launched an inquiry with PayPal. Meanwhile, the Norwegian guy and I had come to an agreement, we’d ship the packages between us, if the seller would pay for the fees. We never heard back from the seller on that offer. And after escalating with PayPal Support, we got our money back in full. We could start the exchange ourselves.

I tried to register the parcel with our Belgian Postal Service, but they were asking $44 to ship the package to Norway! I wasn’t going to pay that much for the Funko Pop figure, and so I looked at other shipping providers. DHL, DPD, several others, they all charged more than that. It was insane. Since we don’t live that far from the border with The Netherlands, I thought to look with their PostNL. They offered the shipping for just $23. So I risked it – technically all non-essential travel outside of Belgium is still discouraged – and drove to the nearest Dutch post office. I filled in a few forms, paid the fee and the package was on it’s way to Norway. Due to the pandemic, shipping times are longer, but just a few days later, I received my Funko Pop figure and another few days and the Star Wars figure landed in Norway. Happy Ending 🙂

Let me end this post with some pictures of the Beach Head Funko Pop figure. I won’t go into another Belgian Post rant. Believe me, I want to, but I’m not going to. Enjoy the pictures.

Happy Collecting and YoJoe!

Play that Funko music, Metal boy!

I’ve been blessed with the best colleagues in the world. One of my North American colleagues had bought this shiny Funko and another colleague brought it back with him to Belgium (in exchange for some Belgian chocolate ?)

I have to say it’s a lot shinier than I thought it would be, but it’s great to have Destro as an addition to my collection. Now I’ve got all the G.I.JOE (& Cobra) Funko Pops that are released.

Snake-Eyes and Roadblock are getting outnumbered though, with 2 CC’s and 2 SS’s, and now Destro hogging all the shelf space for Cobra.

Happy Collecting and YOJOE!

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