The Sightline figure was one of the last great moments of the Joe collecting community before the values of figures exploded and the gates were overrun by fly by night collectors, pickers and other urchins who exploited the community solely for their own personal gain. The idea behind the figure was an homage to an adored collector who passed away far too soon. The figure was given for free to collectors at the show. Kids, especially, were targeted for receipt as a way to get them interested in the brand. Collectors who didn't want their Sightline were supposed to give it away. Few did. (Though, I did get mine from one selfless collector who followed in the spirit of the figure.) And, fewer still tried to sell them. For a bit, public shame kept the number of figures being sold very low. Now, though, the allure of the almighty dollar has lead even seasoned collectors who knew Gary and know better to profit off of Sightline. He's now a $200+ figure. His color scheme and look has been co-opted to other factory custom figures. But, none have captured the attention of the community like Sightline. Sadly, the joy of collecting that the figure was supposed to encapsulate is now gone.
The figure itself, though, remains top notch. Sightline is one of Red Laser Army's best figures. The helmet, visor, rifle and pack made him feel like a fully formed figure worthy of any collection. The colors worked well. And, the parts felt fresh. For a time, Sightline was the darling of the Joe photo crowd and he appeared frequently. In the years since, though, Sightline has become a less common photo subject as we move further away from his release date. The upside is that he causes good feedback when he does appear. But, it's a shame the figure has dropped out of the collective mind of the Joe world.
Sightline Profile
I'm glad I bought mine back in 2017 for the pricey sum of around a hundred bucks. Supposedly JoeDeclassified is not allowed to sell them per Hasbro but okay to giveaway. The rumour is that that they have a bunch they have been holding on to. since then. They announced on a FB post that they were going to give them away back in 2017, but I don't think they ever did. I bet someone is just waiting it out for Hasbro to forget, so they can start selling them.
ReplyDeleteI do believe they gave some away at a show either late last year or earlier this year. So, they are still giving some of the remaining stock away when they have the chance.
DeleteJoe Declassified will never sell Sightlines figures. Ever.
Deletei don't think they will sell them, but supposedly 10k of the figure were made so that to me is a lot. completely different than other joecon figures like those limtied to 600 or so. i really can't see how this is come to be almost 300 dollars. i simply don't see the value.
DeleteNever understood the fuss about the real man or the bootleg figure. $200 can buy so many better things than that. Gary might have been a great guy, but no fan deserves a tribute more than any other fan does. Go ahead, get mad.
ReplyDeleteyr absolutely head. no offense against Gary but this has become a money game like so many other things involving adult collectibles. and between that and the club gatherings just being about selling shit made me drop out of joe entirety.
Deletemade me drop out of joe almost entirely
yr absolutely right. between this debacle and joe fest Turning into a sell a thon I've had enough.
DeleteReally sorry I missed out on this figure, but the price is a little crazy!
ReplyDeletereally not missing much in my opinion. quality of the figure is Red Laser, but the backpack doesn't even fit, plastic feels cheap, and at close to $300 today it is way out of its real worth.
DeleteAesthetically not my cup of tea, and trying to get something just because it's a collectible only is not worth it to me.
ReplyDelete