Wandering Eye in My Marriage to Hasbro and the Classified Line

By Destro Designs – Viper Den Studios

Since the inception of my adult collecting, I’ve been married to Hasbro’s G.I. Joe Classified line. And while 2025 was like a Cadillac-sized ball of crack for a crackhead, 2026, along with other amazing lines, has diminished the light in my eyes of loyalty to the line and the brand.

It all started when I opened the $46 Legacy Special Forces figure while having two different Monster Force Delta Reds that were a couple of dollars cheaper and infinitely better, with more gear that was cooler.

Ever since then, I’ve noticed things about other lines that stand out to me.

First, Valaverse.

Mr. Vala is CRUSHING it right now with his Black Series, as well as everything else he has done. Add in the boat and machine gun nest I’ve seen coming, and the dude is dialed into what the people want. His figures, while remaining at a similar price point, have continued to get better. The quality is so obvious. You can feel the weight of the figures. You can see the detail and enjoy the stuff every figure comes with.

Oh, and never mind that he’s releasing a truly freaking AMAZING Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell, which I am obsessed with. Throws money at the screen when he sees this figure.

After watching what he’s been revealing, especially on the 3POA Podcast with my brother Laserpants, Mr. Vala will be getting my money this year. Pair all that with the fact that he has my brother Mark Fogarty of Destro Is My Spirit Animal producing dope content for him, and I am totally in. Fuck yeah.

Lines like Skeletron are also making really cool-looking 1:12 figures. I haven’t spent too much time looking into those, but every time I see something from them, I’m like, “Ooooooo, that’s hot,” like I’m Paris Hilton.

Monster Force has been pounding out some truly incredible figures. The Delta Reds are unreal commando-style marauders that are painted into oblivion with awesomeness, and the gear is off the charts. I freaking LOVE those figures. Monster Force joining GridIron to bolster the weapons is a smart-ass move. Great figures, more than worth the cost.

Don’t even get me started on Mezco. Every G.I. Joe figure they have made is basically the definitive edition of that figure. Hell, the Mezco Firefly is probably the best 1:12 figure in all the land, and the only ones close are also from the Mezco line. The figure, and ALLLLLL the ridiculous stuff it comes with, just can’t be beat. Period. I feel like I’ve said the least about these figures because y’all already know. Mezco is the Blue Ribbon.

ThreeZero and Sideshow have the 1:6 scale on lock. Sideshow Baroness, ThreeZero Snake Eyes V4, and Sideshow Major Bludd are all elite-as-fuck figures. Totally awesome. Honestly, the ThreeZero V4 Snake Eyes is basically the best version of Snake Eyes I’ve ever seen. It’s unreal.

There are also a lot of lines that make figures that stray from the militaristic style that works for me. Savage Crucible makes some freaking really cool, almost unbelievable figures. Shout out to them boys. Even though it’s not what I butter my bread with, I can dig it for sure.

So while I am still pre-ordering some Joes from Hasbro, and G.I. Joe is still the core and overwhelming majority of my love for collecting, I feel my eye wandering quite a bit toward other things that are better and at better pricing. Or, at least in the case of Mezco, worth the price.

The ring is still on my finger, but the eye is wandering.

Ya heard, Hasbro? Get it together and excite me once again.