Hasbro had the WHALE in their mail-in brochure up until about 1994.

Picked up wave 8 at midnight off a WM pallet in Maple Grove, MN.

The Python Officer is awesome.  They finally fixed the crotch/hip articulation so the figure can sit and pose more properly.  Also, they enlarged the Cobra sigil on the chest and now that looks a lot better.  I really really hope they take these new changes and finally release the red sigil Cobra Soldier in mass because that's what I've been waiting for since the 5-Pack came out last August.

The Arctic Snake Eyes is very cool and looks awesome with all the cool accessories.  However, the back of his hood interferes with the backpack fitting properly in the backpack hole.

Major Bludd is very cool and well designed.  I can't tell he's Zartan with a new head and paint job.  The only problem with this figure are the missle in the backpack which are removable.  They keep falling off the backpack.  I ended up flipping the backpack 180 degrees so they have gravity holding them in.  Very frustratiing like the Viper goggles.

The Baroness is cool.  Holds her gun well and stands well. 

Roadblock is cool accept for the tiny Charles Barkley head.  He holds his weapon very well.

TF Flint is cool but his hands are very rubbery and he has a hell of time holding his gun with both hands or even one handed sometimes. 

I haven't opened the w8 Cobra Commander v1 but he looks improved.  He's a darker blue, his sigil is larger and his crotch/hip articulation/diaper may have been adjusted a little. 

I saw both a super glossy silver Major Bludd card and a dull silver card.  Also, they had a case of w7 with glossy silver Viper cardback and HISS Driver cardback.  I bought those 2 and didn't notice this until I got home.  I'm not sure if the rest of w7 in that case had the super glossy silver cardbacks but I bet they did.  So if anyone needs those type cardbacks you may want to keep an eye out.  I actually like the new white lettering and border a lot better because they can keep it consitent and not have different shades of silver.

I bought a couple of the Real Gear TF recently and they are very cool.  Picked up the digital camera and video camera.  They look very cool in robot mode and fit in well with Reflector on the shelf.  I'm not sure if I'll buy any of the others but I've been tempted to buy these 2 for the past year and I caved. 

I also bought the TRU 3-packs today.  This was the first time I've seen all three but it still took a while to decide to buy them.  I mainly wanted the gold CG, Grunt and Cobra Commander.  I like the large Cobra sigil on the v1 Cobra Commander and other paint details.  The Duke, Hawk, red CC, CG, Cobra Officer and soldier are ok. 

I also found w7 at Wal-Mart today.  I really like them all.  However, I'm having a harder time liking the Viper then I thought possible.  It has funky wrists, bad ankle articulation, rubbery toes, loose goggles that fall off all the time, a backpack that won't lay flat against the back and a vest that won't stay clasped.  It looks cool standing there but is hard do much with.

On the other hand the Snake Eyes v3 is awesome and 100% perfect.  I wish they could get all the figures to work this well.  Holds weapons well, great articlation, many great accessories.  Awesome.

Spirt, Wild Bill and HISS Driver are also very cool and it's hard to find anything wrong with them.  I'm still not a big fan of the mid-torso look on the Hiss Driver/Flash.

w7 Duke is cool too.  I'm not big on repaints but the flag stand is cool and jetpack works great on the silver Grand Slam.

Thanks for posting the link.  The Snow Serpent looks awesome.  I hope they pack 2 Bats and 2 Snow Serpents per case.

That Metroplex KO repaint looks cool. 

I received the Masterpiece Prime a few weeks ago and ever since I've been on a small G1 buying spree.  I started with Fortress Maximus.

I was going to pass on the Ninja set too.  However, after seeing it on the shelf I couldn't resist.  I think the Snake Eyes and Ninja Leader are very cool.  The other 3 Ninjas are a lot like the original release but still cool.  I wouldn't mind having some more of just the Ninja Leader but 3 of the regular Ninjas from the set is enough.