Waiting, waiting, waiting is all I seem to be doing lately. I ordered a case of DCUC11 from Matty on December 23rd. I realized when I ordered them that it was too close to Christmas to expect them anytime soon. To Matty’s credit, they had them ready for shipment rather quickly, but UPS dropped the ball. The tracking number told me my figures arrived in my hometown on New Year’s Eve’s Eve, and there they sat, until yesterday. Apparently UPS didn’t feel obligated to deliver residential stuff so close to either holiday. And picking them up myself would just be too easy for them to allow. So there they sat, a few miles from my home for six days.
Sometimes I have a need to get my toy fix by buying a little something, even though I know more will be here soon. This usually happens in the few months that exist in between waves. Even though I knew my toys would be here soon, the junkie in me demanded something to tide him over. So, off I went to the local stores to see what I could scavenge after Christmas clearance.
First up was Wal-Mart. Readers, I’m sure you could picture the enthusiasm on my face, as I walked to the end of that first toy aisle on Saturday night, and there, joining the half-dozen Power Girls on the DUC pegs, was wave 11. Our UPS hub is literally five blocks away from this Wal-Mart. I found myself staring at the complete wave of toys I wanted, but couldn’t buy because they were already five blocks and three days away. I’m not sure what the exact criteria are, but that must be somewhere in the “Epic Fail” range.
I moved on to Target, perhaps driving a little more aggressively now. One great thing about Target is their clearance policies. When Target wants to get rid of something, they’re serious about it. They are the only big box store, at least around here, that knows what the word clearance means. Sometimes though, I think it backfires. If not on them, then definitely on us. Those two new JLU six packs were on clearance, even the two new ones, and for a great price. The problem with that is the new ones sold immediately and left us with about a dozen of the old six packs that have already been sitting there for weeks. Meanwhile, their selection of DCUC harkens back to the non-clearanced wave 6, that’s been there since last January. Where’s that clearance, Target?
One last stop to Toys R Us. Going through these aisles was something akin to a war zone. Shelves were empty, rubble was everywhere, children were screaming, men walked around with glazed over eyes, women road-blocked aisles with carts and banal conversations. I was forced to wander through the unfamiliar countries of Babies R Us and Kids R Us, all while trying to avoid the leftover seasonal crews trying to keep their jobs past Christmas with sniper-like customer service. I think I heard a dozen different versions of “can I help you find anything” while there. But, my perilous journey wasn’t without its rewards. There, at the end of the last aisle, in between the misplaced and the badly reshopped, was the old familiar welcoming sneer of Leonard Snart, a.k.a. Captain Cold, and his brother, Captain Cold, and his other brother, Captain Cold. It’s always good to know, no matter how cold the good Cap’n is, he’ll always keep our pegs toasty and warm.
Disgruntled, I went home and bought something off eBay instead.
-Mr. Rant
This and bad haul day are two of my favorite rants.
Thank you.
I have yet to see wave 11 in stores. I really wish my local Targets would get with the clearance idea and clear out the 14 Cyborgs that have been sitting on the shelves for six months. If only they’d realize that if they got some new product on the shelves they’d actually sell. I haven’t really had any good toy luck since finding wave 10 at a not so local Walmart.
I wish the same for us and our wave six mountain. If they’d clearance them, I’d consider buying some bucks for customs.
Does your Target still have those packs? We never got them here.
No, they are long gone.
I wish my Target would get the 6pks! Clearanced or not.
just think now dcuc 12 is out
I feel bad for you; I stopped by a random Target last Friday and found several figures from random waves–Flash, Booster and Beetle, Hawkgirl. I was able to grab Green Arrow and Black Canary.
Oddly enough, they didn’t have the Electric Blue Superman and Black Manta they’d been sitting on for months.
Shopping for toys at retail blows.
I really, really hate Captain Cold. They should’ve have painted half of them with a blue face.
Too funny. Going looking for toys is usually a sucktastic task anymore.
Your name is funny.
and yes, it does suck.
I ordered wave 11 from Enchanted Toy Chest and UPS had the decency to deliver it on Christmas Eve (aww, how sweet, just like Santa). Of course, I wasn’t home at the time as it was nearly 5pm and I was on the way to my family’s home for the yearly X-mas Eve party, and that bastard didn’t see anything wrong with leaving a box clearly marked “TOYS” sitting in front of my door in the hallway. WTF, UPS guy?! Is common sense not a requirement to work for Brown? Thankfully, the neighbors directly across the hall, whom I’ve never traded more than a “hello” with, were kind enough to hold the package for me and I was able to have a very merry Kilowog Christmas!
Great neighbors! The Matty sets came in factory cases like you’d see on a pallet. Vault had them sitting on his porch all afternoon with the contents explicitly marked. LOL
Also, I was just at my local WM about two days ago and they had half of wave 11 there. Only 1 of each John, Katma, I think Question and Shark in addition to the usual 5 Cyborgs (sonic arm), 3 Colds, OW Aquamn & 5 Firestorms. They also have a bunch of Gotham City 5 sets.
I’m so glad MOTU is online only. It’s so much better than having to hunt at stores like with 200x.
A lot of MOTU fans think they have it really difficult when compared to DC collectors. I always tell those folks they should giving be a DCUC collector a shot.
I haven’t ordered wave eleven yet. I’d rather find it in stores, but I’m not having much luck. 🙁
It seems to be hitting at WMs that got 10 in early too. Keep an eye on those if you got ’em.
hey rant, if those power girls ever go on clearance, give a brother a hollar.
We all will!
It didn’t surprise me you still try to shop in stores, Mr. Rant. I thought we shared a similar mindset about not buying online. But eBay? You should stop buying from them until they quit punishing sellers for bad buyer behavior.
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