GI Joe: Cobra Ferret (Forever Clever Building Set)

Oh boy, here we go again. Today we take a look at another GI Joe building set by Forever Clever. When I first saw things showing up at various bargain stores around me I was excited. I like building sets (LEGO, Mega Blox, etc.) and I'm a fan of GI Joe so what could go wrong? Well, everything. I should have learned my lesson with the first set I reviewed, but I didn't. 

This set contains 45 pieces and comes packaged with a Storm Shadow mini figure...however is it really Storm Shadow? I thought it was Firefly as the figure is gray, but it's labeled as Storm Shadow and he's also on the box art. The cardboard used for the box is very thin and cheap, I've seen plenty of these sets in stores that had their packaging trashed or punctured.

In addition to the Storm Shadow mini figure, the package contains a instruction sheet and sticker sheet. The set is rather easy to build, but if you plan on apply the stickers you can forget about that. They are printed on a very thin paper and the adhesive isn't sticky. You also run the risk of the set literally falling apart in your hands if you apply too much pressure trying to apply stickers. If you thought Hasbro's old Built To Rule (BTR) sets were bad, these take the cake. 

One of the rubber tires had so much extra plastic that the wheel couldn't even properly fit. Most of these sets too don't even accommodate the included figure. There is a "seat" on the Ferret, however it has those grid type pieces over the brick pegs so the figure can sit or stand. The design of the actual Ferret isn't wholly bad, it's just bad execution.

If there is any redeeming quality of these sets it's the mini figures. They aren't quite LEGO quality, but they aren't bad. The heads have a small nub for a nose and the back of the legs are a little hollow. Paint apps are done pretty cleanly. I ended up keeping this figure and tossing the actual Ferret in the trash. 

Since I picked up the initial batch of sets, I've seen some of the newer sets such as the Mean Dog and Tomahawk. I have to admit I did pause for a brief second to consider buying them, then I came to my senses and moved on. Even the figures aren't enough of a reason to buy these horrible sets. Buyer beware!

GI Joe: Ninja Speed Cycle (Forever Clever Building Set)

When I first learned of new building block GI Joe sets I was so excited. I didn't hate Hasbro's Built to Rule sets, though they weren't quite on the level of LEGO. Fast forward to today and the license has been given to a company that I've never heard of, Forever Clever. I'm not sure if these building sets skipped regular retail or not as I've only seen them at discount stores such as Ross, TJ Maxx and Ollie's. I believe this retailed for $3.99 which is pretty cheap...just like the product itself. I went ahead and grabbed a few of the various sets, but after opening this one I may not even bother with them.

The best part of these sets by far is the packaging. The cardboard box itself is really thin so if you're thinking about grabbing a set or two for display, good luck finding one in good condition. The artwork for the front of the box is straight from the 80's, complete with the explosive background. A small product shot graces the bottom right corner of the box with a piece count above in the upper right corner. The back of the box shows a larger image of the product along with a small cross sell of some of the other sets down the left side.

At just 44 pieces the Ninja Speed Cycle is easy enough to build...if the pieces weren't crap and the set would actually hold together. I should've known this was a piece of trash...just look at the actual cycle! The "guns" on the front look silly and the rest of the proportions just look off. Turn the bike to the side and you'll really see how ridiculous it looks.

The little black bike you see underneath all the blocks is your standard LEGO sized motorcycle. The wheels are rubber, but both tires in the set had horrible flashing hanging off the tires. I had to take a razor blade to cut this excessive plastic off just so the wheels would roll. 

All of the blocks on top of the cycle barely stay together. If you look at the handlebars of the actual motorcycle you may notice a flat 6 stud block just sits on the handlebar. The gray piece that holds the guns also will barely hold onto the bike. I should also mention that Snake Eyes can't actually ride the cycle. Yes. I'm serious. 

The included Snake Eyes minifigure is probably the best part of the set. The figure is on par with dollar store building block figures. It's light weight as the plastic used isn't the greatest. The back of the legs are hollow as well, contributing to the figure's feather like weight. The deco on the chest and head is decent, but the little nub on the head for the nose is distracting. Had I not been so eager to move onto something else after opening this set, I would have grabbed a LEGO figure for a comparison shot.

I will probably open and build one of the 3 Cobra HISS Tanks that I have, but the rest of the sets I purchased will most likely stay sealed until I can find a sucker buyer to take them off my hands.

Overall this thing is just garbage. I tried to be positive, but I honestly can't find any redeeming qualities here. Maybe, just maybe you buy it for the figure...but temper your expectations because you'll probably be disappointed.