FSS 02: Wide Scope & Skull Buster

I am disappoint...

So the next two GI Joe Club FSS figures have come in. From all appearances, I figured these two would be the first ones that I would open. Never really a big fan of Skull Buster and the original Wide Scope figure was a new sculpt era odd ball. So, yeah, let's open up these rascals and see what we've got.

Oh boy, here's Skull Buster, looking so cool in his nice package. i was a fan of the Range Viper when they came out. I never got any of the RV's from the Defense of Cobra Island set, but I did get a couple from the Whirlwind/Range Viper "Ross exclusive" Rise of Cobra set from a few years ago. Hasbro did a decent job on those figures, so I figured the Club was just reusing the mold. Not so fast... Stay tuned...

Wide Scope - a Shockblast, no, a Shockwave knock-off that had a nearly horrific figure back in the new sculpt era. Such a disproportionate mess! But it was still cool to see a new character introduced into the GI Joe mythos and I'm glad that the Club took a chance on him. so is he any good?

 There's not much new sculpt with Wide Scope. He's just a straight re-use of the awesome Pursuit of Cobra Shock Trooper body and vest. I don't recall where the head sculpt came from, but it is a reuse. Is the dog new? Maybe? I think the hat may be new, I don't recall the bend in the brim in other caps.

 Here's Wide Scope next to another straight re-use of the Shock trooper body - the Retaliation Cobra Combat Ninja. What the hell? Okay, whatever with the ninja stuff. So the biggest issue that I have noticed with commentary online is that this basically re-use figure costs so much more as a Club exclusive. Well, no shit. The Club is making figures at a much lower production run than Hasbro, so, yeah, their figures are going to cost a bit (much) more. Tough shit. If you don't want to pay the price, don't buy the figures! Deal with it!

Overall, I'm pleased with Wide Blast, no, Shock Scope... Oh yeah, Wide Scope. The Club did a decent job of recreating this new sculpt era character. Am I really thrilled about him? Not so much, but he's pretty cool. Maybe a strong 3.75 out of 5. Don't like the decimals? I'm a math teacher, deal with it!

Okay, on to Skull Buster. Like Wide Scope, he's pure reuse of parts and I'm okay with the Club for doing that and I understand the pricing issues. Fine. Whatever. But those damn forearms just don't work. They used everything from the Range Viper except the forearms and hands. 

I get it. They wanted to add the new swivel hands. Cool. But they got the forearms from Shadow Tracker, a taller figure. So now the arms almost hang down to his knees. Damn...

I just don't know about this guy. Sure, I opened him, but I carefully opened him. Do I repack this guy and try to make back some of my money? Are there enough shitty reviews about this guy where no one will want to buy him? Based on the first four releases, this guy is the stinker. So far... And actually, I hope he'll be the only stinker.

It wasn't until it was pointed out on Joebattlelines.com about the height differences just between the 25th/RoC figures and 30th/RET figures. Huge differences in height. Not too bad, the Range Vipers can work as smaller body types, but SB is just too short to be the leader of the Range Vipers.