Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Retaliation Review: Blind Master & Jinx

Let's take a quick look at the elusive Jinx and Blind Master figures from the Retaliation line. These figures are very difficult to find in the wild and generally sell out quickly with online retailers. I was able to secure both and am finally getting around to posting my thoughts. I don't feel like reordering my pictures into any logical sense, so I'll just comment on the pics based on the way I uploaded them.  
The Retaliation Jinx figure is a straight repaint of the Jinx figure from the SDCC exclusive from a couple years ago. It's not a bad figure and fairly predictable that Hasbro would just reuse the same mold. The black straps are just paint apps, nothing sculpted. 
What the hell is this supposed to be? Apparently, this is the Blind Master's hat? Or is it a shield? Either way, it's pretty bizarre. 
Really? Blades that spring out from the sides? This thing is just crazy - off to the storage bin.
Now the actual Blind Master figure is pretty damn cool There's some intricate paint detailing all over him. The body is a reuse of what has become the standard ninja body first used (I think) with the Renegades Storm Shadow figure. The skirt piece comes from a Rise of Cobra Stormy and fits nicely into the gap at the waist. While the figure looks great, the skirt does inhibit the figure from assuming any serious action ninja poses.
The head sculpt is extremely well done; great attention to detail and excellent paint apps.

This odd weapon case comes with Jinx. I really haven't messed around with it too much, but it follows the concept of the various other accessories involving the mountain rope-line battle. The case also acts as a great way to store some of the tinier ninja weapons.
What the hell? A huge funky Kung-Fu sword and some weird circle-blade on a rope thing. Yeah, whatever.
There's nothing for the empty holster on the skirt piece, so I obliged and gave the Blind Master a pistol. Why not?
Back to Snake Eyes. I don't think that I've ever discussed this version of Snake Eyes. Maybe I have and just don't remember. The fact is that this is a bad-ass figure of Snake Eyes. The sculpting of the entire figure is just amazing, very movie accurate. But I prefer this version of Snake Eyes as my default version, so the Retaliation Snake Eyes doesn't get out much.
Three Jinxes, all lined up for comparison. Same body, same head on two of them.
Movie Jinx body with SDCC Jinx head - not bad, it works.

I'll have to say that the Blind Master figure is a little better than the movie Jinx figure. Both are decent enough, but Blind Master just looks a little better with all of the detailed paint apps. If I had missed them and had never picked them up, I think I would have survived.

1 comment:

Dr Syn said...

All the Blind Master's weapons are said to be from various Kung-Fu films that the RZA loves.


I'll take that Jinx mold in any colour they put out, I still need to find the White SDCC one.