A Bunch of Random GI Joe Classified Troops

Let's take a quick look at a few random GI Joe Classified figures.

This version of Outback is based on the European Tiger Force version from back in the o-ring days. The original white t-shirt, red hair version is coming soon. Odd that the homage to the European version came out first. I suppose it makes sense (?) since new Classified figures seem to appear first everywhere else in the world, rather than the United States.

Personally, I like this version better and will probably pass on the original version. 

Incredibly well done figure! He's even got hair sculpted on his arms!

Tiger Force Recondo is next. Another figure where the original color palette of the uniform is due out later. No matter, I like this version better. Darker colors to sneak through the jungle. I'll stick with this version over the original.

Next up is this incredible version of Roadblock. This is actually the third version of Roadblock to come out in the Classified line. The first was based on the 2nd o-ring version, but it didn't really look right; the head sculpt just didn't work for Roadblock. The 2nd Classified version was a bearded Roadblock who actually works much better as Heavy Duty than Roadblock.

This particular version is an Amazon exclusive and is just amazing. Nails the look of the first o-ring version and he even gets ears this time!

Spirit is easily one of my Top 5 Classified figures. So exceptionally well done! Excellent range of articulation. Great accessories. He even comes with his eagle, Freedom, with two sets of wings! I've heard that Hasbro consulted with Native Americans on his design. If true, that proved to be a very wise move on the part of Hasbro.

We'll wrap thing up today with a look at Stalker. The Hasbro Classified design team has really done some incredible work and Stalker is no exception. A very well sculpted face brings out the character quite well.

Perhaps, next time, I will check out two of Stalker's former comrades in arms.

 

The Most Recent GI Joe Classified Figures

My two most recent purchases from the GI Joe Classified line have been Cover Girl and Falcon. They've both had their share of minor controversy across the GI Joe fandom. Let's take a look at Falcon first.

Falcon is one of my favorite GI Joe characters from the entire roster of characters. Easily a Top 5 pick! My opinion is largely based on the original figure and his file card. Not his GI Joe: The Movie appearance or his appearances in the DiC cartoons. I don't really recall seeing him that much throughout the original GI Joe comics.

In my own personal weird GI Joe world, Falcon is in no way related to Duke. That whole scenario was another of the many dumb elements of the animated movie. No thanks.

The biggest issue that most fans seem to have with this figure is that he's a bit... ugly. He doesn't have that clean, ruggedly handsome look of his animated counterpart, nor is he the bland, generally featureless face of the original figure.

Wow... a bunch of balding, overweight, out-of-shape, middle-aged men complaining about Falcon being ugly. That's hilarious! Although, I will have to admit that Falcon is a bit...not so attractive. So what? Big deal! I think that he's got some character to his face. My biggest issue with this version of Falcon is that his lips are just a bit too pink. Maybe he borrowed some of Cover Girl's colored lip balm?

Speaking of Cover Girl, let's take a look at the Classified version (OMG!!! Hasbro is going to make a Classified scaled Wolverine!!! **fan boi freak out). To be honest, I'll have to go to an obscure Monty Python bit in regards to the original figure. 

"Now that's my wife."    "A bit ugly, though, sir."    "What do you mean... ugly?"    "You know... not attractive to men, sir." Yeah, Hasbro tried back then to give Cover Girl some fashion model looks, but it didn't work out so well back in 1983. Decent enough for the time.

Many fans seemed to think that this new version of Cover Girl was also a bit ugly. Again, from the middle aged "hunks".

I think that she turned out quite well and is a well sculpted figure. Her face is very well done and is quite lovely.

Both Falcon and Cover Girl are well done figures, but I think CG turned out better than Falcon. Just my opinion.

What about the Mandolorian?

Well, of course, I had to buy a figure of the Mandolorian! As usual, I waited and found a low cost figure of his first appearance in the show.

The show is pretty dang amazing! There's bits of silliness here and there, but overall, I enjoy it.

I like this look so much better than the fancy shiny Beskar armor. Yeah, the Beskar armor looks really nice, but I like this battered, pieced together look of the Mandolorian armor. 

One more quick Star Wars figure to look at. How could I have Star Wars figures and not have a Jedi Knight? Well, how about Cal Kestis?

Who?

He's the lead character in the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor video game for... whatever console. I don't have the game or any video game console, but I thought that the figure was pretty well done and could work well in photos with my other Star Wars figures.

Still to come,,, 

Chirrut Imwe, Baze Malbus, and...

Dengar!

Let's look at some Star Wars figures!

Star Wars has become a bloated monstrosity of a property that just keeps going and going and going. I distinctly remember buying the Sta Wars paperback novelization back in 1976, probably 8-10 months before the premier of the movie in 1977. My friend, Alan, told me about this amazing story about these guys that fought with laser swords and there was this huge battle station that was attacked with little fighter ships. Who knew, back in 1976, what Star Wars would become?

The last three movies, especially The Rise of Skywalker, were just terrible. Let's ignore those.

Let's look at a couple high points from recent years!

I'll start with "Solo: A Star Wars Story". I thought that this movie was fantastic! I had read several Han Solo "solo" novels back when Star Wars, Empire, and Return of the Jedi were fresh. Titles like Han Solo at Stars' End and Han Solo's Revenge. To me, Alden Ehrenreich, was perfect as a young Han Solo and could have/should have had a nice Han Solo franchise ahead of him. But there's a subsection of the Star Wars fandom that is absolutely a toxic nightmare.

The Han Solo figure is an excellent recreation of Alden and just works so well. He's got that swagger that's an essential part of the character!

This particular version of Chewbacca turned out great as well! A bit younger than later figures, but very well done.

I had to buy the Lando figure. The swagger and bravado is perfectly captured. Plus it's Donald Glover in action figure form! Who can resist?

Next up are three of the principle characters from another Star Wars gem: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. From left to right: Cassian Andor, Jyn Erso, and K-2SO. Another fantastic Star Wars story that took place just before the events of A New Hope. Three well made figures, especially K-2SO. I also have Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus, pictures of them to come later. All of these figures were purchased well after their initial releases, so I got them all at decent prices through Amazon.

I know that the movie is more focused on Jyn Erso, but Cassian comes first because...

The Andor mini series on Disney+ is just amazing. So incredible to develop such a powerful story about a character whose fate was already decided at the end of Rogue One.

I had no idea who Diego Luna was prior to Rogue One and hadn't looked to see him in anything else until Andor was produced. he's quite talented and am looking forward to seeing Andor season 2 one day.

Stellan Skarsgard is already well known for such an amazing body of work, from Good Will Hunting, through the Pirates movies, on through his role in the MCU, and anything else that he stars in his role as Luthen Rael is nothing short of amazing! 

Just this scene alone is just so amazing and captures Skarsgard's amazing skill as an actor.

You may have noticed a distinct lack of the characters that we've all known from the initial three movies. Young Solo, Chewbacca, and Calrissian kinda' count, but they aren't figures of the original actors and I'm okay with that!

Wow... two posts... and not a year apart!

Well, I'm back for now...

As semi promised, I am returning to this odd, basically useless collection of rambling nonsense. As mentioned in my previous post from almost a year ago, I've become mildly obsessed with 1/12th scale figures. Three properties currently hold my interest - GI Joe (of course), Marvel Legends, and Star Wars Black Series.

My primary thought about collecting these assorted figures is that I am not a completist and only buy what I'm interested in and am trying not to get trapped in the FOMO mentality.

HasLab has just recently started their next crowd funded project - a 1/12th scale Dragonfly attack helicopter. It's going to be over 2 1/2 feet long and it looks spectacular. I'm at a point in my life where finances aren't an issue and if I want it, I can get it.

But do I really want it? So I'm 60 years old now. I live in a much smaller, paid-off house and my wife and I are content with the space that we have and the current progression of our lives. Retirment for her may only be a couple years away, while I could stick it out as an engineering teacher for at least 4-5 more years. It's a fun job and while my health is still decent, why not? 

Back to the helicopter... it's just so big. What would I really do with it besides have it displayed somewhere in our modest home. I feel pretty confident that I'll pass on it. Now if HasLab had done a 1/12 scaled version of the POC VAMP, then I would have been all over it! So much cool potential with that particular design!

Enough about my personal life stuff for now. Let's look at a few of the 1/12th action figures that I've acquired quite a few.

Let's start with a few Marvel Legends figures!

First up is the Agent Ross figure from, I think, a Black Panther collection. Seriously, who wouldn't want a Martin Freeman action figure? He's got an excellent smirk on his face as well! Basically a plain figure that could be a pain in the ass to the GI Joe team. 

Next up is Agent Mobius from the first Loki series. A simple basic figure, made even more awesome because it's a figure of Owen Wilson! "Wow..." 

Next up is J. Jonah Jameson as portrayed in the latest Spider-Man movies by J.K. Simmons. Again, why would anyone not want to add a J.K. Simmons figure to their collection?

Next up is Moon Knight, because I would have never expected to see a live-action version of Moon Knight. I had the comics of Werewolf By Night where he was first introduced! I would have never imagined that Moon Night had become this popular.

I sent a picture of the figure in the box to my best friend from all the way back to 8th grade and texted him in December 2022 that I "needed" to buy this figure. He replied that I could "blame him" for making me buy the figure. Things changed quickly and this figure means a little bit more to me now.

My friend, Alan, and I had grown up together with a love of comics and science fiction. We've known each other for around 47 years. There were times when, through the course of our own lives, we drifted apart, but whenever we reconnected, it was like nothing had changed. We watched the first and last Star Wars movies together. He was truly my best friend.

Was? Yeah, in January of 2023, Alan took his own life. He had been suffering from severe depression and it finally reached a point where he felt that he had nothing else to give. I miss him dearly and will weep for him for many years to come.

So why am I wrapping up with the Adam Warlock figure from Guardians of the Galaxy 3? Well, here's another character that I was quite surprised to see him come to life in the MCU. Both Alan and I absolutely devoured nearly everything comic related to Adam Warlock back in the 80-s -90's. If there had been a way to introduce Him much earlier, it would have been amazing to see Warlock go up against Thanos.

I bought Adam Warlock, not just because I dig the character, but also because Alan dug the character. I haven't actually seen GoG3 yet, but I would imagine that it will be heading to Disney+ pretty soon. I can wait...

I'm looking forward to seeing how Warlock is being introduced. I hope he becomes an integral part of the MCU moving forward. He needs to be!

On a personal note... if you are struggling with issues of depression, low self esteem, feelings of self-loathing, or other mental health issues, don't try to face it alone. Talk to people, talk to family, talk to friends. 

Don't think that the world would be better off without you, because it won't be.

See you again soon!