FSS 5.0: Sneak Peek & General Flagg

Sigh... Can I get through one review of FSS figures without finding issues?

The official second shipment from the Club has been delayed again, so they sent out the 4th set of figures - Sneak Peek and General Flagg. When I first saw the reveals online, all I saw were just quick pictures of the carded figures. Initially, they looked great and this appeared to be a great set of figures.

I get home that afternoon and there in the mailbox is my shipment. Woo Hoo! Right? 

 

They're awesome, right?

One minor problem... The Club chose the same head sculpt for each character and they both shipped together. Sigh...

Individually, each figure turned out great. Both are great builds and deserve a closer look.
Let's take a look at General Flagg first.

The General Flagg build is simple and effective. I know others out there on the interwebs dig down deep into the builds that the Club does, but I'm not 100% sure of the parts choices. I know that the torso is from a Firefly figure from Retaliation and it works great for Flagg. I'm guessing that the legs come from the Shock Trooper figure (another Club source figure).

Accessories are light with Flagg. Machine gun (MP something...), pistol, briefcase, and that hat.

The briefcase originates from the "money-bags Destro" figure. It's a great case and a great choice for Flagg. He certainly can't be carrying around a case full of money. The insert in the case is simply the static stacks of money with new paint apps/detailing but the oddness of the sculpt of the money just doesn't work with the new deco. The hat is a bit over sized, especially on the Airborne head sculpt. Overall, General Flagg turned out great, but...

Let's take a look at Sneak Peek. Is this the third version of Sneak Peek from the Club? Maybe just the second. Last year, for FSS 4.0, the Club released a Tiger Force version. 

 

This version aligns more closely with the original o-ring version of Sneak Peek. It's a good build and captures the general look of the original figure. Accessories in line with the Tiger Force version, but the periscope is just a bit too bright green. Many have observed that the 'scope is a bit out of date with modern technology, but it had to be included for that nod back to the original figure.

 

Sneak Peek was always bit of a boring figure to me, but I think I'm digging him a bit more. Someone online mentioned that perhaps he should be a drone operator. Sounds good to me! Another win by the Club, with just the nagging issue of these two being twins. Ugh...

I figure that the easiest solution to the Wonder Twins aspect of Flagg and Sneak Peek would be to swap out Flagg's head. The Airborne head sculpt is just a bit too young looking for a General. Sure, Flagg is supposed to be a young General, but... c'mon. For now, I'm trying out this Marauder head sculpt for General Flagg. The first criteria for the head swap is "how well does the hat fit" and the second would be "how well does the head rest on the neck post."

There may be a post in the future about who finally becomes General Flagg. I've got a few more ideas for head sculpts.

The Club did a great job on these two figures, but it seems a bit unfortunate that they chose the same head sculpts and both figures wound up in the same shipment. FSS 5.0 is still a strong set of figures. I'm looking forward to who comes next!

GI Joe Club FSS 5.0 Reveals

All the shenanigans seem to have settled down about the reveals for the Club's FSS 5.0 set of figures. I've been it a bit of a funk lately, at least in relation to toys and stuff. Surgery, new job, moving... it's all piled up to make for an interesting summer. The toys and this silly blog got put to the side for a while.

I've signed up for FSS 5.0 and have previously been a part of FSS 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0. I figured that I might as well throw out my two cents about the troops for FSS 5.0. Nothing better than sharing your opinion on the internet, right?

I loaded the pictures as to how I had saved them, not in the sequence that they were released. So, what the hell? Let's get going.

First up is Ambush. I wasn't really a huge fan of the original figure and I think that the Club did a decent enough job in capturing the essence of the character. As has been pointed out elsewhere, his neck seems extra long with that head propped up on that collar. Maybe it's just a pre-production issue and hopefully it will be resolved. In general, I'm in favor of this figure.

Next up is the Viper based on version 4 from 1994. I really didn't like the original figure much. I'm sure I bought a few, but nowhere near the amount of regular Vipers that I would have bought back in '86. Now we have another troop builder from the Club. I can't really fault the Club, primarily because the Cobra figures were largely the troops, with the individual personalities being a smaller amount. I think the figure looks well made, but I just don't know yet if I'm going to keep him. The design doesn't really fit into the design of the current modern Vipers or Cobra soldiers. Right now, I'm thinking he's going to head to the secondary market. I'm thinking I should be able to turn him for a decent profit.

Next up is Charbroil, another figure that wasn't terribly exciting in his original form. I think the Club did a decent job with him. I like this design over the Hasbro Blowtorch design. Charbroil is a keeper.

Next up is Darklon. The Club used the character in one of the recent Convention sets and he looked pretty good. I don't recall the build and I'm too lazy to go look it up right now. I think the Club did a great job; I think the parts choices work. I've always liked the character and will be pleased to add him to my collection.

No, this isn't Gung Ho. This is his Action Force counterpart, Gaucho. The original Gaucho was just a repaint of the original Gung Ho, so... yeah... Easy figure for the Club. He's way too much like Gung Ho for him to fit into my GI Joe world. I don't know what I'm going to do with this figure. Keep or sell? Time will tell. 

Next up is General Flagg. I like the design from the Club. Not sure how well that hat is fitting on his head, but the build looks pretty decent. I'm looking forward to adding him to my team.

Raptor? The Club decided to tackle Raptor? They certainly did and they did a damn fine job. I've seen customs in which the jungle viper "wings" were used for Raptor customs and I'm pleased that the Club went the same direction. The "wings" work great for Raptor and I'm excited about adding this goofball to my Cobra lineup.

I have always liked the character of Scoop. A combat journalist always sounded like a cool part of the team. Those odd combat jobs, like the journalist or the combat engineer (Tollbooth) always appealed to me. I think the Club captured his look well enough, but I'm disappointed that the head sculpt has a non removeable helmet.

Sneak Peek in his more accurate colors is up next. I liked the FSS 4.0 Tiger Force version and this guy looks just fine as well. Lazy on the part of the Club? Yeah, maybe, but it makes sense. I'm not sure why Tiger Force came out before this regular version, but either way, this figure works. I'm pleased to add him to my team.

Next up is Steel Raven, from the Club's comic story. Loosely based on a SKAR character from GI Joe: Extreme. Wow! The Club dipped into the mutant cousin/line of GI Joe? Not bad! There's been some criticism about Steel Raven looking like a female Major Bludd. Yeah, maybe. Whatever. I think she looks pretty good and well designed. 

Next up is Xamot, from the "Shattered Glass" storyline from the Club's Adventure Team comic. Whatever the backstory, we have one of the twins in a business suit. I'm quite pleased with this choice. Does the Club have plans for Tomax? Maybe in the future? 

Next up is the biggest source of nerd rage of FSS 5.0 - Salvo. This is the first concept from the Club and the Joe fan community exploded in a fury of outrage! Personally, I didn't care too much at the time. I've always imagined that the Club has to use what Hasbro allows them to use. Apparently the fan base interpreted the somewhat bulky original figure with the idea that Salvo had to be a big dude. Nerd outrage ensued... But the fan base did a good thing. They politely went to the Club's forums and reacted in a positive fashion, which resulted in...

This new version of Salvo. The Club offered up a design using the Retaliation Roadblock torso which gives Salvo much more bulk to him, much more in line with the muscular original figure. I've got to admit, the fan base did a good thing and I'm really hoping that the Club can create this version of Salvo.

Finally, there will be the mystery 13th figure. The Club has revealed that the figure will be a female figure and a "highly requested GI Joe team member." So what does that mean? Sounds interesting, I'm looking forward to seeing who it will be.

I was pretty much sold on FSS 5.0 from just the original line up and the release of the preproduction designs further completed my buy in of the line up. Right now (only considering the 12 named figures), it looks like there are ten solid keepers, with the Viper being a probable sale and Gaucho being on the fence as to what his final fate will be in the end.

My only real complaint with the Club and the FSS figures is the lack of communication. I don't want to know all of their business, but keep the fans updated on production and expected shipping delivery times. Just give us something once in awhile. Please.

One last question - Will the last figures from FSS 5.0 be released before the 2017 Convention? I certainly hope so.

FSS 4.0 - Sneak Peek, Outback, and...

Sometimes it's all about the timing.

Everyone who signed up for the FSS 4.0 figures has been patiently waiting and wondering when the last three figures would drop. Once thew shipping schedule got really rolling, they should have come out during the annual convention. Realistically? No, I didn't expect them, but it would have been cool for the folks at home to get them while the convention was rolling. <evil laugh>

It seemed like it took forever! There was finally an email that stated that they would be shipping around July 22nd. Then there was another email that stated that they would ship during the last week of July.

Well, damn... That worked out pretty well for me! With my little side diversion of my quadruple bypass surgery, the arrival of the figures late in July was just what the doctor ordered. Well, maybe not the doctor, but it was a nice bit of fun during the early stages of my recovery. Shoot, I even walked up to the mail box all by myself to grab them.

Okay, you may ask... "Tom, how long are you going to milk this open heart surgery thing?" I've got a seven inch scar along the center of my chest; I'm running with this for a long time! I've frikkin' earned it!

Anyway, let's get to the figures. Fred and Justin will probably do much longer and more in depth reviews, I'm just going to touch on quick highlights and thoughts. As of this date, I'm beating both of them to online reviews! I'll take my victories where I can get them!

First up is Tiger Force Sneak Peek. Interesting build by the Club and very effective as well. Like most of the Cub figures, there's a great deal of reuse of parts. There's really nothing new from the figure itself. Airborne head and helmet, Snake Eyes torso, Shock Trooper arms and legs, Scrap Iron vest. But it all works well together. Sneak Peek is a good, solid build. I like the color pallet of the Tiger Force theme. Right now, this is the only modern update of Sneak Peek out there. He's slated for another release during FSS 5.0, supposedly in his more traditional colors and maybe with a different vest.

The only new piece with Sneak Peek is his periscope. Brand new item from the Club and it works well. Nicely sculpted, Sneak Peek gets his iconic piece of equipment. The other stuff is okay, nothing too impressive. The M-16 is a bit dated and the radio and binoculars are nice pieces.

Overall, Sneak Peek is a strong figure and one of the better figures from FSS 4.0.

Next up we have Tiger Force Outback. The color palette is actually based on the European version of Tiger Force Outback, complete with a head full of white hair and beard. The head sculpt is brand new, at least since the Zombie Initiative convention set. An excellent head sculpt by the way. Pretty standard body reuse, I think it's made up of 25th anniversary bits with the newer swivel/pivot wrists. The tiger face on his shirt is nicely done, very crisp and clean.

The gear is decent enough. Nice backpack, but the machine gun and the knife are a bit lacking. The knife is a bit too big to me. I'm sure it's fine for hacking through the jungles, but it just seems too large. The machine gun looks great, but the handle is a bit too big for his hands. Accessories are the least issue to me. If the figure is well done, I can forgive the less than stellar gear.

Another strong figure from the Club to wrap up FSS 4.0!

Next up, we have Tiger Force Jinx! Oh wait a minute... Nope. I was really expecting a Tiger Force Jinx as the 13th "mystery" figure. The early clue from the Club was that the figure would be a female character with a new head sculpt.
I really didn't care too much about spoilers, so I saw who #13 was online before I got the shipment. Much to everyone's surprise, we got a modern update of a Club original figure, Carla "Doc" Greer. The Club released her as part of a convention set several years ago, way back when they were still using the o-ring bodies.

I think she's a mix of a Lady Jaye torso with maybe RoC Cover Girl arms and legs? Whatever. The parts work well together along with a brand new head sculpt. Not having the original Carla Greer figure, I'm quite pleased that the Club has included some more diversity into the GI Joe team. Some may think that Hasbro has been less ethnically diverse than they should have been back in the 80's-90's series. Tough call, but I don't buy it. Based on the file cards, the GI Joe team was quite ethnically diverse. Whatever. Race/gender/ethnicity just needs to stop being such a big damn deal in the 1/1 world. We are who we are.

Overall, Doc is another strong figure from the Club.

The Club wrapped up FSS 4.0 on a very strong note with three very well done figures. Stay tuned for a quick look back at all of the figures from FSS 4.0!

FSS 4.0 Reveals: Quick Thoughts

Just a quick overview of all of the 12 members of the FSS 4.0.

From left to right, top to bottom.

Row 1:
Interrogator - Looks cool, glad to add the character to my modern mix. Hoping that the seemingly lower head is just a Photoshop thing.
Ice Ninja (Night Creeper) - I like the look, well designed, good use of parts. Ultimately an expensive troop builder, so he'll be off to the secondary market.
Nunchuk - Kind of a blah original figure, but effectively recreated. May need new military web gear.
Inferno BAT - Another expensive troop builder. I like BATs, but this one just looks dumb to me.

Row 2:
Outback - Over-sized head compared to body? Still, I like this version. Don't mind the white hair.
Barricade - I figured that the Club would go with the Delta suit torso/body. A bit too bright on the colors? Still a keeper. A favorite character.
Sneak Peek - Euro Tiger Force? I don't care. I'm glad to add the character to the mix.
Billy - Basically a brand new never produced figure. Billy has been around for quite a while. A welcome addition to most Joe collectors and well done by the Club. Not a huge fan of the bronze highlights, maybe Photoshop issue?

Row 3:
Law & Order - More accurate vintage colors, older vest. Looks great, but I'm not 100% sure about opening him. Some want him for a Bozigian autograph one day, but the key to the link between Kirk Bozigian and the original Law & Order was the head sculpt for Law was based on Kirk. Not the case with the new one.
Jammer - Action Force character? So what? Looks cool. Will he stay as Jammer or become a new Stalker?
Pathfinder - Decent upgrade, a little concerned about the small head and bulky vest, but he's a keeper.
Bullhorn - A real simple upgrade by the Club. A new head sculpt would have been nice, but he'll do. The original was pretty basic looking, so the Club redesign works. Hey Bullhorn, the 90's called. They want their headband back!

Mystery figure 13: The Club commented on this figure being an established female character with a new head sculpt. Intriguing! Cobra or GI Joe?

For the basic 12, it looks like 3 Cobras, 8 GI Joe/Allies, and 1 independent mercenary. I don't mind it too much, but Cobra offerings are going to be much tougher as the Club goes through the named Cobra personalities and are left with troop builders. 

If the Club could do some troop builders outside of the FSS realm and make some multi-packs, that would be pretty sweet. Maybe an intensive collector poll and lay out basic costs with an increased production run and hopeful strong fan response would be able to support something like this? That basic Cobra Trooper mold used for the Dollar General figures is ripe for an awesome upgrade.

Overall, I'm pleased with the Club offerings for FSS 4.0. Maybe I'm treading close to becoming a GI Joe Club apologist, but they do pretty good work.If they had the full resources of Hasbro, I'm sure they could crank out some even cooler figures. They are doing their best to support the brand as well as running the Transformer Club. 

Maybe one day, I'll actually make it to a national convention?

FSS 4.0 Reveal: Sneak Peek

Oh, the cries of "Butt Hurt" ring across the inter-webs like a symphony! "He doesn't look like the vintage version." Get over it.

The Club revealed Tiger Force Sneak Peek yesterday. I think he looks pretty decent. It looks like the Club used the Shock Trooper body (again) and it looks like Airborne's head. Not a bad mix of parts and I really can't fault them for using the Shock Trooper body. It's a good base for just about any figure.

Two more to go - the Ice Ninja and Cobra Commander's son, Billy.