GI Joe 3.75" Pursuit of Cobra Shadow Tracker

Awww yeah!

If you don't think even for a moment he looks anything like any thing in the GI Joe line before him, it's because he isn't meant to!  Or at least he's meant to look like something else, something like...The Predator!

First we had Pursuit of Cobra Duke.  Then we got Recondo, followed by Spirit.  And all three figures were part of the Jungle Assault themed characters in the line but had very strong likenesses to characters from the original Predator movie.

Recondo looked suspiciously like Blain (Jesse Ventura), Spirit like Billy Sole (Sonny Landham) and Duke, while he didn't much look like Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch, is attired very much like him (and is also the leader, so yeah.)  So then it's no surprise that they would finally come up with a character that looks like the title character of the classic movie.

I'd been waiting for this figure to arrive in Singapore for a long time, so much so that I'd almost lost all interest in getting him.  So when I finally did see him at the local flea market, I almost passed because I'd kinda grown lukewarm about it.  Also, he was priced at S$22 (US$17).

But then I convinced myself of how much I liked the Arnie's Predator (and that all the rest were just not that good).  I also wanted to complete the Predator sub-theme within the Joes so this guy was a must-have.  So I tried my luck and managed to get Shadow Tracker for S$20--reasonable considering the large department stores don't bring in the newer GI Joe stuff anymore.

But just how would Hasbro pull off making a human look like an alien hunter? Well, let's find out!

STGCC Day 3: The Motherload

Even the Predator and Iron Man couldn't stop me from getting good deals

You could say I was looking forward to the last day of Singapore Toy, Games, and Comic Convention the most.  Why?  Because of one thing and one thing only: DEALS! On toys!

And what a bunch of stuff I got.  I know I've written plenty over the last 3 days, so I'll keep this review of Day 3 short on words and long on pictures; pictures of the swag I snagged for cheap!

For those of you who frequent CV and are on my Christmas list (you know who you are), there might be one or two things here you might find in your X'mas stocking come the 25th! ;D

GI Joe 3.75" Pursuit of Cobra: Recondo

Stalking Recondo
In the jungles of Congo,
Once you had hair,
Now you're a baldo.

Jesse Recondo,
You look more like Gung-Ho,
I say you're Edward Norton,
Chubbier, with a mustachio...

I knew my major in Creative Writing would come to goood use some day.  Yup.

Like all the rest of these figures getting a push in the Pursuit of Cobra Jungle theme (excepting Duke), I really have no connection or love whatsoever for the character.  Except for my masterpiece of a poem up there. :P That's why I'm not bothered that he looks more like Gung-Ho or should have hair etc.  I'm kinda neutral about the Recondo character.

But enter a hint of a Predator theme and tons of references toward the original cult classic and BAM!  Suddenly I'm all in.  So there was no hesitation when I saw this guy on the pegs in a local store, heck, there was no hesitation once I saw the solicitation pics of him online!  I was going to get him come hell or high water!

Why?  Four Words:

Jesse "The Body" Ventura.


It's not that I actually liked the guy or his character during his wrestling days.  I mean, what kinda of a man wears a feather boa, bandanna, and tights?  Well nowadays, most everyone but when I was a kid, it was strange to say the least.

I kinda of liked him a little bit better when he first took over as governor of Minnesota--I was headed up there for college and most people seemed to like him then, especially when he had a nice bald head and returned them tax money at the end of the year.  Or something like that.

But then Minnesotans started to turn on him when things got heavy and he started to go a little crazy.  It was kinda not cool to say you liked The Governor back then.  So I didn't.  And he grew out his hair, or what was left of it.

But it was really these two classic quotable quotes from Predator which just made Recondo come alive and revive the Blain character in the Ventura of old:

"I ain't got time to bleed."

"This stuff'll make you a goddamn a sexual tyrannosaurus.  Just like me."

How can you that not catch your attention?  And really, the poor guy, for all his tough talking, didn't really get a good shot off at the Predator before the guy put a hole in his chest the size of, well, his chest.  But like Billy Sole (POC Spirit: Iron Knife), Blain has been immortalized in 3.75 inch scale plastic and will forever live on in our playrooms/on our display shelves.

And was it a good immortalization?  Well, I ain't got time for jibber-jabber so jump on over!

GI Joe 3.75" Pursuit of Cobra: Spirit Iron Knife

BEE-LLEEEEEEEE!!!!

If ya didn't know, that's how you cry out Spirit's name in Arnese, the Anglo/Austrian dialect spoken by Ahnuld, the One True Governator, in the movie Predator (when the former dies).

Throughout the whole movie, Billy Sole (Sonny "I-used-to-be-a-porn-star-then-I-fought-a-Predator-with-nothing-but-a-big-ass-knife-and-now-I-wanna-be-your-governor-of-Kentucky" Landham) is the team's tracker and does Major Alan "Dutch" Schafer's (Arnie's) bidding throughout, except when he doesn't "get to dah choppa" and dies.

"Beelie, scowd uh-head," "Beelie, look fuh tracks," "Beelie, cook my stu," or "Beelie, strip, throw away your weapons, ahn take ahn da Predatuh," "Oh and Beelie, I'm Oudda Heeyah."

Ok, so maybe Dutch didn't say those things to Billy.  But who can forget the most memorable death scene that was never shown?  Was it too graphic?  Must've been, because the scream didn't match the crazed look in ol' Billy's eyes, the giant knife in his hand, and the macho way he cut himself on the chest just to show the Predator how tough he was.

I vividly remember the scene from the very first time I saw the movie especially since I didn't actually see the Predator tear him apart.  I must've been 5 or 6.  The nightmares I had.  And now I can relive them, through the Pursuit of Cobra line and this wonderful Spirit Iron Knife figure that mysteriously looks a helluva lot like Billy.

Enough prattling about Predator from me--let's see if the figure turns out to be as cool as the character!  Which one, you say?  Both of 'em!  No, not Duke and the Predator.  Billy Sole and Spirit Iron Knife!

GI Joe 3.75" Pursuit of Cobra: Duke

Wow.

Yup, that's how I'll start out with this review of Dutch.  I mean Duke.

To be frank, I didn't think I could be surprised with what the Pursuit of Cobra follow-up line to Rise of Cobra could offer.  I was bored with ROC after pilfering from what it has to offer.  That's why I'm pleasantly surprised that POC has come up with some brand-spankin' new ways to wow me.  It's such a refreshing feeling.

And Jungle Assault Dutch here takes the cake.

He hasn't hit the retail stores here yet, but the Pursuit of Cobra Joes have started to arrive at the specialty shops.  Now these guys usually charge a slightly higher than retail price but that's not an issue is it's a matter of a dollar or so.  Besides, getting it early is always a plus, so I can take my time to play with it before giving the review a go.

There was no way I wasn't getting this guy when I saw him--I'd seen pics of the prototypes or Ebay auctions of loose Dukes from China and Hong Kong and wasn't impressed initially.  But once I saw him in package with his butt-load of gear...Goes to show how packaging really helps sell a toy. Heh.

Now, then the question is: Was Dutc...Duke as awesome as his packaging promised?  Find out after the jump!

Combat Heroes Bazooka and Zartan

I picked up these cute lil' guys at the usual Singapore Sunday flea market over in China Square Central--and for a mere S$3 apiece!  Aren't they cute? Heheh ok, I'll can't stop thinking that!  Ok I'll stop.  But they're cute, aren't they?  The wife-to-be certainly thinks so. ;P

Thing about these 25th anniversary GI Joe version Combat Heroes is that they cost quite a bit in package and are not that easy to find loose.  A 2-pack costs in the region of S$12 here, as opposed to their Rise of Cobra counterparts which are clearing for S$3 for a 2-pack.  The difference between the two?  Well, the 25th Anniversary versions have our fave Joes and COBRA dudes in classic uniforms, while Rise of Cobra is more well, movie oriented. Heh.

While this might be my very first (Super) Combat/Robot/Galactic/Hero (Squad) review, it's no means my first purchase of these guys.  I've got a whole bunch of them that look great in package.  I've just been hesitant to open them because of 1) lack of display space and 2) I'm gonna move in a few months so I really don;t wanna have to pack more than I have to.  But that's besides the point of them being toys.

So how do these guys shape up as toys?  More after the jump!

New Year with Ninjas 4: The Big Fight !!!!

You know it's coming when you watch them kung fu/ninja movies, and sometimes the way the plot gets you to it is crap, but what the hell, it gets you there anyway.

IT'S THE BIG CLIMACTIC BATTLE!

New Year with Ninjas 3!!!

My 100th post!

It seems like just yesterday that I started Chase Variant.  But how quickly and enjoyably these past 10 months of reviewing have gone by.  I guess it's also fitting that my 100th falls on the 15th day of the Lunar New Year because this is the day that the Chinese believe everyone grows a year older.  And Chase Variant is more or less there too.  So Happy Birthday everyone!

On to the review!

There's one thing that movie makers always pull in kung fu movie sequels--they recycle sidekicks/villains not just from the previous movie, but take them from other movies as well!  For example, Hollywood Ninja 2 might have a sidekick appear to aid our hero fight the bad guy Boss, who turns out to be the Big Baddie from Chinatown Samurai 3!  Oh, the web of intrigue those ninja movie-makers weave!

In that spirit, we have our star for New Year with Ninjas 3--Arashikage Bike Snake Eyes!

How does he compare to Arashikage Bike Storm Shadow?

Will Storm Shadow be jealous of Snake Eyes' skill level?  Or will they join forces against the mysterious Evil One?   Will a fight ensue?

I know you're all dying to know!!! :P

New Year with Ninjas 2!!

Staying on the topic of ninjas (see previous post), I managed to get my hands on this coveted Target Exclusive 3.75" Storm Shadow with Arashikage Cycle!

I must've said it a million times before but I just love the red and white colour scheme of Storm Shadow!  So far in the Rise of Cobra line, they've only used the red sparingly on his outfits.  Well, enter this Arashikage version!  Check out the red piping on his pants and jacket, and how they match with the red and white of his bike!

And it's no wonder, since Target's colours are red and white that they made this Target Exclusive Stormie, well, more red and white.

So naturally, this set went straight on my Must-Have list. 

But I didn't fly into a gotta-have-it-now frenzy and email friends/family in the US for them to DRIVE-DOWN-NOW--AND-BUY-THE-FIGURE-AND-SEND-IT-STRAIGHT-TO-ME-IN-SINGAPORE-EXPRESS-EXPRESS!

I waited.

I thought that if I waited long enough it would somehow come to Singapore sooner or later.

It did.  And ironically it came the day right after I had shot the pictures to do a review for Arctic Assault Storm Shadow.

So thanks to asturedragon on Ebay.com.sg, I bagged this Arashikage Stormie and his bike along with Snake Eyes and his bike, which my cousin/confidant/wingman (;P) The Rangerlord so gladly decide to take off my hands since I had Snakesy already.  Not only did I get a great deal, but I also got express service--within hours of Buying it Now! I had met the seller and gotten the goods.

Now, I have my signature Storm Shadow!...or at least until I find the next version more brilliant. :P

Doing this review reminds me of when I was a kid and we used watch ninja movies on TV.  And if there was a sequel they would show it the following week on the same day and same time slot.  How would we know those movies were sequels?  Well, it's not too tough when they follow up American Ninja with American Ninja 2 in the newspaper TV guide.

Also, somehow at that age, every kungfu movie that had '2' on the end of it had to be better than the first one, cuz by the end of it, the protagonist has attained a higher level of skill and doubled his body count.  And for every kid who wants to be a ninja, greater body count = greater ninja master = better movie.  How simple things were back then.

So based on that principle, here's my sequel to New Year with Ninjas!--New Year with Ninjas 2!!  Will we have a higher body count?

New Year with Ninjas!

I know New Year's Day has come and gone for all of us, but for us Chinese or those of Chinese decent, February 14th was the first day of Chinese New Year!  And the awesome part is that it lasts for 15 days.  So you eat like it's Thanksgiving except for two weeks straight.  Sweet. :P

But I'll take a break from stuffing myself to talk toys just for a bit.  And since it's the Chinese New Year, what better way to celebrate than with the awesomest, stealthiest, Chinese warriors of them all: Ninjas!

What?  Whaddaya mean...oh.  Uh, yeah.  Ninjas are Japanese.  Right...

Well...so what?

That ain't gonna stop me from reviewing 3.75" Rise of Cobra Arctic Assault Storm Shadow!!!

What really attracted me to this figure is how gory it actually looks.  I don't think we've ever gotten a Joe (or any other action figure for that matter) with bloody cuts all over.  He comes as a maskless variant too, but I much prefer the masked Storm Shadow because he seems more uncompromising, as if he won't reveal his identity no matter how badly hurt he is. Nice.

He also captures the climactic moment of the movie where he dukes it out with Snake Eyes.  He's more or less been sliced to ribbons and so has his shirt, which has fallen off of him.  I guess it's just before the chick magnet moment where he tears of his mask and goes all Mardi Gras topless. Heh.

But we all know ol' trusty Storm Shadow doesn't die despite being run through by Snakey.  Heck, actor Lee Byung-Hun has signed on for at least another movie and word is that they've offered him a bigger role in the sequel.  Good work, Stormie!  Could it be he acted so well that he not only wowed audiences but fooled Snake Eyes too?  I mean, after all, he's a good guy spying on Cobra, right?  So does that mean he kinda 'let' Snake Eyes win in that climactic fight?  Storm Shadow fans like me would like to think so. (Yeah he did. For sure. ;P)

So let's see how his toy measures up to his oh so sneaky-but-skillful-enough-to-dodge-death character!

Good Girls 4, Bad Girls 1

That's the ratio of Good Joe females to Evil COBRA females in the Rise of COBRA line.

For the Joes it's Scarlett, Cover Girl, Dial Tone and Agent Helix, while for COBRA, it's well, just Baroness!  Even then, the Baroness is not technically a bad girl.  (Or is she? :P)  But of these 5 female characters, it's Agent Helix and her repaint Dial Tone (from the Zartan Infiltrator 5-pack Toys R Us Exclusive) which are the rarest. 

So imagine (once again) my surprise when I walk into one of the specialty toy stores that favours selling GI Joes to find Helix hanging on a peg on display by the door.  Then again, I probably shouldn't have been that surprised because this place does regularly bring in new stock, albeit in small amounts.
 
I snapped her up for just S$15 ($US10).  Not cheap by regular standards.  But for Helix, it's a steal. ;)

So what makes the good (or bad) Agent the most sought after female in the ROC line?  Well, after busting her open, I can only put it down to her being a short-packed figure.

Attack on the Pit!

That's Toys R Us Exclusive GI Joe Rise of Cobra Attack on the Pit, to be precise.

What's amazing about this 3.75" 5 figure + 1 vehicle set is that it never hit retail in Toys R Us stores here in Singapore.  So you can imagine my surprise when I saw it going on clearance in the major local department stores for just S$24.90, that's about US$17-18.  Now that's some crazy amount of discount on a movie scene set that retails for US$40-50 online.  And there's tons of them in the stores here.  So this just means that every Joe fan in or around Singapore just got lucky, myself included.

But put side by side with other sets in the Rise of Cobra series, such as the TRU Infiltrator 5-Packs (One with Duke and gang, and one with Zartan and 4 Joes), Attack on the Pit falls short of being great.  I mean, it's a really memorable scene from the movie but on it's own as a playset it seems more like a 'starter' set than an exclusive.  More after the jump!

Birthday Blessings!

You know you're blessed when on your birthday you receive this from your wife-to-be!

New Year Joes!

I've had a super busy start to the year and the only recent puchases I've made were online with DC Universe figures, which were technically bought in December.

So having been too busy with work and being currently in reservist with the army (that's what all us guys in Singapore do once per year until we turn 40), I only managed to really take a trip out toy hunting just last night.  The only reason I did this was because Melissa happened to be in one of th department stores (for Singaporeans, that's Takashimaya) we frequent and saw that GI Joe Rise of Cobra figures were going for S$10 each.  That's like another three bucks off the pre-Christmas clearance price!  Mel calls me while I'm in camp and I say, "get me Cover Girl, Heavy Duty, and Breaker.  Those are the only ones I don't have (I think.)"

Now I had something to look forward to over the weekend before heading back into camp next week.  Oh, and she even got me ROC Combat Heroes Duke and Baroness, as well as Storm Shadow and Heavy Duty for S$3 each. :D

But that wasn't the end!

Evil Flunkies!

That's what these guys are! Nevertheless, along with Duke, these bozos are 4 figures out of the 5-pack "Infiltrator" set Toy's R US exclusive.

But before I continue with this review, I'd just like to wish evryone who's reading a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to come.  Sorry I've been away feasting and making merry with family and friends these past 10 days (or preparing for it--you wouldn't believe the queues at places like TRU pre-Christmas.  All the way to the back of the store. Jeebus.)

I'd also like to add that I already had a room full of toys yet to be opened and reviewed, and now I have more.  It's not that everyone I knew got me toys, it's just that while shopping for others I happened to spot great deals.  For example, a S$5 Abomination from the 2008 Hulk movie (the dude's got 7 points of articulation in his arm alone!), a S$3, 3.75" scale Green Goblin on a Goblin Cycle that has really great articulation, and things like S15 dollar Hulkbuster Hummers from the movie line and S$10 Indiana Jones Jungle Cutters. Oh yeah, and also a couple of movie Wolverines for 3 bucks, cuz the packaging was damaged. So a great Christmas hunt all-in-all, but I digress...

Let's get on to the Infiltrator 5 pack review of these 4 Joe baddies!

Deadly Royalty!

Well, it's only right that since I reviewed Infiltrator Duke a few posts ago that I follow up with Baroness. Why? their both royal titles.  And also because FuSe has been reminding me every day how enamored with Siena Miller he is and how much he wants to get a Baroness figure despite not being a huge toy collector (for now...heheheh...).


Well I have to admit, Anastasia Decobray is indeed very impressive out of the packaging. They don't have her in any sort of pose whatsoever on card and sometimes her shades aren't quite put on correctly.  This makes it tough to know if she'll be able to wear them any way other than crooked .  So what to do?  Get a Baroness with shades on right. That's what I did.

So exactly how impressed was I with Attack on the G.I. Joe Pit Baroness? Click on to find out!

GI Joe Rise of Cobra: Bad Ass Duke!

No, he's not the version of Duke who just got a sack of 10, a large fries and chocolate shake at White Castle--he's Infiltrator Duke!

This bad-ass comes in set 2 (of 2) from the Rise of Cobra
5-pack sets packed with a M.A.R.S Industries Officer, a M.A.R.S Industries Trooper, an Elite-Viper, and a Neo-Viper. (Set 1 is a desert camo theme featuring Zartan [with additinal Joe trooper disguise head], Dial-Tone, Law & Order, Repeater, and Footloose.)

Now since Joes have been going on clearance recently worldwide, I didn't think I'd see new stuff come in and be on clearance. But on a routine visit to Toys R Us (at Vivocity) with the Rangerlord and I chanced upon the 5-packs sets for only S$34.90--that's like S$7 a figure. Woohoo! Rangerlord got the desert Joe themed set, while I immediately snagged the bad guy troop builder (Infiltrator) 5-pack because of one man and one man only--Duke!

Well, Duke is my favourite Joe, but I really didn't like him in Rise of the Cobra. I was really lukewarm about the Desert Camo Duke and I thought Reactive Impact Amour Duke was way too thin, especially in the arms. That version of Duke looks more like Christopher Lambert (custom time!).  So what's got me jumping up and down with this Duke? Review and more pics after the jump!