GI Joe FSS Wave 2

[countzackula]

Okay, okay...I've never been a huge fan of "collector clubs"...I always thought they were a pain in the ass and generally unfair to commoner collectors. Henceforth, I never joined any. One of my favorite action figure lines since childhood has been GI Joe. I know they have had a collector's club and I know there have been convention exclusives for years. I used to pout about the exclusive figures and how I'd never be able to get them and what not...OR how I just didn't feel like spending the major dough on expensive toys only produced in limited quantity, aimed purely at the adult fans. I have noticed that despite the best efforts to bring GI Joe back into the mainstream, toys really haven't made there mark in modern times. Fans of the GI Joe series are lucky to get what we get at retail. While there seems to be a fairly strong and loyal adult fanbase for GI Joe, it seems younger generations just ain't bitin'! I've noticed you pretty much have to resort to getting club or con figures since finding new Joe stuff in stores is getting worse and worse. So...I caved. I missed out on the first Fan Subscription Service wave...a total of twelve figures and one mystery one released in pairs every month. You could buy leftovers on the club site if you are a member, but they cost a bit more. I did manage to pick up my favorites from the first wave, but jumped on a subscription for the 2nd round! So, now that we got a few...I felt like jabbering about 'em!

Out of the dozen figures initially shown off, there seemed to be only two most fans really disliked. Yep, the two Tiger Force guys.



I'm showing an old packaged pic because, quite frankly, I didn't want these two. I sold them online almost immediately. Eh...Tiger Force was never my bag. I was so excited (like a schoolboy) when my first parcel from the club came in the mail. I was also extremely pissed that the first two we got were the worst two...UGH! While not EVERYONE hated these two, you could tell most fans weren't too thrilled over these figures. Straight-up repaints of their respective characters, except Shipwreck has new arms with long sleeves. I don't think these guys got the Tiger Force treatment back in the 80s...or maybe they were made outside of America. Either way, I'm just not a fan of Tiger Force. Back in the day, Tiger Force was a special group within GI Joe that utilized mainly captured Cobra vehicles painted up in gaudy yellow tiger stripes. Cobra had their Python Patrol to counter the Joes' Tiger Force. Eh. I actually lost two bucks plus shipping trying to sell these...just goes to show ya.

Thankfully, for some reason, the second set got mailed out fairly soon...why? I don't know exactly why. Some speculate it was to get them to members in time for the holiday season, and some say it was because the club got the goods form the suppliers late to begin with, so they tried to get the next set out to fans sooner. Either way, we got the crap outta the way and the second set got way better!



Wide Scope was first introduced during the Spy Troops line back in the early 2000s. He looked very similar to the classic Shockwave character (aka Shockblast in more modern times). Basically he's a SWAT guy with a dog. Not bad. Alotta fans tend to hate on the 2000s era Joes. I can understand why. Admittedly, the sculpts were inconsistent as well and the proportions. However, we still got a alot of cool new characters for the mythos alongside old favorites reimagined or rebooted!

Wide Scope got the club treatment here. Excellent work! They kept him very true to the source. He even comes with his old doggie pal, Lamont! What more can you ask for? Sorry for the blurry pic, by the way. I had no idea it was that bad until I uploaded it!



Lamont is pretty much the same as the old 2000-whatever version. Except that one had a blue harness. I really shoulda dug that one out for a comparison! D'oh! Anyway, he's a solid figure...no articulation. Comes with a leash accessory.



Wide Scope comes with pretty much the same accessories as his "vintage" version. Hey...early 2000s ain't THAT old! He comes with two guns (one with a bipod), a SWAT shield, removable cap and gas mask. Honestly a great modernized version. No real complaints at all. I do wish he could grip the shield a little more strongly, though.

Wide Scope was shipped with Skullbuster. Sadly, the FSS seems to favor the good guys. We get more. Understandable. I guess that makes each new baddie released all the more sweeter, right? I'll admit, if it weren't for Cobra, my interest in GI Joe would probably not be very strong...just sayin'.



Skullbuster was actually another 2000 era Joe. See, for some reason, Hasbro released a lot of "vintage style" bodied figures alongside the newer sculpted figures. Basically, another version of the fan favorite Range Viper or Rock Viper. This guy was meant to be a stand-alone character and not a trooper. Apparently this guy was the best of the best among his brethren and essentially the leader of the Range Vipers or whatever. He also got a tweaked look in the comics at the time. Unfortunately, I was focusing on the toys and wasn't reading the comics. Skullbuster was made out to be some crazed survivalist nut. He looked a lot creepier in the comics...he had ragged clothing, dredlocks, and used a broken Range Viper helmet as a mask! No wonder he gets confused with Shadow Tracker!



Speaking of the devil...Skullbuster is primarily a repaint of the Range Viper we got in the Cobra Island 7-pack...but with the lower arms of Shadow Tracker. Sadly, the arms are too long and this makes the figure look almost simian. Many a fan have bemoaned this fact. Still...you gotta love the choice of colors they used for this guy. I skipped out on the original Skullbuster years ago and am glad to have him, despite the monkey arms.









In terms of accessories, Skullbuster comes with a grenade launcher, pistol, rifle with ammo belt and bipod, backpack, spear, and bolos. You'll notice the melee weapons once belonged to Shadow Tracker as well, if you follow GI Joe. Skullbuster is a survivalist, so he's supposed to be adept at utilizing weapons from indigenous cultures around him. Also, according to his filecard...he may or may not be a cannibal...a fact which would not have flown well if this toy was a normal retail release.

All in all, Skullbuster is pretty neat, gangly arms aside. Granted, I think lots of fans would one day like to see a comic version...looking all ragged and what not. This figure is almost the perfect low-production figure since he doesn't have that massive appeal or any new parts. However, fans of obscure characters might clamor for him!

Okay, the third set we got came not too long ago. As a matter of fact, I got this on Christmas eve. This might seem poetic if I didn't despise the holiday season with every fiber of my being. Yes, I'm evil...deal with it...death to Santa! Ha ha haaaa!!!

I hated the first set of FSS Joes, and was relieved by the second set...but when I feverishly opened the mailing carton on that snowy winter's night, I shouted a HALLELUJAH!!! We got Desert Scorpion and Tollbooth in the third set.



As a kid, there were so many GI Joes I wanted and so many I never got. That's life. Desert Scorpion was on of those toys I heartily regretted never getting. He was so cool, AND came with an animal companion. Not only any animal companion, but a giant, presumably mutant scorpion! This guy had been on my personal childhood wish list since I discovered his existence. My brothers and I rarely got toys outside of holidays. Sometimes, when we went clothes shopping for school, we'd be allowed to get a small toy if we behaved. See...not to go too deep into grandpa Zack's storytime, buuuuut...we always went on this grueling all-day adventure to the Vanity Fair outlets in Reading PA to get back-to-school clothes cheaper. They had a small toy store in the basement of one of the large buildings near the food court. One year, I spotted a Desert Scorpion figure and clutched onto that summbitch like there was no tomorrow! Unfortunately, I was denied since my mother insisted we three kids got a large HOt Wheels multi-pack to share. My two younger brothers had no problem with this...but I was PISSED. I never got that Desert Viper. Never. The bitterness......oh, the bitterness!

We got a spiritual successor during the mid-2000s in Sand Scorpion during the Valor vs. Venom days. We might have gotten a modern Desert Scorpion as a vehicle driver for the Minotaur mech, but that got cancelled. So, when pics were shown of the 2nd wave of the Fan Subscription Service, I rejoiced since we'd finally be getting a new Desert Scorpion! Let's see how he stacks up.

Pretty much a good modern version of the old one. Not 100% accurate, but a great modernization of a classic! In spirit, spot on. A complete "Franken-Joe" with no new parts, as far as I can tell, but it generally works quite well. The old Desert Scorpion had a lot more yellow. He almost wore kind of a onesie much like Scarlet...all in yellow. For the modern version, they chose to forgo the onesie and just give him black trousers. Visually, the new Desert Scorpion is superb. Toned down, yet faithful to the feel of the classic. My only regret is that they should have made his shin guards brown instead of black since they blend in with the pants too much.



The club updated his gear too. The classic had a backpack with a gun/missile launcher mounted on the back, by a small stalk or turret. The modern version has a regular looking cloth backpack with a space to store his staff weapon. He also has a knife which fits into his hip sheath and a grey gun which admittedly is kinda the most dull part of the figure to me...I dunno.

Character-wise...the club changed the mention of the rank of Desert Scorpion. No reference was made to this being a position of punishment that Cobra troops had to work their way back out of. Now, Desert Scorpions are basically recruits form indigenous desert dwellers. I like the fact they now have tanner skin compared to the caucasian skin of old. You may note the arms are borrowed from the 25th Ann. version of Croc Master since you can still see the bite mark near the elbow on the right arm!



I kinda like the gaff accessory despite the fact it is not classical to the character. I guess you can say it mirrors a scorpion tail, in a way. Like I said before, if fits nicely in the groove in the brown backpack.



Last accessory? His scorpion! Now, as I mentioned before...the ORIGINAL Desert Scorpion came with a very large black scorpion pet or companion. The original filecard didn't make mention of it. I never read any comics, but judging by the size, it must have been a mutant engineered by Cobra scientists...at least that's the way I see it...given Cobra's sci-fi track record. Anyway, the modern version comes with a ROBOT scorpion companion. They borrowed the exact mold from the 2000s era Sand Scorpion's scorpion 'bot. The only difference? The cut out the peg to make it a backpack. Nope...they decided not to alter the mold by giving it a modern backpack peg. Instead, the robot scorpion is meant to remain a robotic drone of sorts. You technically can use the scorpion as a backpack if desired...it just won't hook onto Desert Scorpion's back properly. You can still detach the "claws" and use them as tools/weapons for the figure. Granted, they are a bit loose. This kinda pays homage to the classic figure's odd digging tools.



Like the originals, the robotic scorpion has hinged elbows, knees, and tail. You can detach the claw and gun accessories if desired. I recommend finding a way to attach the scorpion to the figure's back like with Sand Scorpion and Neurotoxin form Valor vs. Venom. It just looks too cool. I'm kinda bummed the club screwed that peg situation up...kinda.

All in all...GREAT figure, nice update. You may have a few bugaboos about this modern version, but you gotta admit, for a Franken-Joe? Pretty nice. My only major gripe is the one I saved for last. This coulda been an almost perfect figure for me......however...the hips are a bit wonky...at least on mine. See, I don't know what upper thighs got used for this figure just by first glance, but they don't synch up well with the crotch. Bummer. You don't get the usual wide range of hip movement you do with GI Joe figures. They feel a bit tight and you can't spread them outward very far. This bugs the crap outta me. The only REAL problem with the figure...anything else is minor for the most part. This fact may ruin your day, so just a heads up.

Still...so glad to finally get hold of an old, sought after character! Unfortunately, if you wanna troop build, it'll cost ya. I don't wanna give up hope that Hasbro may whip up a retail version some day (hopefully improved), but for now, he'll command my other desert troops or something.

Okay, sent along with Desert Scorpion was a new Joe: Tollbooth! Originally a vehicle driver. He came with the Bridge Layer aka Toss 'n' Cross. I always remember that vehicle form the cartoon! My brother always wanted one. It was neat, but didn't really have any cool weaponry...mainly a giant tool.



As a kid, I never thought much of Tollbooth. I knew of him. He was always just the driver of the Bridge Layer to me. I more modern times, I came to adore this guy. I loved the way his construction helmet was kinda jaunty...it gave him character...attitude. Even though I never got a vintage one and we never got a modernized equivalent, I developed an admiration for this character in my adulthood. So, when he was announced as one of the FSS figures, I was glad.

Being a vehicle driver, he didn't come with much in the way of accessories...I think he only came with a sledgehammer. Now, being a carded figure...he needs a little more. One of those figures that comes not with a bunch of guns and knives, but non-weaponry accessories.





Aside from the aforementioned sledgehammer, Tollbooth also comes with a digging tool (I don't know what to call it, honestly...a pick?) that can be placed on his back via a peg, a coil of barbed wire, and two safety cones. He also comes with an obligatory side arm that fits in his leg holster. A pretty nice modern version. Instead of a normal vest, he now has a tactical one...but aside from that, darn faithful in appearance! I was a bit glum about the hard hat. True, the original was sculpturally engaged to his head and non-removable, but this time around we don't get that trademark jaunty helmet! ARGH! This was an all-new head sculpt, by the way. I'm sad they couldn't have just made the helmet removable. That way, if you prefer him to be either full of construction worker swagga, or straight and serious...you can do either. Eh...whatever...still and awesome figure with awesome accessories!

One other point I must touch upon...sadly, another negative one. Tollbooth is a bit on the short side. I think it's because his lower legs really don't go with the upper thighs...I hafta look into this. Point is, Tollbooth's figure, on a whole, appears much shorter than the average GI Joe figure. This might bug you. The knees also don't fully straighten...further proof of a bad Franken-Joe. There you go...two bummers on one figure.

The third wave brought me great joy, yet it was hampered but a few points of disappointment. Depending on your point of view...the club should basically know better and do a better job making these figures as best as they can be. I dunno. One of those things you can geekishly debate about until the end of time. Still, I wouldn't get a subscription if I totally hated these...I just hope the club wises up a bit more with certain issues in the future. QUALITY CONTROL!!!

Here's your moment of zen...I would have waited an eternity for this...



YYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! M! C! A!

[spockoda]

I wondered if they were still making G.I. Joe: ARAH items somehow, I wasn't even aware that they were until this post. I can't figure out why these didn't do well enough to keep the line going at retail but maybe us old schoolers couldn't keep the line going if the kiddies didn't get on board. Unfortunately, once the new line died at retail my interest slowly waned and this seems to me kinda like one of those MOTU Classics type of thing I have neither the money nor time to keep up with.

[beckley]

That YMCA pic is classic. I got the Joe subscription last year and this year, and I'm really happy I did. It is really pricey and eats into most of my yearly toy budget, but it's worth it to me. Especially since I'm not spending any $ on GI joe in the stores cause there's none to be found anyways. I'm also glad there's more Joes than Cobras in the subscription cause I troop build Cobras, and there's no way I could afford to do that with subscription figures.

[countzackula]

I personally consider the fourth set of Fan Subscription Services as the "climax wave"...just because it had what most fans probably consider to be the deal-sealer that is Cesspool in it! Yeah, I gotta admit that if I had still been totally against the whole club/subscription idea...I would have been PISSED about Cesspool only being available to the select few willing to throw down big bucks. Granted, in collector circles, around $25 may not seem that bad...but still. Oh. Yeah. We also got Night Force Falcon in this set as well.

I may as well get Lt. Falcon outta the way first. Not that he's a bad figure...it's just that Cesspool is so cool (in my own personal opinion), that he kinda gets forgotten in comparison!



We got a convention set last year which featured Night Force. So, you could consider the FSS release that is Falcon a nice little add-on to that set. Yeah, we had a Night Force version of Falcon back in the day, and this newest version is pretty damn faithful.



The core body of this figure is the same as the version of Falcon we got in the Slaughter's Marauders 7-pack. Honestly, aside from the color scheme...a VAST improvement over the crappy modern version of Falcon we first got back in that comic pack with Nemesis Immortal. Night Force is one of those sub-teams that can actually pass as "normal" looking, for the most part. The color schemes aren't totally gonzo, like with Tiger Force or Special Mission Brazil.



Granted...to the uninitiated, Night Force Falcon may be confused with Flint, but still...best version of the character in the modern era! He basically looks like a very realistic "army man" character. No weird weapons or bizarre colors here. Falcon comes with what you consider normal military gear: guns, backpack, knife, a radio. Standard stuff. He even has a removable beret!



Honestly, no real complaints about this figure. Like I often say...I'm technically not a big supporter of the IDEA of clubs, but I consider this figure a great club exclusive, being that he's not super-duper awesome. Not that Night Force Falcon is bad, mind you, but he's the kind of figure you might not mind missing out on if you aren't a really hardcore collector. Aside from maybe his webgear tending to slip off his shoulders and looking weird, nothing really bad, structurally, about this guy. Even colorwise, he ain't bad!





Again, great addition to the Night Force sub team. It's probably the only sub team I can take seriously. You'd think that since I enjoy weirdo stuff, that I'd be okay with stuff like Tiger Force...but, no! Ha ha ha haaa!!!

*ahem*

Now onto what I consider the best figure of the subscription service...despite the fact we still haven't gotten the last two sets OR the bonus figure yet! Will I change my mind? Who knows, but until then, I'm totally callin' favorites on this guy: CESSPOOL!!!!!



One of those toys I always wanted, but never got. Hell, most of the GI Joe line was that way for me and my brothers! I'll say it once, and I'll say it again...if it wasn't for Cobra, my interest in GI Joe would probably be almost nonexistent. I just love weird bad guys. Just about all fans can agree that the 90s is when Joe went berserk. The whole military theme seemed to get almost lost at times as we got day-glo soldiers, drug enforcement officers, neon spacemen, aliens, color changing ninja, and video game guest stars. Cesspool was the main villain of the ECO Warriors subset. In the 90s, there seemed to be a lot of 'toons and toys geared toward environmentalism...not that I'm trying to say that was a bad thing...but it was a thing. The ECO Warriors all had water squirting weapons and color change battle damage features. That, and they all came with color schemes that still give nightmares to longtime Joe fans to this very day. At any rate, Cesspool was a corrupt official/executive that got scarred in a chemical accident...naturally, as all bad guys do in the world of comics/cartoons/toylines, he became even MORE evil and corrupt by blaming environmentalists. So, Cesspool did the most logical thing he could do and joined Cobra by weaponizing toxic waste and calling it Plasma-tox!



I could go on and on about my fascination with the character...but I'll spare you, since I spent almost all day the other day gushing about him in my head while waiting on jury selections (don't ask...terrible experience). Like many of the modern figures...he isn't an EXACT reproduction of the classic 1991 Cesspool. Since that one was all new parts, nothing that exists in the modern body style, that is comparable to vintage Cesspool. I actually don't mind. True, I miss the cybernetic right arm and am bummed we didn't get a giant gold chainsaw...but this version is a great spiritual update of the 90s version. Nice modernization, without losing the feel of the old one!



We no longer have the giant molded cobra design on Cesspool's chest. I don't mind this as much as I thought I would. The figure seems to be made up of Techno Viper's body and Sci-Fi's legs...along with a new head sculpt, and arms I'm not sure of. Eh...I don't like to play "name that Franken-Joe part" so much. All the parts generally work as a toned-down and modernized version of Cesspool. Even the basic color scheme still holds...just dialed back, a bit. The helmet is also a reuse of Sci-Fi's parts. It fits the purpose well enough. It is just a teensy bit snug, and you may see Cesspool's chin stick out at times...but I don't consider this a killer problem. I gather most fans would prefer his un-helmeted head! Gotta love a guy with scars.



Aside from the helmet and the little inoculation gun, Cesspool has a backpack tank with hose-attached gun. Now, initial computer mock-ups showed a backpack more similar to his classic one. As a matter of fact, if I remember correctly, it was even done up in purple and orange like the 90s version! I believe the 30th Anniversary Arctic Destro's backpack was originally planned (that one actually squirted water), but we got this one instead. The gun carries over, but obviously doesn't work, as it. You can still see the holes at either end of the gold blaster weapon. Unfortunately, the tank is a fake. It's painted blue to fit the color of all the Compound Z paraphernalia we got or were supposed to get had the whole "zombie bit" actually stayed around on a retail level. Yeah, did I mention that Cesspool was written as the mastermind of the whole upcoming zombie theme at the 2014 convention? Well...he is! Apparently, according to his file, he broke out of incarceration and perfected a formula that allowed him to better control the Toxo-zombies created via exposure to the old Plasma-tox stuff. Pretty damned neat, if I must say so.



Lastly, Cesspool comes with a big briefcase full of money. Yep, this accessory goes along with his whole slimy business executive deal. We got a similar accessory a few times in the past...mainly with Destro, I believe. Not bad...although part of me would have rather had a giant gold chainsaw...j-j-just sayin'!





In conclusion, Cesspool is quite nice...as a figure. It's a damn shame we couldn't see a retail release. Hell, it's a shame Hasbro couldn't bring the whole "zombie thing" to retail, considering the popularity of zombies these days. I mean, doing such a theme for retail might have even SAVED GI Joe! Naw, Hasbro apparently would rather not...oh, well! He's not 100% faithful to the original, but he's a great modernized version. Now, some fans might have some bugaboos about the toy. I can see that, but part of me would rather not be wholly negative about that right now. The only gripe is that his hip movement is a tad tight...but I wanna blame the belt for that one. Other than that...I am lovin' this guy! I can't wait to see what the 2014 convention set will bring...not only for ECO Warriors, but the zombie theme as well.

[countzackula]

Now that the bad guys are done...I'm kinda bummed. True, we may get a villain as the 13th mystery figure, though. Anyway...here's the second to last set of the Wave 2 FSS Joes:

First up is Bombardier! He was apparently supposed to be an unreleased Action Force character over in Europe, I think. I remember reading an article about him online. Said figure was just a repaint of GI Joe Flash. Same here!



I don't know a whole lot about the character, and frankly, I don't think anyone else does. Apparently a few samples exist, but the original Bombardier was not really released I guess. I mean, the figure itself is decent. Just a straight-up repaint. Nothing to fancy, unless you count the bright color scheme. I'm sure many fans of this stuff might not have too much of a hard-on for this guy considering he's an Action Force guy. Most American fans seem to not think very much of Action Force with the exception of a few. But that's just me talkin' outta my ass, right? Personally, I had no real fascination for this guy since I didn't even know the figure or character existed until I read an article about him a few years ago on yojoe.com. I don't know if he was ever featured in any comics or anything like that, so for right now I'm assuming his filecard was just made up for this release. He's apparently an experimental weapons guy who was forced to work for the evil Red Shadows. His whole family, except one, was apparently killed by them...and then he found out his one surviving family member was a sleeper agent for the Shadows! WHOA HO HOOO!!! So, he's a tad messed up and bitter. Neat backstory.

Onto the figure itself. Straight repaint. It uses some bright colors, which might turn off some fans, but I don't think it's THAT bad. I'm admittedly sick of the Flash/Grand Slam body and parts by now and I don't know why. It just seems like the body or parts of it were used so many times since the third generation GI Joe ARAH body has been introduced. I mean, it's a cool body sculpt, but to me it's kinda visually iconic enough that you automatically recognize it when you see it. I jokingly noticed that the armored pads make me think of waffles. I'm tempted to pour syrup onto this guy and eat him! I secretly refer to Bombardier as "Robo-Waffle-Cop".



I never really realized before...but this head sculpt (now that it has blonde hair) reminds me of vintage He-Man if he shaved his head! Wow...he got lean and joined the army...good for him. About time he cleaned up his act.



In terms of accessories, Bombardier comes with his two guns and reuses the drone used back in the Rise Of Cobra movie line. Honestly, probably one of my favorite accessories from that line. Granted, if you are a Joe fan you know that the first movie line utilized a lot of big honkin' guns that launched projectiles in an apparent bid to attract younger fans by assuring an action feature for those kiddies that need their toys to "do sumpthin". Many of those big guns were rather silly and some were actually okay...some were even (dare I say it) pretty damn cool. I think this tank drone got used with two figures. It was all green with no paint apps. Well, this time we get some paint apps! YEAH!!! The bottom and cannon sections can come apart and therefore the upper cannon swivels. The missile actually works. You can also put a gun in the side slot of the cannon part too. Honestly, this accessory really makes the figure, if you ask me. I like the experimental weapons angle they gave the character. I'm glad we got the tank drone as opposed to just another version of the Flash backpack/laser combo.

Well...what can I say? I really have nothing much else to add about the figure or character. I like seeing obscure, foreign or unreleased figures get made or remade. Again, I think this figure is one of those perfect club/con exclusives since he's interesting enough to pique the interest of a select group amongst the fanbase, yet not a super heavily sought after figure by casual (or poor) fans. I probably would not go out of my way to acquire him if I was not part of the Collector Club, yet since I am, I'm generally okay with the figure. 'Nuff said.

The other half of the fifth shipment is Keel Haul. Truth be told...I'm surprised we didn't get the two Oktober Guard characters at this time to coincide with the Winter Olympics going on in Russia. Woulda been....er...cute...I guess. But, whatever. Bah...anyhow, here's Keel Haul!



I found myself being quite interested in this guy when the 2nd wave was revealed. I never had the original as a kid, but I remember him form package backs and pamphlet inserts. He just stands out to me, even though he might not be one of the top Joes that average fans think of when they think GI Joe. It's good to have another nautical guy on board. You can never get enough seamen, I always say! I'm likin' this guy...I'm really likin' this guy. He's my kinda guy. He just looks really cool to me for some reason. True, he is a bit lanky and his arms seem a tad too long (like Skullbuster's), but it gives him character.



I always get a kick out of the GI Joes that don't come with the usual bevy of guns and knives for accessories. Aside from the obligatory sidearm, Keel Haul is all about non-weapon accessories! He is the Admiral on a ship, so I guess he doesn't NECESSARILY need a bazooka.



Keel Haul comes with a set of binoculars, a flare gun, and a flag for his ship the USS FLAGG...which I doubt is gonna get remade or re-released any time soon. Dang it. He also comes with a coffee mug. I'm just diggin' the coffee mug even though I'm not a coffee fan! Wow! I actually hafta do some research to find out if this accessory is new or not. I really don't remember it being used with any other GI Joe figures. Still...it just adds character to the Keel Haul figure. I love it.



All in all...I love Keel Haul! He may not be 100% faithful to his classic counterpart, but he looks damn good to me. He's a character you'd think I wouldn't care about if you really knew my awkward tastes. True, his arms suffer from chimp syndrome and the legs might seem too skinny to some...but I don't mind it. Again, in this case, I think it gives the toy character. You might notice the jacket part was borrowed from a vest out of the Pursuit of Cobra line. To some, this might look unrealistic or unclassical...and I understand. I would not be surprised to read other fans' reviews and hear some gripes about this. Thankfully, I do not mind it. The head is all new and looks STUPENDOUS! It also doesn't hurt if he looks a smidgen like Tom Selleck! Can you say "man crush Monday"? I knew you could! Great figure great accessories.

Just a side note about my Keel Haul figure, though. Not to end on a bad note, but mine seems to have two right feet. Thankfully, he's got smaller feet and the sculpt of the shoes is not super well-defined so I don't notice it much...but I wonder if this may be a fluke or a running problem. "Running problem"? Heh...I'm so punny!

We got one more set of figures on the way plus one secret one. I've heard rumors (who hasn't), but I'm kinda hoping for a Black Major figure. He's a Red Shadows bad guy form Action Force. He was mentioned in Bombardier's file card...so I hope to GAWD that's a hint!

[countzackula]

The last shipment of the Fan Subscription Service has come. No surprises here...since we technically already knew all the figures we were gonna get...and this is the last set. Anyway, it's the two Oktober Guard guys. I'll admit that I'm surprised we didn't get these last time since the Winter Olympics were still going on in Russia. It woulda been cute, y'know? I think I mentioned that before. Eh, but who cares, really. Onto the reviews!

Okay, okay...the Oktober Guard...it's the Russian equivalent of America's G.I. Joe. They made an appearance or two on the 80s cartoon and many appearances in the comics. I honestly think we only ever got two or three Oktober Guard characters back in the classic ARAH line. It wasn't until the early 2000s and the comic packs, that we even got any major toy exposure for the Oktober Guard! Those comic packs were made in the neo-classic body style using old 80s molds with new head sculpts. I owned them at one time before I downsized. We got a Red Star figure in the 25th Anniversary line, but we never truly got a retail release of any other Oktober Guard guys in the 3rd generation GI Joe body style. True, we did get a convention set...but not everyone has the bucks to spring for one. Uh...I did. Thankfully, the club actually released the set to members after the convention, since it was so popular. Not surprising we got some more club exclusives to fill in the gaps of our Oktober Guard roster!

First up is Big Bear. My brother actually had this guy as a kid! Wow! A club remake I actually owned! Well, my BROTHER owned it, but I played with it alot. Anyhow, I remember this guy well.



Nice reboot...really nice, as a matter of fact. The old Big Bear was a really cool figure since he could pass as a "normal" soldier and still be filed in with all the cold weather troops. Let's face it...as a kid, you know damn well all those white-clad snow guys looked dumb battling alongside your other Joes in the desert or the jungle...ADMIT IT! Yeah, yeah...go sit in the Thunderclap, Snow Job and keep it runnin' while we fight Cobra in July ON THE EQUATOR!!! Yeah, you know what I mean.

They actually played up the cold weather gear with this guy. He now has a heavy coat with a hood. They kept the same general color scheme, which I like. He's a bulkier figure, obviously, and this means that certain poses can't be pulled off, especially due to the coat bulk and lack of double-jointed knees. But it's all good. He still has a damn nice range of motion.



The figure is one of those that got the new head sculpt treatment. I like it! Looks great. No complaints. Big Bear comes with a rifle and a machine gun. You can take the coat piece off, but the body underneath looks odd and skinny...kinda ruins his image...like a plucked chicken. I coulda took pics, but I just thought of it now. Dammit. Oh, well. He looks much better fully equipped.



Lastly, Big Bear comes with a rocket launcher. The original figure came with a more fantasy-based one with two missiles. It was black with yellow projectiles. I'm kinda surprised they didn't at least use the same one, but who really cares THAT much. It works nicely.

All in all, Big Bear is a successful remake of a classic, as well as a much needed rank-filler for your Oktober Guard...er...if you have any others, that is!

Next up, is Dragonsky. He's the resident flamethrower and mechanic for the Oktober Guard. He's the only guy whose color scheme really makes him stand out. He almost looks like he should be a Cobra, shouldn't he? Anyway, we got a Dragonsky in the comic packs back in the early to mid 2000s. I don't really read the comics so I don't know TONS about the character off the top of my head...but that version never had a helmet. This one comes with one to cover that pretty bald noggin! Nice touch. Great touch, actually. Who screws around with flames and doesn't wear a helmet? Okay...lotsa people...but, oh...you know what I mean! It makes sense!





Although I don't own the comic pack version any more, I'm pretty sure we got the same backpack...just modified. I'm almost positive (off the top of my head) that this flamethrower mold was used several times in recent years. The helmet appears to be borrowed from the vehicle driver of that airship from the first GI Joe movie. Generally, he's a great looking toy and has a good range of movement. My only gripe is that I wish there was a bit more slack on the flamethrower hose. It kinda pulls the backback to the side when you put the gun part into Dragonsky's hand.



You can shuck all that gear and equipment if desired. Honestly, this makes me crave a version one Toxo Viper! Anyway, no new head here...looks like Airtight's head got reused. Some hardcore fans might be disappointed in the fact he doesn't have a fully bald head. I'm not. He also comes with a rifle for when he's not shooting fiery blasts at the enemy.



Ah, yes! Nice to get some more Oktober Guard characters! I know there are more...maybe next FSS wave, eh? I mean, I really like the idea of an "expanded universe". The kid in me loves the idea that there are other teams ASIDE from GI Joe, out there battling terror. Although I'm not a (GI JOe) comic reader, I love the characters and hope for more. These last two second wave FSS figures are really nice, and I'm glad it ended on a good note.

........................

Wait..."good note"? I forgot the last figure! Yes, the thirteenth mystery figure! See, if you ain't keepin' track, the club shows off the initial twelve so we (more or less) know what we are getting for our money, but the include a supposedly free bonus thirteenth at the end. This figure is a mystery. Sheesh...I'm making on like they've been at this routine for years...it's only the second year! Anyhoo...last time we got the evil Blackout as the bonus. Honestly, he wasn't bad. I did not subscribe last time, but picked him up off eBay later, since he didn't appear available on the club site to non-subscribers for some odd reason. Thankfully, I got mine for what I considered a good price. My only problem with that figure was that he was a bit short, but he was still pretty cool. Naturally, I was waiting and drooling for this mystery figure. There was rumors swirling about it being Bombstrike, who was a newer female character introduced in the second generation body style during the mid 2000s. I hoped the filecard reference on Bombardier hinted at a Black Major figure to start off a Red Shadows run in the modern body style. Hell, I even hoped that considering we got more Oktober Guard filler, we'd get another Iron Grenadier. General Mayhem, maybe? Oh, he would be effin' awesome! Nope...we got none of those.

Okay, I really don't wanna end on a bad note, but I peeked on the internet to find out what our mystery figure was. I'm glad I was prepared for the brunt of the disappointment! Yes...DISAPPOINTMENT. See, it seems the last figure caused quite a bitter fanboy uproar. I cannot admit that I too was a bit angry, but part of me just doesn't feel like bitching over a "freebie". Whatever. The 13th MYSTERY FIGURE?!?!



Whoopie...it's Flash...er, Grand Slam...eh, what's the difference? Based off of some color variation of the character from the 80s, I think. Something along those lines. Point is, many loyal fans were pissed that we basically got a figure we already have. It looks like Flash, only darker...and with a missile launcher. Now, I'm not gonna cover all the picky little points about why the whole situation sucks...since it steers very close to whiner territory...but the bottom line is this figure coulda been the cherry on top, but ended up being a stale peanut. Bleh.

For now, he's still in his packaging and will probably go the way of my Tiger Force guys...eBay! Hopefully the club will plan a much more interesting mystery figure for the 3rd wave.

OH CRAPOLA!!! I forgot to interject a butt-load of stereotypical Russian phrases and pop culture references into the Oktober Guard reviews! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Eh...I'm too lazy to go back and edit it.

[beckley]

I have to admit, I've been happy with the past two Joe Subscriptions, a little something for everyone.
Grand Slam wasn't the greatest, but to be fair, people had been asking for a Red Pad Grand Slam for a while.

Awesome pics Countzackula!