He’ll fight for freedom in many different formats – G.I. Joe is there! Wow – what a time to be a Joe fan. The brand is in a time of amazingly diverse product offerings. Hasbro is doing their thing, and Super7 is also bringing it with their ULTIMATES! and ReAction figures. We have a preview of the second series of ReAction figures, and boy, they sure are a lot of fun.
Not only are we in a time of riches for G.I. Joe offerings in general, but for the first time we are also getting figures based off of the original Sunbow productions cartoon. Super7 is leading the charge from that corner, and two series of their premium ULTIMATES! have been solicited and the second series of ReAction is getting ready to hit very soon. This new series is a nice compliment to the initial series of figures in that the line keeps expanding with more core characters, but we also get more army-builders, and some of them are just WILD. Don’t get me wrong, I love me my Lady Jaye, Major Bludd, and Storm Shadow, but the Gamemaster Drone might be my new favorite Joe concept put to plastic.
The official series 2 line-up contains:
Duke
Lady Jaye
Bazooka (Arctic wear)
G.I. Joe Sailor (in different ethnicities/skin tones)
Storm Shadow
Major Bludd
Cobra Shocktrooper
Gamemaster Drone
If you were attempting to guess this line-up prior to the reveal, I am positive you did not guess correctly because this is a diverse showing with several unexpected entries. Like I said, the Gamemaster Drone, in all of his cold weather gear and clown make-up is one I am positive no one had on their bingo card, but man, the most unexpected guests are often the most welcomed. I adore this dude, and will be needing a few of him just to drop in random spots around my collection space.
Now, I am typically not much of a 3¾ collector, nor do I normally keep action figures on-card, but I find myself with quite a few ReAction figures, and a good deal of those have been kept… mint on card. The reason for this is that Super7 is often so tight in their presentation of the ReAction figures, the literal total package is all a part of the experience. I know that five points of articulation is nothing new or groundbreaking in terms of action figure progress, but these are supposed to be the antithesis of that. That said, these are some of the nicest ReAction figures I have seen and you can see the sculpting work continually growing across the line as a whole.
These capture that animated look within the ReAction aesthetic very well, so everything clicks. Sure, I get that these are not for everyone, but the retro-chic and clean look of the figures, coupled with the lovely vintage tribute card art makes the whole presentation something I often choose to preserve. That is why I think there carve out a nice niche, even for the Joe fan who has everything – there is nothing quite like these, and if the philosophy and aesthetic appeal to you, these are a lot of fun.
I am going to be all-in on the UTLIMATES! Joe line, but having these ReAction figures to supplement that it a nice way to grow an overall Joe collection, and give a more accessible path to army building. I love that the the sometimes goofy nature of the cartoon is embraced here, it is a part of show that is a very important part of the Real American Hero history, and the fact that it makes characters like the Gamemaster Drone, or Bazooka in his winter coat available to fans who appreciate that is cool.
These should be hitting stores very soon, so be on the lookout. I also have the Arctic Rescue Vehicle set to share (it’s WILD!), but I am waiting for some snow before I take some pictures of that. We are due this weekend, so I am looking forward to it.
*Thanks to the team at Super7 for sending these along for an early look.
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Source: Fwoosh
