Tag Archives: Super 7

#3975: Baron Karza & Biotron

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

BARON KARZA & BIOTRON

MICRONAUTS REACTION+ FIGURES (SUPER 7)

While I’ve discussed Microman relatively recently here on the site, it’s been since 2018 that I’ve properly talked about the line’s American cousin, Micronauts.  Micronauts is kind of the story of defeat in the face of defeat.  Though quite successful when brought to the US by Mego in the late ‘70s, it was ultimately ahead of its time, and got lost in the shuffle into Star Wars at the end of the decade. The line sort of disappeared domestically, with an attempted revival in the ‘90s by Takara, and an actual (but very ill-fated) revival by Palisades in the ‘00s, which wound up going so badly it killed the company.  SOTA proposed another revival that went nowhere, and then Hasbro bought the brand, did, like, two things with it, and then abandoned all their plans, including an entire, completed cartoon.  Hasbro started sub-licensing out some of their brands to Super 7, and Micronauts got mixed in, so we’re getting *something* at least.  So, far overdue, I’m taking a look at Super 7’s takes on Baron Karza and Biotron!

THE FIGURES THEMSELVES

Baron Karza and Biotron make up the first series of Super 7’s Micronauts ReAction+ Figures.  Like the ReAction+ G.I. Joes, these ones are o-ring construction, rather than the standard 5-poa set-up of earlier ReAction offerings.  In the vintage line, both Karza and Biotron were larger, non-o-ring figures, but in the Marvel comics, both of them were the same general size as the other characters, so these figures allow them to interact with the more standard sized figures from the vintage line.

BARON KARZA

The original Karza was one of the line’s magnetic construction figures, much like the Red Falcon I reviewed.  He maintained the same general structure, but was larger, and had a tendency to fall apart a lot.  This one simply takes the design of that one, in its full, predating Darth Vader by a number of years, glory, and moves it to a more conventional construction.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  His sculpt is new (though most of it, much like his vintage counterpart, is shared with the second series’ Force Commander figure), and it’s a solid match for the original in terms of styling.  It’s got a good, classic, retro sci-fi appearance, which is incredibly distinctive.  The slightly more geometric shaping of the sculpt, while slightly odd on the Joes, is totally at home on a character like Karza.  He doesn’t come apart like the original, which is a blessing and a curse, since it means he loses a feature, but he’s also sturdier for it.  He’s got rather basic color work, but the essentials are covered, and he’s even got silver detailing where the original magnets would have been.  Karza was packed with a backpack, modeled on the rocket packs from the original, but now as one single piece.

BIOTRON

Biotron was notable in his original incarnation for being less of a figure proper, and more of a playset/vehicle for the standard figures.  In order to allow him to more easily with the main characters of the comic, he was shrunk down to a regular size (the later “Biotron II” was the size of the actual toy).  The revisits to the original line have never gathered enough success to get to anything larger than the magnetic figures, so he’s had no coverage since the vintage line.  This figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  While he doesn’t have the bicep swivels like Karza, he does have wrist swivels, which are fun.  His sculpt takes the elements of the vintage figure, and puts them onto a fully articulated frame, which is very fun.  While he’s obviously not large enough to house a full-sized figure like the original, the chest hatch is still removable, so you could *conceivably* put a micro figure of some sort in there.  The color work on Biotron is very bright and eye-catching.  He brings back the trademark Micronauts chrome, for the head and hands, which is always very fun.  He’s packed with a backpack, which looks like the original Biotron’s back wheels, and is also chromed.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I wanted to jump on these right away, but admittedly, I’ve been burned before by Micronauts relaunches, so I was apprehensive, and then I got distracted, and then it was most of the year over, and I realized I just never bought them.  The weekend after Thanksgiving, Cards, Comics, and Collectibles always does a huge storewide sale, which I haven’t been able to make it to in well over a decade.  But, I finally had the time this year, and intermingled with a bunch of stuff for Matty, I snagged these two for a very good price.  They’re quite a neat pair, and I’m happy I finally got them.  Now I feel like I need to get the second set.  Also, I know it’s virtually impossible, but I would kill for a Bug and Marionette in this style.

#3868: Donatello

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DONATELLO

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ULTIMATES (MANUFACTURER)

My looks into Super 7’s Ultimates banner have jumped back and forth a bit between several of their licenses, but given just how sizable their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line is, it’s one I sure do circle back around to a lot.  I last left off with a Donatello variant, and now I’m circling back with another Donatello.  The distinction this time around is that it marks the line’s transition from ’80s TMNT to ’00s TMNT, because these days the 2003 series is *also* vintage, so we might as well revisit that one too, right?  Right.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Donatello is part of Series 12 of Super 7’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimates line.  This is the first of the two 2003 assortments, and features the new versions of the main four.  This is Donatello’s fourth figure in the line, and his second “standard” version.  The figure stands 5 3/4 inches tall and he has 38 points of articulation.  The 2003 figures mark a departure from the prior offerings on a number of fronts, the first of which is the articulation set-up.  These figures get an increased count of joints, as well as an increased range of motion.  Most notably, there are double joints on the elbows and knees, which fixes the range issue seen on a lot of the earlier Ultimates figures.  He also gets a better range on the neck and the waist joints, which in general just makes for a better posing experience.  In terms of styling, where the figures up to this point have largely been based directly on the original Playmates sculpts, the 2003 figures are notable based not on the toys, but on the actual cartoon directly.  It’s certainly a stylistic shift, but it works.  It’s sharp, and angular, and a good match for Donnie’s design from the show.  There are two heads present.  One with a more neutral expression and a friendly smile, and the other with more expressive eyes and his teeth showing.  Of the two, the neutral’s more my speed, but they both work well, and they’re internally consistent.  His color work is basic, largely relying on molded colors.  What paint is present is cleanly handled, and he matches up well with the muted tones of the show.  Donnie is packed with three pairs of hands (in fists, open, and gripping), his bo staff, a turtle communicator, and a pair of goggles.  That’s rather on the light side compared to prior Super 7 offerings, notably missing much in the way of goofier and more specific items.  Given what these guys cost, that’s not ideal.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I went back and forth with this one, I really did.  I’ve enjoyed the Super 7 figures I’ve gotten for the most part, and I do like a good Donatello, but also I’m kind of stepping back on my modern figure purchasing, and these are rather pricey for what they are.  But, given how short ordered these seem to have been, I didn’t really want to miss out on the chance to get him.  In hand, I actually do really like him.  The changes they’ve made do really make for a better figure.  I do wish he was either a little cheaper or came with a bit more stuff, but I don’t feel like I *wasted* my money, which is at least a good thing.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3856: Vasquez

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

VASQUEZ

ALIENS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

The best things come in threes.  That’s true, right?  Okay, well, not always.  Take the Alien franchise, for example.  There’s just those two movies, right?  Yeah, only the two.  So, I guess maybe the thing I said before is perhaps less than true.  What am I getting here?  Well, I needed a set-up for today’s review, which, for the third Wednesday in a row, is an Aliens review, hailing from Super 7’s ReAction branding.  Today, I’m looking Vasquez, the smart mouthed smart gunner!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Vasquez is the last of the human figures in the first and only series of Super 7’s Aliens ReAction Figures line.  The figure stands just under 3 3/4 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  Vasquez has an evolving look over the course of the movie.  This figure goes with the her second most dressed-down look (the first most being right after she wakes up from cryo-sleep), from the meal-time and prep scenes on the Sulaco.  It means she doesn’t really match with the other character’s looks (barring Bishop, I guess), but it’s also sort of that dialed into the character while also more tooling and price friendly look that feels true to how a vintage figure would have been handled.  In fact, it’s the same look that Kenner *did* use when they put her in their ’90s line, so there’s some precedent.  It’s a nice sculpt, with sharp detailing, and a rather unique look compared to the others, especially the other two marines.  Her paint work is basic, but a good match for Hicks and Hudson, as well as a good basics approach to how she looks in the movie.  Vasquez is packed with her smartgun (which she *does* use without the harness while in the locker room on the Sulaco), which her hands are specially posed to more properly hold.  It’s probably the best weapons mold from the set, honestly.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

Obviously, when the remaining three figures came into All Time and I was already set on getting Newt and Hudson, there was certainly no way that I could pass on Vasquez, right?  Right.  You gotta have Vasquez.  She’s maybe not as outwardly cool a figure at first glance, especially with the more dressed down look, but I think she’s another solid offering, and she feels like she gets the vibe of the line down pretty well.  In general, this was a rather fun little set of figures, of which I am absolutely the target audience.  Of course, I still waited on them, which probably doesn’t help with the whole “one-and-done” bit.  It would have been cool to get more of the Marines, for sure, but the line-up for this set is so heavy hitter focussed, it’s hard to really see Super 7 genuinely planning a follow-up.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3852: Hudson

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

HUDSON

ALIENS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

I brought up last week that I had missed out on Alien Day, what with it being on a Saturday and all this year.   The thing is, I didn’t just have the one displaced figure.  No, there’s more.  And, sure, I could hold off on reviewing them, pick it up with the next Alien Day not on a weekend, but I’m not patient like that.  So, anyway, here’s more Aliens stuff!  This time around, we’re back to the Colonial Marines, specifically the guy with a keen knowledge of whether the game is over or not, Private William Hudson!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Hudson is part of the only series of Super 7’s Aliens ReAction Figures line.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  Despite the relative similarities of Hicks and Hudson’s designs the two figures actually don’t share any parts, which is quite a surprise.  In an effort to further differentiate the two, Hudson gets a couple of design changes from his movie look, most notably ditching the shin guard armor, instead getting more basic lace up boots and a different pair of knee pads.  It seems to more closely mimic the different armor set-up of the smart gunners.  I don’t know *why* that’s the way they went, but it works okay with the style.  His head sculpt notably does a pretty respectable job of capturing the general Bill Paxton likeness, which is honestly pretty cool.  Hudson’s paint work is very similar to Hicks, with the expected changes for the design change-ups, as well as the updated customizations on his armor, which is pretty cool.  Hudson is packed with his helmet (which is a slightly different mold than Hicks, allowing it so sit a little tighter), as well as a pulse rifle.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

My main focus in the set was getting the four surviving members of the crew, but I’ll admit, I have a hard time passing up a Hudson figure.  I sure do have a soft spot for the guy, so when the opportunity to round out my set landed in front of me, it’s not like I took much convincing.  Hudson’s similar to Hicks in style, but different in execution, making for a surprisingly effective figure.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3848: Newt

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

NEWT

ALIENS: REACTION (SUPER 7)

Even though Aliens may be my favorite movie, I find myself running out of things to get from the movie in terms of merchandise because, well, how much can you buy, right?  So, I missed last year’s Alien Day.  This year, though I totally had stuff to review! …Too bad it fell on a Saturday, and I’m not doing Saturday reviews anymore.  Guess that stuff’s getting reviewed on a not Alien Day day.  Which, it just so happens, is today!  I’m picking up on a thread I started back in 2022, when I started looking at Super 7’s Aliens ReAction figures.  Thus far, I’ve looked at Hicks, Bishop, and Ripley.  Now, I’m looking at the last piece of the film’s survivor part, Rebecca “Newt” Jorden!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Newt is part of the one and only series of Super 7’s Aliens: ReAction line.  The figure stands 3 inches tall and she has 5 points of articulation.  In terms of looks in the movie, Newt’s got the two: pre-disheveled and post disheveled.  This one’s aim seems to be the second, but it winds up splitting the difference a bit.  It’s partially a stylistic thing, I think, since the retro figure look is usually a bit cleaned up.  She’s got the torn knees on the pants legs, but also still has both straps connected on the overalls, which she doesn’t in the movie.  Her hair also more nicely parted than the later film look.  But, generally speaking, it does a good job of dialing into her defining look, so you can tell who she’s meant to be, even without the context of the other characters.  Her color work is more basic and pitched to a more saturated level then seen in the movie, which means she matches up well with the other figures in the set.  Newt is packed with the most sensible accessory possible for her: the head of her doll, Cassie.  It’s got a little tuft of hair sticking out, so she can hold it in her hand, which she does pretty securely.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

This set is one of those ones that I wanted to finish, but also I have put virtually no actual effort into finishing.  That hasn’t changed, for what it’s worth.  The first two landed in front of me, and the Ripley a couple of months later.  It’s been a longer stretch of time, but a full loose set got traded into All Time a couple of months ago, meaning I had the chance to snag the ones I didn’t already have.  Newt was at the top of the list for me, so I was definitely glad she was in there.  Now I’ve got my little pseudo family all complete, and that’s honestly pretty cool.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3746: Cobra B.A.T.

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , , ,

COBRA B.A.T. — COMIC VERSION

G.I. JOE: REACTION+

Last week, I took a look at the first of Super 7’s latest venture with the G.I. Joe license, ReAction+, a new line of vintage-style O-Ring construction figures. I kicked things off with Snake Eyes, who’s a good mark for the Joes. For my second entry, I’m switching to the opposing team with the B.A.T., a robot dude that’s there for robot dude stuff. So, let’s look at that robot dude and said robot dude stuff.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

The Cobra B.A.T. is, much like Snake Eyes, part of the four figure line-up that launched Super 7’s G.I. Joe: ReAction+. All of the figures thus far are comics based, which actually means a little bit more for the B.A.T. The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and has 16 points of articulation. He gets the same basic articulation set-up as others of this style, plus additional swivels at the forearms. The hips are notably less restricted here than on Snake Eyes, which is a definite plus.  The B.A.T.’s sculpt is a respectable one, and honestly a bit better than the work we saw on Snake Eyes.  It’s certainly more involved, with the more detailed outfit, and all of the intricacies of the robotic arms.  His torso plate is actually sculpted, rather than a lenticular piece like the original, and the comic styled, generally boxier head is really sharply sculpted, and also rather unique.  I also quite dig that both arms get the swappable forearms, as opposed to just the right on the vintage.  It’s an extra layer of versatility that kicks him up a notch.  His colors again lean into the comic styling, going for blue in place of the usual black sections.  It’s a nice shade, and makes him once more a little different from prior B.A.T.s.  Actual paint application is all quite clean and crisp, with minimal bleed over, and no slop to speak of.  The B.A.T. is packed with the usual three arm attachments (gripper, laser, and torch), a backpack to store them in, and a rifle.  That’s one more accessory than his vintage counterpart got, which gives him a leg up on Snake Eyes, who was down by one.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I knew going into this line that I wanted Snake Eyes, but wasn’t sold beyond that.  This guy looked pretty cool, but it wasn’t until I saw him in person that I realized how cool.  He really did wow me in-hand, and that was enough to give him a try.  I’m glad I did, because he’s honestly a better figure than the Snake Eyes was, and feels like an all-around more solid product from Super 7.  Still not certain about the direction of this line, but if they can do more figures like this, maybe it might have some legs.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3741: Snake Eyes

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

SNAKE EYES

G.I. JOE: REACTION+ (SUPER 7)

Well, I took a week off, but I guess I’m back with some more Super 7?  I didn’t *mean* for it to be a weekly feature, but that’s certainly where it’s sitting right now.  So, being back with the Super 7, what in particular am I focussing on?  This time around, it’s more G.I. Joe.  Hasbro’s attempt to give the Joe brand a re-launch included amongst its many product lines a revisit to the O-Ring assembly Joes of the ’80s.  Despite attempting to come at it from a few different angles, Hasbro wasn’t able to get the market support they wanted to keep the O-Rings going, so they’ve opted to license the style out.  Super 7, who already had a set of ReAction figures going at the same scale, picked up the additional license, and has launched an upgraded selection of Reaction+ figures, now with O-Ring assembly.  The first round of the figures just hit, and I’ve snagged myself a Snake Eyes to try out the line.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Snake Eyes next to Pink Tennis Ball for scaleSnake Eyes is one of the four figures that launched Super 7’s G.I. Joe ReAction+ line.  Thus far, they’re all comics-based, with Snake Eyes specifically being based on his updated V2 look that coincided with his ’85 figure.  The figure stands 3 3/4 inches tall and he has 14 points of articulation.  He’s making use of the expected O-Ring articulation set-up, or at least a version of it.  Unlike the original V2, which had the upgraded ball-jointed neck, this one’s more like the earlier vintage figures, when they still just had the swivels.  I also found his hip articulation to be a bit more restricted than your average vintage figure.  You can sort of get some side-to-side, but it’s mostly just forward and back.  Snake Eyes has an all-new sculpt, and it’s got its pluses and its minuses.  It’s generally more geometric in its shaping, and the limbs, especially the arms, are a little more tubular and less organic.  That said, there’s some very sharp detailing for the outfit, which is a little better than we’d see on a vintage release.  In particular, the head’s quite good at capturing the classic Snake Eyes look in a very clean and striking way.  I also find that the sculpt just Accessories for Snake Eyesgenerally looks a bit better and more polished than the early renders we saw initially.  Snake Eyes’ color work is reasonably well done.  The dark grey of the main body is certainly well chosen, and the blue is a more unique accent choice.  Personally, I don’t love the entirety of the boots being blue, but it’s minor.  The actual paint application is pretty clean, and I noticed no real issues on mine.  Snake Eyes is packed with a sword, Uzi, and backpack.  The weapons fit alright in the hands.  I’m not sure how the paint will hold up over time, but it looks okay now.  The back pack looks alright, but its storage for the sword isn’t a great design, and doesn’t really hold it well.  I worry about how it will hold up long term.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

After falling out of love with Classified, I’ve been trying to find something good to keep some form of Joe collecting going.  I’ve been trying a little bit of everything.  This line’s announcement intrigued me, and I liked the look of the prototypes for this guy in particular.  Admittedly, I have a hard time saying no to a halfway decent Snake Eyes.  This one does a little better than halfway decent, but I can’t say he does *much* better than that.  He’s generally fun, and friendlier to mess with than a proper V2 release, and for the price point, he’s alright.  That said, I’ve definitely got some concerns, and there’s room for improvement.  I worry about this line’s long-term viability, but at least I got a fun little Snake Eyes out of it.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3738: Lobster Johnson

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

LOBSTER JOHNSON

HELLBOY REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Okay, who’s ready to punch some Nazis? Well, a good chunk of Golden Age comic heroes, for sure, and also some retroactive additions to that time period as well. Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, which has its main character arrive on our world during World War II, is obviously supportive of the punching Nazis front, and that includes later retroactive addition Lobster Johnson, WW2-era pulp hero turned recurring character. Lobster has become one of the franchise’s most distinctive characters, and that lends itself to some pretty decent toy coverage as well.

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Lobster Johnson was released in the single-carded assortment of Super 7’s Hellboy ReAction Figures line, much like the Abe Sapien I looked at a little while back. Lobster was the only non-BPRD guy in the mix, but he’s Lobster Johnson, so he’s a pretty natural fourth figure. The figure stands about 3 3/4 inches tall and has the usual 5 points of articulation. His sculpt is rather basic, as is the line’s style. It strips him of a lot of the grit that Mignola’s art depicted, but it still works for Lobster and his more classical pulpy vibe. Like Abe, the head still feels a touch large for the body, but not terribly so. Lobster’s color work is rather basic, which is expected; guy’s always had a pretty simple look.  The application’s decent, though, and the blue and orange details are quite striking.  Lobster was originally packaged with a small gun, which mine is unfortunately missing.  I guess he’ll just have to keep punching Nazis with his fists.  Oh, darn.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

As with all of the Hellboy ReAction Figures, this is a figure I wanted back when he was new, but just wasn’t really in the spot to buy at the time, so I wound up missing him.  Like Abe, this one I got loose, when one came into All Time a little while back.  It’s a solid figure. No muss, no fuss, nothing crazy, but he’s certainly nifty and fun.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.

#3733: Zoot

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

ZOOT

THE MUPPETS REACTION FIGURES (SUPER 7)

Wow, two Super 7 in a week?  Sure, they’ve been getting close, but not like this.  This is, like, Gottlieb talking about the frequencies of kaiju arrivals in Pacific Rim.  When’s the first double event gonna be?  Actually, I reviewed Brett and Parker together two months ago, didn’t I?  Well, guess I played myself on that one.  Something I don’t much discuss here is The Muppets, which has had a surprising number of goes at the action figure world.  Obviously, Palisades set the standard with their line, but with them gone and the figures all being rather expensive, there are always other options.  Super 7, purveyors of the double event I was just discussing, did their own Muppets line under their ReAction Figures banner.  Today, I’m taking a look at Electric Mayhem’s resident saxophonist, Zoot!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Zoot was released in Super 7’s six-figure Muppets ReAction Figures line-up, which was entirely themed around Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem and hit retail in March of 2023.  The figure stands just over 3 1/4 inches tall and he has 5 points of articulation.  The general set-up of the figure is very much the standard, basic ReAction affair, in terms of size and articulation.  The sculpt proper does mix things up a little bit by being slightly preposed, so as to better work with his instrument, which I do quite like.  Beyond that, it’s an alright offering.  It’s a little soft on the details, which is I suppose the style.  I’m not sure that they quite captured his facial likeness; something about the shape of the chin and jaw doesn’t quite feel right for Zoot.  Near as I can tell, he seems to be drawing the most inspiration from Zoot’s Muppets TV incarnation, which is a bit of a design outlier.  Zoot’s color work isn’t bad, but some of the paint is a little sloppy, especially on the sunglasses.  Zoot is packed with his saxophone, which is a sensible inclusion.  It fits nicely and securely his hands.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

My direct exposure to The Muppet Show as a kid was minimal, but I do very much remember the Palisades line.  One of my parents’ friends collected the whole run, and I was always fascinated with Zoot in particular.  I wanted one of my own, but never got one, which is my experience with almost all of that line, really.  When I saw this guy at Gidget’s Gadgets while vacationing with my family a couple of summers ago, it felt like a nice, lower cost alternative.  So, I bought him, and he sat off to the side for over a year, because I’m easily distracted these days.  He’s alright.  Fairly basic, nothing fancy, but that’s to be expected.

#3731: Roadblock

Posted by Ethan Wilson in Reviews and tagged with , , , ,

ROADBLOCK

G.I. JOE: ULTIMATES (SUPER 7)

I generally stay about a week ahead on my review writing these days, largely so that nothing falls through the cracks and I don’t have mad dashes to get reviews written before a midnight deadline.  In contrast to that particular set-up, I’m writing this review less than 12 hours before it’s going live.  The buffer I had going last week was, well, it was rather consumed by goings on, I suppose, and while I got through the first two posts of this week without too much fuss, today’s has proved a little more tricky.  I know this is just a silly, little toy site, and I very much doubt people are coming here for more serious matters, so I do generally steer clear of them.  I also know it’s important to sometimes have a place to get away from the politics and the spite of the world, so that further drives me to keep things lighter.  But, I’d be lying if I said I weren’t struggling with some things about the current state of the world.  And perhaps writing about “A Real American Hero” isn’t the most ideal way of facing that down, but it’s what I’ve got, so it’s what I’m doing.  And that’s all I’m gonna say about that.

So, more Super 7, right?  Crazy, huh?  There’s just, like, a whole bunch of them these days.  Well, more than two, which feels like a bunch in Super 7 terms.  Today, I’m jumping back into their G.I. Joe: Ultimates line, with a look the bestest rhyming Joe there is, Roadblock!

THE FIGURE ITSELF

Roadblock was released in Series 5 of Super 7’s G.I. Joe: Ultimates line.  The spacing on this line’s been all sorts of wonky, and I feel like there was a gap between releases, but also these ones totally snuck up on me.  It may be more a me problem than a Super 7 one.  Roadblock is definitely the heavy hitter of this particular assortment of figures, with the rest of the line-up being the comparatively less immediately known Cover Girl, Major Bludd, and Crimson Guard.  The figure stands a little over 7 inches tall and he has 31 points of articulation.  His articulation scheme is pretty much the same as the others from the line, so it’s generally not bad.  The range on the elbows does continue to be better than other Super 7 lines, but this time around it’s not quite as good as earlier entries.  He’s got an all-new mold, based on his earlier cartoon design, which was patterned after his V1 figure from Hasbro.  It’s generally a pretty good one, capturing the look of his Sunbow animation model pretty well.  Some of the details are a little softer, but the heads, of which there are three, all have a pretty good likeness of the character.  My personal favorite is the smiling one, which just feels truest of how I view the character, but they’re all solid.  In general, I did find the QC on this figure’s construction better than the prior round of figures.  He’s generally cleaner, and doesn’t feel like any of his joints are going to break.  He’s got total coverage in terms of paint, which, while it does rob the sculpt of some of the depth, does still look pretty nice.  It’s consistently applied, and I didn’t have any notable issues of bleed over or slop on my figure.  The colors are very warm, and feel right for the animation as well.  He’s certainly a well accessorized figure, with four different pairs of hands (in fists, gripping, trigger finger, and open), the standard laser rifle, a helmet, backpack, pistol, bayonet, and Browning with tripod.  They’ve stuck more to just recreating toy extras this time around, which is fair, I suppose, but I do miss some of the more episode specific stuff like we were getting on earlier run figures.  In terms of what’s there, the backpack is a little weird, with the bottom piece feeling like it’s supposed to be removable, but also not quite wanting to budge.  The Browning is also notably warped on the barrel, which is rather unfortunate.

THE ME HALF OF THE EQUATION

I was quite excited by this line when it launched, and wanted to see it go far.  I really hoped it might have the legs for it, but given the general state of everything, I don’t really feel like that’s happening.  After this, we’ve only seen the DiC re-colors, which didn’t land, so I can’t help but feel like this assortment is something of a farewell.  I’d love to be wrong on that.  Roadblock himself is an important part of the core team, so I was glad to get him to fill it in.  He’s not a bad figure.  Perhaps not as stand out as, say, Snake Eyes, but still fun.

Thanks to my sponsors over at All Time Toys for setting me up with this figure to review.  If you’re looking for cool toys both old and new, please check out their website and their eBay storefront.