Well, this is it: I've finally decided to start reposting my old "Alexx Shorts" G.I. Joe reviews. They're the reviews that lead to what eventually became this blog! I'll be posting them in straight copy-and-paste format, separating them with bold dotted lines so you know where they begin and end, and then I'll post some final thoughts on what I think of the figure currently.
For those unfamiliar: I used to take random pictures here and there, but by the time the Rise of Cobra toys came out, I was getting annoying with how much people had been bashing the figures which were clearly better than the previous 25th Anniversary offerings. I set out to show people how awesome they were, and things went from there, forming into "Alexx Shorts", named so because I thought I was going to keep to a short format with a few pictures. I did not do that.
The first Scarlett for Rise of Cobra! They...didn't get the face quite right. But that's okay! Most of Rise of Cobra was custom fodder anyway:
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I honestly wasn't gona get this one, but once I heard that the Pilot Scarlett head fit well, I picked her up. I was not disappointed! You know, once I switched the head. The new body does wonders for the first head as well! I wasn't a big fan of the first Scarlett head, and I think it was because of the fact that she was always hunched over and stick thin. This new healthy body makes the first head look nice and determined! In fact, it almost makes Pilot Scarlett's head a little too friendly...
Anyway, just so you see the first head, here's a pic my friend set up:
The rest of the review, however, will be conducted with the other two head sculpts that Scarlett has been given. Why?
'Cause the lady is askin' you nicely.
Pretty please?
ANYWAY....like I said, once you get a good head on her shoulders, the figure is awesome!
The pistol she comes with looks really cool and she can pull off just about any pose with ease.
Like I said, though....she looks so friendly! Look at her, holding that big 'ol pig sticker and smiling! Don't go near her, I think....
So I tried the other head, and got a lot of great results as well!
See? Awesome! Now, just to wrap up, heres the gear:
Finally, though, I wanted to see if I could get the pilot gear, but it doesn't quite fit...
So I tried to make my own new Pilot Scarlett
Overall, I was very impressed with the figure once you make the necessary adjustments. However, if you can get by the head they give her, then you're one step ahead! The figure is fantastic in terms of articulation and gear, so I don't see a reason to skip this if you can spare either head to greatly improve the overall look!
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Wow, I haven't thought about this one in a LONG time! At the time it was a welcome change to the female sculpt, which was pretty much just Scarlett's 25th anniversary body, which was a thin waif of a body that was constantly hunched over (as I explained back then, as well). I still hate that old body sculpt, so this one does wonders. Heck, now that I mess with it again: I still like it! It holds items well, it's fun to pose, and...okay well I still sort of agree with Past Alexx: The head sculpt is bleh, but not as bad as I thought it was back then. The reason I didn't like it, back then, was because it looked nothing like the actress. Nowadays, it still doesn't, but it's technically not a terrible sculpt. It's just a lady, ya know? Still, I doubt many people bought this figure and kept that head on it. I think I ended up buying two of these and using another head to make a different character.
In the end, I still have to agree with Past Alexx: This is a great mold, but mostly for custom fodder. Not that that's a bad thing! This probably isn't hard to track down nowadays (I doubt it's sought-after) so give it a shot if you run into it.
Still have this figure and I still remember you posting these at Joe Battlelines. Man, those were exciting times. I really think that was the last time that Hasbro released movie product that felt really special. Since then, even with Marvel stuff, it's felt kind of slapdash or scattered. The Rise of Cobra line was an excellent G.I. Joe line, a solid movie line, and a great precursor to the Pursuit of Cobra era.
ReplyDeleteI changed the headsculpt on my Scarlet, too. That headsculpt was one of the few misses I recall in this line. I always liked how many accessories these figures came with, even if some of them were wacky, oversized missile firing monstrosities.
Yeah, I really believe that was the last time I was EXCITED about G.I. Joe, ya know? Rise was good and lead into the awesome that was Pursuit, and then...flatline, just about. They started just repainting stuff and then rereleasing stuff and now we're in a dead zone.
DeleteThe accessories were just rainin' down with this line, if I remember correctly. Carried over into Pursuit as well! Like you said, too: The oversized launchers were even pretty fun, in some cases. They especially looked good with the Accelerator Suits.
She's a pretty decent figure, easily tops the 25th and 2000s new sculpt Scarlett's (not to mention Ninja Force).Plus she could be a good base for other random female personal.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm surprised it hasn't been repainted for anyone else, yet!
DeleteOffthe top of my head: The body got given a jacket and used for the Club Covergirl.
DeleteAnd the up coming SDCC Scarlett uses the legs and Torso (arms from Renegades Scarlett).
Oh, good! The body would work well for a Cover Girl.
DeleteAfter selling off most of my modern Joes, one of the few I kept was a custom Scarlett I made using the Renegades figure with the original 25th head (same one in this review). You are absolutely right that the 25th body is a disaster...like most of the figures in those two original five-packs. I think maybe Snake Eyes and Cobra Commander are the only ones that hold up after nigh-on 10 years.
ReplyDelete(Speaking of friends posing stuff, once time in college my roommmates came into my room and placed individual tin foil hats on almost every figure I had on display at the time. Then they sat there for hours waiting for me but I spent the night at my fiance's)
Ha! Yeah, those original five packs have been DECIMATED by pretty much everything after it. Like you say, though, I still like that mold they used for Snake Eyes. They NAILED the hands back then, and then took a lot of time screwing up what was already perfection (at least Marauder figures brought that back, finally). Cobra Commander was still good with the hooded head, but man that domed head is TINY. I feel like he was finally one-uped by the most recent classic style one.
DeleteAh man, tin foil hats is fantastic. My friends would have had to work overtime to put a hat on EVERYTHING. As it is, one time I left the room and came back to everything (not already posed) put into some sort of sexual position with another figure. It was....impressive.
While my objection to putting Joes out in nothing but BDUs still stands, at least with female figs they're rare enough that you can ignore the problems.
ReplyDeleteAnd Scarlett's original was screwed up enough that ANY new figure was going to be an improvement. Heck, in spite of the goofiness of the hairline, I love the Resolute Scarlett to the point that it's the version of her I keep on display.
(25th Scarlett is good for one thing: she's small enough, and has weird enough leg articulation, that she can fit into the gunner's seat True Heroes Apache without any modifications. So she - or, rather, Quarrel - gets to hang out with Wild Bill. http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-joe-customs-finished-projects/397487-true-heroes-apache-dragonfly.html)
(Ah, my young and naive days before I started randomly spray-painting any junk I could get cheap on Ebay. Remind me to take a picture of my version of the club's HAVOC; I managed to get a spare hover sled to sit down pretty well on it!)