Over the past week there has been a minor barrage of G.I. Joe news, from the Figure Subscription Service to the Canadian JoeCon, but over the next few months, things will probably be at a lull.
Well, what better time to showcase a figure that was initially slated for a final wave of the 30th Anniversary line, but never hit retail? Hasbro has promised us a number of times that they would find a way to get this figure out there, and my conversations with Hasbro at JoeCon made me even more certain of that fact, but to date, this figure has not seen release.
As we’ve gotten used to over the past few years, G.I. Joe collector of pre-production items Gyre-Viper from JoeDeClassified.com has managed to get his hands on this figure, and he was kind enough to let me borrow it long enough to get this review posted. Hopefully it provides an interesting look at a figure that will be hitting retail eventually.
With no further adeu, you can check out my 30th Anniversary Page, or hit the direct link below:
I never read the comics. What are his feet supposed to be? Those look like flesh-colored shoes with ankle tape over top of them and white soles, which is a bizarre look. Is that accurate or is he supposed to be barefoot or in sandals? Even if it is accurate, I still would have deducted a point because it is so unsightly. As for the rest of the figure, he looks solid but uninspiring. But again, I have no history with the comics.
He actually is wearing army boots in the comics, but definitely strange coloring.
How do you see all that and not “a pair of boots”?
D’oh. Now I see it. I don’t know how to explain myself. My brain must have filled in what I was expecting to see from a jungle inuit and when I got to what I thought was going to be bare toes, I was confused.
Combine that with the fact that this is the first good look I’ve had at his feet. I must have gotten the “taped ankles” impression from lower quality convention images. Again, having no prior experience with the character or what he’s supposed to look like.
Complaint withdrawn. Cool figure. Not sure if I would rush out to buy him, but I wouldn’t kick him off my toy shelf for eating crackers.
Like SmokePants, I couldn’t care less about Kwinn the character. But he’s nonetheless my most wanted Joe, ’cause I’m all about the Adventure Team, and he’ll fit right in with that aesthetic.
Great review, Justin. Those head swaps are badass!
Hey Justin, the torso, upper arms, and possible forearms are actually from ROC Sgt. Stone. Hands are obviously different though.
Not the forearms. Sgt. Stone’s don’t have the wrist band and watch at the ends like Kwinn does.
Yep. The forearms were made for Footloose.
Although, I’d snap up this figure in a half second should it ever get released, I think the head sculpt sucks, hardly looking like the figure we’ve seen in the comics. I think the shape of the head is all wrong, and too small to boot. The body is also off, Kwinn in the comics was shorter, stockier, and wider, not fat, just the body type here is a slender man. Maybe the were going for a younger version or something, but overall much like his counterpart, Dr.Venom, the execution has a lot to be desired.
That little Eskimo curved knife like blade is called and Ulu. They are really neat and I’d buy the guy just for that. I spent several years in Alaska recently and while i have seen the stick tool in a museum, I can’t remember it’s name.
Just FYI for everyone, not all Natives up there are lumped into the “Eskimo” group there are a lot of distinct tribes with unique languages and cultures. If you ever take a cruise up there be sure to up some museums.
yeah, those food prep knives are cool, mine was a gift and came with a cutting board that matched the curve of the blade.
Thanks Grandmother outlaw!
Great review! This figure needs to be released now!
I agree about the head. It’s not a bad sculpt in and of itself, but it doesn’t really capture Kwinn. (The comic pack head did a better job IMO.) Still, it doesn’t really dampen my enthusiasm for the figure.
Love love love your photo homages to G.I. Joe #19…
As a kid who pored over every issue of that comic (and remembers the bitter disappointment reading in the letters page that there would never be a Kwinn action figure) I’ve been waiting a long time for this bad boy. Your review and these pictures rekindled that hope. Thanks.
I can’t help but see Larry Hama in that head sculpt.
Sh*7, son! Those pictures are bad to the bone. Love the custom kit-bashes, and any homage to the early comics rubs me right. DO WANT!
Wow! Those pics are outstanding Justin! That brought back such fond memories. Remember just being frozen in shock after reading that issue, having both Kwinn and Dr. Venom die. It was an amazing experience for my kid mind. I mean, these weren’t mutants who would just “get better” a few issues later, these guys were dead DEAD.
The figure? Awesome. I still think he’s far too skinny, needs to be much broader shouldered and his head is off for sure but who cares? The figures is just all kinds of cool. He would look so freakin awesome next to my Arctic Snake Eyes.
Thank you Justin for the great review and inspiring pictures and thank you Gyre-Viper for letting Justin have a chance to do this for all of us!
You’re right. That’s the only thing that seemed a little “off” to me, but I couldn’t pinpoint it until you said so: He’s too skinny. Maybe they’ll get it right for the 50th Anniversary wave.
The torso isn’t new. It’s the same one as ROC Sgt. Stone, ROC Footloose, ROC Repeater and GIJoe Collector’s Club Footloose.
Pretty sure the upper arms are from Stone as well.
I would have let Justin do it sooner if it had occurred to me. So sorry for the delay in that respect. That being said… with Kwinn still dominating as most requested/most desired… the time seemed appropriate, regardless. So I was very happy to give Justin the chance to take his shitty pictures and write his inept review for this figure. The kitbashing was very inspired, Justin. Good stuff.
Agreed, nonsensical drival, what a blight on the community. shameful.
Since it has been pointed out that it is unfair that some collectors (like Justin) get exclusives and pre-release figures, win will the drawing to give Kwinn away be, or do we all get to take turns borrowing him?
I haven’t decided whether to send him out based on sense of entitlement or last name.
Straight alphabetical would be unfair, as my last name starts with U so I always come near the end. I am entitled to a reverse alphabetical distribution order.
By the way, if you see this, is there a way to get back issues of the Joe Declassified magazines. I think I tried asking through the web site but got no answer. I got the issues at JoeCons 09 and 10 and they are some of my favorite scores.
I have always thought the it looks like the head sculpt is of a younger Larry Hama ….. sorta
https://www.google.com/search?q=larry+hama&hl=en&client=opera&hs=hFR&rls=en&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=6qApUOGnA8rviQKS0IHACg&ved=0CGUQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=644
Cant wait for Kwinn! Many many adventure/missions await:) and he, as well as several other Joes & Cobras have a date with the ‘zombie apocolypes’.
Yes that is an ulu knife and the other tool is an adze (I believe).
Native Alaskan tools were part of our Alaska grade school education so I’m a bit rusty.
Great review! I’ve been seeing that M2 since we got sneak peeks at Kwinn, but I’m surprised he won’t get the .30 cal M1919 we saw in the 2007 “Tanks For the Memories” set. Maybe it’d be too small for this figure?