As March, 2013 nears we can expect G.I. Joe: Retaliation figures to start hitting harder and heavier. Wave 2 has just started blasting across the country, and I’ve begun the review process. First up in the second wave is Storm Shadow.
Not the most auspicious beginning to the Wave 2 reviews, but for better or worse, you can check him out at the G.I. Joe: Retaliation review page, or linked below.
This figure pretty much sums up how I feel about the whole 2nd wave. Blah, lifeless and mainly redundant crap. Cant wait till wave 3!
I don’t feel quite that strongly. Roadblock and Snake Eyes are both pretty great, and Firefly isn’t terrible. The other two definitely don’t thrill me, though.
Yeah, Roadblock is definitely the highlight, but with ultimate movie Roadblock coming, I just don’t see the point anymore.
Wave 2 Roadblock appears to have better accessories. Ultimate Roadblock is a better likeness, but doesn’t appear to be as functional. If Hasbro’s going to release multiple characters, that’s not a bad way to pull it off.
Storm Shadow, on the other hand… I mean, ye gods, we’re already getting a redundant RoC repaint in the all-but-mandatory 3-pack, but this one’s getting me angrier the more I think about it.
The backpack’s neat enough, but I can’t imagine anyone buying this for the accessories considering that PoC Storm Shadow was a semi-pegwarmer as it is.
And, yeah, Hawkwinter’s right – Wave 2 “Prime” or whatever we’re calling it now is pretty blah outside of the great Roadblock figure. Flint at least looks like a decent generic trooper, but now that they’ve confirmed a much better version is on the way….
No video of the zip line in action? FAIL.
I actually have a fondness for the v.2 Storm Shadow and kept one of the ROC version MOC. I’ll be doing the same with this one. Good to know I don’t need to buy a second one to open.
Ya know, I kinda dig this guy. Don’t know why but I do.
Stop Chuck, your making it hard to defend you! 🙂
He has a defense Rev?
If they really wanted another single packstormshadow (i’m not sure that this one was neccessary) they could have gone in a different direction that this. ultimate SS is coming up and that really makes this one pointless, but i’d stil take a more accurate DDP or JVC wave 1 stormshadow, or a more accurate classic v 2. Even if they were determined to use most of this mold, they could still throw on the actor likeness head, and better lower legs or at least feet that don’t look like sneakers.
At least he comes with Desert Fox’s Vest in black, get rid of the Arashikage symbol on the back and give it to a Cobra trooper for better webbing.
Wow, pretty harsh.
i guess I have lower expectations for arctic themed stuff anyways given the restrictive nature of the clothing. given that, I like having figures for every occasion and this is a pretty good figure for a cold weather campaign, all things considered.
I think the accessories are quite good (if you ignore the zip line).
anyway, a good review as usual Justin.
Oh, and don’t listen to them, Chuck.
🙂
This figure is not an attractive one, but many of those wave 1 & 2 figures have things about them that are deal-breakers for me. And I’m not even talking about articulation. I’m talking about electric blue, neon orange, and puke green paint schemes. I’m talking RBv1’s hand and RBv2’s holsters. Zartan’s skinny waist and coin-slot hood. Firefly’s weird light piped forearms. Wave 1 SE’s spaghetti legs. At least this SS is inoffensive.
Still skipping all of Wave 2. Red Ninja is the only single-carded Retaliation figure from the first 2 waves that is worth buying, in my estimation.
Really? Not even the tan accessory version of the GI Joe trooper? That one is awesome!
He’s got that plain pea soup uniform that I dislike. He reminds me of the boring Kenner Endor Rebel Trooper from back in the day. Also have a pet peeve when they paint a figure’s knee pads in a color that is used nowhere else on the figure. Oh, and the orange shovel that you need to fill the central slot in the backpack.
I’m sure the mold will be used on something in the future that I would buy and I’ll appreciate it more for having skipped this guy.
wave 2 snake eyes is pretty awesome
Perhaps, if not six dozen better Snake Eyes figures already existed 🙁
It doesn’t “wow” me but I like it. Once I get around to making an arctic dio, he(or a couple more) will be right at home.