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When images of these new G.I. Joe: Classified figures were first getting released, the prevailing opinion among the G.I. Joe community seemed to be that they liked them, but also wondered why we weren’t just getting upscaled versions of our vintage favorites.

Personally, I’m thrilled that Hasbro decided not to do that, and I’ve been relatively pleased with the changes they’ve made thus far. However, one figure that appears to have leaned very close to their vintage appearance is Destro.

The question is, was that a good or bad thing? As I said above, I much prefer a more modern reinterpretation, and some of my favorite figures throughout the line are ones that went a different direction than the familiar appearance everyone is accustomed to.

So what about Destro? In some ways I’m almost disappointed that they leaned so heavy into his vintage look. Destro is a character rife with possibilities and as I said, some of my favorite versions of the character are ones that didn’t align with popular appearance. City Strike Destro, Resolute Destro, Sigma 6, and Spy Troops were all versions of the character that brought really new things to the table in exciting ways.

This figure chooses the familiar, but manages to work in enough modern touches to still make it feel new.

One look at this figure and you know exactly who it is, he has all the hallmarks and familiar colors and design elements. But as you dig deeper into the figure you can start to see some of the interesting new textures that a larger scale lends itself to.

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DESIGN

As I mentioned on the surface, this figure looks very much like the one we got in 1983. However, when you take a closer look, Hasbro took a lot of those cues, but added some great flair. The textured padding on his chest and shoulders, the lined seams on his leather jacket, as well as the intricate sculpting on his boots. It all adds up to a great update (if a minor one).

The sculpting is impressive to say the least. He’s got a great mask and collar, very reminiscent of the old toy and the comic appearance. He’s got nicely broad shoulders and a larger stature, but retains the level of excellent articulation.

Speaking of the sculpt work, one of the amazing things about seeing these figures at a larger scale is the amount of detail they’re able to work in. Just look at the base texture of the figure, all the small lines and wrinkles that immediately make him look as though he’s wearing a leather suit. I am really amazed at just how much texture they’re able to work into the sculpt here. Spectacular stuff.

His primary colors are black, red and silver, as with the vintage version, though the use of the gold pistol is a nice call back to his 1988 Iron Grenadier roots. His red holster and silver belt are great additions as well and I love how many pistols and holsters these larger scaled figures come with.

He’s got great gauntlets and his trusty rockets on his right wrist, and the basic color scheme is accented nicely by a dark gray that adds some breaks in color, but still stays relatively dark.

The finer textures throughout the figure are excellent as well, the leather uniform actually looking like leather thanks to all of the fine sculpting detail throughout.

ARTICULATION

Destro’s articulation is flawless, like the other figures in this first wave. He’s got all of the range of motion of the other male figures in the line, which gives him the ability to maintain a bunch of dramatic positions. Whether he’s standing still, firing either of his weapons or his wrist rockets, he’s got perfect balance and great poseability.

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I can’t say enough good things about the poseability of this figure. Almost any pose you can think of, he can match. Such a joy to pose and play with.

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ACCESSORIES

Taking some inspiration from City Strike Destro (though I have to give credit where it’s due — Sigma 6 was the first Destro to carry a briefcase), this G.I. Joe: Classified Destro has a fantastic opening briefcase with money and a mini-computer. I’ll admit – I’m not wild about the soft looking detail within the briefcase. It seems to me that if City Strike Destro can use nicely sculpted cash at a 1:18 scale, the six inch version should be able to as well.

Still, a minor complaint.

Destro also comes with a larger black laser pistol, somewhat reminiscent of a Star Wars weapon, then a smaller gold pistol which slides neatly into his thigh holster. Neither of the weapon is particularly exciting, though they’re not terrible either. I probably prefer the smaller pistol for pseudo-realism, but the larger pistol looks as though it packs a bigger punch.

His accessory compliment isn’t amazing, but it’s fine, which is a step in the right direction compared to a figure like Roadblock.

PRESENTATION

Another great figure contained within another great box, and I find the design aesthetics of Destro’s artwork particularly striking. The side of the box with the close up of his head is amazing, and while the art is unique on each figure, it’s also uniquely cool.

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CONCLUSION

Destro is one of my all time favorite characters in G.I. Joe lore and Hasbro does a very good job translating him to the six inch scale while maintaining his character and influence. In some ways I almost wish they went a different, more modern direction, but I can understand why they based this so strongly on the ’83 version and the end result is a definite hit with the fans.

Great design, amazing articulation and quality accessories. There is literally nothing to really complain about here.

General Gallery

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Group Shots

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The Capture of Destro

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