I could spend hours extolling the virtues of Duke as a character, but let’s face it, after over 50 different versions of the character, almost everything that could possibly be said about Duke has been said. While there isn’t a whole lot of new ground to cover when it comes to Duke the character, it’s interesting to look at this particular Duke action figure.
After the original 50th Anniversary run, there were rumblings among the fandom asking why we couldn’t get an updated version of Duke similar to Flint that we got in 2014. It was something that many folks asked for, in spite of the numerous versions of the character we’d already seen, because interestingly, Hasbro has never really done a modern update (past the questionable 25th Anniversary versions) that tied directly back to the vintage look.
Well, in 2016 Hasbro does a little bit of both, but I’m not certain the figure is better off for it.
While they certainly mirror the vintage look of the figure from a color perspective, Hasbro elects to modernize the figure with a bulkier, almost arctic looking uniform (using components from the Data Viper). The range of motion and articulation is really great, though the choice of different parts than, say the 2014 Flint does raise some eyebrows. Duke’s legs are from the G.I. Joe: Retaliation G.I. Joe Trooper, though thankfully seems to have deeper foot holes that fit in the pegs better than some other figures that have shared these parts.
From a color scheme perspective, Duke obviously pulls homage from the 1983 version, but is cast in a strangely bright hue, his shirt looking much more vibrant (and thus a little less realistic) and his pants a deeper, richer green.
All in all, Duke definitely has the look of the character, though the colors don’t quite jive with a more realistic looking version of the figure. The sculpting and articulation are both really good, thanks to more modern figure components, but they look like a more arctic version of the figure. Also, for whatever its worth, once you take off Duke’s vest, his torso is from Rise of COBRA Breaker and looks really skinny next to the baggy cloth of the arms.
ACCESSORIES
Duke comes with a wide array of cool weapons, though none of them especially stand point. He’s got a familiar machine gun and pistol, the green Shock Trooper tactical vest, smaller M249 heavy machine gun. He also has a green backpack. Pretty traditional looking weapons assortment that works fine, though isn’t especially remarkable.
Duke is one of the timeless characters of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero lore. Rather than go full bore vintage, Hasbro uses some vintage homages with some new twists, which generally I’m a fan of, though in this case it doesn’t work especially well. It’s a decent looking figure, but doesn’t bring a whole lot of new elements to the table, which feels necessary for yet another version of this character. Either go full vintage or go full on new, this walking the line in between isn’t especially effective.
YouTube Video Review
G.I. Joe 2016 Duke
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.2
Summary
Duke pulls some from his vintage version, with some new twists, but those new twists aren’t especially satisfying. A strange mix between the classic character and some modern arctic representation, Duke doesn’t really knock me out in either category. It’s a fine figure, but not fantastic.
Pros
1 – Great modern parts
2 – Excellent articulation
Cons
1 – Paint colors are almost too “colorful” and not especially realistic
2 – This strange vintage and new middle ground doesn’t especially excite either side
3 – The accessories could have been better
Interestingly, in stark contrast to the other figure in this two-pack, rather than a long time established character with over 50 separate iterations, Tombstone is a brand spanking new character, something very much appreciated by this long time fan.
But is this being a new character enough to wow a discriminating collector?
Along with being a new character, Tombstone also has a great new head sculpt full of character. He’s a former COBRA trooper who has been through the wringer, and that’s immediately evident with one look at his face. The sculpt is good to boot. Looking at the figure build, it’s a decent one, with the G.I. Joe: Retaliation Snake Eyes arms, which I’m always a fan of and the Pursuit of COBRA Firefly legs. The result is a pretty skinny, but flexible figure, a character that looks especially lanky buried underneath the long and heavily armored tactical vest from Firefly.
Obviously the shining point of the figure is with the new head, and the new head is pretty great and pretty gnarly with a nasty scar over his right eye making the character look like he’s seen some stuff. It’s a really neat “battle worn” look for sure. One thing Hasbro does a good job with in looking at the part selection is the range of motion is great. Long limbs and non-restrictive joints means the figure can achieve all sorts of great firing positions, which is a nice effect of the way the figure was built.
There’s a healthy run of purple and black throughout the figure, which leaves it nicely dark, but with some interesting colors, though I’m really not sure what’s up with the stark white shoulder armor. It’s not an especially realistic color and it stands out in distinct contrast to the rest of the dark figure. It’s not a bad look, just a bit on the odd side.
The backstory for Tombstone is certainly interesting, as a psychological operations guy who is now essentially the field commander for the COBRA Viper corps. It gives him some intriguing twists and lends some credence to his strange accessory compliment. The figure itself aesthetically looks decent, but doesn’t quite come together in all areas with some off color combinations and very lanky parts selection. That being said, he’s a figure that even with existing parts manages to stand out from the crowd, which is a good thing.
ACCESSORIES
I’m not really sure what to make of Tombstone’s accessories other than to assume, they were more or less randomly chosen without a clear indication of purpose. He’s got a great assault rifle, but then comes with the old school gas grenade launcher alongside futuristic laser weapons. It’s possible these are meant to be some kind of state of the art pyschosis weapons to go along with his psychological warfare specialty, but that’s not clearly stated anywhere. The weapons are fine, they’re just kind of there.
I’m always a fan of new characters and great new head sculpts and Tombstone has both of these, which gives him a major edge in my book. Some of the construction choices leave me scratching my head a bit and the color combinations are interesting. The newness of the character and head, however, overcome some of those design choices and leave me with a sense of satisfaction with the figure.
YouTube Video Review
G.I. Joe 2016 Tombstone
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
3.6
Summary
A brand new character with a new COBRA specialty is always welcome, and Tombstone has a pretty great and unique head sculpt as well. The build is interesting, though feels a little cobbled together, though the overall look of the figure is pretty fun.
Pros
1 – New character!
2 – Great new head sculpt
Cons
1 – Strange combination of purples blacks and whites doesn’t make a whole lot of aesthetic sense
2 – Weapons selections are strange
Pre-Order the Blanks at BossFightShop – Either Female or Male!
As 2016 comes to a close, we celebrate the year of Vitruvian HACKS, a year full of thrilling new product, exciting new directions, and a rainbow’s worth of customizing blanks that continue to appear and impress.
Along with all of the vibrant colors of said rainbow, a short while ago Boss Fight Studio released their long awaited Transparent Blanks, figures produced in crystal clear colors providing a wealth of great opportunities for new characters or interesting combinations. I’ve checked out and reviewed many different colors of blanks throughout the year, but these Transparent Blanks have to be at the top of my favorites list…something about these clear figures is just too cool for words.
I’ve never really been infatuated with clear figures as some other folks are, but I can appreciate a unique design aesthetic when I see it, and these figures certainly have it. What’s especially cool is that the majority of the interior of these figures is also produced in clear plastic, so the effect of the figure is really remarkable. Obviously you do see the metal screw, but they manage to make the rest of the figure quite clear, which looks even more amazing once you start equipping the figures with gear.
While the ghostly clear look on its own is impressive in its own right, the figures really shine once armor starts being applied and you get a very spirit-like vibe with armor that appears to just float there in mid air. The result is characters that look almost supernatural.
Leveraging the different variations of translucent accessories also lends some amazingly cool looks to these clear figures, showing layers of opaqueness that really pop among more traditionally decoed and designed figures. The look of these clear figures is truly impressive, and I end up loving this blanks quite a bit. I may end up picking up quite a few more of these along the way, I can think of tons of creative uses for them.
Each blank comes with three heads, three sets of feet (boots, bare, and sandals), two sets of hands (one jointed forward/back, one jointed side-to-side) and the footpeg to help them stand. I could actually see someone producing a full line of just blanks, the fact that Vitruvian HACKS offers them as compliments to a full blown universe and toyline is absolutely amazing.
I really enjoy the way the multitude of transparent figures are coming together and make for a great group of supernatural beings supporting the Gods and bringing the battle to the Gorgon Horde!
One of the most intriguing side stories to this whole initial run of Vitruvian HACKS is the role Hades plays in the mythology, creating his own undead army to battle back the Gorgon Horde. From the Undead Warrior to the Tartarus Guard and the Underworld Warrior, Hades has created himself a nice little army of supernatural soldiers.
Now you can add the River Styx Guardian to this list, though from a color scheme perspective, he really stands apart.
Rather than the familiar purple colors that some of Hades’ other foot soldiers have, the River Styx Guardian is a really awesome vibrant light blue color, one would imagine the colors of the River Styx itself. Those familiar with Greek Mythology will know that the River Styx is where souls cross over into death, and if anyone should drink the water from this river, they could potentially gain immortality. Achilles was rumored to be dipped into the River Styx as a child, which is what gave him his abilities, and what exposed his ankle as his vulnerability (that was where the hand that held him was clutched when he was placed in the water).
Hades has created himself a crew of elite defenders of the River Styx, and they look pretty amazing.
The base figure here is a great light blue color with some awesome, freaky deco on the face showing an awesome vacant look of determination.
His armor is the great decorative armor from the Athenian Warrior layered with some terrific variations of shiney blue and white, offset by really cool lighter flecks. The contrast of the blue and the lighter spray on the torso armor is really terrific and also matches the smooth leg armor, giving things a really metallic, other-worldy appearance.
Really what separates this figure is the color scheme of very light blue contrasted with the darker blues of the armor on the torso and legs. It’s an excellent series of colors that makes the figure look very supernatural and almost like a section of water come to life. The way the armor is all different variations of the underlying blue brings the entire figure together.
Accessories
The River Styx Guardian comes with some great accessories. Three separate swords (including the slightly curved sword, which is my favorite) as well as the more ceremonial Athenian helmet, the Athenian armor, and Spartan leg armor. He has a shield with an awesome tampo of Hade’s infamous Cerebrus, the vicious dog with three heads. All of these accessories are decoed like the leg armor with a metallic blue, flecked with great lighter blues.
At first, the River Styx Guardian looked a little monochromatic, and I wasn’t sure I was sold on the figure. But being part of Hades army, and a close up look at the real intricacies of the color choices validated the decision to grab this figure. It’s a really nice compliment to many of the other figures out there, and even if the color scheme doesn’t necessarily jive with the rest of Hades’ crew, this is a great looking figure and I love the tie-in to River Styx as a whole.
River Styx Guardian
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.1
Summary
When you’ve only got so many parts to choose from, a figure lives or dies off the story and the deco, and the River Styx Guardian does very well on both. A vibrant concert of various blues from the skin all the way to the tips of his swords, and an awesome element of Greek mythology woven into his backstory, this is a great addition to anyone’s Vitruvian HACKS collection.
When it was first conceived and revealed, the Skeleton was promised to be able to work with existing HACKS armor and fit nicely into the HACKS universe, but this is the first time the figure has been used within the confines of a retail release, and I’m happy to say, their first foray into mainstream Skeleton use is a raging success.
It’s funny, though, because as excellent the skeleton is, Boss Fight Studio still manages to simply use that as a bony canvas to establish their true artistic embellishments, and the fact that the base figure is a skeleton at all is more of a side note than the main topic of the review.
Don’t get me wrong, the skeleton is terrific, a great shade of crazy green (much like the Unearthly Green accessory pack, but not quite as neon), contrasting with an exceptional shade of metallic purple. The colors here are reminiscent of other agents of Hades, though the bio here labels the Skeleton as a soldier of Persephone, not Hades, although Persephone is the wife of Hades, it’s not established in the character’s story whether their armies are aligned.
The green and purple are a great contrast, and one that is well established throughout character design as being complimentary colors. That is no exception here. The dark and metallic shine of purple paint on the torso armor and leg armor looks spectacular, capturing the light and retaining an exceptionally cool metal look. The purple is balanced by light green and black trim, which only accentuates the great metallic colors of the armor, helmet and weapons.
The skeleton base figure remains a cool aspect of the Vitruvian HACKS figure line, with great articulation and a surprisingly durable sculpt. My figure didn’t have any limb warping and held all poses surprisingly well with the armor layered on top. The leg armor was placed on with spacers (the same spacers included in the single releases of the Skeleton figures) and stayed in place remarkably well.
Intricacies of the paint apps are present on the skeleton itself, too, with some really intriguing detail lines on the skull (they almost look like claw marks) to match the streaks on the armor. It’s a really neat detail.
I love that Boss Fight is integrating the skeleton base figure within the confines of regular retail release figures. Between this one the Warrior Skeleton rumored to be coming in Wave 7, pretty soon we should be seeing more and more skeletons making their way into the further reaches of the Vitruvian HACKS story. I’m okay with this.
Accessories
The Cursed Skeleton comes with the great armor, leg armor, and helmet, as well as two swords, his spear, and a terrific shield. Like they’ve done with many other releases, Boss Fight Studio put a terrific deco on the shield looking like a ghostly skull face, circled by sword scrapes and slashes. He also comes with the clasps for his feet on the stand and the requisite spacers for his armor.
It’s a testament to how well Boss Fight Studio has designed these figures that the Cursed Skeleton manages to slide pretty seamlessly into the collective Vitruvian HACKS army. He’s a great base figure (I love that green!) but what really sets him off is the terrific metallic purple armor and accessories. I love the Cursed Skeleton and he makes for another awesome addition to the ever increasing undead army.
Cursed Skeleton
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.5
Summary
Their first attempt at integrating the skeleton base figure into a normal story-based release, I’m happy to say the Cursed Skeleton is excellent. They manage to build upon a greatly colored skeleton figure and make the entire figure excellent with metallic purple armor, black trim, and all sorts of interesting complimentary deco throughout. A really great figure.
Another well established character in Greek mythology, Penthesilea was the queen of Amazons and the one-time wife of Achilles himself, a voracious warrior and a tragic character within the intricate mythology. Her inclusion in the Vitruvian HACKS line is a welcome one, I love reading the history of some of these characters, especially ones who aren’t quite as well known.
With Achilles confirmed for release in Wave 6, it’s cool to see Penthesilea here (even if I need to check the spelling of her name every time) as a nice connection point between Achilles and bringing the Amazons into the story as well. As usual, Boss Fight Studio does fantastic work walking that line between the established Greek myths and putting their own unique twist on these characters.
Penthesilea is written here as the Amazon Commander and the daughter of Ares, the God of War. The story in her file card actually talks about Achilles’ betrayal of her and that she ended up leading an army of Amazons against him after he spurned her and joined the Gorgon Horde. As Achilles equal in battle, Penthesilea immediately gets some real credibility as leader of the Amazons.
As one might imagine, the base figure is the same as the Amazon and Elite Amazon, and that’s really fine with me, as the general female figure buck is one of my favorite aspects of the Vitruvian HACKS line. Her head is the long-haired female head that’s included with all of the Blanks, and I love the streak of white contrasting against the black.
Unlike both the Amazon and Elite Amazon, Penthesilea doesn’t have any tattoos, and while the gold armor matches the standard Amazon warrior, her layered blue leather skirt is a really great color. I love the shade of blue, it really differentiates her from her foot soldiers, yet still ends up looking like a realistic leather dyed material and not a completely unrealistic color.
Her articulation is terrific, with awesome rocker ankles, full range of motion throughout the limbs, and it compliments the slim sculpting perfectly as most of the female figures do. She is one great looking figure and a nearly perfect addition to the already fantastic Amazon cadre of warriors. With her different head sculpt, long hair, and streak of white she looks like an awesome elder stateswoman of the Amazons, the brave commander leading the attack against her former flame Achilles.
I certainly was never an expert in Greek mythology, but felt like I knew enough, but I had never heard the legend of Penthesilea. Now that I know it, I’m thrilled that she got her own action figure, and greatly look forward to the release of Achilles. It certainly helps that this figure has a great updated paint scheme and a head sculpt to differentiate her from her warriors.
Accessories
Penthesilea comes with a nice assortment of accessories. She has three swords, including the long sword, which is one that I really love. The sheath in the back of her skirt holds one of the swords, and she can sport the other two as she battles through the Gorgon Horde. Along with the swords she has her shield, decoed in a fantastic new paint pattern of what looks to be a winged horse attacking another horse. I’m not sure what the cultural significance of the image is, but it looks awesome.
Penthesilia is a great figure. The blue leather skirt, first use of the long hair blank head sculpt, and her awesome new shield all add some real great elements to an already impressive line up of Amazons. She fits the bill of Amazon Commander to perfection and is a really great figure to boot. Awesome addition to the mythology.
Penthesilea
Character
Sculpt
Articulation
Paint Deco
Accessories
4.6
Summary
With the nearly flawless female figure buck, excellent head sculpt and great updated color scheme, Penthesilea only serves to add more greatness to the already spectacular Amazon figures. As the Amazon Commander, she leads the pack, and while she compliments the other Amazons well, she also has her own distinct look.
