Now this figure embodies what is really cool about the C.O.P.S., and what you're probably already sick and tired of hearing me gush about. There are some "days of old" elements kind of strewn throughout this figure, but the bulk of Sgt. Mace is very modern and very cool, and he's one of my favorite C.O.P.S. from series 1.

First of all, right off the bat I knew I'd like this guy, simply because of his specialty. My history with G.I. Joe has given me a strong appreciation for "Special Forces" troops and SpecOps in general, and I consider the S.W.A.T. element to be the Law Enforcement version of these Special Forces. As such, I really dig the S.W.A.T. concept and I knew I would love Mace once I saw he was a S.W.A.T. team leader. Sgt. Mace, though, goes beyond the coolness of a S.W.A.T. leader, and really brings the term "one man army" to the table in a great way.

One of the first things you'll notice is Mace's size. This boy is STACKED. His shoulders are broader, his arms are thicker, his legs are larger and even his head is wider than a good number of his fellow C.O.P.S. members in series 1. He is obviously someone who works out and is layered with muscle, and for all the equipment he's packing, he needs to be. His head sculpt is great, with a retro-style hat, goggles, and earpiece that immediately makes him the center of any assault force. His torso is large and heavily padded, giving the impression that he likes it on the front lines and is usually the first in the door (although the ID Cards seem to give Sundown that job description). His large, oversized gloves give him a nice grip and even more bulk, all of which adds together to give you a large and in charge S.W.A.T. team leader. Everything about the figure mold is solid, strong, and has an impact.

The paint apps follow in that tradition, too, keeping with an urban vibe. His torso is a nice, dark blue over the top of a concrete-gray uniform underneath. His silver badge sticks out nicely against the blue flak vest, and the brown padding on that vest is a nice different splash of color that matches his gloves well. Sgt. Mace really has the best of both worlds, as his colors are realistic, but still nice and different enough to make for an interesting toy. And his accessories follow right in the path of good things about this figure. Probably his most obvious weapon is his shoulder mounted laser gun, which he can hold well and looks very cool. He also comes with a small, clip-on jetpack which is awesome as well, again contributing to the one-man army concept. But probably my favorite weapon is the understated submachine gun he comes with. Lots of other weapons are huge and oversized, mostly to accomodate the cap-firing mechanism, but this machine gun is small, streamlined, and very nicely designed. I love the futuristic construction element and the way the weapon is held just looks awesome.

Yeah, Sgt. Mace is definitely one of the highlights of Series 1. There are a number of figures I love in this wave, and Mace is right near the top of the list. His price is mixed, but usually fair, and I highly recommend a purchase.