Agent Helix

Now this is what I'm talking about...

Something unique happened during the days of Sigma 6...something that I have only felt in the toy collecting world a very few times...a feeling that the toy designers and producers just somehow knew what I liked, and that we were on the same wavelength, even if I didn't realize it.

With every wave released of Sigma 6, Hasbro seemed to know (before I did) what kind of toy I really wanted to see, what kind of G.I. Joe universe I wanted to construct, and how the figures and characters in that world should look and behave. I never knew that I'd love a cybernetic special ops Master of Disguise until Lt. Stone showed up, and then all of a sudden, it all "clicked". I never thought I'd want a long-haired ninja Flint, but once he came out, it just all came together. I don't feel like any given toyline is just "gelling" very often, and I certainly didn't feel that way during the Anniversary run.

But right now? Right now, everything is just... working. And working well. I understand this just reflects my own personal tastes, but that's all I have to go on, and at this point, I'm a happy Joe fan. Helix is a perfect example of why.

If anyone read my reviews during the Valor Vs. Venom days, they know I've got a thing for "super soldiers"...that kind of oft-used concept of regular soldiers who are enhanced (either artificially or naturally). Not "supermen" by any means, but just little genetic alterations making people a bit stronger, faster, and with a bit more skill than normal folks. Somebody like Captain America, or like the Valor Vs. Venom "V-Troops". There's just something cool about that to me, especially in a world like G.I. Joe where everyone and their grandma doesn't have super powers. That's what I love about Zartan, Tomax & Xamot, and that's what I love about Agent Helix.

I mean, let's look at this... she's essentially a Goth Chick version of Taskmaster, right? ridiculous. Except it's awesome.

According to her comic preview, she's got adaptive reflexes, where she can see a single fight, or a single series of actions, and her body just memorizes the movements, and she can DO it. It's a super power that Taskmaster has had in the Marvel Comics for a long time that I thought was one of the coolest and most unique abilities in comics. Now, I've got a G.I. Joe character who does it, too. Sweet! But all that goes down the crapper if the figure is bad. This figure is far from bad.

Yeah, Helix isn't your straight up military fare. She's got bright green spandex, armored ribs, and funky hair, but it's her abnormal appearance that adds to her appeal. She's a slender girl, and could probably kick most of the Joes asses, and for that reason, I dig it. It's become evident that she's going to be a pretty central part of the Joe video game, and I'm pretty psyched about that.

The sculpting and paint apps for the figure are simply excellent. Early samples showed a heavy dose of eye shadow that made the figure look somewhat ridiculous, but I'm happy to say that look has been toned way down in the final release. She doesn't look bad at all in the paint apps on her face, which is a very pleasent surprise. It's been previously mentioned that she seems to share the unused Resolute Scarlett legs, but the rest of her parts are new, and she looks great. Her arms, torso, and legs are all slim with great articulation, yet still exceptionally "playable". Some female figures have trouble bridging both...they're either too slender and not movable, or they're too movable and not aesthetically pleasing. But Hasbro is evidently getting much better and doing both...looking at the Reactive Armor Scarlett and now Helix, it's evident they're learning their way. And even with the bright colors, Helix just works on almost every level.

Of course, as with most Rise of COBRA figures, Helix is only as cool as the weapons she comes with...luckily, she comes with some nasty ones. Well, ignoring the bizarre oversized radar dish and spring loaded...ummm... portable...satellite...launcher? Honestly I don't know what the heck that thing is, but the rest of her guns are great. Her primary weapon appears to be a futuristic Heckler & Koch G11 machine gun, following along with the rest of the "10 minutes in the future" weapons that the other Joes come with. She also sports twin pistols with modified sights, that, quite simply, kick ass. I love those two pistols, and the fact that she's shown on the cover of a comic with them only accentuates that. Add a nasty looking little knife to the pile, and she's pretty well equipped for a Goth chick.

Yeah, I'll admit it...when this figure first showed up, I kinda started a stir by hypothosizing it was Dial Tone...and I was way off. But I like Hasbro's version even better. She's an intricately designed, unique looking female character with a cool background, some great sculpting, impressive paint apps, and awesome accessories. Honestly, how can it get any better? This figure's whole package is about as good as it gets.

Buy this figure at the Big Bad Toy Store!

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