By Loran
Some people tend to really hate repaints and remolds. I could never really understand why. Sure, if it’s a reuse of a bad figure then it’s perfectly understandable. But what’s wrong with buying a great mold more than once? Sometimes repaints can be pointless, yes (Tuner Mudflap, I’m looking at you) but other times they can be great improvements over what came before, like the recent Reveal the Shield Bumblebee figure. It’s a cost-saving move for Hasbro, and sometimes that can bring about some neat stuff. I mean heck, the only 100% unique mold in the first year of G.I. Joe was Scarlett!
Which brings us to what makes this new Stalker figure so great. When the absolutely amazing Pursuit of Cobra Snake-Eyes figure came out, I was hoping we’d get other members of the Original 13 with it, and Hasbro answered with the ever-popular Stalker. It’s a shame Stalker doesn’t get much exposure in media outside of the comics. I always liked his character, and found him to be one that no collection should be without thanks to his involvement in Snake-Eyes’ backstory and the backstory of the whole mythos. He’s always standing at the forefront of my Joe team, and now he can finally do it in style.
Really, everything I said about this mold the first time I reviewed it holds true here. The hinged wrists are awesome, the removable knee pads are awesome, the holsters are awesome… it’s all just awesome. I really hope we see a few more characters with this mold, maybe like Short-Fuse or Zap.
The paint applications are very good as well. It’s nice to see the details of the mold actually present and not washed-out by being in all black. The camo pattern isn’t overly “jungle” oriented, which I like. Jungle fatigues tend to be the most versatile but they can stick out like a sore thumb amongst a bunch of Joes with all sorts of crazy uniforms.
The head comes from Resolute Stalker, which I never actually picked up. I was mostly interested in the set for Stalker, Flint, and Scarlett, so hey, that’s one down. I love this take on the character. The tied-back dreadlocks give him a really distinctive look we’ve never seen in G.I. Joe before and his face has a lot of attitude. He’s one of the few Joes that make the goatee look work, which plagued most figures from 2002-2005. My only complaint is the lack of paint on his beret’s emblem. Would that one little paint app REALLY have broken the bank?
He retains the same awesome silenced pistol and knife from Snake-Eyes and adds a submachine gun and machete. His webgear also appears to be new, with a machete of its own. I think the larger knife is supposed to store somewhere, but not that I can find on this mold. A small pistol is also included, but I’m not sure who it came from. The new vest is just enough to make him stand out on his own, and that’s all he needs.
Stalker is a character that I feel has been without a good, mass-released figure for quite some time now. I’m surprised they never bothered to make one for Rise of Cobra. Still, this figure delivers on all levels and comes highly recommended. Stop by FPNYC and get your Joe Team the original Ranger!
