In celebrating the 50th anniversary of G. I. Joe, Hasbro has begun releasing some of its big name characters in 2-pack vs. sets, 3-packs, and vehicle sets. These releases seem to be a combination of new sculpts, repaints, and parts reuse — all at a much more palatable price point than what we’re used to seeing with single releases. Today we will be checking out the Eagle’s Edge 3-pack, which features Leatherneck, Destro, and General Hawk.
Leatherneck
The Marine Drill Sergeant that everyone loves to hate, Leatherneck is pretty much the modernized version of his vintage figure. He’s on the Retaliation Roadblock body — which is an excellent sculpt, but just a tad too big. I have no problem with the height compared to other Joes, but the proportions make everyone he stands beside look like a teenager. I do love the stern, rock-jawed head sculpt, and they’ve even managed to sculpt a tiny USMC logo on the cap.
The articulation scheme is the same as most modern Joes, but with the always appreciated addition of rocker ankles and pivot wrists. There is a little paint slop here and there, but it’s not all that noticeable to the naked eye. Leatherneck is outfitted with a sidearm pistol, knife, large machine gun, and ammo belt. He also comes with one of those rifles cast in that ridiculous grey plastic that we’ve been seeing a lot lately. Each figure also comes with a stand with the character’s code name. During the last few waves of Retaliation figures, Hasbro cheaped-out and gave us generic stands without the codename printed on it, so I’m glad to see that they’ve brought these back.
Destro
I’ve wanted an updated classic version of Cobra’s weapon supplier for a while, and this figure pretty much nails it. It’s a beautiful-looking toy. Sadly, I have to stress the looking part. First — the positives! As I mentioned, the sculpt is just fantastic. It’s undeniably classic Destro. Hasbro has given us an angular head sculpt that is modern enough to fit with today’s Joes, but not so much to take away from his vintage look. He has his full-on “Rocky Horror” outfit — complete with missile launching wristbands, bright red leg holster, and stylish amulet necklace. It’s the outfit that only Destro can pull off — and pull it off he does.
The articulation is pretty standard, but I wonder if Hasbro is using a different plastic for the unique sculpts in these cheaper sets. Destro has that gummy, cheap feel that you don’t usually see on Hasbro’s 3 ¾ offerings. On top of that, he also has pretty loose hips and a lot of extra plastic flashing that clogs up some the joints. It doesn’t completely destroy deep poses, but it does make it more difficult. Included with Destro is a rifle case with disassembled weapons that you can put together. It’s typical G.I. Joe awesomness.
General Hawk
Clayton Abernathy has come a long way since his days as a missile commander 30+ years ago in series one. He’s also one character that I have never owned in any form. Terrible, I know.
General Hawk appears to be a straight up re-release of Hawk from the Pursuit of Cobra line — even down to the accessories, but as I’ve never even seen that figure in person, I could be mistaken. The paintwork is top notch and probably the best in the set. Everything, down to the metallic buckles, is clean and without sloppy cut lines. The articulation is standard, but Hawk is missing the pivoting ankles and wrists. The other figures in this 3-pack fare quite well in the accessory department, but Hawk puts them to shame. Included is a computer briefcase (with removable submachine gun), removable helmet, backpack, vest, goggles, rile, pistol, radio, and another submachine gun (in case he just really wants to shoot at stuff).
Turnarounds
I’ll admit that as someone who needed all three of these characters, the purchase of this set was a no-brainer. But even for you diehard Joe fans and casual collectors out there, I can’t recommend this set highly enough. For only $20, you get three well-designed figures with loads of accessories. You just don’t see prices like that these days. And while Destro may suffer from poor plastic and loose hips, the sheer cool factor of his sculpt is enough to make him a must have. I’ve said it before, but why G.I. Joe is not ruling the toy aisle is just beyond me. When actually released, they’re still one of the best mass market lines out there.
Thanks for reading!
