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Author Topic: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)  (Read 3444 times)

olyeller01

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Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« on: August 30, 2010, 12:43:19 AM »

Review – SDCC Exclusive Sgt. Slaughter
USA Version (Read First)


The San Diego Comic-Con has turned into a mainstream pop culture event.  It’s not just about comics anymore.  Everyone from movie studios to video game and toy companies show off their wares and what they have planned for the rest of the year, and sometimes they even preview what’s up for the next.  This SDCC was one of the biggest yet, with stars such as Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. unveiling the Avengers movie among other big happenings.  Hasbro has a history of releasing some popular Comic-Con exclusives too, especially in the GI Joe line.  They started with a 25th style “Pimp Daddy” Destro in 2007, followed that with a suited, lecturing Cobra Commander in 2008, and continued with a boxed set with the movie Destro and his ancestor in 2009.  This year’s Comic-Con Joe exclusive was not only a fan favorite, he also has crossover appeal as well as being one of the few real people to have a 3 ¾” figure made of them…none other than the “Special Drill Instructor for GI Joe,” Sgt. Slaughter!  Hasbro made two versions of him, one modeled after the original ’85 mail-away version (also known as the “USA” version because those letters are emblazoned across his chest) and one modeled after the figure included with the 1986 Triple T tank, with the “Triple T” version being the rarer of the two.  This review is of the “USA” version.

The first thing you’ll notice about Sarge is the protective plastic case that his card is packaged in. These covers are pretty darn neat.  The top right hand corner of the bubble has a Comic-Con 2010 sticker.  The top right side of the case has an embossed Cobra logo in a circle, and the left side has a GI Joe star.  The back has “GI Joe” embossed across the back and a small Hasbro logo stamped into the bottom right corner.  These cases are now available on HasbroToyShop.com for $15 for a pack of 10.  Mint-on-card isn’t my thing, but if some of you have some rare or overly expensive MoC figures out there, these would be a great way to protect and display them.  The card inside is the good old 25th Anniversary style, which are a homage to the original A Real American Hero cards.  The old style GI Joe logo is emblazoned across the top, and Sarge takes up the left side in a grappling pose.  He looks ready to body slam someone!  The bottom right holds the figure.  The back has a letter from Sarge at the top and a copy of the mail-away Sarge’s file card on the bottom.

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Open up the bubble, and you can pull Sarge out.  He’s dressed in a green tank top with the aforementioned “USA” up top with black wrestling tights and boots below.  Sarge has a Marine Corps drill instructor’s hat perched on his head, his silver glasses on his face (along with his mustache) and black gloves with red wristbands on his hands.  He also has a white web belt around his waist with a coppery-colored Corps logo belt buckle.  The wrestling tights have the GI Joe logo running down the left leg, and Sarge’s boots have a gunnery sergeant’s rank insignia on both ankles.  There isn’t a whole lot of detail on Sarge, but for a minimally clothed and geared-up wrestler, what do you expect?  One other thing that sets Sarge off from other 25th and RoC style figures is his right wrist.  It’s jointed like the ankles, where he can move his wrist forward or backward realistically.  The extra joint is so seamlessly done that it is hardly noticeable, and extra movement is always welcome in a Joe figure.  I just wish they’d done this to BOTH wrists, and that Joe figures in the future have the same feature.




As for gear, the original figure came with just a baton.  The new Sarge has some considerably nicer and better gear.  He still comes with a baton, and the whistle around his neck is now removable instead of molded onto the figure like the original version.  The figure is even assembled with the whistle turned correctly, so if Sarge was to put the whistle to his lips he would do so the right way.  Besides the whistle, there’s also a microphone.  While I doubt Sgt. Slaughter needs the mike to yell at recruits, it would be a great tool for cutting some wrestling promos either on the air or in the ring.  The final feature is really, really neat…it’s a wrestling championship belt with the Joe logo emblazoned on the front.  The belt is VERY intricately detailed, and the metal sections on it are painted accordingly.  It looks great around Sarge’s waist, and it would be a great tool to smack someone with, WWE style.  




I’m glad to get a Sgt. Slaughter figure, but there’re a few flaws with this figure.  You’ve probably read these before elsewhere or commented on them yourself online, but I’ll touch on them again here.  Physically, he’s not very big, and I think this version’s legs look too short.  Slaughter was always big and beefy on the cartoon, and he’s hardly muscled at all here.  I also picture Sarge as being at least as tall as me (6’4”) and if he’s not bigger than life, how is he supposed to snap new Marines (and Joes) into shape?  Also, the gear is fine for a wrestler, but I wish Sarge at least had a gun or something…though the Triple T version comes with both a pistol and a heavy machine gun.  The final physical problem with the figure is the way the “USA” is printed right across the split in his chest.   If you turn his torso at all, the letters don’t line up and it just looks kind of goofy.



Note that I commented a lot on “physical” flaws.  The other flaw comes with the distribution of this figure.  The combination of the character’s crossover appeal, the 25th Anniversary packaging, and the wholly reasonable price of just $12.99 for an exclusive figure made this fig sell out completely.  He wasn’t even offered on HasbroToysShop.com the day after the convention the way exclusives have in the past, which led to some angry Joe fans, your humble reviewer included.  I’m not gonna go into a whole bunch of complaining here since I have another thread for that, but a lot of folks in the Joe community found the situation highly annoying.

The furor about THIS figure appears to have died down a bit, with the “USA” version selling online for anywhere from $20-40, with $25-30 being the norm. The Triple T version still sells for around $50 though, so be prepared to invest some serious dough if you want both of these figures.  I just really wish this figure was bigger, at least around Bench Press’s size.  To me, this isn’t the “blow me completely away” Sarge figure I was hoping for, so unless you’re a completist or a giant Slaughter fan I’d wait a while and see if the price comes down a little more or if you can get lucky and score one for around $20.  I just hope that Hasbro learned a little lesson about the popularity of Sarge and especially of 25th style figures for the future!
« Last Edit: August 30, 2010, 12:46:28 AM by olyeller01 »
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OlYeller01
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Re: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2010, 06:48:40 AM »

Good review, terrible figure in my opinion. I was never a Sarge fan in any way except for the Warthog vehicle he came with back in the day. Out of the two versions available I dislike this one even more since this should have just been released in the wwe line.  I'll pass on this figure.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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bandonov

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Re: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2010, 08:26:48 AM »

Great review has usual, I can't wait to read more.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Re: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2010, 08:45:18 AM »

I love this figure.  It is like an actual rerepresentation of a real person.  And the nostalgic value to me is immeasurable.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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turner

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Re: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2010, 11:48:53 AM »

I totally agree, man, the 25th all the way!  And the tough guy sarge of the cartoon and comic!  

I was thinking this morning, the 25th will now probably only be offered as con exclusives and therefore expensive and all that.  Shame.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2010, 11:50:35 AM by turner »
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5h4rK

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Re: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2010, 09:59:22 PM »

Again, really nice review.. always great to have your input on the new products!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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formbx257

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Re: Review - SDCC Exclusive "USA" Sgt. Slaughter! (Read 1st)
« Reply #6 on: September 02, 2010, 10:24:26 PM »

Nice review again, Olyeller!  I couldn't make the FanExpo in Toronto on the 27th, where they were apparently selling both versions.  I hope they do that again, getting any SDCC exclusives in Canada is awesome! 
Did you notice on the back of the card on the left is a 1984 "For G.I. Joe Team Members Only" insert?  Weird!
Here's the the rest of it: http://www.yojoe.com/archive/inserts/members.shtml
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