[Acquisitions] G.I. Joe Combat Heroes Wave 2

After getting hooked on Hasbro's Super Hero Squad toys, I guess it's only natural for me to also like the squadies' American cousins: the G.I. Joe Combat Heroes. These figures have been on the shelves for years but they don't seem to be selling all that well. I think that today's kids aren't really familiar with the G.I. Joe brand as a whole and when you couple that fact with a very steep price range, then you have the recipe for a sure-fire toy aisle stinker. I know it's a bit harsh but that's the truth and trust me, I don't like it too! As a huge G.I. Joe fan, I want the property to succeed but there are things beyond our control and we, as collectors, can only do so much to help propel the brand. So, let's talk about the toys and see why they actually deserve some appreciation!

The wifey and I went to SM North Edsa the day before our flight to Singapore to have our bag tags made and  when I paid the department store's toy section a visit, these super-deformed cuties caught my attention. The figs are currently being sold for only 100 PHP (2.25 USD) per pack and the entire Wave 2 assortment is widely available so getting all four packs doesn't really require a ton of cash and effort. 50 PHP for a fig is definitely a bargain but upon setting the figs loose, I realized what kind of a steal the deal was! All the figs are pretty and though a few of them have some minor issues that prevent them from being perfect, they're still worth more than what I paid for.

The Scarlett and Destro set initially seemed like a weird combination but the pairing actually makes sense.  Scarlett is a very petite figure and pairing it with a large figure like Destro keeps the set's balance in check. Shana O'hara gets three points of articulation (neck, shoulders) while James McCullen gets four (neck, shoulders, waist) and both figs are holding a gun in their left hand. Scarlett is a bit front-heavy so she tips over to the front quite easily but you can correct that by pointing/adjusting the right arm backwards to shift the figure's center of gravity. Both figures are loaded with scuplted details and I'm glad to say that none of them suffer from bad paint apps.

The Flint and Baroness pack is very similar to the aforementioned Scarlett and Destro set in the sense that both pairings include a small female figure and a large male one. Flint moves at the neck, shoulders, and waist while Baroness moves at the neck, and shoulders. Baroness' long hair limits the figure's head movement a lot but you can actually force the head to move by keeping both shoulders leveled. Both figures also hold their weapon in their left hand and both figs are full of sculpted details. Dashiell Faireborn's paint job is amazing and I really love the camo patterns on the figure's pants but the hip holster and the pistol in it failed to get their own paint apps. Baroness is sporting her signature all-black outfit with a tampoed Cobra sigil on the front and since the costume is very simple, it's hard to get the paint wrong, so, I have no issues here.

I find the Barbecue and Storm Shadow set really odd but since I'm not that knowledgeable about the G.I. Joe comicbook lore, this pairing may or may not be based upon something. Both figures are as good as their  wave-mates if not better. Gabriel Kelly moves at the traditional four (neck, shoulders, waist) but Thomas Arashikage steals the show by having six POAs all to himself! Stormy moves at the neck, shoulders, waist, and wrists and all those joints make this fig a very dynamic ninja! The wrist joints come in handy since Stormy is carrying a sword in each hand and it's amazing to see how two added joints can make a world of difference when playing with these toys. Both figures are painted well and I don't really have anything negative to say about this set, it's a must-have, pure and simple.

The last set from this wave is the Beachhead and Serpentor pack and it's my favorite among the four. Yup, Stormy's a great fig but since Beachhead is my fave G.I. Joe character, this set means more to me! Luckily, this Wayne Sneeden figure is done perfectly! The sculpt is very detailed, the paint apps are crisp, and the pose is perfect for assaults and firefights! I love the fig's backpack and the huge rifle and this toy is pretty much like Beachhead himself: bad-ass! Both BH and Serpy look gorgeous but the Cobra Emperor has some stability issues because of its big cape. The paint apps on Serpy is superb but it's really hard to look past that stability problem. By the way, both figures move at the traditional four (neck, shoulders, waist).

These figures are awesome! If you're a G.I. Joe fan and you happen to find these figs being sold for the very low price of 100 PHP per pack, don't hesitate to snag the whole wave. I'm glad I bought these but now it's time to track down the figs from Wave 1.