I have been waiting to write this review for 6 days, and have just now gotten to it. My ridiculous procrastination is thankfully not an indictment of the quality of these toys, because despite my lack of motivation, they're actually two very good figures that represent the new GI Joe Resolute branding quite well. This Resolute Comic Pack is a step up from the first and Hasbro should be proud of another great set of toys at a totally reasonable pricepoint.
I'm going to start off by saying that I like the design of this Storm Shadow figure, but everyone may not. This might change my perceptions of the quality of his sculpt, yet even if you're not a fan of the design, this is still a technically strong sculpt in this scale. Storm Shadow has stylish and still relatively realistic proportions, meaning he looks good from the front, back, or the side. His armor pieces really help his general appearance stand out as attractive, adding strong shapes into his silhouette. He's also displaying an amazing amount of detail like most GI Joe figures manage to squeeze into such a small size. There are natural wrinkles and bunches in his clothing, while grooves, indentions, and tiny rivets grace his armor pieces. He's also decked out with pouches and raised straps that could've just been painted, but Hasbro didn't cut corners and it's much appreciated. His weapons and helmets all look great and appropriately ninja-like, all displaying the same level of detail and crispness that the figure does. The face sculpt on Storm Shadow doesn't have a lot of detail to reveal, though what is there looks good with tightly shaped eyes, bumps for his ears, and cloth folding on his furled brow. Tunnel Rat isn't quite as well sculpted, with a few issues in particular standing out as problematic. First off is his face sculpt. It's not bad from a technical standpoint, with crisp features and some good details. The thing is, it's bordering on offensive with his ridiculously thin, squinted eyes. Given that this is a stereotypical feature for Asian-Americans and Tunnel Rat falls within this group, to see this physical feature so overly exaggerated is really sad. Maybe I'm looking into this too much, but I think some more decorum would have been nice here. Other than that, something about this guy's proportions just look off; I think his legs are just a little too skinny compared to his arms and it's throwing the overall look out of whack. Tunnel Rat does have a lot of detail packed into his small size, with shoelaces, textures on leather, pouches, and natural looking clothes wrinkles. His accessories share these same qualities, with a very detailed pistol and machine gun that look pretty realistic. He also has an over-the-shoulder bag with the letters TNT carved in, as well as an ammo strap that has a holster for his pistol (which fits nicely).
Storm Shadow's Sculpt Score: 9 / 10
Tunnel Rat's Sculpt Score: 6 / 10
Thankfully (for both of us) I don't have as much to say about these figures' paintjobs as I did their sculpt. Storm Shadow has an above average quality for a mass market figure in this scale, which doesn't mean he is problem free. Some of his applications are a little sloppy, especially the borders on his knee and shoulder pads, as well as most of the red straps holding things onto his body. It's nothing terrible, though you will probably find a little outside/inside the lines work on any figure you pick up. His decal is applied pretty cleanly, appearing centered and level, yet his eyes aren't quite as good, with one pointing up and out more than straight on. His eyebrows and skin are very crisp within his mask; just that one wonky eye is an issue. His accessories all look clean and metallic where intended and I like his overall color scheme too, although I can see it being a little busy for some people's perception of the character. Tunnel Rat's colors are more troublesome for me. The green on his chest just looks a shade wrong. I can't describe what's wrong with it, I simply don't like it. He's pretty basic outside of that, with some boring black and brown. The facial skin tones don't match the tone on his arms and that's bothersome too. Paint applications are surprisingly crisp and tight, with very little overspray, everything is well matched to the sculpt and well within the lines. The camouflage details on his arms and face are clean, along with a straight hairline, sharp eyebrows, and nice accessory color shifts.
Storm Shadow's Paint Score: 7 / 10
Tunnel Rat's Paint Score: 8 / 10
Both of these figures have a pretty standard modern GI Joe articulation setup (to my limited Joe knowledge at least). This means that they're capable of a lot of different fun posing options and aren't limited when it comes to their playing potential. Storm Shadow's articulation is really well hidden within the sculpt so that his appearance isn't compromised by the joints. Things like his kneepads, the red straps around his waist, and the shoulderpads all do their part in hiding ugly joints. One area that isn't hidden and I can't stand are these hips. The standard hip joints look terrible, and really hurt Storm Shadow's overall look. All of his joints worked smoothly and hold their positions well because they're tight enough without being too difficult to move. The only joints for Storm Shadow that are limited in their range of movement Tunnel Rat tell a very similar story when it comes to articulation, except that his joints aren't as well hidden. His hips and chest crunch look particularly bad, but no steps were taken to cover other joints either. His neck is difficult to move because of his tight neck-bandanna. Everything else works well for Tunnel Rat; nothing's broken and each joint is tight enough to hold up his arms and a lot of poses.
Storm Shadow's Articulation Score: 8 / 10
Tunnel Rat's Articulation Score: 7 / 10
Hasbro keeps getting one thing right with GI Joe figures, and that thing is that they're always fun. First off, nothing was broken, problematic, or difficult about either of these figures. Removing the potential for frustration is a big step in improving the fun factor, and both of these guys have done just that. Storm Shadow includes two removable helmets, a huge double edged staff/axe/thing that looks wicked and makes for some fun poses, as well as a smaller handaxe that also looks quite dangerous. Couple those great accessories with his already stylish armored ninja design and you've got a fun toy. His articulation is well suited to play or display and you're going to have trouble not enjoying this figure unless you just hate the design. Tunnel Rat benefits from all of the same great fun elements. He has two deadly looking guns, and his big machine gun is particularly fun to pose him with. Being able to store his handgun in his holster is a nice element, and having the TNT bag to sling over his shoulder is interesting too. Tunnel Rat's articulation is totally sufficient whether you want him to look nice on the shelf or take his place in a war on the floor. He may not look like quite as much fun as Storm Shadow, but they've both got everything they need to make them a real blast. They are also packed in with a comic book, that while it may not win an Eisner for quality, it was a fun fast read that made the most out of each character's style. This is really just a bonus for these already enjoyable figures.
Storm Shadow's Fun Score: 10 / 10
Tunnel Rat's Fun Score: 10 / 10
Finding these at $10 was a total shock to my system. Not only are you getting two very well made figures with a load of accessories and their own personalized stand, but this comic pack also, and obviously by its title, includes a comic packed in with these toys. Comics range for $3 to $4 on their own these days, and these Joes would go for $7 by themselves too. When you compare that total of at least $17, then a price of only $10 sounds like a real bargain, and it is. You may not find these everywhere that cheap, but even at $15 they're still an outrageously strong value. Both Storm Shadow and Tunnel Rat portray high production values and feel durable enough to stand up to some rather rough play sessions. Both come with a bevy of accessories, as well as a personalized stand and a biography card. I wish you got this much with every toy out there, but since you don't, these two really stand out. Value comes down to how much you're going to use them, and the fact that this two-pack provides an instant battle, and a comic to base that battle on makes the options for play so much bigger than with a single figure. They really are worth the price.
Storm Shadow's Value Score: 10 / 10
Tunnel Rat's Value Score: 10 / 10
Storm Shadow Summary
9 - Nice looking stylish design, great accessories function and form, lots of details, visible split mold at hips, head is simple but looks good.
7 - Color scheme works well with itself, some bad applications, one crazy eye, accessories are detailed with paint.
8 - Every joint works well, his articulation looks good with the sculpt because of clever costuming, lots of poseability, shoulders are a little limited, hips look absolutely terrible, needs a thigh swivel.
10 - Useable articulation model, cool looking accessories, classic fun design, he is a ninja, swappable masks is a great feature, portrayed well in comic.
10 - He comes with everything but a kitchen sink, feels durable and well made, packaging is great, includes a comic too!
Storm Shadow Overall Score: 87 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
Storm Shadow is an interesting figure that offers a lot to a potential buyer because he's loaded down with fun and worth every penny.
Tunnel Rat Summary
6 - All of the technical aspects were done well, fantastic accessories, face is bordering on offensive, just looks a little "off".
8 - Colors are pretty drab, very crisp applications compared to other figures at this scale, great accessories details, skin tone matching issue.
7 - A couple ugly articulation spots, problematic neck movement, everything is unbroken and works smoothly, lots of different points.
10 - Really dangerous looking weapons, can store weapon on the figure, includes removable costume elements, lots of articulation for pose or play, great comic story included too.
10 - Loads of accessories, high production values, stand, comic, and biography card included, with durability and toughness too!
Tunnel Rat Overall Score: 81 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
Despite a questionable sculpt and some ugly articulation, Tunnel Rat scoots into the great category with an amazing value and lots of fun to offer buyers.
Comic Pack #2 Overall Score: 84 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
This comic pack was worth every penny because it gives you two great figures that may not be perfect on technical standards, but they have the heart and soul of a toy in that they're just fun.
P.S. This could be the figure I'm giving away this month, just leave a comment for a chance to win (if it's the one).
-The Articulated One
