Tomorrow is the official start of the 2009 San Diego Comic Con, and today's review features one of the many exclusive figures only available at the convention. Grab a gander at the GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra movie inspired Baroness 12 inch figure from Hasbro. I've already given you my positive initial impressions, but do they hold up to the empowered criticism of a full length review? Continue to find out for yourself!]
Name: Baroness
Line: GI Joe Rise of Cobra San Diego Comic Con Exclusive 12 Inch Figure
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Released: July 23rd 2009
Price: Retail: $29.99; Online: $40+
Scale: 12.00 in.
Accessories: Overcoat, undergarment, belt with holsters, high heels, assault rifle, two pistols, glasses
Baroness has a nice female 12 inch base body, that while new to me, may not be a unique piece. It's much more effectively proportioned than the male GI Joes in the same scale, hanging quite naturally while filling out her clothes well. Despite the accurately sized hands and feet, her head just looks big. It's not as problematic when fully clothed, but if you look at the articulation image below, I can't help but shake the feeling that it's enormous. I think her giant and static hair may have a role in this illusion too. The poses chosen for each hand are a good neutral option that look fine when empty, but can also hold her weapons with some work (just not particularly well). Her hair has a lot of sculpted lines and curls worked in, but it still feels like a wet matted mess because there aren't enough layers. The facial expression is pretty basic, with most of the personality derived from the painted raised eyebrow. Thankfully there is a lot of detail in the face to make it stand out, including some very subtle shapes and wrinkles, and while not a Hot Toys level sculpt, it's still quite good, indeed leaps and bounds better than the standard retail 12 inch GI Joe figures.
Her clothes are all seemingly well made, as I haven't spotted any raveling or poorly sewn spots yet. The outer coat is made of varying fabrics to give a diverse look to her sleeves and collar, and while not quite as shiny as the movie images I've seen, this still looks very much the part. It's important to note that the coat is a bit too big for her frame, but it folds up nicely to give it a more full and billowing look, also achieved by the sliced tails all around the bottom. It's hard to make coats look flowing, but this comes out okay, just a bit too creased from the factory in places. Her long one-piece undergarment fits perfectly well, as do her shoes and glasses. They each add to her look and function well, the shoes even snug enough to hold her up in some dynamic poses. The belt fits around her waist well, has some neat details, and even includes a technogical attachment of some sort (a bomb maybe?) that includes the date of the San Diego Comic Con on its screen. The assualt rifle she includes looks great whether on its own or in her hands, and it has an elastic strap, making it possible for her to carry over-shoulder. Unfortunately, I'm going to close on a negative aspect, which is the ugly pair of pistols. I don't know if they're using 1950s laser pistols in this movie, but that's what these come across as. Instead of cool handguns with fine details, these are glossy, curved space guns.
Sculpt Score: 8 / 10
There isn't a whole lot to discuss when looking at Baroness' paint work. Her face has some pretty strong blush added to the cheeks, and although it's cleanly applied and consistent throughout, I think it's a shade too bright to look best. The lipstick is equally gaudy, but again very well painted. The eyebrows and eyes are very crisp with all the expected parts, but of course the eyes don't look quite realistic, all the more evident in this scale. Her hair is a dark brown with reddish brown drybrushing added in. It really just adds to the wet and muddled look that the sculpt brings out, so while I appreciate the effort, the execution is a little weak. The rest of her skin matches well (except the torso, which is well hidden by clothes). The clothes are all dark black, and look just as they should, with some parts glossy and others matte for a bit of diversification. The fancy machine on her belt has some fine details and the date for SDCC is very cleanly printed. Finally her accessories are a total mixed bag. The assault rifle is a cool mix of grays created by a wash effect that makes it look old and used, and then on the other side of the quality wall, her pistols have a ridiculously ugly silver gloss that makes them, again, look like space pistols. I suppose they're technically well done since Hasbro has achieved their desired look, but man that look is ugly. I will admit that they look marginally better when tucked into the holsters on the back of her belt.
Paint Score: 7 / 10
Baroness may not have as many points of articulation as some higher end 12 inch figures, but there's definitely enough here to enjoy. She has swivel hinges at almost every necessary point, so there isn't much you can't do on the major axes. You're only limited with subtle movements that might be offered by things like shoulder pivots and a more effective ab crunch, but at this price point, this is a reasonable amount of joints. Her upper body points are all tight and hold the weight of the accessories as well as her big head. The lower half isn't quite so strong, solely because her ankles are a bit loose. It takes some fiddling to get her to stand up in some of the more action-packed poses you can manage, but the knees and hips are just fine. Her panty-hose don't restrict movement at all, and her coat is actually rather unrestrictive too, so getting the most out of all her articulation isn't too hard. The long hair mold does limit the vertical movement of her neck to a degree, but she's totally free horizontally. All the points are well hidden beneath her clothes, other than the ankles, which do appear a bit chunky through her hose.
Articulation Score: 8 / 10
GI Joe has always been at the top of my list for making toys fun. They have crazy designs and loads of accessories, which is a welcome combination. Baroness actually abandons both of those positive traits, but still manages to be an enjoyable toy. She features the realistic movie design that may not catch your eyes but is still cool in its simplicity. It's definitely something like playing with a Barbie, but Baroness will fit right in with your other 1/6 scale movie figures to represent the as-yet unrated GI Joe flick, making her a joy to display. If the notion to play with her strikes you, she does have a solid articulation model and a few cool accessories to liven up the event. All that's holding her back is the loose ankles, but the real fun in this figure comes from all the neat extras. The package is quite classy in its presentation, especially interesting is the classic pinup of Baroness featured on its opening flap (find an image here). The fact that's she's also posed with assault rifle in hand and pistols overhead is dynamic enough to consider keeping her displayed in-box. Plus, she's an exclusive figure, a memory of going to San Diego Comic Con, brought to life even more from the date placed on her belt, 7/23/2009, the first official day of Comic Con.
Fun Score: 9 / 10
At $30 for a 12 inch figure, Baroness is at a great price point compared to some 1/6 scale figures out there at $150 or more. Now you can't expect to get the same quality, but this is still a good figure without any major problems to limit the value. She comes in a high-quality package, comes with a couple accessories, and comes with multiple layers of clothing. There are some small details that could have been left out, and weren't, plus she's not a small figure, coming in at almost the same height as her male counterparts in the line. It may not be worth your money to track Baroness down for aftermarket prices, but if you're in San Diego and want a souvenier for your time, then Baroness is probably worth laying down the cash.
Value Score: 9 / 10
8 / 10 - Nice overall proportions and details with a few small problems.
7 / 10 - Some exaggerations of color, but otherwise good applications.
8 / 10 - Good number of joints, but with loose and ugly ankles.
9 / 10 - Poseable figure with accessories and extras.
9 / 10 - Good price for a good 12 inch figure.
83 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
Baroness is probably better than the movie she's based on will be, because she's a fun SDCC exclusive without any major flaws.
-The Articulated One
This could be the figure given away in this month's Review Commentator Contest. Join the discusssion by leaving a comment for a chance to win!
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