G.I. Joe Target Exclusive — Ultimate Battle Pack (Loose)

This set rocks on all levels in spite of the plethora of repacks/repaints/re-decos. It’s a lot of value for the cost, plus you get Short-Fuze and the MOBAT. Before I display the loose pics, here’s a quick review:

Cobra Commander: Not much new here except darker shade of blue, silver trim/highlights, and no stripe down the leg. **

Destro: Iron Grenadier mold without the cape, silver and grey highlights instead of gold, and chrome head. **1/2

Cobra Vehicle Gunner: Straight-up repaint of the Cobra Trooper in dark grey with red highlights. ***

Cobra HISS Driver: Silver chestplate with black trim. Still an excellent figure. ***

Sgt. Stalker: Darker green and lighter skin tone, and comes with a JUMP pack and Air Trooper weapon. ***

Short-Fuze: Repainted Doc head on top of Steeler body (Snake Eyes torso and legs, Cobra Trooper Arms, Double Clutch/Steeler boots); mortar stand is loosey-goosey. Slight disappointment in this. **1/2

Ralph ‘Steeler’ Pulaski: Lame code name since it can’t just be Steeler, but a straight-up repaint of the figure that came with the Armadillo, this time in tan hues. Helmet too loose on his head doesn’t stay on. **

Flight Pod: Trouble Bubble in blue. Great update of a classic. ***

HISS Tank: Red color to accompany your basic black and previous blue exclusive. Excellent! ***1/2

MOBAT: Green tank with rubber treads and extendable cannon. Never had this as a kid so it’s a definite plus! ***1/2

Cobra Commander — Cobra Leader

Cobra Commander — Comparison Shot

Destro — Enemy Weapons Supplier

Hall of Destros — Comparison Shot

Cobra H.I.S.S. Driver — Cobra Infantry

Cobra H.I.S.S. Driver — Comparison Shot

Cobra Vehicle Gunner — Cobra Infantry

Cobra Vehicle Gunner — Comparison Shot

Sgt. Stalker — Ranger

Sgt. Stalker — Comparison Shot

Short-Fuze — Mortar Solider

Ralph “Steeler” Pulaski — Tank Commander

Cobra Flight Pod

H.I.S.S. Tank

MOBAT

G.I. Joe Target Exclusive — Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB)

Once news hit the boards that people were able to get the Target Exclusive Ultimate Battle Pack using the DPCI#, I got bit by the bug so hard that I went out and actually used that number to my advantage for the first time. On Wednesday, I used the scanner to check the stock and got a big fat “No!” I went home empty-handed, but relieved that my wallet would not be crying, keeping me up at night.

All that changed today. After work, I visited the same Target and input the DPCI# into the scanner again. This time it was a glorious “YES!” I then did another thing for the first time, and actually approached an employee and asked him to input the DPCI# in hopes he would pull it from the back. And he did. He was so helpful, he even flagged down the department lead (Toys & Electronics wasn’t his department) in order to help me out! Then he called the stockroom and got the stock shelf number and a few minutes later, I was hauling this huge sucker down to the registers!

Anyway, enough blabbing. Here are the pics!

Ultimate Battle Pack Receipt (close-up)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Front)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Front)

Ultimate Battle Pack Size Comparison

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Back)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — Cobra)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — H.I.S.S. Tank / Driver)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — Cobra Vehicle Gunner)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — Flight Pod)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — G.I. Joe)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — M.O.B.A.T. / Steeler)

Ultimate Battle Pack (MIB Detail — Short-Fuze / Sgt. Stalker)

H.I.S.S. Tank / H.I.S.S. Driver

Cobra Vehicle Gunner (Close-up)

Destro (Close-up)

Cobra Commander / Flight Pod (Close-up).

Sgt. Stalker w/JUMP Pack (Close-up)

Steeler (Close-up)

M.O.B.A.T.

Short-Fuze (Close-up)

Some notes after the jump.

G.I. Joe — Mail-Away Figure: Doc

This figure was available only by sending 6 proof of purchase stickers found with the comic 2-packs, as well as a shipping/handling fee. For some reason, even though I sent away for only one, I received two!

Doc (front)

Doc (close-up)

Doc (back)

Foil Treatment — “embossed” version

Foil Treatment — “matte” version

**REVIEW**
Doc comes in a plain white box with the G.I. Joe logo on one side and, in small print, G.I. Joe Doc on the opposite side. Opening the box reveals the carded figure nested within a plastic keep-case that prevents some crushing and all minor dings.

He comes on a 25th Anniversary foil card with the Wave 4 figures on the back. Definitely part of the appeal of these figures is the eye-catching character art.

Doc is a great example of re-using parts to create a wholly new figure. It’s basically a repainted Duke body with a new head and new accessories. The familiar stretcher and flare gun accompany Doc, but he also now comes with a silver pistol that fits into a thigh-holster,as well as a packed-in stand that comes with all the figures in the G.I. Joe line. Finally, he has a removable shoulder bag.

A great looking figure and well worth the effort to secure in your collection.

**UPDATE**
Knowing that I had two Docs, I was all set to open one to provide loose pics. However, I discovered that Doc comes on a variant cardback, similar to several of the Wave 7 single-carded figures. The foil treatment on one card is the regular “matte” version — a flat foil treatment; on the second card, the foil is embossed and shinier. It‘s a subtle difference that is difficult to capture on digital camera, but I believe that I was able to get it.

Foil Treatment — “matte” version

Foil Treatment — “embossed” version

G.I. Joe Wave 9 Major Bludd — Same Figure, New Card

Any collector following the new G.I. Joe line will salivate knowing that wave 9 has just been released at retail (this of course will soon be replaced by salivating for wave 10 due out in the next couple of weeks).

In the case assortment that includes some of the best sculpts and more interesting/colorful characters (Barbecue, Snow Serpent and B.A.T., anyone?), one will find the re-issue of two figures that were difficult to find the first time around: Major Bludd and Sgt. Flash.

While it’s cool that these guys are being re-released for those who weren’t able to find them before, there’s another reason for those who already have the figures to plunk $7.99 down for another copy. Or another reason to drive completists absolutely bug-nuts.

The original release came under the 25th Anniversary logo, but now that the year has passed, a new emblem has replaced the 25th emblem in the upper right-hand corner of the card. These new emblems change depending on the source of the character — either sourced from the tv show, a sub-line faction (such as Tiger Force), or the comic among others.

Other minor differences include a lack of foil packaging, a different explosion on the background of the character art, and a new placement of the “Cobra Enemy” logo.

Being the kind of collector who usually buys one to keep MOC and one to open, I’m glad to finally get a Major Bludd that I can pull out of the packaging and set up on my shelf to collect dust. Yeah, nerdy, maybe sad, but I think it’s cool nevertheless.