Monday, November 11, 2024

Action Figure Review: Dreadnok Road Pig & Rawkus from G.I. Joe: Classified Series by Hasbro

 


 Ready for more G.I. Joe: Classified Series goodness? Then let's check out Road Pig & Rawkus! Another deluxe human with animal companion set, Road Pig offers up another threatening Dreadnok as a deluxe release, this time with a new animal companion, Rawkus, Road Pig's pet pit bull. Road Pig is another 1988 release that has been wonderfully updated for the Classified Series. We really are getting a good team of Dreadnoks going, aren't we? I had Road Pig as a kid and liked him quite a bit. I never owned any of the earlier Dreadnoks (Torch, Buzzer, Ripper, and Zartan) until I was older in high school and collecting the vintage line around 1999-2001, so the 1987 through 1989 Dreadnoks were my main guys. Named Donald Deluca after a Hasbro design director, Road Pig had an interesting file card that listed his extensive arrest record and a split personality in the Larry Hama penned Marvel Comics series. Road Pig went back and forth between the more mild mannered Donald and the crazy aggressive Road Pig. This figure has gotten a bit of a negative reception due to some collectors perceiving him as looking larger and heavier than his vintage toy and having a more stylized appearance. I'm actually quite a fan for the most part, though I'm rarely in favor of the Classified Series figures being rigidly beholden to their vintage counterparts. Ready to check out a deluxe two pack with Road Pig and Rawkus? Then join me after the break...






The Facts: Road Pig

Height:6 7/8ths inches

Articulation: Swivel/ hinge ankles, boot swivels, double hinged knees, swivel thighs, ball jointed drop down hips, ball jointed waist, hinged mid-torso, butterfly pecs, swivel/hinge shoulders, bicep swivels, double hinged elbows, swivel/hinge wrists, ball jointed neck base, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: 3 swappable heads, cinderblock hammer, boar hammer, 4 swappable hands, forearm crossbow, meat hook, gas mask, and shield.







The Facts: Rawkus

Height: Around 3 inches

Articulation: Swivel/ hinge paws (x4), hinged hocks (x4), swivel/hinged knees/elbows (x4), balljointed hips (x4), balljointed mid-torso, balljointed chest, and a barbell jointed head.

Accessories: 2 portraits, and a collar.

Non-Scalper Price: $45




The Positives:

* Road Pig is a big guy. Both in stature and in girth. He's thick, he's big, and he's noticeable larger than most figures. Here's Road Pig next to hi girlfriend, Zarana. Hasbro put some heft on this figure. The original Road Pig looked muscular but wasn't really any taller than most other figures since they truly used a buck system (not referring to a base body but the measurements that meant his parts were compatible with any other figure, giving him something of a standard size).


* I love that Hasbro grabbed so many of the details from the vintage figure and took them even further. He's still wearing shoulderpads (well, with only one shoulder), he's still covered in tattoos, and he's still sporting a leather codpiece, but now Road Pig is bigger, badder, and really going all in on the pig theme. The shoulder pads are a separate piece over his torso (which is now larger and muscular, perhaps more burly than straight up ripped) and the detail on them is excellent with multiple paint applications and a spiked skull on the right shoulder pad. He's also sporting a lot more ink and has Dreadnoks written across his stomach. 



* His face is a bit softer and doughier than the vintage figure, but it matches the new body type. he still has his white flattop with a red stripe around the base, so he's suitably still punk and biker inspired. the earing dangling from his left lope is pretty cool and he's now got a scar across the top of his nose and some stubble. Some people have compared his likeness to Dan Lauria, the actor who played the dad on The Wonder Years. I can see it, oddly enough. 







* Road Pig comes with lots of display options, one of which is a muzzle-like respirator that fits over his head. It's a snug fit though it looks great once you have it on. There are some little protrusions on the front that look like tusks.




* His second full portrait gives him an open mouthed expression, showing off a few gold teeth in his mouth. You can tell he's been up to some rough stuff.








* The third headsculpt is actually a full helmet for Road Big and, dang, is it awesome or what? It's like a horrible steampunk/ biker wild swine. Red lenses, lots of spikes. Super crazy cool and creepy. It kind of reminds me of one of the bosses from In Sound Mind, one of the creepiest and best horror games in recent memory. It's on X-Box One (probably other systems, too) and is a great psychological horror game that plays a bit like the Half-Life or BioShock series. I recommend it!





* On Donald's right shoulder is a cool spiked skull. He's also sporting some tattoos. There's a chain around his right bicep and some sort of design that looks like crossed bones with a swine that says "Pork Bomb."




* On his left shoulder is the anarchy "A" logo, which the vintage figure had, and a cool new logo that says "Certified Grade A Ham." I love it. Go all in with the animal aesthetic, buddy. You do you!












* Here's a shot from the back to better show off the detail and paint application on Road Pig's shoulder pads, belt and jeans, and chaps. 




* His chaps, boots, and codpiece are awesome. He's got a leather groin protector with a pig on it and a huge metal kneepad with a wild tusked boar or something on it. That would suck to get kneed with, wouldn't it?



* While the vintage Road Pig came with a wrist mounted crossbow that snapped on his wrist, the Classified Series Road Pig has a wrist mounted crossbow attached to a wrist bracer that first over his forearm. Just remove the hand and you can take it on and off. It's pretty detailed and there are separate crossbow bolts mounted on each side (not removable). 




* He's also got a quiver of crossbow bolts mounted to a pad on his right thigh.






* Road Pig is a big, burly dude, but that doesn't mean he can't move. Because he can. He's not as agile as your typical ninja or anything, but he can still wield his weapons and wage war like a human battering ram. He's got all of the joints and the quality you expect from a Classified Series figure, just put onto a larger, chonkier frame. 








* Road Pig also comes with two pair of swappable hands: A pair of pistol grips for holding his weapons and a pair of fists for pummeling anyone who gets in his way.


Donald comes nicely armed with quite a few nasty toys. First up is a cinderblock mounted on top of a metal pose. This was a cool weapon that the vintage figure came with and here it's been replicated quite faithfully, though the paint applications make it look more realistic. It's an interesting weapon that really relies on brute force and an interesting and unique accessory. 





* A new accessory for Road Pig is this meat hook. A nasty looking meat hook, with a huge spike on the hook and some small, serrated teeth. It's actually different than the meat hook that came with Croc Master, so it's cool that Hasbro didn't just reuse the same sculpt again.








* The most impressive weapon might be this massive war hammer that looks like a boar. It's got tusks, spikes on top, a curved handle, and a spike on the base of the hilt. Imagine the damage Road Pig could cause with this thing? That would be insane.



* The back of the war hammer also looks like a meat tenderizer. Yikes. He's Road Pig; you're road pizza. 




* Last up is a riot shield that's covered with black and yellow stripes and an image of a hog with the words "Good Luck" written underneath. This is a repaint of the ballistic shield, that came with Shockwave and is intended to be a modern take on the small armored shield that the vintage Road Pig came with.  This is a really nice looking piece of equipment with lots of detail showing off the various bolts and seams and the two very powerful lamps on the front. I imagine Road Pig picked this up from some agents that tried to stop him and gave it a bit of a repaint at the Dreadnok garage. You will have to remove Road Pig's gripping hand, get in in place, and then slip his forearm through the clip, but it does work and he holds it quite well.







* Let's take a look at Rawkus, a new animal companion for Road Pig created for this line. Rawkus is a Pit Bull and is based on the same body as Junkyard, which works pretty well, though he wouldn't necessarily have a cropped tail, right? Hasbro did a really nice job of sculpting him and making the articulation fit with the sculpt, so he's quite a step up from the vintage animals that were just solid plastic figures. Rawkus is light brown with some white on his belly, chest, and paws. 





* Rawkus has a scar across his eye, a white blaze on top of his nose, and some short ears that are absolutely alert. This head's pretty neutral, so if you want just a nicely articulated Pit Bull, you've got one. 




* The second portrait shows Rawkus with his teeth bared, about to bite the seat of some unsuspecting Joe's pants. I like how Hasbro gives us some alternate heads with the dogs. I'm really looking forward to Order at some point and I'd love to see a Joe with a Golden Retriever. Or a Kelpie. 







* Rawkus doesn't have a leash but he does have a collar that you can take off when it's bath time. 











* Hasbro has done an excellent job of articulating the animals in the Classified Series. I'm still interested in just a line of articulated dogs of different breeds. There's got to be a market for that, right? Rawkus is great and can sit, attack, roll over, beg, and just fall flat on his side and take a nap. He's a sturdy pup and he's got the moves to do all the tricks you could want. Do you think he eats dog food and water or do you think he thrives on donuts and grape soda like the other Dreadnoks? 




   The problem some collectors are having with Road Pig is that his body type and personality seem a bit different from the vintage toy. Honestly, I really like it. Road Pig is a big boy, a well detailed figure, and he's loaded with weapons. Cool weapons at that. And that armored boar-like helmet? Dang, that is crazy cool! I also like Rawkus. I'm always a fan of companion animals and dogs are pretty much always going to be at the top of my list. This is an Epic set and is loaded with cool stuff. Hasbro really went all out here and made Road Pig a stellar, standout release. I can understand why some folks don't like the design but the figure itself is mighty strong.



These are the first figures of Road Pig and Rawkus I've reviewed on the site. For more G.I. Joe: Classified Series reviews check out the following:
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7 comments:

  1. CarniviusNovember 11, 2024 at 5:45 AM

    Looks like a great figure overall and another cool animal buddy too (which makes Raptor's 'dead parrot' even worse)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17November 12, 2024 at 8:20 PM

      Yeah, Raptor and Shipwreck definitely got shorted when it comes to fully articulated animal companions.

      Delete
    2. CarniviusNovember 13, 2024 at 4:25 AM

      I forgot about Shipwreck and his almost literal 'dead parrot'. And I even owned that figure. It was £2.99 in clearance. :P

      Delete
  2. Wayward KnaveNovember 11, 2024 at 3:18 PM

    With the respirator on his face, I can almost imagine Road Pig saying, "Of course!" and "Impossible!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17November 12, 2024 at 8:20 PM

      Haha. "It would be extremely painful. For you."

      Delete
  3. Joe PantsNovember 24, 2024 at 10:24 AM

    I've been slowing down a bit on this line, mostly as a result of being a bit overwhelmed with just the abundance of releases of late, but I've been prioritizing Dreadnoks, and animals, so this guy is a must own

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbecue17November 26, 2024 at 2:27 PM

      This line is absolutely insane with releases right now. It's probably my favorite out there, so I've cut a few other things to pick up most releases. I love the figures with animals and I'm looking forward to the Law and Order. Some preproduction images of Law and Order have been making the rounds and they look pretty good.

      Delete

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